What's new about Windows Blue

What's new about Windows Blue (FAQ)

The top marketing and financial executive in Microsoft's Windows group dishes, just a little, on the next Windows update. CNET offers up a guide on what to expect when Blue finally arrives.

Microsoft's Surface RT tablet.

Microsoft may be the only company on the face of the planet where the sale of 100 million licenses is seen by some as a disappointment.
Tami Reller, the chief marketing officer and chief financial officer of the Windows division, noted Monday that Microsoft has sold more than 100 million licenses of Windows 8 since its October debut. But slowing PC sales have sparked some hand-wringing, leading to speculation about the coming update for Windows 8, codenamed Blue. The significant changes in Windows haven't been universally embraced, Reller acknowledged to The New York Times.
"The learning curve is real and needs to be addressed," Reller told the Times.

Reller said Microsoft is listening to customer feedback regarding frustrations with Windows 8. With the radical overhaul of the look and feel of the operating system, users have raised plenty of concerns about Windows 8. At the top of that list is the lack of a Start Button, something Windows users have grown accustomed to over the years.
"We feel good that we've listened and looked at all of the customer feedback. We are being principled, not stubborn" about modifying Windows 8 based on that feedback, Reller told ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley.
Much is riding on Blue, and not just for Microsoft. The entire PC ecosystem relies on Windows to fuel sales.
The company has been circumspect, though, about the details it's willing to share. Below is a FAQ laying out what is known, and what is rumored, regarding the next Windows update.
What is Windows Blue?
In a post Monday night on Microsoft's Windows blog, Reller described Blue as "a codename for an update that will be available later this year." She said that more broadly, Blue is part of Microsoft's effort to move deeper into devices and services.
Reller didn't dive into the details of what will be in Blue. But Reller said Blue will "deliver the latest new innovations across an increasingly broad array of form factors of all sizes, display, battery life and performance, while creating new opportunities for our ecosystem."
What sort of opportunities does Reller mean?
Clearly, Microsoft is working to make Windows 8 work well for smaller tablets, devices in the 7-inch range, where Microsoft doesn't compete now. Buttressing that, Asus CEO Jerry Shen told The Wall Street Journal Monday that he anticipates smaller tablets, selling for less than $300, to debut later this year.
Any guesses as to when Blue will debut, other than "later this year"?
Reller told The Wall Street Journal that Microsoft would offer two Blue news updates in coming weeks. The first will focus on "pricing, packaging and an official name," according to the Journal. The second will address the technical vision and should come before late June. That would coincide with Microsoft's June 26 to June 28 developer conference in San Francisco, called Build.
The company will want developers to know what to expect from the update to help them create applications that make use of the new features. It's possible that the first bit of Blue news could come at the the Computex trade show in Taipei from June 4 to June 8, where Microsoft is likely to take the wraps off new form factors running Blue. The company could also offer up details at TechEd, a conference in New Orleans on June 3 to June 6 for IT professionals and enterprise software developers.

Microsoft's Tami Reller

What are the implications of Blue for Microsoft's Surface tablet line?
Reller seemed to pour some cold water on the rumor that Microsoft might add a smaller Surface tablet to its lineup in the near future. She told The Wall Street Journal not to expect any update to the Surface product roadmap in the coming weeks. There was some speculation that Microsoft might disclose details of a smaller Surface at one of the upcoming conferences.
So will Microsoft bring back the Start Button? Will it let users boot their PCs to the traditional Windows desktop?
It's hard to imagine that Microsoft wouldn't, given that those two requests, more than any others, have been flashpoints for Windows 8 critics. But Reller, in every interview, remained cryptic on whether those features would be in Blue. That said, last month, ZDNet's Foley reported that both those features are "looking more likely."

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‘Build marketable skills for a competitive career’

Interview of the Day: ‘Build marketable skills for a competitive career’

Suman Rudra, India HR Leader, NCR Corporation gives tips on identifying marketable skills

What are marketable skills, in corporate terms?
Marketable skills are skills for which there is market demand.  It’s basically a process of identifying the skill one possess and linking it with the organisation’s need.  The need depends on the economic environment and also dependent on the business cycle. In a booming economic environment many skills becomes marketable as business growth requires more hands and feet on the ground but in a recessionary environment the ability to protect present business and focus on costs are the skills in demand.
What are the different types of marketable skills? Which ones are most sought-after, today?
There are three different types of skills. The first is functional skills which can be utilised in a wide variety of jobs. Examples are communication, organisation, problem solving, managing, leading etc.  The second is self management, sometimes called personality traits but are skills that define success in a particular career choice. Examples are initiative, risk taking, ability to work independently, being a good team player, assertiveness, dealing with stress. The third type of skills are work content and special knowledge specific to job function like building software code in a language/platform, architect, accountancy etc.
How can one know/discover their marketable skills?
Whatever the person has done successfully in past, there can be patterns identified on what they are enjoying and being successful at and to identify the skills. This can be done in a session with a career counselor. Having identified the skills they need to map the same with the job requirement or career they want to pursue, identify gaps and create a development plan.
Are there any skills, which have always been crucial, but have become marketable, recently?
It’s important to realise that marketable skills are constantly changing. This also varies according to job function. Like in sales & marketing the skill in demand is to reach out to customers with the media in vogue like mobile or social media. This has given rise to positions like marketing specialist in social media or digital marketing, similarly in finance the focus has been new laws like Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), International Financial reporting standard (IFRS). In HR its ability to drive a performance organisation, build leadership and constantly drive change. At CEO level it’s the ability to drive the organisation through short economic cycles of recession, keep team motivated and do business ethically.
How to identify and develop marketable skills?
There are tests available to identify skills/competencies one possesses. One such tool is Strength finder by Gallup. 360 degree feedback is also one tool available to develop leadership skills and competencies. These tools provide you detailed reports which guide a person with a development plan. There are many job specific tools also available. The point is to understand that which skills are in greater demand and what the aptitude for those skills is and then create a skills shortlist to focus on developing them instead of going for all of it. It’s best to have the end goal in mind, and then fill in the gaps.

