Vodafone India Begins Free SIM Upgrade In Punjab Circle

As Vodafone India enters the final stages of bringing the world’s largest 4G network to Punjab, it announced today, the availability of 4G SIMs with an attractive data offer- 2GB of free 3G data on 4G enabled smartphones.

The offer is applicable to all existing Vodafone customers who have a 4G enabled smartphone and opt for a 4G ready SIM.  Vodafone 4G SIMs are available at all Vodafone Stores, Vodafone Mini Stores and 6000+ multi brand outlets located across the circle.  Initially the 4G services will be launched in select towns of Punjab.

Pre-paid customers can enjoy the one time offer of 2GB 3G data for free, for a period of ten days while post-paid customers can avail the benefit for one bill cycle. Customers will need to use their 4G ready SIM on a 4G enabled handset only. To avail the 4G services, customers will need to use their 4G ready SIM in a 4G enabled handset.

Customers can walk into any nearby Vodafone Store, Vodafone Mini Store or 6000+ multi brand outlets  across Punjab and get their 4G ready SIM free of cost with a hassle free exchange process. With the new 4G ready SIM, they will continue to enjoy uninterrupted mobile internet experience as per their existing plans and will be automatically upgraded to 4G as soon as the services are launched commercially in Punjab.

Withdraw Cash From Over 120,000 Outlets With Vodafone M-Pesa

Vodafone India, committed to supporting the Government’s bold step to accelerate India’s progress into a less cash economy has announced a unique cash out facility for its 8.4 million plus Vodafone M-Pesa customers. One can withdraw cash using their digital wallet from any of the over 120,000 Vodafone M-Pesa outlets across the country, subject to availability.

To avail the cash withdrawal facility, customers need to carry an identity proof to their nearest Vodafone M-Pesa outlet from where they can withdraw money, subject to availability, in line with RBI guidelines. 

As India’s largest banking correspondent, Vodafone M-Pesa leverages the reach of mobile technology, effectively bringing the bank to the mobile. In addition to enabling financial inclusion and offering the convenience of a digital wallet for easy transactions, its unique cash out feature makes it the ideal for all users, enabling them to digitise cash, remit it to family and friends, pay bills and/or withdraw it at their convenience,

To start using Vodafone M-Pesa, customers just need to download the Vodafone M-Pesa App. The App welcomes all M-Pesa users ((both Vodafone and non-Vodafone customers), intuitively and prompts existing users to Login and new users to register for M-Pesa. With the ‘M-Pesa App’, consumers can very conveniently recharge their mobile & DTH, pay their Post-paid, Electricity, Gas and Landline bills from their mobile with a click of few buttons. As a special gesture, the customers can load their wallets using, debit cards, credit cards and net banking free of cost.

MobiKwik Announces MobiKwik Card To Replace Debit, Credit Cards

Mobile wallet major, MobiKwik, today announced that its users will be able to use MobiKwik for payments across all online & offline retailers and shops, where credit and debit cards are accepted by January 2017. Net1 UEPS Technologies Inc, South Africa headquartered global payments solutions and transaction processing company, also a strategic investor in MobiKwik will be helping the company with their proprietary Card technology for the initiative. This is a noteworthy step in MobiKwik wallet payments ubiquitous.

With just one click, users can generate MobiKwik Card from the app and share details of the card with any online or offline retailer for payment. The card will work on all online platforms and PoS machines. It is the safest way to pay through cards as users do not have to share their bank or card details with the merchant and new cards are generated within their MobiKwik app, each time for transactions.

Users’ MobiKwik balance will also be the balance of the card, which can be used 100% for purchases.

MobiKwik Sees 150% Jump In Merchant Base On Demonetisation

MobiKwik, India’sindependent mobile wallet has said that it has seen a 150 per cent jump in its merchants base since the Government’s announcement of demonetisation. From a 100,000 strong merchant base in the pre-currency ban, MobiKwik has seen an addition of new 150,000 merchants already and now has a network of over 250,000. This includes leading retail chains such as Big Bazaar, Croma, EZone, 98.4, Pantaloons etc. and local shopkeepers and sellers.  

