All-In-One NI VirtualBench Device Eyes Academia & SMEs In India

National Instruments has announced VirtualBench, an all-in-one instrument that integrates a mixed-signal oscilloscope, function generator, digital multimeter, programmable DC power supply and digital I/O. Users interact with VirtualBench through software applications that run on PCs or iPads. The device provides the most common functionality affordably and opens up new possibilities for how engineers and academicians can use benchtop instruments.

Joel Shapiro, Leader of Emerging Markets Marketing at NI, said, “Many entrepreneurs, engineers and scientists don’t always have easy access to the instruments they need. Due to the excellent functionality, affordability and portability of VirtualBench, every engineer can immediately be equipped with the tools they require to bring their ideas to life and take it to market.”

“We are building on what NI does best, which is our software-based approach to test and measurement,” said Chad Chesney, Director of Data Acquisition Marketing at NI. “VirtualBench’s software user experience is more intuitive, creating efficiencies that go above and beyond simply having these five devices in a single device.”

Arunkumar Doraiswamy, Founder and Chief Executive of Yashika Industries, a recent startup in the area of electronics design and test, said “NI’s VirtualBench has been a game-changer for our productivity. It is an amalgamation of several latest technologies like multi core processors, data acquisition & control, wireless connectivity, and intuitive user friendly interfaces. This user-friendly device brings a large lab to the engineer’s desk and simplifies circuit debugging and validation.”

Key Benefits

* Takes up minimal space on a desktop or benchtop

* Simplifies instrument configuration through consistent, user-friendly interfaces

* Offers new capability and convenience with a consolidated view of multiple instruments, visualization on larger displays and quick functionality to save data and screenshots

*  Integrates seamlessly with LabVIEW system design software

To learn more about VirtualBench, visit www.ni.com/virtualbench.

Pricing and Availability: VirtualBench is now available worldwide for $1,999 or Rs 1,38,000 (*All prices are subject to change). The VirtualBench app for iPad will be available in the App Store later this summer.

SAP Named Leader in Gartner 2014 Magic Quadrant for Talent Management Suites

SAP AG has announced that it has been positioned for the second year in a row in the Leaders quadrant of Gartner, Inc.’s “Magic Quadrant for Talent Management Suites (TMS)." The report evaluated global cloud-based HR software solutions from SuccessFactors, an SAP company, and recognized the company as a leading provider of talent management technology based on its “ability to execute” and “completeness of vision.”

Gartner defines Leaders in the Magic Quadrant as those that demonstrate a market-changing vision of how talent management technology can help HR leaders achieve business objectives. SAP believes it exemplifies this vision by helping organizations increase employee engagement and improve their business performance with market-leading solutions, such as the recently released SuccessFactors Presentations, which offers a completely new and innovative approach to managing top talent. Coupled with the breadth of capabilities in the SuccessFactors HR portfolio that span the entire employee life cycle, businesses can now create deeper synergies between talent management functions and all of their HR processes and analytics.

“We are committed to building and strengthening companies’ capabilities to manage their entire workforce — both contingent and permanent staff — from initial recruiting and on-boarding to ongoing development, performance management, retention and retirement,” said Mike Ettling, global head of Cloud and On-Premise HR, SAP. “We feel our position in the Leaders quadrant is a direct result of our ability to offer global customers a choice of agile, scalable solutions that can drive employee engagement and fulfill organizations’ needs, while still building a comprehensive HR system blueprint.”

“One of the reasons we chose SAP is because we don’t want to own IT infrastructure since we’re not an IT company,” said David Bowes, chief people officer, WDS, a Xerox Company. “SAP gives us cloud-based HRIS and talent management solutions with a streamlined user experience — and no financial surprises."

No Bill Shock Combo Plans for Idea Postpaid Subscribers

Idea Cellular, country’s 3^rd largest and fastest growing mobile operator, has launched ‘No Bill Shock Combo Plan’ for its postpaid subscribers across major circles. The plan will help users to avoid any kind of data bill shock by capping monthly data usage limit.

