Lenovo K900 review: Slim and fast phablet

Lenovo K900 smartphone

Most people know Lenovo as the company that makes laptops and desktops. It is not a firm that we think of when we start looking for our next smartphone. Lenovo's goal this year is to change this. It wants to be known as a company that doesn't only sell laptops but also the one that makes great computing devices, whether they are traditional computers or smartphones. 
In China, Lenovo has already become one of the top smartphone sellers. India, which has a similar high-volume and value-driven smartphone market, looks like a good market for the company. This is the reason why in the last month Lenovo launched six smartphones priced between Rs 32,999 and Rs 8,689. 

Of these devices, one particularly stands out. In India, Lenovo K900 is the first and only phone powered by Intel's dual-core (four-thread with hyperthread technology) Atom processor. It is also one of the slimmest smartphones in the world with a uniform thickness of 6.9mm. Finally, it is the cheapest smartphone in India to have a FullHD screen, though we hear that Micromax Canvas 4, supposed to launch on July 8, may take away this crown in the coming days. 

Of course, specifications alone don't sell the phone. Can K900 take on the other phablets like Galaxy Note II? Can Lenovo match the software and polished interface that Samsung and HTC offer in their phones? We test it out... 

Made from steel
We have seen phones with plastic shell and we have seen phones with aluminum bodies. But K900 is different. It is a phone that uses a unibody shell made of steel alloy and polycarbonate (tough plastic). The phone has an industrial design with clean rectangular shape. The back of the phone has two hues. The top and bottom part of the phone's body, made of polycarbonate (very tough plastic), are grey. The middle part is shiny steel. 

We like the materials Lenovo has used to build K900. In comparison, smartphones made of plastic feel downright cheap. Even phones that use aluminum alloy, a softer metal, seem less durable and more scratch prone. With the front of the device covered with tough Gorilla glass, K900 has a solid feel. The steel on the back inspires confidence that the device can survive coins in keys in pockets without getting scratches. 

K900 does suffer from one design issue - size. With a 5.5-inch screen and 162 gram weight, it is a big phone. That makes it using with single hand almost impossible. In fact, the height of the device means you will it difficult to reach the power button, which is the top of right side if you are using it with one hand. The slim design helps a bit but overall we find Galaxy Note II, which has a screen with similar size, much easier to hold. Reason? The boxy design of K900 gives it somewhat poorer ergonomics. Bigger devices with curvier designs and rounded edges feel better in hands. 

Fast but with tacky UI
Our experience with K900 was very good. In terms of hardware, it ticks all the right boxes. The phones feels fast and handles everyday workload very well. For example, multitasking is lag-free and switching between apps happen effortlessly. Even demanding games like Rayman Jungle Run can be played without any issues. Web browsing with multiple tabs is fast and pinch-to-zoom is smooth. GPS works well, call quality, though not exceptional in the league of Galaxy S4 or Nexus 4, is clear and network connection is maintained well. 

The highlights of K900 are its screen and camera. The 1080P screen is sharp and can show very good colours. The outdoor visibility is not as good as what offered by screens on more expensive phones like HTC One, but working on the device in sunlight doesn't feel tedious. 

The 13-MP rear camera clicks excellent images. In terms of image quality, the camera in K900 easily matches what offered by sharp-shooters like iPhone 5 and Galaxy S4. The pictures snapped with it are full of fine details, have vibrant colours and shows subjects in sharp focus. Even in low light, the K900 camera captures lot of detail, even as it tries to keep the level of noise (grain) low. 

Our only issue with K900 is the user interface (UI) used in it. K900 is powered by Android Jelly Bean. But Lenovo has stripped out the default options and loaded its customized UI on the phone. While it doesn't seem to affect the performance of the phone, Lenovo's UI neither looks great nor feels intuitive. Though, to be fair to Lenovo, the UI choices and tastes are often subjective. There are some people who love stock user interface in Android while some hate it. 

Instead of using the default icons and skins, Lenovo uses round and big icons in K900. It also uses a different default font. We feel this UI look bloated, cartoonish, and a bit unfamiliar. It also uses different kind of animations - for example the app drawer uses a flashy animation circular animation when you swipe through the list of installed apps. Similarly, the settings panel, the notification panel and quick settings, and way apps are managed on home screen have been completely changed. If you had used an Android device earlier you may take a while to get used to the interface on K900. 

While functionally, UI changes don't affect K900, we will suggest you check it out in a store before buying it. 

