Google News Science & Technology: July 2010

Details of 100 million Facebook users leaked online

Posted by . , Thursday, July 29, 2010 2:53 AM

A computer security researcher has posted the profile information of more than 100 million Facebook users online. The 2.8 GB list is now available as a downloadable file.

A computer security researcher on Wednesday released the profile data of more than 100 million Facebook users on a list he compiled by searching Facebook’s public directory.

The Facebook directory lists users who share at least some of their profile information with the public. But the significance of the list compiled by researcher Ron Bowes of Skull Security is that it makes it easier for anyone to compile and sort the emails, locations and other publicly available data of anyone on the list.

Bowes made the 2.8-gigabyte list available to the public over the BitTorrent network. In a blog posting Bowes said he published the list to highlight what he called a “scary privacy issue” in that Facecbook’s complicated privacy settings often leave users unaware of what personal information they are sharing.

Facebook, which boasts more than 500 million users, has been beset by security and privacy concerns in recent months, but brushed off Bowes’ list as a release of information that was already available to the public.

“In this case, information that people have agreed to make public was collected by a single researcher,” Facebook said in a statement.

“This information already exists in Google, Bing, other search engines, as well as on Facebook. No private data is available or has been compromised.”

Source http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/internet/article540077.ece

Nokia X6 8GB Available in India at Rs. 14,499

Posted by . , Wednesday, July 28, 2010 2:41 AM

Nokia continues to announce its latest launch in India on its Twitter Page. The latest announcement is of Nokia X6 8GB, which Nokia has announced is now available in India at the price of Rs. 14,499. Last week Nokia had informed on its Twitter page that C3 and C6 will be available in India, in the month of August and September, respectively. Nokia X6 8GB is an interesting phone. Let us take a look at its specifications in detail.

Nokia X6 8GB Detail Specs

Nokia X6 is basically a mobile phone targeted at providing a better music listening experience. It provides easy access to Nokia Ovi Music store and can play various music format like MP3, SpMidi, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA and MTP. And as the name suggests, the Nokia X6 8GB is backed by 8GB of memory which helps in playing up to 35 hours of music and 4.5 hours of video, Nokia claims. The phone supports 11.5 hours of talk time on GSM and 6 hours of talk time on 3G.

Nokia X6 8GB is capable of using HSDPA, GPRS, EDGE and WCDMA for internet access. For connectivity, it has Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0, A-GPS, WLAN and a 3.5mm AV connector. Access to social networking sites is not even worth mentioning nowadays as it is becoming a must have element in the new phones.

Nokia X6 8GB has a 5 mega pixel camera with the Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash. It also has the additional feature of TV out support and online share. In terms of display, the Nokia X6 8GB has a 3.2-inch nHD touchscreen with an aspect ratio of 16:9. The phone runs on Symbian operating system S60 5.0.

We will try to get out hands on Nokia X6 8GB and review it soon for you. We already are in the process of testing Nokia X6 16 GB version and we will soon post a review. Keep checking.

Source http://www.pcworld.in/news/nokia-x6-8gb-available-india-rs-14499-30732010

Internet addresses to void in less than a year

Posted by . , Tuesday, July 27, 2010 2:51 AM

According to the experts, the world will run out of internet addresses in less than a year and inaction by internet providers could lead to broken applications and more expensive net connections.

IPv4, the protocol that supports Internet, provides only about 4 billion IP addresses which is the unique sequence of numbers assigned to each computer, website or other internet-connected device. Due to the explosion in the number of people, devices and web services on the internet, there are only about 232 million IP addresses are left and this allocation is set to be exhausted in about 240 days.

"When the IPv4 protocol was developed 30 years ago, it seemed to be a reasonable attempt at providing enough addresses, bearing in mind that at that point personal computers didn't really exist. The idea that mobile phones might want an IP address hadn't occurred to anybody because mobile phones hadn't been invented and the idea that air conditioners and refrigerators might want them was utterly ludicrous," said John Lindsay, carrier relations manager at internet service provider (ISP) Internode, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Internet experts derived a solution to the problem several years ago, which involves moving to a new protocol, IPv6, that provides trillions of addresses for every person on the planet. But most of the internet industry - including ISPs and websites - have been reluctant to make the necessary investments to move to IPv6.

