Technology News Blog

Complete crime tracking mission fast: Chidambaram

Home Minister P. Chidambaram Thursday asked his officers to stick to timelines and complete by 2012 the Crime Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) project, a national databank of crime and criminals and their biometric profiles.

‘Terrorists and organised criminals have developed overt and covert technologies, including information communication technology. This has made the job of law and order professionals far more challenging than ever before,’ Chidambaram said, advocating a real time decision support system.

Addressing the silver jubilee function of the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), the home minister said the CCTNS database will have a handshake with databases of over a dozen agencies of the criminal justice system like courts, jails, immigration and passport authorities.

‘It would subsequently be extended to other national agencies through the national intelligence grid (NATGRID) so that terror and crime could be fought more professionally,’ he added. (more…)

Symantec enables mid-size biz manage data back-up

BANGALORE, INDIA: Symantec Corp. today announced Backup Exec 2010 to help mid-sized businesses save time and money by protecting more data and utilizing less storage.

Backup Exec 2010 offers fully integrated data deduplication and archiving technologies and is the first backup and recovery solution to offer granular recovery of Microsoft Exchange, SQL and Active Directory in VMware and Hyper-V environments from a single pass backup.

The solution also adds new support for Microsoft Windows 2008 R2, Hyper-V R2, Exchange 2010, Windows 7 and VMware vSphere 4.0.

“Organizations of all sizes are struggling to effectively manage information growth, particularly as they leverage virtualization technologies, creating new backup and recovery complexities,” said Vijay Mhaskar, vice president, Information Management Group, Symantec. (more…)

BSNL Launches 3G Services in Vijayawada and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) today launched its 3G GSM mobile services in business city Vijayawada, Guntur, Prakasam and Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh telecom circle. BSNL 3G services allow telecom operators to offer Video calls, high-speed Internet with speed Up to 3.1 Mbps and various multi media services.

According to the BSNL announcement its 3G Network is ready in 29 Cities/Towns across the state and we will roll out the commercial services in all districts by the end of this month. The existing BSNL 2G prepaid mobile subscribers can migrate to 3G services just by one SMS “M3G120″ to 53733 while Postpaid 2G subscriber need to send “M3G25″ to 53733.
BSNL 3G Prepaid Connections will cost Rs.59 and after the activations subscribers has to recharge with the FRC-120 for the desired 3G tariff plan which provides the lowest tariff for voice,video calls and Data usage. The new 3G subscribers will get 50 free video calls and 25 MB Data usage as a welcome gift. After recharging with the 3G FRC-120, users can enjoy Local Voice and Video calls at just 30 Paisa per minute and All STD video calls will be chargeable at 50 paisa.

For more information or details on BSNL 3G dial to 1800-180-1503 / 9400024365.

Now surf unlimited with BSNL EVDO Wireless Broadband

Bharat sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) today announce unlimited web surfing and download at a speed of up to 3.1 MBPS on BSNL EVDO Wireless Broadband USB device. Unlimited web surfing and download is available for post paid subscribers and for pre paid customers, BSNL announce 5 paisa per 100 KB plan with all India roaming.

BSNL also announce a promotional offer in which new customers activating EVDO postpaid unlimited data plan upto 31.03.2010 will be charged reduced Fixed Monthly Charge (FMC) of Rs.750 in place of Rs. 999 also existing EVDO customers in lower data plan migrating to theunlimited plan during the promotional period will also get the benefit of reduced FMC of Rs. 750 tariff.

EVDO data card tariff:

Terms and conditions:

* Service Tax as applicable will be charged extra.
* The above bundle free usage will also be available while roaming.
* The usage charges beyond bundled free usage will be @ Rs. 0.50/- per MB.
* The above volume-based tariff will be applicable wherever volume-based charging and billing is feasible. Otherwise, revised Unlimited plan (Rs.999) as mentioned above will be applicable.

For more details on tariff plans call: 1502 or contact your nearest BSNL center.

Species survival, protected area link found

Large terrestrial mammals are the most threatened taxa, and hence face a greater possibility of becoming extinct the world over — about 25 per cent of them are facing extinction, and 50 per cent are seeing their numbers declining. South Asian species are the most threatened.

A large-scale study of 25 mammals covering the entire country was taken up recently, and the results published on March 10 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B journal. The study confirms most of the assumptions of the authors.

The paper concludes: “Overall, large-bodied, rare and habitat specialist mammals tend to have higher extinction probabilities.”

