India has about 52 per cent of consumers who spend the least amount of time on the Internet even as 56 per cent of them say it's easier to find products and services online than through friends and family, a study by Swedish telecom gearmaker Ericsson said. According to a study by Ericsson ConsumerLab, 52 per cent are in the un-networked group, one that carves out the least number of hours for the Internet. Only one in five of the un-networked group uses the Net, and they do so quite infrequently (less than weekly), the study pointed out. Globally, the un-networked group comprises 18 per cent of consumers. The group includes more females than males with a high representation of 40-59-year olds. The number of devices owned is the lowest, with an average of only a single device, the study said. However, 56 per cent of the un-networked group in India said it is a much easier job to find products and services on the Internet than through friends and family. Globally, 82 per cent of consumers are moving towards a networked lifestyle, with Netizens leading the way, the study said. In India, percentage of Netizens stood at 48 per cent. The data, Ericsson said, has been gathered through 45,290 face-to-face and online interviews with users aged 15-69 years, representing 1.2 billion people across 24 countries including Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, the UK and the US. The study examines varying perceptions of a networked lifestyle among consumers at the opposite end of the spectrum: Netizens who own on average at least three connected devices, use the Internet for at least one hour a day and rely on around seven digital services daily. In contrast, un-networked consumers own on average one device and use the Internet no more than once a week, if at all. The study said that based on research in 24 countries, about 43 per cent believe that development and a wider use of technology have helped in creating high-quality products and services in their country. "Forty-one per cent state that technology has helped them reach out to more people in the world and understand global developments, making geographical boundaries irrelevant. Around 31 per cent mention that their buying habits have changed a lot over the past 5 years, with most purchases carried out online," it added.(PTI)
Read More
Digital platform FreeCharge has launched the all new app on Android with new extra features; soon to be available on Windows and iOS. The refreshed version is lighter and faster to use and will provide superior user experience. With ‘Refer N Earn’, customers can get up to Rs 1000 cashback by sharing their unique referral code with their friends on messengers like WhatsApp, Facebook and other social media platforms. Once their friends apply the code on their first recharge they both can get a cashback of Rs 50. Kunal Shah, Co-Founder & CEO, FreeCharge, said, “At FreeCharge, our endeavor is to make mundane and boring transactions more secure, seamless and faster. Our users love for FreeCharge has been the single biggest driver for FreeCharge's success.” With ‘Spin N Win’ customers on any recharge or bill payment(s) will earn a token which can be then used to play the ‘Spin N Win’. Users can get up to Rs 100,000 FreeCharge Wallet cashback which can then be used across all Snapdeal companies as well as to pay bill and recharge on FreeCharge. The initial response to the feature has been great. With the new version available on android, customers can now pay electricity bills, landline and broadband bills earlier present only on desktop and m-site in less than 10 seconds.(BW Online Bureau)
Read More
Intruding ones privacy is a farce situation which is prevailing on an everyday basis in the online world. n-gage, world’s first 360 degree lifestyle chat-app has taken extra measures to not just safeguard technical security, but has also introduced new ways to ensure privacy to suit the individual’s needs. Features such as ‘Private Area’, have been developed to enable users to keep their secret friends, chats with them, and groups hidden within a password protected area. “When we talk about smartphones and the online world, privacy is the first thing that comes into everyone’s mind. Instant messaging apps are the biggest threat to a user’s privacy. As a result, we at n-gage have developed certain features, which allow users to control who reads their messages both from their and the receiver’s end. The app has been developed after an in-depth study to provide privacy features that compliment the need of a user” says Ajit Patel, CEO & Founder of n-gage. Additional features such as ‘Safe’ allows users to send password protected messages, resolving many users worry as to whether their messages could be read by other people, aside from the receiver. If that was not enough, ‘Blink’ brings peace of mind to the user, knowing that their messages will self destruct at the receiver’s end after a specific time. With ‘Scramble’, users can control the way their messages are received at the receiver’s end by sending chats and images in an illegible or pixilated state, which can be uncovered in just 3 taps. Once read, these messages return their scrambled state. n-gage also introduced ‘Extract’, the one of its kind feature, for users who later regret sending certain messages or having conversations. Extract pulls back a message or an entire conversation from the receiver’s phone without leaving a trace. Users can also move multimedia files stored on their SD cards and phone memory into the n-gage ‘Private Gallery’feature. n-gage aims to change the way people communicate by providing features, which protect their messages on their device through encryption. The app is available for use on Android, iOS, PC and tablet.(BW Online Bureau)
Read More
The Apple Music app is free to download though the music service is Rs 120 after a 3-month trial period, Mala Bhargava writes Late in the night before Diwali, fans of Apple Music will have found a new gift on their Android phones. Apple's music service made the transition to Android, and is available on Google Play. Reported first by TechCrunch, the Apple Music app is free to download though the music service is Rs 120 after a 3-month trial period. Users who already are members of the Apple Music service apparently don't pay again for the Android version. The app is in a beta version but even to begin with is very attractive and easy to use - certainly easier than on older Apple devices. Android tablet users will not find the app available yet, but perhaps this will be remedied before the final version as will some of the features that haven't made it to the beta yet. That includes music videos. For members, all the music bought on iTunes will be accessible as will songs and playlists otherwise collected from Apple Music services. Non-members will have to sign up with an Apple ID. In India where there are more users with Android phones than with either iPhones or iPads, the app will make it possible to enjoy this music service. Some people report bugs when switching to other apps while Apple Music is playing and similar issues, but others have had a perfectly smooth experience. The arrival of the Apple Music app is also significant in that it is the first full-fledged Apple app on Android. Indeed, what Steve Jobs, who had declared "thermonuclear war" on Android would say to see a product from Apple doing in the Google Play store, is beyond anybody's guess, but it probably would be fairly rude.