In the meantime ISPs may force multiple customers to share IP addresses, which may lead to common applications, such as Gmail and iTunes ceasing to work.

Source http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Internet_addresses_to_void_in_less_than_a_year-nid-70097.html

Karbonn's K25 Dual SIM Phone with QWERTY Keypad

Posted by . , Monday, July 26, 2010 2:29 AM

India based Karbonn Mobiles has announced the launch of its latest dual SIM handset. Known as the K25, this device joins one of the many QWERTY keypad laden dual SIM phones available in India these days.

The device boasts of a 2.3-inch QVGA display and features like GPRS, Bluetooth, 2.0 USB port, support for WAP, SMS, MMS and e-mail. It also comes with an FM radio. Like may other devices in its price range, this phone is also social networking ready and comes pre-embedded with social networking applications like Twitter and Facebook.

The phone weighs 95 grams and features a 2.0 megapixel camera with digital zoom. The model has an internal memory of 80 MB which is expandable up to 8 GB.

The K25 offers 4 hours of talk time and has been priced at Rs. 4,400.

Source http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Karbonns_K25_Dual_SIM_Phone_with_QWERTY_Keypad/551-112381-893.html

Embedded spyware in Dell servers

Posted by . , Thursday, July 22, 2010 2:25 AM

General says cyber attacks must be stopped

Hardware giant Dell has confirmed that some of its PowerEdge server motherboards have been shipped to customers with embedded spyware.

According to Dell, the damage is limited to replacement motherboards for four Dell server products -- PowerEdge R310, PowerEdge R410, PowerEdge R510 and PowerEdge T410.

However, the exact malware type, and how it managed its way onto the motherboards is still not clear.

Dell confirmed the issue after a customer received a call warning about the infected motherboard.

"As part of Dell’s quality process, we have identified a potential issue with our service mother board stock, like the one you received for your PowerEdge R410, and are taking preventative action with our customers accordingly. The potential issue involves a small number of PowerEdge server motherboards sent out through service dispatches that may contain malware. This malware code has been detected on the embedded server management firmware as you indicated."

"We take matters of information security very seriously and believe that any impact to a customer’s information security is unlikely. To date we have received no customer reports related to data security. Systems running non-Windows operating systems are not vulnerable to this malware and this issue is not present on motherboards shipped new with PowerEdge systems."

"We have assembled a customer list and are directly contacting customers like you through a call campaign. On the call, you should be provided a phone number to call if you have additional questions."

Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/enterprise-it/infrastucture/Embedded-spyware-in-Dell-servers/articleshow/6200471.cms

Apple pressured to fix iPhone antenna flaw

Posted by . , Wednesday, July 21, 2010 2:33 AM

The flap over Apple's problems with the iPhone 4 antenna continues to grow, with marketing and consumer electronics experts calling on the company to take further steps to fix its reception problem.

Apple has acknowledged that holding the device a certain way interferes with signal quality and has promised a software update. However, on Monday, the influential technology magazine and website Consumer Reports gave the device — and Apple's response to the issue — a failing grade.

The publication said it could not recommend the product until Apple came up with a permanent and free fix, a sentiment a number of industry watchers agreed with on Tuesday.

"If Apple does what Apple should do, then absolutely there should be a recall," said Ken Wong, a marketing professor at Queen's University. "Apple took a silly stance at first. They didn't really express the kind of consumer concern that you would normally expect from Apple, and for which they're best known."

In the United States, several marketing experts said a recall of the iPhone 4 in the five countries where it has launched is "inevitable." Apple did not return a request for comment.

If a recall did happen, the company could find itself short of stock for impending launches in other countries, including Canada. All three of Canada's major wireless providers — Bell, Rogers and Telus — have plans to sell the device, but that could be delayed if a recall is issued, Wong said.

Other observers said a full recall may not be necessary. Kaan Yigit, president of Solutions Research Group consumer electronics consultancy in Toronto, said Apple could simply issue a plastic cover for the iPhone 4, which would obviate the antenna issue.

"My guess is that they may offer some sort of a credit or a free bumper and consideration for a future purchase or similar," he said. "I disagree with the commentators that this is a disaster for Apple – recall or not, the brand has plenty of equity with a range of products now. Sure it's a slip-up, but it won’t really damage in a grand scale."

