Petrol Costs Just Rs 23/Litre

Petrol Costs Just Rs 23/Litre. But You Pay Rs 60

 

Petrol prices in India have fallen by 20 per cent from Rs 75 per litre in June 2014 to Rs 60 per litre in December 2015. During the same time, Brent crude prices have crashed over 60 per cent from $110 per barrel to around $42 per barrel. (Read)

Brent prices are currently trading at a seven-year low, but the same is not true for petrol and diesel prices. Petrol prices have not fallen below Rs 60/litre for a sustained period of time since May 2011.

There are two big reasons why the drop in petrol and diesel prices has not kept pace with the crash in global crude prices.

1) Rupee: India imports nearly 80 per cent of its energy needs, so the exchange rate plays a huge role in determining the landed cost of fuel. In June 2014, the rupee traded around 60 per dollar, but the currency has steadily depreciated to a two-year low of around 67 per dollar over the last 18 months. The weakness in the rupee increases the landing cost of crude in India.

2) Taxes: The Modi government has steadily raised taxes on petrol and diesel to increase revenue collection. Excise duty on petrol and diesel has more than doubled since the government came to power in May 2014. Excise duty on petrol was Rs 9.48 per litre in April, 2014, which after five rounds of hikes has risen to Rs 19.06. Similarly, the excise duty on diesel was Rs 3.65 per litre in April, 2014 which after five rounds of excise duty hikes has risen to Rs 10.66. (Read the full story here)

Third World IOU

 

Mobile banking systems empower people in the developing world to transfer funds, pay off loans and save for the future

Thinking back to the first mobile phones, it’s hard to imagine people being excited about being able to make phone calls to anyone at any time. Especially now that smartphones give users the ability to surf the Internet, communicate in many ways and share cat videos.

The advent of mobile banking systems promises to be another technological game-changer. In the developing world, these systems have the potential to improve the lives of 2.5 billion adults by allowing them to transfer funds, pay off loans and save for the future. 

“In a country like Kenya, absolutely everyone has a cell phone nowadays,” said David Wolman, author of The End of Money: Counterfeiters, Preachers, Techies, Dreamers — and the Coming Cashless Society. “And most people are using them to send and receive money.”
Barely more than 40 percent of people in the developing world have traditional financial accounts. Often, these accounts are expensive and require some kind of credit history, not to mention significant banking infrastructure already in place.

Will 5G Bring New Dimensions to Our Wireless World?

 

The hottest topic at Mobile World Congress 2015 will connect billions of people and things to the internet and one another without wires.

While much of the world is connecting their personal devices to fast data sharing 4G mobile networks, industry pioneers are shaping next generation networks to feed the world’s increasing appetite for the internet.

Gaming Plays Role in Designing Interactive Wearables

Finding the intersection of wearables, fashion, robots, video games and maybe your most playfully provocative nightmares.

So much for a pincushion and a pair of dressmaker’s shears. The Dutch fashionista Anouk Wipprecht designs robotic evening wear that gives a technophilic twist to the world of catwalks and haute couture.

18 village councils in PM Modi's constituency blame Coca Cola for water scarcity, say it must go back

18 village councils in PM Modi's constituency blame Coca Cola for water scarcity, say it must go back

 Eighteen village councils in Uttar Pradesh are demanding a local Coca-Cola bottling plant be prohibited from extracting water from the ground, claiming its over usage has led to water scarcity in the area, said an environmental campaign group.
The villages, which are located in Mehdiganj area of Varanasi district -- the constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- claim they have been facing water shortages since 1999 when the plant began operations.
"Elected village council heads represent the voice of the people, and they are clear that Coca-Cola is not welcome in Mehdiganj. It is time for Coca-Cola to pack up and leave," said Amit Srivastava of the California-based India Resource Center, which is supporting the village councils.
"Coca-Cola paints a pretty picture of itself internationally as a responsible user of water, but the reality in India is that it exploits groundwater at the expense of the poor, the women, children, farmers and livestock who have to live with less water because Coca-Cola mines groundwater in a water scarce area for profit."
Mehdiganj is largely agrarian and communities here rely on groundwater to meet most of their needs, including for personal drinking and washing, irrigation and for livestock. 

