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Time of India
an hour ago
- Business
- Time of India
New US visa rule, Amazon announces dates for its biggest sale of the year, Microsoft kills Blue Screen of Death error and other top tech news of the week
This week, the US Embassy in India announced new visa rules for student and exchange visitors. The latest guidelines mandate that F, M, and J non-immigrant visa applicants set their social media privacy settings to public, effective immediately, to verify identity and eligibility. Meanwhile, Amazon announced dates for its biggest sale of the year in India. Amazon India's Prime Day 2025 is set for July 12-14, expanding to three days with offers from top brands and bank discounts. On the other hand, Microsoft officially phased out its iconic "Blue Screen of Death" error on Windows. It has been replaced by a new black error screen as part of a " Windows Resiliency Initiative " to enhance user experience and reduce disruptions. All this and more in TOI's weekly tech wrap: 'Effective immediately, …': US embassy in India wants everyone applying for F, M, or J non-immigrant US visas to change this privacy setting of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media accounts The US Embassy in India has announced a new guideline for those applying for student and exchange visitor visas. The new rules, effective immediately, apply to all applicants of F, M, and J non-immigrant visas who will now have to set their social media accounts to public. The move, the embassy said, is aimed at helping U.S. officials verify the identity and eligibility of visa applicants during the security screening process. The US embassy shared this update in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), saying that the change is necessary to "facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under US law." 'Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to public to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under U.S. law,' the post says. Click here to know more by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Nvidia beats Microsoft and Apple to become world's most valuable company: What's behind the rise Nvidia has become the world's most valuable company, overtaking Microsoft, as demand for its AI chips continues to soar. Nvidia's market value rose to $3.34 trillion this week, making it worth more than Microsoft at $3.32 trillion and Apple at $3.29 trillion. Fueled by growing interest in artificial intelligence technologies, the chipmaker's stock has gained over 170% this year and more than tripled in value over the past 12 months. Nvidia's rise has been driven by its dominant position in providing chips used in AI systems, including those that power tools like ChatGPT. Its graphics processing units (GPUs) are a key component for training and running large language models. Read the full story here Google cuts $50 million from smart TV team budget, and 75 jobs with it Google has cut its Google TV and Android TV budget by 10%, reducing funding by tens of millions of dollars for the company's smart television initiatives, according to an exclusive report by The Information. The cuts have affected up to a quarter of the 300-member smart TV team, with layoffs accompanying the budget reduction. The budget slash comes as Google prepares to integrate its Gemini AI assistant into TV platforms later this year, positioning televisions as central hubs for smart home interaction. Despite the financial constraints, Google maintains its commitment to the platform, citing over 270 million active Android TV devices globally. Click here to know more Microsoft kills the Blue Screen of Death error that shut down 8 million Windows devices last year, here's what replaces it After four decades, Microsoft is officially bidding farewell to the iconic "Blue Screen of Death" (BSoD). Microsoft is now replacing the famous Blue error screen with a redesigned and black interface. The company revealed that the change is part of a broader 'Windows Resiliency Initiative' which is aimed at making the operating system more robust. The company announced the change in a Windows blog post. The company said that with this change, it aims to modernise and improve the user experience. The company also wishes to reduce the disruption caused by system crashes. The new screen for Windows comes with a simplified message which does not consist of the sad-face emoji and QR code, as it aligns with Windows 11's design language. Read the full story here Amazon India Prime Day 2025 sale dates announced: Offers discounts, and more about the first-ever 3-day celebration in country Amazon India Prime Day 2025 sale dates announced: Offers, discounts, and more about first ever 3-day celebration in the country, marking a significant expansion for Prime Day in India, offering members an additional 24 hours to explore exciting offers from top brands such as Samsung, Intel, OnePlus, iQOO, HP, Asus, Boat and Lenovo. Amazon Prime Day 2025 will be from 12:00 am on July 12 to 11:59 pm on July 14. Prime members will be able to access deals, have savings and witness new product launches. Shoppers can maximise their savings with 10% discounts on payments made using ICICI Bank Credit & Debit cards, SBI Credit Cards, and EMI transactions on both ICICI Bank and SBI Credit Cards. Click here to know more Disney lays off more employees, as it rebalances teams in ... The Walt Disney Company has started another round of layoffs. As part of the fresh round of layoffs, the company is firing hundreds of employees globally. The company announced that the layoffs are part of the ongoing strategic restructuring, which is aimed at streamlining operations and pivoting towards high-growth areas, particularly streaming. The latest wave of job cuts has affected