Drop Shipping Emerging To Ease Out E-Commerce Startups: All You Need to Know

Have you ever thought of doing an E-Commerce business, are you low on budget and are you tensed with all the operations you have to take into consideration? Don’t worry at all, the newly emerging concept of drop shipping is going to ease out your way tremendously. So now you might be thinking what does drop shipping stands for, isn’t it?

To make this precise and short, Drop Shipping is a method where you take orders from your customers and delegate it to the manufacturers who then will be completely liable for the dispatch and delivery of the product on your behalf. In this arrangement, the end customer will never come to know where the products are being sourced from and who is actually selling. All you have to do is to form an online store using dropshipping websites like Oberlo and extract products you wish to sell from vivid online stores available on Oberlo to your store and start selling right way.

Though Drop Shipping can be a blessing in disguise, it has its own pros and cons which eventually should be taken care before planning to start a Drop Shipping E-commerce start-up.

Pros

• Non Maintenance of Physical Inventory
  Drop Shipping eliminates your part in which you need to maintain a physical stock hence reducing costs involved in warehousing right away.
• Low Startup Costs
  Due to the pointer no. 1 start-up costs here are eliminated to the fullest or reduced to a very high extent.
• A variety of options for products
  With such an arrangement the options for products available are vivid and manufacturers are also in large quantities for a single product line.
• Emphasis on selling
  By using Drop Shipping at your disposal you can totally eliminate the need to concentrate on operations and totally devote your time to marketing and selling the products.
• Quick and Easy Setup
  Setting up such store online is very convenient and even easy for a novice to understand & operate. Drop Shipping can be started instantly within a few minutes of setting up your stores.
• Time-Saving
  The entire process of Drop Shipping is totally time-saving as various factors like operations, inventory handling, shipments are taken care by the third party hence letting you concentrate totally on marketing & selling products.
• Elimination of middlemen
  Drop Shipping eliminates the middlemen where you actually buy products from the manufacturers and they then ship the same to your customers.
• Exploring new markets
  With Drop shipping on board, you can easily explore new products and international destinations easily without indulging into R & D initially.
• Flexible Working Hours
  Since no physical inventory is maintained and no paper work is required, you can work as and when required. Totally flexible upon your availability and requirements.

With such wonderful advantages, it's quite possible to have a few disadvantages as well. Let’s just discuss the same below.

Cons of Drop Shipping Services

• Reliable & efficient Shipper
  It is not always possible that your manufacturer isn’t serving various others like you which ultimately goes against the manufacturer where he or she may prioritize others for the same products being sold by you.
• Mistakes are obvious
  Since your manufacturers who would be your shipper as well serves a number of others as well, 100 percent efficiency in completely shipping the products with 100 percent accuracy is something never seen anywhere. When the shippers are managing a lot of orders at the same time mistakes are ought to happen.
• Delayed Shipping
  Actual shipping from the date ordered may vary between 1 to 30 days since the majority of the products are international based and customers may not choose you if your estimated delivery time is anywhere more than 10 days or even less sometimes.
• Products may vary
  When you actually let customers buy from your online store and shippers to the rest, actual product ordered and shipped will vary with color, size or even type. This is a huge cause of worry when orders are in large numbers with your shippers.
• High Competition
  Drop Shipping cannot assure you cheap products since your products might be sold by the manufacturer at various other online places as well. Making the market more competitive altogether. Large stocking retailers get better deals than you since they are buying a huge quantity which eventually will attract the manufacturer.
• Self-branding is not possible
  If you tend to attract customer with branding and better packaging, it's totally not possible since you are not packing and shipping hence the quality of products and packaging cannot be assured at the shippers level.
• Customer Satisfaction is a big headache
  Just imagine a scenario where your store shows the product is in stock but until you fulfill all the formalities your manufacturer might go out of stock and might take a bit of time to get the same in stock again which eventually results in order cancellation and you might lose a reliable and loyal customer.
• Shipping charges may vary for your customer
  Since you are not buying products from one location and the shipping charges for various products bought from your store might vary. In this case, customers tend to not look at your products and go on to select some other who may possibly rest them with better shipping deals.

Conclusion:

Now that you have gone through the probable pros and cons of choosing Drop Shipping, we are sure you can ascertain the results of the same in the case being used for a new E-Commerce start-up. Safe playing and with a lot of R&D you can literally make Drop Shipping a boon for you and your business else, it may cause worries and prove a big nightmare which might go against your brand name as well. This method may yield you with huge sales and profit but at the same time can become a cause for your worry if not implemented properly. Hence make sure you do your research and talk to a few who already are into the same. Probably a Drop Shipper who discontinued might guide you and give exact pros and cons which will be helpful to your new startup. All the best, please leave your comments below in case you need further clarifications on the above topic.

Read More

ASUS Zenfone AR launched in India for Rs 49,999/- , with impressive tech embedded in it.

ASUS has announced launch of ASUS Zenfone AR the world's first Tango and Daydream enabled phone which opens a new dimension for use of smartphones. The phone is a result of co-operation of ASUS with Google's Tango and Daydream team, and Qualcomm which improvised its Snapdragon 820 series to come up with Snapdragon 821 enabling smoother and Accurate AR , VR experience.

