'Power paper' to store electricity soon

Researchers at Linkoping University in Sweden have developed a 'power paper' that can store energy. The material consists of nanocellulose and a conductive polymer.

LONDON: Researchers at Linkoping University in Sweden have developed a 'power paper' that can store energy. The material consists of nanocellulose and a conductive polymer.

Unlike the batteries and capacitors currently on the market, power paper is produced from simple materials -- renewable cellulose and an easily available polymer.

It is light in weight, requires no dangerous chemicals or heavy metals and it is waterproof.

One sheet of this new material, 15cm in diametre and a few tenths of a millimetre thick, can store as much as 1F, which is similar to the supercapacitors currently on the market.

The material can be recharged hundreds of times and each charge only takes a few seconds.

"Thin films that function as capacitors have existed for some time. What we have done is to produce the material in three dimensions. We can produce thick sheets," said study co-author professor Xavier Crispin.

The material, power paper, looks and feels like a slightly plastic paper.

The structural foundation of the material is nanocellulose, which is cellulose fibres which, using high-pressure water, are broken down into fibres as thin as 20 nm in diametre.

With the cellulose fibres in a solution of water, an electrically charged polymer, also in a water solution, is added. The polymer then forms a thin coating around the fibres.

"The covered fibres are in tangles, where the liquid in the spaces between them functions as an electrolyte," explained researcher Jesper Edberg.

The new cellulose-polymer material has set a new world record in simultaneous conductivity for ions and electrons, which explains its exceptional capacity for energy storage.

The study was published in the journal Advanced Science.

This is how you can turn ideas into decisions using Big Data

In today’s digital world when a user makes an online purchase be it goods or service or does any activity on the social media, the data is captured.


In today's digital world when a user makes an online purchase be it goods or service or does any activity on the social media, the data is captured. So, just imagine the gigantic volumes of data that is being generated each hour across the globe by the billions of digital users. The dawn of digitization, social media adoption and Internet of Things (IOT) has led to Data Explosion .

According to an IDC report, the 2.8 ZB (zettabytes) of data created in 2012 is expected to grow up to 40 ZB by 2020. Most of the recent data is on account of user generated content such as blogs, wikis, discussion forums, images, videos etc. This analysis indicates that enterprises are processing and analyzing an increasing amount of data.

It is impossible to consume Big Data directly. To consume this data, you need sophisticated and robust algorithms supported via advanced analytics. The essence of making informed decision on big data is through analytics. Looking at the current trend, you can safely assume that in future, analytics will be embedded in everything i.e. devices, appliances, software, apps etc. You can use these data to help consumers get Personalized Experience.


As business users are quite comfortable accessing mainstream BI software and data visualization tools, for example, Excel being most commonly used software, which plays a vital role in the analysis process, it will be easier for them to understand the advanced analytic concepts.

The following three phases explain the entire cycle of transforming big data to an actionable decision making insights:

Descriptive Analysis : This is the most often used at the Enterprise Reporting level (sales, marketing, finance) for post-mortem analysis. It mines the historical data and helps you summarize consumable bites of information. For example, in social media analytics, there are many variables such as number of posts, mentions, fans, followers, page view and so on. It is redundant to list them all, but you can view them as event counter, thus reducing your big data into much smaller data units.

Predictive Analytics: The purpose of predictive analytics is to analyze the available data and predict what might happen in the future. It uses a variety of statistical, modeling, data mining, and machine learning techniques to build a Predictive Model that studies historical data, and thereby making predictions about the data we do not currently have.



The real advantage of having this model is to extrapolate the model to regimes where data does not exist and make predictions. Predictive analytics answers the question what will happen, tries to determine the probabilistic future outcome of an event or the likelihood of a situation occurring. Examples of predictive analytics include trend lines, influence scoring, sentiment analysis, etc.