Li-fi 100 times faster than wi-fi

A new method of delivering data, which uses the visible spectrum rather than radio waves, has been tested in a working office.

Li-fi can deliver internet access 100 times faster than traditional wi-fi, offering speeds of up to 1Gbps (gigabit per second).
It requires a light source, such as a standard LED bulb, an internet connection and a photo detector.
It was tested this week by Estonian start-up Velmenni, in Tallinn.
Velmenni used a li-fi-enabled light bulb to transmit data at speeds of 1Gbps. Laboratory tests have shown theoretical speeds of up to 224Gbps.
It was tested in an office, to allow workers to access the internet and in an industrial space, where it provided a smart lighting solution.

Speaking to the International Business Times, chief executive Deepak Solanki said that the technology could reach consumers "within three to four years".

Fuel prices in UAE to be lower in December

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Energy announced new petrol prices for December. The prices are less compared to November and are lower than before deregulation began in July.
The per litre prices for December are Super 98: Dh1.79; Special 95: Dh1.68; E Plus-91: Dh1.61. And diesel price has been fixed at Dh1.83 per litre. The new fuel prices will come into effect from December 1.

In July, the Ministry of Energy announced that fuel prices would be deregulated and a new pricing policy linked to global prices would be adopted. The move is expected to help the government cut Dh9.1 billion in fuel subsidies.
The UAE is the first country in the Gulf region to undertake such reforms. Bahrain is studying whether to cut fuel subsidies as drop in oil prices hurts its economy.

Attention Black Friday bargain-hunters:

Attention Black Friday bargain-hunters: Google reveals the top three tips for making the most of the holiday shopping kick-off

BLEAK Friday! Retailers slash prices by up to 80%

It's BLEAK Friday! Retailers slash prices by up to 80% as they prepare for a repeat of last year's mayhem - so where are all the shoppers? 

Stores across the country have been left empty as customers shunned Black Friday deals. Hundreds of shops opened their doors as early as midnight as retailers slashed prices by up to 80 per cent for the annual bargain frenzy. But many were left deserted in the early hours of the morning with several large outlets only receiving one or two customers in their first hour. Some experts have claimed the poor turnout may be because of the volume of online deals. Websites prepared for an onslaught at midnight as thousands of people searched for the best cut-price products. The car park at Meadowhall shopping centre, Sheffield, top left, was empty this morning as the aisles of Tesco Extra in Durham remained deserted, bottom left. The Trafford Centre in Manchester, right, was also quiet as shoppers stayed at home. 

Imran Khan and his apps that PM Modi loves

Imran Khan and his apps that PM Modi loves

https://play.google.com/store/search?q=gktalk%20imaran 

 

Last night at London's Wembley Stadium while talking about his idea of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a shout out to Imran Khan, a teacher from Rajasthan. The reason? Mr Khan is a 37-year-old teacher tirelessly pursuing the task of making education more accessible to everyone. While he teaches Sanskrit and is an employee of Rajasthan government, he has also created over 50 free apps on subjects such as general knowledge and English for Android users.
"In Rajasthan's Alwar there is a man called Imran Khan. He has made 50 mobile apps. And Alwar's Imran Khan dedicated those apps to the students for free," Modi said in London. "My India is in that Imran Khan from Alwar."
As for Khan, he says on his portal that his intent is to help Hindi medium students. "I am Imran Khan, a teacher in Sanskrit Education Department from Rajasthan. GKTalk is my web portal for educational purpose to provide a support to Hindi medium students," he writes on his web portal.
While Khan's apps have basic design and fairly basic content, it is apparent that the app users like them. Almost all of his apps on the Play store have a rating of four stars or more. Sunil Kumavat, who tried the app called RAS Tutor, writes in his review, "Very impressive and useful for all competitive exam. Really thanks... Imaran sir."