Main message

The main message is about the real importance of protected areas in conserving and protecting wildlife. “People are underplaying the importance of protected areas,” said Dr. K. Ullas Karanth. (more…)

Water Found in Apollo Moon Rocks

Recently NASA crashed two spacecraft into the moon and orbiters scanned the lunar surface for telltale light signatures—all to confirm the rocky body isn’t bone dry after all.

But, it turns out, solid evidence for water on the moon was under our noses the whole time.

Tiny amounts of water have been found in some of the famous moon rocks brought back to Earth by the Apollo astronauts, scientists announced last Wednesday. (Related: “Apollo 11 at 40: Facts, Myths, Photos, and More.”) (more…)

View Your POP3 Mails on Gmail with a Click

Now, you can access your office and/or college e-mails with a single click without waiting for Gmail to automatically update them. This way, one can save time over the e-mail check that Gmail does at specific time intervals.

Gmail has launched a new option in Google Labs through which users can access their POP3 (Post Office Protocol) account mails in Gmail at their convenience. You can access your office or school account e-mails on Gmail using this guide. You can enable this new feature by clicking on “Refresh POP Accounts” option under Gmail Labs (Settings>Labs options). Once the Refresh POP Accounts is enabled, simply click on the Refresh link on the top of your Gmail Inbox and you are good to go.

Sony India eyes 30% market share in LCD TVs

KOLKATA: Consumer electronic goods major Sony India is targeting a 30 percent market share in the liquid crystal display (LCD) television segment
in 2010-11 from the present 25 percent, a top company official said here on Wednesday.

“We are targeting to achieve 30 percent share in the LCD TV segment in 2010-11. The total market size of LCD TV is 1.6 million units now, which is going to increase by 70 percent to 2.7 million units in the next fiscal,” Sunil Nayyar, general manager, sales, Sony India, told reporters.

He was here to launch the 3D Bravia NX TV priced between Rs 45,900 and Rs 3.50 lakh.

Riding on three factors, technology, picture quality and design, the company plans to double its sales in the next fiscal. “We plan to double our sales in 2010-11 from 4,00,000 to 8,00,000,” Nayyar said.

The company is planning to launch another 3D TV variety around June-July.

The company also plans to double its investment for marketing products from Rs.70 crore in 2009-10 to Rs.140 crore in 2010-11, and expand the dealer network to 5,000 from 2,500.

Delhi gets remote controlled streetlights

New Delhi: The national capital got remote controlled streetlights that will not only conserve energy but will also cut down on CO2 emission.

The lights were launched by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Tuesday and they will upgrade the streetlights in two phases. The first phase will cover 101 km, and streetlights have been installed on 52 roads including Panchkuian Road, Raja Garden to Pankha Road, Delhi Gate, Dr Krishan Marg etc. In the ongoing second phase, 107 roads will be covered. The total project will be completed by May.

Under the new system, the lights will switch on after sunset and switch off when the sun rises. All the streetlights will be monitored from a central control room and the project is worth Rs 200 crore. (more…)

‘Indian operators can record high activation for mobile data services through our offerings’: July Systems

Mobile Internet may be perceived as a limited revenue generating avenue in India as of now. But July Systems which recently bagged exclusive rights to develop and monetize a mobile internet service for the upcoming IPL is banking big on the opportunity offered by the medium and is confident of triggering a exponential rise in mobile net usage.

The firm which specializes in offering mobile internet publishing and monetization platforms for sports media houses and has clients such as NASCAR, PGA Tour, CBS Sports and NBC Sports as its global business partners and media publications including NDTV, TV18 and Mint for the Indian market says its extensive internal research pinpointed three aspects hampering the growth of mobile internetin India.

Firstly the content offered presently limits the end-user experience as well as addressable market since the services are not supported by all the devices. “We have designed the delivery of services in such a way that it will support all GPRS capable devices and at the same promising an enhanced richer end-user experience based on the capability of the device,” explains the company’s Co-Founder and CEO, Rajesh Reddy while speaking to TelecomTiger. Reddy was earlier associated with UniMobile which came up with the world’s first internet to mobile messaging service way back in 1996.UniMobile was subsequently acquired by Verisign. (more…)

Cyber attacks worry firms more than terrorism

When it comes to threats, natural or man-made, Indian companies have rated cyber security as a major concern. In the light of increased cyber attacks, over 42 per cent of enterprises perceive cyber crime as a bigger threat than terrorism, crime and natural disasters.