Wong, however, said issuing a free plastic cover would counter one of the iPhone 4's best features — its smaller size and weight. And, he added, unless Apple acts quickly and decisively to fix the issue, it could indeed suffer long-term brand damage because the company has had remarkable success in getting people to snap up its new devices early.

"You don't get that kind of acceptance if people are apprehensive about whether the original version is going to work. Apple does not want to play with that reputation," he said. "If they recover beautifully then they're the Apple everyone knows and loves. If they don't, they're just the Microsoft of old."

Despite the antenna issue, the iPhone 4 has sold briskly. Apple said it sold more than 1.7 million units in the first three days after its June 24 launch.

Iain Grant, president of the SeaBoard Group telecommunications consultancy in Montreal, said he's seen no sign of waning interest in the iPhone 4, despite the well-publicized issue.

"I do know I am still in queue for one ... and three people at lunch today all affirmed that they are all intending to move to [the new phone]."

The Consumer Reports review made Apple shareholders antsy on Tuesday, sending the company's stock sliding by four per cent on the Nasdaq.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/07/13/iphone-apple-recall-image.html#ixzz0uJ7Qo7MX

Nokia to Launch C6 in September

Posted by . , Tuesday, July 20, 2010 2:31 AM

If you were waiting to lay your hands on Nokia C6, your wait just got extended. We were very curious about the launch date of this much awaited Nokia handset and so we contacted Nokia on its Twitter account inquiring about the launch of this smartphone in India. Luckily, Nokia was quick to respond. According to them, the Nokia C6 will be launched in India by the first week of September. So, there you have it folks, straight from the horse's mouth.

Here is a recap of the features of the phone. The C6 happens to be a full fledged Symbian S60 based smartphone. It boasts of a large 3.2 inch touchscreen display as well as a slide out QWERTY keyboard. Like the C3, this phone too displays social networking feeds right on the home screen. It also comes with a full suite of email and social networking capabilities. As for other features, the C6 boasts of a 5 megapixel camera complete with autofocus and flash. It also come preloaded with Ovi Maps and the Ovi Store applications.

This phone is expected to cost between Rs. 12,000 and Rs. 14,000 in India, making it superb value. Let's hope the prices remain close to what most people are estimating it at.

Source http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Nokia_to_Launch_C6_in_September/551-112330-893.html

Steve Jobs death grips iPhone 4 reality

Posted by . , Monday, July 19, 2010 2:23 AM

When you hold the iPhone 4, does the signal fade more than it would on other popular smartphones, such as Apple's own iPhone 3GS or Google's Nexus One? It certainly does, according to independent tests. But those are merely the facts. The truth is that there is no Antennagate. Steve Jobs said so.

During the Friday morning press conference where Steve Jobs told the world the truth – now available online – he explained that grip-induced signal problems are "not unique" to the iPhone 4. "You can go on YouTube and see videos of Nokia phones and Motorola phones and other phones doing the same thing," he said, before showing separate videos from Apple testers in which signal bars disappear when hands grip various handsets, including the BlackBerry Bold 9700, the Samsung Omnia II, and the HTC Droid Eris.

"Pretty much identical to the videos on the web about the iPhone [4]," Jobs explained as the Blackberry's bars vanished. "Most smartphones behave exactly the same way ... This is life in the smartphone world. Phones aren't perfect. It's a challenge for the whole industry and we're all doing the best we can, but every phone has weaknesses."

Jobs didn't provide data comparing the iPhone 4 to other phones – just pictures of disappearing bars. But he said he was providing data. Before the videos appeared, he put up a large sign that read "Data". "Let's go right to the data," he said, knowing that providing the data isn't necessary. The truth has nothing to do with data.

RIM, maker of the BlackBerry Bold, says that Steve Jobs' words were "deliberate attempts to distort" the issue. In a statement released after the Jobs press conference, RIM alluded to the fact that unlike other smartphones, the iPhone uses an antenna that snakes around the outside of its metal bezel – and that Apple is giving away rubber bumpers in order to mitigate signal attenuation.

"RIM has avoided designs like the one Apple used in the iPhone 4 and instead has used innovative designs which reduce the risk for dropped calls, especially in areas of lower coverage," RIM said. "One thing is for certain, RIM’s customers don’t need to use a case for their BlackBerry smartphone to maintain proper connectivity."