Battery life of the device is average. It lasts around 11 to 12 hours when used with custom settings in the battery saver app, which always runs in the background whether you require it or not. By default this battery saver app switches off the data connection and controls the brightness too aggressively when the battery gets low. To avoid that you will have to set your own battery settings. Also, we found that web browsing for some reason takes a heavy toll on K900 battery life compared to other Android devices. If you don't browse too much, you will get better battery life from the device compared to what we got on an average day. 

Should you buy it
If you don't mind the size, Lenovo K900 is a good value for money with an MRP of Rs 32,990. Other than the size and a bloated looking UI, K900 is a solid device. It is slim, has a fantasticbuild quality, a good screen and one of the best cameras ever put in a smartphone. 

At the moment, K900 has one natural competitor - Galaxy Note II. Both are big devices with large 5.5-inch screen. And while Note II debuted in the market at a much higher price, now it is selling for around Rs 35,000, which makes it a K900 competitor. Note II has more polished software features and user interface compared to K900. But it has slightly inferior camera and a 720P screen compared to a much-sharper 1080P screen on K900. The Lenovo device also has a more attractive design, though Note II feels better in hand. Note II has a significantly better battery life and comes with a useful stylus. 

Both are fine devices and you won't go wrong with either of them. But at the current prices, Lenovo K900 is slightly better value for money. 

Specs *5.5-inch capacitive touchscreen (1080 x 1920 pixels resolution)
*2GHz Intel Atom Z 2580 dual-core processor
*PowerVR SGX544MP2 graphics chip
*2GB RAM
*16GB internal storage
*13-megapixel camera, 1080P video recording
*2MP front-facing camera
*3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS
*2500 mAh battery
*Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
*Price: Rs 32,990
 

Read More

Samsung India to invest Rs 500 crore in mobile plant

Samsung India to invest Rs 500 crore in mobile plant: Sources

Samsung is planning to invest over Rs 500 crore to ramp up its mobile production capacity in India, industry sources said.

NEW DELHI: South Korean electronics majorSamsung is planning to invest over Rs 500 crore to ramp up its mobile production capacity in India, industry sources said. 

"Samsung is working to invest Rs 500 crore in its mobile production facility in India. It had approached government in this regard to take benefit of policy announcements and other incentives. The investment proposals have been cleared at Department of Electronics and IT (Deity) level," a source told. When contacted,Samsung India spokesperson said: "We are looking at strengthening our manufacturing presence in the country, to fulfil our growing needs in the market. However we are not able to provide further details at this stage." 

The company in April had said that it will manufacture its latest high-end smartphone Samsung Galaxy S4 in its Noida facility, but had not disclosed the investment that it would make in the manufacturing facility. 

Noida facility manufactures about 3.5 to 4 crore phones annually, including 12 smartphones models such as Galaxy S III. 

Samsung had last announced investment of $70 million (around Rs 315 crore) in September 2011 to ramp up its mobile production capacity from 1.2 crore per annum to 3.6 crore per annum. 

As per latest report by market research firm IDC, Samsung led the Indian smartphone market with shipment of around 20 lakh smartphones accounting for 32.7% of the total smartphones shipped in January-March 2013 period.

Read More

Under pressure, you tend to miss Dhoni: Virat Kohli

Kohli assessed that there was marked change in the behaviour of the wicket when West Indies batted. (AFP Photo)

KINGSTON: Stand-in captain Virat Kohliadmitted that he missed the vast experience ofMahendra Singh Dhoni during pressure situation against West Indies as India lost a close encounter by one wicket in their first match of the Tri-series. 

Dhoni, who suffered from cramps while batting didn't come out to field and it was Kohli who led the side. 

"There were times when you are under pressure and you miss him (Dhoni) because he remains calm under pressure," a disappointed Kohli admitted at the post-match presentation ceremony on Sunday. 

Kohli assessed that there was marked change in the behaviour of the wicket when West Indies batted. 

"The way the wicket played in the second innings, the score wasn't enough, but it was completely different in the morning, it was damp, it became better for batting later on." 

Kohli praised his bowlers for keeping them in the game but considered that they were unlucky as a few edges didn't carry to the fielders. 

"We tried to take as many wickets as possible, one or two edges going to the fielders would have been different, we were close to winning it. There was a bit of spongy bounce in the morning and Narine was getting some turn. It was just a matter of one wicket. It was a great fight by us and good entertainment. West Indies had a great game," the young captain said. 