This was one of the findings of ‘2010 State of Enterprise Security Study,’ a global study carried out by Symantec Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd., where Indian companies from sectors such as telecom, hospitality, manufacturing, retail and technology participated.

“Indian enterprises are experiencing frequent cyber attacks and the losses incurred due to them are escalating. In the past 12 months, 66 per cent of the companies experienced cyber intrusions and 51 per cent of them reported repeated attacks, while 34 per cent have experienced high number of malicious hits. On the other hand, 31 per cent said there were internal attacks as well,” said Vishal Dhupar, managing director, Symantec Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd., at a press conference here on Tuesday. (more…)

The Top 10 Free Travel Apps

I travel a lot. I’m out of town at least once a month, for business or for pleasure. And as the mobile-phone guy, I’m never without a smartphone – whether it’s my Nokia E72, the latest BlackBerry, a Google Android phone or an iPhone 3GS.

A modern phone is pretty close to the ultimate travel gadget, letting you tap into all sorts of useful information on the road. Here are 10 travel apps that I use regularly when I’m out of town. Feel free to add your other favorites to the comments below.

1. Google Maps. The single most useful travel app is available on every smartphone, and in fact on any Web phone. Google Maps tells you where you are, where anything else is, and how to get between those two spots. When I needed diapers in Barcelona on a Sunday, Google Maps knew where the three nearest OpenCor convenience stores were, and even gave me subway directions. Google Maps is available for pretty much every smartphone, and many non-smartphones. (more…)

BSNL Launches 3G Services in Mangalore

Of late, BSNL has been on a continuous 3G launch spree as some of you might have noticed. The services were launched in Kerala, Bangalore and some cities of Andhra Pradesh not long ago. This was after the launch in a few cities in North India and in the metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

It’s the turn of coastal town Mangalore to go 3G now with BSNL announcing the commencement of 3G services in the city. The expansion of services to Mangalore is a part of BSNL’s expansion plan to equip 32 towns across Karnataka with 3G. All district headquarters in the state are slated to be 3G enabled in the next two months.

BSNL is also increasing the number of towers under its aegis to support 3G services. The number of towers in Karnataka will jump from 3,000 to 6,000 very soon. Anyway, if you happen to be a lucky resident of Mangalore and use a BSNL connection, you might want to check the 3G service now!

Apple axes iPhone apps that simply reproduce Web content

Following reports that Apple began rejecting App Store software with “minimum user functionality,” the iPhone maker has now set its sights on applications that employ a “cookie cutter” formula.

As detailed by TechCrunch, Apple has recently started cracking down on submissions to the App Store that are just “basic applications.” These apps are “little more than RSS feeds or glorified business cards.”

“In short, Apple doesn’t want people using native applications for things that a basic web app could accomplish,” the report said.

The issue has primarily been with iPhone applications built with “templates” that are available from a number of software generating services. Medialets CEO Eric Litman said the change in policy plays into Apple’s desire to control the user experience. (more…)

RealNetworks Settles Copyright Suit

RealNetworks has agreed to kill its DVD-copying software and pay $4.5 million in settling a copyright-infringement lawsuit filed by Hollywood studios.

As part of the settlement announced Wednesday, the provider of online entertainment services also agreed to drop its appeal of a San Francisco federal court ruling that barred RealNetworks from distributing or supporting RealDVD or any other technology that enables the duplication of the studios’ copyrighted content.

RealNetworks also agreed to turn off the metadata service that provides DVD cover art and movie information to the roughly 2,700 ReadDVD customers. The company said it was in the process of refunding the purchase price of the product.

Bob Kimball, president and acting chief executive of RealNetworks, said in a statement that the company was “pleased to put this litigation behind us.”

“Until this dispute, Real had always enjoyed a productive working relationship with Hollywood,” Kimball said. “With this litigation resolved, I hope that in the future we can find mutually beneficial ways to use Real technology to bring Hollywood’s great work to consumers.”

In August 2009, U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel barred RealNetworks from selling RealDVD, ruling the technology violated Hollywood studios’ copyrights and the licensing agreement RealNetworks had with the studios’ copyright-protection group.

The 2008 lawsuit filed by Viacom and the Motion Picture Association of America claimed that RealDVD illegally circumvented the anti-piracy technology embedded in DVDs. The DVD Copy Control Association, which licenses Hollywood-sanctioned copyright-protection technology, joined the suit later, claiming RealNetworks was also in violation of its DVD CCA license.

