Nacnez News & Views

Firefox Roadmap for 2012

2012-02-15T05:49:00.002+05:30

Lately Firefox has been in news for the wrong reason. They have been losing out to competitors especially Chrome.

I personally use both the browsers and like both of them. I really like the Firefox add-on system because it is quite rich (Chrome has caught up quite a bit on this too). One thing which I don't like is its bloated nature (the other day I saw Firefox was taking close 2 GB of my RAM!).

I got a chance to look at the Firefox Roadmap for 2012 which got updated very recently. There are some good things planned and I was able to categorize them into themes:

Catch up to Chrome: One of the primary themes which I could make out (because they obviously won't say it that way) is Firefox trying to add a lot of Chrome features. For example: silent updates, web apps marketplace (like Chrome Web Store), add-on sync seem the most important ones. There are a few others as well.
Performance - There are a lot of items on this one and I am very glad about it. Firefox is looking at changes for better memory management, improving start up speed, faster session restores. They plan to introduce a next generation JavaScript engine 'IonMonkey' which is expected to have improved performance. They are other similar ones mentioned in the roadmap including a few obvious ones.
Social engagement - Firefox is planning to provide ways to share stuff. It is also going to have an id system (log on to Firefox with a password which hooks you to other things). One of the best things they are planning to introduce is an ability to monitor site tracking and control it (one of my friends would be thrilled with this feature). I would like to learn more about this and if I do, I will share it.
Firefox for Window 8 Metro: There is plan to release beta version of Firefox for Windows 8 metro. At this point in time we don't know how this will pan out and the kind of features that will come out. For the matter we don't even know how much Metro will catch on. Something to wait and watch.
Other catch up/good stuff: Reader mode similar to Safari. Language translation etc.

Now these are significant features for sure. The one that can make Firefox standout and be counted as serious contenders is the social/privacy feature. If that is good then a lot of privacy conscious people (and that is a lot of people!) will take to Firefox. And to make them not regret that decision, Firefox performance improvements will help.

On the whole it looks like Firefox does not want to give up and die! I hope and want them to make it.

Belated Happy Birthday Google Maps

2012-02-09T21:16:00.002+05:30

I just learned from this article that Google maps turned seven yesterday. It covers some salient dates and numbers in the Google Maps journey.

I think Google maps is really amazing. Using maps for actually finding my way around was made possible (even thinking about it) for me by Google maps. Before, I would not have dreamed about it. While there are other services like Bing Maps, lot of people I see around keep using only Google maps. It has become a de-facto standard. I have used it to find my way around in my own city many times.

Belated Happy birthday Google Maps. I wish you the best!

Appbooster by AppsFire

2012-02-08T21:49:00.000+05:30

Mobile application development is currently a hot thing to do. I can see a lot of people developing apps for the smart phone platforms like iPhone and Android (even school kids). I too want to and hope to do it some point in time (at least that is the excuse I gave when I bought these devices).

When I hunt for apps, I read of lot of review comments from other users. This is especially useful in the Android platform (it is useful in IOS too but it is less so) and I make decisions on whether to try it out based on these comments.

While these comments are very useful for peer users, I wonder what it does to developers. I have seen many developers mentioning in the description to send them emails if there are any issues instead of giving review comments. There is two fold advantage for developers in this. First of all they can avoid negative reviews coming in the market/app store which will affect their app download/usage. Secondly they can have meaningful conversation to get a better understanding of the problem. They might even be able to get new feature ideas from their customers. All in all better customer engagement which is something a developer should love to have.

Today I came across a news item which talked about Appbooster. A short description talks about how the sdk can allow developers to easily build an in-app feedback and notification mechanism. Direct engagement is what this is driving. While the feedback part seems to essentially talk about what is described above, the notification stuff is cool. You can send notifications to users based on geography, version etc. You could tell them about new features added or new features coming in etc. All of this is inside the app. This also could mean that developers need not push notifications to the common notification bar (it really annoys me sometimes) if they don't want to. Not sure whether they will not want to.

The platform also makes possible cross promotion of apps. This can have an advertisement angle - developers collaborating to provide ads for each others apps. They might even push ads for app related merchandise in due course of time. Now that won't please Google or Apple.

The sdk page says that it is available for iOS and Android. Appbooster is currently in beta. So interested developers please jump in and let others know how good (or bad) it is.

p.s.: While reading about Appbooster which is part of Appsfire, I realized Appsfire itself is app discovery engine (like chomp I guess). Will try it out and let you know.

The fate of the Aakash Tablet

2012-02-05T22:55:00.000+05:30

When I read this article on Aakash, I felt really bad. I was happy that there was innovation happening at our own education institutions. Also felt good that there was effort to make things better and the inventors were trying to push the manufacturers to get out better quality stuff.

But the stalemate is not going to help us in anyway. I am not sure whether the Indian government will do a good job in breaking the stalemate in the proper way and in the proper time.

I look up at the sky and hope and pray that Aakash makes it.

Google vs Microsoft - Business as usual

2012-02-02T21:14:00.002+05:30

Microsoft is trying their best to benefit from the hue and cry people are making over Google privacy policy changes. Google is answering it back with their own blog post (find a short summary here).

I personally am not so much concerned about the privacy policy changes which Google is making (to be frank I am not so buzzed about privacy policy changes in general - if you want to keep something really private then don't put it on the internet). But 'privacy changes' are nowadays treated almost like some personal attack or act of robbery!

From what I have heard most of such companies including Microsoft have such common privacy policies. So seems like a clear case Microsoft trying to make hay when the sun shines :).

Now it was only yesterday, I talked about Microsoft becoming benign and whether I had lost my mind to think like that. Today, it is proved that I have really lost it!

Microsoft Offers Accelerator-Backed Startups $60,000* In Azure Cloud Usage

2012-02-01T22:03:00.001+05:30

It helps to be sitting on a big pile of cash. Microsoft has shown this to us a number of times. They are offering free cloud time to leading startups chosen through their startup promotion partners. The game of course is to increase adoption of Azure and push it forward. That said it is still a good gesture from Microsoft (at least some start ups might use the opportunity). Also given that Azure supports open technologies (yes java too), it is surely not a bad proposition for these startups.

For sometime now, I have had feeling that Microsoft is turning more benign than before. Am I right or should I go for a sanity test?

App Engine 1.6.2 Released

2012-02-01T21:48:00.000+05:30

The latest app engine release is out. During its initial days I really liked the idea of App Engine ( I guess a lot of it has to do with the fact it was free and from Google). I even went for a short training course on it. Then slowly interested faded. Lot more players came in after that with different and better (more complete) offerings. App Engine restricted environment did not help matters. App engine lost its shine for me.

That might not be so for many others. So you might be thrilled about it. If so do let me know.