The new Idea ‘No Bill Shock Plan’ comes with pre-defined data usage limit. Within this limit, Idea will offer data service at maximum speed as per plan. Beyond the set limit in order to keep a check on the data usage and billing, data billing will be stopped and data speed will be automatically reduced. If however, the subscriber wants to continue using high-speed data connectivity, then the customer can opt for a speed booster, which will instantly provide additional data at high speed, valid only till the current bill cycle.

No Bill Shock Plans are offered at Rs. 199 and Rs. 275 with 2G data and at Rs. 249, Rs. 399 and Rs. 549 with 3G data. All of these plans come with benefits of local & STD voice minutes and SMS along with the 2G or 3G data as per plan. In the initial phase, these plans have been introduced for Idea postpaid subscribers in the Maharashtra & Goa, Uttar Pradesh (East), Mumbai and Delhi. These plans will be gradually rolled out in other markets as well. 

Idea Cellular has always believed in providing customers with the freedom of choice, personalization and convenience. This plan has been introduced keeping in mind the growing subscriber additions to Idea’s postpaid portfolio, enabling subscribers to make an informed decision of choosing the data plan best suited for their pockets

Unlicensed Software Use at 43%, says BSA Report

Computer users cite the risk of security threats from malware as the top reason not to use unlicensed software. Among their specific concerns are intrusions by hackers and loss of data. Yet a striking 60 percent of the software installed on personal computers in India in 2013 was not properly licensed.

These and other findings released today in the BSA Global Software Survey underscore the need for effective software management practices, especially in business settings.

‘‘We have often seen cases where enterprises may not even be aware that they are using unlicensed software. With software licensing becoming increasingly complex, compounded by fast-paced cloud adoption and proliferation of devices through BYOD [bring your own device], organizations require a fresh approach in the way they manage licenses,’’ said Vipin Aggarwal, BSA India Committee chair. “As effective management of software assets becomes vital to organizations; tools such as BSA’s Verafirm can help mitigate risk while optimizing costs.”

The BSA Global Software Survey is conducted every other year for BSA by IDC, which this year polled computer users in 34 markets including nearly 22,000 consumer and business PC users and more than 2,000 IT managers. Among the findings:

* The rate at which PC software was installed without proper licensing in India was 60 percent in 2013, a 3 percentage point decrease from 2011. The commercial value of that unlicensed software totaled over INR 179 billion (US$2.9 billion).

* The chief reason computer users around the world cite for not using unlicensed software is avoiding security threats from malware. Among the risks associated with unlicensed software, 64 percent of users globally cited unauthorized access by hackers as a top concern and 59 percent cited loss of data.

* IT managers around the world express understandable concern that unlicensed software may cause harm, yet less than half say they are very confident that their company’s software is properly licensed.

* Only 33 percent of companies in India have written policies in place requiring use of properly licensed software.

BSA works closely with various industry associations in India to increase awareness among enterprises as well as small and medium businesses on the benefits of using licensed software. It works with law enforcement agencies to help build familiarity with intellectual property rights laws in the country. BSA also provides recommendations and research on a number of policy related issues covering IP laws, Privacy Bill and cloud computing.

“Unlicensed software use is an organizational governance issue — and this study shows there is a clear need for improvement,” said BSA President and CEO Victoria Espinel. “There are basic steps any company can take to ensure it is fully compliant, like establishing a formal policy on licensed software use and maintaining careful records. Companies also should consider implementing more robust software asset management (SAM) programs that follow internationally-accepted guidelines. These SAM programs can deliver substantial value by ensuring adequate controls are in place to provide a full view into what is installed on a network. That helps organizations avoid security and operational risks, and it ensures they have the right number of licenses for their users.”

