Zuckerberg's Meta Responds to Global Outages with Threads Unveiling

Amidst the global outage affecting Meta's social media platforms, CEO Mark Zuckerberg responded by introducing Threads, a new platform aimed at providing an open and friendly public space for conversation. This move comes as Zuckerberg, absent from Twitter for over 11 years, made a comeback to the microblogging site around the same time Threads was launched.

Zuckerberg, sharing a meme on Twitter featuring characters from the 1967 Spider-Man cartoon, emphasized the need for a friendly community and expressed gratitude to Threads' early adopters. The Meta CEO stated, 

"Our vision is to take the best parts of Instagram and create a new experience for text, ideas, and discussing what's on your mind."

Responding to questions about Threads potentially surpassing Twitter, Zuckerberg acknowledged the challenge but expressed optimism, stating, 

"It'll take some time, but I think there should be a public conversations app with 1 billion+ people on it. Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn't nailed it. Hopefully, we will."

As Meta works diligently to resolve the global outage issues on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the unveiling of Threads adds a new dimension to the company's social media strategy. Stay tuned for further updates on both the outage resolution and the Threads platform.

Meta Platforms Face Global Outages; Over 300,000 Facebook Reports Recorded

 

Mark Zuckerberg-led Meta encountered a significant setback as its social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Threads, faced a widespread outage, impacting users globally. Downdetector, a platform that tracks outages, recorded over 300,000 reports of Facebook outages and 47,000 reports for Instagram worldwide.

Users reported difficulties around 8:56 pm, citing issues with loading content on their feeds, problems with app functionality, login troubles, and challenges in uploading content. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone acknowledged the user difficulties, stating, 

"We're aware people are having trouble accessing our services. We are working on this now."

London-based internet monitoring firm Netblocks reported login session outages for Meta platforms in multiple countries. WhatsApp, another Meta-owned platform, also faced approximately 200 reports of outages.

Meta's status dashboard indicated that the application programming interface (API) for WhatsApp Business was experiencing issues, adding to the challenges the company is currently addressing.

The outage map provided by Downdetector showcased the widespread impact of the service interruption, not only in India but also in various countries worldwide.

Stay informed as we continue to follow developments in this ongoing situation.

Instagram, Facebook Global Outage Sparks User Frustration

In a surprising turn of events, social media giants Instagram and Facebook experienced a widespread service disruption, leaving users across the globe unable to access these popular platforms. The outage, which began late on Tuesday, prompted a flurry of frustrated users to express their grievances on alternative social media platforms, particularly Twitter.

Meta, the parent company led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, acknowledged the issue, and Meta Communications Director Andy Stone assured users that a fix is currently underway. WhatsApp, another platform owned by Meta, seems unaffected at the time of reporting.

According to outage monitoring service Downdetector, the service interruption began around 8:33 pm local time in India, with over 19,290 reports of outages logged from across the country. The impact of this recent outage transcended India, affecting Instagram users in numerous countries worldwide, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Users expressed their frustration at being unable to view photos and profile pictures within the Instagram app, emphasizing the widespread impact on the user experience. Downdetector's data highlighted the concentration of problems in major Indian cities, including Bengaluru, Delhi, Lucknow, Nagpur, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad.

Meta has a dedicated status page indicating the current status of its business products, which currently shows a Major Disruptions label for services such as Facebook, Graph, and WhatsApp Business.

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.

OnePlus 11 5G | Launch Event | All features

Image source: OnePlus Official

OnePlus 11 5G is a high-end smartphone that offers a range of features designed to appeal to power users and tech enthusiasts. Some of the key features of the device include:

1. 5G connectivity:

Rapido to suspend all services in Maharashtra

Rapido to suspend all services in Maharashtra

The ​​bike-taxi aggregator has agreed to shut all its services by 1 pm today. A prohibition has been implemented on various transportation services, including motorcycle and scooter passenger service, parcel delivery by motorcycle, and auto-service. 

This ban will remain in effect until January 20th.

The Bombay High Court has ordered Rapido, a bike-taxi aggregator, to suspend all its operations in Maharashtra. This decision was made as the company had not revealed important information, such as the fact that it lacks a valid license and has been conducting business illegally.

The bike-taxi company has decided to stop all its operations by 1 pm today, this will affect their 2-wheeler passenger service, 2-wheeler parcel service and auto service. The ban will be in effect until January 20th. The Bombay High Court has criticized the government of Maharashtra for not having a clear policy on allowing bike-taxi services in the state, and has ordered them to make a definite decision.

The court was examining a legal complaint submitted by Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited, the company that runs Rapido bike taxi services in Pune and Mumbai. The complaint is against a notice issued by the state government on December 29, 2022, denying them a license to operate as a bike taxi aggregator. 

The state government stated in their letter that there was no official guideline or framework in place for granting licenses to bike taxi companies, and no established fare structure policy.