MobiKwik has also said it will hire over 12000 agents to expand offline merchant network to over 10 lakh touch-points by the end of the current fiscal. The mobile wallet has registered an 18-fold growth in transactions since the announcement of demonetization that saw old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes ceasing to be legal tender. Users can load money into their m-wallets using their credit/debit cards or netbanking.

It has launched a new service "MobiKwik on delivery" to address the challenges being faced by e-commerce companies in operating the cash on delivery service. It offers customers options to pay through its digital services on delivery of products.

In addition MobiKwik is reaching out to autorickshaw and cab drivers who are opting for a mobile wallet for a hassle-free payment method. Online train ticket booking platform IRCTC is among the companies that accept MobiKwik's wallet for transactions.

Vodafone Ties Up With Google Cloud To Bring G Suite To Indian Enterprises

In its mission to build Ready Businesses in India, Vodafone Business Services (VBS), the enterprise arm of Vodafone India, has tied up with Google Cloud to offer G Suite to Indian enterprises. G Suite is a set of intelligent apps – Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, Hangouts, and more – designed with real-time collaboration and machine intelligence to bring people together and help them work smarter.

Under this tie-up, Vodafone enterprise customers can conveniently and securely access G Suite in a pay-per-use, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. With G Suite securely delivered from the cloud, Vodafone will support enterprises from on-boarding and activation right up to migration and service support through a dedicated Cloud Support Team.

G Suite through Vodafone: Key Highlights
•    Cost-effective, predictable, pay-as-you-go billing. Choice of monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or annual payments to be made online or by cheque
•    Dedicated Multi-channel support [phone, email, online] for onboarding, migration and in-life queries
•    Dedicated Account and Relationship Management for SMBs and large enterprises
•    Single partner for connectivity and G Suite

Now book Railway Tickets On IRCTC With FreeCharge Wallet

FreeCharge, India’s fastest growing digital payments platform has announced partnership with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to provide digital payments for ticket bookings. The partnership will further strengthen the payment process at IRCTC and offer a fast and convenient digital payments experience to its customers through the FreeCharge wallet both during normal and tatkal hours.

IRCTC processes over 180 million transactions on its platform and now with this partnership with FreeCharge, customers can pay anytime, anywhere in less than 10 seconds.

Speaking on the partnership, Govind Rajan, Chief Executive Officer, FreeCharge, said, “We are delighted to partner with IRCTC and be a part of their journey to make customer’s travel experience frictionless and convenient in every way. With this partnership, we further expand our reach in commute and travel segment. FreeCharge is the fastest way to pay and we believe that will offer immense value for users booking at IRCTC. Our aim is to make FreeCharge wallet all pervasive in customer’s lives.”

Google Pixel XL Review: Should You Buy It?

Nexus is history, and though that's a bit of a sour note for all of us, Google is still giving us their 'pure Android experience' in a new form. But more than being a developer benchmark for Android, the Pixel phones are gunning straight for the ultimate user experience, even if it comes at a premium price. But is this a justified step, or is Google overshooting?

Let's start with the device itself. We had the larger Google Pixel XL for review, which is identical in features with the regular 5-inch Pixel, only with a larger 5.5-inch quad-HD display. Straight up, it's not the most aesthetically appealing device, which is an instant red flag, considering that it is one of the most premium smartphones in the market. The front has a pretty big chin that doesn't seem to serve any real function like a home button, or even space for capacitive buttons – both of which the device doesn't have. This makes the phone feel big in an awkward way, which is a shame considering how 5.5-inch has started to feel so comfortable in the competitions' handsets. Moreover, the device isn't exactly slim at 8.5mm thickness.

Design aside, the phone does have a Snapdragon 821 SoC married to 3GB of RAM - Not the most stellar of specs, but that does take a backseat to what the Pixel really has to offer.

