If we’ve learned anything in the last couple of decades it’s that adaptability is essential for companies to survive. With its latest experiment, YouTube aims to do just that. Seeing the phenomenon that TikTok has become – a short video-sharing platform, YouTube is now rolling out a feature that will allow users to record 15-second long videos from right within the application.

The experiment is rolling out to some Android and iOS users and will allow them to create multi-segment videos with the final video being 15-seconds long. This also means that users will no longer be able to shoot and upload videos longer than 15-seconds from within the application. Such videos will have to be imported to the application.

“We’re testing out a new way for creators to easily record multiple clips directly in the YouTube mobile app and upload as one video. If you’re in this experiment, you’ll see an option to ‘create a video’ in the mobile upload flow. Tap or hold the record button to record your first clip, then tap again or release the button to stop recording that clip. Repeat these steps until you’re done capturing footage up to a maximum length of 15 seconds,” reads the blog post.

Currently, the YouTue allows you to either go live or just shoot a no-cut video and upload it to one’s channel. There’s barely anything to play around with because of which most of the content we see on YouTube is shot outside of the application.

On the other hand, TikTok is a powerhouse and gives users a lot of space to make their videos within the application itself. Not only does the application let users stitch several video-takes but it also lets them extensively make use of filters and effects.

As it stands right now, YouTube is far from offering similar functionality in terms of content creation. But since this is just a test, we might see YouTube add more bling to this if and when it rolls out to everyone.

YouTube is not the only biggie trying to compete with TikTok. Facebook and Instagram, with Lasso and Reels respectively, have also tried to cash in on the boom of TikTok in the last couple of years. While none of them has managed to catch the eye as TikTok has, it’ll be interesting to see how YouTube tries to take on TikTok in the near future.

The iPhone 12 was already rumored to be one of the most affordable flagship phones of the year. But a new leak says that there could be a new version for a price that’s super cheap.

Based on a previous leak from Jon Prosser, we expect the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 to start at $649 (approximately INR 49,097), which would be $50 less than the iPhone 11. And there’s also expected to be a $699 (approximately INR 52,879) iPhone 12 Max with a larger 6.1-inch display. But both of these handsets are expected to feature 5G connectivity.

According to a tweet from leaker Omega Leaks, a 4G version of the iPhone 12 — if it happens — will be priced at $549 (approximately INR 41,530) and the iPhone 12 Max 4G would be $649 (approximately INR 49,097).

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about an affordable iPhone 12. Last week an analyst note from Daniel Ives of Wedbush Securities said that there could be a cheaper version of the iPhone 12 with a 5.4-inch display and that it would have all the other same features as the regular iPhone 12 barring support for 5G bands.

Previously, Jon Prosser predicted that the iPhone 12 Pro would start at $999 (approximately INR 75,570)) with 5G standard and that the iPhone 12 Pro Max with its 6.7-inch display would cost $1,099 (approximately INR 90,700). There are no rumors that the Pro models will have 4G versions.

As far as features go the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max are expected to feature dual rear cameras, while the iPhone 12 Pro series should get three rear cameras, including a telephoto lens with an optical zoom lens and a LiDAR sensor for better AR performance.

Is a 4G iPhone 12 possible? Yes, but given the amount of work it takes to optimize a phone for 5G in terms of the modem and antenna, it may be difficult for Apple to create two versions of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max.

But if Apple is able to pull off a 4G iPhone 12 for a price as low as what we hear, it could put a lot of pressure on upcoming brands like OnePlus, Realme and a bunch of other players that are looking to create a niche for themselves in the affordable flagship segment.

The first developer beta of watchOS 7 is here and we’ve been testing it out. The new update includes a lot of new features including the ability to track your sleep, or even set a private MAC address for your Apple Watch. However, there’s also a new addition that flew under my radar for a bit before I noticed it.

In watchOS 7, you will find a new Control Center toggle, and if you’re wondering what this is, it’s the toggle for Announce Messages with Siri. Yeah, that’s finally available on the Apple Watch as well.

Here’s how to use this feature.

How to Use Announce Messages with Siri in watchOS 7

Getting Siri to read your messages out loud is a really handy usability improvement. The feature has been available in iOS for a while, and a lot of you might even be using it on your iPhone. I know I do. With watchOS 7, any time you connect your AirPods to your Apple Watch or iPhone, the toggle will become active.

This feature is enabled by default, or at least it was enabled by default on my watch. So if you want to use it, you basically just have to wear your AirPods and that’s it.