The device comes with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB internal storage to support resource extensive applications which makes sense with AR focused tech in the phone.

ASUS Zenfone AR

The device in itself is a tech marvel considering the fact that we have a finished end consumer product and not any prototype. ASUS has stood apart from the crowd on many occasions be it the first phone with 4 GB RAM or first phone with a 3x optical zoom. But what we liked most about Zenfone AR is that it packs so much in its compact body. Unlike Zenfone Zoom which was too bulky to be used as a primary phone, the Zenfone AR is quite compact with just 4.8mm thickness on edges and less than 8mm thick at its thickest point. 

Notice the Geyser and Shower shown on big screen is added using AR

Smartphones have changed the way we look at our phones and use them in our day to day life, this transition has come in last 10 years. But today with launch of Zenfone AR, I truly believe that it is going to add more dimensions to mobile usage. We recently discussed about different usecases of using an AR enabled phone.

TriCam System

The device packs in 3 camera on rear with the primary being 23 MP sensor for capturing vivid details. The other two sensors are there to sense depth and motion. The launch event also had live demo of the AR capabilities of the smart phone where in we were shown the future of buying a car with the BMW app , where in user can Augment the car on the phone in real environment and inspect and customize various features as if done in a physical car. Another demo was done by Pune based Renewate demoed their app, which was again very cool as using this app you can plan the interiors, furniture, fittings of your house by using AR.

The Asus ZenFone AR has a 5.7-inch WQHD (2K) (1440 x 2560) display. This large size and high resolution screen makes it ideal for VR apps and games when used with Daydream View, immersing users in incredible VR worlds that appear detailed and lifelike. Super AMOLED technology enables deep blacks and high contrast, further enhancing image quality and 3D effects.

With ZenFone AR and Daydream View, users can explore new worlds with apps like Street View and Fantastic Beasts, kick back in a personal VR cinema with YouTube VR and Netflix, and get in the game with Gunjack 2, Need for Speed and more.

ZenFone AR is designed with the latest, top-of-the-line components to provide high-quality AR and VR experiences. This cutting-edge hardware also makes ZenFone AR one of the most powerful smartphones available.

ZenFone AR features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor that has been specially optimized for the demanding, real-time calculations of AR. ASUS worked closely with Qualcomm Technologies and Google engineers to help develop methods for efficiently distributing computer-vision workloads, as well as rapidly processing movement and positioning instructions with Tango to deliver smooth, immersive, and compelling AR experiences. It also features the desktop-class Qualcomm Adreno 530 graphics-processing unit (GPU) to deliver supercharged graphics performance and handle the graphical demands of Tango and Daydream applications with ease.

ZenFone AR is the world's first smartphone with 8GB of RAM, enabling it to handle the demands of AR and VR with ease. It also helps with heavy multitasking, allowing users to keep dozens of apps open simultaneously, and instantly switch among them. ZenFone AR also includes 128GB of fast UFS 2.0 storage, enabling users to store a large library of apps, games, videos, photos, and music, and open them quickly.

ZenFone AR is backed by a 3,300mAh battery pack with Quick Charge 3.0 - fastest, most efficient charging technology by Qualcomm to date. This technology enables 60% battery charge in only 45 mins.

 Flipkart is offering INR 2500/- off on Google Daydream View VR Headset along with purchase of ZenFone AR. Additionally, the consumer can avail no cost EMI offer upto 9 months. Every Jio and Zenfone AT user will get up to 100GB additional 4G data and complimentary Jio Prime membership. The user can avail the additional 4G data in the form of one additional 10GB data voucher per recharge or Rs 309 or above, for a maximum of 10 recharges till March’18. This data is over and above the benefits of the pack.

Read More

Broadband for transportation is closer to reality, Hyperloop One tests full systems Hyperloop test in vaccum environment, 70mph and 5.3 seconds of Maglev

Hyperloop One today announced the successful completion of the world’s first full systems Hyperloop test in a vacuum environment. This test was Phase 1 of a multi-Phase program and was privately conducted on May 12, 2017 at the company’s test track, “DevLoop,” in the Nevada Desert. The vehicle coasted above the first portion of the track for 5.3 seconds using magnetic levitation and reached nearly 2Gs of acceleration, while achieving the Phase 1 target speed of 70mph. The company is now entering the next campaign of testing, which will target speeds of 250 mph.

Hyperloop One

“Hyperloop One has accomplished what no one has done before by successfully testing the first full scale Hyperloop system. By achieving full vacuum, we essentially invented our own sky in a tube, as if you’re flying at 200,000 feet in the air,” said Shervin Pishevar, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Hyperloop One. “For the first time in over 100 years, a new mode of transportation has been introduced. Hyperloop is real, and it’s here now.”

In this historic moment, Hyperloop One tested all the system’s components, including its highly efficient motor, vehicle suspension, magnetic levitation, electromagnetic braking, vacuum pumping system and more, proving the full system’s components operate successfully as a single integrated unit in a vacuum. Nearly 200 engineers, fabricators, welders, etc. dedicated thousands of hours to make this test successful.

