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For tech enthusiasts and gadget lovers, the New Year always kicks off with some fabulous stuff, on display at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in <keyword id="2390" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Las-Vegas">Las Vegas</keyword>. A range of <keyword id="2018943" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="TV-innovations">TV innovations</keyword> at this year’s CES caught our attention and left us wondering if the <keyword id="2018944" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Thin-tube">thin tube</keyword> can actually bring the traditional <keyword id="257036" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Pay-TV">pay TV</keyword> back into our life as the key source of prime time <keyword id="4578" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="entertainment">entertainment</keyword>. 
 Surprised? Although we may find it difficult to accept, some industry insiders insist that our living room big screen, the ubiquitous pay <keyword id="6355065" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="tv">TV</keyword>, is already dead and <keyword id="124571" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="digital-media">digital media</keyword> is gradually taking over. So we decided to delve into the matter and tracked as many as 5 key factors that could spell the demise of the popular gadget as a dominant communications medium. 
 
What’s happening in India? According to the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2011, all <keyword id="669722" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cable-TV-operators">Cable TV operators</keyword> must transmit TV signals in an encrypted format, through a <keyword id="1031670" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Digital-Addressable-System">digital addressable system</keyword> (<keyword id="6368348" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Das">DAS</keyword>). Digitisation across the country is expected to be completed by December 2014. That’s undoubtedly a huge switchover, affecting some 150 million-plus homes and empowering consumers to more number of channels and high quality viewing through Direct-to-Home (<keyword id="6411255" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="DTH">DTH</keyword>) services or digital set-top box (<keyword id="300874" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="STB">STB</keyword>). 
 
Will that put India on par with global technology practices – in line to experience the so-called re-invented televisions displayed at the CES this year? Well, at least it is the first step towards the global direction and may soon witness a mass scrapping of the age-old analogue TV sets. So why are we sceptic about our good old pay TV? Let us take a closer look. 
 
 
 
New TV hardware not worth the expense Average Indians are already gunning for the ‘flat’ experience and those in love with new tech toys could be looking beyond. After all, news from <keyword id="1997485" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="CES-2014">CES 2014</keyword> says that ‘flat’ is out and ‘curved’ is in, essentially offering viewers a left-to-right concavity. 
 But a <keyword id="2019006" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Curved-TV">curved TV</keyword> doesn’t enhance the viewing experience per se and unless you are sitting directly in front of the screen and pretty close to it, you don’t get the field-of-view benefits. <keyword id="6358540" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sony">Sony</keyword>, on the other hand, has thrown in a ‘<keyword id="893646" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="wedge">wedge</keyword>’ or tapered design in the mix (Bravia X9 line), presumably to fit in a better sound system, but that’s about all. Overall, the new technologies are nothing to get super excited about. You have already experienced the standard benefits and may not be willing to spend lakhs on incremental values. 
 Too many new concepts have already made their way to our living room and left as the novelty value faded. For instance, <keyword id="91626" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="3D-TV">3D TV</keyword> has totally gone out of fashion at the CES this year and key manufacturers are now pushing their ultra high-definition 4K televisions. 
 But is there a future even in 4K? 4K is all about pixel count and extremely high-resolution screens, but we already have some good quality and cheaper HD sets in place that won’t cost a fortune. Moreover, 4K also suffers from lack of content, so much so that Sony’s latest 4K range (KD-55X9004 and KD-65X9004) comes with X-Reality Pro video encoding that upscales any video to match the 4K resolution of 3840x2160p. In case you are looking to stream some over-the-top (<keyword id="1245953" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="OTT">OTT</keyword>) video content from service providers like <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword>, you may require a 15 MBPS <keyword id="6357247" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Internet">Internet</keyword> connection to watch it on your <keyword id="2019007" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="4K-curve">4K curve</keyword>. In contrast, watching TV shows via smartphones, tablets and other gadgets cost very little and offers big perks. 
 
 
 
Fly free from TV sets – OTT is super convenient If the new hardware is not alluring enough, the next thing up on the agenda should be Convenience – an area where traditional <keyword id="6395218" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cable-TV">Cable TV</keyword> is losing out. Now that we have digital media, you need not miss a show ever again. You can watch live TV online or on your <keyword id="6354485" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="mobile">mobile</keyword>, thanks to <keyword id="13744" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="IPTV">IPTV</keyword> (Internet Protocol television). Otherwise, watch any movie/TV show through a bunch of OTT apps/services such as <keyword id="10879" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="YouTube">YouTube</keyword>, Netflix, Amazon, <keyword id="191565" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Hulu">Hulu</keyword> and more. Plus there are homegrown platforms such as <keyword id="1622863" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ditto-TV">Ditto TV</keyword>, <keyword id="1376756" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="BoxTV">BoxTV</keyword>, <keyword id="1093031" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="EvoTV">EvoTV</keyword> and <keyword id="2019018" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="YuppTV">YuppTV</keyword> that offer <keyword id="605632" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-TV-channels">Indian TV channels</keyword> and <keyword id="2019019" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="On-demand-video">on-demand video</keyword> content to consumers – on their preferred devices. That means you can view your fav programmes on mobile, tab, <keyword id="13723" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Laptop">laptop</keyword>, <keyword id="154909" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Desktop">desktop</keyword> and even entertainment box. Can the living room big screen offer that much of privacy, mobility and flexibility? 
 
Why miss the <keyword id="6354632" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Social-media">social media</keyword>? Thanks to high-speed wireless Internet, viewing experience can be more interactive and far more sharable. But unless you are using a Smart TV/connected TV that comes with Internet and Web 2.0 features, your tweets and posts about the programme can’t reach your network in real time, nor can you follow your connections. That’s definitely a big let-down in the age of social media. Integrating social apps could be another solution for shared TV viewing but the experience is never as smooth as watching a YouTube video and interacting with your group at the same time. <keyword id="1377728" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="traditional-TV">Traditional TV</keyword> viewers try and stay connected via other screens like PC or <keyword id="28168" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Smartphone">smartphone</keyword> or tab. But that leads to <keyword id="2019023" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Screen-time-sharing">screen time sharing</keyword>, the next malady on our list. 
 
<keyword id="2019024" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vampire-media">Vampire media</keyword> killing Cable outing Now you know what vampire media is – it’s your PC or laptop or tab or even your mobile that grabs a large chunk of pay TV time. According to an <keyword id="6370971" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Accenture">Accenture</keyword> study on consumer viewing habits, 62% of TV viewers are simultaneously using a computer or a laptop and 41% are using a mobile phone, messaging friends about a sitcom joke or fact-checking politicians’ claims. So it’s not really surprising that <keyword id="2019025" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cable-subscriptions">Cable subscriptions</keyword> in the US are poised to drop below 40 million for the first time in over a decade. According to a Business Insider report, top research firm eMarketer states that between 2009 and 2013, the amount of time Americans spent on TV (versus other forms of media) dropped from 45% to 38%. Meanwhile, mobile – including mobile video – exploded from 4 to 20%. It may not be a quick death for pay TV yet, but the indications are, indeed, grim. 
 
