Author: Happy Nagashetti

Dell Introduces Rugged Extreme Series in India Starting at Rs. 2.29 Lakh

With all their amazing features, consumer electronics are still extremely delicate. Even the thought of dropping your laptop might give you goosebumps, right? They hold your entire life’s data, but they give up with a spill of water. If you are a traveller, you are always scared for your gadgetry. Dell has a solution to all your worries, well if you have the cash.

The Dell Latitude 12 and 14 Rugged Extreme follow in the footsteps of the Latitude XFR D630, which was so extreme that it was the choice of military men in the field. These badass notebooks can withstand temperatures from minus 29 degree Celsius to scorching 63 degree Celsius. These bad boys can withstand impact from a 6-foot drop. They can also take on blowing dust and rains, so these are perfect for folks whose devices face the brunt of their out worldliness.

They are not just rugged; they look extremely stylish too. They look like the briefcases used by secret agents in espionage-based movies and tv shows. Latitude 12 has the added advantage of a swivel screen with superior visibility that makes it a good outdoor device.

Latitude 12 comes with options for fourth-generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. You can install up to 16 GB of RAM along with 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB hard drive options. The device also has a 8MP rear camera with LED flash. It holds a customisable RGB backlit keyboard. This tough gadget starts at a price of Rs. 2,39,999. On the other hand, Latitude 14 Rugged Extreme costs Rs. 2,29,999 with about the same specification options.

These laptops sure compliment their rugged and extreme title. Though it’s not much use to an average user, but for a man on the move, these hefty-sized laptops would be perfect companions. These are definitely the badasses of the laptop family.

December 11, 2014
Love Shooting Time Lapse Videos? Then Pico is Your Life-Saver

Timelapses are amazing. With the technology getting cheaper by the day, YouTube is getting filled up with some exceptional spellbinding time-lapse visuals. These videos let us perceive reality in a manner that we can’t visualise with our normal senses. Artists like TSO photography have brought us some incredible time lapse astro-photography that simply makes you drool. Now a new Kickstarter project is working towards bringing this ease to everyone.

Pico is a project by Mindarin. The company has previously released an intervalometer and motion control for time-lapse photography. This time around, with Pico, they intend to make it as easy as possible.

Pico can be easily programmed and installed on your camera.

Pico is a tiny trigger that you can program through your smartphone and then easily use the programming to shoot your awesome time-lapse. The accompanying app gives you multiple shooting options such as HDR, speed ramping, and bulb ramping. With these by your hand, you can easily create professional looking visuals to enthrall your audience.

You can use Pico even if you don’t have access to your smartphone. Just connect to it to the camera and press it till you hear beeps. Each beep signifies a second interval for your images. So this can even be used as a standalone device, but it’s better to make full use of it through its various programming options.

The device has presently accumulated $64,000 of its $100,000 funding goal on Kickstarter. The company intends to ship the device by June-July next year. What really irks us is that if the technology can be miniaturised, why don’t the camera manufacturers include it as a default in the cameras. By including the technology on smartphones, the makers will be able to cash in more customers; it’s an attractive provision. If the smartphone companies are looking to add a new gimmick to their phones, time-lapse should be it.

December 11, 2014
Google Makes Virtual Reality Available for Everyone for Just $20

Virtual reality (VR) headsets have gained considerable buzz in the recent past. Oculus brought VR into mainstream, and several others followed soon after. Samsung’s Gear VR was the most prominent of all but to use it, you have to buy a Note 4. This is the reason it’s out of the reach of most enthusiasts. A Kickstarter project called ANTVR showed some promise with its innovative features and controllers. However, it’s Google who might bring the VR experience to everyone with the Google Cardboard project.

As the name suggests, the entire gadget is made up of just cardboard and some other small bits that you can find in your homes itself. You will have the support of Google; that will assist you in making the headset as well as provide software support for it. You can consider this as a gift from Google for all the big data you provide them.

