Google's Nexus 7 tablet has
finally arrived in India. With an official announcement by its co-manufacturer
Asus, the long wait of the Indians has come to an end; but not without a bit of
sadness. You can read full specification
Google's Nexus 7 tablet has finally arrived in India.
With an official announcement by
its co-manufacturer Asus, the long wait of the Indians has come to an
end; but not without a bit of sadness. The 16GB version Nexus has come
with a price tag of Rs. 19,999, which is a bit too high when compared
to its original price in the US ($199).
While there is a 32GB model, and
a 3G version tablet, presently only the 16GB, Wi-Fi-only version will
be available in India. This tablet would be sold at ASUS showrooms and
Chroma from November 20, 2012.
Specification:
Nexus 7 runs Android 4.1 Jelly
Bean and has 7-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. It
weighs about 340 grams, has 1GB RAM and Tegra 3 processor. It also has a
micro-USB port, a 1.2MP front camera. The battery backup is of 9.5
hours.
Google says, the tablet has been
designed with gaming in mind. There are about 675,000 apps and games, a
large collection of eBooks, songs, thousands of movies and TV shows, and
the latest magazines available on Google Play. With this tablet, one
can make the best use of Google Apps like Gmail, Chrome, Google+ and
Maps.
FILE - This set of flagpoles sits at one of the entrances to Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Wash., in this Oct.19, 1998 file photo. The General Court of the European Union has upheld most of a massive fine against Microsoft Corp. by the European Commission's competition watchdog in 2008. In a ruling Wednesday, June 27, 2012, it rejected Microsoft's appeal but did cut the fine by €39 million to €860 million ($1.1 billion). Photo: Joe Brokert / AP
Brussels (AP) — A European appeals court on Wednesday upheld most of a massive penalty levied against Microsoft Corp., ending the company's 14-year legal struggle with the continent's competition regulators. The EU probe was triggered by a 1998 complaint that Microsoft wouldn't give Sun Microsystems some technical information needed for Sun's server software to communicate with Microsoft's Windows desktop operating system. The EU looked more broadly into whether Microsoft had abused its near-monopoly over Windows to corner other markets, including server software, internet browsers and streaming media software. Here's how the case developed: — March 24, 2004: The European Commission finds Microsoft guilty. It fines the company €497 million ($613 million). It also orders Microsoft to share technical documents with rivals and market a version of Windows without a media player. — June 15, 2005: After losing an appeal, Microsoft makes Windows XP N — without Media Player — available. There are few takers. The same month, EU also raises concerns about usability of Microsoft's technical documents. — July 12, 2006: EU decides Microsoft isn't obeying the 2004 decision and penalizes it an additional €280.5 million ($357 million). — March 1, 2007: EU threatens Microsoft with even more penalties as it accuses the company of further noncompliance by setting royalty fees too high for technical documents. — Oct. 22: Microsoft agrees to slash fees for the technical documents. It also offers access to open source developers and others for a one-time fee of €10,000. Though this resolves key parts of the dispute, the EU says Microsoft is still subject to penalties for noncompliance until then. — Jan. 14, 2008: Following a complaint by Web browser developer Opera Software ASA, the EU announces it is investigating Microsoft again. This time, it's on suspicion of abusing its market position by squeezing out other Internet browsers and software rivals dependent on Microsoft programs. — Feb. 27: EU regulators impose a €899 million penalty ($1.3 billion) — a record at the time — for failing to fully comply with the 2004 antitrust order. This is on top of the fine imposed in 2004 and the penalty of 2006 and brings the total to nearly €1.7 billion. — May 9: Microsoft announces it has appealed the penalty. — Jan. 16, 2009: The European Commission orders Microsoft to untie its Internet Explorer browser from Windows. — July 24: Microsoft agrees to offer a choice of rival Web browsers on Windows to ward off new European Union antitrust fines. — Dec. 16: The European Union drops the browser case after Microsoft after the company agrees to give Windows users in Europe a choice of up to 12 other Web browsers. This ends all of the EU's active cases against Microsoft, though the appeal of the 2008 fine remains pending. — Wednesday: The General Court of the European Union rejects Microsoft's appeal of the 2008 penalty, but reduces it to €860 million, ending the case.
ORLANDO, US--Unveiled at the BlackBerry World conference, the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device will not be seen on store shelves. Instead, it’s meant only for the hands of developers to test-drive apps.
As a result, RIM is being tight-lipped on much of the device's specs, including the processor speed, camera megapixel count and display type. The BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha welcome screen.
(Credit: Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia) The first thing that strikes you is the bright and sharp screen. So far, we know that it's a 4.2-inch 1,280 x 768-pixel (WXGA) display, but not the type of screen or pixel layout. That brings the device's pixel density to 355 ppi, which beats the iPhone's 326 ppi Retina Display hands down.
The Dev Alpha is able to hold its own next to the Galaxy S II's Super AMOLED Plus screen and the iPhone's Retina Display.
(Credit: Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia) Many have dubbed the Dev Alpha a mini Playbook. The full touchscreen form factor is similar and the Dev Alpha is made from the same matte black material that covers the PlayBook's back. Perhaps RIM should call it the Mini PlayBook or PlayBook mini?
(Credit: Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia) While we're on the topic of RIM's tablet, the Dev Alpha seems to be running a barebones OS that's reminiscent of the PlayBook OS 2.0. In fact, checking the prototype's software version shows "PlayBook OS 10". The Dev Alpha is running on "BlackBerry PlayBook OS 10". Weird huh?
(Credit: Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia) Since BB 10 is going to be QNX-based, there are going to be some similarities between the PlayBook OS 2.0 and the next-generation operating system. However, Smith adds that what is seen on the Dev Alpha now is not reflective of the final UI, which will actually look more like Live Tiles on Windows Phone.
