Has the government failed in using information technology to help consumers pay their various bills?

To a large extent, yes. Imagine the time, energy and travel cost the consumer would have saved if electricity, water bills and house tax were paid online directly through one's bank account. The talk of e-governance will amount to just an illusion if these basic services are not made available to consumers and tax payers online. The government better make payment of bills online a reality - sooner, the better.

Daniel F de Souza Freelance journalist, Vasco 

In spite of the infrastructure being available, it is not used as it should be. Like the telephone bill can be paid anywhere, the government should extend that kind of facility for power and water bills as consumers have to travel long distances and bear with queues too. There should be a single point where one can pay all utility bills. Even the landline phone bill payment facility needs to be properly advertised by the authorities.

Siddesh Rangnekar Business manager, Panaji 

Yes, the government has totally failed on this front. While all over the world people sit at home and pay all their bills, here we have to either go to a bank or government office. Most times it is a frustrating exercise of having to queue and losing one's patience. The present bill payment system is sheer waste of time and energy.

Saby Mascarenhas Civil engineer, Siolim 

In this computer age who wouldn't want to pay bills online? Seems like the government is yet to realize that a huge percentage of revenue due to it remains unpaid as the online facility is not made available to consumers. The aggravation that consumers get while queuing up, being told that the persons manning the cash payment counters have gone for a 'chai', and the non-cooperative attitude of irresponsible government servants, is reason enough to postpone paying of bills. It is high time the administration puts its e-governance act together.

Shreedhar Pai Businessman, Margao

Source: TOI

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HOW TO READ BAR CODES…!

HOW TO READ BAR CODES…! (every one must know)

ALWAYS READ THE LABELS ON THE FOODS YOU BUY–NO MATTER WHAT THE FRONT OF THE BOX OR PACKAGE SAYS, TURN IT OVER AND

READ THE BACK—CAREFULLY!
With all the food and pet products now coming from China, it is best to make sure you read label at the supermarket and especially when buying food products. Many products no longer show where they were made, only give where the distributor is located. The whole world is concerned about China-made “black-hearted goods”.

Can you differentiate which one is made in Taiwan or China ? The world is also concerned about GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) foods; steroid fed animals (ex: 45 days old
broiler chicken). It is important to read the bar code to track its origin.

How to read Bar Codes….interesting ! If the first 3 digits of the bar code are 690, 691 or 692, the product is MADE IN
CHINA. 471 is Made in Taiwan .

If the first 3 digits of the bar code are 00-09 then it’s made or sourced in USA. This is our right to know, but the government and related departments never educate the public, therefore we have to RESCUE ourselves. Nowadays, Chinese businessmen know that consumers do not prefer products “MADE IN CHINA”, so they don’t show from which country it is made.

However, you may now refer to the barcode – remember if the first 3 digits are:

890……MADE IN INDIA
690, 691, 692 … then it is MADE IN CHINA
00 – 09 … USA and CANADA
30 – 37 … FRANCE
40 – 44 … GERMANY
471 …….. Taiwan
955………Malaysia
49 ………. JAPAN
50 ………. UK

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The addiction that is plaguing 10% of the population: Smartphone addiction

One in ten people have revealed that they are addicted to their smartphone, according to a new study.
The US study conducted on 2,000 college students has found that ten per cent respondents have claimed to have a full-blown addiction to the gadgets, the Sun reported.
The study found that 85% people constantly checked their phones for the time, while three-quarters slept beside it
Meanwhile, counsellor Peter Smith, who reported a ten per cent increase in Brits seeking help for smartphone addiction at his clinic, said that smartphone users feel they’ve got more control to communicate with whoever they want but ironically, it’s that sense of control that creates the anxiety.
He said that it has made younger people more dependent on maintaining those contacts, which can create issues from bullying, to being marginalised and excluded.
Smith added that not having a phone raises the heart rate and signs of panic and these symptoms are almost identical to alcoholism or addiction to gambling, food or drugs.

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IS YOUR CREDIT CARD AT RISK?

Card frauds are on the rise. Find out how to keep your plastic money safe and what to do if you are a victim of identity theft.

