New technology that can 'replace' internet

A new project has been launched that could replace the internet.

The ambitious project, Bitcloud, aims to provide services currently controlled byinternet service providers ( ISPs) and corporations. The project is based on the same methods used to mine bitcoins.

According to the BBC, individuals would perform tasks such as storing, routing and providing bandwidth, in return for payment.

The founders are searching for developers for the project, adding that they will start by decentralising the current internet, and then create a new internet to replace it.

According to the report, like bitcoin miners provide computing power and are rewarded for solving complex mathematical equations with the virtual currency, so individual net users would be rewarded based on how much bandwidth they contribute to the Bitcloud network.

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India to have 155 mn mobile Internet users by March: IAMAI

The number of users accessing the web on their mobile handsets in India is expected to reach 155 million by March this year, according to the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

This number is further expected to grow to 185 million by June, 2014.

"The number of mobile internet users is going to reach 155 million in India by the end of March 2014, and 185 million by June 2014, maintaining a quarter-on-quarter growth of 20 per cent," a report by IAMAI and IMRB International said.

At the end of December 2013, the number of mobile internet users stood at 130 million as against a userbase of 110 million in October 2013.

According to the report, the number of mobile Internet users in urban India is expected to grow from 103 million in December 2013 to 126 million in March 2014 and further touch 153 million by June.

Rural India, though accounting for the smaller share, is also expected to register strong growth to touch 32 million users (in June 2014) from 27 million in December 2013.

The report also found that the average revenue per user (ARPU) has dropped to Rs 387 from Rs 460 in 2012.

However, the percentage amount spent on mobile Internet has gone up to 45 per cent in 2013 from 43 per cent in the previous year.

Also, 35 per cent of the mobile Internet users are spending between Rs 100 and Rs 500 monthly on their phone expenses.

While nine per cent are believed to be spending over Rs 500, six per cent are spending less than Rs 100 every month, the report said.

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Unbreakable smartphones coming soon

Unbreakable rubber-like smart phones, roll able tablets and functional clothing have come closer to reality, thanks to new breakthrough research by scientists including one of Indian-origin.

Researchers from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) RMIT University have developed a new method to transfer electronics with versatile functionality, which are usually made on rigid silicon, onto a flexible surface.

The ability of micro and nano-electronic devices to sense, insulate or generate energy is controlled by thin, transparent nanolayers of oxide materials, often much thinner than 1/100th of a human hair.

These oxide materials are brittle and their high processing temperatures - often in excess of 300 degrees Celsius - have until now prevented their incorporation in flexible electronic devices.

Lead author, Philipp Gutruf, said the new process could unleash the potential of fully functional flexible electronics, while providing a new way for the materials to mesh together.

"We have discovered a micro-tectonic effect, where micro scale plates of oxide materials slide over each other, like geological plates, to relieve stress and retain electrical conductivity," he said.

"The novel method we have developed overcomes the challenges of incorporating oxide materials in bendable electronic devices, paving the way for bendable consumer electronics and other exciting applications," said Gutruf.

Supervisor and co-leader of the research group, Dr Madhu Bhaskaran, said the new approach used two popular materials - transparent conductive indium tin oxide and rubber-like silicone which is also biocompatible.

"The ability to combine any functional oxide with this biocompatible material creates the potential for biomedical devices to monitor or stimulate nerve cells and organs. This is in addition to the immediate potential for consumer electronics applications in flexible displays, solar cells, and energy harvesters," said Bhaskaran.

The study was published in the journal Asia Materials.

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Yahoo! Hack India to be held in Hyderabad

NEW DELHI: Programmers, developers, designers across the industry and student stop technical universities in India will gather at Hyderabad for a two-day hacking event.

Over 1,000 developers across 20 states had signed up to participate in the sixth edition of "Yahoo! Hack India"July 13, of which 250 best hackers have been selected after an entry-level coding challenge.

"These hackers will now participate in the two-day event which brings forth a series of technical workshops, followed by a nonstop 24-hour coding Hackathon on July 13 and 14," a statement said.

For the first time, Yahoo! Hack India is being organized in cyber city Hyderabad. This will be Yahoo!'s first hack event in India hosted outside Bangalore,Yahoo! has its second largest research and development centre.

Due to overwhelming response developers across India in the last five years, Yahoo! had decided to expand this hack events to cover more Indian cities over the next few years.

"This year will see two external hack events by Yahoo! in India, one in Hyderabad and another in Bangalore later in this year. The event brings together programmers, developers, designers across the industry, start ups and students the top technical universities," it said.

"Hackers team up to turn their ideas into a working prototype, or hack, as it's called in just 24 hours. It gives developers a chance to work together and build applications and product ideas scratch using market-leading technologies Yahoo! as well as other technologies, to develop something cool that can potentially solve a real-world problem that impacts Internet users," it said.

The two-day event involves a hacking competition using a great collection of new web tools, services and APIsBSE 0.00 % ( Application Programmable Interface), as well as data around the web.

Yahoo! Open Hack was started as an internal event in 2006 at Yahoo! headquarters in Sunnyvale, US with an aim to bring the Yahoo! developers together. So far, Open Hack has been hosted in seven countries with representation over 30 countries.

