Want to know about your death? Google can now answer this as well

A woman with late-stage breast cancer came to a city hospital, fluids already flooding her lungs. She saw two doctors and got a radiology scan. The hospital’s computers read her vital signs and estimated a 9.3 per cent chance she would die during her stay.

Then came Google’s turn. An new type of algorithm created by the company read up on the woman — 175,639 data points — and rendered its assessment of her death risk: 19.9 percent. She passed away in a matter of days. The harrowing account of the unidentified woman’s death was published by Google in May in research highlighting the health-care potential of neural networks, a form of artificial intelligence software that’s particularly good at using data to automatically learn and improve. Google had created a tool that could forecast a host of patient outcomes, including how long people may stay in hospitals, their odds of re-admission and chances they will soon die.

What impressed medical experts most was Google’s ability to sift through data previously out of reach: notes buried in PDFs or scribbled on old charts. The neural net gobbled up all this unruly information then spat out predictions. And it did it far faster and more accurately than existing techniques. Google’s system even showed which records led it to conclusions. READ MORE

Demonetisation effect: Demand for cash rises 7%, says RBI

People’s demand for cash continues to head northwards compared to pre-demonetisation levels despite the frequency of digital transactions going up and a substantial increase in bank deposits since November 2016.

Currency with the public (CwP), or people’s demand for cash or currency, is 7 per cent higher at Rs 18.25 trillion at the end of April compared to Rs 17 trillion at the beginning of November 2016, the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) data reveals.

Over the past four years, through its twin policies of Jan Dhan Yojana and demonetisation, the government has taken necessary steps to expand banking services substantially.
Today, around 80 per cent of Indians have a bank account, thanks to improvements in access to formal finance channels.

While account ownership has increased by 79 per cent since 2014, around 38 per cent of all bank accounts were inactive over the course of last year, the survey found. Similarly, the Jan Dhan Yojana, which was launched in 2014, has added around 310 million banking accounts with deposits totalling Rs 812 billion as of May 9.

IPL 2018: Depleted RR face resurgent Bangalore as race for playoffs hots up

IPL 2018 - Weakened by the departure of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, Rajasthan Royals will have their task cut out when they lock horns with a resurgent Royal Challengers Bangalore, in the Indian Premier League here tomorrow.

The game at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium is crucial for both RR and RCB, placed fifth and sixth in the table respectively.

As the race for playoffs heats up, five teams are in with a chance to make the cut.

Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad are already through to the playoffs, leaving RR, RCB, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders to fight for the remaining two places.

Both Rajasthan Royals, who saw their batting mainstays Buttler and Stokes leave for national duty, and Royal Challengers Bangalore will also have an eye on the net run rate, which could be decisive if more than one team finish with equal number of points.

The momentum for now is with the visitors, whose campaign witnessed a resurgence following a 14-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad last night.

Apple reportedly planning to release cheaper MacBook Air this year

Apple is reportedly making plans to launch a more cheap variant of the 13-inch MacBook Air in the second area of 2018, the media stated.

Apple is likely to launch a new MacBook Air "with a decrease price tag" during the second one sector of 2018, that means we need to see it sooner rather than later, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities turned into quoted as pronouncing to 9to5mac on Saturday.

The analyst expects the greater inexpensive MacBook Air will assist push MacBook shipments up by 10-15 per cent this 12 months.

MacBook Air, released via then Apple CEO Steve Jobs at the MacWorld Expo in San Francisco in 2008, has no longer been up to date given that 2015 as Apple has shifted focus closer to the 12-inch MacBook and MacBook seasoned.

The 13-inch MacBook Air, a popular preference for university students, is presently bought starting at $999 for 128GB of PCIe-based storage, a 1.8GHz twin-center i5 processor, and 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM.

UIDAI introduces 16-digit 'Virtual ID', limited KYC for Aadhaar holders

As it looks to address concerns regarding privacy of Aadhaar data, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has introduced a concept of ‘Virtual ID’, which is a temporary number that can be generated by users for the purpose of verification and authentication.

The UIDAI has taken a slew of measures to safeguard the privacy of citizens, primarily after reports emerged that Aadhaar data can be accessed by unauthorised means.
The 'Virtual ID', which will be mapped with the Aadhaar number, can be shared with authorities to authenticate identity for availing various services and it will provide users an option of not sharing their Aadhaar number.