 
 
The ultimate integration – <keyword id="2019021" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="YouView">YouView</keyword> can be the future You can’t access it here in India, but the UK-based <keyword id="2019026" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Internet-TV-service">Internet TV service</keyword> called YouView is considered to be the ultimate in the digital media ecosystem. It combines free-to-air digital channels with on-demand content and delivers it free of cost through a single, consistent, intuitive user interface (integrating on-demand, catch-up and <keyword id="2019027" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Broadcast-TV">broadcast TV</keyword>). All you need is a set-top box that integrates IP and broadcast TV. 
 Set up in 2012, YouView is backed by a consortium of seven partners, including 4 broadcasters (<keyword id="60684" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="BBC">BBC</keyword>, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5), and provides access to a vast array of content sources. Better still, you get a central catalogue for global content search, an electronic programme guide (EPG) and a platform that supports predictive recommendations generated social media data analysis. YouView is getting quite popular and the service will be launched on smartphones, tablets and smart TVs as well. Some researchers expect that 3 million UK homes will have YouView by 2015, giving us a broad picture about the future of broadcasting. 
 
Bottom line: You are now spoilt for choice At the end of the day, you can take your pick from a wide range of options. It can be an inexpensive pay TV with good-looking display and solid features; a hardware wonder like a 4K curve that requires an equally expensive digital media infrastructure; a moderate gadget with multiple add-ons (you can attach Internet streaming devices such as <keyword id="163880" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Apple-TV">Apple TV</keyword>, <keyword id="1764047" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="google-chromecast">Google Chromecast</keyword>, <keyword id="260928" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Roku">Roku</keyword>, and videogame systems like <keyword id="6536570" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Xbox">Xbox</keyword> and <keyword id="6532" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Playstation">PlayStation</keyword>) or a ubiquitous Internet TV service like YouView that most <keyword id="2019028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cord-cutters">cord cutters</keyword>, <keyword id="2019029" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cord-nevers">cord nevers</keyword> and digital nomads will love. 
 
But one thing is for sure. With so many choices around, more people will stay away from traditional TV sets and opt out of subscription-based pay TV domain. More households will turn into zero-TV homes because they will opt for streaming alternatives on other gadgets. Unless a significant re-invention happens (how about an interactive TV that allows us to move seamlessly from live World Cup soccer final to online prosumer content to an advertiser’s product), traditional TV may very well perish – slowly but surely.

What’s Killing Your Good
Old Pay TV? Check Out Here

Last week, the <keyword id="6356662" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="singapore" source="Orion">Singapore</keyword> Tourism Board (STB) announced visitor numbers to the city-state which topped expectations with over 2.9 million arrivals in the first three months of this year. This is 62 per cent of 2019's first quarter figure of the 4.7 million people who visited Singapore in the first quarter of 2019. A total of 193,230 of these came from India which is about 3.5 times more than the 54,530 who arrived in 2022. Indian residents are the fourth largest source of tourist arrivals in the first quarter after Indonesians (523,300), Malaysian (278,910) and Australians (265,730). Americans made up the fifth largest group of visitors by country of origin at 168,960. China which was the largest source of tourists for Singapore with over 3.75 million visitors in 2019 have yet to fully return to Singapore and made up the ninth largest group of tourists in Q1 with only 124,560 coming to Singapore. In 2019, based on figures from China's National Bureau of Statistics, Chinese tourists made nearly 170 million trips abroad. Although China has lifted travel restrictions, cumbersome travel processes targeted at Chinese residents by countries like South Korea and Japan earlier this year dampened the enthusiasm for outboard travel. This has been exacerbated by delays in passport renewals and visa applications as well as the inability of Chinese airlines to mount the same number of flights as before COVID. Based on data from Alibaba-owned travel booking site Fliggy, during February, international flights out of China are at less than 10 per cent of 2019 levels. Furthermore, the travel habits of Chinese citizens have been changed by three years of COVID-19 restrictions with many now contented to explore the vast and varied attractions in their own country. "The Chinese tourists we will welcome this year and in the coming years are very different from those who came before," Wolfgang Georg Arlt, founder and chief executive of COTRI (Chinese Outbound Tourism Research Institute), was quoted by CBNC as saying at ITB Berlin, the world's largest tourism trade fair. COTRI is an independent consulting company based in Germany. In China as elsewhere, years of pandemic-induced lockdowns sparked a shift away from major tourist attractions toward "more nature-orientated, more outdoor-orientated tourism," Arlt said. He highlighted the emergence of trends like camping and glamping, as well as family-focused trips. COTRI predicts that Chinese outbound travel will recover to around two-thirds of 2019's figures, with around 110 million overseas trips this year. In the meantime, the Singapore Tourism Board is not waiting for Chinese tourists' return to launch new activities and attractions to boost tourism on the island. To inspire travel to Singapore through TV series and films, STB together with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced the launch of an SGD 10 million (USD 7.5 million) Singapore On-screen Fund. The fund aims to support international media and entertainment (M&amp;E) partners in marketing Singapore through television and film shows aimed at an international audience. The Singapore On-screen Fund will support selected projects by key M&amp;E companies, which must be set in Singapore and launched before the first quarter of 2027. Successful projects will receive funding support of up to 30 per cent of qualifying costs related to featuring Singapore, including production and marketing costs. This is in part inspired by past collaborations which resulted in movies such as "Crazy Rich Asians", the popular K-drama "Little Women (2022) and the HBO sci-fi hit series "Westworld Season 3" (2020). These shows created an international impact and left a positive impression on audiences around the world. Also just announced in April is the return of the Free Singapore Tour which is very popular with Indian tourists as well as those from Australia and Indonesia. The tour was suspended during COVID. This tour is organised by STB together with Changi Airport and is meant for transit passengers at Changi who have a layover period of at least five and a half hours but less than 24 hours. They must also have valid entry visas for Singapore to take part in the tours. The objective of organising these free tours is to entice transit passengers to make Singapore a destination for their next holiday. The original three tours available before COVID - the City Sights Tour, Heritage Tour and Jewel Tour - have been refreshed to include new points of interest. A brand-new Changi Precinct tour will introduce travellers to the interesting sights and sounds of the eastern region surrounding Singapore Changi Airport. Each tour lasts two and a half hours and will be available daily, with plans to progressively increase to nine tours a day. In 2019, over 80,000 passengers went on the Free Singapore Tour. Another exciting development is the stationing of a brand-new Disney Cruise Line ship in Singapore from 2025 for five years. A memorandum of understanding between STB and Disney Cruise Line was announced on March 29. The 208,000 gross-ton ship which will have a passenger capacity of about 6,000 plus a crew strength of 2,300 will be taking passengers for cruises around Southeast Asian countries, home to more than 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Disney Cruise Line ship has the potential to add millions of local and foreign cruise passengers during the five-year period, including fly-cruise passengers who arrive in Singapore by air. It is also expected to bring about significant spillover benefits for the wider economy. "We look forward to welcoming the magic of Disney Cruise Line to Singapore in 2025," said Keith Tan, Chief Executive of STB. "This is an important milestone for STB and reflects Disney Cruise Line's strong confidence in Singapore and Southeast Asia. The new Disney cruise ship will be an attraction itself and is expected to boost the tourism sector in Singapore for many years to come."

