HONOR Packs a Punch, Unveils the Thinnest Smartwatch – HONOR Watch Magic & HONOR BAND 4 Running

HONOR, the leading smartphone e-brand under the Huawei Group, unveiled two unique wearable devices i.e., HONOR Watch Magic and, HONOR BAND 4 Running along with HONOR View20. HONOR Watch Magic – is a 9.8mm smartwatch, thinnest in its category featuring Touch Screen Retina AMOLED, dual-chipset low-energy consumption system, 3-satellite positioning for multiple sports mode, TruSeen™3.0 smarter heart-rate monitor and Trusleep™2.0 sleep quality smart tracking for daily activities. Pitted as the Smart Companion for users, HONOR Watch Magic is available in two colors Lava Black and Moonlight Silver priced at INR 13,999 and INR 14,999 respectively on Amazon.in.

The HONOR Band 4 Running, designed specifically for runners features a 0.5” PMOLED Display, dual wearing mode (foot and hand), six-axis sensors to monitor and professionally manage the running postures is available in dual band color at INR 1599.

Speaking at the launch occasion, Allen Wang, Vice President Huawei India, said, “HONOR Watch Magic and Honor Band 4 Running have been designed keeping in mind the frenetic lives of young India who aspire for a Smarter and Healthier lifestyle. Making the maximum use of science, these devices understand the body functioning of users to adapt intelligently and, thence become an extension of you.”

Speaking at the launch occasion, Amazon said, “Consumers today are looking for   devices that complement the way they function and raise their fitness quo. We believe HONOR Watch Magic and HONOR Band 4 Running are the tech-accessories for it. HONOR Band 4 is already a hit among millennials, these two new wearable devices will certainly be a value add to the users.”

HONOR Watch Magic is powered by industry’s first, double-chipset architecture for low energy consumption. The AI enabled low-energy algorithm recognizes the usage and pattern of the user to customize and save power and thus, deliver battery life for a week.  The three satellite positioning helps achieve a faster and more accurate positioning – a feature designed specifically for sports enthusiasts. Catering to all outdoor, indoor and training mode the HONOR Watch Magic uses scientific training system ranging from an introductory to advanced professional courses. Besides, the HONOR Watch Magic also acts as a smart companion helping track daily activities, understand the sleep quality, heart-rate and thus lead a convenient life. Available, in two color options Lava black and Moonlight Silver the HONOR Watch Magic comes in sports and fashion mode.

The HONOR Band 4 Running offers seven types of fitness data ranging from Foot Strike Pattern & Impact, Swing Angle, Eversion Range, Step Length, Cadence and Ground Contact Time.

Some of the other features that are in common are Finding Your Phone, Message & Incoming Call Notifications.

AptEner Mechatronics Announces Series A funding of INR 10 Crore

AptEner Mechatronics, a two-year-old Bangalore-based startup and creators of the ‘BluArmor’ range of smart multi-functional motorcycle gear that aims to provide 4-wheeler like comfort and safety to 2-wheeler riders, today announced a ‘Series A’ round of INR 10 Cr. led by Inventus India and KITVEN.

This development caps what has been an excellent twelve months for Team BluArmor. Over the past year, the team has successfully launched best-in-class hardware and software products targeted at rider-comfort and established a strong distribution chain in the domestic and international market.

BluSnap, the first product in the BluArmor range, is the world’s first snap-on cooler that retro-fits to existing full-face motorcycle helmets. In addition to cooling the air by up to 15 degrees, BluSnap blocks dust to provide cool, clean air for the two-wheeler rider. Riders can also bid farewell to expensive pin-lock visors using BluSnap’s quick de-fog option. True to their motto of “Build in India, Make for the World”, BluSnap has now been successfully sold in over 10 countries spread over 4 continents.

The company has also launched the ‘BluRydr’ travel companion app that auto-creates shareable travel stories. Using the route you take, the places you stop, and the pics and videos tagged to those places, BluRydr creates a travelogue that you can easily share with your friends. ‘BluRydr’ is a free download available on the Google Playstore.

Commenting on the development, Mr PK Sundararajan, CEO & Founder, BluArmor said, “We are very excited that Inventus India and KITVEN are joining us for the next phase of BluArmor’s journey. We have a slew of feature-rich products in the pipeline and this capital will enable us to rapidly bring them to market, expand quickly and strategically, and deliver on our vision around the world.”

Samir Kumar, Managing Director, Inventus India said, “In hot countries like India, Taiwan, etc. which have large 2-wheeler populations, riding with a helmet can be extremely uncomfortable. We believe PK's strong tech and business abilities, supported by a group of passionate bikers is capable of creating a successful smart 2-wheeler accessory company. We're excited to be partnering with this team.” 

