10 Best And Free Online Games

Bangalore: Games pull us in to their enchanting world, repleted with action, puzzle, drama and fun. People once hooked on; carries that obsession into their veins to explore what’s in store for them while going from one challenge to the next offered by the game. While Sony’s PS3 and Microsoft’s Xbox cost a bomb, there are a myriad numbers of free online games now available on web, but only a bunch of them succeeded in drawing game frenzy crowd. Read on to know 10 best and free online games that will keep you hooked on for hours, as compiled by The Independent.

#10 Wonderputt

Genre: Sports
Publisher: Damp Gnat
Developer: Damp Gnat

Wonderputt is an adventure golfing game but with cows, toads, ski slopes, torpedoes and a sprinkle of alien abductions for good measure. The game features 18 Adventure Golf holes, each with their own unique animations and novel features from bouncing balls, hovering and banking to teleporting, water skimming and burping out of toads. You should play it to appreciate the graphics as much as the game itself.

#9 Planetside 2

Genre: Persistent Online Shooter
Publisher: Sony Online Entertainment
Developer: Sony Online Entertainment

Building off of the groundbreaking original, PlanetSide 2 is a free-to-play, massive multiplayer online first person shooter (MMOFPS) that delivers truly epic, massive combat on a scale never before seen in stunning, breathtaking details. Harnessing the power of SOE's next generation Forgelight engine, in PlanetSide 2 battles persist when thousands of players align with one of three unique Empires in intense land, air and vehicle gameplay. Also in PlanetSide 2, the fight for territory is more than a victory, it’s simply survival.

Across the continents of Auraxis, thousands of players come together in enormous battles to win control of critical territories and key resources for their Empire. With an extensive skill tree and free-form class-based system, players are able to customize their soldiers, weapons and vehicles to match their play-style, as well as the needs of their squad, outfit or Empire. Battles can last for days or weeks, so players need to build alliances and specialized combat outfits to take on long-term strategic and tactical initiatives. With aircraft and ground vehicles, as well as infantry combats, the battles are larger and more intense than ever before.

#8 Mr. Smoozles Goes Nutso

Genre: Adventure
Publisher: Juniper Games
Developer: Juniper Games

Play as Ed and join in his struggles to avoid Mr. Smoozles, who's been turned completely nutso by the evil Goragons- dark creatures from another dimension, who are intent on destroying reality.

Will Ed defeat the Goragons, free his friends, restore Mr. Smoozles' mind and bring the world back to normal? And the biggest challenge – will Ed save his valuable collection of Geeks Monthly? Well, of course he will - but only with your help!

Based on the online comic Mr. Smoozles, this was the first indie game released by the award- winning writer and developer Steve Ince. It was originally a paid-for game, but Ince decided to release it for free in 2011.

#7 Slender: The Arrival

Genre: Adventure
Publisher: Parsec Productions
Developer: Blue Isle Studios

Experience the fear all over again. Slender: The Arrival is the official re-imagining of the original release that once again will engage players with the same terrifying gameplay, while adding a complete gaming experience that the fans have been asking for.

The artful indie horror game involves wandering around a forest collecting pages armed only with a flashlight, while avoiding the "Slender Man" who is perpetually chasing you through the fog. This is a game about survival -- use your instincts to get out alive. The Arrival pushes gamers further over the edge past what they experienced in the first game with more levels and improved visuals as well as an engaging storyline.

#6 Drifting Afternoon

Genre: Jumping
Publisher: Ferryhalim.com
Developer: Orisinal

Although it looks pretty windy out there, your intrepid little orange kitten has no trouble keeping up with your mouse as you guide him around the screen. Click somewhere, and he'll jump in the direction of your cursor. Those are the only controls that you need to learn! The object is simply to help him leap from one brightly colored bubble to another as they float by. Each time you make a successful jump, the amount of points you earn increases. Falling to the ground resets the chain. If you jump over one or more bubbles and land successfully on another, you'll get a bonus. Just keep an eye on your time, and keep an eye out for special bubbles that can grant you a small time extension!

#5 Yeti Sports

Genre: Sports
Publisher: yetisports.org
Developer: yetisports.org

The super addictive Yeti sports collection is a true Olympiad of online mini-games, which can also be downloaded as an app. The set includes, Albatross Overload, Scrat Jump, Penguin Run, Penguin Throw and many other fun games.  Almost all of them involve throwing a penguin as far as you can.

#4 Numpty Physics

Genre: Puzzle
Publisher: numptyphisics.garage.maemo.org
Developer: numptyphisics.garage.maemo.org

Harness gravity with your crayon and set about creating blocks, ramps, levers, pulleys and whatever else you fancy to get the little red thing to the little yellow thing. Numpty Physics is a drawing puzzle game in the spirit and style of Crayon Physics using the same excellent Box2D engine. Numpty Physics includes a built-in editor so that you may build and submit your own levels. Use crayons to solve puzzles on a piece of paper and experiment with your own drawings that come to life according the rules of physics.

#3 Flow

Genre: Action
Publisher: interactive.usc. edu/projects/cloud/flowing
Developer: thatgamecompany (TGC)

In this free-flowing game, you dive deep into the space, eating and evolving, collecting up tiny morsels to help your creature become bigger and more complex. With an embedded design of DDA (Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment), players with differing skill levels can intuitively customize their game experience and enjoy the game at their own pace. Players can also customize the appearance of their organisms based on gameplay.

#2 Bumperball

Genre: Arcade Sports
Publisher: bumperball.com
Developer: bumperball.com

Available online as well as for iPad for free, this is a cool one-on-one soccer game but with a twist; the twist being that you’re in a bumping car. It is possibly the best one for the retro game geeks out there.

#1 Rebuild 2

Genre: Strategy
Publisher: armorgames.com

Reclaim a city from the zombie hordes while managing supplies, housing and morale. This strategy game is set in the aftermath and you need to survive with the resources you have, scope out new buildings to protect your population and avoid further attacks from the dreaded flesh eaters. Featuring new buildings, plotlines, characters, customizable survivors with skills and equipment, this game comes with an all new and improved art with mysteriously hidden endings to explore.

 

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10 things he’ll notice about you in 10 mins

Couple on date

Just the kind of drink you choose or the amount of cleavage you show can make a huge difference

1. Sunny smile: The way you smile can say a lot about the person you are. Make sure that if you are meeting a guy for the first time you are don't come across as someone who's eager to please him and therefore is laughing at all his jokes a tad too enthusiastically. At the same time don't appear too stern by keep a serious face.

2. Dress it up: What you wear is obviously one of the first things that a guy is likely to judge you on. Whether you are a tom boy or a girly girl... all is revealed by the way you dress and most guys will decide whether to make a move or back off just by looking at the way you dress.

3. Your drink: The best way to figure you out is by your drink. Your drink can demystify you within no time. Like if you are a woman between 21-24 having rum and coke, you may be thought to be someone who doesn't have an adventurous life.