The ID will be a temporary, revocable 16-digit number that can be shared with agencies like a telecom operator, for verification of identity. The 'Virtual ID' along with biometrics will furnish limited details like names, addresses, and photographs to the agency concerned for verification.
However, experts feel that though the intention of the government is good, it has to be seen what security parameters are put in place to safeguard the 'Virtual ID'.

According to senior cyber lawyer Pavan Duggal, cybersecurity was not introduced at the start by the UIDAI and that is why there have been so many cases regarding data breach. Also, he said people have become increasingly concerned about privacy and consequently, the UIDAI had come up with the concept of a 'Virtual ID'.

Income Tax dept attaches 900 benami properties worth over Rs 35 billion

The Income Tax (I-T) Department on Thursday said it has attached more than 900 benami properties including flats, shops, jewellery and vehicles worth over Rs 35 billion.
I-T Department said in a statement that it has stepped up action under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, which came into force from November 1, 2016.
The Act provides for provisional attachment and subsequent confiscation of benami properties, whether movable or immovable.

It also allows for prosecution of the beneficial owner, the benamidar and the abettor to benami transactions, which may result in rigorous imprisonment up to 7 years and a fine of up to 25 per cent of fair market value of the property.

The department had set up 24 dedicated Benami Prohibition Units (BPUs) under its Investigation Directorates all over India in May, 2017 to ensure swift action in respect of Benami properties.
"Due to intensive efforts undertaken by the Department, provisional attachment has been made in more than 900 cases of properties under the Act. These include plots of land, flats, shops, jewellery, vehicles, deposits in bank accounts, fixed deposits etc," the statement said.

The value of properties under attachment is more than Rs 35 billion including immovable properties of more than Rs 29 billion, the department said.
Benami literally means 'without a name'. An asset without a legal owner or a fictitious owner is called benami.

Google ties up with Sony, Lenovo for voice command-based smart speakers

Alphabet Inc's Google said on Monday its voice-controlled virtual assistant will show up this year in new tablet-like devices designed by LG Electronics Inc and Sony Corp as the technology company seeks to challenge Amazon.com Inc's dominance in a fledgling market.

Dubbed smart displays by Google, the new devices introduce tablet-like screens to speakers that can obey oral commands to perform tasks like playing music, dimming lights, locking doors and setting alarms. JBL and Lenovo Group Ltd also are developing smart displays, Google said.

Amazon kick-started the market for smart speakers in 2014 with its Echo device, which included the Alexa virtual assistant. The company added a screen for the first time in June, calling the device the Echo Show.

Neither Apple Inc's assistant Siri nor Microsoft Corp's Cortana are currently available on a speaker with a tablet-like display.
The new Google Assistant gadgets unveiled Monday at the CES trade show in Las Vegas mark the first challenge to Amazon's Echo Show and the smaller Echo Spot, which also has a display.

The Show went on sale in June for $230 and the Spot in December for $130. Users of the smart displays being unveiled by Google cannot browse the Web or install apps as they would on a tablet, but the new gadgets are optimized for sound quality and listening to voice commands. Information related to the commands is brought up on the touchscreen.

Lenovo's version of the smart display will come with an 8-inch screen for $200 or a 10.1-inch screen for $250. The device will go on sale "early this summer" and includes a camera that shoots in 720p high definition, Lenovo said. JBL, part of Samsung Electronics' Harman Kardon subsidiary, LG and Sony did not announce pricing and release dates.

Kapil Mohan, the teetotaller and creator of Old Monk, passes away at 88

Kapil Mohan hardly ever downed a peg. Yet, the dark rum in a fat bottle his company brewed was the favourite evening companion for millions cutting across age, class and continents.

Mohan, chairman of Mohan Meakin, the maker of Old Monk rum, passed away on Saturday following a cardiac arrest at Mohan Nagar, near Ghaziabad. He was 88. He was the man behind famous brands like Old Monk, Solan No.1, and Golden Eagle, before age and competition caught up.

The teetotaller, who drew strength primarily from other spirits — of the holy kind — ran the company under his watch for over four decades. Only a year ago, he passed on the executive control to his nephews Hemant and Vinay, though he continued to be the chairman.

Pushed to the helm, following the death of his elder brother V R Mohan in the early 1970s, Kapil saw the emergence of the dark rum packed in the iconic squarish hard glass bottle as a global brand.

Till the mid 2000s, it was the largest-selling liquor brand in the country, with heavy patronage from military canteens. Old Monk held its own even as other brands such as Golden Eagle Beer were weathering the onslaught of Vijay Mallya-led United Breweries group and other competitors.