Google has released new SDK for Android and Unity to create apps for the VR headsets. The Google Cardboard project can be considered the heights of jugaad device by a prominent company. The company already provides instructions to assist you in making your own DIY VR headsets. On a page dedicated to the Cardboard project, the company also featured several apps and games for the headsets.

The headsets work with any device and thus is accessible to all.

You can download the Cardboard app to start your VR experience. There are several demos already available in the app including a Google Earth flyby, a tour of Versailles and lets you watch Youtube videos on a virtual massive screen. Apart from this, you can download apps like Paul McCartney’s live performance, The Hobbit VR experience and several other fantastic visuals for your eyes only.

You can also buy the headsets, and they cost you somewhere between $20-$45. This is way cheaper than every other alternative in the market, and you can make it yourself for even less. The company says that it will be uploading instructions to make the device with extreme specifics such as how to cut using a blade, die-cutting or a laser cutter.

It’s great to see Google interested in an open source project for VR technology. The affordability of this technology is really encouraging. As it works with any phone, you don’t even have to buy an expensive new device to make it work. Of course, you might end up with nausea, headache and vertigo but it’s worth the effort to watch Sir Paul McCartney live, isn’t it?

December 11, 2014
Intel Gives a Boost to Internet of Things with its Own Platform

Internet of Things (IoT) will be the next big gift from the technology industry for consumer electronics. It will take interconnected devices to the next level and bring immense convenience to the consumers. Several big name brands are working towards making it a reality but Intel is working towards being a leader in the field by providing the backbone to the industry. The company will bring a line of chips, security features and softwares to boost the IoT ecosystem.

With this approach, the company will be at the forefront of the IoT revolution. It will provide a base for the next generation consumer as well as enterprise devices. The company intends to make it easier to connect to its data centers so as to make it easier to analyze data from the sensors of the connected devices.

The company is already at the top of consumer electronic chip market with the massive array of PCs which use its processors. The company has also made its foray into the smartphone and tablet market. However with IoT, the industry would need a massive number of chipsets. They can be used in sports shoes to huge industrial establishments.

The possibilities in a future IoT market are endless, and we can easily expect some fierce competition coming our way. After smartphones, watches and other electronics, it’s time for your fridge, iron, water purifier and other electronics to go smart. And if you think you have the technical might to create products for IoT, then this is the right time to get into the game.

December 10, 2014
Google to Show Off its New Project Ara Prototype Soon

When the makers of Phonebloks showcased their idea of a lego-type phone, we had a good laugh. It was an audacious idea and didn’t seem like a realizable goal. But when the project got the blessings of Google, a lot of folks started following the developments of the project. The company is just a few weeks away from unveiling the Project Ara devices.

Google will introduce the new generation Project Ara at the developers conference in January. There will be two developers conference; the first will be held on 14th of January and will target the US/European folks, while the second will target the Asian market and will be held on 21st January.

The company added the image of the printed circuit in its Google Plus post

The Project Ara developers conference will also see the unveiling of the Spiral 2 prototype hardware and the release of v0.20 of Module Developers Kit (MDK). On its G+ page, Google ATAP posted the printed circuit board for the new generation modular devices. The founder of Phonebloks, Dave Hakkens, recently showed us a working prototype of a Project Ara device. So, it seems we are pretty close to having the most consumer and eco-friendly smartphone experience.

The company will also be live streaming the conference on the Project Ara website for the nerds of the world. Project Ara is a necessary next step in the evolution of smartphones. Till now, the consumers were restricted by whatever was offered to them by the companies. With initiatives like Project Ara, the consumers will have a bigger say in the technological bits of their devices. This will also help towards a healthy environment as the phones will be regularly updated and wouldn’t be thrown away soon. We have been waiting a long while for it and hope Project Ara is worth it.

