Xiaomi’s general manager Tang Mu, has recently confirmed that the Chinese smartphone maker is working on a virtual reality (VR) headset. He also stated that it would Daydream compatible and that it would be built to deliver a VR experience optimised for MIUI users. A new leak fromAndroid Headlines points out that the VR headset is not just ready but could be launched as soon as Monday, 1 August.
The news about the same (as always) comes from Weibo. The social network revealed that a teaser that hints at an 1 August launch for a VR headset. The teaser according to the source was put out by Xiaomi’s official account so it does point to an official event.
If the launch does take place and Xiaomi does reveal a Daydream capable VR headset, then the company will indeed be the first among the Android manufacturers to reveal such a device.
Google’s Daydream when launched, is not expected to work on any of the current generations smartphones available in the market. So farHuawei is the only company who has announced that it will be launching a Daydream VR capable smartphone by the end of 2016.
Many have claimed that the problem with Android’s VR project are the higher hardware requirements. Current day smartphones simply cannot handle the graphics load and would heat up resulting in dropped frames. This would result in bad VR experience that could induce nausea.
Xiaomi recently launched its Redmi Pro smartphone and Notebook Airlaptop in China.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/08/xiaomis-vr-headset-announced-1-august/
#Google_Daydream, #Google_Project_VR, #Virtual_Reality, #Xiaomi, #Xiaomi_Daydream_VR, #Xiaomi_VR, #Xiaomi_VR_Headset
Sunday, 31 July 2016
Xiaomi’s VR headset could be announced on 1 August
Advanced Enzyme shares make robust debut on bourses; lists at premium of 35%
Advanced Enzyme shares made a robust debut on BSE and NSE on Monday and listed at a premium of 35 per cent at Rs 1,210 against the issue price of Rs 896.
Advanced Enzyme shares made a robust debut on BSE and NSE on Monday and listed at a premium of 35 per cent at Rs 1,210 against the issue price of Rs 896. The public offer of the company had received overwhelming response from investors as it was oversubscribed by 116.91 times. The issue was open for subscription from July 20 to July 22.
At 10.02 am, shares of the company were trading at Rs 1218.90 on NSE and 1232.60 on BSE. Vasant Laxminarayan Rathi and Chandrakant Laxminarayan Rathi are the promoters of the company. They have a total experience of more than 70 years in the enzyme industry.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/08/advanced-enzyme-shares-make-robust-debut-bourses-lists-premium-35/
#BSE_SENSEX, #NSE_Nifty
Friday, 29 July 2016
AP getting more than SCS can give: Arun Jaitley
Mr Jaitley added that special status was related to the development of the state and there should not be any political capital out of it. Expressing serious dissatisfaction over the Union minister's reply, the main Opposition Congress staged a walkout in protest. Meanwhile CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said that the “Finance minister’s speech was more confusing with regard to the special status”.
Replying to the two-day special discussion on “Status of implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and government’s assurances” on Friday evening in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Jaitley said that when the 14th Finance Commission recommendations came in for consideration by the Union Cabinet, which included a hike of the states’ share in Central revenues to 42 per cent from the earlier 32. “We accepted the recommendations as part of up keeping federalism and the Constitutional concept of India as a union of states. This has virtually tied our hands to go beyond to consider a demand like the special status. This was not part of the AP Reorganisation Act, and it was an assurance given by the then Prime Minister in the House. We have carefully worked out an alternative in lieu of the special status and have decided to assist AP as a special case and we have been pumping more money into the state than its entitlement,” Mr Jaitley said.
On bridging the revenue deficit of AP, Mr Jaitley said the Centre had already provided funds but there was an issue between the Central and state governments over computation and assessment of the figures which would be sorted out soon. At this stage, Union minister Sujana Chowdary intervened and said it was unfortunate that even after two years, the issue was still unsolved. “It is not an arithmetic issue, let us resolve this once and for all,” Mr Chowdary said. Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P.J. Kurian at this point said: “It is unusual for a minister to object to another minister, ruling party members cannot interrupt the proceedings.”
Responding to the points made by the members, Mr Jaitley clarified that Uttarakhand was given special category status because it fit the requirements made out for according the status and reminded the House that the same was denied to Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh as they did not qualify the guidelines. He also said then the National Development Council had recommended special category status for a few states and even the 13th Finance Commission had also agreed. “Under special category status, states will get 90 per cent of funds for projects and other states will get anywhere around 60 per cent. In case of AP, the 14th Finance Commission had not recommended special category status, it also said let there be no discrimination like special category and ordinary category among states. We could not reject the recommendations as the finances of all states were involved. Demands for special category status also came from other states like Bihar and Odisha. So we have decided to pump funds from various other alternatives to see that it (AP) gets more money than others,” Mr Jaitley said. He added that bridging the revenue deficit of states by the Centre had been going on for the states of West Bengal, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
Giving details of funds allocation, the Finance minister said that before the 14th Finance Commission recommendations, united AP was to get Central assistance of Rs 1,10,725.82 crore, out of which divided AP’s share would have now been Rs 64,575.30 crore. But as per the alternative worked out by the Centre for AP, like 42 per cent funds on par with all states plus grants plus special grants etc., it was now pegged at Rs 2,06,901 crore. He said despite two years’ of continuous drought, the burden on account of implementation of Pay Commission recommendations and overall global economy slow down, the Central government was also suffering with finances. 'However, I am assuring that handholding for the state of AP will continue further and all assurances and commitments will be honoured,” Mr Jaitley said.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/ap-getting-scs-can-give-arun-jaitley/
#Andhra_Pradesh, #Arun_Jaitley, #India
Pro Kabaddi League: Patna Pirates cruise into the final, thump Puneri Paltan 37 – 33
A stunning performance in the last five minutes from Rajesh Mondal and Pardeep Narwal helped Patna Pirates beat Puneri Paltan 37-33.
Patna with strong display from their defenders scored 11 points in the last five minutes to make it to their second successive final.
On the other side, Puneri Paltan failed to maintain the lead even after mighty performance from their captain Manjeet Chhillar.
Manjeet became the fourth man to score 400 points in Pro Kabaddi League. He got two back to back tackle points as Pune trailed by 2 points in the 20th minute. Telugu Titans’ Rahul Chaudhari was the first player to achieve the feet.
Puneri Paltan began strongly in the second half but a super tackle by Patna Pirates was ruled out for being too dangerous as Pune leveled the game at 22-22.
Manjeet’s men were able to increase their hold in the game in the 31st minute when they managed an all out to lead 25-22.
However, Pardeep’s and Rajesh’s duo brought the defending champions ahead as they carried their side to a 37-33 win at the end.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/pro-kabaddi-league-patna-pirates-cruise-final-thump-puneri-paltan-37-33/
#_Puneri_Paltan, #Patna_Pirates_Cruise, #Pro_Kabaddi_League
Mercedes insist that their self-driving car ads are not ‘misleading’
The ensuing investigation of the Tesla accident by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has increased scrutiny of automated driving technology and the claims made about it by carmakers seeking to push sales. On Wednesday, U.S.-based Consumer Reports wrote to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urging it to scrutinize Mercedes’ “The Future” campaign, which markets automated features available in the 2017 E-Class.
The campaign said: “Is the world truly ready for a vehicle that can drive itself? An autonomous-thinking automobile that protects those inside and outside. Ready or not, the future is here. The all new E-Class: self-braking, self-correcting, self-parking. A Mercedes-Benz concept that’s already a reality.”