In addition to announcing the private test, Hyperloop One also unveiled the prototype of its Pod that will work within the integrated system. Using electromagnetic propulsion and magnetic levitation, the Pod will transport passengers and cargo inside the tube. Hyperloop One’s Pod is the only vehicle in the world that, with the company’s proprietary linear electric motor, achieves autonomous high-speed propulsion and levitation in a controlled low-pressure environment. Made of structural aluminum and a lightweight carbon fiber, the shell measures 28 feet long.

Hyperloop One will continue to run tests at DevLoop in the coming months to validate its next-generation components and software. The next phase of testing will showcase the Pod gliding along a longer track at faster speeds.

“Our team is the only team that is actually making Hyperloop happen, and we’ve spent more time testing a Hyperloop system than anyone in the world,” said Josh Giegel, co-founder and President of Engineering of Hyperloop One. “To make Hyperloop a reality, we built and tested the actual hardware, gathering valuable insight along the way. Now that we’ve tested our Hyperloop system, we know it works, and we’re ready to deploy it to the rest of the world.”

“Hyperloop One will move people and things faster than at any other time in the world,” continued Pishevar. “With Hyperloop One, the world will be cleaner, safer and faster. It’s going to make the world a lot more efficient and will impact the ways our cities work, where we live and where we work. We’ll be able to move between cities as if cities themselves are metro stops.”

To view the historical test and never-before-seen b-roll from DevLoop, click here. 

Read More

Simplilearn to offer bounce back scholarships for IT professionals in India

IT engineers know very well that the industry they work in is very demanding in terms of work they do and the technology in trend. One day you might be working on something in which you feel you are the expert and you have made a permanent position in your organization, the other day you may get to hear that what you do is no longer required or some other technology is replacing your work. Amidst all this there are other global parameters which affect the profitability of the company and in name of cost cutting one may never know when they will be shown the pink slips. The thought of getting laid off itself is very scary, however one has to rise again and prepare one's self to enter the industry once again in full glory.

I have seen folks who have faced this real time, Snapdeal had laid off a good number of engineers earlier this year, there were confirmed reports from Cognizant as well. My previous employer has asked its employees in my city to either leave or get transfer to another city. In another case Anand Mahindra, Executive Chairman Mahindra group has apologized over the way an employee was asked to resign immediately which the employee recorded and uploaded online.

No one can predict what's going to happen in future, but the least one can do is to prepare themselves for their own benefit. As its really difficult to start preparing after you are hit with such scenario. To assist professionals impacted by the recent job cuts in India, professional training company Simplilearn (https://www.simplilearn.com/), has announced the launch of Bounce Back Scholarships (https://www.simplilearn.com/lp-BB_Scholarships.html). The company will offer free access to online self-paced courses in the most sought after domains to help IT professionals build skills in new technologies and prepare for jobs of the future.

“Our goal at Simplilearn is to help professionals and enterprises adapt to the changing digital economy through the right delivery of upskilling programs.  Automation and newer technologies are forcing enterprises to re-look at their business and hiring strategies. The current environment has also led to enterprises looking for talent skilled in digital technologies. We hope the Bounce Back Scholarships will enable individuals to map their skill sets with these newer jobs and take charge of their careers.” said Krishna Kumar, Founder and CEO, Simplilearn.

The company is offering merit-based scholarships on all the courses that are delivered via online self-learning modules, excluding masters programs and courses covering examination fees. The last date to apply is August 31, 2017.

So if you are one of those who got laid off in recent chaos, use this as an opportunity to add more weightage in your resume and upgrade yourself with the current technologies. All the best. Happy Learning.

Read More

HTC and CRY makes quality education accessible to girl child with initiative 'Aarzoo: ek wish har Aarzoo poori karne ki'

Aarzoo, an initiative by HTC Corporation, in association with leading NGO  'CRY - Child Rights and You', is supporting young girls in achieving their objectives. Aarzoo is a movement and a promise to fulfill dreams of countless young girls from the lower income group families by facilitating guidance and resources to supplement their dedication and enthusiasm. As part of its corporate social initiative and, to mark 20 years of global operations, HTC Corporation, a leading innovator in Mobile and Virtual Reality technology, has unveiled this initiative ‘Aarzoo: ek wish har Aarzoo poori karne ki’’ in India.

Not just wanting to limit the contribution only from the company, Mr. Faisal Siddiqui, President South Asia, HTC, visited the CRY center in South Delhi and spent time with the children talking, exchanging gifts and clicking photos and selfies. Speaking on the association, Mr. Faisal Siddiqui said, “I firmly believe that education is the birthright of every child. After interacting with the children here, I am amazed to see their skills, enthusiasm and the confidence. Their small, yet powerful performances clearly reflect that, by moulding these young minds in a positive manner, you can help them build a bright future for themselves.  I am immensely pleased that we associated ourselves with CRY which has been dedicatedly working towards providing a better childhood to children."

The campaign brings together HTC and CRY in an effort to create education and basic training opportunities for the girl child from the under-privileged sections of society and also aims at making them aware of their rights and the means to protect them. As part of the campaign, HTC hopes to achieve an on-ground-impact on girl child education for 1500 girls through CRY, and, for this, has contributed part of consumer sales proceeds over the past few months to the NGO.HTC and CRY also unveiled a calendar wherein the models were 12 bright girls from the CRY center to mark the association.

