Discussbytes

Who Owns Hulu?

2021-10-09T18:08:00.007+05:30

Hulu is one of the biggest streaming services available in the US with 41M+ subscribers and growing. It is majorly owned by “The Walt Disney Company” with 67% share along with Comcast as the other major shareholder with 33% share. It has been majorly present in the US focusing on bringing its original programming along with acquisition from other content partners, live-TV, and more.

Perhaps one of the biggest strengths of Hulu is that it offers premium plans with support for a cheaper Ad-supported plan with Add-ons for HBO, Cinemax, Starz, and Showtime.

History of Hulu

Its website went live in 2007 with no content, asking users to register for beta invitations through email. Hulu officially launched on March 12, 2008.

Hulu started its advertising campaign with the Super Bowl which was a big hit. In fact, Hulu saw a huge engagement in its platform. Disney brought its content from ABC and Disney Channel. The number of offerings from the platform continued to increase including shows from cable and satellite television programming with some of them protesting for Hulu’s high subscription fees to keep the shows on Hulu.

Hulu once tried to sell its company in 2011 but dropped the idea due to lower than expected bidding proposals.

Hulu announced deals with Fox, The CW, Showtime, and other networks over the advent of time with some of them leaving and others staying depending on time. It seemed right enough as this helped them in gaining ground against other rivals including Netflix. NBC Universal will be continuing its deal till 2024 though they can take their exclusive deals back from the platform starting 2022.

Under Disney’s leadership, Hulu underwent major restructuring such as terminating the role of a CEO for Hulu. Instead, the top executive at Hulu needs to report directly to The Walt Disney Television leads from 2020. Disney has reaffirmed from time to time that they will continue making investments in Hulu and Disney+ for their growth.

In April 2021, Disney signed a deal with Sony Pictures to let them stream their titles on Hulu and Disney+ after they leave Netflix. Popular titles including Spiderman and Jumanji will be coming to the platform soon.

Owner of Hulu

Hulu was founded as a joint venture(partnership) between NBC Universal and News Corporation. It was later joined by The Walt Disney Company(30% share) and Providence Equity Partners(10% share) as other major shareholders. Hulu has a history of changing ownership. Since 2007, the company has undergone many changes. Many shareholders have come and left since its inception. The current major shareholder is “The Walt Disney Company” with its complete control over the entity.

In 2013, the shares of News Corporation were brought by 21st Century Fox. Later Fox shares were purchased by Disney in a deal that would cost $71.3 billion.

Similarly, AT & T sold its 10% stake in the company the next month. Now Hulu has two major owners- Disney and Comcast. Disney announced in 2019, then it has taken complete control over Hulu with Comcast becoming a silent partner. It was announced that Disney would buy the complete share of Comcast by 2024 to have a 100% stake in the company for a valuation that was estimated at $27.5 billion at that time.

Currently, both companies are in a feud with each other over no international rollout of Hulu and valuation.

Hulu is now a complete property of Disney company and they are fully entitled to decide for the best or worst of its future. Hulu is the third big streaming service for Disney including Disney+ and ESPN+. Disney+ focuses on General Entertainment, ESPN+ for sports live streaming and Hulu for mature content(shows and movies). Hence Hulu is one of the most important properties for Disney in the coming time. It comes with its own set of challenges like global expansion.

It is expected that by 2024, Disney will get a full 100% stake in Hulu, though I believe that this would happen sooner than later. It would be in the best interest of both Comcast and Disney that they settle this issue for once and final. Disney has indeed big plans for Hulu, it’s just under the wrap. Hulu can be Disney's biggest weapon in its fights against Netflix and a growing list of other streaming services.

Key Positions in Hulu

Currently, the most important person in Hulu is the President. The current president of Hulu is Kelly Campbell and reports directly to “The Walt Disney Company”. Here more about key executives in the company,

Kelly Campbel: She is the current President of Hulu serving under DMED. She has also worked as Chief Marketing Officer for Hulu previously where she was responsible for its growth and publicity.

Jessica Casano Antonellis: She is the current serving Vice President of Hulu and Disney+. She is the one who is responsible for planning and discussing future opportunities for the two companies.

Scott Donaton: He is the Senior Vice President at Hulu. He also serves as the Head of Marketing. He is one of those who is full of experience and capable of handling new challenges. He is responsible for subscriber growth, engagement, partnerships, insights, and brand image. He has also won various advertising awards for his contribution.

Content Offered

Hulu comes up with its own original shows along with other shows made by different networks and distributed on their platform exclusively and non-exclusively.

It offers up to 75+ channels under its Hulu Live TV Channel plan.

Further it offers shows from popular networks including ABC, FOX, CBS, etc. Good quality shows are present on the platform. Most of the content is aimed at a mature audience. Here are some of the best Hulu originals:

The Handmaid’s Tale
Little Fires Everywhere
Shrill
Harlots
Future Man
Castle Rock
Mrs. America

Fun Facts

Some of the most unique facts regarding Hulu are as follows:

Most of the users of Hulu are young audiences falling in the 20-30 years bracket.
Yahoo was once on the urge of buying Hulu in 2011. Unfortunately, Hulu turned it down citing less pricing.
The Handmaid’s Tale is one of the best shows on the platform. It has received 33 Emmy Nominations till now.
Japan is the only other country where Hulu is available legally apart from the US.
In the US, Hulu is the third behind viewership hours with YouTube and Netflix being number 2 and 1.
It was founded in 2008, just one year after Netflix, the biggest OTT platform.
Hulu.com was first a personal blog owned by Amy Hung, started in 1999. The website offered photos from her family and friends. It was active till 2007 when NBC purchased the website from her at an undisclosed big amount.

Future and International Layout

It seems that for the time being the international rollout of Hulu is paused. Disney earlier expressed interest in rolling out Hulu in 2021. The same was side kicked for Star+, a network bought from FOX as a part of the $71.3 Million deal. Disney thinks that Star+ would have a better appeal since it has a more widespread presence worldwide due to the Star brand. Insider sources say it would be causing more than $4 billion for Hulu rollout and since it was already under losses, Disney decided to choose Star.

Hulu is expected to get more budget for its upcoming programming. The content acquisition would continue to be a major thing at Hulu with many more movies and shows to come on the VOD service. With its increasing subscriber base and higher revenue per user, it seems that the future of Hulu is bright under Disney.

Ending Notes

Hulu is one of Disney's assets poised for growth. It still has a vast potential to grow and Its owner Disney would be trying to make sure that it succeeds. Whoever would be the owner of this streaming giant in the coming future, one thing is sure that it would be a blessing to make such acquisition of global significance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Is Hulu available worldwide?

As of now, Hulu is only available in the US and Japan. You can’t access it from outside as it is against Hulu terms and the content on the platform comes with region-specific rights. Disney is not thinking of its international layout for the time being in wake of Star+, a new VOD service poised for Latin America launch in 2021.

Q2. Will Hulu be sold by The Walt Disney Company soon?

As of now, Disney is probably going to continue its ownership by buying the remaining shares from Comcast soon.

Q3. Does Disney have full control over Hulu?

Disney owns a 66% share of Hulu making it a major partner. It has complete control over it and can make any decision regarding its programming, content acquisition, plans, restructuring, etc.

Q4. Who was the original founder of Hulu?

Hulu was originally a joint venture between NBC Universal and News Corporation. It was later joined by The Walt Disney Company and Providence Equity Partners

Q5. What power does Comcast have in Hulu?

Comcast has seized its control over Hulu and agreed to a complete sellout of its 33% in the company by 2024 at market valuation. So, Comcast has no ruling authority in Hulu.

How to resolve laptop heating issue?

2021-05-17T12:40:00.005+05:30

This is a common problem to every laptop user once in a while during its usage. I have seen that many of us don't have the exact idea about this unless the problem occurs. Here's everything you need to know about this issue.

Laptop Set Up on Bed

Our Problem

After few years(or even months sometimes) of usage, laptops parts and accessories get old. Further dust comes inside the laptop due to no cleaning. Here are some of the most common reason for overheating:

Internal Hardware Issues- There is not much to do if there is a hardware issue. All you can do is to give your system to the service center.
Dust and No proper ventilation- This is the root cause in most cases. Dust settles in the fans which makes it difficult for them to cool down the system quickly.
Abnormal System Settings- If you use certain software to overrate your computing capabilities then also you might face this problem. Overclocking will improve your performance but that wouldn't continue for long.
Mining Cryptocurrency- You should never put your Laptop on data mining. Your laptop motherboard will get damaged and other components will get damaged too. Moreover, it's not profitable on a laptop.
You instead choose a PC for that purpose.
Thermal Dry Paste- If you have not replaced it for a long time, it can get dried out resulting in non-optimum CPU cooling. Processor heat will not be able to dispense and will cause overheating. It is advised that you should check on the thermal paste every 1-2 years.
Using heavy programs and games- Everyone wants to get the best out of a machine. Many users try to use their laptop for full potential by installing applications that are more power-consuming than they generally support. Long terms usage of such applications makes it difficult for a laptop to keep working ideally.
Viruses and Malware- If you are not using an antivirus solution then you are in deep trouble. With each passing day, new malware is being made to extract sensitive data, slowing down on your machine.

