Technology
Google doodle celebrates Hertz birthday
Feb 22nd
Google’s latest addition to their animated doodles, celebrates Heinrich Hertz’ 155th birthday. A German physicist, his experiments led to the discovery of electromagnetic waves which ultimately led to the development of the radio and the wireless telegraph.
Born in Hamburg, he was first apprenticed as a jeweler. He displayed remarkable aptitude for the sciences and not to mention, Arabic and Sanskrit. A true genius, he easily grasped the dynamics of physics while very young; he later enrolled to study the subject in Berlin.
At the age of 22, he earned his PHd – on electromagnetic induction in rotating spheres – from the University of Berlin. TWhen Hertz took up the position of a professor at Karlsruhe Technische Hochschule in 1885, he turned his attention to open electrical circuits. He demonstrated electromagnetic induction using a condenser discharging through an open loop.
In the course of doing this, he noticed something quite unfamiliar; something that he had never dealt with before – the emergence of ‘side-sparks’ in another nearby loop.
There, in Berlin, in 1886, he successfully generated and detected electromagnetic radiation – a feat that was not quite so simple but, seemed simple enough for the young 29-year-old physicist. By 1888, demonstrated that the electromagnetic emissions associated with these sparks behaved like waves.
The astounding discovery answered so many unanswered questions! It clarified and added new dimensions to the theory of electromagnetism that had been put forth by the British physicist James Clerk Maxwell in 1884.
Hertz’s name is now the common term used for radio and electrical frequencies – in hertz (Hz), kilohertz (kHz) and megahertz (MHz).
Heinrich Hertz died in Bonn, Germany in 1894 after being detected with Wegener’s granulomatosis, a disorder in which blood vessels become inflamed, and subsequently effetcs the nose, lungs and kidneys. He was buried in Ohlsdorf, Hamburg.
Source : http://gadgets.ndtv.com/shownews.aspx?id=GADEN20120194980
No word from Govt on restrictions: Aakash tablet maker
Feb 22nd
NEW DELHI: Datawind, maker of Aakash,touted as world’s cheapest computer tablet meant for Indian students, on Tuesday said it has not recevied any communication from the HRD Ministry restricting the company from bidding for new orders.
“Datawind would like to state that we have not been informed officially or unofficially by the Ministry of HRD of anything restricting us to participate in the next tender,” Datawind said in a statement here.
Earlier, Communications and IT Minister Kapil Sibal had said that government has brought in C-DAC and ITI for production of a fully indigenous version of the Aakash tablet.
The tablet was sold to the government for Rs 2,276 when it was launched with much fanfare on October 5. However,there was some quality issues with the product.
“There have been some problem with Datawind, I must confess. Therefore, I have got into the act. IT Ministry has got C-DAC and ITI into the act and I am going to ensure that this product is fully indigenous and truly an Indian product,” Sibal had said.
Samsung ahead of Nokia on Facebook, Twitter: Study
Feb 20th
NEW DELHI: Samsung mobile and Ford have emerged to be more popular than illustrious rivals like Nokia and Maruti Suzuki, respectively, on social media platforms in India, according to findings of NM Incite, a Nielsen-McKinsey company.
As per a study by NM Incite, Samsung mobile is on top of consumers’ mind on various social media, including Facebook, Twitter and other on line sites, ahead of other brands as they discussed about the Android platform.
Interestingly, the Apple Inc’s iPhone came at 61st position in the study, which stated: “As per parameters, one key criteria was fans and followers on official social media pages, and it was observed that the iPhone did not have an official page to accurately measure this number.”
Ford India is ranked second in the overall list ahead of five other brands–Maruti Suzuki (3rd), Mahindra & Mahindra (6th), Volkswagen India (8th), Hyundai Motor India (11th) and BMW India (19th)–that figured in the top 20 position.
“Automotive’s prominent showing is driven by large number of followers on social media platforms, lots of product reviews and consumers sharing photographs and tips related to their experiences,” the survey said.
Ford India enjoys very high positive sentiment than other auto brands. Ford enjoys lot of positive response from consumers on social media, especially with reference to the company’s after sale services.