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 With Full Metal Body, Fingerprint Scanner Launched

Xiaomi on Tuesday, as promised, unveiled its new Redmi Note 3 smartphone at an event at China National Convention Center in Beijing.
Xiaomi has announced that the Redmi Note 3 will be available in two variants: one with 2GB RAM and 16GB inbuilt storage variant priced at CNY 899 (approximately Rs. 9,500) and another with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage at CNY 1,099 (approximately Rs. 11,500). There's no word yet on India price or launch date.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 features a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) Sunlight Display and is touted be a "fully-laminated display". The company has teased the phone is just 8.65mm at its thickest point and weighs 164 grams. It runs MIUI 7 based on Android OS. The company at the event highlighted that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 features an all-metal industrial design and stressed that it is now the "first Mi phone" to sport a full metal body and fingerprint sensor. The handset also sports a fingerprint sensor at the back which the company touts can unlock the device in just 0.3s. Another notable feature is the 4000mAh battery with fast charging support that can charge up to 50 percent in 1 hour.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is powered by a 64-bit octa-core MediaTek Helio X10 processor (Cortex-A53) coupled with 2GB/ 3GB of RAM. As mentioned above, it will come in 16GB and 32GB storage variants. On camera front, the Redmi Note 3 sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with phase detection auto-focus (PDAF) and two-tone flash. There is a 5-megapixel front-camera.

Gionee S Plus With Android 5.1 Lollipop, USB Type-C Launched at Rs. 16,999

 

Gionee has unveiled its latest smartphone, the S Plus, priced at Rs. 16,999. The smartphone is being touted as "exclusive to India" and will be going on sale in the first week of November.

Young Refugee Girl AND Police Officer CROSS BORDER

Police Officer And Young Refugee Girl Cross Border Hand In Hand

More than 12,000 refugees and migrants have crossed the border into Slovenia since Wednesday.

With Hungary's border with Croatia closed, thousands of refugees and migrants are instead making their way to Slovenia.
More than 12,000 refugees and migrants have crossed into Slovenia since Wednesday, as hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and poverty make their way to northern Europe before winter. Freezing temperatures, wind and rain have made the journey increasingly difficult.
One photo, captured Thursday by Getty Images photographer Jeff J. Mitchell, shows a police officer escorting a group of refugees and migrants across the border from Croatia into Slovenia, holding the hand of a young girl.

 

Google comes under Alphabet's spell today

And so it is written: Google is about to become Alphabet.

The new Alphabet holding company for the businesses under the Mountain View, California, technology giant should be officially in place sometime later today, according to Google.

Intex Aqua Ace With 4G Support, 3GB RAM Launched at Rs. 12,999...

 

Intex has launched its new Aqua Ace smartphone at Rs. 12,999. The domestic manufacturer is also offering bundled a 1-year screen breakage warranty alongside a complementary bag pack and a sensor-based flip cover free with the smartphone.
The Intex Aqua Ace will be available in Black and White colours. The 4G-enabled Aqua Ace features a 5-inch Super Amoled display with an HD screen resolution of 720x1280 pixels. The company touts that the handset sports Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on both front and back panels. It runs Android 5.1 Lollipop out-of-the-box and will be powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor coupled with 3GB of RAM.

Diesel Price Hiked by 50 Paise Per Litre...

 

New Delhi: Diesel price was on Wednesday hiked by 50 paise per litre but there will be no change in petrol rates.

Diesel will cost Rs 44.95 per litre with effect from midnight tonight as against Rs 44.45 currently, Indian Oil Corp, the nation's largest fuel retailer, said.

"The current level of international prices and INR-USD exchange rate warrant a price increase, which is being passed on to consumers with this price revision," IOC said.

At the last revision on September 1, petrol price was cut by Rs 2 per litre and diesel by 50 paise. A litre of petrol in Delhi currently costs Rs 61.20.

Oil companies had at the last scheduled review on September 16 put off a 98 paise per litre hike in petrol and Rs 2.28 a litre increase in diesel rates necessitated due to firming global oil rates apparently because of assembly elections in Bihar.

