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TORONTO, CANADA: Tired of the same old Internet dating sites? If you're an ultra-smart singleton and good at taking tests, a new website could be the answer.
The social networking site directed towards highly intelligent people with a knack for deciphering complex visual patterns, which started in Denmark, has now expanded to Canada and the United States.
Potential candidates have to pass an online test to prove they have an IQ of 115 or higher. The score places them in the top 15 percent of the population for intelligence, said Copenhagen-based Trine Jensen, the founder of IntelligentPeople.com.
"I believe that intelligent people communicate better with other intelligent people and, of course, love happens more easily if you communicate well," she said in an interview.
"I started it because I thought it was missing from the dating scene and the social networking scene," the 29-year-old corporate lawyer explained.
The test to join the site is based on one used by Mensa -- an international society founded in England for people with an IQ in the top two percent of the population. It is designed to be "culture fair", so it tests intelligence while minimizing cultural and educational biases, Jensen said.
People can take the test twice, Jensen added, admitting that in some ways it could be viewed as discriminatory.
"But there are other sites that discriminate on the basis of other criteria," she said.
The new site, which has about 700 members, has attracted engineers, lawyers, students, Web developers and teachers, Jensen said, adding that it's too early to say how successful the site has been at "hooking people up".
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7effects Headline Animator
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Mobile TV broadcast roll-out slow: Nokia
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HELSINKI, FINLAND: Nokia said on Friday its push to promote mobile television broadcasting has not succeeded as the world's top cellphone maker had hoped.
Nokia has been for years promoting television broadcasts to cellphones and its digital video broadcasting handheld (DVB-H) technology won EU support earlier this year, but only a few operators in Europe have opened any TV broadcasting services.
"It's a bit in a turmoil," Niklas Savander, head of Nokia's Internet services, told a conference in Helsinki.
Most people who watch TV programmes on their cellphones use third-generation (3G) mobile networks, bringing in long-awaited data transmission fees to operators, but these limit picture quality and user numbers.
"We have seen that there are multiple segments who are not interested in the broadcasting, but rather in downloads. Roll out is slower than also we anticipated a couple of years ago," Savander said.
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HELSINKI, FINLAND: Nokia said on Friday its push to promote mobile television broadcasting has not succeeded as the world's top cellphone maker had hoped.
Nokia has been for years promoting television broadcasts to cellphones and its digital video broadcasting handheld (DVB-H) technology won EU support earlier this year, but only a few operators in Europe have opened any TV broadcasting services.
"It's a bit in a turmoil," Niklas Savander, head of Nokia's Internet services, told a conference in Helsinki.
Most people who watch TV programmes on their cellphones use third-generation (3G) mobile networks, bringing in long-awaited data transmission fees to operators, but these limit picture quality and user numbers.
"We have seen that there are multiple segments who are not interested in the broadcasting, but rather in downloads. Roll out is slower than also we anticipated a couple of years ago," Savander said.
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Nokia intros three new S60-based applications
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Finland-based mobile handset maker Nokia today announced the availability of three new applications built on the S60 software platform for mobile phones: Quickoffice Version 4.1, Web Server and WaveSecure.
The Quickoffice Version 4.1 application for Nokia E90 phones makes users PC-independent to create and edit Microsoft Office documents – including Word, Excel and PowerPoint files – from the phone itself.
However, Quickoffice currently does not support open source documents.
Existing E90 users can download Quickoffice Version 4.1 on to their phones, Mahmood Kalantar, director, Mobile Software Sales and Marketing, APAC, Nokia, said at a press conference here.
The Web Server application remotely gives the user a complete access to the phone via the Internet. The user can access data stored on the phone, access the call logs section of the phone via the Internet to know the details of received and missed calls.
Additionally, the user can access photo gallery, send messages and click photographs remotely.
The Mobile Web Server is currently in beta and is provided free of charge. The user should create a log in ID to avail this application.
The Web Server application even doubles the phone as surveillance equipment. The camera can be clicked remotely via the Internet, and the clicked photo can be accessed on the computer monitor for remote surveillance.
According to Gautam Dhingra, marketing manager, Mobile Software Sales and Marketing, the Web Server application does not currently support videos.
He said such capability could be built on the S60 platform.
Using the WebSecure application – developed by Tencube – a user can track a missing phone via the Internet, create backup for the data stored and even delete the data.
The data retrieved can then be stored on to any S60 phone using a restore option.
Nokia termed WebSecure as the "ultimate security application" for the mobile phone.
S60 on Symbian OS is one of the three platforms Nokia uses to develop applications. S60 is the only one licensed to developers.
The other two platforms – Series 40 and Series 80 – are strictly for in-house development of applications.
Kalantar said that the S60 was "partially made in India."
He, however, lamented that only eight per cent of Indian developers work on developing mobile applications. "Indian developers put most of their professional time on developing Web applications."
Kalantar added that the combined power of the Internet and S60 could change the economics of development.
"S60 is open to all developers with the widest range of runtime environment and open channels to market," Kalantar added.
Nokia has built a large developer ecosystem around S60, which supports Symbian C++, Open C, Open C++, Java, Python, Web run-time and Flash, among others.
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Finland-based mobile handset maker Nokia today announced the availability of three new applications built on the S60 software platform for mobile phones: Quickoffice Version 4.1, Web Server and WaveSecure.
The Quickoffice Version 4.1 application for Nokia E90 phones makes users PC-independent to create and edit Microsoft Office documents – including Word, Excel and PowerPoint files – from the phone itself.
However, Quickoffice currently does not support open source documents.
Existing E90 users can download Quickoffice Version 4.1 on to their phones, Mahmood Kalantar, director, Mobile Software Sales and Marketing, APAC, Nokia, said at a press conference here.
The Web Server application remotely gives the user a complete access to the phone via the Internet. The user can access data stored on the phone, access the call logs section of the phone via the Internet to know the details of received and missed calls.
Additionally, the user can access photo gallery, send messages and click photographs remotely.
The Mobile Web Server is currently in beta and is provided free of charge. The user should create a log in ID to avail this application.
The Web Server application even doubles the phone as surveillance equipment. The camera can be clicked remotely via the Internet, and the clicked photo can be accessed on the computer monitor for remote surveillance.
According to Gautam Dhingra, marketing manager, Mobile Software Sales and Marketing, the Web Server application does not currently support videos.
He said such capability could be built on the S60 platform.
Using the WebSecure application – developed by Tencube – a user can track a missing phone via the Internet, create backup for the data stored and even delete the data.
The data retrieved can then be stored on to any S60 phone using a restore option.
Nokia termed WebSecure as the "ultimate security application" for the mobile phone.
S60 on Symbian OS is one of the three platforms Nokia uses to develop applications. S60 is the only one licensed to developers.
The other two platforms – Series 40 and Series 80 – are strictly for in-house development of applications.
Kalantar said that the S60 was "partially made in India."
He, however, lamented that only eight per cent of Indian developers work on developing mobile applications. "Indian developers put most of their professional time on developing Web applications."
Kalantar added that the combined power of the Internet and S60 could change the economics of development.
"S60 is open to all developers with the widest range of runtime environment and open channels to market," Kalantar added.
Nokia has built a large developer ecosystem around S60, which supports Symbian C++, Open C, Open C++, Java, Python, Web run-time and Flash, among others.
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Heineken, Nokia and advanced sensor technology
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Even as Indian liquor baron and Member of Parliament, Vijay Mallya reportedly raised a toast to Heineken, Nokia said cheers with the same brand of beer, as it showcased its phone with advanced sensor technology.
The Finland-based mobile phone handset-maker had last year said it was developing a mobile phone with advanced sensor technology.
At a press conference here today, Gautam Dhingra, marketing manager, Mobile Software Sales and Marketing, passed "a round of drinks" to scribes.
The mobile phones passed around had beer bubbling on their screens and as the reporters "drank", the beer level gradually decreased before "emptying the mobile phone".
This, of course, was just to showcase the technology Nokia introduced in its phone. The mobile phone sensed its position – whether it was held upright or slanted or upside down – and the image of golden beer responded accordingly, as if it was in a pitcher.
The phone even sensed the collective lungpower of journalists.
Dhingra selected a game on his phone, a game in which one has to scream to make a building collapse without harming the passers-by, and thereby collect points. The collective scream of Bangalore journalists could garner only 97 points.
They were later told that the highest was over 110 points.
Flip Silent and Shake Lock
Later, during a post-press conference conversation, Dhingra explained more. Nokia has developed more applications, viz., the Flip Silent and Shake Lock.
A ringing phone could be made silent or even the call could be disconnected by flipping it over. The Flip Silent was developed on the S60 platform and partially has used Python.
"Shake Lock was also developed on the S60 platform and has used Python," Dhingra told CyberMedia News.
With this application, a user can shake the phone to lock the keypad. This application would be more useful to countries like India, where a significant number of users go for low-end or mid-segment phones which need to be locked.
Dhingra, however, did not reveal when Nokia would start shipping this phone with sensor technology.
The Finnish handset-maker is learnt to be developing more sensor technology-based applications before it would launch the phone.
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Even as Indian liquor baron and Member of Parliament, Vijay Mallya reportedly raised a toast to Heineken, Nokia said cheers with the same brand of beer, as it showcased its phone with advanced sensor technology.
The Finland-based mobile phone handset-maker had last year said it was developing a mobile phone with advanced sensor technology.
At a press conference here today, Gautam Dhingra, marketing manager, Mobile Software Sales and Marketing, passed "a round of drinks" to scribes.
The mobile phones passed around had beer bubbling on their screens and as the reporters "drank", the beer level gradually decreased before "emptying the mobile phone".
This, of course, was just to showcase the technology Nokia introduced in its phone. The mobile phone sensed its position – whether it was held upright or slanted or upside down – and the image of golden beer responded accordingly, as if it was in a pitcher.
The phone even sensed the collective lungpower of journalists.
Dhingra selected a game on his phone, a game in which one has to scream to make a building collapse without harming the passers-by, and thereby collect points. The collective scream of Bangalore journalists could garner only 97 points.
They were later told that the highest was over 110 points.
Flip Silent and Shake Lock
Later, during a post-press conference conversation, Dhingra explained more. Nokia has developed more applications, viz., the Flip Silent and Shake Lock.
A ringing phone could be made silent or even the call could be disconnected by flipping it over. The Flip Silent was developed on the S60 platform and partially has used Python.
"Shake Lock was also developed on the S60 platform and has used Python," Dhingra told CyberMedia News.
With this application, a user can shake the phone to lock the keypad. This application would be more useful to countries like India, where a significant number of users go for low-end or mid-segment phones which need to be locked.
Dhingra, however, did not reveal when Nokia would start shipping this phone with sensor technology.
The Finnish handset-maker is learnt to be developing more sensor technology-based applications before it would launch the phone.
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IBM launches 'green energy' tools for data centers
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SAN FRANCISCO, USA: International Business Machines Corp on Wednesday launched tools to reduce computer energy consumption as IBM hopes to boost its business of selling power-saving technologies.
The products, announced at an IBM business-partner conference in Los Angeles, are designed to measure power consumption and reduction across energy-hungry computer data centers that run corporate networks and Web sites.
The world's largest technology services company is offering software that tracks and caps data-center energy consumption, including power for air conditioning to cool server computers.
IBM is also extending to 27 more countries a program begun in seven countries last year that lets companies earn and trade certificates awarded for verified energy savings.
"Energy efficiency has become a critical business metric, like product reliability and customer satisfaction," William Zeitler, head of IBM's systems and technology group, said in an interview with Reuters.
IBM is expanding in so-called green data centers as it looks for new growth areas in developed regions such as Western Europe as well as in developing countries that are spending heavily on new technology infrastructure.
"The opportunity for us is to go to clients -- there are an enormous number who are either transforming their data centers or will have to transform them," Zeitler said. "This is a critically important problem in the industry."
IBM's green data center initiative has already begun to pay off a year after it was launched. It generated nearly $200 million of technology-services contract signings in the first quarter and about $300 million in the fourth, chief financial officer Mark Loughridge said in recent earnings presentations.
Many of the countries added to the certificate program are in emerging markets in Asia and the Middle East, where Armonk, New York-based IBM has been generating double-digit percentage revenue growth from building technology infrastructure in telecoms, transportation and energy, among other areas.
Growth is also strong in North America and Western Europe, where banks, for example, are trying to rein in energy costs from running massive volumes of financial transactions on their computers. Banks are among IBM's biggest customers.
"It's really taken off in North America in particular and Western Europe," said Joe Clabby, president and industry research analyst at Clabby Analytics. "Countries that are not energy self-sufficient are jumping on this initiative."
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SAN FRANCISCO, USA: International Business Machines Corp on Wednesday launched tools to reduce computer energy consumption as IBM hopes to boost its business of selling power-saving technologies.
The products, announced at an IBM business-partner conference in Los Angeles, are designed to measure power consumption and reduction across energy-hungry computer data centers that run corporate networks and Web sites.
The world's largest technology services company is offering software that tracks and caps data-center energy consumption, including power for air conditioning to cool server computers.
IBM is also extending to 27 more countries a program begun in seven countries last year that lets companies earn and trade certificates awarded for verified energy savings.
"Energy efficiency has become a critical business metric, like product reliability and customer satisfaction," William Zeitler, head of IBM's systems and technology group, said in an interview with Reuters.
IBM is expanding in so-called green data centers as it looks for new growth areas in developed regions such as Western Europe as well as in developing countries that are spending heavily on new technology infrastructure.
"The opportunity for us is to go to clients -- there are an enormous number who are either transforming their data centers or will have to transform them," Zeitler said. "This is a critically important problem in the industry."
IBM's green data center initiative has already begun to pay off a year after it was launched. It generated nearly $200 million of technology-services contract signings in the first quarter and about $300 million in the fourth, chief financial officer Mark Loughridge said in recent earnings presentations.
Many of the countries added to the certificate program are in emerging markets in Asia and the Middle East, where Armonk, New York-based IBM has been generating double-digit percentage revenue growth from building technology infrastructure in telecoms, transportation and energy, among other areas.
Growth is also strong in North America and Western Europe, where banks, for example, are trying to rein in energy costs from running massive volumes of financial transactions on their computers. Banks are among IBM's biggest customers.
"It's really taken off in North America in particular and Western Europe," said Joe Clabby, president and industry research analyst at Clabby Analytics. "Countries that are not energy self-sufficient are jumping on this initiative."
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Microsoft's board fails to decide on Yahoo: WSJ
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SEATTLE, USA: Microsoft Corp's board met on Wednesday to discuss its stand-off with Yahoo Inc over its $41.8 billion takeover bid, but failed to reach a decision on what to do next, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Microsoft's board of directors is still weighing whether to adopt a hostile approach and nominate a proxy slate of directors to replace Yahoo's board, sweeten its cash-and-stock offer for Yahoo, or possibly walk away from the deal, the Journal said.
A Microsoft spokesman was not available for comment.
A Microsoft-imposed deadline for Yahoo to start talks on a final deal or face a proxy battle passed last Saturday. An announcement from Microsoft is expected later this week, the report said.
Microsoft, according to the report, has indicated it would be willing to raise its bid to as much as $33 per share but such an offer may still fall short of the $35 to $37 per share that Yahoo's major shareholders are looking for.
Meanwhile, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer, who is also a member of the board, has appeared ready in recent days to abandon the offer since Yahoo and its major shareholders want significantly more money, according to the Journal.
Ballmer had said last week that Microsoft was considering walking away from the deal. But most Wall Street analysts dismiss this as a hardball negotiating tactic rather than a real threat to end its two-year-long pursuit of a deal.
The value of Microsoft's offer, originally valued at $44.6 billion at $31 a share, has fallen to $29.06 a share due to a drop in the value of Microsoft's stock
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SEATTLE, USA: Microsoft Corp's board met on Wednesday to discuss its stand-off with Yahoo Inc over its $41.8 billion takeover bid, but failed to reach a decision on what to do next, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Microsoft's board of directors is still weighing whether to adopt a hostile approach and nominate a proxy slate of directors to replace Yahoo's board, sweeten its cash-and-stock offer for Yahoo, or possibly walk away from the deal, the Journal said.
A Microsoft spokesman was not available for comment.
A Microsoft-imposed deadline for Yahoo to start talks on a final deal or face a proxy battle passed last Saturday. An announcement from Microsoft is expected later this week, the report said.
Microsoft, according to the report, has indicated it would be willing to raise its bid to as much as $33 per share but such an offer may still fall short of the $35 to $37 per share that Yahoo's major shareholders are looking for.
Meanwhile, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer, who is also a member of the board, has appeared ready in recent days to abandon the offer since Yahoo and its major shareholders want significantly more money, according to the Journal.
Ballmer had said last week that Microsoft was considering walking away from the deal. But most Wall Street analysts dismiss this as a hardball negotiating tactic rather than a real threat to end its two-year-long pursuit of a deal.
