Author: Shivaank Rana

Google, Facebook Working on India Request to Remove Content

According to the Wall Street Journal, Facebook and Google are working on requests from India to remove from their web sites “inflammatory and hateful content” that New Delhi blames for sparking a mass exodus of people from several cities.

Tens of thousands of panic-stricken students and workers from northeast left for home last week, spurred by rumors they would be attacked in retaliation for communal violence in Assam that left at least 78 people dead.

India on Monday blocked as many as 245 Web pages for hosting video clips and other content that the authorities said were distorted and were used for spreading the rumors.

The government is wary of social networks being misused for inciting violence and has asked companies including Google, Facebook, Twiter Inc. and Microsoft Corp. to remove such content from their websites.

Facebook, which has about 50 million users in India, acknowledged receiving the requests and said it is working through those requests and responding to the agencies.

[quote]”Facebook will remove content which breaches our terms,” as defined in its agreement with its users, it said in a statement.[/quote]

The U.S.-based company said it is encouraging its users to flag such content through its website “so that we can investigate and take action fast.”

[quote]Search-engine giant Google, which provides services such as YouTube and Orkut said: “We understand the gravity of the situation… and continue to work closely with relevant authorities.”[/quote]

Content intended to incite violence is prohibited on all Google products, the company said in a statement.

August 21, 2012
SMS Curb May Lead to 7-8% Revenue Loss To Mobile Companies

Restriction on SMSes to five per day is not only causing problems for millions of mobile phone users but may also lead to loss of 7-8 percent revenue of telecom operators for the month.

The government had banned bulk SMSes and MMSes for 15 days across the country from 18 August to check spread of
rumours which has led to exodus of people from northeastern states from cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune.

There were reports of widespread circulation of SMSes and MMSes containing misleading information about Assam violence, threats to people from northeast states living in other parts of the country and doctored videos.

While pre-paid mobile users, who account for over 90 percent of the 930 million mobile subscriber base, are unable to send more than five messages per day, postpaid users do not seem to be facing any problem.

People across the country wanting to wish their friends and relatives for Eid are feeling the pinch of the government order restricting the text messages.

“A ban of 15 days means they could lose around seven to eight percent of revenue this month from this service alone,” Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Director General Rajan S Mathews said.

Operators on an average get 15-18 per cent revenue from data services of which SMS is a part, he said.

Mathews, however, added that “all the members will definitely make every effort to abide by the rules, as national security and human lives are at stake.”

Youngsters are the largest users of SMS and many of them are upset by the restriction. “I wanted to SMS my Eid greetings to friends as it is not possible to call everyone. However, after five messages, I am unable to send anymore messages. As a subscriber, I feel cheated,” Pragya Gupta, a student at Delhi University said.

The order, which limits the number of SMS’ a subscriber can send for the next 15 days, was given after bulk messages were circulated that provoked exodus of northeast people from various cities like Bangalore and Pune. “SMS has become a way of life. As a media professional, I need to stay in touch with industry peers and it is generally over messages. However, with this ban, we are finding it difficult and it is impacting our work,” Rakesh Kumar Jha, a PR professional said.

He, however, added that “the situation is very sensitive and I can understand the government’s decision to ban bulk sms in order to prevent any untoward incident”.

Subscribers trying to send their sixth SMS received messages like “As per the government’s order, your limit is 5 SMS a day”.

The order however does not cover transactional messages related to banking, financial institutes and railways.

[FirstPost]

August 20, 2012
Galaxy Note 2 Teaser Out

Samsung has teased its second generation phablet, the Galaxy Note 2 in an online video that pretty much confirms its launch at IFA in Berlin next week. The video doesn’t show the device in full, or name-check it, but we do see the S-Pen in action.

“When magical moments come alive, everything becomes an inspiration,” says the video. Then the S-Pen is drawn out of the device, and we see it clicking and drawing on the Note 2’s screen.

Before the video closes, a statement reads, “On August 29 Berlin, your magic moments will come alive”.

The Samsung Mobile Unpacked Event will be covered live by iGyaan! Stay Tuned!

August 20, 2012
iGyaan Exclusive : Galaxy Note 2 To Feature New S Pen Interface

According to our reliable insider resources from the industry, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, which is to be launched at IFA later this month, will feature a new interface for the S Pen. Along with that, the ‘phablet’ will also have almost 20 new features overall.

According to the latest rumors, the device would most likely come with a 5.5″ Super AMOLED Screen with 16/32GB internal memory and 1.5GB of RAM. On the back would be a 13MP Camera with 1080p recording at 30fps. It is said to be powered by a Quad-Core Exynos 5250 processor and be HSPA+, LTE compatible. It is likely to be shipped with Android Jelly Bean outside the box

We Will be covering the event Live from Berlin! Stay tuned!

