Author: The Metrognome

Categories
Tech

Spice launches Stellar 520 and Stellar 526

Reasonably priced at Rs 8,999 and Rs 11,499, the Android smartphones are dual SIM devices in the mStellar 526id range segment.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

Spice today launched two new Android 4.4.2 smartphones – Stellar 526 and Stellar 520 – in the mid-range segment.

The Stellar 520 (in pic above) is a dual-SIM (3G + 3G) device that sports a 5-inch HD (OGS laminated) screen, and is powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor with 1 GB of RAM. On the back, there is an 8 MP (AF) camera; while the front has a 2 MP camera. The phone packs a 2,000 mAh battery cell and comes with 4 GB of on-board storage, which is expandable up to 32 GB. The phone comes in yellow and red colour options. It is equipped with 3G, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi, and A-GPS.

The Stellar 526 Iin pic on left) is a dual-SIM (3G + 2G) smartphone that sports a 5-inch HD screen, and has a 1.5 GHz hexa-core processor with Mali 450 GPU, along with 1 GB of RAM. The back has an 8 MP (AF) camera that can shoot 60 FPS videos; while the front has a 3.2 MP camera. Powered by a 2,500 mAh battery unit, the Stellar 526 comes loaded with 8 GB of storage, which is expandable up to 32 GB. Connectivity-wise, there is Bluetooth 4.0, (dual band) WiFi, 3G, FM Radio, and A-GPS. It comes in white-silver colour.

Both these devices are available as of today from retail stores as well as online portals. While the Stellar 520 is priced at Rs 8,999, the Stellar 526 is available for Rs 11,499.

Categories
Become

This 21-year-old has designs on you

Masoom Minawala runs a successful jewellery portal and has a plan for women to sell her fashion products and make money.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Her youth and pretty face are a foil for an expert business brain. At a very young 21 years of age, Masoom Minawala runs a successful online jewellery business that has a loyal and steadily growing clientele in Mumbai and other places in the country. And now, she’s got a great little idea for students, housewives, beauty bloggers and writers, among others, to make a little extra cash for recommending her products.

But more on that later.

Speaking to The Metrognome, Masoom says, “I was a fashion blogger for a long time, and I had a dedicated readership for my blog, stylefiestadiaries.com. Meanwhile, I studied business in HR College, before going to London to study fashion for a four-month course.” She realised that she wanted to make a career in fashion and use the digital medium – “I loved the online space” – and by the end of December 2012, she launched stylefiesta.com, that delivered trendy, affordable fashion to women, without expensive price tags.

“I wanted women to be able to buy accessories and jewellery that was in style and affordable, stuff that was more than worth the price,” Masoom explains, adding that she initially converted her blog’s readers into her new venture’s first customers. “We even had a clothing line when we started, but I discontinued it after eight months. Now we focus only on jewellery and fashion accessories,” she says.

Putting it together

She started with rigorous market research, backed by her training in business and an unerring instinct for what worked and what probably wouldn’t. “We got together a network of vendors, manufacturers and others to source the material from. Then we worked out our distribution and shipping channels. When it came to the website, the process involved working closely with developers to ensure that the site was not just attractive, but catered to all the parameters that an e-commerce site demands,” Masoom explains.

The initial funding for her venture came from her family, she says, declining to name the exact amount they helped her with. “Your costs depend entirely on the nature of your start-up and what you’re planning to do with it,” she explains. “It varies from business to business. However, proper research and getting inputs before you begin will save a lot of costs later on,” she advises.

Her Fashion Reseller Programme

She realises that there are several women out there who would want to have their own businesses, but who lack the confidence or capital (or both) to push ahead. “That’s why I recently started the Fashion Reseller Programme, where we encourage the entrepreneurial spirit by offering high commissions to those who affiliate with us and sell our products in their social circles. We’re offering a high 30 per cent commission per sale – all the person has to do is sign up with us and get enrolled on our list.” Masoom hopes that more and more women will take advantage of the programme and learn the basics of selling while earning money. “We activated the programme just a few days ago, and already there are so many queries and registrations,” she says.

If you want to follow in her footsteps…

– Love what you do. “There is no way you can succeed if you don’t love and believe in your idea.”

– Be committed. “Apart from working very long hours, you have to be in it for the long haul. So many start-ups today function without risk management, and finally shut down. Shutting down is not a solution at all,” she says.

– Do your homework well. “Make a detailed business plan, show it to experts, circulate it, get reviews. Plus, you must network and make contacts, and communicate across the industry,” Masoom advises.

– Presentation is key. “For a portal of this sort, nothing can be more important than great photographs to showcase your designs well,” Masoom says. “You have to invest in a good photographer and get your products shot in the best way. There is nothing more off-putting than tacky, badly-shot pictures.”

– Be creative. “These days, social media is helping several new businesses get customers without much spending,” she says. “You can have a business on Instagram, for instance.” She also feels that customers must constantly be engaged with the business, so that word of mouth spreads.

