VARINDIA IT MAGAZINE

In the inauguration of “Cyber Surakshit Bharat”, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Alphons Kannanthanam expressed concern over spying via devices imported from "not-so-friendly country", especially from the neighbour countries. The minister stated this at the in CISO conclave held in Delhi, where he launched the Cyber Surakshit Bharat initiative. The minister also mentioned the fear of stealing somebody’s personal data by the cyber thieves even if the device is switched off. As the equipments used in the device are created by the countries which are non friendly with us. And also they can use our data without facing many problems, as spying is getting easier day by day with the easy availability of devices. Broadly, like a number of countries, India imports various communication devices and infrastructure from Chinese firms which are known for aggressive pricing.... Read More

Now one can create their own UPI ID and link their bank account for faster payments. Send money directly to any bank account at zero per cent charge. It is all possible with the launch of Paytm BHIM UPI app. Paytm Payments Bank Savings Account holders can now order a physical debit card from the App. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder , PayTM said, "Shop easily at any shop or withdraw money from any ATM with your debit card. Paytm had launched its physical debit card on January 18, 2018." Paytm , the pioneer company into digital payment , announced last year that they will be rolling out Paytm debit card (RuPay card) back in 2017. Keeping their promise alive, the digital payment company is now entering into physical banking. In the recent announcement on Twitter that they announced that they are launching the all new debit card with no transactional charges. The user will get an interest of four percent per annum every month.... Read More

BT has announced the launch of a new service to provide global businesses with direct access to IBM Cloud via the BT network. BT Cloud Connect Direct for IBM offers businesses the benefits of highly predictable, security-rich and reliable network performance when building and deploying critical business applications and data on the IBM Cloud. With Cloud Connect Direct for IBM, BT customers receive a dedicated, high-performance connection to the IBM Cloud so they can access services, including compute, network and storage infrastructure as well as an extensive catalogue spanning AI, Blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), data and analytics capabilities. Direct cloud connectivity helps businesses achieve better performance, security and availability compared to connecting over the open internet. Cloud Connect Direct for IBM is being delivered into IBM Cloud data centers in the UK via IBM Cloud Direct Link, a network service designed to secure and accelerate data transfer b...

IBM inventors have received a record of 9,043 patents in 2017, marking the company’s 25th consecutive year of U.S. patent leadership and crossing the 100,000-patent milestone. The new patents were granted to a diverse group of more than 8,500 IBM researchers, engineers, scientists and designers in 47 different U.S. states and 47 countries. “For the past 25 years, IBM’s patent leadership has changed the way the world works with advancements critical to the modern era of computing,” said Ginni Rometty, IBM chairman, president and CEO. “Today, nearly half of our patents are pioneering advancements in AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, blockchain and quantum computing – and all are aimed at helping our clients create smarter businesses.” As more and more enterprises conduct business on the cloud, IBM inventors received in 2017 more than 1,900 cloud patents, including a patent for a system that uses unstructured data about world or local events to forecast cloud resource ...

The Indian mass-transit operator Metro Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad (MEGA) Company has awarded an order of approximately Rs. 580 Crore (Euro 76.04 million) to the consortium of Siemens Ltd. India and Siemens AG, Germany for electrification of the 39.2-kilometer Metro Express Link in Ahmedabad. The line, currently under construction, will run in Ahmedabad city in two corridors. Siemens will be responsible for the complete electrification of the new double-track Metro line. In addition, Siemens will also provide a SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system for monitoring and controlling the traction power. “Metro will play a pivotal role in enhancing quality of life and economic growth of the city and the region. Mobility is an area of expertise for us and Siemens will continue to partner with the government to help improve connectivity and public infrastructure,” said Tilak Raj Seth, Executive Vice-President, Siemens Ltd. and CEO, Mobility Divi...

