The fear that they will start increasing prices once they get bigger is misplaced because there is so much competition and entry is so easy that there can never be a monopoly. It throws out the baby with the bath water. That this order should come when the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to "free" India from the social and economic chains of the past, shows that this government needs to put on its "thinking" cap. More practically, there is money at the bottom of the pyramid. Like Facebook or Google, they make their money by selling the data they gather from the netizens — demographics and preferences — to market analysts and sometimes to governments; they leverage their eyeball score to increase advertising revenue and get additional private or public equity funding. To access content on Flipkart, Snapdeal, Amazon, Uber or Myntra there is no additional charge other than the Internet access cost. The Trai order kills innovation in developing socially relevant content for the poor because there is no way now of getting the content to them. Sorry, says the Trai order. But it ignores the need to grow this market to include 700 million Indians who are too poor to access data services other than phone calls and SMS.By ruling against Facebook’s Free Basics type of innovation, which offers, hitherto undreamed of, free but limited access to data services, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has regressed to a version of "ersatz Nehruvian socialism", which gave a dominant role to government control over the economy, creating a thin crust of elite Indians but doing little for the poor.So why does National Association of Software and Services Companies, an Indian IT lobbyist, support the Trai order Because it is in the interest of the software developers and content providers they represent to try and hang-on to the freebie they have — the roving eyeballs of netizens for which they pay nothing. A sad comment on the state of consumer protection in India.
This is the money they burn to offer fantastic discounts and out-compete brick and mortar pop and mom stores. So are these companies just plain generous No. Consumer benefit has been sacrificed yet again for ideology. Consider a large Indian company which may want to subsidise a telecom service provider (TSP) for providing free access to educational sites targeted at helping poor or dalit kids crack the JIIT exam. They enrich app developers by buying an app off the Net. Even today Indian cars remain a rich person’s trophy because of the high cost of owning and using one relative to average income. This is their Brahmastra to clinch the argument for "Net Neutrality".Remember the car you used to drive in the 1970s Most don’t, because it was an expensive, exclusive asset owned only by the rich. Indian activists are fond of using the United States as an exemplar of non-discriminatory pricing access. Whilst banning price "discrimination" for content, it also effectively disallows "positive discrimination" or "affirmative action" for access to socially responsible content. Or do they fear that international players with deep pockets may get there first and are using the garb of "Net Neutrality" as a fig leaf for self-preservation Do existing Indian players, TSPs want to keep Facebook out so they can do the same once they become big enough All IT start-ups attract customers by subsidising prices. Take Uber, Flipkart or any other. The US is under no compulsion to abandon "Net Neutrality", an ideology which sounds noble. In the chainsaw chain breaker spinner US, the poverty level income is $2,000 per capita per month. Data access costs $10 or one-third of a poor woman’s income. This is unsurprising. But they overlook the difference in context. Ironically, the Trai order of February 8, 2016, is driven by a similar vision — preserving notional equity and freedom within a small bubble of 250 million well-off, "Internet connected" Indians owning smartphones. TSPs, represented by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), buy expensive spectrum from the government, install and maintain the telecom network to link-in netizens and ensure that the number of eyeballs grows.Similarly, it bars a poor, pregnant woman, say on the outskirts of Patna, from availing free access to check the cost of having her baby in a decent hospital in Mumbai, where her husband works. In Africa, Net subscriptions of the poor are subsidised by foreign donors. For India, Trai’s ideology of "Net Neutrality" means the economic exclusion of 700 million poor people.
Activists, platform managers, content and app developers are being short sighted in ignoring the role of "free access" in getting them there. Shunning innovation in the pricing of access to the Net, Trai has decided to protect the existing ecosystem which privileges platform managers, content and app developers by giving them unpaid access to 250 million netizens. The cost of Internet access is not an economic barrier in the United States. Free Basics is driven by commerce. In India, the poverty level income is $30 per capita per month. Never mind that the telecom industry, the only success story of privatisation and reform, has grown from being yesterday’s "start-up" to today’s business biggie.It’s not only about Free Basics. Today it is Facebook subsidising access, tomorrow it could be a Tata CSR project. Can an "innovation" friendly eco-system really be sliced and diced, such that it is a "free market" for start-ups but a stiflingly regulated environment once they realise their dreams and become a business biggie, like Facebook There is a symbiotic relationship between TSPs, content providers and app developers. Free access has to be paid for by someone. For most netizens, the US is the mother lode of innovation, which it certainly has been.Trai’s decision is perverse and here’s why.Ironically, whilst making it easy to do business for "start-ups," we are killing commercial innovation by business biggies. Data access costs just 5 per cent of income or $100. You must pay the TSP to access the Net. The Trai order disallows this effort. If the content available is attractive, netizens spend more time surfing, thereby boosting TSP revenues.The writer is adviser, Observer Research Foundation. It is the principle of killing innovation that’s the real concern. Only 10 per cent of the 230 million Indian households own a car.It is hypocritical to simultaneously support free content-unhindered by state control whilst arguing against "affirmative action" for providing free access to the poor to socially relevant content, developed just for them.
