Tuesday 10 December 2013

‘Customer-centric attitude, problem solving skills crucial to succeed in Retail sector’

12/10/2013 03:01:00 pm JOBS, TECHNOLOGY No comments

Interview of the Day: ‘Customer-centric attitude, problem solving skills crucial to succeed in Retail sector’

Barkat Charania, CEO, Beyond Talent Management Pvt. Ltd.

How has been the performance of retail sector this year? Has it been a good year for candidates looking to have a career in this sector?

The retail sector in India is performing extraordinarily over the past few years, thus becoming an eye-catching market throughout the globe. It is still growing at a great pace. The year 2013 has really added to its growth from various angles like increasing disposable income, changing lifestyles and favorable government policies supporting the growth of retail sector in India. The Indian population, especially the young population is driving purchases in fashion, lifestyle, mobiles and accessories, food and beverages and quick service restaurants. With the increase in shopping malls and the entry of many foreign brands, the shopping culture is changing day-by-day, and is more focused on organised retail.

With the increasing expansion of many brands and entry of new brands, the sector has produced immense job opportunities. These retail brands are growing not only in metros, but also in Tier II and Tier III cities, offering equal employment opportunities at every level. Out of these, nearly 70 per cent opening is for front level executives and remaining for mid and senior level positions. The only problem is the mindset of young Indian workforce to capitalise on these opportunities. Retail is still not being looked upon as a preferred career choice by these young graduates. If we randomly ask undergraduate students about their preference of work, once they complete their studies, the answers would be IT, Manufacturing, Banking and FMCG. But not even 5 per cent would say that they want to make their career in the Retail. Other than that, there is truly a shortage of skilled manpower, since the industry is in its developing phase and still growing exponentially.

What are the various lucrative career avenues in Retail sector?

Retail sector in itself is very vast. This is an industry which has happily given jobs to even the 12^th grade pass-outs or even SSC-completed students. Since there are only a few colleges offering retail specific training, the market is open for candidates from any stream and they can really grow to the top management if they work hard and perform to their fullest. People can start with store jobs and by polishing their skills get into merchandising, procurement, buying, sales, operations and business development. Also, with the expansion of malls, there are various openings coming up in retail leasing, mall operations, mall management and facilities management.

Do you see a skills gap in this sector?

There is a huge skills gap in the Retail sector. Formal education related to retail is very scarce. Organisations are trying to build in their own teams and mould them into their culture.

What are the top skills that can get you a job in Retail sector?

Hard work is the only key to success in Retail. Pleasant personality, customer-centric attitude and problem solving abilities are the few attributes which can easily grant entry to anyone into the Retail industry. Other than these, having a sense of fashion, merchandising skills, industry awareness and hardcore sales attitude are required to enter retail. Also, there are ways to get into corporate positions like HR, admin, buying and merchandising, procurement, logistics, finance, it, etc. through formal education.

Which are the top HR trends that made a mark in Retail sector in 2013?

Major focus is given to training and skill development at every level
The policies are now becoming people-centric rather than employee-centric policies, which was the case earlier.
Retention is given utmost priority over recruitment
Retail jobs can be very tiring wherein employee has to work for long hours and even during weekends. However, now-a-days, there are various policies being floated at organisational levels which would motivate employees to put in that extra effort and grow with the organisation. Also, there has been constant focus on career progression.

Interview of the Day: ‘Customer-centric attitude, problem solving skills crucial to succeed in Retail sector’

No Comment Posted by admin on Dec 9, 2013

Barkat Charania, CEO, Beyond Talent Management Pvt. Ltd., a specialty retail recruitment resource firm, in a conversation with TimesJobs.com shares the skills required to be successful in Retail industry and various career options for young graduates.

