Bookstores struggling Downunder

Written By Lingkar Dunia on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 | 3:21 PM

While publishers -- Random House in particular -- seem to be breasting difficult economic currents, the story for Australasian booksellers is still murky. The plot thickens in the Whitcoulls story, for instance.

Redgroup Retail, the owner of the Whitcoulls and Borders book stores Downunder, has bargained for a waiver for breaches to its banking covenants.

The book, stationery and entertainment company, based in Melbourne, is exploring a range of options to strengthen its long-term balance sheet.

Last month the company forecast earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and so forth of about $25 million for the 12 months ended August 28, 2010, against which interest payments of approximately $9 million were due, which would have put it in breach of two out of three banking covenants.

It cited a tough trading environment, particularly in Australia, in the last quarter of its financial year.

Chairman Rod Walker, who led the company as executive chairman after its acquisition of the Borders book store chain, will step down, and Joe Browne, finance director of electronics manufacturer Startronics, will take over as a non-executive director.
3:21 PM | 0 comments

MySpace Finally Sync Into Facebook


MySpace has finally Sync and Plugin with their rival Facebook to compete with other social networking websites. Facebook has grown so dominant that not syncing up to its web of social connections would be a mistake. The News Corp.-owned social network, as was rumored late last year, has "synced" its service with Facebook (and Twitter) so that members can cross-post their status updates as well as shared content.

It's pretty self-explanatory, taking the recently revamped "stream" design of MySpace profiles and plugging in Twitter and Facebook's application program interfaces (APIs).

The "syncing" applies not only to individual MySpace users, but also bands and celebrities. One of the reasons why this is pretty imperative for MySpace is because it's in serious danger of losing out entirely to Facebook's "fan pages." MySpace gained much of its early traction because it was possible for independent musicians to establish a presence and manage a fan base there, something that lost its luster once Facebook's open-ended fan pages started to take off even more successfully than many had speculated.

"This is particularly exciting for the millions of musicians on MySpace who can now use this tool as a complement to their MySpace Music presence and share their vast library of content, including full album catalogs, to people who've liked their Facebook page," a release from MySpace explained.
4:26 AM | 0 comments

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Beta Update



Everybody is quite exciting about Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Now the wait is over Microsoft has released a beta refresh of its Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack (SP) 1 to selected PC and Technology Adoption Program (TAP) partners, company officials confirmed on August 30.

Microsoft made the refresh build � the build number of which is said to be Build No. 7601.17077 � available to a select group of testers on August 27. There�s no word (so far) on whether there is anything new in that refresh.

The spokesperson said Microsoft would not comment on whether the company will release to the public another interim SP1 build before the first service pack is released to manufacturing. Microsoft officials said earlier this summer that the company is planning to deliver the final SP1 code in the first half of 2011, and the spokesperson said on August 30 that Microsoft is still on track with that stated release date.

The server version of SP1 includes two new virtualization-focused features: RemoteFX and a dynamic-memory adjustor for Hyper-V. I�ve heard speculation that the server version of SP1 is what�s holding back the delivery of the client version, but have not heard this from any Microsoft officials.

Microsoft released a public beta of SP1 in mid-July.

Microsoft officials have been adamant that consumers and business customers don�t need to wait for SP1 to deploy Windows 7 and/or Windows Server 2008 R2. Still, a number of business customers use the release of SP1 as a milestone in terms of planning their deployments of a new operating system.
4:19 AM | 0 comments

Random House declared New Zealand Publisher of the Year

Written By Lingkar Dunia on Monday, August 30, 2010 | 6:56 PM



On Sunday night at the Booksellers New Zealand industry dinner and awards, Random House won the Best NZ Publisher award for the fourth year in a row.

In a press release, RHNZ declares that it "is enormously gratifying to have this level of recognition from the people who sell our books. We are absolutely thrilled that all the effort we put into making sure our books are the best they can possibly be is recognised and appreciated by the book trade."
6:56 PM | 0 comments

Gmail Bug Turned Email into Spam

Written By Lingkar Dunia on Sunday, August 29, 2010 | 3:30 AM


Google has fixed an issue with Gmail that caused a small percentage of its accounts to repeatedly send email messages over and over.