Consumer Reports criticized the slogan. “The ad is likely to mislead a reasonable consumer by representing the E-Class as self-driving when it is not,” it said in the letter, urging the FTC to take action to prevent consumers gaining a false sense of security in the ability of a car to operate autonomously. On Thursday, a spokeswoman for Daimler-owned Mercedes-Benz said: “It was and is not our intent to cause any confusion between current driver assistance systems and the vision of an autonomous future.”
She said the ad contained a statement that the vehicle cannot drive itself, but has semi-automated driving features and urged drivers to observe safe driving practices as well as read the operating manual for details on what the driving assistance systems can and cannot do. Consumer Reports said the caveats contained in the advert may contravene FTC guidance which stipulates that advertisers cannot use fine print to contradict statements in an ad or clear up false impressions the ad might leave.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/mercedes-insist-self-driving-car-ads-not-misleading/
#Tesla, #Automated_Driving_Technology, #EClass, #Federal_Trade_Commission, #FTC, #Mercedes_Benz, #National_Highway_Traffic_Safety_Administration, #Scrutiny, #SelfDriving_Capabilities, #USA
Cloud revenue helps Amazon top Wall Street targets
“They crushed estimates,” said Michael Pachter, analyst at Wedbush Securities, as shares rose 2 percent after hours, in line to open on Friday at a record high. Forbes calculated this week that Chief Executive Jeff Bezos had surpassed Warren Buffett to become the world’s third-richest person. The expansion in so many areas requires substantial investment, though, and shares initially dipped after the earnings report. The company forecast relatively low operating income for the current quarter of $50 million to $650 million.
It earned $857 million in the second quarter, or $1.78 per share, compared with analysts’ average estimate of $1.11 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. “It was the largest June quarter profit in the company’s history, but we’re back to guiding barely any profitability,” BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis said of the September quarter guidance. Lower September-quarter income is routine for Amazon as it ramps up for the end-of-year holiday shopping season, Chief Financial Officer Brian Olsavsky said on a call with media.
“We’re adding warehouses. We’re adding workers,” he said, noting 18 new fulfillment centers for the third quarter, compared with six centers in the same period of 2015. Amazon’s work force expanded by 47 percent in the second quarter year-over-year, including part-time employees. Costs will also rise as Amazon doubles spending on video content in the second half of the year versus the same period a year ago, aiming to attract consumers to its Prime subscription packages, Olsavsky said. At the same time, Web Services profit margins improved due to greater efficiency, he said.
The investments will likely accelerate the retailer’s growth in coming quarters, Edward Jones Research analyst Josh Olson said. Amazon forecast current-quarter net sales of between $31.0 billion and $33.5 billion, factoring in sales from its Prime Day annual shopping festival. Wall Street on average had targeted $31.6 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
The company’s net sales in North America, its biggest market, jumped 28.1 percent to $17.67 billion. Revenue from Amazon Web Services surged 58.2 percent to $2.89 billion. This beat the average estimate of $2.83 billion, according to market research firm FactSet StreetAccount. Amazon stock rose to $766.50 in after-hours trade on Thursday compared with a close of $752.61.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/cloud-revenue-helps-amazon-top-wall-street-targets/
#Amazon, #Amazon_Cloud_Services, #Cloud, #Earnings, #Forbes, #Online_Shopping, #Seattle, #Wall_Street, #Wedbush_Securities
Microsoft to cut 2,850 more jobs
Microsoft said it would cut about 2,850 more jobs over the next 12 months, taking its total planned job cuts to up to 4,700, or about 4 percent of its workforce. The company said in May it would cut 1,850 jobs in its smartphone business, most of them in Finland.
Microsoft bought Finland-based handset maker Nokia in 2014 in an ill-fated attempt to take on market leaders Apple and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. Chief Executive Satya Nadella, who took the helm just two months before the deal closed, has since focused on restructuring the struggling phone business.
Microsoft had about 114,000 full-time employees as of June 30. Last year in July, the company’s planned to cut 7,800 jobs, or nearly 7 percent of its workforce, and write down about $7.6 billion related to its Nokia phone business.
At the most recent Microsoft earnings call for the quarter that ended 30 June 2016, amidst all the number crunching, its the cloud segment that clearly stood out. Though the overall revenue from the quarter took a dip, cloud push ensured more than double the revenue from Microsoft Azure services compared to same period last year. Microsoft can boast of 23.1 million Office 365 subscribers, Azure cloud revenue growth by 102 percent and Surface revenue growth of 9 percent. However, the failing Windows Phone business dropped by massive 71 percent.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/microsoft-cut-2850-jobs/
#Microsoft, #Job_Cuts, #Microsoft_Job_Cuts, #MS_Jobs
Ditching red-light cameras increases fatalities 30 percent
The IIHS says this is the first time an organization has studied the effects of ending programs instead of starting them. The study also included another look at the effects of cities that started and continued camera programs. All of the cities the IIHS examined were cities that had populations greater than 200,000 people.
The organization first compared 57 cities that started and continued programs from 1992 to 2014 with 33 cities that don't have any. In the end, cities with red-light cameras had 21 percent fewer deaths related to collisions with red light runners and 14 percent fewer deaths from other crashes than cities without cameras.
To discover the effects of deactivating cameras, the IIHS looked at 14 cities that ended their programs between 2010 and 2014. The organization then compared those cities with 29 others that had similar populations and regions. The IIHS discovered that doing away with the cameras resulted in a 30 percent increase in deaths due to crashes with red-light runners and a 16 percent increase in deaths from other collisions.
This study shows pretty clearly that red-light cameras can save lives. However, the IIHS notes that there are actually fewer active programs than there were at the peak in 2012. In 2012 there were 533 cameras in service while in 2015 there were 467.
"Debates over automated enforcement often center on the hassle of getting a ticket and paying a fine. It's important to remember that there are hundreds of people walking around who wouldn't be here if not for red light cameras," said Adrian Lund, president of the IIHS. Perhaps this new study will start reversing the trend.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/ditching-red-light-cameras-increases-fatalities-30-percent/
#Crashes, #Iihs, #Insurance_Institute_For_Highway_Safety, #Red_Light_Camera, #Safety, #Study, #Traffic_Fatalities, #Traffic_Lights, #United_States
EXCLUSIVE: દલિતોને ફટકારનાર 8 આરોપીઓના ચહેરા આવ્યા સામે
આ છે ઝડપાયેલા 22 આરોપીઓના નામ
શરૂઆતમાં જ 16 આરોપીઓને ઝડપી લેવામાં આવ્યા હતા. ગઇકાલે ચાર અને આજે સવારે વધુ બે આરોપીઓને ઝડપી લેવામાં આવ્યા છે.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/exclusive-%e0%aa%a6%e0%aa%b2%e0%aa%bf%e0%aa%a4%e0%ab%8b%e0%aa%a8%e0%ab%87-%e0%aa%ab%e0%aa%9f%e0%aa%95%e0%aa%be%e0%aa%b0%e0%aa%a8%e0%aa%be%e0%aa%b0-8-%e0%aa%86%e0%aa%b0%e0%ab%8b%e0%aa%aa%e0%ab%80/
#8_આરપ, #દલત
Australia vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Day 4 Live: Sri Lanka's Lead Passes 200, Rain Halts Play
The hosts were 282 for six with a lead of 196 runs in the second innings, before rains brought a premature end to the play.
Kusal Mendis scored his maiden ton in the longest format of the game and was unbeaten on 169.
For the visitors, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon took two wickets each. Meanwhile, Lyon became Australia's first off-spinner to take 200 Test wickets.