Rahul Raj, TimesJobs.com Bureau
Barkat Charania, CEO, Beyond Talent Management Pvt. Ltd.
How has been the performance of retail sector this year? Has it been a good year for candidates looking to have a career in this sector?
The retail sector in India is performing extraordinarily over the past few years, thus becoming an eye-catching market throughout the globe. It is still growing at a great pace. The year 2013 has really added to its growth from various angles like increasing disposable income, changing lifestyles and favorable government policies supporting the growth of retail sector in India. The Indian population, especially the young population is driving purchases in fashion, lifestyle, mobiles and accessories, food and beverages and quick service restaurants. With the increase in shopping malls and the entry of many foreign brands, the shopping culture is changing day-by-day, and is more focused on organised retail.
With the increasing expansion of many brands and entry of new brands, the sector has produced immense job opportunities. These retail brands are growing not only in metros, but also in Tier II and Tier III cities, offering equal employment opportunities at every level. Out of these, nearly 70 per cent opening is for front level executives and remaining for mid and senior level positions. The only problem is the mindset of young Indian workforce to capitalise on these opportunities. Retail is still not being looked upon as a preferred career choice by these young graduates. If we randomly ask undergraduate students about their preference of work, once they complete their studies, the answers would be IT, Manufacturing, Banking and FMCG. But not even 5 per cent would say that they want to make their career in the Retail. Other than that, there is truly a shortage of skilled manpower, since the industry is in its developing phase and still growing exponentially.
What are the various lucrative career avenues in Retail sector?
Retail sector in itself is very vast. This is an industry which has happily given jobs to even the 12^th grade pass-outs or even SSC-completed students. Since there are only a few colleges offering retail specific training, the market is open for candidates from any stream and they can really grow to the top management if they work hard and perform to their fullest. People can start with store jobs and by polishing their skills get into merchandising, procurement, buying, sales, operations and business development. Also, with the expansion of malls, there are various openings coming up in retail leasing, mall operations, mall management and facilities management.
Do you see a skills gap in this sector?
There is a huge skills gap in the Retail sector. Formal education related to retail is very scarce. Organisations are trying to build in their own teams and mould them into their culture.
What are the top skills that can get you a job in Retail sector?
Hard work is the only key to success in Retail. Pleasant personality, customer-centric attitude and problem solving abilities are the few attributes which can easily grant entry to anyone into the Retail industry. Other than these, having a sense of fashion, merchandising skills, industry awareness and hardcore sales attitude are required to enter retail. Also, there are ways to get into corporate positions like HR, admin, buying and merchandising, procurement, logistics, finance, it, etc. through formal education.
Which are the top HR trends that made a mark in Retail sector in 2013?

Major focus is given to training and skill development at every level
The policies are now becoming people-centric rather than employee-centric policies, which was the case earlier.
Retention is given utmost priority over recruitment
Retail jobs can be very tiring wherein employee has to work for long hours and even during weekends. However, now-a-days, there are various policies being floated at organisational levels which would motivate employees to put in that extra effort and grow with the organisation. Also, there has been constant focus on career progression.

- See more at: http://content.timesjobs.com/interview-of-the-day-customer-centric-attitude-problem-solving-skills-crucial-to-succeed-in-retail-sector/?fromsite=toi&utm_source=toi&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=toi-tj-whitelabel#sthash.wMz2kPNT.dpuf

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20 ways to burn 200 calories

12/10/2013 02:59:00 pm TECHNOLOGY No comments

20 ways to burn 200 calories

Burning calories need not be an intensive training ritual or sweating out in the gym every day. It is true that weight loss requires healthy eating practices and a disciplined routine that comprises of various physical activities. But who said that these activities are constricted to a boring gym only!

We give you fun and easy ways to burn 200 calories, pick and choose what you love to do and then see the scale moving in the right direction.

Skip
Remember that skipping rope that is tucked away in your ward robe. Well, it's time to bring it to use. Get into a pair of comfortable cushioned shoes, and start hopping! Skipping is a good cardio workout too.

10-15 minutes = 200 calories burned

Hit play
No! We are not asking you to sit on the couches all day playing a video game that will give you a dark circle. Instead opt for ones that have you on your feet. Call a friend over and indulge in an hour of thumb exercise along with jumping and sweating with guns and PS3 wands.

