Briefs

Gadget to save electricity bill by 25pc

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani startups have developed a smart device named Wattie that helps save energy up to 25 percent via consumption analytics, a statement said on Tuesday.

The device was developed by Fictive Lab, a Pakistani start up which was an alumnus of both Plan9 and LUMS Centre for Entrepreneurship. The wi-fi connected device would sit in the electricity distribution box and delivers home energy consumption analytics directly to a smartphone via an app.

Wattie measures all energy flowing through the network in real time, receiving data every five seconds. In one month, the device would record over half a million points and send it over the cloud to the start up. The developers claim that during beta testing, Wattie witnessed a 28 percent reduction in energy usage. For smartphone interaction Wattie comes with its own applications.

 

Canada, China to resolve dispute

BEIJING: Canada is working hard to reach an agreement with Chinese counterparts to resolve a dispute over canola imports, said Canadian trade minister Chrystia Freeland on Tuesday. Canada, the world's biggest canola exporter, wants China, its top export market for the oilseed, to drop plans to toughen canola inspection standards on Sept 1. "We've made very clear what a key issue this is," Freeland said during a visit to Beijing.