Three-quarters of all responses were machine-generated in failed attempt to stop bill from passing into law, research finds
AI bots flooded a government consultation with tens of thousands of fake responses in a failed attempt to stop the UK’s ban on disposable vapes.
Three-quarters of all the responses to the 2023 consultation on the tobacco and vapes bill were machine-generated, in what is thought to be the first coordinated attempt to use AI to derail health policymaking in the UK.
Democrats are preparing for potential election interference after a series of remarks from President Trump and actions from his administration targeting a swath of states. The Department of Justice (DOJ) preemptively filed a lawsuit last week in Alaska that could block certification of results if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses reelection, arguing that a win…
Democrats are preparing for potential election interference after a series of remarks from President Trump and actions from his administration targeting a swath of states. The Department of Justice (DOJ) preemptively filed a lawsuit last week in Alaska that could block certification of results if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses reelection, arguing that a win…
Meghan McCain, former Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) daughter, predicts that convicted Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes will get a pardon from President Trump. “One of my hottest, hot takes is that Elizabeth Holmes will eventually get a Trump pardon,” McCain wrote on the social platform X. She shared her thoughts in another post, asking comedian and…
Meghan McCain, former Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) daughter, predicts that convicted Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes will get a pardon from President Trump. “One of my hottest, hot takes is that Elizabeth Holmes will eventually get a Trump pardon,” McCain wrote on the social platform X. She shared her thoughts in another post, asking comedian and…
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced on Tuesday that it has filed a lawsuit against the state of Utah to stop the state’s efforts to shut down CFTC-registered contract markets. The lawsuit follows a lengthy battle the state has been fighting against prediction markets. In August, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the…
The Federal Election Commission’s electronic filing system has been down for hours on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson who confirmed the agency’s IT teams are working to restore the service. According to the FEC’s incident update page, the agency said Monday night it is “investigating this issue,” stating the FEC filing system is down. An…
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is pushing for advertising targeting Republican candidates over their record on AI and data centers in dozens of key House races, as technology-related issues take on new significance in the midterm elections. In a report shared first with The Hill, the Tech Oversight Project noted that House Democrats’ official…
Prediction market platform Kalshi is expanding protections for young traders aged 18-20, which includes a new default monthly deposit limit. Accounts in the age range will default to a $2,500 monthly deposit limit, Kalshi announced in a press release Tuesday. They will be automatically placed into “special accounts” that will have extra protections and…
The risks laid out by the San Francisco company in its filing Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission range from the mundane to involvement in cyberattacks and the spread of dangerous misinformation.
President Trump said Tuesday that he was banning the term artificial intelligence “in all relevant documents and everything else.” “In short order, we will be officially BANNING the term, ‘AI/Artificial Intelligence,’ in all relevant documents, and everything else, due to its inaccuracy,” he wrote on Truth Social. Trump hit on The Wall Street Journal for…
Buying latest iPhone 18 pro maxis not light on pocket, as the price starts at Rs6Lac for basic model and it goes up to a million for top of the line variant. But, if you dont want to spend that much in one go, there are installment plans for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, with monthly payments starting as low as Rs26,837.
The facility allows customers to purchase Apple’s flagship smartphones through repayment plans ranging from three to 36 months, with zero-markup options available on selected tenures. The offer covers PTA-approved iPhones distributed by Mercantile, an Apple-authorized distributor in Pakistan, and includes a device protection plan and a two-year warranty.
iPhone 18 Prices in Pakistan
Storage
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro Max
256GB
Rs565,000
Rs605,000
512GB
Rs649,999
Rs690,000
1TB
Rs819,999
Rs860,000
2TB
Rs1,075,000
Rs1,115,000
iPhone 18 Pro Installment Plans in Pakistan
Customers purchasing the iPhone 18 Pro can select shorter installment periods with higher monthly payments or longer financing durations with smaller monthly installments.
Model
3 Months
6 Months
9 Months
12 Months
256GB
Rs188,333
Rs94,167
Rs62,778
Rs47,083
512GB
Rs216,666
Rs108,333
Rs72,222
Rs54,167
1TB
Rs273,333
Rs136,667
Rs91,111
Rs68,333
2TB
Rs358,333
Rs179,167
Rs119,444
Rs89,583
Long-Term Installments for iPhone 18 Pro
Model
18 Months
24 Months
36 Months
256GB
Rs42,438
Rs34,620
Rs26,837
512GB
Rs48,822
Rs39,828
Rs30,875
1TB
Rs61,591
Rs50,245
Rs38,949
2TB
Rs80,745
Rs65,870
Rs51,062
iPhone 18 Pro Max Installment Plans in Pakistan
The iPhone 18 Pro Max is also available through the installment facility, offering repayment options for customers interested in Apple’s larger premium smartphone.
