WhatsApp now allows DTC bus commuters to book QR tickets on its platform

WhatsApp now allows DTC bus commuters to book QR tickets on its platform



WhatsApp has announced QR ticketing service for Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) commuters across the Delhi-NCR region on its platform. The Meta-owned messaging platform said in a press note that this ticketing system aimed to simplify the transit experience for commuters, enabling them to book and purchase tickets from anywhere, all with the help of the WhatsApp chatbot.


DTC is the first state bus network that has implemented this solution.


Commuters can access this service on WhatsApp by sending ‘Hi’ to +91 8744073223. Additionally, for riders commuting frequently on the same route, the chatbot will offer a ‘Quick Purchase’ feature. Through the WhatsApp-based ticketing system, a DTC bus commuter can purchase up to a maximum of six tickets using the UPI payment option within the chat window. The WhatsApp chatbot at present only allows users to book single-journey QR tickets.


DTC ticket booking on WhatsApp

   


 

DTC ticket booking on WhatsApp


DTC ticket booking on WhatsApp


Commenting on WhatsApp’s collaboration with the state bus service, Meta’s director of business messaging, Ravi Garg, said: “We are delighted to introduce the DTC chatbot that aims to redefine travel experience and offer streamlined and efficient transit solutions for commuters across the Delhi-NCR region. The introduction of DTC’s QR ticketing service through WhatsApp represents a significant stride in enhancing customer experience, offering a more sophisticated and intelligent approach to local travel.”

First Published: Apr 10 2024 | 6:05 PM IST



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Nothing Ear and Ear (a) to launch on April 18: Know expected specs and more

Nothing Ear and Ear (a) to launch on April 18: Know expected specs and more


British consumer technology brand Nothing has confirmed that it will launch its next-generation wireless earbuds Nothing Ear along with the more affordable Nothing Ear (a) on April 18. 
If the electronics brand had followed the nomenclature pattern it has used in the past, the next-generation earbuds should have been called Nothing Ear (3). But the company announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that it was “stripping back the numbers to centre the focus around the product and the unique experience it delivers for each user”.


Apart from the name, Nothing has not yet revealed much about the upcoming earbuds. However, according to reports, both products will get features such as dual-point connectivity and active noise cancelation (ANC).


Here is a roundup of all the expected specifications of Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear (a).


Nothing Ear: Expected specifications


The more premium offering by the brand, the Nothing Ear, is expected to be available in black and white colours. Offering multipoint connectivity and ANC, the earbuds will likely provide up to seven and a half hours of play time (with ANC disabled), which will increase to a total of 33 hours when coupled with the charging case. According to a report by Android Authority, the upcoming Nothing Ear wireless earbuds will likely support quick charging, offering 10 hours of usage on a 10-minute charge.


Nothing Ear (a): Expected specifications


According to reports, the Nothing Ear (a) will be the company’s more affordable offering. However, it is expected to carry some of the features from its elder sibling, such as ANC. The Nothing Ear (a) will likely offer up to 8 hours of playback time with ANC turned off and up to 38 hours with the charging case.


In addition to the standard black and white colours, the Nothing Ear (a) will also be available in yellow colour, according to the report.


 


 


 

First Published: Apr 10 2024 | 5:03 PM IST





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India leads global tech sector with $ 254 billion revenue in FY24: Deloitte

India leads global tech sector with $ 254 billion revenue in FY24: Deloitte


The estimates from the report said that India’s GenAI market is projected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of over 24.4 per cent from 2023 to 2030. Illustration: Binay Sinha


A recently released report by Deloitte, ‘Technology Trends 2024: India Perspective’, found that India will emerge as a key player in domains such as spatial computing, the industrial metaverse, cloud computing, and generative AI (GenAI).


The report stated that India is adopting new technology faster than many other countries. For instance, AI-related initiatives surged nearly three times between 2023 and 2024, with over 650,000 employees undergoing GenAI skills training, according to the report.


The revenue in spatial computing and the industrial metaverse, another key area of growth, is projected to be $2.1 billion in 2024, with an anticipated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 40 per cent till 2030, said the report.