Facebook filing for $5 billion IPO tomorrow, says NYT | The Verge

2012-02-01T21:43:00.002+05:30

Facebook is reported to make a public offer of $5 billion (very close to all time high, according to the report).

I am not a big user of Facebook. I rarely log into it directly. I use Facebook through other tools for sharing stuff some of my friends. I think these friends of mine are the reason behind Facebook's success (ok, multiple millions of people like my friends). The feelings this raises in my head are mixed (more like 'I wish I was part of it - the greenery looks fantastic').

Facebook has grown at such a rapid pace. Technologically (which is primarily my interest) they have done a lot of good/great things. They are probably the poster child for a start up. Every start up would love to think that they are destined to same place. But I really doubt that. To do another Facebook is next to impossible at least within my life time. What do you think?

Ubislate 7 to be India's next low-cost Android tablet, shipping in January

2011-12-24T18:27:00.001+05:30

Will the Ubislate be the vehicle on which India's internet usage will rise? Given that awareness of computing has increased in general and the low cost of this tablet, there is a chance to the normal consumer of India would embrace this. They don't have to shell out a lot of money like they have to do for even an assembled desktop computer. The lower middle class could easily get into it this. What they might need help is a way for them to get hold of the right content? This means that somebody needs to play that role. Will the government do that (they might if they get time away from fighting with software firms to censor specific content and regulate all content). An increase in apps which are relevant in the Indian context will also help a lot. Will the developers in India respond to that?

Google Will Pay Mozilla Almost $300M Per Year in Search Deal, Besting Microsoft and Yahoo

2011-12-23T06:42:00.001+05:30

Google is shelling out a lot of money to Mozilla (though the amount may not be much from Google's perspective) to ensure that they are the default browser in Mozilla Firefox. I feel this is Google trying to ensure that nobody uses the Firefox browser market-share to get close to them in terms of search (Microsoft would have loved to, given the amount they have spent on Bing). I have heard others saying the Google is making sure that Firefox exists until Chrome can take over all the browser market share it can and thus eliminate significant competition. That is not far fetched in terms of what they might want but I am not sure whether such a thing will happen. Another thought is that Google might be trying to ensure that they appear in the good books of authorities looking for anti-competitive behavior (given google is acquiring a company every week according to them).

In the meantime I hope Mozilla can do some good with the money and resources they get hold off. A better firefox browser and other such products will always be good for consumer because it makes for better competition and provides more choice for us. Let us hope that is what happens.

Gartner’s Predictions for the Next 5 Years

2011-12-23T06:27:00.001+05:30

Gartner has made top predictions for the next 5 years. As expected cloud is going to become mainstream and usage of mobile devices is on the rise. The quantification of these is something which Gartner can provide. There are other trends also mentioned. Some interesting ones for me are:

Reduction in investment on "social" endeavors (apps/sites) is expected. With so many new networks coming up, which also includes big players (Google+ and Microsoft Socl) as well as enterprise players (SalesForce chatter etc.) and feature set getting more common (lot of people think that the latest twitter changes make it look like facebook!) this is expected. These developments indicate that the consolidation of the market is imminent. Hence unless a new player in the market brings something very different to the table, something which brings in a different dimension of interaction and help the consumer (may be to get work done etc.), there is hardly any chance of that player getting any investment.

Mobile application development will rise significantly as per Gartner. This I think is very evident. I personally think there are going to be lot of mobile applications which use cloud based services to help consumers do different things (we see this a lot more of this now it self). Gartner's prediction though is much more specific where they say that the mobile applications development will outpace desktop application development 4 to 1. That number is the crucial part.

As cloud adoption increases, the security requirements on the cloud will become more and more important. Gartner predicts this is going to be super important to enterprises and there might be a rise of cloud security brokers who will independently assess cloud provider's security.

Asia's current status as outsourcing destination for manufacturing of finished goods and assembly line goods (I think that this refers mainly to China) is expected to change to some extent. Does this mean that Asia's growth is going to get affected? May not be given that the local growth will itself lead to local consumption of these goods. But it something which I can't predict now.

Security risks increase is predicted. With recent news on so many hacker incidents this is another thing which you expect. The actual values again are something which may not be obvious to people like us. The specific thing that Gartner mentions is the financial impact will rise i.e. more and more attacks would try to be finance-driven than just hacking for fun/social cause etc. That is much more worrying to me and folks like us.

Another interesting prediction is that lot of the big organizations won't be able to use big data analytics properly for their growth. I somehow felt this is expected at least in the near term, given that this is a relatively new field. The technology is still evolving, the business is figuring out how it can use this huge amount of data. So things are in a flux. And also lot of people are trying to get into this band-wagon. So they will do things which they don't understand fully. Gartner predicts that this will be case till 2015. I am reminded of SOA and its movement and trending in the industry in this context. Seems like there are parallels, but we will have to wait and watch.

Intel unveils Android tablet & smartphone line for 2012

2011-12-21T23:12:00.001+05:30

Intel is getting into mobile and table space finally. At least they are showing prototypes. This is a long awaited development. With ARM almost monopolizing the space, Intel has to make a start. We heard at the Intel developer event about Google's android for Intel chips and this is offshoot of that.

One thing to note is that Intel is going to have android 2.x on mobile!! That does not inspire confidence. The tablets are planned to ICS, which is good.

The picture - take a quick look and it seems to resemble the iPhone 4(S) . They better not go down that path (I am tired off all this patent war news (see posts below).

Let's wait and watch.

Apple wins ban of HTC devices at US International Trade Commission

2011-12-20T08:12:00.003+05:30

News on patents - good news for apple, bad for android fans...

http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/19/2647362/apple-wins-ban-of-htc-devices-itc

The United States International Trade Commission just ruled in favor of Apple in its case against HTC and banned the importation and sale of certain HTC devices. After a lengthy review, the Commission found that HTC devices infringe two claims of patent #5,946,647, which is a system level patent issued in 1999 on analyzing and linking data structures— ultimately implicating Android itself and not HTC's specific implementation. The decision now goes to the desk of the president, who has 60 days to issue a rarely-used veto; the ban itself will go into effect on April 19, 2012 to provide HTC with a transition period, and HTC will be allowed to import refurbished products for warranty replacement purposes until December 19, 2013.

3 Ways Google's Majel May Out-Chat Apple's Siri (And 1 Big Way It Could Remain Speechless)

2011-12-20T08:12:00.001+05:30

There are good possibilities for Majel. Let's hope Google does not bungle it. We android phone users will be very thankful :-)

http://www.fastcompany.com/1802035/three-ways-googles-majel-could-out-chat-apples-siri-and-one-big-way-to-fail?partner=rss

Siri is amazing. Let's not pull any punches--ignore the critcs, as it's probably the best mobile voice recognition device that any user has ever encountered. Above all else, it's a fabulous PR tool, it works, and it threatens Google ad revenues. Google and its Android army know this. Why else would Samsung lampoon it and Google execs poo-pooh it? Especially when you consider that Google is desperately working on a rival to Siri. It's codenamed Majel, and in several ways it's got a serious chance to outsmart Apple's smart assistant right from the get-go.

