MobiKwik Offers 10 Percent Discount on Rail Tickets Across India

MobiKwik, India’s leading digital financial services platform, today announced a bonanza offer for the upcoming festive season that promises upto 10% discount on train ticket bookings. All users who book their train tickets with the IRCTC app or website can avail this offer when they make payments via the MobiKwik app. The users will be eligible to use their SuperCash balance to get upto 10% instant discount on their rail e-ticket booking amount.

The announcement comes at the time when the government has been pushing for digitization and promote cashless transaction among the users. Additionally, this would also help reduce long queues at railway ticket counters. IRCTC is one of the largest e-commerce sites in the country and this offer will enable millions of users to save extra this festive season. The offers are valid separately on both the IRCTC Rail Connect App and IRCTC website.

Speaking on the offer, Upasana Taku, Co-Founder and Director, MobiKwik said, “Our association with IRCTC is yet another step towards promoting digitization and encouraging people to make payments through wallets and digital money. We have 70 per cent of repeat users on IRCTC Rail Connect App and IRCTC website. The festive season is around the corner and millions of people will be booking train tickets, as they plan their travels to meet their loved ones. This offer will enable our users to pay for their tickets seamlessly and securely as well as get the tickets at a discounted price.”

Jaguar I-PACE Sets Production EV Record Lap Time at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca

Jaguar has set a production EV record lap time of 1:48.18 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in the new all-electric I-PACE performance SUV ahead of its display at the 2018 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Jaguar brought the I-PACE to the renowned road course in the United States as part of a marketing promotion with Motor Trend Group. Piloted by professional race car driver Randy Pobst, the Photon Red I-PACE First Edition tackled the 11-turn track in completely stock trim. Pobst set what Motor Trend believes is the benchmark for the fastest lap at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for a four-door stock production vehicle. Footage of Pobst’s lap is available online here, with more videos available on 12 September on Motor Trend App and Motor Trend YouTube channel.

Priced from £58,995 (including government incentives) and featuring all-wheel drive as standard, the I-PACE is available in three trim levels: S, SE and HSE – with an additional First Edition model available for the first year only.

The new all-electric Jaguar I-PACE makes electric vehicle (EV) ownership more exciting, accessible and practical than ever thanks to its unique design and battery technology. A 90kWh Lithium-ion battery comprising 432 pouch cells – chosen for their high energy density and superior thermal management – is able to achieve a 0-80 percent battery charge in 40 minutes using 100kW DC fast charging.

Conceived as a high-performance SUV from the outset, the I-PACE delivers engaging driving dynamics, everyday usability and comfort, with a unique balance of ride, refinement and control. Jaguar has placed the battery as low as possible between the axles, providing close to optimal 50:50 weight distribution and a low centre of gravity optimising composure and reducing body roll.

Advanced double wishbone front and Integral Link rear suspension deliver both incredible ride comfort and the lateral stiffness needed during dynamic driving, ensuring excellent handling, grip and steering responses. The compact and lightweight suspension design features aluminium suspension links and knuckles to reduce weight, while maximising interior space.

The I-PACE also enables the driver to select either high or low levels of regenerative braking to assist in improving efficiency and vehicle range. When high regenerative braking mode is selected the driver can experience single-pedal driving in certain conditions as the car decelerates when lifting off the accelerator; helping to reduce reliance on the brake pedal when slowing down. In fact, a maximum regenerative braking force of up to 0.4G is achievable in this mode.

Customers can configure their I-PACE at www.jaguar.com.

JAGUAR I-PACE eTROPHY

After becoming the first premium manufacturer to enter the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in 2016 with its I-TYPE 1 open wheel racecar, Jaguar announced the creation of the world’s first production battery electric vehicle race series – the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY Championship. The championship supports the launch of the I-PACE and reinforces Jaguar Land Rover’s commitment to electrification: from 2020 all new model lines will be electrified, with either battery electric, plug-in hybrid or mild hybrid options.

Just a few months after news of the championship broke at the 2017 Paris Motor Show, Jaguar announced Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) as the first team to sign on to the series, campaigning two cars. Bringing decades of experience to the series, Bobby Rahal and the RLL team moved quickly to confirm their first season driver line-up.

Veteran sports car and open-wheel racing driver Katherine Legge was confirmed as the team’s first Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY pilot during the final rounds of the 2017/18 Formula E Championship held in New York City in July. A native of the UK, Legge currently competes in the IMSA GTD class; her resume includes experience in Formula 3, Formula Renault, a Formula One test, Champ Car, Indy car, A1GP, DTM, and the first season of the Formula E championship. Additional information on Legge’s announcement with RLL can be found here.

Earlier this week it was announced that Legge would be joined by Bryan Sellers in RLL’s second car. American sports car racer Bryan Sellers also currently competes in IMSA, behind the wheel of a Lamborghini Huracán GT3. Sellers’ resume includes drives in the American Le Mans Series, Rolex Sports Car, Skip Barber Formula Dodge and winning the USF2000 National Championship in 2002. Additional information on Sellers’ announcement with RLL can be found here.

Guests to both the 2018 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will be among the first to see the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY racecar in person. Finished in RLL race livery, the racecar will be displayed Friday and Saturday at the Jaguar pit garages at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and Sunday on the Concept Lawn of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Up to 20 identical racecars will take to the grid from the 2018/19 ABB FIA Formula E season onwards. The Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY races will take place before the main Formula E race on the same street circuits, in some of the most iconic cities in the world. The series offers teams the chance to showcase driving talent and electric performance on the world stage in zero-emissions motorsport.

Designed, engineered and built by Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations, the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY racecar is powered by the same battery as the I-PACE production car and modifies the body-in-white with a purpose-built racing interior stripped of unnecessary weight, finished with the latest FIA-approved safety components.

The 90kWh battery pack found in both the production- and race-spec vehicles power dual permanent magnet motors mounted front and rear which deliver a combined 400PS and 696Nm of torque, propelling the car from 0-100km/h in 4.8s.

Optometry Council of India and Bausch and Lomb India Announce ‘Experience Vision’ Program

India has approximately 26 million people who are visually impaired due to eye diseases. The Optometry Council of India (OCI) is pleased to undertake a program to prevent avoidable blindness called ‘Experience Vision’. OCI will be supported in this endeavor by Bausch and Lomb, the leading provider of contact lenses in India, who will be sponsoring the activities envisioned under the program.

As part of the program, OCI will be connecting with about 400 government schools and approximately 100,000 school children all over India, to educate the teachers and students regarding common eye ailments and eye hygiene.