Prescriptive Analytics: The purpose of prescriptive analytics is to prescribe an actionable insight to the decision-maker. The prescriptive analytics model must have a feedback mechanism so that it can continually take in new data based on business user's actions, and use this data to re-predict and re-prescribe. Hence improving prediction accuracy and prescribing better decision option.



Prescriptive Model cannot only predict the possible consequences based on different choice of action, it can also recommend the best course of action for any pre-specified outcome. Thus, the goal of most prescriptive analytics is to guide the decision maker, so that the decisions will ultimately lead to the target outcome.

Big Data is here to stay and grow exponentially. Also, with the improvements in the predictive and prescriptive analytical models, the outcome of data driven decision making will be a dominant factor to achieve and surpass expected business results.

Digital commerce market in India to touch $128 billion by 2017

The digital commerce market in India is expected to touch $128 billion in 2017 from $42 billion now with majority of the business likely to be driven by mobile and internet penetration.

BENGALURU: The digital commerce market in India is expected to touch $128 billion in 2017 from $42 billion now with majority of the business likely to be driven by mobile and internet penetration.

A joint study by industry body Assocham and Deloitte points out that an increasing mobile and internet penetration, m-commerce sales, advanced shipping and payment options, exciting discounts, and the push into new international markets by e-businesses are the major drivers of this unprecedented growth.

There are about 930 million wireless subscribers in India with the wireless teledensity in urban areas in excess of 140 while there is still huge potential in rural areas with teledensity of 44.

A significantly large percentage of this subscriber base in India will be using mobile devices to access internet, estimated at 235 million users as of September 2014 and growing rapidly.




"Undoubtedly, mobile retailing is expected to continue to grow aggressively. In the next three years, global e-commerce sales made via mobile devices are expected to top $638 billion," the study Future of e-Commerce: Uncovering Innovation says, adding that the digital commerce market in India has grown steadily from $4.4 billion in 2010 to $13.6 billion in 2014.

In India, online shoppers are expected to increase from 20 million in 2013 to 40 million in 2016. An additional 200 million Indians will access the internet in the next three years, with majority of them coming online through smartphones.

The M&A deals -- Softbank's $627 million deal with Snapdeal, Flipkart acquired Myntra for $370 million, Ola Cabs acquired TaxiForSure for $200 million-- and sky-rocket valuation of these e-commerce giants rising in last one year shows that the sector is heating up.

"Online travel, one of the key drivers of India's e-commerce market, accounts for nearly 71% of e-commerce business in India. Though the online retail market in India, currently at $1.6 billion, is a miniscule fraction of India's overall $500 billion retail industry; retail e-commerce has recorded a three-fold growth since 2011, predominantly driven by million dollar investments by domestic and foreign investors," the study said.

"The question would be whether these valuations are sustainable despite showing no signs of profitability. The global players like Amazon and Alibaba have deep pockets to rely on their parent companies for continuous funding support. The homegrown players would definitely need different metrics to preserve the investor confidence build in the sector," the study said.

Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said that the supply chain and logistics in e-commerce business are highly complex to manage in a vast country like India where infrastructure is not well-developed to reach every remote and rural area.

"The taxation policies for the e-businesses are not well-defined depending on different business models and transaction types. The complexity has further amplified with transactions happening across borders for online selling of goods and services," he added.

According to the study, newer technologies that could significantly bring a paradigm shift in the online businesses are analytics, autonomous vehicles, social commerce, and 3D printing.

Ola ties with Oneplus for at home delivery

Shubra Pant
Ola and OnePlus have entered into a partnership giving users an opportunity to buy OnePlus X straight from the Ola app. The partnership will go live on Ola mobile app on Dec 8, 2015, across seven cities in India including Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

OnePlus X is the company's first smartphone with 5-inch display.
GURGAON: Ola and OnePlus have entered into a first-of-its-kind partnership in India giving users an opportunity to buy latest smartphone OnePlus X, on-demand, straight from the Ola app. This is the first ever instance in India where consumers can purchase a smartphone without an invite for a day and have it delivered at their doorsteps within 15 minutes of placing the order.