West Indies' stand-in captain Kieron Pollard wasn't happy that the match went down to the wire. 

"We find ways to get into these positions, but we won in the end. Teams of the past could have just fallen, that shows the belief of everyone in the team, victories such as these bring us together," a visibly satisfied Pollard said. 

Pollard said that the main goal was to go to Trinidad with two wins and he is happy that they have been able to achieve that. 

"We wanted to go to Trinidad with two wins, does not matter how we have done it, but we have. We should not be overconfident though, should win these sort of games easily. Thanks to the crowd for the support. Bravo (sitting out) was precautionary, we have Pakistan coming up, he has five or six days to get ready, hopefully he should be taking the mantle in Trinidad, with Ravi we are not sure." 

Man of the match Johnson Charles, who struck an attractive 97 was happy that he could make amends after his struggle against Sri Lanka in the opening match of the tournament. 

"This was a good innings as in the previous game, I struggled a bit. Myself and (Darren) Bravo have always batted well together as I enjoy batting alongside him," Charles said. 

The 24-year-old opener admitted that the pitch flattened out in the second half. 

"Wicket improved a bit as it got flatter and was more of a batting pitch. I would have liked to get three-figure mark and carry my team to victory. I am a bit disappointed about it," he concluded.
 

Read More

Facebook removing ads from controversial Pages

The social network would prefer if advertisers' messages appeared only alongside brand-appropriate content, which means no more ads on Pages that hawk adult products.

• 
  

In an effort to appease its advertisers, Facebook plans to more aggressively remove ads from Pages and Groups that host content of a violent, graphic, or sexual nature, the social network said Friday.

The change, which will start as a manual review process and become automated over time, means the social network will actively restrict ads from appearing on the right-hand side of Groups and Pages, such as those selling adult products.

"While we already have rigorous review and removal policies for content against our terms, we recognize we need to do more to prevent situations where ads are displayed alongside controversial Pages and Groups. So we are taking action," the company said in a press release. "Beginning on Monday, we will implement a new review process for determining which Pages and Groups should feature ads alongside their content."

The social network said the point is to ensure that advertisers' messages appear next to brand-appropriate Pages and Groups. The company, which doesn't yet seem to have a clear guideline as to what's questionable and what's appropriate content, is obviously trying to cater to its more than 1 million active advertisers, whose contributions finance its operations.

The decision follows complaints from Marks and Spencer and BSkyB, two companies that threatened to suspend their Facebook advertising after sponsored messages appeared alongside objectionable content, according to the BBC. One Sky ad was reportedly shown next to a Facebook Page called "cute and gay boys," and the ad prompted a negative reaction from some brand fans.

Read More

Smartphone market share consolidates at top, study shows

Apple and Samsung continue to dominate smartphone makers, while Google's Android and iOS remain the top platform, according to ComScore, with the rest of the leaderboard ceding share to them.

The smartphone market leaders are more entrenched, and that's bad news for the underlings, based on a new study from ComScore.

ComScore's latest MobiLens report had no shifts in status among the major phone manufacturers and mobile operating systems in the three months ended in May, but the top two in both fields gained share while the bottom three all lost ground.

Apple ranked as the top phone maker with 39.2 percent of U.S. smartphone subscribers, up 0.3 percentage point from the prior quarter, followed by Samsung with 23 percent market share, up 1.7 points.

But HTC , Motorola, and LG, which rounded out the top five, and all lost share.

(Credit: ComScore)

As they have for more than two years, the top operating systems all held their rankings. Google's Android and Apple's iOS remained No. 1 and 2, respectively, with both rising. Blackberry, Microsoft and Symbian systems all declined.

(Credit: ComScore)

Blackberry's rate of decline wasn't as sharp as it had been in previous ComScore reports, but that's little relief on a day the company's shares plunged 27 percent after a bleak quarterly report.

Overall, more and more Americans are choosing smartphones as their mobile option. In the latest three-month period, 141 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones, which is 59 percent mobile market penetration.

During the period of the latest study, the Blackberry Z10 launched a month before Samsungrolled out its Galaxy S4, and the HTC One also debuted.

Read More

Windows 8.1 vs. Apple: Twofer or tablet?

With Windows 8.1 comes scads of hybrids from PC makers eager to show the world that you really don't need to carry around that iPad anymore.

Steve Ballmer holds a Lenovo ThinkPad Helix hybrid tablet-laptop at the Build Conference on Wednesday.

