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Tuesday 6 March 2018

Microsoft announces first renewable energy deal in India, will help power Microsoft’s Bangalore office with solar energy

Microsoft Corp. has announced the completion of its first renewable energy deal within the Karnataka state of India. The agreement will see Microsoft purchase 3 megawatts of solar-powered electricity from Atria Power to help power its new office building in Bangalore. This will meet 80 percent of the projected electricity needs at the new facility. This deal is part of a state government of Karnataka program to encourage investments in local solar energy operations, in line with the larger Indian government goal to ramp up solar power generation to 100 gigawatts by 2022, as part of India’s efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“Investing in local solar energy to help power our new Bangalore office building is good for Microsoft, good for India and good for the environment,” said Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India. “We are proud to be deepening our long history of partnership and investment in India with this agreement. This deal will help us grow sustainably and supports the growth of the Indian solar energy industry, so that the entire country can more easily and reliably access clean electricity.”  

“Microsoft, like India, has ambitious commitments to use more renewable energy,” said Rob Bernard, Chief Environmental Strategist, Microsoft. “By purchasing local solar power to meet some of our local electricity needs, we’re not only meeting our goals but also supporting the growth of local clean energy industries. This growth leads to more clean electricity capacity, which will help India meet its targets for the Paris Agreement, reduce carbon emissions and provide clean electricity to its growing population. We’re proud to play a small role in this Indian energy transformation.”

This is Microsoft’s first solar energy agreement in India, and one of the first in Asia — the company completed a new solar agreement in Singapore last week. Once completed, this project will bring Microsoft’s total global direct procurement in renewable energy projects to nearly 900 megawatts. The deals in Asia follow windprojects in Europe and a substantial portfolio in the United States, and mark continued momentum toward the corporate clean energy commitments set by the company in 2016. Microsoft’s goal is to rely on wind, solar and hydropower electricity for at least 50 percent of its energy usage worldwide by the end of 2018

No more holding Selfie Sticks when you have Selfie Stick-It™ from inventors of The Selfie Stick™

Fromm Works, the father and daughter duo responsible for the invention of the selfie stick, is pleased to debut their latest product to the world. For those who have ever wished they could take a hands-free photo with their smartphone, their dreams have now come true. After appearing twice on "Dragon's Den" and finding success with their first product, inventors Sage and Wayne Fromm are back with Selfie Stick-It™, a device that magically converts any surface into a reusable instant photo booth.

Selfie Stick-it


As the inventors of the selfie stick, no one knows better than us the importance of a great selfie. However, we also realize that sometimes a selfie just won't cut it," said Adam Taub of Norlandam Marketing Inc. "As smartphones have become society's primary way of taking and storing pictures, things can get a bit tricky when someone wants to take a family photo or a solo shot that requires them to put the camera down or find someone else to take the picture. Understanding that smartphones aren't exactly conducive to these types of scenarios, we've come up with a remarkable solution to the problem, finally allowing anyone to take great hands-free photos without having to ask anyone to do it for them."


Apart from being a selfie stick-it , the product also works well for different use cases, like a phone stand to watch videos, follow recipe or makeup guide side by side by sticking phone on a surface etc. Below video explains such use cases for those interested.




Selfie Stick-It™ is the world's first hands-free smartphone mount with Bluetooth remote that can stick anywhere. A universal model that anyone can use, the remote works with both iOS and Android platforms. Selfie Stick-It™ fits any smartphone even when in a case, can be used in both portrait and landscape mode, is fully reusable (washable gel can be used over and over again), and works on almost any sealed or painted surface, including wood, glass, marble, and more. Weighing in at less than one ounce, the product has a strong yet temporary hold that won't leave any damage on the attached surface when mounted properly. Selfie Stick-It™ retails for $24.99 and is currently available at selfiestickit.ca as well as on Amazon.ca.

Selfie Stick-It™ is the world's first hands-free smartphone mount with Bluetooth remote that can stick anywhere. Company Founder Wayne Fromm has invented over 50 commercially successful products with companies including Disney®, Crayola® and Nestle® and holds dozens of patents..

Monday 19 February 2018

Doctor Insta App Review: Gets doctor teleported to you instantly

I got my first Android phone in 2010, back then Nokia was still the boss and 3.2 MP camera was something to boast on a phone's rear. My first Android was a Samsung Galaxy Ace which not only had a 5 MP rear camera but also a VGA camera on the front. I was more than happy with the phone but couldn't actually found a use case for the front camera. Fast forward to today the technology has changed a lot, the devices are more smarter, than ever. The tech we see on phones today has a lot new use cases to be applied on in day to day life, no I am not talking about taking tons of selfies and uploading them to social media, but more meaningful things which are supposed to be done to make use of these technological advances.