50 minutes = 200 calories burned

Green way
Stop complaining about how the trees are not trimmed and the plants are not shaped in your vicinity. Why not take a couple of gardening tools and get started. Having plants around you is also a way to de-stress.

40 minutes = 215 calories burned

Workout buddy
Take your pet to a near by park or running track and walk briskly. Try running for a while; play with your pet as he needs to stretch too!

25 minutes = 190 calories burned

Car wash
Why send the car or your bike to an expensive car wash when you can do it yourself? Get into your loose pyjamas, grab a bucket, scrub, soap and get into a heavy duty clean up

40 minutes = 216 calories burned

Net practice
What about a game of badminton? All of us have a pair of rackets kept above or under our cupboards. Polish your skills with the racket while you get some good stretches, jumping, bending and muscle fun.

25 minutes = 218 calories burned

Makeover
Every time you sit to watch your favorite sitcom you pass a comment of how messy the house looks from that corner. Get off the couch and give your house a makeover - dusting, lifting, pushing all will help you lose calories.

25 minutes = 210 calories burned

Stair training
Stop pressing the lift button every now and then; try to remove the thought of taking the stairs the lift but take the stairs. Be it the shopping mall, your residential building, office or school.

30 minutes = 216 calories burned

Activity time
Done with dinner and watching TV, stop before you head to your room. Why not play a board game, do a fun activity, do some reading or indulge in gossip?

60 minutes = 200 calories burned

Gully cricket
Why waste the afternoon sitting at home watching sitcom reruns, rather call your friends, head to the nearby grounds and get out the Tendulkar in you playing. Carry your cricket kit, and stumps and gloves. It is a great exercise.

50 minutes = 210 calories burned

Take a dip
Put on your swimming costume and take a plunge. Swimming is the best form of workout and your body will feel refreshed and charged up.

30 minutes = 215 calories burned

Cycle
Take your bike out and go for a ride; an evening or morning trail will work wonders. A 10-12 mph pace is moderate for most people, but you'll burn more calories going uphill and/or faster.

30 minutes = 210 calories

Clean and organise
Clean out the garage or the ward robes. You've put it off for too long, and you know it needs it-so why not use it as an excuse to burn some calories! Get rid of what you don't need - clothes and the weight.

25 minutes = 210 calories burned

De-stress with a massage
After a stressful day, you need a full body massage; you can also spice up the mood with your partner. Get hold of his/her favourite oil and get on with it.

42 minutes = 200 calories

Boot camp
Just create your own boot camp. Jump, squat, a few push ups, jumping jacks and a little bit of marching. Do each of them for 2-3 mins and then repeat.

30 minutes = 200 calories burned

Paint the wall
Add a fresh coat of paint to your favourite room to burn calories while you cross off your to-do list!

40 minutes = 208 calories burned

Dance
Let down your hair and groove to some desi numbers in your living room, rope in your kids and partner too. Throw your hands in the air, move, jump, swing and every possible thing you want to do. Just remember to keep away from the delicate furniture.

40 minutes = 216 calories burned

Football
Meeting friends at a cafe seems outdated, why not have a game of football at your local play ground. It is a great way to build relationships too.

20 minutes = 192 calories burned

The historic treadmill
Remember after a session with your health freak friend you bought yourself an elephant (read treadmill). It's time for a quick jog (try to maintain it at about a 5 mph pace)

20 minutes = 192 calories burned

Vacuum your house
This one job seems to never end, but fret not. Put on your favourite music, wear a bandana, change into comfortable clothes and keep moving. Complete it as quickly as possible to ensure your heart rate gets up!

40 minutes = 216 calories burned

8-inch Google Nexus tablet’s specs leaked

12/10/2013 02:57:00 pm TECHNOLOGY No comments

8-inch Google Nexus tablet’s specs leaked

Internet grapevine is abuzz with alleged specs of the upcoming Google Nexus 8, which is being manufactured by LG.