Megosztás a facebookonMoreover, the concentration level of particulate matter of size 2. Of the nine air quality measuring stations in Mumbai, Malad and Andheri recorded the highest air pollution. This, even as the temperature in the city has increased with clearer sky, which helps in decreasing air pollution, said experts."Owing to high pollution, we are seeing a high number of chronic obstructive pulmonary (COPD) cases, China chainsaw suppliers especially among children and the elderly. This has raised concern among medical experts, as continuous exposure to pollution may lead to respiratory problems.5) that is the most dangerous air pollutant showed above 230ug/m3 at these two stations."In 2014, out of the total cancer cases six per cent were related to lung cancer," said Dr Kriti Chadha, divisional head, oncology, surgical pathology, Metropolis Healthcare, one of India’s largest diagnostic laboratory chains. On Wednesday, as per the data of System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research, the air condition of Mumbai was ‘poor’. Many young children between the age group of four and 10 years are suffering from asthma," said Dr Susheel Bindroo, consultant pulmonology, critical care, Jaslok Hospital and research centre.As per experts, carcinogen in diesels get into the lungs, which causes respiratory problems.
The city recorded Air Quality Index (AQI) of 230 microgrammes per cubic metre (ug/m3).According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, around 30 per cent of the lung cancer in the world is caused because of air pollution. "But in 2015, the number had doubled and a large number of cases were related to pollution," Dr Chadhaadded. When AQI values are above 100, the air quality is considered to be unhealthy at first for certain sensitive groups of people, then for everyone as AQI values get higher.City fails to improve despite temperature rise, clearer sky, which reduce pollutionDespite a rise in temperature and a clearer sky, the city has once again recorded ‘poor’ air quality on Wednesday. "Minute particles get into the blood streamsand get deposited in our respiratory organs causing COPD," said Dr Bindroo. As per World Health Organisation (WHO), the AQI below 100 is generally thought of as satisfactory.
Megosztás a facebookonTalking about the Krrish project, Farah insists that rather than a collaboration, it is a coming together of two great minds that think alike." She further reveals how Hrithik braved a double slipped disc so severe that the doctor had advised him not to do a movie. I am glad he liked the final results that are affordable accessories including bands, mobile charms, pendants, chains, pins and Krrish power masks — because we think masks are cool — not exceeding `6,000," smiles Farah. Even now he takes speech and voice training classes to get his dialogues right and has impressed critics all over the world," says Farah, who also made a film on the actor The Man Behind The Star in 2000 soon after the release of Hrithik’s debut Kaho Na Pyar Hai. "It’s not a chainsaw chains comapny film promotion strategy. Krrish is more than just a character or a movie to me. We were just talking and suddenly realised that we could make jewellery pieces that would symbolise courage, harmony and emotions," says Farah.Talking about the bond she shares with Hrithik, Farah says, "We both are Capricorns, perfectionists and similar in many other manners.Jewellery designer Farah Khan Ali shares a close bond with brother-in-law and actor Hrithik Roshan. The idea actually came up when Hrithik had come over to get a rakhi tied this Rakshabandhan.
It’s been a constant search, a mission to grow into a stronger, better human being. The two had a few meetings and when Farah finally finished the jewellery designs, she says Hrithik was excited like a child to see the designs. "He had faith in me and left the designing part to me. As a child he used to bunk school to escape oral tests. For me Hrithik is a real hero because he is capable of transforming his weaknesses into strengths. The two have recently taken their relationship to the next level as Farah has designed jewellery pieces inspired from the upcoming superhero science fiction flick Krrish 3. "For someone like Hrithik who is very shy and used to stammer as a child coming out in public is a big achievement. About the collection, Hrithik says, "I have always strived to imbibe greater qualities and values from all the characters I have essayed through the years. It’s not just about the cape or the mask; it’s a mental stance! Anyone can be a superhero, once we recognise the values he lives by; all we have to do is decide. Still, he managed to overcome all the obstacles and worked his way to a well-built body that everyone looks up to."
