Sony Announces New On-Ear Wireless Headphones WH-CH520 With 50 Hours Battery Life

* WH-CH520 in Black, White, Blue and Beige

1.   With up to 50-hour battery life and quick charging, you’ll have enough power for multi-day road trips and long festival weekends

2.    Multipoint connection allows you to quickly switch between two devices at once

3.    Great sound quality customizable to your music preference with EQ Custom on the Sony| Headphones Connect App

4.    Boost the quality of compressed music files and enjoy streaming music with high-quality sound through DSEE

5.    Designed to be lightweight and comfortable for all-day use

6.    Crystal clear hands-free calling with built-in mic

7.    Find your headphones easily with Fast Pair

8.    Connect to your PC easily with Swift Pair

9.    360 Reality Audio compatible so you can fully immerse yourself in sound all around you

10.  Swivel design for compact and easy carrying

Sony India today announced the launch of WH-CH520 headphones, designed for listeners to enjoy music the way the artist intended with high-quality audio in a compact form factor. The on-ear wireless headphones provide up to 50 hours battery life with all day comfort and enhanced call performance to meet the demands of your day. It also features Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) to produce high-quality sound exactly as the artist intended as well as multipoint connection for easy connectivity between devices.

1.    With up to 50-hour battery life and quick charging, you’ll have enough power for multi-day road trips and long festival weekends

The WH-CH520 boasts a great battery life compared to previous models so listeners can immerse themselves in more of their music for a longer duration. It has a battery life of up to 35 hours with Noise Cancelling and 50 hours without Noise Cancelling with quick charging. A 3-minute charge would give up to 1 hour of playback.

2.    Multipoint connection allows you to quickly switch between two devices at once

WH-CH520 features a Multipoint connection which allows you to quickly switch between two devices at once. It comes with easy button operation and can be controlled with your voice. Since the connection is easy with Swift Pair and Fast pair, these headphones are ideal for everyday use.

3.    Great sound quality customizable to your music preference with EQ Custom on the    Sony|Headphones Connect App

Whether you’re listening to electrifying pop or bassy rap, the WH-CH520 allow you to tailor your sound using the equaliser in the Sony | Headphones Connect app. You can choose from a variety of settings to match sound quality with the music genre you’re listening to or even create and save your own settings.

4.    Boost the quality of compressed music files and enjoy streaming music with high-quality sound through DSEE

Further learning from its predecessor models, consumers can enjoy DSEE Ultimate for upscaling their music in WH-CH520 whether it is Wi-Fi® streamed or downloaded. Now listeners can also enjoy DSEE Ultimate with wireless headphones.

5.    Designed to be lightweight and comfortable for all-day use

The on-ear headphones feature an adjustable headband with padding, soft earpads and lightweight design so you can find the perfect fit and stay comfortable for longer.

6.    Crystal clear hands-free calling with built-in mic

Improved technology features on the WH-CH520 mean you can enjoy even better call quality. Beamforming microphones with Precise Voice Pickup technology are smartly positioned to pick up your voice more clearly and accurately in a range of environments. A newly developed wind noise reduction structure around the microphones reduces background noise for you, keeping conversations and music clear and uninterrupted. Whether you’re joining an online class or a work meeting, the WH-CH520 also provides easy hands-free calling and great call quality.

7.    Find your headphones easily with Fast Pair

The WH-CH520 headphones support’s Fast Pair feature, giving you the edge to connect the headphones with your Android device on the go.

8.    Connect to your PC easily with Swift Pair

The Swift Pair also makes it quick and easy to pair your headphones with your Windows 10 computer via Bluetooth®.

9.    360 Reality Audio compatible so you can fully immerse yourself in sound all around you

The WH-CH520 allows playback of 360 Reality Audio tracks, personalized to the specific shape & size of the user’s ears. With 360 Reality Audio, you can bring the experience of a music concert as if you are experiencing it live

10.  Swivel design for compact and easy carrying

The Swivel design allows you to carry your world with you while moving. The headphone is designed to ensure it fits well with things and is compact for easy handling.

