IBM implementing innovative solution for HPCL:

BANGALORE: IBM on Thursday announced that it is implementing an innovative Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based solution for Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL). HPCL will leverage IBM's technology expertise to deploy an end-to-end tracking solution based on RFID technology at HPCL's Nashik plant, an IBM statement said. This USD 2.2 million deal is one of the single-largest implementations in India for RFID-based tracking solution and involves infrastructure services, business consulting services and middleware solution from IBM, it said. Under this agreement, IBM will design, deploy and integrate the RFID solution for tracking LPG cylinders from plant to the end-consumer. The solution will streamline the process of identification of LPG cylinders during bottling, distribution and supply chain, and is expected to cover 500,000 cylinders in the initial phase.

ref: Indiatimes,04 sep 08.

Chrome bags 1% share of global mkt in 4 days

MUMBAI: Chrome, Google’s desktop web browser, has created a record of sort by taking over 1% share of the global market within four days of its launch. But analysts say it will take a long while to unseat Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) which controls over 72% of the market. Analysts say the user group mainly belongs to the tech fraternity and users who actively use only Google web search, Gmail, Google reader and blogs. Chrome is in direct competition with IE and Firefox, which enjoys 19.73% of the market share. The other browsers like Opera, Safari and Netscape are still fighting for a substantial market share. “Since the desktop is largely in the Microsoft domain, it is conceivable that IE will continue to enjoy its default browser status for the desktop in the near foreseeable future,” said KPMG executive director Akhilesh Tuteja. Chrome with its simple looks and equipped with the most basic of browser functionalities is precisely what a no-frills user would want. But it lacks several features like bookmark managers which allow users to save files and webpages and view them anytime. Also the RSS reader which feeds users with news from the web is missing. Users have grown accustomed to these features and will want it on the Chrome. However, the clean and clear-cut browser makes the screen look uncluttered and larger in content area when compared to other browsers. Also, the tab feature on Chrome stands apart from the other browsers. It runs each tab in isolation from the other thus preventing the other tab from crashing it. “All of Google's products are based on American ethos. It is simple to use despite its complex architecture," said Kaustubh Dhavse deputy director (ICT practice) Frost & Sullivan. However, this first version by Google runs only on Windows desktop, but new versions for Mac and Linux are expected to be released soon. "Google is striving to ensure that Chrome will work properly with the most popular sites on the web. Massive testing is expected, and it should work as well as a Firefox Beta. Initial tests of the Chrome are being done at a fast pace by thousands." said Mr. Tuteja. According to Mr Dhavse, MS will have to constantly make changes and upgrade their browser features to appeal to the users, if they want to continue being the market leader. “The old format does not excite users anymore.” he said. Google comes from a web environment whereas MS comes from a OS environment which moved into the web space. The edge that IE has over the other browsers is that MS bundles the browser with its operating system (OS), so every user's default browser is IE and this plays in their favour. Analysts are sceptical about the adoption of Chrome by enterprises as the browser is on a beta platform like all other Google products. “Everytime Google launches a product be it gmail or Orkut and now Chrome, it is on a beta platform. This is safe play by Google and is one of the major criteria for enterprises and governments not using their products. It is not a fully tried and tested enterprise solution, whereas MS is the leader in this,” said another analyst who did not want to be named. “Google is focused on providing a great user experience, and we're releasing Google Chrome in beta so we can gather user feedback and quickly iterate to improve the product.” said a Google spokesperson in an emailed response to ET. Industry watchers say it will be interesting to watch out how the Google-Microsoft saga unfolds. Google in the past has accused MS of monopolising the OS and browser market by bundling their products and driving the consumer segment. “Google is faced with a great paradox today. It is trying to create its own ecosystem just like MS. The winner will be one who can drive the market and sustain it,” said Mr Dhavse. However, Google might never accept this and claim it is challenging the presence of the other giants in the market. “Browsers are one of the most fundamental platforms for a user and Google wants to be there, they are playing their cards very well,” said another analyst on condition of anonymity. However, Google said it believes in making the web an open platform for everyone to innovate on. "Our efforts are targeted at making the web better for everyone and further advance the openness of the web. Towards this objective Google Chrome has been developed and is being released as an open source project under the name Chromium. The intent is that Google will help make future browsers better by contributing the underlying technology in Google Chrome to the market, while continuing to develop additional features,” said a Google spokesperson.

REF:indiatimes,07 sep 08.

Impact of downturn will be co-specific: Nasscom

HYDERABAD: The slow-down in the global economy could impact new projects of software companies, though the pressure would be far more company and client specific, according to National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) president Som Mittal. The industry body has projected that India’s software exports would grow about 24% in FY 09, lower than the previous year, to touch around $50 billion.

