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.

First look: Google versions of HTC One, Galaxy S4

NEW YORK: Two new Android phones will look and sound familiar to those who have been paying attention to phones. That's because these two devices are replicas of Samsung's Galaxy S4 and HTC's One, except they lack most of the bells and whistles added to the original models. 

And that's a good thing.

The modifications Samsung and HTC apply to Google's Android software are meant to be improvements. But I've complained before about how the changes actually make phones more complex to use. The S4 even has an easy mode for first-time Smartphone users, an admission that the normal mode is too confounding.

Google worked with both Samsung Electronics and HTC to come out with "Google Play" editions of the hit phones. Instead of customized software Samsung and HTC, the Google phones run a pure version of Android, just as it was developed by Google.

Google lets any phone maker use its Android operating system for free. To set themselves apart competitors, phone makers often add their own touches to devices. They rearrange the menu or load additional apps. Wireless carriers also to add their own apps. Before you know it, phones are bloated with features and apps you don't want and can't get rid of.

Consider my experience with the original S4 over the weekend. As I tried to adjust the camera's flash setting, I inadvertently made some postage stamp icon pop up. That activated the camera's dual-shot mode, which snaps a shot of you with the front camera to superimpose over whatever you're shooting with the camera on the back of the phone. I didn't want that, but I couldn't figure out how to get rid of it. My friend couldn't either. So we bagged the shot. Taking photos with a phone is supposed to be fun, not a chore.

With Google's version of the S4, I get a no-frills camera that is easy to figure out. It lacks gimmicks such as dual shots and the ability to combine several images of motion into a single shot. It offers about a half-dozen shooting modes, such as night, action and panorama, rather than the dozen or so on the original S4. But a half-dozen is about a half-dozen more than I need and use.

Google's S4 also lacks the original model's ability to pause video automatically when you look away the screen or to scroll down an article when you tilt your head. Those features may sound cool, but they often don't work properly.

The Google version of the S4 also has alarm sounds that I can actually wake up to. Samsung had substituted those sounds with soft, soothing melodies that I end up incorporating into dreams. I've overslept a few times as a result.

As for Google's version of the HTC One, you don't get a busy home screen filled with news articles and Facebook status updates your phone thinks you want to read. Instead, you get a clean page with few apps. It's up to you to add the ones you want to see and use.

Both Google phones feel spare and minimal, which is great because it makes me feel in control. If I want to constantly know the weather, it's easy to add a weather widget to the home screen of either phone. But it's not forced.

The same goes for apps. I get basic functions such as text messaging and the clock and a range of Google services such as Gmail and YouTube. If I want other apps, I can easily tap the Google Play icon to get them. With the original S4, Samsung tries to steer you into its own app store, as well as its own music and video players. You end up with too many ways to do the same things.

You might think it takes a lot of work to add the apps you want to Google's phones, but it actually takes more work to hide or turn off everything you don't need - that is, if you can at all- with Samsung's and HTC's versions.

Now for the bad news: The Google edition of the S4 sells for $649, while Google's HTC One goes for $599. You can typically get the original models for $100 to $200 through your wireless carrier with a two-year agreement. And unless you're on T-Mobile, your monthly bill won't go down just because you pay full price for the phone elsewhere.

In addition, both Google phones are compatible only with T-Mobile, AT&T and other carriers that use GSM cellular technology, not the CDMA networks used by Sprint and Verizon Wireless. The Google edition would have been great for Verizon customers who still have unlimited data plans. Verizon no longer lets you stay on that plan if you buy a subsidized phone, so you'd have to pay the full price anyway.

The Google phones are also ideal for people who want the latest Android system that Google has to offer. You'll be able to update your phone as Google releases new versions of Android. Normally, phone makers and wireless carriers updates by weeks or months, so you can only read about those new Android features.

There are a few useful Samsung and HTC add-ons that Google does bring to its versions of the phones.

Google's S4 is compatible with Samsung's S-View flip cover. Using a magnetic sensor, the phone detects when the cover is closed and switches to a special mode that gives you the current time and details about who's calling through a small window in the cover. You can answer or reject a call without flipping over the cover.

Google's HTC One, meanwhile, shares the original model's front-facing speakers, giving you great sound when you're watching a movie or listening to music. Both models also have cameras with larger sensor pixels for better low-light shots. Our tests show that the HTC One produces low-light images with less distortion than other Android phones, though images aren't particularly crisp because the resolution is lower.

There are a few things I wish Google would have brought to its phones and to Android in general.