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7 Foods that help burn fat in summer

Foods that help burn fat

Forget fancy diets, the top flab busters can be found in your own kitchen.

Summer is here and if you have been feeling wistful over not being able to wear your bikini, it's not too late. A magazine quoted dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton as saying, "Metabolism is what converts food into energy. A slow rate means calories are more likely to be converted into fat." While exercise helps, and so does portion control, here are those foods that act as the the biggest metabolism boosters.

Apples: These are said to be nutrient-rich and contain enough fibre to keep the digestion healthy. A tip? Eating an apple just 20 minutes before your meal will make you eat lesser calories in your main meal.

Turkey: This is regarded as a good alternative to chicken as it is lower in calories and higher in proteins and nutrients. It's said that 5 ounces of turkey contains just 175 calories and 10 grams of fat.

Broccoli: Adding more broccoli to your diet can help you lose that weight as it is a low-calorie food that can help you fill up quickly. A single cup of steamed broccoli gives you about twice the amount of vitamins C and K you need in a day. It also is a very good source of vitamins B6 and B2, phosphorus, magnesium, protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Almonds: Almonds can speed up metabolism like no other. They are also associated with with reducing cholesterol and lowering blood sugar.

Peppers: Bell peppers are great for weight loss. They can fill out any dish without adding the calories and have a small amount of fat burning capsaicin in them.

Pulses: Legumes or pulses like soya beans and kidney beans have key nutrients like iron, vitamins of B group and dietary fiber. Pulses help maintain regular bowel movement because the texture of the fibre helps it move through the digestive system quickly.

Green tea: Is another substance that can be added to the diet that can increase the metabolic rate. Green tea has EGCG in its composition. This substance helps to increase the body and the rate that the nervous system functions. It in turn increases the metabolism.

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Samsung launches dual-sim smartphone, Galaxy Core

Samsung has announced a new addition to its smartphone portfolio: Galaxy Core.

NEW DELHI: Samsung has announced a new addition to its smartphone portfolio: Galaxy Core. According to the company, this smartphone is meant for portability and power, and features optional dual-sim technology.

The all-new Galaxy Core features a 4.3-inch TFT screen with 800x480p resolution and 217ppi pixel density. It is powered by Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and packs a 1.2GHz processor under the hood, paired with 1GB RAM. Internal storage in the device is 8GB, and the phone supports microSD-based expansion up to 64GB.

Samsung's newest phone has connectivity features like 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 and microUSB 2.0. For imaging, the phone has a 5MP shooter with LED flash on the back and a VGA camera in the front. The phone has a 1,800mAh battery, measures 8.95mm along the waistline and weighs 124gram.

In the Indian smartphone market, the new Galaxy Core will rival the likes of HTC Desire X, Sony Xperia U, Motorola Atrix 2, Nokia Lumia 620 and LG Optimus L7 II Dual.

Key specs:

Display: 4.3-inch TFT screen with 800x480p resolution and 217ppi pixel density; Operating system: Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean); Processor & RAM: 1.2GHz CPU, 1GB RAM; Storage: 8GB built-in storage, up to 64GB microSD support; Connectivity: 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 and microUSB 2.0; Camera: 5MP rear camera with LED flash, VGA front unit; and Battery: 1,800mAh

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Miller scores 38-ball ton to help Punjab clinch unbelievable win over RCB

Kings XI Punjab's David Miller and Rajagopal Sathish celebrate team's victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore during IPL 6 match n Mohali. (PTI Photo)

MOHALI: It was an insult to injury for Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli. What a costly miss? He dropped David Miller when the Kings XI Punjab's South African southpaw was batting on 41 in his team's 14th over. It was not just any other dropped catch -- Kohli and every spectator realised this soon. What Miller did after that was something left everyone in a daze. It was over in the next four overs.
Scorecard | Watch IPL Videos | Match in Pics

Chasing 191, Kings XI looked dead and buried when they lost David Hussey, with the required run-rate swelling to 15 runs and more per over.

A heist was pulled off after that. Kohli dropped Miller off the last ball off the 14th over by Vinay Kumar and the match turned on its head. Miller decided to go for everything - he smashed RP Singh for 26 runs in the 15th over. The 16th over produced 16 runs, the next 17 and the 18th 23 runs! It was all over.

Kings pocketed by 6 wickets with Miller remaining unbeaten on 101. It was chase no one will forget in a hurry.

Earlier, it was just a change of venue for Chris Gayle. Everything else was same: decimating the opposition bowling line-up, hitting boundaries at will and increasing the crease lines on the face of the rival captain (this time David Hussey).

Pitted against Kings bowlers, the marauder from Windies started in typical fashion - watchful, sedate and biding his time.

The course of the Royal Challengers innings changed in the fifth over. An 87-metre six was followed by another monster from the bat of Gayle, which actually opened the floodgates for the Bangalore team. Newcomer Michael Neser, replacing Ryan Harris in the Kings XI squad, bore the brunt of Gayle's ire, conceding 18 runs off his first over in the tournament.

At the other end, playing his first match after fracturing his finger against Australia in the final Test in New Delhi, Cheteshwar Pujara was feeling his way into competitive cricket. But as Gayle went berserk, Pujara too joined the party, hitting three consecutive boundaries off Manpreet Gony in the final over of the fielding restrictions.

Gayle's (61 off 33b, 6x4 3x6) whirlwind knock was ended by Gony, who had his revenge after being hit for a massive six. Later, AB de Villiers' final assault — 21 runs off the final over —took Bangalore to a competitive total. But Miller had other ideas.

