A start-up's dilemma

To do or not do, to say or not to say, to be or not to be -- Dilemmas a young person faces are many. It's no different for a start-up.
Ideas sound good at the ideation stage. Not many would agree if someone says that there's something like this already. Or, they wouldn't easily agree if someone says it might not work or that they might have to wait for a long period to see traction.
Here's where the help from mentors would help.
Here's a dilemma of a different kind -- a start-up doesn't want the reporter to be quoted on the size of the deal. For, Non-Disclosure norms could hit them very hard. They may be served legal notices. Their credibility would be at stake and if the word spreads they might find it tough when they go to the fund markets next time. Fair enough.
But a reporter can't easily sell his story without mentioning the crucial numbers. The value of a story is directly proportionate to the numbers it quotes.
Some start-ups don't want the value of their ventures to be mentioned. Even if they were to be mentioned, they don't expect the reporters not to attribute the numbers to them.
When reporters find an indirect route to hint at the value, those start-ups get offended. For, they don't want to be seen as a small-time start-up. Their sale must be regarded as a big ticket one. A tough call for reporters.

HP to cut up to 30,000 more jobs in enterprise business | Business Line

HP to cut up to 30,000 more jobs in enterprise business | Business Line

We missed the comics bus

Enthusiastic crowds at #ComicCon Hyderabad 2015

One is not old as long as one is a comic freak. I was a comics freak. I have kept myself away from comics for years, the moment I got into college education and got into reading serious stuff – the likes of Marquez, Isabelle Allende, Gorky, London and Sinclair.
But for those occasional encounters in newspaper columns, I was away from the world of zombies, super heroes, villains, comedians and those lovely animated characters.
I have just reconnected myself with that wonderful world of comics as I accompanied by 12-year-old son to the two-day Comic Con held here over the weekend. Thousands of kids and youth swarmed the Hall 3 at the Hitex facility. I have never seen such an enthusiastic crowd, yelling, hooting, giggling as they jostled their way and took innumerable selfies all over, with friends and with cosplayers.
The hall was so crowded that one actually had to push others to find space for one’s next the other foot as you walk.

There are a lot of takeaways. Hope is not lost – a good number of them are still hooked to that wonderful world of comics where we, who are into 40s and 50s, once spent considerable time. Over 200 people cosplaying as their favourite comic characters vied for a prize in the cosplay contest, with crowds yelling out the famous dialogues of the characters. Most of them actually looked like living and breathing those characters. Exuberance indeed is infectious.
That only two participants cosplayed as Indian comic characters shows where India stands in this space. It shows how poor our imagination is. Utter lack of imagination leads to mediocre content. Comic makers take the beaten track – churn out content based on religions. Japanese content is virtually ruling the comics space. Kevin Hamric of Viz Media says there’s universal acceptance for the Japanese content across the English-speaking world.

Why, both my kids are avid fans of Japanese comic serials – Doraemon, Naruto et al.
It’s time we invent themes and characters that can catch imagination of our children. It’s time we attract our children back from vulgar item number culture.

Thousands of phones but no word on quality

I lent my second phone (which I kept on standby) to a journalist friend recently as he awaited return of his from the service centre. He had to pay about 70 per cent of the cost of phone to get it repaired, barely a few months after buying it.
It's raining phones in India. Tens of handset manufacturers (or, assemblers)  are flooding the market with scores of models. Newspapers, websites and social media networks announce launch of phones every other day.
There's a phone for everybody -- from $7 to $1,000, the range is simply mind blowing. The features that these feature and smart phones, a bulk of them manufactured in Shenzhen in China, offer are amazing. The pace of launches is so high that even an industry man can't tell you the best one to pick. There are a few firms that sell phones exclusively on the e-commerce sites. Thousands of phones are booked in a jiffy, sometimes even crashing the servers.
The Government must be smiling, getting crores of rupees in duties and Sales Tax. E-commerce firms are happy that they are able to get million of hits, a good number of them turning into sales.
So far so good.
But no one talks about quality and service. No, I'm not talking about the warranties and service centre networks of the handset makers. They talk a lot on these issues and a random Googling would throw up sob stories of users. You simply don't exist for the firm after the transaction is completed.
The phone firms know it well -- that people don't have time and interest to engage in a discourse with the firm on a failed purchase. They instead go for a new phone after struggling with the present one after, say, 6-12 months. Those who have time and energy would be asked to pay a little less than the cost of the phone to get certain parts repaired.
I'm simply amazed at the Governments' indifference. Not a single government agency is interested in ensuring quality or taking up the cause of the consumer.

