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  • CREX Appoints Anuj Bhasin as Chief Revenue Officer to Expand Cricket Monetization

    CREX Appoints Anuj Bhasin as Chief Revenue Officer to Expand Cricket Monetization

    CREX, a cricket-focused community platform, has appointed Anuj Bhasin as its Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) to lead the company’s commercial strategy and drive its next phase of growth. With over 25 years of experience across media, sports, technology, and digital businesses, Bhasin will oversee revenue development, partnerships, and monetization initiatives.

    Bhasin previously spent more than a decade at ESPN (part of the Walt Disney Company), where he served as Director – ESPN, South Asia, managing sales, go-to-market strategy, and strategic alliances. His career also includes senior roles at Zee, HT Media, Network18, Eicher, and iStream, along with a tenure as CRO at Jagran New Media and as Principal Advisor – Growth & Transformation at S.I.E. He has also founded ventures related to SaaS and business scaling.

    In his new role, Bhasin will focus on building CREX’s revenue ecosystem, enhancing audience engagement, and developing content and monetization opportunities. Purushotam Rawat, CEO of CREX, commented: “CREX has built a strong connection with cricket audiences, and the next opportunity is to translate that engagement into a larger, more diversified business ecosystem. Anuj brings a rare understanding of sports, media, and monetization, along with experience in building businesses through periods of digital change. His perspective will be valuable as we scale what CREX can become.”

    Bhasin expressed enthusiasm about his appointment, stating: “Cricket has one of the most engaged audiences in the world, but the opportunity lies in building an ecosystem around that engagement rather than treating it as a single revenue stream. CREX has the audience, product, and category relevance to build something much larger, and I’m excited to work with the team on turning that potential into lasting value.”

    This strategic move signals CREX’s greater focus on monetization and commercial expansion, leveraging Bhasin’s expertise to deepen fan engagement and explore new revenue streams within the cricket ecosystem.

  • OpenAI’s ChatGPT Work Now Mimics Your Writing Style Automatically

    OpenAI’s ChatGPT Work Now Mimics Your Writing Style Automatically

    OpenAI has rolled out a new capability for ChatGPT Work that lets the AI learn a user’s personal writing style and apply it in future interactions. This means less time spent explaining how you want your emails or documents to sound.

    Previously, users had to provide explicit instructions about tone and style. Now, ChatGPT can analyze your past writing—including frequently used phrases, email sign-offs, and subtle habits—to generate drafts that feel more like you.

    The feature can tap into connected applications such as Gmail, Google Drive, Slack, and SharePoint to better understand your writing patterns.

    How to Set It Up

    Enabling this is straightforward. Go to Settings > Personalization > Writing style. From there, you can link your work apps and allow ChatGPT to study your old messages and documents. Once activated, it works across both the web version and mobile apps, but only for ChatGPT Work subscribers on paid plans.

    The more ChatGPT sees of your writing, the more natural its drafts will become. Over time, you might not need to provide detailed instructions at all.

    Higher Productivity Meets Corporate Data Privacy

    This update is particularly useful for professionals who draft many work emails, messages, or reports with the help of AI. However, there’s a catch: because the tool reads through emails and files, it also processes sensitive business information. Companies should weigh the benefits against potential privacy risks, especially regarding who can access or use that data.

    Overall, this change signals where AI writing tools are headed—moving from simple instruction-following to truly understanding individual users. The ultimate goal is fewer edits and drafts that already sound like you.

  • Samsung One UI 9 (Android 19) Rollout Timeline: Galaxy S26, S25 Ultra, S24 Ultra

    Samsung One UI 9 (Android 19) Rollout Timeline: Galaxy S26, S25 Ultra, S24 Ultra

    Samsung’s One UI 9 update, built on Android 19, is approaching its stable release and is set to roll out to a growing number of Galaxy smartphones. The update introduces a refreshed interface, new AI tools, enhanced privacy controls, and battery-saving features.

    Galaxy S26 Series to Receive the Update First

    The stable version of One UI 9 will first arrive on the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy S26, and Galaxy S26 Plus. After several beta iterations, Samsung has reportedly spotted the stable firmware build on its internal servers, signaling an imminent launch—possibly as early as this week.

    Galaxy S25 and S24 Series Next in Line

    Following the Galaxy S26 models, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Galaxy S25, and Galaxy S25 Plus are expected to get the stable update by late September or early October. The Galaxy S24 Ultra has already entered the beta program, with the first beta release going live in India, the UK, the US, and South Korea.

    Key Features in One UI 9

    One UI 9 brings a more customizable interface with a revamped Quick Panel that lets users control the placement and sizing of brightness, volume, and media controls. Samsung is also adding creative tools to Notes, along with accessibility and security improvements.