Google developing heads-up display eyeglasses?

2011-12-20T07:27:00.001+05:30

Now this is sci-fi stuff. It would interesting to know what capabilities these cool glasses will offer. Connecting to google services will be nice, but currently I can't think of anything 'cool' about those services. Do correct me if I am wrong.

http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/19/2647487/google-heads-up-display-eyeglasses-wearable-computer

Following up on an earlier report today that Google is developing wearable computing devices, 9to5Google claims that the company might have bigger ambitions than previously hinted at. Specifically, the rumor is that Google is developing a full heads-up display built into a pair of normal-looking, thick-rimmed eyeglasses. Supposedly the glasses would not merely be an Android peripheral, but communicate directly with Google's services instead of pairing with the phone — though presumably it would need a phone for communication when not near a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 used by American Airlines for in-flight entertainment

2011-12-15T08:12:00.001+05:30

The skin on top of android comes to the fore again. American airlines seem to have put a skin on top of android to help them provide specific services to passengers. This means fragmentation, but it also demonstrates the power which android brings to the table for such specific scenarios. Will this mean industry/services/enterprise adoption of android will become more and more? I think there are examples already, but this adds another kind...

http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/14/2635987/american-airlines-samsung-galaxy-tab-in-flight-entertainment

Starting today, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available to first- and business-class passengers on a number of American Airlines international and domestic flights as an option for in-flight entertainment. The Galaxy Tab will replace current entertainment systems and be loaded with 70 movies, plus unspecified TV and music options; the airline also plans to bring more content to the Galaxy Tab, including Wi-Fi, games, and reading material. American Airlines is claiming it's the first domestic airline to offer a "branded" tablet to passengers (though its pilots will have iPads in the cockpit as soon as this Friday).

Should You Learn CoffeeScript? | Nettuts+

2011-12-15T05:57:00.001+05:30

A good panel discussion on coffee script. It might help you to decide whether to learn coffee script or not. For me I realised that I need to become more proficient in JavaScript before I can seriously use this (may be even learn this). Some really strong opinions coming through. A really good read.

http://net.tutsplus.com/articles/interviews/should-you-learn-coffeescript/

I'd imagine that I represent a large portion of the web development community. I'm very intrigued by CoffeeScript; I've even learned the syntax and used it in a

Windows Azure Adds Node.js Support, Hadoop Preview

2011-12-13T22:57:00.001+05:30

What is happening with Windows? This is not right. If they keep doing such things I might have to start liking them. By the way node.js is making more news - but that is nothing new. And they say the next year is the year of the hadoop. It does look like that.

http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2011/12/windows-azure-adds-nodejs-supp.php

When Windows Azure was launched in 2008, it was with the intention, Microsoft said, of running .NET Framework applications from the cloud. What ended up happening was that the PaaS market matured much faster than anyone in 2008 could have anticipated, so any cloud apps platform that needs to stay competitive must run with the languages the development world is using.

Cypher - A view from a recovering SQL DBA

2011-12-07T08:27:00.001+05:30

A useful comparison on SQL syntax with graph db (neo4j) syntax. A quick way to get some insight into the graph db world through the lense of a SQL developer.

http://systay.github.com/blog/2011/11/06/cypher---a-view-from-a-recovering-sql-dba/

For many years, I worked with SQL databases. I got to know the relational model and various SQL implementations very well, but then the world changed with the advent of NOSQL, and I changed too when I became heavily involved with Neo4j.

About the refurbished iPhone 4 in India [follow up]

2011-12-06T21:57:00.001+05:30

Looks like the refurbished iPhones never made it to the retail world. Hmmm... All those dreams :-(

http://www.bgr.in/sections/news/about-the-refurbished-iphone-4-in-india-follow-up/

We had first reported about refurbished iPhone 4 last month, a report which was widely carried across mainstream publications and also drew a lot of interest from readers, who were obviously disappointed by Apple’s pricing for the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4 8GB. Many called us sensationalist and some even took to sending me abusive Tweets, comments and mails, because they couldn’t find them in the open market. I have personally replied to many that we will post an update about it as soon as we have more details to share. It is now time to share some details as to what happened with the refurbished iPhone 4 units. Read on…

Beware of fancy formulas and slick shortcuts

2011-12-06T05:27:00.001+05:30

A really good article on how things/skills progress. No shortcuts. Some good examples. A decent read.

http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/2011/12/05/beware-of-fancy-formulas-and-slick-shortcuts/

When I used to teach the Afro-Brazilian martial art of capoeira, new students would come in for their first class and watch the more advanced students doing flying kicks and ariel cartwheels.

Interfaces you can feel from Senseg

2011-12-05T08:12:00.001+05:30

Super cool touch interfaces. The innovation is continuous. There is just a lot of stuff happening.

http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/12/interfaces-you-can-feel-from-senseg.html

Senseg patented solution creates a sophisticated sensation of touch using Coloumb’s force, the principle of attraction between electrical charges. By passing an ultra-low electrical current into the insulated electrode, Senseg’s Tixel™, the proprietary charge driver can create a small attractive force to finger skin. By modulating this attractive force a variety of sensations can be generated, from textured surfaces and edges to vibrations and more.

Senseye lets you control your phone by looking at it, will ship next year (video)

2011-12-05T07:42:00.001+05:30

This is even more newer than voice. This is eye movement detection. I think google needs to jump on this one and grab them. Not only because it will be an android answer to apple's Siri, but also because in the world of advertisements tracking where your eye ball is very precious to let go. And remember, if google does not act apple will surely. If both of them delay even Microsoft might do something. But something tells me that Samsung is probably looking very hard at this.

http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/4/2609973/senseye-phone-eye-control-will-ship-next-year

Eye-controlled interfaces have been around for years, but a new tool called Senseye might be the first mass-market implementation. Using a front-facing camera and infrared LED, Senseye tracks eye motion with enough accuracy to dim the screen when no one is looking at it, auto-scroll text on a page, and let the user enter a passcode or play a simple shooting game by looking at numbers or enemies. The proof of concept uses a bulky case, but final versions are planned as either small dongles or part of the phone itself.