Creative marketing

This, perhaps, is a common scene in several Indian cities -- guerrilla marketing by the women, kids, youth from the poor families. I don't know why, (or is it a Hyderabad-specific phenomenon?) mostly these uneducated marketing professionals are mostly from the Lambada community.
They efficiently use the short span of time to sell the idea. Or, in the start-up lingo, quickly pitch their product idea. As vehicles wait for their turn to get the green, she moves on from one car to another, showcasing the product.
Looks like they are the first point of access to most of the Chinese products -- toys, Chota Bheem balloons, 'designer' umbrellas, mosquito bats, car cleaners, and what not. The products are novel, contemporary and the utility value too.
This morning, I have seen this woman, a familiar face at the impromptu, walking mall at the Jubilee Hills' Check Post -- selling selfie sticks.
With selfie mania gripping the city (as elsewhere), this woman chose to sell a product that goes very well with the mania.
She demonstrates the product, clamping her phone to the stick and holding a small stock of the product. ...And, China knows how to penetrate a market with a product.

Agile Thinking: How Can I Help You?

Agile Thinking: How Can I Help You?
(From Nasscom blog)

One of the key fundamental elements of Agile is its focus on delivering a testable or demonstrable end-to-end functional slice that provides business value. This approach is the key catalyst of some behavioural, cultural, and structural changes. 

As a product owner, I am interested more in the working functionality of a product rather than the individual goals of team members. For instance, just the front-end of a user-story is of no use to me. Even if the developers finish coding, I cannot use the product if it still needs to be tested. This implicitly means that cross-functional team members have to collaborate and help each other to attain Sprint goals.

One of the key values that resonates time and again whenever we talk about teams and collaboration is, “How can I help you?” In other words, how can I help you finish your (or our, to be precise) task or user-story? Asking how you can help your teammates is one of the most important unwritten guidelines for an Agile team, which is why, as an Agile coach, I want it to be prominently displayed in the team area. It should be promoted as the most important component of a team’s DNA.

So how does Agile collaboration work in practice? Below are some examples:

• Taking the time to fix a build that is preventing the whole team from using Continuous Integration before working on your own task
• Pairing up with your colleague to help fix something that is blocking him/her
• Instead of taking up a new user-story from the board, taking up one of the remaining tasks of the existing user-story so that it reaches the tester faster and therefore moves to the DONE column faster

Looks interesting and doable, doesn’t it? It pays rich dividends in attaining Sprint goals, as well. However, Agile is a cultural change and therefore requires a change in mindset. Any kind of cultural shift is tough and not easy to implement.  For instance, even though most Agile teams know that collaboration and helping each other is the “soul” of the Agile method, in reality most teams continue to work in silos because of many reasons.

 http://blogs.nasscom.in/agile-thinking-how-can-i-help-you/#sthash.w0e9ieNx.dpuf

A farmer's last visit to the city to deliver a message from the village

   A nameless, listless farmer Limbaiah, 45, ended his life in Hyderabad yesterday.