As Indian visitors surge, Singapore tourist arrivals now at two-thirds pre-Covid levels

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Regulators approved a railroad merger that would create a single route stretching from Canada to Mexico.</li><li>The rail industry has seen train accidents and labor disputes in recent months.</li></ul>Rail consolidation has a terrible track record, but regulators think this time it will be different.Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern, the nation's sixth and seventh largest railroads, have been waiting two years to combine their rail networks into the first single-line railroad connecting Canada, the United States, and Mexico. On Wednesday, the Surface Transportation Board (STB), which has sole authority over rail mergers, approved the $31 billion transaction. The board argued the merger was best for the country even though the highly-consolidated rail industry has exhibited major accidents, a grueling fight between railroads and unions, and service meltdowns in recent memory.In February, a 50-car Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, spilling <a href="https://www.insider.com/ohio-train-derailment-could-cause-explosion-east-palestine-authorities-warn-2023-2">highly flammable hazardous materials</a>, forcing residents to evacuate, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/east-palestine-train-derailment-estimated-43000-aquatic-animals-dead-2023-2?_gl=1*huqywk*_ga*MzQxNjk5NDM5LjE2Nzc1MTI2Mzg.*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTY3ODkwMDM1Ny40Mi4xLjE2Nzg5MDA0NTkuMjYuMC4w">killing</a> thousands of aquatic animals. To close out the month, another Norfolk Southern train crash caused more than 1,500 Ohio residents to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ohio-another-norfolk-southern-train-derailed-in-ohio-power-outages-2023-3">lose power</a>.Just a few months earlier, the Biden administration <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senate-votes-stop-rail-strike-no-paid-sick-days-workers-2022-12">imposed</a> a labor agreement to avert a rail strike that could have cost the economy <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/security/supply-chain/u-s-chamber-letter-on-railroad-negotiations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$2 trillion dollars a day</a>. Congress refused workers the sick leave they say would <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/railroad-unions-there-will-be-more-disasters-without-sick-pay-2023-2">prevent future train disasters</a> like the one in East Palestine.The rail industry's top regulator argued that the new merger wouldn't add to the industry's woes. "If there is a problem in this country about the safe transportation of hazardous materials on rail," said STB Chair Marty Oberman at a press conference Wednesday, "it is a problem nationwide. It is not a problem caused or the result of this merger." Canadian Pacific (CP) is the <a href="https://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/officeofsafety/publicsite/summary.aspx">safest major railroad</a>, with Kansas City Southern (KCS) short behind, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.In fact, Oberman argued that this merger would make the country safer, estimating the transnational single-line route would take 64,000 truckloads off the nation's highways. Not only would this prevent 120,000 tons of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere, it would mean fewer hazardous spills, as trucks are responsible for 94% of them and trains only 1%, he said."To the extent hazardous materials can be moved on rail rather than highways, we are better off," he said.The history of rail consolidation begs to differ. As the industry has shrunk from 70 major rail carriers in the 1970s to just seven monopolies, it's <a href="https://transportgeography.org/contents/chapter5/rail-transportation-pipelines/rail-track-mileage-united-states/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">abandoned</a> nearly 100,000 miles of track and <a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/RTIReportChapter8.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">turned away</a> all but their highest volume, highest margin business, forcing farmers and manufacturers to increasingly rely on expensive <a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/82CD5BDF-6002-49D9-91DD-22BDDC3A8A1C" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trucking</a> when they are too far from the tracks.This loss of competition has also allowed railroads to charge shippers more for worse service. With two duopolies in the east and west, and soon only one carrier running both north and south through the center of the United States, <a href="https://www.stb.gov/stb/rail/Rate_Reform_Task_Force_Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rates have crept</a> up on shippers who "feel that they have little bargaining power," according to the STB.Meanwhile, railroads have <a href="https://www.stb.gov/news-communications/latest-news/pr-22-21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sacked almost a third of their workforce</a> in the last few years and spent <a href="https://www.stb.gov/wp-content/uploads/NARS-Speech-9-8-21.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$46 billion</a> more on stock buybacks and dividends than on investments in maintenance and equipment since 2010. It's no surprise that shippers have long complained about fewer service calls, lengthy delays, and unreliable service, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/11/economy/freight-railroad-service-problems/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>."30-40% of the United States economy depends on a well-functioning railroad," Oberman said in the Wednesday press conference. That's why the STB has been "railing about some of the rail service problems and issues affecting the rail industry," he said. To ensure affected communities remain safe, commuter rail moves on time, and shippers retain efficient interline options, "We have instituted an unprecedented seven-year oversight period" to the proposed merger, Oberman said, noting the STB never allotted more than five years in the past to collect post-merger data and address issues.Despite the woes of past consolidation, with a 4-1 vote, the STB "found that putting these two railroads together at this point in the country's history will" create "a stronger competitive force" in the economy, Oberman said. A transnational single-line from Canada to Mexico through the United States "will enhance trade, enhance productivity, enhance shipper opportunities to expand their own businesses," he said. Oberman noted that 450 shippers have filed their support of the merger between CP and KCS for one simple reason: The single-line network will save shippers from having to pay to switch their cars from one line to another. The efficiencies gained will allow the combined railroad to better compete with its larger rivals, he added.Oberman also argued shippers would not lose any existing rail competition from the merger. Not only will the merger of CP and KCS result in the smallest of the major railroads, "there will be no loss of a parallel competitive route" because their routes do not overlap, he said."If it all sounds too good to be true, we are in agreement," Robert Primus, the one STB board member who voted against the merger, wrote in his dissent from the board's decision. He argued that market concentration allows companies to extract rents, wield heightened political power, and exploit workers, finding Big Rail to be no exception. Primus echoed the Department of Justice's <a href="https://www.railwayage.com/regulatory/doj-to-stb-protect-rail-competition/">Antitrust Division</a>, which expressed concern in January about further consolidation in the rail industry "in light of the recent supply chain disruptions that have wreaked havoc on American consumers and businesses." According to <a href="https://washingtonmonthly.com/2023/03/01/after-the-east-palestine-ohio-train-disaster-why-approve-more-rail-monopolies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington Monthly</a>, the nation's largest railroad, Union Pacific, repeatedly backed up supply chains at the height of the pandemic because it had cut the slack it needed to keep up with a rebound in consumer demand. It announced record profits in 2022.