August 19, 2012
Hacker claims security flaw with iPhone

A French hacker known as pod2g has identified a text-based iOS glitch that allows scammers to spoof their identifies and make it look like text messages are coming from legitimate sources.

The flaw has existed since iPhone was first launched in 2007, and is still not solved in the beta version of iOS 6, the next operating system for iPhone.

Under the protocols handling the exchange of SMS (Short Message Service) text between mobile phones, the sender of a message can technically change the reply-to phone number to something different from the original number, Pod2g explained.

At issue is a section of a text message payload known as User Data Header (UDH), which includes a number of advanced features. One of those features allows the user to change the reply address of the text. You can send a text from your iPhone, for example, but if the person replies, it’ll get sent to your Galaxy S III .

When the option works correctly, pod2g said, the text message recipient will be able to see that they are responding to a different phone number. The recipient phone should either display the secondary number, or “in a good implementation of this feature,” pod2g wrote, the original phone number and the new phone number.

[quote]”On iPhone, when you see the message, it seems to come from the reply-to number, and you [lose] track of the origin,” according to pod2g.[/quote]

This is problematic because it could allow the scammer to send you a text message that appears to be from your bank with a link that asks you to click and verify account information.

August 18, 2012
“World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria” trailer released at Gamescom 2012

The release of the new World of Warcraft expansion Mists of Pandaria is fast approaching, and this week Blizzard displayed the opening cinematic to the game at the Gamescom conference in Cologne, Germany. As always, Blizzard’s cinematic team has some cutting-edge CGI to show off and we thought it was worth your time to take a look at

The trailer reveals the opening cinematic sequence to “Mists of Pandaria.” Described as a lost continent shrouded in fog, Pandaria is inhabited by a race called the Pandaren. The upcoming release is the fourth expansion pack of the uber-popular game.

“World of Warcraft” is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) which was released in November 2004. Expansion packs include “The Burning Crusade,” “Wrath of the Lich King” and “Cataclysm.”

In August, Blizzard Entertainment reported 9.1 million subscribers. “World of Warcraft” holds the Guinness World Record for the Most Popular Subscription-based Massively Multiplayer Online Role Player Game.”

“World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria” is expected to be released on Sept. 25, 2012.

August 18, 2012
Indian Company 7Seas Launches New Android Game

7Seas Entertainment Ltd today said its game ‘The Dark Man’ has been made available for Android-based mobile devices.

The Dark Man is an archery-based puzzle game that involves shooting apples placed as targets on a character’s head. If the player misses, he fails to clear the level. The game sports a classic black and white look. The levels start off easy but continue to become more challenging.

While the full version of the game priced at Rs. 55 in the Google Play Store, has 30 levels, the free version offers 10 levels. It will also be available in the Samsung App store, LG Store and other Android supported app stores.

August 17, 2012
“Remove Hate Content” : Gov To ISPs

Government has issued directions to all Internet service providers to disable any inflammatory or hateful content that targets the community for north eastern states.

“Based on complaints regarding content that’s inflammatory, hateful and inciting violence targeting North East Community, DIT has issued an advisory to all intermediaries,” Union Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Sachin Pilot said.

The advisory based on terms and provisions of IT Act and Rules asks them to take action for disabling all such content on priority, the minister said.

[Economic Times]

August 17, 2012
Edit : Why I Use An iPhone

Ok, so before I begin with this article, let me clarify that I haven’t been paid by Apple to write this, I don’t hate Android phones, and I most certainly am not a “fanboy”. Also, I am not Bharat Nagpal (I know most of you came here expecting Bharat to finally reveal why he uses an iPhone).

The question is simple yet one of the most debatable one this side of the century, “Why do you use an iPhone?”

Some background details first

[pullquote_right]working at iGyaan has its perks![/pullquote_right]I currently use a 16GB iPhone 4s, my first iPhone, which I’ve been using since January, 2012. Before this I had a Nokia 5230 “Express Music”, a Samsung Corby, a Samsung Metro, a Motorola flip phone (don’t remember its name now) and a Nokia 1100 (which I had to crush with a brick and then drown in a bucket full of water to make sure it was dead). Oh, and a couple of Android devices here and there (working at iGyaan has its perks!).

Now the Crux

So, it took me only 1 day to realize that I had a phone in my hand that is perfect for me. Why so? Easy, because it’s is simple and uncomplicated! I work around technology on a daily basis, but that doesn’t mean I want my products and services to be unnecessarily complex. In fact, I tend to go the opposite way – I spend a lot of time working with wireless devices, dealing with random issues, playing with settings, and the likes. In my time off, I’ll always migrate to the solution that’s the easiest.