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BlackBerry Q10 review: The keyboard strikes back

The BlackBerry has finally caught up to the world of touch-screen smartphones. It took time - six years, from the launch of the first iPhone - and it may be too late to save the company that makes it. But the BlackBerry deserves to be taken seriously again.Why? Because the new BlackBerry Q10 is a successful marriage of the modern touch-screen smartphone and the iconic BlackBerry keyboard.
Though it can be hard to remember, the keyboard used to be a standard feature on smartphones, before the iPhone wiped our minds with its vision of touch-screen Utopia.
Since then, keyboards have been disappearing from smartphones. Physical keyboards just didn't fit into the design mold set by the iPhone. Palm Inc. created a credible, innovative smartphone with a physical keyboard, but it was a slide-out version, which made the keyboard seem like a burden and an afterthought. There have also been Android phones with physical keyboards, but they haven't been very good, and they've mostly disappeared.
Meanwhile, BlackBerry has continued to make well-designed phones with physical keyboards. But until now, it hasn't gotten the software running them quite right. Even with physical keyboards, modern phones need touch screens to control movies, games and other tasks beyond the BlackBerry's roots in messaging. BlackBerry has experimented with touch screens, but has been partly hamstrung by the pre-touch foundations of its operating system.
After numerous delays, BlackBerry finally came out with a modern operating system this year, the BlackBerry 10 (Review). The company considers it crucial to its future, as the BlackBerry seeks to recapture relevance lost to the iPhone and Android devices.
RIM's first phone with the new software, the BlackBerry Z10 (Review | Pictures), is a touch-only device. With the Q10, we really get to see how it works with a keyboard.
On BlackBerrys, the keyboard has always been about more than filling in text fields, and the new operating system takes that further. If you want to send a tweet about what you're eating for lunch, just pick up the phone, unlock it and type "tweet Turkey sandwich again today." Hit Enter, and now the world knows about your boring fare before you've even had a bite.
Just as you can on some older BlackBerrys, you can also launch applications by typing. If you want to play "Angry Birds," instead of flicking through screens to look for the icon, you can just start typing "Ang" and the game icon pops up. Again, that's fast.
The keyboard is handy for music, too. If you're in the apps screen, just start typing the name of the song or artist you're looking for, and up it comes.
I haven't used a keyboard-equipped phone in years, but the Q10 makes it very tempting. There's no getting around it: it's a faster, more accurate way to type, even compared with innovations such as Swype, which lets you "type" by swiping your finger from letter to letter.
The keyboard eats up space that could be devoted to a bigger screen, of course. But BlackBerry has saved some space by eliminating the big buttons that resided between the screen and the keyboard on older BlackBerrys. This results in a larger, square screen. It's very sharp and colorful, too. To some extent, the screen compensates for its small size with a high resolution, which allows it to present a lot of information, as long as you're willing to hold it close and read small type.
U.S. phone companies haven't yet said when they'll sell the Q10, but expect it by the end of May for about $250 with a two-year contract. It's coming to BlackBerry's home country of Canada on May 1.
The BlackBerry 10 software made its debut a few months ago on the touch-only Z10. The new operating system is a welcome change, not just for BlackBerry users. It's very quick to get around the phone, and it seldom leaves me baffled the way many incarnations of Android do. It's laser-focused on giving you access to email, texts and other means of communication, as opposed to music, movies and games.
One of the coolest features is the "peek." From any application, you can swipe your thumb up from the bottom of the screen, then right, to slide the application slightly off the screen. That reveals the messaging "Hub," which gathers your communications. At a glance, you can see which accounts have new messages. If you want, you can slide the app farther to the right, getting you into the Hub to read and write. Swipe left, and you're back to where you were.
The interface takes time to get used to, and it doesn't have the simple immediacy of the iPhone. But once you learn it, you can positively zip between tasks.
The downside to the new operating system is its relative dearth of third-party software. There are applications for Facebook, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. A Skype app out will be out soon. But there isn't any app for Netflix, Amazon or eBay. There are no Google apps, either. The selection of games is particularly poor. There's only one incarnation of "Angry Birds," and that's "Star Wars."
I also encountered one glitch while using the Q10 for a few days: I was unable to type my response to one email. Leaving it and going back into it did not help until the next day. That's the kind of problem that's going to frustrate BlackBerry users, so I hope it's a rare one, and one the company fixes soon with a software update.
That aside, the Q10 is likely to be attractive to the BlackBerry faithful. It deserves to lure some people over from Androids and iPhones as well. The keyboard makes the Q10 a good complement to a tablet. Use the bigger screen for entertainment, surfing and gaming, and the BlackBerry for messaging.
When I reviewed the Z10 model in January, I found I couldn't point to anything about it that would make me say: "Forget those other phones: you have to buy this one." I can for the Q10. If you value a keyboard, this is the one to get.

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Reliance Communications hikes call rates for both GSM and CDMA subscribers by up to 30 percent

Reliance Communications Monday said it has hiked mobile call rates for both its GSM and CDMA pre-paid customers by up to 30 percent to improve the profits."We have now corrected all Commitment Plans across the country and have increased tariffs by between 20 per cent and 30 per cent," RCom's Chief Executive Officer for Wireless Business, Gurdeep Singh said in a statement.
New tariffs to apply to all customers with immediate effect and the move is aimed at bringing in greater RPMs (revenue per minute) and profitability, the statement said.
"With the Indian telecom industry now heading for a phase of consolidation, with smaller operators shutting down or scaling down their operations and easing off hyper-competitive pressures, this will help pricing power move back to serious, long-term and pan-India scale operators and positively impact profitability," Singh said.
RCom said that large part of its customer base uses Commitment Plans. The company has hiked rates under Commitment Plans 21 and 45 from 1 paise per second to 1.2 paisa per second.
It has also reduced benefit under special tariff vouchers, which enable mobile phone user to get services at discounted rates by up to 65 percent.
"Commitment Plan 48 now offers 160 Local On-Net Minutes (RCom to RCom), against 500 minutes earlier-a reduction of 65 percent," the statement said.
Under Commitment Plan 46, RCom will now offers 140 Local On-Net Mins, as against 200 mins earlier a reduction of 30 percent.
RCom scrip was trading at Rs. 109.85, down by 0.27 percent, in the afternoon session at the BSE.

