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  • Google Launches Five Sustainability Projects to Accelerate India’s Climate Ambitions

    Google Launches Five Sustainability Projects to Accelerate India’s Climate Ambitions

    On September 10, 2026, Google announced five sustainability initiatives across India, focusing on solar energy, agriculture, research, and climate technology. The company aims to accelerate India’s clean energy transition by leveraging artificial intelligence, satellite data, and local partnerships.

    The initiatives target more than 300 million Indian rooftops, farmers in Telangana, and new solar capacity in Rajasthan. Google will combine geospatial AI, clean energy investments, and research support to address climate challenges.

    Expanding Solar Potential with AI

    Google is expanding its Solar API to cover over 300 million rooftops in India. The tool uses AI and imagery to assess solar potential without requiring an initial site visit. Companies like Solar Ladder and OpenSolar have already integrated the technology into their solar workflows.

    New Solar Project in Rajasthan

    The company signed a long-term agreement with ReNew Power for a 150 MW solar project in Rajasthan. This marks Google’s second Scope 3-focused solar project in India. Together, both projects will bring 300 MW of contracted solar capacity with ReNew.

    Supporting Sustainable Agriculture

    Agriculture forms another major part of the sustainability push through a partnership with Mitti Labs. The initiative will help tens of thousands of smallholder rice farmers in Telangana adopt Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) practices. AWD periodically drains and refills rice fields, reducing methane formation while lowering irrigation demand. Google expects the programme to mitigate nearly three million tonnes of CO₂e under the GWP20 measure. NASA-enabled satellite monitoring will help verify results alongside field networks.

    Expanding Climate Research

    Google is also expanding the Google Center for Climate Technology with new research areas. Water stewardship and waste and circularity will join green workforce training and low-carbon construction materials. The center selected three inaugural projects from 77 applications and will invite proposals through the government’s Manthan Platform. The programme aims to turn climate research into scalable, data-driven environmental solutions.

    AI for the Planet Accelerator

    Google DeepMind’s AI for the Planet accelerator includes four Indian climate-tech startups: Terrastack, Varaha Climate, Farmers for Forests, and Climitra Carbon. These startups will apply AI, Geo-AI, drones, and satellite models to environmental challenges.

    “Digital innovation and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand to create practical, lasting impact for India,” said Vrushali Gaud, Google’s Director of Climate Operations.

    The initiatives show Google broadening climate action beyond corporate energy use into India’s homes, farms, research ecosystem, and startup economy.

  • WARDOGS Hits Steam Early Access with Massive 100-Player Three-Team Warfare

    WARDOGS Hits Steam Early Access with Massive 100-Player Three-Team Warfare

    Tactical shooter WARDOGS has officially launched on Steam Early Access, giving PC gamers their first hands-on experience with large-scale multiplayer battles. Developed by studio Bulkhead, the game supports matches with up to 100 players and introduces a unique three-team format that sets it apart from traditional two-sided shooters.

    A New Twist on Team Shooters

    Unlike most team-based shooters, WARDOGS pits three squads against each other in every match, all vying for control of a central objective. Battles unfold across expansive, destructible maps inspired by the industrial mountains of Eastern Europe. Vehicles, buildings, and environmental damage all influence the flow of combat, creating dynamic and unpredictable encounters.

    The game also features a cash-based reward system that encourages teamwork. Players earn money through in-game actions, which they can then spend to support their squad. Adding to the chaos, proximity voice chat allows players from different teams to overhear each other mid-match, since anyone nearby can be heard.

    Strong Momentum Before Launch

    WARDOGS enters Early Access on the back of a successful closed beta. Bulkhead reports that nearly half a million unique players participated during the August test phase, and the final pre-launch test saw over 245,000 concurrent players on Steam. The studio has also confirmed that WARDOGS has already sold more than one million copies.