December 10, 2014
It’s Loud and Clear, Cyanogen Not to Provide OTA Updates for Indian OnePlus One

There has been a lot of confusion amongst Indian buyers about the updates on the One. CyanogenMod was one of the most prominent features of the OnePlus One. The regular updates along with amazing customizability features made the phone everybody’s dream come true. The Indian customers have had to wait a long while for the taste of the One and it got soured by the reports of Indian devices not getting any updates. That fear, unfortunately, became officially confirmed today.

CyanogenMod officially announced that it won’t be sending any OTA updates to the OnePlus devices that are bought in India. The company had previously said in a blog post that it will be providing support to the global devices in India. The keyword was “global devices” and devices sold directly in India won’t be getting the OTA updates. The company made it clear this time around saying in its blog post,“If a user in India purchased a OnePlus One global device in channels outside of India, they will receive our OTA firmware updates. However, this excludes OnePlus One regional devices sold directly in India.”

The company also mentioned loud and clear that the reason behind this discrimination is Cyanogen’s exclusive partnership with Micromax to make the YU devices. If you still want to use CyanogenMod on your device then you can easily flash the CyanogenMod ROM on it. OnePlus still has a global partnership with CyanogenMod, so the global Ones are covered for a considerable period.

But this news shouldn’t get the potential customers of the One disappointed as OnePlus has said that it has better backup plans. The company plans to bring in its own OS based on Android Lollipop. The company says that a production build will be ready by as soon as February. OnePlus says that this OS will be bloat-free and will bring a stock Android experience along with the new Material design.

Though it’s an unfortunate news for the Indian consumers, many have waited for months to get their hands on the flagship killer. Cyanogen’s updates made the phone so flawless; OnePlus has a serious challenge of matching the rapid updates and bug fixes provided by Cyanogen. The company would have to come up with an exceptional OS of its own to keep the device on the high pedestal it sits on.

December 10, 2014
Indian Government Plans Rs.10,000 Crore Innovation Fund for Tech Start-ups

In the Information Age, the winner of the game is the one who takes the lead in innovation. Countries and corporate investors are proactively looking to push talented individuals and companies to create the next revolutionary product. Never has been the pace of innovation this fast. In just the last decade, we have seen radical changes in technology especially in the consumer electronics field. Internet has not just connected the world together it has also allowed for the proliferation of knowledge and made the world a globally accessible marketplace. Luckily for India, it is already a part of the ground-level innovation game called start-ups. Now the Indian government is planning to give an adrenaline shot to the innovation process in the country.

The Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) is planning to set up a Rs. 10,000 crore fund for innovation and development purposes in the fields of electronics and IT. The announcement was made by DeitY secretary R. S. Sharma at InfoComm 2014.

The government will partner with the existing venture capitalists to select the start-up where it would invest the fund. The government is also looking towards strengthening Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) to promote the development of the sector.

The present government is actively engaging with the industry to grow India’s technical might. The Digital India program is an audacious plan by the government to boost information interconnectivity across the nation. By investing in innovation, the government strengthens the nation’s ability to create its own technology as well as reduce dependency on technological import from other nations. India currently imports electronics worth $100 billion, which is expected to go up to $400 billion by 2020 which will be more than the bill for importing oil. If India forms an encouraging technological ecosystem that supports research and production of the products, it will lead to a considerable reduction in the import bill.

If the government is serious about innovation then, it should also invest heavily in green energy technology as that will lead to severe cuts in the bill for fuel import. By aggressively pushing for a green energy, India can become a frontrunner in changing the future of the world. The government should heavily subsidise green car production and off-grid electricity solutions instead of giving billionaires like Adani a loan of $1 billion for a coal project. The government should rather invest in citizens of the country who pay for that money in taxes. The foundation of an innovation fund by the government is an encouraging and appreciable step, but it needs to do a lot more to make this country into a technology frontrunner.

December 6, 2014
Sony Pictures Employees Receive Threatening E-mails from Alleged Hackers

It seems like troubled times for folks working at Sony Pictures is not going to come to an end anytime soon. The company that faced a massive hack which rendered most of its computers useless also faced release of its movies online. The attack was handled by a hacker group which calls itself Guardians of Peace or #GOP. It is now being reported that the employees of Sony Pictures are now getting threatening e-mails.