The Justices Gautam Patel and S G Dige of a division bench issued a warning to Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited (Rapido) that it must suspend its bike taxi services immediately or face permanent prohibition from obtaining any licenses from the state authorities. The court emphasized that without a proper license, the company cannot operate in an unregulated manner.

The Advocate General, Birendra Saraf, stated in court that the company's petition should only be considered once they have ceased their illegal operations. 

"They can't come to this court while running the services illegally,” he said.

According to Saraf, a committee has been established by the government to investigate the matter and create regulations for motorcycle taxis.

“We are also in the process of issuing prohibition and initiating prosecution against entities which are operating bike taxis without licence,” Advocate General Saraf added.

Mind-Blowing New Technologies That Can Change the World

Upcoming technology 

There are many exciting technologies that are currently being developed or are expected to be released in the near future. Some examples include:

5G networks: 

5G is the next generation of cellular network technology, which promises faster speeds, lower latency, and better connectivity. This will enable new use cases such as high-definition video streaming, virtual reality, and the Internet of Things.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: 

These technologies are becoming more advanced and capable, and are being applied to a wide range of fields, from healthcare to finance to transportation.

Quantum Computing: 

Quantum computing is a new type of computing that uses quantum-mechanical phenomena, such as superposition and entanglement, to perform operations on data. It has the potential to solve problems that are currently unsolvable with classical computers.

Self-driving cars: 

Self-driving cars are vehicles that are capable of sensing their environment and navigating without human input. They are expected to improve safety, increase efficiency, and reduce the need for human drivers.

Blockchain: 

Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology that enables the secure and transparent transfer of digital assets. It has the potential to revolutionize industries such as finance, supply chain management, and voting systems.

Biotechnology and Genetic engineering:

Biotechnology and genetic engineering are advancing rapidly, with new tools and techniques allowing scientists to manipulate the genetic makeup of organisms in ways that were once thought impossible. These technologies have enormous potential for addressing some of the world's most pressing problems, such as disease, food insecurity, and climate change.

These are just a few examples of the many exciting technologies that are currently being developed or are expected to be released in the near future.

Zebronics Zeb-Iconic Lite with 1.78″ AMOLED display, Bluetooth calling launched at an introductory price of Rs. 2999

Following the release of Zebronics Drip smartwatch, the firm has now introduced it’s latest wearable Zebronics-Zeb Iconic Lite with Bluetooth calling in India.

 

Zebronics, a leading technology company, has launched its latest wearable device, the Zeb-Iconic Lite, in India. The new smartwatch features Bluetooth calling capabilities and a sleek metal shell design.

One of the standout features of the Zeb-Iconic Lite is its 1.78-inch AMOLED display with a 2.5D curved screen. This allows for an immersive viewing experience and the ability to see the display clearly in any lighting conditions. Additionally, the smartwatch has an always-on display feature that allows users to easily check the time and notifications without having to wake up the device.

The Zeb-Iconic Lite also boasts a user-friendly interface with a dual menu UI, making it easy to navigate and customize. The device comes with 11 configurable watch faces, and users can also download more from the companion app.

The new smartwatch is available now in India at an introductory price of Rs. 2999, making it an affordable option for those looking to upgrade their wearable technology. With its advanced features and sleek design, the Zeb-Iconic Lite is sure to be a popular choice among tech enthusiasts.

The Zebronics Zeb-Iconic Lite 

1. A sleek metal body design and a functional crown for easy navigation. 
2. Its 1.78" 2.5D curved display allows for a unique, immersive experience. 
3. Users can customize their watch face.
4. Choose from over 100 static sports modes. 
5. The watch also has a call function via Bluetooth 5.1 and boasts a 250mAh built-in rechargeable battery with up to 5 days of battery life. 
6. Additionally, the watch is equipped with a voice assistant and dual menu UI, making it easy to use. 
7. Users will also receive notifications for calls, SMS, and third-party app messages. 
8. The watch's health-tracking features include a heart rate monitor, SpO2 and BP monitor, step/calorie/distance tracker, sleep monitor, and pedometer. 
9. It is also IP67 waterproof, making it suitable for a variety of activities.

The Zeb Iconic-Lite is a versatile smartwatch that offers a range of features to help you stay connected and track your fitness and health. It is powered by a built-in rechargeable battery that provides up to 5 days of backup. The watch supports Bluetooth calling and voice assistance for both Android and iOS, allowing you to access features like Google Assistant and Siri. Additionally, it offers music control, camera shutter control, a calculator, and two built-in games.

The Zeb Iconic-Lite is also waterproof with an IP67 rating, making it perfect for fitness activities. It comes with over 100 built-in sports modes, as well as various health monitoring features such as heart rate, SPO2 tracking, blood pressure monitoring, pedometer, calorie counter, sleep monitor, and meditative breathing. All these features can be accessed through the Zeb-FIT 20 app, which is compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones.

