MG introduces Astor SUV with India’s First Personal AI Assistant and First-in-Segment Autonomous Level 2 Technology

 MG Motor India today unveiled the industry-first personal AI assistant and first-in-segment Autonomous Level 2 technology, to be featured in their upcoming mid-size SUV – Astor. MG aims to further its auto-tech focus by building on the concept of Car-as-a-Platform (CAAP) of possibilities and services.

MG is working on emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable the development and application of services and subscriptions to support the ‘on-demand in-car’ needs of the customers. Astor is the first car to get a personal AI assistant in the company’s global portfolio.

 

The personal AI assistant is designed by the acclaimed American firm ‘Star Design’. It depicts human-like emotions & voices and can give detailed information on every topic through Wikipedia. It will engage with people in the car and is powered by i-Smart Hub. It is a platform on which the partnerships, services, and subscriptions of CAAP will reside. It will allow customers to personalize their set of services.

 

Speaking about India’s first personal AI assistant and the first-in-segment Autonomous Level 2 car Astor, Mr. Rajeev Chaba, President and MD, MG Motor India, said, 

"As an auto-tech brand, we’ve always introduced breakthrough technologies and now, we are moving forward with Artificial Intelligence. Astor is a step further and a catalyst for disruption with first-in-the-industry and best-in-class features that customers only get in premium/luxury segments. With a relentless pursuit of innovation and software at the heart of the production, our vehicles will continue to provide a smarter and safer driving experience by leveraging AI."

 

The Autonomous Level 2 MG Astor is powered by mid-range radars and a multi-purpose camera that can realize a series of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). These include Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Departure Prevention, Intelligent Headlamp Control (IHC), Rear Drive Assist (RDA) and Speed Assist System amongst others. These functions can significantly improve driving safety and comfort, and they have been further optimized for Indian traffic conditions.

 

The name Astor is derived from Raytheon Sentinel, an airborne battlefield and ground surveillance aircraft formerly operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), UK. MG Astor shares the popular ZS platform sold by MG across the globe in countries such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, Norway, Netherlands and other countries in Asia too.

 

For the first time in India, MG recently showcased CAAP with endless possibilities. Building an ecosystem of various in-car services, it hosts subscriptions and services, including maps and navigation with MapMyIndia, Jio connectivity, the first-of-its-kind Blockchain-protected vehicle digital passport by KoineArth and more. MG car owners will also get access to music on the JioSaavn app along with the industry-first feature of reserving a parking slot through a head unit (powered by Park+ - select cities to begin with) in the car. CAAP will create various possibilities which will evolve with time, creating a safer and smarter driving experience.

 

MG ASTOR DESIGN TEASED

Astor gets an all-new Bold Celestial Grille that is inspired by cosmic lines and forms which adds dynamism to the front of the car. The radial pattern concentrates the epicenter of the entire front face. The tungsten steel electroplated material forms a distinct appearance like the sun. The contrast of light and dark further highlights the three-dimensional effect of each flashing cell. The British automaker also revealed the unique ‘Dual Tone Sangria Red’ interior of Astor, which is one of the three interior themes, signifying state-of-the-art craftsmanship.]

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JBL Launches Wave 100 TWS earbuds for everyday sound companionship on Flipkart

 Features award-winning ‘topless’ design for ease of use and dual equalizer to enhance the listening experience

Available on Flipkart at an introductory price of Rs. 3,499 from August 21, 12 Noon

BL is expanding its true wireless (TWS) line up of earbuds with the launch of the brand new JBL Wave 100 on Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace. Named after its unique design, the headphone has an uber-cool look with a stylish topless case having no edges or top cover and a wave-like free-flowing form.

 

Listeners can just pop in the earbuds using a single hand and start enjoying the sound. The product’s design, hands-free calling, and voice assistant compatibility makes for convenient user-friendly headphones. The unique topless design is a Red Dot Award winner providing ease of use without the need to even read a manual.

