Category Archives: Technology

HCLTech wins IBM Partner Excellence Award for cloud

NOIDA, India, Nov 21, 2023—HCLTech, a leading global technology company, has won the IBM Partner Excellence Award in the cloud business category. The company is the only global system integrator in the Trailblazers of 2023 segment at the awards.

“This recognition reflects our consistent efforts to empower organizations with new capabilities across cloud, data, and Al. Our continued focus on training and certifying professionals on the latest IBM technologies enables us to drive exceptional delivery for our clients,” said Rajesh Venkatachalam, Senior Vice President and Head of IBM Red Hat Business Unit, HCLTech.

HCLTech integrates its enterprise solutions with IBM’s hybrid cloud, sustainability, and Al products to help clients accelerate their digital transformation.

As an IBM Partner Plus, HCLTech leverages IBM’s technology solutions to provide clients with advanced digital application services. CloudSMART for IBM is an adaptive portfolio of solutions that aims to assist businesses in developing advanced technologies to drive progress and foster continuous innovation using the latest business and technology insights.

IIM Lucknow and Emeritus launch Chief Technology Officer Programme to Empower India’s Aspiring and Upcoming Strategic Technology Leaders

Mumbai, November 20, 2023: With the rapid technological integration and digital innovation taking place around the world, the role of Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) has been increasingly widening, and encompasses a whole-scale technological transformation, ranging from streamlining business models, and modernising technology for digital dividends, to enhancing customer experience. Recognising the pivotal role of a CTO in today’s world, the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow  (IIM Lucknow), a leading business school in India, has partnered with Emeritus, a global pioneer in offering accessible and affordable high-quality education to individuals and organisations, to launch the Chief Technology Officer Programme.

 This high-impact 10-month programme is curated for new and evolving CTOs and CIOs who want to acquire the nuts and bolts of strategic acumen and innovation to unlock strategic technology leadership. The programme can also help seasoned technology leaders who want to establish strategic tech alignment to drive positive organisational impact and claim a C-suite position as well as business owners and leaders who want to harness technology and innovation to drive digital disruption, achieve and maintain competitive advantage, and spur business growth.

 According to the Deloitte 2023 Global Technology Leadership Study, 36% of tech executives say they are generating revenue from data or technology, and another 16% plan to do it in the next two years. The role of CTOs is actively expanding and becoming fundamental not just for business growth but also for supporting the ESG functions of the company along with their sustainability goals. Keeping this expanding role in mind, IIM Lucknow’s Chief Technology Officer Programme’s module has been very carefully designed to acknowledge and train leaders for this role. The module includes Data Strategy, and Data Science Pipeline, Innovating for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics at the Cutting Edge, Leading in Generative AI, Blockchain, and Metaverse, Mastering Cloud Strategy and Adoption, Digitalization of Value Chain, Addressing Algorithmic Bias and Ethical Considerations Sustainability and imperative of ESG Cybersecurity among other topics.

 This programme is designed to provide flexibility in learning for participants and includes 100% live online classes conducted by the esteemed IIM Lucknow faculty. It also includes a 3-day campus immersion for networking with CXO peers along with a capstone project, business simulations and real-world case studies. This programme has been designed to help professionals not only gain knowledge and learn about the leading technology functions but also to teach them how to use this knowledge to develop strong strategies and achieve organizational goals.

 Commenting on the launch of the programme, Mr Mohan Kannegal, CEO, of India and APAC, Emeritus, said, “We are committed to bringing high-impact programmes for professionals to upskill, gain in-depth industry knowledge, and learn about the new developments integrating various sectors. The role of CTOs has expanded in the past few years, and we have confidence in the design and module of this programme, and its uniqueness in including essential learnings such as developing a CTO playbook and various new and essential technology integrating various sectors. We are confident that this programme will help these C-Suite leaders with actionable, objective insights to not just play catch-up in this rapidly evolving business world but enable alignment, smarter decisions and robust performance for their teams, drive innovation within their organisation and achieve long-term sustainable business growth. We are excited to partner with prestigious institutions such as IIM Lucknow to drive this growth among CTOs and thereby their organisations.”