The partnership will go live on the Ola mobile app only on December 8, 2015, across seven cities in India including Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. Anyone wishing to buy a OnePlus X can open their Ola app and request a phone, just like they would book a cab, by clicking on the 'ONEPLUSX' category icon that will be available on the app between 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

Once the request is received, an Ola cab will arrive at the customer's location; along with a representative from OnePlus, with the smartphone. Customers will get a choice of paying for their OnePlus X handsets through cash (Cash On Delivery) or credit/debit cards.

"We are thrilled to announce this partnership and take great pride in bringing this exclusive access to all Ola users and it is a testament to the on-demand nature of the mobility solutions that the Ola platform offers and takes user engagement to an all-new level," said Sudarshan Gangrade, vice president, marketing at Ola.

Best Drones 2015: DJI Phantom 3, Parrot Bebop, Yuneec Typhoon G And More

For those who thought about purchasing a drone for Christmas, we compiled a list of the best drones that flew in 2015. Quadcopters manufactured by DJI, Yuneec, Parrot and others are among the top choices, so here are the best-rated drones of the year.
(Photo : DJI)
With Christmas approaching fast, a lot of tech fans wonder if it pays off to have their own drones, so we made a short list of the best rated UAVs from 2015.
 DJI Phantom 3 ($699)
There are three variants of the Phantom 3 that drone enthusiasts can select from.
The Standard model sells for $700 and offers a 1080p camera, but misses some of improved hardware which puts Phantom 3 ahead of the competition. The Advanced and Professional models, however, sport a 2.7K HD and full 4K cameras, respectively. They also cost a bit more than the basic variant, with price points of $1000 and $1250, respectively.
The DJI Phantom 3, regardless of the model, showed great airborne stability, making it a pleasant and easy to operate unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The advanced version displayed smooth 2.7K video capture, and unless you're a professional film-maker, there is little reason to choose the 4K camera.
Raw and JPG still capture potential makes for great aerial images. The value for money ratio is great, with the mid and high-end DJI Phantom 3 being just a bit more expensive than rival devices. The embedded GPS allows for a return-to-home function, which is very useful and works great with the programmed routines for landing and takeoff.
The operating range of the Standard model is a tad limited, as the device lost connectivity at about 1,200 feet of distance and 400 feet of altitude in an open-ground setting, and at 350 feet of distance and 150 feet of altitude in a suburban environment. Just as a side note, UAV flight rules in the U.S. restrict UAVs to 400 feet maximum, if stricter rules do not apply.
Another limitation of the DJI Phantom 3 is that flying time depends on battery life, and it tends to burn out quickly. The fact that the power source needs over an hour per recharge is another minus of the device.


Yuneec Typhoon G ($899)

The Yuneec Typhoon G works on the same flight hardware as the Q500 4K, but it trades the integrated 4K video camera for a mount that supports most GoPro models.
The Typhoon G provides three flight modes-Angle, Home and Smart.
In Angle mode, you get complete control of the drone, and the only limitation is the range of the remote control. As far as range goes, tests done in the suburbs demonstrated that Typhoon G can get as far as 900 feet without signal breaking.
However, the video feed from the GoPro will drop way before that. The video stopped at around 500 feet in an open space, where there was a clear line of sight to the UAV. If you plan on shooting in areas with obstacles, the video can drop even quicker.
Video quality depends a lot on the model of GoPro you attach to the gizmo. Hero4 Black, for example, provides 4K video results that surpass the integrated camera from the Q500 4K drone.
Return-to-Home and Follow Me modes are quite helpful and self-explanatory, and the remote control has and LCD screen with a neat user interface powered by Android, making it intuitive and easy to use.
Where the Yuneec Typhoon G lacks is the short video transmission range, and relatively limited flight time. Some users may prefer a tighter view-angle, but that is mostly a personal preference.
Parrot Bebop ($499)
The Parrot Bebop is one true mixed bag. You can fly Bebop with your iPhone or Android device, but if you feel like having more control over your drone you can get the SkyController, which gives real joystick controls, HDMI output, extended range and more.
The Parrot Bebop sports a 14 MP camera equipped with fisheye lens, meaning that it can take 180 degree field-of-view footage. Due to the way in which the gadget works, it will send the digitally stabilized standard definition video feed straight to your smartphone. At the same time, the 8GB of standard memory allow the drone to record 1080p video and store it with no hassle.
Now, for the downsides: the video streaming lags quite a bit, rendering it unsuitable for laser-precision first-person-view (FPV) flying.
Then, there is the price issue. A Parrot Bebop sans dedicated controller sells for $499. This would qualify for something of a bargain, but the tablet or handset controlling is pretty cumbersome, and the SkyController adds another $400 to the bill. To make matters worse, regardless of whether you use the controller or not, the handling results are disappointing, some reviews show.