Google Pixel 2 smartphone now available in India for Rs 61,00

Taking Apple head on as it readied to release iPhone X in India on November 3, Google's flagship Pixel 2 smartphone went on sale in India on Wednesday at a starting price of Rs 61,000 for the 64GB variant.

The device comes with 4GB RAM coupled with 64GB and 128GB internal memory. The 128GB version is available at Rs 70,000.

Pixel 2 sports an aluminium unibody design with a hybrid coating and comes with IP67 water and dust resistance.

The smartphone is available on e-commerce sites such as Flipkart, Reliance Digital, Croma, Poorvika and Vijay Sales and retail stores and comes with a two-year warranty.

Pixel 2 runs the latest Android 8 Oreo operating system (OS) and sports 5-inch full HD (1920x1080) AMOLED display.

The smartphone is powered by top-notch Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor and 2,700mAh battery.

In terms of camera specs, there is 12MP f/1.8 primary camera with optical and electronic stabilisation and an 8MP f/2.4 selfie camera.

Pixel 2 comes pre-loaded with Google Assistant and a new feature called "Active Edge" that works when the phone is squeezed.

Other features include front-firing stereo speakers, Wi-Fi 2.4/5GHz 802.11 a/b/c/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC. The phone uses an aluminium unibody with a hybrid coating, and is IP67 water and dust resistant.

Both the variants are available in "Just Black", "Clearly White" and "Kinda Blue" coloured variants.

Apple offers international warranty on iPhones in India: Report

Apple has introduced international warranty on iPhones in India, according to a report in GSMArena – a technology portal. The new warranty clauses allow iPhone users to get their devices diagnosed, repaired and checked around the globe and will be covered under Apple’s warranty terms and conditions.

Apple offers international warranty on almost all its product. iPhones were kept out of international warranty till now. With new warranty terms at place, the company is expected to honour the warranty terms irrespective of the geography or the country of origin.

However, only the factory-unlocked versions of the iPhones are eligible for international warranty. Carrier-locked models still does not get international warranty, even if the user manages to unlock them.

The move might significantly spike the imports of iPhones in India from abroad as the devices cost significantly cheaper in other markets such as the US, than in India.

New Instagram update allows you to go 'live' with a friend

Photo and video sharing social networking platform Instagram on Wednesday announced a fun feature to go live with a friend.

The platform introduced live broadcast with a friend feature, which will help one share new updates through video in an authentic way.

Whether one is just doing homework or is out on a trip, they can go live with a friend with Instagram's new rollout feature.

This new feature is extremely easy to use and one can add a guest while broadcasting.

It allows a simple tap on the new icon on the bottom right of the app and tap "Add" to invite anyone who's currently watching the live stream. Once your friend joins, the screen will split into two and your friend will pop up right below you.

One can also remove the guest and add someone else at any time, or the guest can choose to exit on their own.

Share your live video to stories when your broadcast has ended, or choose "Discard" and your live video will disappear from the app as usual.

Earlier, Instagram introduced live video in November 2016.

These updates are available as part of Instagram version 2.0 available for iOS in the Apple App Store and for Android in Google Play.

Reliance JioPhone 'explodes'; intentional sabotage to malign us, says co

A JipPhone customer from Kashmir has alleged that the device exploded while it was on charging mode. Soon, the photos of the exploded phone were shared on Twitter by PhoneRadar.

Responding to the allegations, Jio’s spokesperson said in a statement to Financial Express that the issue is a case of “intentional sabotage”. The Twitter handle that shared the picture of the burned device has now deleted the post.

“JioPhones are designed and manufactured with global standards, and each phone goes through stringent quality control process. The said incident has been reported to us. Our initial investigation suggests that this is a case of intentional sabotage,” said the company in a statement.

JioPhone Photo: PhoneRadar The statement further added that the damage to the device seems to have been intentionally caused to malign the brand and the company will take appropriate action based on further investigations.

The Reliance JioPhone is India’s first 4G LTE-enabled


feature with VoLTE capability. The pre-booking of the phone began recently. The first batch is already out and the second batch is promised by the company to reach by Diwali.

Recently, Micromax also joined the 4G feature phone bandwagon with the launch of Bharat-1 in partnership with BSNL.

WhatsApp brings real-time location-sharing feature: Here is how it works

Sharing live location has its advantages as: It allows you to keep your family and friends informed about your location in real time. The feature has been available for a while on Google Maps, and Facebook Messenger brought it earlier this year. Now, the widely used instant messenger WhatsApp is rolling out the same feature for its users across the globe.