Details on the initiative with impact stories are available on http://aarzoo-ekwish.com

Read More

5 incredibly innovative uses for Augmented Reality

If seeing is believing, ‘trying on’ seals the deal. Augmented reality or AR goes beyond VR in some key respects, enabling users to integrate real and virtual scenes — in effect, allowing us to try on products before we buy.

Here are some of the most innovative, cutting edge uses for AR technology apart from gaming that we are sure to amaze you.

Home Decor

One truly exciting application for AR and related technologies is to showcase large purchases like furniture that consumers often have trouble visualizing in their home. Asian augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR) startup iStaging lets shoppers arrange furniture and appliances in their own living space. By integrating users’ own photos of their home with product images, the app gives buyers a concrete visualization of potential purchases.

interactive iStaging AR app

Enriching travel and tourism

Augmented reality can give travelers amazing new experiences. Travelers can also use AR to find information about historic events and significant buildings with Wikitude World Browser and Lonely Planet. There are even apps that bring AR out onto the hiking trails, giving users inspiring route guides and AR-enhanced topographic maps.

Wikitude World Browser is widely regarded as the king of all augmented reality browsers, and in a way, serves as a third eye of sorts. While using your smartphone’s camera in a given area, the virtual browser — along with more than 3,500 associated content providers — offers you just about any geographically-relevant information you may find valuable in your travels. Useful information is often presented in the form of Wikipedia articles detailing the hallmarks of a specific landmark, or directions to the nearest ATM location or five-star restaurant.

Education and training

Bridging the gap between the virtual and physical worlds, Augment changes the way we see, imagine, and learn about the world around us.

Augment an augmented reality (AR) app and platform enables students and teachers to visualize 3D models in the real environment, in real time, and at scale. Google Sky Map will give you the ability to identify everything in the night sky. Once installed, just point your phone upward when it’s reasonably dark and clear outside, and Google will point out all the different stars, constellations, and planets that are visible to your phone’s camera.

Shop without the hassle of changing

DressingRoom by Gap, help customers virtually “try on" clothing through a smartphone, Augmented Reality experience. This is how it works – shoppers choose a Gap style that they might be interested in purchasing. Next, they select one of five body types featured in the app so they can “try on" the piece of clothing from anywhere on a Google Tango-enabled device, and if they love it, they can buy it online.

Healthcare

Augmented reality in healthcare has wide reaching implications that will transform the medical sector; from providing real-time data and assistance during complicated surgical procedures, to supporting aftercare and administration, we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Augmented Reality’s potential benefits to our health and well-being.

Smartphone AR apps today can help retrain the brains of patients suffering from chronic vertigo, help blind people ‘see’ the world around them by rendering 3D surroundings into an audio soundscape or help medical students crush their anatomy classes.

With so many different fields of innovation at their fingertips, it is no surprise that tech-savvy and design enthusiasts want their next smartphone to come equipped with the sophisticated hardware and incredible processing power that can unlock these immersive and exciting augmented reality experiences.

Google has notably been pushing AR/VR technologies with its latest Android OS. The most prominent introduction however, has been the ASUS ZenFone AR launch that took place at CES, 2017 earlier this year.

That’s not all, ASUS recently took to its Facebook and Twitter pages to post a hinting that the super smartphone is all set to launch in India. According to industry sources, the company is planning to launch a smartphone in mid - July.

Read More

Honor 8 Pro To Be Available with Exclusive Deals on Amazon Prime Day, Rs 2000 cashback on HDFC Cards

Honor today announced special offers on its latest launch Honor 8 Pro on upcoming Amazon Prime Day which will be held on 10th July,2017.

All Amazon Prime members who shop on Prime Day will get assured offers worth INR 1100 from
MakeMyTrip, BookMyShow and Swiggy.com. When members use their Amazon Pay balance they can enjoy fast and easy checkouts, quicker refunds coupled with a secured shopping experience on
Amazon.in. They can avail a 15% cashback of upto INR 2000 cash back on the purchase of Honor 8 Pro using an HDFC credit or debit card. Members who had been topping up their balance since June 29 will also be awarded with an extra 20% cashback upto INR 200.

Honor 8 Pro

The Honor 8 Pro which was launched on Thursday, 11 th May 2017, featuring a 14.47cm 2K display in a thin 6.97mm metal body with 12+12-megapixel dual-lens camera, with RGB and Monochrome lens along with an 8-megapixel front camera backed by 4000 mAh battery has received rave reviews for its cutting-edge technology and performance by experts and consumers.

Running on the latest premium flagship Kirin 960 octa-core processor, supported by 6+128GB and all new EMUI 5.1 software, the device which also supports 4K video recording, will be bundled with a 9V/2A fast charger, standard USB-C cable in a box that can be used as a VR headset.

Honor has also partnered with Gameloft, GoPro, and Jaunt VR to enrich digital lifestyles through enhanced smartphone experiences. Honor 8 Pro will come with 12 months service warranty along with Honor’s best-in- class after sale facilities.

Amazon Prime Day starts on the 10th of July at 6 PM and goes on till midnight of the 11th of July.