This being a prototype device, the software was buggy at times, and didn't always detect our fingers. Also, there are no preinstalled apps except the camera and browser.
We didn't get to test the amazing time warp function, where you can scroll a few frames forward or backward to get the best shot. All images that were shot via the front- and rear-facing cameras also simply disappeared off the screen.
With BB OS 10, you're supposed to be getting the new onscreen keyboard. This feature wasn't available on the device we tested, but our CNET US counterpart Brian Bennett did try it, and had good things to say about it:
At first glance it doesn't look like much, just a standard layout with not many options for dual-functions. When you start typing, though--that's when the magic happens. Each letter you tap will cause the phone to display suggested words above the letter it thinks you're most likely to type next. I tried my hand at banging out a few messages and I often found myself staring right at the word sitting on the tip of my tongue. It's honestly an uncanny feeling, almost as if the device was reading my mind.
In addition, there's the ability to swipe upwards on predicted words to add them to the message body. The new keyboard is supposed to help you to input text more efficiently, as well as use a modelling algorithm that will tailor itself to your typing habits over time. It's similar to what's already on the PlayBook, only more intuitive to use. The browser app had a normal keyboard, not the new virtual keyboard with swiping gestures.
(Credit: Jacqueline Seng/CNET Asia) Finally, you'll find the microSD slot, microHDMI and microUSB ports on the left side. The Dev Alpha packs some 16GB of non-expandable onboard storage and 1GB of RAM, as well as a non-removable battery. Connectivity-wise, there's the usual suite of options like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Internet tethering and near-field communications (NFC). Unfortunately, there isn't a SIM card slot.
If RIM's final BB 10 devices look as good as the Dev Alpha--and actually runs BB 10 OS smoothly--we feel pretty upbeat about its chances in the market. Let's just hope it doesn't follow the footsteps of the PlayBook, which received rave reviews when it was announced, but failed to perform after it was released.
To see the keyboard, and other features on BB 10, click on the video below.
nitya007's
|
Thursday, March 01, 2012
|
Technology
|
Jamming a stick in the eye of rival Intel, Advanced Micro Devices said Wednesday it has agreed to buy micro-server vendor and Intel customer SeaMicro in a deal worth $334 million.
SeaMicro has attacked the server market with a design that pairs Intel processors with custom chips that let the eighty-employee company put processor and memory onto a board the size of a credit card. The result: SeaMicro can cram 512 Intel Atom processor cores into a box no bigger than a dorm-room fridge.
It’s an approach Intel managers said could grab as much as 10% of the server market when SeaMicro unveiled a new server design last month. The SM10000-XE is built around Intel’s Xeon server processors and Samsung’s memory chips.
The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based startup has targeted companies with intensive computing needs, including intelligence agencies, financial companies, and web companies. SeaMicro’s more than 50 customers include eHarmony, Skype, and Mozilla.
The acquisition is the first major deal for AMD Chief Executive Rory Read, who joined the company in August. Read has emphasized ‘execution’ at a company plagued with technology glitches, including manufacturing problems that caused AMD to miss a chance to get its processors into Apple’s hot-selling MacBook Air, former employees say (see “After Years Of Hard Knocks, AMD Honing Its Killer Instinct“).
Wednesday’s announcement puts AMD in the awkward position of competing with some of its customers with products built using a competitor’s processors. In a statement, AMD said it remains “firmly committed,” to SeaMicro’s server business. But AMD will also offer SeaMicro’s technology to server vendors who use AMD’s products, said Lisa Su, general manager for AMD’s global business units. “We’re looking for ways to really change the game,” Su told a group of reporters at AMD’s Sunnyvale, Calif. offices.
While AMD announced plans to incorporate its Opteron server processor into SeaMicro’s designs by the second half of 2012, over time AMD could pair a wide array of processors with SeaMicro’s technology. Last month, AMD Chief Technology Officer Mark Papermaster unveiled an “ambidextrous” strategy that will allow AMD to mix its own graphics and processor designs with intellectual property owned by other companies. “This is a server building block, this is a technology building block, it provides a very significant capability to our own customers,” Papermaster said Wednesday.
While snapping up SeaMicro is sure to cause consternation at Intel, new competitors are threatening to move from building processors for smart phones to building chips for more sophisticated tasks. Late last year UK processor design house ARM, whose licensees include Samsung, Apple, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and Nvidia, detailed plans to attack the server market with a new processor architecture, dubbed ARMv8, able to gulp down 64-bits of data at a time.
Last year, AMD and Intel customer Hewlett-Packard announced a partnership with Calxeda, which is designing ARM-based server processors. And Samsung has recruited former AMD processor designer Keith Hawkins to work on its own effort to build server chips, former AMD employees say.
At the same time, AMD’s customers are facing a squeeze, with some major customers ordering custom servers directly from overseas contract manufacturers. “What we could do is enable our OEM [original equipment manufacturer] customers to deliver something that is profoundly different so that their customers could not cut them out and go directly to an ODM,” said SeaMicro Chief Executive Andrew Feldman.
Feldman acknowledged there were “multiple other bidders,” for Sea Micro, not all of them semiconductor companies. Feldman will become general manager of the data center servers and solutions business at AMD, reporting to Lisa Su. SeaMicro’s 80 employees will join AMD. AMD plans to close the SeaMicro deal in March.