All of these initiatives allow India to continue its lead in the global technology sector, with an estimated industry revenue of $254 billion at a 3.8 per cent Y-o-Y growth for the financial year 2024, according to estimates from Deloitte.


“India Inc. is on the brink of transformative change, where embracing emerging technologies has helped us take a leap, bringing a spotlight on India’s growth story. The Tech Trends 2024 report highlights India’s remarkable resilience, redefining its position as a frontrunner in swiftly embracing emerging technologies,” said Deepa Seshadri, Partner and CIO Program Leader at Deloitte India.

The estimates from the report said that India’s GenAI market is projected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of over 24.4 per cent from 2023 to 2030.


“As more businesses use immersive experiences powered by 5G and spatial computing, coupled with government initiatives supporting digital innovation, India is poised for a transformative era. From application development to automation, SaaS, and cloud enterprise spending, technology interventions are revolutionising traditional industries, breaking silos, bringing greater modernism and optimism, and propelling India into a new era of digital excellence,” said Keerthi Prakash, Partner, Consulting, Deloitte India.


The rising prominence of Global Capability Centres (GCC), highlighting India’s increasing ability to meet international tech demands, is a key contributor to the country’s growth, said the report.


With over 1,600 GCCs, the Indian GCC market is on track to exceed $100 billion, and is likely to employ more than 4.5 million people across 2,500 GCCs nationwide by 2030, according to insights from the study.


The report also projected cloud computing to reach a $10 billion hyperscale market by the year 2028.


The study said that the momentum in AI supercomputing and quantum computing was fueled by initiatives like the $730 million National Quantum Mission.


In the area of cybersecurity, the study revealed some concerning trends. It reported that cyber threats in India surged by 24 per cent in 2024, primarily driven by synthetic media like deep fakes.


Further, scams such as customer care number, know your consumer, and refund scams increased by 35 per cent, with AI voice scams affecting 83 per cent of victims.


“The impending general election and rising misinformation risks highlight the need for enhanced cybersecurity and public awareness. Collaborative efforts between government, tech companies, and citizens are crucial for defending truth and combating cyber threats effectively,” said the report.


Security remained a pressing concern in the financial sector too, with the sector enduring over 13 lakh cyberattacks in 2023, according to the study.


The report advised adherence to regulatory frameworks like the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA 2023) and the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) directives on digital payment security as solutions to the issue.

First Published: Apr 10 2024 | 3:30 PM IST



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Dark and Darker Mobile: BGMI maker Krafton releases trailer for new game

Dark and Darker Mobile: BGMI maker Krafton releases trailer for new game


South Korean video game publisher Krafton has released the first trailer for its upcoming smartphone game, ‘Dark and Darker Mobile’. The upcoming title is a role-playing Game (RPG) by the makers of the Battlegrounds Mobile India.


Krafton said in a press note that the smartphone game was currently under development at the company’s Bluehole Studio, which was working on adding a “unique medieval low-fantasy atmosphere” to the game. Dark and Darker Mobile game, according to the company, will feature survival elements from both exploration and battle royale gaming genres.


Each player can create a character of their own by choosing from among five classes — fighter, barbarian, rogue, ranger, or cleric. Each character will have active and passive skills, unique to their class. Users will get the option to equip their character with a maximum of two active skills that can be used within the game, while the passive skill will help increase the character level. Additionally, each character will have access to different types of weapons and armour, depending on the class chosen by the player.


Within the game, players can acquire equipment and items through encounters with monsters, treasure chests, and combat with other players. The game will feature dungeon-style playing areas and will have multiple arenas apart from normal dungeons. Higher-level dungeons will require characters equipped with more advanced gear and offer higher-quality items for character development.


Additionally, there will be a Player versus Environment (PvE) mode dungeon, inspired by defence genre games, and a Player versus Player (PvP)-focused dungeon where players can compete against one another.


Although Krafton has not confirmed the exact day of the launch of the upcoming smartphone videogame, it has said it is aiming for a global release within this year.


