Airtel Payments Bank- India’s first payments bank

Key Points to Note

• Airtel was the first applicant to receive the final license from the Reserve Bank of India in April
• Kotak Mahindra Bank holds 19.9% in the Airtel Payments Bank
• The Pilot project has been rolled out in Rajasthan
• Customers will be offered an interest rate of 7.25% on deposits in savings account, higher than the 4-6% commercial banks are offering
• Airtel will not be issuing ATM or debit cards, but will allow cash withdrawal facilities at designated Airtel retail outlets
• Bank accounts can be opened by customers without documents using Aadhaar based e-KYC
• Customers with an Airtel mobile connection will have the mobile number as an account number
• Airtel Bank's services can also be accessed by dialling *400#; or through an interactive voice response system by dialling 400

Source: Various News Reports and Interviews

Researchers develop new technology that uses body heat to charge gadgets

You could soon power wearable devicesusing just your body heat, without any external power supply or battery replacement.
Researchers have developed a new concept of electrical energy storage Thermally Chargeable Solid-state Supercapacitor.

"This is the first time that it has been discovered that a solid-state polymer electrolyte can produce large thermally induced voltage," said Choongho Yu, professor at Texas A&M University . "The voltage can then be used to initiate an electrochemical reaction in electrodes for charging."

The supercapacitor works by converting thermal energy into electrical energy and then storing it in the device.For example, human body heat, or any heat dissipating objects that create temperature differences from their surroundings can be used to charge the capacitor.

The supercapacitor is also flexible in that it can be used as a power supply for wearable electronics and can be integrated into wireless data transmission systems to operate internet of things (IoT) sensors. IoT is a concept of connecting various devices and sensors for data communication and exchange.

Yu employed a physical phenomenon known as the Soret effect -using a solid-state polymer electrolyte, in which a temperature gradient along the supercapacitor moves the ions from the hot side to the cold side generating high thermally induced voltage.

Belt-type device to help treat diabetes

Scientists from Japan's Kumamoto University have developed a wearable devicethat may help treat type 2 diabetes. The device can effect visceral fat loss and improve blood glucose. The belt-type device uses a special type of rubber to transmit mild electrical stimulation with heat shock that activates HSP72, the main protein of heat shock response, which improves glucose-related abnormalities.

Jaguar's battery-powered SUV highlights changing trends in automotive industry

A lot of strange things can be found in Los Angeles, but a battery-powered Jaguar sport utility vehicle is something new even for Southern California. The all-electric Jaguar I-PACE concept SUV, a preview of a vehicle Jaguar intends to start selling within two years, highlights how technology, regulation, shifting consumer tastes and cheap gas are converging to force automakers out of their traditional lanes. Show visitors this week will also see the largest-ever Mini car offered by Germany's BMW AG and a bevy of trucks and SUVs that Detroit automakers General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV will promote in luxury electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc's home state.

FCA's Italian Alfa Romeo brand will also feature a new SUV, as will Germany's Volkswagen AG, which is trying to rebuild its image in California after the scandal over its cheating on diesel emissions tests. With a mandate that zero-emission vehicles make up 15% of automakers' California sales by 2025, the state is driving carmakers to roll out carbon-free vehicles in an environment of uncertain future demand. At the same time, cheap gasoline is propelling a shift among US consumers toward larger vehicles, particularly SUVs. The move by Jaguar is a response to those conflicting pressures, executives said. Recent company research indicated one quarter of Jaguar drivers would consider a battery-powered vehicle. "There's no doubt the market is shifting," said Joe Eberhardt, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America. "There are differing views of how rapidly that shift is happening and to what degree. We want to be prepared." Twenty percent of Jaguar's North American sales come from California. The brand is owned by India's Tata Motors. "It's a very fluid time in the industry and I don't think there is a right or wrong or specific answer to what the next 10 years will be," Eberhardt told Reuters. "Which means we have to be flexible enough...to see what direction the market will take."

Jaguar has enjoyed strong US sales of its 2017 F-PACE SUV, helping drive a 93 percent rise in year-over-year US Jaguar sales from January until October. Until the F-Pace debuted this year, Jaguar had sold only sedans and coupes, leaving the SUV business to Tata's Land Rover brand. The electric platform of Jaguar's new SUV available in 2018, with its 90kWh lithium-ion battery pack and targeted range of 220 miles, had to be built from the ground up. Co-development with Tata Motors, itself working on electric and hybrid vehicles, was not feasible given the differences between market segments and needs, Eberhardt said.