Solution

Laptops Tips And Tricks

1. Check and Clean your fans- Place your hand below your laptop fan vent. If you feel that very less or no air is passing, there are high chances that dust might have accumulated. You can clean the dust by using compressed air or by using a blower.

2. Use a computer table or desk- It is in best practice to use a laptop on a computer table or a flat surface. Not only it helps in proper air ventilation, but it also makes it stay cool.

3.Controlling Fan Speed- You can set your laptop fan power usage for maximum utilization

4. Elevate your laptop- You should try to elevate your laptop by placing it on a flat, rigid surface.

5. New Thermal Paste-You can use a new thermal paste solution for your laptop. It's comparatively cheaper than other options and you wouldn't regret trying it.

6. Install Antivirus- Windows comes with built-in antivirus Windows Defender. You can consider using it regularly. Though, I would recommend using a paid Antivirus software like Quick Heal, Kaspersky, Norton, etc.

7. Update your BIOS- Your laptop BIOS might be out of date. Check and install the latest update for your laptop model. This might resolve your laptop heating problem.

8. Test for any hardware failure. There might some sort of hardware damage that might have resulted in this problem.

9. Ultimately, the last step is to contact your laptop customer support for warranty and service.4

Try to use all these methods in sequential order. I am sure that your problem will be resolved by now.

Ending Notes

I hope that now you have an exact idea of how to avoid and resolve it in case this problem arises. Please tell me in the comment section which solution helped you in your scenario. I will be waiting for your responses😊

Stay connected with us on Discussbytes for the latest tech updates.

How to watch IPL for free on Disney Plus Hotstar?

2021-04-06T22:16:00.000+05:30

IPL is back in action, starting April 9 in the home country-India. In such a bad year, finally cricket is coming back and fans can't keep up with excitement. Here all you need to do in order to watch your favourite teams and matches of IPL 2021 for free in Airtel, Jio,VI, and other network providers.

Credits: Hotstar

Where to watch IPL for free?

Disney+ Hotstar is the digital sponsor of Vivo IPL 2021. You need to have an membership of either Disney + Hotstar VIP or Premium to watch IPL matches for free. Earlier Jio users who could watch cricket matches for free also have to subscribe to Hotstar membership this year. You can watch IPL match free for first 5 minutes after which it would ask you to buy VIP or premium plan.

VIP plan offers one screen (1 device) at a time while Premium offers 2 screens (2 devices) at a time simultaneously.

Disney + Hotstar VIP (price Rs399/year) is preferred because it is cheap and highly competitive among other OTT platforms.

Following are some perks of having VIP membership :

1. Access to 7 Multiplex Movies

2. Unlimited live sports including IPL live streaming

3. Hotstar Specials

4. Watch Star shows before TV

5. Dubbed Disney Plus Movies

6. New Bollywood Releases

How to Get Disney+ Membership?

Credits: Disney Plus Hotstar

You can buy Disney+ Hotstar VIP membership for Rs 399 and Disney+ Premium membership for Rs 1499. Alternatively you can get hotstar membership for free using below mentioned methods:-

1. Using Special Prepaid Plans: Hotstar has partnered with Jio and Airtel for cheap recharge plans offering 1 year Disney Plus Hotstar Membership for free.

Jio Plans- Prepaid users of Jio can get their free access to Hotstar by recharging with the following plans-

Rs 401- It provides 90 GB data for 28 days with 100 SMS/day, Jio Apps and unlimited calling .
Rs 499- It provides 84 GB data(1.5 GB/day) for 56 days with 100 SMS/day, Jio Apps and unlimited calling.
Rs 598- It provides 112 GB data(2 GB/day) for 56 days with 100 SMS/day, Jio Apps and unlimited calling.
Rs 777- It provides 131 GB data(1.5 GB/day) for 84 days with 100 SMS/day, Jio Apps and unlimited calling.
Rs 2599 Annual Plan- It provides 740 GB data(2 GB/day) for 365 days with 100 SMS/day, Jio Apps and unlimited calling.

Airtel Plans- Prepaid users of Airtel can get their access to Hotstar by recharging with the following plans-

Rs 401- It provides 30 GB data add-on for 28 days.

Rs 448- It provides 84 GB(3 GB/day) for 28 days with truly unlimited voice calling, Airtel Xstream Premium Access, Wynk Music, Rs 150 off on FASTag, online courses of Shaw Academy (1 year) and free caller tunes.

Rs 599- It provides 112 GB(2 GB/day) for 56 days with truly unlimited voice calling, Airtel Xstream Premium Access, Wynk Music, Rs 150 off on FASTag, online courses of Shaw Academy (1 year) and free caller tunes.

Rs 2698 Annual Plan- It provides 730 GB(2 GB/day) for 365 days with truly unlimited voice calling, Airtel Xstream Premium Access, Wynk Music, Rs 150 off on FASTag, online courses of Shaw Academy (1 year) and free caller tunes.

VI Plans- VI has partnered with Hotstar to provide Disney Plus Hotstar VIP memberships through their plans. They are offering 6 plans.

Rs 401- Unlimited Calls, 3 GB/Day + additional 16 GB(100 GB data) for 28 days

Rs 501- 75 GB data till the validity of your current pack. (No unlimited calls)

Rs 601- Unlimited Calls, 3 GB/Day + additional 32 GB(200 GB data) for 56 days

Rs 801- Unlimited Calls, 3 GB/Day + additional 48 GB(300 GB data) for 84 days

2. Using Flipkart: You can also get Hotstar membership for free using Flipkart platform. I have explained the whole procedure in my earlier post.

Link: How to activate Disney+ Hotstar for free using Flipkart

3. Subscribe to Jio Fiber Plans: Jio Fiber Broadband plans startting from Rs 999/month offers free subscription to Hotstar VIP along with other OTT services including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Voot, Zee5, AltBalaji, Hoichoi, Shemaroome, Lionsgate Play, Sunnxt, Jio Saavn, and Jio Cinema.

4. Use my referral link and get 1 month extra: If you are not willing to try these methods, you can also buy VIP plan at Rs 399/year. Get 1 month extra on your Disney + Hotstar Subscription purchase to watch latest blockbuster movies, TV shows, live sports(including IPL 2021) and more using my referral link:

Referral Link

5. Using ThopTV: ThopTV can be the app for you if want to watch free TV channels, web shows, and other content for free. However, it has merits and demerits.

Disclaimer: This post is aimed for educational purposes only and we do not provide infringing material available in our website.{alertInfo}

All of these methods are genuine and fully tested. Following these methods, you can watch Vivo IPL 2021 with your friends, live chat, and enjoy using interactive features in Hotstar App. You can tell me in the comments section below if any problem occurs.

Keep visiting Discussbytes for more helpful posts in future.🙏

5 Tips to Change How Mobile Users Enjoy Their Amazon Prime Videos

2021-03-13T22:12:00.004+05:30

Amazon has fast grown from being just an eCommerce service provider to offering amazing picks in other industries too. One of the most impressive services that they do offer is their Prime Video streaming, and it is a place that we love to be, especially for their original content.

That said, being on the platform does not mean that you are getting the most out of it. With this piece, we hope to change all that for mobile users.

1. Downloading Content

If you stream content with your mobile phones and tablets, chances are that you might want to catch up with some shows/ movies while on the move. This could get challenging when you will be passing through areas with low or no connectivity.

After all, that means a slower streaming experience and lags for you.

Mobile users can get rid of this issue by simply downloading the content to their device for later viewing.

Tap on the download arrow that shows up on the show/ movie, and you will be good to go.

Note: Not all of the content on the Amazon Prime video service is available for download right now. Look out for those that are, and use this trick on them.

2. Saving Data

So that you do not incur too much data costs when streaming your videos, you get to choose between different streaming quality and options.

There is an assortment of Good to Better and Best. Before you start streaming/ downloading at all, check what picture quality you are going with.

The Amazon Prime video service also has a neat little feature that tells you how much data each picture quality pick would cost you. With that, you can better plan for how much data you are willing to expend on that movie/ show.

3. Watchlist Curation

We will not lie to you – there is just too much content on the streaming service at any one time. It is so much that there seems you do not have enough time to keep up with the constant streams of content.

Well, not if you have a watchlist, though.

The watchlist option allows you to save other videos that you might be interested in watching later. This beat having to go search for them at the point when you want to watch. That way, you can also rest assured that you are never going to be stuck for what to watch.

4. Content Unblocking

If you find yourself traveling, you might soon notice that some of the content that you used to have access to is not available to you anymore.

Sometimes, you might find a new show online, but you are having trouble getting it within your app.

In both cases, you are likely a victim of geo-blocking. In other words, the content creators have prevented your region from getting access to the said content.

A neat trick to get around this is to get a VPN for Amazon Firestick. With the VPN, you only connect to a different server location (where the content you want is being aired) and you also get access to it. As simple as that.

5. Try X-ray

Do you want to know more about the actors on the screen? Is the score currently playing fascinating to you?

Amazon doesn’t think it is ideal that you have to leave the app and start digging around. Simply tap on the screen, and the X-ray feature brings up all the information that you need.

This gives you everything from the actor’s biography to trivia around them. The on-screen information also contains other fanciful entries that you will find to be a nice touch.

You might not always use it, but that does not make it any less of a nice touch.