After back-to-back train disasters, regulators approve the largest rail merger in decades creating a line that would stretch from Canada to Mexico

Manchester <keyword id="18448" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="city" source="Orion">City</keyword> has announced a new regional partnership with <keyword id="2003276" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="jio" source="Orion">Jio</keyword> Platforms Limited ("Jio"), that will see India's leading digital services brand become the Club's Official Mobile Communications Network Partner in India. The partnership was enabled and supported by <keyword id="10660050" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rise-worldwide" source="Orion">RISE Worldwide</keyword>, a <keyword id="10926" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="reliance" source="Orion">Reliance</keyword> initiative, India's largest sports and entertainment company. Through this partnership, Man City and Jio will collaborate on a variety of engaging experiences that fans will be able to access through Jio's digital ecosystem comprising JioTV, <keyword id="3390853" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="myjio" source="Orion">MyJio</keyword>, Jio STB, JioEngage and other applications and platforms, in addition to exclusive giveaways and in-market activities. As part of the new agreement, Man City's OTT platform CITY+ will be integrated into the JioTV platform providing fans in India further access to exclusive club content including match highlights, live Manchester City Women's team and Elite Development Squad fixtures, matchday content and City Studios documentaries. JioTV, a unique proposition from Jio's digital ecosystem, is India's leading digital video platform, giving users access to over 900 channels in 16 languages across 12 genres, making it the second biggest OTT platform globally with over 350 million downloads. In addition to the Jio brand featuring across the club's in-stadia and digital assets, as part of the new deal Jio's associate brands, RISE and Viacom18 will also leverage several partnership rights across their football and sports offerings. Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jio Platforms Limited), said: "We are excited to announce Jio's exclusive partnership with Manchester City in India through which we will present City fans with experiences through a multitude of digitally powered immersive initiatives. We believe both brands share similar values of bringing transformational impact to their communities and through this partnership, we endeavour to bring the best of football to the sports communities and Man City fans in India." Ferran Soriano, Chief Executive Officer, of City Football Group, said: "We're pleased to welcome Jio as an Official Partner of Manchester City today. The Club has a passionate and growing fanbase in India and we are continually exploring new ways to provide greater fan experiences for our followers in the region and around the globe, particularly within the digital and technology space. We look forward to working with Jio as we develop these opportunities throughout the partnership." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/japanese-startups-look-overseas-as-domestic-market-shrinks/articleshow/96756948.cms">Japanese startups look overseas as domestic market shrinks</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/microsoft-join-hands-with-isro-to-empower-spacetech-startups-in-india/articleshow/96758712.cms">Microsoft join hands with ISRO to empower spacetech startups in India</a>

Jio Platforms partners with football club Manchester City

Reliance <keyword id="2003276" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jio">Jio</keyword>'s revamped made-in-India browser <keyword id="10147480" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="JioPages">JioPages</keyword> has made its debut on Google Play for Android TV users. The browser provides an enhanced browsing experience through faster engine migration, best-in-class webpage rendering, faster page load, efficient media streaming and encrypted connection, the company said in a statement. The browser supports eight Indian languages -- Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Gujarati, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Bengali. Users also have the option of customising news feed according to their preferred language. JioPages was earlier available only for Jio Set-Top-Box (STB). After its success on Jio STB, it is now available for all Android TV users, globally, the company said. Users can watch trending news in their preferred language and even download e-newspapers to read news on a bigger screen. In addition to this, JioPages sends notifications only on topics that are either important or of interest to the user. The browser automatically categorises downloads according to the file type -- image, video, document or pages. This makes file management easier for the user. The "Incognito" mode enables private browsing by preventing browsing history from being stored in the system. On JioPages, the user has the option of setting a four-digit security PIN or fingerprint as an access code to the Incognito mode. The browser blocks unsolicited ads and popups to provide users a seamless browsing experience.

Mukesh Ambani's Jio revamps JioPages browser for Android TV users

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="6356662" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="singapore">Singapore</keyword> Tourism Board (STB) has announced its plans to allow cruise lines to embark on "<keyword id="10041626" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cruises-to-nowhere">cruises to nowhere</keyword>," as <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/cruises-to-nowhere-from-spore-set-to-resume-stb-to-launch-safety-guidelines-for-cruise" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by The Straits Times.</li><li>With many international cruise lines banned from docking in Singapore since March due to the coronavirus, the new plans would allow 50% of the original passenger intake.</li><li>It comes just days after Singapore Airlines canceled its proposed "flight to nowhere" sightseeing tours following criticism.</li></ul>The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has begun to explore new health and safety protocols that would allow for "cruises to nowhere," according to Singapore newspaper The Straits Times.The new proposal comes after Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced in September that they would offer <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/singapore-airlines-flights-nowhere-take-off-land-same-airport-report-2020-9?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three-hour sightseeing</a> "<keyword id="9953772" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="flights-to-nowhere">flights to nowhere</keyword>" that would both take off and land at Singapore's Changi Airport. However, SIA announced earlier this week they would not go ahead following criticism from environmental campaigners, as reported by <a href="https://www.insider.com/singapore-airlines-drops-flights-to-nowhere-after-environmental-concerns-2020-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Insider's Rachel Hosie</a>.STB has reportedly hired a Norway-based risk management company, DNV GL, to create a cruise compliance and certification scheme. It will be "benchmarked against global health, safety, and hygiene standards" in order to aid cruise lines who want to begin sailing from Singapore again, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/10/01/cruise-singapore-nowhere/">The Washington Post</a> reports.Cruise ships around the world have been left sitting empty, either in ports or anchored out at sea since <a href="https://www.insider.com/cruise-ships-empty-moored-off-coasts-coronavirus-crisis-photos-2020-5">the coronavirus pandemic</a> took hold in March.<div type="image" title="passengers at arrival dock" height="1333" width="1778" msid="78450490" hostid="261"></div>The cruise industry was shut down in March after a series of coronavirus outbreaks at sea, including the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wuhan-coronavirus-photos-inside-diamond-princess-cruise-with-135-sick-2020-2?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diamond Princess</a> off the coast of Yokohama, Japan in February, which resulted in staff members and passengers being stranded for weeks, as well as around 700 infections and 14 deaths.Speaking with <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/10/01/cruise-singapore-nowhere/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Post</a>, the STB Regional Director of the Americas Rachel Loh advised that cruise lines would need to pass an audit for certification to return to sailing, details of which would be announced at a later date. According to the report, ships will only be allowed to accommodate around 50% of their usual intake for the first three months of operation.On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pence-banned-cdc-extending-cruise-ban-axios-2020-9?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">extended the 'no-sail' ban</a> in the US by another month until October 31, as further action is needed before deciding when sailing can resume.<keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Travel">Travel</keyword> demand has increased over the past few weeks with tourism companies beginning to offer innovative travel experiences. Tickets for a <a href="https://www.insider.com/qantas-7-hour-flight-to-nowhere-sells-out-10-minutes-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Qantas 'flight to nowhere'</a> set to sightsee over Australia's Great Barrier Reef sold out within 10 minutes. Those who wanted to voyage on the 134-seat Boeing 787 reportedly paid between $575 and $2,765 depending on ticket class.A selection of major cruise lines worldwide have also recommenced sailing, with MSC Cruises restarting its Mediterranean voyages <a href="https://www.msccruises.co.uk/itinerary-updates">in August</a>. Cruise Trade <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">News</keyword> <a href="https://www.cruisetradenews.com/msc-cruises-passenger-on-board-ship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that the Geneva-based global cruise line released a video highlighting its safety measures, with passengers describing cruises as being "safer than any type of holiday."<div type="image" title="MSC Cruise" height="1136" width="1514" msid="78450492" hostid="261"></div>Although there is no official date for when the "cruises to nowhere" will begin, Singapore's cruise lines are eager to restart sailings after voluntarily ceasing operation until later in the year, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/10/01/cruise-singapore-nowhere/">The Washington Post</a>.Cruise giants that operate within Singapore such as Norwegian and Celebrity are holding off until the end of October, although <a href="https://www.ncl.com/uk/en/cruise-destinations/asia-cruises?cid=PS_NEO_UNK_GEN_GOO_NA_BMM_DESTASI_NA_700000002053262-71700000068758246-58700006099704398-%2Bsingapore+%2Bcruise&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwn9v7BRBqEiwAbq1Ey40MHHuD7joZXXmt4Nxe4nhs3qNPS8bAcxsuyOOSI0RWYswYWlmtkhoCEQIQAvD_BwE&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds#!#things-to-know-to-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norwegian</a> has begun to offer cruises within other Asian countries from 2021.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/10/01/cruise-singapore-nowhere/">Singapore Airlines has cancelled its proposed 'flights to nowhere' after criticism from environmental campaigners</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/qantas-7-hour-flight-to-nowhere-sells-out-10-minutes-2020-9">Qantas launched a 'flight to nowhere' for up to $2,765 and it sold out in 10 minutes</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/eva-air-hello-kitty-themed-fathers-day-flight-2020-8">A Taiwanese airline is hosting a 'Hello Kitty'-themed flight to nowhere, and it includes a Michelin-star meal</a></li></ul>