NEW DELHI: Google has tasted success with its Nexus range of tablets and now reports hint that the company is working on an 8-inch version of the tablet. Internet grapevine is abuzz with alleged specs of the new tablet, which is being manufactured by South Korean electronic giant LG.

Twitter user EVLeaks, which has leaked details of many gadgets accurately in the past, has tweeted that the upcoming LG V510 tablet is a part of Google's Nexus range.

Chinese microblogging platform Weibo too has posted an image of the service manual of LG V510. The image shows that the upcoming model will have an 8.3-inch TFT screen with 1920x1200p resolution. This device is 8.3mm thick, weighs 349.38gram and is powered by a 4,600mAh battery.

The Android-powered tablet will access the internet via Wi-Fi as well as cellular networks and transfer data over Bluetooth and microUSB. On the back, Nexus 8 will sport a 5MP camera, while a 1.3MP camera will be placed in front. According to the image, the tablet will support eMMC storage of 16GB and offer 1GB RAM.

Since Apple launched the iPad mini with an 8-inch display, rivals like Samsung also introduced models with similar screen size.

LG recently launched a tablet with 8.3-inch screen, named G Pad. It also manufactures the Nexus 5 smartphone for Google.

Earlier, the company 'accidentally' leaked an image of the new tablet on the official website for Android. The device in the picture was smaller in size than the Nexus 10 and had bezels much smaller than those of the new Nexus 7. This had given rise to speculations that Google is readying its first 8-inch tablet.

App developers, data scientists in for salary surprise

12/10/2013 02:57:00 pm TECHNOLOGY No comments

App developers, data scientists in for salary surprise

Management accountants, data scientists, app developers and marketing managers in for salary surprise as firms try to retain talent.

NEW DELHI: Dull pay hike prophecies this year may refuse to die down for now, but for some niche profiles, handsome hikes and rewards are in order, as corporates look to retain this pool of scarce talent.

Profiles like that of management accountants, data scientists, app developers and marketing managers are expected to be rewarded significantly in the current appraisal season, more or less in line with last year's levels.

The profile of a data scientist is among the hottest across sectors and hikes can range from 30% to 50%, says Subeer Bakshi, director of talent and rewards at Towers Watson India. "As much as 90% of the world's data was created in the past two years and these professionals are in short supply, which gives them the ability to write their own pay cheques," he says.

Sectors like retail will have tons of data, and these professionals can help them with data assessment and analysis. Layout designers in retail companies and media managers who can formulate strategies based on insights from data scientists can expect hikes ranging from 20% to 30%.

Consulting firm Mercer estimates that roles like that of experienced marketing analyst and sales representatives in sectors like automobiles, consumer durables and pharmaceuticals will continue to be on companies' priority list. In information technology, salary hikes will be dominated by profiles in mobility, cloud and security, says technology and market research firm Forrester's VP and country manager for India, Manish Bahl.

"There will be more spending on security as a skillset," he says. With greater focus on customer experience, mid-to-senior IT roles like app development and business consulting can fetch hikes of 15% to 17% compared with average hikes of 10% to 12%, he says. Hikes in IT were in the range of 10% to 11% last year, according to Forrester estimates.

Jobs in regulatory affairs in the pharma and medical devices sector are in demand and can expect hikes in the range of 11% to 20%, according to Kelly Services.

"This is mainly because a lot of Indian companies have been wanting to sell in the US for which they require FDA approval and expertise in FDA filing," says Kamal Karanth, managing director, Kelly Services. Jobs in supply chain management and purchase in pharma and consumer goods can expect hikes in the 9% to 18% range across levels, due to a steady increase in exports.

While last year's hikes for roles in regulatory affairs were estimated to be at 11% to 18%, they were in the region of 10% to 18% in supply chain and purchase. An increasing number of professionals are opting for specialised courses that help them cultivate niche expertise.

Sriram Kameshwar, a director of finance and corporate facilities, was a chartered financial analyst and associate member from the Institute of Cost Accountants of India when he decided to enroll for the CIMA course in 2005. Considered to be more than just pure play accounting, a CIMA course in management accounting combines accounting, finance and management.