4. Can you talk? Don't try to fake interests where you have none. So if the guy is talking about football and you have no clue about it, don't pretend to be an avid fan. Just tell him outright that this isn't your field of expertise.

5. Hair scare: Are Plain Janes associated with a bun? The kind of hairstyle you sport is definitely going to leave an impression. An out of the bed look is fine, but if your hair is downright messy then it can be a major turn off.

6. Watch your cleavage: Yes, if he is a man he is bound to check out your cleavage. So, be aware of what you are projecting yourself to be. A buttoned-up shirt is likely to give you a conservative look, while showing off too much may make you seem like an easy girl. So know what you are showing.

7. What's in your bag? If your bag resembles a haversack it's not going to be very appealing, you may not be high maintenance, but if you keep bringing out stuff it may give a guy an impression that you are a hoarder or high maintenance.

8. Glam it up or tone it down: You don't need to look like an made up doll if you are at a coffee shop, similarly don't look like you have had no time to even wash your face if you are at a party. Neither is appealing, and a guy is bound to notice.

9. Clean it up: We are talking about your skin here. Guys don't notice things like a blemish on your face. But a fake tan or just an unwashed face can be a turn off. It's okay to not put on any make up, but ensure that you look clean.

10. Hold yourself: The way you sit or stand or move tell a lot about you. Fidgeting too much in your seat is a clear indication of your nervousness, while sitting far too straight may make you seem a bit stressed. Relax, be calm and just be yourself.

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“2013 will see large number of hiring in the green energy sector”

Deepak Kaistha, MD, Planman Consultant

Which industry will be hiring the most in 2013? Why?
From the hiring point of view, 2013 is definitely going to be a ‘Green Year’ all together in which we shall see the green energy sector raising most of its hiring. Today, we live in an age where we see great environmental awareness, global carbon markets and green buildings, which eventually contributes into the generation of more green jobs. Hence in the employment chart, 2013 will contribute a lot in preserving and restoring environmental quality.
Which will be the top ten in-demand professions in 2013? Why?
Every profession has its own brand value through which the individuals create their own brand value. This helps a lot in creating a demand for the profession. So here are the top ten in-demand professions for 2013:
1) Management – It is said that a management degree is certainly equal to a job in hand that too with a very lucrative salary package. This saying is fair enough to preserve first position for management in terms of demand.
2) IT – Software Industry- Indian IT sector is at its boom. We see a great demand for the Indian IT and software professionals at very high pay scale all over the globe. This attracts a lot of people to opt for this profession.
3) C- A – There is a huge demand for the CA professionals due to the fact that every organisation needs to employ at least one CA to look after their accounts. This will generate a great demand for them as well in 2013.
4) Consultancy Firms – The reason behind why we see a great demand for consultants in 2013, is the fact that today we see a rising demand for them in almost every sector.
5) Doctors – After China, we are the second largest populated country. More people means more doctors to look after their health. This automatically generates a demand for this profession as well.
6) BANKING- We see a great number of foreign banks entering into the Indian markets, which is generating huge employment in the banking sector as well.
7) LAWYERS – Law is a very good profession. It can help you earn up to Rs 4 lakh even when you are fresher. So this profession has also manged to earn a demand for itself.
8) Aviation industry – This industry will be apt to be spotted at the 8^th position, as we had seen a great boom in the industry in the past years with ample job opportunities for the young talented minds of the country.
9) MARKETING/ADVERTISING – Marketing earns more and more customers for us in which advertising also plays an important role. Hence this industry serves ample of job opportunities.
10) REAL ESTATE – We see a great demand under this profession because it had given a great number of job opportunities before and earned itself a great demand as well.
What will be the strongest recruitment trend in 2013?
The growth rates do not show a good picture for 2013 although we see a slightly positive side for the employment industry. The strongest recruitment trend that we shall get to see in 2013 is the high growth in entry level jobs. A great importance will be given in appointing the right person at the right position and with the right salaries.
Which metro will offer maximum number of jobs?
This time we see an optimistic scenario in the small towns that will be offering more number of jobs than the larger metros. We are going to have 49% respondents in  Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru and 58% respondents in the Tier 2 & Tier 3 cities; thus creating a different scenario all together.
2013 will be the year of….
Good job opportunities for sure. The salary survey of World at Work states that India will have 10.3% of projected increase. The headcount in all the nine industry sectors is expected to grow during the first quarter of FY’13. IT & ITeS sector shows the most optimistic projection with 21% net employment. FMCG stands second in the list with the figure going to 19% further followed by infrastructure (18 per cent), retail (18 per cent) etc.

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Today`s Quotes

The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means.

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Maruti plans to step up hiring of women engineers in heading critical functions

Sheetal Dhiman, 32, had more than a passing role to play in how Maruti Suzuki’s new Alto responds when you step on the throttle. She and the team of male engineers she leads have a clear mandate — test vehicles and calibrate the engine management system. Sheetal was the only female employee in her department when she joined Maruti Suzuki five years ago.
She started leading her team two years ago. Mugdha Swarnkar, 27, a deputy manager in vehicle integration, has also been leading an all-male team for a year now. She has worked on the Ritz and was involved in body part designing for the new Alto CNG.
“Women do need to put in extra effort to outshine and prove that they are equally capable,” she says, quickly adding that she has never felt discriminated.
Sheetal and Mugdha’s rise to team leads in hardcore auto engineering is inspiration for several young women who want to join the profession. Their kind, though, is only a sprinkling yet in an otherwise male bastion.
“It takes 10 years to get to a senior managerial position, and we already have 10 women in such roles,” says SY Siddiqui, chief operating officer (administration), Maruti Suzuki. “Several women engineers have entered the company in recent years; many more will join this list of senior managers,” he adds.
At Maruti Suzuki, it is no longer uncommon to find women in roles such as engine and transmission design, development and testing, brakes and suspension design, engine and body electricals and styling, modelling and designing of the final product.
Maruti Plans to Step up Hiring of Women
For example, women account for about 13% of engineers in the electrical division, 9% of those working on braking and suspension and about 7% in powertrain engine testing.
India’s largest carmaker is now planning to increase the proportion of new women hires in engineering functions to 15% this fiscal from an average of 10% over the past three years.
The company has planned an increase of 33% in women engineering new hires over last year, compared with a 4% increase in total engineering new hires. Hiring women for R&D roles in a heavy engineering company has traditionally been a challenge. “We have broken that belief and positively enabled employment of women talent at Maruti Suzuki,” says Siddiqui.
“We are expanding our R&D team significantly and are looking to get the best possible talent-…more women are opting for these hardcore engineering functions (now) and they fit our requirement.”
Recruiting women, Siddiqui says, brings a certain balance and diversity in terms of population mix, versatility and value add. It has nothing to do with the labour unrest the company has faced recently.
Such new recruits also walk in with fire in their bellies. “I can prove that even girls can be efficient and effective testers,” says Deepti Mahra, a Graduate Engineer Trainee in the gasoline vehicles testing department.
Mahra, who has done her B-Tech in mechanical engineering from College Of Technology, Pantnagar, had been fascinated by automobiles since early childhood. So when it came to selecting a stream of study, mechanical engineering was the obvious choice.
Maruti hires over 95% of its Graduate Engineer Trainees from campuses such as National Institutes of Technology — including Kurukshetra, Hamirpur, Jalandhar, Jamshedpur, Durgapur, Jaipur, and Bhopal; BITS-Pilani, and Delhi College of Engineering (now Delhi Technological University). It recently also started hiring from women colleges such as Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology.
Traditional male-dominated streams such as mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering are now attracting more female students. But the numbers need to grow a lot more to bring real diversity on factory floors.
Says Sonam Motwani, who heads a 70-member student automobile team at IIT-Bombay: “People have a set image that doesn’t allow them to step into so-called male bastions. I was elected to head the team that builds racing cars for international formula students’ competition. The chief mechanical engineer in my team is also a woman. The IIT structure empowers this.”
There are seven women members on the team. Maruti Suzuki grooms women student engineers even when they are in college. It has adopted two women ITIs, one at Gurgaon and other at Jhajjar, Haryana.
Hiring women automobile engineers is a relatively recent phenomenon in India and even in the global auto hubs of the US and Europe, factory floors still remain male bastions. General Motors, Chrysler and Ford Motors, do have female auto engineers in senior management positions, but they are outnumbered by men.

