Facebook updates News Feed to display more news

Facebook is boosting its efforts to put more news in its News Feed.

That is, real news from the news media, rather than status updates from friends.

The world's biggest social network, cognizant of its growing importance for discovering news, said in a blog post on Monday that it is revising the way it delivers information to its billion-plus users.

"People use Facebook to share and connect, including staying current on the latest news, whether it's about their favourite celebrity or what's happening in the world," said the blog post from Facebook engineering manager Varun Kacholia and software engineer Minwen Ji.

"We've noticed that people enjoy seeing articles on Facebook, and so we're now paying closer attention to what makes for high quality content, and how often articles are clicked on from News Feed on mobile. What this means is that you may start to notice links to articles a little more often (particularly on mobile)."

(Also see: Facebook's News Feed revamp puts 'mobile first')

The blog noted that "our surveys show that on average people prefer links to high quality articles about current events, their favourite sports team or shared interests, to the latest meme."

And Facebook will tweak the way its displays articles in user News Feeds: "This means that high quality articles you or others read may show up a bit more prominently in your News Feed, and meme photos may show up a bit less prominently," the engineers wrote.

They added that Facebook will also "show people additional articles similar to ones they had just read."

"Soon, after you click on a link to an article, you may see up to three related articles directly below the News Feed post to help you discover more content you may find interesting," they said.

But to avoid diminishing the updates from friends, Facebook will revise its "bumping," which means that after a user reads an article it may not show up again in the News Feed unless there are new comments from friends.

A study earlier this year showed Facebook is becoming a key source of news for users of the huge social network, even if people discover articles mostly by happenstance.

The study by the Pew Research Center, in collaboration with the Knight Foundation, found 64 percent of US adults use Facebook, and nearly half of those get some news from the service. That amounts to 30 percent of the overall US population who are "Facebook news consumers," Pew said.

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

Facebook reported in October that referral traffic from the social network to media sites has increased by over 170 percent over the past year.

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

Apple testing 12.9-inch iPads, may launch a 4K display model next year: Report

In a follow-up to previous rumours, a new report claims that Apple is testing different prototypes of 12.9-inch iPad models, made for the company by its Chinese assembler partner Foxconn.
 
According to a report by Chinese publication PadNews (via Apple Insider), Apple is currently testing five different 12.9-inch iPad prototypes made by Foxconn. The report also mentions that Apple could launch a new iPad that features a 2K resolution screen, in the first half of 2014, and a 4K resolution screen, a few months after that.  
 
The report cites sources as saying that Apple could launch the first model of the larger iPad in April and the 4K ultra-HD variant as part of the regular iPad launch in October 2014.
 
The report did not specify the resolution of the purported larger iPad models. 
 
It's not the first time that rumours related to large screen iPads have surfaced. 
 
Previously, the Wall Street Journal had reported that Apple was testing a new tablet measuring slightly less than 13-inches diagonally, citing officials at Apple's suppliers. Another report by Digitimes also hinted at Apple and Samsung working on devices with 12-inch or larger displays for their respective tablets.
 
Korean website ETNews.com had also reported that Apple was working on a new larger iPad with a 12.9-inch diagonal screen which would be called iPad Maxi. It had said that this iPad variant would launch in the first half of 2014 and would take on Ultrabooks. It would also target the educational market with digital textbooks. The website cited industry sources to report that Apple was in talks with display and component manufacturers in Korea for supplies for this tablet.

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

Nokia-Microsoft deal cleared by European Commission

The European Commission approved on Wednesday Microsoft's nearly 5.5-billion-euro takeover of the mobile phone business of Finland's Nokia which once dominated the global industry.

The acquisition does "not raise any competition concerns, in particular because there are only modest overlaps between" the two companies, the Commission said in a statement.

(Also see: Microsoft to acquire Nokia's Devices & Services business in 5.44 billion euros deal)

The links that do exist between existing Microsoft activities and Nokia's smartphone devices "are unlikely to lead to competitors being shut out from the market," it said.

In smartphones and tablets, the two companies face "several strong rivals, such as Samsung andApple (who) will continue to compete with the merged entity," it said.

Software giant Microsoft would also have little incentive to restrict use of its Windows operating system for other device makers or of its mobile apps, it said.

Once the world leader in mobile phones, Nokia lost its top place to South Korea's Samsung in 2012, especially as its rivals took the lead in the key smartphone market.

