India’s fifth largest IT services company Tech Mahindra reported a rough first quarter (April-June) as net profit plunged due to a sharp narrowing of margins. The Mahindra group company had reported a net profit of Rs 1,131.6 crore in the same period last year. In the preceding quarter, the same stood at Rs 1,117.6 crore. The company’s revenues slid to Rs 13,159 crore in the reporting quarter. Profit dips 40%Tech Mahindra has reported a nearly 40% year-on-year (YoY) decrease in net profit in the three months ending in June Toughest quarter in five yearsChief executive officer CP Gurnani said that the quarter was marked by large-scale slowdowns, particularly across communication clients. “This quarter is probably one of the toughest quarters I have seen in the last five years, but we believe that we will be able to bring back our growth trajectory,” Gurnani said. “There’s a speed breaker right now and it has influenced the industry. Deal conversions have been impacted. The numbers are not satisfactory on the EBITDA front. My belief is some of the challenges are temporary and we will bounce back over the next few quarters,” Gurnani said.Earnings breakupThe communications, media, and entertainment (CME) vertical, which accounts for about 38% of its revenue, was down 8.2% from a year ago. BFSI revenue was down 3.2% sequentially and 5.4% on-year. Its Europe revenues are down 6.7% over the prior quarter, while US revenues are down 0.5% on-quarter. The Americas, Europe, and RoW (rest of world) all witnessed sequential declines in revenue. The number of active clients dropped by 42 sequentially.CEO-designate and former Infosys president Mohit Joshi was part of the press conference to announce the June quarter results. Joshi will succeed CP Gurnani later this year.

Domestic brand Ptron has expanded its TWS product portfolio with new earbuds called Zenbuds Ultima. These new earbuds come with Hybrid ANC technology, TruTalk Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) technology, a quad-mic system and an IPX5 water-resistant rating. Ptron also promises 50 hours of total playtime for Zenbuds Ultima. These earbuds also offer the Apt Sense 40ms low-latency mode, Transparency mode and a gaming/ music mode. Announcing the launch, founder and CEO of Ptron, Ameen Khwaja said, “Zenbuds Ultima is an example of advanced products with its exceptional premium feature and with affordable pricing. 35dB Hybrid ANC blocks out distractions for pure auditory bliss, Quad Mic system with TruTalk ENC ensures crystal-clear calls, Apt Sense 40ms Low-latency mode for exceptional audio performance, Transparency Mode enables interaction with the external world & Impressive 50 hours of playtime- making this product competitive to the market trend. The launch of Zenbuds Ultima is just the beginning of an exciting new era for pTron and we remain dedicated to creating ground-breaking products that enrich the lives of its customers, setting new benchmarks in the industry”.Ptron Zenbuds Ultima: Price and availability The Ptron Zenbuds Ultima TWS earbuds will be available starting July 28 at a special launch price of Rs 1,499. These new earbuds will be available on the e-commerce website Amazon. Zenbuds Ultima will be available in a single black colour variant. Ptron Zenbuds Ultima: Key specsThe Zenbuds Ultima feature a quad-mic setup that supports the TruTalk Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) technology. These earbuds are also equipped with 35dB hybrid ANC technology along with an Apt Sense 40ms Low-latency mode that claims to offer improved audio performance. The earbuds also promise 50 hours of playtime and come with IPX5 water-resistant rating. Ptron Zenbuds Ultima Technical Specifications: Bluetooth Version BT v5.3 with 10m range, 1-step pairing & auto-reconnect Driver size 13mm Quad Mic, TruTalk ENC Audio Technology Quietsmart ANC (Active Noise Cancellation Technology) + ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation Technology) Playtime Up to 50 Hours with charging case Charging Case 500 mAh Type-C Charging Case Product Weight 32g Charging case, 3.7g each earbud Other Features Touch Controls with Voice Assistant + IPX5 Water resistant Low Latency Audio & Video Sync with Stereo & Mono Bud Capability