But this is merely the truth according to RIM. The truth according to Steve Jobs is more truthful. He doesn't speak in public much, so when he does speak in public, it means a lot. And you can't come to his press conference unless you write what he wants you to write. And he gets really angry if you suggest he's wrong. And people think he's a genius.

Plus, he is genius – at least when it comes to PR.

Last week, Consumer Reports announced that it could no longer recommend the iPhone 4, after its tests showed that the iPhone 4's antenna problems aren't present on previous iPhones or other handsets from AT&T. But the truth is that Consumer Reports has judged the iPhone 4 "the number one smartphone". Jobs said that too.

"It's been judged the number one smartphone in a variety of publications. These are just a few: Wired, enGadget, PC World, Consumer Reports," he said, as he put up a large sign that said the same thing. "So people seem to like it." He said the Consumer Reports bit with a slight chuckle. He knows the facts shouldn't be taken seriously.

Did Apple's senior antenna expert warn Jobs that the iPhone's exterior antenna might hurt reception? Of course he did. No senior antenna expert worthy of the name would stop at anything less.

On June 10, fourteen days before the launch on the iPhone 4, a Danish boffin – professor Gert Frølund Pedersen from Aalborg University's Department of Electronic Systems – looked at the handset's antenna design and said it might might cause signal problems. "[The antenna design] means that the user cannot avoid interfering [with the] antenna system with [his] touch," he told a blog, according to Google Translate.

"The human tissue will in any event have an inhibitory effect on the antenna. Touch means that a larger portion of the antenna energy turns into heat and [is] lost. This makes the antenna less efficient to send and receive radio signals."

But the truth is that the story about Apple's senior antenna expert is "total bullshit" – and that the iPhone 4's antenna is "a more advanced antenna than has ever shipped on a smartphone". According to Anandtech and Consumer Reports, the iPhone 3 antenna needs a little help from some tape or a rubber bumper. But that's just another fact. Steve Jobs thinks it needs a bumper too. He's giving them out for free. But even his own facts have nothing to do with the truth.

Jobs admits that his truth is the work of the imagination. "There is no reality," he said. "So some guy says his iPhone 4 is having reception issues. I say there is no reception issue. Now it’s his reality against my reality. Which one of us is living in the real reality?

"There’s a two-part answer: 1, there is no real reality, and 2, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is which reality our customers will choose to adopt as their own.

"Of course, most people would rather live in a reality where everything works and there are no problems. And now, thanks to me, that reality exists. Because I’ve created that reality for them."

It wasn't the real Steve Jobs who said this. It was the Fake Steve Jobs. But those are merely the facts. The truth is quite another thing.

Source http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/07/19/the_truth_about_the_iphone_4/

Apple issues signal fix with iOS update

Posted by . , Friday, July 16, 2010 2:36 AM

The company has said an update to its operating system - iOS 4.0.1 - "improves the formula to determine how many bars of signal strength to display".

The release came as Apple said it would be holding a press conference at its Cupertino headquarters on Friday to discuss the iPhone 4.

Many users have reported problems with reception on their device, which is caused when their left-hand covers an antenna in the lower left-hand corner of the iPhone 4. This so-called "death grip" issue will not be corrected by the software update.

The company started contacting US-based technology journalists on Wednesday, inviting them to the hastily convened press conference.

Apple has given no further clues about the nature of the event, but has confirmed that the key topic for discussion will be iPhone 4.

The company has faced a barrage of criticism in recent weeks for the way in which it has handled a series of problems with its flagship device. Many users have reported a loss of reception whenever the hold the phone in their left hand, covering one of the antenna built in to the stainless steel band that runs around the middle of the device.

Apple said that such problems were common to all mobile phones, while Steve Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, responded to one angry customer’s email by telling him to simply stop holding his iPhone like that.

Apple issued a statement earlier this month claiming the reception issues were a result of an error in the way the iPhone calculated signal strength, usually indicated by a set of bars in the corner of the screen.

“Our formula, in many instances, mistakenly displays two more bars than it should for a given signal strength,” Apple said.

However, many users have rejected the diagnosis, claiming that holding the phone in a certain way actually reduces the signal strength, rather than simply the way the phone interprets the level of reception.