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S5 to reportedly feature aluminium unibody metal chassis

Samsung's next flagship device, rumoured to be dubbed Galaxy S5, might be the first smartphone from the South Korean giant to sport a metal chassis.

As per a report published by Japanese site, EMS One the alleged Galaxy S5 would sport an aluminium unibody chassis and that it would be manufactured by Taiwanese based company, Catcher. The report claims that Catcher would be manufacturing between 10 million and 30 million Galaxy S5 metal unibody cases.

Notably, Catcher has been the company manufacturing aluminium unibody for devices like HTC One, Apple iPad mini 2, notes Phonearena.

In addition, the RB Men blog has posted a purported image of the Galaxy S5 with metal chassis. The alleged image reveals an unnamed Samsung device's rear panel which features metal back, instead of the plastic we have seen in other Galaxy smartphones.

Prior to this, a set of images allegedly showing a structural component of Samsung's next flagship smartphone, the rumoured Galaxy S5, was spotted online.

Earlier a report suggested the South Korean manufacturer plans to release two versions of the alleged Galaxy S5. As per the report, there would be two variants of the Galaxy S5: a premium variant sporting a metal chassis and a flexible OLED, and a variant which would come with the usual plastic body, as found on other Galaxy smartphones.

Further, the report also speculated that Samsung would initially manufacture around 800,000 to 1 million units of the alleged Galaxy S5 in January, and would increase the number up to 6 million units in February. The report claimed that Samsung would likely release the Galaxy S5 in March or April 2014.

Rumoured specifications of the alleged Galaxy S5 include a 64-bit Exynos chipset or a Snapdragon chipset; 3GB of RAM, a 16-megapixel camera, a 4000mAh battery and Android 4.4 KitKat with TouchWiz UI on top.

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

Amazon.in introduces one-day guaranteed shipping in select cities for Rs. 99

Amazon.in, Amazon's Indian online store, has launched a 'guaranteed one-day delivery' offer in select Indian cities, for an extra charge.
 
Shoppers will get an option for one-day delivery by paying an additional Rs. 99, if their address falls in the zones eligible for the service. Amazon is also offering guaranteed two-day delivery for a discounted price of Rs. 49, as part of a limited period offer.
 
Under the special offer, the e-commerce website is also not charging extra for delivering items in 2-4 business days. There's no minimum order limit under the offer. Usually, the site offers free delivery for orders above Rs. 499, but charges Rs. 49 if lower.
 
The one-day guaranteed delivery option is only for items 'Fulfilled by Amazon' and only certain pincodes in the cities of Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune are eligible for it. The cut-off time to avail the one-day guaranteed delivery option on any given day, is 3PM. However, customers in Mumbai and Pune can place orders till midnight and receive them the next day.
 
It also excludes 'large and heavy items'. Amazon will refund shipping charges if it's not able to deliver the items within the promised time frame.
 
Amazon.in offers books, movies, mobiles, electronics, toys, baby, personal care appliances, health care devices, watches, fashion jewellery, home & kitchen products and more. The site was launched in India in June selling only books, movies and TV shows. 

It had recently made its catalogue available on the Amazon Mobile app for Android phones, allowing users to search, browse, compare offers, read reviews and make purchases on their mobile devices through Amazon.in.  

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

Karbonn Titanium X with 5-inch full-HD display launched at Rs. 18,490

Karbonn has unveiled its latest smartphone in India, the Titanium X priced at Rs. 18,490. Previously, in early November, the domestic handset maker had posted a teaser image of the Titanium X on its official website without pricing.

The Karbonn Titanium X runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box. Notably, the smartphone is a single SIM device with support for a micro-SIM.

The Titanium X features a 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920) IPS display, and is powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz processor coupled with 1GB of RAM. The smartphone sports a 13-megapixel rear autofocus camera with dual-LED flash, and also houses a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It includes 16GB of inbuilt storage, which is further expandable up to 32GB via microSD card.

On the connectivity front, the smartphone includes NFC support, which will make the Titanium X the first 'affordable' smartphone from an Indian brand to sport this feature. The smartphone is backed by a 2300mAh battery, which is rated to deliver up to 6 hours of talktime, and up to 240 hours of standby time. The Karbonn Titanium X includes a host of sensors that include proximity sensor, G sensor, magnetic sensor, gyro sensor, and light sensor.

