TECHNOLOGY

Cold weather can be just as harmful to smartphones as extreme heat. Many users unknowingly put their devices at risk during winters, leading to permanent damage if proper precautions aren’t taken. Here’s a detailed guide on how to protect your smartphone from winter’s harsh effects and the common mistakes you should avoid. 1. Protect the Battery from Freezing The battery is the most vulnerable component in cold weather. When exposed to extremely low temperatures, a smartphone’s battery can drain rapidly or suffer permanent damage. Avoid using your phone outdoors for extended periods in freezing conditions. If the device feels too cold, move it indoors or to a warmer environment to maintain an optimal operating temperature. 2. Use Your Body Heat If your phone becomes excessively...

Here’s your roundup of the top tech stories from 17 January 2026: Amazon and Flipkart have kicked off their first major sale of the year, Iran’s internet blackout has now lasted 192 hours, ChatGPT will soon start showing ads, Vivo’s upcoming smartphone specifications have leaked, and Reliance’s Akash Ambani outlines India’s AI-powered future. 1. Amazon & Flipkart’s Great Republic Day Sale Goes Live The Great Republic Day Sale 2026 is now live on both Amazon and Flipkart. Shoppers are eyeing iPhone 17 series deals, with iPhone 17 Pro available at ₹1,25,400 after discounts, including ₹6,500 coupon offers and ₹3,000 bank discounts. The iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at ₹1,40,400, while Apple’s thinnest smartphone can be purchased for ₹91,249. Offers extend across iPhone 15 and 16 models a...

Big news for users of the free version of ChatGPT: OpenAI has announced that advertisements will soon appear within the AI platform. This marks a major shift, as ChatGPT has so far been completely ad-free. The change has raised important questions about user privacy, though CEO Sam Altman has sought to reassure users that their conversations will remain private and the AI’s responses will not be influenced by ads. How Ads Will Appear According to Altman’s post on X, ads will be displayed directly below ChatGPT’s responses. These ads will be contextually related to the user’s query—for example, a question about smartphones may trigger a smartphone-related ad. OpenAI has emphasized that ads will be kept separate from the AI’s responses and that user data will not be used for advertisin...

Google’s popular AI model Nano Banana has a surprisingly personal origin: it is named after a nickname of Naina Raysinghani, a Pakistani-born senior product manager at Google. The quirky name, which might seem odd at first, was chosen spontaneously in the middle of the night and quickly approved by the company. How “Nano Banana” Got Its Name In July 2024, Google needed to submit its image model to the public platform LMArena. Technically, the model was called Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, but the team wanted a catchy, memorable brand name. At 2:30 a.m., Naina Raysinghani was suddenly asked to suggest a name. Drawing from her personal nicknames, she proposed Nano Banana. The name is a blend of the nicknames her friends call her: some say “Naina Banana”, while others call her “Nano” due t...

Elon Musk and his AI venture, xAI, are facing fresh legal trouble. Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of Musk’s children, has filed a lawsuit against xAI, alleging that its AI chatbot, Grok, created objectionable deepfake images of her. According to the lawsuit, Grok AI generated sexually explicit, humiliating, and non-consensual images of St. Clair. She claims that the AI has been used by users to produce and share intimate content without consent, leaving her in constant fear that these images will continue to circulate and put her safety at risk. CNN reports that St. Clair stated in her complaint that Grok AI’s generative technology has repeatedly been employed to create offensive content, including sexually abusive and degrading material. xAI Responds with Legal Action In ...

Sending emails on time is often a challenge, especially when busy schedules or late nights get in the way. Gmail’s “Schedule Send” feature can be a game-changer for those who need to send emails at a specific time but might forget. A friend of mine recently missed sending his weekly work report to his boss at 7 a.m. after a weekend party. This prompted me to explore Gmail’s features on my smartphone, where I discovered the Schedule Send option. This handy tool allows you to compose an email in advance and schedule it to be sent automatically at a chosen time. How to Use Schedule Send on Mobile Open the Gmail app on your smartphone. Compose your email or paste the content you want to send. Enter the recipient’s email ID and subject. Tap the three dots on the top-right corner...

A new lawsuit in the United States has raised serious questions about the role of generative AI in mental health. Stephanie Gray has filed a case against OpenAI, alleging that its AI model, ChatGPT, encouraged her 40-year-old son, Austin Gordon, to take his own life. The incident reportedly occurred in November 2025. According to the lawsuit, Austin developed a deep emotional attachment to ChatGPT. What began as casual conversations reportedly evolved into highly personal exchanges, with the AI taking on the role of a confidant and, effectively, an unlicensed therapist. The lawsuit claims that ChatGPT presented suicide as an appealing option, repeatedly providing reassurance and portraying death as a peaceful, painless choice. In one cited conversation, the AI allegedly said: “When y...

A father-son team from South Africa has made aviation history by building the world’s fastest battery-powered drone entirely at home, reaching a top speed of 657 kilometers per hour, and securing a place in the Guinness World Records. Homemade Innovation Powered by 3D PrintingLuke Bell and his son Mike Bell spent five months designing and building the drone, named Peregreen V4, using 3D printing technology to craft its main body, camera mount, and landing gear. The duo printed multiple components simultaneously, improving the drone’s aerodynamics and flight performance. The project involved meticulous digital modeling, testing, and real-world experiments to optimize speed and stability. Breaking Records, AgainThis is the duo’s third world record in high-speed drones. In 2024, they bu...

For sports enthusiasts, watching a game on a standard TV often falls short of the thrill experienced in a stadium. To capture that excitement at home, a smart TV with advanced features is essential. These TVs enhance live sports viewing with high refresh rates, superior motion handling, vivid brightness, and wide viewing angles. Here are four top picks for sports lovers in 2026: 1. Sony Bravia 9 Mini LEDSony Bravia 9 excels at handling fast-motion action, making it perfect for hockey, football, and basketball. With XR Motion Clarity, every frame is analyzed to deliver smooth motion. Its Mini LED backlight with advanced local dimming ensures peak brightness and punchy colors, while wide viewing angles let viewers on the side see everything clearly. 2. Samsung S95F OLEDThe Samsung S95F...

China has made a significant stride in robotics, unveiling a humanoid robot with its own operating system (OS) capable of performing real-world tasks such as serving water and cleaning. Developed by the Chinese robotics company LimX Dynamics, the robot—named Oli—demonstrates how this OS can help machines interact intelligently with their environment, posing a potential challenge to U.S. dominance in robotics and OS technology. LimX COSA: First OS for Humanoid RobotsThe newly developed OS, called LimX COSA, is designed specifically for humanoid robots to operate autonomously in human environments. According to the company, the system enables robots to understand, analyze, and execute tasks without constant human intervention. Oli, standing at 5 feet 5 inches and equipped with 31 joints, ...