In the original S4, the on-screen keyboard has a row of numerals to type in. With the Google S4, you have to hit a button to get another screen with numerals, then toggle back for the letters. The original S4 also has the ability to run two apps side by side in a split window. That's gone in Google's S4.

Meanwhile, the original HTC One has the ability to make calls, send texts and take photos by sliding icons the lock screen. With the Google version, you have to unlock the screen before getting icons to those functions.

On both phones, Google also adds one feature I could do without: a 360-degree panorama known as Photo Sphere. Neat as it is, it detracts what is otherwise a just-the-basics camera. It would have been better as a separate app for those who want it.

But that's no reason to shun the Google phones. The minimized feel of Google's versions underscores how busy software can detract good hardware. Take away that clutter, and you have excellent phones.

It's a bummer that you can't get the simplified phones through regular channels. You can get them only through Google's online Play store - for hundreds of dollars more.

About the Google phones

The new phones are existing Samsung and HTC phones loaded with Google's version of the Android operating system. That's the version that Google makes, before phone makers and phone carriers load Android up with their own features and apps.

These phones are good options for those who don't all the bells and whistles in the original models. They are cleaner and easier to use. But they are also more expensive, as you have to pay full price through Google's online Play store rather than a subsidized price that wireless carriers offer with two-year agreements.

These phones aren't compatible with Verizon's or Sprint's CDMA networks. If you're on AT&T, you'll be paying more for the phone without any reduction in monthly phone bills. If you're on T-Mobile, though, expect to save $20 a month, or $480 over two years. You're still paying about $70 more overall for Google's S4 and $20 more for Google's One, but it's not the hundreds of dollars you'd be paying on AT&T.

The one-time, upfront cost is $649 for Google's S4 with 16 gigabytes of storage and $599 for the One with 32 gigabytes. Both phones are available in the US only through Google's online Play store, with shipments expected by July 9.

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.

Free laptop scheme: UP govt owes HP Rs 900 crore

Four months after the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav began distributing free laptops to students, it now turns out that Hewlett Packard, the supplier, has not been paid for more than 5 lakh laptops it has so far delivered. With a Rs 900-crore bill pending, HP has threatened to stop further supplies till dues are settled, government sources said.

In June 2012, the Samajwadi Party government had announced a budget of Rs 2,721.24 crore for distributing tablets and laptops tomeritorious students of classes X and XII. Of this, while Rs 400 crore was earmarked for tablets, the remaining was to be spent on laptops.

But funds got entangled in red tape and only Rs 312 crore was released into the accounts of district magistrates, who, in turn, are responsible for releasing funds to HP representatives in districts. Even this amount, though, has not been paid in full. "There is no clarity on why there is a in the release of funds. The government has already allocated the funds.that is needed is an order for its release," a senior government functionary said.

So far, UP has taken delivery of 5,19,600 laptops, running up a total bill of Rs 998.41 crore, according to senior government sources. According to the contract inked with HP, the government is liable to pay 90% of the total cost at the time the laptops are delivered. This amount touches Rs 900 crore.

In addition, while 5% will be paid after the company finishes conducting the training and demonstration to teachers and students at tehsil or school levels, the final 5%, the contract mandates, must be settled after a one-year maintenance period.

Of these, 79,491 have been distributed to beneficiaries. HP has also created an additional inventory of 1,41,866 laptops that can be made available to the state government immediately once a purchase order is issued. Though the complete distribution pattern of the computing gadgets had to follow a seven-month delivery schedule, HP has met the delivery targets of ahead of time.

In fact, with the rate of delivery far exceeding the rate at which the gadgets are being distributed, the company has also raised concerns about the availability of storage space for the laptops.

When contacted, HP officials confirmed delivery of more than 5 lakh laptops. They, however, refused to comment on pending payments.

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.

See, what makes your Android phone vulnerable to hackers

LONDON: A 'master key' has been reportedly discovered by a security research firm which could potentially give cyber attackers access to almost every Android phone.

According to BBC, security research firm BlueBox has discovered the loophole which is present in every version of the Android operating system released since 2009.

The bug emerges as a result of the way Android handles cryptographic verification of the programs installed on the phone

The report said that Android uses the cryptographic signature as a way to check that an app or program is legitimate and to ensure it has not been tampered with.

Jeff ForristalBlueBox and his colleagues have found a method of tricking the way Android checks these signatures so that malicious changes to the apps go unnoticed.

Forristal said that the implications of this discovery could be 'huge' as it can take over the normal functioning of the phone and control any function thereof.