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Facebook can make you mentally ill: Study

Facebook and other social networking sites may affect your mental health by causing psychotic episodes and delusions, researchers warn.As Internet access becomes increasingly widespread, so do related psychopathologies such as Internet addiction and delusions related to the technology and to virtual relationships, according to the study.
Computer communications such as Facebook and chat groups are an important part of this story, said Dr Uri Nitzan of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Shalvata Mental Health Care Center.
According to Nitzan, patients shared some crucial characteristics, including loneliness or vulnerability due to the loss of or separation from a loved one, relative inexperience with technology, and no prior history of psychosis or substance abuse.
In each case, a connection was found between the gradual development and exacerbation of psychotic symptoms, including delusions, anxiety, confusion, and intensified use of computer communications.
The good news is that all of the patients, who willingly sought out treatment on their own, were able to make a full recovery with proper treatment and care, Nitzan said.
While technologies such as Facebook have numerous advantages, some patients are harmed by these social networking sites, which can attract those who are lonely or vulnerable in their day-to-day lives or act as a platform for cyber-bullying and other predatory behaviour, he said.
All three of Nitzan's patients sought refuge from a lonely situation and found solace in intense virtual relationships.
Although these relationships were positive at first, they eventually led to feelings of hurt, betrayal, and invasion of privacy, said Nitzan.
"All of the patients developed psychotic symptoms related to the situation, including delusions regarding the person behind the screen and their connection through the computer," he said.
Two patients began to feel vulnerable as a result of sharing private information, and one even experienced tactile hallucinations, believing that the person beyond the screen was physically touching her.
Some of the problematic features of the Internet relate to issues of geographical and spatial distortion, the absence of non-verbal cues, and the tendency to idealise the person with whom someone is communicating, becoming intimate without ever meeting face-to-face.
All of these factors can contribute to a patient's break with reality, and the development of a psychotic state.

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Tennis player tweets about Samsung Galaxy S4's awesomeness from his iPhone

Most brands consider celebrity endorsements as a way to break away from the clutter and drive home the message about their products. However, celebrities and brand associations don't always work out, especially when you throw in social media to the mix.Samsung roped in Spanish tennis player and current world number 4 David Ferrer to harp about its latest flagship Galaxy S4. On April 30, Ferrer took to micro-blogging website Twitter to say that he was mighty impressed with the S Health feature of Samsung Galaxy S4 and that this feature was helping him train.
While that seems a perfectly appropriate message to get people talking about the Galaxy S4, there was one small problem: Ferrer used an iPhone to send this tweet.
While Ferrer later deleted this tweet, it was captured by an alert user and later shared by TUAW website.
Ferrer is not the first celebrity to be caught with the proverbial foot in his mouth. Earlier this year, Alicia Keys found herself in a similar situation. At the launch of BlackBerry Z10, Keys took centre stage with BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins as the company announced that she will be the new Creative Director for BlackBerry.
However, a few days post her announcement, Keys was spotted sending tweets through Tweetdeck app on her iPhone. Though Keys later tried to clear the air by claiming those tweets were not her own but posted by a third-party on her behalf, the damage had already been done. Critics even pointed out that Keys had been posting photos using Instagram, an app which was not available on BlackBerry 10 smartphones at that time.
Even Oprah Winfrey had to face similar embarrassment. Winfrey went gung-ho praising Microsoft's Surface tablet saying on her website that "The Surface, Microsoft's first tablet, feels like a Mercedes-Benz to me, people!" and later took the micro-blogging website Twitter to inform her followers that she had bought 12 Microsoft Surface tablets as Christmas gifts. However, this tweet of hers had been posted from an iPad.
Some of the Indian celebrities too have been spotted making similar gaffes. One such example is that of Sonam Kapoor who was seen using Ubersocial Twitter app from her BlackBerry smartphone while she was still associated with S Mobility (Spice).

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YouTube reportedly near launch of paid channel subscriptions

Video-sharing site could launch a paid content platform for some of its specialist video channels as early as this week, according to The Financial Times.

 

YouTube reportedly could launch its paid subscription service for some of its specialist video channels as early as this week.
The a la carte service, which could involve as many as 50 video channels, would allow single channel subscriptions for as little as $1.99 a month, people familiar with the plan tell The Financial Times. YouTube confirmed to CNET in February that it was developing such a service but did not indicate when it would be ready for subscribers.
A paid content platform could give the Google-owned video site another revenue stream while allowing channel operators to finance different content production, such as TV shows and movies, a source said.
YouTube declined to comment on a target launch date for the service, reiterating earlier statements on the topic that it had "nothing to announce," but that it was "looking into creating a subscription platform that could bring even more great content to YouTube for our users to enjoy and provide our creators with another vehicle to generate revenue from their content, beyond the rental and ad-supported models we offer."

YouTube has approached a handful of producers about developing content for a subscription platform that might the video-sharing site hoped to launch this year, according to an AdAge report in January. YouTube was also mulling a plan to charge for other items, such as entire libraries of videos, live events, and even self-help or financial advice shows, AdAge reported.
Not long after that report, two lines of code appeared in YouTube for Android that referred to paid channel subscriptions. The code, apparently intended to generate messages on users' screens, say: "You can only subscribe to this paid channel on your computer," and "You can only unsubscribe from this paid channel on your computer."

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Bill Gates: iPad users frustrated, need the Surface

In an appearance on CNBC, the Microsoft chairman says that iPad users are suffering and need the things that the Surface can bring.

Prescient or envious?