    Battery life enhancements come from changes to LTPO display behavior, allowing compatible panels to drop to 20 Hz, 26.67 Hz, or 40 Hz during static content display. Additional features include improved privacy warnings, network restrictions for individual apps, advanced AI capabilities, a built-in PDF reader, and expanded multitasking options.

    Samsung has not confirmed whether all planned features will be included at launch, so some details may change before the stable build is released.

    For now, Galaxy S26 Ultra users appear to be first in line for One UI 9, with Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S24 Ultra users following shortly after.

  • Samsung India Cuts 80-100 Executive Roles in TV and Home Appliance Unit; More Layoffs Expected After Diwali

    Samsung India Cuts 80-100 Executive Roles in TV and Home Appliance Unit; More Layoffs Expected After Diwali

    Samsung India has reportedly laid off 80 to 100 executives from its television and home appliance divisions, marking a significant restructuring in its Indian operations. The affected employees are not junior staff but include director-level executives, team leads, and branch and area managers based at the company’s headquarters.

    The job cuts are attributed to rising operational costs, weakening consumer demand, and a broader reorganization aimed at improving profitability. Memory chip prices have more than doubled, while a weaker rupee and higher raw material costs have further strained margins. The cuts are currently limited to the TV and home appliance segment, but sources indicate that nearly 25% of Samsung India’s sales and marketing workforce in the electronics business—approximately 550 to 600 people—could be affected. The company is also closing some regional offices to reduce expenses, and additional layoffs may follow after the Diwali festival.

    Notably, Samsung’s smartphone business has been spared from the cuts. Mobile phones account for about three-fourths of Samsung India’s revenue, making the division far more critical. Samsung is banking on stronger phone sales during the Diwali season, even as the broader smartphone market has seen shipment declines. The company has raised prices on select phone models by 5% to 10% to offset rising costs.

    In contrast, TV and home appliances represent a much smaller portion of Samsung India’s sales, and the company is exploring cost-cutting and sales-improvement measures for these categories.

    This development comes amid a wave of tech layoffs in India, including recent cuts at Zomato, Oracle, and Visa.

  • LG Smart TVs Under Fire: Researchers Find Audio Recording and Network Scanning in Standby Mode

    LG Smart TVs Under Fire: Researchers Find Audio Recording and Network Scanning in Standby Mode

    A new investigation by technology researchers has raised serious privacy concerns about LG smart televisions. According to findings from Gamers Nexus and Level1Techs, certain LG TV models continue to scan home networks and record audio through their built-in microphones even when the television appears to be switched off.

    The Investigation

    The research, conducted on retail LG OLED sets including the G5 model, revealed that the devices actively scan for other gadgets on the home network—such as smartphones, smartwatches, computers, and printers—and collect internal IP addresses as well as information about nearby Wi-Fi networks like names and signal strength. Most alarmingly, the microphones captured clear audio even after the display shut down, and when disconnected from the internet, the TV stored recordings locally before uploading them once connectivity returned.

    Security Flaws in webOS

    Beyond data collection, the team also identified remote code execution vulnerabilities in LG’s webOS software. These flaws were reported to LG through responsible disclosure. Although LG allows users to disable voice recognition in the settings, the investigation found no physical hardware switch to cut power to the microphone, leaving a potential backdoor for always-on listening.

    How to Protect Yourself

    As of now, LG has not issued an official statement. In the meantime, users can take several precautions:

    • Install the latest firmware updates regularly.
    • Review privacy settings under the Settings or Privacy & Terms menu.
    • Read all agreements carefully before accepting them.
    • Keep the TV on a separate guest network to isolate it from sensitive devices.
    • Disable UPnP on the router and avoid exposing TV services directly to the internet.

    These steps can help reduce the risk of unwanted data collection while awaiting an official fix from LG.

  • Huawei Pura X View Launches in China: 200MP Camera, 7,000mAh Battery, and Pricing Details

    Huawei Pura X View Launches in China: 200MP Camera, 7,000mAh Battery, and Pricing Details

    Huawei has officially unveiled the Pura X View in China, a new addition to its premium smartphone lineup that combines a unique wide-screen design with top-tier camera and battery specs. The device is set to go on sale in China starting September 9.

    Huawei Pura X View Price and Availability

    The Pura X View is priced starting at CNY 5,999 for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage model. For users needing more space, the 12GB + 512GB variant costs CNY 6,999, while the top-tier 12GB + 1TB configuration is available for CNY 8,499. The first sale is scheduled for September 9 in China, with no word yet on an India launch or international pricing.

    Display and Design

    The device features a 6.39-inch OLED display with an unusual 16:9.5 aspect ratio, making it considerably wider than typical smartphones. The screen offers a 2232 x 1320 pixel resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 300Hz touch sampling rate. Protection is provided by Huawei’s Kunlun Glass. The phone measures just 6.68mm in thickness and weighs approximately 201 grams.