Among the other findings in BSA’s Global Software Survey:

* The global rate at which PC software was installed without proper licensing rose from 42 percent in 2011 to 43 percent in 2013, as emerging economies where unlicensed software use is most prevalent continued to account for a growing majority of all PCs in service.

* The commercial value of unlicensed PC software installations totaled $62.7 billion globally in 2013.

* The region with the highest overall rate of unlicensed PC software installations in 2013 was Asia-Pacific, at 62 percent. This represented a 2 percentage-point increase from 2011, with the commercial value of unlicensed installations reaching $21 billion.

* Central and Eastern Europe had the next-highest rate of unlicensed software installations at 61 percent, followed by Latin America at 59 percent and the Middle East and Africa, also at 59 percent.

* North America continues to have the lowest regional rate of unlicensed software installations at 19 percent, although this constitutes a significant commercial value of nearly $10.9 billion.

* In Western Europe, the rate dropped three points to 29 percent in 2013 with a commercial value of $12.8 billion.

In the European Union, the rate dropped two points to 31 percent in 2013, with a commercial value of $13.5 billion.

Infinite Computer Bags UC Product of 2014 Award

Infinite Computer Solutions, a global Information Technology and Operations solution provider with expertise in Enterprise Mobility Solutions, Platformization, Application Management, Infrastructure Management, Product Engineering Services and Next-Gen Messaging Platforms announced today that TMC, a global, integrated media company, has named its Enterprise Messaging Service (EMS) as a 2014 Unified Communications Product of the Year Award winner.

“As the most ubiquitous communication technology currently available, mobile messaging is the key for enterprises looking for a quick, cost-effective way to connect with key customers, partners and employees alike,” said Anurag Lal, CEO of Infinite Convergence, a fully owned subsidiary of Infinite in the US. “It’s an honor to have our EMS offering recognized as a Unified Communications Product of the Year. Our EMS enables businesses to engage stakeholders with two-way communications, including alerts, global reach, delivery assurance and end-to-end secure delivery.”

Infinite’s EMS is a cloud-based, reliable and secure mobile message service for enterprises. It enables businesses and institutions to engage customers with customer-specific information for improved customer experiences, enhanced brand loyalty and increased revenue streams. EMS includes a user-friendly web portal, campaign manager, opt-in/opt-out capabilities and messaging analytics.

Customizable for a variety of industries, including financial institutions, travel, and hospitality and healthcare, enterprises can use Infinite’s EMS for their most time-sensitive and confidential communications. With Infinite’s ability to provide scalable and cost-effective customization, enterprises can focus their efforts on enhancing their own customer-specific offering instead of being boxed into standard, off-the-shelf services that often fall flat with customers.

“I am excited to proclaim Infinite Convergence as a 2014 recipient of TMC’s Unified Communications Product of the Year Award for their innovative product, EMS,” said Rich Tehrani, CEO, TMC. “Our judges were very impressed with the ingenuity and excellence displayed by Infinite Convergence in their ground breaking work.”

For more than 20 years, TMC has been honoring technology companies with awards in various categories. These awards are regarded as some of the most prestigious and respected awards in the communications and technology sector worldwide. Winners represent prominent players in the market who consistently demonstrate the advancement of technologies

Window Cleaning Robot - WINBOT - Now Sold In India

India’s number 1 domestic robots firm, Milagrow which launched Milagrow-Windoro, The World’s first Window Cleaning Robot , in May 2012 has gone a step further.  It has brought WinBot, the World’s 1^st Window Cleaning Robot which can clean frameless windows, doors and vertical glass panels.  It has only one outdoor unit and unlike the Windoro which had 2 magnetically controlled units which made the cleaning capacity much smaller.

The WinBot is made by Ecovacs a leading Robotics company and it has tied up with Milagrow for the India business.

Anku Sharma, Senior Marketing Manager, Milagrow said while launching the product that “Milagrow HumanTech is committed to bringing the very latest in consumer robotics technology to India and will continue to offer its consumers the very best the world of robotics has to offer.”