The camera is the most interesting part about the Pixel XL. It's straight-up phenomenal. We were impressed with the camera offerings of the iPhone 7, and Samsung S7, but the way Pixel incorporates HDR+ into every shot, makes it by far the best snapper in the market today.

Unlike HDR seen on other smartphones, this one does a lot more than just even out the colours. It manages to catch a more true-to-life colour palette, and amazing contrast levels without sacrificing on the details.

We tried shooting fireworks with the camera, which is objectively one of the toughest things to photograph. Even in situations where any other camera would have given me burnt-out bright spots, the Google Pixel camera managed to capture subtle details and even colour gradients.

Google isn’t kidding when it says that this is the best camera on a smartphone ever. It really is.

Besides taking great shots, Google has also ensured that you’ll be able to back them without a fuss. With the purchase of a Pixel phone, you also get unlimited full-resolution cloud backup on Google Photos. For free.

That’s a game changer of sorts, considering that you’d normally have to pay for a service like that. There are some other exclusive features on offer as well, like a direct access to customer support anytime you need it, and of course, it’s the first device to support Google’s new Daydream VR format.

Another major feature that Pixel boasts is the Google Assistant, which is a much smarter and conversational version of Google Now that you may have been using so far. Like Siri on iOS, you can have a conversation with the Google Assistant, ask it to order a Pizza, book an Uber for you and more in a much more natural manner. In our direct comparison to Siri, we found that the Assistant was much smarter in understanding follow up questions, like asking who the prime minister of India is and then following up with “What’s his age?”, rather than “What’s Narendra Modi’s age?”

The phone’s interface too has been tweaked by Google to make the icons more rounded, and the 3D backgrounds are just gorgeous. But all this comes at a price. The Google Pixel costs Rs. 57,000 in India for the 32GB version and the Pixel XL starts at Rs. 67,000. From what we’ve seen within a month from the launch, a lot of the Pixel exclusive features like unlimited full-res backup and Google Assistant will be coming to other devices as well, making this kind of markup pricing quite hard to justify, especially for a device that doesn’t feel as premium.

Samsung S7 Edge which comes for roughly around the same price point feels a lot classier, performs well and has an excellent camera as well. Even the iPhone may be ridiculously expensive in India, but you do feel like you’re buying a premium product at the end of the day. The Pixel fails to invoke that feeling, which is its biggest problem. If you’re fine with that, then there is no better Android experience and camera than the ones Google Pixel have to offer.

Google Calls On Indian Youths To Be Next Guardians Of The Internet

In an effort to promote and educate the youth about staying smart, safe and savvy online, Google India today announced the launch of the second edition of the Web Rangers contest. Google Web Rangers contest is open to students across the country within the age group of 10 and 17 years. 

Entering its second year, the competition aims to encourage young people in schools and communities to highlight the importance of Internet safety and being good digital citizens. As part of the competition, students across the country are invited to create, innovate and submit their creative ideas in various categories in the form of entries ranging from a comprehensive Internet safety campaign, to a project involving a video, website, app or even design a poster to educate and spread awareness around digital safety.

The deadline for submitting entries for this year’s contest is January 5, 2017. Winners in each of these categories stand to win Chromebooks and tablets. To learn more about the rules and format, or to submit your entries, visit this page.

FreeCharge Zero Cost Offer For Business Shakes Up Market

India's fastest growing digital payments platform, FreeCharge’s, Zero Cost offer for merchants has created tremendous buzz amongst the merchants.

In one swift stroke, FreeCharge completely removed the initial set-up charges and also the commission charged to merchants on each transaction. To make the complete digital payments process completely free, it also waived the charge for transferring funds from the FreeCharge wallet to the merchant’s bank. This unbeatable offer led to a sharp increase in the number of merchants signing up to start receiving payments through FreeCharge.

The level of user interest can be seen from the fact that nearly 60% of the merchants who signed up over the last 2 days, received their first digital payment within one hour of starting their FreeCharge wallet. The largest number of sign-ups are from self-employed professionals and food delivery joints.