Will new Windows 8.1 hybrids finally expose the iPad for what it really is, a mere tablet?

That's what Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer suggested this week.

When speaking at the company's Build Conference on Wednesday, he described in colorful -- and maybe just a tad exaggerated -- terms how tablets don't measure up to laptops (or even pencil and paper).

Enter the "2-in-1," as Microsoft likes to call hybrids. During his keynote presentation, Ballmer brandished the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix as an example of a 2-in-1 he has used.

The Helix can be a pure tablet or can snap into a dedicated keyboard and become a full-fledged laptop, replete with a mainstream Core i5 processor and a 1,920x1,080 resolution 11.6-inch display.

And Ballmer knows that a lot more Helix-like 2-in-1 devices are on the way, packing Intel's battery-life friendly Haswell and Bay Trail processors.That was essentially Ballmer's pitch at Build. The salient advantage Windows 8.1 devices have over Apple tablets is that you need only one hybrid, not two separate devices.

That's all good except that Apple's iPad 5 is coming too. The 2,048x1,536 pixel-density, 9.7-inch tablet is expected to be lighter/thinner and more powerful, sporting iOS 7 and next-gen Apple A7 silicon.

And there's a booming market for third-party keyboards that turn the iPad into a quasi-laptop.

Then there's the next-gen iPad Mini, which will likely be even more popular.

Not to mention the very-well-received 2013 MacBook Air, which no single Windows ultrabook even comes close to in sales.

Is Ballmer right? Will 2-in-1 devices running Windows 8.1 steer consumers away from the next iPad? Maybe even get them to jettison their MacBooks?

Hmm...I think we had this discussion last year when Windows 8 launched.

Read More

Insult someone on Twitter or Facebook? A crime in Grenada

Lawmakers on the island of Grenada are tired of online "mischief." So they've banned it. How might this affect the nation's discourse?

Grenada, an online grenade-free zone.

(Credit: Videobuster09/YouTube screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)

Honestly, that free speech thing can be tiresome.

People end up endlessly expressing themselves and, every second of the day, someone's going to get hurt. Online, that is.

It's too easy to take out your iPhone and type "you liberal pig Euro a***ole," or some other type of spontaneous flattery.

The island of Grenada has decided that it has had enough. Its lawmakers wish to designate the country a decorous online enclave in the midst of the vile, open-mouthed free-for-all that is the Web.

So they have passed a law that makes it a criminal offense to insult someone online.

As the Associated Press reports, if you besmirch someone's character or name, you can be fined up to $37,000 or sent to jail for three years.

Grenada's Legal Affairs Minister, Elvin Nimrod, told the AP: "We have problems when some use the technology to engage in mischief."

In many countries, though, mischief makes the world go round. It is the chief angst-propulsion method open to those who otherwise sit at home and wonder why no one cares about them.

It is the most modern way in which people can attempt to affect others, without leaving their office chairs and floral-patterned couches.

Grenada is having none of it. It has decided to take a stand and allow anyone who feels slighted by a nasty tweeter to copy the insult and present it to a court for its judgment.

I fear this may put enormous pressure on Grenada's judges.

The law is even more complicated by its respect for the idea that companies are people too.Should someone describe a Grenadan politician as, say, "a big-eared, spineless chicken," would the court demand that the minister present himself so that the court could measure his ears?

If you have had a bad experience with, for example, Monsanto, and describe it as "a vermin on the face of the Earth's good crust," would you have to stand before a judge and explain very precisely the company's rodent-like qualities?

I foresee Grenadan judges opening secret Twitter and Facebook accounts to bemoan the overly sensitive oafs that pass before them, demanding restitution for an ego bruised or a difficult truth told.

Still, lawmakers are determined that people and companies should remain without stain in the online firmament.

Many Grenadans will look forward to learning what words, phrases, and nuances are regarded as offensive.

I am sure that they will immediately temper their tempers, even when they see politicians enact laws that seem oddly designed to protect, for example, politicians and their benefactors.

Read More

Despite Windows 8.1, PC market prospects aren't pretty

The PC market continued to slump in May. More signs of worse-than-expected negative growth for PCs this year.

HP Spectre XT TouchSmart. More touch PCs with Windows 8.1 are coming but that may not change the outlook for the moribund PC market.

Windows 8.1 may fix Microsoft's dot-zero release but it may not fix the PC market.

After Citi Research revised its PC market growth forecast down to negative 10 percent growth earlier in the month, market researcher IDC chimed in on Friday with a less-than-upbeat snapshot for May.