The bug, which affected less than 2.5 percent of the Gmail userbase, according to Google, involved odd behavior including the repeated messages. The bug was resolved Thursday night, according to Google's Google Apps dashboard.

"The problem with Google Mail should be resolved," Google's tech support staff wrote. "We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and continued support. Please rest assured that system reliability is a top priority at Google, and we are making continuous improvements to make our systems better."

The bug affected at least two writers for PCMag.com, who initially dismissed thoughts of a bug, suspecting that their PCs may have become infected with malware. The repeated messages also resulted in several Gmail users being added to spam lists, including www.Backscatterer.org and www.SORBS.net, according to WgtnDan, a user who posted to the Google Gmail support thread describing the problem.

At a press conference announcing the integration of Google Voice and Gmail this week, Google executives were asked about the number of Gmail users. Executives declined to provide an exact number, although comScore numbers cited by The Wall Street Journal put the number at over 160 million, putting the maximum number of users affected by the bug at about 4 million users.
3:30 AM | 0 comments

Massive Spam Attack On Facebook


Hijacked accounts, promises of free iPads, IQ quizzes, and ring tones - these are all part of a massive spam attack hitting Facebook right now.

I�ve received a Facebook private message that appeared to be from a friend inviting me to an event titled �Get @iPad_ for Free Event!!�. (See below). Other users have reported wall messages and status updates with phrases like �u have to check out this website its glitchin right now and sending out ipads to everyone for free!�. Similar spam messages have appeared on Twitter, via hacked accounts.



A Facebook spokesman told IDG the iPad scam was affecting �an extremely small percentage of people on Facebook� but they took the threat seriously.
Meanwhile, Facebook users have also reported spammy chat messages touting IQ quizzes and mobile ring tones.

The messages say "LOL is this you?" and are accompanied by a link that looks like it leads to a video on Facebook, one victim told CNET. In his case, clicking the link directed to a Web page with a "404-Page Not Found" error message and his account sent the spam out to at least one of his friends, he said.
The spam was also reported on Twitter, but at this point the outbreak seems to be minor.
3:10 AM | 0 comments

Researching at the National Archives, Kew

Written By Lingkar Dunia on Saturday, August 28, 2010 | 8:08 PM

The National Archives at Kew is one of the world's great treasures.  It's huge holdings, comprising over a billion documents covering a thousand years of history, have been digitized to a surprising extent (look at their website, and start hunting), but if you are a serious historian or genealogist, the odds are that you will have to pay a visit.

It is a rewarding experience in more ways than one, as it is one of the most efficient libraries around.  And, what's more, it's free!

On your first visit you will need to obtain a reader's ticket, as it can only be done in person.  It is an easy process, just as long as you have TWO crucial items of identification.  One must have your photograph -- your passport or driver's licence is usual.  The other holds hazards for the unwary foreign visitor -- it must be a formal document, addressed to you at your home address.  A utility bill such as your electricity account or your rates demand would work.  (They also suggest a credit card bill or bank statement, but for security reasons I don't personally recommend it.)  The main thing to remember is to pack something suitable before you leave New Zealand or wherever is your homeland, as it must be an original document; a faxed one will not work.  For other essential information, such as directions and opening hours, study the "Before you visit" page.

Once you have your reader's ticket, it is useful to call on the very pleasant, friendly officer at the help desk. If this is the first time you have researched in any repository, it would be worth attending the free 'New to Kew' talk at 11.30, for a general overlook, and then proceed to the specialist desks to find out how best to research your area of interest -- how to use the catalogue, order material, and so on.  Bring cash for photocopying, but the use of a digital camera (no flash!) is encouraged, to the extent of giving you a desk with good lighting.  And once you have that reader's ticket, carry it with you, as you will need it to order documents.  You can order six at a time now (it used to be three), and even more if they are from the same series.  Beware of some categories being held off-site (which I think means Cheshire), where 48 hours notice is required whether ordered on line or in person.

The reading rooms, though very comfortable, are HUGE, and as they have big windows (though not open) and people are coming through the doors all the time, it can be quite chilly.  So, it is a good idea to carry a cardigan or light jacket.