This was all about Amazon Prime today. Thanks Matthew for the tip. Hope you like this article. Keep visiting Discussbytes for the latest tech updates.

How to Earn From Fiverr and my Fiverr Gig

2021-02-28T22:46:00.002+05:30

Fiverr is a website that allows you to offer your services to potential clients and increase your earnings. It is somewhat similar to other freelancing websites. If you are a beginner, this can be your first earning source.

What is Fiverr All About?

Fiverr is a platform that enables freelancers to display their skills in exchange for money. A person can provide many services ranging from Digital Marketing to giving online music lessons. Unlike other freelancing platforms where we bid for work, here clients contact you by your seeing your gigs.

Fiverr is a platform that enables potential skill owners to showcase their talent to the world.

Setting Up Your Account

First, you need to think about the niche which you want to work on. You can use already existing Gigs as a reference to understand your potential talent.

1. You can sign up using your Google Account.

2. Enter basics details like name, username, password, and other information.

3. Choose a username

4. After Sign Up, you need to confirm your email using the link in the activation email.

5. After login, add basic things like Profile picture, intro, projects, certifications, and achievements to improve your chances.

Your First Gig

You should have the skill to work for others. Some of the easiest skills for beginners are as follows:

Data Entry
Logo Making
Content Writing
Digital Marketing
Web Development

After choosing your favorite niche, you can proceed.

1. Write Overview for your GIG- Gig Title, Category, and Tags. Remember to add this information carefully as this helps in ranking your Gig. Use low competition keywords (long-tail keywords) for better reach.

2. Price your GIG- There are 3 plans in Fiverr. Basic, Standard, and Premium. For beginners, you should try to make it quite attractive for your potential clients. You need to earn reviews before you want to ask for your desired amount. Differentiate it from other Gigs that are already present on Fiverr by offering content that might help them.

3. Write Description and FAQ- Give answers to general questions which your clients might ask. You need to have a strong illustration of your offering to get selected.

4. Establish your Gig Requirements- Tell your clients about the basic information you need to get started.

5. Adding photos- The first impression is the last. Add plenty of photos to showcase your earlier work. This will add to your credibility and might help you in getting your first order faster.

6. Publish and promote on social media- After creating your Gig, you should promote it to multiple platforms which can help in fetching results.

Fiverr Vs Upwork?

Many people get confused between Fiverr and other freelancing platforms. While on other platforms we need to bid manually on each project/job, we need to create separate gigs for each skill. Ratings matter the most on both platforms. People need to earn appraisals for more opportunities.

There are merits and demerits of both the platforms-

For choosing Fiverr- For those who possess a certain skill in which they are flexible. It would earn you a decent amount.

For choosing Upwork- For those who have a wider knowledge apart from the regular knowledge you have in your domain. It would earn you more in the long run.

Both platforms are good. It is just about what for you and what doesn't.

Common Mistakes to Be Avoided

You should be active in responding to your clients. Your response time should be faster. It would be better if you install Fiverr App for getting all the latest notifications.
You should sound confident while addressing your Gig. It should not appear that you are unaware of your work.
Don't waste too much time on unethical buyers.
Deliver your order on time.
Change your Gig description, title, SEO, tags, and keyword if your impressions and click rates are decreasing.

My Fiverr Gig-My Offerings

I am currently offering 1 gig at Fiverr. I can help you in setting up your own blog on Blogger including fixes for existing users.

Customize your blog with impressive themes optimized to load faster.
Google Analytics Setup
Create and submit XML Sitemap
Fix your existing template and other problems
Google Adsense Integration
Create and submit Robots.txt file
Submitting your website to Google Search Console and Bing Webmasters
Social Media Sharing buttons
Website Promotion (Special)
Social Media Accounts

My Requirements: I only need your Gmail ID details to set up your blogger account. There are 3 plans to choose from - Basic, Standard, and Premium.

More details can be found on Fiverr

Do contact me if you are interested.

Email: panthriankur1@gmail.com

LinkedIn: Ankur Panthri

Fiverr Gig: Fiverr Gig

Twitter: Ankur Panthri on Twitter

Quora: Ankur Panthri

GitHub: ankpan18

Ultimately it depends only on you, how far you will succeed. It is easy to blame others when we are only responsible for our failure.

Hope this helps whoever visits this page. Even if it helps one person, it will mean a lot to me. Do considering telling about your experience in the comment section below.

Keep visiting Discussbytes for the latest tech updates.

WhatsApp Alternatives for 2021

2021-02-15T21:54:00.003+05:30

The recent policy changes announced by WhatsApp has led to a worldwide roar against Facebook and WhatsApp. The impact of this campaign was such that WhatsApp had to delay its privacy policy changes by 3 months. In this article, we look at the best options for WhatsApp.

WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app in the world. In the year 2014, it was acquired by Facebook. Facebook has been criticized for storing accessing user information which the latter uses to show you personalized ads and posts.

What was the problem with the new changes?

When 8 February 2021, new changes were announced people were not sure what is the motive behind it. Many people claimed that Facebook will use WhatsApp in the wrong way. People are worried about their privacy,

WhatsApp tried to remove its consumer's doubts through formal communications including Status and

Later WhatsApp delayed its privacy policy changes by 3 months due to public outrage and the consumer base shift to other platforms.

Is this okay?

If a user wants to leave a platform, he can be willing to do so. No one neither his friends nor the company can make him stay on the platform.

Brief history

It is the most used social messaging app in the world. WhatsApp was founded by Brian Acton and Jan Koun in 2009. It was then sold to Facebook in February 2014 in a deal worth $19 billion.

Alternatives

The question arises of what to use instead of WhatsApp. Below are some of the best WhatsApp Alternatives.

It is similar to WhatsApp. It is the best alternative to WhatsApp to date. It offers end-to-end encryption with many exclusive features like:

Moving Chat History from Other Apps(like WhatsApp)
The chat in Telegram remains end to encrypted.
File sharing limit up to 2 GB.
Edit Sent Messages
Create Polls and Quizzes
Create Timestamps for videos
Add Nearby People and Groups
Set Remainders

Signal App

It is the newest addition to this list. It recently came in the news after the WhatsApp privacy policy was announced. Interestingly it is backed by Brian Acton (co-founder of WhatsApp) with initial funding of $50 million. The most popular features of Signal App are:

High on Privacy-End-To-Encryption, Proxy support available, No user data storage
Typing Indicators
Stickers
Pin Chat
Screen Lock
Message Reactions

Skype

This is a popular video and messaging client by Microsoft. It allows sending text, images, files, and videos in addition to instant messaging services. Its major features are:

Private Conversations
Crystal Clear Audio and HD Video Calls
Screen sharing during a video call.
Call Recording and Live Subtitles

Viber

It is VoIP and instant messaging app developed by Japanese multinational company Rakuten.

Privacy Features
Full Sync with Desktop and Tablet Apps.
Chat Extensions
Viber Games
Viber Groups

Ending Notes

These WhatsApp Alternatives are the best possible apps available in the market. Users have many options to choose from if they wish. Most of them will continue with WhatsApp due to its ease and wide popularity.

If there is anything you wish to say or include in this article, you can comment down.

Keep visiting Tech Guide for the latest Tech updates.

Python Full Course For Beginner's- Part 2 Basics

2021-02-10T12:12:00.000+05:30

Welcome back again. If you are new to our series, you can visit the whole series here.

Part 1 Intro

Your First Program

Our first program will deal with printing a particular text. Let's take "Welcome To Discussbytes" as example

print "Welcome To Discussbytes"{codeBox}

Output: Welcome To Discussbytes

Note: Save your program in .py extension and then run it.

Python Data Types

There are basically three types of datatypes in Python.

int-This datatype is used to store integers in a datatype
float-This datatype is used to store floating values(in decimals).
string- This datatype is used to store alphabets or set of words.

Note: You don't need to necessary use a datatype before a variable.

Example

a=5+9
print(a){codeBox}

Output: 14

Variables

We need to store each datatype value in a reserved memory location. This reserved memory location is known as variable.

Example: int a

String b

Here a and b are variables.

Taking Input

Now that we know that how to take values inside a program, we should call a value outside the program. We use input function to accept a value in a variable. By default, a value is accepted as String in Python. So we need to covert it into float or integer if it's a numerical value.

a=int(input("Enter 1st number\n"))
b=int(input("Enter 2nd number\n"))
print("Sum is ",(a+b)){codeBox}

Output: Enter 1st number:4

Enter 2nd number:9

Sum is 13

Comment

Comments are statement that convey no meaning to our program. It is intended for human use for better understanding of the program.

There are two types of comments:

1. Single Line Comment-Represented with #

2. Multiline Comment- Represented with """ """

#Single Line Comment
print("Single")
""" Multi Line
      Comment
      IN
      Python""
print("Multiline"){codeBox}

Output: Single

Multiline

Module

A module is simply a file with Python definitions and statements. Any file containing Python coding can be said a module. It can be used by us in other Python programs(reusability of code). There are inbuilt modules as well as user made modules in Python.

We need to use import keyword to use a module in a file.

#Using import and displaying in-built module
#Sample Program
import math
print("Value of pie is ",math.pie){codeBox}

Output: Value of pie is 3.141592653589793

Escape Sequence

It is used to include special characters in the String.