The legion of unhappy iPad users is vast and growing.
They picket Cupertino daily, protesting that Apple make urgent changes to a device that really is substandard. They are very mad and they just can't take it anymore.
No, no, this is not my observation. It's my imagination of Bill Gates' imagination.
For in an appearance on CNBC on Monday, Microsoft's chairman explained very patiently that the iPad is a hive of pain.

I am grateful to the Loop for espying this footage and not using the word "loopy."
Gates told CNBC that Microsoft is ahead of the game with Windows 8. This "takes the benefits of a tablet and the benefits of a PC and it's able to support both of those." (Gates' comments begin around the 7:30 mark in the video.)
This leads him to the argument that his company is ahead in merging the benefits of the two forms and ahead of Apple in its thinking.
Until now, the tablet market, he said, has been dominated by the iPad.
"But a lot of those users are frustrated because they can't type, they can't create documents, they don't have Office there," he said.
Ergo, the implication is, they should buy a Surface or a Surface Pro. Indeed, the strong suggestion is that the iPad should be like the Surface. Why didn't Apple think of that?
Some might find a small difficulty with these thoughts. These frustrated people seem to not, as yet, be entirely enamored with either Windows 8 or the Surface.
There are those who describe Windows 8 as a "flop."
Sales of the Surface seem to not have been speedy, though the introduction of the Surface Pro has added some momentum.

It is, of course, possible that Microsoft will soon enjoy an explosion of success in these areas.
But Gates' heart has never been taken by the iPad.
When it launched in 2010, he offered these words: "You know, I'm a big believer in touch and digital reading, but I still think that some mixture of voice, the pen, and a real keyboard -- in other words, a Netbook -- will be the mainstream on that."
This prognostication was supplemented by: "It's not like I sit there and feel the same way I did with iPhone, where I say, 'Oh my God, Microsoft didn't aim high enough.' It's a nice reader, but there's nothing on the iPad I look at and say, 'Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it.'"
As the months and years roll on, I wonder how many people at Apple will look at the Surface and suddenly mutter: "I wish we'd done that."

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Did Google flush $12.4 billion down the toilet with Motorola?

An EU warning to Motorola Mobility is just the latest defeat that has some wondering why Google bought the handset and TV set-top box maker.

When Google said it would acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.4 billion, it was applauded as a bold move to shore up its patent position.
A year and a half and several legal setbacks later, many are wondering when -- and if -- Google will ever see a payoff.

The latest headache comes courtesy of the European Commission, which sent Motorola Mobility a formal list of complaints on Monday regarding how it uses its market position to seek and enforce a patent-related injunction against Apple.
Companies with a technology that's deemed by the industry as essential for all products have an obligation to license that intellectual property under what's known as "fair and reasonable" terms. The European Union is concerned that Motorola didn't give Apple a fair shake with that technology, made worse by Apple's claim that it has been willing to pay a royalty.
The warning letter, which potentially hamstrings how aggressive Motorola and Google can be in the courtroom, comes two weeks after a U.S. federal court judge ruled that Microsoft owed $1.8 million to Motorola for wireless and video codec patents -- a pittance relative to the $4 billion Motorola had originally sought.

The string of defeats has many becoming increasingly vocal about whether Google whiffed badly with its Motorola acquisition. Alongside the limited legal benefits Motorola has brought, the deal also caused a great deal of stress between its various vendor partners. While none admit it publicly, many felt put off by Google's purchase of Motorola and intent to keep running the handset business as a unit within the company.
Google has long maintained that Motorola runs independently of the Android program, but Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside reports directly to Google CEO Larry Page.
And what has that handset business brought? Little beyond continued losses that drag on Google's usually sterling financial results. In the first quarter, it lost $271 million, and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight for the red on Motorola's balance sheet. Of course, the results are a speck on Google's broader performance. In April, it posted a first-quarter operating profit of $3.48 billion and said it had $50 billion in cash.
Google's only real positive move was to unload Motorola's home set-top box business for $2.3 billion, ridding itself of 7,000 employees and a series of patent lawsuits.
Motorola's handset business, meanwhile, has been in the midst of a transformation, and has yielded some solid, if unremarkable, phones. The continuation of the Razr brand has kept Motorola somewhat on the radar, but it has little else going for it right now.
Perhaps the rumored "X Phone" will give it something to crow about. But for now, Motorola is looking increasingly like a high-profile blunder by Google.

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BlackBerry R10 rumors heat up

Leaks of a low-cost BlackBerry R10 handset build before BlackBerry Live.

Is this the rumored BlackBerry R10?

Over the weekend, leaked images of a new BlackBerry device came to light. Reportedly called the BlackBerry R10, this possible gadget will be a low-end version of the pricey BlackBerry Q10.
Judging from the photos that first bubbled up from Chinese Web site DGtle, then nabbed by N4BB, BBin, and Mobile Syrup, this R10 seems to sport a classic physical keyboard but a chassis that lacks the Q10's premium styling. Essentially the handset -- if the images are legit -- relies on less-costly plastic materials rather than the metal and fibered glass you'll find on the BlackBerry Q10.

The R10 also differs from the Q10 in that it has a glossy back plate and a more rectangular shape. According to reports, however, the R10 will run modern BlackBerry 10 software so perhaps the gadget won't prove too much of a step down. I don't have much faith in the QWERTY, though, since its keys appear flat and shallow compared to the Q10's marvelously chiseled typing surfaces.

 

So is the rumored BlackBerry R10, or whatever it might actually be called, all we can hope to see at BlackBerry Live next week? I personally was hoping for some sleek new tablets, but BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins torpedoed those wishes with statements he made recently.
Perhaps the company will announce some big ticket application partnerships or even display a real (read: easy) way to port Android apps to BB10. Find out as CNET reports live from BlackBerry's big event in Orlando, Florida next week.

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Facebook's iOS Messenger app gets all sticky

The sticker trend grows as the social network rolls out emoticons with its Messenger app update; it also brings back the delete-by-swiping feature for inbox messages.

Facebook rolls out stickers for its iOS Messenger app.

