Your Tech Story

News

Paytm

Paytm launches its own Mini App Store

Leave a Comment / News, Tech News / By

Last week, Indians witnessed chaos between Paytm and Google when the latter took down the Paytm app from Google Play Store. With the Indian Premier League starting a few weeks back, many companies and their respective apps have unlocked new features and cricket-themed prizes. Paytm also launched such cricket-themed cashback for its customers which led Google to accuse it of sports betting. After the Paytm app was back again in the Play Store, the current CEO and co-founder of Paytm, Vijay Shekhar Sharma accused Google of being biased and it was just a move put resistance to Paytm’s new user growth.

Paytm has given Google a very bold comeback yesterday by launching its own Mini App Store. The company decided to open its app store to help and grow Indian developers giving them a lot of scopes to establish their business and grow. Vijay further said that they are proud to create such an amazing opportunity for every Indian developer. It will be a good experience for both the developers and Paytm users.

Paytm big move

Before last week, Google has accused Paytm a few times of sports betting and not going by the guidelines. But, after what happened the last time, Vijay has not taken the accusation lightly. Currently, the two companies are on a battlefield and yesterday Paytm played its big move. Paytm launched its Android mini app store for the Indian developers. In this time of such an economic crisis, every person should try and make the best of the time and try to stabilize the economy. Given that the new start-ups and small businesses are significant contributors to GDP, this is a well-played move indeed.

Paytm
Image Source: thequint.com

Advantages for the Indian developers 

According to the company, these mini-apps can be made using HTML and JavaScript and run within two weeks only. Two developers can complete the integration of the web within a small period. The company also says that these apps will act more like websites for the time being and not full-fledged apps. The mini-apps will also help users save their memory and data as well. For the Paytm users, they don’t need to download an additional app to access these new mini-apps.  

Regarding the payment options, the Paytm Wallet, Paytm Payments Bank, and UPI are already incorporated in the system. To use these payment systems, zero percent fees are charged which is a huge advantage for the developers. There is also an option for payment with a credit card, debit card, and net banking but a 2% along with GST will be added. Using this platform of Paytm’s the young developers can reach out to more people and also take the advantage of leveraging Paytm’s payment system.

Disappointed in Google’s action

It is clearly understood that even if Paytm wasn’t planning to launch its mini play store or maybe not anytime soon, Google triggered the decision. But, with the gambling policies enforced on the apps present in Google Play Store, many other companies are also disappointed with Google’s action. The new guidelines from Google have also resulted in withdrawing sport-based cashback offers from Zomato and Swiggy. India is a land of cricket lovers and this new offer brought in many fresh customers especially due to IPL. But, unfortunately, the offer has now been taken off the websites leading to a decrease in new users.

High potential success 

It is time to focus on what the future awaits. The company expects the rolling out of the Paytm mini app store to be a big hit. Indian developers should see this as a humungous opportunity as it also falls under the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission drive. It would be a huge benefit for both the local business and the Indian economy if every small start-up goes digital. Moreover, Indians are also showing interesting in buying from local retailers thus supporting small businesses. Paytm already has around 300 mini-apps in the Paytm and soon the numbers will increase. Some of the apps include Ola, Rapido, Domino’s, NetMeds, etc.

Since this is a new feature rolled out by Paytm, it will hold a conference on 8th October 2020 to help understand the developers how this works. Now, let us just wait and watch how far it can give a tough competition to Google.

Flipkart Big Billion Day 2020

All You Need to Know About Flipkart Big Billion Day 2020

Leave a Comment / News, Tech News / By

India’s biggest online sale is back, and it’s here right in time for your Diwali Shopping. Over the last few years, Flipkart has been gaining a large following in India due to its mega shopping bonanza known as the Big Billion sale. This annual online shopping extravaganza features mind-blowing offers on a variety of products. Flipkart recently released updates regarding the dates of the sale, and what offers users can expect this time around. Here’s a look at everything you need to know about the Big Billion sale, and the deals that come with it.

When is Flipkart Big Billion Sale?

Flipkart finally published dates for its annual shopping bonanza – the Big Billion Sale. This year, the sale will go live between October 16th and 21st. During the course of these six days, the e-commerce giant will offer huge savings plans and deals to shoppers. The sale will feature massive price-cuts and savings schemes on a variety of products from different categories. While the sale officially starts on October 16th, Flipkart Plus members will receive early access. As per the announcement, Plus members can begin their shopping from 8 PM on October 15th, getting first preference on a slew of products. Since their sale goes live roughly four hours before it does for others, they will be able to make the most of the e-commerce sale. Furthermore, Flipkart Great Indian Festival sale will also kick off shortly, making this a great time for shoppers across the country.  

