Sunday, 9 February 2014

Lessons From My First Job: B S Shantharaju. CEO, Indus Towers

2/09/2014 09:29:00 pm TECHNOLOGY No comments

Lessons From My First Job: B S Shantharaju. CEO, Indus Towers

B S Shantharaju of Indus Towers shares his first job experience.

My First Job: I started as a management trainee (Finance) in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Here I got the real foundation and understanding of a job at the young age of 25. I handled a team of 33 people, most of them being senior to me in age.

My experience: In my 30+ years of professional life, I have had a varied and rich work experience. Before joining Indus Towers in 2009 I was with Delhi International Airports Pvt. Ltd. as the CEO after the airport was privatized. Prior to that, I was the managing director for Gujarat Gas Company Ltd.

I have spent a major part of my career with SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals (currently part of Glaxo SmithKline) as finance director of India and country head of Bangladesh.

Things I learnt: Value an individual for the strength he has got; do not worry about weakness of an individual unless it is disruptive. Focus on the variety of skills rather than his years of experience. Good talent needs to be tested in a frying pan to understand their ability to rise above the bar and the behaviours exhibited in a very strenuous job.

Skills I acquired: Communication and story-telling is my biggest strength. I can articulate the business issues in a simple language so that people focus on key issues. I learnt how to focus on vision and values so that people work in a trusted environment for a larger purpose. I can seamlessly move from strategic issues to operational issues which is important for a balanced business.

My Manager’s teaching: Strategy is all about execution. Focus only on people. I am fortunate to have had some tough bosses who improved my performance, but also very humane in living with my emotions and shortcomings.

My Journey so far: My motto in life is ‘to make a substantial difference to the lives of people in society’, and that’s the reason I choose to work in the Infrastructure sector.

At Delhi Airport, every assignment I worked on made significant differences in the lives of people. When I handled Delhi Airport after privatisation, the task was to bring customer focus and build a strong team which could give distinct identity to Delhi Airport. Now it is rated 4th best in the world by Airport Council International.

Turning point in my career: My biggest change happened when I become the CFO at of 33 for a large public listed MNC. My personal transformation happened in 1996 when I wrote the purpose statement of my life – “I will make a positive difference to the lives of people in society and around me”.

My most crucial step/assignment: Getting into the role of a country head in 1999. The job opened my eyes to the complexity of the role and also gave me a platform to build my skills for larger roles. Bangladesh also opened my eyes for deep cultural sensitivities and transforming that market in a short time, gave me immense confidence in myself.

Working in 9 different cities (being transferred in some of my jobs) I have learnt immensely on how to handle uncertainty/ambiguity as well as appreciate different cultures.

My advice: Focus on variety of skills, not too much on knowledge. Experience different locations – it adds immensely to the experience and cultural sensitivities.

Where I see myself 5 years from now: From being a porter in a vegetable market at the age of 12 and later turning into a CEO of large MNC and now the World’s largest telecom tower company is a dream run. Having lived the purpose of my life through the corporate world, I intend to work with NGOs and touch the lives of people positively.

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What your height says about you

2/09/2014 09:26:00 pm HEALTH TIPS No comments

What your height says about you

Scientists say Short Man Syndrome really exists. In new tests, people who were "shrunk" became paranoid, distrustful and scared of others.

Using virtual reality to reduce volunteers' heights, Oxford University researchers found they were more likely to think other people were staring at them or talking about them on a computer-generated train. Professor Daniel Freeman said, "We know people behave in VR as they do in real life." But what else does your height say about you? Today we check the evidence.

Longer lives
Studies show that shorter people live longer. Recent research analysing the lives of 500 males born between 1866-1915 on the Italian island of Sardinia showed those below 5ft 4in lived an average two years longer than taller men. The study suggested the reasons included lower DNA damage, greater cell replacement potential and greater efficiency of heart-pumping. Other studies show shorter women live longer too.

Intelligence
Taller people are likely to be more intelligent, according to several studies. Research in 2006 at Princeton University found "as early as three... taller children perform significantly better in cognitive tests". Last year a team at the University of Colorado found that the link between height and intelligence was down to breeding. They showed that clever people are likely to choose taller people as partners — and vice versa.