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop on the company’s future, U.S. plans

2011-12-03T06:57:00.001+05:30

If you listen to this interview, you will get the feeling that Nokia is taking India very seriously as a customer base. That I think is an intelligent move.

http://www.bgr.in/bgr-interview-nokia-ceo-stephen-elop-on-the-company%E2%80%99s-future-u-s-plans/

We had a chance to sit down with Nokia CEO Stephen Elop a few weeks ago in New York City to get a the skinny on Nokia’s strategy straight from the top. We covered the company’s upcoming push (and hopefully valiant return) in the United States, Nokia’s latest smartphones, potential new Nokia tablets and of course the company’s new Lumia 710 and Lumia 800 Windows Phones. Catch the full video interview after the break.

Cheap beads offer alternative solar-heating storage

2011-12-03T06:42:00.001+05:30

Happy to see some research in India mentioned here. Hope to see more and more of it.

http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/12/cheap-beads-offer-alternative-solar.html

Mechanical engineer Meenakshi Reddy of Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering and Technology, in Chittoor, Andra Pradesh, and colleagues explain how certain materials, known as phase change materials (PCM) can store a large amount of heat in the form of latent heat in a small volume.

5 Cool Things Siri Can Do Now That She's Been Hacked

2011-12-03T06:27:00.001+05:30

A good collection of Siri hack videos. It does seem really futuristic. I hope I can get hold of something like that soon (in android). Google what are you waiting for. Do something!

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/5_best_siri_hacks.php

Since launching with the iPhone 4S in October, Apple's new voice-controlled personal assistant feature called Siri has been enamored by Apple fans, mocked by some and been found to have a few humorous Easter eggs built in.

App Store - MobiGuard

2011-12-02T08:12:00.003+05:30

Will you use it guys! The battery drain itself will kill it for me. And I hope it does not start off some panic action unnecessarily. I guess a closer look will help. Anyway it will be known with time.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobiguard/id463011428?mt=8&ls=1

Read reviews, get customer ratings, see screenshots, and learn more about MobiGuard on the App Store. Download MobiGuard and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

More proof that enterprises love Node.js

2011-12-02T08:12:00.001+05:30

More news on node.js adoption. Node.js fans will be delighted. Couple of frameworks mentioned as well. I guess it is here to stay and I am happy about it. Hopefully it will make people take JavaScript more seriously.

http://gigaom.com/cloud/more-proof-that-enterprises-love-node-js/

Node.js is following in Ruby on Rails' and NoSQL's footsteps to become the next hacker technology to be embraced by the enterprise. Just ask FloType, the Berkeley, CA. startup which built its NowJS architecture atop Node.js, the server-side JavaScript-based toolset.

iPads in the enterprise: CEO ego is driving adoption

2011-12-02T06:42:00.001+05:30

Hmmm... Looks like egos have driving power everywhere. But the last point made in the article is something worth 'noting'!

http://venturebeat.com/2011/12/01/ipads-in-the-enterprise/

iPads have taken over the boardroom, and corporate CEOs and their egos are to thank for the somewhat surprising trend. At least that's the consensus among a panel of cloud computing and enterprise ...

Crypteks USB offers physical lock and AES hardware encryption

2011-11-30T05:27:00.003+05:30

That's surely an imitation of Da Vinci's cryptex. Looks really cool!

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/29/2596033/crypteks-usb-physical-lock-aes-hardware-encryption

There's a Kickstarter campaign going that might interest those who carry sensitive data and swooned over Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code — if it comes to fruition, the Crypteks USB drive will combine both a physical lock as well as 256-bit AES hardware encryption. The drive itself is sealed inside an anodized aluminum cylinder with five rings containing all the letters of the alphabet; all you have to do to remove the drive is enter your password. Once the drive is removed, you can reset the password by removing and re-orienting the rings in the position of your choice. Even after the drive is removed from its shell, it's still secured by thely in use by thet. …

Little Printer serves up a personalized receipt-sized newspaper, twice daily

2011-11-30T05:27:00.001+05:30

Not sure this is great idea. Especially when I think of trees. What do you think?

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/29/2596138/berg-little-printer-cloud-receipt-sized-newspaper

It happens to all of us: you wake up in the morning and awkwardly clutch your cellphone, swiping through tweets, emails, weather, and news. You know it's a good day when you manage not to drop the phone on your face while doing it. BERG's new Little Printer plans to change that with a receipt-sized collection of personalized material that's no longer than 10 inches in length, twice daily. With backup from a service called Berg Cloud, it offers material like top headlines, weather reports, Sudoku puzzles, to-do lists, bite-sized info on a range of topics, upcoming birthdays, word of the day, Nike+ workout reminders, and recent Foursquare check-insd heerr. …

Google Maps 6.0 for Android adds indoor maps, new Places homescreen

2011-11-30T04:57:00.003+05:30

This seems like a genuinely good idea. Hope they keep expanding it.

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/29/2596484/google-maps-6-0-for-android-adds-indoor-maps-new-places-homescreen

Google Maps for Android 6.0 just hit Android Market, and it's a pretty big update: it adds indoor maps of select airports, malls, and retail stores in the US and Japan. Highlights of the initial list include the Mall of America, Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports, San Francisco International, and various Macy's, Bloomingdale's, IKEA, and Home Depot locations. We just tried it out and it's quite well-done: a toggle appears as you zoom in on a building that lets you select each floor, and features like restrooms and retail shops pop right up. Additional indoor maps are promised soon, and if you're a business owner you can upload floor plans to get your locationd. …

Microsoft reportedly launching Office for iPad in 2012

2011-11-30T04:57:00.001+05:30

Microsoft office is that one application (set) that still people care for in Microsoft setup. That coming for iPad is surely a welcome thing. At least for me.

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/29/2596371/microsoft-office-ipad-2012-availability

Microsoft's released a few apps here and there for the iPhone and iPad but has kept one of its prize breadwinners out of the iOS fray. According to The Daily, that all might change in 2012 with the launch of Office for iPad. The publication claims that this new release will play nice with Office 365's cloud-based service, and iPad documents should be compatible with the desktop versions of Office. In fact, this closely mirrors both Office for Windows Phone and iWork on the iPad, with document syncing and compatibility between mobile and desktop apps. Office for iPad's price point also is rumored to be similar to iWork on iOS's $10 per app pricing.h iggger. …

DIY 'privacy monitor' hides screen from prying eyes

2011-11-26T05:57:00.001+05:30

This is an interesting application of probably a known concept. Spectacles specifically privacy spectacles of different styles could become a big part of new fashion very quickly.

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/25/2586133/hidden-screen-diy-lcd-privacy-monitor

Adding a filter to secure your screen is hardly unusual, but a new monitor hack actually works better by removing the built-in polarizing filter. An LCD with no polarized film simply displays white light, but popping lenses made from the film into a pair of glasses lets the wearer use the computer normally. And you thought 3D glasses looked silly. Read the full instructions for making a privacy monitor at the source below.

