Peerzada Abrar And Neha Alawadhi

Stories by Peerzada Abrar And Neha Alawadhi

IT services companies may go slow on fresh hires

IT services companies may go slow on fresh hires

Rediff.com   21 Mar 2020

According to experts in human resources, even joining of new graduates is likely to be staggered as companies are expected to onboard staffers after gauging the demand scenario.

Now, tech-driven solutions to track coronavirus patients

Now, tech-driven solutions to track coronavirus patients

Rediff.com   20 Mar 2020

Bengaluru-based Healthtech start-up Mfine has rolled out a coronavirus assessment feature which enables virtual medical consultation to assess patients who have flu-like symptoms. Portea and Haptik habe developed chatbots, which will disseminate information related to coronavirus.

Travel portals, airlines are grappling with cancellations

Travel portals, airlines are grappling with cancellations

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2020

The issues include not getting refunds on airline and hotel bookings, getting charged a service fee even if airlines have waived cancellation charges and so on. Complaints are piling up on Twitter, Facebook and other social media channels as more and more people cancel their travel plans due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Online shopping sees spurt thanks to coronavirus fears

Online shopping sees spurt thanks to coronavirus fears

Rediff.com   15 Mar 2020

E-commerce companies are seeing an increase in demand for products such as fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, flour, rice, and lentils, and personal hygiene items like sanitisers and soaps and household cleaning products. Other products include instant noodles, baby food and Ayurvedic items. "There is even a huge spike in pet food," said a person.

Coronavirus outbreak: IT services companies widen travel restrictions

Coronavirus outbreak: IT services companies widen travel restrictions

Rediff.com   9 Mar 2020

Apart from such advisory, IT biggies such as TCS, Infosys and HCL Tech among others have been pursuing 'remote working' model to overcome the situation.

How PhonePe restored its UPI after Yes Bank blow

How PhonePe restored its UPI after Yes Bank blow

Rediff.com   8 Mar 2020

After a gruelling 24 hours, the PhonePe team has fully restored UPI on the payment platform. The app is up and running again with ICICI Bank as its new partner with all payment instruments enabled.

It's official: Ola will go for IPO in next few years

It's official: Ola will go for IPO in next few years

Rediff.com   4 Mar 2020

The Bengaluru-based firm competes with US rival Uber whose lukewarm IPO last year has contributed to the lag in valuation trend among the unicorns across the Indian start-up ecosystem.

Nadella 'decodes future', calls to protect AI from bias

Nadella 'decodes future', calls to protect AI from bias

Rediff.com   26 Feb 2020

The Hyderabad-born Nadella says it's not the AI engine, but the teams that build it as well as the algorithms to make it intelligent have to be diverse and inclusive, so that the solutions they build do not show up any sort of 'unconscious bias' that they may have.

Google to wind down free WiFi services globally

Google to wind down free WiFi services globally

Rediff.com   25 Feb 2020

Google had started the Station as a five-year partnership with the Indian Railways and RailTel in 2015 to provide fast, free WiFi in over 400 stations by mid-2020.

Amazon, trade bodies' courtroom battle may impact e-commerce policy

Amazon, trade bodies' courtroom battle may impact e-commerce policy

Rediff.com   24 Feb 2020

The case may drag for a few years, experts say, as CAIT and DVM have said they will appeal against the interim relief granted to Amazon.

Post devaluation, Quikr is no longer a unicorn

Post devaluation, Quikr is no longer a unicorn

Rediff.com   20 Feb 2020

Major shareholder Kinnevik, a Swedish investment firm, devalued Quikr by 45%, referring to the exaggerated revenue resulting from fraudulent transactions that rocked the company. Quikr is now valued at about $577 million.

What kind of telecom services do Indian users like?

What kind of telecom services do Indian users like?

Rediff.com   17 Feb 2020

44 per cent Indian respondents say that bundling media services with their telecom plan was the main reason they were willing to spend more on their mobile and fixed broadband bills.

Coronavirus: Over 50,000 Indians stuck in China

Coronavirus: Over 50,000 Indians stuck in China

Rediff.com   14 Feb 2020

While many are getting stranded because of lack of clarity regarding the visa rules following the novel coronavirus outbreak, others are stranded in transit as even OCI cardholders are being turned away

WhatsApp Pay gets nod, eyes lion's share of market

WhatsApp Pay gets nod, eyes lion's share of market

Rediff.com   8 Feb 2020

Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp has secured regulatory approval for launching its digital payment platform -- WhatApp Pay -- in a phased manner, close to two years after the US-based company's pilot run.

1% TDS levy could make your ecommerce buys costlier

1% TDS levy could make your ecommerce buys costlier

Rediff.com   3 Feb 2020

Apart from making your purchases on these platforms expensive, it will also mean sellers will have to face the brunt of reduced cash flows amid already low margins for some. Experts said the proposal, which will take effect on April 1, 2020, and will be inserted as a new section in the Income Tax Act, is expected to affect the working capital of e-commerce companies and reduce cash flows for e-sellers.

Why PhonePe's fundraising process has hit roadblock

Why PhonePe's fundraising process has hit roadblock

Rediff.com   20 Jan 2020

Having grown swiftly since the acquisition of Flipkart by Walmart in 2018, it was looking at a valuation of $10 billion. However, factors such as lack of diversification, new e-commerce and data policies, as well as the overall investment environment, have slowed the process.

What brands must do to weather troll-storm

What brands must do to weather troll-storm

Rediff.com   19 Jan 2020

From consulting firms to tech and detergent companies, brands are busy swatting away online crusaders. In the fraught times we live in, it is not just religion that stokes the fires of controversy. In such instances, it may be best to take the trolls head on.

Microsoft selects 54 startups in India's Tier 2 cities

Microsoft selects 54 startups in India's Tier 2 cities

Rediff.com   14 Jan 2020

Some of them include Spider G, NeuroTags, Genrobotic Innovations, AI Aeronautics, Synersense, Dealshare and NanoHealth. 'Highway to a Hundred Unicorns,' the Microsoft for startups initiative, works closely with local governments to strengthen the startup ecosystem in each state.

CCI warns online retailers against unfair practices

CCI warns online retailers against unfair practices

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2020

The warning by the anti-trust watchdog has come days ahead of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' India visit, about which the Seattle-headquartered company has been tight-lipped. Sources in the know indicated that Bezos, coming on a short trip, has sought a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India lost over $1.3 billion to internet shutdowns in 2019

India lost over $1.3 billion to internet shutdowns in 2019

Rediff.com   10 Jan 2020

The total cost of internet shutdowns across the world stood at $8.05 billion in 2019, an increase of 235 per cent since 2015-16.