A portrait of a farmer by the legendary
 artist Chittaprasad (from the Net)

He was among hundreds of farmers that committed suicide this year in India. But Limbaiah, like the farmer who killed himself in Delhi during AAP rally, shook the conscience (I doubt, though) of the 400-year-old City. He travelled 170 km from Nizamabad to hang himself in Hyderabad.
   Had he committed suicide elsewhere, like many of his peers, the City would not have bothered. Those deaths happening in the backyard hardly touched the City soul.
   The City wants everything. The food that the village produced. The milk, handicrafts, water, drivers, maids, vegetables, cotton for its clothes -- a typical urbanite wants everything delivered at his or her nearest shop, at the doorstep. They don't have time to spare a minute about how the gigantic machine called City is chugging along. He never cared for the nuts and bolts that helped the machine to run.
   Limbaiah, perhaps, wanted to convey a strong message -- that the village is bleeding to quench the thirst of the City, that their problems are not being heard, that they are broke, that their wards living in inhuman conditions, that the City has become a monster, devouring the life in rural areas. Perhaps, that's why he chose Hyderabad, the Capital of Telangana, as the venue for his last journey.
  Like the little Syrian boy, Limbaiah will haunt us for long.

Nizamabad farmer commits suicide in Hyderabad

Asif Yar Khan Hyderabad, Sept. 9: A farmer from Nizamabad District allegedly hanged himself to death at Lower Tank Bund in Hyderabad early on Wednesday.

The man, B Limbiah, 47, of Sadasivanagar mandal in Nizamabad District came to the city three days ago along with his son Shankar. Shankar, is admitted at a private hospital in Chaderghat as he suffers from some ailment, the police said.

On Wednesday morning, Limbaiah left the hospital and reached Katta Maisamma temple in Lower Tank Bund area. “He handed over Rs.10,000 to the priest and stayed in the vicinity of the temple. Sometime later, the locals found him hanging to a pole adjacent to an electrical transformer,” DCP Central Zone, V.B. Kamalasan Reddy said.

The police said that the incident is not a farm related suicide. “We are trying to ascertain the reasons. Preliminary enquiries revealed that Limbiah was depressed over his son’s failing health condition,” the official added.
(The Hindu, Sept 10.9.2015)

Complete list of Modi's foreign jaunts

https://factly.in/prime-minister-narendra-modis-foreign-visits/

Here is a list of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits from the time he took charge as the Prime Minister of India. This information has been compiled from documents available on the website of Ministry of External Affairs. (Data as on Aug 2015).

State Visit to Bhutan (June 15-16, 2014):

At the invitation of Shri Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan, Shri Narendra Modi paid a State Visit to Bhutan from 15-16 June 2014. The Prime Minister of India was  accompanied by External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj, National Security Adviser Shri Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Smt. Sujatha Singh and other senior officials of the Government of India. A joint statement was made on the outcome of the visit.

Visit to Brazil for 6th BRICS Summit (July 13-15,2014):

In July 2014, Shri Narendra Modi visited Brazil for his first  multilateral visit, the 6th BRICS summit was held at the north-eastern beach city of Fortaleza. In the Fortaleza summit the group have agreed to establish a financial institution rivaling the western dominated World Bank and IMF.The new bank would be called the New Development Bank (NDB). The Fortaleza Declaration was arrived at by the end of the summit.

Visit to Nepal (August 3-4, 2014):

Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Nepal from August 3-4, 2014 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Nepal, Shri Sushil Koirala. The Prime Minister of India was accompanied by Shri Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor (NSA), Ms. Sujatha Singh, Foreign Secretary and a delegation comprising senior officials of the Government of India and media. A joint press statement was made at the end of the visit.

Visit to Japan (Aug 30- Sep 3, 2014):

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Japan from 30 August to 03 September, 2014. During the visit, Prime Minister had an audience with the Emperor of Japan and held an Annual Summit meeting with Prime Minister Shri Shinzo Abe. The Tokyo declaration  for India – Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership was arrived at the end of the visit.

Visit to USA (Sept 26-30, 2014):

Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to USA. During the  visit, Prime Minister spoke at the Madison Square Garden in New York. He also addressed the UN General Assembly. He met with various world leaders at the UN. He then proceeded to Washington to meet President Barrack Obama. A Vision Statement for the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership- ‘Chalein Saath Saath: Forward Together We Go‘ was arrived at.