"May results reflect deteriorating conditions rather than improvement and the market will probably fall short of projections," said Loren Loverde, an IDC analyst in a statement, referring to May regional PC shipments.

"The results for May are behind pace for achieving the projected [second quarter 2013] growth rate," Loverde added.

Currently IDC expects total annual growth of negative 7.8 percent for 2013.

And IDC appears to be preparing itself for possible future growth revisions. While saying on the one hand that it expects an "improvement" in the second half, in the same sentence IDC states that the "market will likely remain cautious about the second half of 2013."

Earlier this month, Citi Research cut its 2013 PC year-to-year growth to negative 10 percent from negative 4 percent growth, according to a note to investors.

"The Citi global technology team is revising down its 2013 PC growth estimate to -10% y/y (from -4%) based on further sub-seasonal demand" in the first quarter and slowing notebook production, the note said.

Citi also included a zinger about Windows 8.1 and Intel's new Haswell chip.

Despite investor optimism on a resumption of year-to-year growth in the second half of 2013, "we do not expect [PC] units to grow" due to a "softening in PC end-demand" and "muted benefit from Haswell and Windows Blue [Windows 8.1]."

(Credit: IDC)

Read More

Nokia reportedly agrees to buy Siemens' stake in joint venture

The Finnish handset maker will pay less than $2.6 billion for the half of Nokia Siemens Networks that it doesn't already own, sources tell Bloomberg.

Nokia has agreed to purchase Siemens' stake in Nokia Siemens Networks, the companies' joint venture, according to a Bloomberg report.

Nokia could announce as early as Monday to purchase Siemens' 50 percent take in the joint venture for less than $2.6 billion, sources told Bloomberg. CNET has contacted Nokia and Bloomberg for comment and will update this report when we learn more.

So far, the joint venture has sold off a unit that provides network equipment for wired networks and exited the market for WiMax, a wireless technology that has struggled to gain as much traction among carriers as 4G LTE.The company -- a joint venture of Finnish handset maker Nokia and Germany's Siemens formed in 2007 -- has struggled for profits in the face of the economic downturn and increasing competition. To improve profitability, the company has begun selling off noncore business units and laying off about a quarter of its workforce.

Nokia Siemens Networks was reportedly in talks last September with various companies to sell of its business support systems, which helps telecommunications companies manage their billing and charging systems.

Read More

4 Comfort foods for the monsoon

4 Comfort foods for the monsoon

In India, monsoons are much cherished and with the first rains comes an array food to welcome the rains. And this 'rain' comfort food differs from region to region.

For example, the Bengalis love to have their share of khichuri during the rains. As the popular saying goes, "Brishti manei khichuri aar elish maach bhaja!" This homemade one-pot dish khichuri is much loved across households in West Bengal. Along with the intoxicating smell of wet earth fresh from the falling raindrops, you can experience gourmet bliss when you savor a plate of khichuri with fried fish.

In Ahmedabad, the first rain is celebrated with a long queue at shops selling hot dal vadas. Most Amdavadis will swear by dal vadas with fried green chillies when the rains are pouring. Well, it's really comforting to sit at home with a cup of hot drinking chocolate and enjoy the lashing rain. Staying indoors during the rains and reveling in the beauty of falling raindrops might be a luxury for many. But then there are always comfort food which will add more warmth to your soul on a rainy day.

If you are still pondering over what to make, then you can still go ahead and indulge in some of these comfort food.

1. Soup - Sorry we are not going to talk about how healthy it is. When you are staying indoors during the rains, a bowl of piping hot soup can elevate your soul.

2. Kadak chai: On a rainy evening, a cup of adrak pudina chai (ginger mint tea) is perfect. If you love to be outdoors, go for a ride to soak in the rains and then stop at a roadside tea stall to have your share of cuppa.

3. Chips and Dip - Yes, easy to make and great to have on a rainy day. Curl up with a book and savor your chips with a cheesy dip. Or better still pick up your favourite DVD and then enjoy the movie with your fill of chips and dip. Well, this is not the time to think about dieting. But don't make it a daily affair.

4. Pakodas: Nothing can beat the joy of having pakodas during the rainy season. Choose from onion, potato, green chilly, paneer pakodas and enjoy the 'fried' fare. Once in a while you can definitely indulge.

And if you are one of those persons who love their share of sweet fare, then go for a 'sizzling' brownie with chocolate sauce.