The settlement was announced less than two months after RealNetworks Chief Executive Rob Glaser stepped down, saying that after 16 years at the helm, it was time to hand over day-to-day operations to someone else. Glaser remains chairman of the company.
(more…)

BSNL to scrap Rs35,000 crore tender; seek fresh bids news

The board of state-run telecommunications company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd yeterday decided to scrap its controversial tender for 93 million GSM lines, worth over Rs35,000 crore, and invite fresh bids, after the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) found irregularities in the original tender.

The troubled BSNL, which is rapidly losing market share partly because of limited capacity, was banking on what would be the world’s largest telecom equipment contract. The company ran out of cellular capacity in most circles nearly 18 months ago, it is reported.

The short-listed firms were Sweden’s Ericsson, Chinese network-gear maker Huawei and HCL infosystems, which has already bagged the HT (high tension) component of the deal. (more…)

A recipe for using “the world’s most useful tree” to purify water is being offered for free download, in the hope that this will help get clean drinking water to billions of poor folk around the world.
Moringa tree in Namibia. Credit: Violet Gottrop

The Swiss Army knife of the tree world

The tree in question is the Moringa oleifera (”oily moringa”) aka the horseradish or drumstick tree (also “Mother’s best friend” in some places). The Moringa is cultivated across the tropical world and furnishes food in the form of apparently highly nutritious* pods, leaves and flowers.

It also yields oil which can be used as lighting or cooking fuel (or to make biogas). You can even make a highly effective crop fertiliser out of the miracle Moringa. Handily, the trusty tree is also drought resistant and tolerant of poor soil. (more…)

Isro tests low-cost rocket

MUMBAI: Forty-eight hours after the news about Chandrayaan-1’s discovery of ice on the moon, here comes more good news. On Thursday, Isro successfully tested a new generation high performance sounding rocket marking a major step towards low-cost access to space by India.

“Today’s flight marks a major step towards developing a low-cost access to space,” Isro chief spokesperson S Satish told TOI, while pointing out that there could be another test during the next three months.

Designated as advanced technology vehicle (ATV), it weighed three tonnes and is the heaviest sounding rocket ever developed by Isro. The launch took place at 8.30am in Sriharikota. Satish said for the first time India tested air breathing propulsion technology. The rocket reached an altitude of 46 km in 120 seconds after lift off. It then splashed into Bay of Bengal — the total duration of the mission being 240 seconds. (more…)

Recalling old days of premier institute

KANPUR: IIT-K was established by an act of Parliament after independence in the year 1959. The Parliament of India had passed the `Institutes of Technology Act 1961′ declaring that all IITs as `Institutions of National Importance.’

IIT-K was the fourth IIT established by the Parliament after IIT-Kharagpur, IIT-Bombay and IIT-Madras. In the initial days, IIT-K started functioning in Hartcourt Butler Technological Institute (HBTI) situated in the heart of the Industrial City. In the year 1960, the first batch of students joined the institute who were enrolled in mechanical, civil, electrical and chemical engineering branches. The first batch was named as `Pioneer Batch’ that passed out of the institute in 1965.

A renowned name those days, Dr PK Kelkar became the founder director of the institute in the year 1959. Dr Kelkar was a great visionary and, therefore, earned much respect. It was due to his vision and clear thinking that the students of the Pioneer Batch made IIT-K proud after passing out from the institute. (more…)

IPL mops up cash by selling mobile rights

Indian Premier League (IPL), the world’s largest cricket league, on Thursday licensed the exclusive rights for its transmission over various mobile platforms across the world.

This move will curtail a revenue stream for the telecom companies, which were offering IPL updates to their customers for a fee.

Lalit Modi, chairman and commissioner of IPL said the league has partnered with Gurgaon-based vRock Mobile Communications (vRock Mobile) for taking the events and news related to the third edition of IPL to mobile subscribers.

“We did not find the technology earlier, so, we could not licence the same,” Modi added.

IPL matches are also available on Google and YouTube, the world’s largest online videosharing site.

vRock Mobile acquired the sole and exclusive worldwide rights for transmitting the live and lag information relating to IPL through mobile-based mediums, such as SMS, MMS and IVR over various mobile platforms like CDMA, GSM, GPRS, MMS, WAP, EDGE, 2G and 3G, among others. (more…)