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Google and Walmart Team Up To Enable Voice Shopping

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Google and Wal-Mart Inc., will be joining forces to challenge rival Amazon.com Incorporated’s grip on the ecommerce sector. The partnership will enable voice ordered purchases from the retail giant on Google’s virtual assistant and will add thousands of Wal-Mart items to Google’s online shopping marketplace, Google Express.

Through the partnership, consumers will now be able to take advantage of Walmart’s “Easy Reorder” feature through an integration with Google Express. This will mark the first time the world’s biggest retailer Wal-Mart will make their products available on an online portal apart from their own website. Along with adding thousands of items to Google Express, the deal will also give Wal-Mart access to voice ordering by speaking to Google’s virtual assistant and Google’s voice controlled speakers. The feature will soon be available on other devices as well.

Wal-Mart’s Head of ecommerce Marc Lore, in a blog post, said they’ll be working with Google to offer hundreds of thousands of items for voice shopping via Google Assistant, starting late September. Google Express will also be ditching their $10 per month membership fee and have promised free delivery across its retailers in one to three days, as long as customer orders are above each store’s minimums.

Launched in 2013, Google Express enlists third party firms to fulfill orders from a variety of retailers. They currently provide access to Target, Costco, Kohl’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, PetSmart, Staples, Toys R Us and Walgreens among other companies. The partnership with Wal-Mart will allow users to link their Wal-Mart accounts to Google Express, so when Wal-Mart shoppers ask the Google Home for more toothpaste will get the same brand they bought last time.

Amazon is known for inventing the concept of voice shopping and their vast data on customer’s past purchases allows their device Echo and assistant Alexa to recall the preferred brand, size and type, without requiring shoppers to scan through different product listings. The ecommerce giant also recently acquired Whole Foods to strengthen their hold in the groceries sector as well.

Wal-Mart, recently also partnered with Uber to expand their grocery delivery services and are also testing deliveries by store workers. By next year, Google and Wal-Mart hope to enable users to order fresh groceries via voice for in store pickups as well.

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IIT Hyderabad Unveils Palyanka, Heavy-Lift Drone for Air Ambulance Use

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The Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation Foundation (TiHAN) at IIT Hyderabad has set a new standard in drone technology with the launch of Palyanka, a heavy payload drone designed as an autonomous air ambulance. Capable of carrying up to 200 kg, Palyanka is engineered to swiftly transport patients, medical equipment, or critical cargo across challenging terrains, bypassing traditional barriers like road congestion and remote inaccessibility. This advanced UAV operates autonomously, making it highly effective for rapid response in both urban and rural emergencies, and stands at the forefront of disaster relief operations in scenarios such as floods and fires.

Built for versatility, Palyanka doesn’t just function as an air ambulance. Its robust design enables use in rescue missions, cargo deliveries, and even as an air taxi for metropolitan connectivity. Inspired by the Sanskrit word for palanquin, the name “Palyanka” reflects the drone’s role as a safe and efficient carrier. All components, from conceptual design to IP, have been developed in-house at IIT Hyderabad, ensuring the drone meets stringent standards for durability and performance under extreme conditions.

With a development journey spanning over five years and led by Prof. P. Rajalakshmi, TiHAN’s team has transitioned from early drone prototypes to a full-scale, high-capacity solution like Palyanka. The team is now preparing pilot projects in hilly terrains and working on further enhancing the drone’s endurance with innovative heat-resistant materials. By pioneering such indigenous solutions, IIT Hyderabad’s TiHAN is transforming emergency medical services and logistics, marking a pivotal advancement in India’s urban mobility and public safety landscape.

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X’s Major Price Cut in India: Premium Plans Now More Accessible Than Ever

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X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has announced a major reduction in its subscription prices across India, slashing fees by up to 48%. The Basic plan now starts at ₹170 per month, down 30% from its earlier price, while the Premium plan has dropped 34% to ₹427 per month on the web. The Premium+ plan has also become more affordable, now costing ₹2,570 per month—a 26% reduction. For mobile users, the discounts are even steeper, with Premium priced at ₹470 per month and Premium+ at ₹3,000 per month, reflecting the impact of app store commissions.

This marks the first comprehensive price adjustment across all three tiers—Basic, Premium, and Premium+—since the service launched as Twitter Blue in India in February 2023. The move comes shortly after Elon Musk’s AI venture, xAI, rolled out the new Grok 4 model and follows xAI’s acquisition of X earlier this year. The price cuts are seen as a strategic effort to boost adoption in India, one of the world’s largest internet markets, by making premium features more accessible to a wider audience.

Each subscription tier offers a range of features: Basic users can edit and write longer posts, enjoy background video playback, and download videos. Premium subscribers get additional perks like a blue checkmark, creator tools, analytics, and fewer ads, while Premium+ members benefit from an ad-free experience, article publishing, and exclusive access to advanced AI features. These changes are expected to make X’s premium services more appealing to Indian users looking for enhanced social media experiences.

 

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Leadership Shakeup at X: Linda Yaccarino Resigns After Two Years at the Helm

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Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X (formerly Twitter), announced her resignation on July 9, 2025, bringing her two-year leadership of Elon Musk’s social media platform to a close. Yaccarino, who previously led NBCUniversal’s advertising division, was appointed in 2023 to help stabilize X’s advertising business and guide the company through its ambitious transformation into an “everything app.” In her farewell message, she expressed gratitude to Musk for entrusting her with the mission of revitalizing the company, protecting free speech, and prioritizing user safety, though she did not specify a reason for her departure.


Her exit comes at a turbulent moment for X, following the recent controversy involving Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Musk’s xAI, which posted antisemitic content referencing Adolf Hitler. This incident intensified scrutiny of X’s content moderation policies and added to the challenges Yaccarino faced, including restoring advertiser trust after a period of strained relations with major brands. Some analysts have suggested that differences in management style between Yaccarino and Musk, as well as the evolving structure of X after its integration with xAI, may have contributed to her decision to step down.

Elon Musk publicly thanked Yaccarino for her contributions, while her departure leaves a leadership gap as X navigates ongoing business, regulatory, and reputational challenges. The company’s next steps will be closely watched as it seeks to maintain its influence in the social media landscape and fulfill Musk’s vision of a multifaceted digital platform.

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