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Facebook Redesigns and Simplifies its Messenger App

24Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

Tech

Facebook Redesigns and Simplifies its Messenger App

Social media giant Facebook has repaired its messaging app called Messenger in an effort to simplify the service. The company claims to have 1.3 billion monthly global users. The Messenger began rolling out a redesigned version featuring three tabs instead of nine. The platform stated that it was "going back to its roots" seven years after the standalone app's launch. "We build one feature after another; they're piling up," Messenger chief Stan Chudnovsky said. The app has grown from a simple messaging app to one that lets users make video calls, send money and more. The updated and fresh tabs enable users to navigate between their conversations under "Chats," stories and contacts at "People," and "Discovery," which is devoted to games and exchanges with businesses. Messenger is pa...

Amazon Partners with Qualcomm to put Alexa assistant in More Headphones

23Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

Tech

Amazon Partners with Qualcomm to put Alexa assistant in More Headphones

Amazon is joining hands with microchip firm Qualcomm for the purpose of spreading the use of Amazon's Alexa voice assistant in wireless headphones. Following the deal, Qualcomm will release a set of chips that any maker of Bluetooth headphones can use to embed Alexa directly into the device. With this, when the headphones are paired to a phone with the Alexa app on it, the users will be able to talk to the voice assistant by pressing a button on the headphones. The functioning of the device would be similar to Apple's AirPods wireless earbuds, which enable users can tap the devices to talk to Apple's virtual assistant, Siri. Qualcomm has developed a pre-made circuit that headphone makers can drop into their device to imbue it with Alexa. "This radically reduces their cost and time t...

US-Based Technology Firm Oracle Acquires DataFox

23Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

ACQUISITION

US-Based Technology Firm Oracle Acquires DataFox

The American technology corporation Oracle has announced another acquisition of a startup that has amassed a huge company database called DataFox. Following this acquisition, the company aims to enhance both the kind of data that it can provide to its business customers and its artificial intelligence capabilities. The acquired company currently covers 2.8 million public and private businesses, adding 1.2 million each year. DataFox makes use of AI to analyse that to make larger business predictions. The combination of Oracle and DataFox will enhance Oracle Cloud Applications with an extensive set of AI-derived company-level data and signals and would also enable customers to reach even better decisions and business outcomes. “Together, Oracle and DataFox will enrich cloud applicatio...

ClearTax Raises $50 Million from Hong Kong based Investor

23Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

FUNDING

ClearTax Raises $50 Million from Hong Kong based Investor

Online tax return-filing and investment platform ClearTax has raised funds amounting to $50 million in a fresh financing round. The round was led by Composite Capital which is based in Hong Kong. This deal has come at a time when the financial tech sector, commonly referred to as fintech, has clocked rapid growth and managed to attract aggressive funding. The investor basically invests in early- to mid-stage companies across consumer goods, retail, transportation and technology in Asia. It was founded by a former partner at one of the leading Chinese investment firms called Hillhouse Capital. Talking about the total funding of ClearTax, the company has raised $65 million since inception. It counts popular Silicon Valley entrepreneurs like Peter Thiel, whose Founders Fund and Max Levc...

Ford Expands Self-driving Vehicle Program to Washington, D.C.

23Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

Automobile, USA

Ford Expands Self-driving Vehicle Program to Washington, D.C.

The automobile major Ford is reportedly coming up with its autonomous vehicles in Washington, D.C. which would become the fourth city to join the automaker’s testing program. The company is preparing to roll out a self-driving taxi and delivery service in 2021. It will start testing its self-driving vehicles in the district in the first quarter of 2019 which it is already testing in Detroit, Pittsburgh and Miami. Ford is a bit different from other companies that have launched autonomous vehicle pilots in the U.S. The company invested $1 billion in Argo AI which would be developing the virtual driver system and high-definition maps designed for Ford’s self-driving vehicles. In the meantime, the automobile maker is testing its go-to-market strategy through pilot programs with partne...

Richard Branson is no more the Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop One

23Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

News

Richard Branson is no more the Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop One

The billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson has reportedly stepped down from the chairman role of Virgin Hyperloop One. In a statement, Branson mentioned that the company would require more time than he could devote to the company. “At this stage in the company’s evolution, I feel it needs a more hands-on Chair, who can focus on the business and these opportunities. It will be difficult for me to fulfill that commitment as I already devote significant time to my philanthropic ventures and the many business within the Virgin Group,” said Richard Branson. A thing that wasn’t mentioned was the cancellation of a planned project with Saudi Arabia after Branson criticized the kingdom and suspended negotiations around an intended $1 billion investment from the nation’s Public Investment Fund i...