Visit to Myanmar (November 11-13, 2014):

Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Myanmar to attend the 12th  India-ASEAN Summit.  He also spoke at the 9th East Asia Summit. The chairman made a statement  at the end of 12th ASEAN-India Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

Visit to Australia (November 14-18, 2014):

Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Australia in November, 2014.  He  attended G-20  and met the BRICS heads of states.  He addressed a joint session of Austrialian Parliament and met with his Austrialian counterpart Shri Tony Abbott. A joint statement was issued at the end of the visit.

Visit to Fiji (November 19, 2014):

Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Fiji where he met with the Prime Minister of Fiji Shri Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama. A number of MOUs were signed between both the countries during this visit.

Visit to Nepal for 18th SAARC Summit (November 25-27, 2014):

Shri Narendra Modi made a second visit to Nepal as the PM to attend the 18th SAARC summit. The Kathmandu declaration was made at the end of the
18th SAARC summit. There were a number of other outcomes of this visit.

Visit to Seychelles (March 10-11, 2015):

This was part of PM Modi’s visit to three Indian Ocean Island countries. The PM reitrerated India’s foreign policy priorities in India’s immediate and extended neighbourhood. He also said that India attaches paramount importance to strengthening relations with this region, which is vital for India’s security and progress. Modi went on to say that India’s relationship with Seychelles has been built on the foundation of mutual trust and shared values. His visit to Seychelles was the first Prime Ministerial visit to Seychelles since 1981. The PM’s statement at the end of his visit outlined the outcomes.

Visit to Mauritius (March 11-12, 2015):

The PM visited Mauritius after Seychells. He addressed the National Assembly of Mauritius. He also commissioned Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Barracuda in Mauritius. A list ofMOUs/Agreements were signed during this visit.

Visit to Sri Lanka (March 13-14, 2015):

PM Modi during this visit to Sri Lanka said he was truly honoured by the warm welcome and friendship. He also attached a great significance to his visit since it is the first standalone bilateral visit to Sri Lanka by an Indian Prime Minister since 1987. The PM in his statement outlines India’a committment to ties with Sri Lanka and listed a host of areas where co-operation is being extended. He said that he looks forward to the early commencement of work on the ground in the Sampur Coal Power Project. This landmark project would meet Sri Lanka’s energy needs. He also assured to provide a fresh Line of Credit of up to US$ 318 million for the railways sector. This will be used to procure rolling stock, and to restore and upgrade existing railway track. The Foreign Secretary also briefed the media on the PM’s visit to Sri Lanka and its outcomes.

Visit to singapore (March 29, 2015):

PM Modi was in Singapore to attend State Funeral of Singapore’s founder and first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew

Visit to france (April 09-11, 2015):

PM Narendra Modi during his visit to France said he was  really happy to come to France. As the Prime Minister, this was his first visit to Europe and started it with France. The PM said that France is one of India’s closest friends and reliable partners. Here is a list of agreements signed during this visit.

Visit to germany (april 12-14, 2015):

During PM Modi’s visit to Germany, he said “Whenever anyone in India talks about technology, manufacturing or high quality, Germany is the first country that comes to the mind. So, it is natural that when India has embarked on a new journey for ‘Make in India’ for economic development and employment, we look forward to Germany’s strong partnership.” A joint statement was issued during this visit exploring ways of dialogue on foreign policy and security issues.

Visit to canada (april 14-17, 2015):

PM Modi during his visit to Canada said that few countries in the world can match Canada’s potential to be a partner in India’s economic transformation. He also sought  Canada’s cooperation and investment in every area of India’s national development priority,- Energy and Infrastructure,Manufacturing and Skills,Smart Cities and agro-industry, and Research and Education. A joint statement titled ‘New Vigour, New Steps” was issued during this visit.

Visit to china (May 14-16, 2015):

PM Modi said that he has lot of hope from the relationship that both him & the President of China are trying to build. During his visit to India in September 2014, Chinese investments worth 20 billion US Dollars (Rs. 12 lakh-crore) were committed. Modi also said that India is keen to develop the sectors where China is strong. MOUs & Agreements worth $22 billion were signed during this visit.

