‘Not Just Startups’ is TechPluto’s weekly series that packs top startup and tech news from across the globe. The only news that makes it to ‘Not Just Startups’ series is what’s worth your time. This is where news appears before becoming a trending one.
WHATSAPP PAYMENTS – SEND MONEY INSIDE CONVERSATIONS
Rumor has it that WhatsApp will soon launch in-app payments services similar to what Facebook Messenger does right now. It is still in beta version. However, there has been no comment from the company.
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#7
2 MINUTE SILENCE FOR ‘FACEBOOK GROUPS’
Come September 1 and you will not be able to log into Facebook Groups. After the demise of teenager centred app Lifestage, this is another clamp down of Facebook’s app that focused on creating a distinct set of people on the basis of their interests. Facebook officials said that they will focus on the existing Facebook app and strengthen it for increasing the community interactions.
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#6
$1 BILLION SOFTBANK INVESTMENT FOR FANATICS
The online sports retail company Fanatics has been able to secure $1 billion from the SoftBank’s Vision Fund for its expansion plans.
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#5
TESLA NOW EYEING FOR SELF-DRIVE ELECTRIC TRUCK
After its great success from electric passenger cars, Tesla is said to be working on electric self-driving semi-trucks. According to Reuters Report, Tesla will unveil the plans in greater details in September this year.
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#4
GOOGLE MAPS Q&A NOW WITH LOCAL EXPERTISE
Google is testing the local expertise integration with the Google Maps Q&A. Now a person can ask a direct specific question from the community in Local Expertise. However, as it is in beta the Q&A has a small database of questions. However, once the integration is complete the number of questions with local experts to answer them will increase.
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#3
FACEBOOK AI TO ATTACK FAKE ADS
Facebook is launching its AI to fight fake ads on its platform. They call it the issue of “cloaking”. After the effect of fake news on the US election. Facebook came under fire for fake news and now it is trying every bit to prove that it is serious about its plans to make itself fake free of new, ads and posts.
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#2
AMAZON INVESTS $300M IN ESSENTIAL’S PHONE PROJECT
Amazon along with Tencent is investing $300 million in Andy Rubins Essential Phone project. Essential smartphone PH-1 is available in the states with Sprint network. In US people will be able to buy the phone through Amazon or Best Buy at launch.
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#1
INDIA BLOCKS WAYBACK MACHINE
India blocked the Internet Archives Wayback machine under the request of Bollywood to clamp down on piracy. The internet archival site with around 100 million visitors a month has now approached the Indian authorities. However, the ban was not done meticulously as many were still able to access the site. It is strange that Wayback machine was the target of being a piracy website. In effect, it lets the masses to scan out websites for a particular date, a useful tool to fight against those who are in power, as it gives the useful data for citation. There are 302 billion pages saved on this website over the past two decades.
Data compilation by Lipin
Editing and Presentation by Prashant Sharma
News source credits:
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