 The eligibility for this programme includes Graduates/Diploma holders/Postgraduates with a minimum of 10 years of work experience. This programme will commence on December 30, 2023, with a fee of INR 5,00,000 plus applicable taxes. Upon successful completion of the programme, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion and will be eligible to receive IIM Lucknow’s Executive Alumni Status which includes various benefits such as executive alumni status, and access to IIM Lucknow’s newsletters, among others.

Sony India announces next-generation APS-C Mirrorless interchangeable lens camera α6700

1. Highly accurate subject recognition with AI
2. Excellent video performance compatible with 4K120p 1
3. Mobility, operability, and connectivity unique to a compact and lightweight device
4. Environmental consciousness and accessibility

Bangalore, 20th Nov 2023: Sony India today announced the release of its newest APS-C mirrorless camera, the α6700 (ILCE-6700). This new offering combines the cutting-edge still image and video capabilities found in the latest full-frame Alpha™ and Cinema Line series with the compact and lightweight design of the α6000 series, resulting in Sony’s most advanced APS-C mirrorless camera to date. Combining an APS-C back-illuminated Exmor R® CMOS image sensor boasting 26.0 effective megapixels with the speed and power of Sony’s advanced BIONZ XR® processing engine, the α6700 achieves exceptional imaging performance while maintaining a compact and lightweight design.

 The camera supports high-resolution 4K video recording at up to 120fps 1, a wide latitude of 14+ stops 2 for capturing details in harsh or under-lit conditions, and features the S-Cinetone™ picture profile found in Sony’s professional Cinema Line for refined movie imagery that doesn’t require color grading, and it delivers stunning representation of human skin tones.

“With the launch of the α6700, Sony is steadfast in its commitment to empower creators at every level in India. We are dedicated to providing cutting-edge tools that empower their creativity. Sony will continue expanding its APS-C lineup, catering to the diverse image production needs of creators across the nation.” said Mukesh Srivastava, Head of Digital Imaging Business, Sony India.

1. Highly accurate subject recognition with AI
The latest APS-C size, back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor boasts approximately 26.0 effective megapixels, paired with our advanced BIONZ XR engine for exceptional imaging performance. Standard ISO sensitivity spans 100 to 32000 for both stills and movies, allowing high-sensitivity, low-noise shooting. Enhanced color reproduction ensures subjects like people and plants are captured with natural hues, while Creative Look features allow unique visual expressions. The AI processing unit is inherited from the “α7R V,” enabling high accuracy “Real-Time Recognition AF (autofocus).” Beyond the α6000 series’ human and animal recognition, it now accurately identifies various subjects such as human, animal, bird, insect, car/train, and airplane, catering to diverse creative expressions. When paired with the recently launched FE 70-200mm F4.0 G Macro OSS II 3, it offers 105 mm to 300 mm focal lengths in 35mm full-frame equivalent, leveraging the power of telephoto zoom for high-quality shooting. Additionally, it’s compatible with a broad array of E-mount lenses, and Sony’s E-mount lenses cover full-frame and Cinema Line cameras with a single mount.

2. Excellent video performance compatible with 4K120p 
Harnessing data equivalent to 6K, the α6700 outputs superior 4K video, including support for high-frame-rate recording at 4K 120fps. It features S- Log3, offering a latitude of 14+ 2 above, for stellar gradation. Also equipped with S-Cinetone, the α6700 offers impressive skin tone depiction and subject highlighting, technologies honed through our Cinema Line development, while its AI-driven Auto-Framing 4 smoothly tracks subjects, eliminating the need for manual camera movement. The body houses a Multi-Interface (MI) Shoe compatible with digital audio interfaces.