– Deliver, and on time. “Customers are quick to complain if their order doesn’t reach them, and they get fidgety if they’ve already paid for the product. Your delivery logistics must be ironed out to the last detail, and if there is a hitch in the process, straighten it out at once,” she cautions.

‘Become’ profiles entrepreneurs and self-styled success stories off the beaten path. If you know of somebody we could feature in this space, tell us about him or her at editor@themetrognome.in or tweet @MetrognomeIndia. 

(Pictures courtesy Masoom Minawala)

Categories
Event

Registrations open for Mumbai Marathon 2015

The registration process for the Mumbai Marathon 2015 was formally launched at the Raj Bhavan, Mumbai, by the Maharashtra Governor.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The Governor of Maharashtra K Sankaranarayanan today, Tuesday, July 22, formally launched the registration for the 12th Edition of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2015 at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai. The Governor launched the registration process, with the symbolic signing of the first registration form.

Film star John Abraham, who is the Brand Ambassador of the Mumbai Marathon, Vivek Singh of Procam International, the organisers of the Marathon and representatives of various sponsor organisations were present on the occasion.

The 2015 Marathon is scheduled to be held on Sunday, January 18, 2015. It was started in the year 2004.

If you wish to participate in the event, contact Arvind Reddy on +91-93724 51133 for details.

Categories
Overdose

People, celebrate your daughters

Why do many parents call their successful daughters the ‘sons’ of the family? Do they think it is high praise?
Jatin Sharmaby Jatin Sharma | @jatiin_sharma on Twitter

A friend recently informed me that two weeks ago was Daughters’ Week. Being a bit of a dreamer, I was lost for a few minutes with thoughts of how fathers must feel when they see their daughters. Do they feel a pride they cannot always express? Do they struggle to hide their tears when their daughters get married? Do they recall their daughters’ first milestones with fond nostalgia, smiling to themselves even as they go about their daily lives?

I have many female friends and some of them claim that they come from ‘forward thinking’ families. Till now, I confess I haven’t really understood this term ‘forward thinking’. These people I know are not the Jetsons of our age, nor do they use James Bond-style gadgets in daily life.

The ‘forward thinking’ tag comes because the men in their families allow their daughters to study, let them have nights out with friends, and are cool with them having boys or men as their friends. And if the girl fell in love with a boy, they would ‘allow’ her to marry him.

I am not okay with this. But let me tell you what happened recently.

I met the parents of a friend, and I was appalled by something they said. They were justifiably proud of their daughter – she had been a Fathers and daughtersStraight A student, had finished her MBA studies with good marks, she had a good job in an MNC. On her part, she was the quintessential ‘good girl’ – always obedient, to the extent that she let her parents pick a suitable boy for her. Besides, she never ‘took advantage’ of her freedom and liberty.

All was well till both the parents looked at their daughter and proudly announced, “My daughter is my son!” Everyone beamed at everyone else at this atrocious statement, including the daughter, who probably felt rewarded for her ‘goodness’. Then I realised that this is a statement most fathers and mothers of women achievers make – they feel they have given the highest praise when they call their daughter their son, signifying that she is (almost) as good as the son they never had.

I want to ask these parents: if you let your daughter be an independent individual, why do you drill it into her head that she must not ‘take advantage’ of the liberty and freedom that you have so graciously given her? Do you think you are doing her a favour by letting her breathe or go out with her friends? And what gives you the right to speak this way to your daughter – a woman who is responsible, understanding of your problems and pain, and the rock of your home – and call her the ‘man’ of the house? Will it kill you to acknowledge her as a woman?

Why does a daughter become a son in parents’ eyes, when she more than meets their expectations?

I didn’t smile when my friend’s parents spoke that revolting statement. They were a little puzzled, and Aunty asked me, “Beta, is something wrong?”

I said, “She is not your son, she is an amazing daughter. I don’t think a son can do what she has done. And if he was ever as fabulous as her, you wouldn’t say to him, ‘You are the daughter of the house’, would you?”

They thought I was extremely rude. The father probably gave a talking-to to his daughter about her choice of friends. In fact, my friend later spoke to me and said I shouldn’t have said what I said, that her parents hadn’t “meant it”.

I did not answer. But I am writing it here today, to all parents, “If you don’t mean it, don’t say it.” Will it hurt you to respect your daughters? Or does a woman deserve respect only when she exhibits ‘manly’ attributes of success?

Jatin Sharma is a media professional who doesn’t want to grow up, because if he grows up, he will be like everybody else. ‘Overdose’ is his take on Mumbai’s quirks and quibbles.

(Pictures courtesy rayaprolu.wordpress.com, indianshaadi.org)

Categories
Tech

LG launches G3 in India

The company launched its flagship phone, the G3, and an IP67-certified G Watch in a ceremony held in Mumbai today.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

LG today launched its much talked-about new flagship, G3, in India. The G3, after Oppo’s Find 7, is the second smartphone in the country to boast a resolution of 2560 x 1440.