Visit to mongolia (May 17-18, 2015):

PM Modi during his remarks in the Mongolian Parliament said he was delighted to visit Mongolia, a country of great people. He also said  it is a special privilege to do so in the 25th year of democracy in Mongolia. A host of agreements were signed during this trip.

Visit to republic of korea (may 18-19, 2015):

During this visit, PM Modi said South Korea ranks only 14th in FDI flows in India and said there is a scope for improving this. He said India is also a land of enabling policy environment. He said there is potential for cooperation between India’s software and Korea’s hardware industry and also spoke about various other sectors where both the countries can work together. A list of agreements were signed.

Visit To Bangladesh (June 6-7, 2015):

During the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India & Bangladesh are bound by the threads of history, religion, culture, language, kinship and passion for cricket.  He also said that both countries share emotional bonds of shared struggles and sacrifices. He also said that India is  pleased to extend  line of credit of 2 billion U.S. dollars to support infrastructure and other development activities in Bangladesh. Here is a list of MOUs, Agreements & other documents concluded during this visit .

Visit To Uzbekistan (July 6-7, 2015):

During this visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he has embarked on a five-nation tour of Central Asia and that  it reflects India’s resolve to start a new era in the relations with Central Asian Republics. A few agreements were signed during this visit

Visit To Kazakhstan (July 7-8, 2015):

During this visit, Prime Minister Modi  congratulated the people of Kazakhstan on the occasion of 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate and 20th anniversary of the Constitution of Kazakhstan. He also said that Kazaksthan was one of the first country with which India launched civil nuclear cooperation through a uranium purchase contract. He said India intends to expand cooperation in other minerals and Hydrocarbons. Five agreements were signed during this visit.

Visit to Russia for BRICS Summit (July 8-10, 2015):

During his address in the plenary session of the 7th BRICS Summit, PM Modi said that  everybody must acknowledge the success of BRICS in economic field including the New Development Bank, Contingency Reserve Fund, Export Credit Insurance, Financing for Innovation and new proposals for Customs Cooperation and Reinsurance Pool. The UFA declaration was signed during the 7th BRICS Summit.

Visit To Turkmenistan (July 10-11, 2015):

During this visit, Prime Minister Modi said that the most significant initiative in the relationship is the TAPI Gas Pipeline and that this could transform regional economic cooperation and bring prosperity along the route. Several agreements were signed during this visit.

Visit to Kyrgyz Republic (July 11-12, 2015):

During this visit, PM Modi said that he is delighted that both Election Commissions have signed an agreement on cooperation.  He said that he looks  forward to the launch of the tele-medicine link with India which is the  first in the region. He also mentioned the establishment of India-Kyrgyz Centre for Information Technology in the Kyrgyz State University in Bishkek. Several agreements were signed during this visit

Visit to Tajikistan (July 12-13, 2015):

During this Visit, Prime Minister Modi said that Agriculture is important to both economies . Both nations have agreed to promote the International North South Transport Corridor. Other connectivity initiatives such as India’s  planned investment in Chahbahar Port in Iran and intention to join the Ashkabat agreement will help. Both countries also  agreed to further strengthen defence cooperation which is  a strong pillar of the strategic partnership. Two agreements were signed during this visit.

Visit to UAE (August 16-17, 2015):

During this visit, the PM said that in the recent decades, UAE’s economic progress has been one of the global success stories, transforming the nation into a regional leader and a thriving international centre that attracts people and business from across the world.  India is UAE’s second largest trading partner; and UAE is not only India’s third largest trading partner, but also India’s gateway to the region and beyond. A joint statement was issued during this visit.

(Here is an infographic showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s domestic visits as of Feb 24th, 2015 from the time he took charge as the Prime Minister of India.)