Ubuntu sees massive slide in popularity, Mint sprints ahead ... but why? | ZDNet

2011-11-24T22:13:00.001+05:30

This is not great news for ubuntu fans like me. May be i need to try mint

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/ubuntu-sees-massive-slide-in-popularity-mint-sprints-ahead-but-why/16550

Try to please everyone, and pretty soon you please no one.

Asus Transformer Prime goes up for Pre-Order in the US 32GB for $500

2011-11-24T05:42:00.001+05:30

Friends, this may be the thing you have been waiting for. Check it out!

http://igyaan.in/2011/11/asus-transformer-prime-pre-order-32gb-500/18227/

AdityaT | Android, Latest, Tablet News

Why Facebook Is Winning The Great Tech War In India

2011-11-24T04:57:00.003+05:30

So guys it seems we are all siding with Facebook. I would have wished it to be google. Even apple would have been ok. Amazon is not very known to us yet. Guys can we side with google. But my wish is not your command!

http://www.fastcompany.com/1796532/india-big-tech?partner=rss

In Fast Company's recent cover story, The Great Tech War Of 2012, Farhad Manjoo plotted the battle plans for the four U.S. tech titans: Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google. The four companies have dominated somewhat separate parts of the U.S. tech space in the past, but are speedily converging on eac…

Jeopardy contestant Roger Craig stomps competition with data mining

2011-11-24T04:57:00.001+05:30

It's all about the data. I think data crunching and mining (especially big data) is something which none of us can ignore anymore. There is going to be lot of it in the near and far future. What do you think?

http://www.theverge.com/culture/2011/11/23/2583181/roger-craig-jeopardy-data-mining

When Jeopardy master Ken Jennings recounted his loss to computer Watson early this year, he referred to the game show's questions as an "open domain...

Twitter / DataStax: Get a handle on #Cassandra ...

2011-11-23T12:27:00.001+05:30

Cassandra is doing the rounds nowadays. DataStax CEO who is also the lead of apache cassandra is ensuring that people know more and more about Cassandra

http://twitter.com/DataStax/statuses/139137299098243072

Get a handle on #Cassandra in the #Cloud - 1M writes a second.#NoSQL #BigData http://t.co/5VWLihn2

How To Create A Product

2011-11-20T08:27:00.001+05:30

Knowing the market is key. Put the market before you - that is the mantra to a successful product. That is the gist of what is below.

http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/8190/how-to-create-a-product/

This four part series on creating your own information product will start with addressing a vital starting point with product creation: creating a product that will sell.

Apache Wicket is a Flawed Framework

2011-11-18T23:42:00.001+05:30

A read that will make you ponder about the wicket framework.

http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/wicket-users/201111.mbox/%3C1321544691689-4080411.post@n4.nabble.com%3E

Where's that plane overhead going? Wolfram Alpha knows

2011-11-18T21:42:00.001+05:30

That sounds cool. Wolfram Alpha, if I remember correctly is the brain behind SIRI. It would surely be good to know more about it. Also if it can be used in more places it will be great. Time to get to know more about it!

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/18/2570664/wolfram-alpha-can-now-tell-you-the-exact-flights-details-of-any

Wolfram Alpha, the search engine that's more than just a search engine, has added a neat new trick to its repertoire: it can now answer the question, "where is that plane overhead going?" More than that, it can tell you where the flight's coming from, what airline is operating it, the altitude the plane is flying at, and even its angle from the horizon relative to you. All that info is coming into Wolfram Alpha from the US Federal Aviation Administration, though it arrives with a five-minute delay that means Wolfram's real time data is actually a projection of each plane's position — calculated on the basis of its last known heading, speed, and altitude — rather than a perfectly accurate measurement. Another limitation that arises from the source of the data is that the "flights overhead" search string only …

Thank you, young Mr. Suarez, for showing us what's possible (Jason Womack)

2011-11-18T08:12:00.001+05:30

Its possible. If a 12 year old can get into development of iPhone apps, then what is impossible. Impossible in BS!

http://www.jasonwomackblog.com/working_outwhile_youre_ou/2011/11/thank-you-young-mr-suarez-for-showing-us-whats-possible.html

Early (in London) on a Thursday morning, I gave myself the gift of watching this "less-than-5-minute" TED.com talk by Thomas Suarez. The dude is 12 years old, and his message is clear ... "It is possible."

Titanoboa robotic snake sizes up against Mondo Spider

2011-11-17T07:57:00.001+05:30

The snake motion is very realistic. The fluidity is amazing. At short distance it must be unnerving.

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/16/2566209/titanoboa-robotic-snake-mondo-spider-eatart

In a move bound to prey on those with phobias, Canadian robotic design house eatArt has released a video of its latest project: the Titanoboa, a robotic snake based on a 50-foot long prehistoric serpent. The video pits the basilisk-like robot against the Mondo Spider, a walking machine large enough to hold a man, and there's obvious competition between the two. While eatArt showed a shorter version of the snake rollerblading at the Burning Man festival earlier this year, at 35 feet this is the largest version of the robot so far, with the team aiming to reach the full length in the next year or so.

Apple iPhone 4 refurbished units will be available in India for Rs 22,500

2011-11-16T06:27:00.001+05:30

This does seem like a good idea to me as a consumer. I would have jumped on it had I not already got the s2. Trying to convince my wife on this. A good opportunity guys! Go for it.

http://www.bgr.in/2011/11/15/apple-iphone-4-refurbished-units-will-be-available-in-india-for-rs-22500/

While we are waiting for an official announcement, we can confirm that Apple iPhone 4 factory refurbished units are now available in India for Rs 22,500 for the 16GB variant. These units come with proper bill and one-year warranty. Refurbished units should not be confused with usual second-hand units – these are sent back to the assembly factory where they are cleaned, and some components changed. They come with the same support as new phones. We are also hearing there is a shortage of brand-new iPhone 4 16GB, which can be attributed to the upcoming iPhone 4S launch in India on November 25. Apple will introduce the 8GB variant of the iPhone 4 and discontinue both the 16GB and 32GB variants once the iPhone 4S is launched. If you are still looking for an affordable iPhone 4, we think the …

Tangle: a JavaScript library for reactive documents

2011-11-16T05:42:00.001+05:30

It really looks like a new idea (though I can't be sure). The initial examples seem simple but they drive home the point. A deeper look might reveal more possibilities. Exploration time guys!

http://worrydream.com/Tangle/

Tangle is a JavaScript library for creating reactive documents. Your readers can interactively explore possibilities, play with parameters, and see the document update immediately. Tangle is super-simple and easy to learn.

Google's Think Insights offers a peek behind the search giant's curtain

2011-11-14T06:57:00.001+05:30

I am not sure what this is. Is it google trends productised. I guess we should check it out. I would really like to know whether I can find more about what google thinks about me and everybody else (search engine secrets so to say). We will see.

