How Airtel, Tata DoCoMo and others are poaching customers

Some vendors are using the Supreme Court judgement to poach each other's customers by sending misleading, SMSes, calls and e-mails.

MUMBAI: "Under Court order, your operator is about to shut operations. All users are requested to port out." In case you've received a similar message, you've probably been at the receiving end of predatory tactics telecom vendors are practicing as they fight for revenue in a shrinking pie of users. Then, depending on the originating network, there is a sales pitch for better plans or faster and easier porting to that network.

Some vendors are using the Supreme Court judgement to poach each other's customers by sending misleading, SMSs, calls and e-mails. The primary targets are Aircel, Telenor, MTS, and Loop Mobile customers, and even biggies like Vodafone. A bulk message that recently went out to one lakh Vodafone customers said: "Due to termination of license Vodafone's services are soon to shut in Mumbai. To retain your number port out to a new operator". Vodafone has identified the source of this message and is currently taking legal action, said a company e-mail to ET.

Another message to Aircel customers and vendors read, "Important notice - MTS Loop and Aircel are shutting services in Mumbai. You are requested to join Vodafone's superior network and earn more profit". In Uttar Pradesh, where Telenor has a bulk of its customer base, an Airtel poster urged customers to port out along with a regional newspaper headline to prove Telenor was shutting shop. Airtel and Tata DoCoMo lines have been calling Aircel customers with the same message.

In February last year, the Supreme Court revoked 122 telecom licences associated with the 2G scam. However, the court said that the companies were entitled to win back their licences by participating in a fresh airwave auction. When the auction was conducted in November, companies won back some of the licences, while others were lost.

As a result, companies such as Telenor, Videocon, MTS and Loop shut services in select areas and not in others. Neither Vodafone nor Aircel's operations in Mumbai are impacted by the SC judgement.

"In the 9 circles where MTS India now has its final footprint, the company has extensively engaged with all its customer. This has been done to ensure that attempts to spread any kind of misinformation are duly checked," said a Sistema Shyam spokesman. The company runs mobile services under the MTS brand.

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Top 6 foods for your hair

Top 6 foods for your hair

Here's how paying a little more attention to diet can add to the shine of your mane.

It's not called the crowning glory for nothing. Deepika Padukone's hair in the movie Cocktail was a head-turner. Now that's what you call statement hair. Beautiful, lush thick hair is a symbol of your body's well-being. Hair care and maintenance goes beyond oiling them with exotic oils and using your fancy-schmancy shampoos, conditioners, serums and other products from your beauty arsenal.
What you eat can make your tresses even better or just worsen their condition. Here's a list of some yummy foods that you must add to your diet for the model mane.

1. Salmon:
Fish makes any diet healthy, salmon is the fish for hair. This oily fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin B12 and iron. Clubbed together, these components can restore the shine in your tresses. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to retain a healthy scalp. A deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids can leave you with a dry scalp and dull, lifeless hair. Can't get your hands on salmon? Substitute it with flaxseed instead.

2. Eggs and chicken:
You know dieticians and trainers always urge you to have eggs and chicken to increase your protein intake. Hair and nails are composed of protein. Needless to say, consuming chicken and eggs encourages hair growth as well as curbs hair fall and breakage. Eggs are full of vitamins from the B-group, especially B12 and B7 (biotin). Chicken is a rich source of protein and helps strengthen fragile hair.

3. Beef and oysters:
Beef and oysters are rich sources of zinc, which is why they are helpful in improving the appearance of hair. Zinc deficiency is a cause of hair loss, so do include beef and oysters in your diet. Zinc also helps combat premature greying of hair.

4. Nuts and almonds:
Chomp on nuts like walnuts and almonds which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (hair regenerator) and zinc (hair loss preventer).

5. Lentils:
Lentils are full of folic acid. Folic acid is necessary in restoring the health of red blood cells that supply skin and scalp with much-needed oxygen. Folic acid is also essential for hair growth and cell renewal. If you are serious about having healthy hair, lentils are something you should just not skip.

6. Carrots:
Everyone knows carrots are an excellent source of Vitamin A. Vitamin A encourages the formation of sebum (oil) in the scalp. Sebum is important to keep the scalp and hair well moisturised and maintain their health. Just like overactive sebaceous glands cause conditions like acne, low secretion of sebum damages hair causes flaky scalp and dandruff.
Tips:

Vitamin C
Make sure you include Vitamin C in your diet as it is necessary for the absorption of zinc.

Hydrate
Water helps to maintain the moisture content as well as keeps the hair healthy and shiny.

Keep that body moving
Exercise releases happy hormones and helps combat stress, which is a major reason for hair fall.

Fad diets
Diets that promise drastic weight loss should be avoided at every cost. You might be successful in knocking off those nasty extra kilos but it adversely affects hair and skin.

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Soft drinks kill lakhs of people every year

Soft drinks kill lakhs of people every year (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

Sugar-sweetened sodas, sports drinks and fruit drinks may be associated with about 180,000 deaths around the world each year, according to a research.

The study presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions pointed pit that sugar-sweetened beverages contribute to excess body weight, which increases the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers.

The data collected as part of the 2010 Global Burden of Diseases Study.

Researchers linked intake of sugar- sweetened beverages to 133,000 diabetes deaths, 44,000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 6,000 cancer deaths.

Seventy-eight percent of these deaths due to over-consuming sugary drinks were in low and middle-income countries, rather than high-income countries.

Researchers calculated the quantities of sugar-sweetened beverage intake around the world by age and sex; the effects of this consumption on obesity and diabetes; and the impact of obesity and diabetes-related deaths.

Of nine world regions, Latin America/Caribbean had the most diabetes deaths (38,000) related to the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in 2010.

East/Central Eurasia had the largest numbers of cardiovascular deaths (11,000) related to sugary beverage consumption in 2010.

Among the world's 15 most populous countries, Mexico, one of the countries with the highest per-capita consumption of sugary beverages in the world had the highest death rate due to these beverages, with 318 deaths per million adults linked to sugar-sweetened beverage intake.

Japan, one of the countries with lowest per-capita consumption of sugary beverages in the world, had the lowest death rate associated with the consumption of sugary beverages, at about 10 deaths due to per million adults.

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Coca-Cola tries to bring India, Pakistan together via its new vending machines

An upscale mall in South Delhi has a Coca-Cola vending machine that not only dispenses Coke, Thums Up and other beverages of the firm but will very seen connect India and Pakistan.

NEW DELHI: An upscale mall in South Delhi has a Coca-Cola vending machine that not only dispenses Coke, Thums Up and other beverages of the firm but will very soon connect India and Pakistan.

Once a similar machine is installed in Karachi or another Pakistan city, users of the two vending machines can see and virtually touch each other, a person in the know said.

The beverages major has quietly launched an online campaign that seeks to connect people in not-so-friendly countries through vending machines, starting with India and Pakistan this year.

"This year, two countries will show that what unites us is stronger than what sets us apart and come together to share a Coca-Cola," says the commercial launched on YouTube.

A company spokesperson said it was too early to comment on specific plans, on how the beverage maker plans to scale up the concept.

This world peace initiative is part of the firm's happiness project. "A moment of happiness has the power to bring the world together," it says.

