Vulnerable Facebook !!

A hacker has exploited Facebook’s Graph Search to collect a database of thousands of Facebook users and phone numbers. Both parties agree that all the information was left public by users, but Facebook issued him with a cease and desist order after the hacker continued to gather data and argued with Facebook that the availability of the information invades users’ privacy.
 

 The Hacker responsible is Brandon Copley, a mobile developer in Dallas, Texas, USA. He searched and downloaded 2.5 million entries of phone numbers from the social networking site. He says many of these entries are empty, as they either are not active numbers or are not connected to a Facebook user with public settings, however, he notes that thousands of entries match a phone number with the name of a Facebook user. Facebook representatives tell us that this is a feature of graph search and that these users have their contact information set to public. (Your privacy settings govern who can find you with the search using the contact info you have provided, such as your phone number or email address. This can be modified at any time from the Privacy Settings page) Copley confirms that these users have their contact information set to public, but argues that this is still a security issue.

Facebook admitted to a major security flaw regarding the Download Your Information tool on Friday afternoon that displayed the email and phone numbers of approximately 6 million users. Copley says he used his access tokens from his developer account and the Facebook Search API to perform thousands of searches per day for phone numbers; when he began hitting up against the rate limit of his developer account, he found a way to use the API token of an app that is not rate-limited and performed millions of searches.


In March and early April, Copley’s Facebook account was banned several times. Copley also says he has also been looking at other ways to search Facebook for phone numbers and now believes he has found an even faster way to connect Facebook users and phone numbers than through the search API. On April 26, Facebook’s lawyers sent Copley a cease-and-desist letter, stating, “you are unlawfully acquiring Facebook user data. It appears that you are accessing Facebook through automated means and stealing Facebook access tokens in order to scrape data from Facebook’s site without permission.” At this point in time, it is unclear if Facebook will actually pursue litigation against Copley. He appears to be a tenacious man, pressing Facebook on privacy issues and showing Facebook’s users how widely accessible their public contact information really is.

Fun Facts !!

*The first domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com.

*Amongst the most interesting computer facts is, when the first Apple computer which was built by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, it was made by using parts they got for free from their employers. They were made to scrounge spare parts from work.

*Tim Berners-Lee coined the phrase “World Wide Web” in 1990.

*Google uses an estimated 15 billion kWh of electricity per year, more than most countries. However, google generates a lot of their own power with their solar panels.

*Bill Gates house was designed Using a Macintosh computer.Grear na

*The prime reason the Google home page is so bare, is due to the fact that the founders didn’t know HTML and just wanted a quick interface. Infact, the submit button was a later addition initially, hitting the RETURN key was the only way to burst Google into life.

*There are approximately 1,319,872,109 people using the Internet.

*A program named “Rother J” was the first computer virus to come into sight “in the wild” — that is, outside the single computer or lab where it was created.

*‘Stewardesses’ is the longest word which can be typed with only the left hand.

* Mosaic was the first popular web browser which was released in 1993.

*Of the 247 BILLION email messages sent every day, 81% are pure spam.

*About 1.8 billion people connect to the Internet, only 450 million of them speak English.

*Sweden has the hightest percentage of internet users, they are 75%.

*Up until the 14th of September, 1995, domain registration was free.

*One out of every 8 married couples in the USA (2011), met online.

*There are about five porn pages for every ‘normal’ web-page.

 

Amazon comes to India with online 'marketplace' model

Shoppers can now experience the online 'marketplace' model shopping experience on www.amazon.in

News | by CIOL Bureau

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Amazon  announced the launch of the company's marketplace in India, www.amazon.in. The company also announced two new seller programs - ‘Selling on Amazon' and ‘Fulfillment by Amazon', providing customers an online shopping experience and Indian retailers a platform to sell their products online with no listing fees and a pay-as-you-go fulfillment services, said as press release.

"With Amazon.in, we endeavor to build that same destination in India by giving customers more of what they want - vast selection, low prices, fast and reliable delivery, and a trusted and convenient experience," said Greg Greeley, vice-president of International Expansion at Amazon.com.

Amazon.in also has a cash on delivery option and is accessible on mobile devices allowing customers to shop anywhere. Starting with books, movies & TV shows video products, Amazon.in will introduce additional categories including mobile phones and cameras in the coming weeks, said the press release.

Amazon.in customers can search and preview the text inside more than 1.3 million books through its search inside feature, coupled with the author and customer reviews sourced from Amazon.com.