Here is an example

print("My name is\t"+"Ankur"){codeBox}

Output: My name is Ankur

I would request you to try other yourself. Below our some of the most commonly used escape sequences.

1. \n-For new line

2. \t- For tab

3.\b- For backspace

4.\"- For Double Quote

5.\'- For Single Quote

Performing Basic Arithmetic Operations

I would request you to try making this program yourself. I will share answer to this program later. You can comment your code below.

Q1. WAP to perform addition, subtraction , multiplication and division by taking user input.

Strings

Whenever we take a String in a variable, each character has its unique value.

Length: It begins from 1. It is used to return the number of characters in a String.

Index: It begins from 0.

This diagram will help you better in understanding this concept.

Usually index is used for calling out a character.

a=MY NAME
print(len(a))
print(a[4]){codeBox}

Output: 7 A

Hope I was able to cover all your basics for the remainder of the course. You should now be able to cover python basics questions. If you have any difficulty, suggestion or query, you can tell me in the comment section below. Your appreciation will motivate me in writing more posts.

Keep visiting Discussbytes for the latest Tech updates.

Solved: Google Classroom - There was an error turning in your assignment. Please try again

2021-02-05T22:42:00.001+05:30

Recently I came across a weird error while using Google Classroom. I will discuss about this error in detail today.

Intro

Google Classroom is a service by Google where teachers can post study material and assign work to students.{alertSuccess}

When I tried to submit my assignment, I was able to upload PDF but was not able to submit work. Whenever I choose "Turn In", it showed "Work not Submitted". Below screenshots depict the same.

So what was causing the problem? I tried changing the name of the file and then re-upload. Again the error dialog box appeared.

Real Problem

The main problem why this was happening was because when we try to submit our assignment, the Google Drive(receiver) was full. This is why you were not able to send assignments.

What to Do?

1. You should contact your teacher to remove unwanted documents from Google Drive so that you are able to submit your work.

2. You can share only the link of the pdf from Google Drive rather than uploading the whole PDF.

3. Make a new file in Google Docs and paste all the material in that file. Try uploading that file instead of PDF. This should work as DOC files are very small in size.

4. If this does not help, you can consider them to re issue the assignment which will most probably solve the problem.

Conclusion

Hope this helped you in solving your problem. In case it didn't, you can tell me in the comments section below. I will try to resolve your problem.

Keep visiting Discussbytes for the latest tech updates.

Grow YouTube Channel in One Day-100% Working

2021-01-24T22:03:00.001+05:30

Read all the article to know how can we make your YouTube Channel grow from Day 1.

Points to be Noted

1. Engage with your Audience

Whatever comment good and bad comments you get in your videos, you should always reply back to them. In case of positive comments, you can do the following :-

Always thank the person.
Try to personalize your reply for each person. This is something that will encourage more engagement in your videos.

In case of bad comments you can do the following:-

Everyone makes mistakes in life. Apologize if you find something wrong in your prospective and respond back.
Don't try to sound harsh. It may impact on your viewers.
Keep your response short and sweet. Don't try to exaggerate your POV.
Ask to mail/contact you if the person wants to discuss his views in detail.

Responding to a bad response can in fact create an opportunity for your viewers for positive feedback.

2. Promote your Videos

These days many people own and run YouTube channels. If you know any one of them, you can ask him to promote your channel. You can also promote your channel in your other social media handles including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and your blog.

3. Create attractive thumbnails and titles

A major part of creating videos is editing. If you create great and unique content and people don't click on your videos due to bad appearance, then your efforts are wasted. This might seem like a small thing but most of the trending videos are having catchy titles and appealing thumbnails. It should be enough to tell the purpose of your video.

4. Upload Regularly

As is the case with any other social media network, you should be regular enough so that your users remember you. It is not necessary that you should upload videos every day but you should at least upload weekly.

5. Use YouTube Studio Analytics

You can use YouTube Analytics to find out the points where you are succeeding and in which areas you want to work on. It can be a useful help for

6. Ask Viewers to Subscribe

Its necessary to ask your viewers to subscribe to your channel. It can be done in a simple way just like saying "A sub to the channel would be awesome!". You can also do it in an interactive way using your original ideas. Please share them if you have any of them in your mind :)

7. Create Playlists for related content

If you are working on a same or a part of a similar video, you can collate them in a playlist. This can be handy for those people who are searching for tutorials on other informative information. This will not only increase your watch time but also make it easy for viewers to find related videos.

Hope you like this tip. Keep visiting Discussbytes for the latest tech updates.

Python Full Course For Beginner's- Part 1 Intro

2021-01-18T11:58:00.003+05:30

Today, I am starting a new course for learning Python in a relatively small amount of time(Python course for free).

What is Python?

Python is a programming language developed by Guido Van Rossum. It is a cross platform programming language.

Basics (Key Points) you should Know before starting this course

This course deals with Python 3. Python 2 is outdated. Hence its use must be shunned.
Stick to the basics. This course is aimed for all those who want to improve on their concepts.
I am going to teach you this course in Python 3.7. You can install Python 3.7 or above in your PC/laptop.
You can install PyCharm IDE for further ease. It automatically gives you suggestions for related keywords and syntax.
You should be regular in practicing new concepts. Remember practice makes a man perfect.
Go Interactive. Try to find different approaches to find solution of a problem.
Remember to ask questions. You should be bold enough to ask your queries. This course is aimed at solving your doubts so go ahead and raise your queries.

Scope of Python

Python has a vast scope in various fields including:-

Web Development
Software Development
Data Science
Machine Learning
Deep Learning
Data Analyst

Welcome to Python

It is a open source programming language.
It is object oriented programming language.
It is best language for you if this is your first attempt in programming.
It is used in many high traffic websites including Google, YouTube, etc.

Software Links

Python 3.7.1 Download link

PyCharm Download Link

You can also Android applications like Pydroid 3 for running Python program.

Wrapping Up

If you encounter any problems in installing Python, you can tell me in the comments section below. Meanwhile you can also ask your doubts side by side in the comment section. If you have any ideas regarding teaching, you can also share your views on that topic.

I will be giving you questions in every post to solve that will help you in understanding concepts.

I will be starting with basics in the next post. So stay connected with us in this series.

Next Post Link: Python Full Course For Beginner's- Part 2 Basics(Updated)

Keep visiting Discussbytes for the latest tech updates.

Top Tips to Get the Best Out of Your Disney Plus Hotstar Account

2021-01-10T21:16:00.000+05:30

Disney Plus is fast-rising to compete against the top streaming platforms, and for good reason. Hosting some of the best movies, series, and other related content exclusively, it is one of the best places to be right now.

The streaming service had been available in India since last March (2020) via Hotstar. You might not be getting the best of your account yet. That is why we have curated this list of the top tips and tricks to fully unlock the goodness of your Disney Plus account.

Tip #1 – Parental Controls

You should not have all the fun alone, especially when there are little ones in the house also.

Turn on Kids Safe on Disney Plus and trust is to filter content accordingly. Whenever your kids sign in to watch a movie, they get all those Pixar movies and non-PG rated content on their dashboard.

They can stream for multiple days on end and not come across anything that will make you cringe.

Tip #2 – Watch it Outside India

If you have been on other streaming platforms before now, geo-blocking is not a new concept to you. You already know that some content is not available on your account simply because of the region that you are streaming from.

For instance, if you or your family is outside India, they would not be able to access the Hotstar account due to restrictions. However, this can be easily solved by setting up a VPN.

Before logging into your streaming account, activate your VPN, and choose a server located in India. Your virtual location will be changed, meaning that you can access all the content available in India. This way, you can share an account with friends and family overseas as well.

Tip #3 – Offline Viewing

We would like to have the best internet connection everywhere but that is not possible. This is especially true when in transit. Never let that stop you from enjoying your premium content, though.

Just like Netflix and Amazon Prime, Disney Plus Hotstar also allows you to download your favorite content for offline viewing. This content downloads to within the app (not your device), but it can be viewed offline anyway.

Anytime you feel like it, head there to watch your content.

Tip #4 – Save Data

Have you felt like your account is driving up your monthly data costs? Same here, till we found out that we can vary just how much data we spend on every stream.

You don't always need top-shelf video quality, thanks to technology. Even two steps below the top quality will show up fine – and you don't have to spend as much data on that version.

Within your Disney Plus account, set if you want your account to stream over low, medium, or high quality. If you’ll be allowing mobile networks, you can set the ‘Mobile Data Usage’ to ‘Low’ so you don’t consume too much data.

{getButton} $text={Play Store Link} $icon={link}

{getButton} $text={iOS Link} $icon={link}

Thanks, Mathew for the tip. Please tell us your favourite tips in the comments below.

Keep visiting Discussbytes for the latest tech updates.

How to set up WhatsApp Pay

2020-12-09T23:16:00.002+05:30

Facebook-owned WhatsApp has finally rolled out the WhatsApp Pay UPI solution for its Indian users.

How to Enable WhatsApp Pay: All Steps

You need to have the latest version of WhatsApp (WhatsApp new version )

It is currently available for selected users.

