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S. Chand’s Convergia launches first of its kinds pre-paid card for Learnflix

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EdTech start-up Convergia backed by S. Chand and Co. has introduced an innovative, pre-paid card option for the home learning app, Learnflix. The objective was to introduce a one of its kind, value-based offering in the EdTech space that is affordable and makes payment for accessing the app easy.

Learnflix pre-paid recharge cards are available in 20 states including Delhi, Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat Tamil Nadu, etc., with more than 200 partners. The learner has to just buy the card over the counter, and scratch it to get login and password for accessing the app. It leverages the vast distribution network of S. Chand group giving easy option to buy Learnflix solutions to customers who come to these retail outlets for buying books and stationery etc. Simultaneously, it provides a new business opportunity for the channel partners. This is especially helpful in tier 2 and 3 cities where some people are still apprehensive or unable to make online payments.

The cards are available in two denominations i.e., Rs. 2,000 and Rs 2,500 at local book shops across India. Learnflix pre-paid scratch card has been launched for class 6-10 students for the Mathematics and Science. The home learning app is available at a nominal subscription of INR 199 for 6 – 8 standard students and INR 2,499 for standard 9 and 10.

Also Read: “We expect a greater convergence of digital and traditional teaching-learning mediums going forward”

The App has been designed with a Spiral Learning Pedagogy that ensures all concepts are well learned, revised, practiced, and assessed. Students can experience personalized learning, with one subscription, they can have the access to engaging videos, e-books, practice exercises, and tests, NCERT solutions and sample papers.

Himanshu Gupta, Managing Director, S. Chand Group says, “It’s an innovative offering which is a win-win for both our customers as well as our channel partners. It provides a simple and easy way to buy Learnflix personalised learning solution for our customers, and provides our channel partners an opportunity to sell our ed-tech solutions. We already have over 20k users for the Learnflix App and with this, we plan to reach out to more students and provide comprehensive yet affordable solutions across the country, especially in smaller towns.”

Convergia, an ed-tech firm under the S. Chand and Co. umbrella, which is India’s largest and oldest school books publishing company, has two ed-tech offerings – Learnflix and Mylestone. Learnflix offers personalised learning solution for students at an affordable cost, at-home learning package. It has more than 2 Lac downloads and 20K paid learners. The second offering Mylestone is a smart curriculum, one-stop, 360-degree academic solution for schools.

Convergia’s teaching and learning solutions are in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which makes it a robust and future-ready product. The idea is to empower schools to continue teaching and learning in all modes i.e., completely online or hybrid. This combination of digital and print is already enabling schools to run academic operations with ease despite Covid restrictions.

India has the world’s largest population of about 500 million in the age bracket of 5-24 years, which provides a great opportunity for the education sector. The education sector in India is estimated to grow manifolds in the years to come.

Also Read: PlayShifu empowers Millennial Parents with #PowerofPlay through Children’s Day campaign

PlayShifu empowers Millennial Parents with #PowerofPlay through Children’s Day campaign

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Toy brand PlayShifu launches an innovative campaign that talks about the Power of Play. The campaign runs through Children’s Day as well, to spread awareness around nurturing children through an educative and interactive approach.

Emphasising on the importance of learning through #PowerofPlay, PlayShifu aims to inculcate a new way of approaching learning. Through this highly impactful campaign, the brand encourages mentored indoor play through appropriate toy selection while ensuring healthy screen time.

Learning systems and educational toys are ramping up to meet the needs of a changing world. The role of AR-powered educational toys cannot be undermined in these challenging times where remote learning has become the new normal. Through expert discussions and influencer engagements, the brand is trying to address the challenges of home-schooling, parent-child interaction, and healthy screen time by introducing a new wave of interactive and engaging learning. In this endeavour, the brand has identified 20 essential super skills based on in-depth research and subject-matter expertise. These include logical reasoning, analytical ability, critical thinking, comprehension, attention to detail, creative problem-solving, and more.

PlayShifu’s innovative games and toys help children develop a complete spectrum of foundational skills that go beyond STEM and STEAM, through the #PowerofPlay. PlayShifu’s product line includes Orboot–a collection of three AR-powered globes and Plugo–an AR-powered interactive STEM gaming system comprising of several gaming kits. Their third product line, Tacto, will be launching soon in India in December and focuses on tactile play while developing STEAM skills.