In another initiative, Coca-Cola recently set up a 'hug machine' in Singapore-a vending machine with red and white message announcing the consumer to 'hug' it, after which the consumer would be given a free Coke. The 'hug machine' generated 112 million impressions within one day. In Istanbul, it had installed a vending machine that gave away free Coke if people could prove they were indeed a couple.

Coca-Cola is spending heavily on social media globally, though the spends are still small compared to what it spends on traditional mass media.

"Brands can't work remotely anymore so it is important to listen and engage to consumers," Wendy Clark, senior VP, integrated marketing communications and capabilities, at Coca-Cola had told ET last month.

"We make consumers part of our marketing channel, sharing content and engaging with them all the time," Clark had said, adding that the company was looking at investing in innovative ways to connect on social media.

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1.74 lakh people unemployed in Delhi

As many as 1.74 lakh people are unemployed in Delhi, the Economic Survey of Delhi said on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI: As many as 1.74 lakh people are unemployed in Delhi, the Economic Survey of Delhi said on Tuesday.

The figure constitutes 3.18 per cent of the metropolis' total labour force.

Quoting National Sample Survey Organisation survey between July 2009 and June 2010, the survey said there are 1,74,189 unemployed workers in Delhi, of which 15,024 belong to rural areas while 1,59,165 are from urban region.

Of the total 52,96,761 employed people, 51,71,968 belong to urban and 1,24,793 to rural areas.

Over 86 per cent of the unemployed are male, the figures suggest.

According to the data, a total of 5,69,678 women are employed in Delhi. The figure constitutes 10.75 per cent of the city's work force. Of these employed women, over 99 per cent reside in urban areas.

The survey reveals that the estimated number of workers during 2010 was 54.70 lakh.

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Lost your job? Retiring? Is it a blessing?

Losing one's job can be construed as a blessing if you hated the job and considered each day spent in it purgatorial.

LONDON: I doubt if Shakespeare was thinking about our 21st Century workplace when he penned that "parting is such sweet sorrow" yet the oxymoron surely is not lost on anyone who recently has lost a job or retired from one.

Conversing about such news from an individual whose position has been made redundant or one who has just retired is, for sure, a challenge to our compassion and civility.

Losing one's job can be construed as a blessing if you hated the job and considered each day spent in it purgatorial. In a perfect world, severance payment can kick start an alternative career one previously only dreamed of.

For most, though, the experience brings up all sorts of fear and insecurity, both emotional and financial, and the process is painful at best - especially when there is a household to support.

This I know from personal experience. I also know from personal experience that it's best to have a good cry before trying to figure out what to say to others.

Let's rule out bashing the individual and the organization whose decision it was to end your run. We never know when our paths might cross again.

So, practice saying (in front of a mirror, if possible), "It's raining outside," and in that very same non-judgmental, unemotional tone, state: "My company eliminated my job last week," or, "there was a restructuring and now I'm out of a job."

Then follow it up with something constructive like: "I'm doing my best to put a good face on the news and pursue every avenue open to me. I plan to take some courses to buff up my skills in the meantime."

When you are on the receiving end of this news, it's more important to stay present with the individual than to share war stories. After all, this is not about you.

A compassionate response might sound like: "Ouch. This must be a really trying time for you. I hope you know that I'm in your corner, and that, if I hear of anything that might be helpful, I will be sure to let you know. I wish I could make this process easier on you and your family."

Resist the temptation to try to fix the situation with unsolicited advice, which is human nature, and do not make promises you cannot keep. For example, "I'll call the HR department at my company. I'm sure they'd love to talk with you." That could lead to unfulfilled expectations and big disappointment, as well as a fractured friendship.

Retiring from one's job is an equally loaded piece of news to hear. For one thing, not everybody retires by choice. For another, irrespective of whose choice the decision was, imminent retirement is life-altering and can be fraught with as much trepidation as losing one's job.

It's human nature to want to say something in response. A friend observed recently that when he announced his retirement, there were four recurring questions -- 1. What are you going to do with all that free time? 2. Will you travel? 3. Will you spend more time with your grandchildren? 4. How does your spouse feel about it?

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DRDA employees not getting regular salaries, ministerITANAGAR: 

Arunachal Pradesh Rural Development Minister Tanga Byaling on Monday admitted that the employees of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) were not getting regular salaries and the state government was contemplating measures to tide over the crisis.

Responding to a Calling Attention Motion raised in the Assembly by BJP member Tamiyo Taga, Byaling clarified that the DRDA employees were not getting regular salary because of partial release of central share by the Union Ministry of Rural Development and additional financial involvement of the state government after implementation of the Central Sixth Pay Commission in the state.

"The Union Rural Development ministry is still releasing fund on the basis of pre-revised scale of pay to all the DRDAs. They have not adopted the sixth pay commission recommendation for any DRDA throughout the country but we have adopted in our state," he said.

Ninty per cent of the total fund for salary to DRDA employees were provided by the Centre while the remaining ten per cent were borne by the state government, Byaling informed and added that the state government was actually releasing 27. 12 per cent which was 17. 12 per cent more than the normal state share after implementation of the central sixth pay commission recommendations.

"As per the guideline issue by the union rural development ministry, any excess amount in DRDA administration fund is to borne by the state government," he disclosed adding in the past three years, the state government had released an amount of Rs 12.20 crore as the state's share which included additional Rs 60. 40 lakh state share against additional central share of 2011-12.

The annual requirement of fund for DRDA employees' salary amounts to Rs 2025.60 lakh and at present the union rural development minister was providing only Rs 1755.88 lakh with a deficit of Rs 269.72 lakh, the minister pointed out.

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TRAI extends deadline for comments on roaming tariffs

Telecom regulator TRAI has extended to April 5 the date for sending comments on review of tariffs for roaming.TRAI had floated a paper with a view to lowering the rates of mobile calls and SMSes roaming facility. It had asked industry players to provide inputs on 'Review of Tariff for National Roaming' by March 18.
"Keeping in view the request of stakeholders for extension of time for sending their comments, it has been decided to extend the last date for submission of written comments up to April 5, 2013 and for counter-comments up to April 12, 2013," TRAI said in a statement.
Among various options to reduce or remove additional cost burden on roaming customers, TRAI had proposed a new norm Home Price Rule wherein a mobile subscriber should be charged the same amount that he pays when he is not roaming.
As per Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, mobile phone customers on roaming are generally charged Re 1 for outgoing local call, Rs. 1.5 for outgoing STD call and Re 1 for incoming call on per minute basis. For each outgoing SMS, customers are generally charged Rs. 1.5.
On the other hand, when customer is not roaming an outgoing local call costs him/her around 72 paise, outgoing STD call 90 paise, each local SMS Re 1 and STD SMS in range of Rs. 1.5 to Rs. 3.45, according to TRAI.
TRAI had said that the aspiration for "removal of roaming charges is an aspect of the overall policy thrust towards removal of geographic barriers in licensing and telecom operations to promote free mobility for usage of communications facilities in the country".

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Infrastructure projects worth Rs 7 lakh crore stuck in red tape

An analysis of data for the power projects, including a few linked to transmission, shows that they have been hit hard by the delay in environmental and forest clearances with as many as 37 projects stuck for lack of approvals.

NEW DELHI: Projects worth over Rs 7 lakh crore — which is equivalent to almost half the government spending in the current financial year — are held up in the absence of environmental and forest clearances, land and fuel, putting strain on the creaky infrastructure in the country and becoming an obstacle for an economy striving to get into a high growth trajectory.

