technology THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014 Maker of $33 smartphone hails ‘new era’ for India NEW DELHI: The maker of a new $33 smartphone tially targeting the Indian market but expects to billed as India’s cheapest said yesterday it aims to expand sales to other countries in Asia, she said. sell half a million in the next three months in what it India’s smartphone market is growing rapidly. US called a “new era” for the market. Indian mobile market research firm IDC reported shipments leapt phone maker Intex has teamed up with California- by 186 percent to 17.59 million smartphones in the based Mozilla the non-profit organization behind first financial quarter to June from a year earlier. the Firefox open-source web browser-to create a IDC forecast that smartphone sales would continue cheaper alternative to Apple’s iPhone and to rocket in coming years, growing at an annual rate Samsung’s Galaxy. Intex spokeswoman Joyeeta of 40 percent for the next five years. But price is key Mitra said the handset, which went on sale this in India, which according to the World Bank is home week, was aimed at first-time smartphone buyers to one-third of the world’s poor. Three-quarters of and was the cheapest yet to hit the market. smartphone sales in India are below $200. “We’re moving into a new era in smartphones,” The Intex offering undercuts the Smart A50S, Mitra told AFP. “This is a user-friendly handset that made by Indian handset maker Karbonn which was can help people onto smartphones and onto the launched in June at 2,790 rupees ($46). Mozilla has Internet. “We have big expectations that this phone been teaming up in the low-cost smartphone mar- MUMBAI: Indian Bollywood actor-director Farhan Akhtar (center) poses with models as they hold newly- will find a large market and we are expect 500,000 ket in the developing world with Alcatel, Huawei released Intex phones. — AFP sales in the first three months.” The company is ini- and LG, with a focus on Latin America. — AFP Amazon could be ESPN of video games in Twitch deal NEW YORK: Amazon is hoping to become the McQuivey believes Google might have been a ESPN of video games. The e-commerce giant is better fit for Twitch. “Twitch will be a harder buying streaming platform Twitch Interactive asset for Amazon to use,” he said. “It doesn’t for $970 million in cash as it seeks to take part in have the kind of video streaming audience that video gaming’s growth as an online spectator Google’s YouTube does.” However, McQuivey sport. Twitch is a multi-channel online network added that Amazon is trying to own more of its built for a generation of people who not only own content rather than simply selling others’ enjoy playing video games, but find it entertain- and Twitch could help the company do that. ing to watch others who might impart tricks “(Twitch) captures people’s attention for hours a and tips for excelling at their favorite games. week and it also creates a product tie-in oppor- Amazon’s purchase is an acknowledgment tunity that Amazon can capitalize on in a way that gameplay video feeds are increasingly that Google could not,” he said. lucrative. Twitch had 55 million unique visitors In a letter addressed to Twitch’s users, Shear in July, up from 20 million in 2012. Most visited emphasized Amazon’s willingness to allow the the Twitch.tv website to watch other people gaming service operate independently as a key play live or recorded games -competitions inter- reason for the deal coming together. It’s not spersed with advertising. Digital video advertis- clear whether Twitch would have been given as ing in the US is expected to reach $5.96 billion much autonomy had it been purchased by this year, according to eMarketer, up 41.9 per- Google, given the leading role that YouTube cent from 2013. already plays in online video. “Broadcasting and watching gameplay is a Google declined to comment on Twitch’s global phenomenon and Twitch has built a plat- sale to Amazon. Seattle-based Amazon’s pur- form that brings together tens of millions of chase of Twitch is set to close in the second people who watch billions of minutes of games half of 2014. Twitch, based in San Francisco, each month,” said Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in a spun out of Justin.tv, a quirky service that statement. The deal is the latest example of revolved around a video feed tracking the dai- BUDAPEST: Young employees of the Ustream start-up company work on their computers at their headquarters in Budapest. — AFP photos Amazon expanding into new commercial are- ly activities of co-founder Justin Kan. The focus nas. It introduced its own smartphone, the Fire, shifted to live video for gamers in 2011, a this month. Earlier this summer, it added same- move