Is the Banking Industry Keeping Pace to the Changes in Technology?

Just about 10 years ago, remember how we used to go to a bank – the traditional bricks-and-mortal building, situated preferably somewhere close to our place of residence? The ritualistic monthly visit we made to either deposit our salaries, withdraw money, or for some similar chores. And, these visits implied the kind of trust we had in our bank, reassuring the confidence that our money is safe with someone.

Enter the digital era and technology started seeping into every domain of our daily lives, slowly but steadily. And the banking sector was no exception to it. Our banks became mobile and soon we could literally operate our finances on our fingertips! Today, the banking experience is something as simple as what we can do on our smart phones.

But, has the banking industry been keeping pace with the lightning speed at which the technological changes are being brought about? Well, we can proudly say that our banks have indeed done a commendable job in making things simpler, faster, and even safer for us digital users. They have embraced technology with open arms to enable their customers to get what they want from wherever and whenever they want it.

Here are some examples of how banking has undergone massive transformation in recent times:

• Better safety – Newer technologies have enabled banks to process large amounts of data in order to better identify any instance of online financial crime and take necessary preventive measures to help control it in time. This in turn helps restore trust in their existing and new customers.
• Better verification methods – The days of entering passwords to verify a user are long gone. Banks slowly came to realize that passwords are no foolproof measures for verification and can be easily tampered with. Today, with newer technological solutions available to this problem, banks are increasingly switching to voice biometrics, fingerprint verification, iris scans, and the like to identify their customers’ identity for login.
• Better transaction processes – Technology has surely done one amazing thing to the whole banking experience – made it simpler and mobile, meaning that you can now access your money and do whatever with it anytime, anywhere. Now you can pay someone, receive payments, and do much more with your money just with a simple click on your phone. This is particularly useful for those who live in remote areas and can’t access the nearest branch easily.
• Wider reach in no time – Banks have become global, again thanks to technological innovations. You can access your bank account in your home country while sitting in another country, in literally no time. Banking has become faster, efficient, and hassle-free.

By introducing mobile banking, which is now a common practice, especially among those for whom time is a concern, banks have proved that they are getting better at offering personalized banking experience to their customers. Digital banking transactions too have helped people the world over in big ways. However, there’s still a long road left to be tread. By continually adopting new changes, banks are sure to get there in no time.

6 Reasons to Invest in Site Design

The way businesses run today has evolved over the years. Left behind are the days of door-to-door selling or promotion through newspapers, pamphlets, radio and TV ads. These days, for even a small business to succeed, it needs to have an active online presence because that is where most people can be found.

Why web designing is important?

Merely being online is not enough. You are in the midst of cut-throat competition, no matter what business you are. The only way to attract potential customers and convert them into real and long-term ones is by having your unique website.

Let’s look at the top 6 reasons why you should invest in website designing today:

1. Create an impressive first impression
   The first impression is the last. In addition, this is not just a saying; in business, this expression holds immense value. One of the top benefits web design offers to entrepreneurs today is that it helps create a good first impression for them among their target market. Your website is your face for your audience. It gives them a fair idea about who you are, what you offer, and whether or not it’s worth their money to associate with your brand.
2. Web designing is important for SEO
   It eventually all boils down to the race for top SEO ranking. The way your website is designed in terms of the published content, the keywords used, the graphic design and imagesall make an impact on where you figure in the SEO ranks. It’s important to hire a professional for web design help who can assist in all these crucial tasks.
3. Everyone these days is into web designing
   True that. All your close and far rivals invest a significant amount of time and money into designing their websites. After all, a great website is your first step on the success ladder. So you too need to keep pace and invest into website designing.
4. Professionals know it all
   You wouldn’t know how the user interface should look like so that it attracts more customers and other technical stuff like that. A professional would be able to guide you on SEO-related matters. They can also help maintain consistency across your site which is important to keep customers familiar with the way your website looks and feels to them.
5. Great designs are the most shared
   If your site looks great, you are more likely to get higher number of hits, and even higher likes and shares on social media. All the more better for your site’s ranking on the search engine.
6. It’s vital to make your brand memorable
   Among the web designing important points to consider is the fact that you’re doing all this for your brand, to ensure that it doesn’t get lost in the crowd and stays in your audience’s memory for long.