According to data compiled by state-run banks for a meeting with finance minister P Chidambaram, the amount is locked up in 215 projects spread across power, roads, ports, cement and steel, each with an estimated cost of Rs 250 crore or more. Any delay will push up the overall cost of setting up the projects, bankers said. It also increases the risk for the public sector banks, which have already disbursed loans amounting to Rs 54,000 crore.

"The delays tend to have an impact on other projects as well and it results in a vicious cycle and impacts overall sentiment," said Arvind Mahajan, head of infrastructure and government practice at consulting firm KPMG.

Although the government is betting on the Cabinet committee on investment to remove the hurdles, experts say it is not sufficient. "What we are doing is patchwork, which will not work," said Vinayak Chatterjee, chairman of Feedback Infrastructure, a consulting firm where L&T, IDFC and HDFC are also shareholders.

The biggest hold-up is in the power sector (Rs 5.39 lakh crore), followed by roads (Rs 1.23 crore) and steel (over Rs 32,500 crore). Even flagship projects like the ultra-mega power projects such as Sasan and Coastal Andhra are held up, although they were bid out ostensibly with all approvals in place.

Power sector hit hard

An analysis of data for the power projects, including a few linked to transmission, shows that they have been hit hard by the delay in environmental and forest clearances with as many as 37 projects stuck for lack of approvals. In a few cases, like in Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand, state agencies have held up the green clearances. In terms of value, the cost of these projects adds up to a staggering Rs 1.92 lakh crore.

Chatterjee suggested that the government could prepare a map of the country with zones demarcated for activities. Besides, he said the Centre and state agencies need to stop passing the buck on green clearances.

The other critical factor hobbling the power sector seems to be the availability of fuel — coal as well as gas. As many as 31 projects are held up with the proposed investment pegged at around Rs 1.4 lakh crore. There is, however, an element of double counting as banks have cited multiple factors for the delay of projects. For instance, the Athena power project in Chhattisgarh has been delayed due to the absence of fuel, and also due to the fact that around 90 acres of land is yet to be acquired, Allahabad Bank has told the finance ministry.

There may be another reason for counting the same project in multiple places: different banks have given different reasons for delay in the same project. For instance, Andhra Bank has said that Sasan Power, the 4,000 mega watt ultra-mega power plant, is held up as clearance from the ministry of environment and forests for coal blocks is pending. Bank of Baroda has said there was a delay in handing over land.

Adani Power Maharashtra's project seems to suffer from even more complications that range from land acquisition to green clearances, delay in award of coal blocks as well as equipment related issues.

For the sector as a whole, land is the third biggest problem as lenders have cited it as the reason behind the delay in 26 projects, with investment adding up to nearly Rs 1.47 lakh crore.

But when it comes to highways, land is the single biggest roadblock, delaying 48 projects across the country. The next biggest culprit is environmental clearances although approvals are expected to be faster after the recent rapprochement between the National Highways Authority of India and the environment and forests ministry.

Although NHAI and the highways ministry have cited lack of bank funding to developers as a major reason for the lack of interest in new projects, lenders have told the finance ministry that it is the inability of agencies such as railways to give right of way that has put over a dozen projects in the slow lane.

Banks would make you believe that funding is not an issue. At least that's what they have told the finance ministry.

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Chromebook Pixel legal warnings show sense of humor

The brochure accompanying the Chrome OS device won't appear on any late-night comedy shows, but Google did have a little fun with the usually dry warnings.

Easter eggs can add a little amusement to software and Web sites. But Google tucked the idea into an otherwise mind-numbing place: a pamphlet full of legal warnings.
In this case, it's the pamphlet for Google's Chromebook Pixel, the company's high-end laptop for running Chrome OS. It's nothing that'll make you guffaw out loud, but it's a refreshing break from the ordinary and worth a couple chuckles.
Among the quips:

• If your Chromebook Pixel behaves abnormally (e.g. becomes discolored, heats up excessively, emits a foul odor, starts requesting fancy tropical vacations), stop using it and contact us immediately.
• Do not use excessive force when opening or closing the display panel; you are stronger than you think.
• When you perform repetitive activities such as typing or playing games on any device, you may experience occasional discomfort in your hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, or other parts of your body. This is a good sign you should put your Chromebook Pixel down and take a walk, go for a jog or maybe jump around on a trampoline for awhile.
• Do your best to avoid spilling liquids or food on your device, and avoid exposure to moisture and extreme temperatures. That means you shouldn't bring your Chromebook Pixel underwater or into outer space (unless, of course, you're in a spaceship).

Check the PDF below of the first half of the Pixel document if you want to read some more.
The brochure is funny judged against the usual humorlessness of lawyers trying to fend off lawsuits; we'll see if any comedians get ahold of Google's privacy policy or terms of service.

Google's Humorous Chromebook Pixel Safety Brochure.

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Google reveals first expansion of speedy Google Fiber service

Residents of the Kansas City suburb of Olathe, Kan., will soon be getting access to the Web giant's high-speed Internet service.

Google's Fiber expansion plans

Google has gotten the green light for the first expansion of Google Fiber, the Internet and video service the Web giant offers to the twin cities of Kansas City.

Google announced today that the Kansas City suburb of Olathe, Kan., (population 125,000) would be getting access to the high-speed Internet service after the Olathe city council approved the company's service roll-out proposal. Google, which didn't offer any launch specifics, said it was also poised to launch service in other locations.
"We think that Fiber and widespread Internet access will help to create jobs, grow local businesses, and make Olathe even stronger as it grows," Rachel Hack, a Google Fiber community manager, wrote on the company's fiber blog. "Hopefully, this is the first of several announcements that we'll be able to make about bringing Google Fiber to additional cities in the KC metro area; so stay tuned."
The expansion comes less than nine months after Google launched its 1-gigabit-per-second broadband service in Kansas City and unveiled a new interactive television service called Google Fiber TV. Google offers three packages, including the high-end $120 a month for the Gigabit and Fiber TV service package, $70 for 1Gbps broadband only, and the cost-free but limited-time service of 5Mbps download speeds and 1Mbps uploads.
For an introductory period, people who sign up for the two services won't have to pay the $300 construction fee.

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BP accused of rewriting environmental record on Wikipedia

A British Petroleum representative allegedly rewrote 44 percent of the oil giant's Wikipedia page, including the environmental sections. Some Wikipedia editors are crying foul.

A slick of oil is seen on the beach after it washed ashore from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on July 4, 2010 in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Oil giant British Petroleum is well-known for the Deepwater Oil Horizon disaster and its much-criticized handling of the cleanup's aftermath. But you might want to think twice before you read about the event, or the company's environmental record, on Wikipedia.
Angry Wikipedia editors estimate that BP has rewritten 44 percent of the page about itself, especially about its environmental performance.
This comes to light just as a federal judge has scheduled a hearing for April 5 on BP's request to prevent payments of what the oil company calls "fictitious or inflated claims" in a class action settlement reached with victims of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (Gulf of Mexico) oil spill.
BP says the claims could cost it billions of dollars. We've contacted the company for more explanation and will update the story when we hear back.
BP's emergency request for the hearing is in the civil trial currently under way in New Orleans which, according to The Economist, "will apportion blame for the accident, determine how much oil gushed out, and apply financial penalties."
Meanwhile, the company may be working on cleaning up its environmental record on Wikipedia -- in a way that leaves the Wikipedia reader none the wiser.
BP is not directly editing its page, but instead has apparently inserted a BP representative into the editing community who provides Wikipedia editors with text.
The text is then copied "as is" onto the page by Wikipedia editors, while readers are none the wiser that the sections pretending to be unbiased information are, in fact, vetted by higher-ups at BP before hitting the page.