Domestic wearable brand Boult has launched its latest smartwatch Striker Pro. The made-in-India watch has an AMOLED display and supports Always on Display. Customers can also choose from the 150+ cloud-based watch faces that the smartwatch offers. The wearable comes with a zinc alloy frame and offers a variety of strap options. Commenting on the launch, Varun Gupta, CEO and co-founder of Boult, stated, “We have always poured our heart and soul into designing the smartwatches we offer so that they seamlessly integrate fashion, functionality, and the needs of our vibrant Gen Z community. We always keep pace with the latest tech advancements, and we strive to bring the freshest innovations as one of the top 5 smartwatch companies. With our latest launch, the Striker Pro, we are taking some major leaps forward in that direction, besides strengthening our portfolio in the fitness wearable segment.”Boult Striker Pro: Price and availability Boult launched the Striker Pro smartwatch at an original price of Rs 5999. However, customers can purchase the Striker Pro exclusively at an offer price of Rs 2499 on Boult’s official website (www.boultaudio.com) and Flipkart. The watch will be available in a variety of strap options, including Blue, Grey, Black and metal strap. Boult Striker Pro: Key specsBoult Striker Pro sports a 1.43-inch round HD AMOLED screen that supports 466×466 resolution, 750 nits brightness and a 60Hz refresh rate. The smartwatch supports Always-On Display (AoD) and features an integrated speaker as well as a microphone for Bluetooth calling. The smartwatch is equipped with health monitoring capabilities, like SpO2 blood oxygen levels and heart rate monitoring. The watch even tracks the menstrual cycles of female users. Other health features include sleep tracking, hydration and activity reminders.The Striker Pro smartwatch offers 150+ cloud-based watch faces for users to customise according to their preferences. Apart from this, the watch also comes with an IP67 water and dust resistance rating. Some of its other features include — Smart Notifications, Calculator, and Weather Details. Striker Pro is also compatible with Siri, Google Assistant and also offers a collection of over 120 sports modes.

Digital engineering services company, Xoriant has launched a generative AI platform called Orian. The initial application developed on the ORIAN platform caters to the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). This application harnesses the capabilities of AI, ML, and analytics to automate and expedite the contact detection and inspection process for Contact Sport Analytics. Its primary goal is to support the NFLPA in ensuring and improving player safety, which remains a core objective for the organisation. Orian provides a wide array of use cases and models that empower clients to readily adopt AI and Generative AI in their operations, fostering efficiency and competitiveness. The platform seamlessly integrates turnkey industry solutions, an extensive partner network, accelerators, and ethical design frameworks for application development. This comprehensive approach enables businesses to harness the full potential of AI while maintaining a competitive edge in their respective industries.“We are thrilled with Xoriant’s ability to leverage technology, especially AI for enabling us in our objective of ensuring player safety with agility and accuracy. It has reduced our efforts by 90% in real-time illegal contacts identification and helps us to make quicker inferences through the player insight dashboard. With its self-learning attributes, it is a game-changer for us in this fast-paced sports of NFL,” said Richard Persons, Director, Information Systems, NFLPA.

