Indian Instagram influencers have over 16 million fake followers: Report

Instagram started out as an image sharing social media platform by Facebook. While the concept of the social media website still remains the same, many users on the platforms with a high follower count call themselves “Influencers.” Such people usually collaborate with brands to promote products amongst their followers. However, as per a new research conducted by Swedish e-commerce start-up A Good Company and analytics firm HypeAuditor, Indian Instagram influencers are said to have about 16 million fake followers and this number apparently stands at 10 million fake accounts worldwide. The study states these numbers after assessing 1.84 million Instagram accounts across 82 countries. 

"Companies are pouring money into influencer marketing, thinking that they are connecting with real people and not Russian bots. In reality, they are pouring money down the drain and giving away free products to someone who acquired a mass-following overnight," Anders Ankarlid, CEO of A Good Company, told PRWeek. As per the report, three regions that have the most number of fake followers in the world are the US at 49 million, Brazil at 27 million and India at 16 million. 

Numerous companies invest in Instagram influencers to promote their products. However, the report states that accounts that use fake followers are costing companies nearly $750m (Rs 51.38 million approx) globally in a market that is estimated to be worth $1.7 billion (Rs 116 billion approx). 

Back in May, we came across the report of a Mumbai-based social media marketing firm called Chtrbox, which was said to be leaking data of Instagram influencers. As per the report, an unsecured database was hosted on Amazon Web Services, which is said to have more than 49 million records containing private information like phone numbers, email id, profile picture, bio, number of followers, and more info of influencers on the platform. 

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Amazon Prime Day Sale: Best and Worst deals on wearables

Amazon is hosting another edition of its Prime Day Sale. As one might expect, there are a bunch of deals on offer during the sale. We have already covered a bunch of deals on TVs, laptops, washing machines and more. This time around, let’s take a look at some deals on wearables.

Best deals

Fitbit Ionic (Buy it here)

Deal price: Rs 19,990 

The Fitbit Ionic can be considered the flagship device of the company in India. The device sports a relatively large square display, and a built-in GPS for more accurate tracking. The device is capable of tracking a host of activities such as swimming, running, workouts and more   

Fitbit Versa (Buy it here)

Deal price: Rs 15,999 

The Fitbit Versa can be considered to be the younger sibling of the Ionic. As such, it offers much of the same functionality. But it does feature a different design, which may appeal to some. However, it should be noted that the device does not feature a built-in GPS.

Samsung Gear S3 Frontier (Buy it here)

Deal price: Rs 15,999

If a smartwatch is what you are after, then you might want to consider the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier. The device runs on Tizen OS and sports a rugged look. It also comes with the rotating dial that makes the UI pretty intuitive.

Worst deals

Mi Band 3 (Check it out here)

Deal Price: Rs 1,998

The Xiaomi Mi Band 3 may be a very good budget tracker, but do not let the ‘deal’ moniker on this device fool you. The band was launched at Rs 1,999. And while selling it at Rs 1,998 is technically a deal, we find it a bit insulting. You could get the 10% HDFC Bank card discount and get something if you really want to buy it. 

Honor Band 4 Running Edition (Check it out here)

Deal price: Rs 1,199

While not without its flaws, the Honor Band 4 Running Edition can be a handy little accessory at the hands of amateur runners. However, the wearable is usually available for the ‘deal price’ and as such, you can buy it later if you want. Who knows? The price might drop further if you catch it during Amazon’s ‘Lightning Deals.’

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Tata Sky Broadband introduces new unlimited plans ahead of wider Reliance Jio GigaFiber rollout

One of the most popular DTH service providers in India, Tata Sky, started providing broadband connections to consumers in 14 cities. Now, Tata Sky broadband connection is available in 21 cities across India. With the launch of Jio GigaFiber just around the corner, Tata Sky broadband has now started to enhance its offerings. The company has started providing unlimited data plans as well. The new plans start from Rs 590 and provide 16Mbps speed. Tata Sky is also providing a free router and data rollover services.

Tata Sky Broadband is offering unlimited plans for a period of one month, three months, and six months. The basic plan starts at Rs 590 for one month in Ahmedabad. It offers a download speed of 16Mbps, a free router, and data rollover along with safe custody options. Moving on to the second plan, it is priced at Rs 700, and offers a download speed of 25Mbps. The third plan is priced at Rs 800, offering 50Mbps data speed. Other data plan options include, Rs 1,100 and Rs 1,300 options, which offer download speeds of 75Mbps and 100Mbps respectively. None of the plans, however, come with free installation despite their free router offerings.

If you need a quarterly plan, you will have to shell out Rs 1,770 for the basic plan that offers 16Mbps data speed. While the 25Mbps plan costs Rs 2,100, the 50Mbps plan will cost you Rs 7,200. Moreover, the 75Mbps and 100Mbps plans cost Rs 9,900 and Rs 11,700 respectively. There is no discount in terms of pricing but the plans offer extra data for four months, which means, you will have to pay up front for nine months to avail benefits for a period of 13 months. This brings down the cost of the 16Mbps plan to Rs 408 from Rs 590. 

