E-tailing to touch $ 76 billion by 2021 in India: Study

The total size of the business of selling retail goods on the Internet, commonly known as e-tailing, is set to touch $ 76 billion mark by 2021 in the country, according to a study by Technopak.

E-tailing, which is around 6 per cent of the total e- commerce, is estimated to be around $ 0.6 billion in 2012, said the study 'E-tailing in India Unlocking the Potential'.

"In India, e-tailing has the potential to grow more than hundred-fold in the next nine years to reach a value of $ 76 billion by 2021. The country's growing Internet- habituated consumer base, which will comprise 180 million broadband users by 2020, along with a burgeoning class of mobile Internet users, will drive the e-tailing story," the study said.

The total e-commerce business in India, including other products and services such as travel and financial services, is estimated to be $ 10 billion in 2012, it said.

It said in India, the retail market at present is primarily served by traditional brick and mortar stores which make up 93 per cent of the total market. Corporatised brick and mortar retail caters to nearly 7 per cent, while e-tailing's share is 0.1 per cent.

The study observed that the brick and mortar formats would undergo a few changes and the share of e-tailing in the total organised retail pie to grow from 0.1 per cent at present to 5.3 per cent by 2021.

"E-tailing will emerge as a viable third alternative by which corporatised retail can expand its share of the total retail pie.

"The key reason for this disruptive growth lies in the fact that the market-enabling conditions and ecosystem creation for e-tailing will outpace the same for corporatised brick & mortar retail. This growth will offer many advantages to the Indian economy, besides bringing in immense benefits to consumers," Technopak said.

With the Internet users spread across the country, it is an opportunity for e-tailers in India, it said.

"What makes the growth of e-tailing more compelling is the fact that such an Internet-habituated consumer is currently spread across India.

"This dispersion does not allow accumulation of enough demand for brick and mortar retailers to open stores. Yet these same consumers, aggregated at a pan-India level, become an attractive opportunity for e-tailers," it said.

The study estimates that by 2020, 150 million users will have either a laptop or a personal computer. In absolute terms, "traditional retail will grow from $ 455 billion in 2012 to $ 1,152 billion in 2021", the study said. 

The growth of traditional retail, in the current form, implies the growth of neighbourhood convenience stores in new urban centres and clusters, and the continued growth of informal retail, it added. 

"Corporatised brick and mortar retail will increase in value from $ 34 billion to $ 212 billion by 2021, and its share of the total retail pie will just over double from the current 7 per cent to 14.7 per cent. 

"However, this type of brick and mortar retail will continue to face structural issues within the retailing ecosystem, which will be a challenge for retailers to address individually," it further said. 

The report also found that the e-tailing sector can create jobs and provide employment to 1.45 million people by 2021. 

"The e-tailing market will emerge as a destination for highly-skilled technology jobs employing nearly 0.3 million people by 2021. E-tailing can provide employment to 1.45 million people by 2021. Its growth will spur the creation of new capabilities and human skills in the areas of logistics, packaging and technology," it said. 

Additionally, such growth will promote the rise of service entrepreneurs, who will have the potential to earn $ 7.5 billion, annually, by 2021. 

It will open up international markets for the SME sector and can become an important facilitator for the growth of the telecom and domestic air cargo industries," it added. 

The study also noted a disruptive change brought about by the proliferation of smartphones and tablets. "In 2012, India had over 900 million mobile subscriptions across 380 million mobile phone users. By 2020, mobile phone users are projected to increase to 600 million," it said, adding that most of the mobile phone users are expected to switch to smartphones.

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Report: Google Said to Be Close to Buying Waze for More Than $1 Billion

BY CHARLIE WHITE12 HOURS AGO

The bidding war for crowdsourced navigation app Waze has reportedly been won by Google, which will pay "more than $1 billion" for the startup, according to Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz. Update: The newspaper later added that the deal will be worth $1.3 billion.

The deal hasn't been finalized yet, but according to the report, Google agreed not to lay off Waze workers at its development center in Israel, and will allow the company to continue its development in Israel "for at least three years."

SEE ALSO: Waze Upgrade Includes Integration With Facebook Events

According to the report, the conditions of the deal will keep Waze CEO Noam Bardin at the helm of the company, and Waze will retain its brand and won't be integrated into Google.

