Bank Alfalah and IFC Launch the SME Toolkit in Pakistan

Bank Alfalah and International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, have launched the SME Toolkit in Pakistan, which is an online solutions platform.

The platform provides value-added resources, including business advice, local and global best practices and opportunities, to both existing and potential SMEs to grow and improve their businesses.

Samsung Unveils its First Smart Bulb

Samsung, known for experimenting with tech, has come up with its own competitor to LG and Philip’s intelligent bulbs with its “Smart Bulb”.

The bulb is activated via a smartphone app, which can simultaneously give you command over 64 such LED bulbs.

Connectivity is done via Bluetooth, unlike LG’s bulb which is both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controlled.

Confirmed: Pakistan to Auction Three 3G and Two 4G Licenses in April

Exactly like we reported yesterday, Government of Pakistan has announced that it will hold auctions for 3G and 4G licences this April.

The proposal that was submitted by 3G consultants – details of which are available here – has been approved by Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Ishaq Dar, the Finance Minister, while speaking with media personals confirmed that government has decided to go with simultaneous auction of three 3G and two 4G licenses by April 2014.

Breaking: Pakistan's 3G Auction Plan Revealed, Base Price Set at $295 Million, 4G On Sale Too!

A photographer of Associated Press of Pakistan today unintentionally (read mistakenly) revealed government’s plan for auctioning 3G and 4G licenses.

While everyone is waiting for the IM, here’s what we have already found through a snap — published above — that was pictured during today’s top level meeting between 3G Advisory Committee and Anusha Rehman, Minister for IT and Telecom and Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister.

Firefox Unveils its Launcher for Android

Firefox has announced a new launcher for Android that is aimed at replacing home-screens for better productivity. Designed with co-operation from EverythingMe (a company based out of Israel) the new launcher is made to enhance efficiency.

The launcher checks your smartphone routine and then offers recommendations regarding the content you are searching for. These recommendations can also be based at any present time of the day.

Lootlo.PK Aims to Bring Discounted Deal to Internet Users of Pakistan

Shopping has become as easy as can be with online shopping and as affordable as can be with discounts offered online.

Launched in July 2013, Lootlo.pk – a groupin of Pakistani kind – is one such venture that allows people to benefit from discounts with online shopping. 

This online portal allows customers to buy products or avail services with just a click of a button at massive discounts starting at 50% and going up to a whopping 90%.

MCB Launches Mobile Wallet, A Single Solution for All Financial Needs!

The Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB) launched the world’s first Visa enabled, socially connected Mobile Wallet yesterday.

MCB Lite is a mobile account that comes with Visa Card, allowing its users the endless possibilities of shopping, transacting online and for using it at ATM machines across the globe. Customers will be able to manage their account through internet as well.

MCB President & CEO Imran Maqbool, Group Head (Retail) Ali Kazmi, Digital Banking & Business Development Head Qasif Shahid, a large number of other stakeholders and media was present on this occasion.

Bitcoin for Starters: A 21st Century Currency

Bitcoin is all the craze in the world right now. What is it, why has it gone on to become so popular in the last month alone and why should you pay attention? This is all what this post is about. Keep reading!

Twitter: Photos Now In Direct Messages

Twitter users can now send pictures privately to their followers using the direct message (DM) function.
Images previously sent by DM had to be viewed via the external twitpic site, but now users can see them from within the message.
The move is seen as an attempt to broaden the way the service is used and compete with the popularity of messaging services such as WhatsApp and Snapchat.

Easypaisa Launches ATM Cards

Easypaisa has officially launched the ATM cards for its mobile account holders, reportedThe Nation.

Paper said that after the soft launch of Easypaisa ATM cards earlier this year, Easypaisa has now commercially launched the cards for its mobile account holders.

Easypaisa Mobile Account holders can get their ATM cards from Telenor Service Centres or from Tameer Bank branches.

Card Issuance charges are set at Rs. 200 per ATM card, while transaction charges are Rs. 25 per transaction.

Google Agrees to Launch Localized Version of YouTube in Pakistan

Google/YouTube has conditionally agreed to launch localized version of YouTube in Pakistan that will work in-line with local authorities to block blasphemous content with-in Pakistani borders, reported Dawn.com.

Citing the Minister for IT and Telecom, Ms. Anusha Rehman, the paper said that this new arrangement will give birth to YouTube.com.pk or YouTube.PK, a local version of YouTube in Pakistan.

Ms. Rehman was cited as saying that government of Pakistan has succeeded in convincing the Google management about religious sensitivities of Pakistanis.

She was explaining the situation to a Standing Committee of Senate yesterday.