Sections edited by "User:Arturo at BP" include the sections "Alternative Energy," "Allegations of greenwashing," and "Environmental record," among others.
"Arturo BP," who identifies himself as a member of BP's press office, is providing the content for Wikipedia's BP page, especially about the company's environmental performance. He skirts direct page editing prohibitions by posting a notice on the BP "talk page," and then Wikipedia editors copy and paste the content as provided onto BP's page.
Arturo BP states on his User page:

I have established this account to help improve BP-related articles in line with Wikipedia standards and guidelines.

On his Talk page, where the material from BP to be published on Wikipedia is posted, he adds:

The information I present from news sources is verified by the various subject matter experts within the company. I am not an expert myself on all of the topics and I want to make sure that any proposed language from news sources used is actually accurate. Arturo at BP (talk)

BP's image cleanup cleverly skirts Wikipedia's editorial rules, wherein Wikipedia editors are using text that BP posts on Wikipedia itself as the source (although the text is not published on BP's Web site).
This way, the significant involvement of BP in its own entry is completely hidden from Wikipedia readers -- while Wikipedia editors, as usual, argue and attack each other over editorial policy while BP's favorable PR editing continues.
The image cleanup also cleverly takes advantage of an editing community that is easily exploited by editorial disagreement.

Arguments about BP's involvement in Wikipedia's editing community have begun to rage and become personal. And it's unclear who the editors are that are blindly copying and pasting BP's version of its environmental record onto the page, and hitting "Publish."
Wikipedia's editing community is afire with BP-ignited arguments about policy, paid editing, and whether or not this is the new direction of Wikipedia -- if it will be paid editing or working with companies and article subjects in its eternal quest for article accuracy.
There appears to be a faction of Wikipedia editors who are very welcoming to PR companies and the PR departments of businesses.
If they get their way, what's on the BP page about Deepwater Horizon is foreshadowing the future of Wikipedia, and the accuracy of its content.
And what better way to illustrate this than with a petroleum megacorporation writing its own Wikipedia entry?

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Google launches Keep to help you store your notes

The company launched the service, which is integrated with Drive, along with an Android app.

Google Keep went live today.

Google unveiled its rumored Keep service today, giving users a new way to create and save notes and integrate them with Google Drive. The service is live both on the Web and in a new app for Android devices running on 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and above.
Keep gives Google users a central place to store the information they collect from its various services. People are doing this already in Google Docs -- keeping to-do lists, recipes, and other short snippets of text on individual documents.
Here's how the company put it in a blog post:
"With Keep you can quickly jot ideas down when you think of them and even include checklists and photos to keep track of what's important to you. Your notes are safely stored in Google Drive and synced to all your devices so you can always have them at hand.

Google Keep

If it's more convenient to speak than to type, that's fine: Keep transcribes voice memos for you automatically. Also, there's a search function to quickly find specific notes. And when you're finished with a note, you can archive or delete it."
The service will feel familiar to users of Evernote, the note-taking service and self-described "external brain" that has more than 45 million registered users. (Business Insider wasted no time in labeling Keep an "Evernote killer.") Evernote also focuses on making it easy to create and search notes; it has brought its service to an impressive number of platforms.
But Keep has an additional, more Google-y forebear: Google Notebook, which launched in 2006 as a way to collect online research and other notes into a single place. (For a time, Google search results were accompanied by a "Note this" link that would send the search result into Notebook.) The product was in development from 2006 to 2009, but only disappeared completely from Google in June 2012. Existing notebooks were imported into Google Docs.
Given Google's ambivalent history with note-taking services, and the recent, high-profile sunsetting of Google Reader, users may be reluctant to record all their information in Keep.
But there is no end of ways Google could integrate Keep into its products, and by making it easy to -- for example -- send over Google Maps directions or snippets from Gmail, the product could build a loyal audience. It also will be interesting to see whether Keep fits into Babble, the rumored integrated communications platform that Google is said to be building. Lots of notable communication takes place in Chat windows, and easy Keep integration could help give it a lift.
Here's a video Google put together to show off Drive:

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Today`s quotes

“The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits.”

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6-8 hours of sleep helps cut flab

6-8 hours of sleep helps cut flab

Wondering how to lose weight without much effort? Don't stress and get some good sleep.

A new Kaiser Permanente study has found that people with the lowest stress levels and who also got more than six hours, but not more than eight hours, of sleep were most likely to lose at least 10 pounds.

Nearly 500 participants from Kaiser Permanente in Oregon and Washington took part in the study, which measured whether sleep, stress, depression, television viewing, and computer screen time were correlated with weight loss.

Several previous studies have found an association between these factors and obesity, but few have looked at whether these factors predict weight loss.

"This study suggests that when people are trying to lose weight, they should try to get the right amount of sleep and reduce their stress," said lead author Charles Elder.

"Some people may just need to cut back on their schedules and get to bed earlier. Others may find that exercise can reduce stress and help them sleep. For some people, mind/body techniques such as meditation also might be helpful," he added.

The researchers, however, cautioned that their findings might not apply to all groups trying to lose weight.

The study has been published in the International Journal of Obesity.

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Good to feel rewarded for hard work: Suresh Raina

It's not sure whether Raina will be part of the playing XI or not, but he is ready for any challenge.

NAGPUR: Uttar Pradesh batsman Suresh Raina has replaced injured Shikhar Dhawan in the Indian squad for the final Test against Australia, scheduled to be played at New Delhi from March 22 to 26.

"Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of the fourth Test against Australia after sustaining a fracture in his left hand. He will be out of action for six weeks. The All-India Senior Selection Committee then added Gautam Gambhir and Suresh Raina to the squad for the fourth Test. However, Gambhir has been diagnosed with jaundice, after undergoing a blood test, earlier today. The official announcement of the team was delayed, as the Board was waiting for the copy of the report. Gambhir will not take part in the Delhi Test, as a result," the BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale stated in release late on Tuesday evening.

Suresh Raina didn't turn up to play against Madhya Pradesh in the ongoing Central Zone Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 tournament, in Nagpur, on Tuesday. It was an important match for Uttar Pradesh and Raina's name missing from the team sheet surprised the small gathering that was here to watch the star left-hander.

No wonder the left-hander was happy to be selected in the team.

"It's great to be back in the team. God has been very kind. I have been in good form for the last two or three months. I had a good Irani Trophy and then performed well in Central Zone One-dayers. I have been consistently playing domestic cricket for the past three months. So, I am in good touch. I have worked very hard on my game during this season. It's good to feel rewarded after working hard. Test cricket is the ultimate cricket for me and I am keen to do well in this format," Raina told TOI after his selection.

It's not sure whether Raina will be part of the playing XI or not, but he is ready for any challenge.

"As a cricketer you always want to be in action, but I can't comment whether I will play or not. It's the team management's decision. I am ready for whatever the team management asks me to do. For the last three months, I have batted on different kind of wickets, faced different challenges. So my preparations are very good. Let's see what happens," he said.