Singapore is planning round-trip 'cruises to nowhere' so that its cruise ships can set sail again

By Gurdip Singh Singapore, May 1 () Singapore on Friday extended the stay-home period of foreign workers, including Indians, in the construction sector by two weeks until May 18 as the COVID-19 infections among the community continue to rise, constituting majority of the 932 new infections reported in the country.With the new infections, which include Indian nationals, the total number of cases in the country has reached 17,101, the health ministry said on Friday.The vast majority of the new cases are work permit holders residing in foreign worker dormitories, it said.Five cases are Singapore citizens or permanent residents of foreign origin.The Manpower Ministry said that the mandatory stay-home notice for work permit and S Pass holders (all foreigners) in the construction sector has been extended by two weeks until May 18.Earlier, these workers and their dependents were to serve stay-home notices until May 4 which has now been extended until 11.59 pm on May 18.The ministry said that authorities have been closely monitoring the infections among construction workers living outside purpose-built dormitories, where restrictions on movement remain in force.The number of infections in this group has continued to rise, and the prevalence remains "noticeably higher" than the general community.This suggests that "transmission at construction worksites among such workers had occurred before the start of the stay-home notice period," the ministry said."The cases that are now being observed could have been incubated earlier or may have spread among the workers' close contacts and house-mates," Channel News Asia reported citing the ministry.An extension of the stay-home notice by 14 days to cover another incubation cycle will help to break the cycle of transmission, based on a public health assessment by the health ministry, it added."We recognise the impact on affected employers and appreciate their cooperation. Their efforts will help to enable an eventual restart of the sector," the Manpower Ministry said."Thus far, the vast majority of employers have looked after their workers well. We will need them to continue doing so," the Channel quoted the Manpower Ministry as saying.Employers are required to make arrangements for the delivery of food or groceries and other daily essentials for the workers. They should also ensure their workers consult a doctor immediately if unwell.Majority of the COVID-19 infections in the country are those among the migrant workers.As of Thursday, 13,842 infections out of the 16,169 cases were linked to foreign worker dormitories.Another 555 cases are work permit holders (foreigners) who do not live in dormitories.The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has housed some foreign workers, who have recovered from COVID-19, aboard a cruise ship docked at Marina Bay Cruise Centre.The first batch of workers boarded the SuperStar Gemini, one of two cruise ships cleared to house these workers temporarily, on Wednesday, the STB said.The second ship, the SuperStar Aquarius, has also passed checks by the authorities and is ready to receive the workers. The two ships together can accommodate up to 2,000 foreign workers.These are part of the government's efforts to transfer workers to alternative living areas to reduce the spread of the virus within their dormitories, which, according to media reports, were crammed prior to the spread of the deadly disease.STB said that fresh air is piped into the ship, and no air will be re-circulated between cabins and common areas. The ships also have en-suite toilets and in-cabin dining, as well as Wi-Fi and entertainment in the cabins.Strict infection control measures and safe distancing measures will be observed at all times. The Marina Bay Cruise Centre has also been equipped with sick bays and an isolation station, the STB said.Many workers, who are healthy, have been moved out of the tightly packed dormitories to other living quarters, such as military camps and vacant apartments in the public housing estates.On April 27, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said that authorities have an "extensive" plan to house recovered foreign migrant workers, involving new sites. GS RS RS

COVID-19: Singapore extends stay-home period of foreign workers

Bharti <keyword id="15491" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airtel">Airtel</keyword> on Wednesday announced that the entire kids content library on <keyword id="8052861" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="airtel-Xstream">Airtel Xstream</keyword> is now free for all Airtel Thanks customers. Xstream offers a wide range of quality content for education and entertainment for kids. This includes TV shows, short films, movies, cartoons, documentaries, nursery rhymes and more. "We are launching a kids channel in our Xstream platform and opening it up to all our valued customers for free. We hope this provides some relief during these unprecedented times," Adarsh Nair, Chief Product Officer, Bharti Airtel said in a statement. Airtel Thanks customers can access Xstream on smartphones by downloading the Airtel Xstream app from Google Play and Apple app store, on TV through Airtel Xstream Hybrid STB, and on PC. It enables customers to access all this content across the screen of their choice – TV, PC, and Smartphone with a unified User Interface.

Airtel Xstream offers free unlimited access to premium kids content during the lockdown

