Technology News Blog

First VDSL Broadband Service introduced by MTNL

MTNL India’s leading and one of Asia’s largest telecom operating company has come up with a new broadband service which is based on VDSL technology. VDSL (Very High Data Rate Digital Subscriber Line) is the most promising technology capable of delivering full-service access. The technology has been introduced to support HDTV and triple pay services.

The company has now become the first operator in India to introduce the next level of phone-line broadband technology providing data transfer speed which ranges from 1-2 Mbps to 10-20 Mbps. One has to pay a monthly rental of Rs. 9,000 to get the service of free download limit of 18 GB.

MTNL has chosen to transfer to the next line of DSL technology, instead of putting in new ethernet infrastructure as other telecom industry has done because its new service will enable it to offer a large number of high definition (HD) TV channels on its IPTV services in the future as it already has a fledgling TV service on the current ADSL technology.

VDSL technology will be limited up to a length of 1 km of copper wire from the originating centre (i.e. MTNL telephone exchange).

“Blue Moon” to Shine on New Year’s Eve

For the first time in almost 20 years, a bright “blue moon” will grace New Year’s Eve celebrations worldwide. (Take a moon myths quiz.)

If the skies are clear, revelers looking up at midnight will get an eyeful of the second full moon of the month—commonly called a blue moon. The last time a blue moon appeared on New Year’s Eve was in 1990, and it won’t happen again until 2028.

A blue moon isn’t actually blue—as commonly defined, the name reflects the relative rarity of two full moons in a month and is linked to the saying “once in a blue moon.”

With this New Year’s Eve blue moon, “there is nothing scientific about it, and it has no astronomical significance,” said Mark Hammergren, a staff astronomer at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Illinois.

“But I believe it does give us some insight into history and makes us think of how our calendar system has derived from motions of objects in the sky.”

Blue Moon Error

The popular definition of a blue moon isn’t the only one—and it’s one that’s based on an editorial error, astronomers contend.

The widespread definition of the second full moon in a month stems from errors made in an astronomy magazine, when a writer misinterpreted how the term was used in the Maine Farmer’s Almanac.

Later studies of almanacs published from 1819 to 1962 revealed that the term “blue moon” actually refers to the “extra” full moon that can occur in a year due to differences between the calendar year and the astronomical year. (more…)

Mozilla set to launch mobile phone browser

Mozilla, the world’s second-largest internet browser firm, is all set to release its Firefox web browser for mobile phones in a few days, a BBC report said.

It will compete with existing rivals, including Opera Mini, Safari, Chrome, Nokia, Netfront and Internet Explorer for mobile.

The browser, codenamed Fennec, will initially be available for Nokia’s N900 phone, followed by other handsets.

It is currently going through final testing and could be released before the end of the year, said Jay Sullivan at Mozilla, the group behind Firefox.

Globally, on the mobile front, Opera commands the largest market share – about 26 per cent – followed by Safari (22 per cent), Nokia web browser (19 per cent) and iTouch (10 per cent).

Other web browsers, which may face competition from Fennec will be Netfront, Android, Blackberry and Sony PSP.

Two eclipses to make January spectacular

CHANDIGARH: As the International Year of Astronomy bids us adieu, the sun-moon-earth combination has something special in store for us — a partial lunar eclipse on December 31 and an annular solar eclipse on January 15.

According to Nehru Planetarium director Dr Ratnashree, “The lunar eclipse will continue into the early morning of the January 1. Some people have been quoting astrologers in the media saying this will be a total eclipse. That’s not so. his will be a marginally visible, partial eclipse.”

