Chrome makes it easier to download web pages when your connection dies

No matter how fast our phones get, they’re still only as good as the network they’re using. But now Google is taking steps to make sure you don’t lose your train of thought just because you’ve lost your connection.
Last year, Chrome gained a download button that let you save web pages for viewing when your connection is spotty, and Google says some 45 million of them are downloaded every week. That's why in the latest version of Chrome for Android, Google is making it even easier to save web pages for offline reading.Instead of tapping the overflow menu and hitting the download button, you’ll now get the option when you long-press on a link. And Chrome is also making it easier to find things you’ve previously downloaded. When you open a new tab in Chrome now, you’ll see a list of articles that you have downloaded tagged with a new offline badge. And Chrome will also display all of your recent downloads right side on the page for quicker access to the things you want to read. You'll also be able to view and manage downloads on the Downloads page.
But the best new feature is one you won’t actually be using all that often. The next time you see Chrome’s offline dinosaur, a new “Download Page Later” button will appear that will queue the URL for download as soon as a connection is restored. Then it will instantly become available in your download list so you won’t forget whatever it was you wanted to read.
The new version of Chrome is rolling out to Android users, but if you’re not seeing it, you can side-load the Google-signed APK from APKMirror.

While our offline struggles are becoming less and less common here in the U.S., they’re still a big deal in many parts of the world. These new changes will ensure that whatever you're reading, researching, or watching won't get lost due to a connection that quits.

Warren Buffett: I was wrong on Google and 'too dumb' to appreciate Amazon

Warren Buffett admitted to shareholders Saturday that he made a mistake by not buying Google shares years ago, when the company was getting $10 or $11 per advertising click from Berkshire Hathaway consumer insurance company subsidiary Geico.

The Oracle of Omaha also professed ignorance on other big technology stocks, whose rallies he missed because he didn't quite appreciate their value proposition at first glance.

On CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday, Buffett said, "If I was forced to buy [Google-parent Alphabet] or short it, I'd buy it; same way with Amazon. But it's as little hard when you look at something at 'X' and it sells at 10X to buy it."

Warren Buffett admitted to shareholders Saturday that he made a mistake by not buying Google shares years ago, when the company was getting $10 or $11 per advertising click from Berkshire Hathaway consumer insurance company subsidiary Geico.

The Oracle of Omaha also professed ignorance on other big technology stocks, whose rallies he missed because he didn't quite appreciate their value proposition at first glance.

On CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday, Buffett said, "If I was forced to buy [Google-parent Alphabet] or short it, I'd buy it; same way with Amazon. But it's as little hard when you look at something at 'X' and it sells at 10X to buy it."

"That's cost people a lot of money at Berkshire," he said.

Buffett has often said he avoided tech stocks in the past because he didn't really understand how they were making money and whether they would be able to do so over the long term. This week, Oracle copped to getting it wrong on another tech company: IBM.

For years, Buffett was a true believer in Big Blue, but told CNBC in an interview he had cut his holdings in the stock by a third. "I don't value IBM the same way that I did six years ago when I started buying," he said, adding that the company as "run into some pretty tough competitors."

In the case of Google, however, Buffett said he could have figured out the company had a great advertising business because he was, in effect, contributing to its profits.

After profusely praising Amazon chief Jeff Bezos, Buffett said he missed that opportunity as well.

"I was too dumb to realize. I did not think [Bezos] could succeed on the scale he has," Buffett said, adding that he "really underestimated the brilliance of the execution." The investor humbly admitted that he and partner Charlie Munger "miss a lot of things, and we'll keep doing it."

Samsung Galaxy S8 Random Reboot Issue: Probable Cause And Solutions

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, which were launched in the U.S. on March 29, might have opened to rave reviews, but the fact remains that the device is far from perfect.

Reports of the device randomly rebooting emerged Thursday with many users complaining on XDA forums and Samsung community forums.

“I'm getting the same problem on my S8 standard. Randomly, the screen will have some artefacts appear (nearly always on the bottom) then it just restarts. Happens in safe mode too so it doesn't appear to be an app causing it. Phoned Samsung and they told me to send it back to the retailers and ask for a replacement,” a user going by the name of Gekidami posted on XDA forums.

According to TechTimes, one customer complained that his phone restarted seven times during the first 10 hours of usage.

The random reboot happens when the customer uses an app such as Samsung Themes and camera. Firstly, the app being used freezes and then the phone shuts down. After a few seconds, the phone restarts on its own.

A Galaxy S8 Plus owner also reported the same problem and added that even performing a hard reset of the smartphone did not solve the problem. The user said that he would need to contact Samsung for a replacement of the device.

However, Samsung is yet to acknowledge the issue, let alone issue an update to resolve it. This basically leaves the users to speculate what is causing the issue and how to resolve it.