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“There is a mismatch between implementation and strategic thinking in education”

  Dr. K S Badarinarayan, Principal of MVJCE, affiliated to the Visweshwaraiah Technological University

There is a skill gap between corporate requirements and what the student learns. What are the key concerns you have as an educationist?
At present, our education system is still following the traditional way of learning, change of approach is required to learn, unlearn and relearn. Learning should be practical, with emphasis on application rather than theory. This would help students remember concepts for life and apply the same in their work life. Students are more focused on passing their exams. The need to be industry ready is still lacking.
What do you think is the reason behind this?
There has been incredible growth in technology. Technology growth is outpacing the rate at which education can adapt. This had happened earlier in developed countries too, in the 40’s and 50’s, there was a big gap between industrial growth and the education adaptability rate.
In India, Cloud computing, data management are still not in the regular curriculum. A mismatch between implementation and strategic thinking is seen here in education. Leaders  (as in educationists) with foresight are the need of the hour.
What is your opinion about corporate-academia cooperation to make education requirement-specific has been noticed.
Typically education grows at a slower pace, the problem in India is more acute because technology itself is changing at a very fast rate. Yes, there should be collaboration between industry and institute on a continuous basis. But also, Academia should restructure their syllabus according to market requirements and deliver to their students and this in turn would make them industry ready.
 What is your take on skill development organisations and foundations?
At basic level, these foundations will nurture and train the students on their skills. They provide the basics of what is required by the industry. The students need to imbibe these skills, add value and enhance their performance level in the industry to be more competent.
I feel the finishing school concept can be introduced at university/college level, as their regular curriculum to strengthen the capabilities of students.
What steps is your institution taking to make your students better skilled and employable?
We are trying our best to minimise the skill gap. Following steps have been taken by us as an institution, to make our students better skilled and employable

• Comprehensive 200 hours of training program, spread over 4 years to train the students on communication skills, technical skills, aptitude skills and soft skills.
• Industry executives give lectures and insight into industry requirements.
• Students who have been placed in various industries, mentor the pre-final year students.
• Industrial visits and internships are very important to our institution.

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Are you replacing toothbrush every 3 months?

Are you replacing toothbrush every 3 months?

We have all along known the importance of dental hygiene, but could never whip up enthusiasm to pursue it religiously.

Blame it on the smattering of information available, we are left wondering from where to begin, and if one can ever do it the right way.

Aesthetic dentistry expert Dr Sushant Umre exchanges some invaluable notes on oral care.

Most appropriate way to brush your teeth
Proper brushing is essential for cleaning teeth and gums effectively. Use a toothbrush with soft, nylon, round-ended bristles that will not irritate teeth or damage gums.

Place bristles along the gumline at a 45-degree angle. Bristles should contact both the tooth surface and the gumline. Gently brush first, the outer tooth surface and then the inner surface of the tooth using a vibrating back and forth rolling motion.

Tilt brush vertically behind the front row of teeth. Make several up and down strokes using the front half of the brush. Place the brush against the biting surface of the teeth and use a gentle back and forth scrubbing motion. Brush the tongue from back to front to remove odour-producing bacteria.

You may want to supervise your children until they get the hang of these simple steps. Use a pea-sized dab toothpaste, preferably fluoride free if the child is below six years of age and take care that your child does not swallow the toothpaste.

The right tooth paste and toothbrush
Use a toothbrush with soft, nylon, round-ended bristles that will not irritate teeth or damage gums. One of the main things to look for in a toothbrush are its bristles. Most dentists recommend soft bristles, especially for those individuals who have sensitive teeth and gums. Both adults and children should use a toothbrush that has soft bristles. Toothbrushes with harder bristles are not more effective at removing plaque or stains.

Be sure to select a toothbrush head size that can easily fit into the mouth and is capable of brushing a row of teeth at a time. With this in mind, be sure to select a toothbrush with a very small head for a very young child.

Toothbrushes should be replaced about every three months or earlier if the bristles begin to look worn or frayed (bristles that fan out or spread is a sign that it is time to get a new toothbrush).

After consulting with your dentist or hygienist about your oral health's greatest needs, look for products within that category (for example, within the tartar control brands or within the desensitizing toothpaste brands). Always pick a toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride toothpastes have been shown to prevent cavities, but in children under six years of age it can be avoided as they have a tendency to swallow it.

Early beginnings
Proper dental care can begin before an infant gets his/her first tooth. Soon after the baby gets the first tooth, make an appointment to see the dentist.

Rinsing mouth after eating
If you don't rinse your mouth after meals, particles of food remain in the mouth, collecting bacteria, which can cause bad breath. Food that collects between the teeth, on the tongue and around the gums can rot, leaving an unpleasant odour. Dentures that are not cleaned properly after meals can also harbor odour-causing bacteria and food particles.

Limit coffee, tea and alcohol. Caffeine products as coffee, tea and colas act as diuretics which in turn contribute to a dry mouth. Water is the best solution so drink plenty of liquids at least 8-12 glasses of fluid a day, unless advised otherwise by your doctor.

Tackling bad breath
Certain foods, such as garlic and onions, contribute to objectionable breath odour. Once the food is absorbed into the bloodstream, it is transferred to the lungs, where it is expelled. Brushing, flossing and mouthwash will only mask the odour temporarily. Odours continue until the body eliminates the food. Beware dieters, as you may develop unpleasant breath from infrequent eating.

Bad breath can also be caused by dry mouth (xerostomia), which occurs when the flow of saliva decreases. Saliva is necessary to cleanse the mouth and remove particles that may cause odour. A dry mouth may be caused by various medications, salivary gland problems or continuously breathing through the mouth. If you suffer from a dry mouth condition, your dentist may prescribe artificial saliva, or suggest using sugarless candy and increasing your fluid intake.