Bihar goes to poll from October 12 and is being considered a major test of popularity for the ruling BJP.

This is the first increase in diesel price in four months. Diesel price was hiked by Rs 2.71 per litre on May 16. Rates have on consecutive fortnights declined.

Priyanka Chopra is Not Yukta Mookhey, ABC. Network Says Sorry For Error.......

Yukta Mookhey was Miss World in 1999 and crowned Priyanka the next year

Nightline, ABC's late night news bulletin, used footage of Yukta Mookhey being crowned Miss World and was later forced to correct itself. Wrong Miss World, ABC! Do they look alike? ABC, which really ought to know better given that Priyanka's face is splashed across billboards everywhere, appears to think so

That was embarrassing. ABC Network was left red-faced after it used pictures of model-actress Yukta Mookhey in a promo of Priyanka Chopra, who just made her American TV debut on Quantico. The network Quantico airs on? ABC. Oops? (Also Read: Priyanka Chopra's Quantico: How the West Was Won. Olivia Pope Tweeted)

INS Kochi, India's Deadliest Warship, Joins Fleet

 

Mumbai:  INS Kochi, a state-of-the-art Indian Navy destroyer, was commissioned today by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.

"The finish of the INS Kochi is good as any foreign ship," Mr Parrikar told reporters after the ceremony.

"The navy has chalked out an indigination plan for the next 15 years. There is renewed enthusiasm in the defence production units, PSUs and private sector," he told reporters on board the warship at Naval Dockyard here.

"We will develop a real blue-water navy which will dominate the Indian Ocean region," Parrikar said, adding, "We still lack in fire power."

The minister also spoke of a 'mixed success' on the missile system technology front. "In the next 5 years there will be indiginisation to a large extent in missile technology," he said.
The finish of the INS Kochi is as "good as any foreign (naval) ship", he said, lauding those who built it.

Russia Begins Airstrikes in Syria; U.S. Warns of New Concerns in Conflict

MOSCOW:  Russian warplanes began airstrikes in Syria on Wednesday, adding an unpredictable new element to a multi-layered war that has already drawn in the United States and allies, created millions of refugees and opened room for gains by the Islamic State.

Washington quickly criticized the airstrikes - warning it brings added risks to Syria - but said Moscow's moves would not change the U.S.-led air campaign targeting the Islamic State strongholds in Syria.

Qualcomm Announces to Invest $150 Million for Indian Start-Ups

 

San Jose: In an effort to push Digital India initiative, Silicon Valley-based tech giant Qualcomm today said it will invest $150 million for Indian start-ups.

Indian Billionaire Behind UK Shareholder Rebellion: Report

 

London: A Dubai-based Indian billionaire is reportedly behind a shareholder rebellion at one of Britain's major fashion retailers, a media report said on Sunday.

Mukesh "Micky" Jagtiani, an Indian-born former London taxi driver who now runs a sprawling retail empire from the Middle East, and two other investors are pushing for a board shake-up at UK-based Debenhams, 'The Sunday Times' reported.

OnePlus Mini Specifications Tipped in AnTuTu Benchmarks

 

The next OnePlus smartphone, which is expected to be unveiled before the end of the year, now has its specifications all but confirmed thanks to leaked benchmark test results. A handset with model number OnePlus A2301, thought to be the OnePlus Mini, has been spotted on AnTuTu benchmarks.

Vivo Y27L With 4.7-Inch Display, 4G Support Now Available at Rs. 12,980

 

 

 