Vivek Goyal, a proud father to a 5-year-old and the CEO of PlayShifu said, “Early learning is mostly informal, since children between the ages of 3 and 7 absorb information like sponges. They learn from the moment they wake up till they go to bed; they learn from everything they hear, see, touch, or interact with. Providing a holistic play-learn experience has been our motivation, and our vision is to deliver the best of both worlds, with each new product.”

Dinesh Advani, Co-founder of PlayShifu and a father to an 8-year-old said, “Kids in their initial years are outwitting parents in terms of technological know-how. They live in an ecosystem where they are growing smarter and more intelligent with the increasing exposure to digitalisation. Introducing the right play mechanism is a first step towards filling the void in their learning support. We have a vision of helping nurture the crucial years of a child’s growth and development, and that’s the leading force behind the #PowerofPlay.”

Also Read: Toch.ai launches 100 crore startup fund to invest in video and audio tech start-ups

Tech NewsWrap: Oppo A55s image leaks… and more

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Oppo A55s 5G image leaks

Ahead of the launch of Oppo A55s 5G, which is yet to be officially confirmed by the Chinese phone maker, several renders of the upcoming phone have leaked online. The renders show a hole-punch design for the selfie camera and suggest two color options. Also, Oppo’s new A-series smartphone is seen to carry a dual camera unit on the back. It is likely to debut as a budget offering and may lack a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for authentication. Based on these specs, one can expect the Oppo A55s 5G price in India to be under or around Rs 15,000.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE appear on Google Play Console

As we wait for an announcement from the South Korean tech giant, Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has appeared on Google Play Console. The listing shows the upcoming device will be available in both Snapdragon 888 and Exynos 2100 variants. It’s possible that the Exynos 2100 variant might find its way to the Indian variant. The smartphone might come with a 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED display and support for 120Hz refresh rate. If the launch of Galaxy S21 FE is that near, more details about the phone should follow in the coming days.

Instagram is testing a new feature ‘Take a Break’

Instagram is working on a new feature called ‘Take a break’ that can help users take a quick break from the social media platform. This feature has been announced by head of the company Adam Mosseri to prevent Instagram addiction. He has also posted a short video on Twitter, where he explains that the new feature is being developed with a “broader effort to try and give people more control over their experience of Instagram.” He also asserted that Instagram users will see more features like this in the near future.

Google Maps gets Dark Mode for iOS users

Google has started rolling out the dark mode feature for the Maps for all iOS users. The much-awaited feature will allow users to save battery life and the greyscale interface reduces eye strain by keeping a minimum contrast ratio required on the app. This year in February, Google made Dark Mode available to Google Maps on Android. Other features that arrived in Google Maps in recent months include lite navigation for cyclists, eco-friendly routing and bike and scooter share information.

Also Read: Setup Parental Controls on YouTube, Netflix: Here’s how to do it

Setup Parental Controls on YouTube, Netflix: Here’s how to do it

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YouTube and Netflix put a vast library of web series and movies at your fingertips. But the sheer size of these video streaming platforms makes it easier than ever for kids or adolescents to stumble across inappropriate contents. Since these platforms know that kids will use them, many of these services have developed parental control features in order to allow you to control or block what the young users of the account can watch.

We are here with a few quick steps that can be followed to set parental control on two of the most popular video streaming services – YouTube and Netflix. This way your children can still enjoy their favourite shows and you too can have a peace of mind knowing what they can access. Let’s check out:

How to set parental controls on YouTube

Step 1: Open YouTube on your device

Step 2: Click on the profile picture on the top right corner of the app

Step 3 - Go to Settings

Step 3: Go to Settings

Step 4: Scroll down and turn on the toggle in front of the ‘Restricted Mode’ option

Step 4 - Scroll down and turn on the toggle in front of the ‘Restricted Mode’ option

This mode will restrict mature content for the user. However, YouTube points out that “No filter is 100%”. In addition to this, setting the ‘Restricted Mode’ will only be available for that particular device.