Tobacco products too can cause bad breath. If you use tobacco, ask your dentist for tips on kicking the habit.

If you think you have constant bad breath, keep a log of the foods you eat and medications you take. Some medications may play a role in creating mouth odours. Let your dentist know if you've had any surgery or illness since your last appointment.

Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove food debris and plaque. Brush your tongue, too. Once a day, use floss or an interdental cleaner to clean between teeth.

Tooth jewellery, a good idea!
Tooth jewellery is an elegant compliment to standard jewellery. When placed on the tooth, the jewellery creates a distinctive expression of one's individuality. A range of glass crystals are available in nine different colours - diamond, rainbow, ruby, sapphire, emerald, emerald green, aquamarine, pink, sapphire light.

If somebody thinks he or she was better off without tooth jewellery, it can be easily removed without any side-effects on the dental tooth structure as the procedure is non-invasive. What's more, tooth jewellery can be fixed again at a later stage so there is no real disadvantage to having it done.

Dental reconstruction a fad with brides, models
One of the first things people notice about you is your smile. A healthy attractive smile can boost your confidence and enhance your personal and professional life and this is exactly what a blushing bride or aspiring model is looking for.

Until recently, most people were satisfied if their teeth were straight and free of stains, chips or other obvious imperfections. But in the last few years, the combination of Hollywood glamour and advances in cosmetic dentistry most people want their teeth to be perfectly uniform and dazzlingly white.

Cosmetic dentists have also pioneered a technique called computer imaging that allows them to perform virtual restorations on a computer screen. A patient who is thinking about having work done can see what the results will look like before he or she makes the decision to go forward. New composite resins, invisible fillings, porcelain veneers and high-strength resin cements are stronger, long-lasting and do not change colour over time which combined with new single sitting teeth whitening technology can give both women and men just the sparkling smile that they want.

Care for gums
Periodontal (gum) disease is an infection of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth. It is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Periodontal (gum) disease is caused by plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on the teeth. These bacteria create toxins that can damage the gums.

The good news is that you can help prevent periodontal disease by taking good care of your gums every day and having regular dental checkups. Here's how to keep your gums healthy:
- Brush your teeth well twice a day
- Clean between your teeth every day
- Eat a balanced diet
- Choose a variety of foods from the basic food groups, such as breads, cereals and other grain products; fruits; vegetables; meat, poultry and fish; and dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt. Limit between-meal snacks
- See your dentist every few months

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IT companies cut intake of engineering talent

IT firms that have been the biggest employers of engineering talent are sharply reducing their intake on account of automation of lower-end processes, and a move to higher-end work.

BANGALORE: IT firms that have been the biggest employers of engineering talent are sharply reducing their intake on account of automation of lower-end processes, and a move to higher-end work.
The IT industry used to hire half or more of the approximately 5 lakh engineers that India produces each year, but that number is now sharply down, and is estimated to be significantly below 2 lakh last year. Though one reason for that is the slowdown in global IT demand, there is now a much more serious longer term reason for why the industry may not touch those hiring highs again.
Mundane, repetitive IT tasks are getting automated, just as it did in the traditional manufacturing sector. Equally, the major IT companies are all talking of moving to do more sophisticated and complex work that requires skilled engineers. "Technology and automation have been significantly minimizing the human intervention across industries and this would mean a reduction in fresher hiring in the country," said Saurabh Govil, senior vice president of human resources, at Wipro.
Fresher hiring, he said, would be muted going forward. "Previously, companies focused on investing on the supply (people) side. But now the focus is on innovation on the demand side (to create demand for IT). The focus is on managing demand and creating demand," Govil said. Infosys's new strategy that it calls 3.0 is entirely predicated on the assumption that their customers' requirements have become more sophisticated and they will have to be met primarily through products and platforms; and that requires few people to build and manage. The company's revenue per employee has shown clear signs of rising in recent years; it stood at $47,215 last year, compared to $44,473 in 2008-09.
HCL said it would not hire freshers this year; Wipro said fresher hiring would drastically come down. Wipro's gross employee utilization was as low as 64.9% in the last quarter. Infosys's was 70.9%; it says the ideal figure is between 78% and 82%.
Romi Malhotra, CEO of Linkage India, a global leadership development and employability solutions provider, said IT had become an old economy sector in terms of growth rate and hiring volumes. "Today, the industry has enough critical mass to hire from within. So we will see a whole lot of freshers moving into niches and specialization around mobility, cloud and gaming," he said.

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Rupee falls to 1-week low; importer demand sustains

MUMBAI: Rupee fell to its lowest in a week on Tuesday, logging a second successive day of loss, as importers continued to buy dollars and a weak euro posed headwinds to the currency.


Dollar demand from importers, particularly oil and gold buyers, has been consistently strong in recent sessions with global commodity prices plummeting, dealers said.

The dollar demand has prevented the rupee from gaining, though recent macroeconomic indicators have signalled a positive turn.

India's economy is expected to grow at 6.4 per cent in the current fiscal year and the slowdown in economic growth has bottomed out, the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council said in a report on Tuesday, a more optimistic projection than that of most private estimates.

The panel said it expects the full-year current account deficit, seen as the main worry for the economy, to narrow to 4.7 per cent in the current financial year from 5.1 percent last year, helped by higher exports and lower gold imports.

The partially convertible rupee closed at 54.38/39 per dollar, weaker than its close of 54.14/15 on Monday. It fell 0.4 percent, its biggest single day fall since April 4.

It had fallen to 54.42 in session, its lowest level since April 16.

Indian financial markets will be shut on Wednesday for a local holiday.

"The demand for dollars is much higher from importers and oil companies. If we see some foreign investor outflows in May, the rupee can move towards 55 to the dollar," said Param Sarma, chief executive at NSP Forex in Mumbai.

The euro hit a two-week low against the dollar on Tuesday after weak German data fanned concerns about the euro zone economy and speculation the European Central Bank could cut interest rates.

Dealers are also closely watching political developments, with key bills lined up for passage in the second half of the budget session of parliament.

In the offshore non-deliverable forwards, the one-month contract was at 54.56, while three-month was at 55.15.

In the currency futures market, the most-traded near-month dollar/rupee contracts on the National Stock Exchange, the MCX-SX and the United Stock Exchange all closed around 54.37, with a total traded volume of $5.6 billion.

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Yahoo To Shut Down Its Email Service In World's Most Populous Country

Bangalore: Yahoo is all set to close its email services in China by this summer as a part of the agreement with its partner Alibaba Group, one of China's biggest Internet companies. This service is scheduled to close on August 19, reports Huffington Post.

Yahoo has started recommending its users in China to opt for another service provider such as Aliyun, an email service provider suggested as an alternative by the Alibaba Group. The company, since 2005 wanted to phase out of China after it handed over its website, email and other services over to Alibaba. As a part of that deal, Yahoo had acquired Alibaba's 40 percent stake paying around $1 billion.