 3. Mobility, operability, and connectivity unique to a compact and lightweight device

With a compact design (approx. 4 7/8 × 2 3/4 × 3 in. and weighing about 1 lb 1.4 oz 5 .), the α6700 is highly portable. It claims a user-friendly, touch-operable vari-angle LCD monitor, coupled with a modern touch menu for effortless operation. A customizable front dial and a switching dial for still images, movies, and S&Q modes are also featured. It is also equipped with an optical 5-axis in-body image stabilization system with 5.0 stops 6 of shutter speed advantage for stills and an Active Mode 7 ensures stable footage. In terms of connectivity, the camera now supports the Creators’ App 8 for seamless uploads of videos
and still images to cloud services.

 4. Environmental consciousness and accessibility
Over the past 10 years, Sony has replaced approximately 379 tons 9 of virgin plastic with recycled plastic in digital cameras and digital video cameras. Recycled materials, including SORPLAS TM 10, are actively used for the camera body, reducing environmental impact without sacrificing functionality. In addition, it is equipped with a Screen Reader function 11 that reads menus and video playback screens aloud to assist operations, supporting the creative activities of a wide variety of creators.

Cleinman National Meeting Focuses on Transformation through AI

Oneonta, NY, November 20, 2023: Cleinman Performance Partners held its semi-annual network meeting on November 9-10 at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, TN. The focus and theme of the meeting was “Transformation” as it relates to the eyecare industry and specifically, what that means for independent eyecare practice optometrist/owners.

Setting the stage for the theme and discussing how artificial intelligence (AI) would be changing the world of optometry and beyond over the next decade was the meeting’s keynote speaker, Matthew Bertram, the senior consultant in the Elite Performance practice at Future Point of View. Bertram’s message was clear: practices that embrace AI and integrate it into their business will find themselves at a competitive advantage by improving their productivity and delivering patient care at a higher level.

In the intimate, professionally facilitated wisdom-sharing groups, which remain the heart and soul of each Cleinman meeting, discussions surrounding growth strategies, practice processes, the use of AI, financial and operating performance, new technologies, and staffing challenges were the common threads among all groups.

Alan Cleinman, CEO and Founder of Cleinman Performance Partners stated “Most optometrists are hugely focused on the day-to-day operations of their practice. Cleinman Performance Network partner practices strongly benefit from the opportunity to invest several days each year thinking about their business strategically. Our partner practices are focused on what they want from their business…and life. As the saying goes, without a destination in mind, any road will get you there.”

Over 150 participants from across North America enjoyed this informative and interactive two-day event, leaving them with new inspiration and strategies to tackle and resolve challenges within their practice. The success of the 2023 Nashville.

Mobile Mark, Inc. Announces New MX 900 Product Platform

Itasca, IL, November 20, 2023: Mobile Mark, Inc., a manufacturer of infrastructure, vehicle devices, Fixed Sites, and embedded antennas for wireless applications from 30 MHz to 7.2 GHz, announces a new product solution platform, the MX 900 Series with the first product release, the MXG944.

At Mobile Mark, Inc., for nearly 40 years, their team has made a difference. They deliver engineering excellence and production flexibility at their corporate and manufacturing headquarters outside Chicago, IL. The MXG944 is USA-made and exceeds the Buy American Act.

The MX900 series products, with up to nine elements within a single, compact, aerodynamic, stylish Radom, are game changers in the Public Safety, Fleet Management, and Public Transportation industries. These nine-cable, Multiband Antennas come standard with four cellular elements for dual-carrier 2×2 MIMO or one-carrier 4×4 MIMO coverage on both 5G/LTE and Wi-Fi 6e specifically, 5G Sub-6: 617-960 MHz, three dBi, 1710-7200 MHz, four dBi, Wi-Fi 6e: 2.4-2.5 GHz, three dBi, 4.9-7.2 GHz, four dBi GNSS: 1561, 1575 & 1602 MHz, twenty-six dB, five dBi.

These capabilities enable the MXG944 to simultaneously send and receive large volumes of voice and data from multiple carriers. Perfect for today’s advanced multiband routers. Learn more about the advanced features of the MX Series antennas with the MXG944, the latest release of Mobile Mark Wireless Solutions.