AMD will play $334 million for Sea Micro, including $281 million in cash. SeaMicro investors include Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Khosla Ventures and Crosslink Capital. It has also received a $9.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
nitya007's
|
Monday, February 06, 2012
|
Technology
|
MMRDA planned to install WiFi-enabled Internet connectivity on flyovers, but police fear that they can be used by anti-national elements to spread terror
It seems that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's (MMRDA) ambitious plans to install WiFi-enabled BTS on flyovers, skywalks, FOBs (foot over-bridges) and subways in Mumbai have gone for a toss, as the Mumbai police have objected strongly to the project. Confirming the development, an MMRDA official said, "We had plans to install WiFi-enabled BTS equipment at several locations across Mumbai, so that motorists and Mumbaikars could have access to seamless Internet connectivity while commuting. We had planned this project keeping in mind the fact that Mumbaikars are always on the move, made evident by the sheer number of vehicles on Mumbai roads at any given point in the day. We had planned this project in order to help them."
In the month of July last year, the planning authority had announced that it would be floating tenders for the project. A pre-bid meeting too had been held on August 19, 2011.
"However, when the MMRDA approached the Mumbai police for clearance on the project and the related no-objection certificate, they objected to it, citing security reasons," confirmed the official, requesting anonymity.
An independent study conducted by consultant KPMG and released in 2010 had revealed that 60 per cent of the business wireless networks and 48 per cent of the home wireless networks in Mumbai have either no or limited protection, and are vulnerable to misuse by anti-nationals.
As per the MMRDA's plans, WiFi-enabled BTS equipment was to be installed on poles on the MMRDA's 10 flyovers, 12 subways and 16 FOBs on the Eastern and Western Express Highways, and 36 skywalks in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, for a contract period of five years.
The motorists driving on some of the flyovers on the WEH and EEH have been facing problems because of the lack of network coverage, as their phones often lose Internet connectivity at some points on the flyovers. In August last year, MiD DAY had reported that police officials have questioned the MMRDA's plan to install WiFi-enabled BTS on the flyovers, skywalks, FOBs and subways in Mumbai. 'MMRDA Wi-Fi project could be a security threat, August 18, 2011).
Expertspeak
Transport experts also opined that installation of WiFi would amount to nothing but a waste of public money. Speaking to MiD DAY, transport expert Jitendra Gupta concurred, "Rather than wasting money on installing WiFi-based BTS systems, the MMRDA should install CCTV cameras on the flyovers and skywalks, which are the need of the hour. They will be really helpful during emergencies, and the authority can also keep tabs on who is using the flyovers. Any vehicle using a flyover will have access to it for a maximum of two to three minutes, and using Internet for such a short period of time is impractical. Who is going to park the car on the flyover and use the Internet? The MMRDA's plan appears to be a waste of money."
Citizen speak
"Mobile service providers these days offer GPRS and WAP services to their customers at cheap rates, so where is the need to install WiFi on flyovers? Rather, the MMRDA should install CCTVs on skywalks, as this will help keep tabs on the activities of anti-social elements. Having WiFi availability on the flyovers is risky, as anyone can use them to send fake threat mails," said Andheri resident Hitendra Pachkale.
Threats and Wi-Fi
There have been several instances in the past, wherein anti-national elements have misused unsecured Wi-Fi connections in parts of Mumbai to send terror mails. One such incident occurred in July 2008, when the wireless network connection of US national Ken Haywood was used by members of the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen to send emails to media houses, just minutes before terror attacks in Ahmedabad and Surat.
In another incident, an email sent minutes after the September 2008 serial blasts in Delhi was traced to a private company in Chembur, Mumbai. It is said that this email was also sent by hacking an unsecured Wi-Fi network.
Gadgets may speed up our day-to-day work and communication. But, do we realise they could pose a health hazard, asks Geeta Padmanabhan
This story appeared in TODAY.com. A Swedish couple has moved to a stretch of forests and frozen lakes so they could live outside the reach of all cellular towers and wireless signals. Electromagnetic waves, they say, give them headaches, rashes, nausea and fatigue. In medical terms, they are “electrosensitive”.
E-sensitivity is not recognised as a medical diagnosis. But there is a move in Europe to ban cellphones and Wi-Fi in schools, the Telegraph reported. Research is on to see if long-term e-radiation could lead to skin irritation, brain cancer, leukaemia and neurological diseases.
Computer Vision Syndrome
The buzz of modern life — the jingle of cell phones, the hum of laptops, the cloud of Wi-Fi — is enough to give anyone a headache. But when we dig into the inbox and tweak the spreadsheet all day, we aren't being kind to our eyes. “Eight-to-ten hours a day at the computer bring on symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome, a widespread medical condition common in these high-tech times,” says eye surgeon Dr. Mohan Rajan. “Staring at the computer reduces your blinking reflex and consequently, eye fluid generation. The result is dryness, red eyes, fatigue, head/brow ache.” Home doesn't bring relief if you plonk yourself in front of the LED/Plasma TV and reach for the remote.
Count the ergonomic problems of living in a plugged-in world, says Dr. Sunder, MD (www.premergonomics.in) who visits software companies to talk about pain syndromes. Laptops, he says, are the prime suspects for severe pain in the young. “Laptops offer the facility of working from wherever you are — at the airport or in your bedroom. This inherent advantage could be detrimental to your health because there is no fixed posture at which one works on the laptop.” How you bend over the laptop or notebooks is different from the way you sit at the PC, he says. In a PC, the keyboard and the monitor are separate and can be placed at different levels. In a laptop/notebook they are attached. You place the gadget at a lower level, and hunch over it. If you're tall, you bend that much more. You can place the monitor at eye-level, but then reaching the keyboard is uncomfortable. You work on and straighten up with a sharp backache.
You don't walk to the bank, shop, stand in a queue to withdraw money or stroll to the post-office, he says. “Your computer has invaded all these domains and threatens to occupy your leisure hours too.” You watch movies, surf the Net, socialise — all these adding to the computer work in the office. Fast repetitive actions such as typing are superimposed on an immobile body causing newer syndromes. One is repetitive strain injury (RSI). “The medical field is coming to terms with the large number of cases relating to RSI,” he says.
