Top AI Trends of the Week

Top AI Trends of the Week

Artificial Intelligence continues to shape our future across industries. Every week brings new advancements, innovations, and AI tools that push the boundaries of what machines can achieve. This article highlights the most exciting AI trends from this week, showcasing how businesses and researchers are leveraging AI in unique ways.

1. AI in Healthcare – Revolutionizing Diagnostics

AI is helping detect diseases faster, with tools like ChatGPT-powered health assistants and AI diagnostic platforms improving early detection.

Example: IBM’s Watson Health or Google’s DeepMind detecting eye diseases earlier than doctors.

Actionable Insight:
AI-based healthcare apps are becoming more common, promoting remote diagnosis.

2. Generative AI Tools – Beyond Text to Video Creation

Generative AI like DALL·E and MidJourney has made visual content generation easier.

New trend: Companies are using AI video tools to create marketing clips and product demos without human editing.

Pro Tip:
Businesses can save time by integrating generative AI tools into content production workflows.

3. AI in Finance – Automation for Smarter Investments

AI-powered robo-advisors are taking over investment management. Machine learning algorithms are predicting stock trends with higher accuracy.

Trending Now: Banks like JPMorgan are building AI-driven tools for fraud detection.

4. Autonomous Vehicles – AI for Safer Roads

Tesla, Waymo, and other autonomous car companies are improving self-driving algorithms. AI is being integrated with 5G networks for quicker data transmission between vehicles and infrastructure.

Future Outlook:
Expect major advancements in Level 4 automation within the next 2-3 years.

Conclusion

This week’s trends highlight AI’s rapid evolution across healthcare, content creation, finance, and transportation. Staying updated with these developments will help both businesses and individuals stay ahead in this fast-paced technological landscape.

Call to Action:
What are your thoughts on AI’s current developments? Share your comments below or subscribe for weekly updates.

The strength does not come from lifting weights but from lifting yourself up every time you are knocked down.

Strength is manifested in two ways, inner and outer strength. The outer strength comes in the physical form and this is temporal. It's the always the inner strength which is lifelong. In our various walks in Life, we are knocked down many a time, experience times of failure, and sometimes much more. And yet it is that inner strength, that helps us get up each time that we are knocked down by life's challenges. Being knocked down is not being knocked out, it only makes us stronger to be able to overcome these obstacles that come our way. Your inner strength is far far more stronger than your physical outer strength, you realise that only when you are down. When we are down,  we always muster everything within us, to get right back up again. Each time we fall down, we learn to rise up  and overcome our greatest fears.  Your greatest success comes from your biggest failures in Life. It is not our failures that define us, but every time that we rise from those failures. Learn to Rise Up, Always.

Tell your problems to God not on Social Media

In this age of Social Media, we find that our validation of any thing that we go through is to be first posted there, to give one a feeling of self worth. The First place we need to go is,on our Knees, in the presence of God. We don't need any other validation, help, or even acknowledgement. You need God and God alone, No One else can help you, no amount of friends, family, contact our even the Clout that you think that you might have, can Help, except your Lord and Master. Any Situation, Problem or anything that you need or want, the First and Foremost should be God.No one else will Do.We often feel value in some likes, or thumbs up matter, in this faceless, emotionless cyber world, when all we need is the Hand of God, in everything we do. Oh taste Him, and See how God He is, My Father used to always tell me.You need to experience it, to believe it, and therein lies the Solution to everything that you have experienced, experiencing or going to experience in the days to come. Your  Never Alone, He is There

God Can be Reached without Any Technology

This picture in many ways says it all, in such a modern context, with the phone governing our lives. The phone might take up a great part of our Life,  but it's God who Rules our Life. He might not have a phone, but we can connect with Him any time that we want. He might not be on Facebook, but He is always our Eternal Friend. He is not on Twitter, but yet We Follow Him, all the Time. Imagine what a powerful God we serve, we connect with, we have as a friend and we follow to the very end. What a great Friend we have. What a great friend we follow. What a great friend we talk to. What a great friend  we have in Jesus. He completes us in every single way. You will never find a friend like Him. Be rooted in Him, and He will be your roots for Life. God bless.