Anusha Rehman further unveiled that Google wants not to be held responsible for any blasphemous content uploaded on its sites as that will be a personal action of the individual. Google, however, will work closely with government of Pakistan to get any such blasphemous content blocked in Pakistan.

Android is Much More Secure than You Think: Google

Google up till now, has never came forward to justify the claims against its Linux-based operating system Android, that it is the most precarious Smart Phone based Operating System, and have over 1Milion High-Risk apps in its Play Store.

Ever since it was released publically in September 2008, dozens of proclamations and researches had been published professing that Android is not a secure platform for Smart Phones.

Google has ultimately broken the Ice, and despite the fact that Play Store has over 1Million Malware apps, Google claimed that, Android is more secure than any other platform, including iOS.

Ufone Launches Upaisa, its Branchless Banking Solution

Management Team of Etisalat, Ufone, PTCL and Ubank at the launch ceremony of Upaisa

Ufone recently launched its branchless banking services under the brand name ‘Upaisa’.

With Upaisa, customers will have access to the easiest way to conduct their financial transactions. The financial services that come under the Upaisa brand include Mobile Account, Money Transfer and Utility Bills Payment.

Google Unveils New Logo With Flat Letters and a Redesigned Navigation Bar

Google’s revolutionary search engine recently went through a major redesign. The letters of the logo in the search engine homepage are now completely flat instead of an embossed look which started to look a bit archaic.
The colors, of course, haven’t changed.
The design also now appears to be consistent with Google’s recent design language and inspiration.
The navigation bar also saw a major change. Now, instead of appearing in a black line at the top, the options of will now appear under an app drawer icon alongside the search bar.
“As part of this design, we’ve also refined the color palette and letter shapes of the Google logo,” the official statement on Google’s blog said.

BlackBerry Expects a Loss of $1 Billion this Quarter, Lays Off 4,500 Jobs

It’s no secret until now that BlackBerry is struggling but this time, even they themselves will have to face the bitter truth. This quarter, the company is expecting an operating loss of as much as 995 million dollars.
During this time, it shipped around 3.7 million smartphones and had revenues of $1.6 billion. The exact number of BlackBerry 10 OS smartphones sold wasn’t given. To cut the operating expenditures by half, it will lay off 4500 employees in the coming months, leaving just 7000 positions in the company.

GTA V Becomes the Fastest Entertainment Entity to Cross $1 billion in Sales

That’s right. GTA V has turned Rockstar Games over $1 billion in just 3 days to become the fastest-selling entertainment property. It snatched those honours from Call of Duty: Black Ops II which earned these honors in 15 days.
That’s 5 times quicker!
Unfortunately though, the no. of copies sold has not been disclosed yet. It surely will be in tens of millions, of course.

Nokia to Offer Insurance Plans for Mobile Phone Users in Pakistan

Nokia Care and Pak-Kuwait Takaful Company Limited (PKTCL) have joined hands to introduce mobile phone insurance for Nokia Customers in Pakistan.

This Takaful policy focuses on accidental damage and loss of phone due to snatch on armed-hold up.

Mr. Jahanzaib Sarfaraz, Director of Global Customer Care (GCC), representing Nokia Care commented, “We are taking a step forward by considering the security conditions of the country to provide a better and more reliable mobility experience to our customers, Nokia Care continues to provide greater care to its valued customers by offering reliable mobile phone Takaful (insurance) policy.

Google's Latest Venture Aims to Extend Human Life

Google is known for setting out to pursue crazy goals and then achieving them. The latest one is not much different either.

The new company formed by the internet greats called Calico will work out on how to extend our lives and research more on our well-being. It will be headed by current Apple Chairman Arthur D. Levinson and marks the first time in years that the two companies have collaborated on a single project.

GTA V Finally Gets Released

Gamers, the moment you’ve been waiting for almost half a decade has arrived. The most anticipated game of the year, GTA V has finally been released and as you could’ve expected, is larger, bigger and better than its predecessors.

The hype of GTA V is only natural. While the last major console iteration, GTA IV was itself phenomenal, the speculations for the next game started not long after. So to do its fans justice and remain on the cutting-edge, Rockstar Games made fundamental changes to the gameplay and the entire world itself.

SC Rejects Govt's Request, Orders to Appoint PTA Chairman in Just 10 Days

Supreme Court of Pakistan has rejected government’s request for more time for appointment of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority Chairman and Members and ordered the federal government to make appointments on priority basis with-in next 10 days.

Three-member bench headed by Justice Tasaddaq Hussain Gilani resumed hearing ofcase regarding auction of 3G licenses in which the government had requested further time for appointment of Chairman PTA and its members.