Money
Researchers at the University of Sydney compared the wage packets of 20,000 people using indicators including weight and height, and found increased height translated into more cash on average.

Ambition
Shorter women are less ambitious, say academics at St Andrews and Stirling universities. They found they are more likely to start a family than focus on their career. Clinical psychologist Dr Miriam Law Smith said: "Men across are taller than women and height must therefore be an indicator of greater physical masculinity. The physiology of the body controls the psychology of the mind."

Better life partners
Tall men earn more, are brighter and have more kids — but shorter blokes make better husbands. A study asked women to pick their ideal height difference for both short and long-term relationships from couple photos. The findings, published in Biological Psychology, found tall men were twice as popular for flings than for long-term relationships. Psychologist Dr Nick Neave said, "The real leaders of the pack tend to not be very nice people. You don't want them around kids and they can be violent and leave you for someone else.
"

Kevin Pietersen lost England's trust: Andrew Strauss

2/09/2014 09:21:00 pm CRICKET No comments

Kevin Pietersen lost England's trust: Andrew Strauss

The ECB is yet to fully explain its reasons for deciding to jettison Kevin Pietersen, but Andrew Strauss believes it was the inevitable consequence of a breakdown in trust. (Reuters Photo)

LONDON: Kevin Pietersen's England career was ended because of a total loss of trust between him and the team's management, according to former captain Andrew Strauss.

The England and Wales Cricket Broad (ECB) announced the end of Pietersen's association with England earlier this week, citing a need for a new "team ethic and philosophy" after the 5-0 Test series defeat in Australia.

The ECB is yet to fully explain its reasons for deciding to jettison Pietersen, but Strauss believes it was the inevitable consequence of a breakdown in trust.

"Without trust, the team environment is stillborn," he wrote in British newspaper the Sunday Times.

"It is for this reason that Kevin Pietersen's international career had to be brought to an end.

"The media have been searching for a 'smoking gun'. Everyone is looking for disciplinary problems, bust-ups and character clashes, but they are looking for the wrong thing.

"The smoking gun is the total absence of trust." Strauss identified Pietersen's dismissal as England captain five years ago as the beginning of the breakdown.

He also said that efforts to reintegrate the South Africa-born batsman into the team after he was found to have sent derogatory text messages about Strauss to opposition players were "a little like marriage counselling".

On Pietersen's role in the recent Ashes whitewash, Strauss added: "What happened in Australia from November onwards, when the heat of the furnace was fixed on the embattled side, was that old grievances came back to the surface. Past history weighed too heavily. Trust still did not exist.

"His relationship with English cricket has been like an illicit affair. Full of thrills and excitement, but destined to end in tears.
"

Facebook at 10: Adapting to an aging user base

2/04/2014 11:03:00 am TECHNOLOGY No comments

Facebook at 10: Adapting to an aging user base

As Facebook celebrates its 10th anniversary, the world's biggest social network is finding its path as a maturing company, adapting to an aging user base.

The company created in a Harvard dorm room in 2004 has established itself as a phenomenon, securing its place in the world of the technology giants.

"Facebook has made the world much smaller, much more interactive," said Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry.

"Facebook started the social revolution but it may not be able to control it."

In its short history, Facebook has become a part of daily life for more than a billion people around the globe.

Co-founder Mark Zuckerberg described the mission as "making the world more open and connected," and some say he has accomplished just that.

"More than 20 percent of all time spent on the Internet is spent on Facebook," says Lou Kerner, founder of the Social Internet Fund.

Yet in some ways, Facebook could be the victim of its own success.

Its initial core base of teens and university students has expanded, and Facebook is now widely used by people in all age groups.

Facebook says it has a global total of 1.23 billion monthly active users, including 945 million who use the social network on a mobile device. But some analysts note that Facebook has to shift strategy for an aging user base.

(Also see: Facebook crosses one billion active users mark)

An iStrategyLabs study of US Facebook users found a 25 percent drop in the number of users in the 13-17 age group, along with an 80 percent jump in the number of users over 55.

"People joke that for the teen, Facebook isn't cool when your mom is on it," Kerner said. "I think it's not even your mom any more, now it's also your grandmother."

The research firm Social Bakers says its data shows teens are a big and still-growing part of Facebook.

"The 18-24 year-old age group is still the largest," said the group's Ben Harper.