So have no second thoughts about whether or not to invest in site design. It’s an absolute necessity if you want to move one notch higher than your competitors.

Understanding The Risks of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seeped into our daily lives fast. The likes of Siri, Alexa, and Google Now have rapidly gained popularity. Not to forget self-driven automatic cars and automated online customer support.

The pace at which we are increasing our dependency on AI brings forth a pertinent concern: Is this revolutionary technology dangerous in any way? Does it pose any safety risks?

To answer this, let’s present before you some of the most-feared risks of AI in the near future.

1. Rise of autonomous weapons 

A grave fear in the minds of the governments and people alike is that AI-driven autonomous weapons could someday be programmed to kill. Not just that, they might even start functioning with a “mind of their own”, meaning that once deployed, it might be very difficult to fight, stop, or dismantle them. What would happen if these weapons start being used by certain groups or even governments for destructive purposes?

2. Easily manipulate social media

On the one hand, we are happy the way AI-driven algorithms are being effectively used for personalized marketing through social media platforms. Based on what we buy, what we post or like, these algorithms can assess our tastes and preferences and present us with the exact data – promotional or otherwise. It leaves us pleasantly surprised. But on the other hand, the power of these algorithms to manipulate social platforms, collect user data and spread false or fictional information also can’t be denied. 

3. Invasion of individual privacy

This is an extension of social media manipulation wherein Artificial Intelligence safety parameters and guidelines can be brought to question. Auto-driven algorithms that have the power to collect user data anytime anywhere may be considered as invasion of privacy and not liked by many. After all, who would like being monitored all the time over what we search for online, what we buy, what we read, etc.

4. Completely take over human role

While the AI technology is meant to automate tasks and reduce the time and effort spent, making things easier for humans, there is a serious fear in the minds of the same humans – what if one day AI replaces us completely? With the emergence of chatbots and AI-driven voice command programs like Siri, this has already become a reality. However, we must not forget that it is after all a technology and any technology always has certain limitations. Human role cannot be completely ignored.

Final thoughts on Artificial Intelligence safety

The purpose of Artificial Intelligence was to make life easier for people. Automation, computer algorithms, chatbots, and voice command applications were all meant to effectively use technology for the benefit of human beings. However, it needs to be ensured that an autonomous technology like AI is not allowed to invade human privacy, manipulate user data for scrupulous purposes, or lead to any serious safety concerns for the very people that it has been designed. It may be difficult to guarantee 100% safety though but at least efforts to keep risks to a minimum should be made.

What Can IoT Based Transportation Offer You?

Rapid technological advancements in the recent past have been successful in making life much more convenient for a common man. First, the evolution of the mobile phone made communication with any part of the world possible in no time. Furthermore, now smartphones have gone a step further by making video calling and Facetime interactions a living reality.

In fact smartphones fell short of providing 100% network coverage and uninterrupted communication. In certain places like the subway, basements, elevators, or underground tunnels it fail. Consumers complain of poor network connectivity and inaudibility in these areas. This is where the Internet of Things (IoT) can come in great use. The latest technology through which one can communicate with devices, or devices can communicate with each other, over the Internet. Through IoT, people could actually look forward to staying connected every minute of the day. Besides, there is no interruption in Internet connectivity, anywhere – in cars, buses, trains, and even flights!

And that’s not all. IoT in transportation can be effectively used to bring about several positive changes in this industry. Let’s take a look.

1. Location sharing on Whatsapp via IoT

   You share your current location with somebody on Whatsapp to let them know where you exactly are at that moment. Do you know how it’s possible? Through IoT. When your smartphone, which has GPS functionality, is connected with the Internet, it can actually transmit the GPS-tracked location data through your phone to another which is also Internet-connected. Now you can exactly know where your friend coming from the airport has exactly reached. As a result, you may estimate how long would it take for them to reach your place, thanks to IoT-connected phones.

2. Uber is using IoT too

   You need to reach somewhere in half an hour and book an Uber from your place. How does it work? Uber communicates with taxi drivers in that particular area over IoT-connected phones, finds out which driver is the nearest to you at that moment and is available to take you. It’s that easy.