I was recently introduced to an app called Doctor Insta, which fits the vision of being more meaningful and helpful towards the society using the some of the tech stack we discussed above. As the name suggests Doctor Insta is your go to app to get a doctor instantly. I had this conversations with one of the team members that I have to be sick to review it because there is no other way to find out how would it go in real time and I was heard by higher authorities I guess. I got my chance to actually use the app before writing a word about it.

User Experience:

The look and feel of UI is pretty smooth, it has all the details without being too fancy. When you fire the app you can select from one of the below options.

In one tap you have the doctor's appointment ready, I tried the app in night at 9:50 PM , I was given option for 10:00 , 10:15 and 10:30 PM appointment. 

Once selected your appointment time you will be prompted for payment which is 400 Rs + 40 Rs internet handling charges. 

The app has a list of symptoms preloaded for each category which you can select prior to your appointment so that doctor can also understand the issue easily and faster. 

At the said time, you have the option to call, video call or text the doctor. I used a phone call and it went well.

Within minutes I had the prescription with me in my visit history. 

Verdict:

I liked how easy it is to get in touch with a doctor from wherever you are, I mean in your hometown or with your family doctor (if you have one) it can be in reach, but at times when you need someone right away to consult Doctor Insta is the best alternative. The pricing is also as good for now, when compared to the OPD fees of most of the doctors.

My suggestion - Its a must have in your phone. :)

Download:


Monday 5 February 2018

OPPO Launches New F5 Sidharth Limited Edition in Blue color

OPPO, The Selfie Expert and leader, unveiled a dashing blue edition of OPPO F5 in collaboration with its brand ambassador - Sidharth Malhotra: OPPO F5 Sidharth Limited Edition. This striking new color edition continues the success of the F5 series, OPPO's first full-screen model featuring groundbreaking A.I. Beauty Recognition Technology designed to personalize beautification. Priced at INR 19,990 and just in time for Valentine's Day, the OPPO F5 Sidharth Limited Edition will go on sale online on Feb. 8th on Amazon. The offline sales start from 9th and will be available across all offline stores.



OPPO also revealed a brand new micro film (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcE66e0VlPI&t=9s) starring Sidharth Malhotra and directed by critically-acclaimed film director - Mohit Suri, who has many commercial successes like Kalyug, Awarapan, Raaz - The Mystery Continues, Ek Villainin his kitty. The micro film captures a special story of a young girl and how she achieves her dream. The new OPPO F5 Sidharth Limited Edition is a very integral part of her journey.

Commenting on this new launch, Will Yang, Brand Director, OPPO India, said, "It brings us immense pleasure to offer our consumers another special that will enable them to capture special moments spent with loved ones. OPPO as a brand is focused on the youth and always innovates its marketing and product strategies to offer unique experiences. The OPPO F5 Sidharth Limited Edition, a blend of innovation and technology, is an effort in that direction. We are extremely happy to collaborate with Sidharth Malhotra and bring the youth something unique, stylish and fun."


A Classic and Bold Color 
As a brand for young people around the world, OPPO F5 Sidharth Limited Edition symbolizes OPPO's passion for fashion, beauty, and romance. Perfectly capturing the light with an eye-catching effect on the rear of the body, this special edition is finished with a glossy blue effect, above which streaks of light appear gleaming and flashing when held to the light. With a classic and bold color, OPPO F5 Sidharth Limited Edition stands out in the crowd or indeed can blend in with your fashion style.

A.I. Beauty Recognition Technology 
As with OPPO's other F5 series models, OPPO F5 Sidharth Limited Edition features A.I. Beauty Recognition Technology for personalized beauty. The A.I. gathers information and learns the specific facial features of different people from its centralized image database. Several professional photographers and make-up artists were consulted during the R&D process to improve the functioning of this technology. The resulting A.I. beauty recognition helps people capture more beautiful pictures.

Higher Resolution, Better Results 
OPPO F5 Sidharth Limited Edition features a 20MP front camera with an f/2.0 aperture and a 16MP rear camera with F1.8 aperture. Compared with other competitors' 13MP or 16MP camera in the same price range, the device has a higher resolution (2160x1080) and better photo quality. The front camera can deliver Bokeh effect, and the front HDR solves any over-exposure issues.

Full-Screen and Graceful Design 
OPPO F5 Sidharth Limited Edition features a 6.0-inch full-screen FHD+ display, giving the user a vivid visual enjoyment without the need to increase the size of the phone. It offers a high-resolution screen with 18:9 aspect ratio while the sleek unibody offers a visually slim appearance without any cut-offs. The gracefully curved body fits well in the palm, expressing a simple and elegant look. Also featured is Facial Unlock, the new face recognition Technology that will recognize its user and unlock the phone in an instant. 

