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NEOM: The Manifestation of Saudi Arabia’s Futuristic Metropolis

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Deemed the jeweled project of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, NEOM, the crown’s $500 billion futuristic metropolis is attracting attention from the Kingdom and globally, bringing 10,000 steps forwards towards molding a city to incorporate human civilizations and modernization.

Famous for its oil-based economy, with primal revenue dependence on natural resources, the KSA is making the shift to turn from an oil-based country to a digital one by broadening its horizon through diversified initiatives, including its Saudi Vision 2030.

NEOM’s paramount economic potential will expand on various fundamental economic fronts, such as energy, food, media, water, mobility, tourism, sport, education, and much more, fixating the gaze of foreign investments on the prosperous nation.

NEOM will set the stage for Saudi Arabia’s next chapter, the New Future

Some of the most prominent investors and business owners from all around the globe are shifting their attention to the emerging megacity, with its extensive potentiality and promises of unique opportunities and advantages to enlarge their capital in the Kingdom.

Occupying one of the most strategic locations in the country, situated on one of the world’s most significant economic pathways, and intertwining three continents together, Asia, Europe, and Africa.

This means that almost 40 percent of the global population will easily be able to reach NEOM in a matter of four hours, and in most cases, even less. And let’s not forget that an estimate of 10 percent of the worldwide trade runs through the Red Sea – given that NEOM’s site is at the North of the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia’s innovative gem will welcome a rippling surge of comprehensive supply and innovation systems, working in favor of certain regulatory approaches accommodating specific international trade laws. Delivering the right infrastructural environment will place humanity at the helm of innovation, conveying the ingenuity of a futuristic experience.

By 2030, NEOM will transform Saudi Arabia into a global financial marketplace by renovating its thriving commercial and economic sectors for the Kingdom to realize its financial ambitions.

Investing in Saudi Arabia’s Vision

The ultra-modern futuristic metropolis will run a broad range of hard technologies, from human-machine fusion, artificial and predictive intelligence, robotics, and much more. For the Kingdom’s modernized vision to come to fruition, the region needs a much most considerable and heavier flow of capital to become the giga-project the nation hopes for.

In 2021, NEOM became more crystallized as to which direction investments are taking. While the project was initially financially endorsed by KSA’s sovereign wealth body, the Public Investment Fund, in 2017, the megacity has managed to attract more attention from foreign investors. 2021 marked a significant turning point for the project after witnessing some challenges since its initial announcement in 2017 when it was championed by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

The city’s construction is expected to accord almost $48 billion to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2o30 – is already being put into action with some massive earthworks and tunneling in the region’s mountains. This will build the proper infrastructure to house around 1,500 people, according to NEOM’s chief executive officer (CEO), Nadhmi Al-Nasr.

“It’s a huge undertaking. Today if you go to NEOM, you will see construction all over, you will see earthworks going all over, you will see regions that are being developed,” he told Bloomberg in October.

While the futuristic metropolis is attracting investments to contribute to NEOM’s development, two key projects will have a fundamental role in reshaping the city’s prospects, THE LINE and OXAGON.

THE LINE is a 105-mile-long green city that will incorporate private schools, clinics, leisure facilities, and open spaces. The ambitious project will deliver around 380,000 jobs and will be instrumental to Saudi Arabia’s 2030 GDP, which the government hopes to reach an estimate of $47 billion.

NEOM’s CEO said they hope to open the sustainable city’s doors to residents as soon as 2024.

THE LINE, however, won’t be the only structure ascending in the Hisma Desert. Officials in charge of the project welcomed 2022 with a launch of the eight-sided city, OXAGON.

OXAGON’s infrastructure is strictly industrial and will be “home to the world’s fully automated port and integrated logistics hub,” with one part of its hovering on the Red Sea, where some of the world’s trade passed in ships.

According to NEOM, the industrial hub will be based on promising innovations, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and more. This will serve well when creating a “seamless, integrated, intelligent, and efficient supply chain.”

NEOM 2021 Highlights 

In the face of the challenges this contemporary project encountered, NEOM has yet managed to stand still and fight off any skepticism and conundrums that have stood in its way since 2017.

In April, NEOM officials unveiled plans to build a plant to create around 10,000 hydrogen fuel cell-powered commercial vehicles a year. The company signed in 2021 various agreements with some of the biggest names in the industry, including U.S.-based Hyzon Motors – known for developing zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell-powered commercial vehicles.

In parallel, during that same month, the emergent sustainable city has also opened its doors from investments from Saudi-based investment conglomerate Modern Industrial Investment Holding Group to help build a sustainable ecosystem.

Two months later, NEOM officiated a deal with HanmiGlobal in June. The South Korean construction engineering firm will take charge of LINE’s administrative services, including design, structure, and execution.