The first Open Hack in India was hosted way back in 2007, which was attended by 180 developers in and around Bangalore.

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Infosys is my life: SD Shibulal

Despite the solid performance in first quarter of the current fiscal year, Infosys has adopted a "cautiously optimistic" stance and left its full-year growth forecast unchanged. In the third quarter of the last fiscal also, the Bangalore-based company delivered a surprisingly robust performance, only to slump back in the quarter after that.

Acknowledging the volatility in performance, in an interview with N Shivapriya and Akanksha Prasad, chief executive officer SD Shibulal cautioned against drawing conclusions about a secular trend based on a single quarter's performance. While he described analysts as "experts", Shibulal refused to comment on why they are getting Infosys estimates wrong quarter after quarter. Edited excerpts:

In the last three quarters, including this one, analyst forecasts have failed to get Infosys' performance right. In your view, why is this happening?

Our performance has been volatile in the last few quarters. Even at the end of Q3, we said that a single quarter's performance cannot be taken as a secular trend. This quarter we have done reasonably well and we have not changed our guidance. We have a few challenges which we are trying to address - high quality growth is one of them, plus there are also challenges on the cost side because salary increases will have an impact. We have to mitigate these through various methods. I do not want to comment about why analysts are getting it wrong; they are the experts. I do acknowledge that our performance has been volatile. This is one of the reasons why we are optimistically cautious and have not changed our guidance. Our guidance is a statement of fact and not a statement of hope.

Does this quarter's performance feela vindication for you?

If we look at this quarter, we have achieved 2.7% growth. On constant currency, the growth is around 3.4%, which means we lost around $40 million due to currency volatility for the quarter.

You referred to certain steps the company undertook earlier that are showing results now. What are they?

Part of the overall Infosys 3.0 strategy was to grow the consulting and system integration business, which is now strong. The second aim was to achieve balanced growth. The Business IT Services division was growing below the company's average, so we brought in a lot of focus into that segment. Our target is to bring it on a par with the company's growth rate although as a percentage of the overall revenue it may not increase because other divisions are growing faster.

What is your strategy to win large deals?

We are working on multi-tower solutions and alliancesthe one we have with IPSoft. Since business IT services is price sensitive, we need to ensure that we bring tools, automation, and operational efficiency. It is tough to balance margins and growth, but we have done it for many years and we will do it again.

What are some of the changes you are making?

There have been changes and it is part of the overall strategy. Despite competition getting aggressive and poaching people, in the last two years, we increased our sales force800 to 1,200. It depends on the way you look at the glass - half full or half empty.

For Narayana Murthy, Infosys isa middle child. What is Infosys to you?

For me, Infosys is life. Most of my life has been spent here.

With your term ending in 2015, has the company set in motion the succession planning process?

We have a nominations committee, which has the responsibility for it. They are looking at it.

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Your car may soon talk to your mobile

CHENNAI: An entertainment and communication console that seamlessly connects the phone with the car? The mobile phone-enabled 'integrated' system is a given in many high-end luxury cars but after the Ford EcoSport, the trend is now finding converts in mass market cars as well. As the mobile becomes a one-stop entertainment-cum-communication device, car companies are looking at ways to extend that connectivity to the vehicle too.

Not a cheap technology, this has so far been the premise of high-end cars including the just-launched Mercedes-Benz A-Class. But after the Ford EcoSport's SYNC system, more volume car makers are starting to wonder if the technology can come to less pricey brands in India.

Said Kenichiro Yomura, president & CEO, Nissan Motor India: "We are studying that kind of possibility and will definitely try to introduce those sort of features in India. In Japan we have the 'CarWings' (vehicle telematics) system which allows you to communicate between the car and the service centre for example. We provide this option in many models in Japan because scale makes the technology affordable and we are studying to see if it will work for India as well."

Ford and Nissan aren't the only volume car brands that are looking at bluetooth and telematics as the ultimate bells and whistles for car buyers. General Motors India packs in bluetooth, USB port and an MP3 (though no telematics) player as part of its entertainment package for the Sail hatchback and notchback and the Cruze and Captiva. Vehicle telematics is already a favoured option in a number of high-end cars. The Honda CRV and Accord for instance come with bluetooth interface.

Ditto for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class on which the iPhone can be synced seamlessly offering music playback on the head unit, audio streaming and text messages are displayed in the CD display if the bluetooth message access profile (MAP) is supported by the mobile phone.

Said Mercedes-Benz MD & CEO Eberhard Kern: "The bluetooth and phone compatibility option is standard in the A Class and it allows you to play musicyour iPhone and use the contact list to make calls etc. It's a seamless integration of entertainment and communication between the phone and the car."

Car manufacturers have been tying up with software makers to integrate the mobile with the car, making the car an extension of the entertainment-cum- communication devise . Ford for instance is working with Microsoft globally which has powered its SYNC integrated communication and entertainment technology for the EcoSport. Apple reportedly announced at its developers' meet last month that it plans to link its iOS7 mobile operating system with the techentertainment systems of passenger cars.