MobiKwik Slashes Bank Transfer Fee To ZERO!

In the wake of challenges being faced by masses in India due to demonetization, MobiKwik, India's digital wallet has announced that users will be able to transfer money instantly to any bank account at 0% fee. The move is expected to encourage more and more retailers, shopkeepers and users to use mobile wallet and overcome the challenges that they are facing in procuring and using cash. 

Earlier, to transfer money from a mobile wallet to the bank, a non KYC user was charged 4% fee and the fee for a KYC user was 1%. The company has launched a user support number that is operational 24x7. Users can call on +919029059700 to download MobiKwik app and start sending or receiving money for free.

MobiKwik payments are even easier than cash payments and users can register instantaneously using Truecaller. They can also find nearby merchants using the 'nearby' feature on the app, that was launched earlier this year.

Users can load money using their credit/debit cards or netbanking. They can also convert their Payback points, earned from ICICI bank debit/credit cards, Big Bazaar, Central, HP Petrol Pumps, MakeMyTrip, eBay, BookMyShow and American Express; and reward points earned from SBI, Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Central Bank, Canara Bank, Union Bank & Bank of Baroda to MobiKwik cash.

WhatsApp Video Calling Is Here

The wait is over. Starting today, WhatsApp will let you make video calls is here for free. In the coming days, WhatsApp's more than one billion users can make video calls across Android, iPhone, and Windows devices.

Whatsapp has introduced this feature because voice and text messages are just aren’t enough. There’s no substitute for watching your grandchild take her first steps, or seeing your daughter’s face while she’s studying abroad.

Over the years we’ve received many requests from our users for video calling, and we’re excited to finally offer this feature to the world. Thank you for using WhatsApp and we promise to keep working hard every day to improve the service.

Message from Jan Koum, CEO & Co-Founder, WhatsApp: 'Video calling is one of the most requested features from people in India. We're proud to have the opportunity to launch this feature in India, where we now have 160 million users, and we look forward to seeing people use WhatsApp to talk to their friends and loved ones face to face.'

Lenovo launches PHAB 2 Plus in India At Rs 14,999

Lenovo has unveiled its much anticipated Phab 2 Plus in India. It has a full metal body design and is available in two colour variants – Champagne Gold and Gunmetal Grey. The Lenovo Phab 2 Plus is priced at INR 14,999 and is available exclusively on Amazon.in.

The Phab 2 Plus sports dual 13MP rear cameras with professional-grade Milbeaut® ISP processor Image Signal Processor that gives professional features like Augmented-Reality special effects, instant focus and fast F2.0 lenses. The camera software also incorporates a manual mode as well as other special effects.

The JBL earphones also comes bundled with the Phab 2 Plus. The Phab 2 range are the world’s first smartphones with Dolby Audio Capture 5.1 that embeds 360° sound in video recordings to add a special touch to every audio-visual experience. Phab 2 Plus also boasts of an immersive audio experience with Dolby Atmos technology.

The Pab 2 Plus features a 16.2cm (6.4) Full HD curved glass display and is powered by 1.3 GHz True 8-Core MediaTek processor coupled with 3GB of RAM. It has an in-built 32GB of storage expandable up to 128GB via micro-sd card.It houses a powerful 4050 mAH battery. It also comes with a fingerprint scanner and in-built softwares like McAfee Security, Netflix, SwiftKey to protect users’ data and rev-up their entertainment quotient.

‘Burhan vs Modi’: Video game in Kashmir shows Wani fighting for ‘freedom’

Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani may have been killed by security forces in July but he appears to have been resurrected in the form of a popular video game in Kashmir. The Android-based mobile phone game called “Burhan Vs Modi” is a hit among youngsters in the Valley.

In the game, the user dons Wani’s character to take on figures resembling Prime Minister Narendra Modi to win points and advance. The goal of the game appears to be “azaadi” (freedom) as the user shoots, kicks and punches to eliminate the Modi-like characters to gain points. The game has six stages with ten levels each.