The JBL Wave series of headphones, is a tribute to the 75 year anniversary of JBL. The market leader in audio excellence celebrates its legacy of quality sound and superlative customer experience by delivering unmatched sound and convenience to its consumers anytime and anywhere. JBL Wave 100 TWS ups the ante for everyday headphones with Dual Equalizers delivering JBL Pro Sound, for the consumers to choose their sound mode.

 

“JBL Wave 100 TWS is the first product of the WAVE series, a true wireless in-ear headphone designed for easy day-to-day use. This product is aimed at consumers who use their audio devices all day long, each day for a variety of activities. The JBL W100 TWS, features an eye-catching design, built to meet the ergonomic requirements of the users, providing easy accessibility, different audio modes and a long battery life,” said Vikram Kher, Vice President, Lifestyle Audio, HARMAN India.

 

From commuting to chores, the JBL W100 TWS is a pocket-friendly sound companion providing all day comfort. For the infrequent headphone users, JBL W100 TWS comes with a Dual Connect feature which allows use of one earbud or both. With up to 20 hours of battery life, consumer can enjoy the headphones day to night while benefiting from its intuitive controls.

 

"As the preferred destination for millions of customers across the country, Flipkart is at the forefront of fulfilling the evolving requirements of customers with collaboration with brand partners. Today, the greater focus on health and increasing number of virtual meetings have necessitated the need for quality audio solutions which are also in line with the evolving lifestyle of customers and also offers an attractive combination of durability and fine aesthetics. The launch of the JBL Wave 100 TWS fulfils these evolving requirements of the customers and we are happy to expand our existing relationship with JBL with this launch as we continue to offer the best-in-class technological solutions for our customers across the country," Rakesh Krishnan, Senior Director, Electronics at Flipkart.

 

Features of JBL W100 TWS

• Free flowing, easy to access stylish topless design
• Dual EQ – Two Sound Modes for the consumers to choose from
• Hands free crystal clear calls
• BT 5.0 & Dual Connect
• Up to 5 hours battery in the earbuds + 15 hours in case 
• Easy to clean and maintain
• Comfort fit and portable
• Compatible with voice assistants

The JBL W100 TWS video and visuals have been unveiled on Flipkart and will be available in three colours – black, white and blue for an introductory price of Rs. 3,499. The JBL W100 TWS will be available on Flipkart from August 21, 12 Noon. 

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Truecaller appoints Jijendran Ravindran as Vice President of Global Business Development

Truecaller announced the appointment of Jijendran Ravindran as Vice President of Global Business Development. Jijendran joins Truecaller from Xiaomi, where he was the Associate Director and Lead for MIUI India. He was responsible for managing and driving the overall business strategy for the brand. His work involved customisation of apps for India, app promotion, portfolio growth, managing partnerships & revenue across the MIUI properties and handling a large team of talents.

Jijendran has extensive experience of working across varied sectors spanning telecom operators, smartphone brands & Start-ups. His rich experience of over 16 years includes new partnerships, strategy, business development, operations, marketing, advertising & customer insights.

Jijendran will lead the business development function and will report to Kari Krishnamurthy, Chief Commercial Officer. Jijendran will be working towards expanding business and growth across markets. He brings to the table an innate knack for understanding consumers, a bias for action and people development experience. Prior to Xiaomi, Jijendran was heading app partnership for Micromax in India, Sri Lanka, Russia & Bangladesh. He has also been associated with Airtel and Vodafone in the past.

Welcoming Jijendran, Kari Krishnamurthy, Chief Commercial Officer, Truecaller, stated: 

“I am excited to have JJ on board. And I am confident that he will push our ambitions of having Truecaller in every connected device globally. His extensive experience and accomplishments in his recent past stints will definitely take our efforts to another level.”

