Microsoft and Adobe partner up to share sales and marketing data
Microsoft and Adobe partner up to make their sales and marketing software products better competitors to other options in the market like Oracle and salesforce.com.
Adobe at its annual user conference said that it will start working with Microsoft to create a shared data format between its marketing software suite and Microsoft's sales software. Which will thus allow the software systems to work together.
It’s going to enable to customers to go beyond the current (software) silos they have to navigate today
Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of the cloud and enterprise division at Microsoft.
Adobe has built up the partnership with Microsoft on a deal it struck last year with them for utilizing their Azure cloud computing services. Adobe has been pushing into the B2B marketing software side ever since it acquired Omniture Inc. in 2009. It is a firm that tracks website statistics. This partnership might bring a new age to the digital era.
Microsoft on its part has been trying to expand Dynamics(Sales Software), teaming with Adobe will thus help them compete more strongly against the other sales software present in the market.
Vodafone and Idea Cellular agreed on Monday to merge their operations in India. They cut a deal for $23 billion, thus creating India's largest telecom provider. This was the immediate response from Vodafone and Idea to the price war struck by Reliance Jio.
Both Vodafone and Idea combined now have almost 400 million customers. Thus, overtaking Bharti Airtel and taking the number one spot in the market. This deal shows how the telecom industry is transforming after the launch of Reliance Jio mobile network last year.
Jio started by India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani at the cost of more than $20 billion. Jio has been offering its customers free services for many months. And due to this all of the telecom operators in India like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular, etc. have had to slash prices and take home lower profits.
This improves the industry structure and it also equips us and Idea to be much more competitive in the future, I have no doubt that the Indian market will remain competitive but nothing can be free forever and we will be in a better position.
Vittorio Colao - Chief Executive
The news of these two companies had been emerging since January this year. Now they will have to shed spectrums in some areas to meet the Indian rules and regulations, although Colao reassuring the consumers said that it would be small. The deal is now expected to close in 2018.
About the deal
As per the deal, Vodafone will now own 45.1% of the merged entity, after the transfer of 4.9% to the promoters of Idea for a sum of 38.74 billion INR in cash.
Aditya Birla Group, the owner of Idea Cellular will own 26%. And the remaining 28.9% will be owned by the other shareholders. Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone aim to own an equal share of the joint venture. With the value of the new merged entity being $23.2 billion.
This deal does not include Vodafone's 42% in the Indus Towers. A joint venture between the British Group, Airtel and Idea. But commenting on this both the companies said that they would try and reduce their stakes in the Indus Towers by selling of their stakes in the joint venture.
This deal has happened after Jio has hit the market hard, and due to this even India's biggest telecom operator Bharti Airtel is now in the process of buying Telenor's India operations. And also Maxis and Sistema are merging with Reliance Communications.
Nubia launches Z11 Mini S in India exclusively on Amazon
Nubia has launched its premium photography smartphone in India, The Nubia Z11 Mini S. The Z11 Mini S has been launched with exclusive partnership with Amazon India. The Z11 Mini S has been focused on the people who love smartphone photography, as it comes with a high quality DSLR level camera system integrated.
Quote by Nubia Executive:
Nubia is a metronome when it comes to pushing user experience. The Z11 Mini S will lead the way in camera phone(s). We have been meticulous in building this device and it is tailored to meet the modern user’s requirements. The phone features a high-end camera that is powered by nubia’s proprietary NeoVision 6.0 photography system. It has everything a photography enthusiast can ask for, and that too in a phone.” He went on to add, “Z11 mini S comes 0.1s rapid focus and the capability to beautify videos on the fly and will serve as a benchmark in this segment. We are committed to our customers and will continue to focus on making nubia the leading smart-phone brand in India.
Mr. Dheeraj Kukreja, Marketing Director, Nubia India
Nubia Z11 Mini S Camera
The Z11 Mini S comes with a 23MP rear camera coupled with Sony IMX318 Exmor RS sensor, 6-piece Motor Drive Lens and ƒ2.0 aperture that to in the protection of sapphire glass lens. The front camera is having a 13MP Sony sensor with a front flash.
Nubia Z11 Mini S: Internals
The Z11 Mini S comes equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 Octa-Core Processor clocked at 2.0 GHz coupled with Adreno 506 GPU. To keep up with the storage needs of the consumer the Z11 Mini S comes with 64GB internal storage and 4GB of RAM. The internal storage is expandable up to 200GB.