RAIN STOPPAGE! The rain is hardly visible but it has gotten very gloomy out there. Once again, the umpires make the call and signal for the covers to be brought back on. The players trudge back to the shelter of their dressing rooms. Stay tuned for further updates.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/australia-vs-sri-lanka-1st-test-day-4-live-sri-lankas-lead-passes-200-rain-halts-play/
#Australia_Cricket_Team, #Cricket, #Live_Blogs, #Live_Cricket_Score, #Mitchell_Starc, #Nathan_Lyon, #Sri_Lanka_Cricket_Team
Thursday, 28 July 2016
BJP MP Chhedi Paswan’s Lok Sabha membership cancelled by Patna HC
Responding to the judgment, Paswan told reporters that he has nothing to hide and he will challenge the high court verdict.
A petition was filed against Paswan in the Patna High Court alleging that he concealed information in his election affidavit ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Paswan reportedly did not reveal the correct number of criminal cases filed against him.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/bjp-mp-chhedi-paswans-lok-sabha-membership-cancelled-patna-hc/
#BJP, #BJP_MP, #Chhedi_Paswan, #Lok_Sabha_Membership, #Patna_High_Court
Qualcomm agrees to pay $19.5 million to settle gender discrimination lawsuit
The settlement also stipulates that the San Diego-based chip maker implement policy changes and programs to better promote female employees working in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, known as STEM.
Qualcomm Technologies Inc. said in a statement that it “has strong defenses” to the claims but agreed to make improvements.
The women’s lawyers say the changes could greatly affect the male-dominated industry, where women face significant barriers. The lawsuit affects a class of about 3,300 women in STEM at Qualcomm.
The company agreed to the settlement before the lawsuit was filed in federal court Tuesday. The settlement is still subject to court approval.
Women hold less than 15 percent of senior leadership positions at Qualcomm, according to the complaint. Throughout Qualcomm’s US operations, women in STEM and related positions earn less than their male counterparts. Managers, who are mostly male, also are in charge of deciding who gets promoted, leading to women being promoted less often than men, according to court documents.
The company also maintains an unwritten policy of rewarding employees who work late over those who arrive early and leave at the end of a normal work-day, making it difficult for women with children, according to the complaint.
The company said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press on Tuesday that it is committed to fair and equitable treatment of its employees. “While we have strong defenses to the claims, we elected to focus on continuing to make meaningful enhancements to our internal programs and processes that drive equity and a diverse and inclusive workforce which are values that we share and embrace,” the company said.
As part of the settlement, Qualcomm will retain two independent consultants to make policy recommendations that will ensure an equitable workplace, and the company will appoint an internal compliance officer to oversee the implementation of the agreement’s terms. Those terms include investing in leadership development initiatives, educating employees on non-discrimination policies and revamping the company’s complaint procedures.
“It is common knowledge that women in STEM and other related fields face persistent discrimination in pay and promotions,” said David Sanford, the lead lawyer for the plaintiffs. “This settlement represents a giant leap forward toward leveling the playing field and can serve as a model of best practices for other technology companies.”
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/qualcomm-agrees-pay-19-5-million-settle-gender-discrimination-lawsuit/
#Gender_Discrimination, #Qualcomm, #Qualcomm_Payout, #Stem, #Women_In_Tech
TRAILER OF KONKONA SEN SHARMA’S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT ‘A DEATH IN THE GUNJ’ IS GRIPPING
Konkona Sen Sharma‘s directorial debut ‘A Death in the Gunj’ has unveiled the trailer and it is gripping. With an ensemble cast comprising actors like Vikrant Massey, Kalki Koechlin, Gulshan Devaiah, Om Puri and Tillotama Shome, Tanuja, as well as Konkona’s estranged husband Ranvir Shorey, this trailer is not one to be missedSet in 1979 in the quiet town McCluskiegunj in Jharkand, the story unravels over a period of seven days. The story revolves around a family from Kolkata visiting parents settled in McCluskiegunj. A minute into the trailer and you realise that it’s a murder mystery with a tinge of eerieness. The feature film is all set for a world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/trailer-konkona-sen-sharmas-directorial-debut-death-gunj-gripping/
#_A_Death_In_The_Gunj_Trailer, #A_Death_In_The_Gunj, #Gulshan_Devaiah, #Kalki_Koechlin, #Om_Puri, #Konkona_Sen_Sharma
Samsung Electronics posts highest profit since 2014, ships 30 million more phones than Apple
South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Thursday it expects solid earnings to continue in the second half of 2016, with stronger components demand likely offsetting heightened margin pressures for smartphones.
The world’s No. 1 maker of smartphones and memory chips said mobile profits would weaken in the second half after soaring 57 percent in April-June, and flagged higher marketing costs to combat new products from rivals.
While smartphone earnings looked choppy, Samsung said the components business would buttress second-half earnings amid signs of recovery in memory chip and display panel prices after a global slowdown in gadget sales.
“Looking ahead to the second half of 2016, the company expects its solid performance to continue compared to the first half, mainly driven by earnings increase in the component business,” Samsung said in a statement.
Samsung said April-June profit rose 18 percent from a year earlier to 8.1 trillion won ($7.17 billion), the highest since the first quarter of 2014. The result was in line with the firm’s earlier profit guidance.
The firm’s shares were down 1.3 percent as of 0330 GMT, however, underperforming a 0.4 percent fall for the broader market as foreigners fretted about the strengthening South Korean won.
“The company’s performance should remain decent,” said IBK Asset Management fund manager Kim Hyun-su, who expects Samsung to maintain quarterly profits between 7 trillion won and 8 trillion won for the rest of 2016.
Samsung’s mobile division remained the top earner for the second straight quarter, as profit jumped 57 percent from a year earlier to a two-year high of 4.32 trillion won.
The company is expected to unveil its new Galaxy Note smartphone next week and will likely start selling its phablet about a month before rival Apple Inc launches its new iPhones in September.
Apple and other competitors were not likely to launch any ground-breaking products to undercut Samsung in the second half, IBK’s Kim said.
Even so, Samsung would “need to show something different with the new Note phone” to maintain its mobile momentum, he added.
Operating profit for the chips division fell 22 percent to 2.64 trillion won, its lowest since the third quarter of 2014, hurt by broadly weaker chip prices.
The supplier of chips for Apple iPhones however said earnings for the business would improve with the roll-out of new gadgets in the months ahead.
The firm would buy back and cancel 1.79 trillion won worth of shares in the final instalment of its 11.3 trillion won program, and declared an interim dividend of 1,000 won per common share.
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/samsung-electronics-posts-highest-profit-since-2014-ships-30-million-phones-apple/
#Samsung, #Samsung_Electronics, #Samsung_Galaxy, #Samsung_Profit, #Samsung_S7, #Samsung_Smartphones, #Samsung_Vs_Apple
Asian Paints shares hit record high
Shares of Asian Paints Ltd on Thursday hit a record high, gaining in nine out of 11 trading sessions, after most broking houses increased their target price on the stock as the company posted better-than-expected earnings.
The stock touched an all-time high of Rs.1,152.65 a share and gained as much as 8.56%, its maximum gain since 21 October 2013. So far this year, it has gained 29%.
At 10.16am, Asian Paints was trading at Rs.1,142 on the BSE, up 7.6% from its previous close, while India’s benchmark Sensex index rose 0.32% to 28,114.80 points.
Rivals Berger Paints India Ltd rose 4.3%, Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd rose 5.2%, Shalimar Paints Ltd rose 10% and Akzo Nobel India Ltd rose 3%.
Most of the broking firms, including Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, PhillipCapital, Motilal Oswal and Antique Broking, have increased the target price of the stock.