The OCI will also develop a Standard Protocol for screening the eyes of school children and other members of the community. This will be carried out by a team of experts in line with the best practice standards available internationally. The program also aims at providing corrective devices such as spectacles/ contact lenses, to suitable candidates. During the program, OCI will be highlighting the role of Optometrists in society and provide information about the vocation to the school children and young adults.

The ‘Experience Vision’ program by OCI is aimed at improving the quality of life for studying children by ensuring proper awareness and vision correction for them. The Managing Director of the company, Sanjay Bhutani, has said, “This program is the ideal way to bring to life the values of our company, that aims to promote better eye health for all and we are extremely happy to support this initiative by OCI”.

Announcing Launch of Urban Works Innovation Challenge 2018

Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai are pleased to announce the launch of the Urban Works Innovation Challenge 2018. Supported by the RMZ Foundation and in partnership with The CoWrks Foundry, this three-year collaborative design challenge brings together engineering, planning, and policy solutions to transform 21st-century workspaces into environments that support innovation and productivity.

India has a young and growing population with a workforce estimated to touch 700 million by 2030. Indian workspaces are undergoing massive transformation spurred by the digital revolution, global economic shifts, and resource scarcity. But the country has barely engaged with the reality of such an evolving employment landscape. Studies and solutions for innovative workplaces have been primarily focused on US and European contexts.

A reimagining of Indian workspaces is critical not only to India’s future economic success, but also to the future of the global knowledge economy itself. According to Dr. Ravina Aggarwal, Director of Columbia’s Mumbai Center, “India must lead the way in creating working conditions that attract, nurture and retain top talent. This means generating and promoting new ideas, designs, skills-sets, and inventions that can support workspaces that are sustainable, secure, healthy, creative, and inclusive.”

In light of this, the Urban Works Innovation Challenge 2018 that will run from July 2018 to March 2019 will provide mentorship and infrastructural and financial support for innovative solutions on environmentally sustainable workspaces to passionate young professionals and entrepreneurs.  Broad areas for solution development in workspaces include green technologies and infrastructure, decentralized energy-efficient solutions, ergonomics, sustainable resource use, and waste/pollution reduction.

Participants will get the opportunity to work with faculty and alumni from the prestigious Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University, as well as benefit from hands-on mentorship from distinguished entrepreneurs and academics in India. “We are very pleased to participate in the Urban Works Innovation Challenge in partnership with Columbia University’s Global Center in India and the CoWrks Foundry,” said Mary C. Boyce, Dean of Columbia Engineering. “Design challenges are a wonderful way to spur engineering creativity and foster cross-disciplinary collaboration.  Columbia Engineering faculty and alumni will mentor students as they design sustainable work spaces, and a winning student team from Columbia Engineering will travel to India to implement their ideas in India next May.  All involved will share their expertise and gain a better understanding of the Indian context for environmentally friendly work areas.”

Shortlisted teams can also avail themselves of a tech-first collaborative workspace at The CoWrks Foundry, located at CoWrks in Mumbai and Bengaluru for a six month period. “The sense of purpose that drives young entrepreneurs and professionals in India has already made a dent globally. This is evident when we look at the Indian startup ecosystem—although it is young and still emerging—it is the third largest startup ecosystem in the world. RMZ Foundation and The CoWrks Foundry's partnership with Columbia brings together world-class mentorship and education, while paving way for innovation led by a modern and young workforce on a global stage”, said Anu Menda, President of the RMZ Foundation

As representatives of a future workforce, participants are encouraged to use their own vision to co-create an ideal workspace. Teams with successful design prototypes will have the opportunity to pitch their design to leading corporations and investors in March 2019.

Samsung Galaxy New Note9 Smartphone Unveiled at Sangeetha Mobiles in Bengaluru

Samsung India announced its latest launch Galaxy Note9 in association with Sangeetha Mobiles. Popular Bollywood actress, Kiara Advani attended the launch event held at Sangeetha’s store at The Forum Mall, Koramangala, Bangalore, in the presence of Sasi Kiran, South Head, Samsung India and Mr. Subhash Chandra L, Managing Director, Sangeetha Mobiles.

Galaxy Note9 is priced at Rs. 67,900 and Rs. 84,900 for 128GB and 512GB variants, respectively and will be available in three unique color variants namely Midnight Black, Metallic Copper and Ocean Blue.

Subhash Chandra L, MD - Sangeetha Mobiles said, “Sangeetha Mobiles works on the principle that creating customer delight and gaining customer loyalty is paramount. This is the reason why Sangeetha is the most popular brand in the mobile retail segment till date and the launching of Samsung Galaxy Note9 is another step towards providing the latest smartphone experience to our customers.”

About Samsung Galaxy Note9: The Galaxy Note series is recognized for introducing Samsung’s latest ground-breaking innovations. The all-new Galaxy Note9 builds on this legacy; a premium smartphone that delivers the ultimate in performance with a new S Pen with remote control to easily drive presentation and take selfies, Samsung’s most intelligent camera yet, and an all-new PC-like experience with Samsung DeX and an HDMI cable.

Galaxy Note9 is a super powerful device built for people who expect more. It combines the power of a laptop, media streaming device, power bank, external hard drive, gaming console, DSLR camera and a selfie stick. And this is what it will deliver to every consumer who chooses to move up to the new Note.

Astroglia Pharma Launches Tablets Exclusively for the Brain in India

Astroglia Pharma has announced the launch of NeuroClub to provide affordable, natural remedies for lack of focus, poor memory, mental stress, and improve brain health. Phillip Mertz - Founder & CEO, NeuroClub - Astroglia Pharma Pvt. Ltd. India delivered the keynote, along with Dr. Sriraman Damodaran, Chief Scientific Officer (Washington D.C) and Aditya Shrivastava, Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Mertz highlighted the need for brain health awareness in India and how NeuroClub can help students and corporate perform mental activities more efficiently, to be happier and more successful.

Improving brain health is the need of the hour as more people recognize the widespread nature of cognitive deficiencies like attention deficit, learning disorders, and memory loss. According to 2018 Cigna 360 Well-Being Survey, nearly 9 out of 10 Indians suffer from stress and WHO claims 36 million Indians suffer from anxiety. Most of them don’t want to seek professional help due to social stigmas and high cost. Dr. Sriraman Damodaran, CSO, NeuroClub - AstroGlia Pharma Ltd said “Most people don’t think about their minds, ironically. It’s the most important organ. For problems with any other part of the body, remedial means are understood. When people have trouble focusing or feel unnecessarily stressed, they don’t really think that it might be a health issue.”