Furthermore, in Mumbai, the monthly plans starts at Rs 999 for 25Mbps data speed. Other plans include, Rs 1,249 and Rs 1,599 plans that offer data speedsof 50Mbps and 100Mbps. While the basic quaterly plan is available for Rs 2,997, the six month plan starts at Rs 5,395. 

Tata Sky Broadband expanded from 14 cities to 21 cities like Surat, Navi Mumbai, Jaipur, and more, last month. The company could expand to other cities soon.

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Chandrayaan 2 mission postponed, ISRO to announce new launch date soon

It was very unfortunate that the launch of India's second mission to the moon, Chandrayaan 2, was called off (for today) just before the launch. A GSLV Mark III rocket was to take off at 02:51 am on Monday from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, but the launch was aborted because the rocket was not functioning according to laid down parameters. Amid this gloomy development, there is a silver lining that will eventually give Indians a moment of pride when the Indian space agency launches the mission at a later date.

According to a report, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) dubbed the detection of the anomaly as ‘lucky’. “The rocket functioning was not according to laid down parameters... we are extremely lucky to detect the anomaly just before the launch, we are in control, the rocket and satellite are safe. We will have to dismantle the rocket to get to the root of the problem… we have window till month end to launch the mission,” The Hindustan Times quoted an ISRO source as saying.

On its Twitter handle, ISRO posted, “A technical snag was observed in launch vehicle system at 1 hour before the launch. As a measure of abundant precaution, #Chandrayaan2 launch has been called off for today. Revised launch date will be announced later.” Had India succeed at a soft-landing on the moon's surface, it would have become the fourth country in the world to do so. Till now, only the US, Russia, and China have achieved this feat. Israel, which tried earlier this year, failed at their attempt.

A technical snag was observed in launch vehicle system at 1 hour before the launch. As a measure of abundant precaution, #Chandrayaan2 launch has been called off for today. Revised launch date will be announced later.

— ISRO (@isro) 14 July 2019

There were four suitable window periods for the launch in the month of July: July 15, 16, 29 and 30. The July 16 launch is likely called off and we have to wait for further announcements to get a revised date of the launch. Chandrayaan 2 was carrying Vikram, a 1.4 tonne lander, which houses Pragyan, a 27Kg Rover, to a plain between two craters at the moon's South Pole. The rocket GSLV Mark III, known also as “Baahubali” is a 640 tonne rocket. This is its third launch. It is also India's heaviest launcher.

Apart from this, several media outlets also covered the launch extensively. The Chandrayaan 2 is incredibly low budget in comparison to other missions to the moon. The US had spent $25 billion on the Apollo missions which started in 1961, that is over $100 billion today. Chandrayaan 2's total budget doesn’t not even exceed half a billion. On a lighter note, the whole Chandrayaan 2 mission budget costs less than half of the budget of the “Avengers Endgame” movie.

“The total cost of the Chandrayaan-2 mission is about $124 million, which includes a $31 million price tag for the launch and $93 million for the satellite. The cost is less than half of the budget of Hollywood blockbuster ‘Avengers Endgame’, which had an estimated budget of $356 million," Sputnik News had said. Cost-effective missions could mean that India and ISRO would be a preferred partner in such space deals.

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Kia Seltos launch scheduled for August 22, bookings open tomorrow

When Kia announced the Seltos subcompact crossover in India late last month, it did not disclose any information on the pricing or availability of the car. In a press release we received earlier today, we learnt that the Korean car maker intends to open bookings for the Seltos tomorrow (July 16) and launch the car on August 22. Interested customers can pre-book their Seltos either from the Kia Motors India website or the nearest Kia dealership for a token amount of Rs 25,000. Kia’s first car in India comes in two variants with petrol and diesel powertrain options.

“The Kia Seltos has been built from ground-up, keeping Indian customers in mind and is equipped to redefine the segment,” commented Manohar Bhat, Vice President and Head of Sales and Marketing at Kia Motors India. “We are confident that the customers will be equally delighted by the specifications combination and our wide-spread network of 265 touchpoints in 160 cities that will instill confidence and recognition of the brand. We can’t wait for India to experience the stylish Seltos.”

The dashboard of the Kia Seltos comes with a 10.25-inch touchscreen display for navigation and media and 7-inch instrument cluster. The in-car entertainment system supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Sound is delivered through a 400W 8-speaker Bose sound system with dynamic speed compensation and mood lights. The Kia Seltos also comes with a three-year subscription to UVO, Kia’s connectivity service that uses voice to input commands. UVO has 37 features all in all across navigation, safety, security, vehicle management, and remote control.

In addition to the advanced sound system, the Kia Seltos comes with a 360-degree rear-view monitoring camera that has six different viewing angles, a head-up display for speed, vehicle stability management (VSM), electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock brakes (ABS), brakeforce assist system (BAS), and hill-assist. The Kia Seltos comes with an in-cabin air purifier that can optionally be controlled through a smartphone app. The Kia Seltos is expected to cost about Rs 15 lakh when it goes on sale in the near future.