If reports are to be believed, Apple’s legendary and historical operating system, Lisa will soon be released by The Computer History Museum situated in California. The OS will be for free as an open source this year. The source code of the Apple's Lisa computer which predates the Mac has been recovered and it's being reviewed by Apple itself, according to the Computer History Museum. Apple Lisa is a desktop developed by Apple released on January 19, 1983 and was one of the first personal computers to offer a graphical user interface in a machine aimed at individual business users. It also happened to be the first personal computer by Apple to feature support for a mouse. Al Kossow, a software curator at the museum reiterated, "Just wanted to let everyone know the sources to the OS and applications were recovered, I converted them to Unix end of line conventions and spaces for Pascal tabs after recovering the files using Disk Image Chef, and they...

In today's digital age, consumers and business are now embedded in newer technologies. More technology means more jobs. To win in the new Digital Age, there is a race among companies to get the required tech talent they need to help them transform. Sustained technology investment has led to millions of skilled employment opportunities across the country. Technology is a great leveler. Digital India is the programme to improve digital connectivity and uses IT services to deliver various services and information to people in India. We are in the sweet spot on the demographic curve, with the majority of our population young and productive. The programme recognizes at the onset that the young Indian talent still remains untapped. The potential of Information Technology needs to be channelized and innovations like recharge sachets of Rs 5 and Rs 10 can fan a revolution that will transform India into the world’s second-largest telecom market in terms of mobile phone users and...

SCADA system helps Ahmedabad water department to save Rs 6 cr. on electricity bill. At a time when other metropolitan cities are not getting enough water supply due to breakdown in the pipeline network, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has been giving presentations to other urban local bodies on how its water department saved Rs 6 crore last year on the electricity bill. AMC’s water department gives credit to Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) not only for the saving but also for utilizing 23 million liter per day (MLD) water that was going to waste. The project includes monitoring of water quantity, quality and energy parameters of 148 water distribution centers, four french wells and four water treatment plants. We will add 51 water distribution centers in the system,” says Jagdish Patel, City Engineer. He added, “After one-year monitoring on the system, we found that we have saved Rs 6 crore as electricity bill and also utilized 23 MLD wate...

Apple developers work to explore the possibilities to deliver amazing user experiences by using latest advances in Apple platforms directly, this seems to be a huge business opportunity and who make apps for the iPhone and iPad earned 30 percent more in 2017 than a year earlier, though it was still a slowdown from growth in 2016. The App Store is home to the most innovative apps in the world and in the past 12 months alone, downloads have grown over 70 percent. Developers who make apps for iOS earned $26.5 billion in 2017, Apple said in a statement Thursday, as users snapped up breakout hits including games like Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and Monument Valley 2. In 2016, developers earned $20 billion, a 40 percent increase from the year earlier. Apple said its App Store had a record-breaking holiday season, culminating with $300 million in purchases made on New Year’s Day 2018, up from $240 million in the prior year. Developers typically get 70 percent of that revenue...

World’s largest tech show Consumer Technology Association (CES 2018 ) will kick off in Las Vegas from January 9 to 12. About 4,000 companies - many of them start-ups - are expected to arrive in the city. The event is most popular globally for the consumer gadgets. With newer disruptions getting innovated, the show will also showcase artificial intelligence, automobiles, medicine, marketing and even agriculture. Artificial intelligence is the culmination of software, algorithms and sensors working together to make your everyday appliances smarter and more automated. It is AI that is telling the door to unlock when the camera recognizes you, or sending an alert to your phone when sensors detect a person. Tech companies are looking to push internet connectivity beyond products in your home and they will demonstrate prototypes of devices embedded with some of these sensors with the hope that cities will soon begin adopting these technologies within their infrastructure.... ...