Stalwarts to Explore How Marketing is Embracing Technology to Shape the Landscape

Mumbai, November 18, 2023: The Marketing Conclave (Marcon), one of India’s largest marketing conferences, organized annually by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), is all set to return with its 19th edition on November 22, 2023, at the Taj Lands End in Mumbai. This year Marcon will explore, through a plethora of sessions, the dynamic relationship between marketing and technology. The conference is being co-powered by Whistle Feed.

 This year’s Marcon promises to offer a multifaceted experience with four distinct tracks and more than 30 sessions. With over 75 prominent industry leaders converging on one platform, attendees can anticipate engaging in discussions on the latest marketing trends. These insights are designed to provide valuable guidance for advertising and marketing professionals, assisting them in aligning their goals with the ever-evolving and technology-driven landscape of marketing.

Marcon 2023 has a lineup of distinguished speakers, who will discuss and deliberate on the Marcon theme. Shri Vikram Sahay, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, will be the Guest of Honour at the conference. He will deliver a keynote address on ‘Empowering Digital Advertising and Marketing: Regulatory Insights and Industry Collaboration for Sustainable Growth’.

 Among other speakers at Marcon, 2023 will be industry captains from renowned companies such as Amazon Pay, Mondelez, Adobe, Physics Wallah, DBS India, Inshorts, Airtel Payments Bank, Tata Cliq, PhonePe, Federal Bank, and Hotstar. These key speakers, representing diverse sectors, will share their expertise and insights, contributing to the rich discussions on the latest marketing trends and the evolving landscape of technology in the field. Attendees can look forward to gaining valuable perspectives from these accomplished professionals at the event.

 Marcon 2023 is being supported by key industry players, including Route Mobile, Rocketship Films (A Jagran New Media Initiative), Haptik, Indus App Store, True Balance, Hexawebony, and ValueFirst, among others.

 Also, part of this conference is an award ceremony – Digital Native Brand Awards, which celebrates and honors businesses and brands that have harnessed the power of digital technology, epitomized the spirit of digital entrepreneurship, and leveraged technology as a core driver of their success.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India redefines retro classic segment with a new game changer; Launches All-New ‘CB350’

BOLD ALONE BOLDER TOGETHER

New Delhi, 18 November 2023: Augmenting its position in the premium mid-size 350cc motorcycle segment, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) today introduced the all-new retro classic CB350. Engineered to offer a timeless classic design with a superior blend of technology & refined performance, the Honda CB350 has been launched at a special price of Rs. 1,99,900 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Customers can book this motorcycle at their nearest BigWing dealerships and deliveries will commence soon.

Introducing Honda’s latest premium BigWing motorcycle, Mr. Tsutsumu Otani, Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to expand our mid-size 350cc motorcycle line-up with the launch of All-New CB350. It proudly takes forward the rich legacy of Honda’s CB DNA and will provide the joy of riding to our customers. We are confident that the launch of this retro classic motorcycle will excite new buyers to join the ever-growing CB family.”

Commenting on the debut of the All-New CB350, Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director, of Sales and Marketing, at Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “The introduction of All-New CB350 marks yet another significant milestone for our flourishing premium motorcycle business vertical. Ever since its launch, Honda’s middle-weight 350cc motorcycles have delighted customers across various markets. Together with our widespread network of premium BigWing dealerships, we are confident that the new CB350 will offer an exhilarating experience to buyers. Bookings are now open and deliveries will begin soon.”

Styling, Colours and Equipment:

The All-New CB350 blends Honda’s iconic styling ethos with a timeless classic design. Crafted with an amalgamation of artistry and power, it is a testament to the splendidness of an era gone by, reimagined for today’s riders. The CB350 looks macho and sports a muscular fuel tank. The styling quotient is further enhanced by an all-LED lighting system (round LED headlamp, LED winkers, and LED tail lamp).