The I-PACE targets the same wealthy, environmentally aware consumers now driving Tesla's Model X SUV. But Eberhardt said Jaguar's vehicle will be "a much lower price point" than the most premium Model X offering, which fully loaded can cost about $130,000. Other luxury carmakers from Audi to BMW and Mercedes-Benz have announced, but not yet launched all-electric SUVs, and Eberhardt said he believed Jaguar would beat them to market.
"Out of the established car makers, we really are the first. Which has advantages but on the other hand it's unchartered territory."

Paytm allows fund transfers to bank accounts at 0% transaction fee

Earlier this week, mobile payment and e-commerce platform Paytm rolled out a feature allowing users and merchants to send money from their Paytm wallets to any bank account at 1% transaction fee. However, now the company has announced that it won't be charging any transaction fee on bank transfers at all. Paytm's latest move comes after MobiKwik announced it'll allow fund transfers to bank accounts at 0% transaction fee.

Earlier, customers and merchants with completed KYCs could send money to banks through Paytm at 1% fee without any waiting period. However those without KYCs had to pay a 4% transaction fee, followed by a wait time of 45 days post creation of a Paytm account, in order to transfer money to banks.

Paytm also said that more than 8,50,000 merchants and 30 million users have used its services in the last 3 days to purchase daily needs such as groceries, household items, travel bookings and fuel, among others. Recently, e-wallet services provider MobiKwik announced that users would now be able to transfer money instantly to any bank account at 0% transaction charges. The company announced the feature in the wake of central government's recent demonetization drive, banning Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes.

How WhatsApp is empowering housewives in India

A year ago, when 28-year-old Soma Chatterjee Maiti started using mobile messaging appWhatsApp, she did not know that one day the platform would economically empower her. Living in the small town of Khorda in Bhubaneswar, Maiti is a school teacher and sells suits and sarees via her WhatsApp group during her spare time. She informed her friends about the idea and they helped her get more customers from across the country.

"The group currently comprises 30 people belonging to different cities like Delhi, Bangalore and in West Bengal, among others. Moreover, it's been just six months since I started this business. Every now and then, my friends introduce me to new members to whom my products can be sold," Maiti told IANS.
Creating a group is not where her job ends. Maiti has to make sure that the group remains active, for which she keeps on following up, like asking the members if the package was delivered properly. Besides, she keeps on posting the pictures of her products in the group, so that the sales do not slow down.
"Whatever material I have, I click its pictures and post it in the group. If a person likes a product, she directly contacts me over phone and the deal is taken further," Maiti added.

WhatsApp is a social community tool and these days it is becoming an opportunity for homemakers to earn as well as stand on their feet, while not restricting themselves to just being "homemakers".
Just like Maiti, 30-year-old Pooja Srivastava, who lives in Ghaziabad, has also created a group on WhatsApp called "Bend the Trend". The name suggests breaking the general trend of shopping in the malls or via online portals, through a daily-use app, making the process easier.
"With about four years of using WhatsApp, I thought of starting my own business this year. I was aware that this app is quite popular and has every feature I needed to kick-start my business," Srivastava told IANS.
There are 76 members in the group who hail from various metros of India, along with some belonging to countries like Canada, Singapore and the US. Her group also exists on Facebook which helps her get customers from abroad.

Srivastava sells all sorts of apparel, artificial jewellery, kids wear, fashion accessories, etc., and earns around Rs 30,000 in a month. Prior to starting her business, Srivastava was an Assistant Professor at the Sun Institute of Management and Technology in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
"I used to teach a few years back and even before that I was an HR professional. However, after getting married, I shifted to Ghaziabad and it was difficult to find a new job here. Thus, I decided to start my own business," she added.
According to Anoop Mishra, a Lucknow-based social media analyst, technology is becoming an enabler for homemakers these days. "One-touch mobile accessibility of social applications is playing a wider role in making ideas visible and viral. Easy accessibility of technology and cost-effectiveness are encouraging homemakers day by day," Mishra told IANS in an email interview.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi's schemes like "Make in India" and "Skill India" getting a push, Mishra thinks that these homemakers-turning-entrepreneurs can be recognised if they are good enough at their work.

