"Sky to launch Now TV web channel"

Sky has confirmed it will launch a new web service called Now TV for computers, mobile phones and tablets.

Sky's new Now TV channel will not require a satellite dish

Chief Executive Jeremy Darroch said the channel will provide instant access to some of Sky’s most popular content, including hundreds of films from Sky Movies.

It will be the first channel from the broadcaster to be completely separate from any

"Happy 6th Birthday Twitter! India loves you"

On 21 March 2006, Jack Dorsey sent out a message that simply read, “just setting up my twittr”.

Six years later, the service has become one of the fastest growing social media networks in the world, counting celebrities, world leaders, media houses and millions of ordinary citizens (and bots) among its legions of followers. (200 million at the last count in April 2011; this number now is  much larger)

Introduced as a ‘microblogging’ site, Twitter was essentially a service that facilitated constant status updates. Although it was first ridiculed for encouraging only the banal, Twitter quickly grew into a service that also become a lot more than just telling people what

"Does Pinterest promote plagiarism?"

Pinterest, the latest social media website to take the Internet by storm, could find itself caught in a web of copyright issues. The social media site allows users to create ‘pin’ boards  where they can share pictures they find interesting.

However a blog post by Kirsten Kowalski, which has gone viral, has raised serious doubts and questions over copyright violations on the site.

Federal copyright laws give the author of any copyrighted work (which includes photographs and copyright attaches automatically as soon as the work is created) the sole and exclusive right to publish and reproduce such work. So, basically, when you see a photograph that you love, you do not have any right to publish or reproduce that photograph unless you took the photo or

"Android ad networks found accessing users’ private data"

Ad-supported apps aren't going away any time soon and there's
nothing actually wrong with the concept 

Researchers at the University of North Carolina have discovered that Android apps that run ads could be invading users’ privacy without their, or the app developers’, knowledge. The ad networks that many developers rely on to earn money exploit permissions granted to the app, often gathering information that users would not reasonably expect advertisers to have access to.

Xuxian Jiang, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, and his team found “threats to security and privacy” with many of the ad libraries used in popular Android apps. In an analysis of 100,000 apps downloaded between March and May 2011, the researchers found 100 ad libraries, some of which were gathering data such as the user’s

"Get ready for an Angry Birds theme park"

Angry Birds maker Rovio is teaming up with a major US retail chain to sell its merchandise, and plans to open themed activity parks in Britain, as it continues to expand beyond mobile games to establish a Disney-style brand, it said on Tuesday.

Peter Vesterbacka, marketing chief of the Finnish start-up behind the world’s most downloaded game, told Reuters that Rovio saw itself as an entertainment brand, not just a games company.

“We want to make Angry Birds a permanent part of pop culture,” Peter Vesterbacka said in an interview in London, comparing the brand to Sanrio’s Hello Kitty or Nintendo’s Mario. “We’re just getting started.”

Angry Birds, in which the player uses a slingshot to catapult birds to destroy green pigs

"The new iPad heats up a lot faster than the iPad 2"

San Francisco: Apple Inc’s new iPad throws off a lot more heat than the previous version, lending weight to complaints on Internet forums that the hot-selling tablet computer could get uncomfortably warm after heavy use, an influential consumer watchdog found after running tests.

Consumer Reports, a widely followed group that reviews everything from electronics to cars, found that Apple’s new tablet racked up temperatures of 116 degrees Fahrenheit (47 Celsius) after 45 minutes of running an intense action game, up to 13 degrees F hotter than the previous model under similar

"Intex launches Android tab for Rs 11900 in India"

The iTab targets housewives and college students

Intex Technologies, a company engaged in computer peripherals has launched the i-Tab, an eight-inch Android tablet priced at just Rs 11,900. The device called the iTab, comes with a

"China will surpass U.S. in smartphone shipments in 2012: IDC"

 

China will surpass the US in smartphone shipments this year, technology research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) predicted.

According to the US-based firm’s estimates, manufacturers will ship approximately 660 million smartphones in 2012.

Of the total shipments, China is predicted to account for a 20.7 per cent share of the worldwide smartphone market, more than the U. S. share of 20.6 per cent. It may be noted here that China started outselling the U. S. in smartphones shipments in the second half of 2011.

The IDC also predicted that the U. S. would most probably never regain the title of the world’s

Free apps drain battery faster: study

Free mobile apps that use third-party services to exhibit ads drain battery faster, researchers at Purdue University, Indiana, discovered.