Starting today, people across India will be able to send money through WhatsApp 💸 This secure payments experience makes transferring money just as easy as sending a message. pic.twitter.com/bM1hMEB7sb
— WhatsApp Inc. (@WhatsApp) November 6, 2020

Open WhatsApp application on your smartphone

Click on three dots on the top right corner.
Choose Payments option
Choose to add a new payment method
Select Accept and Continue
Now set up WhatsApp Pay using your bank information. You need to have your bank account registered on UPI to continue.
Give permission to WhatsApp for verifying your registered phone number.

The number should be the same as your WhatsApp number.{alertInfo}

After successful verification, you are done setting up WhatsApp Pay. Your bank account details would show up in the Payments section.

How to Accept and Receive Money on WhatsApp

Choose your desired contact to which you want to send or receive money.

In the conversions window, select the clip icon.

Choose Payment

Enter the amount you want to send (You can also add a note).

Enter your confidential UPI PIN and proceed.

You would see a confirmation message acknowledging your payment action.

WhatsApp Pay is going to compete with the likes of Google Pay, PayTM, and PhonePe in India. The complete roll-out of this service would take some time. So don't panic if you are unable to find this option on your smartphone.

Hope this article helps. If you have any doubts ask us in the comments section below. Keep visiting Discussbytes for the latest tech news.

Will Micromax Make a grand come back IN India

2020-11-03T22:58:00.008+05:30

Finally Micromax has decided to do comeback in smartphone industry in India, following recent anti-China movements. Will Micromax succeed in cracking the Indian smartphone industry share?

Micromax is announcing its new range of smartphones with "IN" sub-brand in November 2020. This is one of the most anticipated smartphone launches in India. There was a time when Micromax was India's number 1 and World's 10 largest smartphone brand(2014). With the advent of Chinese companies, Micromax was not able to keep up the competition and ultimately lost. Their low quality service and bad customer care experience was one of the biggest reason for their failure. They used to import most of their smartphone components from China which further put a wrong image as it is an Indian company,

According to latest renders Micromax new smartphones shares resemblance with Honor 9x.

In 3 days, we’re taking the leap for India. Are you? #INMobiles unveiling on 3rd Nov, 12 noon. #MicromaxIsBack #INForIndia pic.twitter.com/iyD5Zkb360
— Micromax India (@Micromax__India) October 31, 2020

It looks like two-three phones are to be announced on 3 November 2020.

Micromax founder Rahul recently did a meet up with popular Youtuber Gaurav Chaudhary (Technical Guruji) for first look up Micromax phones.

Looking by the video, it is confirm that Micromax phones are going to use MediaTek processors with punch hole display and 48 MP camera (4*12MP) in one of their smartphones.

What users want from Micromax-

For any company to succeed and well establish, it needs to comply to its users demands and expectations. They need a smartphone that runs through the day, perform well to play games, applications, multitasking, build quality, good cameras (if not best), unique features and fits their budget. It should also offer good customer service unlike the past when they failed to do so. They also need a powerful Ad campion as the market is already flooded with the likes of Chinese makers And by Ad campion I mean Ads that connect with Indians so that they can relate to them. They would be probably low on marketing budget so they they need to wisely choose their Ad platforms.

A good option can be to go online exclusive. It is the best option for any new company

If they are able to cover all these points, then surely they are going to win a sustainable portion of users from the rivals.

Micromax Service Centers are expected to go live soon. You can check the status at Micromax website.

Final Views

With grown Anti-China sentiments within India, Micromax has a great chance to crack the success code. It needs to launch competitive phones with good customer care.

Update: Micromax today launched their smartphones at an aggressive pricing. Micromax In Note 1 at Rs 11,999 and Micromax In 1b starting at Rs 6,999. {alertInfo}

Micromax In 1b Specs

Display: 6.52" HD+ IPS Display
Processor: MediaTek Helio G35
Camera: 13 MP + 2 MP (Back), 8 MP(Front)
RAM & ROM: 2 GB+32 GB, 4 GB+ 32 GB
Battery: 5000 mAh
Charging: 10 Watt reverse charging(Type C)

Micromax In Note 1

Display: 6.67" Full HD IPS Display
Processor: MediaTek Helio G85
Camera: "48 MP + 5 MP(ultrawide)+ 5 MP(macro)+ 2 MP(depth) (Back)", 16 MP(Front)
RAM & ROM: 4 GB+64GB, 4 GB+ 128 GB
Battery: 5000 mAh
Charging: 18 Watt reverse charging(Type C)

These smartphones will be available at Flipkart and Micromax website.

Please share your views on the arrival of the Micromax smartphones.

Keep visiting Discussbytes for latest tech updates.

How to Make Contact Us form in Blogger

2020-10-29T12:53:00.001+05:30

You can easily create a contact form in your blogger website. It is a necessary element for any blog as it helps your visitors to find you.

Blogger Contact Form

With the need of Contact Us form you don't need to share your email ID and contact info with others. Further it makes the process much easier and time saving.

Method 1: You can use blogger inbuilt gadget to get a contact form.

Go to blogger Dashboard.
Under Layout, click on "Add a Gadget" option.
Choose Contact Form gadget by blogger.

You are all set. You can place it anywhere in your blog.

Method 2: This method requires us to make a separate new page.

Go to Pages
Create a new page. Name it Contact Us.
Change to HTML view.
Paste the below code there:-

<div id="custom_ContactUsFromForBlogSpotBlogger" class="widget ContactForm">
<div class="contact-form-widget">
<p>Get in touch with us by filling out the form below.</p>
<div class="form">
<form name="contact-form">
<p></p>
Your Name *
<br>
<input type="text" value="" size="30" name="name" id="ContactForm1_contact-form-name" class="contact-form-name">
<p></p>
Your Email
<span style="font-weight: bolder;">*</span>
<br>
<input type="text" value="" size="30" name="email" id="ContactForm1_contact-form-email" class="contact-form-email">
<p></p>
Your Message
<span style="font-weight: bolder;">*</span>
<br>
<textarea rows="5" name="email-message" id="ContactForm1_contact-form-emailmessage" cols="25" class="contact-form-email-message"></textarea>
<p></p>
<input type="button" value="Send" id="ContactForm1_contact-form-submit" class="contact-form-button contact-form-button-submit">
<p></p>
<div style="text-align: center; max-width: 222px; width: 100%">
<p id="ContactForm1_contact-form-error-message" class="contact-form-error-message"></p>
<p id="ContactForm1_contact-form-success-message" class="contact-form-success-message"></p>
</div>
</form>
</div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<span class="widget-item-control">
<span class="item-control blog-admin">
<a title="Edit" target="configContactForm1" onclick="return _WidgetManager._PopupConfig(document.getElementById("ContactForm1"));" href="//www.blogger.com/rearrange?blogID=3254900614475413295&widgetType=ContactForm&widgetId=ContactForm1&action=editWidget&sectionId=sidebar-right-1" class="quickedit">
<img width="18" height="18" src="//img1.blogblog.com/img/icon18_wrench_allbkg.png" alt="">
</a>
</span>
</span>
<div class="clear"></div>
</div>{codeBox}

Here Name, Email and Message are necessary attributes. In the line where the blog ID is mentioned(in colour) replace it with your unique blog ID. You can find it from your blogger dashboard.

Turn off the comments in the contact page. (Optional but recommended)

Save the page and publish it. Add it from layout to your blog using Link List widget.

Congrats your contact form is now live. It would be look like this image.

You can also customize this form using HTML, CSS and JavaScript according to your wish.

Now you will receive email in your blog email ID when someone tries to contact you through this form.

Also Read: How to Get Started with Blogger Sitemap

Ending Notes

You can ask me in the comments section below if you encounter any problem. If this helps you, your appreciation would be appreciated. I would continue to add blogger tutorials for beginners in future.

Stay connected with us for latest tech updates.

How to Setup Custom Domain in Blogger-Full Guide

2020-10-14T20:49:00.002+05:30

Recently, I have switched my blog from Blogspot (www.discussbytes.blogspot.com) to a custom domain (www.discussbytes.in). In this post, I will talk about the complete procedure to make this possible on this platform.

Why Should You Use Custom Domain?

Before going to the main topic, I would like to explain to you the need for a custom domain. How does it differ from Blogspot? Below are some of the reasons:

1. It makes your blog look more professional. This would help your visitors having more trust in you.

2. It increases the reach of your websites. Using a custom domain means you can choose a name that is perfect for your business, blog, or website.

3. You can use most of the Ad Networks on your website. Many Ad Networks don't allow Blogspot/Wordpress domain websites for advertising. You can get faster approval in Adsense.

4. A step towards owning your website. Do you know that free domains are not owned by you? You should host and have your own unique domain name to have full control over it.

5. Better SEO score and search engine rankings. A custom domain gets a higher preference than others in Google/ Bing.

6. It is short and easy to remember.

7. It helps in improving your social media rankings and Domain Authority.

Selecting a perfect domain name and extension

There are so many domain providers available in India and worldwide.

The following should be kept in mind while selecting a perfect name:-

1. Try to keep it short. It helps in memorizing it to users

2. Using keywords. If your website is based upon a particular topic, try to include it in your name.

3. Avoid using numbers and hyphen.

4. It is easy to pronounce.

5. Avoid using similar names already present. It will help to differentiate your website.

.com is the most used domain extension with almost 50% of websites using it globally. The most popular used domain extensions are:

.com- Used worldwide for a general or specific purpose, most popular among all the extensions.
.etu- Used by Educational Institutes, mainly in the U.S.
.net- Used for General Purpose
.gov-Used by governments
.in- Used for website intended for Indian region. Similar extensions for other countries are available.
.org- Used by an organization
.co- Used by companies

Consider using top level domains like .com, .in for better SEO rankings.