Earlier this week, a leading analyst warned that a recall of iPhone 4s would cost Apple around $1.5 billion. Apple sold more than 1.7 million iPhone 4s in its first three days on sale.

Toni Sacconaghi, an analyst with Bernstein Research, said such a recall was “highly unlikely”, and that Apple would be more likely to give away cases to customers affected by the issue.

Consumer Reports, a US consumer watchdog, also issued a damning review of the iPhone 4, highlighting the signal problems, and concluding that it “could not recommend” the device as a result. It also urged Apple to fix the issue quickly, at no additional cost to customers.

The emergency press conference is almost unheard of for Apple, which prides itself on the carefully timed release of information, and has dealt with other problems in the past simply by issuing an open letter from Jobs.

However, the company has come in for strong criticism for the way it has handled these signal problems, with many branding its attitude towards loyal customers as “arrogant”.

“I think the fact they’ve called this press conference at such short notice is indicative of the seriousness of the situation, and the way in which it’s snowballed,” said Geoff Blaber, an analyst with CCS Insight.

“Apple needs to be seen to be taking some steps to address this problem. I think a full product recall is highly unlikely, but there is a clear need to be proactive.

“There’s less than a week to go before Apple’s next quarterly earnings call, so the timing of this press conference is crucial.”

Blaber said that Apple may give away cases to iPhone 4 users, but that by doing so, the company would be making a tacit admission that there was a significant hardware problem.

Sacconaghi estimated that it would cost Apple around $1 per unit to give away cases to iPhone 4 customers.

Source http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/7893475/Apple-issues-signal-fix-with-iOS-update.html

Is Apple Ready to Talk about iPhone 4 Issues?

Posted by . , Thursday, July 15, 2010 2:45 AM

Apple iPhone 4 reviewed

Finally, Apple has decided to take a stand and talk officially about iPhone 4. The company has invited several journalists and media representatives for a "press conference about iPhone 4" on July 16 at its Cupertino campus, reported MacWorld. In the past, Apple has never held any special press conference about its products.

Regarding the topic of the press conference, Apple just mentioned that it will be about iPhone 4 and didn't clarify what specifically would be addressed. At this moment, it's hard to tell what would come off this conference. Would Apple introduce new bunch of accessories for iPhone 4? Nothing is confirmed as of now.

We strongly believe that Apple is going to address the 'death grip' antennae issue of iPhone 4. Also, number of other complaints about proximity sensor acting up during a call and other issues would be addressed. Of course, iPhone 4 recall would turn out to be expensive proposition for Apple. Let's hope it's not a public demo about 'how to hold your iPhone 4' so that the reception issue complaints gradually decrease.

Source http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Is_Apple_Ready_to_Talk_about_iPhone_4_Issues/551-112286-893.html

Now, a fraud Facebook owner?

Posted by . , Wednesday, July 14, 2010 12:23 AM

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook

A New York man claiming to own 84 per cent stake in Facebook has filed a lawsuit in a court here to recover his ownership of the social-networking company, according to media reports.

Acting on Paul D Ceglia's lawsuit, judge of Allegany County in New York, Thomas Brown, has issued a temporary restraining order restricting the transfer of Facebook Inc.'s assets.

Ceglia, claims that a 2003 contract he signed with Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg entitles him to ownership of the company and monetary damages, the Wall Street Journal said.

In his suit, Ceglia claims he signed a contract with Zuckerberg on April 28, 2003, to develop and design a website, paying a USD 1,000 fee but getting a 50 per cent stake in the product, the report said.

The contract also stipulated that Ceglia would get an additional 1 per cent interest in the business for every day after January 1, 2004, until it was completed.

Source http://www.indianexpress.com/news/now-a-fraud-facebook-owner/646396/

Browse web through SMS

Posted by . , Tuesday, July 13, 2010 2:01 AM

Now you can browse internet on mobile phones through SMS or voice. Yes, you can view the content of your favorite website in the form of text messages or can listen to that content on your phone!

HP launched ‘SiteonMobile’, a new technology in cloud computing which helps the users to access the web via SMS and voice services rather than traditional webpage-based browsing.

This technology enable to use internet services in low-end mobiles.

For using this service, the user have to select the most accessed web content. Then SiteonMobile allow the users to pack the web interactions as widgets. Later it will be delivered on to mobile through SMS or voice in landline connections.