Some users are of the opinion that the issue is being caused either by the phone’s Always On Display feature or by the MicroSD card configuration. Most of the suggestions revolve around removing the MicroSD card to see if it stops the random reboots.

But a user on Reddit claimed that the issue was fixed once his carrier T-Mobile issued a software update for his Galaxy S8.

This indicates that the issue could be software based, and if you have a locked Samsung Galaxy S8, asking your carrier for a fix might be the simplest solution. If you own an  unlocked S8 device, you might have to wait for an official Samsung update.

The random reboots aren’t the first issue affecting the Samsung Galaxy S8. Two other issues have also been found — firstly, some Korean users saw a red tint emerging on the sides of the phone’s edge-to-edge display, and then users reported that the device wasn’t working with old Samsung fast wireless chargers.

Samsung acknowledged the red tint issue later, but denied that it was a hardware issue. The company issued a software update to resolve it by giving the users extensive control over how red, green and blue hues behave in the device’s display. As for the wireless issue, there is currently no recourse for consumer other than buying the $89.99 Samsung Galaxy S8 fast wireless charger.

Even more Galaxy S8 problems are beginning to pop up

The Galaxy S8 is off to a flying start, but there are some issues with the phone that might impact your overall experience. Some can already be fixed with the help of software updates, including the red display tint and the Wi-Fi connectivity issues reported in Korea. Others might be more problematic, such as wireless charging problems and 
href="http://bgr.com/2017/04/28/galaxy-s8-restarts-randomly/" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(112, 183, 255); box-shadow: rgb(112, 183, 255) 0px -4px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; transition: background 0.15s cubic-bezier(0.33, 0.66, 0.66, 1);">random reboots. Now, a new report reveals yet another Galaxy S8 issue that might be more serious than anything else customers have complained of so far.

A Galaxy S8 owner uploaded a photo on a Korean forum on Monday showing a burn-in on the screen after just one week of use. According to The Korea Herald, the burn-in appeared in the lower part of the screen where the pressure-sensitive soft key is built-in.

A few days ago, we learned that Samsung had taken steps to avoid this particular burn-in issue for the home button — having the ghost of an image showing permanently on the display. The Galaxy S8 virtual home button changes position ever so slightly so that it can rest some of the pixels in the region.

The button is always visible on the screen, even when the phone is not in use, and that’s when the icon image should move.

The Herald says that a customer in the Netherlands asked on Twitter about Always On Display-related burn-ins last week, but Samsung’s regional office dismissed the concern.

“An algorithm to prevent burn-ins is already equipped,” a Samsung spokesperson in Korea said. “Whether the consumer’s claim turns out to be true or not remains to be seen. At the moment, we are not receiving reports of other cases.”

It’s unclear at this time how widespread the burn-in issue is. If real, the only way to fix it is to replace the display or exchange the phone.

Twitter partners with Bloomberg for streaming TV news: WSJ

Twitter is partnering with Bloomberg Media for a round-the-clock streaming television news service on the social networking platform, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

The channel, which is yet to be named and is expected to begin operations this fall, would be announced Monday, WSJ said.

Twitter's user growth has stalled in the past few quarters and the company has been trying to convince advertisers that it will strengthen its user base.

As part of its efforts, it has updated its product offerings including live video broadcasts from its app and launched new features to attract users.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said in an internal memo last October one of the company's missions was defined as being the "people's news network."

Twitter has made a push into news and sports on mobile devices last year and this foray could pique the interest of a media company as an acquirer, analysts have said.

Apple has a record $250 billion in the bank

When it reports its quarterly financial results on Tuesday, Apple will likely have a quarter-trillion dollars in cash in the bank.

That's a greater hoard than any other company in recent US history, according to the Wall Street Journal, which reported the numbers on Sunday. For comparison, Apple's cash pile exceeds the market value of Walmart and Procter & Gamble. The sum is more than the foreign cash reserves of the UK and 

Some 93 percent of the company's cash and other liquid assets are kept overseas. The Trump administration has proposed a tax holiday to encourage companies to bring money back to the US, as well as a lower corporate tax rate, fueling more speculation about how Apple will use its money. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said he's interested in moving some of the company's cash stateside, if tax conditions are right.

One possibility is delivering a huge dividend to shareholders. Another is the possible acquisition of companies that are true giants in their own right. Capital managers suggested to the WSJ that Apple could buy a company like Tesla, valued at $51 billion, to push forward a self-driving car project. Another idea is buying Netflix, valued at $65 billion, to work on video-streaming and as a hedge against Amazon. An even more outlandish idea—still within the realm of the possible—would be to buy The Walt Disney Company, with a market cap of more than $180 billion.