Is Aadhaar really safe? Should I link my bank details and my personal number to Aadhaar? These are some the questions that people keep asking despite UIDAI asserting last November that “Aadhaar data is fully safe and secure and there has been no data leak or breach at UIDAI.” But you will be surprised to learn that there are several rackets going on that can help in getting unrestricted access to details for any of the more than 1 billion Aadhaar numbers created in India thus far. And it just takes Rs 500 paid through Paytm and 10 minutes to do that. On further investigation by a 3rd party agency it has been revealed that an “agent” of the group running the racket created a “gateway” and gives gave a login ID and password. One can enter any Aadhaar number in the portal, and instantly get all particulars that an individual may have submitted to the UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India), including name, address, postal code (PIN), photo, phone number and email. ...

As per news report, the newly discovered Android malware "Android.banker.A9480" is targeting 232 banking apps which includes some Indian banks also. Some of the banking apps being targeted are Axis Mobile, HDFC Bank MobileBanking, SBI Anywhere Personal, HDFC Bank MobileBanking Lite, iMobile by ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank GO Mobile+, Abhay by IDBI Bank Ltd, IDBI Bank GO Mobile, Baroda mPassbook, Union Bank Mobile Banking, and Union Bank Commercial Clients. New malware was discovered by Quick Heal Security Labs. It is designed for stealing login credentials, hijacking SMSs, uploading contact lists and SMSs on a malicious server. A blog post, Quick Heal explained how the malware disguises as a Flash Player and after being installed asks the user to activate administrative rights. If a user denies the request or kills the process, the app will keep throwing continuous pop-ups until the user activates the admin privilege. Once this is done, the malicious app hides its ic...

Globetek Infoway, an IT solution company from Kolkata is said to be buying 24online, the enterprise line of products of Sterlite Technologies, for an undisclosed amount. Since it is still in the early stages of development, no further information has been received so far about the deal. Sterlite Technologies' Telecom Software Division – Elitecore is a global IT product and service provider. Elitecore’s enterprise line of business offers 24online Service Management System (SMS) and 24online Hospitality Internet Access (HIA) catering to ISP and Hospitality segments. It has recently announced successful deployment of its 24online Hospitality Internet Access (HIA) solution at 22 properties of Sarovar Hotels & Resorts across India.... Read More

There is a buzz going around that Future Group is in talks to buy Snapdeal's logistics arm Vulcan Express. The deal will be an all-cash and it would cost about Rs 50 crore. Vulcan Express was formed about three years ago to replace gojavas as the primary logistics partner. The firm currently manages about half of Snapdeal's deliveries and shipments and is operational in more than 100 cities, offering logistics and supply chain solutions for retail and consumer companies. Company sources close to the development said that the deal will be a distress sale and the final valuation could be less than Rs 50 crore. The nature of the deal, including the size and through which company will it be done are still being worked out.... Read More

The proposed acquisition of MoneyGram by Alibaba’s Ant Financial might come to a stop with the U.S. Government disapproving the $1.2 billion deal. Ant Financial, the Alibaba affiliate announced the deal to buy Nasdaq-listed MoneyGram in April 2017. It initially bid for MoneyGram in January 2017 as a means to develop its cross-border payment network into the U.S., and major corridors including India and the Philippines. “The geopolitical environment has changed considerably since we first announced the proposed transaction with Ant Financial nearly a year ago. Despite our best efforts to work cooperatively with the U.S. government, it has now become clear that CFIUS [Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States] will not approve this merger,” MoneyGram CEO Alex Holmes said in a statement.... Read More

Nissan has unveiled a research that will enable vehicles to interpret signals from the driver’s brain, redefining how people interact with their cars. The company’s Brain-to-Vehicle, or B2V technology, promises to speed up reaction times for drivers and will lead to cars that keep adapting to make driving more enjoyable. B2V is the latest development in Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the company’s vision for transforming how cars are driven, powered and integrated into society. “When most people think about autonomous driving, they have a very impersonal vision of the future, where humans relinquish control to the machines. Yet B2V technology does the opposite, by using signals from their own brain to make the drive even more exciting and enjoyable,” said Nissan Executive Vice-President Daniele Schillaci. “Through Nissan Intelligent Mobility, we are moving people to a better world by delivering more autonomy, more electrification and more connectivity.... Read More