Computer scientist Abhinav Pathak and his colleagues monitored energy consumption by several apps, such as Angry Birds and Free Chess, and discovered that merely 10-30 per cent of the energy was being used to power the app's core function.

In Angry Birds, merely 20 per cent of energy is used to run the core functions of the game, while 45 per cent is spent on finding and uploading users’ location with GPS so that location-appropriate ads could be downloaded.

In one case, they found that 75 per cent of an app's energy consumption was spent to power

"DISH Gearing Up to Compete with AT&T, Verizon Wireless"

 

It has been reported that the Dish Network Corp. (DISH) has recently applied to the authorities for an approval to go ahead with mobile-phone service. Previously, a similar plea was made by the LightSquared Inc. which was not approved by the authorities.

However, DISH is hopeful that its plea will be approved and it would be allowed to go ahead with its plans. The plea has been made to the Federal Communications Commission. If an approval is issued to DISH, then it would be having a direct competition with the AT&T Inc.

The aim of DISH is to compete with the ever growing market of the AT&T Inc. and Verizon

"UPS to Merge with TNT Express"

 

Monday’s statements received from United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) are claiming that the company is all set to sign an agreement with its Dutch rival, TNT Express NV TNTE. AE, to acquire its control over same following the €5.16 billion ($6.80 billion) deal.

Moreover, the agreement will also push UPS to the position of the leading package-shipping company in Europe. UPS’s plans of paying €9.50 per share for TNT Express can gain them the acquisition over their so-called rivals.

There are majorly four biggest global package shippers in the market today, including UPS, TNT, FedEx and DHL, with TNT being the smallest in all. Unfortunately, the company’s recent struggle is behind its decision of

"HTC’s Gadgets to Be Upgraded with Google Mobile OS"

 

HTC made an announcement of introducing Google’s recently launched mobile OS. The gadgets that would be benefited by the upgrades include 16 HTC devices. HTC has also informed that the rollout of ICS for HTC Sensation and HTC Sensation XE is pending as it is in the final stage.

The date by which the updated HTC’s gadgets would be available to the customers have not yet been informed by the HTC. However, HTC said, “It will take time…to get the update. We are working closely with our carrier partners to nail down updates schedules for other smartphones”.

Samsung's Galaxy Nexus smartphone is believed to be the first gadget to be updated with Ice

Video's of "Future foretold: The next generation tablets"

Most technology enthusiasts love crystal-ball gazing. From predicting announcements at upcoming industry events to creating design mockups and write concept pieces on their blogs. While Apple iPad leads the segment, in both the mind-share as well as market-share, Samsung, Sony, and other device manufacturers are competing hard with Android-based tablets, and early previews of Windows 8 look promising for a new generation of Windows-based tablets.

Let's look at where the trends point out for upcoming generations of tablet computers. From sci-fi movies to research labs, I let my imagination wild and take creative liberties in bargain for technical accuracy.

PHOTOS and Videos: New iPad: Inside out

Transparent/Glass Displays

Isn't the time ripe to move on from LCD/LED displays clammed in plastic casing? Transparent glass displays are a staple of technology concept videos and while there has

"Apple sells 3 mn iPads within 3 days of launch"

People wait on a street in front of an Apple

 store as they await sales of the new iPad

 in the Apple store in Munich. The third-generation

 iPad has faster chips, fourth-generation

 wireless, a sharper display 

and a better camera.

In a new record for Apple, the technology giant has sold a whopping three million of its new iPads within just three days of launching the latest version of its blockbuster tablet computer. 

The California-based company launched the third version of the iPad on Friday with new features including an improved display, better camera, faster processor and support for AT&T's and Verizon's fourth-generation LTE cellular networks. 

Apple announced yesterday that it has sold three million new iPads the same day that the company said it will put its nearly USD 100 billion cash reserves to use by beginning to pay a quarterly 2.65 dollar dividend and through a 10 billion dollar share buy-back programme. 

During the conference call with investors to discuss Apple's plans for its cash stockpile, Apple's Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said the company had a "record weekend" for its latest iPad but had not given the exact sales figures. 

Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing Philip Schiller disclosed the figures later in a statement. 

"The new iPad is a blockbuster with three million sold, the strongest iPad launch yet," Schiller said. 

The new iPad is already available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Switzerland, UK and the US. 

"Customers are loving the incredible new features of iPad, including the stunning Retina display, and we cannot wait to get it into the hands of even more customers around the world," when it becomes available in 24 more countries from March 23 and through Apple online stores. 

The new iPad, available in black and white, is priced between USD 499 and USD 829 dollars depending on the various models and configurations. 