How Google plans to tackle 'fake news' problem

Following criticism over fake news on its platform, Google plans to remove its "In the news" section from the top of desktop search results in a matter of weeks, according to a source familiar with the matter. It will be replaced by a carousel of "Top stories" similar to what now exists on mobile. This move had been planned for quite some time, the source said. The removal of the word "news" will, hopefully, help draw a sharper line between Google's human-vetted Google News product, and its main search product.
Earlier this week, Google faced scrutiny when one of its top results for "final election count" was fake news. The top result in Google Search's "In the news" section was a Wordpress blog named "70 News," which falsely claimed Trump won the popular vote by a margin of almost 700,000. He didn't.

Many thought that Google News, the company's news section that requires publications to be approved by a committee to get in, had been duped. But actually, it hadn't. What had been fooled was Google's "In the news" module, which sits at the top of news-related search pages, and pulls "newsy" stories from across the web, not just sites that have been approved by Google News' team. In this case, "70 News" hadn't been vetted by Google News.

Google's search results, in contrast to Google News, are not assessed for "truth." Google's algorithms still do a good job at sniffing out fake news sites because Google is set up to catch "spam." But Google's algorithms will likely never be perfect at telling what information on a website is inaccurate. Google does want to try to get fake news completely off search as well, however. 
"From our perspective, there should just be no situation where fake news gets distributed, so we are all for doing better here," Google CEO Sundar Pichai said recently. After the issue of fake news entered the spotlight after the election, Google also announced it would ban fake-news sites from its ad network, choking off their revenue.
To better understand the difference between Google News and Google Search, here's more comprehensive look at Google's fake-news problem.

This new technology can charge smartphones within seconds

You could soon charge your smartphones within seconds, thanks to scientists, including one of Indian origin, who have developed new flexible super-capacitors that can be recharged more than 30,000 times without degrading. After 18 months or so, smartphones hold charge for less and less time as the batterybegins to degrade. Scientists from the University of Central Florida (UCF) in the US developed a new process for creating the novel super-capacitors.

The novel method could eventually revolutionize technology as varied as mobile phones and electric vehicles.
"If we were to replace the batteries with these super-capacitors, you could charge your mobile phone in a few seconds and you wouldn't need to charge it again for over a week," said Nitin Choudhary, a postdoctoral associate at UCF. Researchers experimented with applying newly discovered 2D materials only a few atoms thick to super-capacitors.

Other researchers have also tried formulations with graphene and other 2D materials, but with limited success. "There have been problems in the way people incorporate these two-dimensional materials into the existing systems - that's been a bottleneck in the field," said Yeonwoong Jung, an assistant professor at UCF.

"We developed a simple chemical synthesis approach so we can very nicely integrate the existing materials with the two-dimensional materials," said Jung. Researchers developed super-capacitors composed of millions of nanometer-thick wires coated with shells of 2D materials. A highly conductive core facilitates fast electron transfer for fast charging and discharging. Uniformly coated shells of 2D materials yield high energy and power densities.
Scientists already knew 2D materials held great promise for energy storage applications. However, until the UCF-developed process for integrating those materials, there was no way to realize that potential, Jung said.

"For small electronic devices, our materials are surpassing the conventional ones worldwide in terms of energy density, power density and cyclic stability," Choudhary said. Cyclic stability defines how many times it can be charged, drained and recharged before beginning to degrade. For example, a lithium-ion battery can be recharged fewer than 1,500 times without significant failure. Recent formulations of super-capacitors with 2D materials can be recharged a few thousand times.
By comparison, the new process yields a super-capacitor that does not degrade even after it has been recharged 30,000 times. Super-capacitors that use the new materials could be used in phones and other electronic gadgets, and electric vehicles that could benefit from sudden bursts of power and speed. Since they are flexible, it could also mean a significant advancement in wearable technologies, researchers said. The study was published in the journal ACS Nano.

Nearly 50% of the world's population will be online by the end of 2016

By the end of 2016, almost half of the world's population will be using the internet as mobile networks grow and prices fall, but their numbers will remain concentrated in the developed world, a United Nations agency said on Tuesday.