Commenting on the launch, Shashin Devsare, Executive Director, Karbonn Mobiles said "With the Karbonn Titanium X we are taking the Indian smartphone market to a different level altogether - the level X. Our endeavour is to set a benchmark in the Indian smartphone market, and establish Karbonn Titanium X at the pinnacle of research innovation. Unlike any other smartphone in the market, the Karbonn Titanium X enables the Generation X to live life in the fast lane and discover more into their social interactions."

Mobiles launched in December 2013

Karbonn Titanium X key specifications

• 5-inch full-HD IPS display
• 1.5GHz quad-core processor
• 13-megapixel rear autofocus camera with dual LED flash
• 5-megapixel front-facing camera
• Single SIM (micro-SIM)
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
• NFC support
• 2300mAh battery

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S5 to come with 2K display, alleged benchmark listing reveals

A GFX Bench listing spotted by GSMArena has revealed a device codenamed Samsung SM-G900S sporting a screen resolution of 1440x2560 pixels (2K). The report notes that this device could be the Samsung Galaxy S5, which is expected to come with a 5.0- or 5.2-inch display, making the pixel density an incredible 560ppi at the said resolution. The listing also reveals that the device runs Snapdragon 800 chipset clocked at 2.4GHz alongside the Adreno 330 GPU, which may come as a disappointment to those hoping to see the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, or indeed a 64-bit version of Samsung's own Exynos chip, make an appearance.

The listing is silent on other specifications, though the Samsung Galaxy S4 successor is expected to ship with a 16-megapixel rear camera, a 4000mAh battery, 3GB RAM and run Android 4.4 KitKat.

Earlier, a report suggested the South Korean manufacturer plans to release two versions of the Galaxy S5. As per the report, there would be two variants of the Galaxy S5: a premium variant sporting a metal chassis and a flexible OLED, and a variant which would come with the usual plastic body, as found on other Galaxy smartphones.

Recently, a purported image of the Galaxy S5 with metal chassis was spotted online. A metal chassis would be new ground for Samsung, a company that has always used plastic as the dominant material in its Galaxy range of smartphones.

Some reports have indicated that Samsung may announce the Galaxy S5 as early as January, in a bid to overcome 'disappointing' Galaxy S4 sales.

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

Twitter to soon be accessible on mobiles without Internet in emerging markets

Twitter Inc is tying up with a Singapore-based startup to make its 140-character messaging service available to users in emerging markets who have entry-level mobile phones which cannot access the Internet.

U2opia Mobile, which has a similar tie-up with Facebook Inc, will launch its Twitter service in the first quarter of next year, Chief Executive and Co-founder Sumesh Menon told Reuters.

Users will need to dial a simple code to get a feed of the popular trending topics on Twitter, he said.

More than 11 million people use U2opia's Fonetwish service, which helps access Facebook andGoogle Talk on mobile without a data connection.

Twitter, which boasts of about 230 million users, held a successful initial public offering last month that valued the company at around $25 billion.

U2opia uses a telecom protocol named USSD, or Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, which does not allow viewing of pictures, videos or other graphics.

"USSD as a vehicle for Twitter is almost hand in glove because Twitter has by design a character limit, it's a very text-driven social network," Menon said.

Eight out of 10 people in emerging markets are still not accessing data on their phone, he said.

U2opia, which is present in 30 countries in seven international languages, will localize the Twitter feed according to the location of the user.

"So somebody in Paraguay would definitely get content that would be very very localized to that market vis a vis somebody sitting in Mumbai or Bangalore," he said.

The company, whose biggest markets are Africa and South America, partners with telecom carriers such as Telenor, Vodafone and Bharti Airtel Ltd. U2opia usually gets 30 to 40 percent of what users pay its telecom partners to access Fonetwish.

"For a lot of end users in the emerging markets, it's going to be their first Twitter experience," Menon said.

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

Obama says NSA isn't interested in reading people's emails and text messages

President Barack Obama is defending the National Security Agency, saying it does a very good job of not engaging in domestic surveillance.

He was responding to a Washington Post report Thursday that the agency tracks locations of nearly 5 billion cellphones every day overseas, including those of Americans.

(Also see: NSA gathers nearly five billion global cellphone location records daily: Report)

In a taped interview aired Thursday on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews," Obama says the people who want to hurt the U.S. communicate using modern technologies available on cellphones. He says to do a good job protecting the country, the U.S. needs to "keep eyes on some bad actors."