There are changes — some big, some small. We are talking about the new Galaxy Z Flip5 5G that now features a big 3.4-inch SuperAMOLED display as a cover. Along with that, there’s a lot of other things to talk about including the new slimmer profile, new Flex hinge that shuts flat and a handful of new features that are aimed at making the clamshell foldable experience better. We got a chance to experience the new Galaxy Z Flip5 5G at the Galaxy Unpacked in Seoul and here’s what we feel about it.What it is like to have a bigger display at the front Without moving around with the specs and features that Z Flip5 offers, let’s address the elephant in the room — the new bigger cover screen. Well, it looks fresh and different from other foldables out there. But, it makes things far more functional and practical for users. That means, there’s a chance you may not have to open the phone for everything. Flex Windows — that’s what Samsung is calling it. Keeping the name aside, the bigger display is sort of a curated widget space that lets users add widgets for several apps and keep themselves updated. There are a handful of them like weather, notification, timer, etc. Then there’s a pinch gesture that puts all the active widgets on one screen and lets users choose the one they want. While the idea for a secondary display is good and lets users do things that can be easily done on a screen of this size, unlike offering the entire main display on a tiny screen to make things look cluttered. Then there’s the option for quick replies as well as using the full QWERTY keyboard in Moving over, there’s now the option to access Quick Settings to enable or disable certain features quickly. Samsung is also making things better for Samsung Wallet users by allowing them to make payments directly from the cover display. All these appear to be pretty functional and interesting at the moment, but the full potential has to be unlocked by making developers add these kinds of widgets. For instance, an Uber widget or Swiggy/Zomato widget will make more sense by allowing users to track orders without continuously opening or closing the phone. But, the FlexCam is something that will grab users attention. The FlexCam now lets users take high-quality selfies by getting a preview of themselves on the cover display hands-free. But, there’s more, Samsung has provided users with the option to view and edit the shots on the go. This is a handy feature for users as well as creators. New hinge = New feel?Flex Hinge is Samsung’s term for waterdrop hinge design that let’s foldable phones close flat without any gap. Yes, the Galaxy Z Flip5 can close without any gap. Although, the thickness has gone down by around 2mm. Certainly, the new hinge mechanism is far more smoother than before. But what makes it different to hold is the completely flat design. The phone feels new, even though it borrows the design elements from previous generations. These new changes add to a good hand-feel as well as pocket-feel. It would be wrong to say that it is an entirely different feeling, but it is certainly a better move to make everything feel more polished and premium. Small changes are making all the differenceIt’s not that a lot has changed with the Z Flip5. Samsung has made small changes that make the entire experience better and more polished. The updated cover display adds to the user experience, plus the FlexCam, new Flex hinge feels like the changes in the right direction. Performance too has been updated, but it is a little too early to talk about it. Stay tuned for our full review to read more about how the phone stands the test of time in real-world situations.

The United States military is not the unrivaled force it once was, but Alexandr Wang, CEO of startup Scale AI, told a congressional committee last week that it could establish a new advantage by harnessing artificial intelligence. “We have the largest fleet of military hardware in the world,” Wang told the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technology and Innovation. “If we can properly set up and instrument this data that’s being generated … then we can create a pretty insurmountable data advantage when it comes to military use of artificial intelligence.” Wang’s company has a vested interest in that vision, since it regularly works with the Pentagon processing large quantities of training data for AI projects. But there is a conviction within US military circles that increased use of AI and machine learning are virtually inevitable—and essential. I recently wrote about that growing movement and how one Pentagon unit is using off-the-shelf robotics and AI software to more efficiently surveil large swaths of the ocean in the Middle East. Besides the country’s unparalleled military data, Wang told the congressional hearing that the US has the advantage of being home to the world’s most advanced AI chipmakers, like Nvidia, and the world’s best AI expertise. “America is the place of choice for the world’s most talented AI scientists,” he said. Wang’s interest in military AI is also worth paying attention to because Scale AI is at the forefront of another AI revolution: the development of powerful large language models and advanced chatbots like ChatGPT. No one is thinking of conscripting ChatGPT into military service just yet, although there have been a few experiments involving use of large language models in military war games. But observers see US companies’ recent leaps in AI performance as another key advantage that the Pentagon might exploit. Given how quickly the technology is developing—and how problematic it still is—this raises new questions about what safeguards might be needed around military AI. This jump in AI capabilities comes as some people’s attitudes toward the military use of AI are changing. In 2017, Google faced a backlash for helping the US Air Force use AI to interpret aerial imagery through the Pentagon’s Project Maven. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has softened public and political attitudes toward private sector collaboration with tech companies and demonstrated the potential of cheap autonomous drones and of commercial AI for data analysis. Ukrainian forces are using neural deep learning algorithms to analyze aerial imagery and footage. The US company Palantir has said that it is providing targeting software to Ukraine. And Russia is increasingly focusing on AI for autonomous systems. Despite widespread fears about “killer robots,” the technology is not yet reliable enough to be used in this way. And while reporting on the Pentagon’s AI ambitions, I did not come across anyone within the Department of Defense, US forces, or AI-focused startups eager to unleash fully autonomous weapons. But greater use of AI will create a growing number of military encounters in which humans are removed or abstracted from the equation. And while some people have compared AI to nuclear weapons, the more immediate risk is less the destructive power of military AI systems than their potential to deepen the fog of war and make human errors more likely. When I spoke to John Richardson, a retired four-star admiral who served as the US Navy’s chief of naval operations between 2015 and 2018, he was convinced that AI will have an effect on military power similar to the industrial revolution and the atomic age. And he pointed out that the side that harnessed those previous revolutions best won the past two world wars. But Richardson also talked about the role of human connections in managing military interactions driven by powerful technology. While serving as Navy chief he went out of his way to get to know his counterparts in the fleets of other nations. “Every time we met or talked, we got a better sense of one another,” he says. “What I really wanted to do was make sure that should something happen—some kind of miscalculation or something—I could call them up on relatively short notice. You just don’t want that to be your first call.” Now would be a good time for the world’s military leaders to start talking to each about the risks and limitations of AI, too.