Although he has been busy playing for Uttar Pradesh and Central Zone during the limited overs matches and now T20, he was keeping track on the Test series. "The team is doing very well and it's good to be back to winning ways. Hope we keep continue this good run," he said.

Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, R Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ajinkya Rahane, Ashok Dinda, Suresh Raina, Ishant Sharma.

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Students bare souls, and more, on Facebook "confession" pages

"I'm a compulsive laundry room thief," says one Facebook confession. "I'm the reason the 'Public Urination is Illegal' signs were put up at Coyote Village," says another."I sold books for the semester to go to South Padre for spring break. Gotta pay for the booze somehow," reveals yet another poster.
By turns rueful and raunchy, these anonymous admissions pop up on 'campus confession' pages unofficially linked to scores of high schools and universities.
Like many social media trends, the confession craze captivates teenagers and 20-somethings - but alarms teachers, law enforcement officers and counselors.
"It's another creative venue where kids are able to say hurtful things, and that's frustrating," said Sameer Hinduja, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center at Florida Atlantic University.
At the same time, the pages can sometimes offer a catharsis of sorts, attracting heartfelt disclosures from students struggling with depression, alcoholism or eating disorders. Classmates often respond with links to counseling sites and offers to talk.
The anonymity of confession pages is at the core of their appeal, and they use a simple workaround to Facebook's general insistence that people use their real identity on the social network.
Students who set up confessional pages must do so under their real names, as per Facebook policy. But they can choose to cloak their identity as page administrators. To keep posts anonymous, they use free online survey tools such as SurveyMonkey or Google Forms. Confessors simply click on a link to open up a blank box where they can type their tell-all.
The page administrator doesn't see identifying information - just the latest confession.
The pages then prompt visitors to show admiration for the juiciest confessions by "liking" them and posting comments - often smart-aleck remarks that can draw fan bases of their own.
"The more outrageous comments attract more attention so there's little incentive to exercise restraint," Hinduja said.
Alisen Lafaive found that out quickly when she began reading the Facebook confession page for Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. "At first, I thought, 'Ooh, Clarkson Confessions! This ought to be juicy!'" said Lafaive, a junior. Then she began scrolling through posts filled with crude invective toward women.
"These things are mean," she said. "My feelings are hurt even though none of it's directed toward me." She posted a plea for courtesy but was ignored.
The confessions pages do not violate Facebook rules so long as the content remains within the bounds of civility, said a spokeswoman for the social network. But the pages have drawn complaints from some from principals, college administrators and police.
Dismayed by the content on two high-school confession pages in Kalispell, Montana last month, police asked Facebook to shut them down. Facebook closed one and removed offensive comments from another - but the student instigators simply started a third page, said Jason Parce, a police officer in Kalispell.
Parce threatened to charge participants with defamation and they quickly pulled down their posts. Though some posts were anonymous, many comments came in through Facebook accounts so the writers could easily be identified.
"There was a lot of sexually explicit content directed at specific individuals and a lot of hateful language being used," said Parce. "Absolutely, kids are more willing to be crude when they don't have to face anyone. They hide behind the computer."
High-school pages in Idaho and Arizona have also been shut down after school officials moved to investigate offensive posts.
Safeguards
Administrators of several confession sites told Reuters that they review each submission and refuse to post any that seem inappropriate.
Facebook also routinely reviews pages on its site and responds to any complaints about content. If its reviewers deem a post objectionable, the social network will remove it or shut down the site entirely, the Facebook spokeswoman said.
None of these safeguards can determine whether those posting and commenting on confessions are bona fide students of a particular school.
At the college level, the concern isn't bullying so much as brand protection. Universities including San Francisco State have asked confession sites to stop using school logos and photographs of iconic buildings for fear that outsiders might mistake the many tales of alcohol-fueled sexual conquests for an official depiction of campus life.
Despite, or perhaps because of, official disapproval, the fad continues to gain steam - and may be helping Facebook regain some of its allure among teens and college students. A recent poll by an online survey tool, Survata, found teens and young adults aged 13 to 25 used micro-blogging platform Tumblr more than Facebook.
Scores of Facebook confession pages have popped up in recent months, at small private colleges and huge state universities. Princeton, Harvard and Yale have pages. So does Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon.
Some campuses have Twitter confession accounts as well but Facebook remains the most popular medium. The University of Wisconsin-Madison's confessions page has racked up more than 21,000 Facebook "likes." The University of Hawaii at Manoa has nearly 12,000. College students in India, New Zealand and Great Britain are baring their secrets online, too.
"It just makes me laugh," said Matt Miller, a biology major at the University of Hawaii who checks out his classmates' confessions several times a day. Among the recent posts: a lament about the difficulty of conversing with beautiful brunettes, an admission about a romantic relationship with a teaching assistant, and a cryptic, "Majoring in mathematics. Judge me."
The campus confessionals teem with references to specific dorms, classes, fraternities and traditions, giving them an intimate, gossip-over-coffee feel. Many have also become forums for posting secret crushes: "To the boy in Art History with the long hair and blue shoes. You're so cute!!"
The pages can also offer a lifeline to struggling students.
"I want to pass on hope to people who feel like they don't have any," said Stephanie Suchecki, a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay who makes a point of responding to the most wrenching posts.
Moments of compassion, however, are often swamped by the lewd and the crude - just how some confession junkies like it.
An administrator of the Arizona State University confessions site recently goaded readers to ramp up their revelations: "What happened to your crazy stories!?!? Hook ups gone bad?! Party gone crazy?! Come on guys! This is ASU!"

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Karbonn launches A3, A4 and A6 budget Android smartphones

Surbhi Chawla, March 20, 2013

Karbonn has quietly launched three new budget smartphones in India - Karbonn A6, Karbonn A4 and Karbonn A3. First up, is the Karbonn A6 smartphone that sports a 4-inch IPS WVGA display and is powered by 1GHz processor along with 512 MB of RAM. Karbonn A6 is a dual-SIM smartphone that runs on Android 4.0 (Ice cream sandwich). It comes with 104MB of internal storage and can be expanded by up to 32GB via microSD card.
For camera, there is a 5-megapixel rear shooter and VGA one at the front. There is a 1,450mAh battery powering the smartphone. Connectivity options include 2G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth and MicroUSB but no 3G.
This smartphone is currently listed on snapdeal.com for Rs. 5,390 and the site is promising to dispatch it within 4 business days.
Karbonn A4 is slightly cheaper at Rs. 4,990. This is also a dual-SIM smartphone that packs in 1GHz processor and 4-inch capacitive touchscreen. However, it runs on the dated Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread). The other features of this smartphone are 3.2-megapixel rear camera, VGA front camera and 1,400mAh battery. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Lastly, Karbonn A3 is the cheapest smartphone of this lot and is currently retailing on Flipkart.com for Rs. 3,600. The smartphone comes with 1GHz processor with 256MB of RAM. The smartphone sports a 3.5-inch screen with HVGA display. It also has a 3-megapixel rear camera and VGA camera on the front.
The Indian smartphone maker has recently launched the Karbonn Titanium S5. It comes with a 5-inch multi-touch capacitive screen with qHD display and is available for Rs. 11,990
Karbonn A6 specifications

• 4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen with 480 x 800 pixels resolution
• 1 GHz processor
• 512MB RAM
• 104 MB internal storage can be expanded by up to 32GB with microSD
• 5-megapixel auto focus camera with LED Flash
• VGA front-facing camera
• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual Standby
• 2G EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, micro USB
• 1450 mAh battery
• 128x65.7x11.6 mm

Karbonn A4 specifications

• 4.0-inch screen with 320 x 480 pixels display
• 1GHz processor
• 256MB RAM
• 104MB Internal storage, can be expanded by up to 32GB with microSD
• 3.2-megapixel rear camera
• VGA front camera
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• Dual SIM (GSM + GSM)
• 1400 mAh battery

Karbonn A3 specifications

• 3.5-inch screen with 320 x 480 pixels display
• 1GHz processor
• 256MB RAM
• 155 MB of internal memory, expandable by up to 32GB with microSD
• 3-megapixel rear camera
• VGA front-facing camera
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual Standby
• 1400 mAh battery

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Apple releases iOS 6.1.3 with fix for lock screen bug

The new iOS update patches a security hole related to the lock screen and improves Apple's Maps app in Japan.