Also Read: YouTube enables Picture-in-Picture Mode: Here’s how to use this new feature

How to use parental controls on Netflix

Step 1: Open Netflix and go to the main Account page

Step 2: Tap on the specific profile you want to set restrictions for

Step 3: Open ‘Viewing Restrictions’ section

Step 3: Open ‘Viewing Restrictions’ section

Step 4: Set the slider according to the age bracket

Step 2 - Click Parental Controls in the Settings section

Step 5: Click ‘Save’ once you are done.

Also Read: Don’t want people to snoop on your Netflix? Here’s how to lock your account

Toch.ai launches 100 crore startup fund to invest in video and audio tech start-ups

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Toch.ai, an AI-driven SaaS platform for digital content players, today launched Rs 100 crore startup fund to invest in video & audio tech start-ups globally over a period of time.

The fund aims to empower early-stage start-ups to drive innovation and bolster growth in the industry. Cultivating the culture of promoting and nurturing pathbreaking technologies, the company has announced that they provide advisory and networking opportunities to the most promising start-ups along with capital infusion.

The startup fund initiative is the brainchild of the three co-founders of Toch.ai – Vinayak Shrivastav, Saket Dandotia, and Alok Patil.

Vinayak Shrivastav, Co-Founder and CEO Toch.ai said, “The video-tech industry has seen record-breaking growth in the last few years, and we are confident that this is just the beginning. With proper support and encouragement for the talent and innovation in the country, we want to be the vehicle of growth and expansion of the video tech industry in India & globally. We believe we have a collective responsibility to grow this industry with cutting edge and new-age solutions to address the evolving needs and changing demands of the end customers.”

Echoing a similar sentiment, Sanket Dandotia and Alok Patil, also emphasized that the program will be a steppingstone for those early age startups who are looking for that initial push to bring their innovative audio and video solutions to the market.

Ritesh Mehta, Head of Finance at Toch.ai said, “We have decided to put aside substantial capital over a period of time to bring some of the most disruptive technologies and solutions to the forefront. We believe this to be an investment in the future of video-tech that is sure to give positive results and transform the industry as we know it.”

Toch.ai is playing a pivotal role in shaping the video tech ecosystem. The company recently closed its Series A round and is currently working on strengthening its tech capabilities and expanding its geographical presence.

Also Read: Ambrane announces limited edition ‘AeroSync’ wireless powerbank autographed by Ravindra Jadeja

Ambrane announces limited edition ‘AeroSync’ wireless powerbank autographed by Ravindra Jadeja

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Ambrane announced the launch of its limited edition ‘AeroSync PB’ wireless powerbank, autographed by the cricket all-rounder and Ambrane’s brand ambassador, Ravindra Jadeja. The powerbank comes with 10,000mAh battery capacity, unique magnetic charging technology and dual ports for wired charging. Priced at Rs 3,999, the powerbank comes with 365 days warranty and is already available on Flipkart.

“I am thrilled to partner with Ambrane and launch the unique powerbank in India. The powerbank truly defines my personality, being fast, powerful, and robust. I am certain my fans would love to use the handy gadget, as much as I do,” says Ravindra Jadeja, Brand Ambassador, Ambrane.

The compact and stylish powerbank is designed for the on-the-go lifestyle. Be it the non-stop movie marathons or the long video calls, the powerbank is designed for a seamless wireless experience. It comes with a back holder support that keeps the device in place while charging. It also comes with unique Mag-Safe technology with a non-slip finish and firm magnetic grip to ensure safety and convenience. The magnetic technology is compatible with the iPhone 12 and above.

Also Read:  Ambrane announces ‘Dots Slay TWS’ with extended battery life for Rs 2,199

Ambrane AeroSync PB wireless charging powerbank comes with a 10,000mAh lithium-polymer battery. This versatile powerbank supports both wireless and wired charging with 15W and 20W QC/PD output respectively. The 20W fast charging output can charge any mobile 50% in as quickly as 30 minutes on average. The powerbank itself, with an 18W fast charging input, can get charged in 3 hours 10 minutes via a Type-C port. Offering a wide range of compatibility features, the AeroSync powerbank is compatible with all devices charged via USB or Type-C port. The Powerbank ensures a safe charging experience with its special multi-later charging protection technology.