The developers of the game remain anonymous but when the game begins, photos of two Kashmiri youngsters come up with a caption that reads ‘creator of the game’. The game isn’t available on Google Play Store from where most games and apps are downloaded by Android users.

But when one types “Burhan” in the search slot of the app store, the first option in the automatic drop down list is “Burhan vs Modi game”. Experts say it indicates that the game has been searched for numerous times by different users. Police say they think the game isn’t original but was developed by locals who superimposed Wani and Modi’s image on the characters of an existing action game.

Source: Hindustan Times

Facebook Accidentally Declares Mark Zuckerberg, Two Million Others Dead

In a weird turn of events, Facebook itself has started declaring people dead – when in fact they are not. A lot of Facebook users were greeted with a eulogy message when visiting the profiles of friends and family, while some found their own accounts memorialised. Even Mark Zuckerberg was declared dead on his Facebook page. The social media giant acknowledged the error after fixing it – saying that there was a ‘terrible error’.

People who have been memorialised by Facebook have the following written on top of their Facebook profile “Remembering Anne. We hope people who love Anne will find comfort in the things others share to remember and celebrate her life”.

The social network yesterday apologized and said it work as quickly as possible to correct the problem. While some people were obviously shocked, other users saw it as a missed opportunity to scare a few friends out, with one user, Danny Sullivan tweeting “Damn. I should have used Facebook Live to show how I was Facebook Dead”.

Source: Indian Express

Smartron Launches Student Discount Offer Program

Smartron has launched an exclusive student discount offer program. The sleek 2-in-1 convertible laptop, tbook and the stylish smartphone tphone, will now be available at an attractive 10 per cent discount exclusively for students from school to under-graduate level. The same offer will be available across Smartron products and accessories.  

To avail this offer, students have to apply online on Smartron’s student offer page, http://smartron.com/studentoffer. After receiving these applications, Smartron will review and issue a code to the student’s email ID provided. This discount coupon can then be redeemed to  buy products on Smartron’s tstore: tstore.smartron.com.

tbook
Known for its style and substance, the t.book has a distinctive dual tone styling with an all metal unibody. A convenient workstation, powered by Intel Core M processor and a Microsoft Windows 10 Operating System, the t.book is an ideal device for students to enjoy a read and learn no matter where they are.

tphone
The stylish ultra-thin dual sim tphone is known for its lightning fast performance. It has 64 GB inbuilt memory with an expandable SD card slot and all Smartron users gets the exclusive privilege of unlimited cloud storage on tcloud. The 5.5 inch tphone also comes with a Gorillas Glass 3 with Apical Assertive Display technology for exceptional outdoor visibility. Hence, students can be assured that they will not have a problem reading on their tphone.

Smartron devices will enable young minds to make the most out of the ‘tron experience’ (tronx), a platform built on the concept of Internet of Trons (IoT).

Micromax Launches Canvas Spark 4G At Rs 4999

Micromax Informatics, India’s largest mobile brand and the world’s 10th largest smartphone brand, today announced a fresh addition to its hugely successful Spark series - Canvas Spark 4G. The Canvas Spark 4G is the first smartphone in Spark range from Micromax to feature 4G LTE capability. Launched exclusively on Snapdeal, the Micromax Canvas Spark 4G aims to make 4G enabled devices available to consumers in at a competitive price tag of Rs. 4999. 

Speaking on the occasion of launch of the phone, Mr Shubhajit Sen, Chief Marketing Officer, Micromax Informatics said, “The consumer response to the Spark series has been phenomenal. With the Canvas Spark 4G, we wish to drive the adoption of 4G amongst consumers and give them a competitive product. Consumer demand is constantly shifting towards devices offering multi-tasking capabilities, 24x7 data connectivity with increased video consumption and real-time mobility solutions."