A deal for the free social-powered navigation app for iPhone has been in the works for a few months, with the bidding for Waze reportedly involving Facebook and Google.

As Mashable reported on May 24, Apple was also rumored to be considering a bid for Waze earlier this year, but on May 28, Apple CEO Tim Cook denied that Apple made a bid for Waze.

We contacted Google and Waze for verification of the alleged deal, and Waze didn't immediately respond to our request for comment. Google replied, "We don't comment on rumor or speculation."

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US denies ‘unilateral‘ data collection from internet cos

The Obama Administration has denied allegations of 'unilaterally' collecting information from internet companies, as being reported in the media, which has resulted in outrage in the country.

The Director of National Intelligence (DNI), James Clapper, yesterday declassified a portion of its information related to the secretive 'PRISM' in this regard, and strongly denied that it 'unilaterally' obtains information from the servers of US Internet companies. 

In a statement, Clapper said internet companies provide user data to the National Security Agency only after receiving an order approved by a secret FISA court. 

"PRISM is not an undisclosed collection or data mining programme. It is an internal government computer system used to facilitate the government's statutorily authorised collection of foreign intelligence information from electronic communication service providers under court supervision, as authorised by Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)," a DNI fact sheet said. 

This authority was created by the Congress and has been widely known and publicly discussed since its inception in 2008, it said, adding that under Section 702 of FISA, the US Government does not unilaterally obtain information from the servers of US electronic communication service providers. 

"All such information is obtained with FISA Court approval and with the knowledge of the provider based upon a written directive from the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence," it said. 

"In short, Section 702 facilitates the targeted acquisition of foreign intelligence information concerning foreign targets located outside the United States under court oversight. 

Service providers supply information to the Government when they are lawfully required to do so," the DNI said.

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Buying Guide: 10 best running gadgets: the top tech for training

Free running is all very well, but we've all got different goals and circumstances. Some run to lose weight, others to boost their aerobic fitness, while speed is the top priority of the more experienced.

Either way, there are gadgets that can help you get through the run - from tiny MP3 players, wireless headphones and the latest in running-centric trainers, armbands and backpacks - to those that help you monitor your progress. Think activity trackers, GPS watches and heart rate monitors.

• Best smart watches: what's the best wearable tech for you?

Don't load yourself necessarily with gadgetry, but instead choose wisely and concentrate on that one product that will motivate you, and keep you on track to achieve your goals. Here are some of the best running gadgets around, that you might like to buy.

1. Griffin Adidas miCoach Armband for iPhone 5 & iPod touch - £20/US$30 (around AU$33)

Echewing GPS watches and activity tracker armbands for a free app such as RunKeeper, Endomondo Sports Tracker or MapMyRun is fine, but where will you put your phone? A downright awkward gadget to carry while on a trail, Griffin has come up with a simple armband that keeps a smartphone dry and out of the way.

An ultra-lightweight nylon band that easily adjusts in diameter, its moisture wicking claims are less impressive than its ability to stay in place. Some won't like the restrictive feeling on their upper arm, but there's no doubting its usefulness. As well as easily trailing headphones through a t-shirt sleeve, there's a port for connecting the Adidas miCoach Connect heart rate monitor - hence the otherwise irrelevant branding tie-up.

But our favourite feature? A tiny key holder that snaffles away that essential - though irritating - running companion.

2. Sennheiser Adidas PMX 685i Sports - £50/US$72/AU$100

Though boasting a rather odd design, it's good to see a running-specific pair of earphones. The totally waterproof - and even washable - Sennheiser Adidas PMX 685i Sports neckband headset is worn across the back of the head, thereby avoiding the back-and-forth of a headband, something that automatically makes then suited only to running.

It's not just about fit. The actual tips of the earphones take a slight step back to avoid blocking out all noise - crucial if you're running along roads - though still manage to deliver full, bassy sonics.

Crucially, there's a cable clip for clothes, and an in-line remote control on the audio cable that operates volume and navigation and enables you to answer phone calls on the move.

3. Berghaus Limpet 10+ backpack - £50 (around US$78/AU$82)

Probably the most versatile - as well as the tiniest - backpack we've ever used, the Berghaus Limpet 10+ is ideal for trail running. It's made from a reflective waterproof fabric and sits snugly on a back, thanks not only to the shoulder straps, a chest fastener and waist straps (rare at this small size), but also to mottled foam pads that create some airflow in the centre, thereby reducing sweaty back syndrome.