Phillip Mertz, CEO, NeuroClub - AstroGlia Pharma Ltd noted, “Stressful work culture and demanding academic pressure makes NeuroClub products a necessity for the young population. Furthermore, NeuroClub's all-natural products can be consumed anytime, and their effects can be felt in the short term.”

NeuroClub is the over-the-counter brain health brand under AstroGlia. The products they are launching today are:

* Metanine makes neurons more sensitive to sensory inputs. This helps sustain concentration for longer.
* Seraxil relieves stress by stopping the panic response from being triggered during stressful situations.
* Xance produces the protein required to maintain memories for longer.
* Enkodin increases the inputs centers of neurons to improve comprehension and learning.
* Myeliv protects the insulation of the wiring between neurons from alcohol and junk food consumption.
* Agilin protects against age-related deterioration of enzymes in brain’s memory center.

These products are available online www.theneuroclub.com  

Nutanix Ranked 2nd In India’s “Great Mid-Size Workplaces 2018”

Nutanix, a leader in enterprise cloud computing, today announced that it has been ranked second in ‘India’s Great Mid-Size Workplaces 2018’ List. This is the first time the company has participated in the study and demonstrates proof of the positive impact Nutanix is having on its expanding workforce in the country.

Nutanix has had a presence in India since 2013, and has continued to invest and innovate in expanding its operations to develop a modern, digital workplace where every employee feels empowered to contribute. Over the past year, headcount has grown over 70 percent and the company has recently opened a second office in Pune.

“This is a fantastic achievement for all of us here at Nutanix. We have a history of taking on established global companies and winning – and here we are doing it again,” said Sankalp Saxena, Nutanix SVP and MD of Operations for India. “Nutanix is developing a modern workforce that embraces diversity and respect while providing global opportunities for all.  As we continue to invest in India’s future we know that our success will be built around our employees. This award shows we are getting it right.”

Prajeetha Prasad, Nutanix Senior Human Resources Lead for India added, “Nutanix lives by our core values – honest, hungry and humble with heart. In the battle for talent, it’s vital we provide today’s workforce with a true sense of value and belonging. Nutanix embraces global best practices and technologies to provide a modern, digital and respectful environment for all our staff to learn and grow.”

Nutanix has rapidly increased and evolved its operations in India over the past 5 years and continues to increase its activities in India as the company further disrupts the traditional enterprise market and develops a truly global centre of excellence that drives innovation from India.

Infinix, Google Partner Rolls Out First Android One “NOTE 5” Smartphone Priced at Rs 9999

Following the Note 5 global debut in Dubai, Infinix, the online focused smartphone brand of TRANSSION, today announced yet another game changing offering by launching an Android One device in the sub 10K smartphone segment. The all-new Infinix Note 5 is part of Android One program, designed to deliver the top notch Android OS experience that combines Google’s smartly designed software with built-in AI powered innovations like Google Lens & Google Assistant as well as highest grade of security.

Infinix NOTE 5 is a "beyond intelligent" device that empowers users to enjoy an intelligent lifestyle through the fusion of technology and style. Flaunting a 5.99” FHD+ screen with 18:9 aspect ratio, 16MP AI Selfie camera, 3-day battery life with massive 4500mAh battery, 18W fast charging, a streamlined Google designed UI with the latest Android operating system as well as Dual SIM Dual VoLTE solution, makes Infinix NOTE 5 a perfect choice ahead of competition offering high-quality hardware with intuitive software and premium design all at an attractive price point of INR 9999

Following the brand’s debut in India last year in 2017, Infinix’s momentum has continued to grow in the region due to its strong product portfolio. Commenting on this success, Benjamin Jiang, managing director of Infinix Mobile said, “We are committed to continuing pushing the boundaries and each offering from Infinix portfolio is a game-changer in the segment to scale new heights of product innovation and customer centricity in the products. We have always focused on bringing future-ready devices at affordable price points."

Announcing the new partnership, he further added, "We are taking another giant leap in our journey towards becoming a Top e-commerce smartphone brand in India. With the launch of NOTE 5, an Android One powered smartphone we are confident that this will set new benchmarks.”

Munish Seth, Android country director for India said, “Through the Android One program we aim to combine high quality hardware designed by our partners with smartly designed software by Google. We believe that products should be intuitive and secure. They should improve over time, and adapt to you to make your life easier – not the other way around. We want to accelerate how we scale this phone experience through the Android One program, where hardware innovations from partners like Infinix combine with the best of Google innovation at scale."

TL Lee, General Manager, MediaTek's Wireless Communication Business Unit said "Infinix is fast becoming a strong smartphone brand in India. Combined with MediaTek’s chipset technology – including the NOTE 5 powered by Helio P23 – Infinix brings consumers high-end features at an affordable price. MediaTek’s Helio P series delivers as per the consumer demand for the New Premium, mid-range devices that have powerful performance, incredible efficiency, longer battery life, and enhanced features such as dual camera photography, dual 4G VoLTE capability -- in other words, the best smartphone experience to connect, share and do more.”

Features that make NOTE 5 a desirable Smarterphone:

Android One: Smart, Secure and Simply Amazing Android experience

Infinix’ NOTE 5 Android One phone runs with latest Android Oreo 8.1 OS combining Google’s smartly designed software, from the latest AI powered innovations such as Google Lens and Google Assistance to the highest grade of security, with beautifully designed hardware. Google’s smartly designed software will function smoothly with no bloatware or UI customisations to deliver an uncluttered Android experience. It also improves battery life by prioritizing background activity with the most important apps and helps solve storage stress on your device. Furthermore, security protections with Google Play Protect are built into every layer of your smartphone experience, so your device stays safe, fast and performs at its best.

Google Photos lets you store an unlimited amount of photos and videos at high quality for free, and access them anywhere. Automatically organized and searchable by the people, places, and things in them, your photos and memories are always easy to find and share.

Google Lens, lets you point your camera to learn more, take action, and interact with the world around you. With Google Lens, you can copy and paste text, find products online, learn about landmarks, add events to your calendar, look up movie posters, identify popular plants and animals, and more.

Always-on Battery

Clocking in at a massive 4500mAh, the Infinix NOTE 5 battery allows you to enjoy a 3-day battery life on a single charge. It also comes with 18W fast charger which give one-day battery in half an hour of charge. Moreover, the battery comes with AI power management which tracks the consumer usage pattern of the smartphone and optimises the battery life according to the usage.