This year's salary survey of 40% of CIMA India's 500 members revealed that over the next 12 months, 95% of part-qualified students are expected to receive a salary increase of 13.6% well over the 2013 'IMF World Economic Outlook on Price Inflation' forecast of 10.8%. In 2013, qualified CIMA members in India are earning an average of Rs 26.3 lakh in basic annual salary plus Rs 3.6 lakh in bonuses, totalling Rs 30.02 lakh per year.

Among all its members and students, a good 62% are satisfied with their salary. "The qualification has helped me look at situations from different functional perspectives as the course is a good blend of core technical, strategic and business management domains," says Kameshwar.

Apart from accounting, he adds the course has helped him in business development, in contributing effectively as a member of the company's leadership team and board, and in influencing strategy.

India may issue warning against Bitcoin

12/10/2013 02:56:00 pm TECHNOLOGY No comments

India may issue warning against Bitcoin

Indian authorities may soon issue a public advisory to warn against potential risks associated with Bitcoins.

NEW DELHI: As regulatory glare increases on Bitcoin globally and its exchange rates become extremely volatile, Indian authorities may soon issue a public advisory to warn against potential risks associated with this new digital currency concept.

While authorities and experts are becoming more worried about its potential money laundering risks, there are also concerns about this new phenomenon snowballing into an 'e-ponzi' or an electronic version of investor fraud, given the growing promotion of Bitcoin as an investment product without any enabling regulations for them.

"At least a public advisory may be issued soon to warn against possible risks associated with Bitcoins," a senior official said, while adding that the pressure has increased on regulatory and enforcement agencies in India after latest moves by China and France on this front.

"The fact remains that regulators are scrambling for ways to regulate this entire gamut of digital currency, as it is a totally new concept in India and even the jurisdiction is not clear as yet on who should regulate them," he said.

While US has declared that all prevailing money laundering laws would apply to Bitcoins, China has asked its banks and other financial institutions not to deal in Bitcoins and the public has been asked to do so at their own risk. Besides, France last week warned its banks about risks related to bitcoins.

At the same time, the experts are also raising concerns about cyber security issues, given the huge scope of money laundering and other illegal activities through use of an unregulated digital currency concept.

"The real fear is that Bitcoin can be used to help money laundering," said V Rajendran, advocate and president, Cyber Society of India.

"The concept of a digital currency, unregulated by any monetary authority, is a recipe for disaster. The RBI must step in and regulate this immediately. Lured by so-called appreciation in Bitcoin value, people may invest in this and risk losing everything," he added.

After a phenomenal surge in the exchange rate for Bitcoin from little over $200 to well past $1,000 during November, the rates have seen an extreme volatility over the past few days -- falling suddenly to near $800 amid China's move and then soaring past $1,200 level.

"Bitcoins have no backing of any government which means in the event of a liquidity crisis, nobody is bound by law to help," said SN Ravichandran, an anti-cyber crime expert who helps police and other authorities regularly.

"The source of traditional hard currency converted into Bitcoin is unknown, no records are being kept. So, Bitcoin can very well be used to finance terror.

"We know what happened with Liberty Reserve, another digital currency. China and France have warned its banks from dealing with Bitcoin," he added.

How Facebook wants to use your data

12/10/2013 02:55:00 pm TECHNOLOGY No comments

How Facebook wants to use your data

Facebook unveiled plans on a partnership with New York University for a new center for artificial intelligence

WASHINGTON: Facebook has unveiled plans on a partnership with New York University for a new center for artificial intelligence, aimed at harnessing the huge social network's massive trove of data.

The California-based tech giant named professor Yann LeCun of NYU's Center for Data Science to head up the project.

"As one of the most respected thinkers in this field, Yann has done groundbreaking research in deep learning and computer vision," said Mike Schroepfer, Facebook's chief technology officer. "We're thrilled to welcome him to Facebook."

Facebook, the world's biggest social network with more than a billion members, is building the team across three locations -- New York, London and its headquarters in Menlo Park, California.