The telecom sector overall also registered a strong presence in the list of top 20 brands creating positive buzz with popular names like LG Electronics (7th), Sony Ericsson (10th), Nokia (13th) and HTC (17th), the study said.
Telecom service provider Airtel was at 14th position, followed by Vodafone (15th) and Tata Docomo (16th).
Despite that the brand made it to the top 100 list, purely on the basis of conversation in other forums and blogs etc, it added.
The first ever Social Media Brand Equity Ranking (SMBER) index by NM Incite ranked Nike and Flipkart on number fourth and fifth respectively.
Sportswear maker Nike ranked fourth on the index on the basis of positive sentiment and cross-platform buzz for its ‘Bleed Blue’ campaign for the ICC World Cup (2011).
E-commerce platform Flipkart, ranked at number 5, has a high buzz volume on on line social forums, Facebook and Twitter, giving it a distinctive edge over similar sites in India.
Channel V made it to the 9th position on the SMBER, and is the only brand from the media entertainment industry.
In the FMCG segment, only Nestle’s Maggi scored 12th position.
The SMBER analysis covers the social media buzz from the period of 1st January to 31st December 2011 for 400 brands in India.
“The SMBER index answers some critical questions for a brand, based on engagement with company owned social media platforms, as well as the consumer’s conversation on the brand across the platforms,” Nielsen Media (India) Managing Director Farshad Family said.
The survey incorporates all the metrics that define a brand’s social media presence.
Interestingly brands in sectors like banking and financial services, insurance, airlines, and quick-serve restaurants did not make it into the top 20 ranking due to high levels of did not make it into the top 20 ranking due to high levels of dissatisfaction with customer service voiced on social media forums.
RBI allows non-banks to set up ATMs, lays draft guidelines
Feb 17th
Moneycontrol Bureau
In a bid to expand the reach of banking services, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed non-bank entities to open White-Label ATMs (WLA) across India in-line with developed countries. The regulator has also laid down draft guidelines to set up and operate those ATMs. Side by side, this move will ensure fast-paced growth of the automated teller machines with involvement of corporates.
“RBI has reviewed the extant policy on ATMs and it has been decided to permit non-banks to set up, own and operate ATMs to accelerate growth and penetration of ATMs in the country. Such ATMs will be in the nature of White-Label ATMs and would provide ATM services to customers of all banks,” the RBI said in a release.
“This move is aimed at benefiting customers who will have greater access to banking services,” an executive director from a public sector bank told Moneycontrol.com on condition of anonymity. “At the same time, banks will earn fee income from the WLA operators. However, banks will not stop expanding their own ATM networks in a cost-effective manner,” he said.
So far, ATMs have been growing at 30% year-on-year since 2008. Currently, there are approximately 87,000 ATMs in the country. This is considered to be less in comparison with other countries. Smaller cities and towns (read unbanked/under-banked areas) have not seen much growth in the ATM space.
What is a WLA?
Unlike regular ATMs, WLAs are not directly owned by individual banks. Any non-bank entity, be it a large corporate group (eg. Tata or Reliance) or any individual company can apply to the RBI to open those ATMs. However, companies will not have direct access to core-banking operations. Customers need to pay a fee for withdrawing/depositing money from such ATMs. It will be displayed in the ATM screen.
According to the draft guidelines, a WLA operator has to choose a “sponsor bank” who will serve as the settlement bank for all service transactions at those ATMs. This means, the WLA operator has to open a settlement account with the sponsor bank and also, it will fund the account. The sponsor bank has to be a member of one of the ATM-sharing networks (read consortiums). Currently, there are two such consortiums: National Payment Corporation of India and Cash Tree led by Bank of India.
The RBI mandates that the applying WLA operator must have a minimum net worth of Rs 100 crore. According to industry experts, telecom and retail companies are more likely to apply for setting up WLAs.
“Only cards issued by banks would be permitted to be used at the WLAs to start with. Acceptance of deposits at the WLA site into the account of the WLA operator or in any other account indicated by it shall not be permitted,” RBI said.
A WLA operator would also be allowed to earn extra revenue through advertisement placed on such ATMs.