Sony has lost a lot of ground in this attack. Not only has there been the loss of business days, but also they are not yet sure of the scale of the theft due to the hack. Four of Sony’s upcoming movies were released online along with the recently released and exceptional Brad Pitt movie, Fury. The hackers also released several documents relating to the company’s financial records, employee details and data relating to several movies.

Sony has hired security firm FireEye Inc and its Mandiant forensics unit to investigate the hacking. FBI spokesman Joshua Campbell has said that the department is aware of the threatening e-mails received by the employees at Sony. It is not yet clear though that if the e-mails were actually sent by the hackers or if it is a work of some prankster who scored the e-mails of the employees through the leaked documents. In either case, this is now a serious issue as this is criminal intimidation. The case has fast escalating from thievery and blackmail to terrorising the production company and the people who work for it.

This leak can lead to pernicious effects on people who work for the company. If the hackers have access to personal information, identification and financial details of people who’ve worked for Sony, they can attempt identity theft and cause harm to individuals. This attack can be easily be called a terrorist attack and maybe we could start seeing more of these in the coming future. The need of the hour is to train a massive workforce dedicated to cyber security just like a standing army. Our economies and identities have shifted from physical to the digital world, so it’s absolutely important to have soldiers online to protect our interests.

December 6, 2014
NASA’s Orion, The Spacecraft Capable of Carrying Humans Gets a Lift-Off

It has been a long, long while since the human species have left the confines of the planet and its lower Earth orbit. During the peak of space-age, the folks thought we could reach Mars by the 80s, but it is 2014 and our biggest achievement on the red planet is landing an SUV size robot to further our “Curiosity” about the planet. But now we are ready to take the next step. Today, the long-awaited test flight of the Orion spacecraft was finally scheduled after the cancellation yesterday because of some technical issues. As of 05:35PM IST(7.05am ET) the spacecraft has made a successful launch atop a Delta IV Heavy rocket, and will orbit the earth for a four-and-a-half-hour duration.

The launch live streamed on NASA TV, and it relayed some spell-bounding visuals of Earth from the spacecraft. The spacecraft will travel to a distance 5,800km above the surface of Earth. No astronaut capable spaceship has gone this far in decades.

The mission will be testing the capabilities of the spaceship to reach deep space while preserving the lives of the precious human cargo inside it. There is a lot of radiation in the interplanetary space which we are spared from, thanks to the natural shield that the earth has around it, which makes it life compatible. This flight will assess if the 16ft wide heat shield and the protection will prevent the pernicious radiation from seeping in and causing harm to the astronauts during their long journey to Mars. Nasa will also test the emergency abort function which can save the lives of the astronauts on board in case of a faulty launch.

The spacecraft while returning back to earth will travel at a blazing speed of 27359 km/h. The capsule will then separate and return to earth and will drop into the Pacific by the coast of southern California. While returning to earth, it will face scorching temperatures of about 2,200 degree Celsius. There are more than 1000 sensors on board that will constantly analyze the health status of the craft. While falling towards the ocean, the craft will deploy three massive parachutes that will slow it down before its deep impact in the ocean.

Orion can carry up to six astronauts on an interplanetary voyage.

The unmanned mission does carry some human elements inside. Nasa has packed in a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil, poems by Maya Angelou, Gustav Holst’s The Planets and many artifacts from the TV program Sesame Street.

The test flight costs $375 million which is about five times the cost of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission, though it’s an imprecise comparison. NASA has planned for a second test flight for 2018 and a possible orbital mission to the Moon in the 2020s. If everything goes right, Orion could be our ride to the red planet and maybe some Asteroids in the 2030s.