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Google planning to kill passwords

Web giant Google is researching to build a more secure hardware device which in future can be used to login to a computer or an online account, thus eliminating the need for a password.

Designed in the shape of rings which can be worn on fingers, these hardware devices will aid in logging in to a computer or online account.

The search engine first revealed its plans to put an end to passwords in an academic paper published online in January.

The effort focused on having people plug a small USB key that provides their credentials into a computer.

The possibility of using special jewelry in a similar manner was mentioned in that paper.

According to Google's principal engineer, who specializes in security, Mayank Upadhyay at the RSA security conference in San Francisco last week, "Using personal hardware to log in would remove the dangers of people reusing passwords or writing them down."

"Everyone is familiar with an ATM. What if you could use the same experience with a computer?" Upadhyay said, adding that Google's trial was focused on a slim USB key that performs a cryptographic transaction with an online service to prove the key's validity when it's plugged into a computer.

The key also has a contactless chip inside so that it can be used to log in via mobile devices. Tokens like the ones Google is testing do not contain a static password that could be copied.

The cryptographic key unique to the device is stored inside and is never transmitted.

When the key is plugged in, it proves its validity by correctly responding to a mathematical challenge posed by the online service it is being used to log into, in a way that doesn't produce any information that could be used to log in again.

Google is already talking with other companies to lay the groundwork for using the technology to access different services and websites.

"It's extremely early stages, and we're trying to get more partners," said Upadhyay.

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Goa students to get tablets, notebooks for Rs 25

Students in Goa can now get a tablet PC or a notebook for just Rs 25.

The digital largesse is a part of the Goa government education department's initiative to familiarise Class V and VII students with computers in order to "prepare them for the life ahead and get them curious about the e-systems", according to additional director education Anil Powar.

"General category students will have to pay only Rs.25 while SC and ST students will have to pay Rs.10 to register for the scheme," Powar told reporters here Tuesday.

The official said that the state government was making arrangements for purchasing nearly 50,000 notebooks and tablet PCs for distribution.

"All the computers will have a special e-learning packages. After a day in class, the students will now be able to revise their tutions at home over the tablets," Powar said, adding that a provision of Rs.95 crore had already been made for the purchase of the computers in the last budget presented by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

All the systems will have inbuilt security systems installed to ensure that the computers are not misused for pornographic purposes and other controversial web applications, but the education department will also take an undertaking from the student's parents before handing over the computers.

"It is a no objection certificate saying they are OK with us giving them the computers. The parents should also be in a position to both goad the students to logging onto the right websites," he said.

The Goa government was the first state government in the country to give out free laptops to students over a decade ago.

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Internet rates may go up

Industry body ISPAI said that rates of internet and broadband services may go up under new licenses framework due to high entry fee proposed by Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

DoT has proposed to charge one-time entry of Rs 15 crore for a national level Unified Licence compared to Rs 30 lakh which companies pay for internet services at present.

"DoT has not done anything new as per the proposed format for Unified Licence regime. They are going ahead with option to continue the old licence format along with a new national level Unified Licence (UL) that will cost Rs 15 crore.

"If internet service providers opt for UL, then cost of internet and broadband services will go up," Internet Service Provider Association of India's (ISPAI) President Rajesh Charia told PTI.

In the new licencing regime, DoT should allow internet telephony which would lead to low cost call service that would benefit even rural area the country where illiteracy is very high.

"VoIP is widely accepted application. Foreign companies who are not registered with DoT are providing voice calling service both between Computer to Computer and Computer to landlines.

"They don't even have licences. We pay annual charges to DoT and should be allowed to provide voice services across networks," he said.

A DoT internal committee has recommended to allow ISPs with wireless broadband spectrum (BWA) to provide voice telephony service using these airwaves. In 2010, six private players including Reliance Jio Infocom, formerly Infotel Broadband, Tikona Digital and Augere had won BWA spectrum.

The committee has left it for higher authorities to decide if players who won BWA spectrum in 2010 should be asked to make additional payment of Rs 1,658 crore which was charged from telecom players till 2008 for providing mobile telephony.

The licence issued to mobile telephony operators for Rs 1,658 crore had 4.4 Mhz spectrum bundled with it but government has announced to provide no spectrum with UL.

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Instagram boasts 90 million monthly active users, 40 million photos per day

Instagram might have gotten some crazy backlash from its policy changes back in December, for which they pulled an about face and returned it back to normal. However, a lot users were done with the service at that point, and vowed to switch to an alternative. Then again, that doesn’t seem to be scaring Instagram too much, as the company has reported 90 million monthly active users, as well as 40 million photos being posted per day.

AllThingsD notes that the service’s monthly active user base is actually up 10% from last month, so it seems that the privacy policy debacle wasn’t a huge deal for its users after all. Instagram’s Kevin System says that the company “continues to see very strong growth around the world.”

Along with those 40 million photos being posted every day, Instagram says that its users are liking photos at a rate of 8,500 per second and are posting 1,000 comments per second as well. This actually marks the first time that Instagram has posted statistics on its user base, but detailed numbers are still scarce.