    Currently, WARDOGS is available on Steam for USD 39.99 in the United States. Bulkhead expects the Early Access period to last one to two years, during which it plans to release new maps, weapons, vehicles, and progression systems.

    Console Versions on the Horizon

    Console versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S are scheduled for 2028, though no exact release date has been shared. It remains unclear whether cross-platform play between PC and consoles will be supported. In the meantime, console players can add the game to their wishlists, while PC players can jump in immediately.

    With a strong beta turnout and over a million sales already, WARDOGS appears poised to build a solid player base long before it reaches consoles in 2028.

  • Key Tech Developments Today: Samsung-Mistral AI Partnership, EaseMyTrip Share Pledge, Singapore Hiring Trends, Coinbase Wallet Rebrand, and OpenAI’s Safety Pause

    Key Tech Developments Today: Samsung-Mistral AI Partnership, EaseMyTrip Share Pledge, Singapore Hiring Trends, Coinbase Wallet Rebrand, and OpenAI’s Safety Pause

    Samsung and Mistral AI Launch Semiconductor Infrastructure Alliance

    The partnership, announced at a state summit in Paris between South Korea and France, will see Samsung integrate Mistral’s AI tools—including its Mistral Large model—into its chip operations. This collaboration aims to create customized, on-premises AI systems for Samsung’s semiconductor infrastructure, giving the company fresh tools to reshape how it designs and manufactures chips.

    EaseMyTrip Promoter Pledges Shares Worth ₹212 Crore

    Nishant Pitti, promoter of online travel company Easy Trip Planners (EaseMyTrip), has pledged 34.51 crore shares valued at ₹211.92 crore with Motilal Oswal Financial Services for personal use. According to a stock exchange filing, the pledge was created on August 24 and represents 8.66% of EaseMyTrip’s total share capital. After the transaction, Pitti’s total encumbered shares stand at 44.87 crore, or 11.26% of the company.

    Top Hiring Industries in Singapore for Fresh Graduates

    Fresh graduates in Singapore continue to find opportunities in financial and insurance services, professional services, information and communications, and healthcare and social services. Despite employers becoming more selective and AI reshaping entry-level roles, these sectors remain active for new talent.

    Coinbase Wallet Returns as Base App Shifts to Trading Focus

    Coinbase has confirmed through its Google Play listing that the Base App has reverted to the Coinbase Wallet name, with the product now concentrating on multichain trading, transfers, and earning features. Ryan Kass, head of Coinbase Wallet product, stated that the wallet will serve as a “test kitchen” for products and assets that may not appear on Coinbase’s centralized exchange. Long-tail tokens will be available once minted on supported networks, and additional chains will be connected after launch.

    Sam Altman Signals AI Slowdown as OpenAI Weighs Safety Over Speed

    OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has indicated that the company could slow the development of advanced artificial intelligence systems as concerns over safety and control intensify. According to Bloomberg, Altman said the company is open to slowing AI development. The comments come amid growing questions from researchers and technology leaders about whether safety measures can keep pace with rapidly improving AI capabilities.

  • iPhone 18 Pro Camera: Apple’s New Variable Aperture Explained

    iPhone 18 Pro Camera: Apple’s New Variable Aperture Explained

    Apple has unveiled a significant camera upgrade for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max: a 48MP Fusion main camera with a mechanical variable aperture. This feature gives users precise control over light intake and depth of field, enhancing both photography and videography.

    The variable aperture offers four settings ranging from f/1.48 to f/4. Users can let the camera automatically select the best setting or manually adjust it for creative flexibility. Narrower apertures keep more of the scene in focus, while the wide f/1.48 setting allows maximum light capture, ideal for low-light environments and creating a shallow depth of field that makes subjects pop against the background.

    Beyond aperture control, users can also adjust shutter speed, white balance, and focus—features traditionally managed through third-party apps. Apple positions this update as a boon for creative videography, giving filmmakers and photographers greater freedom to adapt to varying lighting conditions.