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/11/2554455/google-think-insights-available

Google's primary revenue source — search-related advertising — is getting a more public face with its Think Insights website that's now out of beta. The site is a centralized hub for access to much of Google's search-related analytics and research studies, which allow marketers and others to spot emerging trends quickly and easily. It's promised that you'll be able to use the site's "real-time insights finder" (above) to gauge consumer opinion in real-time, but it's also just fun to dig around and see all of the data that Google has amassed. According to the company, the site makes finding answers to most questions — when does demand for pretzels peak? — no more than 60 seconds away. There are also lots of charts to be made using Google's data in merely seconds, like the one below comparing smartphone adoption in …

This superhydrophobic coating is truly stunning

2011-11-12T19:42:00.001+05:30

This is truly DEFYing! Hope Apple does not buy them. I guess not since it has applicability in so many areas and Apple is too focused for that. If the manufacturing cost is cheap, it could revolutionize the 'material' world.

http://pulse.me/s/34E78

pulse.me/s/34E78

Supporting entrepreneurs around the world with Startup Weekend

2011-11-12T04:57:00.001+05:30

This really seems like a great thing to participate. I am not sure when this will come to Bangalore (I really hope it does). It can probably provide us with an opportunity to try our hand at something new. Let us wait and watch.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/supporting-entrepreneurs-around-world.html

We recognize the transformative power of startups and the entrepreneurs behind them that have the passion and courage to pursue a dream; the impact they can make on society can be significant. Google was once a startup in a garage, and Google Ventures is a testament to our ongoing commitment to entrepreneurialism. As we head into Global Entrepreneurship Week, it’s clear that having a robust community of entrepreneurs, mentors and educational resources can be a key ingredient in a startup’s success, and we’re excited to be part of that.

RT @gigaom: Need to optimize your sleep? There’s an app for that. http://t.co/iUbx2WLa

2011-11-11T07:38:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/iUbx2WLa

New in 11: Diff Tool for Binary Files http://t.co/oYZgBX4M via @zite. Funny, should check it out.

2011-11-11T06:38:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/oYZgBX4M

Kill the Telcos Save the Internet - The Unsocial Network http://t.co/EXFMGqHB via @zite. Good read on the inner working of the Internet!

2011-11-11T06:22:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/EXFMGqHB

This is as futuristic as it gets! Ok may be it is not yet that polished.

2011-11-11T04:43:00.001+05:30

Sony HMZ-T1 Personal 3D Viewer review

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/10/2552518/sony-hmz-t1-personal-3d-viewer-review

Hardware / design

That is cool! May be we could get that in our office ;)

2011-11-10T06:27:00.001+05:30

Biscotti video conferencing camera puts Grandma on your TV for $199

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/9/2548251/biscotti-video-conferencing-camera-for-tv-199-demo

We've seen plenty of failed home video conferencing cameras ideas come and go, but that sad history hasn't deterred Biscotti — the startup just announced a $199 video camera that sits on top of your TV and can call both other Biscotti units as well as phones, tablets, and PCs using Google Talk. The camera itself is fairly clever: it sits between your TV and cable box's HDMI connection, allowing it to overlay its menus and UI on top of whatever you're watching. You can also set it to auto-answer calls and even automatically turn on your components using HDMI-CEC control, so it's fairly parent- and grandparent-friendly. We got a brief chance to play with it and the menus and interface seemed well-thought-out and complete, but we'll wait to comment on video quality when we actually get a review unit.

Did not realise that it is a quad core too! Cool Asus Eee Pad!

2011-11-09T22:57:00.003+05:30

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime: the first quad-core Tegra 3 tablet arrives in early December for $499

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/9/2548200/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-pricing-release-date-quad-core-tegra-3

Asus promised an official launch of its Eee Pad Transformer Prime on November 9th, and not a moment too late, the company is ready to give up the remaining details on its forthcoming tablet. However, those hoping that "launch" meant the world's first quad-core Tegra 3 tablet would start hitting stores today should be prepared to be disappointed — the $499 tablet (with 32GB of storage) and its $149 keyboard dock won't be arriving until early December. (The 64GB version will ring up at $599.) That said, after you read on below about all the improvements, you'll likely think it's worth the wait.

This is really cool! A tablet with a natively attachable keyboard.

2011-11-09T22:57:00.001+05:30

ASUS launches the new Transformer Prime with Tegra 3 and 12 Hour Battery (PR)

http://igyaan.in/2011/11/asus-launches-transformer-prime-tegra-3-12-hour-battery-pr/17795/

Asus has Launched the Eee Pad Transformer tablet in India, with the optional dock. The 16Gb WiFi only version was launched for Rs. 32,899/- and the ...

The second spot light has also focused on Html5. This time the shift is from silver light

2011-11-09T22:42:00.001+05:30

Microsoft may halt development work on Silverlight plugin after next release

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/9/2548975/microsoft-may-halt-development-work-on-silverlight-after-next-release

It's not just Adobe that's altering its plans when it comes to browser plugins designed to play back rich web media — Microsoft's joining in too. New releases of Silverlight, Redmond's big competitor to Flash Player, are reportedly going to be abandoned after the launch of Silverlight 5, expected later this month. This information comes from multiple sources cited by the usually well-informed Mary Jo Foley. They don't know how long Microsoft will maintain support for Silverlight 5 or if there'll be any service packs, but it does seem like the company will be switching its operational focus to other areas and halting active development of Silverlight.

WIMM One review http://t.co/0Is09oGI more smart watches... Android this time!

2011-11-09T22:38:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/0Is09oGI

Looks like Apple has finally truly won! Good bye flash. Html5, please take centre-stage. You are truly on the spotlight

2011-11-09T22:27:00.001+05:30

Adobe ends Flash development for Android and PlayBook, will focus on HTML5

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/9/2549196/adobe-flash-android-blackberry

Adobe officially kills Flash Player for mobile, says HTML5 is 'the best solution'

Watch "Samsung Flexible AMOLED and Transparent OLED Screens" on YouTube ... http://t.co/TKdr0gGu

2011-11-06T04:38:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/TKdr0gGu

This would be really something if we pull it off. http://t.co/e5EEJP1S

2011-11-03T06:08:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/e5EEJP1S

Nokia exploring free Wi-Fi service in India http://t.co/ZvFaQMCL Is it dream or reality

2011-11-03T05:53:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/ZvFaQMCL

Google Reader interface changes

2011-11-03T05:32:00.001+05:30

As I read news and articles from my twitter and google reader (ah the irony!), a repeated theme in the last few days has been the interface changes on Google reader. I have heard lot of complaints about it. These did induce me to go a take a look at the google reader page. After spending less than 5 minutes, which means I was superbly (is that a word! never mind) superficial, I felt there have been changes. But I could not form an opinion of whether it is good or bad. I guess I hardly spent any time to make such a conclusion.
It might seem that I probably don't use google reader. The truth is quite the opposite. I spent quite a bit of my reading time on feeds from google reader. But the google reader has become my backend for feeds. For consuming the feeds, I am using specific applications like Flipboard on my Ipad and d7 google reader on my phone. Even on my laptop I use news square or feedly (both used sparingly as I do most of my feeds reading in the tablet or the phone). Hence the change in the google reader UI did not impact me at all.
How will these changes play out? Are the complaints just temporary - rants from people who resist any kind of change which will die eventually? Will the might and dominance of google in this area just make people stick to it despite there being problems (if there are any at all)? Will people start moving to other alternatives for consuming there feeds (like me)? Will a new and good alternative to google reader emerge out of this? Throwing these questions in the air. At least time will answer them (but I am open to getting answers from others too!)