I want a device that works the same way every single time. When I open an app, I expect it to take the same amount of time to open each and every time, when it doesn’t, it aggravates me. [pullquote_left]Having a sluggish phone with a 1.5 GHz dual-core is like having a Pulsar that moves like a Rajdhoot.[/pullquote_left] The iPhone is consistent, fast and ridiculously smooth! While you’ll never have a device that’s 100 percent fail-free, I’ve yet to find another device that performs as fluidly as the iPhone 4S.

One of the primary reasons I love the iPhone is the large selection of high quality apps. Even though more apps come to Android every day, I still prefer to buy (cough!) most of my apps and games on the iPhone.

Not only do most of these apps look better, but i don’t have the same buyer’s (cough again!) remorse as I do with many Android apps I purchase. When given the choice between the same app on Android and on iPhone, I choose the iPhone app. I can’t recall looking at an Android app and complimenting its looks in comparison to its iOS and Windows Phone counterparts.

Daily Usage

Typing is a breeze with the auto-correct (though i have suffered some more than embarrassing moments due to it). The phone literally learns as you use it. Overtime Siri picked up on my “Indian Accent”and autocorrect started suggesting Hinglish words. I use dictation on the iPhone 4S to write entire articles with enough accuracy that only minimal editing needed. In fact, I am writing this article through the WordPress app on my phone! The new Voice Actions in Android 4.0 include many of the same features and work just as well as Siri and Dictation on the iPhone, but it is less polished. There is no use of relationships and Voice Actions doesn’t prompt for the message, requiring taps on-screen instead.

Through iCloud, I have all my emails, contacts, data backed up effortlessly and accessible from anywhere. I don’t have to worry about subscription renewal or periodic updates. All I had to do was create an iCloud account and I was good to go!

Camera and portability

The camera is definitely the best I’ve seen on a mobile phone (do not mention the PureView!). It has eliminated the need to carry a separate camera while on a vacation. I am more than satisfied with it!

One of the biggest feature of a phone for me is the screen, and the iPhone delivers in that aspect! The Retina display is a treat to use! Bright, vivid colours, great viewing angles, outdoor visibility and no pixilation at all! Texts are as crisp as they can be and even though the screen may not be the biggest, it definitely is the best for my needs.

Jailbreak

[pullquote_right]For all the things that Apple didn’t include in the iOS, there’s JailBreak![/pullquote_right] You can do anything, literally, once you’ve jailbroken your phone! Be it applying a custom theme (I am using the Windows 8 theme currently), add toggles to the homescreen and download unlimited apps for free!

Out of all of the smartphones I’ve used, battery life continues to shine on the iPhone 4S in comparison to Android and Windows Phone equivalents. It has taken a hit for sure with iOS 5 and the 4S’ dual-core processor, but it still outperforms other smartphones I’ve used. It charges ridiculously fast!

Conclusion (The Only Answer)

So basically, the iPhone has a smooth and fluid OS (I cannot emphasize this enough!), adequately powerful hardware, and tons of great features! Not to mention it looks great and I don’t have to deal with “minor bug fixes” now and then! So why should I switch to some other phone just because it has ridiculously speedy quad-core processor and an awfully powerful GPU when at the end of the day I have a phone which does what I need perfectly!

Is it the best phone ever? Nope. Would I go around recommending it to everyone? Nope. I can go off on a tirade of things I don’t like about it. Email management has been especially bugging me. There’s a ton of features on the Android that I wish I had access to on my iPhone, and there’s no doubt that Android will continue to develop over time, but right now, I just want a phone that pretty much manages itself, so I can enjoy it, without having to worry about if I need to update permissions on my phone. But for today, it’s the device that allows me to check off the most number of features on my list, so it stays!

August 16, 2012
Samsung Galaxy S3 hits 10mn sales within 2 months

Korean-mobile maker Samsung has sold ten million handsets of its latest smartphone Galaxy S3 in less than two months, according to a report.

Galaxy SIII broke the 10 million barrier in less than half the time it took its predecessor, the Galaxy SII, which is the bestselling Android handset so far.

The mega smartphone sports an impressive range of top-spec features, including a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD screen, 8-Megapixel camera, and a quad-core processor.

Last month Samsung had predicted that its heroic handset would hit the 10 million sales mark and they proved themselves right with their guess, as now Google has announced that the handset has indeed got itself into the 8 figure world.

Big sales in a short period have been helped by Samsung’s excellent rollout strategy which saw 140 countries all receiving the handset within the past two months, which in comparison to Apple’s comparatively slow rollout is a great benefit to the sales of the smartphone.

August 16, 2012
Galaxy Note 2 Bezel Leak

Two weeks left for the Galaxy Note 2 Unpacked event, and after a rumoured picture of the “Phablet” came up yesterday, another one, this time a Bezel, has come up today!