We are species who need a horizon to grow. This sedentary life of jobs, living in the city, mass consumerism has become boring. Mars is our next horizon. At heart we are wanderers and having conquered planet Earth; it’s time to look up, and it’s great to see NASA stand up to the promise it was set up on. The agency has battled severe budget cuts and an unfriendly legislative body to reach its goal. NASA is a commendable organization, and it should be applauded for getting ready to take the next step in the human journey. Now all we need to do is not destroy ourselves fighting unnecessary wars, instead spending those resources in science and furthering the interests of us, the Earthlings as a whole.

December 5, 2014
Micromax to Launch Moto E Competitor Canvas Xpress Exclusively on Flipkart

Micromax has had a good year. It has seen a comfortable rise in its market share as Samsung has steadily dropped down. In Q2 of this year, the company outsold Samsung according to market research consulting firm, CounterPoint Research. It has also partnered with CyanogenMod and will be bringing the custom ROM based device under the brand name ‘Yu’ in the Indian market soon. While everybody waits for the Yu phones to come out, Micromax has gone ahead and pulled a Motorola. The company will be launching its phone in the same price segment as the Moto E and that too exclusively on Flipkart.

The company will be launching the new Canvas Xpress.. The device has a 4.5 inch FWVGA(854×480) display, which is bigger than Moto E, but falls behind the Moto E’s qHD (960×540) resolution. The device runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

MIcromax Canvas Xpress

It is powered by 1.3 GHz quad core processor along with 1GB RAM. The storage on the device is expandable up to 32 GB. The main camera on the device is a 5 MP shooter, while on the front is a 0.3 MP camera. The device gets its juice from a 1950 mAh battery.

It offers features like HotKnot with which you can transfer data by just tapping the compatible phones together. It also offers Smart Wake using which users can open their favorite apps through customized gestures and access apps directly from the locked screen.

The device will be available exclusively on Flipkart from 8th December. It is priced at Rs. 6,999. The pricing irks a bit as Micromax’s own Android One powered devices come cheaper. They also have the benefit of being related with Google, so they might get one thing that Micromax has always lagged behind in i.e updates.

It is weird that Micromax has launched a device so close to the launch of the Yu brand of devices. Maybe it’s a way to assert the existence of the original Canvas line of devices before the launch of the Yu brand. It may be a good thing for Micromax not to have a plethora of devices with different names. Instead, it’s time it went into making its own devices and bringing new versions of it every year, especially if it wants to set its place permanently in the mobile markets podium. The features on the device sound good, but the specs could have been better. Come on Micromax, we are waiting for a flauntable Indian brand, impress us already.

December 5, 2014
Apple Finally Gives India the Attention it Deserves, Plans to Set Up More Than 500 Stores

India is fast becoming the go-to market for technology-based companies to try out their luck. A growing middle class with its increased purchasing power is growing more comfortable with experimenting with offerings of various companies. Almost every global company sees India as a potential market for their product. Every company is trying to impress the Indian consumer with better features and improved updates. Apple too understands the importance of this market and hence is pushing for an aggressive growth in the number of stores across the country.

The Cupertino-based technology superpower is planning to set up over 500 stores across the length and breadth of India. The company seems to have finally recognized the importance of our country to increase their hold on the international market. The company is already a major player in next door China and actively competes against the big brands there.

Meanwhile, India has mostly been Android dominated. A mass variety of offerings based on everyone’s preferences and budgets are available in the Android ecosystem. iPhones and other Apple offerings are seen as aspirational, as well as often berated for their high price values. But there is still a large Apple fan base which is almost as fanatical in support of the products from the company.

The stores will be set up in smaller towns and cities such as Amritsar, Pathankot, Moga, Coimbatore, Trichy, Nagpur and Nasik as the company sees a big number of potential consumers there. These stores are going to be small though, about 300-600 sq ft as opposed to the ones in bigger cities with a size of 2,000 sq ft. Apple will also be increasing its investments in direct advertising in the country.