The investment decision made by Yahoo by acquiring the stake is proved to be a good deal, as the company made a huge profit of $7.6 billion by selling half of its stake back to Alibaba last year. Analysts believe the remaining half of the stakes is now worth even more, predicted to be about $14 billion.

Alibaba is considering going public in the coming two years which would give an opportunity for Yahoo to sell more of its holdings.

In the same line, Yahoo has announced shutting down few of its other products and services in U.S. too which is low profitable and are not used by many. This in turn, would help the company to reduce its cost and thereby allowing its engineers to work more on other profit making apps and mobile products.  

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Supreme Court issues notice to Centre, TRAI to fix cap on SMS charge

The Supreme Court Monday issued notices to the Centre and TRAI on a plea seeking its direction to the government to fix cost-based tariff as cap for SMSes in view of "arbitrary charges" being levied by telecom operators.A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir agreed to hear a PIL which pleaded that the government and the sector regulator should put a cap on the tariff of telecom services and the companies should not be allowed to levy termination charges(TC) for SMSes.
It asked the government and TRAI to file their replies within four weeks.
The court passed the order on a PIL filed by a registered society Telecom Watchdrog which alleged that all operators have started raising the tariff arbitrarily, taking advantage of the situation of reduced competition after the cancellation of 122 licenses by the apex court on February 6, 2012.
"In case of SMS, the cost of terminating a communication is negligible and therefore, TRAI had left it to the operators. All the operators had been following BAK (Bill-And-Keep) method, that means zero TC. However, of late, certain operators are trying to put a base price of a minimum of 10 paisa per SMS by way of imposing a levy of 10 paisa per SMS under the guise of TC," advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, said.
Termination charges are paid by an operator from whose network calls or SMSes originate to the one on whose network these communications are made.
The petitioner submitted that levy of TC would increase the base tariff of SMS many-fold and TC for SMS, being insisted on by certain operators in their bilateral agreement, are arbitrary, illegal, non-transparent.

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Vodafone India launches new roaming packs for pre-paid customers

Vodafone India Tuesday launched a new national roaming plan for its pre-paid customers. With this plan, Vodafone pre-paid customers will be able to receive incoming calls while roaming on Vodafone network at 30 paise per minute, across the country. Outgoing call rates are 1.5 paise per sec for all local & STD calls, while roaming or at home.

The price point for the new national roaming plan varies from state to state and ranges between Rs 26 to Rs 47. For example, in Delhi, there are two price points - Rs 21 and Rs 42.

With the new plan, Vodafone aims to capitalise on the upcoming holiday season where most people will be planning their vacations, and this new roaming plan will let the vacationers enjoy better roaming rates. Vodafone notes that plans come with a roaming incoming benefit of 30 days and tariff validity of 180 days. Standard rates will be applicable for SMS, data roaming and ISD roaming.

Standard national roaming tariff for pre-paid customers in Delhi is 1 rupee per minute for all incoming and local outgoing calls, and 1.5 rupees per minute for outgoing STD calls. An existing special recharge of Rs. 24 gives customers free incoming calls while roaming in Bihar, with outgoing calls (both local and STD) at 1.5 paise per sec.

Commenting on the initiative, Vivek Mathur, Chief Commercial Officer, Vodafone India said, "Vodafone has always been a pioneer, when it comes to enabling customers to enjoy a superior connectivity experience at affordable rates. We are pleased to present this new scheme, empowering our pre-paid customers with better value in terms of tariff and location options. The new national roaming plan has been specially created for those who tend to travel a lot on a regular basis. They can now talk more without worrying about high roaming costs."

These new roaming plans for pre-paid customers are presently available in all Vodafone circles, except Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and J&K.

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Google Street View now in 50 different countries

The search giant has just added Hungary and Lesotho to its list of Street View-enabled countries.

A Google Street View image of the Hungarian Parliament building.

Google Street View is now snapping panoramic pictures in 50 countries around the world.
The mapping service reached its 49th and 50th countries on Tuesday by launching in Hungary and Lesotho, according to the Google Maps blog. In addition, Street View has expanded its coverage in Poland, Romania, and other spots. In total, Google updated its Street View images for almost 350,000 miles of roads throughout 14 countries.
The images of Hungary include a view of the Hungarian Parliament building, a walk across the Chain bridge, and a peek at the Buda castle.
Lesotho, a country surrounded by South Africa, is the only independent state in the world situated entirely at 3,281 feet or more above sea level. As such, Street View images unveil some of the country's many mountainous regions, as well as such landmarks as the Lesotho Evangelical Church.
Launched in 2007, Google Street View kicked off with images of five cities in the U.S. It now covers 5 million miles of byways throughout the world.

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Forget online drives, sync directly with BitTorrent Sync

New BitTorrent Sync offers decentralized file syncing between your computers.

If you do not trust online storage drives for file syncing across your devices or are frustrated with storage limits, there is another player in town. BitTorrent has released a new alpha version of its Sync software, which supports syncing folders across the Internet without going through an intermediary like Dropbox, Cloud Drive, or iCloud.
The Sync software uses the standard BitTorrent decentralized file-sharing technology to establish a secure file-synchronizing routine between your various devices. It does so by use of local peer discovery, peer exchange, and static known hosts as well as DHT and classic BitTorrent trackers to establish links between your systems, and then uses standard P2P BitTorrent protocols to transfer and reassemble files in chunks.

Right-click a shared folder to copy the folder's shared secret encryption key for transfer to another system.

Files are sent directly between your computers if possible, but if not then relay servers are used. All traffic is encrypted with 256-bit AES encryption, and the use of an encryption "secret" prevents data from being read by anything but your authorized devices.
After installing the software, you select a folder or two to synchronize, and then generate a 21-byte encryption secret to link up your various devices. Copying this secret to the BitTorrent Sync client on another computer will establish the appropriate link and allow file sync to start immediately.
The benefits of this technology are that you do not rely on a third-party intermediary as a synchronization medium, and as such the only limit to storage size is the capacity of your systems' hard drives (and perhaps bandwidth limits imposed by your ISP).

With the shared secret copied, pasting it to another system's BitTorrent Sync settings will start the encrypted sync. Be sure to keep your 'secret' truly secret.

When initially announced in January, BitTorrent Sync was kept as a private test, but BitTorrent has made the latest release of Sync available to the public on Windows (XP SP3 or later), OS X (10.6 Snow Leopard or later), and Linux (kernel 2.6.16 or later) platforms. The latest version has added one-way synchronization options, and settings to exclude subdirectories and specific files.

Currently the sync does not offer versioning and backup management, but if your systems are coupled with Time Machine or another backup routine then files should be properly secured.
While it's available to the public, do keep in mind that BitTorrent Sync is still in alpha development, meaning that it will likely undergo significant changes in the upcoming months, and potentially have serious bugs in its code that could lead to data loss; however, it may be fun to try for those who regularly access multiple systems and wish to keep certain directories of files up to date.