Security expert Dan Wallach said that in order to catch Android users, malicious hackers would have to get their booby-trapped version of a legitimate application on to the Google Play store.

According to the report, BlueBox had reported finding the bug to Google in February.

Google denied commenting on BlueBox discovery, the report added.

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.

More top universities to offer free online courses

More top universities outside the United States are joining the rush to offer "massive open online courses" that are broadening access to higher education.

Coursera and edX, two leading providers of so-called MOOCs, announced major expansions that will roughly double the number of university partners offering free online classes through their websites.

Mountain View, California-based Coursera said it will add 29 institutions, including 16 outside the US Over the next several months, they will offer about 90 new courses, including some taught in French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese.

"Having courses taught in other languages will enable more students to take our classes," said Andrew Ng, a Stanford University professor who co-founded Coursera.

Coursera currently offers 220 courses from 33 institutions and has nearly 2.8 million registered users who have signed up for nearly 10 million courses, Ng said.

The new partners include Chinese University of Hong Kong, Technical University of Denmark, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico as well as the universities of Copenhagen, Geneva and Toyko.

Cambridge, Massachusetts-based edX said it's adding six new institutions, including five outside the US, which will provide at least 25 courses.

EdX, which was launched in May by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, currently offers 25 courses from six universities and has 700,000 registered students.

The new partners are Australian National University, Delft University of Technology, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, McGill University, Rice University and the University of Toronto.

Delft University in the Netherlands will be the first edX partner to provide courses as "open content," which means other universities are free to incorporate the materials into their classes, said edX President Anant Agarwal.

"People can reuse it and remix it," Agarwal said. "It enables courses to get better and better over time by allowing people to share content."

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.

Facebook says it was hacked

Facebook said on Friday it had been the target of an unidentified hacker group, but it found no evidence that user data was compromised.

"Last month, Facebook security discovered that our systems had been targeted in a sophisticated attack," the company said in a blog post posted on Friday afternoon, just before the three-day Presidents Day weekend. "The attack occurred when a handful of employees visited a mobile developer website that was compromised."

The social network, which says it has more than one billion active users worldwide, also said: "Facebook was not alone in this attack. It is clear that others were attacked and infiltrated recently as well."

Facebook declined to comment on the motive or origin of the attack.

A security expert at another company with knowledge of the matter said he was told the Facebook attack appeared to have originated in China.

The FBI declined to comment, while the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Facebook's announcement follows recent cyber attacks on other prominent websites. Twitter, the micro blogging social network, said earlier this month it had been hacked and that about 250,000 user accounts were potentially compromised, with attackers gaining access to information, including user names and email addresses.

Newspaper websites, including those of The New York Times (NYT.N), The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, have also been infiltrated. Those attacks were attributed by the news organizations to Chinese hackers targeting coverage of China.

While Facebook said no user data was compromised, the incident could raise consumer concerns about privacy and the vulnerability of personal information stored within the social network.

Facebook has made several privacy missteps over the years because of the way it handled user data and it settled a privacy investigation with federal regulators in 2011.

Facebook said it spotted a suspicious file and traced it back to an employee's laptop. After conducting a forensic examination of the laptop, Facebook said it identified a malicious file, then searched company-wide and identified "several other compromised employee laptops."

Another person briefed on the matter said the first Facebook employee had been infected via a website where coding strategies were discussed.

The company also said it identified a previously unseen attempt to bypass its built-in cyber defenses and that new protections were added on February 1.

Because the attack used a third-party website, it might have been an early-stage attempt to penetrate as many companies as possible.

If they followed established patterns, the attackers would learn about the people and computer networks at all the infected companies. They could then use that data in more targeted attacks to steal source code and other intellectual property.

In its statement, Facebook said the attack was launched using a "zero-day," or previously unknown flaw in its software that exploited its Java built-in protections.

"Zero-day" attacks are rarely discovered and even more rarely disclosed. They are costly to launch and often suggest government sponsorship.

In January 2010, Google reported it had been penetrated via a "zero-day" flaw in an older version of the Internet Explorer Web browser. The attackers were seeking source code and were also interested in Chinese dissidents, and Google reduced its operations in the country as a result.

Attention to cyber security has ratcheted up since then and this week President Barack Obama issued an executive order seeking higher safety standards for critical infrastructure.

Other companies stand to benefit more from comprehensive legislation, which has stalled in Congress. Republicans have opposed additional regulations that would come with mandatory security standards.

Now, charge your phone with coffee and beer

A new device that can charge your mobile phone with a hot cup of coffee or a cold beer mug has been developed by a US company.