Apple HomePod: Everything to Know Before Buying in India

Apple HomePod is cylindrical and covered with a mesh fabric

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Apple brought its HomePod smart speaker to India last month — over two years after its debut in the US, UK, and Australia in February 2018. The HomePod is designed as Apple's answer to the Amazon Echo and Google Nest range of smart speakers. However, just like many other Apple devices, it is not meant for everyone and is targeted at a niche audience. The smart speaker by Apple is based around the company's Siri voice assistant, which lets you use voice commands to perform certain tasks and play music. It features an array of microphones to detect your voice from any part of a room. There are also multiple speakers to deliver a room-filling audio experience.

The Apple HomePod officially carries a price tag of Rs. 19,900 in India. This is lower than the $299 (roughly Rs. 22,600) price currently applicable in the US, though it's often discounted now. The India price of the HomePod puts it right up against the Amazon Echo Studio, which was launched last year at Rs. 22,999. So how good is the HomePod when it comes to the smart speaker experience? Also, is it an accessory worth buying for Apple fans in India — if not for all audiophiles? Read on to get answers to all these and many other questions you might have about the HomePod.

Apple HomePod is available in India with a price tag of Rs. 19,900

Apple HomePod design and specifications

Before getting deeper into the experience, let's take a look at the design and specifications of the Apple HomePod. The device is as beautifully crafted as any other Apple product and can subtly blend in with any part of your home. Its cylindrical shape and mesh fabric covering make it look like an attractive piece of hardware even when not in use. Moreover, the speaker is 172mm tall and 142mm wide, which lets you place it on table, shelf, or TV stand in your living room or bedroom.

• Apple HomePod Smart Speaker Finally Arrives in India

The HomePod weighs 2.5kg which is lighter than the 3.86kg Echo Studio. Of course, you won't be carrying the HomePod around much after finding a suitable spot to place it in. The base has a rubbery finish that helps keep the speaker securely in place.

As for specifications, the HomePod uses Apple's A8 processor, developed for the iPhone 6, to run everything including Siri responses. There's an array of seven tweeters, each with its own amplifier, and a high-excursion woofer with a 20mm diaphragm. There are also six microphones placed such that they can pick up your voice commands from any direction. A touch-sensitive panel on the top of the speaker is used to control everything. The HomePod uses Wi-Fi 802.1ac and Bluetooth 5 for connectivity.

Apple HomePod features a touch-sensitive panel on the top

We've been testing the Apple HomePod for over two weeks to understand its key pros and cons from the perspective of an Indian buyer, so here are the answers to some common questions.

• Apple Admits a Small Portion of Siri Recordings Are Heard by Humans

Are there any differences between the Apple HomePod launched in India and what's available in the US?

Apple hasn't made any major changes to the HomePod sold in India compared to what was initially launched in the US. However, if you're extremely observant, you will notice that the India version doesn't have a braided power cable. When we checked with Apple, the company could not confirm a reason for this.

How long does it take to set up the HomePod?

Setup only takes a couple of minutes. All you need is to plug your HomePod into a power socket and then bring a compatible iPhone or iPad close to it. The HomePod will recognise it and copy your Apple ID details and preferences over automatically. You'll get on-screen prompts that you need to tap one-by-one to complete the setup process. It's even easier than setting up a smart TV, and is similar to how you get started with any recent new Apple product. The setup process for the HomePod is far better than what you'll get with an Amazon Echo or Google Nest device.

Apple HomePod provides an easy setup to iPhone users

Do I need to make any adjustments to optimise the audio experience on the HomePod?

No, you don't need to do anything after setting up your HomePod. It uses its microphones to automatically sense the dimensions of your room and its relative position, and will use this to deliver you an optimal sound. Apple calls this “Spatial Awareness.” We were able to enjoy a room-filling sound experience in a 15x10-foot room, with soothing lows and mids as well as crisp highs. However, you don't get an adjustable equaliser to tweak the sound profile as per your preferences. You can manually adjust EQ settings in the Apple Music app or whatever other music app or source device that you use with the HomePod, though.

• Apple's Next HomePod May Support 3D Hand Gestures and Face ID, Patent Tips

Do I need to go close to the HomePod for it to understand my commands?