Skill India to Send First batch of Care Workers under TITP to Japan

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), an executive arm of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), today announced that it will be sending second batch of 17 skilled candidates to Japan under the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP).

Amongst the 17 candidates who will be leaving for Japan by end of February, five candidates have been trained as Care Workers, which marks India’s first batch to Japan in this job category.  The candidates, trained as Care Workers by NAVIS Nihongo, will be interning in hospitals and nursing homes in Japan and will draw stipend as per Japanese wage norms.

The other 12 candidates will be interning in Machine Maintenance job category.   Earlier in July and September 2018, India had sent another group of 17 candidates to Japan, who are currently undergoing internship in leading electronic equipment and agricultural organisations.

The announcement was made yesterday at TITP Seminar, organised by NSDC in New Delhi.   NSDC is the Implementing and Monitoring Agency for TITP in India and has empanelled over 20 Sending Organisations for technical and language training of candidates for this program.

The TITP Seminar witnessed the presence of Mr. Yasuo Ariga, Deputy Director of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan; Mr. Kei Saruwatari, Director, International Affairs Division of Organization for Technical Intern Training (OTIT); Mr. Kenko Sone, Minister, Economic and Development; Mr Kenji Aya, First Secretary from Embassy of Japan in India; Ms. Juthika Patankar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India; Mr. Ashok Chawla, Advisor from Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and Dr. Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC. The seminar was attended by empanelled Sending Organisations, and also saw representatives from prospective organisations, interested in participation in TITP.

Sharing her vision, Ms. Juthika Patankar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “Skill Development is emerging as an important field of bilateral cooperation between India and Japan.  Technical Intern Training Program holds the promise of fueling the Indian economy by transfer of Japanese best practices.  Japan, on the other hand, will get a rich pool of skilled young workforce from India, especially in sectors such as health care, maintenance, electrical among others. The program will help in synergising India’s demographic dividend and Japan’s capital and technology to realise the true potential of the India-Japan economic partnership for a prosperous future.”

Talking about the initiative Dr. Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC said, “I am delighted that a new chapter in collaboration between the two nations has begun under the Care Worker Job Category. The platform for bilateral collaboration offered by TITP will pave the way for India and Japan to leverage their complementary strengths. The agile and competent workforce trained under the program will truly position India to emerge as the skill capital of the world.”

Mr. Yasuo Ariga, Deputy Director of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan stressed upon the great level of convergence of political, cultural, economic and strategic interests between the two nations.  He emphasized the importance of TITP to strengthen this bi-lateral relationship further.
Mr. Kei Saruwatari, Director, International Affairs Division of Organization for Technical Intern Training (OTIT) shared various nuances for enabling smoother execution of TITP.  He focussed on safeguarding interests of trainees in Japan and emphasised on standards and quality parameters in training.

First Batch Sent in July 2018 - In the last one year, TITP has gained momentum. The Sending Organizations from India, which are training the candidates in language, technical and cultural skills, have witnessed a progressive execution.  The first batch of 17 interns were sent to Japan in July and September 2018.  Of these 17 candidates, 15 were trained by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in consortium with Nihon Technology Pvt. Ltd. and are currently undergoing training at Maxell, an electronic equipment assembling company in Japan. The other 2 candidates, trained by Lohia Corp Limited, are interning in Japan in Agriculture sector, for cultivation of high quality strawberries in greenhouse.

About Sending Organisations - For execution of the TITP program, NSDC has empanelled a diverse pool of credible and experienced Sending Organizations, which includes leading institutes of higher learning, medical colleges and universities, Japanese language training institutes, eminent Indian industrial chambers and associations and proficient training partners of NSDC. These Sending Organizations are entrusted with the task of sending the trained Indian youth to Japan as per the requirements of Japanese firms.  Currently, over 500 candidates are undergoing training in India under TITP. 

Samsung R&D Centre in Bengaluru Switches to Solar Energy, Ties up with Solar Farm 500 km Away

Samsung’s R&D centre in Bengaluru has switched to solar power for its campus in the IT capital of India. The campus which houses over 3,000 R&D employees will draw 88% of its power requirement from a solar farm in Kalburgi district in Karnataka, around 500 kilometres away from Bengaluru.

 How does it work with the farm 500 kilometres away?

In December 2018, Samsung R&D Institute, Bengaluru (SRI-B), which is Samsung’s largest R&D centre outside Korea, adopted the green energy solution through a method called ‘energy wheeling’.

The solar farm by Bagmane Green Power LLP based in Kalburgi has a tie-up with SRI-B. Through ‘energy wheeling’, the solar farm adds the required power to the state electricity grid and SRI-B in turn, receives an equal amount of power from the local electricity grid.

This method reduces transmission and distribution losses, thereby making it more energy efficient.

Why solar?