3. Tracking transport inventory made easier

   To keep a track on the huge inventory stored in large transport warehouses requires staff, time, effort, and of course money (involved in hiring the staff which would manually perform tasks like prepare and maintain inventory reports, label, keep track of misplaced items, if any, etc). IoT has enabled automation for all these manual tasks by using sensors which are able to effectively report the movement of products in and out of the warehouse without the need for manual tracking. Even the delivery trucks can now be tracked through IoT to make sure that the delivery happens on time.

4. Happy employees and happier companies

   IoT has been able to considerably reduce the number of accidents in warehouses by automating tasks and ensuring worker safety. Moreover, with automation, the amount of time and effort involved in performing these tasks earlier manually has also lessened, meaning that employees can now focus on other productive work in the same time, thereby increasing revenue for the company.

IoT in transportation is soon converting transport into smart transport. With the above advancements already in place in private transport like connected cars, it doesn’t seem far when our public transport system would also be using IoT connected GPS sensors to track the real-time location of buses, trains, and taxis, helping users manage and even reduce their travel time.

Everything You Need to Know About Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency simplified

Very simply put, crypto currency is a digital form of currency. It is primarily used in online financial transactions and is based on the newly-emerged technology of blockchain. Now blockchain, as the term implies, literally refers to a chain of blocks containing transaction data secured by cryptography or encryption.

In other words, cryptocurrencies are those encrypted entries into a database which can only be read or altered upon fulfilment of specific terms and conditions. This is primarily done to ensure the security of all financial transactions online. Bitcoin and Litecoin are the two most popular forms of cryptocurrencies currently used. To proceed we need to have proper knowledge of cryptocurrency exchange.

Where can one trade in cryptocurrency?

The answer is in a cryptocurrency exchange – a website that facilitates easy buying, selling, and exchanging of cryptocurrencies with other forms of digital currencies such as Ethereum or Ripple, or even the conventional currency as in USD, AUD, or Euro.

These websites that help connect buyers of cryptocurrencies with their sellers are called trading platforms and they operate on the system of collecting a fee from each cryptocurrency transaction that takes place on the website.

Cryptocurrency trading is also possible on a direct person-to-person basis, wherein people from different parts of the world can exchange currencies on the basis of their own respective exchange rates rather than on a fixed market price. This is called direct trading.

And then as is the case with any other currency exchange system, there exists brokers for cryptocurrency too – websites which allow access to anyone for buying cryptocurrencies at a price that is determined by the broker. These brokers function in a similar manner as foreign exchange dealers.

Cryptocurrency in India – legal or illegal?

The answer to this is far from being simple, what with the Indian government having adopted a wait-and-watch policy on cryptocurrency in India. The year 2018 witnessed a huge blow to cryptocurrency investments as the RBI issued directives to all its banks and financial institutions to stop lending support to cryptocurrency exchange in the country. Now the reasons offered by the government for its decision might be valid: risk of money laundering, cryptocurrency used for financing terrorism, and weakening of government-authorized currency in light of cryptocurrency gaining momentum. Following RBI’s ban, investors can no more deal in buying, selling and exchanging of cryptocurrencies for Indian rupee though banks in India. Yet, the option of cryptocurrency trading on websites that serve as cryptocurrency exchanges still remains open.

Buy cryptocurrency with credit card

To facilitate easy trading in cryptocurrency, most of the cryptocurrency exchanges provide investors the facility of buying Bitcoins using their credit card. The process is fairly simple: you would first be required to create your account on the cryptocurrency exchange website, then verify your account by uploading some official documents such as a passport or any other national ID, before proceeding to buy cryptocurrency. Once you’ve been verified, you can place your order for cryptocurrency and pay for it using a credit card and you’re all done!

Why Buying Cheap Clothes Is The Worst Choice

For women, there’s no other greater joy in the world than shopping. In addition, if there’s a sale on nearby, that joy knows no bounds. Picking up a dress that looks expensive from the outside at just half its actual price – now that’s what you call intelligent shopping, isn’t it? And if you get two or three more such dresses, you’re set for the entire month. Your wardrobe is complete with cheap but rich-looking dresses, your pocket is happy, and your mind on the seventh heaven.

Well, before you celebrate having done intelligent shopping at the sale, we have some fun facts for you which might make you stop and think as to why buying cheap clothes is the worst choice.