The company claims that the two-sided Epiphany onE Puck converts the warmth of your hot cocoa or iced beverage into power for your phone. The lightweight device is portable enough to store in your purse or day bag for emergencies.

The device uses a Stirling engine powered solely by heat disparities to generate the electricity to keep your phone up and running, Gizmag reported.

Stirling engines were actually invented in 1816 as a rival to the steam engine, but its use was limited to low-power applications for a long time.

Epiphany Labs is using modern materials to use the technology in a rather different way. The most obvious evolution comes in terms of size.

The working prototype of the Epiphany onE Puck is not much larger than the bottom of a cup, so it's small enough to carry around easily.

The device has two sides - a blue side for cold drinks and a red side for hot drinks. According to its creators, a hot drink is the optimal way to charge a device.

It comes with a USB port that can charge any device that draws 1000mA or less. This means it can charge iPhones, Androids, iPods and other USB-based devices.

Epiphany Labs claims that, in ideal circumstances, the device would be able to charge your phone at the same speed you would see plugging it in directly to a wall.

It will also work in less-than-ideal conditions, but if you are not placing a fresh hot drink on the Puck, you will have to wait a little longer for your device to receive a full charge.

The team from Epiphany Labs has a working prototype, and is turning to Kickstarter to get the funding needed for production.

7 tips avoid Facebook hack

People who do have little or no time to maintain Facebook profiles, can do seven things to at least minimize the damage when their account gets hacked, a report has said.

Firstly, change your name. If you tweak your name just a little, or use a nickname, it will be easier for you after the inevitable hack.

Opening more than one account can also help. It violates Facebook's terms of service, but 80 million accounts already do it, says privacy expert John Sileo.

Secondly, stop geotagging your photos. Geotagging includes the latitude and longitude where a picture was taken, the Huff Post reports.

Thirdly, lie about your age as it is a key piece of information needed to steal your identity.

The fourth and one of the most important rules is that do not store your credit card information on the site, the report said.

According to the report, another important step is to 'have some boundaries'. Foe example when Facebook asks you where your photo was taken, keep it to yourself.

Don't brag about new cars, especially if your photos show where you keep the keys in your kitchen, the report said.

The sixth important step is to go through your timeline and remove posts that provide personally identifiable information.

Lastly, deactivate your account. You can't get hacked if you don't have an account, the report said.

And the most important 'bonus Pro Tip' according to the report is: 'Don't use your Facebook password anywhere else. That's making it way too easy for the bad guys.

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.

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.

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

Prepare These Questions For Job Interview Success: Answer of "Why did you leave your last job?" is very Important For Interviewer

The decision to hire or not usually comes down to how you perform with the  general interview questions that are sure to be asked. Some of these standard interview questions for the job are:

1. Why did you leave your last job?
2. Why have you had so many jobs in the past few years?
3. Can you explain this gap in your working history?
4. What are your long term career goals?
5. What do when dealing with people you dislike?

Once a collection of these type of questions start, you are really past the friendly chit chat stage that failed to put you at your ease. You can feel the temperature of the room increase to boiling point and your palms start to sweat.

Even though you thought up good answers when you were at home, under the pressure of the interviewer you mind most likely will go blank. You open your dry mouth and start to mumble answers that fail to make much sense to you and even less to your inquisitor.

In panic you begin to talk even faster, churning out half baked answers and you can feel the sweat start to trickle down you back. Your heart pounds in your chest and you long for it to be over. It's a vain hope, like wishing the dentist would finally put away that drill but they enjoy the torture too much and more questions follow. Your answers fail to impress.

After what seems like hours they finally jot down some notes, peer over their glasses and thank you for your time. Drained and exhausted you un-stick your dehydrated body from the soaked chair, forget to wipe your sweating palm and press it into their outstretched hand.

You can almost feel the steam rising from your collar as you unhurriedly rush for the door and freedom. You glimpse the interviewer holding his head in is hands as you leave without the prospect of a new job.

Interview is Gateway to Your Desired Job & Career, But Still You Have to Face the Competition, so You Must be Prepared Before Time.

Samsung Galaxy S4 may have unbreakable screen

Samsung Electronics, the world's leading technology company by revenue, is likely accelerating the launch of its next-generation flagship Galaxy smartphone -- which may come with a breakthrough unbreakable screen.

Codenamed "Project J" after mobile division chief JK Shin, development of the new Galaxy S IV could be aimed for release by as early as April, according to analysts and tech blogs.