Office ergonomics
Take care, say the doctors. “There are many reasons for neck and back pain. It's best to adopt a lifestyle that includes good office ergonomics, dietary habits, comfortable travel options and, last but not the least, exercise involving the rest of the body,” says Dr. Sunder. Buy ergonomic accessories such as a modified or an external keyboard. Have exercise breaks; half your waking hours are spent on e-gadgets.
“Keep your monitor below eye level, 15 cm away,” says Dr. Rajan. The closer mode will make you blink. Don't put your workstation against the wall. Make sure there's something to look at beyond the wall to take your eyes off the screen. Turn off overhead lights and face your screen away from direct sunlight to avoid glare, he advises.
Try these as well. “Bias lighting” that creates a soft white glow around your screen reduces eye fatigue by “increasing perceived image clarity”. A polarising filter, the kind you'll find on a professional photographer's lens. An anti-glare filter that snaps on your monitor. A matte screen or an “anti-glare” screen, as in the MacBook Pro laptops.
Also, keep your monitor or laptop lid at a 90-degree angle to reduce glare from nearby light sources. Lower the brightness level and see if it feels better. Check. Is your computer/laptop well-calibrated? Do the images have clear colours, contrast and brightness? Find calibrator assistance in the Settings menu.
And oh, take a break. Follow the “20-20-20 rule” — every 20 minutes look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Take short, frequent breaks from your screen. Set a recurring alarm on your phone to remind you to get away from the computer. Take a stroll; wash your face. Your back, neck and eyes will thank you.
WHAT TO DO
* On a Mac, access a built-in tool called Display Calibrator Assistant.
* Open System Preferences > Displays > Color tab >Calibrate.
* On other computers, it's a web tool — Screen Check.
* Explore the settings to decide what looks right for you.
Facebook India today filed its compliance report before the Delhi court which had ordered it and 21 other websites to remove objectionable content from their websites.
Google India also told the court that it has removed certain web pages from the Internet on which objections were raised by the petitioners.
Meanwhile, Facebook, Yahoo and Microsoft told the court that they have no role to play in the case and there is no cause of action against them in the matter.
Additional Civil Judge Praveen Singh also posed a query to the counsel appearing for petitioner Mufti Aijaz Arshad Qasmi, as to whether the blog service-providing companies can be made a party to the case for any content posted by the users on the blogs.
The court, which will further hear the matter in the afternoon, also asked Google Inc as to why it was not coming up “properly” with a reply and brushed aside its contention that it had received the copy of the judgement and other documents related to case only on last Friday.
“Why are you (Google Inc) not coming properly with your reply?” the court said.
“Don’t tell me you have been served only on Friday. After all this hullabaloo that has been created in the last few months you should have been prepared,” it stated.
The court also asked the petitioner to supply the copies of all the documents relied upon, to all the opposite parties.
The court had on December 20 last year, in a ex-parte order issued summons to 22 social networking websites asking them to remove “anti-religious” or “anti-social” content in the form of photographs, videos or text which might hurt religious sentiments.
It had on December 24 set February 6 as deadline for the websites for the same.
Ask Mr Ankit Fadia, the 26-year-old ethical hacker, to sign his book for you, he would scribble ‘Happy Hacking' before signing it. For him, hacking is ethical and a tool to settle scores if someone restricts your freedom. He feels that it is like arming the disarmed.
If Government or any private or public agency tries to restrict Internet access, Mr Ankit says, “you need not lose heart. You need not keep mum and suffer silently.” It is an antidote for censorship, which he feels, not fair.
“You can always press ‘undo' button in such cases and enjoy surfing whatever way you and get connected with the world,” Mr Ankit, who wrote his book when he was 14, said.
He is part of E-Secure, a security consultancy firm that hacks into companies' networks (after it is engaged for the job) to highlight the chinks in the armour. The firm has advised 50 companies so far.
In Hyderabad on Tuesday to promote his latest book How to unblock everything on the Internet, there is nothing on the Internet that can be blocked. The book, his 15th one till date, contains information on how to unblock the blocked sites.
Censorship
Referring to recent moves by the Government to force social networking sites to pre-screen the content before it gets published, he said cyber laws would do to tackle unlawful activities.
“Putting restrictions on sensitive information is okay. I am against all other restrictions. You can always pull up the wrong guy and put him to task,” he said.
Ethical hacking could be a good career option.
“There are good guys and bad boys out there. Knowledge is like a knife, it all depends on how you use it,” he said.
Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, AOL and Facebook are setting aside their online rivalry to fight a common enemy: email spam and "phishing" attacks. The Web giants said today they have teamed up with Bank of America, PayPal and others to combat spam and phishing, where emails seeking to obtain passwords or other information are sent to unsuspecting recipients.
Representative pic
Following 18 months of private collaboration, they announced the formation of a technical working group known as DMARC.org, drawn from the acronym for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance.
"Email phishing defrauds millions of people and companies every year, resulting in a loss of consumer confidence in email and the Internet as a whole," Brett McDowell, the chair of DMARC.org, said in a statement.
"Industry cooperation -- combined with technology and consumer education -- is crucial to fight phishing," said McDowell, the senior manager of customer security initiatives at PayPal.
It is always easy when you know where to eat and what to eat. But if not, won't it be ideal to have a friend who tells you where exactly to go and, a waiter who guides you through the menu to find the dish you want to have?
Click here to download the .pdf version of the graphic
A month-and-a-half-old company, ‘StorElf,' in Chennai takes the burden of ordering food for home delivery. Modelled on an older venture in Bangalore, Amrutash Misra's initiative is based on innovating on the call centre side. “We are trying to train our employees in food, tastes, allergies to ease the customer's experience of ordering the food he wants,” he says. Feedback from customers, details of those who prefer to order home delivery on certain days of the week and recommendations are also keyed in to ensure that regular users avail themselves of discounts from restaurants that have tied up with his company.