WhatsApp allows users to quickly record voice messages and send it to personal or a group chat. The feature comes handy in situations when a user has to send a long message because writing a lengthy note can be a tedious task as it consumes a lot of time and effort. The Meta-owned app is now rolling out the ability to quickly send videos in a similar fashion. “New for WhatsApp – we’re adding the ability to instantly record and share a video message in your WhatsApp chats. It’s as easy as sending a quick voice message,”Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in his Instagram Channel.Video messages have begun rolling out and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks. WhatsApp says that video messages are protected with end-to-end encryption. “Video messages are a real-time way to respond to chats with whatever you want to say and show in 60 seconds. We think these will be a fun way to share moments with all the emotion that comes from video, whether it’s wishing someone a happy birthday, laughing at a joke, or bringing good news,” it said. How to send a video messageCurrently, users have to tap the “Camera” icon on the message bar, choose the “video” option, record a clip and then send it to the user or group. Now, users can now tap the ‘microphone’ button adjacent to the message bar and it will change the option to video. Users can then tap and hold the video button to record a video. When you release your thumb, WhatsApp will automatically send the video to the user or group. Just like when sending an audio clip, users can swipe to the left to cancel the recording.If users want to record a long video, they can also swipe up to lock and keep recording the video hands-free. There is a camera swap option so that users can send a video from the front camera. Furthermore, videos will play automatically on mute when opened in a chat, and tapping on the video will start the sound.

Running a small business these days can be a real rollercoaster with its fair share of ups and downs. But you know what? Success is totally within reach if you nail that effective business management game! It’s all about finding that sweet spot where you optimize resources, boost productivity, and fuel sustainable growth. So, let’s dive right in and explore ten game-changing management techniques that can help small enterprises not just survive but totally thrive in this wild world of competition. Buckle up, it’s going to be a thrilling ride. 1. Goal Setting and Strategic Planning At the heart of every successful business is a clear and well-defined set of goals. Small enterprises must start by establishing both short-term and long-term objectives that align with their vision. With a well-thought-out strategic plan in place, business owners can outline the necessary steps to achieve these goals. The plan should be a dynamic document, regularly reviewed and updated to adapt to ever-changing market conditions and emerging opportunities. 2. Efficient Resource Allocation Managing limited budgets and staff is a common challenge for small businesses. To ensure success, it is crucial to allocate resources wisely. Prioritize essential tasks and projects that contribute directly to business growth. Consider outsourcing non-core functions to specialized service providers, as this can streamline operations and reduce overall costs. 3. Building a Strong Team Behind every thriving small business is a dedicated and skilled team. Business owners must invest time and effort in recruiting and developing talented individuals who share their vision and values. By fostering a positive work culture that encourages collaboration, creativity, and continuous learning, entrepreneurs can create an environment where employees feel empowered and motivated to perform at their best. 4. Effective Communication In the realm of small enterprises, open and effective communication is a cornerstone of success. Transparent communication channels between team members and management must be encouraged. Regularly communicating company goals, progress, and challenges helps keep everyone aligned and motivated. Additionally, actively listening to feedback from both employees and customers enables businesses to identify areas for improvement and drive positive change. 5. Data-Driven Decision Making In an increasingly data-rich world, small businesses can gain a competitive edge by embracing a data-driven approach to decision making. By collecting and analyzing relevant data, including customer behavior, market trends, and business performance, owners can glean valuable insights. Armed with these insights, informed decisions can be made, leading to better outcomes and mitigating potential risks. 6. Customer-Centric Approach The heartbeat of any successful business is its customers. Small enterprises must place their customers at the center of their business strategy. Understanding customer needs, preferences, and pain points allows businesses to tailor their products or services accordingly. Providing exceptional customer service and actively seeking feedback foster customer loyalty, and satisfied customers are more likely to become brand advocates, bringing in new business through referrals. 