Expand your horizons with Full view display

Infinix NOTE 5 flaunts 5.99’’ Full HD+ screen with 18:9 display empower you to multi-task and enjoy a more dynamic seamless visual experience.  Its 80% NTSC colour gamut helps in vising the natural colour reproduction and 500 nits ensure better viewing in bright lighting condition. It comes with 85% screen-to-body ratio, so bigger the screen, better the experience. The smartphone is built with 10-layer coating of reflective nano-chrome particles for a smooth & premium glass finish along with 2.5D curved glass edges design provides stunning look to NOTE 5 helping to stand out from the crowd.

AI powered camera

Making the photography more intuitive, Infinix NOTE 5 is endowed with 12MP rear camera with large 1.25-micron big pixel, f/2.0 aperture with dual LED flash for capturing brighter and sharper photographs in low light conditions. The smartphone boasts of AI based Auto Scene Detection (ASD) feature to enhance overall photography experience in outdoor scenario. When taking pictures, the smartphone automatically detects the scene details like lighting condition, brightness etc. and with the help of its deep learning algorithm, it intelligently matches the best camera parameters to the current scene, producing a perfect photo. The smartphone comes with AI based portrait mode, which identifies Object/Humans and put them in foreground and blurs everything else. It comes loaded with 7 shooting modes namely Normal, Beauty, Portrait, Professional, Panorama, Night and Time Lapse modes. 

Moving onto the Selfie camera of the smartphone, it is enabled with 16MP f/2.0, with AI beauty mode that produces the best suitable beauty plan for each user by automatically detecting 255 facial points of subject with the help of its deep learning algorithm. Additionally, AI Bokeh measures pixel by pixel as it focuses on the main focal point and blurs everything in the background to make you stand out in the pictures. Infinix NOTE 5 comes with a 4in1 pixel technology for low light conditions in which 4 pixels merges into one pixel and helps in capturing more light for better quality pictures. It also comes with Softlight flash which further enhances selfies even in low light conditions.

Advanced Performance

Infinix NOTE 5 is powered by MediaTek Helio P23 MT 6763 2.0 Ghz Octa-Core processor based on 16 nanometer process which makes your device faster and power efficient and hence an ideal gaming and entertainment oriented smartphone. The device also brings Dual SIM, Dual VoLTE solution wherein consumer can enjoy 4G VoLTE services on both SIM simultaneously. The device comes with superfast Fingerprint sensor which unlocks the device in half a second. NOTE 5 comes with 3-in-1 card slot wherein you can put Dual Nano SIMs along with a dedicated SD card which is expandable up to 128GB.

The new smartphone will be available exclusively via Flipkart India starting from 31st August, 2018 in three beautiful colours of Ice Blue, Milan Black and Berlin Grey. NOTE 5 is available in two variants – 3GB RAM + 32 GB storage for INR 9999 and 4GB RAM +64GB storage for INR 11999.

Cybage Included in Report on Digital Decisioning Platforms

Cybage, a leader in the outsourced product engineering space, today announced that it was included in the August 2018 Now Tech: Digital Decisioning Platforms, by Forrester Research authored by Mike Gualtieri and John Rymer. The report names 28 Digital Decisioning Platform Providers, including Cybage DecisionMines.

“Digital business promises customers immediate, informed offers, services, or help tailored for their individual situations and needs. Serving each customer right now requires digital decisioning applications to: 1) decide what to do and then 2) act." The report continues, “Digital decisioning applications are vital to the success of digital business.” (Forrester Research Now Tech: Digital Decisioning Platforms, Q3 2018 Forrester's Overview Of 28 Digital Decisioning Platform Providers, August 2, 2018)

Cybage DecisionMines is a digital decisioning application which helps companies capitalize on their data and insights, as it applies the science of data with the art and intuition of human judgment. DecisionMines uses both predictive and prescriptive analytics to anticipate and diagnose weaknesses and opportunities. It analyzes data (such as people, places, dates, and values) and then implements a system of multi-dimensional scoring to prescribe possible and prioritized recommendations, based on known goals.

“Data and insight driven businesses offer immediate, informed solutions that best meet and exceed individual needs,” said Arun Nathani, CEO & MD, Cybage. “Automated decision-making platforms are undoubtedly emerging as a top method for companies to lead and succeed through digital disruption.”

ThoughtWorks Clinches Winner’s Circle Status in HFS Research’s 2018 Blueprint Report

ThoughtWorks, a software and digital transformation consultancy has been recognized as a leading service provider, earning Winner’s Circle designation in HFS Research’s 2018 Blueprint Report: Software Product Engineering Services. The report issued by HFS Research, the Services Research Company provides a market overview and evaluation of leading service providers across the software product engineering services value chain: new product development, product sustenance, product testing, product deployment, product support, and product management services. ThoughtWorks is positioned amongst the top five vendors on the innovation and execution axis in the report.

 "ThoughtWorks is in the Winner's Circle of our Software Product Engineering Services Blueprint because of its strong execution and innovation capabilities," said Pareekh Jain, Senior Vice President, HFS Research. "ThoughtWorks' consulting-led delivery approach, highly educated workforce, excellent customer relationships and strong software product engineering thought leadership has provided an edge over the other companies."

“ThoughtWorks collaborates with digital-first companies, software providers and large enterprises to help them become truly digital”, said Sudhir Tiwari, Managing Director, ThoughtWorks India. “We bring together the best in design thinking, software development, agile practices, continuous engineering, and highly skilled technologists to embed technology at the core of our clients’ business. The recognition is important and validates our ‘technology at core’ mindset to solving our clients’ business challenges and helping create new opportunities for growth.”

ThoughtWorks is in the ‘HFS Winner’s Circle’ because of these strengths -

* The company adopts a consulting-led delivery approach when working with digital transformation clients on product visions, roadmaps, management and engineering
* ThoughtWorks, the early adopter of agile has built expertise across practices like continuous integration, DevOps and test automation
* Long-lasting relationships and high referenceability is key to ThoughtWorks’ growth. Majority of the company’s high value clients enjoy a 5+ year relationship with the service provider
* Highly skilled workforce; It has the highest percentages of postgraduates and PhDs call ThoughtWorks, home - a key capability indicator in the marketplace
* ThoughtWorks’ highly evolved distributed delivery model holds one of the highest percentages of resources in onshore and nearshore locations
* ThoughtWorkers have published several articles, 85+ books on software product engineering trends and emerging area, and have contributed to 50+ open source projects

Avanturaa Choppers Announces 1st Showroom in Bengaluru; Plans Next in Hyderabad & Delhi NCR

Avanturaa Choppers – India’s first brand of Street-Legal Choppers has recently received ARAI certification for its maiden models and announced the opening of its first showroom in Bengaluru., with Dealer Partner The Driven Café. The distribution network is now slated to expand to Delhi NCR & Hyderabad.

