Computex 2015: New Wave of Smart Tech on Show

Smart living and wearable technology will take centre stage at Asia's largest tech trade show from Tuesday with gadgets promising to do everything from analysing state of mind to identifying burglars.

Held in the capital Taipei, Computex will see 1,700 exhibitors from Taiwan and around the world with 130,000 visitors expected over the five-day event, now in its 35th year.

"Smart living and wearable technology remain the focus, but visitors will find more mature products," said David Liu, of the Taipei Computer Association.

While standalone smart products were on show previously, tech firms are now broadening their ambitions, says Liu.

"Many of the exhibitors demonstrated their smart home devices last year, like plugs, lights or locks, but those devices did not work as systems," he told AFP.

"The latest products use an app and infrared sensors to come up with a total solution. So in the case of home security, say, users can now automatically receive images of any intruders into their home."

Wearables have a dedicated area - including smart watches, fabrics and glasses - and will this year feature a new device which promises to measure stress levels caused by work through analysing "mind waves", organisers said.

Mobile technology and 3D innovations will also be key areas of this year's show.

But though Computex continues to attract major international players such as Intel, Microsoft and Ford, it comes at a time when Taiwan is fighting to maintain its tech edge in the face of intense competition from China.

Taiwan last month lowered its growth forecast, blaming increased competition from the mainland in the technology industry.

China has been forging ahead with the development of domestic smartphone brands and homegrown hardware, putting pressure on the export-driven technology hub.

Industry observers say that Taiwan must innovate in the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT) market - web-connected objects from watches to kitchen appliances - if it is to keep its position.

The IoT market is forecast to grow 19 percent in 2015, according to US research firm IDC.

"In the years ahead, the Internet of Things will include millions of wearables for consumers as well as sensors and networks used in smart city rollouts throughout the world," said Singapore-based tech blogger Alfred Siew.

More than 1,000 Taiwanese firms will set out their stalls at Computex and will be anxious not to lag behind in the nascent IoT market, said Siew, having struggled to compete in the mobile sector.

"If they could offer managed services, software interfaces and data analytics to go with their traditional technical expertise in hardware, that could make their offerings even more interesting," Siew added.

Liu Meng-chun of Taiwanese think tank Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research agrees that the island needs to reinvent its tech identity.

"Mass manufacturing is no longer a proper way. Taiwan companies should put to use their innovation if they hope to survive the challenges," he told AFP.

"It's no easy task, but they have no choice."

The Bad & the Worse: The 5 Ways Junk Food Can Mess With Your Brain

We've been warned enough about the downside of too much consumption of junk food. There’s no doubt that fast foods and processed foods have increased the burden childhood obesity, heart disease and diabetes and have made these chronic diseases a common lifestyle concern. Recently, the Delhi Government demanded a crackdown on junk food that is sold in schools and within 50 meters of them.

(Chips, Burgers and Cold Drinks to be Banned in Delhi Schools)

In his book, Encyclopedia of Junk Food and Fast Food, Andre F. Smith defines junk food as, "those commercial products, including candy, bakery goods, ice cream, salty snacks, and soft drinks, which have little or no nutritional value but do have plenty of calories, salt, and fats. While not all fast foods are junk foods, most are. Fast foods are ready-to-eat foods served promptly after ordering."

Not only do they add inches to your waistline, but scientists and researchers have also indicated through various studies that junk food can actually cause serious damage to your brain. The worrying bit is that it’s not just years of poor eating, but regular consumption of junk food even for few days can lead to a mental meltdown.

The more junk food you consume, the less likely you are to consume the essential nutrients that your body relies on. You know how junk food can hurt your health, but you may have not known about these five ways in which it can impact your mood and mind by changing the way your brain functions.

1. It can cause memory and learning problems
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2011 showed that healthy people who ate junk food for only 5 days performed poorly on cognitive tests that measured attention, speed, and mood. It concluded that eating junk food for just five days regularly can deteriorate your memory. This probably stems from the fact that a poor or toxic diet can cause certain chemical reactions that lead to inflammation in the hippocampus area of the brain which is associated with memory and special recognition.

(There are 19 Ingredients in Your McDonald's French Fries!)

Diets that are high in sugar and fat can suppress the activity of a brain peptide called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) that helps with learning and memory formation. Moreover, the brain contains synapses which are responsible for learning and memory. Eating too many calories can interfere with the healthy production and functioning of these synapses.