Apple has provided powerful enough microphones that don't require you to come very close to the HomePod to speak with Siri or control your music. While Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant on our Amazon Echo and Google Nest devices would sometimes fail to understand what we were saying when standing in different parts of our room, due to ambient noise and music that was playing from a TV in the same room, we found that the HomePod was able to catch most of our commands without any noticeable delay.

Will the HomePod understand my accent?

Yes, Siri has been trained to understand what people say in simple English, even with an Indian accent. We asked multiple people of different age groups to try using Siri, and the results were acceptable for all of them.

Does the HomePod work only with Apple devices or can it be connected to an Android phone as well?

You need an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to set up your HomePod. The list of compatible models includes the iPhone 5s and later, all iPad Pros, iPad (5th generation), iPad Air and later, iPad mini 2 and later, and iPod touch (6th generation). The device that you're connecting with your HomePod also needs to run at least iOS 13.3.1. Once connected and configured, you can play audio tracks from your smart TV or MacBook via AirPlay. There's no official support for Android users, though. You cannot use Bluetooth to pair laptops, smartphones, or other source devices, and there are no physical inputs.

• Smart Speakers Have 97 Percent Satisfaction Rate in India: Accenture

Is an Apple Music subscription needed to play music on the HomePod?

The HomePod requires an Apple Music subscription for you to be able to use its full music functionality. This means that you can't ask Siri to stream your favourite music tracks if you don't have Apple Music. At least that's now available at Rs. 99 a month, and Apple says its collection includes over 60 million songs and tens of thousands of playlists. You can also use AirPlay to stream music stored in your local Apple Music library, or from apps such as Amazon Prime Music, Spotify, or YouTube Music on a compatible device. You can also ask Siri on your HomePod to play music stored in your local library.

Apple HomePod requires an Apple Music subscription to deliver you a full-fledged experience

Can I play songs from a third-party app such as Amazon Prime Music, Gaana, Spotify, or YouTube Music on the HomePod?

Yes, you can play songs from any third-party app, but only via AirPlay. You can't ask Siri to play your favourite music from a third-party app. This means that if you want to use voice commands to play a particular track, you will have to use Apple Music. This is unlike how you can play music directly from third-party apps including Amazon Prime Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Spotify, and YouTube Music on an Amazon Echo or Google Nest speaker. Even Siri on the iPhone lets you play music from third-party apps.

Does Siri on the HomePod understand Hindi?

No, Siri doesn't understand any Indic language including Hindi yet. With the iOS 13.3.1 update in late January, Apple introduced support for Indian English Siri voices on the HomePod. There is no word on when or whether Hindi support will be added. You should pick an Amazon Echo or a Google Nest if you would prefer to use Hindi commands. However, the HomePod does currently support Cantonese, French, German, Mandarin, and Spanish.

Can I ask the HomePod to play a folk or regional song?

The HomePod, through its Siri integration and Apple Music support, is capable of correctly recognising the names of many popular Indian albums, songs, and singers. We succeeded in asking Siri on the HomePod to play several Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, and Punjabi songs. It was also able to understand singer names such as Bir Singh, Dijit Dosanjh, Nimrat Khaira, Shreya Ghoshal, SP Balasubrahmanyam, Tarsem Jassar, and PB Sreenivas. Similarly, we were successful when asking it to play tracks including Awara Hoon, Baapu Tere Karke, Ivan Yaara Magano, and Phire Elam Dure Giye.

Does the HomePod allow controlling music with voice commands?

Yes, you can ask your HomePod to go forwards or backwards, and pause or play a song using your voice commands. You can also adjust the volume by telling Siri on the HomePod what you want.

Can I control music manually as well?

The touch panel on the HomePod lets you control your music manually. There are volume buttons that appear when you're playing a song or speaking with someone on a phone call. You can tap the panel to pause or play a track, double-tap to go to the next track, and triple-tap to go to the previous track.

Apple HomePod provides manual volume controls while playing an audio

Can the HomePod be used as a smart voice assistant, and can it answer everyday household questions?

Yes, you can ask Siri on your HomePod about the current weather, nearby places, or any general knowledge questions that you might have. It uses the Internet to provide answers to most of your questions instantly.

Can I ask the HomePod to set an alarm or a reminder?