Ever had the need to show what you're feeling on Facebook Messenger with an image of a cute pink critter holding a heart-shaped pillow? Well, you're in luck.
The social network updated its iOS Messenger app on Monday with a grab bag of stickers. For those people unfamiliar with stickers, they're basically emoticons that users can tack onto messages for added sentiment, gusto, or laughs. Facebook will be rolling out the stickers on its iOS Messenger app over the next few weeks; Facebook Messenger for Android already has the stickers.
Currently, Facebook's stickers are free, but there is a chance it might start charging a nominal fee for certain "packs" of stickers. The social-networking app Path recently added stickers, which are free for the first two packs and then cost $1.99 for additional bags of a dozen images. Path added new packs of stickers to its app on Monday that include the Peanuts characters.

Facebook debuted stickers for its general iOS app last month and has since launched images created by illustrator Matt Jones. The pack by Jones features 16 facial expressions such as surprise, sympathy, sadness, and cheerfulness. In additional to rolling out stickers with Monday's update, Facebook also brought back the ability for users to delete conversations from their inbox with a swipe of the finger.

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Today`s Quotes

“It's so hard to forget pain, but it's even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.”

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By 2017, companies will expect workers to get their own device to work

When you walk in your office you are used to your employer providing a workspace, desktop, coffee and more. By 2017, you will still get your coffee, but might have to lug your own device at work as the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend becomes mainstream.

As BYOD programs become more commonplace, 38% companies expect to stop providing devices to workers by 2017, according to a global survey of CIOs by Gartner, a research firm.
“BYOD strategies are the most radical change to the economics and the culture of client computing in business in decades,” said David Willis, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner, in a release. “The benefits of BYOD include creating new mobile workforce opportunities, increasing employee satisfaction, and reducing or avoiding costs.”
Gartner defines a BYOD strategy as an alternative strategy that allows employees, business partners and other users to use a personally selected and purchased client device (like a tablet, a laptop or a smartphone) to execute enterprise applications and access data. It typically spans smartphones and tablets, but the strategy may also be used for PCs. It may or may not include a subsidy.
BYOD drives innovation for CIOs and the business by increasing the number of mobile application users in the workforce. Rolling out applications throughout the workforce presents myriad new opportunities beyond traditional mobile email and communications. Applications such as time sheets, punch lists, site check-in/check-out, and employee self-service HR applications are just a few examples. Expanding access and driving innovation will ultimately be the legacy of the BYOD phenomenon.
“However, the business case for BYOD needs to be better evaluated,” said Mr Willis. “Most leaders do not understand the benefits, and only 22% believe they have made a strong business case. Like other elements of the Nexus of Forces (cloud, mobile, social and information), mobile initiatives are often exploratory and may not have a clearly defined and quantifiable goal, making IT planners uncomfortable. If you are offering BYOD, take advantage of the opportunity to show the rest of the organization the benefits it will bring to them and to the business.”
Gartner believes that while BYOD is occurring in companies and governments of all sizes, it is most prevalent in midsize and large organizations ($500 million to $5 billion in revenue, with 2,500 to 5,000 employees). BYOD also permits smaller companies to go mobile without a huge device and service investment. Adoption varies widely across the globe. Companies in the US are twice as likely to allow BYOD as those in Europe, where BYOD has the lowest adoption of all the regions. In contrast, employees in India, China and Brazil are most likely to be using a personal device, typically a standard mobile phone, at work.

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Why you should have eggs

Why you should have eggs

According to a study, having eggs for breakfast is good for losing weight, as it keeps people satiated for a longer time. We eggsplores...

Barring vegetarians, who doesn't love having eggs for breakfast? Whether they're sunny side-up, scrambled, in the form of omelette or our good ol' anda bhurji. Some of us egg lovers even revelled in the slogan 'Sunday ho ya Monday, roz khao ande'. However, in recent times, eggs have gained notoriety owing to their cholesterol content. As a result, health-conscious people, especially celebs, only consume egg whites, and some have even gone to the extent of banishing eggs completely. But now, a study conducted in the UK says eggs are the best way to cut the flab. That's because eggs can keep people fuller for a longer duration of time, compared to the other food options consumed for breakfast. And this, in turn, helps people who are desperate to munch on snacks such as biscuits, chips and other junk food. We asked experts in the city, if the study holds true.

Keeps you fuller
Anything that contains high protein gives a stomach-filling effect. Eating protein-rich eggs for breakfast reduces hunger and decreases calorie consumption throughout the day. A study has claimed that the leucine that is found in eggs plays a unique role in the regulation of muscle protein synthesis and Insulin signalling. So, the introduction of food which is rich in protein — for example, eggs — in the diet, while reducing the consumption of complex carbohydrates in the body, also helps to burn the body fat. This, in turn, helps in controlling your hunger and food cravings, explains consulting dietician Dr Sunita Dube. Egg whites, she says, are low in calories and helps in losing weight.
Agrees consultant nutritionist Niti Desai. She says eggs contain protein and fat, which give the feeling of a full stomach for a much longer time. Also, eggs have definite calories — so, the caloric intake at breakfast is more or less fixed and restricted. On the other hand, the quantity of other popular breakfast options such as upma/poha can range from half katori to two katoris. All these factors make eggs an excellent breakfast option.

What about cholesterol?
Health consultant Dr Parul R. Sheth says, "An egg contains about 212 mg of cholesterol, all of which is present in the yolk. And the recommended amount of cholesterol is about 300 mg per day. It is true, therefore, that eating too many eggs can increase your cholesterol level. But studies have pointed out that eating four or fewer egg yolks each week does not increase your risk of heart disease." She adds, "To be on the safer side, you can eat only the egg whites; these have no cholesterol."