Read More
Puneet Mehrotra One of the things I love about being a columnist on technology is the fact that I am exposed to interesting products and a variety of technology. Being an ardent fan of Edison and invention (I am still in awe of the light bulb and the magic of electricity), it somehow satisfies a kind of carnal desire which is more than just biological or psychological. The genius of mankind, the evolution of man as technology and not religion brings about a change and makes a difference to mankind is fascinating. A great leveler, technology is making a difference to the poor, the wealthy and just about anybody as long as you know how to use it. Puneet MehrotraThe latest gizmo I came across is World's First Pocket Washing Machine - Codo, as its maker Haier calls it. Launched a while back, I kept postponing using it until an emergency made me finally try it out. It's not really like a conventional washing machine and doesn't look like a miniature version of a washing machine. Codo is a device you can carry with you anywhere. What's Great PortableIt is equivalent in size to an electric shaver or a deodorant bottle and weighs just 200 gm, making it convenient for carrying in your purse, laptop-bag, briefcase, pocket or your car. Takes Care Of EmergenciesConsider this you are out on a hot date charming your lady love. That little stain that you just spilt could ruin your chances. Hygiene versus charm would be probably be the next choice in in your lady love’s mind rather than the place, yours or mine, a choice you wished she would be making. It’s portable design lets users carry it on the go to take care of anything from dirt outdoors to dreaded red wine stains in a party. It is the perfect solution for mid-meal emergencies with its capability to remove embarrassing stains of tea/coffee, ketchup, or curry/pickle. It precisely cleans the stains, in no time and saves the embarrassment of wearing stained clothes. TechnologyIt has Squeeze Wash Technology, Codo cleans clothes anytime, anywhere in less than 30 to 120 seconds. ‘Squeeze-wash technology’ uses liquid detergent, 10 ml of water. You have to gently whisk the stained area, cleaning it effectively. It operates at the rate of 700 beats/minute, thus enabling effective and rapid stain removal. Codo’s use comes in situations when you stain just a small portion on your clothes, which doesn’t require washing the entire garment but just the stained or partial area. This pocket washer operates on three AAA batteries, and can support upto 50 washes, depending on the usage, with the fully charged batteries and comes with a warranty of 6 months. What's Not HotPriced at Rs 3999, it's on the higher side, considering a product like this is meant for masses. Stains unfortunately don't see a person's monetary status. From a student to a millionaire an emergency situation can happen to anybody. Codo in OperationIt’s pretty simple to use. You simply hold it up and press the power button. Water starts coming out as the tube pistons up and down. The detergent can either be put directly on the cloth or inside Codo. In just a few seconds you are done. The Last WordFirst generation products don't always come out perfect. At times they are far from perfect. Haier’s Codo however, is a pretty decent product. The solution Codo provides is a much needed solution especially in emergency. A premium for an emergency is understandable but Haier needs to work on the pricing. Puneet Mehrotra writes on business and technologypuneet.im puneet@tbe.in
Read More
Arshad Khan Diwali is the best time to capture moments and what can be better equipment than a budget smartphone to relive the moment in future. Though the expensive DSLRs deliver the best quality pictures, it is not affordable by many. Smartphones make for a great alternative which are easy to handle and always ready for a perfect capture or selfie. BW Businessworld lists out seven smartphones priced below Rs 15,000. Check out the full list below, to help you pick your phone this festive seasonMotorola Moto G (Gen 3) Motorola's affordable Moto G third-generation smartphone makes a great camera phone as it packs a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture and dual-tone LED flash. On the front side, there is a 5MP snapper for selfies. Moto G 3rd-gen costs Rs 12,999 on Flipkart for the 16GB variant and Rs 11,999 for the 8GB model. Asus Zenfone 2 Laser Asus Zenfone 2 Laser brings great camera experience within the budget range. The handset is equipped with a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with real tone flash. For selfie lovers, the the camera boast an impressive 