The company reported an 18.5% increase in its June quarter consolidated net profit to Rs.552.56 crore as compared toRs.466.42 crore a year ago. Income from operations rose 10.23% to Rs.4,082.10 crore. The earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation grew 21% to Rs.820.5 crore from Rs.678.3 crore a year ago.
“The decorative business segment in India registered double digit growth in the quarter. Lower raw material prices led to improved margins. Industrial business registered good growth in the industrial liquid paints category for the company’s JV, AP-PPG, while the other JV, PPG-AP, saw good demand in the Auto OEM and General Industrial segment. Our international business performed well aided by good growth in markets like Nepal, UAE and Fiji,” K.B.S. Anand, managing director and chief executive officer of the company, said in a notice to the BSE.
Credit Suisse has maintained a “neutral” rating on the stock and increased its target price to Rs.960 a share from Rs.880 a share; Morgan Stanley has maintained its equal weight target and kept a target price of Rs.875 a share; Antique Broking has maintained its “hold” rating and increased the stock’s target price to Rs.1,062 a share from Rs.933 a share; PhillipCapital has upgraded the stock to “neutral” and increased the target price to Rs.1,000 a share, while Motilal Oswal has maintained a “neutral” and revised its target price to Rs.970 a share.
“We have slightly increased our estimates for FY18 as input costs continue to be benign. The company has consistently delivered on topline and bottomline in the last five quarters, while other FMCG companies have struggled to deliver strong growth. Also, it has significant pricing power—despite significant fall in raw material prices, it has not been forced to drastically slash prices to defend market share. A revival in the economy will aid demand for paints,” broking firm PhillipCapital said in a note to its investors.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/asian-paints-shares-hit-record-high/
#ASIAN_PAINTS, #BERGER_PAINTS_INDIA, #BSE_SENSEX, #KANSAI_NEROLAC_PAINTS, #SHARES
Tesla supplier will recycle Flint water bottles into car parts
From the "take a bad thing and make it good" files comes a story about C3 Ventures. The automotive supplier, which makes interior plastic components for Tesla, announced yesterday it will open up a facility in Flint, MI. As you probably know, that city has been rebounding from a serious water infrastructure problem for the past year or so. High levels of lead in the city water meant that people were using tons of pre-packaged water bottles. C3 Ventures now says it's going to turn those empty bottles into Tesla parts.
The new production facility will add about 380 jobs, moving them from China and Turkey, C3 Ventures chairman and founder Bob Schaffer told MLive. In a prepared statement (available below) he also said that, "Producing parts for zero-emission electric vehicles is central to our mission." It's a small thing, overall, but a big one for Flint, and when you touch a plastic bit in a Tesla Model 3, it just might be an old water bottle.
FLINT, Mich., July 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- C3 Venture Flint LLC, a privately held company that manufactures interior plastic automotive components, will move into the Riverview Industrial Park in Flint and hire nearly 400 new employees.
C3 Venture will invest $9.68 million to acquire the 17.69-acre site in industrial park on James P. Cole Boulevard where it will manufacture plastic parts for Tesla Motors. The company will initially occupy the 16,000-square-foot office building and a 19,600-square-foot industrial building, where it will install injection molding machines and tooling to manufacture parts.
Work at the site is expected to begin this fall. The company will initially employ about 50 people in the first year and grow to nearly 400 employees, as operations expand at the site.
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation today awarded C3 Venture a $5.7-million performance-based loan, which may be converted to a grant if the company meets job-creation milestones.
"This is work currently being done in China and we're moving it to Flint," said Bob Schaffer, Chairman and Founder of C3 Venture. The company also considered sites in Indiana and California.
"Flint is a manufacturing town. Manufacturing is embedded in Flint's heritage and the work ethic here is strong. For those reasons, you could say that Flint chose C3."
The company intends to begin moving and setting up equipment in September after it closes on the property next month. Production is expected to ramp up in early October, said company officials.
C3 Venture will work with GST Michigan Works! as the company looks to add employees at the facility.
Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce CEO Tim Herman applauded today's announcement, adding that the project will help Flint exceed its goal of creating 1,000 new jobs here.
"The 380 jobs that C3 has committed to are part of a broader jobs goal announced earlier this year by Mission Flint," said Herman. "In addition, we're seeing a valuable piece of industrial real estate being returned to productive use. And that's a strong indicator that Flint is, indeed, open for business."
C3 Venture – which has diversified holdings, including real estate, manufacturing and others – is more than a plastics company, said Schaffer.
"C3 stands for: Clean Air. Clean Water. Clean Soil," he said. "Producing parts for zero-emission electric vehicles is central to our mission. Our drive to be good environmental stewards extends to our manufacturing process."
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/tesla-supplier-will-recycle-flint-water-bottles-car-parts/
#C3_Ventures, #Electric, #Flint, #Green_Automakers, #Lead, #Report, #Telsa_Motors, #Tesla
Wednesday, 27 July 2016
Torrent Pharmaceuticals Q1 profit falls 55% to Rs292 crore
Drug firm Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd on Wednesday reported 55.07% fall in consolidated net profit atRs.292 crore for the June quarter due to a dip in company’s US business.
The firm had posted a net profit of Rs.650 crore for the same period year ago, Torrent Pharmaceuticals said in a filing to BSE.
Consolidated total income from operations also declined toRs.1,545 crore for the quarter under consideration as againstRs.1,947 crore for the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.
The company’s formulation business in India recorded revenues of Rs.504 crore for the first quarter of fiscal 2017 as against Rs.491 crore for the same period last fiscal.
The US business posted revenues of Rs.434 crore for the quarter under consideration. It was Rs.888 crore for the corresponding period previous fiscal.
“Previous period includes exceptional revenues and profits which was primarily on account of the launch of a new product in the US market, which had limited competition,” the company said.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/torrent-pharmaceuticals-q1-profit-falls-55-rs292-crore/
#JUNE_QUARTER, #NET_PROFIT, #SHARE_PRICES, #STOCK_MARKETS, #TORRENT_PHARMA
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca facing new management crisis
Turmoil has returned to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Sports Car Racing Association of theMonterey Peninsula (or SCRAMP), the non-profit that's managed the iconic track on Monterey County's behalf since its inception, is facing the possibility of losing control of Laguna Seca. Again.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Monterey County is entertaining proposals from three separate entities to take control of the track, which has been losing around $250,000 per year according to a grand jury report. At the fore is SCRAMP and the International Speedway Corporation, a business owned byNASCAR's France family. The pairing is a strange one, since ISC tried taking the track from SCRAMP last year before withdrawing its bid. Next up, we have a local coalition called Friends of Laguna Seca. The final entry comes from Long Beach Grand Prix founder Chris Pook and a local fast-food restaurateur, Landon Hofman.
According to The Times, the process is still in the early stages. Monterey County communications officer Maia Carroll told the paper that all three groups have submitted a Request for Qualifications, ahead of a meeting on Monday with the county's committee. Monterey will issue an update on the process later next month, potentially calling for more detailed plans for the circuit or simply rejecting all three suitors.
But how did we get here? How is one of the world's finest race tracks in such dire trouble? After the ISC withdrew its bid for the track last September, SCRAMP worked with Monterey County officials to better manage the track, establishing a board of governors to manage things. But despite the non-profit's efforts, SCRAMP has faced intense criticism over its mismanagement at the circuit.
According to The Los Angeles Times, a report from a Monterey County Grand Jury said the non-profit "underreported income, juggled creditors and delayed payments to balance itsbooks, and inappropriately used funds for capital improvements to meet operating costs." According to the same report, MRLS needs $2 million for short-term operating expenses, and $10 million in capital investments. The track's $250,000 losses are despite annual revenue of $10 to $15 million.