Read More

ASUS Zenfone Live Review: Only suitable for frequent live broadcasters on social media

ASUS has been doing well with its Zenfone Series in market especially after the launch of Zenfone 2 Series with multiple models to cater (confuse as well) different needs of different type of customers. With Zenfone 3 the company has definitely upped its ante with doing away with the bulky plastic body and larger size phones to slim and beautiful metallic phones, though charged a bit higher the series still made a break through change in product design language and sturdiness. Apart from these phones ASUS has time to time also tried to cash on different features or requirements which are already popular or are required by the smartphone users. ASUS Zenfone Selfie, Zenfone Deluxe, Zenfone Max series phones are good examples for such criteria. These devices had performed good in market as well. A couple of months ago ASUS had launched another such 'required' phone named ASUS Zenfone Live , as the name suggests this phone is specially launched keeping in mind the increasing trend of broadcasting live videos on social media among the users. So is this the phone we really need or it is just another marketing gimmick? Let's find out.

ASUS Zenfone Live

Build and Design:

The first thing you notice when you pick the phone is that the phone is very light in weight at just 120 grams, second the phone is comfortable to hold and gives a good grip along the curved edges, though the color treatment makes it feel like a metallic body phone but it is actually plastic.On the front side there is 2.5D glass on top of the display which is generic across almost all models from ASUS, there are three capacitive navigation buttons on bottom which are back, home and multi tasking from left to right. On the top however you will notice a front camera along with LED flash apart from ALS and proximity sensor.

On the back the camera is on top left corner supported by an LED flash light. The ASUS branding goes in the center of the phone. On the right edge of the phone you will find volume rockers and power button. The feedback from all the buttons is tactile and we didn't faced any issue in our 2 weeks usage. On the left edge of the device you will see a SIM tray, on the top there is a headphone jack and bottom houses the speakers and micro USB port.

Specs and Features:

On the specifications part we are bit disappointed as at this price point you will get far superior hardware specification devices from other brands. The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad core processor clocked at 1.4 GHz and Adreno 305 GPU. The device comes with 2 GB RAM and has 16 GB internal storage on board which can be further expanded via micro SD card if you don't use the hybrid second SIM slot.

On camera side, the front camera has a 5 MP resolution accompanied by an LED flash for clear selfies in low light , rear camera is of 13 MP resolution with LED Flash. The display is  5 inch IPS LCD with a resolution of 1280x720 pixel.

For connectivity the device offers 4G LTE, GPS, FM Radio, Wifi, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0.

On the software front the device runs on Android Marshmallow 6.0.1 with familiar ZenUI skin on top. One of the constant feedback ASUS keeps receiving is number of pre-installed apps which can not be un installed by user that amounts to a lot of bloatware in your phone. This can be a turnoff for people who like to see their phone clean of any non-used apps. The ZenUI however provides lots of customization options such as wallpapers, themes, icons, locking apps etc. 

There is a dedicated app named BeautyLive pre-installed on the phone which is basically a live beautify app. This app can help you post live videos on social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. The app also helps in reducing background noise so that the sound experience is better than what we see in regular live videos.

The camera of the phones are rather mediocre in performance, the rear camera shoots good images in bright settings however in low light it struggles to capture the details required from the shots. The camera app comes with familiar modes such as Auto, HDR, panorama, night mode, high resolution mode etc. The front camera is somewhat satisfactory and the beautification features (can be controlled on a scale of 1-10) enhances the overall image by fine tuning the skin tone and facial features.

Verdict:

ASUS Zenfone Live seems to have a single objective to help users broadcast themselves live on social media when it comes to 'smart phone' features. The hardware from processor to battery doesn't really stand in line with the price (INR 9.999/-) for two reasons first the hardware is not the latest and second competition is offering way too much for this price point. Having said that the phone can be a good buy for those who post a lot of live videos on Instagram or Facebook like Fashion bloggers or bloggers who do a lot of self-videos on YouTube.

Read More

Videocon Telecom forays into Indian Security and Surveillance market; launches CCTV brand WallCam

Videocon Telecom announces its entry into fast growing Rs 6600 Cr Security and Surveillance market with its new brand of ‘Videocon WallCam’. The brand will bring in wide range of security and surveillance products with its prime focus on Video Surveillance products to cater Enterprise, Government, institutional and retail (residential and small commercial set-ups) segments.

Videocon WallCAM products

In addition to basic Video Surveillance products such as AHD (Analogue high definition), IP (Internet Protocol )& wireless cameras, DVRs & NVRs, Video-Door Phones, intrusion alarms etc; the brand will also offer customized security solutions to institutional, corporate and government sector including PTZ (Pan, Tilt & Zoom) and vandal proof cameras, mobile vehicle cameras, access control systems, scanners and detectors, number plate reader solution, central monitoring system, boom barriers, X-Ray baggage inspection system, cloud storage with secure remote access etc.

The company has finalized its range of products to be offered in the institutional and retail market segments, and is now scouting for system integrators and Distributors for its Go to market. The company is also seeing a lot of synergy from its existing business lines including its Broadband business for IP based solution, cloud storage and access; and DTH business for installation of CCTV. 

Videocon is already engaged in select Government and Enterprise Security & surveillance projects and has bagged many prestigious accounts in the domain, and with the launch of its own brand, VideoconWallCam is eyeing 15% of the organized player market share by the end of FY 2019 and aims to be among the top 3 players in the category by 2021. 