The smart phone features a 5.2 inch 424 ppi full HD 2.5D gorilla glass display. It also features a 3,000mAh non-removable battery with support for Nubia’s Neo Power energy saver. With the 98% metal body comes a multi-function fingerprint sensor with support for unlocking, screenshot and pictures.
The Nubia Z11 mini S is 7.6mm thick and weighs 158 grams. It is being offered in Khaki Grey currently and will be soon available in Moon Gold. The device supports dual SIM with both TD-LTE and FDD-LTE network support.
Pricing and Availability
The Nubia Z11 Mini S will be available exclusively on Amazon in India, the sale will start from March 21 at 4PM. The Z11 mini S will be sold at the price of Rs.16,999.
Highlights
23 MP fast focus rear camera + 13 MP front camera with front flash
Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
4GB RAM, 64GB ROM
98% metal unibody
5.2 inch Full HD screen with 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass
Price: Rs.16,999
Sale will start March 21, 2017 4PM exclusively on Amazon.
Tesla has tapped Wall Street for the much needed cash. They have offered $1.2 billion in shares and convertible debt. It is the second time that Elon Musk and Tesla Inc. have raised such huge capital in 12 months. The Silicon Valley based company offered stock and convertible notes to raise the capital.
Company officials say that they raised almost 20% more than what they had planned to, but the investors were thinking that they would need more. As the launch of Model 3 sedan is coming up. After this raise the stock of Tesla in the afternoon trade was up to $262.42 per share on Nasdaq.
This funds raised by them show the ability of Elon Musk to make Wall Street believe in his vision of Tesla. That one-day they will become the biggest car manufacturer.
Tesla Inc. now plans to spend around 2.5 billion USD in the first-half of 2017, in capital expenditures ahead of the launch of the Model 3 sedan in July, 2017.
Liquidity and cash burn remain key near-term risks, and investors may grow weary of continued raises as this is the second capital raise in a year.
UBS Analyst Colin Langan.
Out of the offering that they put out, $850 million came from the convertible notes due 2022. And the rest $350 million came from the sale of 1.3 million shares at the rate of $262/share.
The company also declared that Elon Musk also bought 95,420 common shares for $25 million in the latest stock offering.
Micromax is all set to launch two very affordable 4G VoLTE phones in India. The phones will be named as the Bharat 1 and the Bharat 2 as per our source inside Micromax.
4G VoLTE enabled Bharat 1 and 2 will launch in India very soon, These phones have been in development since the news got out that Jio will be launching cheap 4G VoLTE enabled phones in the market very soon.
As per our source the micromax Bharat 1 will be a feature phone launched for 1,999 INR, and the Bharat 2 will be an Android device running the latest iteration of android Nougat. Both phones will come will 4G VoLTE support right out of the box.
When will they launch
These smartphones may launch by mid-april, which also may see the launch of this years micromax flagship also. Hopefully Hugh Jackman comes back as the brand ambassador to show off the products.
All these new developments in the 4G market in India have been seen due to Jio coming in hard and enabling everyone to enjoy fast internet. First free and now only for 10 INR for 1GB. All the manufacturers are releasing 4G handsets like crazy. And are hoping to catch a bigger market share. But micromax is doing adopting a good strategy and launching 4G VoLTE smartphones for the people who can't afford high-end smartphones. But still want to utilize the newest technology.
What are your thoughts after learning about the Bharat 1 and the Bharat 2. Do they interest you? Will you buy one? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Audio Technica is a well-known name in the industry. They also have the highest rated headphones the ATH M50 under their huge lineup of products. Today we have the Audio Technica ATH COR150 for review, and sincerely speaking after listening to the ATH M50X we have high hopes from these pair of earphones.
Audio Technica ATH COR150
Design
The product is designed for people who are in love with music and want clear sound and the right amount of bass. But going for a walk or a run would not be suggested as the wire feels a bit iffy,. Rest the earphones have quite a durable and robust design. The Audio Technica ATH COR150 come with a nice small hard case which looks like a yoyo, 3 sets of silicone tips, and a pair of ear hooks, to keep them in place when exercising.
Performance
In day to day usage the ATH COR150 sound amazing. The highs, mids and lows are balanced, and the bass is just at the right point. One little problem was the lack of inline microphone. During listening to music and watching movies, they performed pretty great. Noise cancellation works like a charm, you can hear whatever is playing in the earphones very clearly and most of the external sound is nullified.