The idea of finding a plumber, a cobbler, or someone to collect garbage from your house at the click of a mouse, or getting a packet of broccoli and cereal delivered after a single call is indeed fascinating, but there are not too many people who swear by these services. The e-commerce industry that is vastly dominated by travel actually has hundreds of service-oriented sites going live every day. The environment has also brought in more pressure on these ventures to succeed.
“There were about four vegetable delivery sites and two grocery delivery ones launched in south India two years ago. All of them have disappeared, and at least ten new ones exist now,” says IT consultant Vishal Karikurva, recalling how almost all online vegetable delivery models failed in the U.S. “Marketing is very important, which these initiatives can't afford, at least for now. And, they need to focus more on the calling part to retain their customers rather than the website.”
While almost all metros have at least one carwash and cleaning service provider, most have several who promise to provide drivers and local help for hire. “It does not often work out because you are not sure of the quality and trustworthiness. But once you are satisfied, you hang in there,” says Mala Kumar, a homemaker in Chennai, who calls for a plumber or an electrician through a site. “Even in case the of appliances, the toll-free numbers of service centres are not accessible often, but when you approach some of these start-ups, they get it done within two days because of their association with the companies, all for an extra Rs. 100,” she says.
Since a lot of these businesses require scaling, they will need deep pockets to survive. And since most of them are labour-intensive, the training costs can be huge too, reckons Arnab Bose, a social media expert. “They might fail if they do not address the last-mile connect with the customer.” Also, now with the smart phones, these start-ups need to have mobile apps.
Today's entrepreneurs require people relevant to their business, and funds that can be channelled to add value to the venture. The flash effects-laden website with video testimonials and clippings of how they work, functional numbers, addresses, feedback, and follow-up plans show that many of these ventures are planned in a very intelligent way.
Right model
“These are IIT and IIM grad entrepreneurs who believe in ideas and innovation, and they are tapping into an existing need. So, if they get the model right, they will surely succeed,” says Mr. Bose.
The disruption in BlackBerry services in India and several other countries since Monday was caused by a core switch failure, makers of the device Research in Motion (RIM) said on Wednesday.
"The messaging and browsing delays being experienced by BlackBerry users in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, Brazil, Chile and Argentina were caused by a core switch failure within RIM's infrastructure," the Canada-based firm said in a statement.
BlackBerry users have been hit by service disruptions to their smartphones since Monday after a glitch cut off Internet and messaging services for a large numbers of users around the world.
"Although the system is designed to failover to a back-up switch, the failover did not function as previously tested. As a result, a large backlog of data was generated and we are now working to clear that backlog and restore normal service as quickly as possible," RIM said.
Stating that it is working to restore normal service as quickly as possible, the company apologised for the inconvenience to its customers.
RIM, which makes the smartphone, announced on Monday that it had fixed the problem after users across the globe reported not being able to receive or send email, use instant messaging or browse the Internet, though the problems did not appear to be the same for each user, or affect all users.
Samsung Chat 222 dual sim mobile phone : Samsung Mobile introduced the Samsung Chat 222 dual sim phone. The Samsung Chat 222 handset comes with DUOS so users can access dual SIM cards for more convenient calling, better savings and better network coverage. The Samsung Chat 222 dual sim phone (model name : Samung GT-E2222) comes with all the social tools you'll need to connect with friends, such as Facebook, Twitter, Push Instant Messenger and e-mail. Socialise on the go, and entertain yourself, too, with your favourite music or games you can download from Samsung Apps!
Samsung Chat 222
Enjoy double the connectivity with DUOS! Samsung's Chat 222 mobile phone has access to 2 SIM cards at the same time, letting you easily separate your personal life from your work life. You can also enjoy more advantageous roaming fees and better network coverage when traveling. The new Samsung Chat 222 phone gives you the conveniences of two phones with one handset.
HTC has launched the HTC Salsa, it's "Facebook phone" in India.
The Salsa will be powered by Google's Android 2.3 operating system and will feature HTC's Android skin HTC Sense.
With its emphasis on easy social connectivity, the HTC Salsa will provide one-touch access to the key functions of Facebook, integrated throughout the HTC Sense experience, via a dedicated Facebook button.
According to Faisal Siddiqui, Country Manager, HTC India, "HTC has always understood that different people want different things and the new HTC Salsa offers special new ways to socialize through a mobile device. With Indians increasingly getting hooked on to the social web, we wanted to create the ultimate socially connected phone which makes this experience simple and convenient."
The HTC Salsa is powered by a 800 Mhz Qualcomm processor and features a 5-megapixel camera, a 3.4-inch with a 480 x 320 resolution, and a VGA front-facing camera for video calling.
Previously, HTC released high end Android phones such as the Incredible S and the Desire HD but none of these devices featured a dedicated social networking experience.
The HTC Salsa will be available for Rs.22,000 at all authorized HTC resellers across the country.
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — How do you write a new constitution in the 21st century? You go where the people are -- online. That was the decision of tiny but tech-savvy Iceland, which is overhauling its constitution in the wake of an economic catastrophe, and has turned to the Internet to get input from citizens.
The 25-member council drafting the new constitution is reaching out to Icelanders online, especially through social media sites Facebook and Twitter, video-sharing site YouTube and photo site Flickr.
Iceland's population of 320,000 is among the world's most computer-literate. Two-thirds of Icelanders are on Facebook, so the constitutional council's weekly meetings are broadcast live on the social networking site as well as on the council's website.