Using Domain services for custom domain in Blogger

Next, you need to find a suitable domain provider for your website. In my case, I have preferred to go with GoDaddy.

Some of the best domain providers are:-

GoDaddy

BigRock

Bluehost

Domain.com

Final Setup

1. Select the perfect domain name and extension for your website/blog.

2. After purchasing, go to the settings tab in Blogger.

3. Under Publishing, write the address of your custom domain. Remember to use www as the prefix.

For example www.discussbytes.in

4. It would now show you an error. Don't worry you just need to prove that the domain name belongs to you. It would show you two errors.

5. Then you need to go to your domain provider website and sign in. I have used GoDaddy in my case.

6. Go to your domain provider dashboard. Click on the domain name which you have purchased.

7. Next choose to DNS Settings.

8. Click on Add Record and copy CNAME from Blogger and add one by one. Remember to copy the same Host and Destination values of CNAME. Keep the value of TTL 1 hour in both CNAME. Below is an example showing the same. If you get confused, ask me in the comment section below.

9. Similarly Add A records in DNS settings. You need to add @ in Host Name and IP address in Destination/ Points To section . Keep the TTL 1 hour in all the IP addresses.

There are 4 IP addresses which you need to add:-

216.239.32.21

216.239.34.21

216.239.36.21

216.239.38.21

10. Here is the final screenshot of A Records.

11. Now check your blogger settings. That error would be removed with 5 min- 30 min. It might take more time depending upon your domain provider.

12. After verifying your domain Google would automatically switch your old Blogspot pages to a new custom name.

13. Toggle "Redirect Domain" option on so that your old URLs links to new URLs.

14. Remember to renew your domain name before it expires using GoDaddy website or your domain provider.

Conclusion

The process which seems too difficult isn't that much hard once you get used to it. If you get stuck at any point or have any queries, you can ask me in the comments section below. A custom domain is a must if you are aiming to make your website reach new heights.

Subscribe to our email newsletter for blogger tips and tricks.

Share this article if you find it helpful. Stay connected with us for the latest tech updates.

How to Make Bootable USB Pendrive

2020-09-19T19:06:00.003+05:30

In this post, we will talk about the complete procedure regarding how to make a pendrive bootable. All you need is a pendrive (16 GB+ recommended), ISO file, and a PC/laptop to get started.

Steps to make pendrive bootable

Traditionally, we used bootable CD/ DVDs for installing Windows or any other operating system in our system. With the advent of time, the place of CD/ DVD has been replaced by pendrives and other small compact storage devices. There are many methods to make a pendrive bootable. Here I would be discussing the most popular and easiest methods that are best for our purpose.

Method 1: Using CMD

This method requires no external software to be installed on your computer.

Connect a pendrive in your system.
Open Command Prompt(CMD) in Administrator mode.
Type "diskpart"
In the new command window, type "list disk".
It would show all the disk present in the system. Note the drive number or letter of your removable device.
Type "select disk <X>" where X is the drive number or letter
Type "clean" for cleaning your existing files in the USB flash drive.
Type "create partition primary". This will make your pendrive ready to made bootable.
To create partition created as primary, type "select partition X" where X represents disk number or letter.
Type "format=fs NTFS" to format USB drive as NTFS
Type "active"
Type "exit" to exit Diskpart.

Now close CMD and copy data from bootable CD/DVD. If you have an ISO file, extract it and then copy it in pendrive.

You can install any Windows versions using this USB Drive.

Method 2: Using Rufus

First of all, download Rufus, an open public source software available for free. It is available for Windows and Ubuntu.
Download Link
Install it using the recommended settings.
Now launch Rufus application.
Insert USB flash drive and select it on Rufus application.
Select "Disk or ISO image" option from Boot Selection.
Select your ISO file. It is recommended that you use default settings for making a bootable disk but you can change settings if you have some knowledge about this topic.
Select "Start" and after some time your pendrive will become bootable.

Similarly, you can use other softwares to make bootable USB drive(like PowerISO) using similar steps.

Android 11 Announced: New Features in latest Operating System

2020-09-12T20:49:00.007+05:30

Google is back with a new version of the Android platform, Android 11. Android 11 is the latest upgrade over the predecessors, which offers better visuals, features, and privacy optimization. Let find all about Android 11 in this post.

Introduction

Android 11 Release Date: It has been announced by Google that Android 11 beta ROM will start rolling out to select manufacturers devices including Pixel, Xiaomi, Poco, Samsung, Oppo, and Realme starting 8 September.

What's new in Android 11

New features including:

More Privacy Controls- Android 11 includes more control over the permissions and security of your smartphone. It lets you control exactly which permissions you want to grant for an app. You choose to permit an app to use it during a session or for every time. If you choose to allow a permission for a specific session, then the app will ask you for permission when you use it back later. This is a big step from Android 10 and makes the user experience better.

Built-in Screen Recording- Smartphone manufacturer's like Realme, Xiaomi, etc usually include their own solution for "Screen Recording" in Android. This time Android has finally given up to the long pending demand of the "Screen Recording" feature. Now you can use it can without downloading any external app from Play Store.

Improve Device and Media Controls- Chat Bubbles which were first introduced in Android 10 is now getting an upgrade. Chat bubbles can be used from the notification panel for carrying out your conversations. Now it offers an improved interface. Chat bubbles can now be used with any chatting or social media app. You can also use multiple chat bubbles at a time.

Media controls have now shifted to the quick settings bar.

Managing Conversations in One Place- Conversions can appear even at the top of notifications in the notification bar panel. Conversations refer to apps that you use to chat and communicate with your friends. This makes sure that you don't miss your chats even after receiving a lot of notifications.

New Emojis- Google has added more than 117 emoji in the new version of Android. Moreover, existing emojis(more than 2000) have been updated with design tweaks.

Power Menu- On long pressing Power button, it shows us a new page with control options. Google says it Smart devices controls. It enables us to control various devices that are connected to each other. It also includes a Google Pay Shortcut. Up to 6 devices can be shown at a time.

How to join Android 11 Beta

You can now download Android 11 for respective smartphones following the below procedure.

Backup your phone data.
Go to your phone settings.
Check for Updates on your phone.
You will get an update notification for Android 11 if your phone is compatible.

Eligible Devices

Respective companies would release separate updates for Android 11 with their UI and optimizations.

Following Smartphones are the first devices to receive the latest version of Android-

Google Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3A, Pixel 3A XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL

Oppo Find X2, Find X2 Pro

Xiaomi MI 10, MI 10 Pro

OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro

Poco F2 Pro

Asus Zenfone 6

Realme X50 Pro

This is all about the latest Android version. Overall I love the fact that this time the focus is on conversations and privacy. Also, the slights tweaks in look and UI are praiseworthy. I would update the article whenever I would found something new on this topic.

Keep visiting discussbytes for more updates.

Using Windows XP in 2021

2020-09-02T23:01:00.018+05:30

Time has flown by and our requirements have been increasing day by day. We are living in 2021. Do you think it is right to use Windows XP in 2021? Let's find out in this post.

Windows XP Wallpaper

History

Windows XP was announced in 2001. Now in 2020, it has been almost 2 decades since the date the OS was first introduced from Microsoft. It was ranked amongst one of the most successful versions of Windows and critically acclaimed all over the world. Windows XP service pack 3 is the most latest update for Windows XP. It was discontinued by Microsoft on April 8, 2014.

Windows XP release date- 25 October 2001

Why Windows XP in 2021?

Now the question is that why you want to use Windows XP although better OS with improved visuals, performance, bug fixes, etc are already present. Here are some reasons for which you can Windows XP for your PC.

1. Using an old retro machine- Believe it or not, there is a huge chunk of people who are not ready to leave old computers for their specific reasons. Windows XP was the best choice for PC those days and unfortunately, new versions of Windows do not support those devices. Hence they have the sole option to choose from the whole lot.

2. Simplicity and User Friendly- Windows XP made the computing experience easier and comfortable for users around the world. The success mantra of Windows XP was its simplicity and improved design compared to the predecessors. Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 have focused on many factors but the core element has been derived from Windows XP only.

3. Running Applications and Games- Buying new software and paying for them every year is a costly deal. We would end up spending a hundred to thousands of dollars if we keep on upgrading our software applications each year. All of us won't prefer to spend such a big amount. Further many popular softwares are still supported by Windows XP. This includes the likes of Microsoft Word, Chrome, Adobe Photoshop, Pagemaker, Coreldraw, etc. Further many old games are supported and some of them face compatibility issues in new versions of Windows. So it's better to use it to play your favorite classic games.

Also Read- 10 Best Games we can't forget playing

4. Low memory and hard disk space- It consumes very less system space compared to current generation Windows versions. It only requires a minimum of 64 MB RAM to boot up a PC. That's a lot less amount all possible due to its lightweight size.

5. Offline- If you simply want to use your PC as a standard machine without internet connectivity, you can prefer to use it.