The value of Microsoft's offer, originally valued at $44.6 billion at $31 a share, has fallen to $29.06 a share due to a drop in the value of Microsoft's stock
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Scientists develop new type of memory circuit
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CHICAGO, USA: It took about 40 years to find it, but scientists at Hewlett-Packard said that they discovered a fourth basic type of electrical circuit that could lead to a computer you never have to boot up.
The finding proves what until now had only been theory -- but could save millions from the tedium of waiting for a computer to find its "place," the researchers said on Wednesday.
Basic electronics theory teaches that there are three fundamental elements of a passive circuit -- resistors, capacitors and inductors.
But in the 1970s, Leon Chua of the University of California at Berkeley, theorized there should be a fourth called a memory resistor, or memristor, for short, and he worked out the mathematical equations to prove it.
Now, a team at Hewlett-Packard led by Stanley Williams has proven that 'memristance' exists. They developed a mathematical model and a physical example of a memristor, which they describe in the journal Nature.
"It's very different from any other electrical device," Williams said of his memristor in a telephone interview. "No combination of resistor, capacitor or inductor will give you that property."
Williams likens the property to water flowing through a garden hose. In a regular circuit, the water flows from more than one direction.
But in a memory resistor, the hose remembers what direction the water (or current) is flowing from, and it expands in that direction to improve the flow. If water or current flows from the other direction, the hose shrinks.
"It remembers both the direction and the amount of charge that flows through it. ... That is the memory," Williams said.
The discovery is more than an academic pursuit for Williams, who said the finding could lead a new kind of computer memory that would never need booting up.
Conventional computers use dynamic random access memory or DRAM, which is lost when the power is turned off, and must be accessed from the hard drive when the computer goes back on.
But a computer that incorporates this new kind of memory circuit would never lose it place, even when the power is turned off.
"If you turn on your computer it will come up instantly where it was when you turned it off. That is a very interesting potential application, and one that is very realistic," Williams said.
But he said understanding this new circuit element could be critical as companies attempt to build ever smaller devices.
"It's essential that people understand this to be able to go further into the world of nanoelectronics," referring to electronics on the nano scale -- objects tens of thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair.
"It turns out that memristance, this property, gets more important as the device gets smaller. That is another major reason it took so long to find," Williams said.
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CHICAGO, USA: It took about 40 years to find it, but scientists at Hewlett-Packard said that they discovered a fourth basic type of electrical circuit that could lead to a computer you never have to boot up.
The finding proves what until now had only been theory -- but could save millions from the tedium of waiting for a computer to find its "place," the researchers said on Wednesday.
Basic electronics theory teaches that there are three fundamental elements of a passive circuit -- resistors, capacitors and inductors.
But in the 1970s, Leon Chua of the University of California at Berkeley, theorized there should be a fourth called a memory resistor, or memristor, for short, and he worked out the mathematical equations to prove it.
Now, a team at Hewlett-Packard led by Stanley Williams has proven that 'memristance' exists. They developed a mathematical model and a physical example of a memristor, which they describe in the journal Nature.
"It's very different from any other electrical device," Williams said of his memristor in a telephone interview. "No combination of resistor, capacitor or inductor will give you that property."
Williams likens the property to water flowing through a garden hose. In a regular circuit, the water flows from more than one direction.
But in a memory resistor, the hose remembers what direction the water (or current) is flowing from, and it expands in that direction to improve the flow. If water or current flows from the other direction, the hose shrinks.
"It remembers both the direction and the amount of charge that flows through it. ... That is the memory," Williams said.
The discovery is more than an academic pursuit for Williams, who said the finding could lead a new kind of computer memory that would never need booting up.
Conventional computers use dynamic random access memory or DRAM, which is lost when the power is turned off, and must be accessed from the hard drive when the computer goes back on.
But a computer that incorporates this new kind of memory circuit would never lose it place, even when the power is turned off.
"If you turn on your computer it will come up instantly where it was when you turned it off. That is a very interesting potential application, and one that is very realistic," Williams said.
But he said understanding this new circuit element could be critical as companies attempt to build ever smaller devices.
"It's essential that people understand this to be able to go further into the world of nanoelectronics," referring to electronics on the nano scale -- objects tens of thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair.
"It turns out that memristance, this property, gets more important as the device gets smaller. That is another major reason it took so long to find," Williams said.
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Tuesday, April 29, 2008
WB relaunches as online video network
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NEW YORK, US: Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros Television Group will relaunch the WB Network as an online video site offering original programming alongside reruns of shows such as "Friends" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to court a new generation of viewers.
TheWB.com targets 16-to-34-years-old viewers with new shows developed by writer and producer Josh Schwartz, known for "Gossip Girl" "The O.C." and "Terminator 4" director McG.
The launch comes as media companies struggle to court a new generation of viewers, who spend as much time watching television as they do sending text messages on cellphones and watching online videos.
Schwartz's "Gossip Girl," for instance, has failed to generate big ratings for the CW Network, but has attracted a loyal following online. The CW Network, which once streamed full episodes of the show on the Internet, decided recently to pull it off the Internet to boost TV viewership.
Schwartz is developing a new show for TheWB.com that "takes viewers to the front of the line and behind the soundboard of a fictional Hollywood rock club," Warner Bros said in a statement.
TheWb.com will also be distributed by Comcast Corp's video-on-demand service and its online entertainment site Fancast.com. The new site will also be available on Time Warner's AOL.
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NEW YORK, US: Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros Television Group will relaunch the WB Network as an online video site offering original programming alongside reruns of shows such as "Friends" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to court a new generation of viewers.
TheWB.com targets 16-to-34-years-old viewers with new shows developed by writer and producer Josh Schwartz, known for "Gossip Girl" "The O.C." and "Terminator 4" director McG.
The launch comes as media companies struggle to court a new generation of viewers, who spend as much time watching television as they do sending text messages on cellphones and watching online videos.
Schwartz's "Gossip Girl," for instance, has failed to generate big ratings for the CW Network, but has attracted a loyal following online. The CW Network, which once streamed full episodes of the show on the Internet, decided recently to pull it off the Internet to boost TV viewership.
Schwartz is developing a new show for TheWB.com that "takes viewers to the front of the line and behind the soundboard of a fictional Hollywood rock club," Warner Bros said in a statement.
TheWb.com will also be distributed by Comcast Corp's video-on-demand service and its online entertainment site Fancast.com. The new site will also be available on Time Warner's AOL.
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Polaris, Western Sydney varsity sign MoU
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SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA)/CHENNAI (INDIA): Polaris Software has partnered with the University of Western Sydney for contribution to local capacity building and help address the issue of IT skill shortages in Australia.
New South Wales government's Department of State and Regional Development, which helped Polaris launch its PACE Labs - a software testing automation and performance engineering Center of Excellence - in Sydney last year, would facilitate the partnership.
"The partnership will contribute to international research, skills & workforce building for Western Sydney and work experience & exchange programs for UWS graduates," said Beryl Hesketh, Dean of the College of Health and Science at UWS.
"It will also provide significant employment opportunities for UWS graduates and the Sydney workforce."
"The Western Sydney region was chosen because it is a major center for population growth and industry development and Polaris's corporate philosophy is aligned with UWS's strong commitment to community engagement," said Arun Jain, chairman and chief executive officer, Polaris Software Lab Limited.
The University of Western Sydney and Polaris Software will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on April 29 at the UWS Parramatta Campus.
Polaris Software is also in the process of establishing a software testing lab in Sydney.
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SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA)/CHENNAI (INDIA): Polaris Software has partnered with the University of Western Sydney for contribution to local capacity building and help address the issue of IT skill shortages in Australia.
New South Wales government's Department of State and Regional Development, which helped Polaris launch its PACE Labs - a software testing automation and performance engineering Center of Excellence - in Sydney last year, would facilitate the partnership.
"The partnership will contribute to international research, skills & workforce building for Western Sydney and work experience & exchange programs for UWS graduates," said Beryl Hesketh, Dean of the College of Health and Science at UWS.
"It will also provide significant employment opportunities for UWS graduates and the Sydney workforce."
"The Western Sydney region was chosen because it is a major center for population growth and industry development and Polaris's corporate philosophy is aligned with UWS's strong commitment to community engagement," said Arun Jain, chairman and chief executive officer, Polaris Software Lab Limited.
The University of Western Sydney and Polaris Software will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on April 29 at the UWS Parramatta Campus.
Polaris Software is also in the process of establishing a software testing lab in Sydney.
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Industry welcomes FinMin decision
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BANGALORE, INDIA: The IT industry has welcomed finance minister P Chidambaram's announcement to extend tax holiday by a year for the Software Technology Park of India (STPI) scheme.
However, some companies while greeting the decision opined that an extension for a longer period would have been better.
S Mahalingam, CFO and ED, TCS
As an industry, we have the confidence to continuously invest heavily in the growth of the economy and create hundreds of thousands of skilled jobs in the country. In this context, the extension of the STPI scheme until 2010 will further strengthen the IT industry and hopefully, pave the way for further extensions.
V Balakrishnan, CFO, Infosys Technologies
This is a good move and would benefit the small and medium sized companies who are finding it difficult to move into SEZ space. Most of the larger companies are already pursuing their SEZ plans aggressively. This move will enable them to enjoy the tax benefits further for a period of one year on their revenues derived from their existing STP operations.
Srinivas Vadlamani, CFO, Satyam Computer Services
The extension of STPI benefits by one year is definitely a welcome move while an extension for a longer period would have definitely been more welcome. It could not have come at a more appropriate time, as the sector is grappling with the twin effects of the unprecedented surge in the rupee and uncertainty in the US economic landscape.
Swaminathan Krishnan, SVP (Global Business Operations) & CMO, Sasken Technologies
The extension is too short. One-year does not make a big impact. One-year horizon is pretty short term in planning cycle. I would have preferred a much longer period. Five-year extension would have an impact for the industry.
Rostow Ravanan, CFO, MindTree Ltd.
We are happy about the announcement, although a longer extension would have been more welcome. Overall, the extension is beneficial to the industry as a whole, particularly to small and medium firms.
N Ramachandran, CFO, iGATE Global Solutions
The extension of tax holiday for IT companies has been very timely and will help face the impending challenges of prevailing global economic uncertainties as well as strengthening Indian rupee. We do hope that the government takes a re-look at the whole scheme of tax holiday and formulates a more stable longer-term tax incentive structure that can be one of the enablers for the Indian IT sector to move up the value chain and attain the next level of dominance in the world market.
Archana Srinivasan, VP, Finance, Cybernet-SlashSupport
This step will give some reprieve to the STPI units and also help them retain their competitive edge especially in the current market scenario of the fluctuating rupee.
JA Chowdary, MD, NVIDIA Graphics Pvt. Ltd.
It is definitely a good decision especially for small and medium enterprises. The large companies have benefited for a long time and have their own campuses. Now, small companies should not be denied of this and this extension should be for a longer period. But we are happy that it has been extended for at least another year.
Ravi Pandit, chairman & Group CEO, KPIT Cummins
This is a welcome move for the entire industry, which is currently under a lot of pressure due to the strengthening rupee and weakening US economy. Moreover, the STPI scheme holds a special importance for the smaller companies as it provides an impetus for accelerated growth.
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BANGALORE, INDIA: The IT industry has welcomed finance minister P Chidambaram's announcement to extend tax holiday by a year for the Software Technology Park of India (STPI) scheme.
However, some companies while greeting the decision opined that an extension for a longer period would have been better.
S Mahalingam, CFO and ED, TCS
As an industry, we have the confidence to continuously invest heavily in the growth of the economy and create hundreds of thousands of skilled jobs in the country. In this context, the extension of the STPI scheme until 2010 will further strengthen the IT industry and hopefully, pave the way for further extensions.
V Balakrishnan, CFO, Infosys Technologies
This is a good move and would benefit the small and medium sized companies who are finding it difficult to move into SEZ space. Most of the larger companies are already pursuing their SEZ plans aggressively. This move will enable them to enjoy the tax benefits further for a period of one year on their revenues derived from their existing STP operations.
Srinivas Vadlamani, CFO, Satyam Computer Services
The extension of STPI benefits by one year is definitely a welcome move while an extension for a longer period would have definitely been more welcome. It could not have come at a more appropriate time, as the sector is grappling with the twin effects of the unprecedented surge in the rupee and uncertainty in the US economic landscape.
Swaminathan Krishnan, SVP (Global Business Operations) & CMO, Sasken Technologies
The extension is too short. One-year does not make a big impact. One-year horizon is pretty short term in planning cycle. I would have preferred a much longer period. Five-year extension would have an impact for the industry.
Rostow Ravanan, CFO, MindTree Ltd.
We are happy about the announcement, although a longer extension would have been more welcome. Overall, the extension is beneficial to the industry as a whole, particularly to small and medium firms.
N Ramachandran, CFO, iGATE Global Solutions
The extension of tax holiday for IT companies has been very timely and will help face the impending challenges of prevailing global economic uncertainties as well as strengthening Indian rupee. We do hope that the government takes a re-look at the whole scheme of tax holiday and formulates a more stable longer-term tax incentive structure that can be one of the enablers for the Indian IT sector to move up the value chain and attain the next level of dominance in the world market.
Archana Srinivasan, VP, Finance, Cybernet-SlashSupport
This step will give some reprieve to the STPI units and also help them retain their competitive edge especially in the current market scenario of the fluctuating rupee.
JA Chowdary, MD, NVIDIA Graphics Pvt. Ltd.
It is definitely a good decision especially for small and medium enterprises. The large companies have benefited for a long time and have their own campuses. Now, small companies should not be denied of this and this extension should be for a longer period. But we are happy that it has been extended for at least another year.
Ravi Pandit, chairman & Group CEO, KPIT Cummins
This is a welcome move for the entire industry, which is currently under a lot of pressure due to the strengthening rupee and weakening US economy. Moreover, the STPI scheme holds a special importance for the smaller companies as it provides an impetus for accelerated growth.
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Govt extends tax holiday to STPI by one year
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NEW DELHI, INDIA: Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday extended tax holiday scheme by a year for the STPI (Software Technology Park of India) scheme.
While replying to a debate on budget proposals in parliament, the FM said that the decision was made as the next budget is likely to be presented only after May 2009.
The tax exemption scheme for companies based in STPI parks was to expire in March 2009.
As per the minister's announcement, IT-BPO companies will be benefited from the tax exemption till March 31, 2010.
The IT industry has been clamoring for a tax exemption for the STPI scheme as a possible way to tide over the crises precipitated by factors like US recession, rupee appreciation and inflation.
The government had announced a 10-year tax holiday for the units in April 2000 under a policy aimed at encouraging growth in the IT sector.
The new of tax holiday extension has been greeted by the IT industry.
"We are pleased that the extensive follow up and work done by Nasscom with the PMO, Ministry of IT, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Commerce, among others has provided this interim relief to the industry. In particular we are thankful to minister A Raja for his unstinted support," said Nasscom in a statement.
The decision is particularly beneficial for BPO companies and the small and medium segment, said Nasscom.
"This benefit will also give us time to come up with other workable and acceptable options for the future, beyond 2010. The IT-BPO industry is expanding into tier 2 and 3 cities which will help remove the pressure on large centers as well as help in more balanced economic development," the industry body said.
Nasscom added that it is important to provide incentives to those moving to tier 2 and 3 cities with STPI/SEZ like benefits.
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NEW DELHI, INDIA: Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday extended tax holiday scheme by a year for the STPI (Software Technology Park of India) scheme.
While replying to a debate on budget proposals in parliament, the FM said that the decision was made as the next budget is likely to be presented only after May 2009.
The tax exemption scheme for companies based in STPI parks was to expire in March 2009.
As per the minister's announcement, IT-BPO companies will be benefited from the tax exemption till March 31, 2010.
The IT industry has been clamoring for a tax exemption for the STPI scheme as a possible way to tide over the crises precipitated by factors like US recession, rupee appreciation and inflation.
The government had announced a 10-year tax holiday for the units in April 2000 under a policy aimed at encouraging growth in the IT sector.
The new of tax holiday extension has been greeted by the IT industry.
"We are pleased that the extensive follow up and work done by Nasscom with the PMO, Ministry of IT, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Commerce, among others has provided this interim relief to the industry. In particular we are thankful to minister A Raja for his unstinted support," said Nasscom in a statement.
The decision is particularly beneficial for BPO companies and the small and medium segment, said Nasscom.
"This benefit will also give us time to come up with other workable and acceptable options for the future, beyond 2010. The IT-BPO industry is expanding into tier 2 and 3 cities which will help remove the pressure on large centers as well as help in more balanced economic development," the industry body said.
Nasscom added that it is important to provide incentives to those moving to tier 2 and 3 cities with STPI/SEZ like benefits.
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Wooing the BPO woman
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PUNE, INDIA: Femina, Women's Era, GrihaShobha, Vanita, Elle, MEOW 104.8 FM (a radio channel especially for women), sunsilkgangofgirls.com, and now the updated version of www.sitagita.com (Sigi) with special content for BPO women employees.
The site that made its debut over eight years ago, is now trying to make sense of huge better half of the industry.
And why not? According to an estimate, some time back in the Indian IT industry, women accounted for about to 30 per cent of the total workforce till last year and this was expected to go up to 45 per cent by 2010.