"It is possible to register through other means, but most of the discussion takes place via Facebook," said Berghildur Bernhardsdottir, spokeswoman for the constitutional review project.
When the North Atlantic island nation gained independence from Denmark in 1944, it simply took the Danish constitution and made a few minor adjustments, such as substituting the word "president" for "king."
A thorough review of the constitution has been on the agenda ever since, but action came only after the crisis in 2008, when Iceland's main commercial banks collapsed within a week, the krona currency plummeted and protests toppled the government.
"To me, it has long been clear that a comprehensive review of the constitution would only be carried out with the direct participation of the Icelandic people," said Iceland's Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, one of the champions of the constitutional review since taking office in 2009.
She says it is a "distinct possibility" that the draft constitution will be put to the people in a referendum before Iceland's parliament debates final approval.
The 25 members of the constitutional council were elected by popular vote from a field of 522 candidates aged 18 and over. The council is basing its work on a 700-page report prepared by a committee that took into account the findings of 950 randomly selected Icelanders -- the National Forum -- who met for a day to discuss the division of powers, conservation and protection, foreign relations and more.
But, the Internet component is still the most direct route for most Icelanders to weigh in. Members of the public must provide their names and addresses, and can then submit online recommendations, which are approved by local staff to avoid Internet heckling. The ideas are then passed on to the council, and are open for discussion online.
"The sort of argumentative and negative discussion that has been common on Icelandic blogs and news sites, especially since the economic collapse, has been almost entirely absent," Bernhardsdottir said.
Recommendations have spanned a wide range of topics, from improving the treatment of livestock to making it easier for authorities to seize stolen property, said Thorvaldur Gylfason, a professor of economics at the University of Iceland and a member of the council.
Suggestions approved by the council -- including livestock protection -- are added to the draft constitution, which is accessible online and open for comment.
It remains to be seen whether Icelanders can unite behind the most emotionally charged sections of the proposed constitution, such as nature conservation and ownership of Iceland's natural resources. Major power projects, the threat of a global water shortage and fierce controversy over the rights to natural resources such as fishing grounds and geothermal energy have made Icelanders keenly aware of the value of their environment.
"The proposed constitution defines access to clean and unspoiled nature as a human rights issue," Gylfason said. "This strengthens the position of those who wish to seek justice as a result of environmental damage."
Another new clause tackles the contentious issue of who owns natural resources. When Iceland's fisheries management system was introduced in the 1980s, certain companies were awarded fishing quotas for a nominal fee, giving them exclusive and lucrative rights to fishing grounds.
"This clause has been eagerly awaited by the nation and stipulates that Iceland's resources, including its fishing grounds, are the property of the nation," which therefore has the right to the resources, Gylfason said.
The draft constitution is due to be completed by the end of June, though the council may ask for an extension of one month. After that, it will be sent to Iceland's parliament for debate and approval.
nitya007's
|
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
|
Technology
|
Looks like the Federal Communications Commission wants a lot more data from AT&T before the agency will green light its bid to acquire T-Mobile. The FCC has posted no less than 50 questions for the telco, asking the wireless giant to defend the very first claim that its public interest statement makes in defense of the marriage.
"AT&T faces network spectrum and capacity constraints more severe than those of any other wireless provider," the opening AT&T document contends:
and this merger provides by far the surest, fastest, and most efficient solution to that challenge. The network synergies of this transaction will free up new capacity—the functional equivalent of new spectrum—in the many urban, suburban, and rural wireless markets where escalating broadband usage is fast consuming existing capacity. This transaction will thus benefit consumers by reducing the number of dropped and blocked calls, increasing data speeds, and dramatically expanding deployment of next-generation mobile technology.
But the FCC wants a lot more help with this constraint assertion. To justify AT&T's claim, the agency is asking the company to provide "all plans, analyses, and reports discussing the relative network spectrum capacity constraints of the Company and other mobile wireless service providers, including any relevant pricing, traffic and spectrum efficiency assumptions."
The agency would also like AT&T's definition of what actually constitutes a spectrum constraint, "including the factors involved in making that determination in any relevant area." And it would like to know if the company considered any alternatives to buying T-Mobile to solve the alleged dilemma. Has it considered boosting its network capacity? Adding additional cell sites? Expanding backhaul? "Acquiring new spectrum?"
A full and complete analysis
Actually, AT&T wants to do some more spectrum buying too. It's seeking the FCC's blessing to buy licenses from Qualcomm and Knology of Kansas, and five public interest groups want the Qualcomm transaction rolled into the T-Mobile merger application process. Both proceedings "should be combined to enable a full and complete competitive analysis," Free Press, Public Knowledge, the Media Access Project, and two other groups urged. Agreed, say MetroPCS, Sprint, and Rural Celluluar Association in their own filing.
Meanwhile, two states have launched or are considering investigations of the deal. The Lousiana's Public Utilities Commission's probe was open for comments as of Thursday, with a 15-day period for third parties to file protests and a 45-day window for AT&T to respond.
California's State Public Utilities Commission has asked its staff to prepare a document that would "launch a proceeding to gather information and to review the merger proposal in light of relevant state law and public policies." The CPUC will vote on whether to approve the document on June 9. And Hawaii, Arizona, and West Virginia may look at the merger, too.
Twin Bell duopoly?
Since May 31 is the last day for Petitions to Deny the merger, Sprint has submitted its petition to the FCC. The smaller telco is probably the most outpoken critic of the proposed union.
"The Commission faces a stark choice in this proceeding," Sprint says:
It can reject AT&T’s bid to take over T-Mobile and extend the last two decades of robust competition in the wireless industry-competition that has promoted economic growth and advanced U.S. global leadership in mobile communications. Or the Commission can approve the takeover and let the wireless industry regress inexorably toward a 1980s-style duopoly. A duopoly of the two vertically-integrated Bell companies would result in less choice for consumers and higher prices. A Twin Bell duopoly would stunt investment and innovation. No divestitures or conditions can remedy these fundamental anti-consumer and anti-competitive harms. AT&T’s takeover of T- Mobile must be blocked.