• The Zebronics Zeb-Iconic Lite smartwatch is now available for purchase on  Amazon.in  for a price of Rs. 2,999. 
• The watch comes with a silicon band that is available in three color options: Gold-Blue combo, Silver, and Black. 
• Additionally, the watch is also available in a metal variant.
• Direct purchasing link  Amazon.in

Commenting on the launch, Yash Doshi, Director said:

JEE Mains' January 2023 registration last date today. Here is how to apply

Today, January 12th is the final day to register for the IIT JEE Main 2023. The registration link will be closed by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the organization responsible for administering the exam, at 9 pm.

Applicants for JEE Mains can submit their applications online at jeemain.nta.nic.in. The examination will take place in two rounds in 2023, with the first round scheduled for January 24 to 31 and the second round scheduled for April 6 to April 12. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has stated that the JEE Main 2023 admit cards will be released in the third week of January, 2023 and the exam cities will be announced in the second week of January.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced that the JEE Mains exams will be held in two shifts, one in the morning and one in the evening. The morning shift will take place from 9 am to 12 pm, while the evening shift will be held from 3 pm to 6 pm. Candidates who pass the JEE Mains exam will be eligible to take the JEE Advanced exam.

JEE Mains' January 2023 registration last date today. Here is how to apply. (Representative image)

To register for JEE Main 2023, follow these steps:

1. Go to the JEE Mains NTA website, jeemain.nta.nic.in.
2. Enter your email address and mobile phone number to generate an "application number."
3. Use this application number to complete the JEE Main 2023 application form.
4. Upload scanned documents such as a photo and signature.
5. Pay the application fee online.
6. Submit the application.
7. Download, save, and print the confirmation page for your records.

Recently, the Bombay High Court denied a request to delay the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains 2023. However, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has made adjustments to the requirements for admission. Now, candidates who are among the top 20% of those who pass their board exams are also eligible for admission if they have an all-India rank in the JEE Main. According to the updated criteria, candidates must have earned at least 75% in their Class 12 exam or be in the top 20 percentile of their respective board's Class 12 examination. For students from Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, the minimum passing marks are 65% in the Class 12 exam, according to the NTA.

WhatsApp, Instagram And Facebook Servers Down Worldwide

WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook services are down. The outage issue seems to be around DNS servers. Facebook has confirmed working on a fix.

WhatsApp seems stopped operating, users are unable to send some messages, photos, videos and voice messages. Instead, users simply see a message reading "download failed" and also the content won't arrive. Unusually, a preview of the image will seem. However, it's fuzzy and also the details can not be seen.

People from the Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, the US, and more are commenting about their issues, with many saying that they are heading to Twitter.
Popular apps owned by parent company Facebook, Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram are experiencing outages in many regions. All seem to not be working on either Web or their respective smartphone apps. Users are unable to send or receive new messages.

According to Downdetector, the outages appear to have started around 11:40 am ET/9:10 pm IST.

Downdetector graph shows Facebook is down on October 4, 2021

Users worldwide have taken to their Twitter handles to share their views on this issue.

*Sincere* apologies to everyone impacted by outages of Facebook powered services right now.  We are experiencing networking issues and teams are working as fast as possible to debug and restore as fast as possible — Mike Schroepfer.

*Sincere* apologies to everyone impacted by outages of Facebook powered services right now. We are experiencing networking issues and teams are working as fast as possible to debug and restore as fast as possible

— Mike Schroepfer (@schrep) October 4, 2021

"Sorry, something went wrong. We're working on it and we'll get it fixed as soon as we can," a message on the Facebook website said when trying to load. 

Meanwhile, the social-media giant's instant messaging platform WhatsApp was also down for over 14,000 users, while Messenger was down for nearly 3,000 users.

"We’re aware that some people are having trouble accessing our apps and products. We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible, and we apologize for any inconvenience," a Facebook company spokesperson said. 

To the huge community of people and businesses around the world who depend on us: we're sorry. We’ve been working hard to restore access to our apps and services and are happy to report they are coming back online now. Thank you for bearing with us.

— Facebook (@Facebook) October 4, 2021

WhatsApp too reached out to its users via Twitter to acknowledge the outage:

We’re aware that some people are experiencing issues with WhatsApp at the moment. We’re working to get things back to normal and will send an update here as soon as possible. 

Thanks for your patience!   

We’re aware that some people are experiencing issues with WhatsApp at the moment. We’re working to get things back to normal and will send an update here as soon as possible.

Thanks for your patience!

— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) October 4, 2021

 Instagram and friends are having a little bit of a hard time right now, and you may be having issues using them. Bear with us, we’re on it! #instagramdown

Instagram and friends are having a little bit of a hard time right now, and you may be having issues using them. Bear with us, we’re on it! #instagramdown

— Instagram Comms (@InstagramComms) October 4, 2021

📌Update after 7 hours: It's been a long time, now everything is fine, the server is much better. Everything is going to be accessible. The announcement is made from their own official Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram account on Twitter. But WhatsApp apologies to everyone who hasn’t been able to use WhatsApp today. They are starting to slowly and carefully get WhatsApp working again. They will continue to keep us updated when they have more information to share. For more updates follow their official Twitter account.