She said, “The umbral shadow of the Earth will just graze moon’s limb. Such an eclipse of the Moon will be difficult to discern with the naked eye. Though an astro-photograph of the Moon might just show a hint of darkening over a very tiny region.” (more…)

H1B spat unites activists, xenophobes against common enemy

To venture into the world of online anti-H1B activism is to enter a world of legitimate grievance mixed with outright xenophobia and racism. On the one hand, these sites do great work in bringing to light the ongoing abuses of the H1B program by American tech companies, but on the other hand, it takes a pretty twisted individual to openly gloat that the mass-fatality-causing collapse of an New Delhi bridge is evidence that Indian engineers are inferior to American engineers. Nonetheless, in the midst of all the rancor—rancor that’s made worse by high unemployment—south Asian IT contractors and their American opponents have joined forces against an alleged IT sweatshop’s attempt to silence its anonymous online critics. The unlikely allies are also united in opposing a New Jersey court’s ruling that the critics’ sites be taken offline and their identities disclosed.

The battle between New Jersey-based Apex Technology Group Inc. and a trio of anti-H1B sites began late last month, when EndH1B.com reproduced a posting from an Indian IT worker forum in which one Pankaj Jain warned his fellow H1Bs to beware of Apex’s employment practices. Among Jain’s allegations were that the Indian-run Apex was a “desi bodyshop” that treated Indians like “bond servants”, delayed payment, and attached illegal riders to contracts compelling H1Bs to stay with the company lest they forfeit a paycheck. (more…)

Microsoft and Yahoo decide on Indian porn ban

ALTHOUGH MICROSOFT AND YAHOO have not actually tied the knot yet, they appear to be unanimous about the need to protect Indians from the perils of pornography.

Yahoo has announced that it is blocking sex searches for all those on the Indian subcontinent. Its decision came after a similar statement from Microsoft’s Bling, er, Bing last week.

Part of their motivation might be a law currently being looked at by the Indian government to make porn illegal. However so far no one has actually told Yahoo or Microsoft to pull the plug on Indians searching for sex content online.

In fact it is possible that Yahoo and Microsoft could lose a lot of traffic from the move. The word “sex” is the most searched term on the Internet in India. If they can’t get it on Yahoo or Bing they will just go to Google or some other Internet search engine. (more…)

“Once upon two blue moons” before 2009 ends

Before the year ends, sky gazers would have already witnessed the rare phenomenon of two full moons in just one month, which is also termed as “blue moon”.

After watching the full moon on December 2nd this year, avid sky watchers would witness the celestial phenomenon, also referred as “blue moon”, for the second time on December 31, that is, on New Year’s Eve.

Many people use the expression “once in a blue Moon” to mean something that occurs rarely and many people might be tempted to call December 31st’s full Moon a “Blue Moon” too.

“In modern usage, the second full Moon in a month has come to be called a ‘Blue Moon’, but it’s not!” said Kelly Beatty, Senior Contributing Editor for SKY and TELESCOPE magazine.

“This colorful term is actually a calendrical goof that worked its way into the pages of SKY and TELESCOPE back in March 1946, and it spread to the world from there,” she added.

Canadian folklorist Philip Hiscock and Texas astronomer Donald W. Olson had helped the magazine’s editors figure out how the mistake was made, and how the two-full-Moons-in-a-month meaning spread into the English language.

In 1946, writer, amateur astronomer James Hugh Pruett made an incorrect assumption about how the term had been used in the Maine Farmers’ Almanac – which consistently used “Blue Moon” to mean to the third full Moon in a season that contained four of them, rather than the usual three. (more…)

Google Nexus One pricing and launch date leak

Google has invited journalists to an event next Tuesday, prompting speculation that they will announce the launch the Google Nexus One mobile phone.

The Google Nexus One is the first mobile handset designed entirely by Google. The phone runs Google’s Android operating system and the hardware was designed in collaboration with HTC.

The invite says: “With the launch of the first Android-powered device just over a year ago, we’ve seen how a powerful, open platform can spur mobile product innovation. And this is just the beginning of what’s possible.”

Since details of the phone emerged earlier this month, rumours suggested that it would go on sale in early January. Rumours on gadget blogs today suggest that the phone will go on sale in the US on January 5. There’s no word yet – even as a rumour – about whether the phone will be available in the UK or whether Britons will have to wait to get their hands on it.

Gadget blogs are also quoting leaked documents saying that the phone will be available unlocked for $530 (£334) and for $180 (£113) as part of a contract with T-Mobile. The unlocked phone will work on any network, allowing users to simply insert their SIM and start using the phone.