SRI-B initiated the process of going solar in March 2016 as part of its Go Green Initiative to increase usage of non-conventional energy sources for its campus. This would reduce SRI-B’s reliance on the traditional power grid, making that energy available for other uses.

SRI-B then began seeking solar power suppliers to partner with, for its electricity requirements. Since December 2018, the R&D centre has drawn 8 lakh units of solar power, instead of depending on energy derived from traditional sources such as coal.

“Our switch to solar power is an embodiment of Samsung values of being a socially and environmentally responsible citizen. Through this initiative we have not only reduced our dependency on conventional sources of energy but we will also have a positive impact on the environment by reducing our carbon footprint and passing on a greener planet to the next generation,” said Dipesh Shah, Managing Director, SRI-B.

SRI-B has conducted various campaigns over the years to promote environment-friendly behavior among its employees. It ran a campaign recently to reduce usage of single-use plastic water bottles in the company. Last year, it ran multiple tree plantation drives as well as multiple events that encouraged employees to reuse and recycle waste items.

The search for fbb Colors Femina Miss India 2019 begins…

 

With the legacy of transforming lives of young talented women who have become icons in the glamour and fashion industry, fbb Colors Femina Miss India 2019 Co-powered By Sephora & Rajnigandha Pearls vows to continue its tradition with an aim to extend whole-hearted support to the new generation women who have the potential to lead and represent the country in the future. 

The winner will represent India at Miss World pageant. The others too stand a chance to represent the country at International Pageants like Miss Grand International and Miss United Continents.

This time too, the pageant will conduct a nationwide hunt in all the 30 states (including the Capital, Delhi). The Top 3 contestants from every state will win a Golden Ticket to the State’s Zonal crowning ceremony which will be held in Bangalore (South Zone) on 24th February 2019, Delhi (North Zone) on 06TH March, 2019, Pune (West Zone) on 02nd April, 2019 and Kolkata (East Zone) on 23rd April, 2019. Each state winner will make it to Grand Finale which will be held in June.

But before that they will undergo rigorous training from the best in the industry. The gorgeous Neha Dhupia and Dia Mirza will mentor the girls; East and West Zone will be handled by Neha and while Dia will take charge of the North and South Zone.

Dia Mirza – (South Zone & North Zone) Commenting on the same, “Miss India created a paradigm shift in my life and I hope the same for these girls too. The legacy of Miss India is extra ordinary, I will give my best from my end to girls to achieve their dreams and discover themselves. I’m sure Miss India will be a turning point to all the contestants”

Neha Dhupia – (East Zone & West Zone) Commenting on the same, “I started my journey with Miss India and since then it has been a never-ending relationship with the pageant. Every year I see a fresh lot of ambitious and enthusiastic girls with the dream to win the Miss India and make India proud at the prestigious Miss world. I’m looking forward to have Manushi’s successor this year.”

With Six Miss Worlds who have made India proud by marking their presence on the globe- Reita Faria (1966), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999), Priyanka Chopra (2000) and Manushi Chhillar Miss World 2017, who brought the coveted crown back home after 17 years- the hunt for the new crown bearer has now begun.

The fbb Colors Femina Miss India 2019 auditions will be divided across four zones:

10th Feb Sunday Karnataka, Bengaluru, fbb/Big Bazaar, LG-29, Phoenix Market City, Opp To BBMP Office, Mahadevapura,   Bengaluru, Karnataka

The new format will permit you to audition ONLY if you belong to the audition states as mentioned above with a valid document to verify the same:

Criteria’s of the state auditions as stated below:

Birth state: The State mentioned on her Birth certificate

Current state: The State where she is currently studying or is employed in or is a resident of.

Native State: The State where both or at least one of her parent is residing /studying/ employed or born in.

Please note the participation criteria for any girl includes: 

Height criteria - 5’5” and above.

Age - 18 – 25 (25 as per 31st Dec 2019).

Age 26 & 27 are eligible for the runner up position only

OCI card holders are also eligible for runner up positions.

“We are ecstatic to be the title sponsors of the pageant sixth year in a row. This association strategically complements with fbb's brand objective of making India more stylish with the desire to democratise fashion.”- Rajesh Seth, COO, fbb, Future Group.

Talking about this partnership, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head - Hindi Mass Entertainment & Kids TV Network, Viacom18 said, “Its a triumphant moment for us every time we see a fbb COLORS Miss India contestant making it big globally. Over the years we have set the bar high in empowering women to believe in themselves and to make a mark in the world. Once again as we open the doors of this platform for the young aspirants, I would like to urge more and more parents to support their daughters’ dreams as they dazzle with their confidence, intellect and personality.”