According to AppData, Instagram use on iOS and Android actually rose quite a bit late last month, but with use on Facebook falling by 25%. Furthermore, according to AppStats, Instagram apparently saw their active user numbers cut in half to 40 million, but according to Instagram’s own numbers, that’s clearly not true.

Story Timeline

• SlashGear 101: Does Instagram own my photos?
• How to Ditch Instagram
• Five Instagram Alternatives you're going to love
• Instagram co-founder responds to user outrage
• Amid Instagram Madness, What Terms of Use Should Take for Granted
• Instagram updates its terms of service after massive backlash
• Instagram took the lazy, sneaky way out
• Instagram iOS and Android update adds new filter, support for 25 languages
• Instagram Privacy Policy prodded with Class-Action lawsuit
• Foursquare makes Privacy tweaks, wary of Instagram-style backlash

Instagram boasts 90 million monthly active users, 40 million photos per day is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

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Facebook‘s annual hacker competition opens for registration

Social networking giant Facebook has opened registration for its third annual Hacker Cup, set to begin from January 25.

The top prize will be $ 10,000 (approx. Rs 5.5 lakh) as against $ 5,000 (Rs 2.75 lakh) last year and as many 25 of the best hackers will be taken to Facebook's headquarter in USA, a statement said.

The Facebook Hacker Cup is an annual worldwide programming competition where hackers compete against each other for fame, fortune, glory and a shot at the coveted Hacker Cup.

"The competition will be held in two rounds starting with an online qualification, out of which 25 of the best hackers are then flown by Facebook to their headquarters inMenlo Park, CA," Facebook said.

"The preliminary round will be held between January 25 and February 16 while the onsite final round is scheduled for March 22-23, 2013.

Contestants will be judged on accuracy and speed as they race to solve algorithmic problems to advance through up to five rounds of programming challenges," it added.

Last year, the Hacker Cup attracted 8,000 participants from 150 countries, with the winner- Roman Andreev, hailing from Russia, Facebook said.

"Hacking is core to how we build at Facebook. Whether we're building a prototype for a major product like Timeline at a Hackathon, creating a smarter search algorithm, or tearing down walls at our new headquarters, we're always hacking to find better ways to solve problems," Facebook said in its Hacker's Cup page.

Facebook said that those who registered for a previous year are automatically registered for the competition year, however, they still need to check their information is up-to-date.

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How To Turn Your Boring Old Laptop Into A Cool Touch Screen Machine

Sure, Windows 8 - Microsoft's new touch screen operating system - will run just fine on PCs designed for Windows 7. But you won't be able to take advantage of the new touch capabilities the OS enables unless you scrap your existing PC and upgrade to a new computer.

Or maybe not.

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, a company out of China demonstrated a peripheral that combines a stylus and either a USB or wireless receiver to touch-enable a non-touch screen LCD monitor or laptop screen.

The technology has made its way to the United States via Shenzhen Yifang Digital Technology Co. Ltd., mercifully shortened to Yifang Digital, whose E Fun brand markets the APEN Touch8 system in the United States. Got that?

Discovering the Touch8 digitizer was a happy coincidence. Wandering though CES' maze of booths, you never quite know what you'll find. In the rear of the South Hall, for example, Trojan was handing out thousands of vibrators. So there's that.

Yifang was showing off several versions of the Touch8, including a USB-powered model and one that used wireless technology. According to Eric Ju, an account development manager with the digital pen business unit within Yifang, the company is attempting to license or has already licensed the technology to accessory vendor Targus, which is marketing a very similar device known as the Touch Pen. The Targus Touch Pen costs $99.99 and will be available during the second quarter; the Touch8 will be available this quarter for $79.99. Targus representatives, who were likely flying home from Las Vegas, could not be reached for comment.

The Touch8 system, and presumably the Touch Pen as well, both use a receiver that mounts to one side of your screen. A combination of ultrasonic and infrared beams detects the stylus' soft, fuzzy tip, orienting it on the screen. Ju told me that a brief period of 'training' the system is required, so the Touch8 learns the boundaries of the available touchscreen real estate. The stylus itself requires power, but it can be used for 500 hours (about 62 days of 8-hour workdays) without replacing the small, watch-sized batteries that power it.

I was able to play around with the Touch8 for several minutes. According to Ju, the system accommodates up to 15.6-inch displays, making the Touch8 suitable for a notebook or a small desktop monitor. The peripheral is magnetically clipped to the side of the notebook, and must be removed and recalibrated every time the notebook is closed. In other words, you'll have to suffer through some inconveniences to eliminate others.

To its credit, the Touch8 works well at what it does: Enabling 'touch.' Swiping works fine, and single-touch gestures seemed to work as advertised. True touch hardware, however, is multitouch, and I'm not even sure if holding two stylii together, chopsticks style, would even work. Right now, the Touch8 works best for drawing, swiping and other single-mode uses.

Should you buy one?