Commenting on the launch of Amazon.in, Amish Tripathi, celebrated author of the bestseller Shiva Trilogy, said "India is one of the fastest growing markets in the global publishing industry. But publishers and authors need to find new readers to sustain the growth momentum. Amazon has set benchmarks for innovation and efficiency in sales internationally and I look forward to seeing their work in India as well."

To mark the launch, Amazon.in has a limited period promotion wherein all customers will enjoy Free delivery on orders fulfilled by Amazon, said the press release.

10 thousand tablet devices sold per day in India during Jan-March 2013: CMR

Datawind and Micromax have figured amongst the Top 3 India Tablet vendors since 4Q CY 2012, according to CMR's India Quarterly Tablet PC Market Review, 1Q (January-March) 2013

News | by CIOL Correspondent

GURGAON / NEW DELHI, INDIA: According to CMR's India Quarterly Tablet PC Market Review, 1Q (January-March) 2013, June 2013 release announced today, over 905,000 tablet devices were sold (shipped) in the quarter by as many as 53 domestic and international vendors.

However, only nine vendors shipped in significant volumes of more than 20,000 units during the period. The overall growth in shipments of tablets in the India market registered an 158.96 per cent year-on-year (1Q CY 2013 over 1Q CY 2012) growth, but a marginal 17.57 per cent quarter-on-quarter (1Q CY 2013 over 4Q CY 2012) dip due to seasonal factors.

Commenting on the results, Faisal Kawoosa, Lead Analyst, CMR Telecoms Practice stated, "The continued long term growth in shipments of tablets in the India market further points to the fact that a large proportion of first time users of computers in emerging markets like India are getting to experience computing through this highly portable, converged form factor."

"The performance of the India tablets market is in line with global trends, where shipments of traditional computing devices such as desktop PCs and notebook PCs are seeing a relative deceleration, whereas tablet shipments witness a surge, driven by consumer demand."

 "Although the 1Q CY 2013 Tablet shipment numbers are marginally lower compared to 4Q CY 2012, but this is not a substantial gap and may be attributed to seasonality. The country continued to witness tablet shipments of more than 10,000 units a day during the quarter, which is a reason to cheer," Faisal further opined.

Tablets and the Indian Consumer
 

"Another bright spot, particularly for domestic vendors is that the Indian consumer has shown no particular bias against local Tablet brands as was presumed all along. Local brands did well during 1Q 2013, and while some may argue that these brands are not purely local, but the reality is that in today's globalised economy, it does not make business sense to try and completely produce a product out of a single country or region. There are many advantages to be gained by tapping into the diversified global ESDM supply chain to produce the ‘best' product for the target customer at the optimal price point," Faisal concluded.

Dwelling on individual vendor performances, Tarun Pathak, Analyst, CMR Telecoms Practice said, "Datawind and Micromax have figured amongst the Top 3 India Tablet vendors since 4Q CY 2012, while Apple was No. 2 for CY 2012. These players continued to maintain their leadership ranks during 1Q CY 2013. This trend points to a sort of polarization of India Tablet user segments - one set looks primarily for performance and best-in-class build quality and typically opts for the high-end Apple iPad, while the other segment looks for a wide range of features at an affordable price point and opts for brands like Datawind and Micromax."

"Although 3G-enabled Tablets made up only 23 pc of total sales during 1Q CY 2013, we expect this to grow substantially in the coming quarters. This is on account of new launches of ‘bottom-of-the-pyramid' form factors by vendors who prefer to bring to market products with both 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity at affordable price points. This also allows vendors to earn higher profit margins on their devices. In fact, this trend could be responsible for Samsung's absence from the Top 3 list, as customers are able to purchase 3G-enabled devices at the same price-point at which Samsung offers Wi-Fi only devices to consumers," Tarun concluded.

290 TCS staff in Finland face axe, talks over

The final number of impacted positions will be known after a period of 8-10 weeks, said TCS

News | by CIOL Bureau

BANGALORE, INDIA: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has confirmed that almost 300 of its employees based out of Finland are facing the axe.

A maximum of 290 positions may be impacted, the country's largest software exported has stated officially. "We realize that this is a difficult time for our employees, and we remain committed to helping them by actively looking for redeployment opportunities within TCS and also by providing out-placement services. During this transition period, TCS will provide all support and assistance to help employees to plan for their future," said Ruchikar Dalela, country head, Finland.

After the decision to downsize, TCS initiated negotiations with employee representatives in Finland. It announced that the co-operation negotiation process has concluded, at the end of a meeting held on Tuesday.