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Former US President George H.W. Bush has&#xa0;apologized to the American actress Heather Lind after she accused him of sexual assault in a now-deleted Instagram post.Lind, who starred in the AMC series "Turn: Washington's Spies," wrote that the former US president "touched me from behind" repeatedly at a press event in March 2014.She did not offer further specifics but said that in her view Bush had "sexually assaulted me," taking advantage of the power of his former office to do so. A <a href="http://www.amc.com/shows/turn/extras/turn-george-h-w-bush-private-screening">photograph of the moment Lind describes can be seen here</a>.A spokesman for the former president&#xa0;apologized and described the interaction as "an attempt at humor."Lind tagged the post with the "#metoo" hashtag, which&#xa0;women have&#xa0;used&#xa0;in the wake of accusations against the Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein&#xa0;to tell stories of&#xa0;inappropriate sexual&#xa0;behavior by men.She speculated that "countless" other women had experienced similar things and said the former first lady Barbara Bush seemed aware of what was going on and "rolled her eyes."She said a security guard blamed her for standing too close to Bush. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BapCKu0FS0C/">Lind's post</a> has since been deleted, but it is reproduced in full below.<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5014447/Actress-alleges-George-H-W-Bush-sexually-assaulted-her.html">Reporters from DailyMail.com put the accusation to a spokesman for Bush</a>, who apologized on his behalf. The statement said: "President Bush would never - under any circumstance - intentionally cause anyone distress, and he most sincerely apologizes if his attempt at humor offended Ms. Lind."Lind wrote that her post was prompted by seeing Bush onstage at <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/all-5-former-presidents-texas-hurricane-relief-concert-2017-10-2?r=US&amp;IR=T">a fundraising event for victims of the hurricanes</a>, which have recently struck the US mainland and territories like Puerto Rico.She said the image of Bush being lauded for his charitable work "disturbed" her and compelled her to speak out. It is not clear why the post was deleted.Nick Westrate‏, Lind's "Turned" costar, praised her for speaking out:<h2>Here is Lind's post in full:</h2>"I was disturbed today by a photo I saw of President Barack Obama shaking hands with George H. W. Bush in a gathering of ex-presidents organizing aid to states and territories damaged by recent hurricanes."I found it disturbing because I recognize the respect ex-presidents are given for having served. And I feel pride and reverence toward many of the men in the photo."But when I got the chance to meet George H. W. Bush four years ago to promote a historical television show I was working on, he sexually assaulted me while I was posing for a similar photo."He didn't shake my hand. He touched me from behind from his wheelchair with his wife Barbara Bush by his side. He told me a dirty joke. And then, all the while being photographed, touched me again."Barbara rolled her eyes as if to say "not again". His security guard told me I shouldn't have stood next to him for the photo. We were instructed to call him Mr. President."It seems to me a President's power is in his or her capacity to enact positive change, actually help people, and serve as a symbol of our democracy. He relinquished that power when he used it against me and, judging from the comments of those around him, countless other women before me."What comforts me is that I too can use my power, which isn't so different from a President really. I can enact positive change. I can actually help people. I can be a symbol of my democracy. I can refuse to call him President, and call out other abuses of power when I see them."I can vote for a President, in part, by the nature of his or her character, knowing that his or her political decisions must necessarily stem from that character."My fellow cast-mates and producers helped me that day and continue to support me. I am grateful for the bravery of other women who have spoken up and written about their experiences."And I thank President Barack Obama for the gesture of respect he made toward George H. W. Bush for the sake of our country, but I do not respect him. #metoo"<div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/adam-savage-undercover-chewbacca-comic-con-star-wars-mythbusters-tested-cosplay-2017-10">Watch Adam Savage go undercover as Chewbacca at New York Comic Con</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

George H.W. Bush apologized after an actress accused him of sexual assault in a #metoo post on Instagram

<keyword id="10591" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Samsung">Samsung</keyword> recently launched its flagship curved TV’s in India. We got a chance to play with it and test it out. We threw a lot of hard trials at it, but it never came under pressure. The 9 Series Samsung curved TV measures 65-inches diagonally and is built in an arched design. The bezel is very nice and modern. Users get edge to edge screen space with silver trims. One can wall mount it, but we suggest use the table stand. As it adds to the presence of this TV. A connectivity box comes with the TV, where one can find all the usual ports such as composite, HDMI and USB. 
 
Samsung has thrown the chunky remotes out and what the users get with this curved UHDTV is a sleek IR universal remote, which can control the regular Indian DTH set top box as well. One can control the round on-screen pointer with the remote, enabling users to type, access internet apps and STB channels with it. This TV can connect to the internet as well. We got up and running in matter of minutes. Just keep your Wi-Fi password handy and you will be connected in 2 minutes. 
 
Now to the fun part. Samsung Series 9 UHDTV has 4K resolution, which is 4 times better than Full HD 1080P. We ran some ultra HD content on this TV and results were spectacular. This TV is built for large rooms and halls. You need to be at least 5 feet away to enjoy its spectacular colours and pictures. There is no ghosting and we get a smooth image. 
 
HD TV channels experience was great as well. Connecting it with the Tata Sky, we loved how the colours popped out. Sports and high speed movie action sequences was not bad either. This TV set also enhances normal channels to UHD as well so you get a smoother picture. No complaints here too, SD channels did look better on this TV. 
 
Half way through we did find that the curve is a bit gimmicky and one really does not need it. It does add slight depth, but reduces the viewing angles. This means you cannot view the television properly if you are sitting close to the sides of the TV. 
 Jumping on to the internet features Samsung has given it the works. <keyword id="10879" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="YouTube">YouTube</keyword> videos work well and one can watch them in HD. Remember, you need a high speed internet connection to enjoy them. This Curved TV is good in the sound department as well. We got crisp clear sound and one can do without additional speakers. 
 
In the end it does boil down to the price, doesn’t it? Samsung is asking for Rs 4,49,900 for this TV. This is a lot to ask for just 65-inches. Yes the colours are brilliant, blacks are good and sound is nice. But, there are many HDTV’s from Samsung in the 8 and 7 series that are one fourth the price of this TV and have similar features. But Samsung didn’t build this TV for everyone. They built it for luxury driven customers, who are far and few. So, if you have the money and want the latest, this TV set is just what you need.

The 9 Series Curved UHDTV Is Brilliant With A Very Hefty
Price Tag [Review]

<keyword id="47655" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Wi-Fi">Wi-Fi</keyword> has been the buzz word for 2015, an expected ask from every public space in our country; a hotel without Wi-Fi is unthinkable; our travel/everyday destinations are decided basis two questions – mobile connectivity and Wi-Fi. Trust me, the need for Wi-Fi is on its way to becoming synonymous with air and water – available and is taking! 

	Wi-Fi technology has taken the telecom landscape by storm, reshaping and impacting strategies for many Telco’s including Tata Teleservices. Moreover, Government of India’s Digital India initiative, launched earlier this year, to ensure that Government services are made available to citizens electronically by improving online infrastructure and by increasing Internet connectivity is expected to take flight in next few years. So how will these developments and the accelerated roll out of Wi-Fi in all forms, both on the device and network side, impact our lives in 2016 and beyond?
 

	There are some very interesting trends and innovations lined up next year. Here is a look:-
 

	Fortifying the Transit
 

	Airports and Railway Stations are emerging as ideal locations for Wi-Fi consumption. This is true both in India as well as internationally. We will continue to see this trend gain more intensity in 2016.
 

	Most of the Indian population travels in these modes of transport, and this makes it a huge opportunity for operators and carriers. Recently, an internet giant has already started the ball rolling with a promise to provide free Wi-Fi at 500 Indian railway stations. With more than 7000 stations and a daily footfall of 23 million passengers a day, this space is quite likely to generate a lot of interest in the coming years.
 

	Smart up your homes
 

	Here is a scenario, you are woken up in the morning with your favorite song, the shower is ready the moment you step inside and goes off when you step out, breakfast is made and clothes laundered and ready. You are happy and ready for work. No, I am not talking about your spouse but, the house – the smart house! This is the future of internet of things.
 

	The notion of the internet connecting people and devices like never before is undoubtedly an exciting and ubiquitous, secure and hassle-free Wi-Fi connectivity is the key. Unlimited Wi-Fi will be provided as standard with both hardware and software products, with people using it in the same way they use 3G/4G today – making smart homes and vehicles a reality.
 

	Time shifted Video content - (TV on Demand) here we come
 

	Competition from mobile operators has forced cable operators/set top box providers to provide more nomadic Internet access by deploying Wi-Fi. A leading DTH operator has launched set-top boxes (STB) with recording ability and Wi-Fi dongles to enable consumers to enjoy recorded content on smartphones and tablets without consuming internet data. This is a first of its kind innovation in line with current audiences who consume a large part of their content online. We will most definitely see a lot of action in this space next year.
 