Price and Availability:

The WH-CH520 will be available across Sony retail stores (Sony Center and Sony Exclusive), www.ShopatSC.com portal, major electronic stores, and other e-commerce websites in India from 11th April 2023 onwards.

HFCL Becomes India’s first Enterprise To Offer OpenRoamingTM Across Their Complete Wi-Fi Portfolio

* HFCL offers integrated WBA OpenRoaming support with all their Wi-Fi products to enable customers with  hassle-free, seamless and fully secure Wi-Fi roaming across different networks and geographies

HFCL Limited (‘HFCL’), a leading technology enterprise and integrated next-gen communication product and solution provider announces integrated support for Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) OpenRoaming across their entire IO portfolio of Wi-Fi products making them the first Indian enterprise to do so. This support is available for all global customers looking to buy OpenRoaming enabled Wi-Fi solutions. The Company demonstrated OpenRoaming use cases at ‘Wi-Fi & Delicensing of 6 GHZ: The Driving Force of Broadband for All’ seminar hosted today on 11th April by the WBA and Broadband India Forum (BIF) in New Delhi and highlighted the importance of OpenRoaming and how it eases the life of end consumers.

OpenRoaming is a roaming federation service by the WBA that enables companies to provide a secure and automatic Wi-Fi experience to its users and further scale roaming relationships, across the globe. WBA OpenRoaming creates the framework to connect billions of users and things to millions of Wi-Fi networks globally. Deployed at over 1 million hotspots worldwide, WBA OpenRoaming platform has emerged as the standard for Wi-Fi network owners and service providers. It is based on cyber security, cloud federation, and network automation, which enable the function of roaming federation.

With its consistent focus on R&D, HFCL has emerged as a leading technology enterprise to bring innovative products and solutions like World’s First Open-Source Wi-Fi 7 Access Points and a complete 5G Access & Transport portfolio. HFCL has integrated OpenRoaming on all its Wi-Fi products, which will enable frictionless experience for the end-users, by offering automatic connection, secure device authentication for all enabled devices with only a one-time process.

Speaking on this development, Jitendra Chaudhary, Executive President, HFCL said, “We are immensely proud to be the first Indian enterprise that enables the deployment of WBA’s OpenRoaming across our Wi-Fi portfolio. We are currently working with telecom operators and large ISPs in India and in few other countries to deploy OpenRoaming. We aim to make the most of this first mover advantage and make the internet more accessible for all globally. This open connectivity framework allows organizations to power new opportunities in the 5G era and digital connectivity, and brings us a step closer to bridging the digital divide that exists in today’s world. It further tends to lay down the foundation for the future convergence of public Wi-Fi with 5G and other cellular services. Such a revolutionary move will enable our users to live and become digitally stronger in their daily lives. Backed by our consistent R&D efforts and ongoing commitment to innovation, this reiterates our position as the leading manufacturer of innovative telecom products and solutions on the global front.”

Tiago Rodrigues, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, said: “The Wireless Broadband Alliance applauds HFCL’s commercial launch of WBA OpenRoaming across their portfolio enabling users to access the Internet securely and ensure user privacy. Making Wi-Fi easier and better is the goal of all WBA Members and we are delighted to support HFCL in their endeavours.”

With OpenRoaming, HFCL is enabling its customers a hassle-free, seamless, automatic, fully secure Wi-Fi onboarding and roaming services to their network users across different OpenRoaming enabled networks across different geographies. The idea is to create a world where users can access Wi-Fi anywhere without having to search for available Wi-Fi networks, without having to worry about connecting to open-security Wi-Fi and go through complex authentication processes, which can be time-consuming and frustrating. With OpenRoaming, users can automatically connect to any Wi-Fi network that is part of the OpenRoaming ecosystem anywhere in the world and start using it immediately.

ADB, TATA Power Sign Deal To Enhance Delhi’s Power Distribution Through Grid Enhancements And Battery Energy Storage System

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL), the distribution arm of Tata Power Co Ltd (Tata Power), entered into an agreement to subscribe to non-convertible debentures for 1.5 billion Indian Rupees (equivalent to $18.2 million) to enhance Delhi’s power distribution through grid enhancements, and a $2 million grant to partially finance the purchase and integration of a pilot battery energy storage system (BESS).