In addition to showing us what a small bezel on the Galaxy Note 2 looks like, the image above also seems to confirm the fact that the new phablet’s display will be 0.2-inch longer than its predecessor, just as currently rumored. The use of a smaller bezel is surely a reason for Samsung’s rumored decision to go with a 5.5-inch Galaxy Note 2 instead of the regular 5.3-inch panel used by its predecessor.

Stay tuned, for we will be covering IFA 2012 Live from Berlin.

August 15, 2012
Nokia to stick with Windows

Nokia Chief Executive Stephen Elop promised to unveil a new smartphone using Microsoft’s latest Windows 8 software soon, raising the prospect it will be launched in early September before rival Apple promotes its new iPhone.

The Finnish company, which is fighting for survival after losing out to rivals in the lucrative smartphone business, is due to hold a trade show in Helsinki on September 5-6, just before an Apple event on September 12 where the U.S. competitor could announce a redesigned iPhone.

Nokia, the world’s second-largest cellphone maker, has not commented on what it will announce at the Nokia World event, but business magazines have said it will unveil the new Windows 8 smartphones.

Elop, in Oslo for a meeting with Telenor Chief Executive Jon Fredrik Baksaas, did not deny a September launch but would only say Windows 8 smartphones would be released “relatively near term.”

August 15, 2012
Micromax A100 Listed Online, To Be Launched Soon

Micromax’s A100 smartphone has popped up on an online shopping website (Homeshop18.com), though it’s listed as out of stock. The device was first reported on our website (read here).

According to the listing, the smartphone will be priced at Rs 9,999 and has a 5-inch display with 480×854 resolution. This dual SIM device runs on Android 4.0.4(ICS) and offers 3G connectivity.

Micromax A100 comes with a 2000 mAh battery, a 5MP camera, and 4 GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 32 GB.

August 15, 2012
Is this the Galaxy Note 2? Image Leaked!

Can it be? An image of what could be the Galaxy Note 2 is going viral on the internet. The device in White looks identical to the Galaxy SIII from the front and features a Corning Gorilla Glass.

The device would most likely come with a 5.5″ Super AMOLED Screen with 16/32GB internal memory and 1.5GB of RAM. On the back would be a 13MP Camera with 1080p recording at 30fps. It is said to be powered by a Quad-Core Exynos 5250 processor and be HSPA+, LTE compatible. It is likely to be shipped with Android Jelly Bean outside the box.

We don’t know the authenticity of the image, it could just turn out to be a photoshopped render. The official launch of the Galaxy Note 2 is most likely to be on the 29th of August and we will be covering it Live form Berlin!

August 14, 2012
Court lets Google appeal digital books class status

Google Inc has won the right to appeal the granting of class status to thousands of authors suing the search engine company over its ambitious plan to create the world’s largest digital books library.

In a brief order, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York granted Google permission to challenge a May 31 decision by U.S. Circuit Judge Denny Chin letting authors sue as a group rather than individually.

Billions of dollars are at stake in the seven-year-old lawsuit. Google has already scanned more than 20 million books, and the Authors Guild, a group representing authors, has said Google should pay $750 for each book copied.

It is unclear when the 2nd Circuit will hear the appeal. Decertifying the class could make it harder for authors to win a large award against Google, either at trial or in a settlement.

Chin had said it would be unjust to force Authors Guild members to sue individually, likely resulting in disparate results and much higher legal costs, “given the sweeping and undiscriminating nature of Google’s unauthorized copying.”

But Google countered in a court filing that many class members, perhaps even a majority, benefited economically, and that case-by-case determinations were needed to show whether it was making “fair use” of the plaintiffs’ works.

Citing a 2011 U.S. Supreme Court decision favoring Wal-Mart Stores Inc that made it harder to pursue class-action cases, Google said that even if “droves” of authors raised common issues, there was no “common answer” to address them.

“Plaintiffs seek to shut down a significant part of Google Books and to recover potentially billions of dollars,” Google said. “With so much at stake, Google should not be forced to litigate without the full benefit of its principal defense.”

Michael Boni, a lawyer for the Authors Guild, was not immediately available for comment. That group has argued that there is enough in common among the claims to let the class-action to go ahead and defeat the fair use defense.

Google began creating the library after the Mountain View, California-based company agreed in 2004 with several major research libraries to digitize current and out-of-print works.

Libraries whose works have been scanned include Harvard University, Oxford University, Stanford University, the University of California, the University of Michigan and the New York Public Library.

In March 2011, Chin rejected a $125 million settlement of the case, saying it gave Google a “de facto monopoly” to copy books en masse without permission.

Among the individual plaintiffs in the case is former New York Yankees baseball pitcher Jim Bouton, the author of “Ball Four.” Groups of photographers and graphic artists are also suing Google over its digitization of the works.

Chin began handling the case as a trial judge and kept jurisdiction after he was elevated to the 2nd Circuit. Tuesday’s order was issued by a two-judge panel of the appeals court.

[Reuters]

August 14, 2012