Getting there.

Trains are frequent and very convenient, and Kew Station is just a very pretty ten-minute walk away from the Archives, which are set in a beautiful and extensive park.  There is a lot of work being done on the underground system, so it is a very good idea to check the London transport website before you leave home or hotel.

If you are driving, you will find there is a small car park attached to The National Archives. At one time, according to one researcher, one drove in, parked and that was that. Since early this year they have restricted access, and charges are going to be introduced on 14 September.  Apparently, you will have to book and pay on the day before; to find out how to do it, keep up with the news.



Restrictions

The website specifies what is and what is not allowed, and the staff at the entry to the archive library are strict. Keeping everything in a transparent plastic bag is a good idea, but it will be inspected thoroughly.  You will have to open your laptop on leaving the reading room, so the security staff can make sure a document hasn't been slipped inside. Free lockers are available just outside the archive area, and you will have to store your laptop bag there, along with other forbidden items, such as food and drink. Cameras need to be registered on first checking in.  You are allowed to carry your mobile phone and take photographs with it, but it must be in silent mode, and only texting, not talking, is allowed.

It doesn't need much imagination to guess what damage could be done to the historical records, either by accident or design. Pencil erasers are banned, as there is a great deal of value in the pencilled notes left in the margins of Admiralty papers by long-dead officials and early researchers like John Hawkesworth.  This rule has now been extended to the small erasers to be found on the back end of both wooden pencils and push-pencils - they are removed at the turnstiles and left on the security officer's desk for you to pick up and re-insert on departure.  This poses a hazard for the unwary.  I always carry mechanical pencils -- the sort that you push at the end to release more lead -- and was quite happy for the little eraser to be removed.  It was not until my first attempt to take notes led to a spectacular  scattering of leads all over the table that I belatedly realized the eraser does double duty, as it holds the leads inside the casing of the pencil.  Ron very cleverly solved the problem by cutting the little eraser short -- not much fun when you are doing crossword puzzles and sudoku, but equally impossible to use for erasing important archival material.

Nothing with a blade is allowed, for obvious reasons, so there are pencil-sharpeners at the enquiry desks in each of the document reading rooms.  There are also security cameras in the ceiling, so be aware that everything you do will be watched.

Feeding the inner researcher

There are coffee bars and a restaurant on the ground floor, as well as vending machines for drinks. After the privatisation of this complex, eating of food procured elsewhere was banned, but this led to such an outcry that the ban was repealed, and you can now use the restaurant for eating your own (cheaper) food. There are two counters, one a coffee bar with sandwiches, toasties and so on, and with a coffee-card system whereby every sixth (or is it seventh?) cup of coffee is free.  If you can afford it, the food is tasty and wholesome and with reasonable portions. A reader recommends the baked potato (always standard cheese, but fillings such as tuna are available) or soup-and-a-muffin. Either way, it costs about five pounds, including a large strong coffee.


It is possible to eat in the village, just a ten minute walk away.  I noticed a fish and chip shop, and also a restaurant and bar in the railway station.  The Maids of Honour restaurant at 288 Kew Road is recommended by a fellow researcher, and I see from the website that the snack menu is very enticing.  As another friend observed, though, if you want to lash out on a "real" meal, it might have to be reserved for celebrating some marvellous and unexpected find in the archives - the dinner menu  looks scrumptious but not at all cheap.

Hopefully, you will find this once-over-lightly useful.  I thank Nicholas Blake, David Asprey, John Weiss, Allan George, and Martin Evans for their lively input.
8:08 PM | 0 comments

DEATH OF A GENERAL

Written By Lingkar Dunia on Friday, August 27, 2010 | 4:37 PM

I made an amusing blunder at a convivial dinner party with a few good friends (luckily good friends), demonstrating that I am incurably fixated on the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. 

"Today, I read a wonderfully biting poem by Jonathan Swift," I announced.  "It was a satirical elegy to the death of Wellington."

"That's impossible," a literary friend immediately objected.  His very good reason?  The great Anglo-Irish satirist, Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) died a long time before Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), of Battle of Waterloo fame.  Before he was even born, in fact.