After a well-received mega launch, complimented by nominations in some of the most prestigious Automobile Awards shows, Rudra and Pravega – the Masterpieces, Curated for Connoisseurs by Avanturaa Choppers, are now available for customers to test and purchase. Starting 22nd August 2018, customers all across India can contact the first Avanturaa Choppers showroom at The Driven Café, Residency Road, Bengaluru with enquiries.

India’s first Dealer Principal of Avanturaa Choppers is Ashwin Jain, Founder of Driven By You Mobility LLP, who conceptualized and manages India’s biggest super-car and premium motorcycle self-drive rental company, through the widely acclaimed Driven Cafés in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The cafés are pioneers in enabling enthusiasts, experience top-of-the-line motorcycles and super cars. “Automobiles have been at the core of our family’s business for the last 38 years and with our valuable customer base who are passionate about premium experiences in the space, Avanturaa Choppers was a natural extension of our business philosophy. We are very excited & proud that this is an Indian brand, and are confident will make an indelible mark on the World map.”

Speaking about the development, Gaurav A. Aggarwal, CEO of Avanturaa Choppers said, “With the launch of our showroom in Bangalore, soon to be followed by other key markets, the realization of our ambition to create a Global impact from India, has begun. The growing culture of leisure-riding in India and the number of connoisseurs pioneering it, give us confidence that the market is ready for Avanturaa Choppers.”

With the critical ARAI certification, strategic distribution network appointments, fully operational manufacturing setup and firm commitment to the company’s vision, Avanturaa Choppers is all geared to deliver motorcycling experiences that compel customers, to redefine their benchmarks of satisfaction.

New “Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship” Aims for 10 M Entrepreneurs By 2030

 

A group of Indian and international partners today announced the formation of the ‘Global Alliance Mass Entrepreneurship’ (GAME), a new coalition that aims to catalyze a ‘Mass Entrepreneurship’ movement in India that will aim to create 10 million new entrepreneurs, at least half of whom will be women, and 50 million new jobs by 2030. GAME has received initial funding commitment of INR 100 crore over three years from several Indian and global donors.

The announcement was made at a day-long workshop, a first step in identifying a collective vision, driving commitment from interested organizations and defining concrete action plan for the proposed alliance. The workshop organized by The Rockefeller Foundation with support from Dalberg Advisors, had participants from nearly 50 organizations including the Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), State Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Meghalaya, Tata Trusts, UNICEF, World Bank, Omidyar Network, Facebook India, Wadhwani Foundation, Social Alpha, Aptech, BYST, Pratham and Going to School amongst others.

Like many countries, India has a major challenge when it comes to creating enough jobs; with nearly one million young people entering the working age population every month, India needs new engines of job creation. Entrepreneurship is a critical lever of such job creation but has so far been eclipsed by an nordinate focus on education and skilling.

“Mass entrepreneurship” refers to the millions of ordinary local businesses that typically hire five or more people, use local inputs and serve local needs in every community. These range from a beauty salon or food caterer, to a motorbike repair shop or artisan collective. In most thriving economies, such businesses form the backbone of the economy and employment.

Based on the research of Dalberg Advisors, GAME has identified three pathways of intervention
A) Nurture entrepreneurial mindsets early to help students consider entrepreneurship a viable career option and receive relevant exposure and experience,
B) Converting job seekers to entrepreneurs by creating entrepreneurial opportunities & reducing the risks associated with becoming an entrepreneur, and
C) Finally, help single and micro-entrepreneurs to grow and aspire for more than basic survival by providing services like training, advisory/mentoring as well as access to finance.
While several promising initiatives already exist to promote mass entrepreneurship, there is a need to achieve co-ordination of efforts and drive massive scale. Ravi Venkatesan, former Chairman of Bank of Baroda and Microsoft India and founder of GAME said, “Job creation is a classic “wicked” problem; it is systemic, involves lots of stakeholders, and is interconnected with many other issues, ranging from infrastructure and access to finance to ease of doing business. It defies simple solutions and silver bullets.”

Announcing the formal launch of the initiative, Venkatesan said, “With GAME, we aim to create a focused autonomous organization, bringing together a consortium of public, private and civil society organizations. With a shared mission, the right leadership, and governance model, it can become a platform that allows everyone with an interest in mass entrepreneurship to plug in and play.”
Endorsement and support for the Alliance has come from many organizations.

“The Rockefeller Foundation has been working in and learning from India for more than a century,” said Christine Heenan, Vice President for Policy, Partnerships and Communications  at The Foundation. “Helping more Indian families rise out of poverty remains a challenge we’re committed to tackling;  creating thousands of new companies and millions of new jobs is key to that. This Alliance can make that goal a reality.”

Dr. K.P. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India said, “One of the foundational ideas in the creation of a Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship was the notion that skilling should lead to livelihoods generation. The missing link is the ecosystem for creation of mass entrepreneurship. GAME, with potential solutions to this problem, is most timely. My Ministry fully welcomes and supports this initiative and hopes to benefit by these ideas.”

R. Venkataramanan, Managing Trustee, Tata Trusts and a key supporter of GAME, “At Tata Trusts we have made significant progress on promoting rural livelihoods especially amongst women. We believe that this grassroots action must be enhanced by promoting mass entrepreneurship. Initiatives like GAMEare much needed and we are pleased to participate in and support this initiative as it requires platform thinking and multi-stakeholder collaboration.”

“Grassroots creativity and widespread entrepreneurship are the recipe for mass flourishing. India and the world will benefit profoundly from embracing this initiative”, said Professor Edmund S. Phelps, 2006 Nobel Laureate in Economics and Director, Center on Capitalism & Society.

SpiceJet Announces Six New Flights on Domestic and International Routes

 

SpiceJet, the country’s favourite airline, today announced the launch of six new daily direct flights on both domestic and international routes starting from October 10, 2018.

SpiceJet is the first airline in the country to introduce a daily direct flight on the Guwahati-Patna route. The airline is also introducing daily direct flights on the domestic sector of Hyderabad-Guwahati and the international route of Hyderabad-Bangkok. The inaugural fare on the domestic routes are as low as of Rs. 3099/- whereas on the international route of Hyderabad-Bangkok the inaugural fare for the to and fro journey is Rs. 9999/- and Rs. 8299 /- respectively.