RT @mashable Siri Gives Apple a Two-Year Advantage Over Google, Says VC http://t.co/GjchBxFh .precise answer engine is better than search

2011-10-29T06:54:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/GjchBxFh

Log4j, Stat4j, SMTPAppender Integration-Aggregating Error Logs to Send Email http://t.co/ZAgK3ToE . Should we try it in our projects?

2011-10-29T06:08:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/ZAgK3ToE

Enterprises Can Now Create Google+ Accounts http://t.co/UR7uAC0t via @zite. Should we try it in our office?

2011-10-29T05:53:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/UR7uAC0t

My dad taught me cashflow with a soda machine http://t.co/eTu43hK2 via @zite. Really a fantastic article.

2011-10-29T05:38:00.003+05:30

http://t.co/eTu43hK2

Why did MDE Missed the Boat? http://t.co/QzUAwAiC via @zite

2011-10-29T05:38:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/QzUAwAiC

http://t.co/aIENk6O6 http://t.co/pWZvoE74 via @zite what is this? have to find out!

2011-10-29T05:23:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/aIENk6O6

Project Proposal: JFX http://t.co/ZjPcVGte via @zite. Oracle's desperate effort to revive java fx. Will it work? I have my doubts.

2011-10-29T04:53:00.003+05:30

http://t.co/ZjPcVGte

Weird Funny Java! http://t.co/7wah9lkC via @zite. Something to really try out.

2011-10-29T04:53:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/7wah9lkC

ScriptCover: Javascript coverage analysis tool http://t.co/GzuUw9wp via @zite. That's quite useful. Another chrome based tool. Firefox?

2011-10-29T04:38:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/GzuUw9wp

The Story of Siri, from Birth at SRI to Acquisition by Apple—Virtual Person (via @ReadItLater) interesting read http://t.co/tViZiKiT

2011-10-26T23:22:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/tViZiKiT

Rapid Prototyping For Any Device With Foundation http://t.co/ipJ3TRZr via @zite. Based on responsive design. Seems interesting!

2011-10-26T12:52:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/ipJ3TRZr

RT @jquery: Announcing the jQuery Standards Team http://t.co/HWMdAc1G chance for us to participate in something big at least in a small way.

2011-10-25T05:07:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/HWMdAc1G

Faster Web vs. TCP Slow-Start. http://t.co/1SfhrIZs

2011-10-22T05:38:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/1SfhrIZs

JDK 7 Adoption Guide - seems like a good summary of features! Check out. http://t.co/s7RxBH9z

2011-10-22T05:23:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/s7RxBH9z

Twitter to tie-up with Airtel to offer free access - tweet using sms!! http://t.co/PG5ZDmYb

2011-10-21T19:06:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/PG5ZDmYb

Hands-on with camera from the future – Lytro - Software controlled output! http://t.co/CQurjO5P

2011-10-21T19:00:00.001+05:30

http://t.co/CQurjO5P

I guess this is the phone angle...

2011-10-20T05:42:00.001+05:30

Samsung Galaxy Nexus Launched, Official Ice Cream Sandwich

http://igyaan.in/2011/10/samsung-galaxy-nexus-official-4-65-hd-amoled-display-ics/

Samsung and Google introduce GALAXY Nexus

From the horse's mouth. The changes are decent. Everybody is talking about the UI. We ll see

2011-10-20T05:27:00.001+05:30

Android Ice Cream Sandwich

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2011/10/android-ice-cream-sandwich.html

Google and Samsung launched Galaxy Nexus, the third Nexus Smartphone, and Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS), the new Android version that brings many of the Honeycomb features to smartphones. Ice Cream Sandwich is the first Android version that will work on smartphones, tablets and TVs, but today's launch only focused on smartphones.

Nice little cartoon. May be it is not just funny. May be there some truth in the fun

2011-10-18T22:27:00.001+05:30

Geek And Poke: DDT

http://geekandpoke.typepad.com/geekandpoke/2011/10/ddt.html

Tweet

Firefox going native (no XUL) on android.

2011-10-18T18:42:00.001+05:30

Firefox for Android Plans to Go Native

http://www.webmonkey.com/2011/10/firefox-for-android-plans-to-go-native/

Firefox on Android.

Some really good pictures!

2011-10-18T04:42:00.001+05:30

http://email-junk.com/photo/cool-inventions-15-pictures.html

http://www.stumbleupon.com/to/s/5wZfa4

http://www.stumbleupon.com/to/s/5wZfa4

Siri ad. Quite cool

2011-10-17T23:30:00.001+05:30

iPhone 4S: What can you say to Siri?

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/10/05/iphone-4s-what-can-you-say-to-siri/

Curious about the iPhone 4S's new voice assistant feature? So were we.

I have always thought I need something like this. May be I need to check this out.

2011-10-17T22:59:00.001+05:30

Belkin Power Pack – Charge your phones and tablets on the go

http://thegadgetfan.com/gadgets/belkin-power-pack-charge-your-phones-and-tablets-on-the-go.html

Belkin has released its Power Pack, a mobile charging dock in India. There are 3 variants which are available and the price ranges from Rs. 1999 to Rs. 4799. Belkin Powerpack allows simultaneous charging of two devices.

Siri - will it work for us (not US) guys who have a different accent. May be not! Check the video out.

2011-10-15T06:12:00.001+05:30

Siri gets lost in translation with Japanese ‘master’

http://www.bgr.in/2011/10/14/siri-gets-lost-in-translation-with-japanese-master/

This has to be one of the funniest videos involving Siri doing the rounds. Presumably shot in Japan, where the iPhone 4S went on sale today, all this guy wants to know from Siri is the weather outside. But Siri, for some reason, wants to hook him up with Linda. No matter what he asks, Siri keeps taking him back to Linda. Mind you, the man is not a native English speaker and can manage some broken English at best. Also, Siri remembers your past questions and considering this is a store where hundreds of people would have asked her all sorts of questions, we can spare her for getting disoriented. Nevertheless, it is one of the most hilarious clips so far. Watch it after the break.

