Andhra Pradesh government investment in IT sector by 2020

Andhra Pradesh government targets Rs 12,000 cr investment in IT sector by 2020

Andhra Pradesh government aims to attract investment of Rs 12,000 crore in the Information Technology sector and that of Rs 30,000 crore in the electronics sector by 2020, which is expected to generate five lakh jobs. 

The government also aims to create "at least one IT literate per family" besides an IT entrepreneur, according to the IT and Communications Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy. 

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu released "a blue print" for IT, electronics and e-governance here today. 

Explaining its salient features to reporters later, the IT minister said three missions, one each on IT and electronics, e-governance and innovative capacity building, would be created with a budget of Rs 1,785 crore to achieve the objectives. 

An advisory council of experts would be set up for each mission. 

"Climate for IT sector is very encouraging in the state. Companies are ready to invest in the state but are awaiting the new IT policy. The Chief Minister reviewed it here today and the new policy is expected to be discussed and approved at the next meeting of the Cabinet," Reddy said. 

While Visakhapatnam would be the main hub for IT development, Kakinada, Vijayawada, Tirupati and Anantapuram would also see growth in the sector. 

An IT incubation centre would be opened in Visakhapatnam by October, the minister said. 

Wipro BSE -1.23 % has already readied it's expansion plans in Visakhapatnam to create additional employment for 7,000 youths. 

This is where tech giants are spending money

This is where tech giants are spending money

Google, Apple, and all the other tech giants have a vested interest in many of the decisions coming out of Washington, DC.

Whether it's how immigration policy will affect the pool of talent HR can pick from, or laws on data and privacy, the rulings coming out of the Capitol can have a huge impact on the tech world.

And so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that these companies are spending lots of money on lobbying efforts.

According to Consumer Watchdog, Google led the way, spending a whopping $5.03 million on lobbying in the second quarter of 2014. In comparison, Microsoft spent $2.34 million, Facebook spent $2.12 million, Amazon spent $1.06 million, and Apple spent $840,000.

What's really interesting, though, is to look at where this money is going.

Recently, Google has been working really hard to fight bans on Google Glass. According to Reuters, the company has been lobbying officials in at least three states to prevent restrictions on wearing the device while driving.

Google has also focused its money on issues like healthcare, patent reform, consumer privacy issues, government surveillance, and telecom policy, according to The Wall Street Journal.

And while Larry Page and Sergey Brin are the richest people in the country to not make any political contributions, their company sure is spending a lot in DC. Google gives money to almost 140 business trade groups, advocacy organizations and think tanks, according to The Washington Post. This reportedly came in handy when the company was facing issues with the FTC antitrust investigation into its dominance in search.

Facebook got an earlier start at lobbying than Google, having had staff in Washington since 2007. The giant social network giant tends to focus its energies on net neutrality, online privacy (especially for children), immigration reform, and national security. Immigration reform has been particularly important to Mark Zuckerberg leading to his creation of FWD.us.

Microsoft has its own PAC fund from which it donates to many political campaigns. It tends to focus on areas like immigration, taxes, patents, and telecommunications.

Amazon spends its money on issues like internet sales taxes, telecom regulations, copyright law, consumer safety, and law enforcement.

Apple has been more on the down-low when it comes to lobbying, but it is expected to increase its efforts with the FDA and healthcare issues now that it's coming out with HealthKit this fall, in time for the release of iOS 8 and its health-oriented wristband.

Google offers million to make smaller inverters

Google offers $1 million to make smaller inverters

Google is offering a million-dollar prize for a breakthrough that would make solar or wind generated electricity more enticing for everyday uses.

Google teamed with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers to back a 'Littlebox Challenge' promising to reward whoever comes up with the best design for a device no bigger than a laptop that can efficiently convert direct current to alternating current commonly used in homes and businesses.

Renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines create direct current that must be converted into alternating current, the system for which now involves complex power grids and sources such as fossil or nuclear fuels.

The challenge is to shrink power converters to about a tenth of their present size, which was described as on par with large picnic coolers.

"There will be obstacles to overcome; like the conventional wisdom of engineering," Eric Raymond of the Google Green Team said in an online post announcing the challenge.

"But whoever gets it done will help change the future of electricity." Small inverters could make it possible to accomplish handy feats such as creating low-cost power grids in remote places or using car batteries to keep lights on in homes during blackouts, according to Raymond.

"We think it's time to shine a light on the humble inverter, and the potential that lies in making it much, much smaller," Raymond said.