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/mazda-raceway-laguna-seca-facing-new-management-crisis/
#Laguna_Seca, #Mazda_Raceway_Laguna_Seca, #Monterey, #Monterey_County, #Motorsports, #United_States
India's Cleanest Railway Stations Are In Gujarat, Bihar And UP Have The Dirtiest, Says Survey
The passengers have given their verdict. In a recent survey, they voted in favour of Gujarat as the state that has the cleanest railway stations in India. Also, for them, Bihar and UP fared poorly on the same meter for more than just one reason.
The cleanest railway stations in the country are in Gujarat and the dirtiest in Bihar and UP, according to a passenger feedback survey on cleanliness carried out by the Railway Ministry, which says lack of sanitation at stations was the biggest area of concern for commuters.
Out of the 40 different cleanliness parameters, passengers rated stench at stations as their top concern, followed by lack of dustbins and unclean platforms.
The survey was conducted at 407 major railway stations and nearly 1,30,000 passengers took part in it.
The report was released by the Railway Minister today. Among the 10 cleanest stations in the order of ranking are Beas, Gandhidham, Vasco Da Gama, Jamnagar, Kumbakonam, Surat, Nasik Road, Rajkot, Salem and Ankleshwar. Five stations in Gujarat - Gandhidham, Jamnagar, Surat, Rajkot and Ankleshwar - are among the top 10.
ibnlive.in
The dirtiest stations in order of ranking are Madhubani, Ballia, Bhaktiyarpur, Raichur, Shahganj, Janghai, Anugraha Narayan, Sagauli, Ara and Pratapgarh. Five dirtiest ones - Madhubani, Bakhtiyarpur, Anugrah Narayan, Sagauli and Ara -are in Bihar.
Every passenger was asked to rate the station's cleanliness on 40 different parameters. Out of these 'absence of stench in the station premises' was the most important for the passengers. This was followed by "adequate availability of dustbins".
twitter.com
'Condition of flooring surface at platforms', 'cleanliness of platform areas' and 'promptness in cleaning of extremes of dirtiness like nightsoil/vomit' occupied third place in the priority list.
The primary audience for the survey were passengers. Porters and vendors on the platform or ticketed area and railway officials were also approached for their feedback.
For every A1 (75 stations) category station 400 passengers were targeted for interview, while in every A (332) category station 300 passengers were targeted for interview. 10 interviews per station were carried out by the surveyors.
BCCL
On the basis of these findings, the ministry has issued guidelines to zonal headquarters for taking suitable action.
The ministry now plans to carry out such surveys from time to time to gauge the levels of improvement across stations and develop a monitoring mechanism through an e-platform.
One of the key suggestions of this study is to "consolidate and monitor the cleanliness through an e-platform. This can also be used to send alerts. The above mechanism may be on e-platform, which will enable managers to get real-time status of cleanliness."
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/indias-cleanest-railway-stations-gujarat-bihar-dirtiest-says-survey/
#Cleanest_Railway_Station_In_Gujarat, #Gujarat, #India_News, #Railway_Survey, #Surat, #UP
આ 5 સેટિંગ્સ કરો ચેન્જ, Whatsapp પરથી પ્રોફાઇલ થઇ જશે Invisible
* બ્લૂ ટિક્સ હાઇડ કરો
બ્લૂ ટિક્સ વૉટ્સએપનું એવું ફિચર છે, જેનાથી ખબર પડી જાય છે કે તમે ઓનલાઇન થઇને મેસેજ વાંચી લીધો છે.
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/%e0%aa%86-5-%e0%aa%b8%e0%ab%87%e0%aa%9f%e0%aa%bf%e0%aa%82%e0%aa%97%e0%ab%8d%e0%aa%b8-%e0%aa%95%e0%aa%b0%e0%ab%8b-%e0%aa%9a%e0%ab%87%e0%aa%a8%e0%ab%8d%e0%aa%9c-whatsapp-%e0%aa%aa%e0%aa%b0%e0%aa%a5/
#Invisible, #WhatsApp, #સટગસ
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air: Will Xiaomi’s laptop bet actually pay off?
Xiaomi has just announced the much rumoured laptop that it was expected to launch since end of 2014. With the Mi Notebook Air, Xiaomi has entered the PC segment with two new laptops. With the naming convention used, it is no doubt as to where the inspiration comes from.
For all practical purposes, Xiaomi has given consumers an affordable Windows-based alternative to the Apple Macbook Air. The two variants of the Mi Notebook Air – with 13.3-inch and 12.5-inch Full HD displays – come in a metal body with the silver coloured one looking quite like a MacBook Air without the Apple logo, when seen from the front. The absence of any Xiaomi branding on the front flap could be due to the fact that the laptops are actually made by a Xiaomi subsidiary called Tian Mi. Both laptops run Windows 10 and weight less than 1.5 kg. One look at the slides shown during the launch will tell you that every comparison was made with the Apple MacBook Air: 13 percent thinner at 14.8mm; ultra thin bezel; 11 percent smaller body than a 13.3-inch MacBook Air and so on.
The 12.5-inch model with Intel Core M3 along with 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD storage costs RMB 3599 (approx Rs 36,200). The higher end 13.3-inch Mi Notebook Air comes with Intel Core i5-6200U processor, discrete Nvidia GeForce 940MX graphics solution, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage is priced at RMB 4999 (approx Rs 50,200).
Looking purely at the price point on offer for the specifications on board, it seems to be a good deal. The build quality seems good from the photographs we have seen and the chiclet keyboard with backlit keys, slim form factor and light weight are definite incentives. Xiaomi is known for the aggressive pricing of its products and they have continued that approach in this new segment as well. But user experience is an altogether different matter and that can only be commented on, after actually using the product. Not to forget, Windows 10 is notorious for random bugs which can really ruin the experience at times.
So far, so good. But at a time when PC shipments are on the decline and laptop shipments are will see some fall over the years, as can be seen from the chart above, it is a bit surprising to see Xiaomi enter this new space. The laptop space already has a lot of incumbents, and the only new thing Xiaomi brings to the table is the economical price point.
Metal body laptops which are this thin and light, cost a pretty penny. Xiaomi would definitely have its eyes on prospective buyers looking at this category, but cannot afford the premium that is associated with it. In the 13.3-inch segment there are products such as the MacBook Air which is around Rs 65,000; Dell XPS 13 which is upwards of Rs 75,000 and HP Envy 13 which is again close to Rs 65,000. Xiaomi’s Mi Notebook Air at RMB 4999 (approx Rs 50,200) offers a better alternative to the other two Windows laptops.
With smartphones, Xiaomi really started the trend of getting affordable phones with great specs. If it is able to do that for the laptop segment, then that would be a feather in its cap. But one must keep in mind that players such as Dell, HP, Lenovo and others have been in operations for years and offer a much wider product portfolio. With just two laptop variants in its arsenal, Xiaomi certainly can’t compete with the big boys in terms of market share.
Secondly, markets such as China or India where Xiaomi would expect to sell most of these laptops, also pose a hindrance. There is an increasing propensity for people in these parts, to bypass the PC/laptop altogether to go mobile first. According to IDC Research analyst Bryan Ma, Chinese notebook market will see a decline by 10.4 percent in 2016 as compared to a 9.3 percent decline worldwide.