Reasons to Avoid Windows XP

Some of the reasons to avoid Windows XP are as follows:-

1. No Supports- Microsoft has officially ended support for this operating system. Hence whosoever is using it, can be risked to potential threats from hackers and malware.

2. Lacks modern features- Many modern features related to graphics are unsupported.

3. Newer applications are not supported. This is bad for modern people who tend to experiment and use new software now and then.

4. Drivers are to be installed manually for adding new hardware devices whereas new versions of Windows do that automatically. Many new hardware components are incompatible with Windows XP.

5. Touch screens are not supported.

Installation

You need to follow simple steps to install the operating system on your PC. All you need to do is to make a bootable CD/DVD using Rufus from the ISO file. You can download Windows XP for free and activate it using the Activation Key given below.

Windows XP SP3 ISO Download Link:

Link 1 (Prefer This Link)

Link 2

Product Key: QW4HD DQCRG HM64M 6GJRK 8K83T

Also Read: How to make a bootable USB pendrive

Minimum System Requirements

RAM: 64 MB(minimum), 128 GB (recommended)
Hard Disk Storage: 1.5 GB or higher
Display Resolution: 800 x 600 or higher
Processor Speed: 233 MHz, 300 MHz or higher (recommended)
Processor Type: Pentium or Compatible
Other Accessories like Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, etc.

Ending Notes

I hope that I was able to address this topic to the best of my knowledge. Can we use Windows XP in 2021? Well, it is over to you. If you are having old hardware and don't use the internet much, then you can use it. Else an upgrade to Windows 7 or Windows 10 would be recommended.

Feel free to share your views in the comment section below.

How to Get Started with Blogger Sitemap

2020-08-24T19:17:00.005+05:30

In this post, I will tell you about how to use the correct sitemap for your Blogspot website for getting organic traffic for your blog or website.

This post is meant specifically for all those who are using Blogger platform (blogspot.com domain).

What is Sitemap?

If you want to rank your article in the organic search results, you need to show the search engine a way to tell them what your website offers to the people. A Sitemap is an XML/HTML file that contains all the links/URLs of the pages present on your website. It is helpful for search engines to find your website and detect new pages as they are created, modified, and deleted. If you are worried that why Google is not showing your blog, you should consider to add sitemap to blogger.

Adding Sitemap to Google Search Console

It is also necessary to add Sitemap to Google Search Console. For those who don't know about it, Google Search Console is a service by Google which allows users to check indexing and visibility of their pages in Google search results. It also tells about important errors in your website detected by Google. Adding a sitemap is a vital step for your blog detection by search engines. Alternatively, you should also add your sitemap in Bing Webmasters for more impressions and clicks.

Add Sitemap to Blogger and Submit to Google Search Console

Method 1: Using New Blogger Sitemap. Blogger now creates a default sitemap for every website. It can be accessed as:-

http://yourblogname.blogspot.com/sitemap.xml

OR Custom Domain

http://yourblogname.domain/sitemap.xml

Now login to Google Search Console. Simply add your sitemap to Google Search console. Simply add the above sitemap URL for your blog here

Method 2: You can also set up your own custom sitemap settings for your blog using Robots.txt. Here is the procedure for the same:-

Go to your Blogger Dashboard
Go to Settings
Click on Enable Robots.txt file under "Crawlers and Indexing" Heading

Now click on "Custom Robots.txt" and save the below lines

User-agent: *
Disallow: /search
Allow: /

Sitemap: https://www.discussbytes.in/atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500

Here replace "www.discussbytes.in "with your website name and you are all set. Remember that you need to add another URL if your blogger post exceeds 500.

Example if I have 510 posts then I have to add the following lines:-

User-agent: *
Disallow: /search
Allow: /

Sitemap: https://www.discussbytes.in/atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500
Sitemap: https://www.discussbytes.in/atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=501&max-results=500

Similarly, you need to add another URL after every 500 unique posts. Now add sitemap URL in Google Search Console and you are all set.

If you have a problem regarding sitemap code for your blog, you can also use this tool to generate blogger sitemap XML.

Sitemap Generator

Similarly, you can also add sitemap to Bing Webmasters. This is all about how you can create a sitemap for Blogspot.

If you any queries you are free to ask in the comment section below.

Happy Blogging!

Updated: Nokia 5.3 launch seems imminent in India

2020-08-16T19:01:00.006+05:30

HMD Global has not launched many smartphones in India. Nokia 2.3 was their last announced smartphone in India which came at the beginning of 2020. But now it seems that a new smartphone is finally coming to India by the end of August. The same has been confirmed by the official listing of the Nokia 5.3 on the Indian website.

Nokia 5.3 Specs

Display: 6.55 inch HD+ Display with 20:9 ratio

Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 3

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 665

RAM & ROM: 4GB + 64 GB, 6GB + 64 GB

OS: Android 10 (with Android One)

Main Camera: Quad Camera Setup- 13 MP f/1.8 + 2 MP depth sensor + 5 MP ultrawide sensor + 2 MP macro

Selfie Camera: 8 MP f/2.0

Sensors: Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Fingerprint Sensor

Differentiating Factors: Google Assistant Button, Android One

Battery: 4000 mAh

Charging: 5V/ 2A

Colors: Cyan, Charcoal, and Sand

Price: Average Global Price 189 Euros (India Expected-Rs 13,999)

Also Read: New Unknown facts about Nokia

Nokia 5.3 offers great value for money experience. It runs on Android One- meaning it contains no bloatware and offers a pure Android experience. It also offers 2 years of OS updates and 3 years of monthly security updates. It also comes with a 3.5 mm headphone jack. HMD Global claims that Nokia 5.3 battery will suffice till 2 days on moderate usage after a full charge.

Nokia 5.3 India page

Updated: Nokia 5.3 is going to launch on August 25 in India. HMD Global has sent invites for a virtual event via Microsoft Teams.

The recent boycott China products movement and a proper marketing campaign can help Nokia to establish this smartphone as a popular option in the sub Rs 15,000 category. Share your opinions in the comments section below. 👇

Make your USB drive data secure in one go

2020-08-13T21:15:00.003+05:30

Here I will discuss how you can make your pen drive safe and secure by adding a password so that only a trusted person can access your data.

You can make your Pendrive password protected by following procedures:-

1. Using BitLocker

BitLocker is a data protection feature included in Windows from Windows Vista and above. It is a security solution from Microsoft for Windows. It enables us to set a password for a local disk or USB Drive. We need to follow the below-mentioned steps:-

Connect your USB drive to one of the USB Port.
Open "This PC"
Right Click on USB Drive and select turn on BitLocker
On the next screen, enter your password to proceed further.
In the next window, you will get two options- 1. Use a password to unlock the drive 2. Use my smart card to unlock the drive

Choose option 1
Set a strong password which you can remember
Next, you have to get an option to set a recovery key in case you forgot the password.
You can choose to save the recovery key to Microsoft Account, a file or to print it.
After this, you are ready to encrypt the USB Drive.
Once the encryption is complete, you will be notified by a completion window.

*BitLocker is included in Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise version only.

2. MS Office

You can make your document(file) password protected using MS Office tools. To make your Word, PowerPoint, and Excel file password protected you need to follow these steps:-

Open the desired file.
Click on File > Info
Under Protect Document icon Encrypt with Password.

Enter a password of your choice, confirm, and save it.

Also Read: All Windows 10 shortcuts you should know

3.Adobe PDF

You can make your PDF files password protected for data protection. You just need to follow these steps

Open a file in Adobe Acrobat and choose "Tools" > "Protect".
Choose Protect Using Password
Choose whether you want to set the password for viewing or editing the file.
Enter password and then retype it.

Remember to create a strong password(using cases, numbers, special characters)
Click on Apply

You can also use other applications like Soda PDF and online websites like Small PDF if you don't have Acrobat on your PC.

4. Third-Party Applications

While the above-mentioned solutions would be enough for most of us you can always move to an alternative if this doesn't work for you. Here are some applications with download links that can make your USB password-protected for free:-

I hope that this article answered all your queries regarding USB data protection. In case you have any doubts, you can raise your queries in the comment section below.

Also, consider sharing if you find this article helpful.

Updated-ThopTV App Review

2020-08-01T22:40:00.010+05:30

Disclaimer: This post is aimed for educational purposes only and does not promote ThopTV or any other illegal app. We don't provide infringing materials available in our website{alertInfo}

ThopTV can be the app for you if want to watch TV channels, web shows, and other content. However, it has merits and demerits. We will discuss more about ThopTV in this post.

What is ThopTV?

ThopTV allows us to watch 3000+ live TV channels, web series, and movies. It is an India based website and app. It includes content from almost all genres. You don't need to pay anything to view. The following are some features of ThopTV:-

1. Watch Offline-Just like YouTube, you can download and watch videos to watch at your ease. It is a convenient feature.

2. Free for all- Unlike other apps, ThopTV enables you to access their entire library without paying a penny. This is one of the biggest advantages of using ThopTV.

3. Smart TV- The developers of ThopTV has enabled the support for Smart TV and Amazon Fire Stick for a better experience.

4. Music- It offers 5000+ radio channels on every language so that you don't miss on music.

5. Subtitles- It offers subtitles for selected content as of now.

6. TV shows and movies- It has an entire catalog of popular TV series and movies.

7. Web Series- It offers premium web series for free.

Is ThopTV safe to use?