7. Streamlined Operations and Automation Efficiency is the name of the game for small businesses. Streamlining processes and workflows to eliminate bottlenecks and optimize productivity is essential. Moreover, embracing automation tools for repetitive tasks, such as accounting, inventory management, and customer support, frees up valuable time for more strategic initiatives. 8. Continuous Learning and Adaptation In a rapidly evolving business landscape, the importance of continuous learning cannot be overstated. Small enterprises should stay proactive in keeping up with industry trends, new technologies, and best practices. By fostering a culture of continuous learning within the organization, business owners and employees remain agile and open to adapting strategies and approaches based on market changes and customer feedback. 9. Financial Management and Cash Flow Financial stability is the bedrock of any successful business. Small enterprises must maintain a keen eye on financial management, regularly monitoring cash flow and ensuring sufficient working capital to meet the business’s needs. Implementing sound budgeting practices and diligent expense tracking contribute to maintaining financial stability and ensuring the business’s long-term viability. 10. Innovation and Creativity Finally, embracing innovation and creativity is essential for small businesses to stand out in a crowded market. By encouraging a culture where new ideas are welcomed, and experimentation is encouraged, businesses can stay ahead of competitors and continuously meet the evolving needs of their customers. Conclusion Effective business management is the real game-changer for small enterprises, making all the difference between just scraping by and hitting the big leagues in a competitive market. Here’s the secret sauce: set crystal-clear goals, work your resources like a pro, build a dream team, communicate like a champ, and make those data-driven decisions like nobody’s business. With these killer moves, small businesses can conquer challenges and turn them into golden opportunities for growth. But wait, there’s more! Embrace that customer-centric mindset, streamline your operations like a well-oiled machine, keep learning like it’s going out of style, and, hey, don’t forget the moolah – prioritize that financial management! When you’ve got all these magic ingredients in your recipe for success, you’ll be carving your own path to greatness in this wild and ever-changing business landscape. So, go ahead, grab the bull by the horns, and let your small enterprise shine brighter than the North Star. You’ve got this!

Good news for Android tablets and foldable users. Google is now prioritising apps that are optimised for larger screens. In fact, it plans to downrank apps and games that are not optimised for this purpose. Recently, Google revised its Play Store guidelines and ranking algorithms to prioritise apps and games optimised for large screens. Apps and games that require optimization will be ranked lower in the Play Store, and those with high crash rates will also be included in this ranking.“Apps and games that adhere to our large screen app quality guidelines will now be ranked higher in search and Apps and Games Home,” reads the blog post, announcing the new Play Store for large screens. Although Google has previously encouraged developers to optimise their apps and games for larger screens to improve the Android experience on tablets, this is the first time it is actively enforcing these rules to encourage developers to take it more seriously.Google had previously introduced warning labels to encourage developers to optimise their apps and games for individual devices. These warning labels were intended to promote Play’s per-device technical quality standard.However, these labels have not been sufficient, prompting Google to update its ranking algorithms, and this would directly impact the number of downloads.Google’s Play Store has now been tweaked for large-screen devices, including refreshed app listings, improved rankings, streamlined navigation, and split-screen search. Game listings now have video banners at the top, and app details pages are reorganised into a multi-column layout for easier tablet viewing.Starting in August, Google will prioritise apps that can be resized without letterboxing and support both portrait and landscape orientations. These apps will be highlighted in Google Play’s “Editors’ Choice Apps” and other Play Store features.Additionally, Google is introducing new “content forward formats” that include screenshots specific to the device’s form factor. This will allow users to see how the app will appear in landscape or portrait mode.Google’s focus on developing apps and games for larger screens comes only after years of complaints from users and when the company has its own large-screen devices, including the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet.