Comfort
The Audio Technica ATH COR150 are extremely comfortable for their price. Though they look bulky even without the ear-hooks. They are extremely comfortable and can be used for long hours without any discomfort. The earphones while being comfortable didn't slip out of the ears easily, and we were easily getting around doing our work while listening to music.
Build
The build quality is excellent and the shape is helpful in making the earphones have the right placement in your ear. The build of the whole earphones is quite robust and feels as if they can take a heavy beating or two, but the wire is where we feel Audio Technica could have improved and should have added a better quality wire. The wire seems as if it will break easily. You get 3 pairs of silicone ear tips in the pack including the yoyo type casing for your earphones.
Pros
Good bass - Though not for bass heads, the bass is up to the mark.
Excellent sound clarity - The sound clarity of the Audio Technica ATH COR150 is one of the best in the market. It gives its competitors a run for their money.
Comfortable - Wearing earphones is a pain sometimes, as they are uncomfortable or to loud or are not the right size. But wearing the ATH COR150 is a different story altogether, as they are extremely comfortable to wear for long hours.
Loops for extra security provided - In the package loops are provided which allow you to make your earphones wire go up and around your ear for a more secure fit.
Affordable - You can get these for around Rs.799 as that is mostly the price they go for on amazon. And the MRP of these is Rs.999 which is as per us very affordable for a good pair of earphones.
Cons
Wire quality is not up to the mark - Feels like it will break easily.
Conclusion
Priced at ₹799 the Audio Technica ATH COR150 are one of the best earphones available in the market currently. They have a lot of clarity in sound and the bass is just right. These would have been the segment kings. The only thing dragging them down is the wire quality. Which feels as if it would break easily.
Airtel rolls out 4G services across 25 towns in Jammu and Kashmir
After the launch of Airtel 4G in Jammu and Kashmir, Airtel commented -
They have plans to expand 4G services to over 100 towns in Jammu and Kashmir.
Free 4G SIM Card upgrades made available for all customers.
New exciting 4G plans introduced in the region.
Airtel 4G now live in 22 telecom circles of India.
It is rated the fastest mobile network, 2016 in India by Ookla.
Airtel 4G in J&K
They have made 4G services available to 25 towns in Jammu and Kashmir. Airtel plans to expand to 100 towns in J&K, this service has been rolled out using the FD LTE technology in the 1800 MHz band.
Users can now enjoy 4G in the J&K region using 4G compatible smartphones and hotspots. This will allow the users to access HD video streaming, fast download and upload, etc.. Airtel also rated the fastest 4G network of 2016 by Ookla(Speed Test).
We are pleased to launch our 4G services in the state of Jammu & Kashmir and look forward to delighting customers with best in class services on India’s best smart phone network. We invite customers to avail the exciting data offers and get on to the digital superhighway. We remain committed to the Government’s digital vision for the State and will continue to invest in expanding our services.
Raveendra Desai, COO – J&K, Bharti Airtel
New Announcements
Airtel 4G services rates have now been cut down and are made available at 3G prices. Customers who want to avail the benefits of 4G now have the facility to get an upgraded 4G SIM card free. For more details visit Airtel.
Airtel as a part of project leap has been deploying technology solutions for better indoor coverage and network optimization. Overhauling legacy networks with new equipment and making investments in additional spectrum's and fiber-net to significantly improve its network capabilities.
List of Jammu and Kashmir where Airtel 4G is currently available
All the Reliance Jio Prime tariff plans available to everyone
Reliance Jio has taken India by a shock, Every Indian has heard about Jio and most of them own it. Reliance Jio is the first-ever service provider in India to provide free internet, calling and messaging services to its subscribers for six months.
In a press event Mr. Mukesh Ambani introduced Jio Prime for just Rs.99 for the whole year after the end of the Happy New Year Plan. The Jio Prime Membership will allow the prime users to take advantages of special tariff plans especially for them.
At first, only the Rs.303 plan was introduced which was prime customers can keep on using the same benefits of the Happy New Year offer for Rs.303 per month. But now Jio has introduced more plans for much lower prices.
Reliance Jio prime tariff plans
Reliance Jio has introduced newer plans at low costs for prime members. These include Rs.19, Rs.49 and Rs.96 plans. All of the plans will include free voice calls, applications, SMS and limited 4G data.