During that same month, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, alongside NEOM, unveiled a prospect of a joint project to station the world’s most extensive coral garden by the rising-city borders at the Shusha Island in the Red Sea region.

The venture is set to be finalized in 2025. It will cover 100 hectares on the island on the shore of the crimson sea, with anticipations to place the region at the helm of sustainability, hoping to be perceived as a global center to secure and restore coral reefs.

The constructional initiatives directed at KSA’s futuristic metropolis did not end there, though, the month after, one of China’s most prominent began tunnel work pre-qualifications for China’s Railway Construction Corp. to start operating in July.

In October, the Public Investment Fund-owned company maintained the escalated successful strikes by hailing technology giant Oracle as the first-ever occupier of its hyper-scale data center in the technological metropolis.

“The data center will be based at the meeting point between terrestrial and sub-sea cable cables, allowing it to provide customers with fast and reliable connectivity,” according to Arab News.

Technology

What are the Ethical Issues in Biometrics?

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Ethical Issues in Biometrics

What is biometric identification? It is the process through which unique biological characteristics are used in biometric identification to recognize and validate a person. These characteristics can be found in facial traits, eye structures, DNA, fingerprint patterns, and even handwriting. All this data that can be gathered on an individual inevitably brings up the ethical issues in biometrics that need to be addressed.

Facial recognition and fingerprint scans were previously the domain of security, and they were utilized for identification and law enforcement. However, increasingly more business and civil applications are using biometrics authentication. Due to this increased use, it is crucial to address the moral and ethical issues in biometrics when used in the creation of new application and technology.

Applied biometrics and corporate ethics have received little empirical study despite the widespread use of biometric technologies. As a result, there is plenty of room for future study to help us better comprehend the moral consequences of adopting this technology.

This article examines the ethical concerns associated with the use of biometric technology on the use of biometrics for non-security applications as well as the moral ramifications for business.

Ethical Issues in Biometrics and Privacy

Biometric data takes privacy concerns to a whole new level that typical data gathering only touches on. Digital identities can be forged, and anonymity on the web can be maintained to a degree if you know how. Also, digital data can be deleted – if we forget that Meta (Facebook) has been revealed to store deleted data, which is an ethical concern in itself.

The problem with biometric data is that it is unforgeable, unconcealable, and permanent, You can’t change your eye structure, your fingerprint, or your facial features. Big tech companies already have your face, fingerprints, and your voice recorded and stored via current biometric authentication systems – mainly used for unlocking your phone. That data will be there forever, and there is little that people can do about it besides avoid it In the first place.

While many companies still give users the option of using a good old fashion passcode to unlock their phones, as technology as a whole tends to do, the biometric alternative is slowly gaining more traction, and will one day become the norm, as it is hard to argue its convenience and security. You can’t accidentally leave your eyeball at home or forget your fingerprint. But in the same sense, you can’t change it. If your childish curiosity while browsing the web put a black spot on your record, there’s no changing that.

Therein lies the question of who if anyone should have access to such data. Today’s tech giants have all our data in their hands, that won’t change with the spread of biometric verification methods. Indeed, it will only increase targeting capabilities.

While the collection of biometric data on its own does not necessarily mean it will be shared, monetized, or abused in any way, it never the less requires clear and strict guidelines and regulations to be implemented around it. There are too many things that can be abused by the wrong party when the ethical issues in biometrics are not taken seriously, and if such limitations are not applied stringently.


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Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro: Specs and Comparison   

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Oppo Reno 8

The Reno line of smartphones has always had a fantastic camera and an attractive design. The Reno 8 and 8 Pro include a 120Hz AMOLED display, the newest Dimensity chipsets, 80W fast charging, a 32-megapixel front camera, and triple 50-megapixel back cameras, among other notable features that make the Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro high-quality yet affordable option for anyone. 

Here we compare the two latest Oppo phone series iterations and see what to expect from the flagship Oppo smartphone, and how the Oppo Reno 8 and the Oppo Reno Pro stack up against each other. 

Oppo Reno 8 Specifications 

The Oppo Reno 8 has a smaller 6.43-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 1,080 by 2,400 pixels, a 90Hz refresh rate, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It also runs Android 12 with ColorOS 12.1 on top. Additionally, the display has an 800 nits maximum brightness and a 20:09 aspect ratio. An octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC, up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM, and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage are all found within the Oppo smartphone. 

The Reno 8 has a triple back camera configuration for pictures and movies, with a 50-megapixel main sensor and an f/1.8 lens as its focal point. Additionally, there is a 2-megapixel macro camera with a 112-degree field of view and an 8-megapixel sensor coupled with an f/2.2 ultra-wide angle lens. 

