Author: Loknath Das

Our cars are literally becoming mobile devices running on software platforms. Safety is critical when it comes to automobiles, because written safety standards and our lives depend on it, necessitating mission-critical embedded systems. Enter BlackBerry QNX, designed not to fail, innovating the way cars automate both safety and entertainment features. The company is covering all the bases with fail-safe connectivity and software that meets the needs of users, according to Grant Courville (pictured), vice president of products and strategy at BlackBerry Ltd. “Where things have to be reliable, safe, secure, work all the time, that’s where you’ll find our software — factory floors, we’re…

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Will enable identity verification, better tracking of users Data Protection Bill requires social media companies to create e-KYC like validation process. The validated users will get something like a blue tick or ‘visible mark of verification, which shall be visible to all users of the service’. This will turn companies like Facebook and Twitter into e-KYC firms, allowing government to identify the identity of each ‘verified profile’. Experts feel this will, on the one hand, increase compliance costs for social media companies, while at the same time, allow government to track individuals on social media more effectively. In addition, the…

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 ‘As the first Facebook employee who worked on paid political marketing in Europe, I am convinced that simply banning political ads on social media fixes nothing.’ Photograph: Denis Charlet/AFP via Getty Images Most people celebrated when Twitter announced its ban on political ads in October, and for good reason – there’s a lot wrong with the current state of political campaigning online. But as the first Facebook employee who worked on paid political marketing in Europe, I am convinced that simply banning political ads on social media fixes nothing; in my opinion, it encourages inflammatory, polarising rhetoric and drives campaign money…

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Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Ltd received a staggering response from investors to its initial public offering on the final day on Wednesday with the issue being the third most oversubscribed IPO in India. The offering of 123.95 million shares, excluding the anchor allotment portion, received bids for about nearly 20.52 billion shares towards the end of day three, stock-exchange data showed. The book was subscribed to 170 times on the final day. This is the third-best investor turnout in an IPO, after those of Apollo Microsystems and Capacit’e Infraprojects. As for Ujjivan SFB, the quota reserved for retail investors, whose bid application…

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MUMBAI : Payments banks can apply for conversion into small finance banks (SFBs) after five years of operation, provided they meet the eligibility criteria, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said on Thursday, as it announced the final guidelines for on-tap licencing of private sector SFBs. The promoter of a payments bank is eligible to set up an SFB, provided that both banks come under the non-operating financial holding company (NOFHC) structure, according to the guidelines. Existing rules do not allow payments banks to lend and deposits are capped at ₹1 lakh per customer. If these entities get the licence of small…

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NEW DELHI: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the recent corporate tax rate cut was aimed at attracting investments and creating jobs while clarifying that the reduction in minimum alternate tax was applicable from the beginning of the current financial year. “We think we will attract investment by reducing tax rate,” she told Parliament, while adding that several countries had done the same. She was speaking during the debate on the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill that was passed by the Lok Sabha, replacing a September 20 ordinance. The MAT clarification would have come as a relief as the text of the bill had said the…

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Pune-based Electronica Finance Ltd (EFL) has raised over Rs 100 crore ($15 million) through the issuance of Compulsorily Convertible Preference Shares (CCPS). According to a statement released by the company, the funds will be utilised by EFL for its business growth in the existing product segments and expansion into its new rooftop solar financing business. Incorporated in 1990, EFL is a part of the SRP Electronica Group and a pioneer in the field of machine finance. It engages in machinery and other asset financings for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Shilpa Pophale, MD, Electronica Finance Ltd Shilpa Pophale, Managing Director, Electronica Finance Ltd, said, “EFL has…

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MODEL OBSESSION: Rock singer Rod Stewart, known for his partying ways and three marriages, has been faithful in one pursuit. He has spent 23 years on a project, creating a model of a gritty American city, complete with railway tracks and even skyscrapers. Netizens have gushed over his skills, with one tweeting: “Very impressive. Nice to see the geeky side of a celeb.” Stewart, 74, told the Associated Press of his creation: “There’s garbage in the streets, the windows are filthy, there’s everything you can imagine in real life.” When he built a house in Beverly Hills, he used the…

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If you want to know how to improve your content marketing strategy, open your eyes and take advantage of the valuable marketing metrics you have at your fingertips. In this article, I will explain why these measures are important, what some of the most valuable metrics are and how you can use these indicators to improve your content marketing campaign and increase your marketing ROI. Marketing Metrics: Why Are They So Important? The term “marketing metrics” encompasses any measurable variable that demonstrates the effectiveness of your campaign. But this raw data alone will not tell you much. To get the…

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Bengaluru: About 62% of Indian businesses accept payments via social media as compared to the global average of 55%. This has led to an increased adoption of social commerce in the country, a survey by digital payments company PayPal and market research firm Ipsos has found. Social commerce adoption has been increasing in India. About 57% purchased via this channel in the past six months, with over half of them doing so weekly. For the businesses surveyed, 55% of their sales volume was generated via social media, compared to the global average of 45%. The survey — conducted across 11 countries with about 22,000 consumers and…

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