Yes, you can ask Siri on the HomePod to set an alarm or timer. You can also set a reminder for a specific task after enabling the Personal Requests option using the Home app on your iPhone or iPad.

Does the HomePod support contextual replies?

Siri does support contextual replies, which means you can ask follow-up questions to some extent based on the answers to a previous question. The feature is currently quite limited in scope, though.

Does the HomePod allow me to send or receive messages?

You can certainly ask Siri on your HomePod to send a message or read what you've received. To send a new message, all you need to do is say, “Hey Siri, send a message to [contact name].” You can then speak your message. After that, Siri will ask you if you're ready to send it to your contact. The HomePod also lets you hear your messages read out to you. However, it doesn't provide any alerts when you receive a new message. In addition to text messages, Siri on the HomePod also works with third-party apps including Skype for iPhone and WhatsApp.

Can I make phone calls using the HomePod?

Yes, you can ask Siri on your HomePod to make a phone call for you. You can also answer your calls directly on the HomePod, and you can check for missed calls on your phone. Further, you can ask Siri to play your most recent voicemail. It is, however, important to highlight that the HomePod doesn't make any sound when a phone call comes in, just like you don't get notified of any new messages unless you already have your phone on you. Also, you won't be able to use an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) that requires keypad input from your side.

Does the HomePod provide notification alerts?

No, just like with messages and phone calls, the HomePod doesn't support iPhone system audio. This means that if you get an email or message on an app such as Slack or WhatsApp on your iPhone, you won't get its notification alert from your HomePod.

Can the HomePod be connected to a device using a wired connection?

No, Apple hasn't provided any ports — not even a 3.5mm audio input — to let you plug anything into the HomePod using a cable.

Can I connect to the HomePod via Bluetooth?

Apple has provided Bluetooth connectivity on the HomePod, but that's limited to its proprietary features. This means that you cannot use the HomePod as a Bluetooth speaker.

Can the HomePod be used to control smart devices?

Apple has integrated HomeKit support into the HomePod to let you control supported smart lights, switches, fans, and sensors using voice commands. You can also set up routines via the Shortcuts app on your iPhone or iPad to let the HomePod execute sequences of actions automatically. That said, the list of HomeKit-supported devices is limited when relative to smart devices that support Alexa and Google Assistant.

Can I remove or replace the HomePod's power cable?

The cable available with the HomePod is not officially removable, but there are some stories on the Web that describe ways to remove it. We don't recommend you to do so as this will void your official warranty. You will need to visit an Apple service centre if you have any trouble with the cable.

Is there a way to set up multiple users on the HomePod?

Apple has offered a HomePod multiuser option in certain markets that lets users set up the speaker as a family device, and allows Siri to personalise experiences for up to six users. However, this feature isn't yet available in India when using the "English (India)" language setting.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ Specifications Tipped, May Launch on August 5: Report

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is expected to be powered by Snapdragon 865+ and feature dual rear cameras.

Photo Credit: Pigtou

Galaxy Tab S7+ is expected to run on Android 10 and One UI 2.5

Samsung is expected to bring two flagship tablets this year. The Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+ are reportedly expected to be launched at the online Galaxy Unpacked event on August 5. Several specifications have surfaced around the Galaxy Tab S7+ that suggest that the device may be powered by the recently unveiled Snapdragon 865+ processor. The South Korean giant is also expected to unveil its Galaxy Note 20 series of phones as well at the virtual event.

According to a report by SamMobile, the Galaxy Tab S7+ is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 865+ SoC, which can clock speeds of up to 3.1GHz and claims to offer 10 percent power boost when compared to the regular Snapdragon 865.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is expected to come in two memory variants, with 6GB or 8GB RAM and 128GB or 256GB of onboard storage, respectively. In terms of display, the Galaxy Tab S7+ would feature an AMOLED screen with an expected resolution of 2,800x1,752 pixels. The display will also support S Pen with built-in Bluetooth.

• Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event Set for August 5

Just like its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab S6, the new Galaxy Tab S7+ may feature a dual camera setup on the back, comprising a 13-megapixel sensor and a 5-megapixel sensor. The front-facing camera is expected to have an 8-megapixel sensor. The upcoming device will run on Android 10 and One UI 2.5 out of the box. Complete with an in-display fingerprint sensor, the upcoming tablet may carry a 10,090mAh battery.