As an outcome of the negotiations, a new organization model, principles for the staffing-process have been discussed and concluded, along with the action plan for its implementation, said an official statement.

The final number of impacted positions will be known after a period of 8-10 weeks once the new organization structure is staffed and implemented and all possible redeployment opportunities across TCS have been fully explored, it added.

Apparently, a comprehensive support structure for helping potentially affected employees has also been discussed and concluded, which includes options for out-placement services, severance packages and counselling.

TCS began cooperation negotiations in Finland on April 23 as a part of a process to streamline its operations in the business unit and harmonize them with its established global model.

TCS has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Finland and has promised that it greatly values the talent and expertise of its Finnish employees. "As a reputed top employer in Europe and across the world, we remain committed to providing our employees in Finland with progressive global careers."

Dell PowerEdge VRTX has servers, storage, networking and management converged into a single compact chassis

News | by CIOL Bureau

BANGALORE, INDIA: Dell has introduced PowerEdge VRTX, a private cloud-in-a-box and a 'converged' IT solution designed for remote and small office environments.

Dell PowerEdge VRTX has servers, storage, networking and management converged into a single compact chassis.

Dell has updated its OpenManage Essentials for PowerEdge VRTX which include remote, agent-free systems management capabilities with a new geographical view of distributed IT assets. Bundled with each PowerEdge VRTX system is Dell's Chassis Management Controller (CMC) embedded console, for unified and streamlined control over server, storage and networking components.

Dell announced Active Infrastructure for HPC Life Sciences, an HPC solution uniquely designed to meet the needs of genomic data collection and analysis. This solution is based on Dell's work with the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) to reduce genomics analysis time from one week to one day with an HPC solution.

Dell also announced new converged infrastructure offerings - Active Infrastructure 1.1. Dell is introducing a fast, accurate way for customers to deploy common workloads, including enterprise applications, virtual desktop and private cloud workloads.

The company is expanding its converged infrastructure platforms and reference architectures to include the Dell Active System 50, Dell Active System 200 and Dell Active System 1000.

Active System Manager 7.1, a management layer for Active System that integrates IP from recently acquired Gale Technologies to automate workload and infrastructure deployment through a single console. Enabling customers to go from eight tools to one, Active System Manager 7.1 features virtual integration, including support for Microsoft Hyper-V and VMware vSphere platforms,.

Dell's Data Center Solutions (DCS) practice is launching a new version of its modular architecture, which incorporates Dell PowerEdge servers, with increased operational capacity and flexibility.

Big data to become 'just data' by 2016

Not all information requires a big data approach, says Gartner

News | by CIOL Bureau

BANGALORE, INDIA: Big data will grow past its hype towards 2016 to become 'just data' once the technologies mature, and organizations learn how to deal with it, as per Gartner.

While data is regularly defined by the dimensions of volume, velocity and variety (first proposed by Gartner more than 12 years ago), information management concerns must be much broader, it adds.

"The bottom line is that not all information requires a big data approach," said Frank Buytendijk, research vice president at Gartner. "The new 'big data way' is not going to replace all other forms of information management. There is more room - and need - for experimentation in the area of ‘information of innovation,' for instance with social media data, or by making processes more information-centric."

Buytendijk said that it is important that organizations understand that big data is not the only stream of innovation in information management. The industry is in the middle of what Gartner calls 'The Nexus of Forces', and it is in the combination mobile, social, cloud and information innovation where new opportunities arise.

Mobile has undoubtedly shaken up information dissemination. Knowledge workers expect to be able to connect to systems from anywhere at anytime and get information in the context of their situation. Content, analytics, reporting, all can be delivered 'mobile'. The user experience has become more fluid, when working on data using various devices - users can start a process on a desktop computer, use a tablet in interacting with a customer, and take some notes on a smartphone.

 "Information management has gone ‘cross-platform content delivery', and this line of innovation has not ended yet. For example, mobile devices offer location-based context to select the right data, and augmented reality and mashups," said Buytendijk. "However, mobile content delivery is only a part of the impact on information managment. Mobile devices will develop to become a prime source of data collection."

Business analytics are moving forward at an astonishing rate. Yet, analytics are not limited to business use only. Increasingly, analytics will become available for consumers too. One example of this is the use of graph analysis, which helps determining rich relationships between data elements.