The Canvas Spark 4G  features a 5-inch IPS display and is powered by 1.3 Ghz Quad core Spreadtrum Processor coupled with 1GB Ram. The device has an inbuilt 8gb memory. The Canvas Spark 4G Q4201 houses a 2,000 mAh Battery and has Android Marshmallow 6.0 OS. It features a 5MP Rear Camera and 2MP Front facing Camera

Boltt Unveils The Explorer Campaign #MyBolttPass

An Indian fitness startup taking on the big players to transform the sport tech and wearable space, Boltt is all set to push the boundaries of the health conscious. Making a paradigmatic shift in the way we use fitn wearables, Boltt is all geared up to help you identify a new version of ‘You’, with the launch of the Global Explorer Campaign, #MyBolttPass.

The campaign is a call out to all enthusiastic, determined, strong-willed fitness souls who makes an effort to build a perfect lifestyle. It targets those who takes the chance to healthy living and with every morning, they keep moving. The campaign unveils with the #MyBolttMove initiative which invites everyone to share their endeavor to a healthy lifestyle and avail advanced AI enabled Boltt products.

A sneak peak of the products:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2KU_eeLo3I

The initiative is a shout out to every effort taken at an individualistic level to stay healthy. It is to recognize those inspired moments which broke off the fringes of fear, conquered weaknesses, overcame the inner battles and  walked towards being the master of your mind. Every conscious effort made to healthy living discovers the New YOU and Boltt is calling out to all those stories from every corner of the world to create the Boltt movement.

Join the movement and share your fitness stories which demonstrate unrelenting spirit towards healthier living -

    -Join #MyBolttMove & get a chance to win exclusive Boltt wearables
    -Explorer Campaign to identify early adopters & fitness freaks

Boltt pass is your golden ticket to take home Boltt smart wearable kit for FREE. The smart kit includes Boltt smart shoes,smart band and a free subscription to AI-powered mobile app. #MyBolttPass will carry a unique coupon code which can be redeemed at the time of pre-order on Kickstarter.

'MobiKwik on delivery' To Replace 'Cash on Delivery' For Leading e-commerce Companies

MobiKwik, India’s largest independent mobile wallet with over 35 million users and a network of over 100000 merchants, today announced that it will be offering ‘MobiKwik on delivery’ option for e-tailers to replace ‘Cash on Delivery’ and overcome the challenges being faced by the phasing out of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes. Currently, MobiKwik supports cashless payments at Myntra, Jabong, Big Basket, Grofers, ZopNow and many other leading online retailers.

The service is being offered by MobiKwik, pan India and e-tailers can add ‘MobiKwik on Delivery’ to their platform right away.

MobiKwik also registered over 2000% increase in add money since the announcement of currency notes ban. The company has seen tremendous growth in merchant requests and user transactions as well.

The boldest initiative till date in revolutionizing payments came as a surprise on November 8, 2016, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced phasing out of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 currency notes. However, the move has been well accepted by users and merchants across India and will be a milestone in addressing the black money issue in India.

XOLO Black 1x Gets Marshmallow Update

XOLO has rolled out the Android Marshmallow update for Black 1X smartphone in India.  Xolo Black 1X was initially launched with Lollipop operating system.

The update is rolled out over-the-air and will require 1.2GB free space to upgrade. The key steps to be followed for the upgrade are –
•         Go to Menu-> Ota Hub->Software update-> the device will detect the update package present online
•        Alternatively, user can also select “Check for updates”
•        Software update notification window will appear with details of the update.
•        Click “OK” to download the update package.
•        Once download done, Click the option of “Install update”

Once installation is complete, device will restart and will update to latest SW Version.

BLACK 1X is powered by an Octa-Core processor with64-bit CPU architecture and integrated 4G LTE. The device comes loaded with LPDDR3 3GB RAM and 32GB internal memory. The device sports a 13 MP rear camera with Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) technology and 5MP front camera with front flash. The smartphone features a 12.7 cm (5), Full HD On-Cell IPS display with a pixel density of 441 PPI. The device is powered by 2400 Li-Pol mAH battery.

Panasonic India expands its P-series by launching Panasonic P71

Panasonic India has unveiled its new smartphone in the affordable P series – P71. The smartphone is Panasonic’s latest offering in the successful P-series.