Yes, but only if:

• You're desperate for Windows 8 and touch interaction
• You're running a small monitor
• You leave your laptop on your desk
• You don't mind the absence of multitouch
• You're willing to spend $100 but not willing to buy a brand new machine

That's a pretty limited use case. But if you really want to use Windows 8 properly, you have to do something. I've used a mouse and keyboard with Windows 8, and while it's navigable, it's also sort of a pain; scrolling 'up' to slide your Windows 8 Start screen sideways simply feels awkward.

Pictures by Mark Hachman. Posted by JMD Computer

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Samsung Galaxy S Duos S7562

Hi my Self Sanket Barot I Am Professional Blogger, SEO, Web Developer.

Today i had a Buy Samsung Galaxy S Duos S7562 Mobile from Seva Kendra – Mehsana Gujarat India Store. its Neared by Toranvali Mata’s (Pratima Computer).

In My Life 1st Time I had a Buy a Very Costly Mobile. i hope This Mobile is give a Good Response. 

GENERAL
2G Network
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2

3G Network
HSDPA 900 / 2100

SIM
Dual SIM (Mini-SIM, dual stand-by)

Announced
2012, July

Status
Available. Released 2012, September

BODY
Dimensions
121.5 x 63.1 x 10.5 mm (4.78 x 2.48 x 0.41 in)

Weight
120 g (4.23 oz)

- Touch-sensitive controls

DISPLAY
Type
TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors

Size
480 x 800 pixels, 4.0 inches (~233 ppi pixel density)

Multitouch
Yes

SOUND
Alert types
Vibration, MP3, WAV ringtones

Loudspeaker
Yes

3.5mm jack
Yes

MEMORY
Card slot
microSD, up to 32 GB

Internal
4 GB storage, 768 MB RAM

DATA
GPRS
Yes

EDGE
Yes

Speed
HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps

WLAN
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot

Bluetooth
Yes, v3.0 with A2DP

USB
Yes, microUSB v2.0

CAMERA
Primary
5 MP, 2592х1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, check quality

Features
Geo-tagging

Video
Yes, VGA@30fps

Secondary
Yes, VGA

FEATURES
OS
Android OS, v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), upgradable to v4.1

Chipset
Qualcomm MSM7227A Snapdragon

CPU
1 GHz Cortex-A5

GPU
Adreno 200

Sensors
Accelerometer, proximity, compass

Messaging
SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email

Browser
HTML, Adobe Flash Lite

Radio
Stereo FM radio with RDS

GPS
Yes, with A-GPS support

Java
Yes, via Java MIDP emulator

Colors
White, Black

- SNS integration
- MP4/H.263/H.264/WMV player
- MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV player
- Organizer
- Document viewer
- Voice memo/dial
- Predictive text input

BATTERY
Standard battery, Li-Ion 1500 mAh

Stand-by
Up to 445 h (2G) / Up to 330 h (3G)

Talk time
Up to 13 h (2G) / Up to 7 h 25 min (3G)

MISC
SAR US
0.27 W/kg (head)     0.65 W/kg (body)   

SAR EU
0.47 W/kg (head)   

Price group Rs:  16,500 /-

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DoT issues new rules for buying SIM cards

Taking new mobile phone connection from will require physical verification of facts provided by subscribers and submission of forged documents will lead to police inquiry.

Tougher guidelines by the Department of Telecom, which took effect, make operators responsible for inaccurate information provided by subscribers for taking new pre-paid and post-paid mobile connections.

Under the new rules, the authorized person selling SIM cards will have to give an undertaking that he has seen the applicant and matched the photograph attached on the application form.

Retailers and franchisees selling mobile SIM cards will have to register police complaint against subscribers if they submit forged documents to get the connections.

All the telecom operators across the country are required to comply with the new guidelines.

"By and large we are compliant with most of the norms though there are a few areas for which we have sought clarifications from DoT like verification of date of birth and age," GSM industry body COAI director general Rajan S Mathews told PTI.

He said the government has indicated that the operators have to verify certain documents which include date of birth and age of users.

"We have asked DoT what should we do in case if the user has no documents related to his date of birth," he said.

COAI is expecting a reply on the issues in the next few days.

Read more »

10 things to know while buying TVs this festive season

The festive season is here and many people are looking to make a big purchase during this auspicious time. Are you considering a new television for your home, but are unsure of the things to look for while selecting your grand TV? Don't be misguided by the advertisers and the smooth-talk of retailers while making the purchase that you may plan to keep for a long time. 

Save a few bucks and make the best choice by going through the list of 10 things you must know before buying that TV. 

Display type - OLED vs LED vs LCD vs Plasma 
This is one of the biggest dilemma for all buyers, whether they should stick to the ageing Plasma TVs, go for the currently popular LED and LCD televisions or invest in OLED TVs, the technology of the future. 

For starters, Plasma TVs will save you a lot of money but don't think about the initial cost only, since this type of television draws much more power than any of its competitors. Moreover, since it is an outgoing display technology, manufacturers will stop customer support in a few years, leaving you stranded if you need a component replaced. Nevertheless, Plasma TVs offer superior contrast and dark blacks, along with excellent viewing angles. 