The primary responsibility to redress any customer complaint relating to failed ATM transaction will rest with the issuing bank with necessary support to be given by the sponsor bank.
Samsung announces three dual SIM smartphones
Feb 16th
Samsung on Wednesday announced its first dual SIM smartphones in the Indian market – the Galaxy Ace Duos (SCH-i589), Galaxy Y Pro Duos (GT B5512) and Galaxy Y Duos (GT-S6102). The company also strengthened its feature dual SIM portfolio with the new Samsung Champ Deluxe Duos (C3312) and Star 3 Duos (GT-S5222).
“We are very proud and delighted to announce the launch of these innovative hybrid mobile devices. These devices combine the effectiveness of all the smartphone features and at the same time give consumers a unique opportunity to maintain their work life balance. With the increasing demand for being connected 24×7 and yet maintaining a personal life balance, these innovative dual SIM smartphones enable the mobile consumers to be socially networked through their phones anytime, anywhere, and at the same time separate their personal life from their professional life,” said Ranjit Yadav, country head of mobile and IT at Samsung India.
Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos
The Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos comes with dual SIM dual active technology that allows consumers to be reachable on their CDMA and GSM numbers all the time. With an 832 MHz processor, this device offers users fast data processing and the ability to use multiple applications at the same time, along with a smooth web browsing experience. It is based on Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system.
The device has an 8.89 cm HVGA display and also EvDO Rev A capability, which enables data download at super fast speeds of 3.1 Mbps over CDMA. Galaxy Ace Duos comes with a powerful 1650 mAh battery that allows users to enjoy seven hours of talktime. The Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos is priced at Rs 16,900.
Galaxy Y Pro Duos
Galaxy Y Pro Duos (GT B5512) is an Android based dual SIM device with a Qwerty keypad. With WiFi direct and BT 3.0 support, the device offers improved connectivity and enhanced productivity with a touchscreen and optical track pad. With the increasing necessity to stay connected, the device supports Social Hub Premium.
The smartphone has a 6.5 cm LQVGA, capacitive touchscreen, a 3 megapixel fixed focus rear camera and a VGA front camera for video telephony, and a 1350 mAh battery. Samsung Galaxy Y Pro is priced at Rs 11,090.
Samsung Galaxy Y Duos
Samsung Galaxy Y Duos (GT-S6102) is Samsung’s first full touch dual SIM device. It can be used for data and calls simultaneously. The device comes uploaded with Social Hub and Samsung messenger ChatOn. With a QVGA resolution 3.14 inch screen and 832 MHz processor, the device offers spacious viewing and speedy performance.
The Galaxy Y Duos is priced at Rs 10,490.
Samsung Champ Deluxe Duos
Samsung Champ Deluxe Duos (C3312) is a powerful, yet compact device. Its slew of features, such as virtual Qwerty, Hindi language input, native Facebook and Twitter apps, and messengers that include Yahoo, MSN and GTalk, make it an extremely appealing device. In addition, it comes with Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity at 24 Mbps, push mail with Activesync and Opera Mini browser. ChatOn (Samsung’s messenger service) is also available on the phone.
The 1.3 megapixel camera, MP3 player, FM radio and 3.5 mm ear jack make sure that the user has an entertaining multimedia experience. The device is priced at Rs 4,790.
Samsung Star 3 Duos
The full touch Samsung Star 3 Duos is a feature rich device with easy social connectivity. The device comes loaded with features such as push IM (ChatOn, mFluent), Native SNS (Facebook, Twitter), weather widget, push email (EAS), POP3 email with WDS easy email setup, dictionary and Hindi language input (via a 3×4 keypad).
The device has a 3.0 inch QVGA TFT with C-TSP, a 3 megapixel camera and 1000 mAh battery, and costs Rs 6,290.
“We are looking at creating a new segment in the smartphone market by launching our new range of dual SIM smartphones and at the same time, we hope to further consolidate our leadership in the smartphone market in India,” added Yadav. With the launch of these smartphones, Samsung has 16 smartphone models priced between Rs 7,360 to Rs 38,250.