Deploying its Boeing 737 aircraft on these routes, the new flights will help SpiceJet strengthen its network connectivity between metros and non-metros.

Shilpa Bhatia, Chief Sales & Revenue Officer - SpiceJet, said, “We are pleased to announce the launch of our new flights which will offer additional flying options and travel flexibility at affordable prices. We see immense potential in these routes and are proud to be the only Indian carrier to provide direct connectivity between Hyderabad and Bangkok.”

Bookings for tickets are now open on www.spicejet.com, SpiceJet’s mobile app and through online travel portals and travel agents.

AVerMedia Technologies Eyes India Market for Gaming, Card Biz

AVerMedia Technologies, Inc., the preeminent name in digital multimedia technology, today announced its plans of distribution of 4k capable premium capture cards in India. The company targets majorly to focus on Live Gamer EXTREME 2 (GC551) and Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus (GC513) gaming cards through its distributors Abacus peripherals and Tirupati Enterprises in all major metros as well as B class cities. The efforts are being put to increase reach and meet the demand for these units across the country.

According to the recent reports of 'Streamlabs Livestreaming', in 2017 alone YouTube grew by a whopping 343% in monthly active streamers, while Twitch grew by 197% globally. In 2017 alone, around 666 million people around the globe tuned in to gaming video content made by fans and publishers, and that number is expected to grow to over 740 million by 2019 says another report from 'Statista'. With growing broadband penetration, improved internet speeds over the last few years and increased opportunities to monetize content, videogame streaming in India is on the verge of a breakthrough in India too.

Live Gamer EXTREME 2 (LGX2), the successor of the vastly-popular Live Gamer EXTREME (LGX), is a game capture box capable of recording/streaming 1080p60 gameplay from PC or game console while allowing stunning 4Kp60 visuals via its pass-through technology. The LGX2 also inherited the Ultra-Low Latency capability from the LGX which allows for uncompressed data capturing with near-zero latency. This instant viewing greatly improves creators' workflow and overall recording experience; streamers with one monitor can seamlessly play and broadcast fast-paced games right in the preview window with minimum lag.

Featuring wide connectivity, hardware compression capability, and a revamped RECentral intuitive user interface (v4.0), the LGP2 Plus is the first capture card to offer 4Kp60 gameplay while recording at 1080p60 footage without a high-spec PC. Thanks to the portable nature of the device, it can even record gameplay, commentary audio, and party chats directly to a MicroSD card, making it an essential tool for streamers and gamers to capture and share epic moments no matter where they are. UVC Plug and Play also means the LGP2 Plus is compatible with any platform, making it an accessible card by removing the need to install any drivers. Additionally, the card offers MP4 and MOV recording for easy editing and efficient uploading across a variety of services.

Apart from the hardware AVerMedia also offers powerful yet user friendly free software bundle RECentral and CyberLink PowerDirector 15. This all-around feature packed editing tools lets users to record, stream, edit and share the quality content they generate in simplest way.
 
Price, Availability, Warranty and Specification:
Live Gamer EXTREME 2(GC551) - MRP Rs. 20,000
Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus (GC513) - MRP Rs. 22,900

Flipkart Unveils New e-Commerce Value Platform 2GUD for Refurbished Goods

 

Flipkart, India’s largest e-commerce marketplace, today announced the launch of ‘2GUD’, its first ever independent platform for refurbished goods. The product portfolio of 2GUD would initially include smartphones, laptops, tablets and electronic accessories, and several more categories will be added soon.

Although a few players cater primarily to the Customer-to-Customer segment, the refurbished goods market in India is still largely unorganized. With the launch of 2GUD, Flipkart is taking its values of affordability, accessibility and availability to the refurbished market, while also addressing the critical problem of trust and convenience.

To bring down the barriers of trust and affordability, 2GUD takes care of quality assurance through a vast selection of certified products. The post purchase warranty of 3 to 12 months for each product will be serviced through an extensive network of service centers across the country. Additionally, users will always be assured of convenience in payments and logistics. The roll-out of the platform is via mobile web initially, but will soon be taken across other channels including desktop and mobile app.

Further, while existing refurbished sellers take the classifieds route, which insists on interactions between buyer and seller, 2GUD with its robust structure, completely removes the hassle of buyer-seller interaction.

“As a market leader, Flipkart has always tried to solve for India and offer a more fulfilling shopping experience in every aspect. With 2GUD, we have removed the trust deficit that exists in the refurbished goods market, and along with the added convenience, are offering customers yet another avenue to access quality products at the most affordable prices,” said Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart

“The refurbished goods market has remained highly fragmented and unorganised despite its size, primarily due to complex processes, and missing assurance on the quality of products. Unlike existing C2C platforms, 2GUD offers an organised space devoid of regular buyer-seller interactions, which simplifies the process for both parties. 2GUD further leverages Flipkart’s capabilities in the service and support network to make it the preferred destination for certified, great-quality refurbished products,” said Anil Goteti, VP, Flipkart, who will be heading 2GUD along with Flipkart Marketplace.

2GUD will remain a distinct and separate platform aimed at value buyers, while Flipkart shall remain the preferred online shopping destination home for new goods. The launch of 2GUD as the first choice for quality refurbished goods allows Flipkart to focus on acquiring new customers in a different segment, and further cement its leadership position in the Indian e-commerce space.

India's Newt Stylish Compact SUV - Tata NEXON Unveiled in Sri Lanka

Tata Motors, along with its distributor, Diesel & Motors Engineering PLC (DIMO) announced the launch of its most stylish compact SUV, Tata Nexon in Sri Lanka, today. The Tata NEXON is a revolutionary design of “breaking the box” with an aerodynamic silhouette. This enhances its sporty character and marks an evolution in SUV design by combining the functionality of an SUV with style of a sports coupe. 

Tata Motors has also introduced the much-appreciated NEXON with HyprDrive Self-Shift Gears, the AMT version of the vehicle. The Nexon in Sri Lanka will be available in six variants (XE, XM, XT, XZ, XZ+, XZA+) and six colours (Etna Orange, Vermont Red, Moroccan Blue, Seattle Silver, Glasgow Grey, and Calgary White). It will be for sale in 15 outlets across Colombo.  Launched at a price of Rs. 1.99 Mn for Petrol and Rs. 4.6 Mn for Diesel (Permit Holder Prices) for the XZA+ (Top Variant), the Tata Nexon is one of the most loved vehicles from the Company’s passenger vehicle stable. Setting a new benchmark in safety, the Nexon recently bagged a 4-star adult safety rating by the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP), the highest adult safety score (13.56/17.00)  amongst all the models tested by Global NCAP in India. 