Apple also has around $88 billion in debt, to fund shareholder payouts. But even subtracting that amount, Apple has by far more cash than any other company. The second richest tech company is Microsoft, which has $126 billion, not counting debt.

Another writer previewing Apple's earnings over the weekend, MarketWatch columnist Tim Mullaney, said that the "seemingly foolish call" he made two years ago—that Apple's stock could hit a value of $1 trillion by 2017—may well come to fruition. Apple set revenue and iPhone records last quarter, although growth in China slowed a bit.

Apple will process some Apple Watch battery repairs for up to 3 years

The latest version of the Apple Watch may soon be making its debut, but the first generation of the wearable is giving some of its wearers some problems. As per an email sent to Apple Authorized Service Providers, first obtained by 9to5Mac, Apple has recognized that some of its earliest Apple Watches have been affected by swollen batteries, and will provide these owners with an additional two years of service that extend beyond the one-year limited warranty.

Apparently, the lithium-ion battery packs that power the Apple Watch can sometimes swell and expand when they’re punctured, overcharged, or overheated, or when they sustain other damage. This is, in fact, the same issue that plagued the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7, but thanks to Apple’s careful testing and manufacturing processes, your Apple Watch won’t spontaneously combust — it’ll just become horribly disfigured.

As such, Apple is taking responsibility for this problem, and will process repairs as they relate to swollen batteries beyond the one-year warranty period, up to three years.

While it’s unclear just how many Apple Watch customers are affected by the issue, there are quite a few reports online across various forums like Reddit and Apple’s own support forums. So how can you tell if your battery is swelling? Affected customers say that display displacement or cracking are generally good indicators of an underlying battery problem.

That said, Apple has yet to make any sort of official announcement surrounding the Apple Watch repair extension, which seems to suggest that there aren’t that many people ultimately impacted. But if you are one of the unlucky users whose wearable has been growing larger, feel free to take it over to Apple — you now have up to three years beyond your original purchase date to get that problem taken care of.

SanDisk iXpand Mini flash drive for iPhone and iPad launched in India, price starts at Rs 2,750

SanDisk has added another member to its iXpand series with the launch of iXpand mini flash drive in India. The Mini Flash Drive is now available in India in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities, with price starting at Rs 2,750 to Rs 7,050. The new SanDisk iXpand Mini Flash Drive is available exclusively with Flipkart. 

The device comes loaded with some interesting features. To start with, it is equipped with a Lightning connector and a USB 3.0 connector so that users can move files between iPhone or iPad and Mac or PC computers.  The new flash drive features a high capacity of up to 128GB and fast read speeds of up to 70MB/s. The drive also includes encryption software that password-protects files, allowing people to share their content while helping keep sensitive files protected across devices.

There is also companion app known as the iXpand Drive for iPhone and iPad, through which users can automatically back up2 their camera roll, content from social networking sites including tagged photos from Facebook and Instagram, and watch popular video formats straight from the drive. Additionally, people can cast content from the SanDisk iXpand Mini Flash Drive to their television via Chromecast device or Amazon Fire directly from the app.  The app is available for download from the App Store for iPhone and iPad.

Nokia 6, 5, 3 and Nokia 3310 will be in India by June, but what’s the price?

There’s growing buzz around the Nokia smartphones, which are being brought back into the market by Finnish company HMD Global. HMD Global has the license to use the Nokia brand name on mobiles, and will be manufacturing, distributing these phones worldwide. Now at the MWC 2017 launch of these phones, Nokia had already said that the availability will be around the second quarter globally, which is ideally April, May and June.

HMD Global has confirmed to IndianExpress.com that June is the time period at which they’re looking to make the phones available in India. The company says they have always said the second quarter was when they looked to launch their phones globally. Some offline retailers we spoke to have said the launch period could be May end or the first week of June.

Nokia has been tweeting to users saying they aim to”release worldwide in Q2 2017 (April – June).” But it is not clear whether all four phones will launch in one go or not.

The question is clearly around pricing, and that’s something HMD Global is not commenting on or confirming. GST or the Goods and Services Tax will come into play from July 1 in India. So any product that is launching in India in the month of June or even May, will have to take into account GST. Uncertainty over GST could result in a further delay of the launch, but HMD Global has not commented on the same.

It will be interesting to see how HMD Global prices these phones in India, because this is a price sensitive market, and there is tough competition in the mid-range smartphone segment.  In fact, a Nokia 3310 listing spotted online mobile retailer OnlyMobiles.com put the price at Rs 3,899 for this feature phone, which is on the higher side considering this has only 2G, and no ability to load apps.

Nokia 6, Nokia 5, Nokia 3, and Nokia 3310 (2017 version) have all been spotted online on UK retailer Clove’s website as well as on Austrian mobile retailer ComStern already.