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Xiaomi Mi A3 confirmed to be launched on July 25

Xiaomi is rumoured to launch its Mi A3 Android One smartphone soon and it seems like the company has set a date for its launch. The company will be hosting a launch event on July 25 in Warsaw, Poland, and going by the looks of it, the Mi A3 could be inbound. The new teaser features something resembling a triple rear camera setup and it is shaped like the number 3. It is speculated that the company could rebrand the recently launched Mi CC9e as the Mi A3 and launch it as an Android One device running on stock Android OS. 

The launch event happening in Poland is slated to commence at 7:30 PM IST on July 25. Talking about the launch on a blog post, Xiaomi says that it will also invite some users to attend the launch and that it is accepting registrations till July 16. Ten users will get to participate in the launch by sending their username and Mi ID in an email to the company. They will need to state something about themselves, why they want to attend the event and where are they from. So, it seems that users from around the world have a chance to attend the event.

While official details of the Xiaomi Mi A3 are yet to be outed, the handset was recently leaked in a couple of live images, which also showed off its retail box. As per the images, the Mi A3 might feature a notched display and come equipped with a vertically placed triple rear camera setup. There is also an Android One logo on the back. An image retail box suggests that the device could come equipped with a 6.08-inch AMOLED display with an under-display fingerprint scanner. Other specifications of the handset suggest a 4030mAh battery with 18W fast charging support and a 48MP rear camera. You can read more about it here.

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Realme X, Realme 3i launched in India: Price, specs, and all you need to know

Realme has finally launched its flagship phone, the Realme X, in India. It was launched along with the Realme 3i during an event that began at 12:30pm today (Monday July 15). The Realme X, however, was launched in China a couple of months ago. The flagship device is Realme’s first smartphone to feature a notch-less display, thanks to the pop-up camera. The smartphone manufacturer also launched a budget variant of the Realme 3, the Realme 3i.

The event began with the Realme CEO Madhav Sheth announcing that Realme 3 is the number one online selling smartphone, and that Realme is the second largest online brand, according to Counterpoint Research. Additionally, Realme has announced a repair project for 6 cities, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Chennai, where the company claimed that it is looking to repair your smartphone at your doorstep within 30 minutes. 

Realme X, Realme 3i price in India

The Realme X was launched in China in May at a starting price of CNY 1,499, which converts to approx Rs 15,400 directly. However, Realme has priced the 4GB/128GB variant of the smartphone at Rs 16,999 in India.. The other variant packs 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which is priced at Rs 19,999. Realme has also launched the Master Edition of its flagship phone - onion and garlic gradients - for Rs 19,999. Moreover, there is a Spiderman special edition as well that costs RS 20,999. There is only one available storage option in the latter variants - 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. 

Coming to the Realme 3i, the price of the budget smartphone starts at Rs 7,999 for 3GB RAM, 32GB storage variant. The 4GB RAM, 64GB storage variant will cost you Rs 9,999.

Realme X specifications and availability

The Realme X features a 6.53-inch Super AMOLED display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, and 2340 x 1080 pixels resolution, which gives it a 91.2-percent screen-to-body ratio. The most affordable full-screen smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 710 chipset and up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

On the optics front, the Realme X features a dual rear camera setup that includes a primary 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor and a secondary 5MP depth sensor. It offers features like Nightscape and Chroma Boost.  Additionally, the 16MP front camera resides in the pop-up mechanism. Realme says that the pop-up camera rises in just 0.74 seconds and has a fall-detection feature.

The phone packs a 3745mAh battery, which supports 20W VOOC-charge technology. Also, it features an in-display fingerprint scanner. It runs Android 9 Pie with ColorOS 6 on top. The Realme X also supports Dolby Atmos for an immersive sound experience via headphones.

The Realme X will be available in Polar White and Space Blue gradient colour variants. It will go on sale on July 24 at 12pm on Flipkart and Realme.com. Moreover, Realme will hold a special "hate-to-wait" sale on July 18 at 8pm on Flipkart for those who pre-ordered the device last week. It will also go on sale via offline stores.

Realme 3i specifications and availability

The Realme 3i is the first smartphone in the company’s new “i” series. It features a 6.2-inch HD+ (1520x720) display with an aspect ratio of 19:9. The smartphone is powered by the Helio P60 octa-core chipset, paired with up to 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The storage, however, is expandable via a microSD card to up to 256GB.

The Realme 3i sports a 13MP primary camera with PDAF and f/1.8 aperture, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. It is also equipped with Super Nightscame mode. At the front, it has a 13MP selfie camera. It packs a 4230mAh battery. The phone also runs on ColorOS 6 that's based on Android 9 Pie.

The highlighting feature of the Realme 3i is the design of its back panel. It features a diamond-cut design, similar to the Realme C2. The smartphone will be offered in three colour variants - Diamond Black, Diamond Blue, and Diamond Red.

The Realme 3i will go on sale from July 23 on Flipkart and Realme.com.

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