In the world's developed countries about 80% of the population use the internet. But only about 40% in developing countries and less than 15% in less-developed countries are online, according to a report by the UN's International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
In several of Africa's poorer and more fragile countries, only one person in 10 is on the internet. The offline population is female, elderly, less educated, poorer and lives in rural areas, said the union, a specialized agency for information and communication technologies.
Globally, 47% of the world's population is online, still far short of a UN target of 60% by 2020. Some 3.9 billion people, more than half the world's population, are not. ITU expects 3.5 billion people to have access by the end of this year.

"In 2016, people no longer go online, they are online. The spread of 3G and 4G networks across the world had brought the internet to more and more people," the report said.
Telecoms and internet companies are expanding as more affordable smartphonesencourage consumers to browse the internet, causing demand to grow for data-heavy services. However, less-developed countries - LDCs - still trail the rest of the world.
"Internet penetration levels in LDCs today have reached the level enjoyed by developed countries in 1998, suggesting that the LDCs are lagging nearly 20 years behind the developed countries," the report said.

It blamed the cost of services and of extending infrastructure to rural and remote customers and the high price of mobile cellular use.

Government wala Paytm

This is my first post on knome. So please pardon my English. 
Well, coming to the topic which made me write about something which you must know and implement in today's India where cash is nowhere and you are left with only option, i.e., pay by online methods. Digital India, they say, is now at its full throttle coming in everyone's pockets. It won't be wrong to say that the government has launched its own Paytm like feature. 
Well, long before the implementation of Demonetization Policy on 9th November, on August 26th, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced that Unified Payment Interface or UPI has officially become operational.

WHAT IS UPI or UNIFIED PAYMENT INTERFACE?? and why you must know about it.
Well, UPI helps us to do the same thing as Paytm or Mobikwik or Freecharge, or any other app which eases our Payment process. 
Definition:- 
UPI is a payment system that allows money transfer between any two bank accounts by using a smart-phone. 
UPI allows a customer to pay directly from a bank account to different merchants online without the hassle of typing credit card details, IFSC code, or net banking/wallet passwords. 
My version: 
It asks us to generate a Virtual ID(just like any email ID), with which you can pay or request anyone to pay. 
How does it reduce our work? You don't need to add a payee by adding his/her A/C no., Name,IFSC code. Also, you don't have to wait for half an hour or even a day before sending the money. 
It is as quick as the way you are paying to your SABJI WALA* via Paytm through scanning the QR code and voila!!, money paid. And you are off to your home to cook the green veggies, which your kids dearly hate:P 
Yes, it is same as Paytm or Mobikwik or any-other app. But it is through your own banks whom you trust so much that you deposit hundreds(my case), thousands(general case) and even lacs(some very rich people) of money into it. 
Now, if you are already thinking about the procedure. Well the prerequisite is that you need to have online banking. And then, you can read the below information. You can also goto http://www.npci.org.in/UPI_Background.aspx to know everything about UPI. How can one download the UPI app? 

How to make your own Virtual Payment ID

The UPI app of 19 banks -- Andhra Bank, Axis Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Bhartiya Mahila Bank, Canara Bank, Catholic Syrian Bank, DCB Bank, Federal Bank, ICICI Bank, TJSB Sahakari Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Karnataka Bank, UCO Bank, Union Bank of India, United Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, South Indian Bank, Vijaya Bank and YES Bank -- is available on the Google Play Store of Android phones for customers to download.

How safe is UPI?

It is safe as the customers only share a virtual address and provide no other sensitive information.

What kind transactions can be performed via UPI?

Merchant payments, remittances, bill payments among others.

Is there a per transaction limit?

The per transaction limit is Rs.1 lakh.

How exactly does one make a payment transaction?

A user can make an in-app payment for goods or services purchased online.

For instance a site allows purchase of a movie-on-demand.

User clicks buy, the site/app triggers the UPI payment link and is taken to the pay screen of the UPI app, where the transaction information is verified and a click followed by entry of a secure PIN completes the purchase.

THANK-YOU for reading and I request you all to give it a try and please share your experiences. 
*SABJI WALA - Well, if your sabji wala or any other vendor have a smartphone but do not know any of the these ways. Please help them understand the benefits of online transactions.