BlackBerry and Baidu have announced that the two companies will collaborate to accelerate the deployment of connected and autonomous vehicle technology for automotive OEMs and suppliers worldwide. The companies have signed a statement of intent to make BlackBerry QNX’s industry-leading ISO26262 ASIL-D certified safety operating system (OS) the foundation for Baidu’s Apollo autonomous driving open platform. Also, BlackBerry and Baidu will work together to integrate Baidu’s CarLife, the leading smartphone integration software for connected cars in China, as well as its conversational AI system DuerOS, and high-definition maps to run on the BlackBerry QNX Car (Infotainment) Platform. “BlackBerry QNX has established itself as the OS platform for safety-certified production-based systems,” said Li Zhenyu, General Manager of Intelligent Driving Group, Baidu. “We aim to provide automakers with a clear and fast path to fully autonomous vehicle production, with safety and securi...

Barracuda Networks has acquired PhishLine. Combining Barracuda’s AI-driven protection against phishing and spear phishing with PhishLine’s platform gives customers comprehensive defense against email-borne targeted attacks and social engineering. Email remains the most targeted threat vector and one that requires both security technology and the human layer of defense. PhishLine offers data analytics and reporting to allow customers to measure and report on risks at macro and micro levels across the human and process layers. With this transaction, Barracuda combines gateway security, data protection, AI-based targeted threat protection, and user awareness training to deliver comprehensive protection against email-borne threats. “Security awareness training is an important and quickly evolving area, particularly with increasingly targeted attacks making the human element a critical link in the security value chain,” said BJ Jenkins, President & CEO, Barracuda. “Phish...

Traditional TV losing viewers to streaming services, the industry is still figuring out what its new economic model will look like. People love TV content, but they don't love the linear TV experience, where channels present programs only at particular times. However, internet or digital TV - which is on-demand, personalized, and available on any screen - is replacing linear TV. With the growth of digital TV content and even pictures got released through TV and personalised studio, opens a new era of growth of internet TV apps will generate more viewing and become more valuable. Now, you can watch first day first show on your TV, by just paying extra bucks. Since, consumers can watch content on demand, on any screen, and the experience is personalized to individual tastes. The internet is getting faster and more reliable, while penetration of smart TVs and smart phones is also rising and the competition in the streaming market is heating up considerably after Disney ann...

According to recent reports, Google has partnered with Indian phone manufacturers, namely Micromax, Intex, and Karbonn, to launch entry-level smartphones, powered by the lightweight version of Android Oreo – Go edition. Micromax possibly will be the first to launch it at around the time of Republic Day at an approximate price of Rs.2,000. Others are also expected to launch the devices in the following weeks. Commenting on this, an official from Google stated, “We expect Android Oreo (Go edition) devices to launch in early 2018.” The official further added, “As more users come online for the first time, the number of entry-level Android devices available has been rising quickly, and is expected to make up a much larger percentage of all smartphone sales, going forward. Given the acceleration, we thought it is time to take our investment to the next level.” Read More

Salil Parekh has been positioned as Managing Director and Chief Executive of Infosys. He is looking forward to lead the company at a moment when technology is changing at a faster pace. Parekh has come on board for a tenure of five years. For him, the top priorities would be bringing back focus on revenue growth and business strategy. In a video message to his employees, he said each worker has a role to play in this "world of continuous technology disruption" and that they will have to be ready for the future, geared with necessary skills.... Read More