The live location-sharing feature is gradually rolling out with the latest app update through the Google Play store for Android and App Store for iOS devices. It allows you to share live location with a group or specific person within your WhatsApp contact’s list. Also, the location sharing feature is end-to-end encrypted which means the data are not stored anywhere on WhatsApp servers, so these cannot be viewed, tampered with, used or monitored by anyone else.

WhatsApp live location sharing featureWhatsApp live location sharing feature Photo: WhatsApp BlogHere is how to share your location in real time:

Step 1: Open a chat window with the person or group you want to share your location with.
Step 2: Under "Location" in the attach button, you will find a new option called "Share Live Location."
Step 3:  Choose for how long you want to share and tap send.
Step 4: Each person in the chat will be able to see your real-time location on a map. And, if more than one person shares their Live Location in the group, all locations will be visible on the same map.

You can choose to stop sharing at any time or let the Live Location timer simply expire.

Get Apple iPhone 7 at Rs 7,777 through Airtel Online Store: Know everything

Bharti Airtel is offering Apple iPhone 7 (32 GB storage variant) at a down payment of Rs 7,777 through its online store, which went live today i.e. on October 16. The smartphone comes bundled with additional data, free calls and national roaming, and Airtel secure package that covers the device against any physical damage and offers cyber protection.

To avail the iPhone 7 offer through Airtel online store, customers need to make a down payment of Rs 7,777 and enrol for 24 monthly instalments of Rs 2,499 each. The monthly instalments include the postpaid connection benefits that the telecom major is bundling along with the device. These benefits include 30 GB data, unlimited calling (local, STD, national roaming), and Airtel Secure package.

Airtel has partnered with Apple Inc., HDFC Bank, Clix Capital, Seynse Technologies, Brightstar Telecommunications and Vulcan Express to enable the digital experience on its Online Store.

Here is how to buy a device through Airtel online store:

• Go to www.airtel.in/onlinestore and select the device of your choice
• Check your eligibility and get instant loan approvals
• Make the down payment for phone     
• The device will be delivered to your preferred location/address

WhatsApp for business is here; eyes monetisation through standalone app

The much-talked-about WhatsApp for business application is being tested by a private group of testers and the company will introduce it as "WhatsApp Business" -- a standalone app.

Its description available on Play Store read: "As a test partner for 'WhatsApp Business', you have early access to a wide range of new features that we've built with you in mind. As you experiment with what this new app has to offer, please share your experiences with us so that we can improve the product."

Facebook intends to earn some of the money it spent while acquiring WhatsApp and the new standalone app would charge businesses in future, The Wall Street Journal said late on Friday.

"We do intend on charging businesses in the future. We don't have the details of monetisation figured out," WhatsApp's Chief Operating Officer Matt Idema was quoted as saying.

"WhatsApp Business" is different from the regular WhatsApp.

The logo of the app has been changed from the calling symbol to "B" inside the green conversation bubble.

However, after downloading, the app looks the same as WhatsApp, barring the title bar that says "WhatsApp Business".

The app has interesting features such as auto responses, creating a business profile, chat migration and analytics.

According to reports, businesses are widely using WhatsApp to communicate with their customers, particularly in Asia.

Elphinstone stampede: HC pulls up activists for closing eyes to problem

The Bombay High Court today castigated "so-called activists" for approaching it on the issue of safety of commuters only after the Elphinstone Road station stampede and asked why they woke up to the "serious and sensitive" issue only after the death of so many people.

On September 29, a stampede on the stairwell of a narrow foot over bridge (FOB) at the station left 23 dead and over 30 injured.

Soon after the mishap, four public interest litigations (PILs) were filed in the high court seeking directions to the railways to take measures to ensure that such an incident is not repeated at any other railway station.

The HC today noted that only after so many people died that the activists realised and came up with petitions.

"The station concerned and bridge is in existence since 1867, according to the petitions. Till date...till 23 people died...till the incident everybody closed their eyes to the problem. Now after the incident, these so-called activists have woken up and come with PILs," a division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice N M Jamdar said.
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Maruti Baleno to Hyundai Grand i10, top 10 car brands in India get stronger

When it comes to popular cars, Indian consumers are sticking to pretty much the same models this year as they did last year. The top 10 car models in terms of volumes so far this fiscal are the same ones as they were in the same period last financial year; perhaps indicating that these top car brand in the domestic market continue to get stronger and gain market share.

