"Technology is anything that wasn't around when you were born," said Alan Kay, a US-based computer science pioneer credited with designing the Dynabook -- the basis for all modern-day tablets and laptops -- in the early 1970s.


Are Indian consumers ready for foldable smartphones? (Tech Trend Feature)


IANS Automatic

Even as passengers looked forward to the government implementing its new proposals to regulate cancellation, refund and baggage norms of domestic airlines, aviation industry experts warned that potentially this can even push up fares and that pricing policies must not be micro-managed.


Market forces should decide airlines' pricing norms: Experts (News Analysis)


Swati Bisht, a mother of two girls - Sneha, 9, and Sakshi, 6 - was never a shopaholic until her two daughters pushed her to the local mall. Even at this tender age, Sneha and Sakshi are so brand conscious that they are the guiding force behind their parents' shopping decisions.


Online shopping triggers jump in kidswear sales (Lifestyle Trend) (Special to IANS)


At a time when security has become the foremost concern in browsing or sharing data online, people in India are progressively turning to virtual private network (VPN) services for anonymous and safe Internet experience.


Anonymous online access: VPNs gaining ground in India (Tech Trend Feature)


Arti Rawte, an 11-year-old tribal girl from Dhobni village of Maoist-hit Rajanandgaon district in Chhattisgarh, used to wake up at four every morning -- not to study but keep a sharp lookout for villagers going out to defecate in the open and stop them from doing so. Her village has been declared 'Open Defecation Free', thanks to efforts of such spunky kids.


Children play pivotal role in making Chhattisgarh villages open-defecation free


Heating up the race of thin, lightweight and high-performance laptops, HP Inc's latest offering - ultrabook Envy 13 - may take Indian consumers by surprise with its looks.


HP Envy 13: Fairly good laptop if cost doesn't bother you (Tech Review)


While the maiden visit by Tim Cook as Apple CEO can be defined as fully "encrypted" from the word go, his arrival here shows the importance the company holds India in as a smartphone market, only next to China, which Cook visited before coming to India.


First Apps, then Maps: What lies ahead for Apple in India?


Smartphone shipments are on the decline globally. Devices launched with same features and specifications and price cuts are so far unable to make a visible impact. So what is going to drive the sales numbers? The answer is content, and global and Indian internet-based video streaming service providers have spruced up efforts to woo the Indian consumers.


Video streaming set to trigger smartphone war in India (Tech Trend Feature)


At a time when Make in India smartphones have come of age and are pushing sales in the country, Bengaluru-based consumer technology company CREO has joined the fray with its first device -- "Mark 1" - that has a remarkable indigenously-built operating system (OS).


CREO's 'Mark 1': Indigenously-built OS, monthly updates help (Tech Review)


Forty-five-year-old Dhaneswar Boro is excited that his days of illiteracy are over. He can now write his name is Assamese and he is gradually getting to know his rights as an Indian citizen.


Backward Assam village heading for brighter days (Development Feature)


When the tech giant Microsoft unveiled its AI or artificial intelligence-powered bot on Twitter for a playful chat with the people in March, little did the tech giant realise that the twitterati would begin slamming the innocent bot with racist and offensive comments.


Are we ready for chatbots, the next technology wave? (Tech Trend Feature)


Bimala lives under the shadow of her rich elite husband Nikhil. Despite being high-spirited, she has to remain subdued in the role of a traditional Indian housewife. With the arrival of her husband's friend Sandip, Bimala finds a new hope for fulfilling her aspirations and falls in love, disregarding social norms. That's Tagore's Bimala from "Ghare Baire".


Tagore and his women (May 8 is the 155th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore) (Lead, correcting para seven)


It was virtually 'poetic justice' for entrepreneur Falguni Nayar.


Investment banker to cosmetic queen: How daughter helped to change her life's course (Mother's Day Business Feature)


When Aditya Dubey took up a job in Sydney five years ago, his elderly parents had mixed feelings -- they were happy for his success, but saddened by the fact that he would be so far away and practically inaccessible.


Instant messaging apps help elderly remain connected (Tech Feature) 


Tourism authorities in Russia want customs and immigration officials to brush up on their English, even as they acknowledge that not knowing the language could prove an impediment to increasing tourist inflows from the English-speaking world, especially India.


Lack of English proficiency mars Russia's tourism potential


Bollywood could emerge as a colourful catalyst for promoting Russia as a tourism destination for travelling Indians, especially with the Indian outbound tourism market expected to grow to $40 billion by 2020, according tourism industry experts.


Bollywood seen as part of Russian strategy to woo Indian tourists


Stagnating user-growth and nosediving revenues have sparked a spate of obituaries for the 10-year-old micro-blogging site Twitter. Yet, all is not lost, say social media analysts who believe India holds the key to the San Francisco-based company's future.


India can help resurrect tottering Twitter: Experts (Tech Trend Feature)


Gone are the days when laptops were marketed as fastest, smartest, biggest or best on the list. Being skinny is the new buzzword and the global computer and laptop giant -- while re-jigging their notebook portfolios for the premium segment -- have joined the race to shed weight and go thin in recent months.


Is India ready for the 'thinnest' laptop age? (Tech Trend Feature)


The heat is slowly picking up in the burgeoning VR gaming market and Indian VR players are set to jump on the bandwagon. The $599 Oculus Rift virtual reality (VR) device is now being shipped. The $799 high-end HTC Vive is set to hit the global market later this year and Sony's $399 fully-immersive PlayStation VR is scheduled to launch this October.


Indian virtual reality makers gear up to create 'rift' for the masses (Tech Trend Feature)


At a time when residents of Delhi are hoping for a workable solution for the next phase of "odd-even" car rule from April 15, the newly introduced bike taxis may well provide a breather.


Delhi's bike taxis see engines revved up during 'odd-even' days


With American burger chain Wendy's foray into the Indian QSR (quick service restaurants) segment last year, fast food lovers in the NCR region have reason to rejoice. In an already clogged market, Wendy's is making its presence felt in Noida, with a new outlet that combines taste, innovation and hygiene.

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