Heena Sharma Blog

Chinese internet giant Alibaba on Tuesday opened its first hi-tech hotel in Hangzhou where guests can check-in by simply scanning their faces, the state media reported. FlyZoo Hotel in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, where Alibaba has its headquarteres, is known as the company's first "future hotel". Customers can check into the hotel by simply scanning their faces. The facial recognition system installed in the hotel also enables customers to use their faces as key cards to open doors and access other hotel services, Xinhua news agency reported. Users can also control the lights, television and curtains in the room via Alibaba's voice-activated digital assistant, while robots are deployed to serve dishes, cocktails and coffee. Hotel bookings and check-out can also be done with a few clicks on mobile through an app. "The AI-based solution can help customers save time and relieve hotel employees from repetitive

Chinese tech giant Alibaba has introduced a new smart screen for the visually impaired users to help them shop without much of an assistance. The smart screen is a result of the company's two years and $25 billion R&D initiative. As TechCrunch reports, the screen, called Smart Touch, is like a silicone layer which can be added to the top of a smartphone screen. Each film costs about 3.6 cents to produce. It has three mini buttons on each side which are sensory-enabled. By pressing these buttons, certain commands are triggered, such as 'go back' and 'confirm', making online shopping a smoother process. Smart Touch is also useful while answering calls, listening to texts, and so on. Read our full coverage on alibaba Business Standard

The messaging app will partner HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank to process the transfers, and State Bank of India will join once it has the necessary systems in place Technology News : Facebook   is set to offer its   WhatsApp   payment services to the whole of India as early as next week in an attempt to win market share, even though its partners aren’t all ready, said people familiar with the matter. The messaging app will partner HDFC Bank,   ICICI Bank and   Axis Bank   to process the transfers, and State Bank of India will join once it has the necessary systems in place, the people said.   Facebook   was aiming for a full rollout with four partners but decided to go ahead with just three as its rivals were racing ahead, the people said, asking not to be named as the information isn’t public. The entry of   Whats app   into India’s payments space has been likened to We Chat, which reshaped payments in China when it expanded beyond messaging. The pilot ver