What is noteworthy is the steady rise of the figures. The figure, according to the Registrar General of India, as in 1981 was 19.7 per cent, which rose to 22.7 per cent in 1991, further rising to 25.7 per cent in 2001.
And recent Nasscom figures claim that the percentage of women workers in the IT and ITES sectors in India has risen by almost 18 per cent in the last two years.
So what triggered the idea of doing something for BPO's fairer sex?
Nirmal Mirza, CEO, Sigi points out the number of women in this sector and their unique needs. "The numbers would only grow. Look at the deluge of newspapers and sites that have sprung up off late. We want to be the ultimate BPO destination with a holistic experience. The idea is to give an all-purpose women's website that addresses their needs."
The menu of the site reflects the focus of BPO employees. Designed out of research with advisors, HR people, call center professionals and trainers who are in the best position to assess women needs, as Mirza shares, the effort has been to touch every possible aspect and gap area.
Dollops like BPO blogs, BPO buzz, advice on accent, office stuff, career and personal problems are good attempts amidst the usual vanilla stuff like beauty tips, marital problems, food and grandma corner. Articles like Office Romances, life in a BPO hit at the other side which comes into full bloom in the letters to Agony Aunt where sleeping partners, affairs, relationships usurp the eye-candy factor.
Nevertheless counseling is a good hit and a gap area if one goes by the feedback.
As a BPO employee shared, people in BPOs do need to go for psychiatrist's help, so counseling is a good idea.
Sigi has on its advisory board names like Hema Malini, film industrialist, Lily Madhok, Nutritionist, Dr. Nanditha Krishna, director, C.P. Arts Centre, Timeri Murari, Dr. Dega Narayana Reddy, expert on Sexology, Ayurveda expert Dr. Nedungadi V. Haridas and Dr. T. Prabalkumari, Psychiatry expert.
The effort has panned out well if figures are anything to go by.
"Last three months we have clocked one lakh unique visitors with four to five lakh page views per month."
But do BPO workers have time to check out the novel stuff made specially for them?
"No," says a BPO woman employee. "We seldom get time to access Net beyond the work. Moreover, we have to observe discipline on what to surf on Net and what not, so our radius of access is small. And who would want to check Net on the weekends when everyone just wants to unwind."
Still, there can be emphasis on areas that need more attention if we are talking about the BPO workforce specially. Their problems hover around career graph, growth, skill development, etc.
"I would look for more stuff on self-assessment, self-advancement, training, identification and fulfillment of gaps and advance courses," says Anupama M, a BPO professional with Ntrance, Pune.
For now, at Sigi, there are many possibilities being explored. The idea can be taken to the next level by tying up with the BPOs.
Discussions, for instance, are on with BPOs like 24/7 for possible initiatives besides co-sponsorship deals with others.
But the revenue model of the site would focus majorly on advertisements, reveals Mirza.
Starting shortly is another addition, video streaming and with many more ideas brewing in her mind, it would be interesting to see, how successfully, does the site lives up to her ambitions. Wooing the woman, as they say, is everything but easy.
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PUNE, INDIA: Femina, Women's Era, GrihaShobha, Vanita, Elle, MEOW 104.8 FM (a radio channel especially for women), sunsilkgangofgirls.com, and now the updated version of www.sitagita.com (Sigi) with special content for BPO women employees.
The site that made its debut over eight years ago, is now trying to make sense of huge better half of the industry.
And why not? According to an estimate, some time back in the Indian IT industry, women accounted for about to 30 per cent of the total workforce till last year and this was expected to go up to 45 per cent by 2010.
What is noteworthy is the steady rise of the figures. The figure, according to the Registrar General of India, as in 1981 was 19.7 per cent, which rose to 22.7 per cent in 1991, further rising to 25.7 per cent in 2001.
And recent Nasscom figures claim that the percentage of women workers in the IT and ITES sectors in India has risen by almost 18 per cent in the last two years.
So what triggered the idea of doing something for BPO's fairer sex?
Nirmal Mirza, CEO, Sigi points out the number of women in this sector and their unique needs. "The numbers would only grow. Look at the deluge of newspapers and sites that have sprung up off late. We want to be the ultimate BPO destination with a holistic experience. The idea is to give an all-purpose women's website that addresses their needs."
The menu of the site reflects the focus of BPO employees. Designed out of research with advisors, HR people, call center professionals and trainers who are in the best position to assess women needs, as Mirza shares, the effort has been to touch every possible aspect and gap area.
Dollops like BPO blogs, BPO buzz, advice on accent, office stuff, career and personal problems are good attempts amidst the usual vanilla stuff like beauty tips, marital problems, food and grandma corner. Articles like Office Romances, life in a BPO hit at the other side which comes into full bloom in the letters to Agony Aunt where sleeping partners, affairs, relationships usurp the eye-candy factor.
Nevertheless counseling is a good hit and a gap area if one goes by the feedback.
As a BPO employee shared, people in BPOs do need to go for psychiatrist's help, so counseling is a good idea.
Sigi has on its advisory board names like Hema Malini, film industrialist, Lily Madhok, Nutritionist, Dr. Nanditha Krishna, director, C.P. Arts Centre, Timeri Murari, Dr. Dega Narayana Reddy, expert on Sexology, Ayurveda expert Dr. Nedungadi V. Haridas and Dr. T. Prabalkumari, Psychiatry expert.
The effort has panned out well if figures are anything to go by.
"Last three months we have clocked one lakh unique visitors with four to five lakh page views per month."
But do BPO workers have time to check out the novel stuff made specially for them?
"No," says a BPO woman employee. "We seldom get time to access Net beyond the work. Moreover, we have to observe discipline on what to surf on Net and what not, so our radius of access is small. And who would want to check Net on the weekends when everyone just wants to unwind."
Still, there can be emphasis on areas that need more attention if we are talking about the BPO workforce specially. Their problems hover around career graph, growth, skill development, etc.
"I would look for more stuff on self-assessment, self-advancement, training, identification and fulfillment of gaps and advance courses," says Anupama M, a BPO professional with Ntrance, Pune.
For now, at Sigi, there are many possibilities being explored. The idea can be taken to the next level by tying up with the BPOs.
Discussions, for instance, are on with BPOs like 24/7 for possible initiatives besides co-sponsorship deals with others.
But the revenue model of the site would focus majorly on advertisements, reveals Mirza.
Starting shortly is another addition, video streaming and with many more ideas brewing in her mind, it would be interesting to see, how successfully, does the site lives up to her ambitions. Wooing the woman, as they say, is everything but easy.
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Jackie Chan takes cyber path to rebut reports
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Even as the Tibetan issue has been brewing precipitated by the Olympic torch run, action hero Jackie Chan blamed the media for distorting his wordings and giving a wrong impression to the world about his participation in it.
His participation in the torch run had grabbed media headlines worldwide on account of his pro-Chinese stand.
Now, in a lengthy posting in his official website, Jackie Chan had blamed what he terms as 'irresponsible journalism' of media.
He said that when some reporters asked him about his participation in the Olympic torch run, he jokingly answered that "no one had better try to come near me while I'm carrying the torch."
"I said it as a joke, and believe me, I made it quite clear that I was fooling around," he wrote on his website.
But his comments were enough fodder for the media as the next day, news reports poured in with headlines like "Jackie Chan Threatens Olympic Protestors" and "Kung Fu Star Will Chop Down Protestors."
Interestingly, this accusation was made while trying to clear up things caused by reports in some sections of media that the action hero refused to eat Indian food and that he declined to talk to anyone and dismissed Indian stars during his recent visit to Chennai for an audio release of Kamal Haasan-starrer Tamil movie Dasavatharam.
"One article accused me of ridiculous things like refusing to drink India's bottled water – they said I brought my own imported mineral water - and of traveling with my own personal chefs because I refuse to eat Indian food," he wrote.
Terming all the reports "complete nonsense", he said that he had nothing but respect for Indian culture and Indian cinema. "And saying that I won't eat Indian food! Nothing could be further from the truth; I adore Indian food, and in fact had two excellent meals on this trip and was so full I could barely leave my seat!," he said.
The actor has challenged the reporters to prove that he actually brought his own water and asked them to check up with the housekeepers at the hotel whether he did such a thing.
"What brand did I bring? You say I refused to eat Indian food. Do your research and talk to the three butlers the hotel assigned to my room and ask them what I ate! You say I holed up in my air-conditioned hotel room, ignoring my hosts. Why would I travel all the way to India and refuse to leave my hotel room?"
He said that he had put up with a lot of ridiculous things written about him as he had been in the public eye for many years and that he seldom attacked anyone.
But, he said that few "irresponsible reporters" had spoiled the memory of his trip to India through some "offensive articles".
He said he had left Chennai the same night only due to his busy schedule.
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Even as the Tibetan issue has been brewing precipitated by the Olympic torch run, action hero Jackie Chan blamed the media for distorting his wordings and giving a wrong impression to the world about his participation in it.
His participation in the torch run had grabbed media headlines worldwide on account of his pro-Chinese stand.
Now, in a lengthy posting in his official website, Jackie Chan had blamed what he terms as 'irresponsible journalism' of media.
He said that when some reporters asked him about his participation in the Olympic torch run, he jokingly answered that "no one had better try to come near me while I'm carrying the torch."
"I said it as a joke, and believe me, I made it quite clear that I was fooling around," he wrote on his website.
But his comments were enough fodder for the media as the next day, news reports poured in with headlines like "Jackie Chan Threatens Olympic Protestors" and "Kung Fu Star Will Chop Down Protestors."
Interestingly, this accusation was made while trying to clear up things caused by reports in some sections of media that the action hero refused to eat Indian food and that he declined to talk to anyone and dismissed Indian stars during his recent visit to Chennai for an audio release of Kamal Haasan-starrer Tamil movie Dasavatharam.
"One article accused me of ridiculous things like refusing to drink India's bottled water – they said I brought my own imported mineral water - and of traveling with my own personal chefs because I refuse to eat Indian food," he wrote.
Terming all the reports "complete nonsense", he said that he had nothing but respect for Indian culture and Indian cinema. "And saying that I won't eat Indian food! Nothing could be further from the truth; I adore Indian food, and in fact had two excellent meals on this trip and was so full I could barely leave my seat!," he said.
The actor has challenged the reporters to prove that he actually brought his own water and asked them to check up with the housekeepers at the hotel whether he did such a thing.
"What brand did I bring? You say I refused to eat Indian food. Do your research and talk to the three butlers the hotel assigned to my room and ask them what I ate! You say I holed up in my air-conditioned hotel room, ignoring my hosts. Why would I travel all the way to India and refuse to leave my hotel room?"
He said that he had put up with a lot of ridiculous things written about him as he had been in the public eye for many years and that he seldom attacked anyone.
But, he said that few "irresponsible reporters" had spoiled the memory of his trip to India through some "offensive articles".
He said he had left Chennai the same night only due to his busy schedule.
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Monday, April 28, 2008
TCS opens delivery center in Ohio
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NEW DELHI: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced the opening of its North America delivery center called TCS Seven Hills Park, located in Milford, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati.
The new facility includes 200,000 sq. ft of office space and can accommodate up to 1,000 TCS associates, most of who will be locally hired from the region.
The facility will serve as the primary software development and delivery center for North American customers. In addition, the campus will also showcase TCS Innovation Labs, customer network operations centers and briefing centers.
S Ramadorai, chief executive officer and managing director of Tata Consultancy Services, said, "The Cincinnati campus is a strategic investment to create an information technology eco-system in the state together with our customers and local universities. It reflects our long term commitment to customers in one of our key markets globally and will not only serve our North American customers but also help showcase innovation and our suite of offerings."
TCS has been operating in North America since 1979 when it established its first office in New York City. Today, TCS has more than 40 offices throughout North America.
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NEW DELHI: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced the opening of its North America delivery center called TCS Seven Hills Park, located in Milford, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati.
The new facility includes 200,000 sq. ft of office space and can accommodate up to 1,000 TCS associates, most of who will be locally hired from the region.
The facility will serve as the primary software development and delivery center for North American customers. In addition, the campus will also showcase TCS Innovation Labs, customer network operations centers and briefing centers.
S Ramadorai, chief executive officer and managing director of Tata Consultancy Services, said, "The Cincinnati campus is a strategic investment to create an information technology eco-system in the state together with our customers and local universities. It reflects our long term commitment to customers in one of our key markets globally and will not only serve our North American customers but also help showcase innovation and our suite of offerings."
TCS has been operating in North America since 1979 when it established its first office in New York City. Today, TCS has more than 40 offices throughout North America.
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TCS signs £60-m deal with Scottish Water
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NEW DELHI, INDIA: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has signed a £60 million eight-year IT application services contract with Scottish Water, United Kingdom's only public sector water utility.
The contract will save Scottish Water a minimum of £8 million in operating expenditure alone over the next eight years.
Scottish Water serves 5.5 million customers in Scotland with water and waste water services.
TCS has also been selected as one of five partners to participate in the development framework for enterprise package implementations. TCS will consolidate Scottish Water's existing applications and transform information management to enhance the delivery of IT services to the business.
"TCS really impressed us with their strength and depth of expertise and even more so with their transparency and collaborative spirit," said David Brown, general manager - IT, Scottish Water.
"We are thrilled to be involved in this exciting project, helping Scottish Water achieve its business and IT objectives. That we won all the pieces of work that we bid for shows that customers are really starting to understand our commitment to an unparalleled certainty of delivery and customer experience," said AS Lakshminarayanan, VP and head, TCS UK and Ireland.
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NEW DELHI, INDIA: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has signed a £60 million eight-year IT application services contract with Scottish Water, United Kingdom's only public sector water utility.
The contract will save Scottish Water a minimum of £8 million in operating expenditure alone over the next eight years.
Scottish Water serves 5.5 million customers in Scotland with water and waste water services.
TCS has also been selected as one of five partners to participate in the development framework for enterprise package implementations. TCS will consolidate Scottish Water's existing applications and transform information management to enhance the delivery of IT services to the business.
"TCS really impressed us with their strength and depth of expertise and even more so with their transparency and collaborative spirit," said David Brown, general manager - IT, Scottish Water.
"We are thrilled to be involved in this exciting project, helping Scottish Water achieve its business and IT objectives. That we won all the pieces of work that we bid for shows that customers are really starting to understand our commitment to an unparalleled certainty of delivery and customer experience," said AS Lakshminarayanan, VP and head, TCS UK and Ireland.
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ISRO awes world with 10-satellite PSLV launch
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BANGALORE, INDIA: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) today set up a world record by placing 10 satellites into the orbit in a single mission.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle – C9 (PSLV-C9) took off from Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh) putting into orbit two Indian and eight foreign satellites.
The Indian satellites were the remote sensing CARTOSAT-2A and the 83 kg Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1). The rest were nanosatellites, including those developed by foreign research institutions from Germany and Canada.
Before today's feet, Russia had earlier launched eight satellites together.
"The mission was perfect," said G Madhavan Nair, chairman of ISRO after the launch. "It is a historic moment for us because it is the first time that we have launched 10 satellites in a single mission," he added.
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BANGALORE, INDIA: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) today set up a world record by placing 10 satellites into the orbit in a single mission.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle – C9 (PSLV-C9) took off from Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh) putting into orbit two Indian and eight foreign satellites.
The Indian satellites were the remote sensing CARTOSAT-2A and the 83 kg Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1). The rest were nanosatellites, including those developed by foreign research institutions from Germany and Canada.
Before today's feet, Russia had earlier launched eight satellites together.
"The mission was perfect," said G Madhavan Nair, chairman of ISRO after the launch. "It is a historic moment for us because it is the first time that we have launched 10 satellites in a single mission," he added.
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Fund crunch made Intellect bow out of fab
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HYDERABAD, INDIA: Intellect Inc. today cited lack of funds and partners for dropping its plan to set up a fab in Shamshabad.
Instead, the South Korean firm was now planning a joint venture to establish a solar fabricator, in which Goldstone Infratech, an Indian product company with focus on power and telecom sectors, would hold 56 per cent stake.
The funding would be on a debt equity ratio of 4:1. Goldstone would invest about Rs 140 crore in the new project.
The joint venture would be known as TF SolarPower and P June Min, the promoter of Intellect, would be its chairman.
Addressing a press conference here today, Dr Min said that it was difficult to attract investors to semiconductor fabricators in Fab City.
"The cost is 10 times higher than solar fabricators."
Dr Min had earlier registered a company called Nano Tech Silicon India to set up a fab in Shamshabad.
"We could not attract the technology partners or investors to the project," he said.
There were reports mentioning the possibility of IBM or Intel partnering Nano Tech Silicon India to set up a fab.
A minimum of Rs 6000 crore would be required to set up a functional semiconductor fabricator said Min.
"But there is now hope as due to central government policies large industrial houses such a Reliance and Tatas are showing interest (in semicon fabs)," added Dr Min.
He said India was an ideal location considering the presence of many chip designing companies.
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HYDERABAD, INDIA: Intellect Inc. today cited lack of funds and partners for dropping its plan to set up a fab in Shamshabad.