“About 54 per cent of the phones sold in India are ultra low-end and less than three per cent are Internet enabled. There is a strong need to deliver the value of internet experiences on low-end devices used by users in emerging markets like India,” said Sudhir Dixit, Director of HP Labs India.

The cloud computing service is currently available for free of cost but the enterprises may charge users for SMS and voice services after the project is fully updated.

Source http://news.oneindia.in/2010/07/13/browse-web-through-sms.html

New HTML5 YouTube Mobile Sit

Posted by . , Monday, July 12, 2010 2:41 AM

Mobile YouTube has been modified with more new features according to a report on Wired. It will now provide high quality video playback using the new HTML5 and also be more touch friendly.

As you may already know, the mobile YouTube site is meant for use by small screen handsets. In addition to the rich video quality, the web app s interface has been made better from the accessibility point of view with bigger buttons, which are touch screen friendly as well. Since H.264 is more widely supported on mobile handsets than the latest WebM, mobile YouTube supports H.264 playback by default. You can have a look at the new website by pointing your mobile browser to m.youtube.com.

Source http://www.techtree.com/India/Techtree_Notes/New_HTML5_YouTube_Mobile_Site/551-112242-889.html

51-hour countdown for PSLV-C15 to start tomorrow

Posted by . , Thursday, July 8, 2010 10:57 PM

The PSLV-C15 rocket on its launch pad in Sriharikota spaceport.

The 51-hour countdown for the 17th flight launch of Indian space agency's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C 15 from Sriharikota spaceport is expected to begin on Saturday morning. Preparations were in full swing for the launch of the PSLV-C-15 on July 12. All the parameters for the launch were doing well and the 51-hour countdown was expected to start at 6 am on Saturday, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISR0) officials said.

"The rocket will put into orbit five satellites – remote sensing satellite Cartosat-2B from India, Alsat from Algeria, two nano satellites from Canada and Switzerland, and a pico (very small) satellite called Studsat built by seven engineering students in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka", ISRO spokesmen S Satish told PTI.

The PSLV launch was to take place on May 9 last but was postponed because of a drop in the pressure in the vehicle's second stage.

This would be the first mission by ISRO after the failure of India's ambitious home-made cryogenic engine powered GSLV-D3 in April last.

He said, "In this flight, PSLV will place the 694 kg Cartosat-2B and four auxiliary payloads in a 630 km Polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO)".

The four-stage vehicle had been fully assembled in its launch pad and the mating with Cartosat-2B and other satellites had been completed.

He said the satellite would help in urban planning and infrastructure development such as laying ring-roads and rerouting of highways.

"Cartosat-2B carries a panchromatic camera similar to that of its predecessors - Cartosat-2 and 2A", he said adding it was capable of imaging a swath (geographical strip of land) of 9.6 km with a resolution of 0.8 metre.

Source http://www.hindustantimes.com/51-hour-countdown-for-PSLV-C15-to-start-tomorrow/Article1-569611.aspx

Airtel to Offer Free Facebook for Two Months

Posted by . , Wednesday, July 7, 2010 8:06 PM

Airtel has announced the free availability of Facebook's mobile site for it users. Airtel users can avail this facility for two months without paying any charge. These users will be able to post status updates, comment and write on walls, message others, and also be able to view or upload photo. The free acess to Airtel subscribers will be available for the month of July and August.

Airtel has also announced that subscribers will be able to access Facebook in five additional Indian languages such as Punjabi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam by 15^th of July. Currently subscribers can access it in Hindi and English. Commenting on the launch, Henri Moissinac, Head of Mobile Business, Facebook said “Working closely with Bharti Airtel is a great opportunity to bring our full mobile experience to their 130 million customers across India.

It will be interesting to see if the prices are dropped for accessing Facebook after these two months or it is just an offer to attract more youngsters to the network.

Source http://www.pcworld.in/news/airtel-offer-free-facebook-two-months-28402010

Intel reveals an aircraft-style black box for the cars

Posted by . , Tuesday, July 6, 2010 7:33 PM

An electrical car with Intel Connected Car applications

An electrical car with Intel Connected Car applications sits on display at the Intel Research Day in Mountain View, California

Till yet, whenever any car accident occurs, there are always remains doubts that who is responsible for this i.e. driver’s rash driving, any technical fault or the mistake of other person? But now, these doubts will no longer remain in our minds as PC chip giant Intel, has revealed an aircraft-style black box for the cars.