Read More

Why Google is the best workplace in India

We have an incredibly empowering environment and let people figure out how they get to their goals, says Rajan Anandan, managing director, Google India.

MUMBAI: Flying in from all corners of the country, braving monsoon rains and traffic jams in Mumbai, the HR chiefs and CEOs of leading companies queued up at a suburban hotel, with one question in mind: How had they fared in the coveted list- India's Best Companies To Work For.

Given that India Inc is in the throes of a slowdown, talent management has become crucial as industries marshal resources against the tough times. So this year's The Economic Times and The Great Place To Work Institute study had special importance. For some years, the study has provided the industry with a much-needed barometer to judge how companies fare on the people front.
The 2013 study, one of the largest in the world, covered 550 companies spanning 22 industries, surveying 98,998 employees. So it was but natural for the 60 CEOs and some 300 HR chiefs to wait with bated breath as the list was read out. In the end it was Google which once again took the top honour of being the best workplace in India.

And why did Google come out tops? Well, simply because, 'the 50-billion dollar startup', as they like to call themselves, has some unparalleled processes and non-traditional practices. For example, last year, all tech Nooglers (new hires) traveled to Mountain View, California for a central tech induction; a program called 'Googler 2 Googler' (g2g) enables the employees to share their knowledge with peers through various media on subjects ranging from tightrope walking to advanced Python programming. A few months ago, every manager at Google was given a budget, called 'play dough,' to spend on a fun group activity outside office.

Google is different. "We have an incredibly empowering environment and let people figure out how they get to their goals," says Rajan Anandan, managing director, Google India.

With growth numbers sluggish, the HR departments of the companies have been walking the tightrope by keeping costs in check by weeding out low performers, cutting benefits and doling marginal salary hikes on the one end while still having to attract, motivate, and retain the best talent at the other end. It's a difficult balancing act given that employee engagement and job satisfaction dips during these tough times. In such an environment, the HR's role as a multi-faceted and critical business partner rather than just being a support function has increased.

And people matters are not just the domain of HR folks, today. Even the CEOs are increasingly spending more time with their HR teams and on HR-related activities. "The whole aspect of talent management is supercritical. HR function is a core component of leadership team. The quality of people we hire directly translates into business results," says Sanjay Rishi, president, American Express.

That's not all. Repeated studies have shown that the companies which work proactively towards becoming the best workplace, build in a formidable competitive strength vis-a-vis its competitors. "The top 25 / 50 best workplaces have not only shown significant improvements over the last decade, but also built a formidable entry barrier to this select club" says Prasenjit Bhattacharya, CEO, The Great Place to Work Institute, India.

In the study, while the companies making the cut this time have focussed on right hiring, spending more on training and development, coming out with good rewards and recognition schemes, and increasing employee engagement, the two themes that continue to find mention in every great place to work HR roster are: a) make the workplace more fun and b) strive for a good work-life balance for employees. "If people don't enjoy what they are doing, they won't stay. If they have a sense they are helping organisations towards achieving goals, retention becomes less of an issue," says Vikram Oberoi, chief operating officer and joint managing director, The Oberoi Group.

With a bounding young workforce, the companies find that career development initiatives are a must, even in a slowdown. "In a knowledge economy, we can't ignore our main assets, our people, in any situation. The need for career development initiatives for the young guys is much more today than it was a few years ago," acknowledge Vijay K Thadani, CEO, NIIT. Also the Gen Y today needs different kinds of challenge, and definitely wants more meaning in their work. Offer them a job, they get bored very fast, give them a chance to make a difference, and they are ready to live in office. "Teams don't get excited by 20% earnings growth but you need to inspire teams with big challenges, ambitious goals and create an inspiring environment," says Anandan of Google.

In 2012, Intel revamped Anubhava, an experience sharing based development session series for managers in Intel India, to the topic "Gen Y- Anubhava", where a group of Gen Y employees discussed their aspirations and expectations with Intel India Leaders. "We have a comprehensive development framework and are constantly working on the kind of training we send managers to. We also help people to live what we train them in," says Kumud Srinivasan, president, Intel.

Now that due to work pressure, the personal and professional lives are integrating, the companies are finding ways to connect with the families of employees. Last year, American Express launched Parents@Amex, which is a network for American Express employees, with or expecting children, to support them in balancing their work and parenting responsibilities, helping them become more effective as parents and as professionals. Another initiative called Zoom Ahead aims to inculcate regular physical activity into the lives of the employees' children. "If employees find harmony in their work and personal life, that means the leadership are doing their job" says Rishi of Amex.