"Our data shows the growth of audience and interactions on Facebook, and while teens are undoubtedly using multiple platforms (as we all are), they are also sticking with Facebook."

In the United States, Facebook is used by 71 percent of all adults who are on the Internet, or 57 percent of the adult population, according to the Pew Research Center.

(Also see: Facebook the source of news for one-third of US adults: Study)

Pew found that while Facebook is used by 89 percent of online adults in the 18-29 age group, it is also used by 60 percent in the 50-64 age category and 45 percent of those over 65.

Facebook is maturing as a company as well. It had a calamitous initial public offering in May 2012 plagued by technical glitches, and saw its share price slump by half, but has been on a roll for the past year, with its stock hitting record highs.

Facebook has reassured its investors it can generate advertising revenue, particularly in the mobile segment used by an increasing number of members.

Facebook reported its profit for the full year 2013 jumped to $1.5 billion from just $53 million in 2012, and revenues increased to $7.87 billion from $5.1 billion.

(Also see: Facebook posts strong Q4 earnings, cites growth in mobile ad revenue)

According to the research firm eMarketer, Facebook has become the second-largest recipient of digital advertising spending behind Google, and is particularly strong in mobile ads.

"Facebook appears the best way to play the social Internet," Morgan Stanley analysts said in a note to clients, preferring Facebook to the up-and-coming network Twitter.

Some analysts point out that Facebook's appeal to grownups is a big part of maturation, and represents the key to generating revenue and profit.

"Advertisers place promotional content on Facebook for one reason only to generate sales," said analysts at the research firm Trefis.

"The vast majority of purchases made online come from users of ages 25 and above. One study suggests it is as high as 85 percent. With these figures in mind, the decline in users ages 13-24 becomes almost irrelevant."

Kerner note that being "cool" is not necessarily Facebook's long-term goal.

"You can't be the cool place forever," he told AFP.

"One of two things happen to companies when they're done being cool. They either go away, or they transition to becoming more of a utility. And Facebook is very successfully doing the latter."

Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 mini 'Black Editions' pop up on Russian site

2/04/2014 11:01:00 am TECHNOLOGY No comments

Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 mini 'Black Editions' pop up on Russian site

Samsung's current flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4, and its compact version, the Galaxy S4 mini, will soon be available in a Black Edition, which also features black-coloured faux-leather back cover, as seen in Galaxy Note 3. The smartphones were previously only available in the dark-blue Black Mist and off-white White Frost variants.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition, and Galaxy S4 mini Black Edition, were listed briefly on Samsung's Russia site, without availability and pricing details. The new variants for the smartphones are expected to be launched globally soon however, and have already been listed on a few online Russian retailers, with a February launch date, and pricing of 23,000 rubles (roughly Rs. 40,000) for the Galaxy S4, and 16,000 rubles (roughly Rs. 28,000) for S4 mini Black Edition.

The new faux-leather back panel for the smartphones is expected to reduce the amount of fingerprints and additionally increase the grip for the devices. However, there are no changes the hardware specifications of both the devices.

While the back panel for Samsung Galaxy S4 gets a change, people have been eagerly waiting for the next version of the handset, Samsung Galaxy S5.

A new Galaxy S5 leak reveals two purported Android application package (APK) files, which appear to indicate Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S5 smartphone will equip a QHD display and fingerprint scanner.

The leak comes from popular phone tipster, @evleaks, who has tweeted the two the names of the APK files, allegedly sourced from a Galaxy S5 device, without revealing the exact functionality of the files. However, the names are quite indicative.

Rumoured specifications of the Galaxy S5 include a 2K 5-inch or 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display, boasting of a resolution of 1440x2560 pixels (QHD), and a 2900mAh battery. Further, the alleged device is said to sport a 20-megapixel rear camera with 4K video record support, an Exynos 6 (believed to be the successor of the Exynos 5 octa-core chipsets) or Snapdragon 805 processors and Android 4.4 KitKat.