ThopTv comes for free. But they do have some other measures for compensating for it. ThopTV asks for location and microphone permissions though it does not require it.

Further, the application is not available on Play Store and is often loaded with trojan and malware which can extract your sensitive information and use it in the wrong way. So I think that ThopTV is not a good way to watch if you are using it on your primary device. You can use it if you are having a secondary device with no personal information.

Is ThopTV a legal app?

It is an illegal app. It is not available in Google Play Store due to its policy guidelines.

ThopTV not working?

It is seen many times that ThopTV does not works for many users. It is recommended that you use the latest version of the application.

Currently, it has no extensions for Chrome and it is also not expected shortly. ThopTV frequently releases new versions.

Alternatives of ThopTV

There are many alternatives to ThopTV. Some of them are

Showbox
123movies
MegaboxHD
Oreo TV

Disclaimer: This post is aimed for educational purposes only and does not promote ThopTV or any other illegal app. We don't provide infringing materials available in our website{alertInfo}

Conclusion

I would like to say that use ThopTV only at your own risk. While it may sound good to get this amount of content for free, but there are many issues like privacy and user security. Further, paying to those services, helps them to survive them in the long run.

I recommend you to use official apps for better performance and privacy protection.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or queries, you can ask me in the comments section below. Keep visiting Discussbytes for the latest tech updates.

New Unknown facts about Nokia

2020-07-31T20:14:00.008+05:30

Nokia has been one of iconic brands that have sustained itself and undergo tremendous transformation from 1865 to 2020. It has been only innovation which has led to survival of this brand despite occasions of Nokia history which nearly destroyed it.

Here are some of the new unknown Nokia facts:-

1. Nokia is the biggest tech company of Finland.

2. The iconic "Nokia Tune" is actually based on music video featuring guitar work from "Francisco Trrega" in 19th century. Its got popular when it was used by Nokia as Nokia ringtone in their phones.

3. Nokia is originally named upon a river in Finland named Nokianvirta that flows through Nokia(city).

4. Nokia Snake game first came preinstalled in Nokia 6110.

5. Nokia was originally started as a Pulp Manufacturing Company in Finland. During its history of 150+ years Nokia has changed their business from Paper Manufacturing, Rubber, Forestry, Electronics, Television, Telecom, Mobile Phones, Licensing and Networks.

6. During its golden days, Nokia was responsible for 4% of Finland GDP.

7. The special tune on Nokia phone when you receive a SMS is Morse code for SMS.

8. The first call on GSM network was performed between Finland PM Harri Holkeri and Kaarina Suonia (Vice Mayor of Tampere, Finland) on Nokia commercial network.

9. At one time, Nokia was the world's biggest digital camera manufacturer, as the sales of its mobile phones have exceeded those of any conventional camera manufacturer.

10. Nokia developed its on font "Nokia Sans" in 2002 to be used in their phones. It was replaced by Nokia Pure in 2012 which is till now used in their feature phones made by HMD Global.

11. Nokia has traditionally preferred to skip phones starting with number 4 in Asia since it is considered unlucky. HMD Global broke this recently when they announced Nokia 4.2 in 2019.

12. Nokia 1100 is the best selling mobile phone in the world. About 250 million units of both 2003 and 2005 variant were sold separately (500 million).

13. In 2020, Nokia (HMD Global) is the only Europe smartphone brand present in the market worldwide.

14. At its peak time, Nokia manufactured 210 million handsets per day.

15. Nokia relaunch of its classic Nokia 3310, Nokia 3310(2017) created a lot of sales for the brand (Nostalgia factor). It also included a new version of Snake made by Gameloft.

16. 8 out of 10 the most sold phones in history are Nokia phones.

By the way the first ever mobile phone call in India was made on this day (31 July 2020), 25 years ago, on a Nokia phone.😉

Hope you like this post. If there any more points please let me know in the comments. Stay connected for more Nokia news in future.

All About Windows 10 Xbox Game Bar

2020-07-22T22:09:00.002+05:30

Windows 10 is an amazing upgrade over other versions of Windows. Microsoft releases upgrades for it to improve bug fixes and to introduce new features. Windows Game Bar is definitely one of the best feature of Windows 10.

What is Windows 10 Xbox Game Bar?

Game Bar allows gamers to record, capture, preview details regarding gameplay, etc. You can share your video recording with others. It can also use it for video capturing certain applications like your browser (Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome).

How to Use?

Game Bar can be opened by using Windows + G shortcut. If you are unable to do video recording, you can enable it by following steps:-

Open Settings
Click on Gaming
Toggle "Record game clips, screenshots and broadcast using Game Bar" option to on

You can also change other shortcuts for Game bar by using custom keyboard combinations as per your preference.

Procedure to on video recording is as follows:-

Use Windows + G shortcut. It will open Xbox Game Bar. Do remember that Game Bar records only one application window at a time so you can't change to another window or application.
Alternatively you can use Windows + Alt + R shortcut to directly start capturing without opening Game Bar.
You can click on microphone option if you wish to record external audio in your video recording.
You can adjust system sounds from the Audio window before recording.
You need to click on dotted icon in Captures window to start recording(or Windows + Alt + R).
When you are done, you can stop your recording by clicking on stop button or alternatively using Windows + Alt + R.
Your captured video is saved in This PC > Videos > Captures (Default Location)

You can also view system performance like CPU, GPU and RAM usage from performance window.

This is how you can use "Xbox Game Bar" for recording your best gameplay moments.

All Windows 10 shortcuts you should know

2020-07-16T18:58:00.002+05:30

We all want to take the easy way to get our task done. Shortcuts can be really beneficial in doing that as it makes us more productive over time. So let's learn about some of the most interesting and useful shortcuts in Windows 10.

1. Ctrl + C: Copy the selected item

2. Ctrl + X: Cut the selected item

3. Ctrl + V: Paste the selected item

4. Ctrl + Z: Undo an action you have taken

5. Ctrl + Y: Redo an action you have taken

6. Alt + Tab: Switch between other active apps

7. Windows + L: Lock your Computer System.

8. Windows + D: Switch to Desktop window.

9. F2: Rename the selected the selected folder or file

10. F5: Refresh active window on screen

11. Alt + Enter: Show the properties of the selected item

12. Esc: Escape or leave the current task

13. PrtScn (Print Screen): Screenshot is saved in the clipboard though it looks like nothing happened

14. Windows + F: Open Feedback Hub and take a screenshot

15. Windows + G: Open Windows Game Bar.

16. Windows + .(period): Open Emoji Panel

17. Windows + R: Open the run dialog box

18. Windows + E: Open File Explorer in Windows

19. Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open Task Manager

20. Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key: Select a block of text

21. Windows + S: Open Windows search

22. Ctrl + Shift + T: Open reclosed tab in browser.

23. Ctrl + H: This opens the dialog box to "Find and Replace" in a word processor.

These shortcuts can be beneficial in saving time and making us more productive. This might seem a small step but it can lead to big changes if we adapt to these shortcuts in daily life.

Discussbytes

Who Owns Hulu?

History of Hulu

Owner of Hulu

Key Positions in Hulu

Content Offered

Fun Facts

Future and International Layout

Ending Notes

How to resolve laptop heating issue?

Our Problem

Solution

Ending Notes

How to watch IPL for free on Disney Plus Hotstar?

Where to watch IPL for free?

How to Get Disney+ Membership?

5 Tips to Change How Mobile Users Enjoy Their Amazon Prime Videos

How to Earn From Fiverr and my Fiverr Gig

What is Fiverr All About?

Setting Up Your Account

Your First Gig

Fiverr Vs Upwork?

Common Mistakes to Be Avoided

My Fiverr Gig-My Offerings

WhatsApp Alternatives for 2021

What was the problem with the new changes?

Is this okay?

Brief history

Alternatives

Telegram

Signal App

Skype

Viber

Ending Notes

Python Full Course For Beginner's- Part 2 Basics

Your First Program

Python Data Types

Variables

Taking Input

Comment

Module

Escape Sequence

Performing Basic Arithmetic Operations

Strings

Solved: Google Classroom - There was an error turning in your assignment. Please try again

Intro

Real Problem

What to Do?

Conclusion

Grow YouTube Channel in One Day-100% Working

Points to be Noted

Python Full Course For Beginner's- Part 1 Intro

What is Python?

Basics (Key Points) you should Know before starting this course

Scope of Python

Welcome to Python

Software Links

Wrapping Up

Top Tips to Get the Best Out of Your Disney Plus Hotstar Account

Tip #1 – Parental Controls

Tip #2 – Watch it Outside India

Tip #3 – Offline Viewing

Tip #4 – Save Data

How to set up WhatsApp Pay

How to Enable WhatsApp Pay: All Steps

How to Accept and Receive Money on WhatsApp

Will Micromax Make a grand come back IN India

What users want from Micromax-

Final Views

How to Make Contact Us form in Blogger

Ending Notes

How to Setup Custom Domain in Blogger-Full Guide

Why Should You Use Custom Domain?

Selecting a perfect domain name and extension

Using Domain services for custom domain in Blogger

Final Setup

Conclusion

How to Make Bootable USB Pendrive

Steps to make pendrive bootable

Method 1: Using CMD