various departments, including film and television marketing, TV publicity, casting, development and corporate finance functions. Read the full story here Intel layoffs begin: Company cuts roles across these teams to 'remove organisational complexity and …' Intel has started laying off employees, beginning with 107 workers tied to its headquarters in Santa Clara, California, reports CRN. The move is part of a larger cost-cutting and restructuring plan announced by CEO Lip-Bu Tan in April this year to turn around the struggling semiconductor company. According to the report, the company has filed a notice under California's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. In the notice, Intel said that the layoffs will begin on July 15. Employees will either be given a 60-day notice or a four-week notice with nine weeks' pay and benefits. Click here to know more Samsung Galaxy M36 with 50MP main camera, 5000 mAh battery launched: Price, specs and more Samsung Galaxy M36 5G is now official. Samsung has launched its latest M-series smartphone in India — Galaxy M36 5G. The smartphone houses a 50MP triple rear camera and is backed by a 5000 mAh battery. The affordable Samsung smartphone features a full HD+ display and packs an Exynos chipset. 'As part of our commitment to bring meaningful innovations that empower customers' lives, we are launching the Galaxy M36 5G with segment-leading features and bringing AI innovations at an affordable price point. The stylish & durable Galaxy M36 5G complements our consumers' lifestyle, and with the introduction of Circle to Search with Google and Gemini Live, we are furthering the democratisation of mobile AI across the Galaxy ecosystem,' said the company. Read the full story here Vivo T4 Lite 5G smartphone with 50MP camera, 6000 mAh battery launched in India: Price, specs and more Vivo T4 Lite 5G is here. Vivo has launched its most affordable 5G smartphone — Vivo T4 Lite 5G in India. The smartphone houses a 6000 mAh battery, which comes with a 5-year battery health. The smartphone is powered by a MediaTek chipset and a 50MP main camera. 'With the T4 Lite 5G, we are giving India's young consumers a phone that works as hard as they do. It is smart, reliable, and packed with meaningful innovation – from battery life to camera performance to design – all at a price that makes it accessible,' said the company. Vivo T4 Lite 5G comes in three variants — 4GB+128GB, 6GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB priced at Rs 9,999, Rs 10,999 and Rs 12,999, respectively. The smartphone comes in Prism Blue and Titanium Gold colour options. The smartphone will go on sale on July 2 on Flipkart and Vivo India online store, and offline on authorised stores in the country. As part of the launch offer, the company is giving an instant discount of Rs 500 on HDFC Bank, SBI and Axis Bank cards. Click here to know more Oppo K13x with 6000 mAh battery, military grade certification launched in India: Price, specs and more Oppo K13x 5G is here. Oppo has expanded its affordable smartphone lineup with the launch of Oppo K13x 5G in India. The smartphone comes with military grade certification and is backed by a 6000 mAh battery. Oppo K13x packs a MediaTek chipset and runs the Android 15 operating system. 'The K13x features a cutting-edge biomimetic shock absorption system, class-leading battery optimisation, and 5G readiness; the smartphone reflects OPPO's vision—redefining what is possible in an entry-level smartphone without compromise,' said the company. Oppo K13x comes the three variants — 4GB+128GB, 6GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB priced at Rs 11,999, Rs 12,999 and Rs 14,999 respectively. The smartphone will go on sale starting June 27 and will be available online on Flipkart and the Oppo India online store. Customers can purchase the smartphone in Midnight Violet and Sunset Peach colour options. Read the full story here HP launches Latex 730 and 830 printers in India, opens demo center in Mumbai HP has launched its latest large-format printing solutions, the HP Latex 730 and 830 printer series, in India. The company claims that the new printers are designed to boost productivity, streamline operations, and consistently deliver high-quality, high-value output. Along with this, HP India has also collaborated with Redington and has opened a dedicated Demo Centre in Mumbai to offer customers and partners a hands-on experience with its latest Latex printing technologies and products. Click here to know more Sony Alpha 1 II full-frame mirrorless camera debuts in India, priced at Rs 5,79,990 Sony India has expanded its camera range in the country with the launch of the second-generation Alpha 1 II. Sony Alpha 1 II is a full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that comes equipped with an approximately 50.1 MP resolution sensor. The camera offers up to 30 fps (frames-per-second) blackout-free continuous shooting with AF/AE tracking, an anti-distortion shutter and improved image clarity at mid-to-high sensitivities. In addition, the Alpha 1 II has a lightweight form factor, weighing nearly 743 grams. Read the full story here Asus TUF Gaming F16 and the ROG Strix G16 launch in India: Price, features and more Asus has expanded its gaming laptop lineup in India with the launch of the new TUF Gaming F16 and the ROG Strix G16 (G615), both powered by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 GPU. Alongside these, Asus has upgraded its existing ROG Strix G16 (G614) with the same GPU. The laptops cater to a wide range of users, including mainstream gamers and content creators, offering features like Intel Core i7 and i5 processors, up to 16GB RAM, high-refresh-rate displays, AI-ready hardware, and long battery life. Prices of the new Asus gaming laptops start at Rs 1,24,990. The laptops are now available through Asus e-shop, Flipkart, Amazon, ROG Stores, Asus Exclusive Stores, and major electronics retailers like Croma , Reliance Digital , and Vijay Sales. Click here to know more Amazon India expands Pharmacy service, launches at-home Diagnostics: Cities lab tests service is available in and more Amazon India has unveiled Amazon Diagnostics, a new at-home healthcare service enabling customers to book lab tests, schedule appointments, and access digital reports seamlessly through the Amazon app. The service is offered in partnership with Orange Health Labs and is available across over 450 PIN codes in Bengaluru, Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. Amazon Diagnostics integrates with the company's existing Amazon Medical portfolio, which includes Amazon Pharmacy and Amazon Clinic. 