Who is your greatest financial foe? The corrupt agent, the con artist or a complacent you? Surprised to see yourself in the list? Don't be. The truth is that sometimes our own ignorance or negligence leaves a door ajar to our financial lives, an opportunity that a hacker or fraudster is lying in wait to get through to raid us. One of the most susceptible instruments is credit cards and the way we use them.

We flaunt them in the open, swipe them on sundry shopping portals and post personal details as status messages on social networks. If you're wearing a sceptical expression after reading the last one, wipe it away. Hackers can use personal data to impersonate you at a bank or financial institution and get more information about your credit card.

"In a day, a person will visit one payment site, which will have stringent security in place, and 99 nonpayment sites that may be somewhat lax. He will probably share some personal information, such as his date of birth or mother's maiden name. Hackers simply amass such information, collate it and sell it to a third party," warns UttamNayak, group country manager, India & South Asia, Visa. While everyone agrees that plastic is the most convenient way to pay, many are wary of using credit cards as they believe these are highly prone to frauds.

 

However, what they miss is the silver lining. If you can prove to your bank that your card has been used for a fraudulent transaction, there is a good chance of recovering your money, which isn't the case if you lose cash.

So, don't cut up all your cards. Instead, recognise your vulnerable areas, know how you can fortify your security and what should be your strategy if your card is misused. Beware of bugs Whether it's the physical world or the digital one, watch out for all malicious elements that are trying to worm their way into your wallet.

When you use your card, check that nobody is peering over your shoulder to memorise the card number or, worse, click a photo with his mobile phone. Another way that thieves steal card data is by skimming them. They copy the information that is embedded in the magnetic strip and then clone it on a counterfeit card.
Source: Namrata DadwalNamrata Dadwal, ET Bureau

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Some LED lights are bad for the eyes

So don't stick them in your eyes kids

 

A French health agency is warning that some types of LED lights are really bad for your eyes.

The National Health Security agency warns that the light scattered by the blue LEDs, used to give a white light, pose risks to the retina and may alter the pigments of retinal cells. In addition, this type of light would also have consequences on AMD, the macular degeneration age-related illness not the chipmaker and aggravating effects on other eye conditions.

The agency has warned consumers about three types of diodes and LEDs which it thinks are riskier than conventional lighting should be withdrawn. The agency also asked manufacturers to develop a labelling system on products using diodes to better inform consumers.

Not all LEDs are evil. All have advantages, including a low cost, low power consumption and long life and some do not make you blind, the watchdog barked.

Source: http://www.fudzilla.com/home/item/20660-some-led-lights-are-bad-for-the-eyes

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Mobile revolution to empower the world by 2014

The number of mobile phone subscriptions is expected to outnumber the world’s population by the end of 2014, according to a United Nations agency report. The International Telecoms Union (ITU) has predicted that mobile phone subscriptions will exceed a whopping seven billion early in 2014. At present, there are 6.8 billion mobile phone subscriptions while the world’s population is 7.1 billion.

The report also revealed that 2.7 billion people, almost 40 per cent of the world’s population, have access to the Internet. Europe has the highest penetration at 75 per cent, followed by the US, having 61 per cent of its population online. Asia and Africa have 32 per cent and Africa 16 per cent of its population online respectively. The proliferation of the Web will continue to drive the mobile growth and adoption across the world, believe experts.

The mobile revolution is ‘m-powering’ people in developing countries by delivering ICT applications in education, health, government, banking, environment and business

-Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau

The Commonwealth of Independent States, the alliance of countries formerly in the Soviet Union, is believed to have the highest mobile penetration with 1.7 subscriptions for every person, whereas Africa has the least, with 63 subscriptions per 100 people, it said.

“Every day we are moving closer to having almost as many mobile cellular subscriptions as people on Earth. The mobile revolution is ‘m-powering’ people in developing countries by delivering ICT applications in education, health, government, banking, environment and business,” Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau told PTI.

“The need for increased connectivity has changed the way enterprises and end-users communicate and in the next few years, connectivity will be present everywhere - in all the devices we use in our daily lives,” says Amitabh Ray, Senior VP- Ericsson India Global Services. He believes what’s driving the mobility market is the ever-increasing mobile subscriber base, enhanced telecom infrastructure and introduction and adoption of sophisticated mobile devices such as smartphones, PDA’s and tablets.

