It was one of the most dynamic weeks in the tech. With issues ranging from Net Neutrality to mega merger Snapdeal-Freecharge, the week was full of interesting developments. In case you haven't caught up with all the top stories of the week, check out our compilation of the Top Stories of The Week
Snapdeal – Freecharge have 'Dil ki Deal'
In what's believed to be one of the major M&A in e-commerce industry, Snapdeal acquired the mobile recharge platform Freecharge. The move is likely to help Snapdeal provide customers to more collection of products and service online. We expect Snapdeal to leverage Freecharge's user base, which is mostly youth. Competition gets tougher for Flipkart? Well, here's our coverage on Snapdeal-Freecharge acquisition.
Xiaomi no longer Flipkart exclusive
As we pointed out in previous slide, competition is getting tougher for Flipkart. And another setback the e-commerce giant suffered was Xiaomi now joining other e-commerce sites – Amazon India and Snapdeal. Xiaomi is already going aggressive on the Indian market while it gives an opportunity to Amazon and Snapdeal to tap Xiaomi's popularity in India. Read more here.
Calling, texting on roaming gets cheaper
Roaming has always been a major source of revenues for telecom regulators. But, the telecom regulator has decided to give some breather to customers on roaming. The TRAI has slashed ceiling tariffs for national roaming. From May 1, mobile phone calls will cost 23 per cent less, while sending messages will cost up to 75 per cent cheaper while on roaming. Read more about the development here
Social networks to be spoiler free
Google has been granted a patent that helps the company alert readers about any content having possible spoilers. Thanks to over expressive social networking users, spoilers are very common, and at times very annoying. Well, we hope Google rolls out the feature very soon. Read about Google's new patent here.
Keep Calm, OnePlus won't get expensive
Potential OnePlus customers felt little shiver when OnePlus announced price of its devices in European markets were getting expensive. It was 'feared' India will follow suit soon. But, great news folks, OnePlus has confirmed OnePlus One is not getting a price hike in India. So, expect more 'Has anyone OnePlus One invite' statuses on social media. Meanwhile, read the coverage here.
Myntra to go mobile-only
Well, it was very much expected. Flipkart-owned Myntra is now mobile app-based service only. If it is a success, we can expect competitors and perhaps Flipkart to follow suit. Read: Myntra to shut its website on May 1
Unruly crowd to get 'droned'
The Lucknow police department is the first one in the country to purchase five weaponised drones that can spray pepper on unruly crowds. Each drone can carry a load of up to 2Kgs and costs approx Rs 6,00,000. Read more
Windows 10 to get 'Redstone' updates in 2016
Microsoft is planning to use codename 'Redstone' for its software update in 2016. The company is planning to release two updates to Windows in 2016, one in the summer and another in the fall, according to sources. Read more about the Redstone update here.
First Aliens – Human interaction soon?
How old are you? Are you going to be alive in the next 20-30 years? If your answer to that is yes, then you may be able to witness the discovery of sentient life in outer space. According to NASA chief scientist Ellen Stofan, humanity is on the cusp of discovering alien life within that time frame. Read more about possibilities of finding alien life here.
Facebook Whatsapp integration
Well, this is what many had predicted/feared. Facebook has reportedly begun testing a new update in its 'Facebook for Android' app that includes the first major integration of popular messaging service WhatsApp. Read more about the integration here.
Zenfone 2 release date confirmed
The much awaited Asus Zenfone 2 is finally coming to India on April 23. Before you start wondering, yes, Asus is also going to launch the 4GB variant. The Taiwanese smartphone maker has just sent out a teaser, announcing the launch date for the product. Read more
HTC One M9
Another major phone that is schedule to be launched in India this month is HTC's latest flagship phone – One M9. Check out our coverage here.
Airtel Zero vs Net Neutrality
Shortly after Airtel announced its Airtel Zero programme, the telecom operator received harsh criticism for allegedly breaching net neutrality in the country. While Airtel strongly denies the notion, many still persist the move violates the idea of Internet neutrality. Do check out our: So, what's the deal with net neutrality?