The senior secured financing will be used to commission a new 66/11-kilovolt grid, augment and expand transformers, substations, feeder lines, and switching stations, install smart meters, and replace obsolete electrical equipment and meters.

The 10-megawatt-hour (MWh) BESS is South Asia’s first grid-scaled energy storage project at the distribution transformer level. It will enable electricity to be stored and delivered on demand, reducing grid instability, and providing the flexibility to integrate intermittent solar and wind energy resources. The grant to finance the BESS is provided by Goldman Sachs and Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Climate Innovation and Development Fund (CIDF) and administered by ADB.

“Power distribution is a crucial link in the electricity supply chain, and at times one of the most vulnerable. Mainstreaming a battery energy storage system at the distribution transformer level will better integrate renewable energy sources and contribute to a more disaster-resilient power distribution system for Delhi,” said ADB’s Director General for Private Sector Operations Suzanne Gaboury. “As Asia’s Climate Bank, ADB supports India’s climate goals through innovative technologies and the catalyzing of private capital to finance green projects.”

“The battery energy storage system plays a crucial role in building a resilient grid and paves the way for a future-ready power distribution network.  We thank ADB for administering this grant for the integration of the pilot BESS with TPDDL’s network. This will enable us in ensuring high-quality power supply for consumers and help integrate clean energy into the power supply mix,” said Tata Power CEO and Managing Director Dr. Praveer Sinha.

In 2022 India’s Ministry of Power targeted battery storage capacity of 4% of total electricity consumption by 2030. To reach that goal, India would need a total battery energy storage capacity of 182 gigawatt-hours by 2030. ADB’s financing through CIDF for the pilot BESS will provide proof of concept and lessons learned by TPDDL to implement a planned additional 50 MWh of BESS capacity.

Launched in September 2021, CIDF is a blended finance facility managed by ADB, established with an initial $25 million philanthropic commitment from Bloomberg Philanthropies and Goldman Sachs. The fund has the potential to unlock up to $500 million in private sector and governmental investments in support of sustainable low-carbon economic development and help catalyze a clean energy transition in South and Southeast Asia.

TPDDL is a joint venture between Tata Power Company Limited and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. TPDDL supports over 3200 employees and has a customer base of 1.9 million connections. Its operational area spans 510 square kilometers with customers across industrial, commercial, household, and agricultural segments. In 2002, TPDDL was awarded a 25-year license to distribute and transmit electricity in Delhi’s north and northwest regions. Tata Power is one of India’s largest integrated power companies.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.

ExxonMobil To Build Lubricant Manufacturing Plant in Indian Market

* Investing nearly INR 900 crore to build a lubricant plant in Raigad, Maharashtra

* New plant expected to produce 159,000 kiloliters of finished lubricants per year to help meet demand growth in India

* Commercial startup expected by year-end 2025

ExxonMobil said today it is investing nearly INR 900 crore (USD $110 million) to build a lubricant manufacturing plant at the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation’s Isambe Industrial Area in Raigad. The company made the announcement in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Industry Minister Uday Samant and senior officials from Maharashtra.

Once operational, the plant will have the capacity to potentially manufacture 159,000 kiloliters of finished lubricants annually to meet growing domestic demand from industrial sectors such as manufacturing, steel, power, mining, and construction, as well as from passenger and commercial vehicle segments. It is expected to begin operations by the end of 2025. 

“We are proud to deepen our longstanding commitment to India with our first greenfield investment. Maharashtra is amongst India’s largest manufacturing hubs and a natural choice for our lubricant plant thanks to its attractive investment environment,” said Monte Dobson, lead country manager for ExxonMobil affiliates in India. 

In a significant boost to the “Make in India” initiative, the plant will source a larger part of the base stocks, additives, and all packaging locally. It is expected to create nearly 1,200 jobs during the construction phase.