Speaking at the launch, Mayank Pareek, President, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, “Combining contemporary design with best-in-class technology and advance features, the Tata NEXON is meant for those who like to make a unique style statement. Since its launch in India, the Tata NEXON has set new benchmarks in compact SUV segment. It has been one of the most loved products from our PV portfolio. We are elated to introduce the manual and the AMT variants in Sri Lanka today. With the introduction of this entire range, we aim to tap a larger market and increase our market share in not only the Compact SUV segment but also the AMT segment.” 

Unveiling the Tata NEXON, Ranjith Pandithage, Chairman & Managing Director, DIMO, said, “This is our first big step into the Compact SUV segment with Tata Motors. Continuing our long standing relationship with the Company, we are proud and confident to launch this product in our country and look forward to introduce many more such fantastic products.” 

The Tata NEXON flaunts two new engines, the 1.2L Turbocharged Petrol from the Revotron series and the 1.5L Diesel engine from the Revotorq series, mated to a 6-speed transmission for class leading fuel efficiency. A first-in-segment feature, NEXON’s best in class AMT with Multi-Drive modes (Eco, City and Sport) ensure that the vehicle delivers performance as per the driver’s requirement – Sport mode is for more spirited driving delivering 260 Nm torque (Diesel), City mode is for cruising swiftly in an urban environment. The Tata NEXON comes with a standard warranty of 100,000km / 3 Years, whichever is earlier. 

Key Highlights: 
• First A.M.T with Multi-Drive modes (3 drive modes - ECO, CITY, SPORT), available in both petrol and diesel variants 
• ‘Manual Tip-Tronic’ mode to shift gears manually while enjoying a clutch free drive experience 
• Crawl function with Smart Hill Assist for convenience in ‘stop – and – go’ city traffic 
• Intelligent transmission controller with features such as anti-stall, kick-down and fast-off for an enthralling drive experience 
• Advanced HARMAN infotainment system enabled with a drive mode based HMI theme. 
• First-in-class wearable key to aid the active lifestyle 

Swiss Major R&M Establishes New Production Facility in Bangalore

R&M, a Swiss cabling systems developer and provider of high-quality fiber & copper solutions for network infrastructures around the world, today inaugurated its state-of-the-art production hub in a sprawling facility in Bengaluru. This manufacturing facility is built under the 'Make In India' initiative. This Bangalore based facility is dedicated to production and warehousing, and will soon act as a primary supplier of Fiber Optic solutions for data centers and 'Fiber to the X' (FTTx) customers globally.

Gaurav Ahluwalia, Managing Director of R&M India says, "Opening production facility in India means that 2018 will be characterized by huge expansion in production capacities, where over 400 highly qualified employees will be producing Fiber Optic solutions in accordance with high R&M quality standards. With the Bangalore site up and running, R&M India is looking forward to stepping up production in the coming days. At R&M India, this is a new chapter of growth and expansion."

Gracing the occasion with his presence, Michel Riva, CEO & Member - Board of Directors, R&M AG Switzerland said, "Today's announcement reaffirms R&M's long-term commitment to India, a strategic center of digitization, innovation and technology. We are honored to collaborate with people of India to accelerate each other's economic growth and create a fruitful relationship. This initiative is a step towards the government's vision "Make in India" to create sustainable competitiveness and prosperity."

"Since we have established our operations in India, we have made significant investments and are committed to being the strategic partner to India. Opening the production facility is another milestone in deepening our commitment to India," he adds.

Laurent Amestoy, Executive Vice President SR APAC of MO-Singapore said, "Today we lay the foundation for the next chapter in R&M's development in India. The facility will bring advanced manufacturing capabilities in delivering a diverse product portfolio to our customers in India and across the Asian region. Further, it will help us to strengthen our position in structured cabling market."

The inauguration started with prayer rituals in Indian customs and traditions. The ceremony of the production facility took place in the presence of the Chief Executive Officer, Sterlite Technologies Limited, KS Rao; The CEO & Consul General (Swissnex India, Consulate General of Switzerland, Bangalore, his honorary Sebastien Hug. Besides, Michel Riva, CEO, Markus Stieger, COO and Laurent Amestoy, Executive Vice President SR APAC, were also part of the ceremony.

In the coming months, Swiss major R&M will focus on gradually expanding and becoming a cornerstone of the worldwide R&M production network. The intention is to increase the number of high-quality FO assemblies produced in India at optimal cost-efficiency levels to satisfy worldwide demand, and manufacture assemblies for other production plants, thereby contributing to "Make in India".

The ceremony was witnessed by over 200 business partners and customers who have contributed and played crucial role in R&M's successful journey in South Asia.

India’s Workspaces Announces Launch of Urban Works Innovation Challenge 2018

Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai are pleased to announce the launch of the Urban Works Innovation Challenge 2018. Supported by the RMZ Foundation and in partnership with The CoWrks Foundry, this three-year collaborative design challenge brings together engineering, planning, and policy solutions to transform 21st-century workspaces into environments that support innovation and productivity.

India has a young and growing population with a workforce estimated to touch 700 million by 2030. Indian workspaces are undergoing massive transformation spurred by the digital revolution, global economic shifts, and resource scarcity. But the country has barely engaged with the reality of such an evolving employment landscape. Studies and solutions for innovative workplaces have been primarily focused on US and European contexts.

A reimagining of Indian workspaces is critical not only to India’s future economic success, but also to the future of the global knowledge economy itself. According to Dr. Ravina Aggarwal, Director of Columbia’s Mumbai Center, “India must lead the way in creating working conditions that attract, nurture and retain top talent. This means generating and promoting new ideas, designs, skills-sets, and inventions that can support workspaces that are sustainable, secure, healthy, creative, and inclusive.”

In light of this, the Urban Works Innovation Challenge 2018 that will run from July 2018 to March 2019 will provide mentorship and infrastructural and financial support for innovative solutions on environmentally sustainable workspaces to passionate young professionals and entrepreneurs.  Broad areas for solution development in workspaces include green technologies and infrastructure, decentralized energy-efficient solutions, ergonomics, sustainable resource use, and waste/pollution reduction.