Mesh pockets on the outside are handy for sunglasses and liquids, while inside an elasticated pouch can take a hydration pack. That's all perfect for trail running, though the Limpet 10+ does a decent all-round job, too. It's zip-expandable around its hull to increase load to 15 litres, while that elasticated pouch is perfect for a 10-inch netbook or tablet.

4. Sony NWZ-E474 Walkman - £80/US$90 (around AU$130)

OK, so you're not going to be watching much video, but this tiny MP3 player weighs just 51g (1.8oz), which is perfect for stowing in a pocket or armband while on the move. With an FM tuner and a generous 8GB of storage - though sadly there's no microSD card slot for upgrading - this Walkman plays music for a stunning 36 hours and video for over five hours on a single charge. It even has a handy SensMe mode that presumably uses BPM data to play only fast-paced tunes in 'workout' mode.

However, for us it's the expansive sound quality that puts this Walkman in pole position, despite the headphones supplied being less than brilliant. Transferring files is a simple drag 'n' drop process, and was painless using a Mac.

A cheaper alternative is something like the Sansa Clip+, but you won't find many tiny MP3 players that sound as good as this Walkman.

5. Jabra Sport - £90/US$100/AU$150

They may not have caught on with commuters, but the concept of Bluetooth headphones is arguably at its best as a sports technology.

Don't fall prey to the 'cable-free' argument - the link to a smartphone is replaced by a meaty cable that joins the two earpieces, and there's a cable for regular recharging, too - but the Jabra Sport manages to be both comfortable and reliable despite the chunky design. It does take a little getting used, but since it's sweat-proof and instantly links to a phone (once initially paired), it's well prepared.

Meanwhile, sound quality - not exactly Bluetooth headphones' best trait - is thoroughly respectable, and certainly good enough for a run.

6. Adidas Energy Boost Shoes - £110/US$150/AU$180

They might look worryingly similar to polystyrene, but the soles of these new Adidas Energy Boost trainers are said to revolutionise the way you run. The new Boost foam - which is actually thermoplastic polyurethane - is used for its ability to bounce back into shape after every step, thereby reducing the strain on joints and muscles.

An 'energy returning boost' is the key concept here, though just as important is comfort, with a snug 'techfit' and a super-lightweight construction.

If you want to stay on-brand, you might consider pairing the shoes with the Adidas miCoach Speed Cell and app.

7. Nike+ FuelBand - £130/US$150 (around AU$213)

An accelerometer worn on a wrist that tracks how active you are throughout the day, Nike's FuelBand differs from the Fitbit One and other rivals with its sheer style and system of monitoring achievements on your iPhone (or at nikeplus.nike.com). Some doubt these gadget's usefulness, but just having something telling you how active you are each day is an astonishingly powerful motivator - the truth obviously does hurt.

What doesn't hurt is that the Nike+ FuelBand just looks gorgeous, with its simple black rubbery exterior and single band of silver at the clasp. Press the single button on the FuelBand and a system of LEDs light up on the face. And unlike pretty much every other gadget we've seen, these lights really do look as if they're embedded into the band, and the effect is mightily pleasing.

Key metrics - number of steps taken, calories burned, and the time - are displayed for around a week on a full charge. There's no GPS to track runs, but it could be paired with the free Nike+ Running app on an iPhone.

Read our full Nike+ FuelBand review

8. Polar RC3 GPS with Heart Rate Monitor - £200/US$260/AU$300

Anyone with running experience will tell you that understanding your own heart-rate is the best way to understand running, and Polar's latest sports watch takes full advantage of that by adding GPS, too.

An all-in-one GPS training computer in eye-catching red and orange colour, the super-light 58g (2oz) Polar RC3 is aimed at runners and cyclists. Speed, distance, altitude and route are calculated using GPS satellites (there's even a 'back to start' feature, though that's only of use if you weren't lost en route), but it's the Smart Coaching features that are most impressive. Zone Optimizer mode adjusts your heart rate zones for every training session, based on your current physiological condition, while Fitness Test puts you through five minutes of pain to track your progress.