Samsung Galaxy S4

Rs. 41500

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery life
Camera
Value for money

Good
Brilliant HD screen
Great performance
Decent battery backup
Good camera (except low-light shots)

Bad
Same old design that doesn't feel premium
Camera is not good at taking low-light shots
No FM radio
Major portion of internal storage taken up by Samsung apps (read bloat-ware)

Read detailed Samsung Galaxy S4 review

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini

Display

4.30-inch

Processor

1.7GHz

Front Camera

1.9-megapixel

Resolution

540x960 pixels

RAM

1.5GB

OS

Android 4.2.2

Storage

8GB

Rear Camera

8-megapixel

Battery capacity

1900mAh

See full Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini specifications

Red Nexus 5 variant tipped for February 4 launch on Google Play store

2/04/2014 11:00:00 am TECHNOLOGY No comments

Red Nexus 5 variant tipped for February 4 launch on Google Play store

It seems Google might release a new colour variant for its Nexus 5 next month, if the latest purported image in a series of leaks is to be believed.

Android Police has posted an image that suggests that Nexus 5 will be hitting Google Play store on February 4. The leaked image comes via US carrier Sprint's internal documentation, supposedly meant to inform employees the Red Nexus 5 will be finally revealed. However, Android Police claims that the leaked internal document from Sprint hints that the Red Nexus 5 might not be launched on the carrier.

Unfortunately, the leaked Sprint internal document does not reveal any details about the pricing of the alleged Red Nexus 5 smartphone.

Earlier, some leaked images showed the packaging of the alleged Red Google Nexus 5, which was said to have been taken in an LG warehouse in the UK. A total of five images were leaked, which included three images of the Google Nexus 5 (Red) packaging cover, apart from shots of its front and back panels.

Prior to this, Google's Nexus 5 was spotted again in a Red colour variant in Vietnam. The alleged Red Nexus 5 was said be due for a release alongside a Yellow Nexus 5 model in February or March this year in Vietnam.

It's worth pointing out that Google has not launched any Nexus device in multiple colours except the conventional Black and White colours.

Google announced the Nexus 5 smartphone on November 1 at Rs. 28,999; however the deviceofficially reached Indian shores only in the third week of November. Google Nexus 5 is the platform lead device for Android 4.4 KitKat.

For those unaware, the Nexus 5 comes with a 4.95-inch full-HD IPS display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels and boasts a pixel density of 445ppi, apart from sporting Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by a 2.26GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor alongside 2GB of RAM. It sports an 8.0-megapixel rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and a 1.3-megapixel front camera. It comes in 16GB and 32GB storage options, with Black and White colours to choose from.

LG Google Nexus 5

Rs. 28999

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery life
Camera
Value for money

Good
Brilliant display
Great performance
Guaranteed Timely Android updates

Bad
Mediocre camera
Battery backup could have been better
No external storage support

Read detailed LG Google Nexus 5 review

Microsoft board close to naming Hyderabad-born Satya Nadella as CEO

2/04/2014 10:57:00 am TECHNOLOGY No comments

Microsoft board close to naming Hyderabad-born Satya Nadella as CEO

Microsoft Corp is close to naming a new chief executive, most likely its cloud-computing head Satya Nadella, a source close to the matter said on Thursday, concluding a five-month long search for a heavy-hitter to lead the world's largest software company.

As part of the move, co-founder Bill Gates may step aside as Chairman but remain on the board, while lead independent director John Thompson will take on the Chairman role, the source said on condition of anonymity because the process is private.

Bloomberg first reported the news on Thursday.

Nadella, a native of Hyderabad, India - where Microsoft has its largest non-U.S. research center - was promoted to run the company's fast expanding cloud, or internet-based, computing initiatives in July last year as part of current CEO Steve Ballmer's radical re-organization of the company.

(Also see: Who is Satya Nadella?)

Nadella's appointment would make him the most powerful Indian-born tech executive in the world and put him alongside PepsiCo Inc's chief Indra Nooyi as the leader of a well-known, large-cap U.S. corporation.

Before his role in shaping Microsoft's cloud computing business, Nadella was in charge of the company's growing server and tools unit, following on from high-level roles in Microsoft's Office andBing search engine teams.

"He's a solid choice," offering continuity of strategy and proven execution, said Sid Parakh, an analyst at fund firm McAdams Wright Ragen,

Some investors had campaigned for an external CEO who might be more likely to shake up the company and reward shareholders with greater dividends and share buybacks, but Parakh said that did not mean Nadella would necessarily be unpopular with Wall Street.