Instead, the South Korean firm was now planning a joint venture to establish a solar fabricator, in which Goldstone Infratech, an Indian product company with focus on power and telecom sectors, would hold 56 per cent stake.
The funding would be on a debt equity ratio of 4:1. Goldstone would invest about Rs 140 crore in the new project.
The joint venture would be known as TF SolarPower and P June Min, the promoter of Intellect, would be its chairman.
Addressing a press conference here today, Dr Min said that it was difficult to attract investors to semiconductor fabricators in Fab City.
"The cost is 10 times higher than solar fabricators."
Dr Min had earlier registered a company called Nano Tech Silicon India to set up a fab in Shamshabad.
"We could not attract the technology partners or investors to the project," he said.
There were reports mentioning the possibility of IBM or Intel partnering Nano Tech Silicon India to set up a fab.
A minimum of Rs 6000 crore would be required to set up a functional semiconductor fabricator said Min.
"But there is now hope as due to central government policies large industrial houses such a Reliance and Tatas are showing interest (in semicon fabs)," added Dr Min.
He said India was an ideal location considering the presence of many chip designing companies.
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Social media scares Indian corporates
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Blogging needs no introduction. From bedroom bloggers who write on personal topics to those blogs on specific subjects like technology, you have them all on the cyberspace.
Corporate blogging, however, is in a nascent stage in India.
Companies worldwide see blogging as a cost-effective medium to talk about its products and services or share insights among all shareholders.
Indian companies like Infosys, TCS, Rediff, Milagrow, HCL, Cleartrip, Gridstone, FrotoLay and Naukri and Indian arms of MNCs like Microsoft, IBM, Hindustan Lever are into corporate blogging.
Opening a new window
Companies like Tata and Infosys have realized the potential of blogging in many ways.
Tata's blog, Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), got off to a good start; members of its Instructional Design group were first off the mark in posting their thoughts and engaging others within the broader worldwide ID and eLearning community.
"We have received some very positive feedback for our photo albums capturing life@TIS, from people considering TIS as a potential employer. I think this is because from the outside an organization often appears impregnable and this is one of the boundaries that we have been successful in lowering," says Ankush Gupta, manager, corporate marketing group and blog evangelist.
Infosys was among the first in the Indian IT industry to start a theme-based corporate blog, Think Flat, launched in 2006 to promote its 'Win in the Flat World' campaign.
Today, it maintains more than ten corporate blogs, attracting a community of global readers interested in understanding and discussing various facets of business, technology and global sourcing.
"At Infosys, blogs are an important part of our thought leadership strategy. Blogs provide our subject experts with a suitable medium for sharing ideas and receiving feedback from target audiences. We have evolved a blogging policy that specifies the protocols and standards for communicating to an external audience," states Srinivas Uppaluri, vice president and global head of Marketing, Infosys.
He feels that companies can use blogs effectively as a marketing platform to share new ideas and create thought leadership.
Blogs, like other social media, offer feeds – a feature that allows readers to subscribe to and receive blog updates without having to visit the blog periodically.
"This shrinks the 'time-to-market' of information delivery," adds Uppaluri.
Is there a fear factor?
A close look at the number of complaints in social media like mouthshut.com and complaints.com on various customer service deficiencies points to the necessity for companies to have their own mechanism -- blogging -- to take care of customer grievances.
Normally companies don't visit these sites and respond to the complainants, reveals K. Srinivasan, a Chennai-based PR consultant and president of Prime Point Foundation.
"New generation companies are extremely good as long as everything goes smooth. If you have any difficulty, they'd just blink. They are bad in handling customer grievances. Social media will put them straight," adds Srinivasan, an ardent advocate of social media.
Experts are unanimous in their view that Indian companies are hesitant to tap the possibilities thrown up social media.
Is it because the Indian corporates are reluctant to shake off their stuffy corporate image that they are shying away from taking to corporate blogging?
Mumbai-based Tushar Panchal, vice president of Rediffusion/DYR, feels that not many corporate houses understand the true value the social media platforms offer them.
"Traditionally Indians are not very effective communicators. And corporates are even worst. It is indeed very effective tool to reach out to your stakeholders in one of the most cost effective and personalized manner. There is a space for every subject and for everyone – use it wisely and effectively and you never know, you might even don't need to invest anything in traditional advertising," says Panchal.
He feels that it is high time that Indian companies had Chief Bloggers or Chief Knowledge Officers.
Another aspect, feel experts, that pulls corporates away from taking to blogging is their unwillingness to tolerate any adverse outcomes they fear would be generated as a result of blogging.
Says Nidhi Dewan, manager, corporate communication, Webchutney: "More corporates often back off from the prospect of dealing with negative feedback and comments on a blog. They obsessively worry about user comments or criticism sullying a company's equity. Consequently, they shy away from incorporating the practice."
Using a blog to patronize one's consumers with bigger words and promises isn't the way to go. Instead, a corporate blog should single-mindedly focus on being honest and being always receptive to feedback, both positive and negative.
Negative feedback is a reality and one that any corporate should be ready to confront without going on the defensive.
"If you have made a mistake, be the first one to admit it on your blog. If you cracked that long due product update, post it in straight away on the blog. That's what it is for, to talk to the people who matter honestly and frankly," says Dewan.
Prime Point's Srinivasan agrees with her, adding that the Indian companies fear that employees and the customers may post negative comments about them.
According to New Delhi-based social media expert Palin Ningthoujam, many people are reluctant to the idea of talking business openly as they fear that they will share trade secrets in the process.
Corporates also feel that they might lose control of their key messages and might not be able to control negative feedback.
However, he is sanguine about the future of corporate blogging in India.
"As business blogging gets popular in India I am sure more Indian corporates will also come forward to benefit from blogging like many abroad have," says Ningthoujam.
Meanwhile Dewan feels the biggest roadblock to corporate blogging in India is a serious lack of understanding about what corporate blogging involves and the goals and objectives of the practice.
"Lack of time is often a CEO's biggest grouse when it comes to blogging actively. A blog is only useful if it is updated regularly and has something useful or interesting to say," she adds.
PR redefined?
Some believe that effective use of corporate blogging may redefine the way PR agencies function today.
Rediffusion's Panchal believes the PR model is set to change and it can happen much sooner than expected.
"So, if you are a PR agency which is relying heavily on media relations model and doing an effective job of post office, you are soon going to be out of business and I advice you to do it now voluntarily, before you are forced to do it," says Panchal.
But at the same time, experts warn that complete reliance on blogs for dissemination of company announcements will be disastrous.
Ningthoujam feels corporate blogging will become one of the most important methods to initiate a discussion with the target audience. This and other forms of social media outreach will play a significant role in the future and PR agencies can help their clients strategize and implement such outreaches.
"I think ours is a PR agency-driven culture and will continue to remain so for sometime to come. Companies are not sure how this direct line of communication effectively operates and hence they choose to take the PR agency route but corporate blogs are pretty much a permanent fixture of the internet startup ecosystem and that's a great sign of things to come," sums up Dewan.
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Blogging needs no introduction. From bedroom bloggers who write on personal topics to those blogs on specific subjects like technology, you have them all on the cyberspace.
Corporate blogging, however, is in a nascent stage in India.
Companies worldwide see blogging as a cost-effective medium to talk about its products and services or share insights among all shareholders.
Indian companies like Infosys, TCS, Rediff, Milagrow, HCL, Cleartrip, Gridstone, FrotoLay and Naukri and Indian arms of MNCs like Microsoft, IBM, Hindustan Lever are into corporate blogging.
Opening a new window
Companies like Tata and Infosys have realized the potential of blogging in many ways.
Tata's blog, Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), got off to a good start; members of its Instructional Design group were first off the mark in posting their thoughts and engaging others within the broader worldwide ID and eLearning community.
"We have received some very positive feedback for our photo albums capturing life@TIS, from people considering TIS as a potential employer. I think this is because from the outside an organization often appears impregnable and this is one of the boundaries that we have been successful in lowering," says Ankush Gupta, manager, corporate marketing group and blog evangelist.
Infosys was among the first in the Indian IT industry to start a theme-based corporate blog, Think Flat, launched in 2006 to promote its 'Win in the Flat World' campaign.
Today, it maintains more than ten corporate blogs, attracting a community of global readers interested in understanding and discussing various facets of business, technology and global sourcing.
"At Infosys, blogs are an important part of our thought leadership strategy. Blogs provide our subject experts with a suitable medium for sharing ideas and receiving feedback from target audiences. We have evolved a blogging policy that specifies the protocols and standards for communicating to an external audience," states Srinivas Uppaluri, vice president and global head of Marketing, Infosys.
He feels that companies can use blogs effectively as a marketing platform to share new ideas and create thought leadership.
Blogs, like other social media, offer feeds – a feature that allows readers to subscribe to and receive blog updates without having to visit the blog periodically.
"This shrinks the 'time-to-market' of information delivery," adds Uppaluri.
Is there a fear factor?
A close look at the number of complaints in social media like mouthshut.com and complaints.com on various customer service deficiencies points to the necessity for companies to have their own mechanism -- blogging -- to take care of customer grievances.
Normally companies don't visit these sites and respond to the complainants, reveals K. Srinivasan, a Chennai-based PR consultant and president of Prime Point Foundation.
"New generation companies are extremely good as long as everything goes smooth. If you have any difficulty, they'd just blink. They are bad in handling customer grievances. Social media will put them straight," adds Srinivasan, an ardent advocate of social media.
Experts are unanimous in their view that Indian companies are hesitant to tap the possibilities thrown up social media.
Is it because the Indian corporates are reluctant to shake off their stuffy corporate image that they are shying away from taking to corporate blogging?
Mumbai-based Tushar Panchal, vice president of Rediffusion/DYR, feels that not many corporate houses understand the true value the social media platforms offer them.
"Traditionally Indians are not very effective communicators. And corporates are even worst. It is indeed very effective tool to reach out to your stakeholders in one of the most cost effective and personalized manner. There is a space for every subject and for everyone – use it wisely and effectively and you never know, you might even don't need to invest anything in traditional advertising," says Panchal.
He feels that it is high time that Indian companies had Chief Bloggers or Chief Knowledge Officers.
Another aspect, feel experts, that pulls corporates away from taking to blogging is their unwillingness to tolerate any adverse outcomes they fear would be generated as a result of blogging.
Says Nidhi Dewan, manager, corporate communication, Webchutney: "More corporates often back off from the prospect of dealing with negative feedback and comments on a blog. They obsessively worry about user comments or criticism sullying a company's equity. Consequently, they shy away from incorporating the practice."
Using a blog to patronize one's consumers with bigger words and promises isn't the way to go. Instead, a corporate blog should single-mindedly focus on being honest and being always receptive to feedback, both positive and negative.
Negative feedback is a reality and one that any corporate should be ready to confront without going on the defensive.
"If you have made a mistake, be the first one to admit it on your blog. If you cracked that long due product update, post it in straight away on the blog. That's what it is for, to talk to the people who matter honestly and frankly," says Dewan.
Prime Point's Srinivasan agrees with her, adding that the Indian companies fear that employees and the customers may post negative comments about them.
According to New Delhi-based social media expert Palin Ningthoujam, many people are reluctant to the idea of talking business openly as they fear that they will share trade secrets in the process.
Corporates also feel that they might lose control of their key messages and might not be able to control negative feedback.
However, he is sanguine about the future of corporate blogging in India.
"As business blogging gets popular in India I am sure more Indian corporates will also come forward to benefit from blogging like many abroad have," says Ningthoujam.
Meanwhile Dewan feels the biggest roadblock to corporate blogging in India is a serious lack of understanding about what corporate blogging involves and the goals and objectives of the practice.
"Lack of time is often a CEO's biggest grouse when it comes to blogging actively. A blog is only useful if it is updated regularly and has something useful or interesting to say," she adds.
PR redefined?
Some believe that effective use of corporate blogging may redefine the way PR agencies function today.
Rediffusion's Panchal believes the PR model is set to change and it can happen much sooner than expected.
"So, if you are a PR agency which is relying heavily on media relations model and doing an effective job of post office, you are soon going to be out of business and I advice you to do it now voluntarily, before you are forced to do it," says Panchal.
But at the same time, experts warn that complete reliance on blogs for dissemination of company announcements will be disastrous.
Ningthoujam feels corporate blogging will become one of the most important methods to initiate a discussion with the target audience. This and other forms of social media outreach will play a significant role in the future and PR agencies can help their clients strategize and implement such outreaches.
"I think ours is a PR agency-driven culture and will continue to remain so for sometime to come. Companies are not sure how this direct line of communication effectively operates and hence they choose to take the PR agency route but corporate blogs are pretty much a permanent fixture of the internet startup ecosystem and that's a great sign of things to come," sums up Dewan.
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Saturday, April 26, 2008
Tips to create 3D structures and animations
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Creating lively 3D images or sculpting was initially a tough task, but now there are a number of software packages available in the market which help you in creating real images such as those of dinosaurs in Godzilla or Jurassic park. Direct Hit!
Applies To: 3D artists, game developers and film makers
Price: $595
USP: Create detailed organic models and transfer them to other 3D applications
Primary Link: www.pixologic.com
Google Keyword: zbrush
zBrush is one such software, which has an extensive set of real-time sculpting, texturing and deformation tools that can be used for creating quality game applications and illustrations with finer details.
It uses 'pixol' technology to contain information on depth and orientation. To use this software you need no formal training; you can simply apply texturing, shadows and lighting by directly sampling a photo or image.
In this article we will try to make a realistic tyre like figure by applying the masking effect in this software. Just follow the simple steps mentioned below.
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Creating lively 3D images or sculpting was initially a tough task, but now there are a number of software packages available in the market which help you in creating real images such as those of dinosaurs in Godzilla or Jurassic park. Direct Hit!
Applies To: 3D artists, game developers and film makers
Price: $595
USP: Create detailed organic models and transfer them to other 3D applications
Primary Link: www.pixologic.com
Google Keyword: zbrush
zBrush is one such software, which has an extensive set of real-time sculpting, texturing and deformation tools that can be used for creating quality game applications and illustrations with finer details.
It uses 'pixol' technology to contain information on depth and orientation. To use this software you need no formal training; you can simply apply texturing, shadows and lighting by directly sampling a photo or image.
In this article we will try to make a realistic tyre like figure by applying the masking effect in this software. Just follow the simple steps mentioned below.
please visit 7effects.com
Tata Comm intros suite of security services
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Mumbai, Maharashtra: Tata Communications (NYSE: TCL), a leading provider of the new world of communications, announced the launch of a robust suite of security services designed to protect the applications, IT systems and networks that power its customers' critical business infrastructures.
The high-quality, cost-effective security services, which include premise and managed services as well as professional services, enables Tata Communications to provide its customers with security solutions on a global basis.
Tata Communications delivers a full range of monitored and managed security solutions that are backed by aggressive performance-based Service Level Agreements (SLAs). The services are overseen by an experienced, globally distributed support team using state-of-the-art systems, processes and tools. Tata Communications' wide range of supported vendors and solutions, combined with its globally consistent and efficient service delivery model, meets the security needs for businesses.
"Research by our global network of strategic partners shows that security risks continue to increase dramatically. As attacks continue to grow in complexity, effective solutions must integrate multi-dimensionally across different categories of security infrastructure, take on global visibility of incidents and events, and build upon best-available real-time intelligence," said John Landau, Senior Vice President, Global Managed Services, Tata Communications.
"Tata Communications has assembled extraordinary expertise and purposefully designed its defense-in-depth services suite to address this concerning trend. We are strongly positioned to support our customers as they recognize the requirement to move beyond simple point security solutions towards globally consistent integrated threat management solutions."
Tata Communications' focus on managed services allows enterprises to reduce costs by outsourcing the increasingly difficult and expensive task of both monitoring and managing their security infrastructure, while simultaneously delivering higher levels of coverage and protection.
The suite of security services, which includes managed and monitored Firewalls and Unified 4Threat Management (UTM) appliances, Intrusion Detection and Prevention systems, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Detection and Mitigation, and Penetration Testing, offers customers proactive detection and evaluation of information security threats, accompanied by swift incident response and remediation actions.
Evaluation and response is based on Tata Communications' sophisticated real time security incident and event analysis, which draws upon a global base of current activity and trends.
"It is hard to predict when a new problem with security is going to arise. Service providers offering managed security services have a better view on the threat landscape and more data points then any individual enterprise can have access to on its own," said Rob Ayoub, Industry Manager - North America Information & Communication Technologies for Frost & Sullivan "Tata Communications combines security with telecommunications services on a global basis, operating in more than 100 countries.
This sets the company apart from others and allows it to offer simplicity for multi-national companies looking to rely on a small core of service providers"
By combining third party expertise with core security competencies, Tata Communications has assembled a suite of services robust enough to meet the needs of multinationals and global enterprises, yet priced to be accessible to small and medium sized enterprises. Additionally, Tata Communications' services enable enterprise customers worldwide to enhance the confidentiality, integrity and availability of their applications, information assets and systems, while managing their regulatory, compliance and IT governance requirements.
"Tata Communications' customers are running their businesses on cutting-edge IP solutions, with security management being a paramount concern," stated Vinod Kumar, President of Global Data and Mobility Solutions, Tata Communications. "As one of the world's largest global network operators, our company is committed to meet our customers' unique infrastructure needs, allowing them to focus on running their businesses. Our delivery of these world-class managed security solutions is now providing our customers with the ability to reliably secure their critical business networks and applications."
Global enterprises look to Tata Communications to reduce the complexities of information and network security, while meeting key governance benchmarks. Tata Communications' MSS are delivered in accordance with ITIL guidelines, and the company is in progress of attaining ISO27001 certification in May 2008.
Tata Communications' experience and range of risk and security solutions help clients secure business operations and maintain regulatory compliance across the globe.
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Mumbai, Maharashtra: Tata Communications (NYSE: TCL), a leading provider of the new world of communications, announced the launch of a robust suite of security services designed to protect the applications, IT systems and networks that power its customers' critical business infrastructures.
The high-quality, cost-effective security services, which include premise and managed services as well as professional services, enables Tata Communications to provide its customers with security solutions on a global basis.
Tata Communications delivers a full range of monitored and managed security solutions that are backed by aggressive performance-based Service Level Agreements (SLAs). The services are overseen by an experienced, globally distributed support team using state-of-the-art systems, processes and tools. Tata Communications' wide range of supported vendors and solutions, combined with its globally consistent and efficient service delivery model, meets the security needs for businesses.
"Research by our global network of strategic partners shows that security risks continue to increase dramatically. As attacks continue to grow in complexity, effective solutions must integrate multi-dimensionally across different categories of security infrastructure, take on global visibility of incidents and events, and build upon best-available real-time intelligence," said John Landau, Senior Vice President, Global Managed Services, Tata Communications.
"Tata Communications has assembled extraordinary expertise and purposefully designed its defense-in-depth services suite to address this concerning trend. We are strongly positioned to support our customers as they recognize the requirement to move beyond simple point security solutions towards globally consistent integrated threat management solutions."
Tata Communications' focus on managed services allows enterprises to reduce costs by outsourcing the increasingly difficult and expensive task of both monitoring and managing their security infrastructure, while simultaneously delivering higher levels of coverage and protection.
The suite of security services, which includes managed and monitored Firewalls and Unified 4Threat Management (UTM) appliances, Intrusion Detection and Prevention systems, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Detection and Mitigation, and Penetration Testing, offers customers proactive detection and evaluation of information security threats, accompanied by swift incident response and remediation actions.
Evaluation and response is based on Tata Communications' sophisticated real time security incident and event analysis, which draws upon a global base of current activity and trends.
"It is hard to predict when a new problem with security is going to arise. Service providers offering managed security services have a better view on the threat landscape and more data points then any individual enterprise can have access to on its own," said Rob Ayoub, Industry Manager - North America Information & Communication Technologies for Frost & Sullivan "Tata Communications combines security with telecommunications services on a global basis, operating in more than 100 countries.
This sets the company apart from others and allows it to offer simplicity for multi-national companies looking to rely on a small core of service providers"
By combining third party expertise with core security competencies, Tata Communications has assembled a suite of services robust enough to meet the needs of multinationals and global enterprises, yet priced to be accessible to small and medium sized enterprises. Additionally, Tata Communications' services enable enterprise customers worldwide to enhance the confidentiality, integrity and availability of their applications, information assets and systems, while managing their regulatory, compliance and IT governance requirements.
"Tata Communications' customers are running their businesses on cutting-edge IP solutions, with security management being a paramount concern," stated Vinod Kumar, President of Global Data and Mobility Solutions, Tata Communications. "As one of the world's largest global network operators, our company is committed to meet our customers' unique infrastructure needs, allowing them to focus on running their businesses. Our delivery of these world-class managed security solutions is now providing our customers with the ability to reliably secure their critical business networks and applications."
Global enterprises look to Tata Communications to reduce the complexities of information and network security, while meeting key governance benchmarks. Tata Communications' MSS are delivered in accordance with ITIL guidelines, and the company is in progress of attaining ISO27001 certification in May 2008.
Tata Communications' experience and range of risk and security solutions help clients secure business operations and maintain regulatory compliance across the globe.
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Now, lawyers just a click away
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Visakhapatnam, India: Four million people go online per month to get legal advice. Numerous legal web sites have cropped up recently in the western world, many of which serve as virtual match-makers between lawyers searching for clients and clients in need of help.
Unlike our western counterparts, there has been no authentic legal portal for the Indian public until now.
This void gave birth to AdvocateKhoj - India's Dedicated Case Post System for Consumers (URL: http://www.advocatekhoj.com) to help people find a well-qualified lawyer for their legal issues.
Consumers who are in need of legal assistance can present their case by answering some simple questions about their legal situation, "free of cost" on the AdvocateKhoj website without revealing his or her identity. Lawyers enrolled with AdvocateKhoj would review these cases and send their replies.
The consumer can now view the responses from various advocates, check their background information, education and experience, and then make an informed decision on whom to engage for their case.
AdvocateKhoj uses automated online technologies that match specific needs of a consumer with a lawyer by matching geographically, and also based on a lawyer's various salient attributes and legal expertise.
The matching is fully automated and is based on client-entered criteria, so there is no preferential treatment of any particular lawyer.
The result: Prior to any money changing hands, and with minimal time spent, consumers can present their cases and in-turn get in touch with lawyers of their choice!
According to Anoop Vincent, co-founder, AdvocateKhoj, "It's obvious that consumers would embrace this new and unique service as all of us prefer to make empowered and informed decisions. The search for a well-qualified lawyer or a good client should be no different."
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Visakhapatnam, India: Four million people go online per month to get legal advice. Numerous legal web sites have cropped up recently in the western world, many of which serve as virtual match-makers between lawyers searching for clients and clients in need of help.
Unlike our western counterparts, there has been no authentic legal portal for the Indian public until now.
This void gave birth to AdvocateKhoj - India's Dedicated Case Post System for Consumers (URL: http://www.advocatekhoj.com) to help people find a well-qualified lawyer for their legal issues.
Consumers who are in need of legal assistance can present their case by answering some simple questions about their legal situation, "free of cost" on the AdvocateKhoj website without revealing his or her identity. Lawyers enrolled with AdvocateKhoj would review these cases and send their replies.
The consumer can now view the responses from various advocates, check their background information, education and experience, and then make an informed decision on whom to engage for their case.
AdvocateKhoj uses automated online technologies that match specific needs of a consumer with a lawyer by matching geographically, and also based on a lawyer's various salient attributes and legal expertise.
The matching is fully automated and is based on client-entered criteria, so there is no preferential treatment of any particular lawyer.
The result: Prior to any money changing hands, and with minimal time spent, consumers can present their cases and in-turn get in touch with lawyers of their choice!
According to Anoop Vincent, co-founder, AdvocateKhoj, "It's obvious that consumers would embrace this new and unique service as all of us prefer to make empowered and informed decisions. The search for a well-qualified lawyer or a good client should be no different."
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A detour in to KPO sector
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Someone has blogged that "KPO is about good money, better working hours compared to BPO and an opportunity to do research and technical consultancy." Like religion, KPO means many things to many people as there are varying definitions of what knowledge based work comprises.
Simply put, KPO is an outsourced service that requires an element of domain expertise, judgment, decision-making and analysis. It requires varying degrees of brain-ware, with services at the top of the KPO value chain requiring a high degree of intellectual sophistication. The bottom end of the pyramid is marked by mechanistic process-driven work that mirrors some high end BPO tasks.
India's emergence as the best destination for KPO services is driven by the usual set of factors – from cost saving to improved quality, overseas companies have a lot to gain. Having seen the tangible and intangible benefits of moving their IT and back office work to India, large organizations in the US and Europe are now tasting blood with the off-shoring of high-end design, research, analytics and modeling work.
The ability to do work in English will ensure that India retains the top slot globally for KPO off-shoring. While other countries in Eastern / Central Europe and Asia offer specific advantages, there is no region that brings as much to the table and at the desired scale. The clustering effect completes the virtuous cycle of reinforcing the lead that India has in this global market.
The KPO industry is scratching the tip of the iceberg currently, and will see strong growth in the next 5 years. Financial year 2007-08 would witness a 30-35 percent expansion in the KPO market in India, if all goes well. Data analytics would witness the fastest growth given its current attractiveness. The RPO and LPO segments will see robust growth as well.
Stepping into 2008, impediments such as the rising rupee, exorbitantly priced infrastructure, a crippling shortage of talent, unrealistic salary expectations, and asinine taxation (MAT, FBT, Service Tax et al) will reduce the profitability of third party service providers, and dilute the business case for captive operators. These factors will not deter newer KPO players, but will challenge each industry participant to focus on productivity, efficiency and product pricing.
The KPO sector in India is heavily skewed towards work from the financial services market, especially in the US. There are some prominent KPOs that derive 100% of their business from the financial sector. The current turmoil in the US financial sector could rapidly morph into an animal that runs a shiver down the banking sector globally. This would definitely impact the nascent KPO industry, reducing flow of work to India coupled with budgets getting tighter. Decisions will get pushed out further, extending the sales funnel and adding to business development costs.
The coming year will also see some consolidation in the industry, unusual for a nascent market like KPO, but driven largely by large Indian IT and BPO companies that would like to bolt-on KPO operations in the hope of becoming full service providers. Also, scaling up high-end work is much more difficult than a ramp-up in call center operations. Companies that don't have the luxury of waiting for time-to-market will acquire smaller outfits in a race to grow rapidly. Some of the smaller firms will also sell out, cashing in on the unrealistic valuations (PE driven) in this space.
It promises to be yet another exciting year for this industry, where growth imperatives and talent constraints will drive companies to explore newer business models and operating strategies.
This contributory artcle is from Sameer Walia, MD, The Smart Cube
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Someone has blogged that "KPO is about good money, better working hours compared to BPO and an opportunity to do research and technical consultancy." Like religion, KPO means many things to many people as there are varying definitions of what knowledge based work comprises.
Simply put, KPO is an outsourced service that requires an element of domain expertise, judgment, decision-making and analysis. It requires varying degrees of brain-ware, with services at the top of the KPO value chain requiring a high degree of intellectual sophistication. The bottom end of the pyramid is marked by mechanistic process-driven work that mirrors some high end BPO tasks.
India's emergence as the best destination for KPO services is driven by the usual set of factors – from cost saving to improved quality, overseas companies have a lot to gain. Having seen the tangible and intangible benefits of moving their IT and back office work to India, large organizations in the US and Europe are now tasting blood with the off-shoring of high-end design, research, analytics and modeling work.
The ability to do work in English will ensure that India retains the top slot globally for KPO off-shoring. While other countries in Eastern / Central Europe and Asia offer specific advantages, there is no region that brings as much to the table and at the desired scale. The clustering effect completes the virtuous cycle of reinforcing the lead that India has in this global market.
The KPO industry is scratching the tip of the iceberg currently, and will see strong growth in the next 5 years. Financial year 2007-08 would witness a 30-35 percent expansion in the KPO market in India, if all goes well. Data analytics would witness the fastest growth given its current attractiveness. The RPO and LPO segments will see robust growth as well.
Stepping into 2008, impediments such as the rising rupee, exorbitantly priced infrastructure, a crippling shortage of talent, unrealistic salary expectations, and asinine taxation (MAT, FBT, Service Tax et al) will reduce the profitability of third party service providers, and dilute the business case for captive operators. These factors will not deter newer KPO players, but will challenge each industry participant to focus on productivity, efficiency and product pricing.
The KPO sector in India is heavily skewed towards work from the financial services market, especially in the US. There are some prominent KPOs that derive 100% of their business from the financial sector. The current turmoil in the US financial sector could rapidly morph into an animal that runs a shiver down the banking sector globally. This would definitely impact the nascent KPO industry, reducing flow of work to India coupled with budgets getting tighter. Decisions will get pushed out further, extending the sales funnel and adding to business development costs.
The coming year will also see some consolidation in the industry, unusual for a nascent market like KPO, but driven largely by large Indian IT and BPO companies that would like to bolt-on KPO operations in the hope of becoming full service providers. Also, scaling up high-end work is much more difficult than a ramp-up in call center operations. Companies that don't have the luxury of waiting for time-to-market will acquire smaller outfits in a race to grow rapidly. Some of the smaller firms will also sell out, cashing in on the unrealistic valuations (PE driven) in this space.
It promises to be yet another exciting year for this industry, where growth imperatives and talent constraints will drive companies to explore newer business models and operating strategies.
This contributory artcle is from Sameer Walia, MD, The Smart Cube
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Reliance Globalcom buys stake in eWave World
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MUMBAI, INDIA: Reliance Globalcom, the global arm of Reliance Communications, has acquired a 90 per cent stake in British Virgin Islands registered WiMax operator eWave World. The financial terms of the acquisition were not divulged.
The Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance Communications is also planning to invest $500 million (Rs 2,000 crore) through the acquired company in the next two-three years. The investment would be to build and acquire WiMax networks across 50 countries across the world.
This is the third acquisition by the company as the company had acquired US-based Ethernet service provider Yipes Holdings for $300 million (Rs 1,200 crore) in July 2007. The group also acquired a 10 per cent stake in French WiMax chip manufacturer Sequans Communications in February this year for an undisclosed sum.
According to Reliance Globalcom chief executive officer Punit Garg, "This acquisition will help in creating value proposition for both share- and stakeholders of the company, while for RCom this will help the company to emerge as the leading WiMax operator in the world. eWave World has presence across the US and China other places and this will help in rolling out best in class future proof last mile network."
The acquisition will also help RCom to foray into the emerging 4G WiMax sector across 50 countries, servicing 75 per cent of global population.
eWave World was formed by a group of industry veterans and it holds WiMax licenses and spectrum in several countries, including China. The company has put down over 36,000 km of optic fibre in China that will enable it to provide broadband services in that country.
Reliance Globalcom, on its part, will also be looking at joining hands with eWave World to provide broadband and last mile access in China, Garg said.
The company will also make a $500 million investment to acquire WiMax licences and commence operations across Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa by 2012.
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MUMBAI, INDIA: Reliance Globalcom, the global arm of Reliance Communications, has acquired a 90 per cent stake in British Virgin Islands registered WiMax operator eWave World. The financial terms of the acquisition were not divulged.
The Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance Communications is also planning to invest $500 million (Rs 2,000 crore) through the acquired company in the next two-three years. The investment would be to build and acquire WiMax networks across 50 countries across the world.
This is the third acquisition by the company as the company had acquired US-based Ethernet service provider Yipes Holdings for $300 million (Rs 1,200 crore) in July 2007. The group also acquired a 10 per cent stake in French WiMax chip manufacturer Sequans Communications in February this year for an undisclosed sum.
According to Reliance Globalcom chief executive officer Punit Garg, "This acquisition will help in creating value proposition for both share- and stakeholders of the company, while for RCom this will help the company to emerge as the leading WiMax operator in the world. eWave World has presence across the US and China other places and this will help in rolling out best in class future proof last mile network."
The acquisition will also help RCom to foray into the emerging 4G WiMax sector across 50 countries, servicing 75 per cent of global population.
eWave World was formed by a group of industry veterans and it holds WiMax licenses and spectrum in several countries, including China. The company has put down over 36,000 km of optic fibre in China that will enable it to provide broadband services in that country.
Reliance Globalcom, on its part, will also be looking at joining hands with eWave World to provide broadband and last mile access in China, Garg said.
The company will also make a $500 million investment to acquire WiMax licences and commence operations across Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa by 2012.
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Microsoft to stop licensing XP
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LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE, BELGIUM: Microsoft could re-think plans to phase out its Windows XP operating system by June 30 if customers show they want to keep it but so far they have not, chief executive Steve Ballmer said.
"XP will hit an end-of-life. We have announced one. If customer feedback varies we can always wake up smarter but right now we have a plan for end-of-life for new XP shipments," Ballmer told a news conference on Thursday.
Microsoft has announced that it will stop licensing Windows XP to computer makers and end retail sales by June 30.
Ballmer said most retailers sold computers with Vista, the latest version of its Windows operating system, and most consumers were choosing to buy Vista.
Some consumers have complained they were unable to buy XP at retail stores, or as consumers. They say that in order to get XP they must buy their computers as small businesses.
"In the business environment, we still have customers who are buying PCs with XP" because information technology departments often have to work with old machines, Ballmer said.
Vista requires high-speed central processing units installed only in newer machines.
Ballmer was also asked whether the company would appeal against an 899 million euro ($1.42 billion) antitrust fine imposed by the Brussels-based European Commission in February.
"I really have nothing to say about that today, sorry," he said.
The company must decide by early May whether to appeal to the European Court of First Instance against the fine, imposed because the Commission found Microsoft had charged rivals high prices to discourage software competition.
The court upheld a 497 million euro fine and other antitrust penalties against Microsoft in a landmark decision in September.
Ballmer was speaking at a news conference called to announce the establishment of an "innovation centre" in the Belgian city of Mons, near where rival Google has a data centre.
Ballmer, asked whether Microsoft had decided to locate in Mons because Google was there, said it had not.
He reiterated Microsoft's plan to go to Yahoo! shareholders if that company turned down its takeover offer of $43.6 billion.
"We've sent them a letter that says, 'it's a good price, please let us know. If you don't let us know, maybe your shareholders will think it's a good price.' "
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LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE, BELGIUM: Microsoft could re-think plans to phase out its Windows XP operating system by June 30 if customers show they want to keep it but so far they have not, chief executive Steve Ballmer said.
"XP will hit an end-of-life. We have announced one. If customer feedback varies we can always wake up smarter but right now we have a plan for end-of-life for new XP shipments," Ballmer told a news conference on Thursday.
Microsoft has announced that it will stop licensing Windows XP to computer makers and end retail sales by June 30.
Ballmer said most retailers sold computers with Vista, the latest version of its Windows operating system, and most consumers were choosing to buy Vista.
Some consumers have complained they were unable to buy XP at retail stores, or as consumers. They say that in order to get XP they must buy their computers as small businesses.
"In the business environment, we still have customers who are buying PCs with XP" because information technology departments often have to work with old machines, Ballmer said.
Vista requires high-speed central processing units installed only in newer machines.
Ballmer was also asked whether the company would appeal against an 899 million euro ($1.42 billion) antitrust fine imposed by the Brussels-based European Commission in February.
"I really have nothing to say about that today, sorry," he said.
The company must decide by early May whether to appeal to the European Court of First Instance against the fine, imposed because the Commission found Microsoft had charged rivals high prices to discourage software competition.
The court upheld a 497 million euro fine and other antitrust penalties against Microsoft in a landmark decision in September.
Ballmer was speaking at a news conference called to announce the establishment of an "innovation centre" in the Belgian city of Mons, near where rival Google has a data centre.
Ballmer, asked whether Microsoft had decided to locate in Mons because Google was there, said it had not.
He reiterated Microsoft's plan to go to Yahoo! shareholders if that company turned down its takeover offer of $43.6 billion.
"We've sent them a letter that says, 'it's a good price, please let us know. If you don't let us know, maybe your shareholders will think it's a good price.' "
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Google optimistic regulators won't bar Yahoo
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SAN FRANCISCO, USA: Google Inc believes regulators would not bar a potential business deal with Yahoo Inc because it would be "non-exclusive" and falls short of an outright merger, a person familiar with Google's thinking said.
Yahoo is exploring alternatives to Microsoft Corp's $42.7 billion takeover offer, which the Web pioneer has rejected for being too low.
The US Justice Department is questioning the companies about potential competitive issues raised by a partnership, sources said this week, as Yahoo completed a two-week test of Google's system for selling ads alongside Yahoo's own Web search results.
Google believes such a partnership would not be anti-competitive because it would be an arrangement in which Yahoo would use Google's more profitable search advertising platform to make more money for itself, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A deal would be no different from partnerships Google has with other Web companies including Time Warner Inc's AOL and IAC/InterActiveCorp, the source said.
By contrast, Google thinks a takeover by Microsoft of Yahoo would raise far more antitrust concerns because the combined company could corner large chunks of multiple markets, from Web mail to instant messaging, the person said.
Google and Yahoo have said they cooperated with the Justice Department and told the agency about the test.
When Yahoo said two weeks ago that it had begun testing Google's AdSense system, it drew outcry from critics who see Google's domination of the market as a barrier to a deal.
Google is the top search engine, and a tie-up with No. 2 search engine Yahoo would give the two companies more than 80 per cent of the market, according to ratings company Hitwise.
Neither company has disclosed the results of the test, under which 3 per cent of US Yahoo searches carried advertisements using AdSense.
Yahoo President Susan Decker said on Tuesday it was "premature" to speculate on options the company might pursue with Google.
Google remains open to further discussions with Yahoo on hammering out a deal because no final decisions have been made, the source said.
For its part, Microsoft has said a Yahoo-Google partnership would make the market for Web search far less competitive.
"The general rule would be that if the arrangement substantially limits competition in some aspect of their business, that would be problematic," said Aaron Edlin, who teaches antitrust law at the University of California at Berkeley.
"Collaboration that comes short of merger is much more apt to pass muster before antitrust authorities," he said
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SAN FRANCISCO, USA: Google Inc believes regulators would not bar a potential business deal with Yahoo Inc because it would be "non-exclusive" and falls short of an outright merger, a person familiar with Google's thinking said.
Yahoo is exploring alternatives to Microsoft Corp's $42.7 billion takeover offer, which the Web pioneer has rejected for being too low.
The US Justice Department is questioning the companies about potential competitive issues raised by a partnership, sources said this week, as Yahoo completed a two-week test of Google's system for selling ads alongside Yahoo's own Web search results.
Google believes such a partnership would not be anti-competitive because it would be an arrangement in which Yahoo would use Google's more profitable search advertising platform to make more money for itself, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A deal would be no different from partnerships Google has with other Web companies including Time Warner Inc's AOL and IAC/InterActiveCorp, the source said.
By contrast, Google thinks a takeover by Microsoft of Yahoo would raise far more antitrust concerns because the combined company could corner large chunks of multiple markets, from Web mail to instant messaging, the person said.
Google and Yahoo have said they cooperated with the Justice Department and told the agency about the test.
When Yahoo said two weeks ago that it had begun testing Google's AdSense system, it drew outcry from critics who see Google's domination of the market as a barrier to a deal.
Google is the top search engine, and a tie-up with No. 2 search engine Yahoo would give the two companies more than 80 per cent of the market, according to ratings company Hitwise.
Neither company has disclosed the results of the test, under which 3 per cent of US Yahoo searches carried advertisements using AdSense.
Yahoo President Susan Decker said on Tuesday it was "premature" to speculate on options the company might pursue with Google.
Google remains open to further discussions with Yahoo on hammering out a deal because no final decisions have been made, the source said.
For its part, Microsoft has said a Yahoo-Google partnership would make the market for Web search far less competitive.
"The general rule would be that if the arrangement substantially limits competition in some aspect of their business, that would be problematic," said Aaron Edlin, who teaches antitrust law at the University of California at Berkeley.
"Collaboration that comes short of merger is much more apt to pass muster before antitrust authorities," he said
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Launch of 3G BlackBerry faces delay
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OTTAWA, CANADA: Research in Motion shares fell 3 per cent on Friday after a Fortune.com story said that a high-speed wireless version of its BlackBerry smartphone for top US phone company AT&T Inc is facing delays.
The introduction has been pushed back as far as August from June, the story on Fortune magazine's website said, citing unnamed people close to the companies. The reason for the delay was unclear, but AT&T had worries about call quality, the report said.
RIM and AT&T declined comment on the report, which also said the delay could hurt RIM phone shipments and subscriber growth in its second quarter ending August 30.
But one analyst said the delay isn't news, pointing to a January report in which he flagged a later-than-expected launch.
Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek downgraded RIM on January 11 to a "hold" rating, citing a 3G device delay until June as well as US economic weakness.
Misek wrote on March 31 that RIM's 3G BlackBerry had just recently been delivered to AT&T and Vodafone labs and he repeated his February forecast that the launch was now likely delayed to August.
RIM had to work with its chip supplier Marvell to resolve technical problems, said Misek. He believes those issues are now sorted out and that network certification, which takes about three months, is the last hurdle.
"I'm very, very disappointed that the market finds this as any kind of news. It's not going to have any impact on the August quarter and we've always said this device is going to be delayed," he said. "I'm just really surprised more people didn't know about it."
Shares in Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM fell Canadian $3.77 to end at Canadian $122 on the Toronto Stock Exchange and dropped $3.62 to $120.02 on Nasdaq on Friday.
The phone, which Fortune.com said may be called Meteor, will likely be unveiled by RIM within six weeks, Misek predicted.
AT&T chief financial officer Rick Lindner referred to plans for a high-speed BlackBerry with third generation, or 3G, technology on a quarterly earnings conference call earlier this week, but did not give a date for the launch.
"We're just starting to see a BlackBerry 3G come out. As those integrated devices move to 3G, I think that will be the next catalyst to drive stronger 3G growth," he said.
"New customers coming in today, if they are buying a phone, many times, particularly postpaid customers, they're primarily going to 3G."
RIM has said it will introduce devices based on HSDPA, a high-speed 3G wireless technology that is popular in Europe and used by AT&T.
"Certainly going to HSDPA is something that's very important to us in the near term," chief executive Jim Balsillie had said in February.
TD Newcrest analyst Chris Umiastowski speculated about the timing of RIM 3G device shipments in a recent note that lowered his earnings estimates and stock target.
"We believe the device is on track to be available either at the end of May or in June. That said, we are not yet clear on when AT&T will start selling the device," he wrote.
"Perhaps it will launch in Europe (with Vodafone) prior to hitting North American soil?...A launch of this upcoming 3G device either by AT&T or Vodafone should result in a significant number of hardware shipments within the first full quarter of launch."
AT&T and rival carrier Verizon make up about 40 per cent of RIM's new subscriber growth, the analyst estimated.
AT&T, the exclusive U.S. carrier for Apple Inc's iPhone, a competitor to BlackBerry, hinted at a US trade show earlier this month that it expects to have a 3G version of iPhone in coming months. It did not give a specific date.
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OTTAWA, CANADA: Research in Motion shares fell 3 per cent on Friday after a Fortune.com story said that a high-speed wireless version of its BlackBerry smartphone for top US phone company AT&T Inc is facing delays.
The introduction has been pushed back as far as August from June, the story on Fortune magazine's website said, citing unnamed people close to the companies. The reason for the delay was unclear, but AT&T had worries about call quality, the report said.
RIM and AT&T declined comment on the report, which also said the delay could hurt RIM phone shipments and subscriber growth in its second quarter ending August 30.
But one analyst said the delay isn't news, pointing to a January report in which he flagged a later-than-expected launch.
Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek downgraded RIM on January 11 to a "hold" rating, citing a 3G device delay until June as well as US economic weakness.
Misek wrote on March 31 that RIM's 3G BlackBerry had just recently been delivered to AT&T and Vodafone labs and he repeated his February forecast that the launch was now likely delayed to August.
RIM had to work with its chip supplier Marvell to resolve technical problems, said Misek. He believes those issues are now sorted out and that network certification, which takes about three months, is the last hurdle.
"I'm very, very disappointed that the market finds this as any kind of news. It's not going to have any impact on the August quarter and we've always said this device is going to be delayed," he said. "I'm just really surprised more people didn't know about it."
Shares in Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM fell Canadian $3.77 to end at Canadian $122 on the Toronto Stock Exchange and dropped $3.62 to $120.02 on Nasdaq on Friday.
The phone, which Fortune.com said may be called Meteor, will likely be unveiled by RIM within six weeks, Misek predicted.
AT&T chief financial officer Rick Lindner referred to plans for a high-speed BlackBerry with third generation, or 3G, technology on a quarterly earnings conference call earlier this week, but did not give a date for the launch.
"We're just starting to see a BlackBerry 3G come out. As those integrated devices move to 3G, I think that will be the next catalyst to drive stronger 3G growth," he said.
"New customers coming in today, if they are buying a phone, many times, particularly postpaid customers, they're primarily going to 3G."
RIM has said it will introduce devices based on HSDPA, a high-speed 3G wireless technology that is popular in Europe and used by AT&T.
"Certainly going to HSDPA is something that's very important to us in the near term," chief executive Jim Balsillie had said in February.
TD Newcrest analyst Chris Umiastowski speculated about the timing of RIM 3G device shipments in a recent note that lowered his earnings estimates and stock target.
"We believe the device is on track to be available either at the end of May or in June. That said, we are not yet clear on when AT&T will start selling the device," he wrote.
"Perhaps it will launch in Europe (with Vodafone) prior to hitting North American soil?...A launch of this upcoming 3G device either by AT&T or Vodafone should result in a significant number of hardware shipments within the first full quarter of launch."
AT&T and rival carrier Verizon make up about 40 per cent of RIM's new subscriber growth, the analyst estimated.
AT&T, the exclusive U.S. carrier for Apple Inc's iPhone, a competitor to BlackBerry, hinted at a US trade show earlier this month that it expects to have a 3G version of iPhone in coming months. It did not give a specific date.
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Monday, March 17, 2008
hack to add related news topics to
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what would determine the related topics? if it's just stuff in the same category you can do that easily
im pretty sure you could just include headlines in the full news template - but just to be safe let's make an actual mod for it
find:
CODE if(!$found){
echo("
Can not find an article with id: ". @(int) htmlspecialchars($id)."
");
$CN_HALT = TRUE;
break 1;
}
add after:
CODEecho "";
obviously you can change the attributes of the iframe, or the show_news.php
if you need it to be certain colors or something make a file in the cute news folder called headlines.php (or something) and tell it to include show_news.php with those variables (see readme) then apply coloring and it'll show up
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what would determine the related topics? if it's just stuff in the same category you can do that easily
im pretty sure you could just include headlines in the full news template - but just to be safe let's make an actual mod for it
find:
CODE if(!$found){
echo("
Can not find an article with id: ". @(int) htmlspecialchars($id)."
");
$CN_HALT = TRUE;
break 1;
}
add after:
CODEecho "";
obviously you can change the attributes of the iframe, or the show_news.php
if you need it to be certain colors or something make a file in the cute news folder called headlines.php (or something) and tell it to include show_news.php with those variables (see readme) then apply coloring and it'll show up
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Software protection: security's last stand?
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Given that application software protection is necessary, what form and function should it take? There are three principal forms of protection: watermarking, obfuscation, and application performance degradation. These techniques perform three main functions: detection of attempts to pirate, misuse, or tamper with software, protection of software against those attempts, and alteration of the software to ensure that its functionality degrades in an undetectable manner if protection fails. These defenses are required on hardware ranging from single processors to small computer clusters to traditional supercomputers to wide-area distributed computing.
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Given that application software protection is necessary, what form and function should it take? There are three principal forms of protection: watermarking, obfuscation, and application performance degradation. These techniques perform three main functions: detection of attempts to pirate, misuse, or tamper with software, protection of software against those attempts, and alteration of the software to ensure that its functionality degrades in an undetectable manner if protection fails. These defenses are required on hardware ranging from single processors to small computer clusters to traditional supercomputers to wide-area distributed computing.
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Ethical Hacking - A Fullstop on E-system
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A Hacking Awareness Announcement By Kalpesh Sharma
Takeaways
Truth behind "Ethical Hacking".
Fact behind "Ankit Fadia".
Be Aware while choosing.
Passion or Madness: Now days, it has become a passion to learn about hacking and information security. Sometimes I do not understand that whether it is a passion or a kind of madness. This passion has resulted due to several news articles, media stories and the excitement showing hacking related thrills in films. But, on the other hand there is a fact also that very few peoples know anything in-depth about the topic of hacking and information security. So, I would suggest that without adequate knowledge please do not get mad behind passion. Sometimes this passion may become dangerous from the legal point of view. There is nothing wrong to gain expertise, but there is need to realize a fact about incorrect issues behind hacking. I will come to this topic in depth, later in the same chapter.
Be Alert and Aware: Do you think that hacking is an expert level work? Do you think that information security and hacking are one and same things? If yes! Then you are absolutely wrong. Many children in the age group of 14-16 years are having sufficient knowledge to hack any website or collect important data facts from the internet. So, internet being the big source of information it's a child game to perform hacking related activities. Many hackers whose aim is to just earn money from you, they give seminars and workshops along with misguide you that, "learn hacking in an ethical way for a brilliant career". But, I am not going to explain in this way, to any of you. Instead, I would like to explain the fact in a positive way with a positive attitude. A teacher's task is to show right path to students and not misguide them for gaining their personal benefits. So I would suggest that instead of going for the knowledge of hacking, gain the knowledge by learning something, which is said to be an expert level job. And this expert level job is known as information security expertise in technical terms. Hope you might have understood the difference between hacking (not expert level job) and information security (expert level job) from this topic. So, be alert from such misguidance.
Other then passion, one more side of coin also exists. Many institutes and independent peoples call themselves hacker and/or information security experts. But the reality behind their expertise and skills gets displayed in front of non-technical peoples and the victims who undergo for training, courses, certifications, seminars and workshop with such types of self-claimed hackers or institutes, when such victims and non-technical peoples realize that they are not satisfied for which they have spent time and money. The actual reality behind fooling is that the peoples who undergo for such seminars, workshops, courses, etc. most probably undergo through a psychology that, "the person or institute from which we will receive knowledge during the training sessions is an expert or is providing quality education as he was published by media agencies or that it's a branded name in market for related subject talent or that he is an author of any book". I believe in practical, official and those tasks or actions for which evidence lies in front of my eyes. Thus, I am trying to explain to everyone that always be alert and aware, so that your hardly earned income does not get spend in such unnecessary waste of time.