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Apple profit slips 18%, but iPhone, iPad sales stay strong

Many of the numbers were good as Apple beat Wall Street's expectations for the most recent quarter -- but said it won't for the next one.

 

Apple surprised Wall Street today with stronger than expected earnings in its second quarter, though the company came up short in its estimates for the next one.
Apple reported earnings of $9.5 billion on $43.6 billion in sales. That was right on target with the $9.5 billion in profit and just barely above the $42.3 billion in sales that Wall Street expected. It was also above Apple's own expectations, which were between $9.23 and $10.23 per share on sales of $41 billion to $43 billion.
By comparison, Apple tallied up a higher $11.6 billion in profit on sales of $39.2 billion during the same quarter last year. That was fueled by iPhone and iPad sales that were 88 percent and 151 percent better than the year before, respectively.
"We are pleased to report record March quarter revenue thanks to continued strong performance of iPhone and iPad," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. "Our teams are hard at work on some amazing new hardware, software, and services, and we are very excited about the products in our pipeline."

Still, the results represent Apple's first year-over-year profit decline in a decade, an 18 percent drop from the year-ago quarter. The last time Apple posted a decline in profit from the previous year's quarter, it was the very beginning of 2003, and the company was hit by both the economic downturn and a restructuring charge, and then some.
"Fiscal 2012 results were incredibly strong," Cook told analysts during an earnings call after the news, adding that it was "making it difficult" to compare previous results. Other variables included a higher gross margins, higher strength of the dollar, and what Cook referred to as "historically low" component costs.
Apple said it sold 37.4 million iPhones during the quarter, well above the average of 34 million that Wall Street expected. Trailing that were sales of 19.5 million iPads, which also were above the consensus of 18 million to 19 million tablets. The two products are Apple's most popular, and they were revamped last fall. For other products, Apple sold 5.6 million iPods, and "just under" 4 million Macs, in line with estimates of around 3.9 million.
Cook played up the Mac sales, despite the 2 percent drop in sales from the previous year, pointing to the iPad as a potential gateway device. "We sold nearly 20 million iPads," Cook told analysts. "We believe if anything, the huge market in tablets may benefit the Mac, because it pushes people to expect and think about that product in a new manner." He added that the company was going to "continue making the best personal computers," and that "more great stuff" was planned.
For its next quarter, Apple said it expects sales between $33.5 billion and $35.5 billion and a margin between 36 percent and 37 percent, which even at the high end is less than the $38.6 billion in sales and 38.6 percent margin that analysts, on average, were expecting ahead of the call.
In after-hours trading following the news, shares of Apple jumped up $21.09, or 5.19 percent, though later settled down $1.15 to $404.98, or down 0.28 percent.
This is the first quarter since Apple changed the way it estimates its future financial results. The company was well known for comically low-balling its forecast, something that became more of an issue after a string of record-setting blowouts that drove many analysts to pump their estimates. During its last call with analysts, the company's CFO noted that Apple was moving from a set number to a "range of guidance that reflects our belief of what we are likely to achieve."
Alongside its quarterly performance, Apple announced an increase to its capital return program that adds another $55 billion on top of what it put into place last year. It also increased the amount of its quarterly dividend by 15 percent, which the company says will mean a pay out of a total of $11 billion to shareholders a year. That move coincides with Apple announcing it accrued $12.5 billion in cash during the quarter, bringing its grand total to $145 billion, up from the $137 billion the company reported at the end of January.
Apple is hosting a call with financial analysts at 2 p.m. PT, which should provide a number of insights into the company's numbers, including some that aren't initially reported. We'll add any important details from that call to this post.

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Young professionals choose MNCs for better pay and work-life balance

According to a recent survey conducted by Jobbuzz, young Indian professionals prefer to work for multinational corporations. Out of a total number of 8,000 respondents, approximately 22% were of the opinion that MNCs offer a better pay package; around 1000 respondents say it is because of a better work-life balance; and another 1300 said they prefer multi-nationals because of the well defined career path. Other reasons why young professionals prefer working for MNCs are opportunities to work abroad, organised processes, lesser politics, and the scope to work with smarter people.
While Indian companies are going global, there are still some aspects that they need to address to become ‘employers of choice’, according to the survey. For young professionals today, a good place to work is more than taking just a six digit salary; it is about a better learning experience, peer-to-peer interaction, and most importantly a steady growth path. MNCs, according to the survey, focus on all these aspects to provide a wholesome work environment.
According to employee perception, as reflected by the Jobbuzz survey, in Indian companies growth and industry exposure is often limited, MNCs however prove to be worthy in terms of providing adequate training and development programmes; encourage employees to gain international work experience; and last but not the least offer handsome pay package and perks.
Better Salaries & Perks
Explains Deepak Kaistha, managing director, Planman Consulting, “The lucrative schemes and policies of international MNCs surely fascinate the Indian employees. It is also believed that one’s lifestyle statement undergoes a sea change when he is associated with an international organisation.”
Better work-life balance
It is evident from the JobBuzz survey that a large percentage of Indian employees also believe that MNCs provide a better work-life balance. Suman Rudra, HR Head, NCR India is also of the opinion that the MNCs not only support flexi work, but often allow employees to work from home.
In our fast moving life where everything revolves around deadlines, many professionals face problems in balancing their personal and professional needs. Kaistha says, “MNCs have always been particular regarding their employee satisfaction. This is the reason why their offices are not only a place to work, but also a recreational hub after tiring office hours.”

Focused career path
A company might be giving its employees all the perks that are required, but are they also offering a positive growth path for them? Jaideep Shergill, CEO MSL Group, says, “In an MNC, employees get to move between functions, roles, and departments within a short span of time. This scope is missing if the company is based out of only one location. MNCs allow their employees to not only move within the organisation, but also externally, resulting in a better career growth path.”
Rudra points out some of the other aspects multi-national corporations provide:
-A professional work environment based on ethics and value system
-International career opportunities
-International learning opportunities like training cross geographic projects and multi country experience
Also,
-The workplace has strong multicultural work ethos and supports equal opportunity
-They are diversity focused and are sensitive to their needs, gender and other types
-Focus on performance and result orientation than people preference
-Attracts women employees as they encourage grooming women managers and leaders
As Indian professionals get more global exposure, in terms of best practices that are brought into the country by MNCs of Indian and non-Indian origin, it is a matter of time before other employers take note and start adopting these practices to become ‘great places to work’.

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Brilliant ways to get a flatter belly

Get a flatter belly

Worried why all your ab exercises aren't showing the results you want? Maybe you are missing something. These simple tips will make your workout work better for you...

Begin with small moves
Begin easy — you cannot go on a cyclothon before you know how to cycle and similarly you cannot do 50 crunches the first time you learn how to do it. Work a small range — hold a plank for 20 seconds or do only 10 crunches in the beginning.