The Reno 8 offers 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS/A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C connector as connection options. An accelerometer, light, gyroscope, magnetometer, and a proximity sensor are among the sensors on board. For biometric verification, the phone also has a fingerprint sensor hidden behind the display. A 4,500mAh battery inside the Oppo Reno 8 supports 80W Super Flash Charge quick charging. The phone weighs 179 grams and has dimensions of 160 x 73.4 x 7.67mm. 

Oppo Reno 8 Pro Specifications 

A 6.7-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,412) AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection is included with the Oppo Reno 8 Pro. Running on top of Android 12 is ColorOS 12.1. Additionally, the display supports HDR10+ and is certified by Netflix HD, Amazon HDR, SGS Low Motion Blur, and SGS Low Blue Light. The MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Max SoC, which has eight cores, and up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM power the smartphone. Storage on the Oppo Reno 8 Pro is UFS 3.1 capable of up to 256GB. 

The Oppo Reno 8 Pro boasts a triple rear camera arrangement with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 main sensor and an f/1.8 lens, an 8-megapixel sensor and an ultra-wide lens with an f/2.2 aperture and a 112-degree field of view, and a 2-megapixel macro camera with an f/2.4 aperture. Along with the MariSilicon X NPU, the phone’s camera will offer generally better performance in both bright and dim light. It has a 32-megapixel front-facing camera sensor with an f/2.4 lens for taking selfies and making video calls. 

The phone has 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS/A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C connector as connectivity options. An accelerometer, a light meter, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a proximity sensor are among the sensors built into the phone. For biometric authentication, the phone also contains a fingerprint sensor underneath the touchscreen. The smartphone has a 4,500mAh battery that supports rapid charging at 80W Super Flash Charge. The phone weighs 183 grams and has dimensions of 161 x 74.2 x 7.34mm. 

Both the Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro are prime smartphones that can fit any user’s preferences and can be considered premium smartphones on the cheaper side. If you like photography, you will be satisfied with the level of quality overall, but keep in mind that neither phone is particularly water resistant, so be careful where you take it.  


Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles. 

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Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: How do They Compare Today

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Electric Cars vs Gas Cars

Many prefer the rumbling ‘vroom’ of a gasoline car to the soft hum of an electric vehicle, while others would rather just be satisfied in the knowledge that they are lessening their carbon footprint. Let’s look at the cold hard facts however, and compare electric cars vs gas cars

Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Components

The amount of moving components is an important distinction between electric and gasoline-powered automobiles. While a gasoline-powered car contains hundreds of moving components, an electric vehicle just has one, the motor. Another significant distinction is that the electric car has fewer moving components. The electric car is more dependable and needs less routine maintenance. The maintenance needed for a gasoline-powered car ranges from routine oil changes, filter replacements, tune-ups, and exhaust system repairs to less frequent component replacements including water and fuel pumps, alternators, and so on.

Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Maintenance

The expenses associated with maintaining an electric car are reduced since there are less maintenance requirements. The shaft, the only moving component of the electric motor, is extremely dependable and needs little to no maintenance. The controller and charger are electrical devices that require minimal to no maintenance because they have no moving components. Modern sealed lead acid batteries are maintenance free and utilized in electric cars nowadays. However, these batteries have a finite lifespan and will eventually need to be replaced. New batteries are being developed to increase the range of electric cars as well as the battery pack’s lifespan, perhaps eliminating the need to replace the battery pack throughout the course of the vehicle’s lifespan.

Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Efficiency

In addition to being simpler and less expensive to repair than gasoline-powered vehicles, electric vehicles are also more cost-effective to run. The electric car will drive roughly 43 miles for $1 based on the efficiency of 3 miles/kwhr and the cost of power at 7 cents per kwhr. The gasoline-powered car will go roughly 18 miles based on the average gas mileage of 22 miles per gallon and the price of gasoline at $1.25 per gallon. As a result, an electric car may drive more than twice as far on a dollar’s worth of petrol.

Where Electric Falls Behind

There are still a number of difficulties for the owner of an electric car despite the fact that it will be less expensive to operate and maintain.

The primary issue is the restricted range offered by existing battery technology. The amount of driving distance possible utilizing the current batteries is between 50 and 150 miles. These ranges are being extended by new battery technologies, and prototypes of these batteries have shown ranges of up to 200 miles between recharging. Solar powered charging stations are being implemented in numerous places to decrease range anxiety towards electric vehicles

The lack of qualified service professionals to repair and maintain electric cars is another issue that faces their owners. A two-year associate degree program has been developed to train high school graduates to become proficient electric vehicle technicians, and training programs are being developed and made available to upgrade the conventional automotive technician with the skills needed to maintain an electric vehicle.

Infrastructure to recharge the batteries is also required. The most important component of the infrastructure for recharging already exists: electric power is accessible practically everywhere. To support the electric car, it is still necessary to guarantee that charging stations with the right sorts of service (i.e., maximum voltage and current) are placed in important areas. Plans must also be made.


Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.

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