Milk turns cheaper for us, life turns dearer for dairy farmers

  You must be pleading with your daughter or son to have that morning cup of milk. But I am afraid a dairy farmer don't dare to do the same. For, price of milk that he supplies to the local collection point has just fallen below Rs 20 (cow milk) a litre, or barely half of the cost of production. (Buffalo milk would fetch him a bit more thanks to the additional fat content.) Upfront, they face loss. Experts feel that farmers with less than five animals are the worst hit as their capacity to face odds is very low.
  This is an Indian paradox. Per capita consumption of milk is among the lowest in the world. Productivity levels are low. Poorly organised milk collection network. That only 20 per cent of the 145 million tonnes of milk is in the organised sector shows how bad the situation is.
  Poor farm gate incomes would result in farmer's ability invest on their food, on the feed and the dairy farm's ability to sustain. They can't even store milk for a better price. They will, for whatever price they get. Something is better than nothing. There's absolutely no defence mechanism for them against situations like these.

Falling farmgate prices of milk seen squeezing dairy sector investments

NDDB sends teams to Maharashtra, UP to assess impact of poor rainfall on milk production

HYDERABAD, SEPTEMBER 8:  

Falling prices of milk at the farmgate is becoming a cause for concern. For, this can not only affect farmer incomes but also stress the industry’s ability to invest and survive, said National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) Chairman T Nanda Kumar.Though there won’t be any shortage of milk, the Board is worried that the situation will hit the growth rate this year.

Poor rainfall in several parts of the country could add to the woes of dairy farmers. Recognising the problem, the Board has deputed teams to Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh to assess the impact of the deficient monsoon by collecting information from the vast network of co-operatives.

“There is discomfort at the farmer’s level on falling farmgate prices. This is largely where the co-operatives are not present. Co-operatives have managed to hold prices. Though prices have come down for farmers, the benefit has not been passed on to the consumer,” he told BusinessLine.

He cited the example of Maharashtra where the price (for the farmer) had fallen below ₹20 a litre (cow milk) at some places. Farmers selling buffalo milk were relatively better off, thanks to the higher fat content fetching better prices.

Industry size

“What could happen (because of falling prices) is farmers may start reducing the feed quantity. The dairy industry’s ability to invest and survive too would be impacted. This is one concern we have,” he said.

The dairy industry, which registered a production of 138 million tonnes (mt) in 2013-14, added 7 mt last year. “We may not see a similar growth this year,” Nanda Kumar said. He felt that the situation was not alarming but there was a cause for concern, particularly with regard to small farmers having one or two cows.

The NDDB Chairman felt that falling prices (for consumers) due to the intense competition among the dairy players in some markets was not sustainable. "You need to have a balance in the long run. It is not sustainable,” he pointed out.

FSSAI issue

He said the industry had no problem with the quality standards prescribed by the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India).

“We absolutely have no issues with compliance. There were some reports of adulteration. Incidence of adulteration is minor. But these (lots) are stopped outside. There will be community level punishments on the erring suppliers,” he said.

(This article was published on September 8, 2015)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/falling-farmgate-prices-of-milk-seen-squeezing-dairy-sector-investments/article7629775.ece?homepage=true