You may soon be able to access Wi-Fi in flights

Fliers might soon be able to use voice and video services through Wi-Fi onboard, with the Department of Telecommunications moving a proposal in this regard.
Currently, Wi-Fi services and phone calls are not allowed on flights flying over the Indian airspace.
"The Department of Telecommunications has already moved a proposal for providing inflight connectivity for voice, data and video services for consideration of the Committee of Secretaries," Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha informed the Rajya Sabha today.

In a written reply, he also said the proposal for providing onboard Wi-Fi services involves amendment of provisions of Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and Indian Telegraph Rules made there under. 
"As of now, Wi-Fi inflight Entertainment System (Transmitting - Portable Electronic Device) is an independent system and is not connected to aircraft control systems making it safe for aircraft operations," the Minister noted. Various countries, including the US, allow inflight Wi-Fi services. Globally, many airlines are already offering Wi-Fi for passengers, but they currently have to switch off the facility when they enter the Indian airspace.

Generally, Wi-Fi facility for fliers can be provided either through air-to-ground technology or satellite connectivity and the latter will be expensive.

10 Management tips for great Leaders !!!

1. Share Information : Communicate the news that you can, so minds don't wander.
2. Say Thanks : People want to Appreciated! A simple thank you note doesn't cost a thing, and it can make a huge difference.
3. Empower through Delegation : We know no one can do it as well as you can, but you need to Delegateto give yourself time to complete the task for your level.
4. Adjust you style : You have many different communication styles and personalities on your team. Don't think that you can manage everyone in the same way and don't assume everyone likes to be managed the way you like to be managed.
5. Set small Milestones : If you can't match last year's numbers, set Milestones that can be reached.
6. Have Fun : Your team want to Enjoy going to work. Play ten minutes!
7. Remove Obstacles : Bureaucracy stifles creativity and innovation. Cut down some of the paperwork.
8. Give feedback : Your direct reports want feedback and it's crucial in making your team as productive as possible.
9. Focus your time : It's the old 80:20 principle. Focus the majority of your time and attention on the 20% of your people and projects that generate 80% of your results.
   
   And last but not the least..
10. Always raise your hand : When your people see you putting in extra hours, they are inspired to jump in and follow your lead. Lead with example.
    
    Source: https://www.linkedin.com/

"Why do we have Brakes in CAR ?"

Just stumbled upon a beautiful post I liked it very much so thought to share with everyone.

Someone asked,
"Why do we have Brakes in a Car"

( Have an answer in mind before you read ahead)

Many answers were provided like 
"to stop",
"to reduce speed",
"to avoid collision" etc.

But the Best out of all was,

"To allow you to drive faster"
Give it a thought...
It's true but seldom appreciated.

It's because we have breaks that we can dare to fast and reach destinations we desire .

At various points in life,
We found our parents, teachers, mentors, friends, colleagues and spouse etc. questioning our progress, direction or decision..
But remember it's because of them that you are where you are today.

Learn to appreciate the "Brakes" in your life.

Another Surgical strike by PM Modi - This time on black money

Taking the nation by surprise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight announced demonetisation of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes with effect from midnight, making these notes invalid in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption. 

In his first televised address to the nation, Modi said people holding notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 .. 

Main points from PM Modi's speech: 

1. Currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denominations will not be legal beginning November 9 

2. New notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 would be released and circulated soon 

3. ATMs will not work on November 9, and at some places on November 10 as well 

4. Those unable to deposit Rs 1000, Rs 500 notes by December 30 for some reason, can change them till March 31, 2017 by furnishing ID proof 

5. People can deposit notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 in their banks from November 10 till December 30, 2016 

6. Currency notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 will be just paper with no value 

7. Banks will remain closed on 9th November 

8. All banks and post offices will remain shut tomorrow 

9. Cashless fund transfer won't be affected by this 

10. Respite for people for the initial 72 hours, Govt hospitals will accept old Rs 500 and 1000 notes till 11 November midnight 

11. Some medical facilities will be exempted from this for the time being 

12. Rs 20,000 weekly cap on exchange of Rs 500 & Rs 1,000 notes 

Source: 
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/55316475.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst