All posts by Utkarsh

Solution designer with Firstsource solutions. A post grad in Networks and IT Infrastructure. Technology enthusiast, blogger, webdesigner, Network security aspirant and in love with electronics and gadgets. This blog is an attempt to share what I find interesting... almost anything @Mtaram on twitter and
General, Technology

For unified communications, a future unclouded

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http://www.computerweekly.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=45500The IT industry is prone to get enthusiastic about emerging technologies. In many cases, this has the positive effect of driving support for technologies that go on to make a tangible difference to business performance or, in some cases, people’s lives.

But by the same token, this enthusiasm sometimes has the unintended consequence of hurting a technology’s chances of being taken seriously. We are all too familiar with Gartner’s Hype Cycle. Unified communications and collaboration (UCC) technologies have over the years suffered from being overhyped.

This year, some are claiming unified communications will come of age. So why should this year be any different from previous false starts? The answer lies with another emerging technology that has suffered from its own share of hype: the cloud.

Read the full article by Sudhir Narang – MD BT India

Gadgets

Sony Tablet P and Tablet S

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Next month, Sony is launching two tablets; a foldable dual 5.5-inch screen clamshell called the Sony Tablet P and a more conventional tablet dubbed Sony Tablet S. These were originally codenamed Sony S1 and S2. The Tablet P will weigh only 370 grams and feature a Tegra 2 processor, 4G and WiFi connectivity, 512MB RAM, 4GB flash storage and a 2GB SD card and a 0.3 megapixel front camera. Tablet S will be WiFi-only and feature the same processor and camera as the Tablet P, but will instead weigh 600g, have 1GM of RAM and come in 16 and 32GB flavors. Both these tablets will apparently also be Playstation Certified which means that they’ll support PS1 games and other special content from Sony. Although price and shipping dates are still unknown, retailers have been told that more information is to be expected soon.

Gadgets

Blackberry Torch 9810 buy online

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BlackBerry is yet to make this device official in the Indian market, however the good news is that the BlackBerry Torch is already available for purchase with online retailer Letsbuy. This is another touch-and-type smartphone from Research In Motion which the company recently which runs BlackBerry 7 OS like the BlackBerry Bold 9900.

The Torch 9810 is powered by a 1.2 GHz processor and includes 786MB of RAM. It has a 3.2-inch TFT touchscreen display and a slide-out QWERTY keypad, an optical trackpad, a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and can record videos at 720p HD. Additionally it supports microSD card up to 32GB and has WiFi and 3G connectivity.

The BlackBerry Bold is priced at 29,794 INR with Letsbuy and ships in up to 8 working days.

Buy it at Letsbuy

News

WikiLeaks Leaves Names of Diplomatic Sources in Cables

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http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/08/30/world/WIKILEAKS/WIKILEAKS-articleInline.jpgIn a shift of tactics that has alarmed American officials, the antisecrecy organization WikiLeaks has published on the Web nearly 134,000 leaked diplomatic cables in recent days, more than six times the total disclosed publicly since the posting of the leaked State Department documents began last November.

A sampling of the documents showed that the newly published cables included the names of some people who had spoken confidentially to American diplomats and whose identities were marked in the cables with the warning “strictly protect.”

State Department officials and human rights activists have been concerned that such diplomatic sources, including activists, journalists and academics in authoritarian countries, could face reprisals, including dismissal from their jobs, prosecution or violence.

Since late 2010, The New York Times and several other news organizations have had access to more than 250,000 State Department cables originally obtained by WikiLeaks, citing them in news articles and publishing a relatively small number of cables deemed newsworthy. But The Times and other publications that had access to the documents removed the names of people judged vulnerable to retaliation.

WikiLeaks published some cables on its own Web site, but until the latest release, the group had also provided versions of the cables that had been edited to protect low-level diplomatic sources.

This post first appeared on NYTimes

Google, Internet

Google Might Be Using +1 Button Data for Search Results

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http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/epicenter/2011/08/plusonecloseup-300x268.gif

Google is making plans to turn its +1 button into a crowdsourcing tool that helps it re-order search results and fight web spam.

While not surprising, the move would bring Google’s search engine into the social networking era, while simultaneously creating a new avenue for blackhats to manipulate search results and potentially incurring the wrath of trust-busting authorities.

Google confirmed its plans in an e-mail to Wired.com.

“Google will study the clicks on +1 buttons as a signal that influences the ranking and appearance of websites in search results,” a spokesman wrote. “The purpose of any ranking signal is to improve overall search quality. For +1’s and other social ranking signals, as with any new ranking signal, we’ll be starting carefully and learning how those signals are related to quality.”

Read more at Wired

General

Bird Flu Q&A

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http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/55013000/jpg/_55013566_birdfluspl.jpg

Concern is growing about a mutant strain of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus that is spreading in Asia and beyond.

Existing vaccines appear to be powerless against the new strain.

What is bird flu?

Avian influenza, or ‘bird flu’, is an infectious disease caused by viruses that normally infect only birds

There are many different types or strains.

The one concerning experts at the moment is the "highly pathogenic" H5N1 strain – this means that it is highly likely to cause disease.

What is the concern?

There have been over 565 cases of human infection with H5N1 since it first appeared in 2003, killing 331 of them, according to the UN World Health Organization.

Most of these have been in south east Asia, and have been associated with close contact with diseased birds.

Birds shed the virus in their faeces and so close contact with their immediate living environment can spread disease.

There is also the potential that the virus could spread directly from person to person.

H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus was eliminated from most of the 63 countries infected at its peak in 2006, but it remained endemic in six nations. Outbreaks have risen since then, with almost 800 cases recorded between 2010 and 2011.

Is it possible to stop bird flu coming into a country?

No. Wild birds do not recognise natural boundaries. But measures such as exclusion zones and bringing poultry indoors are designed to stop the virus taking hold.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation has urged heightened readiness and surveillance. There is concern about spread of the new bird flu virus to Korea, Japan, Malaysia and elsewhere in Asia. Australia is not presently on the high alert list.

Can the virus be passed on through eating poultry or eggs?

No. The virus is easily destroyed by cooking, so even if it was present it would be destroyed.

Is there a vaccine or treatment?

Scientists have made a vaccine for H5N1. As with all flu vaccines, it is a "best guess" vaccine based on the strain experts predict will be most problematic. However, flu viruses are able to rapidly change or mutate, rendering such vaccines powerless. WHO says new H5N1 candidate vaccine viruses will be developed as the viruses continue to evolve and announced as they become available.

In addition to vaccines there are also antiviral drugs, like Tamiflu, that can treat and minimise infection.

Does the seasonal flu jab protect against avian flu?

No. The seasonal flu jab does not protect against avian flu. Seasonal or winter flu is a highly infectious and very common viral illness that is spread readily between people by coughs and sneezes.

Is bird flu different to swine flu?

Yes. Bird flu, as the name suggests, originates in birds and is called H5N1. Swine flu originates in pigs and is a different type of flu, called H1N1. Both have caused outbreaks and deaths in humans.

Mobile

Bharti Launches sub 10k Tablet – Magiq

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Beetel Teletech, part of India’s Bharti Enterprises that controls top mobile carrier Bharti Airtel , launched a tablet computer priced at 9,999 rupees on Wednesday.

http://beetel.quasar.in/beetel.in/sites/default/files/big-600-gray_0.png

The 7-inch tablet, branded Beetel Magiq, runs on Google’s  Android operating system and supports both 3G and Wi-Fi networks, Beetel said in a statement.

Key features :-

    • Processor Speed – 1GHz
    • Android 2.2
    • 7.0″ WVGA Screen
    • Dual Camera – (2MP + 2MP)
    • Comfy Stand
    • Track Pad
    • Android Market (Free Apps)

The tablet will come with data connection from Airtel*. Currently available only in Mumbai and Delhi

 

*The offer is applicable on the first airtel SIM that is inserted into a new Magiq Tablet. To activate 3G services, sms 3G to 121. Post expiry of free data usage, in-plan data browsing changes of 10p/10kb will apply till expiry of the validity. Once offer is over, standard data browsing charges of 10p/10kb will apply. Customers will get the offer only once. In 2G circles where airtel has not launched 3G, customers will get 2GB of 2G data per month for 6 months. Customers who avail the 2G offer, will not get 3G offer post launch of 3G network. Offer is valid till 20th Nov 2011. For T&C’s visit www.airtel.in

The connection will be activated on the Tablet by 24th Aug’2011.

Internet

Mozilla Releases Firefox 6

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http://common5.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/30/0,1425,i=303606,00.jpgAfter a false start, Firefox 6 has been officially released.

Though many tech sites, including PCMag, published news of its release over the weekend, Mozilla had only made code available from its FTP servers, a standard practice leading up to a release. But in accordance with Mozilla’s recently adopted rapid release schedule, version 6 debuts only 8 weeks after its predecessor and only includes whatever updates are ready for that schedule. Whereas in the past, a new full-number Firefox version meant almost a completely new browser, Mozilla’s new approach means there’s a lot less in the way of new features with each increase in version.

Download Firefox 6 for Windows | Mac | Linux.

Read more @ PCMAG

General

Lokpal Bill and the Jan Lokpal Bill

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The Jan Lokpal Bill (also referred to as the citizens’ ombudsman bill) is a proposed anti-corruption law in India. It is designed to effectively deter corruption, redress grievances and protect whistle-blowers. If passed and made into law, the bill seeks to create an ombudsman called the Lokpal (translation: protector of the people) – an independent body similar to the Election Commission of India with the power to investigate politicians and bureaucrats without prior government permission.

First introduced in 1969, the bill has failed to become law for nearly over four decades.

SGandhian rights activist Anna Hazare started a Satyagraha movement by commencing a fast unto death in New Delhi to demand the passing of the bill. The movement attracted attention in the media, and thousands of supporters. Following Hazare’s four day hunger strike, the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stated that the bill would be re-introduced in the 2011 monsoon session of the Parliament.

Attempts to draft a compromise bill, merging the Government’s version and that of the civil group’s version (Jan Lokpal), by a committee of five Cabinet Ministers and five social activists failed. The Indian government introduced its own version of the bill in the parliament, which the activists consider to be too weak.

Major dfference between Draft Lokpal Bill 2010 and Jan Lokpal Bill

Draft Lokpal Bill (2010)Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen’s Ombudsman Bill)
Lokpal does not have powers to investigate the prime minister.Lokpal will have the powers to investigate the prime minister.
Lokpal can only probe complaints approved by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha or the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.Lokpal will have powers to initiate suo moto action or receive complaints of corruption from any citizen if it deems it worthy.
Lokpal will only be an Advisory Body with a role limited to forwarding reports to a “Competent Authority”.Lokpal will have the power to initiate prosecution of anyone found guilty.
Lokpal will have no police powers and no ability to register a First Information Report or proceed with criminal investigations.Lokpal will have police powers as well as the ability to register FIRs.
The CBI and Lokpal will be unconnected.Lokpal and the anti corruption wing of the CBI will be one independent body.
Punishment for corruption will be a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of up to 7 years.Punishments will be a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of up to life imprisonment.

Detailed comparative chart for the Government lokpal Bill and Jan Lokpal Bill can be viewed and downloaded from here.

Support the cause against corruption.

Android, Gadgets

Reliance debuts 3G Tablet in India

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http://gigjets.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Reliance-3G-Tab-290x160.jpgReliance entered the tablet war with a 7 inch Android pad. It’s powered by an 800 MHz processor coupled with a healthy 512 MB RAM. It also supports voice calling and SMS; runs on Gingerbread or Android 2.3 and has a capacitive multi touch screen. It weighs only about 389 grams.

The device has two cameras — A 2 megapixel camera at the back and a VGA resolution camera on the front for video calling. The phone connects using 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth.

A WiFi Hotspot feature allows you to use the phone as a WiFi modem for up to five devices. It also has Mobile TV and YouTube, Google Search, Google Map, R World Online, Gmail, and FM Radio. It also plays multiple music and video formats. It’s powered by a 3400 mAh battery, which lasts for 300 hours on standby.

The tablet is manufactured by ZTE, which means we can expect decent build quality coupled with a bundled 3G data plan.