News Analysis India

Tag: X

  • Elon Musk Plans To Relocate 1 million People To Mars |

    New Delhi: Billionaire Elon Musk on Sunday announced plans to shift one million people to Mars. “We are mapping out a game plan to get a million people to Mars,” Musk wrote in a post on X.com. “Civilisation only passes the single-planet Great Filter when Mars can survive even if Earth supply ships stop coming,” he added.

    He said this in response to a post which said “Starship is the largest rocket ever built and it’ll take us to Mars”. “One day, a trip to Mars will be like a flight across the country,” replied Musk, to users who asked about the launch of Starship to the Red Planet. (Also Read: How A Security Researcher Defrauded Apple For $2.5 Million- Read Full Story)

    Last week, the SpaceX founder said that the “Starship should be able to make it to the moon in less than 5 years”. He noted that the SpaceX Dragon spaceship will take astronauts the furthest they’ve been from Earth in over half a century. Musk added that a lot of work will be required to live on Mars. (Also Read: Google Takes Action Against Misinformation In Europe; Check Details)

    Further, in January, Musk said he hopes that SpaceX will send humans to the Moon within the next eight years. “What will things be like eight years from now…I think we will have landed on Mars and I think we will have sent people to the Moon,” Musk said.

    He also aims to build a base on the Moon. “Humanity should have a moon base, cities on Mars and be out there among the stars,” the X owner said. “We should have a base on the moon, like a permanently occupied human base on the moon, and then send people to Mars. Maybe there’s something beyond the space station, but we’ll see,” he had said in the past.

    Musk also hopes that the third Starship flight test this year will reach orbit and prove the spacecraft can reliably deorbit.

  • Elon Musk Plans To Stop Using Phone Number And Rely Solely On X For Texts And Calls |

    New Delhi: Renowned tech billionaire Elon Musk has made headlines once again, this time with his announcement to discontinue the use of his phone number in favor of relying solely on the social media platform X for messaging, audio, and video calls.

    “In a few months, I will discontinue my phone number and only use X for texts and audio/video calls,” Musk wrote on X. Musk’s decision is viewed as a way to boost the popularity of X’s audio and video calling functions. These features were first launched in October last year. Since then, Musk has been actively advocating for X to expand into a comprehensive application. (Also Read: Instagram Could Introduce AI-Assisted Messaging For Writing Messages: Report)

    In a few months, I will discontinue my phone number and only use X for texts and audio/video calls
    — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 9, 2024

    The app introduced a preliminary version of its audio and video calling feature last year, which was initially accessible to only a few users. Last month, the microblogging platform rolled out the feature to make audio and video calls directly from the app for Android users. (Also Read: Apple Rolls Out Redesigned iCloud App For Windows)

    Reacting to Musk’s post, several users shared their thoughts. “Elon in 2027 – I am no longer using my phone to text or for audio visual. I am using my brainwaves and neural flonk link 47.2,” a user wrote.

    “Will it be encrypted or will the alphabet agencies be listening,” another user said. One more user mentioned, “Where will you receive OTPs for bank transactions?”. Meanwhile, X has topped Apple’s App Store charts in terms of downloads.

    “X is now the #1 most downloaded app of any kind!,” Musk posted.

    As Musk continues to push the boundaries of innovation, his decision to embrace X as his primary communication platform underscores the growing influence of social media in shaping the way we connect and communicate in the digital age. (With IANS Inputs)

  • Meta’s X Rival Threads Has 130 Million Active Users Now |

    New Delhi: Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared that Threads, Meta’s text-based conversation app, has achieved a milestone with over 130 million monthly active users. This figure surpasses the peak levels Threads experienced immediately after its launch in July 2023.