Apple has been in India since 2011 but has till now operated with two distributors, Redington and Ingram. It is not sure as of yet how the business plan will incorporate the distributors as of yet. It is anticipated though that the company might adopt a franchise model to bring its products to the consumers. Reliance is also one of the reseller for Apple and had a 5 year contract with the company. But Apple might drop this partnership as they feel the service offered by Reliance is not up to their standards.

It sure is a great thing that Apple is putting its focus on the Indian soil. The setting up of 500 stores also means that any release by Apple will immediately come to India. This will surely increase competition amongst other brands to counter the giant. In the end, the winner will be the Indian consumer, who is already getting giddy with all the amazing options to choose from.

December 5, 2014
North Korea One of the Top Suspects in Sony Pictures Hack

A few days back, Sony Pictures faced an unprecedented cyber attack where all the computers connected to its servers got hacked. All the computers of this major studio were rendered inaccessible. The hackers warned that if their demands weren’t met, they would release sensitive data. They had released .zip files that showed all the data that they had acquired by their contemptible doxxing of the company’s systems. The hackers have now released many upcoming and recently leaked movies from the production house online, along with other important documents. The hacker group, which calls itself Guardians of Peace or #GOP, is now linked to the hermit kingdom of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) or as they are better known, North Korea.

The country had previously threatened US of ‘merciless retaliation’ if a movie by Seth Rogen and James Franco was released. The movie called ‘The Interview’ shows the Hollywood duo in characters of a reporter and producer going to North Korea to assassinate Kim Jong-Un, the hereditary tyrannical leader of the secluded country. The country said that the release of the movie would be perceived as an act of war. The country’s diplomat though denies any role of Pyongyang in the high-level hack.

Right now, FBI is working with the studio to track down the culprits who purported the hack. It was Re/code that first reported on the possibility of North Korea’s involvement in the hack. After this even a former top US expert on North Korea said that circumstantial evidence including the extremely vocal denouncement of the movie points the arrow towards the country.

North Korea had taken serious offense against the movie and threatened merciless retaliation.

DPRK had previously taken serious offense against another movie called ‘Team America’ that parodied its previous ruler Kim Jong-Il. The country is also blamed for several hack attacks including an attack last year in which more than 30,000 PCs at South Korean banks and broadcasting companies were hit. Cyber-security experts at Kaspersky Labs claimed to have found technical links between attacks on Sony and other cyber-attacks that occurred in the Middle-East and South Korea. The experts are also considering an internal hand in hack amongst other possibilities.

Well, the identities of the hackers are still shrouded in mystery, but they have managed to cause major damage. The hackers have released four films from the studio into the wild that are getting downloaded actively. These include – Mr. Turner, To Write Love on Her Arms, a reboot of Annie produced by Jay-Z and Still Alice, along with the recently released Brad Pitt movie called Fury. They also leaked a 210-page document which allegedly contains the budget of ‘The Interview’ and salaries of Seth Rogen and James Franco.

The story is still in the making, and we’ll keep our eyes on it. This is the new genre of terrorism in the internet-based information age; seems like cyberspace is where the next generation wars will be fought. So it’s finally the time for the nerds of the world to be the soldiers instead of just being technical support. So if you consider yourself a hacker with skills and want to make tons of cash, both sides of the war will now be open for you.

December 5, 2014
Verizon Phases Out 3G; Is it Already Time We Add it Amongst Obsolete Technology?

Just a couple of years back, 3G was all the rage in India. With massive investment in advertising, we were made to believe 3G would deliver lightning fast speed and make our life a lot easier. But even after a considerably long time, 3G is still catching up in this country. The connectivity is still pathetic and rarely do we get the speeds which are advertised. But while 3G is still in the process of finding itself, 4G LTE has come to the country and is fast setting up shop at various places in India. Meanwhile in the US, communication giant Verizon seems ready to phase out its 3G network as the 4G LTE services are fast picking up speeds.