Blade Nano QX FPV ($419+$250 headset)

If you know someone who is passionate about flying, the Blade Nano QX FPV is the perfect Christmas gift.
The drone comes in a non-FPV version, too, but the experience is so mind-blowing that we simply had to recommend it. The headset costs an extra $200 or $250, depending on the vendor, but it has the advantage of being compatible with other similar devices.
The drawback is that the special goggles sport an infamous 320x240p resolution. It must be noted that the camera has no video capturing capabilities and is relatively limited when it comes to field of view. Using the FPV function will reduce the battery of the Nano QX to 5 minutes or less.
So, why would you want this device if there are so many downsides?
Because this is one of the closest way to experience flight with your own eyes, and it feels amazing. The quadcopter is easy to pilot and quite nimble, and provides a seamless video which rarely stutters. An upgrade of the goggles can lend you a comfortable resolution so you enjoy the flying experience in greater detail.

Microsoft Surprises With New Windows 10 Mobile Build

Microsoft recently released an updated Windows 10 Mobile build, numbered 10586.29. Microsoft?s Gabe Aul calls the new edition of the company?s smartphone operating system a ?Cumulative Update? for the preceding build, 10586.
The build was a slight surprise to your humble servant, dropping in the early evening on a Friday.
Before we dig into what?s new, Microsoft noted that its two new smartphones ? the Lumia 950 and 950 XL ? will be ?onboarded? in the next week, thus becoming eligible for the new code.
So, what is in the .29 build? Microsoft states that it has improved the performance of its new Edge browser, which will eventually supplant Internet Explorer.
Moving ahead, the new set of code will help people upgrade their phones with less hassle and contain what Microsoft calls ?[i]mproved application backward compatibility for Windows Phone 8.1 Silverlight applications.? I?m not sure how large the demand is for the latter update there, but I presume it was executed for a reason.
Remember Silverlight? Perhaps not.
Today?s update isn?t the largest set of new capabilities, but in the same announcement, the company included an interesting tidbit on how it intends to continue to update Windows 10 Mobile in the coming ?few weeks and into next year.? Here?s Aul:

As our partners and Microsoft ship new Windows 10 mobile devices and existing devices are upgraded to Windows 10, all of our users will start to see more updates coming through

WhatsApp Receives a Major Update, Bonus Features Added Too

It?s been coming as millions of users have been waiting for WhatsApp to roll out a major upgrade to its chat app with features that have been doing rounds in its recent APK files.

The new update is currently available for Android users only and in it, users will find some of the latest and biggest features, among them, starred messages. Yes, you read it right! WhatsApp has now enabled the ability to star messages, which is a similar thing to bookmarking in web browsers such as Google Chrome.
It is now possible to press and hold on a messageto a given chat, individual or group, and star it. All the starred messages can be accessed via the app?s Chats tab, which makes everything easy when it comes to locating these important conversations.
The Facebook-owned chat app revealed that the ability to star messages was one of the most requested features by the more than 900 million people who actively use this chat app on a monthly basis. The feature has been undergoing tests in the beta versions, but now it has made its way into the Google Play version for all users of Android to access it.