With WhatsApp passing its end-of-life date of December 31, 2017, it is very soon ending its support for BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10 OS, and Windows Phone 8.0 (and older) operating system. However, BlackBerry 10 users will get a ‘grace period’ as stated in a reprieve that they have received from WhatsApp. WhatsApp said in a support note, "These platforms don't offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app's features in the future. If you use one of these affected mobile devices, we recommend upgrading to a newer OS version, or to a newer Android running OS 4.0+, iPhone running iOS 7+, or Windows Phone 8.1+ so that you can continue using WhatsApp." It was first announced that WhatsApp support for BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10 and Windows Phone 8.0 will end in 2016. This was later extended to December 31, 2017. Support for Nokia Symbian S60 platform ended on June 30, 2017. WhatsApp would also end support for Nokia S40 after December 31, 2018 an...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recently launched BHIM app, a digital payments solution app based on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has become a success and attracted 145 million UPI transactions in December 2017, according to NPCI. Talking about the app, BHIM is based on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). If a user has signed up for UPI based payments on their respective bank account, which is also linked to his/ her mobile number, then he/ she will be able to use the BHIM app to conduct digital transactions.  According to the report, since its launch the transactions are increasing rapidly as more e-commerce players and banks are rolling out their UPI interface.... Read More

In a new development in US, Donald Trump administration may not be extending H-1B visa for those waiting for permanent residency (Green Card). If Green Card is not processed after 6 yrs, there would be no Visa extension. India's fast – growing $2 trillion economy, may grow further to add another trillion dollar by 2019 means there are more opportunities for Indians. The Indian government, too, is aggressively courting non-resident Indians with programs such as Startup India, designed to ease bureaucratic restrictions and provide funding. India may be looking at over five lakh of its skilled workforce returning home from the US if a proposal by the The department of homeland security is said to be considering new regulations that will prevent H-1B visa extensions as part of Trump’s “Buy American, Hire American” initiative by Trump administration. There is a clear trend of companies into the sector of pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, automobiles, healthcare and cyber s...

Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, has recently launched Livestock Disease Forewarning Mobile Application (LDF-Mobile App), developed by the ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (ICAR-NIVEDI), Bangalore, in New Delhi. The app will also provide information about clinical samples for the diagnosis in the case of the epidemic so that immediate action can be taken. This app works on all kind of Android smart phones and takes up 2.5 MB space. At the launch, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh informed that dreaded Rinderpest disease has been eradicated from India and stressed that similar efforts are needed to control and eradicate diseases like FMD, PPR, Brucellosis, CSF, BT, HS etc., which cause huge economic loss annually to the livestock readers and livestock industry as a whole.... Read More

According to the Counterpoint’s Market Monitor program for Q3 2017 (July–September), Global mobile handset profits grew 13% YoY in Q3 2017 due to strong performance of Samsung and Chinese brands. Counterpoint Associate Director Tarun Pathak said, “This is the first time ever when the cumulative profits of Chinese brands have crossed US$1.5 billion for the first time in a single quarter. Usually, all the profits have been shared by just two brands Samsung and Apple. However, the Chinese brands have made inroads here as well.” Tarun Pathak further added. “The growth of Chinese brands can be attributed to the diligent efforts in streamlining the supply chain with rising mix of mid- to high-end smartphones in their portfolio. Even in the premium segment, players like Huawei are positioning their flagship models just below the premium offerings from Apple and Samsung. This strategy is designed to penetrate premium market while maximizing revenue and profit.” Read More

Diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale, considered an expert on China, was named the next Foreign Secretary. He will succeed S. Jaishankar, who completes his extended tenure later this month. Gokhale, a 1981-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) is known to have played a key role in India-China negotiations last year to resolve the 73-day standoff between Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army at Doklam Plateau, a trijunction between Sino-India and Bhutanese border near Sikkim. 58-year-old Gokhale, who is at present Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, was India's Ambassador to China from January 20, 2016 to October 21, 2017.... Read More

Netflix is looking forward to testing WhatsApp Business integration in India to communicate with its subscribers. The integration will help to send messages and personalized content suggestion to subscribers through notification. WhatsApp will help Netflix to grow its user base, and most importantly engage effectively with them. Netflix till now has been sending the content suggestion to its subscribers through email or text message. Facebook had hitherto kept WhatsApp out of the revenue-churning loop, but is now considering to monetize it through WhatsApp Business. It will essentially allow small businesses to send targeted messages and videos. Online ticketing brand BookMyShow had announced in the same month that it is one of the brands in India participating in the WhatsApp business pilot. MakeMyTrip and Goibibo are some of the brands that are part of this pilot in India. Cab-hailing firm Ola, hotel rooms aggregator OYO and airlines SpiceJet and Indigo are companies,...