Smart Cities, Ugly Life

Technology is democratic in nature. It is a great leveler -- no matter who is using it, it gives the
same results, same comfort. But there are a couple of important riders -- you must be able to afford to own and understand technology to enjoy that democratic space.
Technology can improve quality of life. It can significantly change the way we buy things and access services -- public or private. One layer of urban India has already become smart and is enjoying the benefits the Smart world is offering. They are buying tickets, ordering food, booking cabs -- on the go.
With technology tapping all the unused potential, bringing down prices, life has become much more easier for those who can buy a good smart phone with a good Internet connection and, of course.
No wonder the urban India is anxiously waiting for 'Smart Cities' project launched by the Centre. Tasting the utility of smart tools, they want much more.
But the immediate challenges the urban India facing are not so smart. They, in fact, are ugly and deserve immediate attention. It sounds          rhetoric, if one talks about the acute poverty, poor sanitation, abysmal healthcare facilities, illiteracy and lack of jobs. The cost of living has gone up so high that even the middleclass is feeling the pinch. Majority of people in urban areas are living in unlivable conditions.
Looks like our priorities are skewed. It's become glamorous for politicians to talk technology, Smart Cities, e-commerce. The more you talk technology and 'smartness', the more you get coverage in the media.
A sense of equity must prevail. While a larger section of cities are under tremendous pressure. While the cities are saddled with poor and insufficient infrastructure making travel a real hell, smart apps are equipping the police with super smart tools to nab those who violate traffic rules. You are blaming the victim.
A top Telangana bureaucrat announced that the Government intends to do away with all physical interactions over a period of three years. "We will make all the G-2-c services available only electronic form," he said.
Sounds great. Isn't it?
But, then, one must remember that we are not the US or the UK or Sweden.
The talk on Smart Cities is targeted at satisfying the influential layer of urban areas. If it is satisfied, its vocal section is satisfied. Or, they can quickly write a blog post or send out a Tweet that would be retweeted several times over, or start a Facebook page to quickly garner public support.
I am not saying it is not important. It's any way being taken care by the social media. Young, enterprising start-ups are driving innovation, taking care of the needs of this layer.
But what the government must focus on is the bigger, uglier part of the urban areas. People are dying in hundreds of dengue, swine flu and diarrhea and need urgent . They deserve immediate attention. Now.

Info aggregating apps: do they actually drive more ‘clicks’ to news sources?

Might pose a threat to digital traffic of newspapers, magazines

K V Kurmanath

HYDERABAD, AUGUST 4:  

As smartphones proliferate with bandwidth getting robust by the day, standalone third party news aggregating apps have begun to dot the Android and iOS platforms. Their promise – access the most relevant news across the world by just swiping the screen.

These apps have come of age as developers writing codes and deploying algorithms to piece together the issues sniffing at thousands of news sources across the world. Adding visual appeal, most of these news aggregators give a gist of news, giving credit to the news source. Some of them even appointed rewriters to write the ‘gists’.

‘Çlick’ missed

You ‘click’ for more info and the app would take you to the original site. If you don’t, the newspaper or magazine has just missed a ‘click’. This solves a great problem for users – be in touch with the world in real time. Those who depended on Google news filters to get alerts into their Gmail inboxes have found it quite convenient to have the alerts on their mobiles as things happen.

“I’m using News in Shorts on my phone and found it quite handy to access news. I need not visit so many sites. I can customise news flow to suit my interests,” S Durgaprasad, a graphic designer, toldBusinessLine.

But what does it hold for newspapers and magazines, which are the basic source for news? More app downloads would mean more traffic or more ‘clicks’ for their websites? Not necessarily.

One of the biggest challenges the newspaper industry facing is the arrival of online news media. Even as traditional print medium players are busy evolving their web strategies to get those vital ‘clicks’, standalone news apps have started dotting the Android and iOS platforms.

Srini Koppolu, Chief Executive Officer of the news app Veooz, says there is no way to give a click to news source when user is swiping through the feed. “That is one of the USPs of the app, to figure which stories are important, relevant to be presented to the user in context,” he points out.

Veooz has about 10,000 downloads so far. It claims to provide customised news for people in 40 countries.

Key role

“We take the user to the news source, when user clicks the title or summary on the card in the feed view. In addition when you go to 360 and looking at the summary, and if they ‘Read Full Story’ also we take them to the news source,” the former Managing Director of Microsoft India Development Centre said. ‘Clicks’ play a major role in helping the sites get advertisements and crawling up the rankings given by internet media analytics sites. News in Shorts, which has just changed its name to ‘inshorts’ with about 20 lakh downloads in Google Play, also says the ‘click’ happens only when a user chooses to read more.

“Each summary is written by its in-house team of editors, and includes a single link out of a story with further information. The news source of each article is mentioned right under the headline,” Azhar Iqubal, CEO of New in Shorts, says.

(This article was published in businessline.in on August 4, 2015)

Link to the story.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/info-aggregating-apps-do-they-actually-drive-more-clicks-to-news-sources/article7499790.ece