Again, there is no word on UK pricing or which network, if any, will supply a subsidised version of the phone.

Google has so far declined to comment on rumours about the Nexus One.

Mozilla to launch web browser for cellphones

NEW DELHI: Mozilla, the world’s second-largest Internet browser firm, is all set to release its Firefox web browser Fennec for mobile phones next
year, in order to compete with existing rivals including Opera Mini, Safari, Chrome, Nokia, Netfront and Internet Explorer for mobile. The war for browser market share is set to be shifted to the mobile market, experts say.

Globally, on the mobile front, Opera commands the largest market share—about 26%, followed by Safari (22%), Nokia web browser (19%) and iTouch (10%). Other web browsers which may face competition from Fennec will be Netfront, Android, Blackberry and Sony PSP.

However, on desktops Mozilla’s Firefox browser commands a global market share of about 25%. Internet Explorer, commands a majority share of almost 63% while Safari has a market share of about 5%. In India, however, Opera is the clear leader on the mobile with a market share of 63%, followed by Nokia at 26%. (more…)

Lenovo’s Multimedia Remote with Keyboard

Amongst the whirlwind of new products expected to launch next week, many tech savvy folks have started spotting a few in retail already. Engadget was tipped with information about Lenovo multimedia remote with keyboard. Later, that product appeared on Lenovo’s website.

Priced at $60 (Rs. 2,880 approx.), the Lenovo Multimedia Remote has 2.4GHz Wireless Keyboard with a trackball combo. It has been designed for usage in palms and hence is compact. This wireless remote has range of 10 meters. It is the perfect gadget for living room multimedia buffs.

Users can connect this to a Window XP, Vista or 7 load PC with a USB dongle. Once connected, this multimedia remote can also be used for using multimedia controls on the PC like with Windows Media Center. This Lenovo multimedia remote with keyboard is already available for purchase. So now, we’ll have such keyboard bearing multimedia remote soon that have potential to replace the current removes for media players like WD Live, Amkette Flash TV, Roku Player, and similar products.

National Children’s Science Congress All Set to Begin Today

The National Children’s Science Congress is all set to be launched in Ahmedabad at Gujarat Science City on Sunday and the venue is expected to see the convention of more than 800 child – scientists from all around the world and it is also expected that more than 50000 students from that very state are to join.

It has been reported that this academic event which is taking place at the national level is expected to wind up on December 31 after five mind blowing days. This congress is said to have been put forward into action by the NCSTC which is called National Council of Science and Technology Council.

It has also been brought to notice that it was being held in the state of Gujarat for the very first time ever since it began in the year 1993 and it took the department seven long months to rope in all the attending scientists and the premier institutes.

In the course of the program, all the eminent scientists who are attending from various parts of the country are to hold sessions to interact with all the young minds which also include programs for orientation with the teachers.

Partial Eclipse Means a Blue Moon for New Year’s Eve

There will be a partial eclipse of the moon on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31. Because of its timing, it will not be visible in North and South America, but will be visible over most of Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The event will also mark the second full moon of the month in North America, thereby garnering the title of “blue moon.” Unless unusual atmospheric circumstances come into play — such as widespread dust from a volcano — the moon will not be blue, however.

Eclipses of the moon occur twice a year, on average. Each eclipse is visible only on the half of the Earth turned towards the moon at the time the Earth’s shadow falls on the moon.

Since it is a partial eclipse, the moon will just brush past the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow, never becoming totally immersed. It will, however, be deep enough into the shadow that shading and reddish color should be visible. (more…)

Female Scientist Reignites “Battle of the Sexes” with a Parking Test

Female scientist, Dr. Claudia Wolf, has helped to confirm male chauvinist remarks about “women drivers” by giving them parking tests. The study, conducted at Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany found that women, on average, took 20 second longer to park a car than did their male counterparts.