“2017 saw Miss Haryana Manushi Chhillar winning the fbb Colors Miss India pageant and she went forth to win the coveted Miss World Title for India after 17 years. Region to Nation to World has been a seamless journey for Manushi with the Miss India platform. With the Introduction of a new format wherein state pageant winners compete for the national title has helped Miss India permeate to smaller towns across India, helping Young women re-write their destiny. We at Miss India infused our Nations rich Cultural and Social diversity which gave the event a fillip in terms of reach and participation.  With partners like fbb, Colors, and Femina, we know that Miss India Crown will surely be within reach of a deserving contestant from across our Country. Looking forward to a great 2019” - Rohit Gopakumar, COO, Miss India Organization.

The finalists of fbb Colors Femina Miss India 2019 will undergo rigorous training and grooming sessions from the best experts in the industry before the Grand Finale in June which will be aired on Colors.

Medvarsity Online Along with ATI Nursing Education Hosts Nursing Professional Development Conference 2019

Nursing Professional Development Conference 2019 held on Jan 29, 2019 late evening at Hyderabad by Medvarsity, a pioneer in online medical training, in partnership with ATI Nursing Education, USA, shed light on the nursing education scenario in India.

This conference brought together Nursing Leaders and Educators, Practitioners, Medical Professionals, Human Resource Professionals in the country and from ATI Nursing Education (USA) on one platform to discuss the current nursing education system, the challenges and opportunities that are prevailing.

The agenda further focused on  the need for professional development and continuing education for nurses and the role of technology in nursing education. It also talked about the practical challenges that are encountered on a generic basis and solutions that can be adopted in the fields of Advanced Nursing Practices.

“Healthcare Industry is showing an exponential growth, and hospitals today are shifting focus from survival to excellence which indicates the need for excellent healthcare workforce. Nursing being one of the cornerstones of the healthcare system and the industry changing more rapidly than almost any other field; nurses need to invest on continuing education and professional development to keep themselves updated. Medvarsity, in partnership with ATI Nursing Education, USA, is working on building technology-based nursing education programs that can be implemented at college and professional level”, Dr. Ashwin Kandula, Associate Vice President- Operations, Medvarsity Online Ltd. said at the event.

The panel discussion which followed after the informative sessions by various esteemed dignitaries brought to light the challenges in the Nursing profession/education and how technological advancements can assist in overcoming these.  Speakers like Ms. Michele Steinbeck (Director of Nursing for International & Provider Markets, Ascent Learning/ATI Nursing Education), Dr. Kristi Gearhart Burgess (Client Executive for International & Provider Markets, Ascent Learning/ATI Nursing Education), Col. Saravjeet Kaur (Nursing Director, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad), Dr. Sriharsha A. Achar (Group chief Human Resources Officer, Apollo Hospitals Group),  Dr. Vasundhara (Principal, Apollo Nursing College), Ms. Sonymol (GM Nursing, Continental Hospital, Hyderabad) and Ms. Tessy Augustine (GM Nursing, Maxcure Hospitals, Hyderabad) spoke about the latest innovations in nursing. The session included discussions on the empowerment strategies, leadership roles, healthcare transformation, entrepreneurial avenues and reflection of nursing as a science in order to help upskill the community, as a whole.

Through the course of the discussion, it was noted that the current generation of nursing students are digital savvy and know their ways well through technology for knowledge acquisition. This can be made possible through adaptive learning, online instructions and simulation based techniques. A more team based learning environment, with the use of simulations are proving beneficial not only for the students, but for the faculty as well to help produce better quality nurses, complimenting the traditional classroom teaching. The new age nurses are looking to make use of technology to manage electronic medical records, communicate with clients, perform physical exams and strategize care plans. 

Kia First Indian Manufactured Car to Hit Roads by July 2019

The first ever car of the Korean car manufacturer Kia Motors rolling out of its Anantapur plant will be roaming on Indian streets this July.

The model will be a mid-size Sport utility vehicle (SUV) ready to give a tough fight to models such as Duster, S Cross and Creta. The Kia model SP-2 will be available in both petrol and diesel variants and the electric vehicles will come on a later date. Elaborating the road ahead for the Korean car giant, Kia Motors India head of marketing and sales Manohar Bhat said that models will roll every six months after the trial run is over. “We are going to launch three different models within one and half year,” Bhatt said. He said that the price range will be Rs 6,00,000 to Rs 16,00,000.

“We are one month ahead of schedule and we will be launching the SP2 vehicle in the second half of this year. We have invested $ 1 billion from our side already and another $1 billion by the vendors. There are two vendor parks adjacent to our unit. The unit is capable of producing three lakh vehicles per year from day one,” Bhat said. “The real test is to assess the quality in terms of material. As we are known for the quality of our vehicles,” he added.

He said that Kia is keen on catering to Indian market, so it has to be a ‘value for money’ car. “So, we will keep localization to a larger extent but can’t tell you an exact figure, but we will give you a vehicle that everyone will love,” he said.