Inflaming Trademark Dispute, Second City in China Halts Sales of the iPad
Feb 15th
BEIJING — The authorities in a second Chinese city have begun seizing iPads from local retailers in an escalating trademark dispute between Apple and an insolvent maker of computer displays, Proview Technology.
The tablet computers are under “temporary impoundment” from retailers in Xuzhou, a city of 1.8 million people in coastal Jiangsu Province, Ma Dongxiao, a lawyer for Proview’s creditors and the company, said by telephone. State-owned CCTV television confirmed the seizures in Xuzhou.
The seizures follow a ruling in December in which a court in Shenzhen dismissed Apple’s contention that it owned the iPad name in China. Proview later asked the authorities in more than 20 Chinese cities to investigative whether iPads were being sold after the ruling, Mr. Ma said, a move that allows the authorities to impound the tablets until their inquiries are complete.
News reports Monday said that about 45 iPads had been confiscated from outlets in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province, about 265 kilometers, or 165 miles, southwest of Beijing. Reports on the Chinese microblogging service Sina Weibo said that other retailers had removed iPads from displays, though some were selling them under the counter.
Proview has also made a filing with the General Administration of Customs in China, Mr. Ma said, putting Apple on notice that the company could seek to block the export of iPads, should Proview’s ownership claims be upheld.
In effect, the seizures and the filing are warnings by Proview of the havoc it could wreak unless Apple agrees to pay a large fee to settle the trademark fight.
The Chinese government is widely accused of ignoring what foreign intellectual property experts call the rampant theft of patents, trademarks and other creations like Hollywood films and computer software.
Paradoxically, however, China’s own intellectual property laws are so sweeping that they allow the government to ban the worldwide sale of any made-in-China product that is found to violate a Chinese patent, trademark or other protection. Tens of millions of iPads have been manufactured in plants in Chengdu and Shenzhen since the tablet was introduced in April 2010.
Moreover, because Chinese courts answer to the Communist Party, rulings can frequently be swayed by politics, personal relationships and other factors.
“It’s the wild, wild East,” one lawyer said of China’s intellectual property environment in an interview Tuesday. The lawyer, who refused to be identified for fear of recrimination by government officials, said that a rush by foreign companies to shift manufacturing to China had left them exposed to draconian remedies not just in legitimate disputes, but in lawsuits brought by so-called trolls, who seek to exploit dubious property claims to extort settlements from global brands.
“You can’t afford to lose a case in China,” said the lawyer.
Some specialists have called it unlikely that the Chinese government will shut down exports by a major multinational company, even one that lost an intellectual property case, because of the potential for diplomatic repercussions and an exodus of foreign corporations unwilling to put their operations at risk.
A spokesman for Apple could not be reached, but in the past the company has refused to comment on the dispute.
Proview, based in Hong Kong, was once one of the world’s biggest makers of computer displays. But it fell into financial difficulties and was delisted by the Hong Kong stock exchange in 2010.
Proview trademarked the name IPAD in several countries in 2000, intending to use it for a Web-capable hand-held device, but the project was scrapped, said Mr. Ma, the lawyer for the company. Apple bought the rights to the name from a subsidiary in Taiwan in 2009.
Proview now contends that that sale did not cover its Shenzhen subsidiary, which had registered the trademark in China. The Shenzhen court rejected Apple’s argument against that in December, but Apple is appealing that ruling. Proview has filed another lawsuit in Shanghai; arguments in that case will be heard this month, Mr. Ma said.
Mr. Ma declined to say how much money the company and its creditors were seeking from Apple but said they were willing to settle the case “in or outside of court.”
EU approves Google’s takeover of Motorola
Feb 14th
BRUSSELS, Belgium — Google’s $12.5-billion acquisition of cellphone maker Motorola Mobility have won approvals from U.S. and European antitrust regulators, moving Google a major step closer to completing the biggest deal in its 13-year history.
The blessings mean Google Inc. just needs to clear a few more regulatory hurdles before it can take control of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. and expand into manufacturing phones, tablet computers and possibly other consumer devices for the first time.
