Category: Technology

Categories
Technology

Sarvam Kaze, India’s multilingual answer to Meta ray-ban

Bengaluru-based Sarvam AI has unveiled Kaze, its first AI-powered smart glasses, marking India’s formal entry into the global AI wearables segment. The device was showcased at the India AI Impact Summit, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi tested the glasses, signalling strong policy-level visibility for indigenous AI hardware.

Kaze is designed as a voice-driven, hands-free computing interface powered by Sarvam’s in-house foundational models, with a core focus on Indian language support and localised AI use cases. Through integrated cameras, microphones and open-ear audio, the glasses can process real-time visual context, respond to spoken queries and deliver contextual assistance without requiring users to access a smartphone.

The product targets enterprise and public-sector deployments in areas such as field services, education, accessibility, navigation and document workflows, alongside future consumer applications. Sarvam’s on-device and edge-optimised AI approach is expected to reduce latency and improve privacy for real-time interactions.

The launch places Kaze in direct comparison with Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, which currently leads the category with camera, audio and voice assistant features. However, Sarvam is betting on multilingual AI, India-specific workflows and domestic design-to-manufacture capabilities as key differentiators.

Also Read: Tata Sons moves to renew N. Chandrasekaran’s term

Categories
Technology

YouTube faces global outage, millions affected

On 17–18 February 2026, the video platform YouTube went down for users around the world, leaving many unable to watch videos or use the app properly. The outage affected countries including the US, India, the UK, Australia, and Mexico.

In the United States alone, over 3 lakh users reported problems on tracking site Downdetector. Users faced issues like blank homepages, error messages, videos not loading, and problems accessing related services such as YouTube Music, YouTube Kids, and YouTube TV.

Many users took to social media, including X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, to share their frustration. While some videos could still be accessed through direct links, the home page and recommended videos were often missing or not working.

YouTube confirmed the outage and said its engineering teams were working to fix the problem. The company explained that a glitch in its recommendation system, the feature that suggests videos and populates users’ home pages, was the main cause.

By Wednesday morning, YouTube announced that services across all platforms had been fully restored. Users could again access videos, playlists, recommendations, and related services without issues. The company thanked users for their patience during the disruption.

Also Read: NPCI rolls out UPI wallet for Global AI Summit visitors

Categories
Technology

Apple sets March 4 global launch event

Apple has announced a global event on March 4 called the “Special Apple Experience.” The event will have in‑person gatherings in New York, London, and Shanghai, starting at 9 am ET. Unlike the usual big keynote, this event is expected to be more interactive, letting the media get hands-on with new products.

While Apple hasn’t confirmed the lineup, industry reports point to several updates. The highlight could be the iPhone 17e, a budget-friendly addition to Apple’s latest smartphone series. Mac fans may see refreshed MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models powered by the new M5 chips, alongside a possible low-cost MacBook aimed at first-time users.

iPads could also get upgrades. The base iPad may feature a faster A18 chip, while the iPad Air is expected to get the M4 processor, boosting performance and AI features.

Apple has not yet confirmed if the event will be streamed online, but with multiple product launches likely, March 4 is shaping up to be one of the company’s key launch events this year.

Also Read: Elon Musk’s $850 bn fortune nears trillion mark

Categories
Technology

Nokia patent win stops Acer, Asus PC sales in Germany

Direct sales of Acer and Asus laptops and desktop PCs in Germany have been suspended after a patent ruling in favour of Nokia. The decision, delivered by the Munich I Regional Court, found that the two PC makers used the company’s video-coding technology without a valid licence.

The case centres on patents tied to High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), a widely used format that enables high-quality video streaming and playback on modern devices. The court said the vendors failed to meet FRAND obligations, allowing an injunction that blocks them from selling directly to customers in the country.

Following the order, Acer has shut its German online store, while Asus has listed several models as unavailable. The restriction applies only to their own sales channels, so consumers can still purchase devices through third-party retailers as long as stocks last.

The ruling is part of a broader global dispute over Nokia’s standard-essential patent portfolio. Industry analysts say the short-term impact on buyers will be limited, but prolonged supply disruptions could reduce product availability in one of Europe’s largest PC markets.