    The iPhone 18 Pro’s variable aperture marks a leap forward in mobile photography, offering DSLR-like control in a smartphone form factor.

  • Shankesh Jewellers Shares Rally 18% to Record High: What’s Behind the Surge

    Shankesh Jewellers Shares Rally 18% to Record High: What’s Behind the Surge

    Shankesh Jewellers has grabbed the spotlight on Dalal Street, with its shares surging 18% to a record high after a strong market debut. The newly listed jewelry company has drawn significant investor attention, trading well above its IPO issue price of Rs. 93.

    Shankesh Jewellers Share Price Rally

    The company listed on stock exchanges on August 25, opening at Rs. 103.30 on the NSE — an 11.08% premium over the issue price. On listing day, the stock touched a high of Rs. 110.99 on the BSE.

    IPO Details

    The IPO, which was open from August 18 to August 20, 2026, had a price band of Rs. 88–Rs. 93 per share. The issue comprised a fresh issue of Rs. 274.18 crore and an offer for sale of Rs. 93 crore, bringing the total issue size to Rs. 367.18 crore.

    The overall subscription stood at 2.80 times. The retail portion was subscribed 2.42 times, the non-institutional investor category 5.68 times, and the qualified institutional buyer portion 1.32 times. The company priced the IPO at the upper end of the price band, with a minimum retail investment of Rs. 14,880 for one lot of 160 shares.

    What’s Driving Investor Interest?

    Shankesh Jewellers specializes in handcrafted gold jewelry and offers customization services, manufacturing customized 22-karat and 18-karat gold jewelry. The company has also posted a sharp improvement in financial performance, with revenue rising to Rs. 1,630.93 crore in FY2026 from Rs. 1,403.94 crore in FY2025. Net profit jumped to Rs. 106.68 crore in FY2026 from Rs. 40.31 crore in the previous fiscal.

    With a strong earnings uptick, robust IPO demand, and growing investor interest, Shankesh Jewellers has quickly become one of the most closely watched new listings on the Street.

  • Vodafone Idea Secures $3.5B Loan from SBI-Led Consortium to Boost Network and Competitive Edge

    Vodafone Idea Secures $3.5B Loan from SBI-Led Consortium to Boost Network and Competitive Edge

    Vodafone Idea, India’s third-largest wireless operator, is set to receive a major financial boost. A consortium of banks led by State Bank of India (SBI) has approved approximately $3.5 billion in fresh debt financing. The funds are intended to support network upgrades and help the telecom operator strengthen its position against rivals Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio.

    Loan Terms and Conditions

    Alongside SBI, Union Bank of India and the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) are part of the lending group. The loan has a tenure of nearly ten years and comes with specific conditions. One notable requirement is that Kumar Mangalam Birla must remain as chairman for the entire duration of the loan. The deal also includes repayment guarantees in case of default. Neither Vodafone Idea nor the banks have commented on the matter.

    Financial Strain and Government Support

    The funding arrives after years of financial difficulty for Vodafone Idea, which has struggled to keep pace with competitors who have invested heavily in network expansion. In the quarter ending June, the company posted a loss of approximately Rs. 3,750 crore (USD 394 million), which was smaller than analysts had expected—a possible sign that its turnaround efforts are gaining traction.

    Government intervention has also eased pressure. Authorities converted around Rs. 37,000 crore of the company’s dues into equity, raising the government’s stake to nearly 49 percent. Additionally, some past spectrum payments were capped, helping to relieve cash flow constraints.

    Path Forward

    With this new debt, Vodafone Idea has a clearer path to invest in its network. The key question remains whether this investment will translate into subscriber growth in India’s intensely competitive telecom market. Rivals are not slowing down, and the coming years will determine if this funding leads to a genuine comeback or simply buys more time.