Sentiment analysis is another popular application. It is mainly used to inform companies on how they are viewed in the market, or for the benefit of advertisers. In addition to simple use cases like repository access to documents, many enterprise content management (ECM) vendors are developing interfaces for more specific use cases, such as participation in content review and approval processes; exception handling; camera-image and bar-code inputs; case management system interfaces; and the ability to maintain presence awareness of mobile users in an ECM system.

Cloud computing was first positioned as a way of turning capital expenses into operational expenses, while saving on cost of ownership and helping to grow a more scalable and agile information infrastructure.

Then cloud started to support other styles of working, such as multi-tenancy which appeals to public sector organizations which are not competitive. They can use the same applications and information creating business processes and information sharing across organizational borders. Now, there are also examples of "information as a service," where applications can call other applications in the cloud to perform a task or deliver a crucial bit of information.

'iTopper' to help class 11, 12 students ?

Above picture is for illustration purposes only

New Android based tablet from Hyderabad-based IT software startup aims to address the needs of growing student community

News | by IANS

HYDERABAD, INDIA: IT software startup company AppThoughtz has launched an innovation tablet, 'iTopper', which helps students of class 11 and 12 develop insights into various subjects, a company official said here Tuesday.

Announcing the launch, Vijay Kallepalli, managing director of AppThoughtz, said: "iTopper comes with a bundle of in-built applications that not only enables students to access quality content from top class publishers but evaluate their own performance through self-test method."

The Hyderabad-based company said the content was aligned specifically to the teaching curriculum and approved by Cambridge University Press. Students can also prepare and take unlimited mock tests and perform better in the real time environment while preparing for intermediate, JEE, EAMCET and NEET.

Priced at Rs.10,000, the product comes in four versions. The SIM version allows the students to make calls and text messages.

How Intel's 4th Gen core processor performs vs predecessors

Intel sees 2-in-1 u

News | by CIOL Correspondent

Chip maker Intel Corporation, which has launched its new 4th generation Intel Core processor family, sees a bright future for 2-in-1 devices in the coming years. The new generation of devices, based on Intel architecture, not only promises slimmer models that are responsive, high performing but also assure a even better extended battery life that Intel's 3rd generation processors.

Kirk Skaugen, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's PC client Group said Intel has more than 50 different 2-in-1 designs in the pipeline across a range of price points, including premium ultrabook 2-in-1 s powered by the new Intel Core processors, and other designs powered by forthcoming processors based on the company's 22 nm Silvermont
micro architecture.

T

he Intel Core processors are designed grounds up for the Ultrabook and serves the foundation for a new era of 2-in-1 computing, Skaugen points out adding that the new processors power the most exciting 2-in-1 designs to-date.

4th Gen processors Vs predecessors

Intel which has listed advantages that the 4th Gen Core based ultrabooks bring in compared to its predecessors claims :

4th generation Intel Core processors are capable of delivering up to 15 percent better performance than the previous generation.

• Gets work done 1.8X faster
• Converts videos 23X faster
• Gaming performance 26X faster

Graphics

With the 4th generation Intel core processors that have built-in-graphics Intel claims the new processor promises upto 2 times the performance of Intel's prior generation. Offered on select versions of the new Intel Core processors, Intel Iris graphics bring the ultrabook and other mobile PCs to life with built-in, eye-popping visual experience.

Power consumption:

According to Intel the 4th generation core processor consumes just 6 watts of battery

'LG Nexus 4 might be quick, but Panasonic P51 is funky'

Dispelling murmurs of the P51 resembling Google LG Nexus 4, Panasonic asserts it offers better value to users, while it shared its future road map to CIOL

News | by Muntazir Abbas

NEW DELHI, INDIA: As the telecom sector sees massive surge in India, one of the global pioneers in mobile telephony devices, Panasonic Corporation, has attempted a grand comeback with its newly-launched P51 smartphone.

As it stands, the Japanese electronics giant's latest foray into the niche smartphone segment with a 5-inch Android 4.2-based P51 at a premium price of Rs. 26,900 is seemingly aimed at reviving its sagging fortunes.

The specs of the P51, however, haven't seemed to have impressed one and all, even though the company is eyeing a large pie in the Indian mobility devices segment.

"As a look-alike of quad-core Google LG Nexus 4, Panasonic P51 is not well-equipped and features 1.2 GHz MediaTek Cortex A7 chipset, 1 GB RAM and 2,500 mAh battery," feels gadgets geek Kanwaldeep Singh.

Alternatively, Panasonic could have served its smartphone interests better in India by pricing P51 a bit more aggressively to draw potential buyers to its store shelves, observes Business&Market founder-analyst, Deepak Kumar. "While its features and specs are not appalling when compared to its rival products, the 1 GB RAM could disappoint," Kumar adds.

In Panasonic's perspective, Indian smartphone market is still at a nascent stage with enormous consumption possibilities. It also believes that processor speed or brand is not the only decision-making factor amongst consumers. "LG Nexus 4 may have more RAM space and faster processor, but P51 is lighter, thinner and more stylish," is the maker's contention.

About the competitive edge of the newly-launched P51, Panasonic India managing director, Manish Sharma, told CIOL that it has a 5-inch screen compared to the 4.7-inch display of LG Nexus 4. "LG Nexus 4 has single SIM, while P51 has dual SIM capability. P51 has SD card slot and hence, flexibility to upgrade storage," he added.

Sharma further said that P51 has bigger battery (2500 mAh) compared to LG Nexus 4 (2100 mAh) and as a result, the former could facilitate 500 hours of standby time as against the 390 hours back-up capability of LG Nexus 4. The P51 has many other features vis-à-vis Google Nexus 4 that gives an advantage to consumers, the company reckons.

The company plans to introduce a few more smartphone variants, with a price tag ranging between Rs. 6,990 and Rs. 35,990, over the next couple of months. Panasonic is also expecting to sell 2 million devices by 2014 and aims high to nudge about 8 per cent market share.

"Smartphone is an important category of our business expansion plans in India. Considering this is a new front of business in India, our aim is to develop our strengths in the personal usage category," concluded Sharma.

BlackBerry Q10's Rs. 45,000 pricetag !!

News | by Prasanto K. Roy

NEW DELHI, INDIA: BlackBerry launched the Q10 in India on Thursday - the second of the two BB10 OS-based handsets that were first shown at the company's global BB 10 event in January this year. And it's priced at a staggering Rs. 44,990 (around $820).

BlackBerry loyalists who haven't been excited by the all-touch (and high-priced Z10) were hoping for a much lower pricetag on the Q10. They've been disappointed.

The first six months of 2013 have gone by with the one, high-priced, all-touch BB10 model, the Z10. And the last thing BlackBerry needed now was an expensive companion model.

Don't get me wrong. By all accounts, the Q10 is outstanding.

From keyboard to overall design and engineering, sharp 3.1-inch AMOLED multi-touch display, a unique carbon-weave pattern on the back (black model only), noise-cancellation tech, and a better radio (adaptive signal strength modification, for better reception in low signal).

There's 4G and NFC (near-field communications), 16 GB internal storage and a 2100 mAh battery (okay, but not spectacular).

I've been using the Z10 for three months, most things are great about it, but there's the missing keyboard. I'd love the Z10, but with a BlackBerry keyboard added. That's the Q10. I want it.

So, what's the problem? The price.

At this price-point, most people - even BB loyalists - will not buy a phone with a keyboard, and especially not a BlackBerry. At the Rs. 45k level, buyers expect the iPhone - or something seriously "cooler" or different - with a large, multi-touch screen.

What's more, BlackBerry had begun to make major inroads into the younger segment in India, with cheap plans (Rs. 99 for BBM) and handsets (starting at Rs. 10,000). It has nothing new yet to offer this growing segment. The Q5, a colourful BB10 device aimed at this segment, is at least three months away (also with a 3.1 inch touchscreen and keyboard). And we don't know the price yet.

Google tells users how passwords can protect them better

Image courtesy of thanunkorn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Google on its blog gives users advice and tips for safe and savvy Internet use

News | by CIOL Correspondent

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Internet has become a part of our lives that we just cannot do without. Hence, knowing how to stay safe and secure online is important. Google, in its blog, has provided few tips and information on how one can keep their account safe.
'

'It could be your Gmail, your photos or your documents-whatever you have in your Google Account, we work hard to make sure it's protected from would-be identity thieves, other bad guys, or any illegitimate attempts to access your information,'' says Google.


However, here are some steps you can follow to help keep your account safe:

1. Use a different password for each important service: Hackers steal the username and password from one site, and then use them to try to log into lots of other sites where you might have an account, says Google. Even large, reputable sites sometimes have their password databases stolen. If you use the same password across many different sites, there's a greater chance it might end up on a list of stolen passwords.

2. Make your password hard to guess: password, 123456, My name is Inigo Montoya, You killed my father, Prepare to die, etc. are terrible passwords, says Google. Making your passwords longer or more complicated makes them harder to guess.
One way to build a strong password is to think of a phrase or sentence that other people wouldn't know and then use that to build your password. For example, for your email you could think of a personal message like "I want to get better at responding to emails quickly and concisely" and then build your password from numbers, symbols, and the first letters of each word-"iw2gb@r2eq&c".

3. Keep your password somewhere safe: Make a list of passwords and write them down. Just make sure you keep your list in a safe place, where you won't lose it and others won't be able to find it, says Google.

4. Set a recovery option: Setting a recovery option, like an alternate email address or a telephone number, helps give the service provider another way to contact you if you are ever locked out of your account.

Intel unveils fourth generation Haswell processors

Source: http://newsroom.intel.com/

Fourth generation processors delivers a 50 per cent increase in battery life in active workloads over the previous generation

News | by CIOL Bureau

BANGALORE, INDIA: Intel Corporation introduced its fourth generation Intel Core processors that serve as foundation to wave of new 2-in-1s that combines PC performance with tablet-like mobility in one device and deliver on Ultrabook vision.

According to Intel, The 4th generation Intel Core processors are designed from the ground up for the Ultrabook and serve as the foundation for a new era of 2-in-1 computing.

Kirk Skaugen, senior vice-president and general manager of Intel's PC Client Group, said, "Intel has more than 50 different 2-in-1 designs in the pipeline across a range of price points, including premium Ultrabook 2-in-1s powered by the new Intel Core processors, and other designs powered by forthcoming processors based on the company's 22nm Silvermont microarchitecture."

Designed first and foremost with the Ultrabook in mind and based on the company's 22nm Haswell microarchitecture, the company claims that the 4th generation Intel Core processors deliver a 50 per cent increase in battery life in active workloads over the previous generation.

This is the largest generation-over-generation gain in the company's history, equating to over 9 hours of battery life in active workloads for some Ultrabooks based on the new processors, said Intel.

Intel further added that systems based on the quad-core version of the new Core processors are available now, with additional versions available in the coming months.

Some of the features of fourth generation Intel Core processors include built-in graphics that deliver discrete-level performance, or up to two times the performance of Intel's prior generation and Intel Iris graphics for eye-popping visual experiences.

Looking to the future, Skaugen said Intel is working on an integrated solution to build 3-D depth camera technology directly into future Intel-based devices targeted for the second half of 2014.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 at 0% EMI ?

Samsung Galaxy Mega is expected to hit Indian stores in the third week of June

News | by CIOL Correspondent

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Samsung has announced an EMI scheme for yet another one of its products. A zero per cent EMI scheme has been announced for the Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8, before the product has been made available in stores.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 can be purchased at Rs. 24,900 at zero per cent 12 months EMI scheme from Samsung eStore. The product, according to the website, will be available in the third week of June.

EMI scheme on the Galaxy Mega 5.8 is also being offered by Flipkart.com. Flipkart is offering the device on a 6 and 12 months EMI on HDFC, ICICI and Citibank credit cards.

The features of the Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 are as follows: 5.8-inch display, 1.4GHz dual-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, 8GB internal storage (expandable by up to 64B, 8MP primary camera with LED flash and 1.9 MP front camera, 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v 4.0, GPS, Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean), active dual SIM and 2,600mAh battery.

Galaxy Mega is also being launched with special offers from RCom and Vodafone. RCom customers opting for Galaxy Mega will get 2GB data per month free for three months as well as unlimited access to Big Movies Library, unlimited WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook during this period. Vodafone customers too will get access to 2GB data download per month free for two months (3G + 2G).

Samsung has announced in the past, EMI schemes for several hot selling devices like Galaxy Note II, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Grand and the Galaxy S4. However, what do you have to say? Will these EMI schemes make you opt for expensive smartphones? Or, do you feel that it's just a marketing strategy? Do let us know.

27 % Indian staff set to switch jobs

Globally, the number of workers taking flight is expected to reach 161.7 million in 2014 - a 12.9 per cent increase in people leaving compared to 2012, says a Hay Group study

News | by CIOL Bureau

BANGALORE, INDIA: Over the next five years, 49 million more employees as compared to 2012 are going to leave their current employers and switch jobs, global management consultancy, Hay Group's new research, in association with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), has revealed.

As far as India is concerned, it finds itself in the eye of the storm, with a predicted employee turnover of 26.9 per cent (in the organized sector) in 2013 - the highest attrition rate globally.

The study, Preparing for Take-Off, covers 700 million employees in 19 countries worldwide and is based on a unique Hay Group macroeconomic model that analyzes the main factors affecting employee turnover across the globe, stated a release.

The study finds that global firms will face an imminent threat of rising employee turnover, as a result of expected improvement in economic and labor market conditions in the next five years. As growth builds and employment opportunities increase, the worldwide employee turnover is set to accelerate in 2014, after having barely moved between 2010 and 2012, added the release.

Globally, the number of workers taking flight is expected to reach 161.7 million in 2014 - a 12.9 per cent increase in people leaving compared to 2012. Average employee turnover rates over the next five years are predicted to rise from 20.6 to 23.4 per cent, and the number of global departures in 2018 will stand at 192 million.

Mohinish Sinha, Leadership and Talent practice leader, Hay Group India, explains, "Indian economic growth is set to pick up, and this will be warmly welcomed by businesses. But the upturn will come with a risk - driven by an ambitious middle class, employers at India Inc are likely to face a talent exodus in the coming year. Already, we see employees around the country starting to seek new job opportunities as growth returns and labor markets begin to pick up."

Mark Royal, senior principal at Hay Group, comments, "The turbulent labor market associated with the economic downturn has held down turnover rates in many firms. But as the economy recovers and global employment becomes less volatile, dissatisfied workers are a significant flight risk for organizations across the world. To keep high value employees from leaving in search of more favorable work arrangements, firms must address engagement and enablement challenges."

New iPhone might have flat design

This artist's concept speculates on what Apple's new mobile operating system might look like(CNN image)

News | by CIOL Correspondent

BANGALORE, INDIA: The new Apple iPhone or iPhone 5S is now rumored to come with a more muted and flat design aesthetic along with iOS 7.

According to 9to5 Mac's sources, many of the textures currently present in iOS - linen on the notifications panel and leather in the calendar app - will be replaced with flat black and white colors. As for the home screen, apps will no longer have gloss, shadows and shine applied to the icons, but their corners will remain rounded.

9to5 Mac also suggests that apps such as Mail, Calendar and Maps will gain a more unified look. The report suggests that all apps will share a similar white base each with its own unique color scheme.

Apple is expected to unveil the new iOS 7 at WWDC 2013, its developers conference that kicks off June 10.

CNN reports that Jonathan Ive who took over the responsibility for look and feel and software, is not a fan of the skeuomorphic heavy design cues that currently dominate iOS.

"While we previously heard rumors that Ive was planning a broad UI (user interface) overhaul with iOS 7, we didn't have many specific details. Now, 9to5 Mac is reporting that Ive's look for iOS 7 will be "black, white and flat all over."

These moves coalesce with more general trends we've seen in the last 12 to 18 months in mobile and web design. In fact, we've seen concept videos from fans that mirror many of the rumored changes headed towards iOS.

Samsung launches cheapest Galaxy phone, priced Rs. 5,240

News | by CIOL Correspondent

BANGALORE, INDIA: Samsung Electronics has launched its cheapest Galaxy series phone 'Star' at a price of Rs. 5,240.

"Galaxy Star is a device that provides superior value to consumers based on its features, intuitive performance and design features. We want more and more feature phone users to upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy Star," Samsung Mobile Country Head Vineet Taneja said in a statement in Mumbai.

Galaxy Star, a entry-level smartphone, is a dual-SIM device, powered by A5 1GHz processor and the Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) operating system. It has a three-inch capacitive touch screen, 2-megapixel camera and 512 MB RAM and 4GB internal storage (expandable up to 32GB).

With the new launch, Samsung now has a portfolio of 15 smartphones, priced between Rs 5,240 and Rs 41,500. Galaxy Y is the nearest cheap device in Samsung's Galaxy portfolio priced at Rs 5,890.

According to CyberMedia Research (CMR), more than 221 million handsets were shipped to India in 2012. Though smartphones comprised a small chunk of the overall handset market at about seven per cent, the high-end category grew at a robust 35.7 per cent to 15.2 million devices in 2012 from 11.2 million units in 2011. Given the strong growth in the category, handsets makers are introducing products that are affordable. This is also aimed at helping feature phone users upgrade to smartphones, it said.

Samsung was the category leader with 43 per cent market share followed by Nokia (13.3 per cent) and Sony (8.2 per cent), CMR said.

Indian s/w industry to see strong revenue growth: PwC

News | by IANS

The Indian software industry is poised for a strong revenue growth driven by social media, mobility, analytics and cloud, said a report published by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The Indian companies in the top 100 emerging markets list bring combined revenue of $797 million. India ranks fifth among the emerging markets based on revenues, according to the PwC Global 100 Software Leaders report, a revenue-based study on the world's top 100 software vendors.

The recent report also contains indices of the top 100 software vendors in North America, Europe Middle East and Africa, and the emerging markets.

"The Indian IT industry has been primarily identified with software services and this focus has relegated the software products segment to the background. However, off late, we are seeing a change in the fortunes of this segment due to significant growth.

"Emerging technologies such as social media, mobility, analytics and cloud (SMAC) are driving the growth in this segment and helping it move to the next level," said Sanjay Dhawan, leader, technology, PwC India.

A number of software product firms have grown over the last decade from a little over 100 in the year 2000 to nearly 2,400 in 2013. According to the industry body NASSCOM, the revenue from the software product segment currently stands at $2.2 billion and is expected to reach $10 billion by 2020

Mobile security software: Which one is right for your smartphone?

News | by Sharath Kumar

• Kaspersky Lab specialists detected over 35, 000 new malicious programs for Android devices in 2012

• 2012 witnessed a 163 per cent increase in mobile malware. Over 65,000 new pieces of malware were discovered in the same year: NQ mobile

If these reports are any indication, it is high time that smartphone users also go for mobile security solutions. However, it is not that easy to find a 'perfect' mobile security product.

iGate faces Rs. 738 crore tax demand

This month, WNS and Infosys Limited faced tax demands of Rs. 557 crore and $106 million

News | by CIOL Bureau

BANGALORE, INDIA: Last week, it was now former chief executive officer, Phaneesh Murthy's exit, which led to a steep fall of its stock prices. Now, it is learnt that iGate is bearing the brunt of a tax demand to the tune of $132.7 million (about Rs. 738 crore) for assessment years 2004-05 to 2009-10.

In May, BPO service provider, WNS, and IT major, Infosys Limited, faced tax demands of Rs. 557 crore and $106 million (about Rs. 582 crore), respectively.

Asserting that these demands are untenable, iGate has approached the requisite appellate authorities, suggest reports. "As of March 31, 2013, the company has open tax demands of $132.7 million for relevant assessment years 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10," the firm said in a filing to US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

"The assessment order demand is raised mainly on account of disallowance of certain benefits under section 10A of the Indian Income Tax Act and transfer pricing adjustment on account of interest on delayed recoveries from associated enterprises," the filing added.

"Majority of the unsettled tax demand for the mentioned period is mainly on account of disallowance of Section 10A benefits of the Indian Income Tax Act. Management considers these demands as not tenable and the matter is pending at various levels of appeal," an iGate spokesperson was quoted saying.

Last week, the Income Tax department issued a fresh $106 million (about Rs. 582 crore) tax demand notice on Infosys, for 2009 fiscal. As it is, the company is contesting additional Income Tax demands of $214 million (about Rs. 1,175 crore) for four fiscals years from 2005 and said it will take legal recourse against the fresh tax demand notice as well.

"The company has received the assessment order from the Income tax authorities for fiscal 2009 on May 2, 2013 along with a demand order for an amount of $106 million," Infosys said in a filing to the US SEC last week.

"As the company is contesting this position like earlier years, the appellate authority would be approached within the time limit prescribed under the relevant law."

Earlier this month, WNS faced tax demands on transfer pricing issue. It was about Rs. 557 crore on income with regard to acquisition of UK-based Aviva's BPO services. The tax demands, which include taxes on income and services, are for financial years 2003 to 2010, WNS had said in its annual report for 2012-13 given to the US SEC. The company, however, has challenged the income-tax notices in courts of law.

Samsung may launch Galaxy S4 Mini, too

News | by CIOL Correspondent

Is Samsung's is set to release a mini version of its new flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone some time soon? Yes, says reports based on reported sighting of Galaxy S4 Mini on Samsung App stores by tech website GSM Areana.

With the successful launch of the Samsung Galaxy SIII Mini, its long speculated that Samsung may come out with Galaxy S4 Mini. The mini version of S4 is expected to have a affordable price tag though there is not much information regarding the handset.

The report goes on to say that phone looks very similar to the Galaxy S4 (as do most other Samsung phones these days), has the new weather widget from the S4 as well, which means the phone likely runs on Android 4.2.2 similar to the S4 (and expected shortly for the S III) and that the model number is GT-I9195.