The Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) on Saturday directed the public to not deal with fake loan apps downloaded from Google Play Store.
Asaan Qarza, which has been downloaded over one million times from Google alone, is one of 74 fake loan apps that entitlement to be a “professional 100% online loan application” that provides cash.
These applications claim to offer people easy loans at low-interest rates. Those who download these apps give access to their phone data including their picture gallery and contact list.
Once these applications are downloaded, they get access to the personal data of the user.
The financial regulatory authority told Geo Fact Check that only 10 micro-credit apps are legit which include Finja, Muawin, Credit Per, Easy PK Loan, Zoodpay & ZoodMall, Qisstpay CreditCat RazCash, Abhi, Barwaqt, Udhar-Paisa, and Zaroorat Cash.
These apps are registered with SECP as non-banking monetary companies, under the Companies Act, of 1956.
WASHINGTON: Chasing Microsoft, global tech titans have announced how they will implement ChatGPT-like artificial intelligence into their world-leading platforms and applications, with YouTube the latest to present plans.
Here is a roundup of how the world’s biggest tech companies plan to surf the AI wave:
Microsoft has gone the furthest in pushing out generative AI to consumers and has pledged to pump billions of dollars into OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT.
The Windows maker is hostilely testing the latest version of OpenAI’s GPT-3 technology in a beefed-up Bing search engine, with plans to add the tool to the easily accessible Windows 11 taskbar.
Microsoft is also planning to add GPT-3 to its Office suite, including Word and the Edge browser. The rollouts guarantee maximum exposure to the technology despite controversies about AI’s readiness for the general public.
Media reports of the chat technology going haywire surfaced soon after the Bing addition was introduced.
The Redmond, Washington-based company subsequently tweaked the program but has largely stayed on course.
SYDNEY: Facebook and Instagram started a week-long rollout of their first paid verification service on Friday, testing users’ willingness to pay for social media features that until now have been free.
Facing a drop in advertising revenues, parent company Meta is piloting a subscription in Australia and New Zealand before it appears in larger markets. The service will cost US$11.99 on the web and US$14.99 on the iOS and Android mobile platforms.
From Friday, subscribers Down Under who provide government-issued IDs can start applying for a verified badge, offering protection against impressions, direct entrance to customer support, and more visibility, according to the company.
“We’ll be gradually rolling out access to Meta Verified on Facebook and Instagram and expect to reach 100% availability within the first 7 days of the rollout,” a Meta spokesperson told AFP.
Some attempts to join Meta Verified from Sydney found the service was not available on the first day of the rollout.
In the latest bid to improve users’ experience, Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has rolled out a new feature for the iOS version of the app, WABetaInfo reported Saturday.
The new stable update is out on the App Store to use under the 23.3.77 version. The picture-in-picture mode on the instant messaging app has been introduced for video calls for all iPhone users.
This new feature will permit users to multitask during a WhatsApp call without their video being paused.
It has been officially announced by WhatsApp, however, some users are still unable to access it. The users will be able to entrance the feature over the coming weeks as mentioned in the changelog on the App Store, the WhatsApp news tracker stated
KARACHI: Digitalization offers innovative employment scenes to 23 per cent of Pakistan’s population that falls in the 20 to 34 years of age group and can add $60 billion to the Pakistan economy within the next seven to eight years.
The Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) has equipped a Digital Report 2022 titled, “Recommendations for Digital Transformation in Pakistan”.
The OICCI Managing Committee presented the Digital Report 2022 to the President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi, with an objective to set the country on its digital journey. The report covers suggestions on e-commerce, fintech, IT exports and web 3.0 technologies, etc.
The president showed his concern about the decline in business confidence influenced by the highly challenging political and economic situations during the last six months.
He also appreciated the OICCI for taking the lead in presenting recommendations to digitalize the economy.
If you were one to think that the future of banking and commerce was to be a purely digital one, it’s time you thought otherwise. The future is one where both seas meet; it is the union of digital and physical banking. Where physical banks are meeting the digital horizon, the same is true for the other side of the line, with the launch of debit cards like those for Sadapay, NayaPay, and now EasyPaisa, while they stay true to their digital natures with the introduction of virtual debit cards.
Features and Convenience of Use
EasyPaisa’s Visa Debit card, for one, allows the holder to make payments at over 90,000 card-accepting POS (point-of-sale) merchants dispersed around the country, while the money can be withdrawn from around 16,000 ATMs nationwide. The contactless version of the card uses NFC technology, which provides the cardholder with the ability to make payments by conveniently tapping the card on the merchant POS. Thus, QR codes and online cards are two features staying true to the digital side of the entity.
Contributing to the FinTech Landscape in Pakistan
The Virtual Debit Card is also a stepping stone to the strengthening of Fintech and, more specifically, the digital payments landscape in Pakistan. A milestone that will eventually be achieved with the burgeoning communal trust achieved by the product’s provision of security, whereby the technology in its chips deters and obstructs any copying and/or counterfeiting attempts. Doing so will hopefully boost consumer confidence and control in the practice of making digital payments, which was predominantly impeded by the client’s reservations with reference to online identity theft and fraud.