	Visualize a scenario – You have 40 minutes before your flight departure from airport. The Wi-Fi operator at the airport offers you reasonable priced movie or site on download. You consume this content on you smart-phone/tablet or your flight.
 

	Next-generation Wi-Fi Calling
 Companies have already began work on next generation Wi-Fi calling. Apple’s <keyword id="75489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="IOS">iOS</keyword> 9 provides Wi-Fi calling support. <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword> has announced Project Fi, a Wi-Fi first model of delivering services where instead of the cellular network being the traditional first network, you subscribe to a plan which has Wi-Fi as the core network and cellular as the backup. Wi-Fi calling may have been around for quite some time but we can expect some innovative solutions coming up in this space next year when the operators and OTTs start working together to revamp voice calling. 

	Rise of LBS
 

	The demand for location-based technology is evolving in India as it personalizes the Wi-Fi experience. Learning more about users provides Telco’s with a wealth of data for different marketing activities. It is a useful tool for retailers to create an engaging shopping experience for their customers. Also fueling the shopping experience are the large number of malls in Tier 1 and 2 cities, which open to the concept of public Wi-Fi services. In 2016, LBS will enable new features and opportunities around local search, retail, social networking and advertising. 
 

	Innovative and socially impacting uses of Wi-Fi technology
 

	One of the most interesting uses of Wi-Fi technology was built by a young entrepreneur duo from Mumbai – A Wi-Fi Trash Bin! The duo created a simple trash bin where as soon as someone puts in a required amount of trash, the bin generates a Wi-Fi pass code which gives the person free Wi-Fi. The dustbin uses multiple technologies. The first is the Wi-Fi technology, optimize to make sure that all the generated codes work properly. The second is the technology used for motion sensing and figuring out how the trash comes in and its movement. And the third is the entire bridge between the motion sensor and the Wi-Fi network to ensure that they connect at the right time. This simply shows that a technology like Wi-Fi is simple and effective and can be used for social impact and development initiatives as a part of the Smart City and Digital India campaigns.
 

	Wi-Fi offloading becomes an imperative 
 

	As more and more service providers decide to roll out 3G and 4G in 2016, to tackle bandwidth and large scale use, service providers will rely more on Wi-Fi offloading. Wi-Fi offloading is expected to become more intuitive in 2016, with traffic steering allowing the devices to connect to Wi-Fi only under optimal conditions. Wi-Fi might become an equal network in the heterogeneous network concept, where the main focus will be providing the best possible service experience and performance to the end-users.
 

	Wi-Fi technology is a very good tool to provide seamless service experience and performance to the regardless of networks. 2016 might just take this technology to a hitherto unknown level of innovation.

	 
	 
	(The article is authored by Sunil Tandon, Head - Non Voice Services, Tata Teleservices)

	 
	 