This standard completion is an essential milestone to enable cost-effective and full-scale development of 5G NR, which will greatly enhance the capabilities of 3GPP systems, as well as facilitate the creation of vertical market opportunities. 3GPP plans to continue to develop Release 15, including the addition of support for Standalone 5G NR operation also agreed upon by 3GPP in Dubrovnik. 3GPP TSG RAN Plenary Meeting in Lisbon successfully completed the first implementable 5G NR specification. AT&T, BT, China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Fujitsu, Huawei, Intel, KT Corporation, LG Electronics, LG Uplus, MediaTek Inc., NEC Corporation, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Orange, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Samsung Electronics, SK Telecom, Sony Mobile Communications Inc., Sprint, TIM, Telefonica, Telia Company, T-Mobile USA, Verizon, Vodafone, and ZTE have made a statement that the completion of the first 5G NR standard has set the stage for the global mobile ...

IIIT-Hyderabad in association with TalentSprint unveiled a report on Demand for Expertise in Disruptive Technologies among Technology Professionals. The report showcases trends among working professionals in Hyderabad on how they are gearing up to acquire expertise in the latest AI/ML technologies. The data was collated and analysed in association with TalentSprint and it summarizes program applicant data to highlight how technology professionals are gearing up to acquire the latest AI/ML expertise in Hyderabad, an analysis of applicant data reveals four key insights. First, professionals with more than five years in the industry are keen to upgrade themselves. Second, there is a rising demand for AIL/ML programs from professionals working in the IT services sector. Third, start-ups and small companies are embracing disruptive technologies rapidly. Fourth, women professionals and young professionals with less than five years of experience are not sufficiently aware of the need ...

IBM has announced that it has reached agreement to resolve the patent lawsuit between IBM and The Priceline Group pending in the United States District Court for Delaware. "As part of the confidential settlement, the parties will obtain patent cross-licenses to each company’s worldwide patent portfolio. IBM takes pride in its reputation and track record for innovation. This agreement further demonstrates the value of our intellectual property that results from this innovation," said Dr. William Lafontaine, general manager of Intellectual Property for IBM. "We are pleased this matter has been resolved through negotiation and licensing.” Read Moe

In a recent development announced by Shri C.R. Chaudhary, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution,GoI said in Rajya Sabha the government if anyone do not possess Aadhaar, are required to make application for Aadhaar enrolment by giving their name, address, mobile number with Ration Card number and other details with their fair price shop owners or through the web portal provided for the purpose by State/UT. In the light of the provisions of the above notification, benefits under NFSA cannot be denied by State/UT Governments for the only reason that eligible beneficiaries do not possess Aadhaar. Linking of Ration Cards with Aadhaar of beneficiaries would facilitate in ensuring correct targeting of the beneficiaries for distribution of subsidised food grains or cash transfer of food subsidies under NFSA. Streamlining and upgradation of Targeted Public Distribution System [TPDS] is a continuous process. Department of Food & Public Distributio...

New technologies that are poised to redefine our economy. Such as, Blockchain is a technology for a new generation of transactional applications that establishes trust, accountability and transparency while streamlining business processes. A blockchain has two main concepts. A business network, where members exchange items of value through a ledger, which each member possesses and whose content is always in sync with the others. It is the most disruptive technology of this decade.Blockchain technology market size will be worth 2.3 billion by 2021. A blockchain is a shared, encrypted ledger that is maintained by a network of computers. It's like a giant spreadsheet shared by many, that shared by multiple people, better known as blockchain, has the potential to eliminate huge amounts of record-keeping, save money.Blockchain is getting implemented across industries and professions. Several technology companies have already moved into this area, including Microsoft with the...