Read More

MS Dhoni named captain of ICC Team of the Tournament

The ICC team has seven players from India and runners-up England. (AP Photo)

LONDON: Mahendra Singh Dhoni was on Monday named captain of the ICC's Team of the Champions Trophy, which has four other Indians including stylish batsman Shikhar Dhawan.

India won the last edition of the Champions Trophy after edging past England by five runs on Sunday.

The ICC team has seven players from India and runners-up England.

The team includes Dhoni, Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar - two Englishmen, Jonathan Trott and James Anderson, as well as Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq, Kumar Sangakkara from Sri Lanka, South Africa's Ryan McLaren and New Zealand's Mitchell McClenaghan.

Joe Root of England was picked as the 12th man. Dhoni was named as the captain after he led his side to victory in the final, thus becoming the first captain in the history of the game to lift all three major ICC trophies - World Twenty20 2007, Cricket World Cup 2011 and Champions Trophy 2013.

"While Dhoni got little opportunity to show his exploits with the bat, he marshalled his troops outstandingly and he was sharp and agile behind the stumps as he accounted for nine batsmen behind the wickets (five catches and four stumpings), an ICC release said.

The Team of the Tournament was selected by a five-man selection panel that comprised Geoff Allardice (ICC General Manager - Cricket, and Chairman Event Technical Committee), Javagal Srinath (former India fast bowler and ICC Emirates Elite Panel match referee), Aleem Dar (ICC Emirates Elite Panel umpire), Scyld Berry (Wisden Editor from 2008-2011 and Sunday Telegraph correspondent) and Stephen Brenkley (correspondent of The Independent and Independent On Sunday).

"It was an extremely difficult task for the panel to pick a team of 11 players from the quality of players who featured in this tournament. As the selection criteria was the performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2013, some of the best players had to be left out, though they would walk very easily into any World XI," Chairman of the panel, Allardice, said.

"The side is a good mixture of specialists and all-rounders, and includes six in-form batsmen, including Dhoni as a wicketkeeper-batsman, a spinner in Jadeja, McLaren as an all-rounder and the three most impressive fast bowlers of the tournament in Kumar, Anderson and McClenaghan," he added.

Team of the Tournament: (in batting order) Shikhar Dhawan (India) -363 runs, Jonathan Trott (England)-229 runs, Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)-222 runs, Virat Kohli (India)-176 runs, Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan)-173 runs, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicket-keeper/captain) (India)- 27 runs, five catches and four stumpings, Ravindra Jadeja (India)-12 wickets & 80 runs, Ryan McLaren (South Africa)-83 runs & eight wickets, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India)- six wickets, James Anderson (England)-11 wickets, Mitchell McClenaghan (New Zealand)-11 wickets, and Joe Root (England)-173 runs.

Read More

Apple to cut iPhone orders for rest of year, claims analyst

Based on inventory checks and other factors, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek believes Apple will slash its iPhone orders for the third and fourth quarters.

 

Apple may trim its iPhone build orders for the rest of 2013, at least according to a new report from analyst Peter Misek.
In an investors note released Sunday, Misek said Apple has already revised its build plans. iPhone orders for the calendar third quarter will be cut to 25 million to 30 million from 40 million to 45 million previously. And orders for the fourth quarter will drop to 50 million to 55 million from 60 million to 65 million.
Why the downturn? The analyst cited a few reasons, mostly notably iPhone inventory checks at the stores of three vendors in the U.K.
"We had recently noted that smartphone inventory levels at retail and carriers were elevated but were unsure which OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) were most exposed," Misek said. "Our survey of several hundred Orange, Vodafone, and EE stores in the U.K. indicates that inventories are elevated for iPhones and the Samsung Galaxy 3."
Certain Apple suppliers are also seeing a drop in sales or orders, Misek added.
Manufacturing company Jabil, which makes components for the iPhone 5, recently reported a weak quarter for its Apple-oriented operations. Suppliers of memory modules have also started to shift third-quarter orders away from Apple and toward other "emerging" companies.
"Our checks also indicate that Apple's wafer starts at Samsung's Austin fab have likely been cut," the analyst added.
Misek's analysis is based on inventory checks and other data from a limited but noteworthy number of Apple vendors and suppliers. The report didn't point to any inventory levels outside the U.K., but the analyst clearly sees this as a global problem for Apple.
Misek also cut his forecast for iPhone sales to 27 million from 30 million for the third quarter and to 45 million from 50 million for the fourth quarter.
Looking ahead, the analyst believes Apple will likely launch the iPhone 5S and a low-cost iPhone in September, followed by a Retina iPad Mini in the fourth quarter. An iPhone 6 sporting a 5-inch screen may be on the agenda for next year.
Misek also had a mixed reaction to the beta of iOS 7.
"We think the new user interface's cleaner look is a big improvement," the analyst said. "While iOS upgrades will be possible on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, our experience was quite poor (admittedly it is a beta) as the OS puts too much of a strain on the processor. We speculate that iOS 7 could also be an attempt by Apple to spur upgrades."