And, as smartphones increasingly look alike - the converging form factor - an unbreakable screen could be a big selling point for the Galaxy, which is battling Apple Inc's iPhone to lead the $200 billion plus smartphone market.

The Galaxy S IV is also expected to have bigger and better display, powerful quad-core processing power and a 13-megapixel camera, with picture density improving to 441 pixels per inch (ppi), a big improvement from the Galaxy S III's 306 ppi and better than the iPhone 5's 326 ppi.

"Looking to the first half of 2013, we see evidence of Samsung likely accelerating the release of the Galaxy S IV - compared with May (this year) for the Galaxy S III," said UBS analyst Nicolas Gaudois. "We believe preparations for volume manufacturing of unbreakable plastic substrate displays continue. All in all, we could see a strong products push in the high-end in the first half, followed by other releases."

Samsung declined to comment.

Samsung, a major backer of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, is a frontrunner in developing unbreakable screens, as OLED panels can replace glass substrate with plastic material. Down the road, mobile gadgets could be flexible as well as unbreakable.

"Eventually, they'll have unbreakable and flexible displays. Either the Galaxy S IV or S V will have unbreakable and even possibly flexible and foldable displays by 2014. That's going to be a game-changer," said Mark Newman, an analyst at Stanford Bernstein in Hong Kong.

Both Newman and Gaudois are ranked as 5-star analysts, the top ranking, by Thomson Reuters StarMine for their recommendations on Samsung.

Courtroom revisited

It would also be a game-changer for Samsung, which has built its reputation as a 'fast follower' of others' technologies and designs.

The South Korean consumer electronics giant faces off against Apple again on Thursday in a US courtroom for a follow-up ruling on whether it copied some of its US rival's patents and should pay the $1 billion awarded to Apple by jurors in an August verdict.

Samsung wants the verdict overturned, while Apple wants the damages to be increased and Samsung phones banned in the United States.

Since that landmark verdict, however, Samsung shares have gained 14 percent to record highs, while Apple shares - dented by a maps app fiasco, tight supply of its iPhone 5 and ever tougher competition in the mobile market - have slipped by nearly a fifth, wiping more than $120 billion off its market value.

Barring any extra costs related to the US ruling, Samsung should report a fifth straight record profit this quarter, as profits from its component business recover and more than offset thinning margins on mobile phones - squeezed by higher year-end holiday marketing campaigns.

"Samsung's strength extends beyond cool products, they're also a leader in the technology behind these devices. We see further upside to Samsung's stock as success in smartphones continues and chips and display profits also rebound," said Newman. "In smartphones, the opportunity is for Samsung to take more share from Apple in the premium segment, where Apple is still dominant."

UBS estimates Samsung will ship around 22.5 million of its Galaxy S III and Note II devices in the quarter to end-December, up from 20 million in July-September. Shin said in November that Galaxy S III sales would hit 40 million by the end of this month.

In a worst-case scenario for Samsung, US judge Lucy Koh could treble the damages payable to Apple, given the jury in August found Samsung "willfully" infringed some Apple patents.

"That would be a major blow to Samsung's fundamentals and overall investor sentiment, but it's not the most likely scenario," said Young Park, a 4-star StarMine analyst at Woori Investment & Securities.

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 /-

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.

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)

Samsung fined Rs 10,000 over faulty phone

Samsung India has been asked by a consumer forum to pay Rs 10,000 to one of its customers for selling him a faulty mobile phone and then failing to get it repaired.

The compensation was awarded by the Central Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum after Samsung offered to settle the matter by paying Rs 10,000 to complainant Mulk Raj Manchanda.

"We have examined the record and have found that the instrument, purchased by the complainant (Manchanda), has not given him due service/facilities. The same could not be repaired by the seller as well as by the service provider of Samsung India Electronics Pvt Ltd."

"We are of the view that the amount of Rs 10,000 as offered by opposite party three (Samsung) will be sufficient to meet the claim of the complainant in all respect, including the purchase cost of the mobile phone as well as compensation and litigation charges.

"We allow the complaint with the direction to Samsung to pay the complainant Rs 10,000 on returning the mobile phone by him to opposite party 3," the bench presided by B B Chaudhary said.

In his complaint, Manchanda had alleged the Samsung mobile phone which he had purchased on December 29, 2009 for Rs 5,300 did not function properly and had a faulty battery.

He had also alleged the Samsung's authorised dealer from whom he had bought the phone had assured him that if the device gave any trouble then free service for five years would be available and if the trouble persists, the mobile handset would be replaced.

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.

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.