Megosztás a facebookonThe only difficult part was holding the phone for extended periods of time which got tiring really soon. Other than the rampant bloatware, there were negligible issues with the ZenFone 3 Ultra.We were prepared to even live with the bulkiness of the smartphone and the slippery back that saw us seemingly drop the device at numerous point, unable to fit it in our pockets, treat it like a tablet at times and having to explain random people that this was not a "china-phone" because we loved it. Also, it is heavy and bulky which makes it all the more confusing as to what was Asus thinking of when they fixed the price of this device.Rating: 4/5The CameraThe primary camera on the ZenFone 3 Ultra is a 23MP shooter with the front camera being an 8MP shooter. For example, during the device setup, we were asked questions like if we would like the apps to display notification badges.The Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra packs in an Octa-core Snapdragon 652 processor coupled to a 4GB RAM with 64GB of internal storage.Rating: 3/5The SoftwareAfter the awe of the huge screen had settled down, we found Asus had worked quite a lot of bits on the display which had many questions and customisations.With the features found on a mid-range smartphone, Asus has put in a price tag which is close or more than some flagships in the smartphone market today. Not one time did we find the phone getting hot considering the amount of performance it was belting out on its SoC running on eight blades.But considering this is an Ultra, and the fact that it was launched a few months ago, we were hoping for a Snapdragon 8-series SoC which we found in many other phones under the Ultra’s price bracket. Display is a major factor and the size which meant two-handed controls are necessary. Resolution is capped at 1080 x 1920 pixels and overall watching movies and videos are easy as well as viewing angles are decent. A phablet is essentially a crossover between a phone a tablet. We did some heavy gaming which the Ultra performed without a hiccup.So, with all the aforementioned specs, we can say the Asus performed well enough for us to get through the day, and much more.
The button(s) feel firm and negligible space between the side frame and the SIM trays. The front camera can also shoot videos at 1080p. We found the headphones better than most of the others which come bundled with the phone and at par with the Earpods (iPhone 6s) and the Earpods with the lightning connectors (iPhone 7). Asus’ range of smartphones rarely has any front physical buttons but we liked it though. One problem which could arise is when non-tech savvy users operate this phone; they are in for a ride.Rating: 3.5/5The PriceThe ZenFone 3 Ultra is priced at Rs 49,999 and Rs 50,999 on known ecommerce websites. The edges are polished and give a premium look to the phone. As you might have guessed, there is a considerable amount of time, and data packs needed to keep these apps updated. The bezel is brushed metal with the fingerprint scanner embedded in the physical home button which was a surprise.5/5The SpecificationsConsidering this is an "Ultra" smartphone, we surprisingly found the specs not intimidating. Asus made sure the stereo speakers at the bottom was loud and clear.Another feature that requires a special mention is the one handed mode.Gaming was not an issue and ran smoothly.5/5The PerformanceOne of the places where the Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra shined was the immersive performance it provided to its users. The number of apps are just too many like KKMusic, Mandarin Yahoo Super Mall, Power Boost, Audiowizard, Mobile Manager, Themes, Quick Memo, Mini Movie, PhotoCollage, Do it later, Laser Ruler, Webstorage, Sharelink, ZenTalk, ZenFone Care, ZenCircle, Zenflash S, and MyAsus. It was difficult to operate the volume rocker during music playbacks when the phone was placed on a flat surface.The norm in other devices where everything is "on" by default and users can switch off which they do not want. The price justification is kind of impossible when there are devices like the OnePlus 3T (a flagship) and the Mi MAX (a phablet which costs around Rs 15,000 and employs a Snapdragon 620 SoC, the Lenovo Phab 2 Plus which costs around Rs 14,000 and delivers similar performance. If so, we were then asked if those badges display the number of notifications received — which makes sense as a whole, but then why not show them all in the first place by default. At this enormous price, it becomes difficult to defend this device as to why should someone pay half a lakh for a device with mid-range capabilities and a bigger screen. Huge phone meant extra care and display repair costs were just abysmal.
The backside of this massive phone is smooth brushed metal with the volume rocker and the camera unit.Rating: 3.8-inch IPC LCD panel, the rest of the specs were not that ultra. The SoC is not the fastest around but performed satisfactorily across all apps that we threw at it.Rating: 1/5The Final VerdictAs much as we like the ZenFone 3 Ultra, with its smooth brushed back, shiny edges, dynamic display, fingerprint scanner in the physical button which we liked a lot — premium build and great battery life were some of the strong points of this device. One part where we did not understand is why Asus fixed a price for a device for which its counterparts have gone as low as Rs 15,000. We don’t know what Asus was thinking when they placed the volume rocker at the back. Also the ZenUI keyboard can be resized and moved around for better accessibility.The battery on the Ultra is a gargantuan 4600mAh Lithium ion piece.3.Design and Build QualityOur first impression was of amazement as we saw the phone tower over everything else on our work desk (except the monitor, of course). The design was reminiscent of an "Ultra" design with rounded corners and unibody metal frame with a volume rocker at the back, lock button and Dual-SIM trays on the side, and stereo speakers with the USB C-Type port at the bottom. The primary shooter is good at macros with its sharp mages and a blurry background. With navigation buttons on them, it is easier for someone to use it on one hand.Build quality has always been one of Asus’ strong points and here as well, it is no exception. Also, the front shooter is shoots good selfies but the weight of the phone makes sure you never go more than 5-6 selfies before tiring your arms.. Video china 3 8 lp fast cutting saw chain suppliers capabilities are decent with 1080p recording at 30fps.The idea of a phablet arose when registered smartphone makers found that Chinese phones with big screens were on the way to being a hit among the Indian society.After that, many smartphone manufacturers started manufacturing phablets.6-inch sensor, the photos are bright and dynamic during the day, but then low light shots are noisy and grainy but assisted by the flash, photos are decent.However, the only thing wrong with this phone is the price.Asus, as we have mentioned earlier, puts in a lot of bloatware on its smartphones and this Ultra is no stranger. The storage is expandable up to 256GB.