Vivo on Monday officially launched its Vivo Y27L smartphone for the Indian market. Priced at Rs. 12,980, the smartphone is already available via online and offline retailers. The company has also announced its Y31 smartphone, set to launch next week, without pricing and specifications.
The dual-SIM dual standby supporting Vivo Y27L runs its native FunTouch OS 2.0 UI based on Android 4.4 KitKat and features a 4.7-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) resolution IPS display. It is powered by a 64-bit quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor clocked at 1.2GHz coupled with Adreno 306 GPU and 1GB of RAM. There is 16GB of built-in storage, which can be further expanded via a microSD card (up to 128GB). The Vivo Y27L also sports an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, apart from a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The handset additionally features Night, Panorama, Bokeh and Face Beauty modes.
Vivo Y27L supports Indian 4G LTE bands (2300MHz and 1800MHz) along with GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Micro-USB connectivity. Measuring 136.9x68.1x6.99mm, the smartphone weighs 137 grams and is backed by a 2260mAh Li-Po battery. Ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, gravity sensor, and E-compass are also included.
The smartphone with magnesium alloy metal back cover features a Hi-Fi chip AK4375 for better sound experience. Vivo Y27L also brings Long Screenshot feature in which users can scroll and take screenshots of as many pages they want and share it as a single image, something Samsung showcased in its recently launched Galaxy models. Screen recording and smart wake are also housed inside the smartphone. Smart wake lets users access different applications directly from the lock screen with a simple finger swipe.
"We are pleased to announce the launch of Y27L and Y31 models in the affordable price segment for Indian audience. We endeavour to bring happiness for our smartphone lovers who are looking for unbeatable proposition, dynamic features and stylish design at an invincible price range, in the festive season. Along with the next generation handsets, comes our commitment towards precision and quality for all our products across India," said Alex Feng, CEO of Vivo Smart Phone India.

 

iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus Opening Weekend Sales at Record 13 Million; India Launch Date Announced

 

Apple on Monday announced it has sold more than 13 million new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus units just three days after the new iPhone models went on sale last Friday in select countries. The company has also announced the dates iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available in several other countries, including an October 16 launch for India.

Apple on Monday announced it has sold more than 13 million new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus units just three days after the new iPhone models went on sale last Friday in select countries. The company has also announced the dates iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available in several other countries, including an October 16 launch for India.
Last year, Apple had announced it sold over 10 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus units during the opening weekend - a record at the time - and Monday's announcement tops that number. Announced earlier this month, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus come in four colours: Silver, Gold, Space Grey, and a new Rose Gold Aluminium finish. On Friday, the new iPhone models became available to customers in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK, and the US.
"Sales for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have been phenomenal, blowing past any previous first weekend sales results in Apple's history," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. "Customers' feedback is incredible and they are loving 3D Touch and Live Photos, and we can't wait to bring iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus to customers in even more countries on October 9.

 

iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus Opening Weekend Sales at Record 13 Million; India Launch Date Announced

Apple on Monday announced it has sold more than 13 million new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus units just three days after the new iPhone models went on sale last Friday in select countries. The company has also announced the dates iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available in several other countries, including an October 16 launch for India.

Microsoft Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL, Lumia 550 Images and Specifications Leak

 

 

Microsoft earlier this month was rumoured to launch its Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL in October. However, the company might now also be launching a third smartphone - Lumia 550 - alongside with the duo. The three handsets' specifications were recently revealed in leaked slide images. Also, rendered CAD images of both Lumia 950 (seen above) and Lumia 950 XL popped up online, giving us an in-depth idea on their hardware design.
The details of three smartphones were leaked last week on Facebook (via GSMArena) in images purported to be internal company presentation slides. As per the leak, the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL would feature a 5.7-inch QHD display; a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC; 32GB of inbuilt storage, which can be further expanded via a microSD card; a 20-megapixel PureView rear camera with triple LED flash; a 5-megapixel front-facing camera; a USB Type-C port; an Iris Scanner, and a 3300mAh battery with support for Qualcomm's Quickcharge tech and Qi Wireless charging.
The smaller Lumia 950 would be sporting a 5.2-inch QHD display, hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC; and a 3000mAh battery. The rest of the specifications of the handset matches with that of Lumia 950 XL.

 

The unannounced Lumia 550, as per the leaked slides, would feature 5-inch HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 coating; a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC clocked at 1GHz; 1GB RAM; and 8GB of inbuilt storage, which can further expand via a microSD card (up to 128GB); a 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED flash; a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 1905mAh battery.