Dark and Darker Mobile: Trailer

First Published: Apr 10 2024 | 2:27 PM IST



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Beware of deepfake of CEO recommending stocks, says National Stock Exchange

Beware of deepfake of CEO recommending stocks, says National Stock Exchange


In August last year, market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India proposed that stock brokers stay away from financial influencers | (Photo: Bloomberg)


India’s National Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday cautioned investors against deepfake videos of its chief executive giving stock recommendations.


The exchange, the largest in the country, issued the warning after observing that the face and voice of CEO Ashishkumar Chauhan was being falsely used in some investment and stock advisory videos.


“Such videos seem to have been created using sophisticated technologies to imitate the voice and facial expressions of Ashishkumar Chauhan,” the NSE said.


The exchange said its officials are not authorised to recommend or deal in any stocks.


India’s equity markets are trading at record highs and retail participation has risen sharply in recent years, prompting regulatory concerns about financial influencers using social media platforms to draw investors.


In August last year, market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India proposed that stock brokers stay away from financial influencers.


Fund house ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company in January warned investors against deepfake videos of its senior executives recommending stocks.


“It has come to our attention that certain unauthorised and maliciously manipulated videos have been disseminated across various online platforms, providing stock recommendations,” the fund house said, distancing itself from the videos.


In November, the Indian government warned social media platforms to repeatedly remind users that local laws prohibit them from posting deepfakes and content that spreads obscenity or misinformation.


 

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Apr 10 2024 | 2:03 PM IST



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Google Cloud Next 2024: New AI-powered features for Google Workspace apps

Google Cloud Next 2024: New AI-powered features for Google Workspace apps


At the Cloud Next 2024 event, Google announced it was adding a slew of new features and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools to Google Workspace services like Gmail, Docs, Drive and more. From a new AI-powered video editor to an improved writing assistant in Gmail, here is everything new coming to Google Workspace:


Google Vids: AI-powered video creation app


Google has unveiled a new workspace application called Google Vids, which can generate an editable storyboard, select video style and suggest scenes from stock videos, images and background music. Additionally, the app also allows users to add preset voiceovers or one of their own.


According to Google, the Vids app has a user-friendly interface and helps beginners with templates and AI-powered ‘Help Me Create’ feature to generate an editable first draft for a video project. It also allows creators to collaborate with others or share their projects from their web browser.


The Google Vids app will be available in Workspace Labs from June.


Google Vids (Image: Google)


Gemini AI features in Gmail


Google is adding voice prompts to ‘Help Me Write’ feature on the Gmail smartphone app. This will allow users to compose and send emails using their voice from the Gmail app for both Android and iOS platforms. Additionally, there is a new instant polish feature that uses Gemini AI in Gmail to draft an email using rough notes with a single click.


Google said these new Gmail features would be soon available to Gemini Enterprise and Gemini Business customers, as well as Google One AI Premium subscribers.

Instant Polish on Gmail


Instant Polish on Gmail (Image: Google)


New Google Sheets and Docs features


Google Sheets is getting a new tables feature that formats and organises data with a redesign. Additionally, there are new templates available for specific projects, including event planning and inventory management. Google said these new Sheets features would be available for all Workspace plans in coming weeks.


For Google Docs, Google is rolling out a new tabs experience, which the company said would help the user organise related information in a single document. There are also new personalisation options such as full-bleed cover images for documents. These new Google Docs features will be available to all users in coming weeks.

Full bleed cover in Google Docs


Full bleed cover in Google Docs (Image: Google)


Auto-translated captions in Google Meet


Google will be rolling out the ‘Translate for Me’ feature in June. This new Google Meet feature will automatically detect and translate captions into the preferred language in real time. Google said that it was adding support for 52 new languages for the feature.


The ‘Translate for Me’ feature will be available in a new AI Meetings and Messaging add-on for $10 per user per month. The company said that AI Meetings and Messaging could be added on to select Workspace plans as well.


AI security on Google Drive


Google is rolling out an AI security feature for Google Drive which it said would let IT teams automatically identify, classify and protect sensitive files company-wide in Google Drive. The feature uses “privacy-preserving” AI models that can be trained using data unique to an organisation so that it can classify and protect sensitive files in Drive.


The feature is now available for select Workspace plans for $10 per user per month.

First Published: Apr 10 2024 | 1:01 PM IST



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