Apple has reduced the cost of iPad 2 which is now available at a price of between USD 399 and USD 529 dollars. Cook said Apple has sold 55 million iPads since the trend setting tablet computer was first launched in 2010. 

The first iPad took 28 days to hit one million sales, Apple said. 

IPL 5 News-"Priyanka, Salman, Katy Perry to perform at IPL opening"

The much-awaited opening ceremony of the fifth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be a grand spectacle, as international pop star Katy Perry will perform on the big night.

Katy Perry makes a statement in a silver-black gown. 

Apart from the American singer, Bollywood biggies Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Amitabh Bachchan, along with southern superstar Prabhu Deva — who is choreographing his own act — will also deliver power-packed acts at the event, to be held on April 3 at Chennai’s YMCA College of Physical Education.

“We look forward to Ms Perry’s participation at the IPL 2012 Opening Nite. A performer of her calibre makes the occasion even more special for the players, organisers and fans,” says IPL

"Petrol powered entry level cars like Alto, Nano & Eon keep pace with diesel cars"

MUMBAI: Diesel-powered cars may be the talk of the town, but petrol-powered entry-level cars-Tata Nano, Maruti Suzuki Alto and Hyundai Eon too are making their presence felt in the auto industry as rising interest rates and fuel prices impact the purchasing power of many car buyers. 

Sales of entry-evel cars, or those cost less than Rs 3.5 lakh, crossed 50,000 units a month for the first time in February in what some analysts call the first sign of revival in the car market. 

"This was the segment which pulled down the market over the first three quarters of 2011, but now a sustained month-on-month increase clearly shows that this is the first sign of

"7.4 quake shakes Mexico, 100s of homes damaged"

MEXICO CITY: A strong 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit southern Mexico on Tuesday, damaging some 800 homes near the epicenter and swaying tall buildings and spreading fear and panic hundreds of miles away in the capital of Mexico City. 

 

One of the strongest to shake Mexico since the deadly 1985 temblor that killed thousands in Mexico City, Tuesday's earthquake hit hardest in border area of southern Oaxaca and Guerrero states. In Guerrero, officials confirmed that some 800 homes had been damaged, with another 60 having collapsed. 

Hours after the shaking at noon local time (18:02 GMT), there were still no reports of death

"Automobile giants like General Motors, Ford open doors to third-party developers to create apps, much like Google & Apple"

Bosch Ltd.

BANGALORE: At the world's largest auto component supplier's engineering centre in Bangalore, engineers are hard at work on a software that they believe will dictate the future of the automobile industry. The engineering and electronics major Bosch developed a code with which developers can now create applications for cars which aid driving, similar to the ones that run on smartphones. 

 

What these engineers are doing reflects a major shift - inspired by the success of Apple and Google - taking place in the automotive industry. The usually cagey automakers are opening up innovation platforms for third-party developers. 

By doing so, carmakers like General Motors and Ford are creating an app ecosystem so that buyers can tap into the computing power within a car. These apps help drivers cruise and

"Tech Mahindra, Mahindra Satyam boards to consider merger today"

 

HYDERABAD: IT major Tech Mahindra on Tuesday said a board meeting will be held on Wednesday to consider Mahindra Satyam's merger with itself. 

Mahindra Satyam, erstwhile Satyam Computer Services, in a separate filing with BSE also said

"Asia Cup - 6th match - Bangladesh v Sri Lanka short Highlights"

Free Cricket Highlights – Bangladesh v Sri Lanka 6th Match Highlights at Dhaka, Mar 20, 2012
Highlights:

"Historical Win to Bangladesh - reached Asia Cup Final" and INDIA out of Asia Cup.

Asia Cup - 6th match

Bangladesh won by 5 wickets (with 17 balls remaining) (D/L) 

Bangladesh v Sri Lanka

"Bangladesh reach historic final"

"Historical Win to Bangladesh - reached Asia Cup Final" and INDIA out of Asia Cup.

Asia Cup - 6th match

Bangladesh won by 5 wickets (with 17 balls remaining) (D/L) 

Bangladesh v Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka  232/10 (49.5)

Bangladesh 212/5 (37.1)(D/L)

Shakib Al Hasan plays a drive, Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Asia Cup, Mirpur, March 20, 2012 

Shakib Al Hasan, wearing a tall Bangladesh-flag-coloured cap, is the Man of the Match. Shakib: "The way we expected our crowd to support us, they did exactly that. We have been consistent throught the tournament. Hopefully we will put up a good show in the final.