Promoting Financial Inclusivity
The box for financial inclusivity is conveniently checked with the card claiming to be the lowest-priced card in the market. This restores faith in the eventual aim of making financial literacy and participation equally accessible to all and any factions of society across the socioeconomic spectrum. The ease of creating an EasyPaisa account had already increased digital banking’s penetration among those at the lower end of the spectrum; with the Debit Card’s launch and ease of use, the effect of financial inclusivity is expected to climb up the ladder.
Here’s how you can get your card
To get your EasyPaisa Debit Card, order one from within the EasyPaisa app, or request one from the EasyPaisa helpline 3737 if you are a Telenor user, or from the number 042 111-003737 if you use any other network.
Once the card arrives, you must enter your 4-digit PIN for activation, either through the mobile app or the helpline.
According to a recent report by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is estimated to launch a foldable iPad in 2024. According to Kuo, the next iPad will not be released this year, and mass manufacturing of the new iPad Mini will start in Q1 of 2024.
These iPads will be manufactured by Anjie Technology and will contain a carbon fiber kickstand at their back.
Apple will “continue benefiting from the growing trends of foldable devices, equipped with kickstands in the future,” said Kuo. It’s likely that the kickstand Kuo mentioned will be fixed in the iPad case since foldables can easily stand without the need for a kickstand. On the other hand, the foldable iPad might not be as stable and need a kickstand at its back for support.
While the tech giant is currently undergoing a 15 per cent decline in tablet shipments, analysts believe that the announcement of the first foldable iPad will be a big break for the company.
Every year, mobile technology increasingly becomes the very core of our daily lives and the epicenter of innovation.
With these essential devices, we create and consume content that connects, inspires and entertains us. We stay immersed in the world of an epic game, even on the go. We keep up with colleagues and deadlines when we’re away from our desks. And we manage every part of our lives in one convenient place — from health and wellness habits to appointments, purchases, travel and more.
Our days revolve around these experiences, so people want devices they can depend on from brands they can trust. At the same time, global challenges like the climate crisis are making us rethink how we live. We have a responsibility to help create a better world now while working toward a more equitable and sustainable future. We believe mobile technology can be the catalyst to enrich people’s lives and help create that future we envision. And this is the reason why we do what we do in Samsung Electronics.
Setting New Performance Standards
There’s no better example of Samsung delivering on this vision than the Galaxy S series. This year, Galaxy S series has extended our innovation heritage by doubling down on our fundamentals.
That’s why our pro-grade camera system is getting smarter, offering the best photos and videos in any light among our Galaxy smartphones. Along with the hardware and software optimization, our newest chipset, born out of Samsung’s open partnership philosophy, enables the fastest and most powerful Galaxy performance. Our ecosystem connectivity is also getting easier and more seamless than ever.
At the top of the Galaxy S series is our Galaxy S Ultra. It’s the product you can trust to give you the best of the best with redefined performance and quality.
We fully merged the most beloved Galaxy Note experiences into Ultra, pioneering a smartphone with the power, performance and creative capabilities of two leading Galaxy innovations in one.
The Galaxy S Ultra has truly become the pinnacle of Samsung Mobile’s innovation, a marque that stands out against everything else, and soon we’ll show you what Ultra can do in even more device categories.
Innovation That Lasts
Performance is not just about more power. It’s also about innovation that lasts with less environmental impact.
We are committed to combatting climate change, and we are guided by our new environmental strategy that strives to make the technology we depend on more sustainable. That’s why we consider every phase of the product lifecycle with sustainability top of mind.
This means building devices that last longer with enhanced durability and reliability. This means incorporating more recycled materials into more components. This means collaborating with like-minded partners to bring people closer together and deliver positive change for people and the planet while setting new benchmarks for our industry.
Premium Experience Without Compromise
On February 1 at Unpacked, we’ll show how innovation and sustainability working together bring the ultimate premium experience.
At a time when the stakes are higher than ever, we’ve raised the bar by pushing boundaries for the mobile experience — delivering our most powerful mobile experiences you’ll continue to love for years to come.
The attractive Nawal Saeed, who recently returned to work after a well-deserved break, uploaded some delightful photos of herself wearing a flowery Haris Shakeel Pishwas. The diva looked absolutely stunning in it.
Nawal chose a simple remodeling, leaving her stunning locks open.
She completed her ensemble with delicate rings and adorable gold hoops.
Nawal is a rising model and actress from Pakistan. The 27-year-old is putting in a lot of effort to establish herself in the entertainment sector. In the well-known drama series Aik Larki Aam Si, she made her acting debut. Her work in popular drama series like Bezuban, Kabhi Band Kabhi Baja, and Dikhawa is adored by fans.
USD to PKR (Dollar Price in Pakistan Rupee) – US Dollar to Pakistani Rupee interbank exchange rate is PKR 228.91 as per Pakistan Interbank. This is the inter-bank closing currency exchange rate for the US Dollar to the Pakistani Rupee which is provided by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
Adan Fatima 