 

Apple today launched iOS version 6.1.3 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch users.
The latest update fixes a security flaw that allowed someone to gain access to an iPhone by getting past the lock screen.
By following a specific series of steps, including making an emergency call, a person could get around the passcode and make phone calls, listen to voice mail, or check contact photos.
iOS 6.1.3 also adds improvements to Apple's Maps app for users in Japan.
iOS users can update their devices over the air by opening the Settings screen, tapping on General, choosing Software Update, and then downloading and installing the latest version directly.

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Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch resigns, headed for Apple

Adobe's CTO Kevin Lynch has resigned, departing the company to go work at Apple as the VP of technology.

Lynch at an Adobe event in 2008, using an iPhone.

Adobe Systems Chief Technology Officer Kevin Lynch announced plans today to leave the company and is headed for Apple to become its vice president of technologies.
Adobe says it's not replacing the CTO position, and instead is assigning those responsibilities to Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen and SVP Bryan Lamkin.
News of the resignation came inside of a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, though not the move to Apple, which was reported earlier by CNBC.
From Adobe:

Kevin Lynch, Adobe CTO, is leaving the company effective March 22 to take a position at Apple We will not be replacing the CTO position; responsibility for technology development lies with our business unit heads under the leadership of Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen. Bryan Lamkin, who has recently returned to Adobe, will assume responsibilities for cross company research and technology initiatives as well as Corporate Development. We wish Kevin well in this new chapter of his career.

Lynch and Apple did not respond to a request for a comment on the move.
Lynch will take on a role of vice president of technology reporting to Senior Vice President Bob Mansfield, CNBC says. Apple created that group as part of its shake up last October, which included the announced departure of iOS software chief Scott Forstall and retail chief John Browett. Apple is still on the hunt for Browett's replacement, and already combined some of Forstall's responsibilities among other top execs Craig Federighi, Jony Ive and Eddy Cue.

Lynch.

"I think Lynch is fascinated by the intersection of hardware and software, and Adobe doesn't have that," a person close to Adobe's board told CNET. "It's completely different than anything he's ever done."
"Lynch is more a software guy," adds Forrester VP and principal analyst Jeffrey Hammond. "I think it could be a signal Apple is interested in more than just the device - Adobe has done a good job transitioning its products to the cloud and putting in place the elements of a subscription model. Perhaps this gives Apple some experience that will help them compete with Google and Microsoft on a front they are not very good at right now."
Lynch has some roots in Mac software, including development of FrameMaker and its technology, which was acquired by Adobe. He also worked at General Magic, which was founded by some of the original Mac team including Bill Atkinson and Andy Hertzfeld. At the same time, Lynch was a staunch critic of Apple for not including Adobe's Flash technology on the iPhone or iPad.
Apple and Adobe famously warred over the Flash issue in 2010, with then Apple CEO Steve Jobs penning a public memo called "Thoughts on Flash," which argued Adobe's technology was deeply flawed and vaunting more open technologies like HTML5. Adobe responded by running a massive ad campaign -- both online and in print -- touting its developer base and arguing that Apple was "taking away" people's "freedom to choose" how those experiences were created. A year later Adobe ceded, announcing plans to cease development on the mobile browser version of Flash, and focus its tools on HTML instead.
Lynch's departure comes just after a revenue and earnings beat by Adobe for its first quarter, as well as news that it had more than 500,000 paid members of its Creative Cloud service.
Adobe's stock was up $2.32 to 43.07 or 5.69 percent after hours. Apple's moved down 89 cents to $453.60 a share.

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Mobile devices overtake TVs in the bedroom

Motorola Mobility's study of 9,500 global consumers found that a majority of respondents who view video programming in the bedroom use their smartphones and tablets versus broadcast TV.

Motorola's Media Engagement Barometer looks at the video consumption habits of 9,500 consumers across 17 countries.

What are wired people around the world doing in the living room and bedroom? Consuming content on their mobile devices, according to Motorola Mobility's Fourth Annual Media Engagement Barometer. Consumers globally are watching 25 hours of TV and film programming per week on average, up from 15 hours in 2011.
Fifty percent of respondents said they watch programming on their TVs in the living room, while 40 percent use their smartphones or tablets instead, the study found. The Motorola Mobility (owned by Google) survey of 9,500 consumers in 17 countries found that among the 36 percent of respondents who watch video programming in the bedroom, 46 percent view it on a smartphone, 41 percent on a tablet, and 36 percent on broadcast TV. Moreover, 9 percent of tablet owners and 16 percent of smartphone owners are consuming content in the bathroom, according to the study.
More than 50 percent of those surveyed have downloaded or stored a TV program or film on a mobile device.
An expected finding is that consumers want more flexibility across a variety of devices in how they view programming. Among those surveyed, 76 percent indicated that they want the capability to move video content between devices automatically.
Skipping ads is a major reason people choose to record programming. According to the study, 68 percent globally and 75 percent in the U.S. indicated that they record broadcast TV to skip ads. This trend presents an ongoing challenge to the TV networks.
Fox, CBS (the parent company of CNET), NBC (Comcast), and ABC (Disney) have filed separate suits against Dish Network over the AutoHop feature in its DVR. The networks maintain that the ad-skipping feature will destroy the advertiser-supported ecosystem and that Dish doesn't have the right to tamper with advertising from broadcast replays for its economic and commercial advantage. Dish claims that the AutoHop feature doesn't infringe on copyright. The technology doesn't alter the broadcast signal and the ads are not deleted from the recording.
Time-shifted TV accounted for 29 percent of weekly viewing in Motorola's study. While, on average, DVR owners watch more TV than those who watch live TV, nearly a third of recorded content is never watched. Among U.S. people surveyed, 41 percent of recorded content is never viewed. Even so, driven by the flood of quality programming across broadcast and cable networks, TV viewing rose from 10 hours in 2011 to 19 hours per week. Movie consumption rose from 5 to 6 hours per week. The U.S. topped the list of countries in the amount of programming it watches, with 23 hours of TV and 6 hours of movies consumed weekly.
Among the other findings:

77 percent of those surveyed indicated they record programming because of conflicts with live programming they want to watch.

72 percent said they record to store the full series of a program.

68 percent have deleted content because they have run out of storage room on their devices.

50 percent of those surveyed don't engage in social media activities while watching programs. However, 60 percent of 16- to 24-year-old respondents follow social conversations while viewing programming.