The Dual SIM - 4G VoLTE enabled smartphone packs a fine combination of power, performance and usability and makes you experience connectivity like never before. The handset packs a powerful 1.25 GHz processor with a 2GB RAM that not only lets the user multitask smoothly, but also caters to an enhanced gaming experience. The dual SIM smartphone has a 2000 mAh battery which offers long hours of talk time and browsing experience. The P71 with all its features weighs in at only 138 gm. And has Android Marshmallow 6.0 with a 16GB memory expandable upto 32GB.

The new P71 is integrated with 8 MP rear camera with flash and 2MP front camera offers numerous photography options for different scenarios. For connectivity, the device has a dual SIM configuration, direct Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Equipped with 2000 mAH battery with optimized power management software, it ensures longer usage without a charge.

For photography enthusiasts, the smartphone comes bundled with an 8MP Rear Camera and a 2MP front camera that gives the user crystal clear photos. P75 is available in two colors - Ivory Gold and Dim Gray Black making you stand out from the crowd. The phone also comes in a 1GB variant.

It is available at an attractive price of INR P71 1GB - INR 7,490/, P71 2GB - INR 8,190 /-

Now Recharge BEST Bus Passes On The Ridlr Mobile Application

BEST commuters can now say goodbye to traveling every month to a bus depot and standing in a queue to recharge their BEST bus passes, thanks to this new digital initiative by BEST.

While outsiders may call it one of the best and most intricate in the world, anybody who has actually lived by the experience of using public transport in Mumbai will know how cumbersome it can really get, particularly during peak hours. BEST, which is one of the lifelines of Mumbai and the largest bus agencies in India, has been looking to leverage technology to make commuting hassle free for Mumbaikars. This objective coupled with increased smartphone and mobile data usage has led BEST to involve Ridlr, in association with Trimax, to become their official mobile ticketing partners.

As part of the initial launch, commuters can now recharge their BEST bus passes on Ridlr and can also book mobile tickets on all BEST AC routes. In this way, BEST is trying to ensure that their loyal consumers do not have to take the pain of going all the way to the bus depot and stand in queues to renew their passes. As part of the launch, early adopters will also be given cashback of upto Rs. 100 by Ridlr and its wallet partner.

To recharge the bus pass, customers need to download the Ridlr android app from Google Play Store and create their profile and add money in their wallet. Post this, they just need to add their pass details to recharge their pass anytime which, they can validate with the conductor within 3 days. Customers can now recharge all fixed amount passes and single route distance passes, among the concession passes, service will only be available for senior citizen passes.

BEST has also launched the mobile ticketing feature on select AC routes as well, and soon shall make it available across all BEST buses, along with mobile Pass and daily pass renewal options on Ridlr.

ZOPO Launches ‘F2’ Smartphone At Rs 10,790

ZOPO, the hi-tech enterprise announced the launch of the latest model– The Color ‘F2’ smartphone. The newest product is part of ZOPO’s highly successful Color series in India. 

The Color ‘F2’ is equipped with the latest features introduced by ZOPO like –Multi-account Application, PiP video Integration (floating video), and Barcode and QR scanner. It features a decent 5.5 inch HD IPS Screen & 2.5D Curved Glass. Measuring 153mm x 77.8mm x 8.5mm, it comes with the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS.

The USP of this smartphone lies in its exclusive Multi-function Fingerprint scanner that enables customers to control every functionality of their smartphones with just one touch. The ‘F2’ device is powered with a 64-bit media tech Quad-core CPU coupled with 2GB RAM. It has an inbuilt 16GB Storage that is expandable by up to 64 GB. The device is available in two colors – champagne gold and rose gold.

The dual-sim smartphone has an 8MP rear camera with autofocus and a 5.0MP front camera. It also has front and back LED flash and Face Beauty 4.0 feature. The device is priced at only Rs 10,790 and packs in a decent 2300mAh Battery.