The lab will work on "machine learning," -- a branch of artificial intelligence that involves computers "learning" to extract knowledge from giant data sets.

LeCun, a French-born mathematician and computer scientist, said in a blog post that he was pleased to head up the project with "the ambitious, long-term goal of bringing about major advances in artificial intelligence."

"I am thrilled to announce that I have accepted the position of director of this new lab," LeCun wrote. "I will remain a professor at New York University on a part-time basis, and will maintain research and teaching activities at NYU."

Facebook chief and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg spoke of the plans during a call in October to discuss the company's quarterly earnings.

Zuckerberg said a working group was formed in September "to do world-class artificial intelligence research using all of the knowledge that people have shared on Facebook."

"The goal here is to use new approaches in AI to help make sense of all the content that people share so we can generate new insights about the world to answer people's questions," Zuckerberg said at the time.

He added that one of the goals was "to build services that are much more natural to interact with and can help solve many more problems than any existing technology today."

LeCun is a professor at NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences and is the founding director of the university's Center for Data Science.

He is known for creating an early version of a pattern-recognition algorithm which mimics, in part, the visual cortex of animals and humans.

The algorithm helped allow AT&T's Bell Labs to deploy a check-reading system that by the late 1990s was reading about 20 percent of all the checks written in the US, according to NYU.

LeCun's recent research projects include the application of "deep learning" methods for visual scene understanding and navigation autonomous ground robots, driverless cars, and small flying robots, as well as speech recognition, and applications in biology and medicine.

India look for consolation win against South Africa

12/10/2013 02:54:00 pm CRICKET No comments

India look for consolation win against South Africa

The wretched form of Raina and Yuvraj has been a cause of concern for Fletcher and Dhoni.

CENTURION: Having conceded the ODI series with humiliating back-to-back defeats, India will aim to salvage some pride by winning the third one-dayer against South Africa on Wednesday, in order to gain confidence ahead of the two-Test series.

It will be redemption time for Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men at the Super Sport Park after two embarrassing losses in the first two matches which also exposed the famed batting line-up's inability to cope with pace and bounce of the South African tracks.

India suffered a 141-run rout in the first ODI at Wanderers and then another 136-run defeat in the second ODI at Kingsmead. A contest that started with questions about the visitors' bowling line-up has turned into an uncomfortable one about their young batting order.

That aptly describes India's journey from Johannesburg to Durban, and back. In the first ODI, a poor bowling performance was enough to absolve the batsmen of not standing up to some superb South African bowling.

In the second ODI, those excuses vaporized, given that the pitch was considerably slower. Yet the results were alarmingly similar.

While the 359-run chase was never on, 281 was a more probable target. Dale Steyn's opening spell in both the ODIs left India in the lurch, and by the time he finished his first five overs on each occasion, the contests were as good as over.

It highlights the fire in Steyn's belly at the moment, and his desire to do well against a batting line-up that until now was riding high on confidence and self-belief. That bit has now been wiped clear by some sensational fast bowling.

It also reflects on how top-heavy this Indian batting has become. Ahead of the series, it was a celebratory fact that Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli, each of them had a thousand runs in ODIs this calendar year.

Two matches later, it becomes clear that the onus of run-scoring now clearly rests on their shoulders alone (with Dhoni as a floater in the latter half of the innings "depending on situations", as put by vice-captain Virat Kohli).

There will be intense pressure on the Indian team considering they have to bear the brunt of the best pacer in world cricket up front as well as hinge the non-performing middle-order batsmen from the rest of a finely assembled bowling attack. They have failed so far and India duly conceded the series. Skipper Dhoni admitted pretty much the same after the last defeat.

The wretched form of Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh has also been a cause of concern for the skipper. They didn't come to the tour with a particularly good recent record. Both their individual averages, in the nine ODIs against Australia and West Indies at home, hovered around the 20-mark.

The team management experimented with the No. 4 slot in the Australia series, interchanging their batting positions which might have affected Yuvraj's form. However there can't be excuses for a highest score of 12 in the six matches against Australia.

