Vishal Mathur is Technology Editor for Hindustan Times. When not making sense of technology, he often searches for an elusive analog space in a digital world.
Articles by Vishal Mathur
Simple guide to NFTs: Should you care about value tokens for your assets?
When a non-fungible token is created (also called ‘minted’ in some circles), it cannot be copied, edited, deleted or in any way modified or manipulated by anyone except the creator, as well as the owner at the time
Published on Nov 10, 2021 05:04 PM IST
Keep an eye on your passwords leaked in hacks or data breaches
Mozilla, the people behind the popular Firefox web browser for computers and phones, have a free tool called Firefox Monitor, which collects data updates from popular online tool Have I Been Pwned
Published on Nov 09, 2021 12:14 PM IST
Should you fear the metaverse?
Privacy, law and order, access are just some of the tangles that lie in wait as companies get set to create virtual worlds that mirror our own — worlds where one can buy, play, meet, work, all in the same simulation. Also vital, what will metaverses do to the nature of reality?
Updated on Nov 05, 2021 10:01 PM IST
Dyson’s latest air purifiers get close to pollution-fighting perfection
North India is seeing a spike in pollution levels and a dip in the air quality. The timing is right as Dyson’s new purifiers - Dyson Purifier Cool and Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool - are replacing similarly named models in the range
Published on Nov 05, 2021 02:29 PM IST
Can the affordable Realme TechLife Air Purifier counter indoor pollution?
Just ahead of what we dismally call the “pollution season”, Realme is making an early move into the air purifier space in India. The Realme TechLife Air Purifier will likely make Philips, Honeywell and Xiaomi sit up and take notice
Published on Nov 03, 2021 03:15 PM IST
Microsoft’s grand metaverse plans to start with Teams app
Microsoft has said next year Teams users will be able to access their meetings on virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets and participate in them as a virtual space
Published on Nov 03, 2021 02:38 PM IST
Facebook to shut down face recognition for photo tagging
Facebook has built possibly the world’s largest repository of digital photos anywhere in the world, and the corresponding facial recognition algorithms at work all these years give it precise data of who is who
Updated on Nov 03, 2021 02:09 PM IST
JioPhone Next isn’t redefining budget Android phones, but EMI bundles add value
JioPhone Next: Reliance Jio and Google have partnered to develop this 4G smartphone for the Jio network in India. The customized version of Android for the JioPhone Next is called Pragati OS.
Published on Oct 29, 2021 10:56 PM IST
Up to speed: The anatomy of a modern-day running shoe
Innovation is the sole of the sneaker industry. And no, they’re not done yet. From carbon fibre plates that send energy charging back into your foot, to 3D-printed midsoles that compress better, manufacturers are upping their game in the quest to make the perfect one.
Updated on Oct 29, 2021 08:24 PM IST
Facebook to Meta: The Metaverse contours go beyond just rebranding
Facebook insists the corporate structure won’t change, and that Meta will now be reporting results for the current family of apps, including Facebook and Instagram, and the Reality Labs
Updated on Oct 29, 2021 03:03 PM IST
Dolby Atmos in Mercedes cars builds on a mind-bogglingly powerful audio system
Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that it is now one of the few carmakers in the world to have been able to integrate Dolby Atmos audio into the in-car audio experience for a range of its cars
Updated on Oct 28, 2021 07:44 PM IST
Game on: HP’s Victus 16 tries to prove gaming laptops needn’t be costly
Where the HP Victus 16 gets a leg up is with the AMD price advantage. This is more than satisfactory as an entry-spec gaming laptop, sitting well below the ₹1 lakh price mark
Updated on Oct 28, 2021 02:43 PM IST
Snap is about more immersive, personalised experiences: Murphy
Bobby Murphy, co-founder and chief technology officer at Snap, and in many ways the company’s secret weapon when it comes to developing new features and the experience on the Snapchat app, spoke with Hindustan Times
Published on Oct 27, 2021 05:36 PM IST
Chip shortage: Wait for your new car, Sony PS5 or Apple MacBook just got longer
The time between ordering chips and when they are delivered is growing. According to one estimate, the chip waiting period is now 21 weeks — the highest it has ever been.