Also Read: U&i launches ‘Shuffle 4’ smart neckband with 15-hour battery life

U&i launches ‘Shuffle 4’ smart neckband with 15-hour battery life

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U&i Prime has launched Shuffle 4 – the next generation Smart Neckband in three attractive colors – Black, Green and Blue. The Shuffle 4 boasts superior audio quality apart from some of the latest technologies and smart features such as magnetic switch controls, smart vibrations, superfast charging and long battery life.

The U&i Prime Shuffle 4 is a simple, elegant and feature-rich audio accessory, ergonomically designed and lightweight that is built for comfort and prolonged use. Built with finest quality, it features a combination of soft, yet tough ABS plastic and skin-friendly silicone. Moreover, Shuffle 4 is IPX5-certified that is resistant to sweat, water and dust. So you do not have to worry while walking in the rain or head out for running and exercising as the Shuffle 4 keeps you entertained without any interruptions.

Packed with futuristic features, the U&i Prime Shuffle 4 has earbuds that incorporate neodymium magnets to help control your music. When not in use, they attach to each other and automatically turns off, and resumes the audio the moment they are separated. The magnetic earbuds help keep the earbuds’ wires away from tangling and also prevent the neckband from falling off the shoulders when not in use. And thanks to the soft silicone eartips, you can perceive passive noise isolation to cut off the unwanted chaos around you. Now enjoy your music peacefully or get immersed into those high-performance action flicks – the Shuffle 4 will cater to all your audio entertainment like a pro.

Meet Vij, CEO, U&i said, “We are happy to announce the launch of U&i Prime Shuffle 4, this device performs with excellence when it comes to audio quality. With rich details and a punchy bass delivery this device will completely change the way you listen to music ahead. The device is made using some of the finest and latest technologies and is designed to deliver crisp audio even at high volume levels.

The U&i Prime Shuffle 4 neckband also houses a smart micro motor that vibrates when you receive a call or message. This smart vibration feature helps subtly alert you about calls and messages even when your smartphone is switched to silent mode. Never again miss an important call or message even if you are in a noisy environment, movie theatre or those boring boardroom meetings.

And lastly, the U&i Prime Shuffle 4 promises a high battery life. Using a large quick-charging inbuilt Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery, the Shuffle 4 can entertain you with music, or keep you connected on voice and video calls for a good 15 hours on a single charge. And that’s not all! Thanks to the quick charging battery, a simple 10-minute charge can give you a playtime of 6 hours.

Pricing and availability

The U&i Prime Shuffle 4 Smart Neckband is available from company’s official website and all leading online stores at a price-point of INR 999 backed with a 1-year warranty.

Also Read: Do Your Thng launches app in 3 more languages to support creator market in India

Do Your Thng launches app in 3 more languages to support creator market in India

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A creator-first tech platform Do Your Thng (DYT) announced the launch of three more languages on its app. With the release, the app is now available in Hindi, Marathi, and Tamil, besides English, making it easier for regional creators to discover and explore DYT.

The Hindi Internet user base (201 million) in India is set to overpower English-language users (199 million) by the end of this year, estimates a Google-KPMG report. And it is not just Hindi, nine out of ten Internet users in the country are likely to use an Indic language.

Marathi users, along with Bengali, are driving volume growth, while Tamil users are the most digitally engaged. The pool of Hindi, Marathi (and Bengali) users accounts for 75% of Indians browsing the Internet. YouTube backs this growth in regional content consumption and states that 90% of all video consumption is in local languages. Moreover, 60% of its watch-time comes from beyond the borders of the six largest Indian cities.

It is to reach this larger audience, who speak and read in vernacular, that DYT introduced the new capability. The language change is available on both Apple and Android apps. The feature comes with the option to switch to any preferred language – English, Hindi, Marathi or Tamil – at any time. Users even have the flexibility to reverse the localization.

Ankit Agarwal, Founder, Do Your Thng said, “We’re ecstatic and excited with the launch of new languages on the app because it allows us to embrace the power of ‘Bharat’ and cater to regional content creators, a niche that has been steadily growing in the last two years. It’s our first step towards supporting vernacular creators and bring them to the notice of brands, finally shifting focus from creators who produce only English content.”