Participants will get the opportunity to work with faculty and alumni from the prestigious Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University, as well as benefit from hands-on mentorship from distinguished entrepreneurs and academics in India. “We are very pleased to participate in the Urban Works Innovation Challenge in partnership with Columbia University’s Global Center in India and the CoWrks Foundry,” said Mary C. Boyce, Dean of Columbia Engineering. “Design challenges are a wonderful way to spur engineering creativity and foster cross-disciplinary collaboration.  Columbia Engineering faculty and alumni will mentor students as they design sustainable work spaces, and a winning student team from Columbia Engineering will travel to India to implement their ideas in India next May.  All involved will share their expertise and gain a better understanding of the Indian context for environmentally friendly work areas.”

Shortlisted teams can also avail themselves of a tech-first collaborative workspace at The CoWrks Foundry, located at CoWrks in Mumbai and Bengaluru for a six month period. “The sense of purpose that drives young entrepreneurs and professionals in India has already made a dent globally. This is evident when we look at the Indian startup ecosystem—although it is young and still emerging—it is the third largest startup ecosystem in the world. RMZ Foundation and The CoWrks Foundry's partnership with Columbia brings together world-class mentorship and education, while paving way for innovation led by a modern and young workforce on a global stage”, said Anu Menda, President of the RMZ Foundation

As representatives of a future workforce, participants are encouraged to use their own vision to co-create an ideal workspace. Teams with successful design prototypes will have the opportunity to pitch their design to leading corporations and investors in March 2019.

Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus Smartphones Deliver Cutting Edge Performance and Smart AI to India

HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, has announced the availability of Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus to fans in new markets. These smartphones bring popular all-screen designs, high-end performance and smart AI imaging features to impressive price points.

Both Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus are online exclusive products in India and will be available on Flipkart and Nokia.com/Phones.

Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer at HMD Global, said, “Since the beginning of our journey, we’ve focused on delivering an experience that you would expect from a Nokia phone – design and craftsmanship that stands out, technology that helps you get more out of your day, and our focus on pure, secure, up-to-date Android. Today, we are building further on our promise by offering two new smartphones – Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus – offering the latest innovations such as an all-screen design with the quality you can only expect from a Nokia smartphone. Powered by the latest chipsets and joining the Android One family, both phones deliver a great performance, as well as smart AI imaging features, you would expect from a premium smartphone.”

Ajey Mehta, Vice President and Country Head – India, HMD Global, said, “The Indian consumers are a top priority for us. We constantly work to understand their needs and enhance the experience on our phones to better suit them. The launch of Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus represents an important milestone for us in India. We have a strong presence in the offline space and with these phones today, we are strengthening our reach to our online consumers and their needs.”

Nokia 6.1 Plus

Thanks to its impressive all-screen design, the Nokia 6.1 Plus gives you a bigger screen experience in a slim and compact package. Its 5.8-inch full HD+ 19:9 screen ratio with 96% colour gamut allows for a vivid viewing experience, making the Nokia 6.1 Plus a perfect smartphone for enjoying immersive content experiences. Beautifully crafted to the exacting standards expected from a Nokia phone, it is encased in glass on the front and back, taking up approximately 93% of the phone’s luxuriously curved surface for the ultimate feel in your hand. Behind the elegant looks, the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Mobile Platform is 40% faster than the previous iteration of the chipset, delivering first-class graphics and battery efficiency enhancements to ensure you can enjoy your audio and video for even longer.

The Nokia 6.1 Plus’s 16MP/5MP dual sensor rear camera delivers excellent sharpness and detail in your pictures. Thanks to advanced imaging, you can capture professional style pictures using selectable bokeh blur, which can be adjusted in real-time when you take the image. Bring your photos to life with HDR for incredible colour depth, and advanced AI imaging, including fun filters, masks and our 3D personas, as well as the portrait lighting to add captivating lighting effects to your shots. Alternatively, capture highly detailed, mirror-like selfies with the perfectly balanced 16MP front camera. Best of all, you don’t have to choose between the two, #Bothie mode can now apply AI enhancements on both cameras simultaneously with masks and filters and stream it live in real time to Facebook and YouTube directly from your camera app, another first made available on a Nokia smartphone.

Nokia 5.1 Plus

The Nokia 5.1 Plus is powered by the advanced MediaTek Helio P60 octa-core processor usually seen in a higher tiered smartphone. The engine has been designed to deliver precise power to handle gaming, video or multi-tasking applications with ease. The advanced imaging allows you to capture studio style shots with depth-sensing imaging and selectable bokeh blur, as well as portrait lighting. The dual 13MP/5MP rear sensor with electronic video stabilisation ensures that you film steady, sharp videos to perfectly capture your special moments with friends, no matter what the situation is.

The stunning edge-to-edge 5.8-inch HD+ display gives fans maximum content with a minimal footprint. The Nokia 5.1 Plus features a pure design with 2.5D curved front and rear glass, complemented by curved edges and a CNC-machined metal camera bezel with optical glass window and high gloss finish frame. At around 8mm thin, the ergonomic design with continuous curvature makes for the ultimate feel in the hand. The Nokia 5.1 Plus’s die cast full metal chassis with a polycarbonate frame is quality tested in extreme temperatures and drop tested to ensure that it meets the exacting quality standards for a Nokia phone.

Pure, secure and up-to-date, reinforced with Android One commitment

Both phones join the Android One family of Nokia smartphones, offering an experience designed by Google that is smart, secure and simply amazing. Each device will stay fresh over time with three years of monthly security patches and two years of guaranteed OS updates after launch. As with all Nokia smartphones in the Android One programme, you’ll get more battery and storage space out of the box thanks to no additional skins or unnecessary third party applications. And you will stay ahead of the game with the latest Google services like the Google Assistant and Google Photos with free unlimited high-quality photo storage.*

By shipping with Android Oreo out of the box, your new Nokia phone allows you to enjoy all the latest features like Google Lens. Both phones are also ready for Android Pie. This upgrade will include the new App actions to their users among many other great features. App Actions help you get to your next task more quickly, like calling a cab or playing your favourite playlist, by predicting what you want to do next. App Actions are surfaced throughout Android, in places like the Launcher, Smart Text Selection, the Play Store, the Google search app and the Assistant.

Availability

The Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus come in three colour options - Gloss Black, Gloss White and Gloss Midnight Blue.

Both Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus are exclusive online products and will be available on Nokia.com/phones and Flipkart.

Nokia 6.1 Plus will be available from August 30 in India at a price of INR 15,999. From August 21, fans can use the notify-me on Flipkart or pre-book on Nokia.com/phones. Nokia 5.1 Plus will be available in September in India and price will be announced closer to sales start date.

Offers

Airtel customers will receive INR 1,800 instant cashback and 240 GB data over 12 months on the plans of INR 199, INR 249 and INR 448.