Analyst firm Gartner forecasts that tablets such as the iPad, which are revolutionizing the way we consume our information, will reach 1 billion users by 2015. Smartphones will also reach more than 2.5 billion around that time and its adoption will continue to surge in the enterprise.

“The mobile revolution will also boost newer and emerging technologies such as cloud computing, social networking, Unified Communication (UC), enterprise apps as well as advanced mobile security solutions. This will enable enterprises to look at information technology from a unique perspective so as to increase productivity and agility,” says Jaideep Ghosh, Executive Director - KPMG.

The mobile phenomenon will be successful only when more lives are touched in a meaningful way.

-Jaideep Ghosh, Executive Director of KPMG

While on one hand, surge in mobile device will offer newer capabilities to reshape business models, empower employees, improve collaboration and consumer satisfaction, the ITU report also indicates that the huge proliferation of mobile subscriptions demand greater attention to mobile security, compliance and manageability of mobile devices and applications that are constantly susceptible to threat.

According to Anand Naik of Symantec, “With the increase in mobile usage especially the bring your own devices (BYOD) trend that is set to unleash a deluge of new security threats, enterprises will have to invest considerably in security solutions and practices such mobile device management (MDM) and mobile applications management (MAM) as well as approach a trusted security vendor to safeguard their corporate data and network. 

With businesses and end-users increasingly owning mobile devices, there is an increased opportunity for businesses in every industry vertical such as banking, healthcare, retail, insurance, hospitality – both in government and private services to connect to their customers in an innovative manner. The mobile proliferation will also bring exciting opportunities for OEMs, solution providers and partners to cater to this evergrowing market, creating a strong mobile ecosystem to cater to the global population. As Ghosh comments, “The mobile phenomenon will be successful only when more lives are touched in a meaningful way.”

Source:http://www.cxotoday.com/story/mobile-revolution-to-empower-the-world-by-2014/

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Soon, flexible batteries for your gadgets

WASHINGTON: TV screen that hangs on the wall like a poster or smartphone that can fold up and fit into a pocket are closer to reality because of advances towards development of flexible batteries that could power a new genre of electronics devices.

Those polymer, or plastic, batteries are the topic of the cover story in the current edition of Chemical and Engineering News (C and EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, and the world's largest scientific society.

Mitch Jacoby, C and EN senior correspondent, focuses on the latest research that involves organic polymers, which exhibit key properties that are needed for the next generation of batteries.

Those batteries will not just be flexible, but powerful, lightweight and made from inherently safe materials and their uses will extend beyond consumer electronics to include electric vehicles and other transportation applications.

The article published in the Newsmagazine explains that lithium-ion technology likely will continue to be the mainstay, but flammable, liquid electrolytes need a safety upgrade.

Scientists are searching for nonflammable, solid electrolytes to restore lithium batteries' reputation after the recent Boeing 787 Dreamliner safety incidents and other fire-related concerns.

The article indicates they are confident that the obstacles to making flex batteries a reality can be overcome. ANI

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The addiction that is plaguing 10% of the population: Smartphone addiction

One in ten people have revealed that they are addicted to their smartphone, according to a new study.
The US study conducted on 2,000 college students has found that ten per cent respondents have claimed to have a full-blown addiction to the gadgets, the Sun reported.

The study found that 85% people constantly checked their phones for the time, while three-quarters slept beside it Meanwhile, 

counsellor Peter Smith, who reported a ten per cent increase in Brits seeking help for smartphone addiction at his clinic, said that smartphone users feel they’ve got more control to communicate with whoever they want but ironically, it’s that sense of control that creates the anxiety. 

He said that it has made younger people more dependent on maintaining those contacts, which can create issues from bullying, to being marginalised and excluded.

Smith added that not having a phone raises the heart rate and signs of panic and these symptoms are almost identical to alcoholism or addiction to gambling, food or drugs.