Published on Oct 26, 2021 04:09 PM IST
‘E-bikes are not just clean and green, they help people save more money’
Technology, mobility and environment are no longer separate verticals when it comes to developing electricity-driven modes of transport as the spotlight is moving fast towards electric cars and electric bikes
Updated on Oct 25, 2021 06:46 PM IST
What if your drinking cup could tell you its best-by date?
A UK-based startup has developed world’s first biodegradable solution that leaves no microplastic behind and decomposes plastic
Updated on Oct 25, 2021 04:00 PM IST
UK eyes big investments in India with electric vehicles, environment in focus
Electric mobility company London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) has officially announced the brand is entering India. LEVC has partnered with Exclusive Motors, a new dealership which will sell the company extended range electric vehicle, the TX in India.
Updated on Oct 23, 2021 08:16 PM IST
Toolkit: How to get the most out of your smartwatch
Abandonment rates are so high, about 30% of smartwatch owners don’t even know where their device is. Part of the reason is they never discovered all that it can do. Here goes...
Updated on Oct 22, 2021 07:16 PM IST
Google Pixel 6 ushers in a direction for Pixel phones that’s all about power
Google isn’t approaching the new Pixel phones with just cutting edge hardware. There are upgrades for security and privacy which are integrated within the new Android 12 operating system, upgrades to continue Google’s mission to make smartphone cameras more inclusive by deciphering more skin tones as well as updates to speech recognition which make it understand conversations and context.
Published on Oct 20, 2021 12:09 AM IST
Powerful tech creating VFX in movies dabbles with VR experiences too
Framestore remains bullish about its plans for India despite the delay caused by the pandemic. The focus is on expansion of processes and doubling the workforce in India.
Updated on Oct 19, 2021 08:15 PM IST
Vishal Mathur
Apple will give PC makers sleepless nights with MacBooks’ next direction
For the first time, the MacBook line-up has two options that offer exactly the same series of features and specs. Both will get the M1 Pro and the M1 Max chips.
Published on Oct 19, 2021 01:41 AM IST
Vishal Mathur
Apple unveils new AirPods; HomePod Mini gets more colour and appeal
Apple has updated the HomePod Mini with new colours, come up with a new Apple Music voice plan that makes Siri control your Apple Music subscription and launched the third generation update for the AirPods wireless earbuds.
Updated on Oct 19, 2021 07:53 AM IST
Vishal Mathur
For those who simply must have one, Apple iPad 10.2 is more than enough iPad
The headline improvements, compared with last year’s iPad, include a new 12-megapixel ultrawide FaceTime camera with the ability to follow you around a bit
Published on Oct 18, 2021 04:01 PM IST
Vishal Mathur
As gaming grows in India, Facebook focuses on diversity and monetisation
The gaming sector in India attracted an investment of $544 million during the August 2020-January 2021 period, according to Girish Menon, partner and the head of media and entertainment at KPMG in India
Updated on Oct 18, 2021 05:00 PM IST
Vishal Mathur
Audible’s unlimited listening plan comes as Indians tune into audiobooks
The changes to the Audible subscriptions in India possibly come as a reaction to the engagement metrics
Updated on Oct 15, 2021 02:51 PM IST
Vishal Mathur
WhatsApp has finally fixed its biggest privacy loophole
Facebook-owned WhatsApp is now letting users encrypt chat backups before they get stored in Google Drive or Apple iCloud
Updated on Oct 15, 2021 10:08 AM IST
Vishal Mathur
Sonos Move is a smarter smart speaker, but is that enough to make you splurge?
The Sonos Move will connect with your home Wi-Fi, and that enables not just music streaming but also the multi-speaker setup that you may want to put in place at some stage
Published on Oct 14, 2021 04:08 PM IST
Vishal Mathur
Acer India servers breached? Hackers claim over 60GB data accessed
In what could be a second data breach at technology company Acer this year, a hacker group has claimed it has accessed over 60GB of data from its India servers
Updated on Oct 15, 2021 12:26 PM IST
Vishal Mathur
Nothing confirms Qualcomm collab; will this be the trump card for new products?
There is also confirmation of $50 million in fresh funding for Nothing, the start-up which launched the ear (1) wireless earbuds this summer
Updated on Oct 13, 2021 04:02 PM IST
Vishal Mathur
$25 for credit card, $80 for Gmail: How much your stolen data costs
You may have often wondered how data stolen by hackers is sold online, and how much it eventually costs
Published on Oct 13, 2021 11:32 AM IST
Vishal Mathur