Samsung announced earlier this week that the Galaxy Unpacked event will kick off at 7:30pm IST on August 5. Viewers can watch the live stream of the event on Samsung.com or Samsung Global Newsroom. It is expected that the company will introduce the Galaxy Note 20 series at the event, along with the 5G variant of the Galaxy Z Flip.

Amazon Apple Days Sale Is Live: Price Discount on iPhone 11, Other Products

iPhone 11 is getting a price discount as a part of the Amazon Apple Days sale

HIGHLIGHTS

• HDFC Bank card users will get up to Rs. 5,000 off on iPad purchases
• Apple Watch Series 3 will be listed with Rs. 1,000 off for HDFC card hold
• iPhone 11 Pro buyers to get Rs. 4,000 off on HFDC Bank card transactions

JUMP TO

• Apple Days sale offers on Amazon

Amazon India is hosting the next iteration of Apple Days sale on its site starting July 19, offering price cuts on the iPhone 11 series as well as old phones like the iPhone 8 Plus. There are different deals and offers listed for the Apple iPad series and the Apple Watch series as well. Apple Days sale on Amazon India started earlier today and continue through July 25.

Apple Days sale offers on Amazon

Starting with the latest iPhone series, the iPhone 11₹ 68,300 is being sold at Rs. 62,900 for the 64GB storage option, instead of its last revised price of Rs. 68,300 during the sale. This means a discount of Rs. 5,400 is being offered during the Apple Days sale period.

Amazon hasn't mentioned any price discounts for the iPhone 11 Pro₹ 106,600 and iPhone 11 Pro Max₹ 117,100, instead it is providing Rs. 4,000 discount for HDFC Bank debit and credit card holders.

• Apple Hikes Prices of iPhone Models in India Due to GST Rate Impact

The iPhone 8 Plus 64GB is priced at Rs. 41,500 during the Apple Days sale. The phone is otherwise listed for Rs. 41,999, which means a price discount of Rs. 500 is being provided during the sale. The iPhone 7 series is also listed at attractive prices during the sale. Amazon notes that most Apple purchases will be offered with finance options like no-cost EMI and additional discounts using HDFC Bank debit and credit cards.

• iPhone 11 Review
• Apple iPhone Shipments in Q1 2020 Grew 78 Percent in India: Counterpoint
• iPhone 11 Pro Max Review

During the Apple Days sale, the Apple iPad series is also being offered with up to Rs. 5,000 discount and the Apple Watch Series 3 is getting a flat discount of Rs. 1,000 for HDFC Bank debit and credit card users. HDFC Bank card holders can also avail a Rs. 7,000 instant discount on the purchase of the Apple MacBook Pro. All sale offers are now live on a dedicated page on Amazon India.

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Is iPhone SE the ultimate 'affordable' iPhone for India? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.

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Apple iPhone 8 Plus

₹41,500

Buy

• REVIEW
• KEY SPECS
• NEWS
• VARIANTS

• Design
• Display
• Software
• Performance
• Battery Life
• Camera
• Value for Money

• Good
• Insane performance
• Vastly improved cameras
• Portrait Mode is great
• Wireless charging
• Assured, timely software updates

• Bad
• Same old design, ungainly
• First party apps not great in India
• Fast charger not bundled

Read detailed Apple iPhone 8 Plus review

BUY AT

• Apple iPhone 8 Plus (64GB) - Gold - 
  ₹41,500
• Apple iPhone 8 Plus (64GB) - Silver - 
  ₹41,999
• Apple iPhone 8 Plus (64GB) - Space Grey - 
  ₹41,999

iPhone 11

₹62,900

Buy

• REVIEW
• KEY SPECS
• NEWS
• VARIANTS

• Design
• Display
• Software
• Performance
• Battery Life
• Camera
• Value for Money

• Good
• Best-in-class performance
• Excellent battery life
• Great cameras
• Night Mode is a welcome addition
• iOS offers regular, timely updates

• Bad
• Low-resolution display
• Slow bundled charger
• No PiP or other software features that utilise the big screen