The Winbot works much like other cleaning robots. When it is placed on a glass, it figures out the size of the surface and then travels back and forth to clean it. It can clean glass of ANY thickness – even Thermopane! It is fall proof with Dual Suction Rings for Safety Protection and can clean for unlimited time with (upto 5 meter long cables is included which can also be extended).

WINBOT comes with a back up of a long range remote function. It raises and auto alarm when cleaning is finished and auto returns to original place. Giving a Three-Stage Cleaning for Maximum Efficiency, Powerful Suction Ability and Real Time Malfunction Monitoring & Extra battery backup, it sure is a powerful consumer gadget and sure to woo the market.

Other features include

Robotic Area Measurement
Robotic Path Management
Robotic Frameless Cleaning

Robotic Edge Cleaning
Robotic Return to Origin
Robotic Obstacle Sensing
Robotic Fall Proof
Robotic Suction Power Sensor
Robotic Mobility
Robotic Warning Systems

Available at a price of Rs 39,999/-, one can shop at http://milagrowhumantech.com/frameless-windows/211-winbot-frameless.html

US$40 million to Fund Early-Stage Firms in India

Cisco Investments, the venture capital arm of Cisco, today announced an additional allocation of USD $40 million to fund early-stage firms in India under the ‘India Innovation theme’. The new funding allocation builds on Cisco Investments’ momentum in India and is focused on product and technologies that are unique and relevant to India and other emerging markets, including cost optimized designs, industry vertical solutions and application of cloud. As part of the India Innovation theme, Cisco also announced its first investment under this theme in Covacsis - a Mumbai-based real-time analytics platform software provider catering to manufacturing production floors.

Today’s investment theme announcement underscores Cisco’s commitment to India and marks a new phase of support for innovation in India, aligned to the country’s national transformation agenda. The venture investment in India is consistent with Cisco’s long track record of driving IT market growth through investment in the innovation economies. Over the years Cisco has been an active equity investor in India, and has made significant strategic investments in growth stage companies such as Netmagic, Apalya and social innovation funds like Aavishkaar.

Cisco Investments’ existing portfolio is over US$2 billion worldwide and the $40 million early stage allocation under the India Innovation theme is a part of the $250 Million that was announced earlier in the year focused on next generation technologies globally, including big data & analytics; the Internet of Things (IoT); connected mobility; storage; silicon; and content technology ecosystem. Cisco invested in MobStac, a Bangalore based start-up company, as part of its global connected mobility theme.

The strategic investment philosophy of Cisco Investments has evolved over the years. While the company will continue its nearly 20-year history of strategic investing focused on Cisco’s existing core businesses, the launch of the thematic investing approach extends this perspective to support companies who have innovative ideas that will shape the overall global networking ecosystem in the future.

Besides contributing capital to early-stage companies, Cisco Investments helps accelerate the development of these companies by connecting them to expertise and resources such as Cisco IT, Cisco’s business leaders and Cisco’s network of partners and customers through major industry events, such as the annual Cisco Live.

Dinesh Malkani, President, Sales, Cisco India and SAARC remarks: “Cisco’s belief is that the innovative application of technology can have a positive impact on India’s competitiveness, diversification of its industry base, its ability to create jobs and improve quality of life for its citizens. Today's announcement underscores Cisco's recognition of the tremendous innovation and potential that the India technology market offers. Our objective is to help catalyze and accelerate that potential into action that will have a positive impact in India and globally."

Joydeep Bose, Managing Director, Corporate Development, Cisco Asia Pacific & Japan says, “India is committed to rapidly building out its communications infrastructure, which presents a unique opportunity for local entrepreneurs to develop new technologies and applications. As a leading strategic investor, Cisco Investments is committed to support the building of entrepreneurial capacity and nurture the local early stage startup eco-system in India. By spurring and accelerating technology innovation, we want to help India evolve as a global hub for innovation and help Cisco become a defining player in taking technology investment in the region to the next level.”