LCD TVs use CCLFs (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps) and are the next in line in terms of power consumption; however, these score poorly when it comes to viewing angles. Though cheaper than LED televisions, they cost a bit more than generation-old Plasma TVs and can be quite expensive when it comes to large screen sizes. 

LED TVs, the most popular today, are basically LCD televisions with LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) instead of CCFLs. Currently the best in the crop of displays in terms of power consumption, these offer better blacks than LCD televisions and are comparatively thinner as well. This type of TV also responds well to colour variations and acute viewing angles, giving the best user experience. 

OLED is the display technology of the future, with the thinnest screen, amazing colour rendition, lower power consumption and better viewing angles than existing display types. However, TVs with OLED displays are extremely costly and suffer from poor lifespan. 

Panel type - VA vs IPS

LED and LCD and televisions available today come with either IPS or VA panels. Since both types of TVs have LCD displays (LED televisions are LCD televisions with LED bulbs instead of CCFLs), both have liquid crystals. The different between IPS and VA panels lies between the alignment of the liquid crystals -- horizontal in IPS and vertical in VA panel. 

The advantage that IPS has over VA is that there is no distortion or damage to the screen even if it is hit quite hard. Apart from that, it also offers great viewing angles and maintains consistency of colours. Therefore, if you are worried about your kids damaging the brand new television, then go for IPS panels, otherwise VA panels will be suitable. LG and Philips use IPS panels, while others like Sony and Samsung have VA displays. 

Pixelation is the same with both the panels and you should be seated at least eight to 10 feet away from the TV for best picture quality. 

Brightness

Brighter display does not always make a better TV. If you go for a TV that offers high brightness, the dark colours - like grey and black - will appear dull. Brightness level in LED TVs is the best since the blacks appear dark as well, while Plasma and LCD televisions follow it from afar. 

Power consumption

LED TVs are the best choice if you are concerned about the amount of power consumed by your new television. This is because of the LED bulbs used in the display, which consume 20-30% less power than CCFL's of LCD TVs. Last in the race come Plasma televisions, which will add a hefty amount to your power bill as compared to LCD as well as LED TVs. 

Refresh rates

Refresh rate in a television refers to the speed at which the display changes images. Ever encountered the problem of motion blur on the TV? This is because of poor refresh rate. Higher refresh rate in a television translates to a clearer picture quality and reduce this motion blur or ghosting. Moreover, when it comes to gaming, the refresh rates matter a lot. 

If you want to connect your Xbox, Play Station or Wii to your TV, then Plasma televisions are the best option, since the refresh rate can reach up to 600Hz. On the other hand, LCD TVs deliver the worst results when the subject is of refresh rates and motion blur is a common complaint. A LED television can be a decent choice since it can handle high refresh rates in videos and games and render a quality image. 

Internet, voice control and apps

Internet connectivity in a TV is among the new advancements introduced in TVs, making them the much touted SmartTVs. But do you really plan to use internet on a big screen television? If you want to watch YouTube videos, chat with friends, check mails, play games and access Facebook on a TV, then you only have a handful options in the market. You can also look forward to features like gesture control, voice control and access to apps with these televisions. 

Just so you know, accessing all forms of online content on the television would require you to attach a keyboard and mouse to it via USB port. And be ready to pay a steep price for a set of features that you could probably access on your phone as well. 

If you decide against buying an internet-enabled TV, you can just link an Android set-top-box like Evo TV to your new non-internet television and enjoy all Android apps and seamless access World Wide Web on your TV. 

And before you go for an internet-enabled TV, take into account the bandwidth you would consume with this new device at your disposal. You should consider the data transfer limit that your plan has and the speed of your net connection before opting for an internet TV. 

3D viewing

3D viewing in a television is yet another feature that has caught the imagination of the masses. But the content producers, ie the companies which make 3D movies, videos etc, are still playing catch-up. There is a huge dearth of 3D content in the market and no TV can convert a 2D video into 3D. So, before going for a 3D television, be prepared to be disappointed since you will not be using that feature too much. 

If you wear spectacles and are thinking of investing in a 3D television, keep in mind that you would have to use contact lenses in order to view the 3D images comfortably. You only alternative in India would be the 55-inch Toshiba 3D that renders three-dimensional images and videos without any glasses. However, this technological marvel costs a hefty Rs 12 lakh and may not be within everyone's budget. 

Companies that claim to have TVs that can convert 2D videos to 3D are simply reproducing the same image twice in order to add depth to it. This process is quite effective but the on-screen rendition is not of the same quality as true 3D videos. However, this technology allows you to watch real-time videos in 3D as well, so you can convert any type of movie into a 3D extravaganza, well almost. 
For 3D TVs, manufacturers usually provide a pair of 3D glasses for free. But for a family with kids or a joint family for that matter, you will need several more if the whole family wants to enjoy the experience together. These 3D glasses cost around Rs 2,000 in the Indian market, so depending upon the number of people in your family and the frequent guests, this amount can add up to a considerable amount. 

Burn in

Burn in is the condition in which an image remains on the TV screen even when the video has moved forward. This issue is attributed to phosphor, which is used in CRT and Plasma televisions. On the other hand, it does not affect LED TVs since they do not have phosphor at all, making them the best choice when it comes to this parameter. 