“This is a step change towards bolstering our position as one of India’s leading providers of high-performance lubricants. Manufacturing locally will simplify our supply chain, enabling us to serve the needs of our Indian customers and consumers more readily. We are excited about our growing role in supporting the India growth story,” said Vipin Rana, CEO, ExxonMobil Lubricants Pvt. Ltd.

A global leader in lubrication technology, ExxonMobil’s extensive range of Mobil-branded engine oils, greases and lubricants has been advancing energy efficiency, productivity, and sustainability for India’s automotive and industrial sectors for decades. The company is also a major supplier of liquefied natural gas to India and its chemical products are widely used in Indian manufacturing. 

About ExxonMobil in India

ExxonMobil has been powering India’s growth for three decades.

The Company brought the first supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India in the early 2000s and is now a major LNG supplier to the country, helping to advance its transition to a gas-based economy.

ExxonMobil’s cutting-edge product solutions such as Mobil lubricants are driving productivity and energy efficiency in India’s automotive and industrial sectors, helping individual consumers and businesses achieve more with less. The Company’s chemical products are enabling Indian manufacturers to make high-quality products and deliver sustainability benefits across sectors including food processing, consumer durables, agriculture, water treatment, pharmaceuticals, and construction.

ExxonMobil’s business and technology centers in Bengaluru provide critical support to the Company’s global operations. The technology centers help develop strategies to reduce global emissions and collaborate with homegrown manufacturers to enhance the global competitiveness of made-in-India products.

To learn more about ExxonMobil lubricants in India, visit https://www.mobil.co.in/en-in.

Exxon Mobil Corporation has numerous affiliates, many with names that include ExxonMobil, Exxon, Esso and Mobil. For convenience and simplicity, those terms and references to “corporation,” “company,” “ExxonMobil,” “EM,” and other similar terms are used for convenience and may refer to one or more specific affiliates or affiliate groups.

NPCI Appoints Mr. Vishal Kanvaty As New Chief Technology Officer

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has recently announced the appointment of Mr. Vishal Anand Kanvaty as its Chief Technology Officer (CTO).  In his earlier role, Vishal was managing the portfolio of Chief Market Innovation at NPCI. Joined in 2017, he has also managed Product and Innovations profiles at NPCI. He is a B.Tech graduate from JNTU, Hyderabad and is an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad. His professional experience goes beyond two decades. In his new role, Mr. Kanvaty will be taking care of the new-age technology and shall be responsible for the transformational journey of NPCI.

Mr. Kanvaty has demonstrated thought leadership in new applications of technology to business process automation and has experience in launching various credit card, e-Commerce, and mobile banking products with operational exposure. He also has experience in Financial Inclusion and has spearheaded the strategy and implementation of various products including M-POS/ Mobile Wallet.

Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Dilip Asbe, MD & CEO, NPCI, said, “We, at NPCI, are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Vishal Kanvaty to the position of Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Kanvaty has been an invaluable member of our team for six years, and we are thrilled to see him assume this new and important role. As our new CTO, he brings with him a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and experience in the field of technology and innovation. His leadership, vision, and commitment to excellence will be instrumental in driving the company’s growth journey.”

About NPCI:

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) was incorporated in 2008 as an umbrella organization for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India. NPCI has created a robust payment and settlement infrastructure in the country. It has changed the way payments are made in India through a bouquet of retail payment products such as RuPay card, Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), BHIM Aadhaar, National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC FasTag) and Bharat BillPay.

NPCI is focused on bringing innovations in the retail payment systems through the use of technology and is relentlessly working to transform India into a digital economy. It is facilitating secure payment solutions with nationwide accessibility at minimal cost in furtherance of India’s aspiration to be a fully digital society.

For more information, visit: https://www.npci.org.in/

Global Creator Network’s Latest April Fools Day Campaign Prank For AJIO Had Netizens In Splits

*     AJIO teamed up with Uorfi Javed for a DIY fashion line, sparking the interest of fans

*     In a twist, the exclusive collection turned out to be a prank as part of AJIO’s April Fools Day campaign

AJIO, India's ultimate fashion destination, recently pulled off a clever April Fools Day prank in collaboration with Uorfi Javed, who has been the talk of the town (and she owns that unapologetically). As part of the prank, the brand announced the launch of the exclusive ‘AJIO x Uorfi Javed DIY collection,’ which quickly grabbed the attention of netizens across the country. The April Fools Day campaign was conceptualised and activated by OML Entertainment’s Global Creator Network (GCN).