Last fiscal, exports grew by over 29% to register revenues of $40.4 billion. The growth of the IT industry will come down in percentage terms as the base has also become larger. But the impact of a global slowdown will be more company and client specific, he said at a panel discussion organized by the Indian School of Business here. He reckons that as a global IT player, India needs to adjust to the happenings in the global economy. “We should be cautious that we do not talk ourselves into recession,” he said.

In fact, Mittal foresees US companies to outsource more work to India during this phase. This would require beefing up skill development and training. Nasscom is collaborating with colleges and premier institutions to devise a career guide for students.

Reference: Indiatimes,sep 06.

IT sector would fare well despite US slowdown

Mumbai: India's multi-billion IT sector would continue to fare well despite a slowdown in the US economy, Infosys Chief Mentor N R Narayana Murthy said on Friday.

"So far, we have achieved (results) as per our projections. Certainly, we will see growth in the next quarter," he told reporters here.

The US, the world's largest economy, is the most important market for india's infotech companies.

On the Singur controversy involving Tata Motors, Murthy said, "it is very important that politicians, corporate leaders and bureaucrats--all of them sit together and sort out issues based on logic, ideas and in a conducive environment. I am sure we can find a solution for every problem."

He said the investor confidence could be adversely affected by the row over the Tatas' small-car project.

"It is very likely that such a situation will create some doubt and uncertainty, but if the West Bengal Government and Tatas were to come to some agreement, I am sure uncertainty and doubt will go away. But it will take a bit of time."

These are all temporary issues, he said, adding "I am sure they will come to a good conclusion and all our concerns would be a thing of the past. Investor confidence will be restored after the West Bengal Government and Tatas come to some conclusion."

Murthy was Chief Guest at a function at the IIT here. He also released 'Monastery, Sanctuary, Laboratory-50 years of IIT Bombay', a book on the institution's five decades of existence. IIT Bombay is celebrating the golden jubilee of its foundation this year.


REFERENCE:India time,sep 06.

Google's Chrome browser has Windows in its sights:

SAN FRANCISCO: Google released its first ever Internet browser in a long-awaited move that increased pressure on Microsoft and laid a new foundation for a mass transition to web-based computing.

A test version of the new software, named Google Chrome, was made available for download in more than 100 countries Tuesday. The open-source browser had been in secret development for over two years at the search engine giant.

According to Google, Chrome is less demanding than current browsers on the memory and chips which run computers. The main new features include a new Javascript engine called V8 that executes functions through the browser much faster and more securely than anything currently on the market.

Chrome also isolates each separate tab that is opened in the browser, making sure that the browser never crashes.

Chrome's deployment marked a new threat to Internet Explorer, the Microsoft browser which has seen its market share drop almost 20 percent to just 73 percent in the four years since its open source rival Firefox came out.

But Google, the world's leading Internet company, has far loftier ambitions for Chrome than merely taking another chunk out of Internet Explorer. Google's goal is for Chrome to accelerate the move to browser-based applications on devices from PCs to cellphones.
By having a browser built from the ground-up to carry out complex functions, Google can make obsolete complex PC-based programmes like Microsoft's cash cow, the Office productivity suite. And once PCs run everything through a browser and don't have to host gigantic programmes, it also doesn't matter if they are running windows, Linux, Apple or any other operating system.

"Google (is) designing not so much a traditional Web browser, but a Web application platform," said Stephen J. Waughun, author of Computerworld's Cyber Cybic blog. "Killing Internet Explorer isn't really Chrome's goal. No, killing Microsoft Office is Chrome's goal."

That should set off alarm bells in the executive office of a certain software company based near Seattle. "Memo to Steve Ballmer: If you've got a panic button, now might be a good time to hit it," wrote Tom Bemis, an editor at MarketWatch.

Other analysts also applauded the move with the main criticism being: "What took Google so long?"

"The browser is a key piece of Google's strategy, delivering "improved access to data and user behaviour without relying on Microsoft", said UBS analyst Benjamin Schachter. He cautioned however, that users might not download the browser in sufficient quantities to make a difference.

Chrome was released just days after the release by Microsoft of a new version of Internet Explorer, which Microsoft said would remain the top choice of users.

"The browser landscape is highly competitive, but people will choose Internet Explorer 8 for the way it puts the services they want right at their fingertips," said Dean Hachamovitch, general manager of Internet Explorer, in a statement.

Chrome was also sure to be closely examined by privacy advocates because the Mountain View, California-based company has been accused of collecting too much data on its customers.