Engineered with precision and a deep appreciation for retro aesthetics, the CB350 gets long metal fenders that reflect its timeless elegance. It also features metallic covers for front forks along with split seats which give it an authentic classic appeal. HMSI is offering the CB350 in five attractive colors with a choice of metallic and matte shades. They are Precious Red Metallic, Pearl Igneous Black, Matte Crust Metallic, Matte Marshal Green Metallic, and Matte Dune Brown.

The All-New CB350 features a heritage-inspired digital-analog instrument cluster paired with the Honda Smartphone Voice Control system (HSVCS) that presents advanced information on the go. This retro classic motorcycle is equipped with an assist & slipper clutch and gets a Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) system to enhance rider’s safety on all sorts of terrain. There is also an emergency stop signal feature that communicates sudden braking to vehicles behind by flashing hazard lamps.

To ensure utmost comfort while cruising in style, the CB350 gets large-section telescopic front forks and pressurized nitrogen-charged rear suspension. Braking duties on the motorcycle are performed by a 310mm disc at the front and a 240mm disc at the rear. There is also the safety net of dual-channel ABS as standard. This retro classic motorcycle’s chunky 130-section 18-inch rear tire exhibits a distinctive appeal, improves road grip, and increases stability in different road conditions.

Engine and Performance:

At the heart of the All-New CB350 lies a big and powerful 348.36cc, air-cooled, 4-stroke, single-cylinder BSVI OBD2-B compliant PGM-FI engine. This motor churns out 15.5 kW power at 5,500 RPM and 29.4 Nm of torque at 3,000 RPM, paired with a 5-speed gearbox. Its segment-leading torque makes the CB350 an easy-going versatile motorcycle for both city commutes as well as long weekend rides.

The long muffler of the CB350 optimizes a perfect balance with the muffler’s capacity for producing a bold low-pitched sound. Its one-chamber structure in the expansion chamber helps deliver a rich thumping exhaust note when you twist the throttle. A double-layer structure prevents the exhaust pipe from thermal discoloration, maintaining the overall visual appeal of the motorcycle.

Price and Availability: The All-New Honda CB350 has been attractively priced at Rs. 1,99,900 for the DLX variant and Rs. 2,17,800 for the DLX Pro variant (ex-showroom, Delhi). It will be sold via HMSI’s premium BigWing dealerships across the country. HMSI is also providing a special 10-year warranty package (3-year standard + 7-year optional) on the product to offer peace of mind ownership experience to customers.

The Right Path -Best Practices for Security Automation

By Sundar Balasubramanian, Managing Director, Check Point Software Technologies India & SAARC

Cyberattacks increase? Check. Mitigation of such attacks? That’s a quandary organisations are still trying to grapple with. With cyberattacks increasing, including in the first three quarters of 2023 according to Check Point Research, which saw a 3% increase in average weekly global cyberattacks compared to the same period the year before, it is no wonder that organizations are getting wary. In India, Check Point Research reported a 17% increase in the weekly attacks per organization to 1,041 times.

Globally, nearly 75% of CEOs are concerned about their organizations’ abilities to avert or mitigate a cyber incident. It’s widely known that organizations need to become more resilient and prioritize continuous delivery capabilities.

In our constantly evolving threat landscape, one key way to build resilience is through cybersecurity automation. Survey data indicates that more than 40% of organizations see automation as a “major factor” contributing to the successful improvement of their cyber security posture. Security automation can streamline time-consuming, manual cyber security tasks and offer efficient threat prevention, investigation, and incident response mechanisms. Automation also empowers security staff to dedicate time to strategic, higher-level cybersecurity tasks that otherwise might be sidelined.

Security automation, it’s not that simple…

However, to gain the aforementioned automation advantages, organizations need to adhere to relevant, industry-led best practices. Doing so not only ensures that organizations can harness the full potential of automated cyber security solutions, but also enables staff members to work in a synchronous and symbiotic way with solutions.

These seven actionable security automation best practices below will help your organization integrate the strengths of automation with those of human intelligence; maximizing the opportunities to thrive within complex, high-pressure, and precision-centric enterprise ecosystems.