Don't avoid them completely
Egg yolks contain a hefty dose of cholesterol compared to egg whites. However, they are also a source of unsaturated fat and protein, as well as vitamins and minerals. And so, you should not avoid them completely. Consume them occasionally because they also contain food sources of natural vitamin D. Egg yolks contain 23 per cent of your daily choline recommendations and meets 6 per cent of your daily folate needs. Half of the protein found in egg yolks have an orange colour because of plant pigments Lutein and Zeaxanthin. Both these pigments support eye and muscle health and helps in easy absorption, opines Dr Dube.

How much to have?
Dr Sheth says, "You can eat as many egg whites as you wish since they contain almost no fat and cholesterol. Boiled, scrambled, poached or omelettes — without butter — in moderation (one egg with yolk per day) is fine." Your age, sex, body weight, and level of physical activity determine your calorie intake. A normal adult with a sedentary lifestyle should not consume more than four to five eggs a week, advises Dr Dube.

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Micromax A116 Canvas HD review

Micromax A116 Canvas HD is the successor to the company's popular budget phablet (large screen phones that are considered to be a phone-tablet hybrid), the A110 Canvas 2. The company has bestowed the phone with an HD screen, has put a quad-core chip, under the hood, and has doubled the on-board RAM. The phone was announced in January, but made its debut around 10 days back, generating a great response among new and potential customers, clocking in 9000 unit sales in a day, in addition to generating a lot of buzz in general. So does the Canvas HD live up to the hype? We try to find out.

Build/ Design
On first look, the Canvas HD looks more like an enlarged version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, unlike its predecessor, the Canvas 2, whose design resembled that of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2/Galaxy SIII. However, despite sporting a 5-inch screen, the phone looks compact compared to the Canvas 2.

On closer inspection, you'll gather that the front of the phone is black in colour, while the back is white. Looking from the sides, it gives the impression that the phone bears both colours since the removable back cover doesn't just cover the back and extends to the sides. We didn't like the dual-colour design concept, but some might find it interesting.

The screen forms the largest part of the front and the bezel is, thankfully, much thinner than that of the Canvas 2. The three capacitive navigation buttons sit below the screen, while the earpiece (also black in colour), notification light, and the front facing camera, are located above the screen. To be honest, the front has a very plasticky feel to it, but then this phone costs Rs. 13,990, so you don't expect premium materials to be used. However, the screen gets smudged easily, even without our hands being sweaty.

The back of the phone, which features a removable back cover, has also been done in plastic, sports a glossy finish and is less prone to smudges. The 8-megapixel camera lens protrudes out a bit, similar to the HTC One X camera lens. The LED flash and a secondary microphone are located adjacent to the lens. There's Micromax branding and a speaker grill towards the bottom. The back cover hides the battery compartment, above which there are two SIM card slots and a slot for the microSD card.

At the right side, you can see a Power/screen lock key, which is also white in colour. This button is a little recessed and at times gets a bit hard to press. The volume rocker sits at the left side and is easy to press. At the top, you'll find the 3.5mm headset jack and a micro-USB port. There's just a microphone at the bottom edge.

Overall, we felt that Micromax could have used better quality materials but it would have to cut corners to reduce the price of the device, so it's understandable.

Display
The USP of the Canvas HD is indeed its HD screen. The phone's 5-inch HD IPS screen sports a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and a colour depth of 16.7 million. Thanks to the higher resolution, text, icons and images look much sharper compared to the Canvas 2 and the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Grand. There was no pixelation. However, we felt that the screen contrast was a little haywire, resulting in images appearing to be washed out.

Under sun visibility was good though the screen is very reflective. Thanks to the IPS panel that facilitates wider viewing angles, we found that the viewing angles were indeed wide, which essentially means that more than one person can view content playing on the screen properly, even from different angles. We also found the touch response of the screen to be good.

Software/ Interface
The Micromax Canvas HD runs Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean). Micromax has skinned some elements of the user interface, such as the app icons and the notification tray. The notification tray includes toggles for settings such as Wi-Fi, Brightness, Rotation, Bluetooth, GPS, Data, Screen timeouts and profiles (for alerts and other notifications). There's also a SIM selection toggle. Similar to most other Android devices, there are five customisable home screens that can be filled with app shortcuts and widgets.

The notification tray also features a settings shortcut and a clear all notifications button, along with expandable notifications (expanded with the two finger pull gesture). Android 4.1 Jelly Bean also brings in Google Now, which needs to be initialised for the first time, before use.

For the uninitiated, Google Now is a voice based information assistant and an extension of Google search. You can ask questions and the tool returns answers or search results. It uses 'cards' which are essentially small boxes that offer different sets of information ranging from weather forecast, directions, traffic information, scores, appointments, and currency conversion, among others. Google Now collects information based on the user's behaviour, location, and even e-mail, to offer information automatically.

The three capacitive buttons, Home, Menu and Back help in navigating through the phone, with the Home button also doubling up as an app switcher on long press.

Micromax has also included some of its own apps including content stores, M! Store and M! Live, and services store, M! Zone, in addition to its messaging app, HookUp, and friends locator app, M! Buddy and a few 'try and buy' games (Fruit Devil, Cricket Fever). The handset also offers FM Radio and FM radio recording.

Micromax has also modified the Messages app, adding a Smileys input option next to the text entry prompt, and a button for attaching multimedia, contacts and audio clips, among others, with it. Micromax has also added a file manager app, a NoteBook app, a ToDo app, in addition to a universal search app, and a video player app. It has also replaced the stock camera app with a different one. The company has also included a Wireless Input Device app, letting users configure a Bluetooth-based input device with the phone.

Micromax has also modified the Phone Dialler app giving the option of calling from any one of the SIMs. The dialler resembles the iOS dialler in terms of the colour scheme.

Camera
The phone features an 8-megapixel autofocus shooter that takes decent images in daylight. However, we found the photos taken through the phone a bit overexposed, and the white-balance in the automatic mode was not optimal. This results in images appearing to be a bit whiter, and colours looking a little dull.  Indoor shots were above average. We also found that the camera took some time to focus. The camera takes good quality videos depending on the ambient light. However, it saves video clips in .3GP file format, which is an older file format.