Read More

The addiction that is plaguing 10% of the population: Smartphone addiction

One in ten people have revealed that they are addicted to their smartphone, according to a new study.
The US study conducted on 2,000 college students has found that ten per cent respondents have claimed to have a full-blown addiction to the gadgets, the Sun reported.
The study found that 85% people constantly checked their phones for the time, while three-quarters slept beside it
Meanwhile, counsellor Peter Smith, who reported a ten per cent increase in Brits seeking help for smartphone addiction at his clinic, said that smartphone users feel they’ve got more control to communicate with whoever they want but ironically, it’s that sense of control that creates the anxiety.
He said that it has made younger people more dependent on maintaining those contacts, which can create issues from bullying, to being marginalised and excluded.
Smith added that not having a phone raises the heart rate and signs of panic and these symptoms are almost identical to alcoholism or addiction to gambling, food or drugs.

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How falling gold prices affect consumers 

Over the past decade, both the demand and the price of gold have been on an increasing trend across the world. This belief in gold as a safe haven increased post the global financial meltdown in 2008. The yellow metal has been considered as a safe asset having stable value that is immune to inflation. People have been hoarding this asset despite it not paying interest like a fixed income investment or dividends like equity shares.

However, the past one week has witnessed a free fall in the price of gold, falling close to 12 per cent in one week. Improving economy in the US leading to the belief that gold need not be held as a hedge, as well as profit booking has led to the gradual correction in gold prices internationally. What specifically triggered off last week's fall were reports that some central banks, such as Cyprus, were selling gold. It was expected that some European countries will also start selling their gold reserves. Experts consider this fall to be the largest decline in gold prices in the last 30 years.

Let's consider how this recent fall in prices has affected two sections of retail consumers in India: individuals buying gold for consumption purposes and individuals buying gold for investment purposes.

Although the fall in gold prices may not spell good news for everyone, individuals who purchase gold for consumption purposes are delighted by falling prices. The plunge has prompted a rush in physical gold purchases across India, and across all sections of the society. This is not surprising, as Indians are known for their affinity towards the yellow metal. In India, gold purchases are influenced by non-traditional factors like festivals, wedding seasons, harvest turnouts, etc., unlike in other countries. India is the largest consumer of gold in the world with an annual consumption of 963 tonnes (in 2010) and accounts for 31.5 per cent of the world gold consumption. Of the total demand, around 77 per cent is in the form of jewellery.

Understandably, the fall in prices has led to a spurt in jewellery purchases. Although current prices are still higher than what they were a few years back, the average Indian consumer views this fall as an opportunity to augment more of the yellow metal. Jewellery shop owners are also expecting this trend to continue, after two years of lacklustre purchases. With the wedding season coming up, jewellers are making every use of this chance to increase sales. Some jewellers have also said that the Akshaya Tritya festival, which falls in May, will help in boosting sales, as this is considered to be an auspicious time to purchase gold.

A majority of Indians have traditionally preferred buying gold jewellery instead of investing in other forms of gold investments. This trend has slowly changed in the country, especially among the investment-savvy class. This brings us to the next class of retail individuals, who purchase gold for investment purposes.

One common investment vehicle for gold, which has increased popularity in the recent past, is the gold exchange traded fund (ETF).

Gold ETFs are exchange traded units by mutual funds, which track the performance of gold, and are traded on the exchange like a stock. Mutual funds in India have been pushing gold ETFs in the past few years and the assets under management (AUM) was also rising due to the rising price of gold. However, ETFs have seen increased redemption in the last fiscal year, compared to the period 2007-2011. The recent fall in prices has led many to believe that funds can face increased redemption pressures if this trend continues. This is because of the general change in belief that gold is a safe haven, and also due to profit booking after gold reached all-time highs.

Nevertheless, despite the recent fall in prices, experts believe that gold has not lost its sheen, and is a good long-term asset. The increase in physical gold purchases signifies that the common man still holds this asset in great value. Although prices are expected to correct further in the short term, gold is expected to give healthy returns over a long term horizon, and as a result one should accumulate more gold ETFs as the price falls. Gold is a good hedge and should be held to some extent in every person's investment portfolio from the point of view of diversification, especially in times of uncertainty.

Source: NDTV Profit

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