Warm enough?
Some people do not realise the importance of a proper warm up before a workout session, and believe that it is a waste of time. But, warming up your muscles prevents injury. A little walking, marching on the spot, rotating your mid-section gently, bending forwards to touch your toe, etc can warm up your core for an ab workout.

Breathe
Oxygen is important for your core muscles, if you want them to work their full capacity. So, don't hold your breath. Inhale when you are doing the easy part of the move, and exhale when you have to exert force.

For example — exhale when you are on the way up while doing crunches.

Don't get distracted
If you thought only your muscles play an important role when it comes to doing those push ups, you were wrong — our mind too plays an important part in workout schedules. So, avoid watching TV while exercising, instead concentrate on the muscles, and feel them move, stretch and contract. It will improve your results.

Be an all rounder
When you want a flat belly fast, the trick is to do movements in all dimensions. Don't just concentrate on crunches — include other exercises and asanas like Vakrasana that help you twist and turn your body.

Balance
For strong abs you should try to incorporate some balance into your routine. Even something as simple as — standing on one leg while the other feet rests on your thigh, arms raised above your head and palms touching — the Vriksasana or the Tree pose.

Rest it out
Your workout will only work for you if you give yourself adequate rest. Overworking your abs won't help. The rest will help the muscles recover and will make them stronger.

Slow and steady
Speeding up your workout will not help. Slow down and you will burn fat better.

Try yoga
Sick of gymming? Try yoga. Most yoga poses are excellent for strengthening the core. Yoga not only exercises your mind along with your body, but it makes you flexible and reduces your stress-levels.

Weight matters
Your abdominal muscles could do better if they are challenged with some weights. With a kilo or so thrown in, your regular workout can give you even better results.

Pay attention to what you eat
If you want washboard abs, you need to eat right — just going through gruelling gym routines day after day, will not work. A city-based nutritionist says, "Make sure your diet consists of plenty of protein, low fat milk and milk products, fruits and fresh vegetables.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 to launch in India on April 26

Samsung will launch its flagship smartphone – Galaxy S4 – In India on April 26.

NEW DELHI: Samsung will launch its flagship smartphone - Galaxy S4 - In India on April 26. The launch is part of the global rollout of the device. It will go on sale in other markets like the US and some European countries on the same day.

For now, Samsung hasn't revealed any India price but the phone is expected to cost a little more than Rs 40,000.

Samsung has two versions of Galaxy S4 - one powered by a Qualcomm S600 processor and another powered by Samsung's 8-core Exynos processor. In India, the Korean company is expected to launch the Exynos model.

Galaxy S4, which is powered by Android operating system, is the successor to Galaxy S III. Samsung hopes to sell around 10 million units of its top smartphone within one month of launch.

In India, the company is the top smartphone vendor. According to CyberMedia Research, Samsung had a share of 43% in Indian smartphone market at the end of 2012.

Currently, Samsung and Apple are fighting a bitter war in Indian market. Last year Apple bolstered its operations in India. This year it has launched several aggressive schemes, including price cuts on older models of iPhones, to increase sale of its smartphones. Samsung has responded by introducing its own schemes, including cash back and zero interest EMIs for several models of Galaxy phones.

The Korean company hopes Galaxy S4 will help it stay ahead of Apple as a new iPhone is not expected to launch anytime soon.

When it hits the market, Galaxy S4 will also compete against HTC One, a phone that has garnered much praise among technology reviewers for its design, camera performance and a few unique features like Zoe. HTC One has been priced at Rs 42,990. It will be available in Indian market by the end of this month.

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Despite loss, Dravid feels Royals were exceptional

Rahul Dravid said another big positive from the match was all-rounder Shane Watson's fiery 61-ball 101.

CHENNAI: They might have ended up on the losing side but Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid feels his team was "exceptional" against the Chennai Super Kings given that the conditions were not too ideal for the bowlers in their IPL match.

"Throughout the innings, we executed our plans with the ball well. I thought it was a pretty good score to defend...it was not easy in terms of bowling conditions as the ball was getting wet and sweating," Dravid said after CSK chased down an imposing 186-run target to hand RR a five-wicket defeat.

"I thought the performance was exceptional today and particularly Jimmy Faulkner with the ball was superb show," he added referring to the bowler's effort of 3 for 20.

Dravid said another big positive from the match was all-rounder Shane Watson's fiery 61-ball 101, which was laced with half a dozen sixes and an equal number of fours.

"When someone plays an innings like that, you actually try being on the winning side. Binny was also very good to us giving the impetus in the last overs. I thought 185 was a really good score," he said.

The affable veteran was also lavish in praise of the opposition.

"I think the credit should go to Super Kings as well. They batted well in the middle phase and they had some dangerous players towards the end," he said.

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Psy's 'Gentleman' tops YouTube charts with 38M views in one day

The question is now: will "Gentleman" beat out "Gangnam Style" for overall views?

Views of Psy's "Gentleman" vs. "Gangnam Style" videos over their first 50 days on YouTube.

With the same searing beat, ridiculous lyrics, and tongue-in-cheek antics, South Korea's Internet phenomenon Psy is breaking charts again with his new single "Gentleman."
YouTube announced Monday that "Gentleman" is giving "Gangnam Style" a run for its money by setting the record for getting the most views in one day ever. On April 14, "Gentleman" hit more than 38 million views. And, after only being up for about a week, the video has a total of nearly 204 million views.
"From a stats perspective, it's one of the biggest music video launches the web has ever seen," YouTube Trends manager Kevin Allocca wrote in a blog post Monday. "For some added perspective, 'Gentleman' was seen 100 million times in less than 4 days in regions all over the world, a milestone that it took 'Gangnam Style' nearly two months to achieve."

"Gangnam Style" broke YouTube records by becoming the most viewed video of all-time, it now has a staggering 1.5 billion views. It was also the first video to ever even hit 1 billion views. But, now, it's looking like "Gentleman" is making gains on "Gangnam Style." According to YouTube, Psy's new hit debuted at No. 1 on YouTube's music chart last week -- bumping "Gangnam Style" down to No. 2.
The previous single-day record was set by KONY 2012 last March with 31 million views in one day, according to YouTube. This video has a far different subject matter than Psy's dance beats; KONY 2012 tells the controversial tale of filmmaker Jason Russell's personal mission to take down Joseph Kony, the Ugandan leader of the guerrilla group Lord's Resistance Army.

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Google Now could be Google's new home page

iGoogle isn't long for this world, but that doesn't mean that Google won't have a personalized home page for you.

A Google-made extension appears to port Google Now beyond Android via Chrome.

A Chrome browser extension and some code hidden on a Web site indicate that Google might replace iGoogle with a desktop version of Google Now.
The unconfirmed report on Google Operating System, a blog that's not affiliated with Google, highlights code on a Web page that it says Google uses to test new features. In this case, the code calls out "Google Now" in instructions on what the new features do.