What deals can users expect?

Flipkart live page suggests that users will receive an extra 10% instant discount if they leverage SBI debit and credit cards. Furthermore, shoppers will also be eligible for cashback on purchases made using Paytm. Users will also be able to access several no-cost EMI plans for those who use Bajaj Finserv. Several other deals will also be made available for shoppers who use ICICI, HDFC, and SBI banks. Electronic devices will see a maximum discount of 80%, whereas laptops will feature a 60% price-cut. Additionally, appliances such as TVs will have a 75% discount, along with several exchange offers and no-cost EMI options. 

Flipkart Big Billion Day 2020
Image Source: trak.in

Clothes and other accessories will feature discounts between 60% and 80%, giving users a chance to update their wardrobe. Everything from men’s wear to women’s ethnic wear will be available on these discounts. Day one of the Big Billion sale will introduce an extra 10% discount, giving users an incentive to finish their shopping early. Another highlight of the sale will be the discounts that Flipkart provides on its own products. Various appliances, furniture, and other accessories will have 60% price-cuts. The e-commerce giant will introduce new deals every day, with home appliances having discounts between 50% and 80%.

Other Deals to Watch Out For

Flipkart also announced that new deals would be out every eight hours, much to the delight of online shoppers. The Walmart-owned e-commerce giant will be offering mind-blowing deals on everything from mobiles to sports shoes from October 16th. New deals will come out at 12 AM, 8 AM, and 4 PM during the days of the sale. Furthermore, Flipkart will offer even better deals through its SuperCoins. The e-commerce platform announced that it would be offering over 2000 SuperCoins as a part of several riveting and exciting deals.  

Flipkart Big Billion Days 2020 Schedule

  1. Offer Period                                       October 16th – 21st October 2020
  2. Plus Members                          October 15th, 8.00 PM 
  3. Other users                                       October 16th, 12.00 AM (Midnight)
  4. Mobile Offers for Plus Members     October 17th, 8.00 PM 
  5. Mobile Offers Others                        October 18th, 12.00 AM (Midnight)

Flipkart Big Billion Sale Deals

  1. Fashion                                                60%-80%
  2. Home and Kitchen                              50%-90% 
  3. Televisions and Appliances                 Up to 80%
  4. Beauty and Baby care                         Starting at INR 79
  5. Mobiles                                               Up to 90%
  6. Electronics Sale                                   Up to 80% 
  7. Gaming Laptops                                 40% Off
  8. High-Performance Laptops                 20%-30% 
  9. Trimmers and Personal Care               Up to 80% 
  10. Power Banks                                       50% to 80% 
  11. Headphones                                        Up to 50%
  12. Bluetooth Speakers                             Up to 50% 
  13. Pen drives                                           Up to 80% 
  14. Data Storage Device                           Up to 80% 

Everyone planning to upgrade their laptop or smartphone should mark their calendar for the Big Billion sale. Every product, from mobiles to apparels, will be available at never-before-seen prices and will be up for grabs for all users. So, are you ready for Flipkart’s Big Billion Sale? Let us know what category of products you are most excited to see on sale in the comments below!

Google

Google partners with Zoho, Instamojo, and many others to help SMBs go digital.

Leave a Comment / Google, News, Tech News / By

The current economic situation caused due to the outburst of COVID-19 has brought heavy losses for many new and small businesses. Though the global economy is suffering, the SMBs are facing the hardest of challenges. They can neither repair the damage eventually like big companies nor then can shut it down. So, Google has decided to help support these SMBs to build their business, have a strong digital presence, and combat the economic sinister.

Yesterday, Google announced that it has partnered with Zoho, Instamojo, and many other companies to provide a better and a digital presence for the SMBs. Since the lockdown, every operation as far as possible has been conducted virtually. So, this might be the right time to take your business online as a part of “the new normal”. This new initiative will help consumers discover such small businesses in Google Maps and Search. These new features will be available on Grow with Google Small Business hub in India.