Riding on its diversification into new business verticals like security and surveillance, smartphone accessories, smart homes & city solutions and Mobile VAS, Videocon Telecomis targetingtopline revenue of INR 300 Cr during the FY 2017-18.The company’s existing business lines including Broadband & FTTH business in Punjab, Haryana & Himachal Pradesh; Wholesale ILD Carrier business; Smart Solutions and Tower business are projected to contribute a topline revenue of INR 1358 Cr during theFY taking the total consolidated revenue to INR 1658 Cr in the current financial year.

Announcing the company’s foray into the new verticalMr.Arvind Bali, CEO, Videocon Telecom said, ‘The currentVideo surveillancemarket of approxRs 3650 Cr is 55% of the overall Rs 6600 Cr security & surveillance market and is projected to growat a CAGR of 26% and reach Rs9150Cr by 2021, which is 2.5 times the current market size. The growth will be driven by households,including small commercial establishment(Shops& offices) segments and the key success factor for market expansion will be affordability, ease of use (plug n play), and quality.This is where Videocon as a brand has its expertise in.We are all set to enter this market in a big way and capitalize on brand acceptability, manufacturing capabilities, R&D, distribution strength and reach.”

Talking about the ‘WallCam’ brand, Mr Bali further added, “Why ‘WallCam’, there is a very interesting background behind this. The term CCTV is a technical lingo and stands for Closed circuit television, while what we are selling is surveillance cameras. There is no product name to identify the category with, and this is where our marketing team came up with this interesting thought of a brand name which could represent the product category, something similar to Handycam for mini-camcorders, and Walkman for mini music players. Our objective is to make our brand ‘Wallcam’ a synonymous to CCTV cameras.”

Read More

Link Aadhaar with PAN Card in 2 Simple Steps

So, if you are one of those who have not linked your Aadhar with PAN card or you have relatives or friends who were unable to do so, you can now help yourself and others in just two simple steps. As it was rumored earlier that if you don't link your Aadhar with PAN till 30th June, 2017  the PAN card becomes invalid. We would first like to clear that , it is not the case. Your PAN card is still valid and no need to panic. However, make sure you link the both at earliest possible opportunity, which can be well; right now while reading this blog post. It won't take more than 5 minutes of yours.

Pre-Requisite:

Keep your PAN Card Number and Aadhar Number handy.

Step1: 

Go to Income Tax India's Link Aadhar webpage from below link.

https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/e-Filing/Services/LinkAadhaarHome.html

Link Aadhar with PAN Form

Step 2:

Enter your PAN Number, Aadhar Number, Name as per Aadhar

Enter the code shown in image as per captcha and Click on Link Aadhar button below the form.

Note: If your DOB and Gender matches in PAN records with that of Aadhar but Name doesn't exactly match in PAN records then user have to do extra validation in form of Aadhar OTP to verify and proceed with the Linking activity.

Read More

Strengthening after sales service, Huawei-Honor launches 17 Exclusive Service Centers across India

Huawei already has 250 authorized service centers across India

Huawei world's number three smartphone manufacturer today announced launch of its 17 exclusive Service Centers across India. These new service centers are located in Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Indore, Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Delhi, Gurgaon and Ludhiana.

This is in line with Huawei’s strategy to provide a consumer centric after sales experience to all their customers.

"A great product is not enough to build a strong brand."  - Mr. P Sanjeev, Vice President Sales, Huawei India-Consumer Business Group

These new Exclusive Service Centers are located in prominent locations and will provide first-class support and repairs for Huawei/honor devices exclusively. These state-of-the-art centers will ensure less waiting and faster turnaround time with guaranteed quality repair. Equipped with the best in class amenities, these exclusive service centers are manned by Service Personnel’s providing professional, dedicated one-stop service for customers, through strict trainings and certification requirements.

Other than handsets repair, replacement, hardware and software check and updates, Huawei exclusive service centers will also provide appointment booking, free recycling of your waste mobile phones and other electronics products and special service for the selected model user (VIP Services).

Mr. P Sanjeev, Vice President Sales, Huawei India-Consumer Business Group, said, “A great product is not enough to build a strong brand. To ensure consumers are fully satisfied with your product in case of issues, the brand needs to have a very robust and great after sales services. That is how trust is built towards a brand. At Huawei, we always believe in putting the customer first. As customer satisfaction is one of the most important aspects, with the launch of these Exclusive Service Centers we can now assure best in class after sale services to our consumers. Huawei will continue to invest in building a strong foundation of world-class service centers offering additional piece of mind to our customers.”

For the digital users, Huawei has also launched an app called ‘HiCare’ which allows customers to register their device, find nearby service stations, schedule a call back or opt for an online chat to fix their issues.  The HiCare App comes pre-loaded on both Huawei & Honor devices and can also be downloaded via Google Play store. The app also provides customers with tips to better manage their devices.

These exclusive service centers are located in Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Indore, Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Delhi, Gurgaon and Ludhiana. Apart from these Huawei also has 250 authorized service centers. 

Users can find the nearest exclusive service center at www.consumer.huawei.com/in support/service-center/index.htm.