Read More

Microsoft, Oracle join forces to stomp on cloud rivals

"Frenemies" Microsoft and Oracle just cemented a new partnership. Here's what is really new and worth knowing about the alliance.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft and Oracle announced a lot of piece parts with their June 24 partnership around Azure and Oracle databases and middleware.
Here's your Cliff Notes version: Oracle apps are now certified to run on Windows Server, Hyper-V, and Windows Azure. Up until today, they were only certified to run on Windows Server. Oracle Linux also gets added to the list of Linux varianst supported in Azure's VMs, too.
Microsoft already has been certifying its own applications on Windows Azure, including its SQL Server database. (Here's a list of which versions of various database, security and other enterprise products are certified as running on Azure's persistent virtual machines.) Now Oracle's own databases and its WebLogic middleware are added to that list.

Microsoft already has supported Java development on Windows Azure. Today, Oracle and Microsoft said they'd take Java support a step further, with Oracle certifying Java to run on Hyper-V and Windows Azure.
"It's about time. We're happy to work in newer and more constructive ways with Oracle," said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer during a call with press and analysts about the new partnership. (Microsoft and Oracle are more than just software rivals; there's some very, very bad history between the two, for those who haven't followed along from home.)
Why did Microsoft and Oracle announce this partnership today -- beyond the fact that Oracle's CEO Larry Ellison kind of pre-announced it last week during Oracle's earnings call? After all, Oracle already had a long-standing partnership with Amazon so that its apps run on AWS. Rackspace, another Microsoft competitor, just announced today increased support of MongoDB on its cloud platform.
Is there another cloud shoe about to drop with Google? I have no idea. But I'm thinking the cloud-app certification wars are the next battleground ....

Read More

Ravindra Jadeja delivers by keeping it simple

Unlike many in this present Indian team who thrive on talent, Jadeja seems to revel in the simplicity to his cricket.

LONDON: "O reyo Ravinder Jadeja, ja autograph leva (look, there's Ravindra Jadeja, go get an autograph)."

Gujaratis in the United Kingdom can be as enterprising, if not more, than those in Western India who make for a very prosperous community. To see a fellow Gujarati doing well is what really turns them on.

They flocked wherever team India went the last 25 days, looking for a young man from their state back home who had done exceedingly well against the Australians and wanted his signature wherever they could get it. As much as they wanted India to win the tournament, they wanted 'their boy' to do well too.

They were everywhere, just like Jadeja was in the entire Champions Trophy. When MS Dhoni wanted runs down the batting order, Jadeja gave it to him. When the skipper wanted wickets at regular intervals, he gave the ball to Jadeja. A good fielder was needed at point or cover, Jadeja was called in.

The popular joke was supposed to be on 'Sir' to mock a cricketer of limited talents. Within those limitations, he delivered to ensure the joke was on those mocking him. Jadeja turned out to be one of Champions Trophy's Most Valuable Player.

Twelve wickets in five matches at a strike rate of 20.5, an average of 12.83 and an economy rate of 3.75 was an impressive one in a tournament like this one where each team had just three matches before making it to the knockouts. But statistics will not do justice to the manner in which he threatened batsmen with the variation in pace and a constantly nagging line.

Dhoni will take a lot of pride in trusting this young man. The skipper can now claim he wasn't understating the ability of this all-rounder when he said all he wanted from him was to play within his limitations. In England, Dhoni explained, that's precisely what one needed to do. Like a man sold to idea of repaying that trust, Jadeja worked with blinkers on.

Unlike many in this present Indian team who thrive on talent, Jadeja seems to revel in the simplicity to his cricket. He's a cricketer most would think they are but he's the one who's got it right. From here, it'll be interesting to see how it goes for him. As for his fan-following, it's growing just like his community has in the UK.

Read More