The code also contains an introduction to Google Now: "Get started with Google Now. Just the right information at just the right time." Google Now debuted last year as a personal assistant that also offered predictive search in Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.
Google revealed last summer that its previous customizable home page, iGoogle, would be shut down on November 1, 2013. iGoogle launched its Google-flavored combination of search and widgets in 2005 to compete with My Yahoo.
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CNET will update this story when we hear back.
There are other indications that big plans are afoot for Google Now. Along with the call-outs hidden in the test page's HTML, Google has built a Chrome desktop extension that opens Google Now as your "new tab" page. Its default language is set to Russian, but it is verified in the Chrome Web Store as coming from Google.
Co-founder and CEO Larry Page also gave a shout-out to Google Now in last week's quarterly earnings call, as sure a sign as any that Now won't face the dreaded Google service death-by-neglect anytime soon.

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Windows 8.1 Start button may not offer actual Start menu

The much-rumored Start button may simply lead users back to the Start screen, sources tell The Verge.

The Windows 8 desktop.

Windows 8 users hoping for a return of the traditional Start button and Start menu in Windows 8.1 may be disappointed.
Rumors have floated recently that Microsoft may revive the familiar Start button in the Windows 8.1 update scheduled for release later this year. A new report today from The Verge claims that "sources familiar with Microsoft's plans" have confirmed the return of the Start button.
But -- and there always seems to be a "but" -- the new Start button apparently will not trigger a traditional Start menu but instead simply bounce users back to the Start screen, according to The Verge's sources. If true, that means the button would serve the same role as the Start screen thumbnail that appears when you move your mouse to the lower left "hot" corner.
Excuse me? Assuming The Verge's sources are correct, I guess such a Start button would benefit people who don't know they can access the Start screen thumbnail by hovering over the left corner. Otherwise, I don't see the advantage in a Start button that just brings you back to the Start screen.

Microsoft reportedly killed the Start button and Start menu from Windows 8 based on "telemetry" obtained from its Customer Experience Improvement Program. The company is now eyeing a return of the button for Windows 8.1 as a result of user feedback, according to The Verge.
But what about the user feedback clamoring for a true Start menu? There's a reason why Start menu replacements such as Classic Shell, Pokki for Windows 8, and Start8 have proven so popular. People clearly at least want the option to be able to access their applications, folders, and settings via an old-school but reliable menu.
Offering a Start button that just leads you back to the Start screen seems like a half-hearted effort at best. Or course, it's not fair yet to criticize Microsoft based simply on rumors of such a feature. But if the report is true, I think Microsoft needs to listen a bit more closely to its user feedback.

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Today`s Quotes

“Sometimes people are beautiful.

Not in looks.

Not in what they say.

Just in what they are.”

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Demand for engineering talent declining in IT industry: Report

NEW DELHI: Demand for engineering graduates in the IT industry is reducing due to slowdown in revenue growth, change in business mix and preference for science graduates to lower costs, says a new report. “We attribute slowdown in absorption of engineering talent to slowdown in revenue growth rates of Indian IT, change in nature of demand (BPO and infrastructure management services) and effort by companies to lower cost of delivery by recruiting science graduates for delivery of services,” a Kotak Institutional Equitiesreport said.
The report said business mix of Indian IT is changing with incremental growth accruing from analytics, consulting, BPO etc., which requires employees with different skill profiles.
“Protectionism and expansion of delivery network to other low-cost locations such as Mexico, China and Eastern Europe are leading to accelerated hiring by companies outside India,” it said.
The report said TCSBSE -0.58 % recruited over 5,000 non-Indians in the past four quarters while Infosys has significantly stepped up hiring in local geographies.
“In addition, many new deals involve re-badging of client employees. This reduces demand for Indian engineering talent,” it added.
The report said supply of engineers has also increased aggressively over the past few years.
“India now trains more engineers annually (1.5 mn) than China (1.1 mn) and the US (0.1 mn) combined. This may lead to meaningful underemployment or stagnating wages,” the report said.
Excess supply will give companies flexibility to recruit in line with requirements, it added.

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Foods that don't let you slim down

Foods that stop you from slimming down

Your diet staples could be sabotaging your efforts to slim down and denying you vitamins and minerals

Those low-fat, low-taste alternatives passed off as 'health foods' could, in fact, be costing you your health. It's easy to be misled with labels such as 'high fiber', and 'natural'. In reality, many so called 'healthy' foods contain high levels of fat, sugar and salt. Reading the ingredient list and nutrition facts column could help you choose the right items. Here's a round up of the things you consider good that may actually be bad:

Honey
You think honey is healthier and more natural than sugar? You are wrong. Both contain similarly high levels of glucose. Because honey is denser, one tablespoon actually contains more calories than the same sized spoonful of granulated sugar. Eat too much honey and you'll gain just as much weight as you will gorging on other sweet stuff.

Low-fat salad dressing
Scientists at Iowa State University, US, have found that low-fat dressing cancels out the goodness in salad. Conversely, using olive oil, or a little butter, boosted vitamin intake because fat helps your body absorb nutrients from vegetables more efficiently.

Breakfast cereals
Studies show that people who eat cereal for breakfast tend to be slimmer than those who don't — but only if they're opting for a healthy brand. Choose the wrong box and you may as well start your day with a slice of cake, as some cereals are high in sugar and fat. The main ones to watch out for are your flavoured, chocolate and sugar-coated or frosted kids' ones. So always read the label. Not that you need to skip the cereal aisle altogether — experts agree that tucking into a bowl of porridge or any other wholegrain cereal is actually healthy. Naturally low in calories and high in fibre, these will help keep you fuller for longer and ward off midmorning snacking.

Skimmed milk
Although guzzling whole milk has been demonised as a health no-no in recent years, research shows that it could be a better choice than its skimmed counterpart.

Whole milk only contains around 4 per cent fat per 100ml as opposed to the 20 per cent plus deemed to be in the 'high fat' category. Skimmed milk contains 0.1 per cent fat. So switching from whole to skimmed milk won't make a huge difference.

Skimmed milk is less nutritious because cream contains fatsoluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Research reveals that full-fat milk boosts metabolism and help you burn more calories, while also lowering the risk of heart disease.

Raw vegetables
Cooking is believed to kill the vitamins and minerals, but studies have found the opposite. While cooking may destroy some (but not all) vitamin C, the process boosts the uptake of disease-fighting nutrients — antioxidants. A 2008 study found that vegetables such as carrots, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, cabbage and peppers supply more antioxidants when cooked than when eaten raw. This is because cooking breaks down vegetables' thick cell walls, making it easier for the body to absorb the nutrients they contain. Steaming is best, then gentle boiling. Frying preserves the least vitamins and minerals.

Diet drinks
They seem like a straightforward way for soft drink lovers to cut calories but experts think diet drinks could actually scupper weight loss. While the artificial sweeteners in such drinks can convince the taste buds they're consuming sugar, the brain can't be tricked so easily. When it's denied the calories it's expecting, your body goes on a calorie hunt, making you feel hungry and eat more. Which is why consuming diet drinks can make people more likely to pile on weight, than reduce it.

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