Still, he says he'll propose "some self-restraint" on the agency after a panel of hand-picked advisers reports back this month.

Obama says the NSA isn't interested in reading people's emails and text messages.

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

Wipro to hire 500 people in Kolkata

Wipro to hire 500 people in Kolkata

IT-major Wipro has plans to hire 500 IT professionals in the next 2-3 years as part of expansion in the company’s existing facility in the city.

“We are carrying out the expansion on our existing project and planning to hire 500 people in 2-3 years,” Wipro VP and corporate affairs head, Partha Sarathi Guha Patra said.

Wipro’s existing project, an SEZ, in the satellite township of Salt Lake employs around 6,500-7,000 people at present.

Speaking on the sidelines of IT conclave ‘INFOCOM 2013′, he said Wipro was working on an alternate proposal for their second campus as the state government was against SEZ in principle.

“It is not possible to match the benefits of SEZs but it is to be seen how much state government can get closer to it,” Patra said.

The company has 50 acres of land but the new government was not ready to offer SEZ status to it.

Meanwhile, speaking about PC hardware business he said the company has decided to exit the business but the land of main unit at Kotdwar, Uttarakhand is been evaluated for alternate use.

The 150 people deployed there would redeployed in the company, he said.

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

New startups storm IITs with better pay package

New startups storm IITs with better pay package

Startups are storming IITs this placement season, getting the better of established companies in the war for talent.

Many little known startups have already hired quite a few in the first four days of the placement season. ET profiles about half a dozen such new firms.

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

‘We look for analytical, reasoning, out-of-the-box thinking ability’

Interview of the Day: ‘We look for analytical, reasoning, out-of-the-box thinking ability’

Dhivik Reddy, Founder and CEO, Go GreenBOV

Go GreenBOV, a Bengaluru based company, aims to reduce India’s carbon footprint. In conversation with TimesJobs.com, Dhivik Reddy, Founder and CEO, shares the talent agenda and future goals…

How did Go GreenBOV happen?

It all started with my father, Ashok Reddy, who was the first person to bring the LPG conversion kit to India. He was pro green, pro environment and pro saving on fuel costs. He started out from scratch when he came to Bengaluru and got involved with the service centers that he set up. At the time when he started the petrol-gas conversion revolution in India and I was finishing my Electronics Engineering, he asked me if I wanted to do something that would bridge the two. The idea of Go GreenBOV was conceived from the simple idea of making a better environment and to contribute more towards fuel saving.

How diversified is your team in terms of talent and skills?

We do have a diversified and focused team. We have seven engineers, 21 foremen who work in the factory and about another 36 workers and mechanical workforce. What I know is that 99% of them, when they work, give in their 110%. One of our engineers has come in to our team simply because he was engrossed in the going green movement. The team that we have is mostly in structural engineering, electrical engineering and DSP (Digital and Signal Processing) as well as mechanical engineers. We also have a marketing team and finance team who has come to us with over 4-5 years experience.

We have a diverse team with a lot of mechanical engineering experience, finance, franchisee operations experience and more. We also have a few retired personnel who hail from backgrounds like BHEL and Pratt & Whitney. Our board of advisors includes professors from premier science and technology institutes. For our research and design we have been working with a lot of institutions and young talent.

What are some of the best practices implemented by you to attract, engage and retain talent?

Since we’ve been working with a lot of institutions we’ve actually been attracting a lot of young talent. Since this is a product based company we have seen a surge in applications to us, but we are being very selective about whom we hire. We are definitely keeping it very youth oriented when we hire. We have a hierarchy system where the people need to get approvals from their higher-ups. As it goes higher the work and selection gets refined – we think of it like a sedimentation system. Retaining talent depends on how we engage with our employees. We have training programmes for managers on how to handle their teams. I know every single person who’s working in the office and who’s working on what. It’s a great thing when everyone is approachable. Our attrition rate is really low, it would be too high if I said three people quit every year, which makes us feel nice that people are here with a mission and a vision.

What are the skills that you look out for in a candidate while hiring?

Technical is a vast area to cover and this is more specific to what the candidate has to offer in terms of how he understands the subject best. In terms of soft skills we look for analytical ability, reasoning, out-of-the-box thinking and more on product refining. During our interview we usually give candidates something that is imperfect and ask them to make it perfect. What they have studied is not absolutely important to us, but what we look at are reasoning skills and the ability to create and define. We look at verbal aptitude and do an IQ test and some assessments that we think bring out the best in candidates.