Only a few months ago, AI content was easy to spot: unnatural inflections in speech, weird earlobes in photos, bland language in writing. This is no longer the case. In June, scammers used an AI to impersonate a daughter’s voice and rob her mother. Candidates are already using deepfakes as propaganda. And LLMs may help spammers by automating the otherwise costly back-and-forth conversations needed to separate a mark from their money. We need a way to distinguish things made by humans from things made by algorithms, and we need it very soon. A universal way to tell human-generated content from AI-generated content would mitigate many of the concerns people have about this burgeoning technology. Consumers of generative text could “reveal AI” to quickly see what was written by a machine. Software companies could add AI markup awareness to their products, changing the way we find, replace, copy, paste, and share content. Governments could agree to buy generative AI only from companies that mark their output in this way, creating considerable market incentives. Teachers could insist that students leave the markings intact to leverage the power of generative AI while still showing their original thought. And brands that want to be “AI transparent” could promise not to remove the marker, making non-GPT the new non-GMO. Fortunately, we have a solution waiting in plain sight. But to understand the elegance of this relatively simple hack, let’s first look at the alternatives and why they won’t work. Both legislators and tech firms agree that the best way to distinguish AI-generated content from content made by humans is to mark it at the point of origin, something seven tech firms pledged to do as part of an agreement the White House announced last week. There are three broad approaches to watermarking digital content. The first is to add metadata, which cameras have been doing for decades. Blocks of text are often marked up as well. When you type something in bold, or set a font’s color on a website, the word processor or browser labels your content with metadata. But it’s application-specific: Paste some bold text into your address bar, and the formatting is gone. You can also watermark digital images using steganography, which hides one message inside another cryptographically. First used by spies to smuggle secrets, there are now plenty of design tools that add hidden markings to images, then crawl the web looking for copyright violators. And encryption works for watermarking too. You can digitally sign a paragraph of text, and then tell when it’s been altered, either through a centralized system (a digital certificate authority) or a distributed one (a blockchain). This is why that movie you bought only plays in iTunes, and that NFT you’ve forgotten about still belongs to you. But these approaches have three fundamental problems. First, they require immense coordination. By contrast, a good AI markup solution would need to work seamlessly across billions of devices. The markings would have to survive being copied and pasted from one app, operating system, or platform to another. Second, any solution would have to be accessible to any human with an internet connection, without any training, immediately. It would need to be deployable to the whole world with just a software update. Third, while watermarks work well enough for large objects like images, songs, or book chapters, they don’t work for smaller objects like individual words or letters. That means these approaches don’t handle content that blends human and machine well. If you have a document that’s generated by an AI, and then edited by a human, you need a more fine-grained watermark—the digital equivalent of a highlighter. That may seem like an impossibly tall order. But in fact, this system already exists: Unicode. Unicode is the universal numbering system for text, and text is the fundamental building block of the internet. In Unicode, every character has a number. The Latin Capital Letter A, for example, is hexadecimal number 41. But there are plenty of other A’s in Unicode: There’s Fullwidth Latin Capital Letter A (Ａ, number EF BC A1), Mathematical Bold Capital A (𝐀, number F0 9D 90 80), Mathematical Sans-Serif Capital A (𝖠, F0 9D 96 A0), and plenty of others. Each A has its own name, its own Unicode value, and in some cases, its own font shape. Why not create a letter A just for AI?