I will give you my own example here! I have several articles about me in various newspapers and media agencies, but this doesn't mean that I am showing you the right path or that I am an expert. For example may be possible that I am a hacker, but this does not prove that I am an expert. So, expert level job is a totally different matter. The explanation about difference between hacking and expertise will come in next chapters So, first check out the level of my knowledge, how much practically I am able to prove my expertise, whether I am official & legal while undergoing for such tasks and finally the evidence part that whatever actions I undertake are proved right in front of eyes, instead of just talking theoretically. Always confirm yourself first, that you are learning with right person or institute or just wasting your time and money. May be possible that peoples might be receiving fees from you and in turn give you the knowledge of something(any other subject or topic about information technology field), which is not even single percent part of hacking or information security related topics. This happens most probably with non-technical peoples or fresher in information technology field.
False Publicity: Secondly, confirm that you are at least gaining the knowledge up to a level for which you have paid a particular amount. Don't just go behind false publicities before you confirm yourself and your inner feelings say that you are moving on right path. As concerns to book publishers, media agencies and films, I would like to confirm that none of them might be having full and fledge technical knowledge about information security field as concerns to my knowledge. It's similar to following examples on me:
A person comes and tells me that you are an expert please suggest me some medicines which can eradicate my serious disease of cancer. I am a technical professional and not a biological professional who is going to solve this problem.
A person comes and tells me that suggest a good lawyer who can defend my case in court. Now tell me how do I give suggestion as to which lawyer can prove this person innocent in court of law.
Thus, I can't do anything or have any knowledge about any field which is not my subject or area of work. Similarly, even media peoples, book publishers and film makers does not have adequate or complete knowledge and they believe the statement to be true which is explained to them by many misguiding self-claimed hackers and/or reputed institutes. So, these peoples are also not responsible for some of these kinds of activities published by them on any medium.
Language Troubling: There is one more part of cheating called use of useless and complicated language in order to misguide students and especially technically sound professionals. This is a very intelligent part of stunt used by many self claimed security peoples to misguide others. Usually when any self claimed hacker or institute doesn't know anything about complicated or expert level topic, and in such situation they want to include expert level topics in their study material without having any expert level knowledge; such peoples use very complicated words of English and prepare the contents in such a manner that it becomes very difficult to understand even for the persons who are fluent in English. A very complicated coding and useless technical terms are used in their study material, so that the victims cannot understand or claim against such self claimed hackers and so called specialized institutes, in a legal way. When any victim (user of such material) goes through such study materials and courses as well as certifications, they become helpless to understand such complicated and misguiding language, filled up of useless and non-understandable technical terms. Now, when they don't understand anything the common psychology of such victims understands that, "it's a part of expert level work and that's why they are unable to understand the matter or that he won't be able to complete this job successfully as he is not talented" and so on. In this way, the victims think themselves responsible for not understanding the expert level work. But they do not know that they have never been taught anything, which can be called an expert level education or job. This is what I am trying to explain you that it is not your fault, instead it is a stunt used by such self claimed hackers and institutes who tries to sell their services and materials by misguiding others with the help of language troubling. So here also there is a need to be aware and alert of any services or material offered by any self claimed hacker and specialized institutions. They just have an intention of earning a huge amount from you and do not have any feelings for the information security field, students or the nation in any way. This is the reason they use difficult word, complicated terms and technical coding in order misguide others so that no one knows about their level of their knowledge.
Finally: Thus, finally the topics should be very clear that
Don't get mad behind passion and be serious about legal activities.
Be alert that you are receiving right knowledge for which you have paid.
Be aware of what you are undergoing for is the right one for which you have paid and that too join after checking out.
Be practical, official and believe only that which happens only in front of your eyes. You should have the guts to demand for evidence.
Check the simplification of language used in the study material whether you can go through it and understand it or not, before purchasing any services or materials from self claimed hackers or so called expert level institutes which claims to be specialized in information security area.
Try to understand the difference between a truth and a false, correct and incorrect, etc. by going in depth about every fact related to services, products or materials you are offered by any self claimed hacker or so called specialized institutes.
Even if this is in my case, first check out with my study material, then get into the depth of my work background and then only purchase any services, products or material offered by me or on behalf of me.
Don't get misguided behind media hype or false publicity of any person or institute without checking through it.
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A Hacking Awareness Announcement By Kalpesh Sharma
Takeaways
Truth behind "Ethical Hacking".
Fact behind "Ankit Fadia".
Be Aware while choosing.
Passion or Madness: Now days, it has become a passion to learn about hacking and information security. Sometimes I do not understand that whether it is a passion or a kind of madness. This passion has resulted due to several news articles, media stories and the excitement showing hacking related thrills in films. But, on the other hand there is a fact also that very few peoples know anything in-depth about the topic of hacking and information security. So, I would suggest that without adequate knowledge please do not get mad behind passion. Sometimes this passion may become dangerous from the legal point of view. There is nothing wrong to gain expertise, but there is need to realize a fact about incorrect issues behind hacking. I will come to this topic in depth, later in the same chapter.
Be Alert and Aware: Do you think that hacking is an expert level work? Do you think that information security and hacking are one and same things? If yes! Then you are absolutely wrong. Many children in the age group of 14-16 years are having sufficient knowledge to hack any website or collect important data facts from the internet. So, internet being the big source of information it's a child game to perform hacking related activities. Many hackers whose aim is to just earn money from you, they give seminars and workshops along with misguide you that, "learn hacking in an ethical way for a brilliant career". But, I am not going to explain in this way, to any of you. Instead, I would like to explain the fact in a positive way with a positive attitude. A teacher's task is to show right path to students and not misguide them for gaining their personal benefits. So I would suggest that instead of going for the knowledge of hacking, gain the knowledge by learning something, which is said to be an expert level job. And this expert level job is known as information security expertise in technical terms. Hope you might have understood the difference between hacking (not expert level job) and information security (expert level job) from this topic. So, be alert from such misguidance.
Other then passion, one more side of coin also exists. Many institutes and independent peoples call themselves hacker and/or information security experts. But the reality behind their expertise and skills gets displayed in front of non-technical peoples and the victims who undergo for training, courses, certifications, seminars and workshop with such types of self-claimed hackers or institutes, when such victims and non-technical peoples realize that they are not satisfied for which they have spent time and money. The actual reality behind fooling is that the peoples who undergo for such seminars, workshops, courses, etc. most probably undergo through a psychology that, "the person or institute from which we will receive knowledge during the training sessions is an expert or is providing quality education as he was published by media agencies or that it's a branded name in market for related subject talent or that he is an author of any book". I believe in practical, official and those tasks or actions for which evidence lies in front of my eyes. Thus, I am trying to explain to everyone that always be alert and aware, so that your hardly earned income does not get spend in such unnecessary waste of time.
I will give you my own example here! I have several articles about me in various newspapers and media agencies, but this doesn't mean that I am showing you the right path or that I am an expert. For example may be possible that I am a hacker, but this does not prove that I am an expert. So, expert level job is a totally different matter. The explanation about difference between hacking and expertise will come in next chapters So, first check out the level of my knowledge, how much practically I am able to prove my expertise, whether I am official & legal while undergoing for such tasks and finally the evidence part that whatever actions I undertake are proved right in front of eyes, instead of just talking theoretically. Always confirm yourself first, that you are learning with right person or institute or just wasting your time and money. May be possible that peoples might be receiving fees from you and in turn give you the knowledge of something(any other subject or topic about information technology field), which is not even single percent part of hacking or information security related topics. This happens most probably with non-technical peoples or fresher in information technology field.
False Publicity: Secondly, confirm that you are at least gaining the knowledge up to a level for which you have paid a particular amount. Don't just go behind false publicities before you confirm yourself and your inner feelings say that you are moving on right path. As concerns to book publishers, media agencies and films, I would like to confirm that none of them might be having full and fledge technical knowledge about information security field as concerns to my knowledge. It's similar to following examples on me:
A person comes and tells me that you are an expert please suggest me some medicines which can eradicate my serious disease of cancer. I am a technical professional and not a biological professional who is going to solve this problem.
A person comes and tells me that suggest a good lawyer who can defend my case in court. Now tell me how do I give suggestion as to which lawyer can prove this person innocent in court of law.
Thus, I can't do anything or have any knowledge about any field which is not my subject or area of work. Similarly, even media peoples, book publishers and film makers does not have adequate or complete knowledge and they believe the statement to be true which is explained to them by many misguiding self-claimed hackers and/or reputed institutes. So, these peoples are also not responsible for some of these kinds of activities published by them on any medium.
Language Troubling: There is one more part of cheating called use of useless and complicated language in order to misguide students and especially technically sound professionals. This is a very intelligent part of stunt used by many self claimed security peoples to misguide others. Usually when any self claimed hacker or institute doesn't know anything about complicated or expert level topic, and in such situation they want to include expert level topics in their study material without having any expert level knowledge; such peoples use very complicated words of English and prepare the contents in such a manner that it becomes very difficult to understand even for the persons who are fluent in English. A very complicated coding and useless technical terms are used in their study material, so that the victims cannot understand or claim against such self claimed hackers and so called specialized institutes, in a legal way. When any victim (user of such material) goes through such study materials and courses as well as certifications, they become helpless to understand such complicated and misguiding language, filled up of useless and non-understandable technical terms. Now, when they don't understand anything the common psychology of such victims understands that, "it's a part of expert level work and that's why they are unable to understand the matter or that he won't be able to complete this job successfully as he is not talented" and so on. In this way, the victims think themselves responsible for not understanding the expert level work. But they do not know that they have never been taught anything, which can be called an expert level education or job. This is what I am trying to explain you that it is not your fault, instead it is a stunt used by such self claimed hackers and institutes who tries to sell their services and materials by misguiding others with the help of language troubling. So here also there is a need to be aware and alert of any services or material offered by any self claimed hacker and specialized institutions. They just have an intention of earning a huge amount from you and do not have any feelings for the information security field, students or the nation in any way. This is the reason they use difficult word, complicated terms and technical coding in order misguide others so that no one knows about their level of their knowledge.
Finally: Thus, finally the topics should be very clear that
Don't get mad behind passion and be serious about legal activities.
Be alert that you are receiving right knowledge for which you have paid.
Be aware of what you are undergoing for is the right one for which you have paid and that too join after checking out.
Be practical, official and believe only that which happens only in front of your eyes. You should have the guts to demand for evidence.
Check the simplification of language used in the study material whether you can go through it and understand it or not, before purchasing any services or materials from self claimed hackers or so called expert level institutes which claims to be specialized in information security area.
Try to understand the difference between a truth and a false, correct and incorrect, etc. by going in depth about every fact related to services, products or materials you are offered by any self claimed hacker or so called specialized institutes.
Even if this is in my case, first check out with my study material, then get into the depth of my work background and then only purchase any services, products or material offered by me or on behalf of me.
Don't get misguided behind media hype or false publicity of any person or institute without checking through it.
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Hackers and Hacking - Related Topics
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Hackers and Hacking - Outline
Topic Outline - KnowledgeBases - Newsgroups and FAQs - Magazines and Ezines - White Papers - Organizations and User Groups - News - Events - Related Topics - Books - Key Manufacturers - Where to Buy - Key Solutions Providers - Where to get Help - Key Service Providers - Key Training Providers
Hackers and Hacking - Knowledge Bases
AntiOnline - Computer Security - Hacking & Hackers
Hacking Lexicon (Robert Graham)
This document clarifies many of the terms used within the context of information security
interhack
"Hackers build things, crackers break them"
SEE also Related Topics
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Hackers and Hacking - Newsgroups and FAQs
alt.comp.virus
comp.virus
FAQS - comp.virus
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Hackers and Hacking - Magazines and Ezines
2600: The Hacker Quarterly
Computers & Security
Information Security Magazine
InfoSecurity News
Internet Security Review
Secure Computing Magazine
Security Advisor Magazine
Security Management Online
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Hackers and Hacking - White Papers
Systems Security White Paper links powered by ITpapers
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Hackers and Hacking - Organizations and User Groups
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Hackers and Hacking - News
Anti Virus News The Register
Computer Security News
Information Security News
Internet Security News The Register
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Computer Security Events
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Hackers and Hacking - Outline
Topic Outline - KnowledgeBases - Newsgroups and FAQs - Magazines and Ezines - White Papers - Organizations and User Groups - News - Events - Related Topics - Books - Key Manufacturers - Where to Buy - Key Solutions Providers - Where to get Help - Key Service Providers - Key Training Providers
Hackers and Hacking - Knowledge Bases
AntiOnline - Computer Security - Hacking & Hackers
Hacking Lexicon (Robert Graham)
This document clarifies many of the terms used within the context of information security
interhack
"Hackers build things, crackers break them"
SEE also Related Topics
..........Back to Top
Hackers and Hacking - Newsgroups and FAQs
alt.comp.virus
comp.virus
FAQS - comp.virus
..........Back to Top
Hackers and Hacking - Magazines and Ezines
2600: The Hacker Quarterly
Computers & Security
Information Security Magazine
InfoSecurity News
Internet Security Review
Secure Computing Magazine
Security Advisor Magazine
Security Management Online
..........Back to Top
Hackers and Hacking - White Papers
Systems Security White Paper links powered by ITpapers
..........Back to Top
Hackers and Hacking - Organizations and User Groups
If you know of a high quality resource for this sub-category of this topic, please suggest it
..........Back to Top
Hackers and Hacking - News
Anti Virus News The Register
Computer Security News
Information Security News
Internet Security News The Register
..........Back to Top
Hackers and Hacking - Events
Computer Security Events
..........Back to Top
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Hack Cartoons
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You are looking at the "hack" cartoon page from the CartoonStock directory. Follow the links on this page to search on other topics or to purchase reproduction rights for any of these images or merchandise incorporating the cartoons.
This page only includes cartoons from our main archive, see also our NewsCartoon Service and our Vintage Cartoons.
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You are looking at the "hack" cartoon page from the CartoonStock directory. Follow the links on this page to search on other topics or to purchase reproduction rights for any of these images or merchandise incorporating the cartoons.
This page only includes cartoons from our main archive, see also our NewsCartoon Service and our Vintage Cartoons.
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Hacking Roomba: ExtremeTech (Paperback)
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Hacking Exposed VoIP: Voice Over IP Security Secrets and Solutions (Hacking Exposed) (Paperback)
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Hacking School
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hi there... i'm no newbie to using event viewer, ... and typically it's an important tool for my daily assesment of what's going on with my XP computer. i realize, occasionally win XP will use the system account to log on and do routine maintenance. but have any of you ever seen win XP cite instances of 'guest' logging in and out? especially when the 'guest' account is disabled? ... upon waking this morning, i noticed all of this log on and log off activity which occurred while i was sleeping which was attributed to the guest account. if i look back in time in the even viewer, there are similar entries throughout, going back about three weeks at which point they are no longer present. it's always the same logon/logon entry and there is generally one other priviledged use entry coinciding with each logon/logoff entry. as said, my guest account is and has been disabled. the only *enabled* user account is my own, 'joel' account. here's a small snapshot of the general event viewer log from last night: ... IMAGE ... and the details for one of the 'guest' logins: ... IMAGE ... and the details for the 'guest' priviledged use instance: ... IMAGE ... anybody have any ideas? why would there be a 'guest' login when the 'guest' account is disabled? is this activity i should consider possibly to be hack related? maybe i should investigate further? ... more system details: - windows xp home: i use one single enabled user account and it is set as admin level. - my machine is one of three on a home network accessing the internet through DSL; connection is shared via a US Robotics Max G - i use latest version of zonealarm for firewall - i use latest version of AVG for virii protection - my machine connects to router/internet via a standard CAT 5 cable; i do not use wireless - at the time of the above incidents file sharing was enabled; i've since disabled - at the time of the above incidents, my computer/remote assistance was enabled; it's now disabled - remote access services are disabled; however, remote connection manager is enabled usb max 4G routher ... thanks in advance for any assistance ..
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hi there... i'm no newbie to using event viewer, ... and typically it's an important tool for my daily assesment of what's going on with my XP computer. i realize, occasionally win XP will use the system account to log on and do routine maintenance. but have any of you ever seen win XP cite instances of 'guest' logging in and out? especially when the 'guest' account is disabled? ... upon waking this morning, i noticed all of this log on and log off activity which occurred while i was sleeping which was attributed to the guest account. if i look back in time in the even viewer, there are similar entries throughout, going back about three weeks at which point they are no longer present. it's always the same logon/logon entry and there is generally one other priviledged use entry coinciding with each logon/logoff entry. as said, my guest account is and has been disabled. the only *enabled* user account is my own, 'joel' account. here's a small snapshot of the general event viewer log from last night: ... IMAGE ... and the details for one of the 'guest' logins: ... IMAGE ... and the details for the 'guest' priviledged use instance: ... IMAGE ... anybody have any ideas? why would there be a 'guest' login when the 'guest' account is disabled? is this activity i should consider possibly to be hack related? maybe i should investigate further? ... more system details: - windows xp home: i use one single enabled user account and it is set as admin level. - my machine is one of three on a home network accessing the internet through DSL; connection is shared via a US Robotics Max G - i use latest version of zonealarm for firewall - i use latest version of AVG for virii protection - my machine connects to router/internet via a standard CAT 5 cable; i do not use wireless - at the time of the above incidents file sharing was enabled; i've since disabled - at the time of the above incidents, my computer/remote assistance was enabled; it's now disabled - remote access services are disabled; however, remote connection manager is enabled usb max 4G routher ... thanks in advance for any assistance ..