'Amazon Diagnostics builds on the foundation of Amazon Medical, offering customers access to essential diagnostic services with the same ease and reliability they expect from Amazon,' an Amazon India spokesperson said in a statement. By combining diagnostics with pharmacy and clinic services, we aim to simplify healthcare delivery for millions.' Read the full story here Sudhanshu Shukla becomes first Indian to travel to ISS in 40 years: Read his note on Instagram before takeoff Sudhanshu Shukla, Group Captain in the Indian Air Force, has made history by flying aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The launch took place at 12:01 pm today, June 25, after multiple delays. Shukla is the first Indian to travel to the ISS in nearly four decades, following in the footsteps of Rakesh Sharma, who spent eight days in space in 1984 as part of a Soviet mission. A day before the mission, Shukla shared a post on Meta-owned Instagram where he expressed gratitude to those who supported him on his journey. Reflecting on the Axiom 4 mission, Shukla thanked the mission team, his loved ones back home, and especially his family and friends, acknowledging the unseen sacrifices they made along the way. In a special mention, he credited his partner Kamna Shubha for being his constant support. He wrote, 'Without you, none of this was possible, but more importantly, none of this would matter.' Shukla ended his note by saying, 'No one travels to space alone,' a tribute to the collective effort behind his launch. Click here to know more Vi launches Max Family postpaid plan with free Netflix subscription, priced at Rs 871 Vi has announced a new postpaid plan — Vi Max Family Plan — offering bundled access to OTT platforms along with internet data. The plan is priced at Rs 871 and includes two connections: one primary and one secondary. As part of this plan, Vi will offer a Netflix Basic subscription as a fixed monthly benefit. Customers can stream content on one device, either a mobile device or a TV. Vi says users will also have access to content from 18 additional OTT platforms through the Vi Movies & TV platform. This includes shows, movies, and live events such as WWE. Vi Max Family plan offers 120GB of shared data — 70GB for the primary user, 40GB for the secondary, and 10GB shared — along with unlimited night data between 12 am and 6 am. Vi says users can roll over up to 400GB of unused data, with 200GB per member. The plan has a validity of 28 days. Read the full story here Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold After 1 Year: Is It STILL My Daily Driver? (Long-Term Review) AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Microsoft kills the Blue Screen of Death error that shut down 8 million windows laptop last year, here's what replaces it
After a period of four decades, Microsoft is officially bidding farewell to the iconic "Blue Screen of Death" (BSoD). Microsoft is now replacing the famous Blue error screen with a redesigned and black interface. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The company revealed that the change is part of a broader ' Windows Resiliency Initiative ' which is aimed at making the operating system more robust. The company announced the change in Windows blog post. The company said that with this change it aims to modernise and improve the user experience. The company also wishes to reduce the disruption caused by system crashes. The new screen for Windows comes with a simplified message which does not consists of the sad-face emoji and QR code as it aligns with Windows 11's design language. 'We're introducing a simplified user interface (UI) that pairs with the shortened experience. The updated UI improves readability and aligns better with Windows 11 design principles, while preserving the technical information on the screen for when it is needed,' said the company. The simplified UI for unexpected restarts will be available starting later this summer on all Windows 11, version 24H2 devices. In the case of consecutive unexpected restarts, devices can get stuck in the Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE), impacting productivity and often requiring IT teams to spend significant time troubleshooting and restoring affected devices. The Windows update comes a year after Crowdstrike outage , which impacted over 8 million Windows devices globally. Many of the affected devices showed the dreaded blue screen. In response, Microsoft launched the Windows Resiliency Initiative to embed deeper security and recovery features into the OS. 'This is where quick machine recovery (QMR) can help. When a widespread outage affects devices from starting properly, Microsoft can broadly deploy targeted remediations to affected devices via Windows RE—automating fixes with QMR and quickly getting users to a productive state without requiring complex manual intervention from IT,' added Microsoft. The Black Screen of Death will roll out with Windows 11 version 24H2 later this summer.