    Camera System

    Photography is a major highlight of the Pura X View. It boasts a 200MP primary camera with an F/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization (OIS). This is complemented by an 8MP ultra-wide macro camera and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with OIS, which supports approximately 3.7x optical zoom. The device also incorporates Huawei’s second-generation Red Maple color imaging technology for enhanced photo quality.

    Performance and Battery

    Under the hood, the Pura X View is powered by Huawei’s Kirin 9030S chipset and runs on HarmonyOS 7. The device is equipped with a massive 7,000mAh battery, ensuring all-day usage even with heavy use.

    With its blend of a wide display, flagship-grade cameras, and a large battery, the Huawei Pura X View aims to carve out a niche in the competitive smartphone market. As the device debuts in China, enthusiasts worldwide will be watching to see if Huawei expands its availability to other regions.

  • Realme 16 Pro 5G Gets a Magical Harry Potter Limited Edition

    Realme 16 Pro 5G Gets a Magical Harry Potter Limited Edition

    Realme Teams Up with Warner Bros. for a Harry Potter-Inspired Smartphone

    Realme is adding a touch of wizardry to its popular 16 Pro 5G with a special Harry Potter Edition. In collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery, this limited-edition device brings the enchanting world of Harry Potter to life on a smartphone, marking the second such partnership between the two companies. Previously, they released the Realme 15 Pro Game of Thrones Limited Edition.

    The Harry Potter Edition of the Realme 16 Pro 5G features design elements inspired by the beloved franchise, blending magical aesthetics with Realme’s signature style. A special co-branded Realme x Harry Potter logo will be included, making the device a must-have for collectors and devoted fans. The collaboration aims to transform everyday technology into a piece of wizarding world memorabilia.

    Same Powerful Hardware, Enchanting New Look

    Under the hood, the special edition is identical to the standard Realme 16 Pro 5G. It boasts a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Max chipset, and offers up to 12GB of RAM. The camera setup includes a 200MP main sensor, while a robust 7,000mAh battery supports 80W fast charging.

    While the price for the Harry Potter Edition has not yet been announced, the real draw here is the themed design. Realme has ensured that the special edition stands apart from the regular model with distinctive wizarding world-inspired details and branding.

    Who Should Buy the Harry Potter Edition?

    This limited edition is clearly aimed at die-hard Harry Potter fans and collectors who appreciate the unique aesthetic and themed touches. For the average consumer, the standard Realme 16 Pro 5G offers the same performance at what is likely a more accessible price point. The hardware remains unchanged; only the appearance differs.

    Whether the special edition introduces any exclusive software features is still under wraps. Ultimately, the Harry Potter Edition is a niche product for enthusiasts who want to carry a piece of the magical world in their pocket, while others may find the regular model a more practical choice.

  • How Xbox Players Can Play GTA 6 Before PS5 Users Using a Simple Region Trick

    How Xbox Players Can Play GTA 6 Before PS5 Users Using a Simple Region Trick

    Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. While both platforms will receive the game on launch day, Xbox players could have an advantage in accessing the title early.

    The reason is Rockstar’s staggered global release schedule. Instead of globally unlocking GTA 6, the game will be available at midnight in different regions. Players in New Zealand are expected to be among the first to gain access, with other markets following based on their local time. This will let Xbox owners access the game several hours before players in other time zones.

    Xbox Players Can Change Their Console Region

    Xbox Series X/S users can reportedly take advantage of the staggered rollout by changing their console’s location to New Zealand. The option is in Settings > System > Language & Location, where users can select New Zealand as their region.

    Once the console is set to the earlier-launching market, players can potentially access GTA 6 when it unlocks there instead of waiting for their own region’s midnight release. The method applies to both digital purchases and physical copies containing download codes, according to the report.

    However, players with physical copies will still need to preload the game and wait for the official unlock time. Rockstar has confirmed that preloading begins on November 12. GTA VI is due to release in New Zealand first, followed by Australia, Japan, India, Europe, and the UK, before arriving in the US.

    PlayStation Users Face a Tougher Route

    PlayStation 5 owners do not have the same straightforward region-switching option. While the PS5 version will also follow the staggered international launch schedule, simply changing the console’s region will not provide the same shortcut.

    Players attempting to access GTA 6 through an earlier region would reportedly need a separate New Zealand PlayStation account and a purchase through that region’s store, making the process considerably less convenient.

    PS5 Still Promises a Strong GTA 6 Experience

    Despite the Xbox advantage at launch, PlayStation 5 remains an important platform for GTA 6. Rockstar’s game is built specifically for current-generation consoles, with the PS5 version supporting features such as fast loading, haptic feedback, and adaptive triggers.