Both companies are expected to appeal the decision or negotiate a licensing deal that could restore normal sales. The outcome will be closely watched across the tech industry, where compliance with core multimedia patents has become a critical requirement for hardware makers.

Also Read: Summit marks India’s big play in AI

Categories
Technology

India AI Impact Summit greets skills, tech, leaders

The India AI Impact Summit 2026 commenced in New Delhi today, 16th February, at Bharat Mandapam, positioning the country as a key convening ground for global artificial intelligence strategy, cross-border investment and enterprise technology collaboration.

The five-day event brings together government leaders, multinational technology firms, venture capital stakeholders, research institutions and high-growth startups to accelerate scalable and responsible AI deployment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the India AI Impact Expo, a large-format showcase featuring more than 600 startups and multiple international pavilions. The expo highlights production-ready AI use cases across healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, agriculture, mobility and public digital platforms, with a focus on real-world enterprise integration rather than experimental innovation.

Confirmed participation by global leaders including Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron and Justin Trudeau underscores the growing alignment between AI policy, trade frameworks and supply-chain partnerships. Ministerial engagements and bilateral meetings are expected to prioritise semiconductor collaboration, trusted compute capacity, data governance standards and talent mobility.

For industry, the summit’s CEO roundtables and sector-focused tracks are centred on three strategic themes — workforce transformation, sustainable AI infrastructure and inclusive digital growth. Discussions are expected to translate into announcements around strategic alliances, R&D investments, innovation corridors and public–private partnerships.

The event also reflects India’s push to leverage its digital public infrastructure, deep developer base and expanding startup ecosystem to become a global AI development and deployment hub. With strong representation from venture funds and global system integrators, the platform is being viewed as a catalyst for capital deployment into India’s AI value chain.

Enhanced security protocols and traffic management measures have been implemented across central Delhi to ensure seamless movement of international delegations and business leaders.

From a corporate perspective, the summit signals a shift from policy intent to execution, with a clear emphasis on enterprise-scale adoption, future-ready skilling and long-term technology partnerships that can anchor India’s position in the global AI economy.

Also Read: Apple’s 6th India store to open in Borivali on Feb 26

Categories
Technology

Apple’s 6th India store to open in Borivali on Feb 26

Apple Inc. will open its sixth official retail store in India on February 26, expanding its presence in one of its fastest-growing markets. The new outlet will be located in Borivali, a key residential and commercial hub in Mumbai.

The store will open at the Oberoi Sky City Mall, becoming Apple’s second retail outlet in Mumbai after its flagship store at Apple BKC. With this launch, Apple continues to deepen its physical retail footprint across major Indian cities.

India has become an increasingly important market for Apple, both in terms of sales and manufacturing. The company has steadily expanded its retail operations to provide customers with direct access to its full product lineup, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and accessories.

The Borivali store will offer personalised services such as product setup, technical assistance at the Genius Bar, and Today at Apple sessions ,  free workshops designed to help customers explore photography, coding, creativity and more. Customers will also have access to Apple Trade In and pickup services.

Apple’s expansion strategy reflects its long-term commitment to India. By choosing Borivali, the company aims to serve customers in Mumbai’s western suburbs, making its products and services more accessible beyond central business districts.

Also Read: Uday Kotak takes charge as Chairman of GIFT City

Categories
Technology

NVIDIA brings GeForce NOW to Amazon Fire TV

NVIDIA has launched GeForce NOW on Amazon Fire TV Stick, letting users play PC games on their TVs without a console or gaming PC. The service streams games from NVIDIA’s cloud servers, so all processing happens remotely, while the gameplay is sent over the internet.

Supported Fire TV devices include Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (2nd Gen) and Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st & 2nd Gen). Players need a compatible controller and a stable internet connection to enjoy smooth gameplay. The games stream at 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second, giving TV viewers clear and responsive performance.

Gamers can access titles from popular PC stores like Steam, Epic Games Store, and Battle.net. NVIDIA also added eight new games to the service, including Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Mega Man 11, and the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection.

This launch brings cloud gaming into living rooms, letting people enjoy console-like experiences without extra hardware. Currently, Fire TV streaming is limited to 1080p and does not support HDR or 4K, but it offers an entry-level way to experience PC gaming on a TV.