Freecharge Partners With Indian Oil Corporation Limited

Freecharge, India’s fastest growing digital payments platform, has partnered with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for cashless payments for LPG cylinder deliveries across the country.

The pilot project for this is already live with multiple distributors in Bangalore, Chandigarh, Raipur and Kolkata. By the end of March 2017, the project is expected to cover the entire IOCL network comprising nearly 8000 dealerships across India.

Once the roll out is complete, every IOCL consumer will have the option to pay for the LPG deliveries using their Freecharge wallet. At the point of delivery, customers will be able to complete payment for their LPG cylinders within 10 seconds and at the tap of a button. The payment will get completed even without Internet connectivity, since Freecharge’s On-The-Go-Pin works even in offline mode.

Intex Big Screen LED TV Range Gets Bigger with 58" And 65" Models

Intex Technologies, one of the major consumer durables brand, enhanced its Big screen LED TV portfolio with the launch of its two new models, LED-5800 FHD TV and LED-6500 FHD TV today. Both the 58-inch and 65-inch models  are solid, elegant devices powered with unique quality features that provide full HD resolution pictures and high-quality powerful sound offering new ways for consumers to enjoy television like never before. The new range of LED TV line-up is characterized by a smart power saving feature and consistent style. 

Both LED TV models are equipped with digital video processing technology (DNR) that helps in reducing the amount of random noise, providing a more detailed and realistic viewing. LED TV 5800  and LED TV 6500 have a fast response time of 9ms and 8ms offering crystal clear images ensuring clarity and an immersive experience.

 The LED TVs are crafted with built-in speakers producing sound clarity like never before with a powerful 10Wx2 sound output that brings even the smallest of sounds to life. The 58” and 65” comes with dynamic contrast ratio giving superior contrast to an LED, containing full range of brightness levels for enhancing the viewing experience for consumers.

The LED TVs run on an interface that has a wide range of connectivity ports like RF (1), HDMI (2) , AV In (2), AV Out (1) ; PC Audio Input mini jack (1) ; USB (2) ; VGA(1), YPbPr (1), Earphone out (1) jack. You can now enjoy a smooth viewing experience by just connecting any compatible device to the big screen. Its fully functional remote control ensures ease to consumers.
The 58” & 65” LED TV models will be available at all leading retail stores, leading e-commerce sites and hypermarkets across the country.

IRCTC And MOBIKWIK Partner To Launch E-Cash Payments For Tatkal Bookings

MobiKwik has announced its partnership with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to power e-cash payments for tatkal bookings with a much higher success rate than other modes of online payment. Instantaneous payments with MobiKwik will help tatkal online in managing the load of over a thousand ticket bookings per minute. The service will also help users in ensuring that their bookings do not get rejected due to payment delays.

Tatkal is a special high demand service that was launched for the benefit of passengers who have to plan their journey at the last moment and cannot secure reserved accommodation. Ona n average, over 15% daily ticket bookings for Indian Railways happen under tatkal. Given that the demand-supply curve for the service is skewed, it is imperative that the service is supported by a robust payment system. MobiKwik payments at tatkal help the service run smoothly and iron out delays in booking. This facility is available at www.services.irctc.co.in and users can book their tickets between 8 am-12 pm daily.

To book a tatkal ticket with MobiKwik within 2 seconds, users must preload their wallet with the desired amount using netbanking, credit or debit card or cash loading. MobiKwik has cash pick up service in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Surat and Jaipur. Users can also deposit cash in MobiKwik from 100000 locations in 10000 cities. These locations can be seen on nearby tab of MobiKwik app.

Blackberry Launches DTEK60 Phone At Rs 33000

Canadian phone maker Balckberry, which announced to stop making phones last month, today llaunched its lasy phone 'DTEK60'at RRs 33,000. 

The android marshamllow enabled handset features 5.5"display, a 21 MP rear camera, a fingerprint sensor, and Blackberry's security software. It rivals the size of the latest iPhone 7 Plus and Google Pixel XL smartphones.

Source: Inshorts