Among those surveyed, 46 percent used smartphones -- and 41 percent tablets -- in the bedroom, compared to 36 percent for broadcast TV.

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Dad says Facebook photo of son with gun brought cops to house

A New Jersey man says that, on the basis of mere hearsay about a Facebook photo of his 11-year-old son with a .22 rifle, police and child protection arrive at his door and demand entry.

The picture that allegedly caused official concern.

(Credit: Shawn Moore/Facebook)

I am sure there are several 11-year-old boys who are terribly proficient at handling a gun.
But, given that I wouldn't trust an 11-year-old boy with a popsicle, I would just as well not be anywhere near them.
This, however, doesn't appear to have been the policy of the authorities in New Jersey. They were allegedly alarmed by a Facebook photo of Josh Moore, aged 11, holding a .22 rifle, and they allegedly wanted to get very near him.
The photo had been posted by his father, Shawn, to Facebook. It showed Josh, in his camouflage outfit and rather bright sneakers.
Shawn Moore told his story to a forum on the Delaware Open Carry Web site.
He said he received a text from his wife that police and alleged members of the Department of Youth and Family Services had paid their home a visit. It was, allegedly, not a social call.
Indeed, he posted a picture of police in what he describes as "tactical gear."
He says the authorities demanded to enter the house in Carneys Point, N.J., and check his guns. His lawyer, on a cell phone speakerphone, was privy to all the discussions.

Moore insisted that he wouldn't open the safe where his guns are kept-- as no warrant was allegedly presented to him -- and that a lady from the Department of Youth and Family Services refused to identify herself.
The Associated Press says that neither the department nor the police were prepared to comment on the alleged visitation and its purpose.
Moore said none of his visitors had actually seen the photo. He alleges they had merely received a phone call reporting its details.
The rifle was reportedly Josh Moore's 11th birthday gift.
Somehow, guns and Facebook have proved to constitute an often uncomfortable marriage of the medium and the message.
Recently, a Pennsylvania police chief was suspended after an especially fetching image of him, a comely lady friend, and a couple of guns appeared on the site.
The more we insist on exposing who we are to people we don't know, the more hullabaloo seems to inevitably develop.

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Clarke uncertain for Delhi Test

	Michael Clarke's back problem threatens to affect his participation in the final Test in Delhi © BCCI Enlarge

Michael Clarke has never missed a Test match due to his ongoing back injury but faces an enormous challenge to prove his fitness over the next three days after struggling through the Mohali Test. Clarke has not given up hope of playing the fourth and final Test, which starts in Delhi on Friday, but when asked if he was confident of leading the side his uncertain facial expression and pause before answering betrayed a serious concern.

"My fingers are crossed I will be doing everything I can to give myself the best chance," Clarke said. "I guess I am always pretty positive, touch wood I haven't missed a Test match due to injury so far in my career and I wouldn't like this to be my first one. If I can't perform at my best, if I feel I am going to let the team down, I won't be taking the field."

Clarke was visibly hampered during his 52-minute innings on the final day in Mohali and batted at No.6 after being in too much pain to bat on the fourth afternoon. He had been on and off the field several times during India's innings on Sunday and left Brad Haddin in charge, but the vice-captain Shane Watson, who is rejoining the squad after flying home for the birth of his child, would be the likely leader in Delhi if Clarke is ruled out.

That would be a fascinating turn of events after Watson was one of four players left out of the Mohali Test due to their failure to complete a task set by the coach Mickey Arthur. Watson subsequently flew home for the birth of his first child but on the way said he thought the punishment was "very harsh" and that he would use his time at home to weigh up his cricket future.

"It's very positive that Watto is coming back," Clarke said. "I know all the boys are looking forward to having him back and no doubt if I am unavailable ... I haven't spoken to the selectors but I would imagine that Watto would be captain that's for sure."

Watson was in line for the captaincy for last year's Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka on another occasion when Clarke had an injury concern - on that occasion a hamstring problem - but Clarke was passed fit. Clarke's back complaint has affected him for his entire career, and he said although it was painful he and the team physio Alex Kountouris were well versed with how to manage the problem when it flares up.

"It's pretty sore," Clarke said. "Fortunately I have got a few days before the next Test and I will spend as much time with Alex as I can to get it right. It is the same problem I have had since I was 17 and I have been trying to manage it throughout my career and the next four days will be no different to normal when my back goes on me like this. It's about plenty of treatment, listening to the expert and doing everything I can to get it right for the next Test match."

Clarke was in the field for all of India's second innings on the final day in Mohali, where he tried to rally his men to defend the small target of 133, but India's batsmen reached the target with 15 balls to spare. The loss left Australia 3-0 down in a series for the first time in nearly 25 years and Clarke will be doing everything in his power to avoid becoming the first captain since Bill Lawry in South Africa in 1969-70 to lead Australia on the wrong end of a 4-0 whitewash.

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Starc flies home for ankle surgery

	Mitchell Starc has been playing through pain in India © BCCI

Mitchell Starc will fly home from India to have surgery on his ankle and will miss the fourth and final Test in Delhi.

Starc has been affected by bone spurs in his right ankle for some time and the problem was a key factor in him being rested for the Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka, and while he was able to continue through the rest of the Australian summer and the Indian tour, the Australians are gambling on an early operation they hope will have him fully fit for the Ashes.

Starc was one of Australia's strongest performers in the loss in Mohali, where he scored 99 and 35, and collected two wickets during a spell of impressive swing bowling with the second new ball in India's second innings. However, with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy now in India's hands, the Australian team management decided that Starc's injury was best dealt with immediately to give him the best chance of being available for the tour of England.

"Mitch has been experiencing ankle pain related to bone spurs during the India Test series and whilst manageable, this represents an appropriate time for Mitch to have the surgery with a view to having him fully fit for the Ashes in late June," the team doctor Peter Brukner said. "Mitch will have surgery later this week and we'll assess his recovery as he returns to bowling."

Australia's coach Mickey Arthur said Starc could have continued playing but the operation would have been required at some stage.

"We were aware that Mitch would need surgery at some point in the future to have the spurs removed," Arthur said. "He could have continued playing but we want to take a proactive approach in managing Mitch to have him fit for the Ashes series in England. Our medical team will monitor his progress closely on whether he is available for selection for the ICC Champions Trophy."

Starc's absence for the Delhi Test could bring Mitchell Johnson into contention to play his first Test of the tour. Johnson and James Pattinson will again be available for selection after being left out due to their failure to complete a team task in Mohali and while Pattinson is a certainty to play, the make-up of the rest of the attack is less clear. The pitch in Delhi is expected to offer significant turn.

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Study says social media revolution set to get bigger

• 
  AP With all the potential in social media in India, the utilisation of this force for marketing is still in its infancy.
• 

You’ve heard all those jokes about Facebook addiction? Well, they are for real.

According to a recent report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India, Facebook is the leading website accessed by 97 per cent of all social media users in India. And the average frequency of social networking access (using the mobile phone) is: yes, seven days a week.

These figures, however, are not startling to anyone in the social media; they only indicate a certain incremental change from the previous years. Saurabh Parmar, founder, Brandlogist, and digital marketing professor, points out a couple of discrepancies: for instance, Facebook says its numbers have crossed 62 million in India, while the study pegs the total number of social media users at 62 million.