Bonus features in latest Google Play WhatsApp

Also fresh in the app is a new option to send or receive URLs or links with a rich preview. Users will be able to see a preview of any link they include in a message, which essentially gives them an idea of what is on the shared link.
Another addition that the latest version of WhatsApp comes with is the ability to use Direct Share in Android 6.0 Marshmallow. This is where users can send links to groups or contacts without going through the pain of opening WhatsApp first. This will probably open up the list of the contacts or groups you recently interacted with.
The sad part of this story is that these features aren?t yet available on the iPhone version of WhatsApp, but it definitely won?t be long before they come in.
If you are using an Android device, just go to the Google Play Store and grab yourself an updated version of WhatsApp, which is currently version 2.12.367 for free. Remember, the free part only lasts for a year and after that, you will start paying a small fee of $0.99 per year to keep using the app.

Railway partners with Google for Wi-Fi at 400 stations

The telecom wing of the Indian Railway, RailTel, has signed an agreement with the subsidiary of Google India to provide Wi-Fi facilities at 400 stations across the country. A PSU under Railway Ministry, signed agreement with Mahataa Information India to equip 400 stations with Wi-Fi in two phases.
PTI | Dec 5, 2015, 01.16 PM IST

 High-speed Wi-Fi facility would be available at Bhubaneswar Railway station from January 2016.
NEW DELHI: The telecom wing of the Indian Railway, RailTel, has signed an agreement with the subsidiary of Google India to provide Wi-Fi facilities at 400 stations across the country, the government said today.

In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, minister of state for Railways Manoj Sinha said that RailTel Corporation of India Ltd (RCIL), a PSU under Railway Ministry, signed an agreement with Mahataa Information India Pvt Ltd (MIIPL), an arm of Google Inc, to equip 400 stations with Wi-Fi in two phases,

In first phase, as many as 100 stations out of the total A1 and A categories would be covered with the offering, while the facility would be extended to 300 stations in the second phase.

Non-suburban stations with an annual passenger earning of more than Rs 60 crore are categorized as A1 stations, while those with yearly passenger income from Rs 8 crore to Rs 60 crore fall under the category of A stations.

The capital expenditure for the project would be incurred by RCIL and MIIPL, the minster added.

Twitter can't trademark 'tweet'

Twitter lost its battle to trademark the vanilla term "tweet" in the past, due to the widespread public use of the term superseding Twitter before it could a hold of the claim.
Techradar | Dec 5, 2015, 03.06 PM IST


Twitter is filing a trademark claim on "subtweet," the term used for the (typically passive-aggressive) act of tweeting about someone without explicitly naming them.

If enforced, any commercial use of "subtweet" would be prohibited without Twitter's permission. Submitted on October 30, Twitter also included "sub tweet" with a space in the middle in the same filing to cover all its bases. A prior filing also exists for the arguably lesser-known word, "tweetstorm."

Twitter attempted trademarking the vanilla term "tweet" in the past, but lost due to the widespread public use of the term superseding Twitter before it could a hold of the claim. Considering it originated from the public and not Twitter employees, the claim on "subtweet" may likely meet a similar fate.

Terms for Twitter's subsidiary video sharing platform, Vine, are also under consideration with the company eyeing words such as "Viner" and "revine" for trademark. As to what Twitter's aims are with trademarking several of its company's terminology, the matter be less about securing commercial rights and more managing an image.

"You need to protect your namespace from people who would misuse it," commented Twitter to The Verge earlier today.

While "subtweet" might never see everyday use outside the space of 140 characters, one cannot fault Twitter for being as cautious with their terminology as it is with the rest of its brand.