Archives for October 2018

The country’s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), has lowered the ATM cash withdrawal limit on its Classic Debit Card to Rs 20,000 a day, from Rs 40,000. The lower limit will be effective from October 31. This is an attempt to address the growing incidence of ATM frauds and boost digital transactions. “Daily cash withdrawal limits for Classic and Maestro debit cards reduced from Rs 40,000 to Rs 20,000 per day with effect from 31 October 2018,” SBI said on its website.

“In view of the increase in the number of complaints received by banks around fraudulent transactions at ATMs and to encourage digital and cashless transactions, it has been decided to decrease the cash withdrawal limits of debit cards issued or being issued on ‘Classic’ and ‘Maestro’ platforms,” said a bank communique sent out to its offices.

SBI has been urging its account holders who still have magstripe ATM-cum-debit cards to change to new EMV chip debit cards by the end of this year. For card replacement, SBI ATM-cum-debit card-holders can visit their home branch or apply online through internet banking. The conversion process is absolutely safe and comes with no charges. Earlier, SBI had removed the limit on the amount that can be deposited in a non-home branch.

The Reserve Bank today announced that it will inject Rs 36,000 crore liquidity into the system through the purchase of government bonds in October to meet the festival season demand for funds.

The auctions to purchase government bonds as part of the Open Market Operations (OMO) to manage liquidity in the system will be conducted in the second, third and fourth week of October.

“Based on an assessment of the durable liquidity needs going forward and the seasonal growth in currency in circulation observed in build-up to the festive season, RBI has decided to conduct purchase of Government securities under OMOs for an aggregate amount of Rs 360 billion in the month of October,” the central bank said in a release.
The auctions, it further said, “would be conducted during the 2nd, 3rd and 4th week of October. The auction dates and the Government securities to be purchased in respective auctions would be communicated in due course”.
 

LG Launches A New Range Of AI Enabled Speakers

With an aim to redefine the music experience, LG Electronics today announced its new line up of speakers featuring Artificial Intelligence (AI) ThinQ® & Meridian Audio.

Launched under LG’s Consumer Audio Video category, this new range includes PK series & LG XBOOM AI ThinQ® WK7. With this new proposition, every music enthusiast will be able to experience a musical extravaganza which weaves magic & sets the heart racing.

Commenting on this occasion, Younchul Park, Director – Home Electronics, LG Electronics India said, “As technology is pervasive & ever changing, we have been witnessing a lot of exciting new trends coming our way, one of which is definitely artificial intelligence. With this evolving trend, we are happy to present the new range of speakers equipped with AI technology. Our aim is to deliver a unique & more intuitive experience for our customers. We have partnered with Meridian, British pioneers of high resolution audio, to deliver an exceptional sound experience to music lovers across the world. The users will get to experience a new way of listening to music & setting the right mood for parties. With the new features we have tried to cater to the needs of all our consumers.”

Integrated with artificial intelligence, LG XBOOM AI ThinQ® WK7 is another innovative addition to LG’s CAV line-up. The speaker comes with Meridian Technology to give you high fidelity sound when playing your favorite music. It is a giant leap forward which provides a truly exceptional sound experience with Google Assistant built in, elevating your sound experience.

It is designed in a cylindrical form as a sit at home as a standalone speaker, measuring 135 x 210.7 x 135 mm with the grille wrapping around and providing a seamless finish. The speaker is one of the 1st ever product with built in Google’s new Android Things platform, with which one will be able to interrogate Google for information, get reports on the weather or to check the calendar, place calls as well as control a whole range of smart home devices.

This certified Hi-Resolution Audio speaker can play back lossless stereo audio at up to 24-bit/96kHz quality. Also, 24-bit upsampling feature converts lower-resolution audio to a high-resolution 24-bit format for a more premium listening experience for all the music lovers. The speaker has the Chromecast functionality built in, and that it can be integrated into a Google-based multi-room audio system, which can be controlled by voice via Google Assistant.

Next in line are the PK series. The series come with a handle that makes it easy to pick up & carry the speaker. The front of the speaker features the grille which offers a glimpse of its dual tweeters & woofers. With the dual passive radiators, the speakers get a better bass performance without using more power or additional speakers. The PK series distributes its high frequencies across its Dual Tweeters for more precise sonic detail. The speaker promises to provide quality sound every day. Together with Meridian, it delivers an exceptional sound experience and comes with Clear Vocal & Enhanced Bass presets for uncompromising performance. “Clear Vocal” allows you to listen to the singers crisp & detailed vocals without distortion at the highest volume. The “Enhanced Bass” mode creates deeper bass tones

The speaker also comes with a very unique feature of Voice command which helps you conveniently control your speaker with your voice. Just press a button & activate your phone’s voice assistant to play music or ask questions.

The aptX HD built-in maintains the original sound quality allowing you to stream higher fidelity than CD, straight from your compatible phone to your speaker. It helps you to get the most out of your high resolution streaming services or files without the compression of typical Bluetooth.

The speaker comes with weather-proof/splash-proof (IPX5) allowing you to use it by the pool or even under the sprinklers. The built-in microphone automatically filters audio making the calls loud & clear. The speaker also synchronizes its built-in LED light to the rhythm of the music to create a pulsing light show for any song and the built-in battery allows it to play up to twenty hours between charges.

The speakers are available in three variants PK3, PK5 & PK7

The new range of speakers is sure to pack a punch like never-before with its wide range of features & thumping performance. The technology of the speakers coupled with best design aesthetics, is sure to make them a big hit among technology lovers and all those who love to have a musical extravaganza.

The speakers would be available at the below mentioned prices – LG PK3- Rs.10,990/-, LG PK5- Rs.14,990/-, LG PK7- Rs.22,990/- &
LG W7ThinQ – Rs.27,990/-

Beverage major Pepsico India has said it will set up waste collection centres and reverse vending machines in Delhi to recycle PET plastic bottles, in partnership with Gem Enviro Management.

An IANS story on Saturday had incorrectly said that Pepsico plans to establish a plant in Delhi to recycle used PET plastic bottles.

“The company has partnered with Gem Enviro Management to set up an infrastructure for collection and recycling of used PET plastic bottles in Delhi, in line with the plastic waste management rules,” a statement from Pepsico said.

“As a responsible leader in the food and beverage industry, we are continually working to reduce the impact of our packaging on the environment and increase recycling of plastic waste,” PepsiCo India President and CEO Ahmed ElSheikh said.

“To this end, we have partnered with Gem Enviro to set up Reverse Vending Machines, collection points and collection centres for used PET bottles at several locations across the city. The programme will also provide training to waste pickers and ensure effective recycling of the used PET collected,” he said.