1. Low on pocket at first; high on maintenance forever

Quality speaks for itself. Cheap clothes use very low or poor quality fabric which starts showing its true colours after the first few washes itself, sometimes even after just the first wash. The colours start fading off, the threads start pulling out, or the cloth shrinks beyond the acceptable limit, resulting in the dress becoming either tight or short for you and completely un-wearable after a while. Even if you do choose to keep them, you might have to spend more on their maintenance – getting alterations done, stitching the torn parts, or using chemicals to restore the colour and prevent further fading. This might be much more than the actual cost of the dress itself.

2. Bad for your image

You are what you wear. First impression is the last impression. These phrases all go on to prove that the type of clothes we wear speak a lot about our personality to others. As against high-quality branded dress, cheap clothes lack that perfect cut, symmetry, and most importantly, elegance to make you feel rich and good in what you are wearing. And because they are low-quality too, it starts reflecting in the fabric after a few days, all in all, making you feel that buying cheap clothes wasn’t a great idea after all.

3. Quality gone for a toss, you end up spending more

Fast fashion may seem to be the in-thing with almost everyone around following it, but it’s not a very healthy trend. It may seem at first that buying cheap clothes is a wise decision, since we can use and dump them every few months to try out newer and rapidly-changing fashions in the market.

However cool the idea might sound, the fact is that cheap-priced and cheap-quality clothes don’t last very long, with the result that you would actually have to spend a lot more money throughout the year in buying more clothes to replace the ones that you bought but had to discard owing to cheap quality. Now does that sound wise?

4. Bad for the environment

This is perhaps the most important argument against buying cheap clothes regularly and might prevent you from doing so. Now fast fashion might be popular but it can have some serious consequences for the environment, what with people across the world dumping tons of clothes every year in landfills to keep pace with the changing fashion.

The solution: make your shopping thoughtful and worthwhile. Buy clothes which might require a higher spend but are sure to benefit you in the long run with good quality and low-cost maintenance. And when you look good at the end of the day, you will literally thank your clothes!

Childhood Obesity: A Rising Problem

One of the most serious public health problems that one cannot ignore is obesity in children. Sadly, this grave issue also happens to be one of the most neglected issues in India. One needs to understand that obesity in children exposes them to a number of health issues. It also has a very serious socio-economic impact.

What Is Childhood Obesity?

This is a medical condition that affects children and teenagers. There will be excess storage of fat in the body. The weight and the height of the children should ideally change proportionately with the age of the child. But in the case of some children, the weight is found to be more as compared to the average weight based on a child’s height and age. If, appropriate steps are not taken then these children will become obese adults with chronic diseases. This will affect the personal development of the individual, it will affect his or her health adversely and the person will also have to bear huge healthcare costs.

Causes of Childhood Obesity:

Lifestyle is one of the main culprits. These children normally have a sedentary lifestyle which involves very little activity. The calorie intake through food and drinks is very high in these children. As compared to the intake the activity levels are very less. Sometimes obesity can also be due to hormonal and genetic issues.

A combination of a number of factors can make the child overweight. These factors include unhealthy diet like too much consumption of fast food, fried foods, sugary foods etc. The sedentary lifestyle of children that involves activities like watching TV or playing video games etc can also result in obesity. Genetic factors, socio-economic condition stress etc can also cause obesity in kids.

Health Risks Associated with Childhood Obesity:

Obesity will increase the health risks in overweight children. It can result in issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, it increases the risks of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. The child can also develop problems related to the lungs like asthma and other breathing problems. The child can also develop musculoskeletal and joint problems. The child can also experience gastro-oesophageal reflux that is heartburn. The child is also at risk of developing fatty liver disease. These children can grow up to become obese adults who can develop a number of health complications. These children are also found to have psychological problems like low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence.

Changes Suggested to Fight Childhood Obesity:

One of the most important changes that need to be made is a change in lifestyle. Children have to be encouraged to eat healthy foods. They must be encouraged to play more outdoor games. This will make them smarter and there will be also less chance of the child becoming obese. The overall outlook of the child needs to be changed. In the case of genetic or hormonal disorders, you will need a doctor’s advice. One of the best things is preventing the condition from occurring as prevention is always better than cure.