Read More

GST effect: ASUS Zenfone 3 Line Up gets price cut of Rs 3000/-

On midnight of 30 June- 1st July India witnessed launch of biggest tax reform in country's history in form of GST. Now GST effects are being seen in terms of price changes in markets for the affected commodities. While the reaction is mixed within the public, organisations do have something to cheer or fear. Amidst all this, the chaos is settling down and GST benefits or burden is being transferred to the end consumer. Thankfully our smartphones market have got something to cheer again and that is evident in recent price cuts from different brands after GST rates are announced.

ASUS one of the most prominent brand which has established itself in market with its sub brand Zenfone is offering a discount of upto 3000/- Rs on its Zenfone 3 series most popular smartphones the Zenfone 3 and Zenfone 3 Max variants. The price cut will be applicable across all platfroms including online and offline sales channels.

Below is the existing and updated pricelist of the models benefited from the recent announcement.

Series	Original Price	New Price
Zenfone 3 5.5 [ZE552KL]	19,999	16,999
Zenfone 3 5.2 [ZE520KL]	17,999	15,999
Zenfone 3 MAX 5.5 [ZC553KL]	15,999	14,999
Zenfone 3s MAX [ZC521TL]	14,999	12,999
Zenfone 3 MAX 5.2 [ZC520TL]	12,999	10,999

Peter Chang, Region Head – South Asia & Country Manager for ASUS India said, “Both Zenfone 3 and Zenfone 3 Max series have received an overwhelming response in India, and we are happy to offer a new exciting price for both the models. We are sure that, with this price, both the series will be the best buys in the Indian market.”

Though the presser didn't mentioned this price cut related to GST, however the timing suggests otherwise. GST effect or not, but this announcement is surely going to up the ante for pricing war and benefit the end customer. So if you are in search of a new phone then this is one of the best time to buy one.

Read More

Nokia eyes return of old glory days with launch of Nokia 6, Nokia 5 and Nokia 3

HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones today launched a new generation of Nokia smartphones in India. The new range combines superior craftsmanship with distinctive and premium design along with powerful entertainment features – all this integrated with a pure and latest Android experience, giving you the ability to use your phone, your way. Nokia 3 goes on sale on 16th of June and will be available across top mobile retailers in India. Consumers can pre-book their Nokia 5 starting July 7 select mobile retail outlets across key cities such as Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad and Calicut and Nokia 6 will be available exclusive on Amazon.in; registrations begin July 14.

At the launch of the new range of smartphones, Ajey Mehta, Vice President India, HMD Global, said, “Nokia is a trusted and well-loved brand across the world and especially in India. Today’s announcement scripts a new chapter for Nokia phones in this country as we set out to capture the hearts and minds of an entirely new generation of fans through an inspiring and purpose-led approach. The new line-up comprising the Nokia 6, Nokia 5 and the Nokia 3 is visually stunning and will always be available out-of-the-box with the latest and pure version of Android. We intend to break the clutter in a market dominated by undifferentiated products by providing a great user experience while living up to the Nokia brand promise of simplicity, trust, reliability and quality.”

Commenting on the partnership with HMD, Manish Tiwary, Vice President, Category Management, Amazon India said, “We are thrilled to be the partner-of-choice for the iconic phone brand - Nokia. We are delighted to offer customers exclusive access to Nokia 6 where, with a single sign-on, Amazon Prime customers can experience the best of Amazon in shipping, shopping, streaming and reading along with an exclusive Daily Deal widget. Smartphones have been a top selling category at Amazon with several exclusive offerings and we continue to expand the selection, providing our customers access to millions of products at the best prices.”

Drawing on the hallmarks of the Nokia phone heritage of quality, simplicity and reliability, the range is designed for a new generation of fans.

Nokia 6

Nokia 6: Powerful entertainment experience and superior craftsmanship; available exclusively on Amazon.in

Nokia 6 comes with 5.5” full HD screen, the unibody of the Nokia 6 is crafted from a single block of 6000 series aluminium and is perfect for those who want a robust phone with outstanding entertainment credentials. The smart audio amplifier with dual speakers allow consumers to experience a deep bass and unmatched clarity, whilst Dolby Atmos® sound delivers a powerfully moving entertainment experience.

With outstanding colour reproduction, the Nokia 6 has a fully laminated display stack delivering excellent sunlight readability without compromising the slim form. Powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 430 mobile platform and the Qualcomm® Adreno™ 505 graphics processor, the Nokia 6 strikes the perfect balance between performance and power consumption, designed   to   deliver   premium   quality   entertainment   with   battery   life   to   spare, maximising your entertainment experience on the go.  The Nokia 6 is available in four distinct colours – Matte Black, Silver, Tempered Blue and Copper – and will be available on Amazon.in at a recommended best buy price of Rs. 14,999/-.

The new Nokia 6 is available with a special offer - Prime members get Rs. 1000 back when they purchase the device using Amazon Pay balance and all Nokia 6 customers get 80% off on Kindle eBooks up to Rs.300. Also on the new Nokia 6, using a single sign-on to pre-installed Amazon apps and deals widget, consumers get easy access to their personalized deals, content, order history, wish list, and shipment update. Amazon Prime Members can also effortlessly access tens of thousands of movies and TV shows, over 3M eBooks, free one and two-day shipping and so much more.