5MP front-snapper. Asus Zenfone 2 Laser is available on Flipkart for just Rs 9,999. Lenovo A6000 Shot Priced similar to Zenfone 2 laser, Lenovo A6000 Shot features a 13-megapixel rear-facing primary camera with autofocus and LED flash. The selfie camera has a 5-megapixel sensor. Priced at Rs 9,999, Lenovo A6000 Shot is available at all retail outlets. Xiaomi Mi 4i China based Xiaomi handsets are known for world class specs at an affordable price tag. Its best-selling model, Xiaomi Mi 4i, attracted a lot of attention from consumers for its impressive camera. The handset features a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with 5-element lens, CMOS sensor and LED flash, besides a 5MP front camera for flawless selfies. Priced at Rs 12,999, the .phone can only be purchased form e-tailors Samsung Galaxy J7 Endorse by actor Shahid Kapoor, the newly launched by the Korean giant offers great specs to compete with multiple Chinese makers. The Samsung Galaxy J7 offers an impressive 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with f/1.9 aperture, LED flash and autofocus. Selfie-lovers can take advantage of the 5MP 85-degree wide-angle lens along with an LED flash for great photos. Samsung Galaxy J7 comes with a price tag of Rs 14,999 and is available exclusively on Flipkart. Meizu M2 Note Another Chinese handset maker which recently entered Indian market Meizu has managed to give tough competition to other players. Its flagship handset M2 Note is being regarded as one of the top budget phones in Indi. It features a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with 5-element lens, f/2.2 aperture, blue glass IR filter and dual LED flash. Miezu M2 Note is priced at Rs 9,999 and is available on Amazon India. InFocus M810 Like other smartphones in this list, InFocus M810 also features a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with dual-tone flash, and comes with an 8MP 80-degree wide-angle lens on the front. Developed by Foxconn, the phone is priced at Rs 11,999 and is available on Amazon.in.
Read More
Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has been known for manufacturing quality smartphones and accessories along with affordable price tags. After already setting a benchmark for fitness trackers makers around the world by having a quarter of all the wearable sales under its belt, the company announced an updated version of its popular Mi Band fitness band. The new Mi Band Pulse, also known as the Mi Band 1S, now offers everything that the original version offered but now can also calculate your heart rate through a light-based PPG (Photoplethysmography) sensor that can measure your body's blood flow.
Read More
Lava has launched limited edition of Pixel V2 smartphone in Prism Blue colour at price of Rs 11,050 amidst the festive season across all national retail stores, online and multi-brand outlets. Pixel V2 is a 4G device (VoLTE upgradable) and its design is a testimony to Lava’s in house product design & development capabilities. It has a 5 inch HD IPS display with a scratch resistant Dragon trail Glass. At 128 gms, it is one of the lightest devices available in the market today having a 5 inch screen size. The smartphone is powered by a 64 bit MediaTek Quad Core Processor coupled with 2GB DDR3 RAM. The device has a whopping 16 GB internal storage that is expandable up to 32 GB. It is powered by Star OS 2.0 based on Android Lollipop 5.1 supporting dual 4G SIM slots (one 4G slot running at a time) with dual standby. It also packs a strong 2500mAh Li-Po battery. The Pixel V2 sports a 13 MP rear camera with dual LED flash and an 8 MP ‘selfie’ camera with LED flash. The smartphone promises to capture images like none other in its category and that’s because of the 1.4 micron large pixel size, F2.0 and F2.4 aperture of the rear and front camera, respectively. 1.4 micron large pixel size allows enhanced light intake per pixel helping in capturing brighter, clearer images with great detail. The aperture gives depth of field, better focus and great images in low light. The camera comes with 5 layer LarganTM lens in rear camera and 4 layer LarganTM lens in front camera along with Blue Glass Filter that cuts off infrared light to help the sensor reproduce true life-like colours. The stellar hardware is backed with unique camera enabler software that allows a user to take professional grade photos. Wide Selfie, Bokeh Mode, Face Beauty, GIF Maker and Night Pro make one’s social media timelines attractive and unique. Pixel v2 is a first mover in this professional photography space at this price point category.(BW Online Bureau)
Read More