The Chrome browser is being introduced with the appearance of the first mobile phones operating on Google's Android software. Internet surfing via cellular phones is seen as the industry's next big growth market, and Apple is also trying to capture the market with Safari on its iPhones.
link:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Infotech/Internet_/Googles_Chrome_browser_has_Windows_in_its_sights/articleshow/3446427.cms

Apple's iPhone

Everyone may be knowing that the Apple's iPhone 3G has been launched in India . But many of us are not aware what is 3G. so let's have a brief look into it.

What is 3G?

3G is the next generation of wireless network technology that provides high speed bandwidth (high data transfer rates) to handheld devices. The high data transfer rates will allow 3G networks to offer multimedia services combining voice and data.

Additional features also include HSPA(High-Speed packet Access) data transmission capabilities able to deliver speeds up to 14.4Mbit/s on the downlink and 5.8Mbit/s on the uplink.

3G wireless networks have the bandwidth to provide converged voice and data services. 3G services will seamlessly combine superior voice quality telephony, high-speed mobile IP services, information technology, rich media, and offer diverse content.

What are the Advantages of 3G?

3G networks offer users advantages such as:

· New radio spectrum to relieve overcrowding in existing systems.

· More bandwidth, security, and reliability.

· Interoperability between service providers.

· Fixed and variable data rates.

· Always-online devices. 3G will use IP connectivity, IP is packet based (not circuit based).

· Rich multimedia services.

Apple's iPhone 3G

What are Some Disadvantages of 3G?

There are some issues in deploying 3G:

· The cost of upgrading base stations and cellular infrastructure to 3G is very high.

· Requires different handsets and there is the issue of handset availability.

· Base stations need to be closer to each other (more cost).

· Tremendous spectrum-license costs, network deployment costs, handset subsidies to subscribers, etc.

· High power requirements.

‘India’s role in IT can’t be reversed’

“India is part of the global delivery chain. I don’t think it is reversible,” said Som Mittal, President, National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) here on Tuesday.
Responding to queries from presspersons after participating in the decennial foundation day celebrations of International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) here, Mr. Mittal said that the IT industry was growing at 21-24 per cent year-on-year, contributing 5.5 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and exporting software worth $50 billion annually.
To a question on the move of Barack Obama, the Democratic Party’s nominee for the American presidency, to stop incentives to IT companies outsourcing their work, he said: “It is for the U.S. companies, which give a large portion of work for offshoring, to decide. We will wait and watch.”
The U.S. had been an all-free trade country. It had been seen as country working closely with other nations like India.
There was a huge shortage of tech resources. Thousands of tech jobs were being posted on jobsites regularly. He, however, cautioned: “While the first $50 billion came with struggle, but it will be difficult to add the next $100 billion. This is a bigger challenge.”
With a view to creating awareness on the focus of various IT jobs, Nasscom would launch a ‘career guide’ early next year. This would help IT students to know the job requirements and groom themselves industry-ready by the time they completed their studies.
He said that IT companies in India were spending 16-18 weeks for training newly recruited staff spending $1 billion every year. The association was trying to restrict the induction programme to just two weeks, by transferring the longer training to educational institutions.
On the ageing population in Japan and a few other countries as opposed to the growing younger population in India, he said India should derive advantage out of the huge surplus of working class by converting them quickly into world-class technologists.
On the possibility of losses to bigger players due to over-hedging in the wake of weakening rupee, Mr. Mittal said: “Margins were impacted by fluctuating currency. Yet, it is a process. We have to learn lessons and become mature to absorb the economic fluctuations.”

Ref : The Hindu, Wednesday, Sep 03, 2008

Tips For Successful Communication

Here are some successful habits you should develop to enhance your conversation and communication skills.
Tips:
# Sincerely listen – pay attention when others are talking; it tells others that you are truly interested in them.
# Pay compliments – this is a great way to get a conversation started and make someone feel good.
# There is something special about everyone – it is our job to find it out and make that person feel special.
# Remember names. When you forget others’ names, this tells them they are not that important to you.
# Maintain eye contact – it is rude to look away when someone is talking to you.
# Remember common interests so you can reference them in future conversations.
# Exhibit positive body language – this speaks volumes regarding how you really feel about what the other person is telling you.
# Always be up to date on current events to use in conversation – this gives you something to discuss other than yourself.
# Do not interrupt or monopolize the conversation. Refrain from telling long stories or dragging out details. Remember when telling a story, have an interesting introduction, a strong closing and make sure they are close together!

Follow up! Follow up! Follow up! This is the key to building relationships with others.
Joy Weaver is a speaker, consultant and author. In her book, How to be Socially Savvy in All Situations, you can learn power tips and faux pas to avoid on fifty-one various business and social situations.

For more information go to http://www.justaskjoy.com/.