Samsung Galaxy Devices Are The First Consumer Mobile Devices

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. announced its solutions have been approved by the United States government as the first NIAP-validated consumer mobile devices to handle the full range of classified information. 

After completing ten Memoranda of Agreements (MOAs), the government added the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition), Galaxy Note Edge, Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy Tab S 8.4, Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and the Galaxy IPSEC Virtual Private Network (VPN) Client to the Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) Program Component List.

This accomplishment is the direct result of Samsung’s successful testing and certification under the U.S. government’s Common Criteria Mobile Device Fundamental Protection Profile (MDFPP) and VPN Protection Profile (VPNPP) programs. 

The listed Samsung devices are available for use with classified government networks and data. All devices and capabilities incorporate security features powered by Samsung KNOX.

“The inclusion of Samsung mobile devices on the CSfC list proves the unmatched security of Samsung Galaxy devices supported by the KNOX platform,” said JK Shin, CEO and president of IT and mobile business, Samsung Electronics.

“At Samsung, we continue to address today’s increasingly complex security challenges, and are committed to delivering the most reliable mobile platform satisfying the needs of professionals in all industries, from SMBs and enterprises to governments and additional regulated markets.”

Earlier this year Samsung mobile devices were officially included on the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Department of Defense Approved Products List for Sensitive But Unclassified use.

The CSfC list for high security solutions supplements the DISA listing, enabling the U.S. government and its contractors to create composed solutions meeting the full range of U.S. government security objectives. Samsung is the only manufacturer with mobile devices on both lists.

The growing number of Samsung devices on both lists allows the U.S. government to enjoy cost effective and highly secured mobile experiences with a variety of options.

Read More

Intel Making Tablet Solutions For Jan Dhan Yojana

California-based chipmaker Intel is working in India on certain solutions centred around tablets that would offer a new set of functionality and ease of basic banking at doorstep, which in turn could facilitate the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) that aims at financial inclusion.

"We have Intel Architecture-based solutions centred around tablets that offer a new set of functionality and ease of basic banking at doorstep. By empowering the business correspondents with tablets it helps to increase productivity and ease of use for them," Srinivas Tadigadapa, director, enterprise solution sales, Intel South Asia, told IANS in an interview.

Currently in urban areas tab banking has caught on. "Taking tab banking to the rural areas allows for a bigger and easier financial inclusion model," he said.

At present a few public as well as private sector banks are trying to implement the IA-based solutions in India.

"Currently we are working with ISVs (independent software vendors) and have already rolled out solutions for financial inclusion which includes tightened security features that runs on IA," Tadigadapa said.

The PMJDY scheme was flagged off Aug 28 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Till Sep 8, 30.2 million accounts have been opened of which 18.9 million are in rural areas and 11. 3 million in urban areas. Banks have collected deposits of 1,496.51 crore under the scheme so far, says a finance ministry statement.

Talking about technology consumption in India, Tadigadapa said: "It's growing in double digits, 20 percent or so in overall devices."

" A lot of consumption is happening. Overall in India it is growing much faster in the hinterland. In South Asia each country has its own pattern and no country has the size that India has, in terms of diversity," he added.

He said devices penetration will provide the necessary impetus to digital literacy drive in the country. "It's increasing rapidly and that will provide the push."

With the aim to turn the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy, the government has envisaged 1 lakh crore Digital India project.

"There will be a lot of first time users in the rural India who have not seen technology but now they can see the benefits of technology," he said.

Intel along with The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) had launched the National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) in August 2012 bringing together several players from the ecosystem on the same platform to work towards a common goal of accelerating digital literacy in India.

"We have trained two million people in two years in digital literacy and a majority are in the rural areas," Tadigadapa said.

Regarding the purchasing capacity of devices by the people in the hinterland, he said: "Affordability is not much of an issue. Devices are available at various prices. Tablets at around $100 are also available in India."

"India will be one of the top three markets in terms of devices very soon due to sheer amount of population. India is among the top five now."

Though India has excelled in software services, presence of hardware manufacturing is zilch in the country. "We strongly feel that environment has to be created. We do strongly believe in a robust domestic ecosystem for the hardware including the manufacturing. We do speak with the government and share our experience of working with other countries," he said.

"Once we have more hardware manufacturing there will be more efficiency in the cost structure. It will also provide the much needed relief on the forex," Tadigadapa added.

Read More

Intex Launches 'Aqua 4X' At 2,999

Computer peripherals player Intex Technologies on Thursday launched a smartphone priced at 2,999.

 The Aqua 4X, which comes with a 4-inch display and is powered by Google's operating system Android, has a 3G dual SIM card feature, it said in a statement.

 The phone offers users a memory space of 512 MB with an additional storage capacity of 256 MB to enable saving favourite apps and documents, it said, without making any mention of an external storage slot generally found in phones.

 The phone has a 1,300 mAh battery, a two mega pixel camera at the back and a VGA camera at the front, it said.

 "The Aqua 4X will be the lowest priced 3G phone in a 4 inch category, making it a pertinent phone for consumers across all age groups," Intex's business head for mobiles, Sanjay Kumar Kalirona, said.

 The phone will be sold under an exclusive tie-up with eBay and the online retailer will be shipping it free across the country, it said.

Read More