    During Meta’s earnings call, Zuckerberg expressed his optimism regarding Threads’ continued growth, emphasizing ongoing improvements and increasing user engagement. He highlighted that the current active user count exceeds the initial surge observed at the app’s launch. (Also Read: Dating In Digital Era: Russian Man Unveils ChatGPT’s Role In Crafting His Love Story, Read)

    Back in July 2023, Zuckerberg had ambitious plans for Threads, envisioning it as Meta’s next billion-user platform alongside established platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. While it’s still early days, Threads seems to be making significant strides. (Also Read: India’s Stock Exchanges Cut Paytm Daily Trading Limits To 10% After Rout)

    In comparison to X (formerly Twitter) with around 550 million monthly active users, Threads has room for growth. Meta is actively investing to scale the app, addressing initial usage decline issues by swiftly introducing key features like keyword search and multiple account support.

    Meta’s focused efforts on enhancing Threads with features such as editing capabilities, voice posts, improved discovery, and more have yielded positive results.

    Daily downloads nearly tripled to 28 million in December. The app’s expansion into the EU and increased integration with Instagram profiles further contributed to its growth.

    Looking ahead, Meta’s CFO stated that the company is committed to scaling Threads’ community even further by introducing additional features and enhancements throughout 2024.

  • Elon Musk’s X To Bring Audio And Video Calls For Android Users; Details Inside |

    New Delhi: Elon Musk’s project in a recent update of X(formerly twitter) is unveiling a new functionality that enables Android users to initiate audio and video calls directly within the app. This information was shared by Enrique, an engineer at X, who mentioned that Android users can utilize this feature by performing a effortless app update.

    Launched in its initial version on iOS in October, the calls feature enables users to connect directly on the platform without the need for phone numbers. X engineer Enrique on Friday announced in a post “Audio and video calls on X slowly rolling out for Android users today! Update your app and call your mother,” 

    This feature will be limited to premium users. Users can control their preferences for audio and video calls by going to Settings > Privacy and Safety > Direct Messages. Within these settings, users can specify who can start calls, with choices ranging from people in their address book, those they follow, and verified users. Users also have the option to choose multiple preferences from these categories.

    X introduced a new entry-level paid subscription for verified organizations earlier this month available at $200 per month or $2,000 per year. This basic tier for verified organizations includes a gold check-mark badge and various extra advantages, providing a more affordable option compared to the “full access” tier which is priced at $1,000 per month.

    The company recently clarified that the new subscription tier, tailored for smaller businesses offers subscribers benefits such as advertising credits and priority support. This strategic move is intended to assist smaller organizations in achieving faster growth on the X platform by providing them with a cost-effective yet impactful way to enhance their visibility and engagement.

  • Instagram Faces Outage In United States; Social Media Flooded With Memes |

    New Delhi: Instagram users in the United States were hit by a service outage on Friday, causing inconvenience to many who reported issues with sending or receiving direct messages (DMs). Complaints flooded social media platforms, especially X (Twitter), with users expressing frustration over the disruption.

    Downdetector, an internet outage tracking portal, recorded a peak in reports around 6 PM EST, with more than 1500 users reporting problems. (Also Read: In Pics: From Aziz Premji To Sajjan Jindal, Where Are Next Gen Of These Biz Tycoons Are Studying, Or Have Studied From; Check Here)

    User Complaints On Social Media

    Social media users voiced their concerns about the Instagram outage on X, highlighting the inability to respond to DMs. (Also Read: HDFC And Axis Bank Closed On January 22 For Ayodhya Ram Temple Event)

    Some complained about the issue persisting for hours, seeking prompt resolution from Instagram. The majority of complaints, about 85 percent, were related to issues with the application, while 12 percent reported problems with the website, and 3 percent faced feed-related problems.

    No Response From Meta Yet

    As of now, Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has not issued a response or statement regarding the reported outage. Users are awaiting an official acknowledgment and solution from the platform.

    Previous Server Connection Issues

    This is not the first time Instagram has faced technical difficulties. In November last year, over 10,000 users globally, including around 1000 in India, reported server connection problems, impacting the user experience.

    New Feature For Teen Accounts

    In a separate development, Instagram is introducing a new feature called “nighttime nudges” for teen accounts. This feature aims to encourage responsible usage and limit screen time on the application for younger users.