Back at number four against the West Indies, Yuvraj did contribute a vital 55 runs in the series-decider at Kanpur.

Yet the difference between sub-continental and South African conditions was clearly visible in his two-ball stay in the first ODI at the Wanderers.

One of the biggest arguments in favour of Raina and Yuvraj is their ability to bowl part-time spinners particularly in sub-continental conditions when flat wickets at home leave even a five-pronged attach toothless.

Even in the second ODI, wherein the Indian bowling attack bounced back from their pedestrian display at Johannesburg and restricted the Proteas to just 280 runs, the nine overs bowled by Raina and Virat Kohli proved vital in the greater scheme of things.

While it is vital not to concede 300-plus runs in every match, it is also important to build a stable batting line-up that can chase successfully irrespective of the conditions.

Skipper Dhoni had ruled out large-scale changes to the side for the third one-dayer and proclaimed the 'need to play a consistent, best-available' line-up.

Does that imply Ajinkya Rahane ahead of Yuvraj, despite a failure to grab his chance at Durban in getting out to a poor shot, or indeed a try-out for waiting-in-the-wings Ambati Rayudu? It needs to be pointed out that neither of them is a particularly useful part-time bowler.

Talking of bowlers, if there has been one particular positive of this tour, it has been the learning curve of Mohammad Shami.

Shami's pace allowed him to use the Wanderers pitch to good effect and he just carried that on to Kingsmead, picking up six wickets against an in-form batting line-up.

"It is very crucial to hit the right lengths, with the new and old ball, and Shami has done both," Dhoni had said, after the second ODI, about his best bowler so far.

Given the Men in Blue's lean resources in the bowling department, it is unlikely that Shami will be given a break in the third ODI at Centurion.

As far as the South Africans are concerned, having exposed the top-ranked ODI side in alien conditions, it will be well deserved should they choose to alter their line-up for this final limited-overs game of their calendar year.

It has been hinted that Jacques Kallis and Steyn might be given a break, giving a partly new-look to their XI at Centurion.

If that is the case, will the Indian batting line-up regale in the absence of Steyn and gain some confidence going into the Test leg of the tour? That remains to be seen.

Teams (from):

India: MS Dhoni (Capt.), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Ambati Rayudu, Ajinkya Rahane.

South Africa: AB de Villiers (Capt.), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Vernon Philander, Graeme Smith, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Samsung Galaxy Win Pro quad-core smartphone listed on official China site

12/09/2013 03:42:00 pm TECHNOLOGY No comments

Samsung Galaxy Win Pro quad-core smartphone listed on official China site

The South Korean handset maker seems all-set to launch another mid-range quad-core smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Win Pro.

The successor to Samsung Galaxy Win I8550, which was launched in India as the Galaxy Grand Quattro, is listed on Samsung Mobiles' China portal (above image translated via Google Translate). So far, there has been no official announcement by the company, and availability and price remain unknown, though most specifications are featured on the listing.

The Samsung Galaxy Win Pro is a dual-SIM (WCDMA+GSM) smartphone that runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. It is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, but the memory and storage capacity are not mentioned by the company.

The Galaxy Win Pro flaunts higher resolution but smaller 4.5-inch qHD (540x960) display, compared to its predecessor, which had a 4.7-inch WVGA (480x800) display. Apart from a VGA front-facing camera, the smartphone boasts of a 5-megapixel AF rear camera with LED flash with shooting modes like panorama shooting, continuous shooting etc., the camera can also record sound while shooting photos.

The battery power has been slightly improved with a bump up to 2100mAh from 2000mAh on the Galaxy Grand Quatrro. Other specifications of the Galaxy Win Pro include full-HD video playback capabilities, apart from Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G, GPS and Micro-USB connectivity.

Recently Samsung had announced the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Grand, the Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box. The Galaxy Grand 2 is a dual-SIM device with support for GSM+GSM. It features a 5.2-inch HD TFT display with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels.