Google is counting on Motorola Mobility’s more than 17,000 patents — a crucial weapon in an intellectual arms race with Apple, Microsoft and other rivals to gain more control over smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.
The Justice Department ended a six-month review of the deal after concluding it won’t stifle competition in the mobile device market. European regulators reached the same conclusion.
In granting its approval, though, the European Union raised concerns about Motorola’s aggressive enforcement of its patents. EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said regulators will “keep a close eye on the behaviour of all market players in the sector, particularly the increasingly strategic use of patents.”
Google still needs government approvals in the China, Taiwan and Israel.
The main concerns are believed to revolve around Google’s Android operating system, free software that now powers more than 250 million mobile devices made by a variety of manufacturers, including Motorola Mobility. Competition could be hurt if Google gives Motorola Mobility the most advanced versions of Android or withholds the mobile software from other cellphone makers.
Google, though, has pledged to make Android available to all its mobile partners. Even if Google were to discriminate, cellphone makers still could rely on mobile software from Microsoft Corp., Research in Motion Ltd. (TSX:RIM) and Hewlett-Packard Co., among others.
Almunia said in a statement Monday that EU regulators didn’t believe the deal would diminish competition.
“This is an important milestone in the approval process and it moves us closer to closing the deal,” Don Harrison, Google’s deputy general counsel wrote in a blog post
Without setting a specific timetable, Google has expressed confidence it will be able to take over Motorola Mobility early this year.
It already has been six months since Google announced plans to buy Motorola Mobility, which has been struggling as Apple’s iPhone and other smartphones made by rivals such as Samsung Electronics overshadowed its line of products.
The regulatory reviews in U.S. and Europe have come as regulators also have been conducting a broader inquiry into whether Google has been abusing its dominance in Internet search to hobble its rivals. Those investigations are still ongoing.
Getting China’s approval of the Motorola Mobility deal may prove to be the biggest hurdle. Google’s relationship with China’s ruling party has been on shaky ground since the company blamed hackers in that country for breaking into its computers two years ago. The breach prompted Google to move its Internet search engine from mainland China in protest of laws requiring some results to be censored.
Motorola Mobility’s $12.5-billion price is more than the combined amount that Google has paid for the 185 other acquisitions it has completed since going public in 2004.
The EU decided to treat its examination of Google’s Motorola Mobility acquisition separately, even as it raised concerns about Motorola’s aggressive patent enforcement.
Earlier this month, the Commission launched an investigation into whether Samsung is using some of its key patents to hinder competitors. Like Motorola, Google is also locked in a legal battle with Apple Inc., claiming the maker of the iPad and iPhone is using some of its patents without permission. At the time, Almunia’s office indicated that similar investigations against over companies may follow.
The European regulators see no danger that Google will prevent other device makers from using its popular Android operating system after the takeover.
“Android helps to drive the spread of Google’s other services,” the Commission said. “Given that Google’s core business model is to push its online and mobile services and software to the widest possible audience, it is unlikely that Google would restrict the use of Android solely to Motorola,” which only has a small market share in Europe.
Google’s stock rose $6.29, or 1 per cent, to close Monday at $612.20. Motorola Mobility’s gained 18 cents to $39.63. Google is based in Mountain View, Calif., while Motorola Mobility has its headquarters in Libertyville, Ill.
Microsoft India online store hacked
Feb 13th
Microsoft’s online store in India has been hacked. The site, http://www.microsoftstore.co.in/, is now offline but reports on the Internet indicate that the ‘Chinese Evil Shadow Team’ has taken credit for this hack. The hackers have access to usernames and passwords that were stored in plain text and were not encrypted thereby making it really easy for them to obtain the data.
As per The Verge, Quasar Media has been ‘appointed by Microsoft to own, maintain and operate the online store.’ As of writing this article, the Microsoft online store is still down.
Visiting the website now gives the following message: The Microsoft Store India is currently unavailable. Microsoft is working to restore access as quickly as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
In the past we have seen loss of a lot of user data especially with the Sony PlayStation hack, which was the highlight of 2011.
Source : http://gadgets.ndtv.com/shownews.aspx?id=GADEN20120194334&Sec=NEWS&nid=175747