Wireless tracker Milan Milanovic is reports that Verizon is now providing LTE services off its 1900 MHz band which is usually reserved for 3G data. The company says that it is just a test, and they are not making any active transition. Testing is the right way forward as better technology slowly supersedes the previous generation by offering better services. And just like Cassettes, CD’s, 1G and 2G before it, 3G will also be shown the door someday. But not for now. Even with the high costs and low connectivity, 3G services are still showing growth.

In the grand scheme of the mobile world, there have been four generations of service that provided connectivity between the portable devices. First there was the analog cellphones which came under 1G(the G stands for generation) followed by digital phones that came under 2G. Then came 3G, which was dubbed the mobile broadband. If provided right, 3G services are capable of speeds up to 400Kbps to almost ten times that speed. Finally, we come to 4G which is also known as LTE(Long Term Evolution). Though LTE is one of the components of 4G technology along with HSPA+ 21/42, WiMAX but LTE is the most prominent of all, and it is considered true 4G because of its high mobile speeds.

There has been a barrage of LTE capable devices around the world including India. All major network providers are fast setting up the network. LTE capable devices are also arriving at sub Rs. 10,000 price range, which not only makes them future ready but also future proof. In many nations, 4G networks are fast becoming the norm. By about 2016, the first LTE only phones will start arriving into the market. So 3G still has a considerably long time before its bags are packed and shelved.

4G, like its predecessor, is fast arriving to replace the previous generation technology. As we move towards a purely data based communication system, where apps are fast replacing voice calling and SMS, we can expect a demise of 3G by the end of the decade. Instead, it might get replaced by 4G and public Wi-Fi’s with high speeds and all round coverage. By shifting to voice-over-LTE, networks can offer all mobile features in one service. Seems like there are only happy times ahead for the mobile world.

December 5, 2014
Stephen Hawking Warns Against Developing Artificial Intelligence

A few months back we saw Elon Musk disturbed when he was asked about artificial intelligence (AI.) Elon said that he believed that getting AI online would be akin the guy in the movies who summons the demon, sure he thinks he can control it but that rarely is the case. He also added that HAL 9000 would be a puppy dog next to what humans can create. Now world’s foremost physicist, Stephen Hawking is also pointing us towards the same direction.

Artificial Intelligence development is in full swing. Many major research centers are working towards creating a sentient computer which can observe the world as an intelligent creature. We have also seen the inclusion of AI technologies on many mobile apps. But several scientists are warning that this might not be such a good idea.

Professor Hawking told BBC, “The primitive forms of artificial intelligence we already have, have proved very useful. But I think the development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”

The concern against AI is valid as we cannot comprehend the potential of a self-aware machine. The knowledge that took us humans thousands of years to attain will be processed by such intelligent computer within moments of reaching a sentient stage. It can see humanity as an obstacle and might use its own resources and weapons to eliminate the human species from earth. There have been many blockbuster movies which delve in this subject.

The Professors new Intel provided system uses AI aided predictive texts to help him communicate.

One of the major ironies of this statement by the Professor is that he himself got a technological upgrade that makes it easier for him to communicate. He suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and previously he used his hands to communicate at 15 words per minute. But in 2008, after losing the ability to use his hands, he switched to cheek switch. By tensing his cheek muscles, the low infrared system that is installed on his glasses helps him communicate. Now Intel has provided the world renowned professor with the new ACAT (Assistive Context Aware Toolkit) system which uses an advanced form of artificial intelligence. Ironic? We think so.

ACAT is based on predictive texts that analyses English language and the professors speech pattern to help him communicate. Hawking was also provided an option for a more natural sounding tone of voice, but he decided to stick with his robotic voice. Guess we can be thankful for that as it has become the voice of Stephen Hawking in our brains for decades now. ACAT will be opened for developers in 2015 and is expected to be extremely beneficial for the disabled, especially the quadriplegics.

As we move closer to the era of Artificial Intelligence, you can expect more prominent voices raising their opposition against it. As Elon said, we need more oversight and a cultural dialogue over whether we should push the boundaries with the AI because this is a question for the entire of the human civilization.