  • NPCI Unveils UPI Tap & Pay and AI-Powered My UPI: What You Need to Know

    NPCI Unveils UPI Tap & Pay and AI-Powered My UPI: What You Need to Know

    The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has rolled out two major upgrades to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) ecosystem: UPI Tap & Pay for contactless transactions and My UPI, an AI-driven customer support platform. Announced at the Global Fintech Fest 2026, these features aim to make digital payments faster, simpler, and more secure.

    UPI Tap & Pay: Simplifying Everyday Transactions

    With UPI Tap & Pay, users can make payments at compatible point-of-sale (PoS) terminals simply by tapping their smartphone. No need to open a specific UPI app — just unlock your phone and tap. The feature leverages Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to connect with the payment terminal.

    Key details:

    • Supports UPI payments and RuPay credit cards on UPI.
    • Transactions up to Rs. 5,000 can be completed without entering a UPI PIN. For amounts above Rs. 5,000, PIN authentication is required.
    • Designed to eliminate multiple steps from the traditional scan-and-pay process, making small, frequent payments quicker.

    NPCI clarified that the Rs. 5,000 threshold applies specifically to the PIN-less Tap & Pay experience and should not be confused with other UPI transaction or wallet limits.

    My UPI: AI-Powered Unified Dashboard

    My UPI is an AI-powered customer support platform built on NPCI’s small language model, FiMI. It serves as a single-window interface for all UPI-related services, including:

    • Access to payment information across multiple apps and banking relationships.
    • Transaction support and security controls for rapid response to suspected fraud.

    The platform simplifies management of UPI services, reducing the need to jump between different banking apps.

    UPI’s Continued Growth

    The new features arrive as UPI processes record-breaking transaction volumes. In August 2026 alone, UPI handled 24.51 billion transactions worth Rs. 29.82 trillion, underscoring the need for faster, more intuitive payment tools.

    With Tap & Pay and My UPI, NPCI is positioning UPI to remain at the forefront of India’s digital payment revolution.

  • How to Uncover Apple’s Dogcow Easter Egg in iOS 27: A Nostalgic Surprise

    How to Uncover Apple’s Dogcow Easter Egg in iOS 27: A Nostalgic Surprise

    Apple has slipped a nostalgic surprise into iOS 27, giving longtime Mac users another reason to explore the operating system beyond its headline features. The Easter egg is hidden inside the Liquid Glass appearance settings and brings back Clarus the Dogcow, one of the most recognizable characters from Apple’s early software history. The hidden character also appears in iPadOS 27.

    How to Find Clarus the Dogcow in iOS 27

    Unlike conventional features Apple announces, this Easter egg is tucked inside an everyday interface element. To find it:

    1. Open Settings.
    2. Tap Appearance.
    3. Select Liquid Glass.
    4. Locate the demonstration window used to preview the appearance.
    5. Scroll through the demonstration area — keep going even after it seems to have reached its natural stopping point.

    A search bar eventually appears, followed by the word ‘Moof!’ being entered automatically. Clarus the Dogcow then appears as the hidden Easter egg. The same discovery process applies to iPadOS 27. The key is to keep scrolling instead of stopping when the demonstration appears to have ended.

    Clarus Dates Back to 1984

    Clarus the Dogcow has a strong connection to Apple’s early design history. Susan Kare created the Dogcow glyph for the Cairo font on the original Macintosh in 1984. Over the years, Clarus became a sentimental mascot for Mac users and the Macintosh team.

    Apple has used Clarus before as a nostalgic reference to its Macintosh heritage. The character has appeared in unexpected places, including an Apple Watch Hermès product about a year ago and the Page Setup window in macOS Ventura.

    The inclusion in iOS 27 adds personality to Liquid Glass, the visual design language introduced across Apple’s operating systems. While the hidden Dogcow does not change how Liquid Glass works, it gives curious users a small reward for exploring the interface.

    For longtime Apple fans, the Easter egg links today’s iPhone software to Apple’s early Macintosh era, carrying a character created decades ago into the company’s latest operating systems.