Though LCD TVs do not use phosphor either, an image can stick to the screen permanently if the liquid crystals render the same image for too long. Nevertheless, for home usage, this problem is hardly an issue and makes LCD televisions almost immune to the issue. 

Ports and accessories

With a swanky new TV come a host of ports, such as USB, Ethernet and HDMI, along with ports for AV and RF cables. These enable you to access content from Smartphone's, tablets and computers, connect to the internet and link the television to speakers. Remember more ports mean more functionality, since you may be at a loss if your TV has only one port and you want to attach a keyboard as well as a hard disk drive. 

There are a few of accessories you would be required to buy with a new TV. If you want to view the content on your smart phone or tablet on the big screen of television, then be prepared to purchase a HDMI-to-mini HDMI cable. On the other hand, a HDMI-to-HDMI cable would be the need of the hour if you wish to view content of your laptop on the TV. But most of all, remember to purchase a voltage stabiliser as sudden change in voltage can damage the device, putting the burden of repair costs on your shoulders. 

Festive season offers, warranty and EMI

When the festive season beckons, manufacturers and retailers roll out offers to lure buyers, from slashed price to pack of DVDs to home theatre systems. Of course, you can always bargain the price of the TV you choose with the seller. 

Another point to remember is that your new TV burns a hole in your pocket and its best that you opt for extended manufacturer warranty while making the purchase. This will make you immune to the associated costs in case any problems crop up with the device over time as the manufacturer will take care of the issue on its own. 

Since a decent big screen TV now costs over Rs 30,000 in India, you may want to consider EMIoption to soften the financial blow on you. Nowadays, retailers will take just the details of your ID card and credit card to process the transaction at 0% interest.

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Get Windows 8 like start screen on Windows 7/XP

If you are amused by the all new start screen concept of Windows 8 but haven’t got a chance to give it a try then here we have something for you. The most discussed feature of this new OS is it’s all new start screen which is made up of multiple tiles. WinMetro is a free application which will allow you to have a look and feel of a  Windows 8 start screen on your current Windows OS.

WinMetro is a free software developed by IObit using which you can replace your current start button with the new Windows 8 kind of start screen. All you have to do is download and install the software from the link given at the end of this article. After installing the app it will automatically show your most used softwares along with some built in app tiles.

Some default apps included with this are calendar, weather, photos, news and some more tiles which are simply loading the webpages inside it. Once you define your default picture directory with the “Photos” app it will allow you to view all your pics on the click of a tile. The weather app uses your ISPs location and shows the weather info about that location which was not accurate in my case. You can use the horizontal scroll bar at the bottom to scroll inside the screen.

After starting your PC and logging into your account it will take you to the start screen first. To go to your desktop you can press Win + X or click on the desktop tile and to again bring up the screen press the same keys or simply move your mouse cursor to bottom left corner of your screen and click on the start screen.

This software will work on Windows operating systems only. It uses around 40-50 MB of RAM continuously. So if you are already running low on resources then you might not want to use this. You can use the link below to download this software.

Download WinMetro for Windows (5.95 MB)

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LinkedIn investigating reports of more than six million stolen passwords

Business social network LinkedIn said it is investigating reports that more than six millionpasswords have been stolen and leaked onto the Internet.

Although LinkedIn did not confirm if any user data had been hacked or leaked, researchers at U.K. Web security company Sophos say they have confirmed that a file posted online does contain, in part, LinkedIn passwords ``hashes.'' That's a way of encrypting or storing passwords in a different form.

Graham Cluley, a consultant with Sophos, recommended that LinkedIn users change their passwords immediately.

LinkedIn has a lot of information on its more than 160 million members, including potentially confidential information related to jobs being sought. Companies, recruiting services and others have accounts alongside individuals who post resumes and other professional information.

There's added concern that many people use the same password on multiple websites, so whoever stole the data could use the information to access Gmail, Amazon, PayPal and other accounts, Cluley said.

As a precautionary measure, LinkedIn issued security tips in a blog post Wednesday. The company said users should change passwords at least every few months and avoid using the same ones on multiple sites.

LinkedIn also had suggestions for making passwords stronger, including avoiding passwords that match words in a dictionary. One way is to think of a meaningful phrase or song and create a password using the first letter of each word.

Cluley said hackers are working together to break the encryption on the passwords.

``All that's been released so far is a list of passwords and we don't know if the people who released that list also have the related email addresses,'' he said. ``But we have to assume they do. And with that combination, they can begin to commit crimes.''

It wasn't known who was behind such an attack.

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Nokia cuts 10,000 more jobs as losses deepen

Nokia (NOK1V.HE) plans to cut 10,000 more jobs, bringing the total to one in three staff, as it loses market share to cellphone rivals Apple (AAPL.O) and Samsung (005930.KS) and burns through cash, raising new fears over its future.

In a second profit warning in nine weeks, Nokia said on Thursday that its phone business would post a deeper-than-expected loss in the second quarter due to tougher competition, which it expected to continue.