Under the 12-month plan, the 256GB Pro Max costs Rs50,417 per month. The amount drops to Rs37,071 with a 24-month repayment schedule and Rs28,737 for 36 months.
Meanwhile, the top-end 2TB variant requires monthly payments of Rs92,917 under the 12-month plan or Rs52,962 when financed over three years.
Model
3 Months
6 Months
9 Months
12 Months
256GB
Rs201,667
Rs100,833
Rs67,222
Rs50,417
512GB
Rs230,000
Rs115,000
Rs76,667
Rs57,500
1TB
Rs286,667
Rs143,333
Rs95,555
Rs71,667
2TB
Rs371,667
Rs185,533
Rs123,889
Rs92,917
Long-Term Installments for iPhone 18 Pro Max
Model
18 Months
24 Months
36 Months
256GB
Rs45,442
Rs37,071
Rs28,737
512GB
Rs51,827
Rs42,279
Rs32,775
1TB
Rs64,596
Rs52,696
Rs40,849
2TB
Rs83,749
Rs68,321
Rs52,962
Processing Fees and Zero-Markup Installment Options
According to the advertised financing schedule, three- and six-month installment plans carry no processing fee. However, customers choosing nine- or 12-month financing face processing charges of 5% and 12%, respectively.
The processing fee for 18-, 24-, and 36-month plans is listed at 2.5%.
Installment Tenure
Processing Fee
3 Months
0%
6 Months
0%
9 Months
5%
12 Months
12%
18 Months
2.5%
24 Months
2.5%
36 Months
2.5%
Although the 36-month option offers smaller monthly installments, it increases the overall cost of purchasing the smartphone. A buyer choosing the iPhone 18 Pro 256GB at Rs26,837 per month would pay approximately Rs966,132 over 36 months, compared with its listed retail price of Rs565,000.
Purchasing the iPhone 18 Pro Max 256GB through 36 monthly installments of Rs28,737 would result in payments totaling approximately Rs1,034,532, excluding any additional charges. Customers should therefore compare the full repayment amount rather than deciding solely on the advertised monthly installment.
The important lesson is not that humans are obsolete; it is that the automation rate on real freelance work has risen from near-floor performance to a level businesses can no longer dismiss.
Anthropic, developer of AI chatbot Claude, has filed its prospectus and is expected to go public on Wall Street in November at a valuation of up to US$2 trillion. That would make it the highest-valued initial public offering (IPO) ever, ahead of SpaceX’s $1.77 trillion listing in June. OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, is expected […]
No private individual should have the power to determine US foreign policy, as Musk has attempted to do in Ukraine
He’s Exhibit A on why billionaire wealth should be taxed, why we must get big money out of politics, why billionaires shouldn’t be allowed to buy up major media, and why our government shouldn’t give them huge military contracts.
Apple unveiled redesigned iPad mini, with OLED display, smarter processor, water resistance and a slimmer body to its smallest tablet, while preparing for another major product announcement that could transform the future of MacBooks, just after the company comes up with first ever foldable phone which seems a ipad when opened.
The new iPad mini is one of the biggest upgrades in the device’s history. However, the improvements come at a higher price, with the entry-level model starting at $699, significantly above the previous generation. The launch comes as Apple prepares for its October 28–29 “Pro and Tell” event in Los Angeles, where the company is widely expected to introduce its first touchscreen MacBook Pro laptops.
One of the most noticeable changes is the replacement of the iPad mini’s traditional LCD panel with an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display.The previous model featured an 8.3-inch screen, but Apple has managed to increase the display size without substantially enlarging the device. This has been achieved by reducing the surrounding bezels by approximately 24%.
The OLED technology promises deeper blacks, richer colors and improved contrast, making the tablet better suited for watching videos, editing photos, reading and gaming.
Brightness has also received a major boost. The new display can reach 1,200 nits when showing HDR content, while full-screen SDR brightness is approximately 600 nits. Apple is offering an optional nano-texture glass finish on higher-storage configurations to reduce reflections. Despite these improvements, the company has not announced a 120Hz ProMotion display, indicating that the new iPad mini is expected to retain a 60Hz refresh rate.