That alleged duopoly (Verizon and AT&T) would control 82 percent of post-paid subscribers, Sprint warns, more than 78 percent of wireless revenue, and 88 percent of all profits. "The Twin Bells' market dominance would dwarf Sprint, the sole remaining national carrier, and the rest of the wireless industry, thereby creating an entrenched, anti-competitive duopoly," the filing contends.
While all Petitions to Deny are due by the end of Tuesday, the public can still file oppositions or supportive comments through June 10 and replies to oppositions through June 20. The Commission's comment page for the proceeding is here.
nitya007's
|
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
|
Technology
|
Samsung's latest maneuver in what appears will be a long, drawn-out legal battle with Apple over mobile device copying is a bold one. The company filed a "reciprocal expedited discovery request" asking to see samples of Apple's expected, though unannounced, next-generation iPhone and iPad hardware.
The motion was filed shortly after Apple was granted an expedited discovery request which sought to gain access to upcoming Samsung hardware that is believed to infringe on Apple's design patents and trade dress. Apple had already claimed Samsung's Galaxy S smartphones and Galaxy Tab crossed the line between inspiration and rip-off, and Apple sought access to announced new products to determine if Apple should add them to its lawsuit against Samsung or potentially file an injunction barring their release.
The judge agreed with Apple's request to examine the Droid Charge, Infuse 4G, Galaxy S II, Galaxy Tab 10.1, and Galaxy Tab 8.9 because images Apple had submitted to the court in its original complaint showed "reasonable basis" for Apple's belief that Samsung's latest products might be "designed to mimic Apple's products."
(We have to note that we have seen a Galaxy Tab 10.1 "special edition," and there is a resemblance to the iPad 2.)
"In particular," wrote Judge Lucy Koh in her decision, "the design and appearance of Samsung's forthcoming products and packaging are directly relevant to Apple's trademark, trade dress, and design claims. Because these claims are subject to consumer confusion and 'ordinary observer' standards, the products themselves and the packaging in which they are sold are likely to be central to any motion for preliminary injunction."
The motion does not allow Apple to thoroughly examine the products, however—only its counsel may do so.
Samsung's lawyers last Friday filed their own motion to gain similar expedited access to Apple's next iPhone and iPad hardware designs. Samsung claims that the evidence goes directly to defending itself from an expected preliminary injunction that could bar Samsung from releasing some of the mentioned products (or result in the Droid Charge or Infuse 4G being pulled off the shelf since they have already been released).
An important difference between Apple's motion and Samsung's however, is that the five products that Apple sought discovery for had already been announced and in most cases shown or released to the press. Judge Koh cited that particular fact in her decision. Samsung, on the other hand, is attempting to gain access to hardware that it merely believes Apple has in the works—Apple has made no public revelation about its next-generation hardware, even though it is likely that the company has prototypes floating around somewhere in its headquarters.
Former IP attorney Nilay Patel reasoned that Samsung may have merely filed this motion in hopes that it can gain additional leverage against Apple. Patel argued that it doesn't seem likely that Samsung's motion would be approved, at least not based on the reasoning that Koh used to approve Apple's request. At the same time, Apple could merely file an injunction against Samsung's products citing similarities with current iPhone and iPad hardware, making Samsung's request to examine future devices moot.
Neither company has yet filed formal responses to the initial complaints in either Apple's original lawsuit or Samsung's ensuing countersuit.
nitya007's
|
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
|
Technology
|
Apple announced on Tuesday that it has updated its iWork productivity suite for iOS with universal versions compatible with both the iPhone and iPod touch. Though originally released for the larger iPad, you can now use the iOS-flavored iWork to create and edit word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation files on Apple's pocket-sized mobile devices.
iWork includes Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, and Apple developed iPad versions when the device was originally launched in April 2010. When we reviewed the apps then, we noted that the iPad's 10" touchscreen worked pretty well and that Apple had done a fairly impressive job of translating the desktop apps to its tablet. However, we also warned that its formatting limitations, awkward file access, and inability to print were likely to be serious problems for most users.
Apple has since improved file access a bit by adding iDisk support and adding AirPrint to iOS, which allows wireless printing to a select few HP printers. And while Apple has apparently done a lot of work to shoehorn iWork's iPad interface onto the 3.5" screen of the iPhone, users are likely to run into those same limitations we outlined last year.
You can open files created in iWork for Mac or corresponding Microsoft Office applications, edit them, and even send the changes back to the desktop. However, formatting can get bungled in the process, and performing anything other than minor edits using the iPhone or iPod touch's tiny keyboard would probably give even the most ardent smartphone typist a headache. The new iWork versions are compatible with the iPhone 3GS and third-gen iPod touch, though a comment from Apple SVP Phil Schiller seems to suggest the small-screen versions work best with Retina display devices.
"The incredible Retina display, revolutionary Multi-Touch interface and our powerful software make it easy to create, edit, organize and share all of your documents from iPhone 4 or iPod touch," Schiller said in a statement.
Still, the ability to edit office-type documents right from your phone is pretty impressive in and of itself, and we imagine it could come in handy in emergency situations. We think Apple went in the right direction by building universal apps, so users that already have the iPad versions can get the new iPhone version as a free update.