Where do you generally source your talent from?

We give importance to referrals and skill sets. We don’t look out for the best grades really. We look at how passionate the candidate is. People usually write to us on our website to apply for a job and we ask them to come in for interviews.

Your advice for young aspiring entrepreneurs…

Entrepreneurship is one of the best journeys that anyone can take. What you learn on running a start-up for two years might be something that you will learn in 10 years working in a company. I would advise young entrepreneurs to take that leap of faith, whatever the idea is. You might end up losing everything that you have or you might gain something out of it but one thing that can’t be taken away from you is the experience you gain in that process of losing or gaining.

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

Best exercises for a flat stomach

Best exercises for a flat stomach (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

A bulging stomach is a problem area for most mortals. Even those who are naturally thin tend to develop a paunch as they step into their 30s. 

Our stomachs store fat for a number of reasons; these reasons range from the genetic to plain abuse of food and drink, with little to no exercise. Often, those who invest heavily in exercise and diet to banish the bulging stomach, do so with a vague and incorrect idea of what is needed for a flat stomach. Today, we give you a few exercises that will strengthen and create lean abdominal muscles, help you eliminate a flabby belly and give you a flat stomach that helps you fight disease and ill-health. 

The key to a flat stomach is combination 

To kick that tummy fat, simply belting away crunches or pushups is not enough. A solo act can't lead to a flat tummy or fat loss. Fitness expert, Sophia Yasmin says, "In my opinion spot reduction is not possible, there is no way to target a particular part of the body for fat loss." 

Your goal should be to build muscle, and focus on fat loss. Whether you are able to drop weight before attempting muscle toning, or tone muscle and then cut fat, depends entirely on how overweight you are, and how many inches you need to lose. 

Follow patterned full body exercises like skipping and running to burn energy at an elevated heartrate. The kind of food you eat also helps to cut down that visible and visceral fat. A balanced healthy diet is essential for stomach fat loss. 

Drink plenty of water and stay off from stress and anxiety and limit your salt intake. Besides get enough sleep to kick your belly fat. 

Mentioned ahead are exercises that will help get a flat stomach. 

Note: These exercises will only help you get rid of stomach fat if you practise them in combination with a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet. 

Funky standing abs 

This is one of the best and easiest exercises to begin with. Stand with your feet below your shoulders, and then tighten your abs slowly bending your knees. 

Tilt your pelvis forward, so that your back is curved. Come back to the centre and tilt pelvis backward. Perform this exercise 15 times on either side, or as your workout permits. 

Chair leg lifts 

Perform this exercise using any kind of chair. 

All you have to do is, sit straight with your back flat against the chair, place your hands on the seat of your chair, then slowly lift your knees towards your chest and slowly restore them back. 

Carry out slow breathing while doing this. Perform this 2 set exercise at least 10-15 times. 

Crunches 

This is a good exercise for upper, lower and oblique abdominal muscles. Begin by lying flat on the ground, with your feet placed firmly on the ground, clasp your hands behind your head. 

Raise your upper body by squeezing your abdominal muscles and when you are halfway through, hold on for 3 seconds. 

Then bring back your body back to floor, slowly. Do at least 30 crunches per set. 

Perpendicular exercise 

Lie flat on your back, with your hands behind your back. Breathe out, as you lift your legs over your hips so they are perpendicular to the floor; slightly extend the distance between your legs. 

Breathe in as you lower down your legs. Start up with 4 to 5 sets, and then increase it to 10. 

Dumbbell bends 

This exercise is useful for your oblique muscles. Start with grabbing a dumbbell, holding it in your right hand; see to it that your palm is facing your body. 

Your feet should be at a shoulder-width distance. Slowly place your left hand on your hip and bend your upper body towards the right, while keeping your head and body facing forward. 

Bring back your body to normal position and then repeat the same movement on the left side. Practice 20 repetitions. 

Bicycle exercise 

Bicycle is the best exercise for toning your stomach. It helps by keeping your stomach stable, along with movements, which burns fat. 

Perform this exercise by lying on the floor, place your hands behind your head and bring your knees off the floor. 