Through newly revealed device, now one can not only get information regarding vehicle’s speed, steering and braking, but in addition, the gadget is capable in recording video footage from outside and inside of the vehicle.

Furthermore, the device also have an option to send the report automatically to police and insurance companies to help them to find out the cause of car crashes as well as decide the damage claims.

Apart from this, this unique device comes loaded with board sensors, which can detect potholes, tracks the location of surrounding vehicles and displays it on a satellite navigation map, can remotely lock or unlock vehicle through mobile or computer and start vehicle from a distance.

Source http://www.thefirstreporter.com/technology/intel-reveals-aircraft-style-black/

Celestial treat enthrals city

Posted by . , Monday, July 5, 2010 7:22 PM

A sun halo appears behind a streetlight in Kolkata, on Monday.

AP A sun halo appears behind a streetlight in Kolkata, on Monday.

On Monday morning, the city witnessed a beautiful natural phenomenon around 10.30 am when a bright halo formed a perfect circular ring around the sun.

The celestial wonder that lasted about an hour had the city enthralled. The ring remained bright till 11.30 am before slowly fading away.

Birla Planetarium director (research & academic) Debiprosad Duari said the phenomenon had been caused due to refraction of sunlight against a particular type of cloud formation. "Hexagon-shaped ice crystals are formed when water vapour in the cirrus clouds freezes at an altitude of 5-10 km. Sunlight passing through these crystals gets refracted by 22 degree, thereby causing the ring-like shape," he explained.

The ring that formed around the sun was a little reddish in the inside and bluish at the outer edges. The area within the ring was also slightly less bright compared to other parts of the sky. This happens because the sun's rays passing through these ice crystals in the cirrus clouds behaves like prisms and deflects the light by at least 22 degree. Scientists have shown that the geometry of the ring or halo is such that it's size is roughly 44 times the size of the sun.

Incidentally, this natural phenomenon can happen anywhere during the daytime if the sky is covered by cirrus clouds and the atmospheric conditions are right. "The formation of these rings do not suggest any particular type of atmospheric condition or have no effect on life and property," Duari clarified over and over again to frantic callers.

Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Kolkata-/Celestial-treat-enthrals-city/articleshow/6133232.cms

Oscar enters mobile industry with 10 handsets

Posted by . , Sunday, July 4, 2010 11:11 PM

Oscar, a brand known for its expertise in the consumer electronics market has doffed the silk of its latest value-based mobile phone series. The company is offering a myriad of features at an extremely low price with these devices. Oscar, a well-known brand in the North and East India, has been in the consumer electronics industry for around 25 years. Thus, leveraging on years of trust garnered in the industry, the company is all set to enter the mobile phone segment.

Oscar touts on being the first to bring to the common public a range of electronics such as CTVs, VCD Players, DVDs and multimedia speaker systems at affordable prices. The company now launches a series of 10 phones with price ranging between Rs. 1700 to Rs. 4500. It further claims that each model ‘will offer some additional feature that no other brand currently offers at that price point’. Six out of the ten have already been launched. The release date of the remaining four can be anytime in the coming two months. The base model N1 is equipped with the vibration speaker facility, again asserting that it’s the first time any phone has offered that as an entry level phone with that price.

“Our foray into the telecom vertical is in keeping with our vision to provide consumers with high quality products at unmatched prices by following a no-frills policy. Our vision is to introduce the most affordable handsets in India keeping in mind the features to price ratio” comments Mr. Satish Verma, Chairman, Oscar Group. “Currently about 50% of Indians are on ULCH (ultra low cost handsets). We therefore saw a great opportunity for OSCAR which has a strong track record in the Value for Money (VFM) segment. We will look to build a strong presence in the semi-urban and rural market, where the prominence of both subscribers and operators is rapidly increasing, besides the burgeoning urban market” he added.

All Oscar handsets are built with dual GSM SIM connectivity, empowering users to handle their professional and personal numbers proficiently. The handsets are packed with a one year warranty. Plus, a comprehensive after-sales service that is enhanced with an existing network of more than 250 service centers.

