GOOD NEWS TO WHO HAD ORDERED FREEDOM 251 MOBILE & NOT RECEIVED MOBILE COMPANY HAD DECIDED TO REFUND MONEY TO CUSTOMER WHO HAD NOT RECEIVED MOBILE

Freedom251 sets off alarm bells, firm to refund money

The company, Ringing Bells, has also faced queries from Income Tax department, the Enforcement Directorate and Department of Electronics and IT. ED officials are understood to have quizzed the promoters of the company on their business model. When contacted by TOI on Wednesday, Ashok Chadha, the president of the company and the main associate of promoter Mohit Goel, said, "all is well".

He denied reports that the company had shut shop in Noida. "We are very much in business, and are not running away," he told TOI. "The problem with our office has to do with the owner of the plot who seems to be having a issues with the Noida Authority for renting out a property meant for industrial use as a commercial office", he said, clarifying that if the landlord is not able to settle issues with the authorities, the company will shift to a nearby premises.

Questions have also been raised on the advance payment accepted by the company for future deliveries of smartphones. Chadha clarified that the company had received nearly Rs 75 lakh in online booking from 30,000 prospective customers, which it now plans to refund. "This money never came to us and was not even supposed to come to us until we deliver the handsets. That's in line with the compliance rules of the payment gateway. In any case, we have now decided to refund this money and will go for cash-on-delivery," Chadha said. TOI could not verify whether those who had paid the advance had received refund.

The company maintains it will start delivering the phones from April 15 at the committed price of Rs 251, on which it will earn a profit of Rs 31. "Our business plan is intact. As far as funding is concerned, we are running short cycles (of orders), and thus will require only some money," Chadha said, without elaborating further on the sources of funding. There has also been trouble for the company from a Noida-based BPO, Cyfuture, which provided call center services for booking and enquiries about the phone. Cyfuture has filed a police complaint alleging non-payment of dues by Ringing Bells. Ringing Bells claims that the BPO failed to provide satisfactory services and its contract has been terminated.

Girls-and-Boys-avoid-stalkers-on-facebook-with-these-tips

This is indeed the era of social networking. More and more people are now going online, engaging in social interactions in ways that you didn't even imagine once upon a time. Being online 24x7 has become more like a part and parcel of our daily life.

Facebook as a social network has also come a long way, and has contributed significantly to this new-found love for all things internet-savvy. It is undoubtedly the most widely used social media platforms and goes a long way in ensuring you stay connected with your friends and peers all the time.

But just like every other social network, Facebook is not one hundred per cent safe platform just like any other social media and Internet platform. The social media website has its fair share of stalkers.

There's of course a way out if you want to avoid being stalked: stay ahead of their game. Here's how...



Set your profile to private


This is the most basic security feature that everyone should follow hands-down. After all, why would anybody want someone they don't know just peep into your profile as they like? Ideally, Facebook gives you enough privacy options to help you stay 'invisible' to those you want to be invisible. You can update your profile's privacy settings precisely to share/hide everything that there is to your profile.

You can chose who you want to share your profile details, your posts, your pictures, your shared content as also your entire friend list: with friends, friends of friends to everyone. Ideally, you should restrict this to your 'friends'.

Of course, you will still be visible to those who search for you but they won't get anything out of your profile. Also, it is advisable that you limit people who can send you friends requests via the same privacy settings.



Experiment with your profile name


Anyone who has your name/other details can simply type it into search and get to your profile in the blink of an eye. So, first and foremost you should hide your 'other' profile details; like phone number, address, email address, work information etc from 'everyone'.

Once you have this area covered, you should go on and experiment with your profile name: add symbols to it, change font and language: basically add stuff to it that makes it hard for someone to find you.

This is not a full proof plan, but it would make it all the more difficult for stalkers to find you, and chances are they'll stop trying after a while.



Make your online photo albums private and upload smaller profile pics


Well, this should ideally be covered in point number one; but most of us forget to do it. All the photos you share on your timeline should have limited visibility, meaning share them only with those who you want to: your friends that is.

It is also advisable to upload smaller sized images as your profile picture/cover picture since there's no option to hide those. There are cases when someone would randomly click on your profile picture and then download it. Putting up smaller sized pictures ensures that even though someone downloads it, they can't zoom into them.



Avoid tagging photos


Tagging photos opens up a truck load of privacy loopholes since you have no clue if someone who you have tagged or someone who has tagged you has put his/her profile to private. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you avoid unnecessary tagging of photos on both ends.

Every time you tag someone, the other person gets a notification asking if you want to be tagged and if yes, do you want to share it on your timeline. The call is of course all yours, but it's better if you're sure the person who has tagged you has set his/her profile to private.



Avoid linking of profiles


Many a times, websites may ask you to log in via Facebook in the initial stages. It is advisable that you avoid doing that, instead you can use your email for such purposes.

Also, you should avoid using multiple social media accounts with the same name. In case you're using the same user name in multiple accounts and he/she gets to know of one, your stalker can simply type in that name in any search engine and get through your other profiles as well.

Ford EcoSport

The Ford EcoSport has been an object of infatuation since it broke cover at the Delhi Auto Expo in 2012. It basked in the limelight for a year and a half for three reasons – an unconventionally attractive design, the 1-litre EcoBoost petrol engine and the sub-Rs 10 lakh price tag. In a sign that the wait is finally over, Ford has recently conducted the pre-launch test drive for media in Goa.