As expected, India's largest passenger car player Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) has the most number of models in the top 10 - at seven, followed by two models from Hyundai Motor India and one from Renault.

Data collected from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) shows that Maruti's bellwether car for years now stays strong in the No. 1 spot. Its sales rather grew an impressive 16.7 per cent between April to August 2017 over the same period last year on a high base of 92,970 units. The Alto brand launched in 2000 has crossed over 100,000 units in sales so far this year and continues to engage the customer.

Maruti's Baleno too has shown impressive growth, clocking almost 75 per cent year on year growth to 77,559 units this fiscal. Baleno sales were limited by capacity constraints which have eased out considerably after Suzuki Motors Gujarat's Mandal plant came onstream in February-March this year. In the third spot came in another popular MSIL brand Swift growing by 20 per cent.

Maruti posted robust sales figures of 152,000 units in passenger vehicles (PVs) in August, taking its market share to 50.87 per cent.

Hyundai's hatchback Grand i10 and the premium hatch Elite i20 have grown by 3.5 per cent and 11 per cent respectively year on year. Both the models have slipped a few spots though.

The Renault Kwid sales have faltered this year, dropping 21 per cent. It is the only car in the top 10 brands that has seen sales slip, but it still made it to the Top 10. Its ranking, however, slipped from the seventh spot in FY17 to 10th spot in FY18.
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Sony Xperia XZ1 with 19MP Motion Eye Camera launched in India at Rs 44,990

Sony India on Monday expanded its premium device portfolio with "Xperia XZ1" - the first smartphone with a 3D Creator for Rs 44,990.

The device boasts an industry-first 19MP "MotionEye" camera that has predictive "Hybrid AF" burst and predictive capture with face expression features.

The device features 5.2-inch full-HD HDR Sony's "Triluminous" display and "X-Reality" technology. The display is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

"Xperia XZ1" comes with 64GB inbuilt storage which can be expanded up to 256GB.

The smartphone has a fingerprint scanner embedded on the power button. It packs a 2,700mAh battery and is water and dust resistant with an IP68 certification.

The smartphone runs Android 8.0 Oreo operating system and houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC with 4GB RAM.
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LG Q6+ with FullVision screen launched at Rs 17,990: Know features, specs

LG Electronics on September 20 launched the ‘LG Q6+’, a premium smartphone in LG Q-series, at Rs 17,990. The smartphone features 18:9 screen for enhanced multitasking, facial recognition for device safety and security and military grade aluminium build for durability. The phone will go on sale starting September 20 through retail outlets.

The LG Q6+ sports 5.5-inch fullHD screen with 18:9 aspect ratio screen, dubbed as FullVision. The FullVision screen feature in LG Q6+ is adopted from the flagship LG G6, which was the first LG phone to sport FullVision screen. With LG Q6+, the company is also offering one-time free screen replacement within six months.

The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor, coupled with 64 GB internal storage and 4 GB RAM. On camera front, the LG Q6+ boasts a 13-megapixel primary camera and a 5 MP wide-angle selfie camera.

The device houses 3,000 mAh battery and runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat operating system out of the box.
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Will iPhone X hurt iPhone 8 and 8 Plus sale? Here's what experts say

As Apple gets ready to ship iPhone 8 and 8 Plus before it opens iPhone X for pre-orders, a top analyst with Taiwanese business group KGI Securities has warned that iPhone X will cannibalise iPhone 8 orders.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the most famous analyst with KGI Securities when it comes to Apple, it is very likely that iPhone X demand will cannibalise iPhone 8 pre-orders.

"While it takes three to six weeks or more to ship new iPhone models after they are available for preorder, they see the iPhone 8 taking less than one to two weeks. This is due to the iPhone X cannibalisation," streetinsider.com quoted the analyst as saying late on Monday.

Apple unveiled both iPhone X and iPhone 8 models, with the "super-premium" iPhone X starting at $999.

Ming, however, said the new Apple Watch Series 3's (GPS + Cellular version) could be a runaway hit.

"We estimate the preorder weighting of the GPS + Cellular version is 80-90 per cent. While not available in all countries, most users have pre-ordered the GPS + Cellular version because it offers phone and internet access functions without an iPhone and given the low premium of $70 over the GPS version," the analyst predicted.

According to the Verge, while Apple Watch shipments are well below iPhone shipments, investors should start keeping tabs on this new product, with shipments expected to surge much higher than previous generation models.