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Category: Technology

WeChat Seeks Even More China Clicks With New Mini-Apps

Loknath Das, , , , , , , ,

In a cluster of refurbished Mao-era industrial buildings in Guangzhou, developers at China’s top messaging app, WeChat, are redesigning key parts of its product to spread its tentacles to just about every aspect of Chinese life. Around 1,500 developers, mainly twentysomething males, have been tasked with increasing user engagement through new ‘mini-programs’ on WeChat that look and operate much like apps on Apple Inc’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems – but are far less data-intensive. WeChat, owned by Tencent Holdings, says it’s not a direct challenge to the dominant…

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GST Impact: Mobiles, Computers to Get Pricier, Gaming Seems Unaffected

Loknath Das, , , , , , , , ,

  Although we’re still some way away from the GST becoming a reality in India, the two-day GST-council meet has begun, and is working on slabs for different items. There is a four-tier tax structure, of 5, 12, 18, and 28 percent that will be followed, along with a cess on certain items. According to reports, this is not going to have good results for people who want to buy gadgets, as the tax on things like mobiles, DTH, Internet services, and so on are likely to go up. This…

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Google Allo Web Client Still a Month or Two From Public Release

Loknath Das, , , , , , , , , , ,

Google’s Web client for its smart messaging app, Allo, is still few months away from public release, according to Nick Fox, VP, Communications Products at Google. Fox last week confirmed the new timeline for Allo Web client in a tweet while replying to a user who wanted to know launch details. Fox in a tweet said, “I’m using Web client every day and loving it. Team is working hard to get it out ASAP, but we’re still a month or two from public release.” The tweet was first reported by…

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ISRO’s GSLV Mark-III launched Planned for First Week of June

Loknath Das, , , , , , , , ,

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch the GSLV Mark-III in the first week of June, ISRO Chairman AS Kiran Kumar said on Friday. “GSLV Mark-III is our next launch. We are getting ready. All the systems are in Sriharikota. The integration is currently going on,” he told reporters in Hyderabad while talking about Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III. “The whole process of assembling the various stages and then integrating the satellite into the heat shield, these activities are going on. First week of June is when…

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WannaCry Ransomware: CERT-In Issues Red Alert Over Cyber-Attack

Loknath Das, , , , , , ,

A red-coloured ‘critical alert’ was issued by the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) on Saturday, the nodal agency to combat hacking, phishing and to fortify security-related defences of the Indian Internet domain. “It has been reported that a new ransomware named as WannaCry is spreading widely. WannaCry encrypts the files on infected Windows systems. This ransomware spreads by using a vulnerability in implementations of server message block (SMB)in Windows systems. “This exploit is named as ETERNALBLUE,” an advisory issued by the CERT-In, accessed by PTI, said. It said…

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Happiest Minds acquires IoT platform Cupola Technology

Loknath Das, , , , , ,

Software services firm Happiest Minds Technologies Pvt. Ltd has acquired Internet of Things (IoT) platform Cupola Technology for an undisclosed amount, according to a press statement. “We have found that organisations are rapidly moving from proof of concept to enterprise-wide IoT rollouts. This has brought about the need for a dedicated IoT operations centre with a solution-centric approach,” Sashi Kumar, CEO and managing director of Happiest Minds, said. Bangalore-based Cupola Technology Pvt. Ltd was founded by Ajay Agarwal and Huzefa Saifee in 2011. Agarwal, an alumnus of Indian School of…

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