For this study, the researchers enlisted 65 men and women of comparable age and intelligence to test park an Audi A6 limousine in a 15 by 6 foot space. They were asked to park in three different conditions—parallel parking, head-on, and reverse—and timed from the first movement of the car until the engine was shut off after the park. The accuracy of the car’s position within the bay was then measured.

The study proved that men were faster at parking—for all three conditions—than were the women. Moreover, the women’s longer parking times did not make them more accurate, as they still tended to park uncomfortably close to the curb.

Although the participants varied in driving experience, these results prove than men have better spatial awareness and coordination than do women, said the researchers. Dr. Wolf, however, hastens to add that these results are in no way commentary on general male superiority over women. Rather, this study pitted men against women in only one area—parking a car.

Year of the Social Network

As 2009 draws to a close, it’s clear that the year was a watershed for social networks and the firms that own them.

The year saw major changes at sites like Facebook and Twitter as millions of non-technical users became regular users of social networks.

In 2009, social networks no longer featured posts with reams and reams of drivel — like telling people what kind of sandwich you had for lunch or about the great parking space you grabbed near the gym. Instead, they were used far more to let the world learn about everything from political unrest to plane crashes to political events in real time.

The user base of social networks this year expanded greatly from the traditional teenage and college student set. It now includes many of their parents and even grandparents who now use the technology as a primary mode of communication. While it’s been a bit embarrassing for the kids involved to have their Uncle Fred befriend them on Facebook, the broader audience has been a boon to social networking companies.

“It looks like 2009 will be known as the year that social networking went mainstream,” said Dan Olds, an analyst with the Gabriel Consulting Group. “This was the year when Mom, Dad, and even Grandma found Facebook and Twitter, and used them to make the Web a part of their lives — often for the first time.” (more…)

Children Science Cong starts on Sunday

AHMEDABAD: More than 700 young scientists from across the country are expected to participate in 17th National Children Science Congress (NCSC), being organised for the first time in the state at Ahmedabad. The five day event will begin on December 27. As many as 100 child scientists, along with their escorting teachers from SAARC countries, will also participate in the 17th NCSC.

In all, around 50,000 students are expected to take part in various programs at the event. All the activities during the prestigious scientific program will revolve around theme of Planet Earth Our Home, Explore, Care and Share’.

Vice-president of India, Mohammad Hamid Ansari will inaugurate the Science Congress and state chief minister, Narendra Modi will be chief guest. Giving an outline of this program on Wednesday, minister of women and child welfare, Anandiben Patel, said, “The NCSC will give a platform to budding scientists in the age group of 10-17 years.” (more…)

SANYO Launches New ‘eneloopy’ Battery Checker

In celebration of the global sales achievement of 100 million cells, SANYO Energy (S) Corporation, a subsidiary of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO), is pleased to announce that it is launching a new ‘eneloopy’ battery checker this month.

After, Singapore, India is the first country outside Japan to launch the ‘eneloopy’ battery checker and enjoys the eco-benefits of these additions.

First launched in November 2005, the remarkable global sales achievement of 100 million cells attests to the popularity of the rechargeable ‘eneloop’ batteries and the successful promotion of a lifestyle that encourages reducing, reusing and recycling.
Participating in Photo Fair 2010, Mumbai, from 7th To 10th January 2010, Sanyo Energy welcomes all of the photoenthusiasts to have a look at the Sanyo offerings in their booth no. D7. (more…)

India to manufacture manned spaceship with Russia’s help

Russia has decided to help India in making an indigenous manned spaceship by providing the technology used in developing Souyz spacecraft. The project is expected to be completed by the year 2020.

Regarding the issue, a senior official said, “The Indian side intends to use the experience of building the manned spaceship Soyuz to advance in building their own spaceship. We will build this spaceship on a similar technical scheme, but it will not resemble Soyuz.”

The chief of the department of piloted programmes of the federal space agency, Roskosmos, Mr. Alexei Krasnov has informed the Itar-Tass news agency that the Russian spaceship Soyuz is heavier and cannot be launched by Indian Rocket boosters which are too light to carry the spaceship.