Uorfi Javed is well-known for her standout wardrobe choices as well as an unapologetic attitude towards fashion. And AJIO intended to capture this essence in a fun and unexpected way. For this, the brand teamed up with Uorfi to launch an exclusive fashion line for fans and promote this revolutionary new collection on social media.

With anticipation for this unprecedented new collection further building, the audience was hooked, excited, and eagerly waiting for its launch. However, when AJIO finally shared links to purchase the collection, and the fans rushed to check out the products, they realised that it was a hilarious April Fools Day prank! The fashion line was expected to include a cluster of products that would have helped fans recreate or make their own version of Uorfi’s head-turning outfits. But, in a humorous twist, it included items such as duct tape, medical gauze, birthday cone-hats and cloth-hanging clips, amongst other day-to-day items.

Devarshi Shah - Senior Vice President & Business Head of Global Creator Network (OML), said, “At Global Creator Network, our efforts have always been to push creative boundaries when it comes to crafting clutter-breaking branded campaigns. And this April Fools Day, we intended to create a campaign - right from conceptualisation to execution - that not only showcased the brand’s playful side but also captured the attention of the audience and made them laugh. The result was a hilarious prank that had the fans talking and enabled the brand to engage with their audiences in a relatable manner.”

GCN’s core focus is to nurture a synergetic partnership between brands and content creators in the digital space while also seeking to unlock their full potential, empowering them to connect with fans and build a community. The April Fools Day prank for AJIO is a testament to this synergy in action, demonstrating how GCN brings out the best in both brands and creators, crafting campaigns that are not only engaging but also memorable.

upGrad Integrates Its Study Abroad Businesses To Turbocharge India's Global Talent Supply

~ The integration will help the brand capitalise on its strengths and become the largest blended study abroad and pathway programs giant in Asia with a strong learning-to-employment approach for global demand ~

upGrad, Asia’s largest integrated career skilling and workforce development company integrates its diversified study abroad portfolio with a wide range of blended and online courses to become the market leader. “Ranging from market-ready skilling programs to assuring the last-mile connectivity with global recruiters, we have built a one-stop spectrum to enable the learning and placement needs of everyone who seeks to build a career in an international geography,” said Mayank Kumar, Co-founder & MD, upGrad.

The brand is reported to have expanded its footprints across 20+ countries with over 1000 university partners and 40,000 recruitment agents and would continue to add more destination markets to its portfolio.

The segment also experienced 100%+ growth during FY23 due to a strong intent towards overseas education that suffered a setback in the last two years; is expected to cross INR 500 crore of annual gross revenue in FY24 and will be profitable. The Study Abroad segment will account for about 20% of the group revenue for the year.

"upGrad will combine its prowess to reach out to learners in metros and non-metro cities through its agent network and extensive university network that has been added via both organic and inorganic arrangements to also become the largest player in the Study Abroad space. We are also working with international recruiting partners with a base in London to build a full-stack learning-to-employment model that connects our learners with jobs. The demand for Indian skilled professionals and talent across the global arena is on a rising trajectory and the right education and competencies could further propel India's stature as the global soft power in the larger talent ecosystem," concluded Kumar.

About upGrad

Started in 2015, upGrad is Asia’s largest integrated Learning, Skilling, Workforce Development & Placement Company. The offerings range from online & hybrid Degree programs to pathway and study abroad programs to certification and Bootcamps to Diploma, Master’s and Doctorate programs for working professionals. upGrad also provides most of these programs to enterprise clients through its B2B arm along with recruitment and staffing services. Till date, upGrad has touched 7 million+ learners across 100+ countries. It boasts a strong network of 300+ direct global university partners, a wide lineup of 2500+ pathway connections, over 20,000 recruitment partners, and a robust enterprise arm with a clientele of 3000 corporate partners worldwide.

www.upgrad.com