Other than the N1 model, all others are bundled with various multimedia options like FM Radio, MP3 and MP4 player. They also carry a 1.3 MP camera which offers superior picture quality. Users can even access several social networking sites via the phone. The Z1 is the current top end model from Oscar which is loaded with a QWERTY keypad. This handset runs on a fast processor and comes with two cameras, one in the front and one at the back of the phone.

The Oscar series of phones come priced between Rs. 1700 to Rs. 4500. The handsets will be out in the market within two months and can be purchased from around 1,500 retail stores throughout North and East India. The company plans on expanding to over 8,000 retail stores by the end of this year.

Source http://www.mobiletor.com/2010/07/03/oscar-enters-mobile-industry-with-10-handsets/

MicroSIM Adaptor For iPhone 4

Posted by . , Thursday, July 1, 2010 11:37 PM

iphone-4-bsnl-3g-india_web

At FoneArena we know you users very well. We understand that a lot of you like to buy a phone when you are traveling. This holds good for brands like Apple which totally neglect the Indian market. So we decided to get our hands on the Apple iPhone 4 32GB Factory Unlocked (SIM Free) Model courtesy of our beloved friend from UK.

Honestly , the first thing I tried when I got hold of the phone was to hold it by left hand corner. The phone had a O2 UK MicroSIM inside and it was on International roaming and displayed Aircel. As you can see in the image below, the signal never dropped and showed full 5 Bars.

We headed back to our labs and decided to convert a spare BSNL 3G SIM card into a microSIM so that we can get 3G working on this phone.

We ran into a problem. In India some SIM cards such as Vodafone and Aircel have a smaller chip but Airtel , BSNL have large chips. So we had to be extra careful not to chop of the metal part. We finally managed to get a BSNL 3G SIM Card in the shape of the microsIM 3FF card. We will have a separate post with a video probably on how to cut your SIM into a microSIM.

So we got 3G finally working on the iPhone 4 and clocked almost 1Mbps ! Let us know what you would like to know about the iPhone 4 ? We shall try our best to find out .

Source http://www.fonearena.com/blog/19458/apple-iphone-4-works-over-bsnl-3g-in-india.html

Intex feature rich dual-SIM IN 6633 handset revealed

Posted by . , 1:40 AM

Intex IN 6633

Here’s news that might excite all those chasing a handset which is rich in functions, performance and appearance. Intex has brought in the dual SIM IN 6633 handset which aims at fulfilling the three aforementioned expectations of mobile phone users. This model supports GSM+GSM networks and flaunts a 5.8cm TFT display.

The device offers users 78MB of internal storage capacity expandable by up to 8GB. It has been fitted with a web camera and includes motion sensor as well. Users can enjoy their favorite tracks through the built-in audio player and wireless FM radio with antenna. The phone integrates Java and Bluetooth with A2DP too.

“A feature-packed phone has always been a favorite amongst ever-increasing base of Indian consumers. Their wish-list keeps demanding more,” affirmed Shailendra Jha, DGM-Telecom, Intex Technologies Ltd., India. “We strive to meet their aspirations by offering contemporary features in a stylish yet affordable package. Intex IN 6633 represents a fine balance between features and performance while enhancing the ease of use.”

Additionally, users of this device can avail of the answering machine and auto call record functionality. It also allows blocking up to 10 callers with the dedicated Black List feature. Apart from that, the handset comes with mobile tracker and a security lock for SMS, MMS, contacts and call history.

The IN 6633 handset supports four different language setups, namely English, Hindi, Urdu, and French. Besides being powered by a long lasting battery, it has been fitted with a soft QWERTY keypad. Users can also access sites on the web through Intex Zone that offers Nimbuzz for playing games like Sudoku, instant messaging and more.

The device lets 2G users indulge in a face-to face video chat thanks to the in-built dual camera. Owners can also surf the internet, download data online or chat through their phones. With the Push Mail capability, users can configure up to 10 e-mail accounts on their handsets.

The IN 6633 handset flaunts a wine-red color with a black textured exterior. The handset is available through 400 channel partners across India and can be purchased at about Rs. 4,500.

Source http://www.techgadgets.in/mobile-phones/2010/30/intex-in-feature-rich-dual-sim-in-6633-handset-revealed/

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)