"Any new CEO is going to have to have the shareholders' say in mind. But it's not certain that will translate into actions," said Parakh.

Sources had previously told Reuters that Microsoft was down to a "handful" of candidates, including Nadella, executive vice president of the cloud and enterprise group, and Tony Bates, executive vice president of business development, plus at least one external candidate.

(Also see: 9 candidates who could replace Steve Ballmer as Microsoft CEO)

Bloomberg added the Nadella plans had not been finalized. Microsoft declined to comment.

Microsoft shares rose 0.8 percent to $37.15 after hours, after gaining slightly in regular Nasdaq trading.

Gates exit?
There have been calls for months for Gates to step down from a group of investors who believe the company's co-founder is a block to radical change and investor-friendly moves at the technology giant.

Some investors have urged Thompson to consider the CEO role himself, sources told Reuters this week. One person close to the board told Reuters on Thursday that Thompson was not in the frame to lead the company, but did not rule out a senior executive role, such as Chairman.

Microsoft's CEO search has taken longer than most expected when Ballmer announced his plan last August to retire within a year.

In a blog post on the company's website in December, Thompson emphasized the need for a CEO with "an ability to lead a highly technical organization and work with top technical talent."

Thompson, who leads the four-member CEO search committee, said at the time he expected the panel to reach a decision "in the early part of 2014."

The appointment of a company veteran like Nadella, which follows a months-long search and extended flirtation with outsiders such as Ford Motor Co Chief Executive Alan Mulally, could disappoint some investors who were hoping for a more radical transformation at the software giant.

"While many on the Street are now expecting Mr. Nadella to get the CEO spot, we believe filling this position with a core Microsoft insider will disappoint those hoping for a fresh strategic approach (e.g. potential breakup of enterprise/consumer, Xbox spin off) an outside executive could have brought to the table," FBR analyst Daniel Ives said in a research note, adding that innovation and fresh strategies were essential for the company.

"With that said, we believe Mr. Nadella's prior roles in the Online Services Division, Business Division, and most recently as president of the Server and Tools business position him as a strong internal candidate with a broad set of knowledge around Microsoft's massive product portfolio," Ives wrote.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo with S Pen unveiled for February launch

2/04/2014 10:56:00 am TECHNOLOGY No comments

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo with S Pen unveiled for February launch

Samsung has finally unveiled its Galaxy Note 3 Neo phablet, without revealing the price details. The news was confirmed via Samsung Poland, which also announced that the Galaxy Note 3 Neo will be available in two variants: a 3G and an LTE model dubbed Galaxy Note 3 Neo LTE+.

The press note by Samsung Poland further informs that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo will hit the global market in February, and will be available in three colour variants - Black, Green and White.

Much like Samsung's Galaxy Note phablet series, the Galaxy Note 3 Neo also comes with S Pen. Both the Galaxy Note 3 Neo variants come with near identical innards, except that the 3G model is powered by a 1.6GHz quad-core (unspecified chipset), while the LTE variant is powered by a hexa-core processor (two 1.7GHz Cortex A15 + four 1.3GHz quad-core Cortex A7). The Galaxy Note 3 Neo runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box.

Other specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo include a 5.5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) Super AMOLED display; 2GB of RAM; 16GB inbuilt storage, which is further expandable up to 64GB via microSD card, and 3100mAh battery. The new phablet from Samsung sports an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and BSI sensor, while there is a 2-megapixel front-facing camera also featuring BSI sensor. Connectivity options on the device include Wi-Fi, GPS, GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth, infrared and 3G.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo comes with preloaded app galore that include Samsung Apps, Samsung ChatON, Samsung WatchON, Samsung Link, Screen Mirroring, S Voice, S Health, Group Play, Smart Scroll, Smart Pause, Air View, Story Album and S Translator among others. The S Pen comes with Air Command and Easy Clip feature, and also supports Multi Window and S Note.

The Galaxy Note 3 Neo also features Google apps such as Google Search, Gmail, Google+, Google Maps, Play Books, Play Movies, Play Music, Play Store, Play Games, Hangouts, Voice Search, and YouTube. The phablet comes with dimensions 148.4x77.4x8.6mm and weighs 162.5 grams.

Mobiles launched in January 2014