Bring your right elbow towards your left knee while performing cycling motion, and then switch your elbow position. 

Side exercise 

This exercise targets your oblique, core muscles and shoulders. Stand straight, with your feet at approximately the width of your hips. Slowly bend your knees and hold dumbbells in each hand. 

Lift your hands up, so that the dumbbells are above your head and relax. Then lean your arms, head and torso to the right till 2 counts, then come back to the original position and then repeat it to the left side. 

Carry out at least 10 repetitions. 

Planks 

Lie on the floor, with your face down, upper body supported on your forearms. Raise your entire body off the floor, with the support of your forearms and toes form a straight line. 

Carry out 3 repetitions, with 15 to 20 seconds hold. 

Clock exercise 

To carry out this exercise, you may need an exercise ball. Rest your back on the ball with your feet aligned with your hips. 

Stretch your arms over your head, contracting your abdominal muscles, and then rotate your body like a clock. Carry out 10 rotations in each side.
 

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More

Infosys debates hiving out products business

Narayana Murthy is said to have reopened the debate on whether the company should hive off its products, platforms and solutions (PPS) business into a separate entity.

BANGALORE: Infosys chairman N R Narayana Murthy is said to have reopened the debate on whether the company should hive off its products, platforms and solutions (PPS) business into a separate entity.

The division accounts for about 5.5% of Infosys's over $7 billion revenue. The IT company's vision under its 3.0 strategy has been to raise it to 33%, but three years into this strategy, the PPS needle has barely moved.

Several current and former senior executives of the company said discussions on the subject had been initiated, but it was difficult to predict which way the decision will finally go. None wanted to be named. Infosys declined to comment on the story.

Similar discussions had happened around the time 3.0 was formulated, but the dominant view then was to keep it within the larger services entity. Given the slow progress of the division since then, the arguments for a hive-off may gather strength.

The primary argument for a hive-off is that the culture and compensation structure of a products business has to be vastly different from that of a services entity.

"Selling products is a different skill set than selling services. It requires a team with a different DNA to be successful," said Ray Wang, principal analyst and founder of Constellation Research.

A former Infosys executive said the business needed to be made independent. "You have to create IPs, you have to work like a startup, you have to have a better compensation structure. And you can't have that if you are inside a services company," he said.

Arup Roy, research director in Gartner, said a product-oriented approach required a longer gestation period. "You have to invest upfront and the payback cycle is longer, so there is a different cost dynamics. Operating metrics, resources and R&D focused approach requires a different organizational structure," he said.

Infosys has had great success with the banking product Finacle that it launched in 2000. It has an estimated two-thirds share of commercial banks in India and significant shares in Africa and Asia. It is used by 168 banks across 81 countries, and it forms over 4% of Infosys's total revenue. But this also means that the rest of the PPS division, which now consists of over a dozen products and platforms, accounts for a mere 1.5% of revenue, despite the focus in recent years.

Infosys has said that acquisitions would be important for PPS to make a leap. "But it will be difficult to integrate a product acquisition into a company that is largely a services one. Even for acquisitions, it would be better to have the division as a separate entity," an industry analyst said.

Some believe that having it as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the parent company would also be shortsighted. "In products and IP creation, you need to incentivize employees with stock options, and for that to make any sense, you have to enable a structure that gives the entity its own valuation. Otherwise it will carry the valuation of the parent company. What then will be the incentive for an employee to move from the services side to the product side? So you need to bring a separate investor into the subsidiary," an analyst said.

But most also believe that the products and platforms business will have to continue to work closely with the services side. "I think it's really important for Infosys to have their PPS division. You need products and IP in the new world of services in order to scale growth and not be perceived as just a body shop," Wang said.

"IT services, BPO, and products should each be distinctive, but at the same time feed into each others commonalities, and must be led by consulting," an analyst said.

Division talk

Products, platforms and solutions business accounts for 5.5% of over $7bn revenue

3.0 strategy aims at raising it to 33%, but 3 yrs on there is little progress

One argument for hive-off is products biz culture has to be different from that of services entity

One of successful products of Infosys, Finacle, has two-thirds share of banks in India and significant shares in Africa and Asia
.

Hi guys If u like this post please leave a comment in comment box... comment box will top right of every post and bottom of every post. its useful for me give a better information.. if u want to give any suggestion in bottom of blog there is contact information option please leave a msgs with u r mail id sure i will get u.

Read More