The Indian spaceship would be built with the same technology as the Soyuz craft, but will carry a different outer model. India and Russia have been cooperating with each other since 1980s and Russia will assist India in this programme till the year 2020.

It was the Russian spacecraft Soyuf, in which India’s first Astronaut Rakesh Sharma traveled to space in the year 1984. During his space travel he spent eight days on the Salyut-7 orbital station and performed various scientific experiments.

Firefox Mobile version Fennec is ready

The mobile version of Firefox, Fennec, is “ready”. The first mobile version of the free browser will be presented very soon. Right now the last test is going on as explained Jay Sullivan, head of development at the Mozilla Foundation, told the BBC.

Presently, it will be available for the Nokia N900, but then also be used in other terminals. Fennec will synchronize with Firefox (the browser version for computers). That means any Web page to open the PC’s browser automatically opens in the version for mobiles. “At the end of the day you can go home and stay connected to your terminal,” said Sullivan.

Fennec will compete with other browsers such as Opera, Safari and Windows Mobile. The foundation aims to repeat the success that they have achieved with Firefox, the second in position and just behind the various versions of Internet Explorer (Microsoft).

The Mozilla Foundation has worked the past year and a half in the mobile version of browser, which incorporates many of the features of Firefox, including extensions, small programs that allow the browser to add a news reader or a game.

Fennec can be downloaded from the Mozilla website and from Ovi, Nokia’s shop. It is developing a version for Windows Mobile, the mobile operating system from Microsoft. At the moment there is no version for iPhone, due to restrictions of Apple, which only allows using browsers that use WebKit, the basis of its.

End of the road for Steve Ballmer?

NEW DELHI: Is it end of the road for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer? So predicts NewWeek magazine. In its tech predictions for 2010, Newsw
eek has forecasted that Microsoft will oust Ballmer during his 10th year as chief executive.

According to the magazine Ballmer led Microsoft into a decade of failures, set up by the Windows Vista fiasco. While he was distracted by poor reception of the operating system, Newsweek argues, Microsoft’s other businesses lost direction.

NewsWeek writes, “Microsoft stock has dropped by nearly 50 per cent on his watch, lagging not just other tech companies but even the Dow Jones industrial average. Distracted by the Windows Vista fiasco, Ballmer has missed every big new tech market of the past decade.”

Adds NewsWeek, “Google won the race for Internet search and keyword advertising. Apple won in MP3 players and online music sales, and now holds the high ground in mobile phones, while Windows Mobile fades away. Microsoft’s Zune music player is a dud. Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, will never catch Google.”

According to NewsWeek, Ballmer is said to be a brilliant guy, but he got a black eye for the way he blundered and blustered and finally botched an attempted acquisition of Yahoo. He’s a screamer and a bit of a bully — not the easiest guy to work for. If Microsoft were any other company, this guy would be in trouble.

However, according to the magazine, the catch is that Ballmer was put into the job by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and the two have been pals since their undergraduate days at Harvard. If Gates wants to get rid of Ballmer, he’ll have to craft some kind of graceful exit that lets his buddy save face.

Games give Facebook-weary employers more headaches

BANGALORE (Reuters Life!) – For many employers, Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites are already a scourge that cut into productivity. Now they have something else to worry about — the games hosted by these sites.

This new genre of social gaming is called “asynchronous” or “appointment” gaming and allows people to play with their friends without having to be online at the same time.

The low-intensity engagement has made games such as FarmVille, Cafe World, Restaurant City, Pet Society, and Happy Aquarium — developed by firms Zynga, Playfish, Crowdstar and Slashkey — popular among employees who often log on during office hours.

According to a recent survey conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, about 12.5 percent of productivity in the corporate sector is misappropriated each day by social networking sites.

“What we are seeing is that more and more people and organizations are recognizing the productivity lost so probably more chief information officers are blocking Facebook applications,” Rebecca Wettemann of Nucleus Research said.

Boston-based Nucleus Research, which conducted a recent study into the effects of social networking sites on productivity, said nearly half of office employees in the United States access social networking sites at work, which leads to an average loss of 1.5 percent of total office productivity. (more…)