Other than the 5.5-inch Quad HD display, the phone’s USP is the 13 MP (AF and OIS+) camera, which not only comes with the usual dual LED flash, but also with a unique laser focus for quicker and more stable focus on your subject while taking photos. For people concerned about the front-facing camera, there’s a 2.1 MP camera on the front. LG has also equipped their new flagship with 1W with Boost Amp.

Under the hood, LG’s G3 is loaded with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 801 SoC (2.5 GHz Krait 400 quad-core processor, Adreno 400 GPU), along with 3 GB of RAM. The phone is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery unit and supports wireless charging. The 16 GB and 32 GB model have been launched in the Indian market, which is expandable up to 128 GB.

G WatchConnectivity-wise, there is Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, A-GPS, 3G, 4G LTE (VoLTE), and microUSB 2.0. The phone is already available in the market in Shine Gold, Silk White and Metallic Black for Rs 47,990 for the 16 GB model, and Rs 50,990 for the 32 GB model, which also include a QuickCircle case worth Rs 3,500.

LG has also launched its IP67-certified G Watch (was already available from the Play Store) in black and white for Rs 15,000. When bought with a G3, you get a discount of Rs 5,000.

Categories
Kharcha paani Uncategorized

Vegetables prices up by 80% in two months

The retail and wholesale gap has reduced in two months in Mumbai, but is on an upswing in other places.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Just how expensive have vegetables become in the last two months? A recent study by ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India) maps out the exact numbers.

The ASSOCHAM study of 33 ‘mandies’ in India has revealed that during April to June 2014, the gap between the wholesale and retail prices of vegetables has increased by 80 per cent whereas retail prices in 10 centres has been to the extent of 30 per cent.

Releasing the study, ASSOCHAM says, it was also observed that on an average, retailers are selling vegetables at more than 48.8 per cent of wholesale prices and even in some centres, selling prices are at more than 51 per cent.

Vegetables in MumbaiThe study found that while cabbage retail and wholesale price gap has increased from 69.4% to 78.1%, brinjal 62.4% to 66.7%, cauliflower 59.0% higher than the wholesale price, chilly 56.2% to 62.6%, tomato 55.1% to 62% percent, garlic 52.4% to 54.2%, tomato hybrid 50% 58.2%, okra 49.5% to 58.7%, bitter gourd 48.6% to 50.7%, brinjal 45.9% to 56.7% peas and ginger 43.6% and 41.3% and onion increased from 35.3% percent to 48.1%.

The ASSOCHAM study further reveals that while Surat retail and wholesale price gap has increased from 49.7% to 50.8%, Lucknow 48.5% to 54.8%, Shimla 37.9% to 47.3%, Jammu 37.5% to 42.4%, Chennai 34.6% to 37.3%, Guwahati 33.7% to 37.3%, Amritsar 120.5% to 121.8%, Abohar 107.4% to 110.3%, Agra 90.2% to 93.6%, Nagpur 82.8% to 88.2%, Ahmedabad 69.4% to 96.1%, Delhi 68.9% to 83.4%, Chandigarh 68.5% to 73.9%, Dehradun 67.4%  to 63.3%, Jaipur 64.6%  to 62.7%, Mumbai 63.5% to 46.8%, Kolkata 60.8% to 69.5% Raipur 58.0% to 62.7%, Patna 57.2% to 65.4%, Ranchi 56.1% to 57.1%, Hyderabad 53.0% to 51.2%, Bangalore 51.8% to 59.2%,Kanpur 50.9% to 57.1%. 

ASSOCHAM Secretary General DS Rawat said, “The analyses are based on the wholesale price of vegetables and retail price of vegetables in the different markets in India. Wholesale price indicates the price at which retailers are buying from different markets and retail price is the price at which consumers are buying from retailers. The essential vegetables incorporated in the study are Bitter gourd, Brinjal long, Brinjal round, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Garlic, Ginger, Chilly, Okra, Onion, Peas, Potato, Tomato hybrid and Tomato local.”

On the other hand, the ASSOCHAM study has considered 33 market centers in India. The centers are Mumbai, Abohar, Agra, Ahmadabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Baraut, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi, Gangatok, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Nagpur, Nasik, Patna, Pimpalgaon, Pune, Raipur, Ranchi, Shimla, Surat and Trivendrum.

The study has observed that most of the vegetables arrival have recorded declining trend except local tomato, potato fresh and onion (noticeably onion price during 2013-14 has recorded a  life time high). 

Onion arrival grew at a rate of 13.0 per cent during 2013-14 followed by tomato local grew at a rate of 7.9 per cent and potato fresh arrival grew at a rate of 6.2 per cent. Okra and Cauliflower arrival have recoded marginal growth rate of 0.4 percent and 1.9 per cent during the same period, mentioned the study.

(Pictures courtesy www.daijiworld.com, www.chinadaily.com.cn)

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