2. Increases the risk of dementia
This has been one of the scariest discoveries associated with the consumption of junk food. You may know that insulin is produced in the pancreas and helps in the transportation of glucose to fuel the body. Insulin is also produced in the brain where it helps in carrying signals between nerve cells and forming memories. A study conducted at the Brown University shows that too much fatty food and sweets can substantially increase the insulin levels in our body.

Just like in the case of Type 2 Diabetes, with higher levels of insulin, the brain stops responding to this hormone and become resistant to it. This can restrict our ability to think, recall or create memories, thus increasing the risk of dementia. Researcher Suzanne de la Monte, M.D., a professor of pathology, neurology, and neurosurgery at Rhode Island Hospital and the Alpert Medical School of Brown University was the first to uncover this association. Following this discovery, most scientists refer to Alzheimer’s as a form of diabetes of the brain.

(Shocking Secrets About the Junk Food Industry)

3. Lessens its ability to control appetite
Excess consumption of trans fats found in fried and processed foods can send mixed signals to the brain which makes it difficult to process what you have eaten and how hungry are. This is probably why you end up overeating. Healthy brain functions require a daily dose of essential fatty acids like omega-6 and omega-3. Deficiency of these two elements increases the risk of attention deficit disorder, dementia and bipolar disorder and other brain-related problems.

(The Dark Side of Instant Noodles: What Makes Them Harmful?)

Over consumption of junk food may displace these with trans fats which are harder to digest. A 2011 study shows that trans fats may cause inflammation in hypothalamus, the part of brain that containing neurons to control body weight.

In worst scenarios, the habit of overeating can be similar to drug addiction to an extent that relying on junk foods may activate the pleasure centres of the brain greater than receiving drugs.

(Junk Food May Kill Your Appetite for Healthy Food)



4. It can cause chemical changes that can lead to depression
A lot of studies have shown that eating foods high in sugar and fat actually changes the chemical activity of the brain making it more dependent on such foods. A study conducted at the University of Montreal on mice showed that they suffered with withdrawal symptoms after their regular junk food diet was discontinued. In humans, these withdrawal symptoms can lead to the inability to deal with stress, make you feel depressed and eventually you would turn back to those foods to comfort yourself and handle these feelings. Soon, you may be caught in a vicious cycle even before you know it. Also, by consuming too much fast food you may lose out on essential nutrients like amino acid tryptophan, the lack of which can increase feelings of depression. An imbalance of fatty acids is another reason why people who consume more junk food are at a higher risk of depression.

(7 Most Addictive Foods That Are Unhealthy)

5. It makes you impatient and can cause uncontrollable cravings
Eating a sugary cupcake or doughnut may temporarily spike your blood sugar levels making you feel happy and satisfied but as soon as they return to normal you are left feeling all the more irritable.

Fast food is packed with refined carbohydrates which cause your blood sugar levels to fluctuate rapidly. If your sugar levels dip to a very low level, it can cause anxiety, confusion and fatigue.  With high content of sugar and fats, you tend to eat too fast and too much to satisfy your cravings. This can inculcate an impatient behaviour while dealing with other things. Fast foods and processed foods may be laden with artificial flavourings and preservatives like sodium benzoate that tends to increase hyperactivity.



Fast foods are specially designed to be addictive in nature with high levels of salts, sugars and fats that make you crave them. The addictive nature of fast food can make your brain crave them even when you are not hungry.

Maggi Controversy: Delhi's Decision Awaited, Kerala Says No Excess Lead in Samples Tested

1. Two top officials from Nestle India which manufactures the popular snack today met Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Kumar Jain to present their case after the state government yesterday declared that it had found 10 of 13 packs of the noodles it tested as "unsafe," with high lead content.
2. A decision on the issue is expected at 4 pm today. Yesterday, the Delhi government had said it had decided to initiate a case against Nestle "for sale of an unsafe product" and is also considering a fine for "misbranding," as it found five samples with MSG, without a declaration on the label.
3. While the chief of Delhi's BJP unit Satish Upadhyay has demanded that Maggi be immediately recalled from Delhi markets, the state Health Minister had said, "The government will initiate action and will follow the legal course. Adulteration of any kind in food will not be tolerated."
4. Many other states said they are now testing Maggi, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Kerala has ordered a pullout of Maggi noodles from about 1300 government-run outlets, till there is clarity on quality.
5. "If the contents are injurious to health and there are complaints, then action will definitely be taken against the company," said Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Food.
6. Kerala today said that the lead content was not beyod permissible limits. Goa's Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) had earlier said that the Maggi noodles samples it tested were found to be safe for human consumption. It said that the samples tested negative for MSG and lead content.
7. Maggi noodles has been caught in controversy since laboratory tests ordered by Uttar Pradesh food inspectors on a batch allegedly found eight times as much lead as permissible.
8. Shares in Nestle dropped nearly 10 per cent in morning trade this morning. Analysts say Maggi noodles contributes over 20 per cent to the company's revenues and a ban on the product could cause a huge dent in Nestle's bottom line.
9. In more trouble for Nestle, a man from Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore has alleged that he found larvae in a milk powder box from the company. He has alleged that his baby fell sick after consuming the milk. Sources say officials at the food analysis laboratory in Coimbatore confirmed the presence of worms in the milk powder and certified it as unsafe for consumption.
10. On Maggi noodles, Nestle India has said that it has got samples tested in an external laboratory as well as in house and that the product was found "safe to eat".