Google partnered with a few companies 

Apart from collaborating with Zoho and Instamojo, Google has also partnered with Dunzo and Swiggy. These companies will provide their platforms to the businesses which will help the business operate in many ways. Zoho is providing its inventory to these businesses that will be able to create a website for their service and also sell their product online through Zoho Commerce. Also, Zoho is providing these services for free till 31st March 2021. Though we are amidst a pandemic and tough financial mayhem, the SMBs are getting much support through this initiative.

Instamojo is also offering a six-month free subscription to its ‘Premium Online Store Solution’ for the SMBs. To ensure a fast and efficient onboarding process and hassle-free online orders, Google partnered with Dunzo and Swiggy. Dunzo will provide 24X7 merchant supports to these businesses for free. Moreover, Dunzo is also not charging anything for singing up and instant registration. The SMBs can also use Swiggy’s seven days ‘Fast track Onboarding’.

SMBs go digital with Google
Image Source: legal.economictimes.indiatimes.com

Apart from partnering with these companies, Google will soon launch a new show in partnership with Doordarshan called Namaste Digital. This will be a learning show for SMBs on how to grow their business in a digital world.

Google-Kantar small business tracker research

In July, Google has conducted Google-Kantar small business tracker research. And, this new initiative is solely taken based on the feedback from the SMBs and the challenges they are facing. The report showed that 92% of small businesses face customer-related challenges which are the biggest problem of such businesses. Apart from this, revenue loss due to low demand also caused the downfall or dormancy of such businesses. They eventually understood that it will be profitable for their businesses to go digital and hence the numbers are increasing eventually. This is a very strong contribution towards digital India as the unprivileged needs more attention than those who have resources.

What are experts saying?

Shalini Girish, Customer Solutions Director at Google India, in response to this new initiative said that there are millions of small businesses established in a diversified field in India. And, in this time of economic crisis, we need to do everything in our power to support and transform these businesses digitally. Google has also launched a nationwide campaign called ‘Make Small Strong’ to help grow consumer demand for local small businesses. Customers can buy from a local vendor, leave ratings, and thus help the local businesses grow.

Anand Nergunam Sr, VP of Revenue Management, and Growth at Zoho said that the company owes its very existence to SMBs. From the very beginning, Zoho has always focused on supporting and helping small businesses grow and with this collaboration with Google, they will ensure that the small local business community comes out of this economic crisis stronger. Each local business needs to have a digital presence and due to the pandemic, the customer preference towards e-commerce has increased rapidly.

Akash Gehani, the co-founder of Instamojo, said that the SMBs are the backbone of the Indian company and a big contributor to India’s GDP. Currently, Instamojo helps around 1.3 million MSMEs to start and establish their business online. Moreover, in this current situation, it is necessary to unleash the full potential of businesses from startups to SMBs in terms of digital growth.

Google Meet

Google Meet to Limit Meeting to 60 Minutes on Free Plans after September 30

Leave a Comment / Google, News, Product, Tech News / By

With the global pandemic striking earlier this year, videoconferencing apps faced a larger crowd and growth in terms of new users. Due to the lockdown, from classes to business meetings, from chatting with friends to giving exams everything started taking place virtually. So, many videoconferencing platforms made their app free for everyone. One such company is Google that made Google Meet free for everyone which means video conferencing for an unlimited time.

When the pandemic started taking monstrous shape, people understood that this is not going to end anytime soon. So, Google Meet made the platform free for all users in April. The company also mentioned that this free plan would be until 30th September 2020. And, yesterday the company made it clear that it is sticking to its words.

Google Meet Free till 30th September of this year

In the last week of April, Google announced making Google Meet free for everyone. The company said the privilege of enjoying unlimited video conferencing time will not just be limited to enterprise and education customers. So, anybody with a Google account easily created a meeting in Google Meet with 100 participants maximum and no time limit. But, the company gave a hint at the beginning that the time slot will be reduced to 60 minutes after 30th September. But, the users might have thought with time the deadline might have extended.

Google used the free for all strategy to also outrun Zoom in terms of the user base. When the lockdown started, the first videoconferencing platform that escalated to unlimited height was Zoom. But, very soon due to the compromised security system of Zoom or callous safety measures, Zoombombing took place. Google Meet saw it as a golden opportunity to take control of the market by both free meetings and ensuring safety. When Google made the platform free it made clear that Google will focus more on the safety measures. Thus, whenever a person will try to join a meeting using a link, first he will wait in the green room until and unless the host lets him in. This made Meet better and safer than Zoom.