December 3, 2014
Startup Incubators: The Force Behind the Next Big Entrepreneurs

Startup is one of the buzz words of our technological age. These tiny initiatives by young and the old have become the cradle of innovation. Every other day, we hear the news of a startup acquired by a big brand to engulf their innovative creations into their systems. Giants like Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Apple are always on the lookout for a start-up with a unique offering. The buzz has also led to a successful show called ‘Silicon Valley,’ which delves into the inner workings of the Silicon Valley’s bloodsport of the startup game. India with its massive technologically trained professionals is untouched by this revolution and many incubators have come up which provide the assistance to the budding entrepreneurs to create the next big thing.

We decided to look into the world of startup incubators and who would be the right option for you, if you have an idea that can change the world. Here are a select few which are spearheading the startup revolution in India.

Startup Village, Kochi:

Probably the most prominent of all, the Startup Village began offering its services in 2012. It is a non-profit business incubator which works towards providing assistance to budding entrepreneurs in the form of office space, hosting services, business guidance and even provide legal services. The business incubator plans to set up over 1000 start-ups over the coming decade.

Startup Village is supported by public and private investments. Along with the Kerala government, the village also offers an all expense paid trip to the US for select young entrepreneurs. They provide seed fund and Angel fund to startups. The primary focus of the incubator is student startups and telecom innovations. Setting up your startup at the Village will also lets you use the office spaces, high-speed internet and interactions with like-minded entrepreneurs who are working towards the next-generation innovations.

Khosla Labs, Banglore:

Vinod Khosla, the co-founder Sun Microsystems, partnered with Srikanth Nadhamuni to form Khosla Labs in 2012. The incubator works in the fields of mobile payments and banking, retail efficiency, healthcare delivery and big data analysis. Khosla Labs team of entrepreneurs comes up with several ideas to test and experiment. These projects get prototyped through in-house design and technology teams. These prototypes are then pilot tested on the ground to get feedback and market validation. Based on the feedback, Khosla Labs provides seed money, and the project becomes a spin-off venture under an entrepreneur in residence (EIR) at the labs.

Start up! New Delhi:

If your goal is to change the world through societal developments, then there is an incubator for you too. Start up! is an Angel investor, incubator and consultants for social entrepreneurs. A lot of folks have understood the limitations of dependency on government for active social change. Hence, many are working towards setting up their own social enterprises to bring about ground level sustainable developments. It assists the budding social ventures by training them in business practices and with the help of its networks, helps to scale up these ventures. Start up! has aided many ventures to grow from thought to reality. They have helped social ventures in a variety of fields like healthcare, education, the disability sector and even helped to form collaborative workspaces for freelancers and creative professionals.

Start Up! also offers fellowships to students and young social entrepreneurs to work with their clients and learn by getting their hands dirty in the field.

Amity Innovation Incubator, Noida:

Amity is one of the top league private education institutes in India. Its innovation incubator is supported by DST, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. It is registered as a not-for-profit organisation, and it brings together industrialists, venture capitalists, technical specialists and managers to help entrepreneurs realise their dreams.

Through its virtual incubation initiative, the company offers support to startups that cannot access the Amity campus physically. Apart from the barrage of essential services, the company also offers server spaces to its incubates. It also lets the incubates hire interns from their massive student base.

Seedfund, Delhi, Mumbai, Banglore

Started in 2006, Seedfund has established some of the big name brands on the internet sphere. Brands like Redbus and Carwale began as hatchlings at Seedfund. It has invested in over 31 companies and is continuing to provide its services to more who arrive. Seedfund assists you in the micro sense, like choosing your logo to the macro business models for your company.

With so many options available to you, there is nothing stopping you from making your ideas big except your own procrastination. If you think you have the next big billion-dollar idea, then get in the game and get making, the future belongs to the creators.

December 3, 2014