Uber Names Amit Jain as President of India Operations

New Delhi: US-based taxi hailing app Uber has appointed Amit Jain as president of its India operations.

"In this role, Amit will be running all business strategy, operations, and growth in a market of global strategic importance for Uber," the company said in a statement.

ZTE Q519T With 4000mAh Battery, Android 5.0 Lollipop Launched

ZTE, soon after launching the Nubia Z9 smartphone in China, has now unveiled yet another smartphone, the Q519T. Unveiled in China, the ZTE Q519T has been priced at the equivalent of $95 (approximately Rs. 6,000).
The highlight of the ZTE Q519T smartphone is that it features a massive battery capacity of 4000mAh, which is claimed to deliver up to 35 days of standby time. The new ZTE Q519T smartphone will be available in Blue, Gold, and White colours.

The Chinese company, as of now, has not revealed whether the ZTE Q519T smartphone will be launching outside China.

For specifications,  dual-SIM based ZTE Q519T features a 5-inch (720x1280 pixels) HD display and runs Android 5.0 Lollipop out-of-the-box. The smartphone is powered by a 1GHz quad-core MediaTek (MT6735) processor coupled with 1GB of RAM and Mali T720MP1 GPU.

It comes with 8GB of inbuilt storage, which is further expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB). It sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, while there is a secondary 2-megapixel front-facing camera also on board. On the connectivity front, it offers 3G, GPRS/ EDGE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Micro-USB, LTE, and Bluetooth options. The launch was first reported by Softpedia.

The Chinese handset brand, earlier this month, launched its Nubia Z9 smartphone, currently limited to China, and comes in three variants, namely ZTE Nubia Z9 Classic, ZTE Nubia Z9 Elite, and ZTE Nubia Z9 Exclusive. The variants are based on different memory and inbuilt storage configurations, and the Exclusive variant also includes a fingerprint reader.

Of note, is  recently unveiled Lenovo K80, which also features similar battery capacity, a demand that the several Chinese manufacturers are trying to address. It however sports 4GB of RAM, and a more mid-range price tag of roughly Rs. 18,400.

When Rajan, Subramanian Got Flak at IMF for Leaked Paper

Pune: Top financial gurus - Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan and Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian - got a "little flak" when at the International Monetary Fund or IMF, after a research paper by them on aid by rich nations got leaked to the media.

Undeterred by the leak, which created headline "IMF says aid doesn't work", the two worked further on the paper and it went on to become one of the "most cited" researches after finally being published.

Recalling the incident that took place years ago, Mr Rajan said they were to present the paper at a summit attended by all rich countries to discuss the aid given by them to the developing countries.

"Seven days before the Gleneagles Summit, the paper went public because of some 'responsible' journalists and the headline was 'IMF says aid doesn't work'... Now, I was an academic from outside and I had a job. That day 18 finance ministers called the Managing Director of the IMF to complain about the kind of the work IMF was doing," Mr Rajan said.

Maruti Suzuki May Consider Launching Swift Hybrid in India

In an effort to lure buyers towards electric and hybrid vehicles in the country, the government of India recently introduced the FAME India Scheme - 'Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles in India' - as a part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan. Under the new scheme, the Government will offer incentives on electric and hybrid vehicles of upto Rs. 29,000 for two-wheelers and Rs. 1.38 lakh for cars.

During the event, government officials also revealed that carmakers like Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki will soon launch such products in the Indian market. One such product could be the Maruti Swift Range Extender, which was also showcased at the event. However, the company has clarified that it will develop its hybrid models only after getting further clarity about the schemes and incentives.