KPMG reports that 88% of Indian language internet users are more likely to respond to a digital advertisement in their local language as compared to English. This has given rise to a burgeoning vernacular content market in India, estimated to be worth $53 billion. It evidences that regional content and its creators will drive the next phase of growth in content consumption and digital marketing. DYT’s move to launch the app in more languages gives them access to this bank of creators.

Also Read: Esri India’s ArcGIS Platform to give thrust to ‘Make in India’

Esri India’s ArcGIS Platform to give thrust to ‘Make in India’

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The Geographic Information System (GIS) software & solutions provider – Esri India – today announced the launch of ArcGIS Platform as-a-service (PaaS) that includes maps and location services. With a full range of SDKs, APIs, and low-code options, the platform will reduce time to market and promote creative design, enabling an open location-focused PaaS for software developers, businesses, and organizations that need to bring maps and location services into their products, solutions, and systems.

With this launch, developers in India will now be able to get seamless access to Esri India’s leading geospatial technology and capabilities. The developers can also access these services using their preferred APIs – including open-source mapping libraries as well as Esri’s web and native APIs. This will allow them to speed up the development of apps, helping them to accurately monitor service usage, deliver enormous value and reduce time to market.

Agendra Kumar, Managing Director, Esri India said, “Industry estimates suggest that by 2023 India will surpass the US to become the leading country with largest number of developers. This launch is our attempt to empower India’s developer community so that they can build world class software solutions and systems right here in India and be able to deliver these globally. With the launch of ArcGIS platform as-a-service, Indian developer community and start-ups will have easy access to the most comprehensive, high-quality set of location services, data, and mapping tools to bring their ideas to a reality!”

The launch of ArcGIS Platform will offer a full suite of developer tools and resources – from technical documentation to software development kits (SDKs), sample source code, reference guides, and virtual sandboxes, required for testing and developing new applications and products. Developers can access ArcGIS Platform by signing up for a free developer account. Esri India invites developers in India to explore its new ArcGIS Platform and unlock the power of location and maps.

Also Read: Tecno unveils Spark 8 with 16MP AI camera, 3+32GB storage at Rs 9,299

Tech NewsWrap: HMD launches Nokia X100… and more

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HMD launches Nokia X100

HMD launched its new budget smartphone – Nokia X100 – in the United States. The latest handset is available exclusively through T-Mobile and Metro in the US. Starting November 19, the Nokia X100 will strengthen the carrier’s 5G offerings. It comes with some decent specs, 5G connectivity and a price tag of $252 (roughly Rs 18,709) for the sole 6GB RAM + 128GB internal storage variant. Besides, the company has not revealed if and when the device will be launching in the Indian market.

YouTube to remove all public dislike counts on all videos

YouTube announced its decision to make the “dislike” count on all videos private across its platform. Given the extent, the decision is likely to be controversial that it impacts the visibility of the public into a video’s reception. But the Google-owned company believes the change will better protect its creators from harassment and reduce the threat of what it calls “dislike attacks” — essentially, when a group teams up to drive up the number of dislikes a video receives.

New Tecno Spark 8 launched in India

Tecno unveiled the all-new variant under its most popular Spark series, the Spark 8, 3 + 32GB storage variant that flaunts segment leading features at an aggressive price point of Rs 9,299. Equipped with disruptive features such as 16MP AI Enhanced Dual Rear High-resolution camera, 6.56-inch HD + Dot-notch display, and a massive 5,000mAh battery, Spark 8 is designed to give holistic smartphone experience to its customers. Tecno’s Spark series is known for its superior camera, display, and overall smartphone experience in the affordable segment.

Vivo Y76s 5G goes official

Vivo added a new member to the Y series called Vivo Y76s 5G. It is powered by the Dimensity 810 SoC, has 8GB RAM onboard, and runs Android 11-based OriginOS 1.0 which can be expanded virtually by up to 4GB. The Vivo Y76s 5G price has been set at CNY 1,799 (roughly Rs 20,800) for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant. The smartphone also comes in an 8GB + 256GB that is priced at CNY 1,999 (roughly Rs 23,200).

Also Read: RAEGR launches Portable 6-Port USB Type-C Hub ‘Arc 2100’ with thunderbolt, wireless charging