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The Dangers of Virus Writing/Hacking Combined
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Hackers who crossover into virus writing territory present the biggest danger to corporate computer systems as they perfect the 'blended threat' seen in recent virus outbreaks such as Sobig. That's the assertion of Sarah Gordon, senior research fellow at Symantec Security Response, who has worked with the White House and the FBI to research the psychological profile of hackers and virus writers. Gordon told silicon.com that hackers are driven by the motivation to complete a technology challenge and are usually not interested in the basic task of writing viruses and worms. "There are people in the virus writing community who hack and people in the hacking community who write viruses but for the most part they are very separate communities. The virus writers are seen at the lower end of the food chain," she said. But Gordon warned that creating a virus such as Sobig or Bugbear, only with much more damaging payloads, is well within the capabilities of even the most inexperienced hacker. "Many of the threats are the result of the crossover between hackers and virus writers. Erasing a hard drive is a couple of key strokes. It isn't rocket science. A hacker of any skill level could write a self-replicating program but most find it too boring," she said. And it seems the traditional stereotype of a spotty teenager hacking away in a dark bedroom is nothing more than a myth from the ******** "The population is diverse. It just takes the ability to manipulate a computer system. It is not guys sat in a basement with piercings everywhere. It could be the 50-year-old accountant because she is bored, or the boss' 15-year-old daughter, or your 9-year-old nephew," she said. There is also a distinct difference between hackers and virus writers, according to Gordon's research. "Virus writers have normal relationships with peers and families. Hackers tend to be more introverted. Hacking is a very personal thing. One is power and control and the other is letting go." Although Gordon works for a security software company, she says 'ethics' education at an early age would help prevent children and teenagers using their computer knowledge to cause damage. "One thing that is important is introducing ethics in technology at an early age. On the computer there is less context and security. Teaching them that there's a person on the end of that modem is important," she said.
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Hackers who crossover into virus writing territory present the biggest danger to corporate computer systems as they perfect the 'blended threat' seen in recent virus outbreaks such as Sobig. That's the assertion of Sarah Gordon, senior research fellow at Symantec Security Response, who has worked with the White House and the FBI to research the psychological profile of hackers and virus writers. Gordon told silicon.com that hackers are driven by the motivation to complete a technology challenge and are usually not interested in the basic task of writing viruses and worms. "There are people in the virus writing community who hack and people in the hacking community who write viruses but for the most part they are very separate communities. The virus writers are seen at the lower end of the food chain," she said. But Gordon warned that creating a virus such as Sobig or Bugbear, only with much more damaging payloads, is well within the capabilities of even the most inexperienced hacker. "Many of the threats are the result of the crossover between hackers and virus writers. Erasing a hard drive is a couple of key strokes. It isn't rocket science. A hacker of any skill level could write a self-replicating program but most find it too boring," she said. And it seems the traditional stereotype of a spotty teenager hacking away in a dark bedroom is nothing more than a myth from the ******** "The population is diverse. It just takes the ability to manipulate a computer system. It is not guys sat in a basement with piercings everywhere. It could be the 50-year-old accountant because she is bored, or the boss' 15-year-old daughter, or your 9-year-old nephew," she said. There is also a distinct difference between hackers and virus writers, according to Gordon's research. "Virus writers have normal relationships with peers and families. Hackers tend to be more introverted. Hacking is a very personal thing. One is power and control and the other is letting go." Although Gordon works for a security software company, she says 'ethics' education at an early age would help prevent children and teenagers using their computer knowledge to cause damage. "One thing that is important is introducing ethics in technology at an early age. On the computer there is less context and security. Teaching them that there's a person on the end of that modem is important," she said.
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Criminal mastermind hacker let down by one detail
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"Strolling past a row of user cubes during his lunch break, this IT guy notices something odd: One PC's monitor has a full-screen DOS prompt with lots of commands already entered, reports a pilot fish on the scene.
"Looking at the commands, he realized that somebody was uploading an executable file to another machine," fish says. "The target was a company VIP's notebook, the name of the uploaded executable surely did look ugly, and the file was uploaded successfully. Read the rest of this anecdote...
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"Strolling past a row of user cubes during his lunch break, this IT guy notices something odd: One PC's monitor has a full-screen DOS prompt with lots of commands already entered, reports a pilot fish on the scene.
"Looking at the commands, he realized that somebody was uploading an executable file to another machine," fish says. "The target was a company VIP's notebook, the name of the uploaded executable surely did look ugly, and the file was uploaded successfully. Read the rest of this anecdote...
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Hacked by my host Be Careful
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"So, basically, I got hacked by my own host. No, it wasn't a mistake. No, the server didn't just go down. They hacked it so that they could upsell me on some $2000 security audit and package! So here is the evidence." Read the rest of this anecdote...
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"So, basically, I got hacked by my own host. No, it wasn't a mistake. No, the server didn't just go down. They hacked it so that they could upsell me on some $2000 security audit and package! So here is the evidence." Read the rest of this anecdote...
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QuickBBS and RA 88-92
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"I had 110 echomail feeds coming in from Fidonet and several other mail networks. I remember being among the first SysOps to stumble into the Adam Hudson 20meg limit on a message base (which crashes the system and you lose every message). It still amazes me what we could get done with .BAT files and Frontdoor.
I remember getting a message from a user one day who kindly listed for me the entire contents on the root directory on my C: drive after gaining sysop priviledges and using my hidden menu to drop to DOS on my computer. He said, "if you create a menu option for ALT-254 on the numeric keypad, then when hackers try this they won't get sysop priviledges, they'll just be redirected to whatever that menu option takes them to." I was pretty shocked, went and tried it, and sure enough...
(In the early versions of Remote Access, anyone who hit alt-254 on the numeric keypad received user level 64000 and had access to any menu option.) That was my first lesson in not being able to trust the author of a program. Several months later, Andrew Milner fixed the "bug", but I'd already done away with any drop-to-DOS options." Source: http://books.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=197525&cid=16191797
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"I had 110 echomail feeds coming in from Fidonet and several other mail networks. I remember being among the first SysOps to stumble into the Adam Hudson 20meg limit on a message base (which crashes the system and you lose every message). It still amazes me what we could get done with .BAT files and Frontdoor.
I remember getting a message from a user one day who kindly listed for me the entire contents on the root directory on my C: drive after gaining sysop priviledges and using my hidden menu to drop to DOS on my computer. He said, "if you create a menu option for ALT-254 on the numeric keypad, then when hackers try this they won't get sysop priviledges, they'll just be redirected to whatever that menu option takes them to." I was pretty shocked, went and tried it, and sure enough...
(In the early versions of Remote Access, anyone who hit alt-254 on the numeric keypad received user level 64000 and had access to any menu option.) That was my first lesson in not being able to trust the author of a program. Several months later, Andrew Milner fixed the "bug", but I'd already done away with any drop-to-DOS options." Source: http://books.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=197525&cid=16191797
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How I Learned To Start Worrying and Hate The Bomb
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"Now, any of you who ain't congenital idiots raised in a rain barrel somewhere on the butt-end of nowhere will already have decoded the address to "U.S. Space Command, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base". Yeah, that's right. NORAD; the big tunnel complex under the mountain from which they be plannin' to fight World War III if it ever goes down. Huge walls of blinkenlights, 30-foot-thick blast doors, "We could tell you, sir, but then we'd have to kill you", the whole weird trip. Cornpone accents with their fingers on the pulse of the Apocalypse.
Oh, man, I said to myself. I have to talk to this woman. I haven't forgotten the nationwide media flap after 'War Games' came out. You remember, that silly movie where the kid with the voice-controlled IMSAI (snort) cracks into NORAD's computers and accidentally damn near starts a nuclear war? God damn; I'll bet the plot of that sucker is seared into the collective psyche of every security officer at Cheyenne Mountain, they probably screen the video every couple months just to keep the newbies on their toes." Read the rest of this story...
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"Now, any of you who ain't congenital idiots raised in a rain barrel somewhere on the butt-end of nowhere will already have decoded the address to "U.S. Space Command, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base". Yeah, that's right. NORAD; the big tunnel complex under the mountain from which they be plannin' to fight World War III if it ever goes down. Huge walls of blinkenlights, 30-foot-thick blast doors, "We could tell you, sir, but then we'd have to kill you", the whole weird trip. Cornpone accents with their fingers on the pulse of the Apocalypse.
Oh, man, I said to myself. I have to talk to this woman. I haven't forgotten the nationwide media flap after 'War Games' came out. You remember, that silly movie where the kid with the voice-controlled IMSAI (snort) cracks into NORAD's computers and accidentally damn near starts a nuclear war? God damn; I'll bet the plot of that sucker is seared into the collective psyche of every security officer at Cheyenne Mountain, they probably screen the video every couple months just to keep the newbies on their toes." Read the rest of this story...
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Hacking Wireless Networks With The PSP
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"The other day, I parked my car on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., killing some time before an event I was about to attend further down in D.C. I whipped out my PSP, while sitting in the car, and pleasured myself to a round of Tekken: Dark Ressurection. Mind you, it was nearly dark outside, and the lights in the car were off. Roughly ten minutes into my game, I noticed a certain figure standing outside my car. I quickly shutoff my PSP, turned the lights on, and rolled down the window. To my surprise, it was a police officer. He asked me what I was doing at that very moment. Now, of course, I am an adult, and an adult playing a PSP in the dark, inside his car, on the busiest street in D.C. is pretty awkward, one would think. So I replied and explained my situation, that I was early heading to a nightclub, and wanted to feed my addiction to a new game I had just bought. He didn't buy it. Not one bit at that." Read the rest of this anecdote...
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"The other day, I parked my car on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., killing some time before an event I was about to attend further down in D.C. I whipped out my PSP, while sitting in the car, and pleasured myself to a round of Tekken: Dark Ressurection. Mind you, it was nearly dark outside, and the lights in the car were off. Roughly ten minutes into my game, I noticed a certain figure standing outside my car. I quickly shutoff my PSP, turned the lights on, and rolled down the window. To my surprise, it was a police officer. He asked me what I was doing at that very moment. Now, of course, I am an adult, and an adult playing a PSP in the dark, inside his car, on the busiest street in D.C. is pretty awkward, one would think. So I replied and explained my situation, that I was early heading to a nightclub, and wanted to feed my addiction to a new game I had just bought. He didn't buy it. Not one bit at that." Read the rest of this anecdote...
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Multics Security
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"At a meeting in a Honeywell conference room, they handed me my password on a slip of paper. They'd exploited a bug in the obsolete interface put in for the XRAY facility, Jerry Grochow's thesis. This supervisor entry didn't do anything, but it accessed its arguments incorrectly, in a way that let the team cause the hardcore to patch itself. They'd used that hole to permanently install a tool that let them patch any location and read any file, and they'd obtained a copy of the password file from the MIT Multics site.
My code in the Multics User Control subsystem stored passwords one-way encrypted, at the suggestion of Joe Weizenbaum. I was no cryptanalyst; Joe had suggested I store the square of the password, but I knew people could take square roots, so I squared each password and ANDed with a mask to discard some bits. The Project ZARF folks then had to try 32 values instead of one, no big deal: except that there was a PL/I compiler bug in squaring long integers that gave wrong answers. If the compiler bug had been discovered and fixed, nobody would have been able to log in. The crackers had to construct some fancy tables to compensate for the 'Martian' arithmetic, but they still had only to try a few hundred values to invert the transform. (We quickly changed the encryption to a new stronger method, before Barry Wolman fixed the compiler bug.)"
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"At a meeting in a Honeywell conference room, they handed me my password on a slip of paper. They'd exploited a bug in the obsolete interface put in for the XRAY facility, Jerry Grochow's thesis. This supervisor entry didn't do anything, but it accessed its arguments incorrectly, in a way that let the team cause the hardcore to patch itself. They'd used that hole to permanently install a tool that let them patch any location and read any file, and they'd obtained a copy of the password file from the MIT Multics site.
My code in the Multics User Control subsystem stored passwords one-way encrypted, at the suggestion of Joe Weizenbaum. I was no cryptanalyst; Joe had suggested I store the square of the password, but I knew people could take square roots, so I squared each password and ANDed with a mask to discard some bits. The Project ZARF folks then had to try 32 values instead of one, no big deal: except that there was a PL/I compiler bug in squaring long integers that gave wrong answers. If the compiler bug had been discovered and fixed, nobody would have been able to log in. The crackers had to construct some fancy tables to compensate for the 'Martian' arithmetic, but they still had only to try a few hundred values to invert the transform. (We quickly changed the encryption to a new stronger method, before Barry Wolman fixed the compiler bug.)"
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My first wireless hacking experience
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"Okay, so I just got back to the hotel room after a night of partying. My Internet access has expired. Every time I open Firefox, it points me to the page to purchase a new session of access. I refuse; I've already paid my $10. But something interesting happens when I'm directed to the purchase page." Read the rest of this anecdote...
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"Okay, so I just got back to the hotel room after a night of partying. My Internet access has expired. Every time I open Firefox, it points me to the page to purchase a new session of access. I refuse; I've already paid my $10. But something interesting happens when I'm directed to the purchase page." Read the rest of this anecdote...
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Apple iPhone: Buy iPhone in India and in Your City
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After its launch, iPhone was sold like no other phone on the face of the earth. Steve wants to hit the 10 million mark in 2008; a conservative estimate is between 2.5 to 2.8 million iPhones sold worldwide so far.
And I can tell you that the grey market in India is surely helping Steve achieve that target quickly. Everyone who was desperately waiting for the iPhone to hit India already has an iPhone, thanks to the unbeatable spirit of the grey market which makes such products available much before they are officially launched.
Now! How can you get an iPhone in India Or where can I buy iPhone in India? Believe me there are more than one ways to do this. Following is the list of online websites where you can order your own iPhone NOW!
iPhone Nirvana is one such site which is selling iPhones in India. Business operates out of Mathura and the iPhones are delivered anywhere in India. An 8GB unlocked iPhone would cost you INR 28,000 on this website.
Gadget Guru.in is selling iPhone for about 32,000 (Unlocked)
Gadget.in is selling iPhone for 34,000 (Unlocked)
Rediff has a list of sellers selling iPhones in India. Click here to see one such listing on Rediff. It sells iPhone for 29,400 or EMI 9,800 for 3 months;
eBay:
iPhones ranging from 25,000 to 40,000 are available on eBay, click here to see the list
Cheapest on eBay: 25,000, click here to see the listing
Those were online options, but if you are one of those who belong to touch, feel, and buy school of thought then you can buy iPhone at the following places in your city.
Paris - Chennai
Heera Panna - Mumbai
Pallika Bazaar - Delhi
Jagdish Market, Abids - Hyderabad
(Leave a comment if you know more places to buy iPhone in India)
All of these phone are unlocked and work with Airtel, Hutch, Idea and all the other GSM service providers. These will not work with CDMA technology such as TATA Indicom and Reliance.
Now you know where to buy iPhone in India and in your city.
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After its launch, iPhone was sold like no other phone on the face of the earth. Steve wants to hit the 10 million mark in 2008; a conservative estimate is between 2.5 to 2.8 million iPhones sold worldwide so far.
And I can tell you that the grey market in India is surely helping Steve achieve that target quickly. Everyone who was desperately waiting for the iPhone to hit India already has an iPhone, thanks to the unbeatable spirit of the grey market which makes such products available much before they are officially launched.
Now! How can you get an iPhone in India Or where can I buy iPhone in India? Believe me there are more than one ways to do this. Following is the list of online websites where you can order your own iPhone NOW!
iPhone Nirvana is one such site which is selling iPhones in India. Business operates out of Mathura and the iPhones are delivered anywhere in India. An 8GB unlocked iPhone would cost you INR 28,000 on this website.
Gadget Guru.in is selling iPhone for about 32,000 (Unlocked)
Gadget.in is selling iPhone for 34,000 (Unlocked)
Rediff has a list of sellers selling iPhones in India. Click here to see one such listing on Rediff. It sells iPhone for 29,400 or EMI 9,800 for 3 months;
eBay:
iPhones ranging from 25,000 to 40,000 are available on eBay, click here to see the list
Cheapest on eBay: 25,000, click here to see the listing
Those were online options, but if you are one of those who belong to touch, feel, and buy school of thought then you can buy iPhone at the following places in your city.
Paris - Chennai
Heera Panna - Mumbai
Pallika Bazaar - Delhi
Jagdish Market, Abids - Hyderabad
(Leave a comment if you know more places to buy iPhone in India)
All of these phone are unlocked and work with Airtel, Hutch, Idea and all the other GSM service providers. These will not work with CDMA technology such as TATA Indicom and Reliance.
Now you know where to buy iPhone in India and in your city.
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