Google Meet
Image Source: arstechnica.com

Advanced features for G Suite

With the unlimited video conferencing time, Google also made the advanced free features free for everyone. At first, the features were made free till 1st July which was then extended to 30th September. But, along with the time limit reducing to 60 minutes, free users cannot enjoy the advanced features of G Suite anymore. When the G Suite features were also made available it allowed the G Suite for education customers to host meetings with up to 250 participants. The platform also allowed live-stream to up to 100,000 users within a single domain. And, these meetings recording could be saved in Google Drive as well. Unfortunately, all these privileges will go away after a couple of days with only the “Enterprise” tier of G Suite using it for $25 per user per month.

After the pandemic started, Javier Soltero, VP and General Manager of G Suite, said that in the time of needs the company wants to give everyone access to features that they enjoy. G Suite is one of the best products to win by choice and they are trying nothing but to help people around the globe. The company also noticed that the daily user base of Google Meet increased 25 folds as it was in January. So, free access even though for a limited time was immensely profitable for the company.

Other video conferencing platforms 

In April, Google Meet witnessed a daily participant count of 100 million or more. After Zoombombing, every video conferencing company including Google Meet wanted to take its position in the market, thus ruling it. Among all these apps, it was Zoom to achieve great success within a very small period. The other companies eventually started chasing the meteoric rise of Zoom. But, with the virtual mode becoming the new normal for every purpose, it is time for Google Meet to get back to its normal plans.

So, the decision of ending free plans for all is fixed. Free users can still enjoy videoconferencing but with a time constraint of 60 minutes.

Amazon

Amazon Announces Ring – A New Indoor Security Camera Drone That Flies

Leave a Comment / News, Product, Tech News / By

Amazon has been a significant player in the indoor home security space for a while now. The tech giant has also been growing within the smart devices space with several entries, such as smart cameras and speakers. However, it recently announced that its indoor home security camera drone named Ring would literally be taking flight soon enough. This new Always Home Cam will serve as an autonomous indoor drone that flies around your home, helping you keep an eye out while outside. Here’s a quick look at everything you need to know about the Ring and its expected launch date.

Always at Home with Amazon Ring

Amazon new indoor Home Cam will enable users to keep an eye on their homes at all times. Furthermore, once the drone is done flying and taking a look everywhere, it will return to its charging dock to power up again. The new drone will start shipping next year and will cost their buyers a whopping $249.99. Ring’s founder, Jamie Siminoff, said the inspiration for such a drone came as a way to receive multiple perspectives of your home without the need for several cameras. With such an autonomous drone, the owners can gain a look into all their rooms, without paying for several separate security cameras. According to Jamie, the company spent the last two years working on this device.

Taking to the Skies

The Always Home Cam is an “obvious” product, according to the parent company Ring, but one which took a lot of effort to develop. Jamie credits recent advancements in the field of drone technology, for helping his team build a product like this. The autonomous drone carries a camera on it to help provide users with live-footage of their houses. The owners also have the option of telling the drone where they want it to go, and which patch to take. After buying the product, the owners will help set up a map of the home, and also set viewpoints, such as a bedroom or kitchen. The drone starts flying either on command or when it detects a disturbance though its linked Ring Alarm system.

Amazon Ring
Image Source: cnbc.com

Other Features and Details

Since the charging dock blocks the drone’s camera, it will record only when in flight. Also, the device makes an audible noise while flying so that the people are aware that footage is being recorded. Ring states that the drone can help check anything from a stove being left open to whether a door is shut properly. The drone comes packed with obstacle detection and avoidance technology to help avoid collisions and other mishaps. Furthermore, it has shrouded propellers to help prevent damage to things in the room, pets, and other humans if there is a collision.

The project is Ring’s most ambitious yet and seems to be one from the future. It will be interesting to see whether the project kicks off and how effective it proves to be. Amazon, through such collaborations, is trying to bring the future to us, and it will be exciting to see how the drone performs next year. For years now, experts have debated whether such intrusive technology might hinder our privacy. The introduction of such a drone raises various questions, such as; 

  1. Where do the pictures regarding the mapping of the house go?
  2. Could someone at Ring fly the drone around?
  3. How safe is the system against hacking and other such threats?
  4. How long can it fly, what is the average flight speed, and what is the battery life?
  5. What happens when it runs out of charge?