In terms of specifications, the Nokia 6 is the biggest and most expensive of the lot. It has a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display, and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage, coupled with a 3000 mAh battery. The rear camera is 16MP, while the front camera is 8MP on the Nokia 6 smartphone, which runs stock Android Nougat.

The Nokia 5 sports a smaller 5.2-inch HD IPS display and the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor coupled with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. The battery is 3000 mAh along with a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. Both Nokia 6 and Nokia 5 sport an aluminium body.

Nokia 3 has a 5-inch HD IPS LCD display, MediaTek MTK 6737 processor, 2GB RAM and 16GB storage along with a 2650 mAh battery. This one has a plastic body.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai gets another massive pay package; receives $200 million as compensation

NEW YORK: Google’s India-born CEO Sundar Pichai received a stock award of $198.7 million in 2016, almost double his 2015 stock award of $99.8 million, a media report said. 

That brought his total compensation in 2016 to $199.7 million, almost twice the $100.6 million he earned in 2015. Pichai received a salary of $6,50,000 in 2016, CNBC reported on Friday. 

Pichai’s pay package came even as his two bosses and Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, once again drew salaries of only $1 for their roles as CEO and President, respectively, of parent company Alphabet. But Page and Brin are each worth more than $40 billion through their stock holdings. 
Pichai’s raise came during a year when Google’s sales rose 22.5% and net income rose 19% as it maintained its position as the top seller of internet advertising.

Facebook is expected to announce 1.9 billion active users with 45 percent revenue growth

Ahead of its first quarter results of 2017 on Wednesday, media reports say Facebook may announce it has nearly 1.9 billion users who log onto the social media platform every month. The company is also expected to report a blockbuster set of results, with revenues rising 45 percent, The Telegraph reported on Sunday.

Earlier this year, when Facebook announced its earnings for the fourth quarter and full year 2016, it showed a steady growth in its revenue and user base. Facebook reported $8.8 billion in revenue, $3.56 billion in profit and said more than 1.23 billion people were using the social network every day and that 1.15 billion log in from mobile devices each day.

A report in The Verge said with this growth rate, the social media giant would hit two billion monthly active users by the middle of this year. It is clear that Facebook came on top of all the expectations despite being mired by issues like fake news.

It is expected that the number that log in every month will have risen to 1.9 billion in the three months to the end of April, with the social network now set to close in on 2 billion in the coming weeks. However, analysts believe the company will have to start running out of steam eventually.

“We expect (monthly users) to grow 14 percent in the first quarter (down from 17 percent) as it decelerates due to the law of (really) large numbers,” an analyst at RBC Capital Markets was quoted as saying in The Telegraph. Consensus forecasts are for Facebook to report revenues of $7.8 billion and profits of $3.3 billion — up 72 percent on a year ago.

Baahubali 2, Day 3: Rajamouli's Magnum Opus Mints Rs 540 Crore Worldwide

Much before the release of SS Rajamouli's much-anticipated film Baahubali: The Conclusion, several trade analysts had predicted its success at the box office. The film which was released in over 6500 screens in India and over 9000 screens across the world - which has been the highest for an Indian film till date - it has undoubtedly set new highs in terms of box office collections.

Ever since the day (April 28) the film stormed its way into the theatres across the world, the fans have been discussing the impact it has managed to leave. Interestingly, this impact is also evident from the way Box Office collections continue to increase by the day.

According to trade analyst Ramesh Bala, here's what one can expect.“#Baahubali2 1st Weekend WW BO Estimates: #India Nett: 335 Crs Gross: 415 Crs Overseas: 125 Crs Total – 540 Crs (US $84 Million), Bala had tweeted.”

Nett: ₹ 335 Crs

Gross: ₹ 415 Crs

Overseas: ₹ 125 Crs

Total - ₹ 540 Crs (US $84 Million)

Soon, Karan Johar also took to his official Twitter account to state how the Hindi version of Baahubali 2 has done better than what was expected. Yes, such has been the impact that the film has already earned Rs 128 crore in three days.

“HISTORIC WEEKEND! Here is the HINDI language all india fri (41 crores) Saturday (40.5) Sunday (46.5!!!!!) grand total 128!! #Baahubali2,” Karan wrote.

Hindi version of the film has been produced by Karan Johar. The Telugu version of the film netted a whopping Rs. 53 crore, according to trade analyst Trinath. "The film has taken a phenomenal opening. In Andhra and Telangana, the film in Telugu minted Rs. 53 crore, making it the biggest opening ever for any film across language in the two states. The film is expected to collect over Rs. 100 crore from the two states over the weekend," he had earlier said.

In Tamil Nadu, the film collected around Rs. 12 crore on the first day.