The Galaxy Grand 2 is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor alongside 1.5GB of RAM. It sports an 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera accompanied by an LED flash. It also houses a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera. It comes with 8GB inbuilt storage, which is further expandable up to 64GB via microSD card.

Mobiles launched in December 2013

Samsung Galaxy Win Pro key specifications

4.5-inch qHD display with a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels

1.2GHz quad-core processor

Dual-SIM (WCDMA+GSM)

5-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED flash

0.3-megapixel front-facing camera

Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean

Samsung Galaxy Win Pro

Display

4.50-inch

Processor

1.2GHz

Front Camera

Yes

Resolution

540x960 pixels

RAM

OS

Android 4.2

Storage

Rear Camera

5-megapixel

Battery capacity

2100mAh

See full Samsung Galaxy Win Pro specifications

Apple wants Samsung to pay a third of its legal bills in California patent case

12/09/2013 03:41:00 pm TECHNOLOGY No comments

Apple wants Samsung to pay a third of its legal bills in California patent case

Apple wants Samsung Electronics to pay $22 million of the legal bills that the iPhone and iPad maker has rung up so far defending its mobile device patents in a courtroom battle.

The money sought in documents filed Thursday would be in addition to the $930 million in damages that juries decided Samsung owes Apple Inc. after hearing evidence of patent infringement in two separate trials held in a San Jose, Calif., federal court during the past 15 months. The latest verdict was handed down last month.

Apple is asking U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh to order Samsung to pay $15.7 million in attorney fees. That would cover less than one-third of the more than $60 million that Apple says it owes its lawyers in the case.

Apple also wants Samsung to reimburse its lawyers for $6.2 million in various expenses.

A Jan. 30 hearing has been scheduled to examine Apple's requests.

Lawyers for both Apple and Samsung Electronics Co. figure to make millions of dollars more from the skirmishing between the leading makers of smartphones. Samsung has vowed to appeal the damages that the juries awarded Apple, and another patent infringement trial involving more recent models of the companies' mobile devices is scheduled for next year.

Samsung Galaxy J teased for Taiwan launch on Monday

12/09/2013 03:40:00 pm TECHNOLOGY No comments

Samsung Galaxy J teased for Taiwan launch on Monday

Samsung seems all set to launch the Galaxy J, the Galaxy S4 smartphone variant that was initially launched only for Japan, in Taiwan on Monday.

Samsung Taiwan has posted a YouTube video that reveals a device which the video depicts as 'just fit, just simple, just elegant, just fast, and just for you'. The letters 'J' in the words 'just' have been stretched to partially outline the Samsung Galaxy J smartphone, also suggesting that the South Korean manufacturer could launch the smartphone in Taiwan.

Further, the teaser video ends with a coming soon tag, with no mention of the launch date. Though, notably at the start of the video posted by Samsung Taiwan, what looks like the Galaxy J is seen with the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, which shows the December 9 date, also revealing that the Galaxy Gear would be compatible with the Galaxy J. The back of the smartphone in the video is seen with LTE logo branding.

Earlier, the Samsung Galaxy J was spotted on a Taiwanese certification site listing with model number SGH-N075T, prompting global launch rumours.

Recently, another report showed a Samsung invite that read, "Just Arrived" which hinted that theGalaxy J could be launched outside Japan soon. However, apart from the text, the invite featured a smartphone at the background which revealed almost nothing about the upcoming device.

The Samsung Galaxy J was first announced in October this year under NTT DoCoMo's winter smartphone line-up. The smartphone has been seen as a Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone variant for Japan; however the device comes with upgraded specifications and software similar to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 phablet.

The Samsung Galaxy J runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box and is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) processor, much like the Galaxy Note 3 phablet. It features a 5-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display. There is a 13.2-megapixel rear camera with BSI CMOS sensor and LED flash, while it also houses a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera.

The Galaxy J comes with 3GB of RAM and includes 32GB inbuilt storage expandable up to additional 64GB with the help of microSD card. It packs a 2600mAh battery and comes with connectivity options like 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/A-GPS, and NFC.

You can watch the teaser video here.