Jijendran Ravindran, Vice President – Brand Development at Truecaller, added: 

“I feel both honoured and humbled on being appointed by Truecaller. I firmly believe in Truecaller’s mission and it has been a service I have relied on myself for many years now. I’m also excited about the journey ahead. Truecaller has become an integral part of hundreds of millions of consumers across the world and I look forward to taking up this challenging and exciting new role to create long term sustainable value for all stakeholders in the company.”

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LG Electronics supports fight against covid 19 by donating two advance Ambulances to Kailash Hospital

 LG Electronics, India’s leading consumer durable brand today contributed two Advance Life Support Ambulances to Kailash Hospital, Greater Noida as a part of their pledge to support India’s preparation for the third wave of Coronavirus.  LG’s CSR initiative is a part of their brand philosophy of making Life’s Good for people. With this contribution LG Electronics is looking forward to strengthen medical infrastructure.

 

To assist the medical system to prepare for the third wave of Coronavirus, LG is collaborating with various State Governments and NGO’s by contributing medical equipment and also supporting various hospitals across India. LG Electronics is supporting 21 hospitals across the country to strengthen the medical infrastructure by setting up dedicated wards for Covid-19 units and aiding them with the intensive care that they require.

 

Speaking of the initiative Young Lak Kim, MD- LG Electronics India said, 

“The contribution of the Advanced Life Support ambulances to Kailash hospital is another step by us to aid the community and support them for unforeseen situations in the future. In the last 24 years, we have been committed to our pledge to support the nation through various social initiatives. We will continue to focus our efforts on providing support to the Government and Citizens in this fight against the Coronavirus.”

 Earlier this year, LG had pledged support for $5.5 million to fight against covid and in help 10 makeshift hospitals across India. 

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Post Office Studios partners with NOMINT, a UK-based production company to accelerate growth of the animation industry beyond Indian shores

In a massive leap for India’s animation industry, Mumbai-based Post Office Studios has partnered with NOMINT, a production company based in London. The remarkable collaboration will witness NOMINT represent the Post Office Studios in the UK and the USA markets as well as the expansion of Post Office’s international presence, thus marking a prodigious development in the Indian animation industry. 

The goal of the move is to merge the creative power of both parties and build a smooth mechanism that enables collaborations with some of the largest brands in the world, propelled by novel narratives and experienced storytelling. 

With the overall development of the M&E sector, the Indian animation industry has evolved sufficiently, although still deemed relatively younger than its American or European counterparts. However, the partnership opens up new avenues overseas as Post Office will be represented in the European and American markets, thus strengthening the foothold of the country’s animation industry at an international level. 

The advantage of animation lies in thoroughly incorporating cultural relevance while catering to local tastes; yet remaining culturally multivocal when dubbed in regional languages of the world. Due to this and the rise of digital media, not only has animation reached the Indian diaspora but also the mainstream global market.  

Aditya Tawde, CCO and Co-Founder of Post Office Studios, says,

“We are delighted to partner with NOMINT and help expand India’s global footprint in the animation industry. The partnership will bring with it innovation and diversity that will facilitate a successful cross-cultural collaboration and usher creators into new markets previously unavailable to them. With our combined expertise and talent, we aim to break creative boundaries and deliver new projects together.”

Marilena Vatseri - Managing Director of NOMINT said,

“I am really excited to announce that the prominent animation studio, Post Office, has signed with NOMINT for representation in the USA and Europe. Post Office is one of the leading animation studios in the super exciting, bustling Mumbai animation scene. With a focus on high-end 2D and 3D, the animation studio is also celebrated for mixing styles and creating beautiful mixed media films. We have already been working with the team for the past year, and I am thrilled to show you the wonderful projects we have been collaborating on very soon!”

With the peak of OTT and content creation, studios have begun experimenting with a spectrum of ideas and thrive internationally. As the shrinking world gives a vast opportunity for animation companies to marry creative minds to work across multiple platforms, the association between Post Office Studios and NOMINT essentially seeks to accomplish that and flourish around the world. 

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