Once the world's dominant mobile phone provider, Nokia was wrongfooted by the rise of smartphones and is struggling to keep up with Apple, Samsung and Google (GOOG.O). It is also losing market share in cheaper, more basic phones.

Chief Executive Stephen Elop is placing hopes of a turnaround on a new range of smartphones called Lumia, which use largely untried Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) software. But Lumia sales have so far been slow, exasperating investors who have seen its stock crash more than 70 percent since it announced the software switch in February 2011.

"The job cuts and profit warning underline the seriousness of the challenges Nokia is facing, particularly in light of the eye-watering competition from Apple and Samsung," said Ben Wood, head of research at CCS Insight.

Nokia, whose cash position is increasingly scrutinized by investors, also said restructuring-related cash outflows would be around 650 million euros in the remaining three quarters of 2012 and around 600 million in 2013.

With the cost of Nokia's debt rising, the most bearish of analysts in a Reuters poll last month said the company could even be at risk of default if it fails to slow its cash burn.

Over the past five quarters, the onetime darling of mobile telcoms has eroded its cash pile by 2.1 billion euros - a rate that would wipe out its entire 4.9 billion reserves in a couple of years.

Analysts at JP Morgan said on Thursday they expect operating losses, combined with restructuring outflows, to leave Nokia with 1.63 billion euros cash at the end of next year.

"This is not a comfort zone for a company as large as Nokia," the analysts said.

Nokia's five-year credit default swaps (CDS) were at a new all-time high of 933 basis points on Thursday according to Markit. This means it costs $933,000 annually to buy $10 million of protection against a Nokia default using a five-year CDS contract and implies a default probability of 55 percent.

Bernstein analyst Pierre Ferragu said he expects the company to have minimal net cash position at the end of its restructuring.

"We therefore see continued potential downside to the recent stock price and maintain our underperform rating," Ferragu said.

Shares in Nokia were down 16 percent to 1.87 euros, below the psychologically important 2 euros mark, not seen since 1996.

Analysts have said that even with the dramatic fall in the share price, the worsening outlook made it hard to judge how much lower the shares could go.

"I won't comment on the stock price anymore, since it's been seen over and over, that there is no definitive bottom," said Evli analyst Mikko Ervasti.

"People are worried over Lumia sales. I think expectations for the third quarter will be cut," said Nordea analyst Sami Sarkamies.

The 10,000 job cuts, which include the closure of Nokia's only plant in its homeland Finland, bring total planned cuts at the group since Elop took over as chief executive in 2010 to more than 40,000 staff, or every third worker.

Of the latest job cuts, 3,700 will take place in Finland, where the firm will also close its plant in Salo - the last major cellphone manufacturing site in western Europe, the cradle of the global industry.

"This is a major blow. This is due to the operational mistakes made already during the previous CEOs. Maybe the signs of success are running low for Elop too," said Antti Rinne, chairman of labour union Pro.

Nokia said it expects its operating margin in the second quarter to be below the negative 3 percent level reported in the first quarter due to pressure on its smartphone business. It previously forecast it would be similar to or below that level.

On average analysts forecast the second-quarter phone unit margin to be at -4.6 percent, narrowing to -2.2 percent in the third quarter.

Nokia also said it would sell luxury phone business Vertu to venture firm EQT and revamp its management team.

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MPs can now use iPads with Lok Sabha going Wi-Fi

Lok Sabha members would soon be able to use iPads in the house with a parliamentary panel clearing Wi-Fi connectivity in the lower house of parliament. The facility is already available in the Rajya Sabha. 

According to Lok Sabha Secretary General T.K. Vishwanathan, the National Informatics Centre(NIC) has been asked to extend Wi-Fi facility to the lower house before the monsoon session, scheduled to begin in July. "We plan to install Wi-Fi at the earliest...we have asked the NIC to do the needful," Vishwanathan told IANS. 

The move will help the Lok Sabha secretariat pursue its paperless office plan, which aims to reduce paper use in printing a large number of reports and documents and instead make them available on the website. 

The Lok Sabha secretariat had approached the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on security last year after the Intelligence Bureau raised some objections to extending the facility to the lower house. 

Incidentally, no such permission from the IB was required when the facility was made available to the upper house, said officials. 

Informed sources said the JPC on security, which had been pursuing the matter for about a year, resolved it with the IB last month. 

The Wi-Fi facility is expected to help over 300 of the 543 Lok Sabha MPs who have purchased iPads under a scheme in accessing routine information like notices, bulletins, list of business, questions and answers and other reports during the session. 

Under the scheme, MPs are provided Rs 50,000 to buy an Apple iPad or Android-based Samsung Galaxy Tab. 

The paper used for such communication can be saved if the MPs start checking out this information in a digital format using iPads, officials said. 

Congress MP Deepa Dasmunsi told IANS: "It is a good thing...Wi-Fi facility will help me get information quickly...we had asked for it in the lobby and the Central Hall area." 

In order to persuade parliamentarians to use the iPads to access various documents supplied to them in hard copy, the Lok Sabha secretariat held a familiarization workshop last year.

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