    For most players, the difference will ultimately come down to launch timing rather than game availability. Both Xbox Series X/S and PS5 owners can play GTA 6, but Xbox users may get to explore Vice City earlier by taking advantage of the global release schedule.

  • Xbox Game Pass Adds 7 New Games Including Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

    Xbox Game Pass Adds 7 New Games Including Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

    Xbox players have a new reason to get excited this September, especially if they have a Game Pass subscription. A range of new titles are making their way to the paid service. While the list includes several exciting titles, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War drew the most attention.

    This direct sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops is now added to Game Pass Ultimate, PC, and Premium, and players can install and dive into it without spending a single buck. If you ask what’s exciting, that’s the campaign. The game takes players into the tense Cold War era of the 1980s, with missions set across places such as East Berlin, Vietnam, and Turkey.

    Apart from Black Ops Cold War, the Game Pass lineup also includes Mewgenics, Halloween: The Game, Bus Simulator 27, Culdcept The First Saturn Tribute, Honeycomb: The World Beyond, Hole in Many, and SPRAWL Zero.

    Mewgenics allows players to build a team of cats for turn-based battles. On a completely different note, Halloween: The Game puts players in the role of Michael Myers or a hero trying to survive the night. Players can choose the perspective they want to experience. The other games range from driving, card games, survival, puzzles, and fast-paced shooting.

    Though indie games have a separate and dedicated fanbase, beating Black Ops Cold War is still tough when it comes to the player base. The addition of the Black Ops title definitely gives Xbox Game Pass an advantage. The story of the game mixes fictional events with real-world incidents to take players on exciting yet challenging missions. For Call of Duty fans, it adds more choice without needing to buy the game separately.

    The rest of the lineup also gives the service some variety. Players can switch from shooting and horror to cats, buses, puzzles or survival. This variety makes September’s Game Pass lineup useful for different types of players.

    Today’s Xbox releases give players plenty to try. Black Ops Cold War may grab the most attention, but games such as Mewgenics and Halloween: The Game could also surprise players looking for something different.

  • Nepal Enables Crypto-Funded Humanitarian Aid via US Banking Route

    Nepal Enables Crypto-Funded Humanitarian Aid via US Banking Route

    Nepal has established a legal pathway for cryptocurrency donations to support disaster relief, using a US-based off-ramp system that converts digital assets into dollars before funds enter the country. The arrangement bypasses Nepal’s domestic ban on cryptocurrency trading and use, allowing overseas donors to contribute without sending crypto directly into Nepali financial systems.

    Under the new structure, donors worldwide can send digital currencies through platforms like Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana. US financial institutions then convert those assets into US dollars, which are transferred via SWIFT to Nepal’s official disaster relief account. As of Monday, approximately USD 500 from crypto-to-fiat conversions had reached the government fund, according to Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle. Meanwhile, NepalRelief.org has collected USD 174,831 from donors.

    The channel was developed in response to the deadly Bhotekoshi river floods. Polygon, Cross River Bank, and Engage Nepal collaborated to create NepalRelief.org, which uses Polygon’s Open Money Stack and Coinme for technical processing. Engage Nepal receives contributions through a publicly disclosed wallet and conducts audits. Cross River Bank then converts the assets into dollars and sends the funds through SWIFT.

    This approach keeps cryptocurrency entirely outside Nepal’s financial system. Nepali banks receive conventional currency rather than digital assets, ensuring compliance with local regulations. The project began after crypto companies and communities abroad sought a legal way to support flood victims. Cross River Bank executive Pravesh Rijal and Polygon Foundation founder Sandeep Nailwal discussed the proposal on August 27, focusing on converting crypto in the United States before sending money to Nepal.

    After Polygon, Cross River Bank, and Engage Nepal agreed on the structure, they approached Nepal’s government through Finance Minister Wagle. The government issued a no-objection to the arrangement. Cross River Bank assigned a 25-member team to complete the legal and technical work, launching NepalRelief.org within 24 hours.

    Other blockchain organizations have also stepped up. Ripple announced USD 300,000 for emergency response, with World Central Kitchen and Mercy Corps using those funds for food, drinking water, and sanitation supplies. The Solana Foundation and NFT marketplace Mallow raised USD 166,946 in USDC by auctioning advertising slots on Solana’s official X account. Solana will route proceeds to Nepal’s government relief fund through Engage Nepal. Blockchain for Impact has pledged USD 100,000.

    This model differs from previous crypto relief efforts that faced legal barriers inside Nepal. By keeping digital assets abroad and transferring only regulated fiat currency, the system offers a potential blueprint for other countries that restrict cryptocurrency but wish to accept crypto-funded humanitarian aid.