Color OS - Smoothest To-Date 
OPPO's Color OS 3.2, together with 4G RAM + 32GB ROM memory gives the operating system much smoother user experience; The O-share file sharing Technology is 100 times faster than Bluetooth - 8 to 10 pictures (3MB each) can be transferred between OPPO phones within seconds.

Less Heat and More Powerful 
The flagship Octa-core CPU processor uses less energy, produces less heat while giving a higher performance speed (40% increased performance compared to the previous Color OS versions). With such powerful processing power, the transition between apps is smooth and gives an unprecedented mobile gaming experience. Split Screen allows two applications (e.g. Whatsapp and YouTube) can run on one screen at the same time.

Enjoy Life's Moments for Longer 
The OPPO F5 Sidharth Limited Edition battery life is longer thanks to the 3200Ah battery and the Continuous Optimizing Technology which manages the apps running on the device, allowing the user up to 12 hours of continuous use (simulated test). The Do Not Disturb function for gaming will display an incoming call in the form of a banner. Users' gameplay will not be interrupted while ensuring that they don't miss any important calls.

Pricing and Availability 
Perfect for that Valentine's Day gift, the OPPO F5 Sidharth Limited Edition will go on sale online on Feb. 8th on Amazon. The Off-line sales start from 9th and will be available across all offline stores.

Honeywell introduces indoor navigation to Connected Building Occupant App

Honeywell (NYSE: HON)a global leader in Connected Buildings, today announced it has added new capabilities to the Honeywell Vector Occupant App that give occupants more control over their experiences within a building with the swipe of a screen. The most significant new feature is indoor navigation, which uses GPS-like technology to help users find their way around complex buildings that are difficult to navigate without directions.



The benefits of the indoor navigation feature have been demonstrated in the Minneapolis Skyway System, a complex interlinked network of enclosed pedestrian walkways spanning 80 city blocks. The walkways protect Minnesotans from the harsh winter elements and summer humidity, allowing them to comfortably walk between more than 30 buildings in downtown Minneapolis. “For anyone who’s not a local, and for even some who are, finding your way around the skyway system can be a big challenge,” said Steve Cramer, president and CEO, Minneapolis Downtown Council. “With our initial use of the Honeywell Vector Occupant App, we’ve seen an immediate impact. The interactive map makes it really easy and intuitive to know exactly where you’re going, and how to get there.”

In addition to the indoor navigation feature, the app also now includes a location-based feature to rate spaces, allowing those within a building to highlight comfort issues to building staff for quick resolution. Both features combine the convenience of today’s mobile devices with Internet of Things (IoT) building connectivity to help improve a user’s experience inside a building.

“Much of a building’s success hinges on how happy and satisfied its occupants are. They’re the lifeblood of an organization, and their experience within a building is what keeps them coming back,” said Aseem Joshi, Country General Manager, Honeywell Building Solutions, India. “The Honeywell Vector Occupant App has given users more power to shape their building experiences from their smartphones. Now, we’re adding even more features to deepen the connections between occupants and the spaces around them so they can be as comfortable as possible, and can more easily and efficiently move about a building.”
 Indoor Navigation


Enabled by strategic partner Insiteo’s indoor location solution for smart buildings, the indoor navigation feature offers accurate indoor location, mapping, routing, presence, proximity notifications and analytics — all embedded into an integrated platform.
·        Backed by location technology installed within a facility and software, the app’s indoor navigation provides easy-to-use wayfinding, with turn-by-turn voice assistance and location accuracy up to five feet. The app promotes better collaboration and improved safety via its “share my location” feature, which gives users a way to more easily find each other in a building.
·        For building owners and managers, in addition to promoting occupant satisfaction, the app also provides insights into foot traffic patterns, which building personnel can use to better inform measures like messaging placement to better serve their occupants.
Location-Based Space Rating
·        The rating feature builds on the app’s original one-click hot/cold call capability, which lets users raise comfort issues with building personnel for resolution. Building owners and managers can view ratings and feedback on dashboards to pinpoint where building spaces need attention and improvements. They can also visualize longer-term trends and space rankings to uncover patterns and improvement opportunities to promote occupant comfort, satisfaction and productivity.
Vector Occupant App Capabilities
·        The new capabilities build on the Honeywell Vector Occupant App’s base functionality, which includes digital identification, mobile access control and the ability to communicate temperature discomfort to prompt adjustments by facility teams.

The Honeywell Vector Occupant App is part of Honeywell’s Connected Services portfolio, which leverages the connectivity of buildings to improve how they operate and the experiences they offer for those who visit and work within them. The Honeywell Vector Occupant App works with Apple and Android products. To access the Minneapolis Skyway System specific app, visit iTunes® https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/minneapolis-skyway-maps/id1336002395?ls=1&mt=8 or Google Play™https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.honeywell.hbs.cserv.skyway&hl=en.