Some of the other numbers are surprising, he says. “How many people use G+? The study puts it at the second most popular social media site.” The study also says about 35 per cent of the social networking base is from small towns. “If this is true, then this is a surprise. All along we were thinking that social media are dominated by people from big cities, and we have been targeting content, advertisements and offers for them,” says Naga Chokkanathan, social media and customer experience management consultant.

With all this potential in social media in the country, the utilisation of this force for marketing is still in its infancy, say analysts.

Barring a few exceptions, most brands are still relying on the traditional advertising avenues.

“Brands are surprised when we tell them that FB is seven to eight times the size of the largest print publication, larger than TV channels. Today, almost every brand is on FB, but just as a checklist. They are not yet talking about how you can drive marketing via social media,” says Mr. Parmar.

But, this is going to change very fast, Mr. Chokkanathan says. “Pretty soon, people are going to expect rapid communication via social media channels and this will become a hygiene factor instead of a ‘Good To Have’ thing.”

As for Twitter, though it creates a comfortable-pal zone among its regular users, different strategies are needed to market brands. This is to be clarified, especially given the way people use it in India, compared to the U.S., explains Karthik Srinivasan, blogger, PR professional and social media observer.

An interesting but expected takeaway from the study is the overwhelming use of mobile phones to access digital content. “After all, there are more phones than PCs here,” says Mr. Chokkanathan. Mr. Srinivasan insists that it is only going to grow in the coming years. “We are getting a plethora of smart phones in the below-Rs. 20,000 category and prices are falling year after year. Bandwidth charges notwithstanding, this would drive social media usage a lot more than PC-based access. Add tablets to the mix and things seem even more promising.”

Experts also point to a long-pending but imminent revolution in the social media space in the coming years: the inclusion of regional language content. “Social media being largely a personal mode of communication, people prefer to communicate in their native language. We see a huge growth in this, but user-created content in regional languages is going to become really huge and stay,” says Mr.Chokkanathan. In fact, it is going to be something for IAMAI to seriously consider and delve deeper into the future reports, adds Mr. Srinivasan.

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Pinterest pushes out new look with bigger pins

The social networking site has restyled its site in the hopes that more people will incessantly pop around from one pin to next.

(Credit: Pinterest)

Pinterest today announced that it will begin to introduce the general population to a new look featuring bigger pins running on a faster foundation. The redesign, which Pinterest first started testing in late January, amounts to a collection of visual and infrastructure enhancements that should push people to pop around from one pin to the next.
Pinterest is an inspirational social network for saving recipes, fashion finds, housewares, and other digital goods to collections called "boards." These "pins," as they're called, are the essence of the site's experience and provide people with a visual way to browse the Web, as curated by friends and celebrities.
With the new look, Pinterest is pumping up the volume on pins. Pins, themselves, are bigger and more arresting, and individual pin pages now include a smattering of related pins -- from the same board, same Web source, or same member -- to send viewers down paths of pin-spiration.

The company, fresh off landing $200 million in new funding, is describing the new look as a way to help members discover more of what they love, which is just a fluffy way of saying it wants to keep people on its site for longer. Pinterest has good reason to want to keep its members occupied for longer. The startup, now valued at $2.5 billion, will likely soon want to monetize member attention, and has hinted at this intent with the release of business-friendly tools including Web analytics for site owners, launched last week.
Pinterest said members should start receiving invitations to the new look starting today.

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FBI turns to Internet to solve $500 million Gardner heist

It was the largest property crime in U.S. history, one shrouded in mystery for 23 years. Now the agency is turning to cyberspace as it trumpets a breakthrough in the case.

Maybe the Internet can lend a hand in resolving a two decades-plus mystery surrounding the biggest property heist in U.S. history. On March 18, 1990, a couple of robbers wearing police uniforms entered Boston's stately Isabella Gardner Museum, tied up the security guards, and ripped off 13 objects valued at up to $500 million. Earlier today, the feds announced a breakthrough: The agency now knows the identity of the thieves and where the stolen art was transported. But in a bid to get out the word, the FBI has put together a Web site carrying updates about the mysterious case and cataloging the stolen objects of art -- as well as publicizing the $5 million reward put out by the Gardner Museum.

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Google scraps Chrome's RSS extension along with Reader

Google's decision to kill its Google Reader service has caused some collateral damage: the end of a related Chrome extension that let the browser handle RSS feeds.
RSS and the similar Atom technology make it easier for people to subscribe to regular updates published on Web sites, and Google Reader was a popular way for people to read that content. Google announced that it's scrapping Google Reader on July 1, but it's already gone ahead and withdrawn the feed-finding Chrome extension.
The extension would detect Web sites' feeds then let people use a variety of RSS reader services to subscribe to those feeds.
For those who want to replace Chrome's reader extension, one option that seems to be actively maintained is the RSS Subscription Extension. According to the unofficial Google Operating System blog, it's based on Google's own RSS extension for Chrome, and based on my tests works identically so far.
I'm one of the people who bemoans the loss of Google Reader, since I use it daily to scan countless news sites and blogs for the latest updates and think it reduces the friction of information flow around the world.

But I'm not surprised that Google is scrapping it. RSS never drew much in the way of mainstream usage, and while some place the blame for that irrelevance at Google's feet for all but ceasing Google Reader development, I'm not convinced RSS was really ever a great tool for ordinary folks. With each passing year, Google becomes more of a consumer products and services organization, aiming for the mainstream and not the nerdy technophiles it likes to hire. Those of you who want regular-expression handling in Google Docs: forget it.
The writing has been on the wall for Google Reader for a long time. The RSS reader extension was one illustration. A top-interest browser issue for Google was a feature request to add RSS support to Chrome. But the company chose instead to just leave RSS support as an optional extension rather than build it directly into Chrome, telegraphing clearly that feed-reading didn't make the cut.
Just because something isn't mainstream doesn't mean there's no interest, of course. RSS readers are experiencing a new burst of activity left by Google's abandonment of the market. Feedly says it got 500,000 new users, and the Old Reader got 100,000 new users.
For some other ideas about filling that RSS void in your life, check CNET's list of five Reader replacements and eight reader software options, or check the Replace Reader site that tracks people's tweeted votes.

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Microsoft to end Windows Phone 7.8 and 8 support in 2014

The company says that Windows Phone 8's support will end in July 2014, while Windows Phone 7.8 will continue to receive support until September.

 

Microsoft has put an end date on its support for Windows Phone 7.8 and Windows Phone 8.
The company's support page lists both operating systems, and says that Windows Phone 7.8 will be supported through September 9, 2014, while Windows Phone 8 will receive support through July 8, 2014.

The difference is based on Microsoft's life cycle start date and its decision to support platforms for 18 months. Microsoft pegs the Windows Phone 8 start date at December 14 and Windows Phone 7.8 at February 9.
Windows Phone 8 is the latest and most featured-packed version of Windows Phone. Windows Phone 7.8 was the option Microsoft offered to former Windows Phone 7 owners who didn't want to buy a new device. There's no clear upgrade path to Windows Phone 8 from Windows Phone 7, so Windows Phone 7.8 provides some, but not all, of the features in Microsoft's operating system.
That Microsoft is ending support for its latest operating systems next year isn't all that surprising. The mobile space is driven by rapid operating system updates. Apple, for example, launches a new version of iOS each year. And since most consumers update their devices every two years, needing to keep operating systems updated for several years doesn't make much sense.

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