The updated iPad mini measures approximately 5.4mm in thickness and weighs around 255 grams in its Wi-Fi configuration. These changes make it thinner and lighter than its predecessor, improving portability without sacrificing screen space. For the first time, an iPad mini also carries an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, offering additional protection against accidental exposure to moisture and dust.
Inside the tablet, Apple has installed its A20 Pro chip, replacing the A17 Pro used in the previous generation. The processor is designed to offer faster everyday performance, stronger graphics capabilities and more efficient artificial intelligence processing. However, not every version of the tablet necessarily carries the same chip configuration. Some lower-storage models use variants with fewer active processing or Neural Engine cores.
The camera system includes a 12-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel front-facing camera positioned along the landscape edge. The front camera supports Center Stage, allowing users to remain in frame during video calls.
New iPad Mini Price, Pre-Orders
Model
Starting price
iPad mini Wi-Fi (128GB)
$699
iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular
$849
Previous iPad mini original launch price
$499
Customers can choose between 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage capacities. Pre-orders open on October 28 at 10:10 a.m. Pacific Time in the United States, while retail availability begins November 6.
EcoStar has introduced its new 100-inch Smart 4K QD Mini LED TV in Pakistan, bringing a bigger, more immersive entertainment experience to modern homes. Combining advanced display technology, smooth performance, and premium sound, the latest addition to EcoStar’s television lineup is designed to transform everyday entertainment, whether it’s watching movies, following live sports, or enjoying gaming sessions with friends and family.
At the heart of the television is QD Mini LED technology, combining Quantum Dot technology with Mini LED backlighting to deliver vibrant colours, deeper blacks, and impressive picture detail. Its 4K Ultra HD resolution and local dimming technology enhance clarity and contrast, while Dolby Vision and HDR10 support bring greater depth and richness to on-screen visuals.
No two people experience entertainment quite the same way. Some look forward to movie nights, others live for the excitement of a cricket match, while gaming enthusiasts have an entirely different world to explore. It’s this individuality that sits at the heart of EcoStar’s “Your World, Your Way” campaign, where cinema, sports, and gaming each find their place.
The Cinema World takes centre stage with an expansive 100-inch display that transforms movie nights and favourite dramas into larger-than-life experiences. QD Mini LED technology and Dolby Vision bring scenes to life with vivid colours, enhanced contrast, and remarkable detail, while Dolby Atmos and a premium 4.1-channel sound system with a built-in subwoofer deliver fuller sound and deeper bass. From an action-packed blockbuster to a quiet, emotional scene, the television creates a cinematic atmosphere that makes every story more engaging.
For sports enthusiasts, the Sports World brings the excitement of the stadium closer to home. A higher refresh rate delivers smoother motion, making fast-moving cricket matches, football games, and other sporting moments more enjoyable to watch. Combined with the expansive display, vibrant picture quality, and immersive audio, the television captures the energy of every boundary, goal, and match-winning moment, turning live sports into a shared experience for friends and family.
For gaming enthusiasts, the Gaming World brings together speed, precision, and impressive visuals. The television’s 144Hz native refresh rate delivers smoother gameplay, while support for up to 288Hz through DLG technology enhances motion performance in compatible gaming modes. HDMI 2.1 connectivity allows gamers to connect compatible consoles such as the PlayStation 5, while QD Mini LED technology adds richer colours, sharper details, and greater visual depth to the gaming experience.
Beyond these entertainment worlds, the television offers the convenience of Google TV powered by Android 14. Built-in Chromecast makes it easy to cast supported content from compatible devices to the big screen, while Google Assistant enables voice commands for searching entertainment and navigating smart features. With 3GB RAM, 64GB internal storage, and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, the television brings smart functionality into everyday use.
Recognizing that every home has different entertainment needs, EcoStar’s QD Mini LED TV range is available in 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, and 100-inch sizes, allowing consumers to choose the screen that best suits their living space and viewing preferences.
With this launch, EcoStar continues to strengthen its premium television portfolio in Pakistan, bringing together innovation, performance, and thoughtful design to make everyday entertainment more rewarding. Whether it’s cinema, sports, or gaming, EcoStar makes room for every preference, because it’s “Your World, Your Way.”
Consumers can explore the complete QD Mini LED TV range, compare available screen sizes, and check the latest prices and specifications on the official EcoStar website.To discover more about the flagship model and its features, visit the EcoStar 100-inch Smart 4K QD Mini LED TV.
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