All three updated apps—Pages, Numbers, and Keynote—are available now in the App Store for $9.99 each, or as a free update to existing users.
nitya007's
|
Saturday, May 21, 2011
|
Technology
|
You'd hope an app with a hefty $16.99 pricetag would have a lot of features. Fortunately, Quickoffice Pro HD has the guns to back up the expense. Essentially a cloud-based Office suite, you hook up your Google Docs, Dropbox, Box, or MobileMe accounts to QuickOffice, and then you can create, access and share Word, Excel, and Powerpoint documents. One of my favorite features in QuickOffice is its speech recognition, so if you aren't comfortable with typing on a tablet yet, and you don't have a bluetooth keyboard, you can dictate blocks of text.
Spectral Souls
Another expensive app at $14.76, Spectral Souls is a full-scale tactical role playing game that shines especially brightly because it's exclusive to Android. Android doesn't yet have anything quite as graphically mind-blowing as Infinity Blade on iOS, but Spectral Souls is no less impressive thanks to its sheer size. Hyperdevbox Studio says it has "hundreds of hours" of gameplay, 82 characters, and 52 different soundtracks.
The first third-party Android exclusive browser has gained lots of traction since debuting on Android 1.6 late last year, garnering more than a million downloads since that time. This tablet-centric version has a big, clean UI, and supports the use of plug-ins such as Adobe Flash. It is a solid alternative browser, and we're quite big fans of those.
Opera Mobile 11
Speaking of alternative browsers, Opera users have a full Honeycomb-compatible version of Opera Mobile 11 that delivers the familiar Opera experience with general reliability, although like other Android versions of Opera, it is comparatively a very large application download.
Electrum
This lightweight and affordable drum machine application has been around for more than two years and has gotten a UI overhaul for Honeycomb tablets. It's a good app for what I like to call "junk musicians," or people who don't need a full production suite with oodles of plug-ins, and who are quite satisfied with the ability to build their own sample set and then sequence it.
Newsr
Chris Stewart, the maker of Tweetcomb, made Google Reader app Newsr in an admirably clean and simple fashion. First, there's no linking out; all content, including flash video, is kept inside the text window on the right side of the interface, and articles can be shared via bluetooth, email, Facebook or Twitter all from within the app. Google Reader is a good way to centrally store RSS feeds, but has never had the best interface. This is definitely an improvement.
Drawing Pad
There are a couple of drawing applications for Android tablets, but none has the beautiful interface of Drawing Pad. Tools show up exactly as they could in real life, so if you want to paint with brushes, a drawer full of color-daubed brushes opens; if you want colored pencils, a drawer full of them opens up. It's very appealing, and makes the app a lot more fun to use than others on the platform.
Google Body
It's hard to believe this is a free app. You're presented with a zoomable, scalable 3D rendering of a human body which can be viewed as different layers (bones, muscle, circulatory, etc) or can be searched like a map of named body parts. On the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, this app is as smooth and fast as can be.
Android Movie Studio
Unveiled just four months ago, the first video editing package for Android is extremely exciting. It's got fewer features than Windows Live Movie Maker and iMovie, but the fact that you can capture a video right on your Android device, then apply filters, titles and music to it, and directly upload it to YouTube really brings new meaning to "in-camera edit."
Angry Rirds Rio
Let's face it, any mobile application top ten is going to find a way to include Angry Birds if it wants to be genuine. It's the Citizen Kane of mobile gaming. But sequel Angry Birds Rio is worthy of being included as well because it's essentially the same game with other animals as targets instead of pigs, and it looks and handles beautifully on Honeycomb tablets like the Galaxy Tab 10.1.
Big Disappointments
Bank of America Mobile Banking
This application has been downloaded five million times, yet it only supports the old Android screen size profiles, so what you see in the image above is what you'll see on your Honeycomb tablet. Furthermore, with the most recent update, Motorola Atrix users began complaining that the app didn't work for them, and it has not been fixed or addressed yet. It's odd that one of the United States' biggest consumer financial institutions should have such a poorly supported mobile banking application.
Chuzzle
This PopCap title is noteworthy because it's an exclusive to Amazon's Appstore for Android. Unfortunately it lacks support for ANY Android Tablets. That isn't to say it doesn't work, it just is not formatted to fit the screen, so you will be able to play the game, but all the effects and layers are in all the wrong places. The main reason it is so disappointing is that it's a featured download on the front page of the Amazon Appstore, and it was the free download of the day while Google I/O was going on, meaning a big chunk of new Android tablet owners tried to get it, only to be disappointed by the lack of support.
MMRDA planned to install WiFi-enabled Internet connectivity on flyovers, but police fear that they can be used by anti-national elements to spread terror
HTC has launched the HTC Salsa, it's "Facebook phone" in India.
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — How do you write a new constitution in the 21st century? You go where the people are -- online. That was the decision of tiny but tech-savvy Iceland, which is overhauling its constitution in the wake of an economic catastrophe, and has turned to the Internet to get input from citizens. 
Looks like the Federal Communications Commission wants a lot more data from AT&T before the agency will green light its bid to acquire T-Mobile. The FCC has posted no less than 50 questions for the telco, asking the wireless giant to defend the very first claim that its public interest statement makes in defense of the marriage.
Samsung's latest maneuver in what appears will be a long, drawn-out legal battle with Apple over mobile device copying is a bold one. The company filed a "reciprocal expedited discovery request" asking to see samples of Apple's expected, though unannounced, next-generation iPhone and iPad hardware.
You'd hope an app with a hefty $16.99 pricetag would have a lot of features. Fortunately, Quickoffice Pro HD has the guns to back up the expense. Essentially a cloud-based Office suite, you hook up your Google Docs, Dropbox, Box, or MobileMe accounts to QuickOffice, and then you can create, access and share Word, Excel, and Powerpoint documents. One of my favorite features in QuickOffice is its speech recognition, so if you aren't comfortable with typing on a tablet yet, and you don't have a bluetooth keyboard, you can dictate blocks of text.