This enormous proportion meant we could go on for two full days without charging the device. One of the very first companies to jump on the phablet craze bandwagon were the Samsung Mega 5.8 and the 6.Rating: 2. Apart from the 6. But the sound is uneven across the two grilles and could be corrected by using headphones. So when we got the Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra for review, we were a bit sceptical. The Sony Z Ultra, T2 Ultra, Samsung, et cetera are some examples of a phablet which hit the market but were not satisfactory. Both of the cameras give out good results. Double-clicking the home button shrinks the display down to one corner of the screen.The specifications are decent and with a ½. The display however takes up most of the usage but still, the performance indicated that you could easily go on about 48 hours without having to charge the phone. One can easily resize and move the display around. The 324 ppi pixel density made sure the videos look better on the IPC LCD panel.The display is an absolute joy to look at.Sound quality is rich and clear.
Megosztás a facebookonThe growth in housing prices in the same period in Mumbai has been estimated at 8 per cent.813.San Francisco, USA saw the highest rise in annual income at 25 per cent in the five-year period while Amsterdam (Netherlands) at 63.44Los Angeles25. Consistent reduction in apartment sizes has also lowered the average ticket price for Mumbai. Mumbai has seen a drop of close to 7 per cent in the ticket price of new launch in 2018. The real house prices in comparison have grown at a much slower pace of 8 per cent while the real disposable household income growth was over 20.6 per cent recorded the highest rise in housing prices in 2014 – 18.The city recorded a rise of 20.515.913.62Moscow0. However, in comparison to others, Mumbai is distinctly more affordable," said Shishir Baijal, china saws Chairman and Managing Director, Knight Frank India.
It is estimated that on an average, newly launched homes are smaller by 25 per cent in 2014 - 18.Mumbai is one of India’s most expensive housing markets but has seen the affordability of homes significantly increase in the last few years.29Bangkok33. Further, with the recent announcement on reducing GST on under construction projects, the effective payout by the buyers is expected to reduce up to 7 per cent," he added. It takes into consideration three key measures – house price to income ratio, rent as a proportion of income and real house price growth compared to real income growth.4 per cent, indicating an improvement in affordability.Mumbai has seen real household income growth outpace real house price growth by 12.4 per cent in the five-year period ending 2018.814.Indian government’s initiatives such as Credit-Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), a scheme that aims to ensure 20 million affordable homes by 2022 have worked well.825.45Singapore-2.312. It is now estimated that a house in Mumbai will cost approximately 7 times the annual household income Against 11 times in 2014.4 per cent in annual household incomes in the period of study. Similar to other global cities Mumbai adds many new settlers every year making it a difficult place to find housing.122.Overall, New York saw its income growth exceed real house price growth by 3 per cent while Moscow, Singapore, Mumbai and Paris also saw their average real income over the last five years grow faster than real house prices.77Kuala Lumpur21.RankCityHousing pc growthpc growth in Income1San Francisco41. Moscow saw the largest difference where real income growth outpaced real house price growth by 22 per cent.The affordability in the city has improved on account of reduced size of housing units with largely stable prices.Key findings of the report:Mumbai along with Moscow, Singapore and Paris saw their Average Real Income grow faster than real house prices.
These homes, such as the OPod Tube Housing project, are becoming increasingly popular as a result of affordability pressures, but their impact has been limited· Reclaiming land: The Hong Kong government is actively trying to extend the amount of land it has to build on by reclaiming land to create new islands· Floor space regulations: If the Indian government were to lift floor space regulations in Mumbai, developers could build vertically, alleviating the pressure for space in the city, whilst increasing supply.96Auckland4714.As part of the Urban Futures report, Knight Frank has launched its Global Affordability Monitor, which analyses affordability across 32 cities.
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