CNET
2 days ago
- CNET
Microsoft Officially Retires 'Blue Screen of Death' After 40 Years of Frowny-Faces
Another 1980s icon is gone, like Pudding Pops and Benetton sweaters. After 40 years of delivering the tragic news of a PC crash to Windows users, Microsoft's infamous "blue screen of death" will be going away. But not to worry -- a black screen of death will be replacing it, albeit without the sad emoticon face. The infamous "blue screen of death" has been around since the very first version of Windows in 1985. Named for its bright blue color, it's a critical error screen that pops up on computers using the Microsoft Windows operating system when the system crashes. The text on the screen varies, but it's sometimes accompanied by a frowning face made up of a colon and a left parenthesis. :( Microsoft says the new black screen of death, which it calls a "simplified UI for unexpected restarts," will appear in its place starting later this summer on all Windows 11, version 24H2 devices. Meet the new black screen of death. Microsoft The black screen of death will show the stop code and faulty system driver, allowing IT admins to more quickly identify the issue that caused the crash, rather than having to use debugging software. It's not just a cosmetic change, it's part of Microsoft's Windows Resiliency Initiative, which is designed to increase resiliency and security in Windows systems. In a blog post on Thursday, Microsoft said that the new black screen of death is part of "streamlining the unexpected restart experience" and aiding in "quick machine recovery." The aim is to reduce recovery time to 2 seconds following a PC crash. The Windows Resiliency Initiative was launched following 2024's CrowdStrike outage, which caused systems to go offline for numerous businesses, airports and governmental services. More than 8 million devices were impacted. Over 40 years, the blue screen of death worked its way into pop culture, with a subreddit devoted to it, and T-shirts and other items bearing its image.
CNET
2 days ago
- CNET
Microsoft Officially Retires 'Blue Screen of Death' After 40 Frowny-Face Years
Another 1980s icon gone, like Pudding Pops and Benetton sweaters. After 40 years of delivering the tragic news of a PC crash to Windows users, Microsoft's infamous "blue screen of death" will be going away. But not to worry -- a black screen of death will be replacing it, albeit without the sad emoticon face. The infamous "blue screen of death" has been around since the very first version of Windows in 1985. Named for its bright blue color, it's a critical error screen that pops up on computers using the Microsoft Windows operating system when the system crashes. The text on the screen varies, but it is sometimes is accompanied by a frowning face made up of a colon and a left parenthesis. :( Microsoft says the new black screen of death, which it calls a "simplified UI for unexpected restarts," will appear in its place starting later this summer on all Windows 11, version 24H2 devices. Meet the new black screen of death. Microsoft The black screen of death will show the stop code and faulty system driver, allowing IT admins to more quickly identify the issue that caused the crash, rather than having to use debugging software. it's not just a cosmetic change, it's part of Microsoft's Windows Resiliency Initiative, designed to increase resiliency and security into Windows systems. In a blog post on Thursday, Microsoft said that the new black screen of death is part of "streamlining the unexpected restart experience" and aiding in "quick machine recovery." The aim is to reduce recovery time to 2 seconds following a PC crash. The Windows Resiliency Initiative was launched following 2024's CrowdStrike outage, which caused systems to go offline for numerous businesses, airports and governmental services -- more than 8 million devices. Over 40 years, the blue screen of death worked its way into pop culture, with a subreddit devoted to it, and T-shirts and other items bearing its image.