A Running Index feature compares running efficiency based on your heart rate and speed, giving you an estimated finish time, while all data can be uploaded to polarpersonaltrainer.com for analysis. And, yes, you can share all of this on Facebook, you big show-off.

9. Garmin Forerunner 610 - £280/US$400/AU$500

GPS-capable watches are myriad, but this one from Garmin does more than just talk to satellites. Its key features for runners include Virtual Racer and Virtual Partner, which enables you to race your previous bests, another user's pace, or a static, pre-determined pace.

Once it's collected the data from your run, it can upload straight to a computer to use Garmin Connect, a social media-cum-analytical platform that puts you on a map and presents lap splits. It also measures the impact of a run on your aerobic fitness.

Completely waterproof, the Garmin Forerunner 610 uses a one-inch touchscreen, and pairs with a Mac or PC using the fitness gadget-centric ANT+ wireless tech.

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 610 review

10. Tom Tom Runner GPS Watch - price TBC

TomTom's mapping system makes its first GPS watch a no-brainer. This running-centric version (there's a separate multi-sport model that's better for cyclists and swimmers) is aimed at causal joggers, and has a huge, clean display that uses just one central control below.

The watch asks you to fill out a personal profile, including your age, weight, height and gender. All these factors then get taken into account when it comes to mapping your performance stats and targets. At its core are three different modes. Zone mode enables you to set a particular pace or heart rate, and measure your performance against it, so that if you go too fast the bars on the screen chart will increase and the watch will vibrate to let you know. Go too slow and you'll also be given a gentle buzz to tell you that it's time to pick up the pace.

Race mode compares your runs with previous efforts, but cleverly keeps a close eye on every step of your run in real time, rather than using averages, so that finding the exact points where you slowed down or sped up are easy to identify. Finally, Goal mode is all about you setting your distance and calorie targets. TomTom will be launching its own backend platform called MySports, but the watch will also be compatible with other popular services such as RunKeeper. The interface is simple, with everything the fitness aficionado needs.

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Bloomberg Report: "Google Wallet Has Become A Money Pit," Some Expansion Projects Reconsidered Or Abandoned

After two years on the market, Google Wallet has failed to gain any kind of meaningful foothold in the mobile payment world. That's the gist of a new report from Bloomberg Businessweek, slamming Google's mobile and NFC payment service as a 'money pit' and unlikely to succeed against existing and upcoming competitors. Among the publication's chief complaints are $300 million in investments and acquisitions, and hundreds of developers on staff, all for less than 10 million downloads in the Google Play Store.

One reason cited for the lack of users is obvious: in the US, Google Wallet's primary target market, Sprint is still the only major carrier that allows users to download the app.

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How to Start Freelancing With No Experience

In 2011, the Financial Times (UK) reported a 12% growth in the number of freelancers from 2008. Popular freelance broker site Elance enjoyed consistent growth in past years, with the number of jobs posted rising from around 200,000 in the first quarter of 2012 to 300,000 in the same period in 2013.The freelancing industry enjoyed impressive growth in the past several years.

In addition to a more flexible work schedule, freelancers tend to be happy. According to the 2012 Freelance Industry Report, 90% of freelancers are happier now than they were before going solo, and nearly half felt no impact from the economic downturn. Perhaps most tellingly, 77% of freelancers were optimistic about their business prospects over the following 12 months. Read more...

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PHP Programmers: The Wordpress Joomla Trap - Virtual-Strategy Magazine (press release)

In a market analysis PHP programmers determined the demand for PHP-programming – with surprising results.

Chicago, IL, June 09, 2013 --(PR.com)-- The PHP programming language is the industry standard for websites, but it's often reduced to being the site's engine, while the cockpit is represented by content management systems (CMS), which promise users the ability to create and maintain websites without the need for PHP programming. In truth, technical maintenance costs for content management systems are often higher than the savings generated by the ability to manage content independently.

Wordpress and Joomla are two prominent content management systems. They and other CMS-systems are based on PHP. PHP-programmers working for software developer Bitpalast took a closer look at exchange platforms for PHP-programmers. They found that clients not only request frequent changes of Wordpress and Joomla websites, but also demand a Wordpress or Joomla installation during website development. Clients erroneously assume that they can avoid the need for PHP-programming in this way. The strong demand for Wordpress and Joomla programmers in exchange platforms proves that once a client uses a Wordpress or Joomla website, he is trapped. Technically, the systems are so complex that the client is unable to maintain them.

