MUMBAI -- India's wealthiest man Mukesh Ambani on Friday announced the launch of Jio "intelligent" phone, offering life-long free voice calls bundled with 4G data streaming at an "effective price of zero".
Ambani, who had taken the telecom sector by surprise with free voice calls and data last year, announced the next leap at the company's 40th shareholder meeting on Friday.
Jio phone will be available to all Indians for an effective price of Rs 0: Mukesh Ambani pic.twitter.com/MXuIGQKvDp
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 21, 2017
The phone, targeted at 50 crore feature phone users in the country, will be available for pre-booking from August 24 on payment of a refundable security deposit of ₹1,500.
This deposit will be refunded after 36 months on the return of the phone, he said, adding that the price of the phone will be "effective zero".
Mumbai: Kokilaben Ambani breaks down as Mukesh Ambani pays tribute to Dhirubhai Ambani at 40th AGM of Reliance. pic.twitter.com/d6E1qzj2Hs
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 21, 2017
He used the occasion to introduce his twin children, Akash and Isha, who presented the phone features that include calls and text messaging on voice command, Internet surfing and cable to connect the device to TV to view content, including videos.
"JioPhone will make the 2G feature phone obsolete," Ambani claimed, adding that the company is looking to bring 5 million phones to the market a week.
The JioPhone will be available for user testing in beta mode from August 15 and for pre-booking from August 24.
"Reliance democratized the equity culture in the past.
Now, Jio will democratize the digital culture in India," he asserted. "Digital Life will no longer be the privilege of the affluent few."
Out of the 78 crore phones in India, Ambani said, 50 crore are feature phones that cannot be used for Internet or data usage. The new phone would give "affordable" device to these 50 crore users and "end the digital exclusion in India".
Reliance Jio, the fourth-generation telecom arm of Reliance Industries, will provide unlimited data on the phone for ₹153 per month.
Jio, he said, already has 125 million users since its launch in September last year.
10 Cooking Tips For Indian Bachelors By Saransh Goila
Embrace Thy Eggs(01 of10)
Open Image ModalBelieve it or not, cooking an egg is easier than making tea, says Chef Goila. Especially if you stick to simple recipes like sunny side up, bhurji (scrambled) and boiled eggs. Convert these eggs into full meals by stuffing them between two buns or doing open sandwiches with veggies and cheese. Eggs can even be microwaved: they take only a minute to 90 seconds in a mug or a deep cup to cook! (credit:Saransh Goila)
Fruits Make For The Ideal TV Snack(02 of10)
Open Image ModalBuy fruits whenever you see them, though in small quantities, says Chef Goila. They’re perfect for snacking: Goila usually chops them up, adds crushed nuts and potato chips and chaat masala to them with nimbu (lemon) as the ultimate sitcom/ cricket match snack! (credit:Saransh Goila)
Invest In A Blender/ Mixer(03 of10)
Open Image ModalIt’ll cost you under 3,000 rupees, and you can prepare exceptional smoothies and shakes in 5 minutes, says Chef Goila. The best part? You don’t even need to cut or chop much as the blender does the job, even if you just clean and roughly chop the veggies or fruits. Always keep milk and yoghurt handy in your fridge to blend your fruit/ veggies in with. (credit:Saransh Goila)
Make Your 2-Minute Noodles Healthier(04 of10)
Open Image ModalIt's not easy to give up insta-noodles when you're living alone. Make 'em healthy by adding lots of vegetables (match the quantity of veggies you're adding to the noodle) or meat to your noodles, says Chef Goila. You can add your meat/ veggies while your noodles cook or grill and boil these separately to add them later. Bonus tip: While the noodles cook, don't just stand there! Use those 5 extra minutes to blend a smoothie or a shake. (credit:Saransh Goila)
Reinvent Leftovers(05 of10)
Open Image ModalCold leftovers or yucky cafetaria food doesn't have to be a choice anymore. If you have leftovers, simply give them a makeover! Chef Goila gives the following tips: 1. Leftover butter chicken + toss with freshly boiled spaghetti = Lunch is ready. 2. Leftover chopped pizza + beat 4/5 eggs + chopped spinach and mushrooms + seasoning + dry herbs. Mix all in a bowl, add Cheese and bake 10 minutes at 180 C. 3. Make a noodles toastie from leftover noodles. Spread schezwan sauce on the bread, and you're good to go! 4. Toss leftover rice with curd to make curd rice. Or with veggies to make fried rice. Or with readymade soups for a bowl meal. Or with a tempering to make tawa or masala pulao. (credit:Saransh Goila)
#FreezeLikeABoss(06 of10)
Open Image ModalIf you can cook basic curries or gravies, cook just a little bit extra. Then cool the mix for a couple of hours, and finally freeze it into ice cube trays, recommends Chef Goila. This way, you can use the gravy whenever you need, and without thawing the entire amount. Frozen gravies can stay perfect for a month or longer depending on the weather and fridge condition. (credit:Saransh Goila)
Give The Knife A Miss(07 of10)
Open Image ModalBuy cleaned and chopped veggies or fruits from the grocery store or even your veggie seller. Yes this is a possibility now, and it saves you a crazy amount of time, says Chef Goila. It can definitely make cooking seem like less of a chore for the ones with prominent lazy bones. (credit:SkintDad.co.uk/Flickr)
Cater To Your Own Party!(08 of10)
Open Image ModalThrowing a party? Save on your budget by assembling a menu that is a mix of ordered and homemade food, says Chef Goila. For instance, order chicken tikka but use it as a stuffing in a taco which can be assembled at home. Buy a sponge or banana cake, chop it up and top it up with whipped cream and chocolate sauce and nuts. Make two-minute noodles with oodles of cheese and sriracha, stuff these noodles in buns to make a makeshift bunny chow. (credit:Saransh Goila)
Invest In The Basics(09 of10)
Open Image ModalInvest in a heavy-duty, nonstick pan, sharp knife and a WOODEN spoon (please don’t scratch the life out of it with a steel spoon). Chef Goila guarantees that most of your cooking will be in this pan whether it is eggs, chicken, or tossing pasta and vegetables. The better it is at handling heat and food, your chances of failure reduce. Also, a sharp knife means lesser chances of cutting a finger, he adds. (credit:BobPetUK/Flickr)
Use The Internet(10 of10)
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