Thirdly, Xiaomi has been trying to get into a lot of new product segments in its effort to create a Mi ecosystem of products. This year itself, Xiaomi launched the Mi Max, which is a 6.44-inch phablet which Xiaomi insists on calling a smartphone. Then there was the Mi Drone which was launched at RMB 2999 (approx Rs 30,200) with a 4K video camera and at RMB 2499 (approx Rs 25,200) for the Full HD camera. And now the two laptops.
It is really difficult to gauge whether Xiaomi intends to be in these segments for the long run, or it is just a means to pacify the investors, after it could not meet its sales and revenue targets for 2015. We had observed in the past how Xiaomi adopting the offline sales model now was a sign of its desperation to grab some lost marketshare. The Mi Notebook Air seems to be a really bold move to create a market share in a category that is on a steady decline.
Bottomline is, hardware sales numbers can just get you so far. And what’s to stop other Chinese players or even the incumbents from launching their own laptop brands to cut Xiaomi on the pricing front – just like they did with the smartphones. The Mi Notebook Air will run on Windows 10 and apart from the ‘Mi Sync’ and the ability to unlock the Mi Notebook Air with the Mi Band, there isn’t much of a Xiaomi touch on the product. So unlike say the MIUI, there isn’t much of the software or services play here. Maybe Mi Cloud can be a point of revenue with its cloud storage feature, but that’s about it so far. Xiaomi says it wants to bridge the gap between performance and portability and make it easier for young adults to buy an affordable PC which can be used for productivity. All said and done, it is still an uphill task to really make an impact in the laptop segment, as Xiaomi did with the smartphones.
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/xiaomi-mi-notebook-air-will-xiaomis-laptop-bet-actually-pay-off/
#Mi_Notebook_Air_Features, #Mi_Notebook_Air_India_Price, #Xiaomi, #Xiaomi_Mi_Notebook_Air
Mirzya Official Trailer | Harshvardhan Kapoor | Saiyami Kher
http://www.bollywoodmdb.com/movies/broadband/mirzya-official-trailer-harshvardhan-kapoor-saiyami-kher
Pulkit Samrat and Yami Gautam beef up security to avoid paparazzi
Looks like Pulkit Samrat and Yami Gautam do not want to court any more controversies as far as their alleged relationship is concerned. They have increased security cover around their apartments in Andheri to avoid paparazzi.
Says a source, “Both Pulkit and Yami have been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. So, they have decided to take things slow and have upped security. They want to concentrate on their careers at the moment and do not want their personal life to grab eyeballs.”
We also hear that the duo’s friends and family members have advised them to maintain a low profile. Adds the source, “Pulkit and his estranged wife, Shweta Rohira, hurled a volley of accusations against each other in media interviews recently. Yami, too, was asked to comment on the matter at all the events that she attended. This, obviously, is affecting their image negatively, which is why their family members have asked them to lie low.”
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/pulkit-samrat-yami-gautam-beef-security-avoid-paparazzi/
#Pulkit_Samrat_Yami_Gautam_Media_Attention_Security_Paparazzi_Andheri_Mumbai_Relationship_Dating_Shweta_Rohira_Bollywood_News_Estranged_Wife
Amazon Prime: A step-by-step guide to using the service in India
Amazon Prime is here, but it’s not the full experience we expected. Prime Delivery is still not such a bad deal however, especially if you place a lot of orders on the site.
Amazon Prime in India promises the following:
- Guaranteed, free 1-day or 2-day delivery as applicable, but only in select cities
- 30-minutes early access to Amazon’s Lightning deals
- Discounted same-day and scheduled delivery in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
- No restriction on order size.
- All Amazon Prime orders will be Amazon fulfilled.
- A 60-day free trial, a Rs 499 a year introductory offer and Rs 999 a year from then on.
Amazon Prime Video, an unlimited video streaming service, “is coming,” says Amazon.
Here’s how you go about ordering something on Amazon while taking full advantage of Amazon Prime:
Create an account: If you don’t already have an Amazon account, create one. Just head to Amazon.in and create an account. You’ll need to enter your Name, shipping and billing addresses and contact details. Once you’re signed in, simply click on the ‘Try Prime’ button to start your 60-day trial and activate Amazon Prime.
Start shopping: If you really want to enjoy the benefits of Amazon Prime, head over to theLightning deals section on Amazon’s page. You’ll have early access to most of the deals. Deals that you have early access to or offering special discounts to Amazon Prime users will be marked as a “PRIME EXCLUSIVE DEAL.”
Prime Logo: If you just want to shop around for regular items, simply search for what you want. As a prime member, products that are covered by Amazon Prime will have a blue, Prime logo with an orange tick mark. You can also set a filter for Amazon Prime in the filters column on the Amazon website.
Delivery times: Below that logo will be information on delivery. Amazon will write “FREE Delivery” for items that will be delivered for free in two days or more and “Free Delivery by Tomorrow” for items that will be delivered for free in 1 day.
Same-day delivery: Some products will also be delivered on the same day in select cities, but you will be charged for that. If the option is available, you’ll be presented with it at checkout. As an Amazon Prime subscriber, same-day delivery will be discounted. This discounted amounted to 66 percent in our case.
That’s it! Pick an Amazon Prime tagged item, add it to your cart, pick your delivery option and you’re set. Amazon will ensure that the item will be delivered to you in 2 days at most, unless otherwise specified.
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/amazon-prime-step-step-guide-using-service-india/
#Amazon_Prime, #Amazon_Prime_Delivery, #Amazon_Prime_Guide, #Amazon_Prime_HowTo, #Amazon_Prime_India, #Amazon_Prime_India_Guide, #How_To_Use_Amazon_Prime
Bernie Ecclestone's mother-in-law kidnapped in Brazil
A Brazilian magazine has reported that Bernie Ecclestone's mother-in-law has been kidnapped in Sao Paulo, with a ransom of 120 million Brazilian Reals ($36.6 million).
According to local magazine Veja, 67-year-old Aparecida Schunck was kidnapped from the Interlagos area on Friday. The story has since been picked up by British and international publications.
The report goes on to explain that the kidnappers are asking for R$120 million – approximately US$ 36.6 million – which would make it the largest ransom sum in Brazilian history.
Schunck is the mother of Ecclestone's third wife Fabiana Flosi (shown above), with whom the F1 supremo has been married since 2012, after the pair met when she was working at the Brazilian GP in 2009.
Should the reports prove to be true, it won't be the first time Ecclestone has been caught up in a kidnapping situation. Back in 2012, Martin Peckham was jailed for five years after threatening to abduct Ecclestone's daughter Tamara if he wasn't paid £200,000 (US$262,500).
The reported kidnapping has occurred just 10 days before the start of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/bernie-ecclestones-mother-law-kidnapped-brazil/
#Bernie_Ecclestone, #Celebrities, #Crime, #Formula_1, #Motorsports
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu urges Centre to relax FRBM norms, seeks more borrowings
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday urged the Centre to relax the limit set by the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act so that Andhra Pradesh could go for more borrowings to boost public spending.
“How can I mobilise finances? I have a lot of work on my hands. I need to get money from one source or the other. Let the Centre relax the FRBM norms for AP,” The New Indian Express quoted him as saying.
Addressing a press conference in Vijayawada, Naidu said that it was the responsibility of all political parties in Parliament to undo the injustice done to Andhra Pradesh in the matter of its bifurcation.
"The BJP has a larger responsibility in this regard. All parties should come to the rescue of Andhra Pradesh as they had contributed to its bifurcation by supporting the AP Reorganisation Bill (in 2014)," Chandrababu said.
He was referring to the stalemate in Rajya Sabha for the last two days over the private member's bill, moved by Congress member KVP Ramachandra Rao seeking special category status to AP.