From the perspective of PHP-programmers many things could be done more easily and inexpensively without using a CMS. But clients' fears of supposedly costlier maintenance of websites without CMS, which would require the hiring of PHP-programmers for changing content, present a powerful deterrent. In reality, most coding and content updates can be implemented by PHP-programmers in a matter of minutes, since most change requests are rare and small in scope. By comparison, CMS updates and CMS-plugin problems are more costly. Both Wordpress and Joomla update their software at frequent intervals. Each of these updates can effectively decommission plugins. Data models, interfaces and source code change all the time. In this way a large German webhosting service recently forced numerous websites to perform a comprehensive update after deactivating PHP 4 and replacing it with PHP 5. Additionally, users often run unsafe plugins, providing easy targets for hackers.

The design effort for new Wordpress or Joomla websites is often higher compared to websites without CMS. A CMS requires that all pages generated within a website must match the system. PHP-programmers, however, can create the system in such way that it matches the pages. This leads to leaner and faster websites. The only case in which a content management system presents a sensible solution is a website that contains many pages which must be updated very frequently. Most websites don't have this requirement. After all, managing the content of a CMS-based website isn't free either. Employees must be paid for their labor.

Conclusion: Many clients voluntarily walk into the Wordpress-Joomla trap and demand a content management system, even though it creates economic disadvantages. Therefore, in addition to PHP, PHP-programmers must also be able to work well with Wordpress and Joomla.

About Bitpalace (Anglo-American brand of German Bitpalast GmbH):
Since 1990, the company has been developing into a leading provider of systematic internet solutions and today operates web servers for international, almost exclusively commercial customers. The portfolio includes website design, web hosting services, personal support for each customer as well as individual software development.

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IBM‘s DB2, MongoDB Get Together for the Mobile Enterprise

database and MongoDB are getting together. This week, IBM and Mongo’s parent, 10gen, announced collaboration on a new standard to make it easier for companies to implement data-intensive apps for the Web and for mobile devices.

The popular open source MongoDB utilizes NoSQL database technology, is commonly used for mobile and Web apps, and has been downloaded by about four million developers. It is ranked as 7th in database popularity, compared to DB2 at 5th place.

Database World, Mobile Apps

Through the collaboration, developers will be able to use IBM Eclipse tools with IBM Worklight Studio to integrate MongoDB APIs using the MongoDB query language. By utilizing MongoDB’s query language, developers can more easily query JSON documents in DB2. JSON documents are popular for storing Web-based data.

Jerry Cuomo, CTO of IBM WebSphere, said in a statement that, by supporting MongoDB, IBM is “marrying the database world with the new world of mobile app development,” better enabling enterprise mobile apps to “leverage the vast data resources managed by organizations around the world.”

10gen CEO Max Schireson pointed out to news media that IBM has a history of playing “a critical role in bringing important new technologies to the enterprise,” such as the relational database, SQL or Linux. More recently, IBM is playing a major role in facilitating the adoption of OpenStack open source cloud technologies.

NoSQL Movement

IBM said it will also assist the MongoDB community by contributing expertise in security and international languages toward the standard. A key goal is that, by third quarter of this year, developers will be able to pair IBM’s WebSphere eXtreme Scale data grid platform with MongoDB, as well as be able to run MongoDB apps directly on DB2.

The NoSQL database movement developed in response to the flood of many kinds of data — much of it unstructured — from the Web, mobile devices and other sources. In contrast to SQL relational databases, for instance, a NoSQL DB allows data to be added without a predefined schema and enables a wider range of possibilities for scaling up.

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SoHo Gives a Glimpse of the Retail Store of the Future

At 121 Greene Street, online jewelry retailer BaubleBar has set up a pop-up shop replete with digital touchscreens and interactive displays. Open through August 13, shoppers can use in-store iPads to design and purchase jewelry personalized with their initials and other permutations. Interactive store displays, designed by Perch Interactive, use projections and sensors to serve up content when shoppers pick up individual pieces of jewelry on display. Visitors will also be encouraged to upload photos of themselves to the web via Olapic Read more...Walk down Greene Street in Manhattan's SoHo district this week, and you'll get a glimpse of the retail store of the future — two of them, in fact.

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