that has turned Twitch into rapidly grow- day delivery, a set-top video streaming device ing phenomenon. In July, users viewed more Hungary strives to be central to its list of services for members of Prime, its than 15 billion minutes of content produced $99 annual loyalty program. by more than 1 million broadcasters, ranging Amazon already has an in-house gaming from individual gamers, pro players, video Europe’s start-up capital by 2020 studio that makes games, and its Fire TV set top game publishers, developers and others. The box was designed to attract gamers. Twitch CEO company does not release revenue figures, but Emmett Shear said Amazon is a good fit in September 2013 it received a $20 million Budapest ideal base for IT start-ups? because “they believe in our community, they investment from investors including software share our values and long-term vision.” Google company Take-Two Interactive and venture BUDAPEST: From a sleek, modern office in the Meanwhile, at the European Union level, But for Prezi’s Arvai, the wheels have been set in had been in talks to buy Twitch, but no deal capital firms Alsop Louie Partners and middle of Budapest’s old town, Ustream provides Hungary is one of the countries which has benefit- motion already. “A hundred years ago, Budapest materialized. Forrester Research analyst James Bessemer Venture Partners. — AP live video streaming to clients such as Samsung ed most from start-up funds, known as Jeremie looked like Paris, with a collection of Nobel prize and Sony. Nearby, Prezi has created a zooming (Joint European resources for micro to medium winners and cafes. Then World War Two happened presentation tool that even U2 singer Bono used enterprises), according to Imre Hild, from the accel- and the communist regime came along,” he said. last year for a talk on global poverty. These are just erator iCatapult. Some of the government’s proj- “We are starting to see a noticeable release of cre- two of about 200 start-ups which have sprung up ects are still waiting for state funding, and for Hild, ative energy again... There’s just as much ambition in Hungary in recent years, with the government many of Hungary’s start-ups will need to improve and creativity here” as in other start-up hubs, he pushing for the nation to become central Europe’s their work ethic to be successful. said. — AFP start-up capital by 2020. Availability of capital, well- trained engineers and low salaries: professionals here insist Budapest is an ideal base for IT start-ups. “With all the available talent, we thought we would do better here instead of being just another start-up in Silicon Valley,” said Gyula Feher, 36, founder and chief technical officer of Ustream. The company, set up in 2007 with two US partners, is now worth an estimated $150 million (113 million euros), according to a recent study published by The Economist, and has offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seoul and Tokyo. LogMeIn, which allows companies to access and control their computers remotely from anywhere in the world, is Hungary’s biggest start-up with an estimated value of $1.2 billion and has clients such as HSBC, IBM, SAP and Rolls-Royce. With Prezi and Ustream, it makes up the top trio of Hungarian WASHINGTON: In this file photo taken in Washington, DC, the Internet site of start-ups, but many more are hoping to make it Amazon.com is seen on a computer. — AFP big. And although Budapest is not yet in the same league as start-up hubs such as London, Berlin or Stockholm, the potential-along with government BUDAPEST: Hungarian Gyula Feher, co-founder of the Ustream start-up company, poses for a photo. and private capital-is there, professionals insist. Hackerspaces used to “There’s a lot of money that is only waiting to be invested, and few credible start-ups. In San turn ideas into reality Francisco, it’s the other way around,” said David Social media users shy Ottlik of Synetiq, a start-up specializing in neuro- MESA: Inside a nondescript garage-like work- McDermott, who works in information technol- marketing-measuring emotions and brain activity shop nestled between restaurants, a flower ogy, has more modest plans for his keyboard. to predict consumers’ reactions. The high level of away from opinions shop and jewelry stores along Main Street, “Anybody that I’ve shown this thing immedi- science education in Hungarian schools also means ideas are taking shape. At HeatSync Labs, the ately wants to play with it and touch it and there is a wealth of talent that can be used, says WASHINGTON: People on Facebook and Twitter said they would be willing to post online about tables are littered with computer chips, pens, make the colors dance and things like that,” Prezi chief executive and co-founder Peter Arvai.