I know most of you have already seen the EcoSport in-person as part of Ford’s pre-launch campaign and formed an opinion about its design and features. But does the 1-litre EcoBoost engine pack enough punch to take this urban SUV to the top of its game? Read on to find out.

Design

In appearance, the EcoSport is unmistakably avant-garde. The front end features a large, ‘gaping fishmouth’ grille flanked by slim headlamps and big fog lamps, reflecting Ford’s global design language. Two bold lines on the bonnet flow onto the roof, highlighting the car’s aerodynamic prowess. I particularly liked the muscular fenders, tailgate-mounted spare tyre and the sleek roof-rails that enhance the vehicle’s SUV stance. The tailgate handle is beautifully integrated within the tail lamp and that’s a nice touch. The only thing missing is a pair of sidesteps that could greatly accentuate the SUV’s ruggedness. Overall, the EcoSport has a quirky design -- love it or hate it, the car certainly makes a statement on the road.

Step inside and you’ll discover a welcoming combination of contemporary design and intuitive technology. Dials and knobs are ergonomically appointed and the Ice Blue dashboard illumination looks cool, too. However, I was less enthused about the hard-plastic dashboard and door panels.

Space, Comfort and Convenience

Frankly, the EcoSport doesn’t look as big in flesh as it does in pictures. It can comfortably seat five but going by the SUV standards, the fifth person wouldn’t be really happy. However, those upgrading from a hatchback would find ample head, shoulder and leg room in the EcoSport. The boot that Ford claims could accommodate even a washing machine is expandable up to 705 litres, with the rear seats tumbled.

The driver seat offers a commanding position and excellent outward visibility. Ford seems to have employed a wide range of sound-deadening features in the EcoSport - there’s very little noise intruding on your comfort.

The EcoSport is the first vehicle in its segment in India to feature Ford SYNC® connectivity platform, which provides customers with the convenience and flexibility to control their media players and mobile phones with voice commands.

SYNC takes safety to new heights with a life-saving feature called Emergency Assistance. When an airbag is inflated or the fuel pump is shut off following an accident, SYNC sends a voice message to 108 (emergency phone number) from the paired mobile phone. SYNC also sends the GPS co-ordinates of the accident location and lets the occupants speak to the emergency operator -- how clever is that!

Performance, Ride and Handling

The EcoSport’s strongest selling point is certainly the 1-litre EcoBoost engine. It is hard to imagine a 999cc three cylinder engine under the hood of an SUV, but guess what; this engine delivers the power and performance of a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre engine. Helped by a turbocharger, direct injection and variable valve timing, the EcoBoost motor develops 123 bhp of power at 6000 rpm and 170 Nm of torque from 1,400 to 4,500 rpm.

Dip the clutch and press the start button, the engine fires up smoothly and idles without clatter. It has enough low-end grunt to nip in and out of traffic but once you floor the pedal, there’s detectable turbo lag. However, once past 1800rpm mark, the engine revs happily and displays good power delivery. On the flipside, it becomes very audible at higher rpms. Overall, the 1-litre EcoSport is more of a practical cruiser than a fun-to-drive car. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox that offers slick gearshifts. Two other engine options will be available, too - a 110bhp 1.5 petrol and a 90bhp 1.5 diesel. The diesel EcoSport will have more takers and I’m sure, be more fun-to-drive.

Fords are generally regarded as great handlers and the EcoSport is no exception. Dampers and springs achieve an optimal balance between handling and ride comfort. The car stays absolutely pinned to the tarmac even at a close corner. I didn't think twice about rolling over big potholes or pesky curbs, thanks to the all-absorbing suspension and the 200mm ground clearance.

The light steering is a blessing in city, yet precise enough at high speeds and around tight corners. Ford's Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS) system is equipped with ‘Pull Drift Compensation’, which automatically makes imperceptible steering corrections when it notices a pull caused by wind, potholes or even differences in tyre pressure.  

Mileage

Ford has quoted an ARAI certified mileage of 18.7 kmpl for the 1 litre EcoBoost variant. However, I rarely saw a double digit figure on the real-time fuel consumption monitor; blame it on the performance tests and aggressive driving. Otherwise, the engine is definitely capable of returning an average of 13-14 kmpl in normal conditions. The 1.5-litre petrol and diesel variants return 15.8kmpl and 22.7 kmpl respectively (ARAI figures)

Conclusion

If I were to sum up the EcoSport in one word, it would be: intriguing. It has got all right ingredients to stay true to what Ford calls it – the urban SUV. Although the long wait of almost 17 months has led to an inevitable loss of interest, I’d dare to say that the EcoSport is indeed worth the wait. Now, with the prices starting at an attractive INR 5.59 lakh, no doubt, Ford has a conqueror in their hands. 

Top 5 MPVs in India

Toyota's i-ROAD

Toyota's ultra-compact, tandem two-seater electric vehicle i-ROAD is parked during the Toyota Advanced Technologies media briefing in Tokyo October 10, 2013. Toyota showcased its new technologies, including Automated Highway Driving Assist, Pre-collision System and a prototype of a Fuel Cell Vehicle to reporters. Picture Taken October 10, 2013