As we mentioned before, Micromax has put its own camera app. The app leaves out the Panorama mode, but offers a burst mode, letting users click up to 99 shots at once. We also noticed that there is minor gap between two consecutive camera shots in the continuous shot mode. The phone offers three basic modes - Face Beauty, HDR and Photo. The photo mode allows users to modify settings like Exposure, colour effect, ISO and white balance, among others. There's a self timer of up to 10 seconds as well.

The phone also features a VGA front camera, which takes average pictures, and can be used for video conferencing. We wish the phone had a dedicated camera button to help click a quick picture.

Performance
The Micromax A116 Canvas HD is powered by a 1.2GHz MediaTek MT6589 quad-core processor with 1GB RAM onboard, and PowerVR SGX544MP chip for processing graphics. There is 4GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 32GB via a microSD card.

With Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the overall experience of navigation through the interface was impressive, thanks to Project Butter and the phone's quad-core processor. We did not experience any lag while launching apps, playing games, scrolling web pages or switching between apps. It is safe to say that performance wise, the Canvas HD trumps other phones in this price range. Even the more expensive Galaxy Grand loses out to the Canvas HD in terms of benchmarks, but end users are unlikely to note significant performance difference between the two, unless they are playing CPU-hungry games (Hint: The Canvas HD performs better).

We were able to play full-HD clips, with the phone supporting formats like .AVI, natively. The speaker on the phone delivers average quality sound at high volume levels, but there's some muffle when the phone lies on its back, as the speaker grill is located on the back. The headphones that come with the phone offer average quality sound output. Call quality was good, during our testing process.

The phone comes with a 2,000mAh battery, and based on our experience, it will just about last you a full day. We charged the phone in the afternoon (at around 2pm), and with medium to heavy usage, including 1-1.5 hours of phone calls, two e-mail accounts with push notifications, screen at maximum brightness, playing some music and video clips, Twitter notifications and WhatsApp chats, the phone lasted 8-9 hours. It's also worth pointing out that we had turned off Wi-Fi and auto-brightness, and the phone was hooked to a 3G network. Altering these settings might help in running the phone for a longer duration, depending on your usage pattern.

Verdict
The Micromax A116 Canvas HD is a worthy upgrade to the A110. A 5-inch screen phone, with a quad-core processor, running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, at a price point of Rs 13,990 is indeed a value for money proposition.

Other phones in the same range include the Karbonn S1 Titanium, which also has a quad-core processor, and sports a 4.5-inch qHD (960x540) multi-touch capacitive touch display and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The phone's been priced at Rs 10,990 and pre-bookings  have already started. The XOLO A1000 is another phone to look out. But we'd wait until we've had a chance to run these phones through our tests before recommending.

The Samsung Galaxy Grand is another budget phablet, if you don't mind spending Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 extra for a phone which has an inferior screen and battery life compared to the Canvas HD, but a better camera and bears the Samsung brand name.

Overall, the Micromax A116 Canvas HD seems to the best Android budget phablet we've come across so far, and we have no qualms in recommending it.

 

Price: Rs. 13,990

Pros

• Good screen
• Decent performance
• Excellent value for money

Cons

• Plasticky feel
• Power button is recessed
• Sub-par camera

Ratings (Out of 5)

• Design: 3
• Display: 4
• Performance: 4
• Software: 3.5
• Battery Life: 3.5
• Value for Money: 4.5
• Camera: 3
• Overall: 3.5

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Today`s Quotes

“You can't live your life for other people. You've got to do what's right for you, even if it hurts some people you love.”

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India Inc wants participative, adaptable, global leaders, says experts

A good leadership style is to be inclusive and caring in a diverse culture with people from various backgrounds

The success or failure of any organisation depends largely on its leaders. Their style of handling complex business situations, people and managing the whole show can make the critical difference between losing and winning in the marketplace. With the social complexities and cultural diversity of India, a combination of leadership styles is essential to manage talent. However, which leadership style is most effective in the Indian context, remains a question for debate.
In a poll conducted by TimesJobs.com on leadership styles, 69% of employees feel that participative or democratic style of leadership works best in the Indian scenario. Whereas, 21% are of the opinion that an engaging style does the trick. Another 10% of voters believe that an autocratic style is the most suitable leadership style.
According to Kamal Karanth, MD, Kelly Services, the most effective leadership style in India is “the leader’s ability to adapt to various styles as per need” mostly guided by the situational leadership model. “The ability to lead change is a critical strength for an Indian leader. Another component of good leadership style in India is being inclusive and caring, in a diverse cultural country like ours where people from various financial, religious, socio – economic and demographic backgrounds come and work together leader should be able to handle the diverse functioning styles of the employees,” he added.
Sharing a similar perspective, Ashish Arora, Founder & MD, HR Anexi, said, “Indian leaders should have an adaptable, improvisational style of leadership. Given the country’s obvious challenges in infrastructure, regulations and labour relations, Indian CEOs have grown to rely on their judgment to circumvent recurrent hurdles and still deliver growth. Ironically, this has made their businesses even more nimble and stable in comparison to their western counterparts.”
Ichiro Iino, Managing Director, Hitachi India, supports a participative leadership style, where leaders inculcate team spirit and culture. “In this manner, employees feel more engaged and decisions can be implemented easily. With emotionally hooked team members, retention of talent is likely to be high”, he added.
Adding a different perspective to the debate, Prithvi Shergill, Chief Human Resources Officer, HCL Technologies Ltd commented, “In a global world today, countries and companies need to co-exist and are impacted by each other given the interdependence on global economic conditions.  The need of the hour is ‘global leaders’ rather than ‘geography specific leaders’ who can leverage these global macroeconomic dynamics. A Global Leader is one whose key competencies lie in the areas of – Vision, Risk Taking, Influence and Creativity.”

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