By expanding to Fire TV, NVIDIA can compete with other cloud gaming platforms like Amazon Luna and Xbox Cloud Gaming, which also focus on TV streaming. The service is rolling out globally, but it is not yet available in India, with plans to expand regionally in the future.

Also Read: Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser’s $42 mn pay sparks debate

Categories
Technology

Global tech leaders gather for India AI Summit

India is set to host one of its biggest technology events yet — the India AI Impact Summit 2026,  in New Delhi from February 16 to 20. The summit is attracting some of the most powerful names in the global artificial intelligence industry, highlighting India’s growing importance in the AI world.

Top leaders expected to attend include Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis, and senior executives from Microsoft and Meta. French President Emmanuel Macron is also likely to be present. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver a keynote address during the event.

The summit will take place at Bharat Mandapam and is being described as one of the largest AI gatherings hosted in the Global South. The event will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, startups and students to discuss how AI can be used responsibly and effectively.

The focus of the summit is not just technology, but also business and real-world impact. India is seen as a major growth market for AI. It produces a huge amount of global data and has one of the world’s largest pools of skilled tech talent. For global companies, this represents strong business potential.

The event will include panel discussions, exhibitions, and AI competitions. Organisers have planned special programs to encourage youth and women innovators, with prize money for winning ideas. Topics will cover AI safety, economic growth, sustainability, healthcare, agriculture and education.

India wants to position itself as a key player in shaping global AI policies and innovation. By hosting such a large summit, the country aims to show that it is ready to lead conversations around responsible AI development while also creating business opportunities.

Also Read: Two xAI co-founders step down

Categories
Technology

Cisco launches AI networking chip

Cisco Systems has introduced a new networking chip and router designed to meet the growing demands of artificial intelligence workloads, positioning itself against rivals Nvidia and Broadcom.

The new chip, called Silicon One G300, is a high‑capacity switch chip that helps move massive amounts of data quickly and efficiently inside AI data centres. These environments require seamless communication between thousands of AI processors, and delays can slow down training and inference tasks.

Manufactured using 3‑nanometer technology by TSMC, the G300 is expected to be commercially available in the second half of 2026. Cisco says the chip includes built-in features to handle sudden spikes in network traffic, which it calls “shock absorber” capabilities. These features can automatically reroute data to prevent bottlenecks, improving performance for some AI tasks by up to 28%.

Cisco’s move highlights the growing importance of networking technology in the AI industry. While GPUs and AI accelerators get most of the attention, efficient data movement between devices is critical for large-scale AI systems to work effectively.

The G300 competes directly with Broadcom’s Tomahawk series and Nvidia’s AI networking chips. Cisco is targeting both large cloud providers and enterprises building their own AI clusters, betting that better network performance will be a key advantage as demand for AI infrastructure grows.

It is said that AI workloads are driving a surge in demand for faster, more reliable networking solutions. By focusing on high-speed chip design and intelligent traffic management, Cisco aims to capture a share of the $600 billion AI infrastructure market.

Also Read: Eicher Motors rises to ₹7,200 after Q3 profit jump

Categories
Technology

Alphabet raises $32 billion via bonds for AI push

Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, has raised nearly $32 billion through a series of global bond sales, marking one of the largest corporate debt offerings in recent years. The funds will primarily support the company’s aggressive expansion in artificial intelligence (AI), cloud infrastructure and data centres.

The fundraising was completed in less than 24 hours and included bonds issued in multiple currencies, such as US dollars, British pounds and Swiss francs. A notable highlight was the issuance of a rare 100-year sterling bond, a maturity that is uncommon for technology companies. The long-dated bond reportedly drew strong investor interest, reflecting confidence in Alphabet’s long-term business outlook.

The bond sale builds on a $20 billion US dollar issuance earlier and forms part of Alphabet’s broader financing strategy to meet rising capital expenditure needs. The company has significantly increased its investments in AI infrastructure as competition intensifies among global technology giants.

Investor appetite for high-quality corporate debt remains strong, particularly for companies with solid balance sheets like Alphabet. Market participants view the company as financially stable, with robust cash flows from its core advertising and cloud businesses. This strength enabled Alphabet to attract heavy demand across different maturities.

Several major tech firms are increasing spending to stay competitive in generative AI and advanced computing, leading to higher capital requirements.

Also Read: US edits India trade deal factsheet