	Image credits: indiatimes

The crazy world of connectivity expected in 2016

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Stephen Lam/Getty ImagesMicrosoft Executive VP Scott Guthrie, wearing his trademark red polo.</div></div></div><ul><li>Meet Scott Guthrie, the executive VP of Microsoft's cloud and artificial intelligence business. </li><li>He's a long-time Microsoft exec, and a trusted lieutenant to CEO Satya Nadella - the two worked together to get the Microsoft Azure cloud business off the ground. </li><li>In this interview, Guthrie discusses what he learned from working with Netflix on streaming, how he works with Nadella, and what he believes is Microsoft's secret weapon in the cloud wars with Amazon and Google. </li><li>He's as well known for his red polo shirt as he is for his technical acumen and leadership skills.</li></ul>Steve Jobs had the black turtleneck. Mark Zuckerberg has the hoodie. And Scott Guthrie has the red polo shirt and jeans. If you don't recognize that name - or the outfit - chances are good you're not a software developer. Guthrie, Microsoft's head of cloud and AI, may not be famous enough to have started a fashion trend . Among developers, though - especially Microsoft developers - he's a rock star, his trademark outfit every bit as iconic as the turtleneck. The 20-year Microsoft veteran has been a driving force behind the cloud business now seen as one of the company's biggest growth opportunities, and in recent years has emerged as one of the most important figures at Microsoft under the reign of CEO Satya Nadella. The faith Nadella has placed in Guthrie was underscored earlier this year when Guthrie was handed responsibility for Microsoft's artificial intelligence, right alongside the company's nascent augmented reality business, core pieces of Windows operating system engineering, and even some of Microsoft's custom AI processor manufacturing. Guthrie tells Business Insider the goal was to "centralize a lot of our core silicon, AI, operating systems, storage teams, networking teams, [and they're] now all cohesively in one place as part of my team." It reinforces Microsoft's technological strategy, as competition with Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and others only more fierce.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Microsoft-Build-Conference/be7a43c54899458fabc568eb5593239a/12/0">AP</a>Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella</div></div></div>It's an extension of what Guthrie says he and Nadella have been trying to accomplish for as long as the two have been working together - or even before that: Deliver Microsoft's vast collection of technologies and services as a powerful and irresistible set of tools, not just a legacy requirement, that build on each other and allow businesses to thrive. Now, as Nadella's Microsoft moves ahead with a corporate re-invention that requires winning over customers, partners, investors and even employees, the man in the red polo shirt is the critical element that many insiders say has played a key role in the strategy. For Guthrie, though, it's something that started well before Nadella was CEO."It's not like we just changed magically four years ago," says Guthrie. "The ethos that we try to have of 'let's be customer first...' That is something that I've always embraced throughout my career."<h2>The man in red</h2>Guthrie joined Microsoft as a general manager with its developer businesses in 1997, right after finishing his four-year degree at Duke University. In his ten-year tenure in that role, he helped create Microsoft .NET, a programming framework that remains popular today. It was in 2007 that the red polo became a part of his signature look. Attributing the success to his "lucky" red polo, he decided not to mess with success, and wore it to all future presentations, even after getting promoted to corporate VP in 2008. "Now if I don't wear a red polo and I do a talk, I got hundreds of Twitter comments," says Guthrie. "'Why am I not wearing the red polo?'" Indeed, when Guthrie toured the world last year to hype Azure with partners and developers, it was called the "<a href="https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/red-shirt-tour/index.html">Red Shirt Dev Tour</a>." Even before that, in 2009, <a href="https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/03/19/microsoft-exec-red-polos-to-us-are-like-turtlenecks-to-steve-jobs/">Microsoft aired a video at a conference comparing the red polo to Steve Jobs' famous black turtlenecks</a>. Guthrie says that the first time he wore the red polo to a customer meeting was a presentation to Netflix. The company wound up going all-in on using Microsoft Silverlight as the technology backend to power its streaming video-on-demand service for web browsers. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Fred Prouser/ReutersScott Guthrie presents on stage at a Microsoft conference in 2008 - one of the first times he rocked the red polo.</div></div></div>And Guthrie says that working so closely with a customer like Netflix taught him a valuable lesson. By working with Netflix to get Silverlight just right, it made the Netflix streaming service that much better, while also helping Microsoft zero in on how to make the technology better for customers in the real world. "It taught me the value of just getting laser-focused on customer needs and if you made your customers super, super happy," he says. "You can be successful and they can be successful." Netflix only stopped using Silverlight in recent years, after Microsoft pulled the plug on the technology. On the flipside, he says, he remembers talking to Blockbuster around the same time, and asked what they were doing about streaming...only to be met by shrugs. Blockbuster had made, and would continue to make, some moves into streaming, until going out of business. But it never embraced technological change as Netflix did. "It's amazing how things have turned out," says Guthrie. <h2>Working with Satya</h2>It was in 2011 that Guthrie first took over large parts of the cloud computing platform then known as Windows Azure. He had been tasked by Satya Nadella, who had just been named president of the Microsoft Server and Tools Business (STB), to reinvent Windows Azure - a struggling service that then-CEO Steve Ballmer had pegged as crucial to the future of Microsoft, but that was infamously so complex, not even some Microsoft execs could use it. Guthrie says that he and Nadella quickly clicked, owing to their similar outlook on running a team. Guthrie calls it "continuous improvement," and Nadella calls it a "growth mindset," but the philosophy is the same: Always be talking to customers, figuring out how to solve problems, and getting better. "A 'growth mindset' is a better, more uplifting term," says Guthrie. Indeed, Nadella has made it a hallmark of his leadership style as CEO. "So I've latched onto that now."Guthrie took the opportunity to rethink how Windows Azure worked, focusing the product on what made it special. "One of the off-sites that I did with my leadership team was just, you know, let's let's get crisp on: 'How do we want to be differentiated?' Not different, differentiated," recalls Guthrie. "And let's double down on doing that, and really nail that because if we just do one of everything, we're probably not going to be unique in a couple of years."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Stephen Brashear / Getty ImagesMicrosoft Windows Azure was born under the reign of former CEO Steve Ballmer, but has taken the limelight under his successor, Satya Nadella.</div></div></div>The answer to that question, said Guthrie, was the same then as it is today: Amazon Web Services and other rivals like Google Cloud may have similar cloud technology, but they can't match Microsoft's existing inroads with the <keyword id="6356323" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="enterprise">enterprise</keyword>, including integrations with existing products like Windows Server. In other words, just like he saw with Netflix, Guthrie figured that if Microsoft could solve real customer problems, they could sell to real customers. "What we're trying to do in our spaces is be less reactive to the other competitors and just get super laser focused on our customer, and really work back and say how do we be uniquely differentiated to serve their needs," says Guthrie. Guthrie was just the guy to spread the gospel. He was respected among Microsoft's programmers as a top-flight engineer in his own right, but also among the senior leadership for being someone who really understood the business."He knows the business, and he knows how all the services work and how to use them," says Mark Russinovich, a long-time Microsoft executive who now serves under Guthrie as CTO of Windows Azure. "Scott's probably the best product manager at the company," agrees 26-year Microsoft veteran Jason Zander, named Executive VP of Azure earlier this year. "He is amazing in his ability to go up and down in terms of depth," says Charlotte Yarkoni, a corporate VP of Azure growth and ecosystems. <h2>The big time</h2>Everything started changing in 2014. Nadella's overhaul of Windows Azure and the cloud business - spearheaded by Guthrie - had been so successful, few questioned it when he was named CEO of the company. "Satya and Scott recognized the existential threat of cloud to Microsoft's future," says Dave Bartoletti, a VP and principal analyst with research firm Forrester. "It's been one of the most successful corporate turnarounds, I think."Guthrie assumed his boss' old job, placing him in command of that side of the business. Over time, Guthrie's role expanded to include almost every single product and service that Microsoft sells to businesses. From there, things only accelerated, as Guthrie and Nadella's customer-first philosophy was free to spread through the rest of the company. Windows Azure, renamed just Azure in 2014, has become one of Microsoft's strongest growth stories. Microsoft's overall commercial cloud revenue surged to about $23 billion in its last fiscal year, accounting for roughly 21% of the company's total revenue.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">MicrosoftOne of the Microsoft data centers from which Azure is delivered.</div></div></div>A big part of the turnaround has been a general mellowing with regards to the competition, with Microsoft ending its cold war with the open source software world. Nowadays, Linux accounts for about a third of all Azure virtual machine usage. Microsoft itself is the number-one corporate contributor to open source projects. And, perhaps most tellingly, Microsoft shelled out $7.5 billion to buy GitHub, the startup at the center of the open source software world. "[Microsoft buying GitHub] would have been inconceivable a decade ago," says Guthrie. "It would be inconceivable, frankly, four years ago." He says that when it comes to the company's attitude on open source, "'night and day' might even be too easy a term."That mellowing has also touched Microsoft's employees, who are now empowered to work more closely with each other, without feeling like they're in competition. Microsoft's newest FPGA chip for artificial intelligence was inspired by a lot of the custom processor design work on the Microsoft Xbox games console, says Zander.Similarly, Dr. Peter Lee, a corporate VP of Microsoft Research and one of its chief leaders, says that his organization is "joined at the hip" with the Azure team - breakthroughs on artificial intelligence, silicon processor design, and even how to build better data centers, go straight back to the cloud business. That attitude has "sort of infected the rest of the company," says Lee. "This is the most collaborative the company has ever been," says Zander. <h2>The opportunity ahead </h2>Guthrie's world recently got larger, with pieces as seemingly disparate as augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and chunks of Windows engineering. But Guthrie says it's all part of the same playbook: Helping customers move to the cloud and update the ways they do business. A car company might use Azure to power its connected car software, Microsoft databases and AI to analyze the data it gets, and a pair of HoloLens goggles in the dealership to help customers visualize paint color options. And that's not to mention that they might use Microsoft Dynamics to help keep track of customer relationships, Windows Server in their own data centers, or perhaps, soon, GitHub to store and track all the code they're writing."And so although the technology pieces are distinct, they all fit together in terms of enabling something that really is one plus one equals three," says Guthrie. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Business Insider/Julie BortMicrosoft's futuristic HoloLens is one of the businesses that was moved under Guthrie's realm.</div></div></div>Still, there's work to be done. Amazon Web Services is still the number-one cloud computing provider, outstripping Azure by most objective measures. At the same time, Microsoft is benefitting in some unexpected ways from the rise of Amazon, as retailers shun the idea of relying on their biggest competitor for cloud computing services. Guthrie acknowledges that this dynamic "certainly doesn't hurt," even as Microsoft signs a big cloud deal with Walmart.Ultimately, though, Guthrie says that he never wants to rest on his laurels. He cites a favorite catchphrase from Intel founder and CEO Andy Grove: "Only the paranoid survive." "I don't think it's like a mountain where you just you get to the top of the mountain and you're going to have climbed it. Now I've got to climb down," says Guthrie. "It's one of those things that is sort of the continuous journey that hopefully we never finish because there's always opportunities to do better." Get the latest Microsoft stock price<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/MSFT-Quote"> here.</a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/publishers-clearing-house-1-billion-company-sweepstakes-lawsuit-data-digital-direct-mail-2018-8">How Publishers Clearing House makes $1 billion a year</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

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