"I have asked the TDP MPs to do everything to safeguard the interests of the state," he said, stating that his party was hence supporting the private member's bill.
"I want all parties in Parliament to ensure that the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 be implemented in true spirit," Chandrababu said.
"I raised this issue at the Inter-State Council meet on 16 July and reminded the chief ministers of all states about the irrational bifurcation. Not only was injustice done to AP but we were insulted. I asked them to undo the injustice as all parties were responsible for the division," he said.
He wanted expeditious implementation of all the provisions of Reorganization Act and assurances made by the then Prime Minister on the floor of Rajya Sabha, the most important among them being grant of special category status.
The execution of Polavaram as a national irrigation project, sanction of railway zone at Visakhapatnam, special package for development of backward regions, provision of tax incentives for rapid industrialisation and release of balance grant to bridge the resource gap were some of the other demands he raised.
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/andhra-pradesh-cm-chandrababu-naidu-urges-centre-relax-frbm-norms-seeks-borrowings/
#Andhra_Pradesh_CM, #Borrowings, #Fiscal_Responsibility_And_Budget_Management_Act, #FRBM_Act, #Hyderabad, #India, #Monsoon_Session, #N_Chandrababu_Naidu, #NewsTracker, #Parliament, #Public_Spending
JACQUELINE FERNANDEZ DOESN’T WANT TO BE INSULTED BY KRUSHNA ABHISHEK AND BHARTI
While Hrithik Roshan and Akshay Kumar were the two actors who took a step against being a part of ‘Comedy Nights Bachao’ with Krushna Abhishek, Bharti Singh & Co. and being insulted, seems like more and more actors are now joining the league.
According to recent reports, Jacqueline Fernandez has now refused to visit ‘Comedy Nights Bachao’ as part of the promotions of ‘Dishoom.’ The actress has apparently be saying that her last experience with the team was terrible. “Jacqueline was extremely offended by Team Bachao’s racist remarks towards her ‘Housefull 3’ colleague Lisa Haydon; she felt that a lot of Lisa’s portions were edited very meanly in a way that only the ‘insult’ remained and not the comedy. So, while she didn’t stage a walkout during her ‘Housefull 3’ promotions, Jacqueline was surely in no mood to do an encore for ‘Dishoom’,” says a source.
Her ‘Dishoom’ co-stars, Varun Dhawan and John Abraham too are with Jacqueline on this. Adds the source, “There is a very strong buzz about Dishoom and nonsensical insult is the last thing that the film’s team wants.”
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/jacqueline-fernandez-doesnt-want-insulted-krushna-abhishek-bharti/
#Bharti, #Comedy_Nights_Bachao, #Dishoom, #JACQUELINE_FERNANDEZ, #John_Abraham, #KRUSHNA_ABHISHEK, #Varun_Dhawan
India is one of Apple’s fastest growing markets: Tim Cook
Soon after announcing the third quarter revenue – Apple still makes billions but iPhone sales slump – Tim Cook spoke about how the company sees huge potential in India. After the announcement, he said, “We’re looking forward to opening retail stores in India down the road, and we see huge potential for that vibrant country.”
After norms relaxed (30 percent) in November 2015, Apple had applied for exemption on the ground that it was introducing “state-of-the-art” and “cutting-edge technology” to the country. However, the DIPP found that there was “nothing to show that Apple’s technology is cutting edge” revealing that Apple may have once again hit a roadblock when it comes to opening its Apple Stores in India. Interestingly, the norms have now been relaxed for products said to come with ‘state-of-the-art’ and ‘cutting edge’ technology. The new norm will allow single-brand retail trading and exemption from local sourcing norms for ‘state-of-the-art’ and ‘cutting edge’ technology with a waiver for three years, and the option to extend it for five years. This means Apple Stores could be set up just in a matter of time.
He also mentioned his India and China visits during the quarter and how he envisions growth in these regions. Talking about India, he said that it is one of Apple’s fastest growing markets today. “In the first three quarters of this fiscal year, our iPhone sales in India were up 51% year on year. We just announced a first of its kind design and development accelerator to support Indian developers creating innovative applications for iOS, and we opened a new office to accelerate maps development,” he said.
A recent report highlighted that Apple has leased about 40,000 sq ft in Yelahanka, North Bengaluru. The office space is expected to house approximately 300 people spread over two floors with the opening slated for next year. The new office will be located in RMZ Galleria, a place stated to be the new business district for Bengaluru.
Slowly yet steadily, India is becoming an important market for Apple. Tim Cook’s India visit, plethora of announcements and mentions during the past couple of earnings calls will vouch for it. Tim Cook, during the last earnings call, stated how India is where China was 7-8 years ago. Talking about the current scenario, he explained how LTE rollout has been one of the factors that has been holding Apple back as the potential and how the power of its mighty devices cannot be unleashed on 2G. But with good networks coming in things could change.
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/india-one-apples-fastest-growing-markets-tim-cook/
#India, #Apple, #Apple_IPhone, #IPad, #IPhone_In_India, #IPhone_Sales, #Tim_Cook, #Tim_Cook_Earnings
Driver was speeding in fatal Tesla Model S crash: Report
A driver killed on May 7 in a crash in a Tesla using the car’s Autopilot software was speeding, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday in its preliminary findings. The preliminary report said the Model S was traveling at 74 miles per hour in a 65 mph zone at the time it struck a semi-truck hauling blueberries near Williston, Florida.
The report said the NTSB confirmed the Model S driver was using the advanced driver assistance features Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer lane-keeping assistance at the time. The NTSB has not yet determined the probable cause for the crash. This was right after the U.S. highway safety regulators demanded that Tesla Motors Inc hand over detailed information about the design, operation and testing of its Autopilot technology following the crash.
NHTSA, investigating the accident that has increased scrutiny of automated driving technology, also wants to know what Tesla investigators have learned about the crash. The agency’s nine-page letter dated July 8 was made public three weeks back. It required the Palo Alto-based automaker to file responses in the coming weeks. Earlier during the investigation, investigators found a laptop in the car.
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/driver-speeding-fatal-tesla-model-s-crash-report/
#Autopilot, #Autosteer_LaneKeeping, #Fatal_Crash, #Model_S, #National_Transportation_Safety_Board, #NHTSA, #NTSB, #Tesla, #TrafficAware_Cruise_Control
Tuesday, 26 July 2016
Pingu Comes To Live In The Heart Of Mumbai
Mumbai's Byculla zoo have got some new residents -- eight penguins, which have come all the way from South Korea's Seoul.
Special arrangements have been made for the birds, some species of which thrive in the sub-zero temperature of Antarctica.
The Byculla birds are Humboldt penguins -- originally from the cold currents near South America's Peru and Chile.
For now, a quarantined space measuring 200 sq ft has been dedicated for the flightless birds. The temperature of the enclosure will be maintained anywhere between 14-15 degrees Celsius.
The Mumbai civic body has spent Rs. 21 crore for the birds.
After over 2 months, they are likely to be shifted to an exhibit enclosure area of 1,700 sq feet. The Byculla Zoo staff are being trained for months now to take care of the birds.
The arrival of the birds follows a two-year wrangling between animal rights activists and the Mumbai civic body - the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC.
In 2014, the BMC had announced its plan to showcase the penguins in Mumbai.
But the activists questioned the civic body's capability to maintain the penguins, citing issues like water crisis, and the lack of training among the BMC-appointed zoo staff.
So far, the civic body has spent nearly Rs. 2.5 crore to acquire the birds and over a whopping Rs19 crore for their maintenance.