Xiaomi-owned Yeelight Forays into the Indian Market

23Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

CHINA

Xiaomi-owned Yeelight Forays into the Indian Market

Smart lighting solutions maker called Yeelight which is owned by Xiaomi has reportedly announced its foray into the Indian market amid the festive season. The China-based company has introduced four products including a smart lamp, a light strip and two smart bulbs. These products are priced between Rs 2,000 to 10,000 as mentioned by its parent company. In the initial stage, its products will be exclusively available on Amazon and later, it would also be available at retail outlets and experiential zones of major metro cities. "With the smart lighting industry in India facing the upward growth trajectory, we are extremely excited to foray into the Indian markets," Yeelight Founder and CEO Eric Jiang said. He also stated that the company would focus on smart light segment with quali...

Paytm Employees Arrested for Blackmailing Vijay Shekhar Sharma for Rs 20 Crore

22Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

News

Paytm Employees Arrested for Blackmailing Vijay Shekhar Sharma for Rs 20 Crore

Paytm has been in news for a long time for various purposes. This time, it is something different and shocking. Three Paytm employees along with managing director Vijay Shekhar’s personal secretary have been arrested by the Noida Police on Monday. The step has been taken because the employees allegedly tried to extort Rs 20 crore from their boss. The employees stole the confidential data and blackmailed the founder asking them to pay Rs 20 crore. He was being threatened to leak the confidential information of his company. #PAYTM कंपनी के मालिक का डाटा चोरी कर रंगदारी मांगने वाले महिला समेत 03 शातिर अभियुक्त गिरफ्तार- थाना सेक्टर 20 नोएडा। #NoidaPolice @Uppolice pic.twitter.com/gJPmuoU3O5 — NOIDA POLICE (@noidapolice) October 22, 2018 The police disclosed th...

Accenture Acquires an Oracle ERP Cloud Services Provider

22Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

ACQUISITION

Accenture Acquires an Oracle ERP Cloud Services Provider

Global professional services company Accenture has announced the acquisition of an Oracle ERP Cloud services provider known as DAZ Systems. The amount of the deal has, however, not been disclosed. The company stated that the deal would help them improve its Oracle capabilities and delivers new value for clients on their journeys to the cloud. As a part of the deal, DAZ’s more than 300 professionals will join Accenture’s Oracle Business Group. "DAZ has extensive experience implementing Oracle Cloud solutions, which complements Accenture’s established credentials across the Oracle Cloud portfolio," said Bhaskar Ghosh, group chief executive, Accenture Technology Services. "Organizations demand proven expertise, as well as new innovative solutions and methods to help them transform their b...

Facebook to Have its Largest India Office in Bengaluru

22Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

Tech

Facebook to Have its Largest India Office in Bengaluru

The social media giant Facebook is eyeing to take up about 220,000 sq ft office space in Bengaluru which would be their largest office in India. The company has acquired the space in Embassy Golf Links, an office park that houses marquee clients such as IBM, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs and reinsurer Swiss Re among others. With this, The city’s booming commercial market will now house all the Big Five tech firms that include Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Google. The company is expected to move into the new facility next year which would supposedly have a headcount of 2,200. The exact nature of operations is not clear immediately, however, the rent stands at Rs 130 per sq ft, or Rs 34 crore a year. The Menlo Park-based company opened its first India office in Hyderabad, in 201...

New Jersey-based Video Learning Platform Secures $930,000

22Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

FUNDING

New Jersey-based Video Learning Platform Secures $930,000

Artificial intelligence-powered video-learning platform VideoKen Inc. has reportedly raised funds amounting to $930,000 (Rs 6.83 crore). The funding round was led by SRI Capital and Touchstone Equities. Along with this, Hyderabad Angels also participated in the round with existing backer LG Chandrasekhar of Sutures India including angel investors like Flipkart and former Yahoo executives. This marks as the second round of seed funding by the New Jersey- and Bengaluru-based startup. The company plans to use these funds for the expansion of its operations in North America. Prior to this, VideoKen had raised $1 million from a clutch of angel investors. The company was founded in 2017 by Manish Gupta and Ashish Vikram. The company makes use of AI and machine learning to summarise vide...

WeWork India Expands its Footprints in Mumbai & Bengaluru

22Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

BUSINESS

WeWork India Expands its Footprints in Mumbai & Bengaluru

The Indian arm of the popular co-working company WeWork that is based in New York has picked up 0.5 million sq ft office space in one of the largest deals by a co-working company. The space has been leased across four locations in two major property markets of Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Bangalore. This would push the company’s total portfolio to nearly 2 million sq ft. Bengaluru, drop by our newest workspace on Old Madras Road. To know more: https://t.co/T2MR7hQtTS#weworkindia pic.twitter.com/cad53LYhpE — WeWork India (@WeWorkIndia) October 15, 2018 Out of this, the largest lease is for nearly 2 lakh sq ft in Navi Mumbai, followed by nearly 1.5 lakh sq ft in Bangalore. Talking about the details, the leases have tenure of total 20 years including initial term...