While these questions remain unanswered, it looks like Amazon will have to clarify regarding the privacy issues related to the product. That being said, it will be exciting to see such cutting-edge drone technology being accessible to ordinary people. Also, since the new system collaborates with the Ring Alarm system, users are unsure regarding the systems that can be used individually. All the systems in place might also lead to the Ring H having a bird’s eye view of our homes. How safe will people feel in such an atmosphere? Only time will tell whether such autonomous drones help make us feel safer and in control, but it sure is an exciting time for techies and enthusiasts!

Qualcomm

Qualcomm announced Snapdragon 750G SoC, Enabling Truly Global 5G, and HDR Gaming

Leave a Comment / Artificial Intellegence, News, Tech News / By

Qualcomm Technologies are always on top when it comes to global connectivity and leading wireless technology. Many multinational companies are working tirelessly to bring more advancement incorporated in the 5G network, but currently, Qualcomm is playing its ace. On 22nd September 2020, Qualcomm Technologies announced a new mobile platform, Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G Mobile Platform. This is a true 5G mobile platform offered by the company and will be added to the Snapdragon 7-Series.

The 750G 5G will offer a truly impeccable 5G mobile platform for the users that will ensure excellent global connectivity, high-quality gaming, and on-device AI. The Snapdragon 7-Series has witnessed a lot of new design launches and every time it has turned out to be a bit hit. And, with the 5G global connectivity, the excitement among users will increase by several folds.

Kedar Kondap, VP of product management, Qualcomm Technologies, said that the company is looking for more ways to support the needs of OEM customers as they are growing every day. The new Snapdragon 750G Mobile Platform will provide a handful of premium features to a wider user base. Now, let’s have a more detailed look at its features.

Features of the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G

The Snapdragon 750G 5G Mobile Platform runs in an X52 5G Modern-RF System. The system supports mmWave and sub-6GHz, both standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) nodes, TDD, FDD, and Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) as well. The platform provides both global roaming and global multi-SIM. With these highlighted features any device that runs in Snapdragon 750G will support multi-gigabit connections. This means the users can download and upload files within the blink of an eye. Gone are those when we use to have 2G speed internet connectivity even to download big files. Both the speed and the limit of data have expanded just in a couple of years.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G SoC
Image Source: firstpost.com

As I mentioned earlier, the platform has been made compatible with high-quality gaming as well, the new Snapdragon 750G offers Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite Gaming. This new feature allows low-latency gameplay thus making the platform smoother and better in terms of quality. The platform has also incorporated Qualcomm Adreno 619 GPU that will provide better graphics quality making the scenes look more real. The users can also stream games from 5G cloud gaming platforms.

5th Generation Qualcomm AI Engine

AI has already taken over most of the industries in a diversified field. The capability of a machine to understand human intelligence has unlocked many new opportunities and paved a way for a better understanding of the customers. After all, the main goal is to give a better experience to the users. The Qualcomm AI Engine creates a better interaction with the smart camera and video, voice recognition and translation, advanced imaging based on AI, etc. The new Qualcomm AI Engine powering the Snapdragon 750G provides a 20% sharp improvement in functioning (smart detections and functions that are based on AI) than 730G. In 750G Mobile Platform, the AI engine provides 4.0 Trillion Operations Per Second (TOPS).

The platform also has Qualcomm Kryo 570 CPU that enhances the overall performance consequently user experience as well. The 750G mobile platform also has Qualcomm Sensing Hub that combines multiple data streams to work in a better way. For example, the Snapdragon 750G 5G Mobile Platform has Qualcomm’s AI-based audio and voice communication suite. This helps in canceling the noise or background voices as the system enables AI-based echo cancellation automatically. Thus it provides a better experience while voice calling or voice assistant tasks.

What experts have to say?

Andreas Bussmann, Program Manager 5G devices, Deutsche Telekom, said that Deutsche and Qualcomm have a very strategic collaboration. They hope this new Snapdragon 750G 5G will scale the 5G network and improve user experience. Chris Emmons, Executive Director Device and Product Marketing, Verizon said that with Qualcomm coming up with superior solutions, it will help run the 5G devices their customer relies on. Xiaomi works in collaboration with Qualcomm and they will launch the first commercial smartphone that will have Snapdragon 750G 5G connectivity. The commercial devices having Snapdragon 750G are expected to roll out by the end of this year.