  • Apple iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Pre-Orders Open Tomorrow: Full Specs, Features, and Indian Pricing

    Apple iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Pre-Orders Open Tomorrow: Full Specs, Features, and Indian Pricing

    Apple is set to open pre-orders for the highly anticipated iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in India starting tomorrow, September 12, at 5:30 PM IST. The devices will hit store shelves on September 18, with availability across India and more than 65 other countries through Apple’s official website and the Apple Store app.

    Pricing and Storage Options

    The iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs. 1,64,900 for the 256GB variant, while the Pro Max begins at Rs. 1,79,900. Both models offer storage configurations ranging from 256GB up to a massive 2TB, catering to users with varying storage needs and budgets.

    Performance and Connectivity

    Under the hood, both phones are powered by the new A20 Pro chip, paired with Apple’s in-house C2 modem for faster and more efficient connectivity. This combination promises a significant performance boost over previous generations, delivering smoother multitasking and improved power efficiency.

    Camera Innovations

    The headline camera upgrade is a 48MP Fusion Main sensor featuring a physical variable aperture. This allows users to have greater control over depth of field and enhances low-light photography, making it a substantial leap forward for mobile photography enthusiasts.

    Design and Durability

    Apple has introduced a next-generation vapour chamber cooling system to keep the devices cooler during intensive tasks, along with the new Ceramic Shield 2 for enhanced display protection. The iPhone 18 Pro sports a 6.3-inch screen, while the Pro Max steps up to a larger 6.9-inch display with a bigger battery to support extended usage.

    Software and Features

    Both models ship with iOS 27, bringing Apple Intelligence and an upgraded Siri that leverages personal context while maintaining user privacy. Apple has also introduced four new colour options, including a fresh Burgundy shade and the return of classic black.

    Trade-In and Financing Offers

    To make the upgrade more accessible, Apple is offering trade-in deals worth up to Rs. 81,500, along with no-cost EMI plans from select banks. This is great news for existing iPhone users looking to switch to the latest Pro models.

    Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, emphasized that the company focused on the areas users care about most—camera, performance, battery, and intelligence—calling these changes a major leap forward for the Pro lineup.

    With pre-orders opening tomorrow, eager buyers in India can secure their iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max and experience the next generation of Apple’s flagship smartphones.

  • Google Gemini Desktop App Launches for Windows: Download Guide and Key Features

    Google Gemini Desktop App Launches for Windows: Download Guide and Key Features

    Google has officially launched a dedicated Gemini app for Windows, bringing its AI assistant directly to the desktop. The new application allows users to access Gemini without opening a browser, offering instant AI-powered assistance for everyday tasks.

    Availability and System Requirements

    The Gemini Windows app is available globally for Windows 10 and Windows 11. To run the app, your PC must meet the following minimum requirements:

    • Windows 10 or later
    • At least 8GB of RAM
    • 200MB of available storage
    • A stable internet connection
    • A Google Account

    How to Download and Install Gemini for Windows

    Installing the app is straightforward. Follow these steps:

    1. Visit gemini.google/desktop.
    2. Download the GeminiSetup.exe file.
    3. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
    4. Once installation is complete, open Gemini from the Start menu.
    5. Sign in with your Google Account.
    6. Press Alt + Space to open Gemini over your active work.

    Key Features and Productivity Boost

    The desktop app lets you fact-check information, generate ideas, draft content, or solve problems without switching between applications. The keyboard shortcut (Alt+Space) makes Gemini easily accessible during routine desktop tasks, significantly improving workflow efficiency.

    Image and Video Creation Capabilities

    Gemini’s creative features are also available on Windows. Users can generate custom images using Nano Banana and create videos using Gemini Omni. This makes the application ideal for presentations, content creation, and visual projects, reducing the need to juggle multiple separate AI tools.

    With this launch, Google brings its AI assistant closer to the Windows desktop experience, offering seamless integration and powerful productivity tools.