In addition, Vodafone consumers will get 10GB data per month @ Rs. 249** per month for 5 months on their Nokia 6. Consumers will also get Rs. 2500 off (Rs. 1800 on hotels & Rs.700 off on domestic flights) on Makemytrip.com

Nokia 5: Seamless, premium and durable design

The Nokia 5 has been precision engineered out of a single block of 6000 series aluminium to create a perfect pillowed body that flows seamlessly into the laminated 5.2” IPS HD display with sculpted Corning® Gorilla® Glass. Featuring a ground-breaking innovation in antenna design the Nokia 5 brings robust structural integrity, attention to detail and the quality of a high-end flagship. Powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 430 mobile platform, Nokia 5 delivers excellent battery life, improved graphics performance – all in a package that perfectly balances everyday usability with a premium quality design. With additional features including an 8MP, 84-degree wide-angle front facing camera – to squeeze even more scene into your selfie – and excellent sunlight and low light screen visibility, there are plenty of reasons to keep the Nokia 5 out of your pocket and in your hand where it belongs. The Nokia 5 is available in four distinct colours – Matte Black, Silver, Tempered Blue and Copper – and will retail at a recommended best buy price of Rs. 12,899/-. Vodafone consumers will get 5GB data per month @ Rs. 149** per month for 3 months on their Nokia 5. Consumers will also get Rs. 2500 off (Rs. 1800 on hotels & Rs.700 off on domestic flights) on Makemytrip.com

Nokia 3: Superior craftsmanship at an affordable price

This stunning new smartphone is designed to deliver an outstanding experience with unprecedented value.  The Nokia 3 features a precision machined aluminium frame forged out of a single piece of aluminium, offering exceptional structural integrity and protection where it counts. Featuring a fully laminated 5” IPS display with no air gap and sculpted Corning® Gorilla® Glass, the Nokia 3 offers durability and superb clarity delivering a viewing experience that is second to none. With fewer reflections thanks to the polarised screen, the experience is crisp and clear offering unbeatable visibility even in bright sunlight. With seamlessly integrated 8MP wide aperture cameras (front and back), the Nokia 3 packs a truly premium quality smartphone experience into its compact and elegant form. The Nokia 3 is available in four distinct colours – Matte Black, Silver White, Tempered Blue and Copper White – and will retail at a recommended best buy price of Rs. 9,499/-. Vodafone consumers will get 5GB data per month @ Rs. 149** per month for 3 months on their Nokia 3. Consumers will also get Rs. 2500 off (Rs. 1800 on hotels & Rs.700 off on domestic flights) on Makemytrip.com

Always Pure Android

All Nokia smartphones will be shipped with the latest pure Android OS. With guaranteed monthly security updates, Nokia smartphones will always be safe, up-to-date and clutter-free – putting choice at the heart of the consumer experience.  And with the Nougat comes the latest features including Doze, which saves battery life while the phone is in a pocket or bag. The new Nokia smartphones also feature Google’s most recent innovation, the Google Assistant, building further on a great Android experience. Our teams have worked together to ensure conversations with the Google Assistant happen seamlessly on Nokia smartphones.

Channel and after sales strategy:

HMD Global has appointed over 400 distributors in India to support its range of smartphones and feature phones. Through this network, Nokia smartphones and featurephones will be available at more than 80,000 retail outlets across the country.

The company is also investing in a robust after-sales network branded Nokia Mobile Care. By June end, over 300 cities will have a Nokia Mobile Care presence. In addition, consumers will have the opportunity to avail a device pick-up/drop service in 100 more cities. For the new age millennial consumer, we will also have Nokia Mobile Care support in the form of voice and web support.

Read More

Moto Z2 Play : Price, Features and specifications

Motorola (owned by Lenovo) has recently launched Moto Z2 Play in India, Moto Z2 Play is successor of Moto Z Play launched earlier and supports all the Moto Mods available in market till date. The newly launched Moto Z2 Play is priced at Rs 27,999/-. The phone will be available online on Flipkart as expected , it will also be available on physical stores as well.

Moto Z2 Play

Moto Z2 Play comes with 4 GB RAM, 64 GB of storage which can be further expanded upto 2 TB via micro SD card and runs on 2.2 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 processor. The phone comes with 5.5 inch Full HD Super AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass to protect the phone from scratches. The finger print sensor is placed on the front side of the phone which can be used to navigate/swipe screen left and right. Apart from finger print sensor other sensors on board includes Accelerometer, Ambient light, Gyroscope, proximity, magnetometer and Ultra-sonic. Moto Z2 Play comes with 3000 mAh battery and supports turbo charging to charge the phone in less time.

Moto Z2 play comes with 12 MP rear camera with dual autofocus pixel plus laser autofocus to help capture great detailed photos in any lighting conditions. For front the phone comes with 5 MP 1.4 um f/2.2 , wide angle lens camera supported by dual led flash. On connectivity front the phone supports, GSM, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, A-GPS, GLONASS. The phone isn't water proof but it comes with a water repellent nano coating which makes the phone resistant to seldom splash of water.

he Moto Z2 Play runs on latest Android  7.1.1 Nougat operating system. Also, Moto will pack the Moto Z2 Play with Moto Armor pack which comes with protective accessories to protect the phone.

Read More