Android on Hp touchpad getting better... Interesting. If only we had that sale.

2011-10-14T06:13:00.001+05:30

Cyanogen Mod 7 Comes to Touchpad in Alpha Build

http://igyaan.in/2011/10/cyanogen-mod-7-touchpad-alpha-build/

While we still un-package our touch pads, Team Touchdroid has managed to dual boot WebOS and Android 2.3 on he ...

Goodbye Mr.Ritchie. Thanks a lot too...

2011-10-14T06:12:00.000+05:30

Dennis Ritchie who created C and co-created Unix has died

http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/10/dennis-ritchie-who-created-c-and-co.html

Ritchie was best known as the creator of the C programming language and a key developer of the Unix operating system, and as co-author of the definitive book on C, The C Programming Language, commonly referred to as K&R (in reference to the authors Kernighan and Ritchie).

Ice-cream sandwich has come.... Hold on, I meant the statue!

2011-10-14T05:57:00.001+05:30

Android Ice Cream Sandwich statue arrives outside #44 at Googleplex

http://www.bgr.in/2011/10/14/android-ice-cream-sandwich-statue-arrives-outside-44-at-googleplex/

By: Rajat Agrawal | Oct 14th, 2011 at 03:18AM

Looks interesting to us, sadistic to bugs!

2011-10-13T06:42:00.001+05:30

How many bugs does it take to charge a Snapdragon powered smartphone? [video]

http://www.bgr.in/2011/10/12/how-many-bugs-does-it-take-to-charge-a-snapdragon-powered-smartphone-video/

Have you ever wondered how many bugs would it take to power your smartphone? We haven’t either. But someone at Qualcomm did and decided to find out. Nope, it ain’t one of those how many XXXX does it take to change a light bulb joke. Watch it for yourself and let us know whether you think this is the real deal or not. Either way, Qualcomm has managed to get its point across about its power sipping Snapdragon processors and we cannot wait to see what Nvidia and others come up with.

Had not heard of DAAS before. The use case does make some sense though.

2011-10-11T06:58:00.003+05:30

Orbitz outsources analytics to the cloud

http://gigaom.com/cloud/orbitz-outsources-analytics-to-the-cloud/

Travel-booking service Orbitz chose Kognitio's Data Warehouse as a Service offering. The decision to move such a critical piece of the analytics stack to Kognitio's cloud service highlights Orbitz's commitment big data and is further proof that the cloud is an ideal place for it.

The Games community group for HTML. They are getting really serious about gaming on the web. Look at some of the features they are adding.

2011-10-11T06:58:00.001+05:30

Workshop on HTML.next for Games

http://www.w3.org/2011/09/games/

The Open Media Web project organized a very successful workshop on HTML.next for Games on Saturday 24 September 2011, co-located with the onGameStart conference in Warsaw, Poland. This page reports on the outcomes of the workshop, in particular the creation of the Games Community Group in W3C, decid…

Android now blackberry like. Don't worry, only from a security point of view. RIM which is already in bad shape is going to get really fried

2011-10-11T06:42:00.001+05:30

The Most Secure Android Phone, Ever | Fast Company

http://www.fastcompany.com/1786472/most-secure-android-phone-ever-blackberry-headache?partner=rss

A new German project makes Android phones significantly more secure for business communications--this could change the way people use smartphones, entirely. The project, Bizztrust, creates virtual "work phones" on Android smartphones, and employs BlackBerry-style encryption to guarantee secure commu…

Could this be true! It will be great if it does. Let us wait with our fingers crossed!

2011-10-10T21:27:00.001+05:30

Free roaming, high broadband speeds in new telecom policy

http://www.bgr.in/2011/10/10/free-roaming-high-broadband-speeds-in-new-telecom-policy/

The new telecom policy will bring cheer to consumers with the government Monday proposing to remove roaming charges for subscribers within the country, exponentially increasing broadband availability and speed and allowing for mobile numbers to be ported to any part of the country.

Just got curious about GTD. Came across this. A starting point I think if you are interested.

2011-10-09T18:12:00.001+05:30

"Getting started with "Getting Things Done""

http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/08/getting-started-with-getting-things-done

This article was originally posted during the first week of 43 Folders' existence, and, pound for pound, it remains our most popular page on the site. Please be sure to also visit related pages, browse our GTD topic area, plus, of course you can search

More Mustache integration stuff

2011-10-09T17:38:00.001+05:30

Last week, we talked about scalate. We specifically talked about using mustache as the templating mechanism for the view. Since mustache was the template mechanism I wanted to try it out, I sought other mechanisms of integrating mustache with spring mvc. Mustache integration through java is the obvious choice (scalate is of course great but it still means adding the entire scala runtime/infrastructure to be embedded for just that use... seems a bit too much). When we check the mustache page, it leads to the framework/library created by Sam Pullara.
I did some more search just out of curiosity. I hit upon another library called jmustache created by samskivert (Michael Bayne). The documentation seemed to be there and I also found another github project by sps (Sean Scanlon) which integrates jmustache with spring mvc. So Viola! Everything was available readymade. I put in similar code to last time and things worked like before.
So now I had mustache spring mvc integration in java itself. Hopefully I will be using it more and will be able to comment on how good it is. Keeping the other implementation by Sam in standby for now.

Chrome is getting good tooling I guess. This is nice. Will add this to my chrome right away.

2011-10-09T05:12:00.003+05:30

Pendule – A Neat Web Developer Plugin [Chrome]

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/pendule-neat-web-developer-plugin-chrome/

I do quite a bit of Web development, and Google Chrome is my main browser these days. Chrome is pretty developer-friendly as it is, and you can also set up Firebug on Chrome. But today I wanted to show you a different Chrome extension called Pendule. Pendule supplements Chrome’s built-in Inspect Ele…

Chrome is getting good tooling I guess. This is nice. Will add this to my chrome right away.

2011-10-09T05:12:00.001+05:30

A sneak peek into samsung galaxy nexus - ice-cream sandwich flagship phone

2011-10-08T05:42:00.001+05:30

Samsung Galaxy Nexus caught on video

http://www.bgr.in/2011/10/07/samsung-galaxy-nexus-caught-on-video/

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Google’s upcoming flagship device, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, has leaked out in video form courtesy of Gadget.ro, and it’s almost a minute and half of pure Google. Ice Cream Sandwich looks like an evolution of Honeycomb, and it certainly does look like it will be at home on both smartphones and tablets. There are also thankfully some nice subtle design enhancements that start to make Android seem more cohesive. Video is after the break.