7 actionable security automation best practices

To achieve stronger cyber security outcomes through automation, unpack these savvy practitioner best practices:

1. Optimize the synergy. Automation excels in executing routine tasks. However, humans are still needed to bring in unique insights, contextual understanding, and strategic thinking.

It’s the synergy between automation and skilled staff that’s key to an effective, modernized cybersecurity strategy. Reallocate resources to evolve and rethink human roles and to ensure alignment across ecosystem elements.

2. Commit to team training. Prepare for the shift from manual to automated response by providing team members with comprehensive training that’s tailored to individual roles. Reinforce the technical aspects of new automated solutions and their implications.

Clarify precisely what a security automation solution can handle, and where human intervention is critical. Clear explanations around this can prevent misunderstandings and can ensure that your team knows when to step in.

3. Prioritize automation initiatives. Assess and decide on which security issues are most pressing; map out the priorities. When you have a well-defined set of priorities, develop use cases and evaluate opportunities for security workflow automation.

In the process, engage relevant stakeholders. Although bringing in a wider working group may slow down efforts, an inclusive approach ensures that key perspectives are heard, resulting in broader consensus and buy-in. This can prevent future roadblocks and resistance to automation adoption.

4. Take a measured approach. When it comes to security automation, most organizations can’t automate everything at once. But this may work to a given organization’s advantage.

Moving forward with automation in high-impact areas provides opportunities to build internal support for it and to showcase the effectiveness of automation tools. The initial results can reaffirm stakeholder buy-in and foster the momentum necessary to further expand automated initiatives.

A measured approach can serve as a foundation for a successful and adaptable automation strategy – one that aligns with your organization’s specific needs and objectives.

5. Create playbooks. Ahead of beginning the workflow automation process, ensure that workflows are as strong and as solid as possible. This will help when optimizing processes.
Then, develop playbooks. These will serve as the foundation upon which your automation efforts will be built. Playbooks will help set the stage for successful automation process development that’s predicated upon a solid foundation of well-documented and optimized workflows.

6. Plan higher-level projects. Automation presents opportunities for your security team to contribute to your organization at a higher level. Strategically consider how analysts may be able to redirect efforts into previously overlooked or under-attended value-added areas.

For instance, analysts may be able to spend time uncovering the root causes of persistent types of threats, such as phishing. Proactive investigations of root causes can assist with addressing underlying vulnerabilities. These kinds of activities can significantly contribute to the elevation of an organization’s cyber security posture.

7. Consider security orchestration. Integrating security orchestration alongside security automation enables organizations to seamlessly coordinate complex security workflows across multi-cloud environments. This can improve operational efficiency, communication, and collaboration, and can also yield reduced response times.

Vervo LLC Launches the First-Ever Actionable Calendar App

Vervo, the first-ever actionable calendar app, announced its revamped launch today. Vervo helps users stay organized and reduce stress by giving them a clear plan of what to do next and when in their day, so they can focus on the things that matter most.

Scottsdale, AZ, November 16, 2023: Vervo, the first-ever actionable calendar app, announced its revamped launch today. Vervo helps users stay organized and reduce stress by giving them a clear plan of what to do next and when in their day, so they can focus on the things that matter most.

Vervo’s unique offerings include:

Actionable Calendar: Vervo’s fresh take on time blocking offers interactive calendaring where users can create and complete visually expressive time blocks.

Smart Reminders: revolting against manually setting and deleting reminders, Vervo’s Smart Reminders feature offers a fully automated way to keep users reminded of their schedule.

AI Scheduler: with the power of AI, Vervo allows users to resolve schedule conflicts and find free time in one tap.

“We made Vervo because we wanted to create a dynamic time-blocking application that would actually help people stay on top of their day and reduce anxiety,” said Adam Solomon, Founder and CEO of Vervo LLC. “Vervo is a tangibly effective interactive calendar app that helps users stay in the know and focus on what matters most.”