"The penguins will be kept under observation for 2-3 months and after seeing how well they adjust here, we will take a call. We will submit a report to Central Zoo authority of India and they will decide then," said a BMC official.
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/pingu-comes-live-heart-mumbai/
#_The_Heart_Of_Mumbai, #India_News, #Mumbai, #Pingu, #Pingu_Comes
Second part of Forza Horizon 3 car list revealed early
We previously brought you the first portion of Forza Horizon 3's list of 350 cars last week, and today we're bringing you part two. Apparently Fairfax Media in Australia had the list and images early and published them on The Sydney Morning Herald's website. We say early because the publication's story reveals that Playground Games, the developer of the game, plans to make the official announcement on the Forza website this Thursday.
This list is smaller than the first one, but still features a number of notable automobiles, including the Bugatti EB110 Super Sport, GMC Syclone and Ferrari Dino 246 GT. This list also adds more vintage Aussie machines, including the very cool 1974 Holden "Sandman" HQ panel truck. Fans of the Mad Max movies may remember Max's Sandman truck from the original film. Check out the list of new cars from The Sydney Morning Herald below and take at look their article for new images and insight on what the developers' goals were for the game.
- 2007 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
- 1970 AMC Rebel "The Machine"
- 1998 Aston Martin V8 Vantage V600
- 2011 Audi RS 5 Coupé
- 2011 BMW X5 M
- 1981 BMW M1
- 1992 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport
- 1970 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1
- 1966 Chevrolet Nova Super Sport
- 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR
- 1969 Ferrari Dino 246 GT
- 1968 Ferrari 365 GTB/4
- 2011 Ferrari FF
- 1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra
- 1956 Ford F-100
- 1991 GMC Syclone
- 2016 Holden Special Vehicles GTS Maloo
- 1951 Holden 50-2106 FX Ute
- 1974 Holden Sandman HQ panel van
- 2012 Infiniti IPL G Coupe
- 2015 Jaguar XFR-S
- 1997 Lamborghini Diablo SV
- 2014 Lamborghini Urus
- 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged
- 2005 Lotus Elise 111S
- 2013 Mazda MX-5
- 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II
- 2013 Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG
- 1999 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI GSR
- 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR
- 2000 Nissan Silvia Spec-R
- 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
- 2010 Renault Megane RS 250
- 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/second-part-forza-horizon-3-car-list-revealed-early/
#_Forza_Horizon_3, #Australia, #Bugatti, #Ford, #Holden, #TECHNOLOGY
વિશ્વનું સૌથી મોટું રહસ્ય બન્યું આ પ્લેન, જાણો કેમ આજ સુધી નથી મળ્યું?
http://www.onlinenewspaper.co.in/2016/07/%e0%aa%b5%e0%aa%bf%e0%aa%b6%e0%ab%8d%e0%aa%b5%e0%aa%a8%e0%ab%81%e0%aa%82-%e0%aa%b8%e0%ab%8c%e0%aa%a5%e0%ab%80-%e0%aa%ae%e0%ab%8b%e0%aa%9f%e0%ab%81%e0%aa%82-%e0%aa%b0%e0%aa%b9%e0%aa%b8%e0%ab%8d/
#પલન, #રહસય
Amazon Prime is launched at a great price; but it’s the Prime Video service that has me excited
I woke up to the news of Amazon Prime coming to India today. You can register for a 60-day trial, after which you will be charged Rs 499 per year (to become Rs 999 after the inaugural offer) for Amazon Prime. This service will give you a guaranteed and free one-day or two-day delivery on Prime ready products (regardless of the minimum cost); discounts on same day delivery in certain cities; 30-min early access to Amazon Lightning deals.
But this isn’t something that excited me more than that ‘Prime Video is coming’ announcement at the bottom of the Amazon Prime page. Prime Video gives you access to Amazon Original Series and Movies along with premium movies as well as TV shows from various Indian and foreign TV networks.
Amazon hasn’t clarified whether the Prime Video service will be part of the Rs 499 or Rs 999 package eventually, along with the available Prime services or if it will be sold as a separate service. If it is part of Amazon Prime package, then customers are in for a treat. In a space where Netflix, Hotstar and many other independent players have already got a head start, Amazon could disrupt the space with its pricing.
Currently, Netflix charges Rs 500 per month for its Basic standard definition plan for one screen. Hotstar offers a premium plan of Rs 199 per month and it has separate plans in case you want to just consume specific sporting events. Eros Now has plans starting from Rs 49 per month for unlimited movies and TV shows. But with Hotstar and Eros Now, we are talking majority of Indian content, whereas Netflix has majority international content (although the catalogue is limited as compared to the US).
Traditionally in the US, the Amazon Prime service includes the Prime Video service in the $99 yearly package. Amazon India is offering Amazon Prime at a fraction of that cost at Rs 499 per year. If the video service is part of this bundle, then you can do the math with regards its competition.
Amazon Prime Video service in the US offers content from a lot of TV networks, in addition to Amazon Original programming. In fact, the Prime Video service offers a larger catalogue than Netflix in the US, but Netflix has more high-definition content and a lot more original programming which is what sets it apart.
Amazon also has its own Amazon Originals division, and some of its shows such asTransparent, The Man in the High Castle and Mozart in the Jungle for instance have been quite well received. Of course, Netflix has more more bragging rights in this department thanks to its crowd pullers such as House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Narcos, Marvel Superhero series and more. Add in the fact Netflix plans to double its original series to over 30 this year and you know who is going more aggressive.
But imagine getting all that video content in addition to 1-day, 2-day free delivery of products from Amazon. The cost of Rs 499 or Rs 999 in the future, can easily be compensated by just 10-15 purchases on Amazon. You are essentially getting the video streaming service for free then, so long as you watch TV shows or movies under Amazon Prime label. It will most likely be a separate plan. After all, the US pricing is almost Rs 6,000 plus for the complete Prime package. But what if it isn’t?
The only fear is, what if a lot of the popular shows are not part of the Amazon Prime Video bundle? What if you have to pay separately to rent or download this content from Amazon? I will have to wait till Amazon Prime Video launches in India to be able to answer these questions.
Whatever the case, I really hope it doesn’t go the Amazon Unlimited way. Being a voracious reader, I tried the Amazon Unlimited feature for a couple of months. One thing I noticed immediately was the fact that a lot of Amazon’s self-published titles were being pushed my way and I really had to search a lot for getting the books that I actually wanted. I noticed the overall catalogue for Amazon Unlimited to not really align with my interest areas. Eventually, I discontinued it.
If Amazon Prime Video indeed comes on as a package, and if it indeed does offer a robust catalogue, I don’t see any hindrance in its path to popularity with the masses. Netflix is still expensive for a lot of Indian consumers if you want to view content in HD. Internet bandwidth and speeds are still an issue. As things stand in the Indian online video streaming services for TV network content, Amazon is the only player which has the resources to present an alternative to Netflix in India.
http://www.cracktech.in/2016/07/amazon-prime-launched-great-price-prime-video-service-excited/
#Amazon_Prime, #Amazon_Prime_Video, #Eros_Now, #Hotstar, #Netflix, #Prime_Video
There is no improvement in the conditions and hence the umpires have called for an EARLY LUNCH. The 1st session lasted for a minuscule 7.3 overs before rain stopped play. However, it's impact is not to be underestimated as the Aussies got the big wicket of Kusal Mendis. Rangana Herath has made a quick cameo to stretch the Lankan lead to 228. Hopefully, the rain will break soon and we can see a resumption in play after Lunch. Do join us in a short while.