However, if you don’t want to use the feature, you can temporarily disable it by simply opening the Control Center and turning the toggle off. Unfortunately, my Apple Watch Series 5 wasn’t letting me turn this off, which I assume is a watchOS 7 bug, but it may work for you. Even if it doesn’t right now, it will work on the stable version of watchOS 7, so it’s definitely a handy feature to have. You can also always remove the toggle from the Control Center if you don’t use it at all.

While I find this useful as it is, people with cellular Apple Watches might appreciate it even more. With this feature, you can go about your day without keeping your iPhone along, and Siri will read your messages as they come in. It’s also going to prove handy for when you’re on a run and don’t want to read the message from your wrist. So, what do you think about this new watchOS 7 feature? Let us know in the comments.

Qualcomm announced Snapdragon 855+ chipset in July last year. Going by a recent post of popular leakster Ice Universe, the company would announce the Snapdragon 865+ next month.

Ice Universe took to Chinese microblogging platform Weibo to share the information. The tipster is usually accurate with leaks and hence, we could expect the chipmaker to refresh its flagship mobile chipset in July.

Earlier this February, tipster Digital Chat Station claimed that Qualcomm would unveil Snapdragon 865+ in the third quarter of this year. Given Snapdragon 855+’s launch timeframe, that was not quite a revelation.

However, things took a turn when a MyDrivers report quoting Meizu’s Chief Marketing Officer Wan Zhiqiang claimed that Qualcomm would skip Snapdragon 865+ this year.

This latest rumor would come as a relief for anyone who is planning to purchase a high-end Android smartphone in the second wave of flagship device launches for this year since they would probably be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865+ chipset under the hood.

Just like last year’s Snapdragon 855+, one should not expect major changes or a significant jump from Snapdragon 865 to 865+. It’s in the air that the clock speed of Snapdragon 865+ could go up to 3.09GHz. In comparison, Snapdragon 865’s Cortex A77 hits a maximum of 2.84GHz.

While we don’t have the exact list of devices that will launch with Snapdragon 865+, we could expect Asus’ upcoming ROG Phone 3 to be one of the first phones to launch with the new chipset. In case you didn’t know already, ROG Phone 2 was the first phone to flaunt Snapdragon 855+. Moreover, ROG Phone 3 is also rumored to launch in July. You might call it a coincidence, but I think not.

There is a shift occurring in the status quo around the westernized world. As more governmental bodies discover the innate and overwhelming data in support of the cannabis legalization in territories and countries like the USA and Canada, it’s only a matter of time before we begin normalizing the practice in the open.

While the USA is going state by state in terms of their legalization tactics and approach to the matter, countries like Canada are brute-forcing change at a systemic and country-wide level. Legalizing for recreational use in 2018, the country was taking a mighty gamble in terms of impact and widespread risk, but it has paid off in spades.

The Companies On The Rise

Through the legalization, though not without its hiccups and road bumps along the way, some companies have seen a riotous rise in profit margins thanks to the legalization. Stores like Seed & Stone would not have been feasible pre-2018, and now are one of the largest retailers in the country.

The companies that are turning this profit are doing so through a legal institutionalized system that is no longer operating from the back of a 4-seater car.

Instead, the modern companies are espousing a very open-door policy when it comes to newcomers and veteran smokers alike, giving potential opportunity to growers to sell their wares in an open environment.

Taxation For The Masses

Tax. The word sends chills down even the heartiest of spines, but they pay for all manners of the public experience, hospitals, roads etc. The legalization of the industry has opened the floodgates to potential funding projects that can be partially funded by the revenue generated by the once illegal plant. In the fiscal year of 2019-2020 alone there was a reported $32millionCA generated on a federal level from sales.

While still in the infantile years of the legislation, there is only speculation as to where the industry can go in the next 20-30 years. Let us not forget the tempestuous history of alcohol in countries around the globe with prohibition eras and mistruths being fired on all cylinders before settling into the normalised state it is in many societies.

Options Aplenty

One of the unforeseen results of legalization has been the innovation in the technology surrounding its consumption and usage amongst adults in the country. We’ve come a long way since the ‘Cannabis Cookbook’ and joint rolling technique. There are edibles like gummies, sodas and confectionary, vaporizers, liquids and ointments all becoming more and more nuanced and developed thanks to the light of legality.

With so many developments, a good taxation system in place, and relaxing of oversimplified laws, there really is a smoky light on the horizon for Canada, and the rest of the world will likely be following suit in the near future.