Rs.19 Plan
The Rs.19 plan lets Reliance Jio Prime users avail free voice calls, access to applications, free messages along with 200MB of 4G Internet. The validity of the plan would be for one day only. Non Prime users will get 100MB of data.
Rs.49 Plan
The Rs.49 plan lets Reliance Jio Prime users avail free voice calls, access to applications, free messages along with 600MB of 4G Internet. The validity of the plan would be for three days. Non Prime users will get 300MB of data.
Rs.96 Plan
The Rs.96 plan lets Reliance Jio Prime users avail free voice calls, access to applications, free messages along with 7GB of 4G Internet. The validity of the plan would be for seven days. Non Prime users will get 600MB of data.
These are the three new plans introduced by Reliance Jio in the market. Reliance Jio is giving huge benefits to its Prime users at such a low price. What do you think about this. And would you be getting a prime membership for yourself? Be sure to tell us in the comments below.
Facebook is unveiling their "Messenger Day" globally
Facebook the social media giant debuted a new feature for its messenger app on thursday allowing users to take a photo, draw on it, add filters and post it for 24-hours.
Sounds familiar enough right? It's just like Snapchat stories, Facebook's in-house developed Instagram Stories, or the recently launched Whatsapp Status. In fact it is the third Facebook property to unveil time-bound social updates recently. Messenger users can now share filter-enhanced photos and videos with their friends in the same way Snapchat users do. The app initially was tested in Poland and Australia has made a global debut.
Seems like Facebook has left no stone unturned to curb down the growing popularity of Snapchat. Snapchat went viral with their time-bound social updates features few years ago. This is not good for Snapchat. Even though Snapchat was the one who came up with this idea but the user base of Facebook is way bigger than Snapchat.
Story behind the stories
When Instagram stories launched it gained similar number of users to Snapchat(150 million plus) due to already popular Instagram's photo sharing platform. Last month when Whatsapp rolled out its Whatsapp Status feature, it gained users in the international market where Snapchat failed. It is estimated that Facebook's Messenger has a user base of 1 Billion plus active users daily. People won't be reluctant to try out a new feature. This might lead to Facebook's newest "idea" Messenger Day to surpass Snapchat in less than a week.
Also with Snapchat users have to download an additional application in their phone, create an account and add their friends. With Facebook being the biggest social media website, Almost 2-3 Billion people use Facebook on a daily basis. Users using a new feature in Facebook instead of downloading an app and going through the whole process of creating an account and adding their friends is highly likely. This might threaten the existence of Snapchat as a whole.
Also with Snapchat's new public shares Investors will see the competition expanding, which might affect their investment threatening their existence even more. Although Snapchat was the one who came out with the idea of time-bound updates, Facebook isn't ashamed of copying them. With such a big user base it is sure to trump Snapchat.
What are your thoughts on the new Messenger update? Have you been using the new feature? How does it compare to time limited social updates functionality in other apps? Let us know in the comments below.
Acer has announced its new mega exchange offer titled “SWAPTOP”. Customers can now exchange their old smartphones for new Acer laptops as well as enjoy offers on easy ownership schemes. The "SWAPTOP" offer is categorized into two major segments - the easy to buy offer and the happy to own offer as called by Acer.
Easy to Buy Offer
Customers can get great deals on exchange of smartphones. They can also avail attractive emi schemes for an easy and affordable buying experience.
The exchange offer allows consumers to get their old mobiles exchanged on the purchase of a new Acer laptop and get discounts of up to Rs.23,000/-. Along with an extended warranty and accidental damage protection with a cash back of Rs.999/.
Happy to own Offer
Consumers can avail a free one year subscription of Antivirus and an extended warranty. Additionally, with the purchase the customers get a product Hard Disk Crash Data recovery software worth 2,499/- for free.
Apart from these offers, Acer will also be providing Microsoft Office free on select Acer laptops.
This announcement comes in the wake of many festivities such as Holi, Ugadi and others celebrated across the country. We believe that these promotions are a great way to kick-start the year for our consumers which gives the easy buying and easy ownership experience. With these offers, we wish to provide them with their choice of form factor that caters to their individual needs. Also, considering that many of the consumers value security and data safety, we are offering them with anti-virus software and data recovery software absolutely free.
Mr. Chandrahas Panigrahi, CMO and Business Head, Acer India