Swift's Satirical Elegy on the Death of a Late Famous General was aimed at John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, of course -- but it seems to apply to a lot of generals, forcing the reader to reflect that it does seem strange that men who send so many thousands to a violent death, creating thousands of widows and orphans, should die of old age in their beds.  Do they indeed have cause to dread the last Trump, and the Day of Judgement that awaits?  And note how Swift uses punctuation marks like bludgeons.

His Grace! impossible! what, dead!
Of old age, too, and in his bed!
And could that Mighty Warrior fall?
And so inglorious, after all!
Well, since he's gone, no matter how,
The last loud trump must wake him now;
And, trust me, as the noise grows stronger,
He'd wish to sleep a little longer.
And could he be indeed so old
As by the newspapers we're told?
Threescore, I think, is pretty high;
'Twas time in conscience he should die.
This world he cumbered long enough;
He burns his candle to the snuff;
And that's the reason some folks think,
He left behind so great a stink.
Behold his funeral appears,
Nor widow's sighs, nor orphan's tears,
Wont at such times each heart to pierce,
Attend the progress of his hearse.
But what of that, his friends may say,
He had those honours in his day.
True to his profit and his pride,
He made them weep before he died.
4:37 PM | 0 comments

NZ Post Book Awards

Congratulations to Judith Binney, Brian Turner, Al Brown, and Alison Wong, who all feature in the New Zealand Post Book Awards.

Dame Judith Binney's Encircled Lands is NZ Post Book of the Year.  The convoluted and engrossing story of Tuhoe's quest for self-government of their lands, Encircled Lands, is, in the opinion of book awards judge Paul Diamond, an exhaustive, comprehensive history of the Urewera that "would profoundly change our understanding of our shared history."

He said it revealed "an almost unknown history to a new audience," at the same time delineating the history of the Tuhoe struggle in a fashion that would resonate through the years.

Other winners were:

Wellington debut novelist Alison Wong, who won the fiction category for As the Earth Turns Silver, bringing "a powerful new voice and new themes to New Zealand fiction."

Brian Turner, famous for his passion for the gold and indigo landscapes of Central Otago, won the poetry prize for his collection Just This.

Al Brown, co-founder of Wellington's iconic restaurant, Logan Brown (memorable for its bar counter, which is a shallow aquarium), won the illustrated nonfiction category, as well as the Readers' Choice award, for Go Fish: Recipes and Stories from the New Zealand Coast.
4:00 PM | 0 comments

CRIME WAVE HITS NEW ZEALAND

Written By Lingkar Dunia on Sunday, August 22, 2010 | 1:36 AM


In yesterday's DomPost magazine, "your weekend," there was a long story by Philip Matthews about the inaugural Ngaio Marsh awards with the name of Kiwi Crime Watch blogger Craig Sisterson featured prominently. (See link to the RH side for much more from the Man Himself.)

This rang a big bell for me, as I had finally opened my copy of New Zealand Author (journal of the New Zealand Society of Authors), which was awaiting when I arrived home from sea, and lo, there was an article (12-13) by Sisterson himself about Bob Marriott, unpublished Kiwi crime/thriller writer, who has been shortlisted for the Debut Dagger Award, run by the influential and prestigious Crime Writers' Association.  (To take note of how Influential and Prestigious they are, have a look at the list of judges for the award.

Then, in the half-hour of sipping an ambrosial Leffe Brun before our usual "Salon" brunch, held on Saturdays at Wellington's iconic Belgian Leuven Restaurant, I found a story about visiting crime writer Val Macdermid, written by -- guess who -- Craig Sisterson.  It is only apt, that as the instigator of the inaugural Ngaio Marsh Award for Kiwi crime fiction, he should get the kind of publicity that book publicists strive mightily to achieve.  To read more about the award and  the shortlisters (including Vanda Symon) just hit those RH links.
1:36 AM | 0 comments

Windows 7 Overtake Windows XP by 2012

Written By Lingkar Dunia on Friday, August 20, 2010 | 1:10 AM


As we know Windows 7 is now become one of the most usage and successful windows after Windows XP. Everybody is now thinking When Will Windows 7 Overtake Windows XP ? And people are now really considering Windows 7 as compare to windows xp in many ways. I have noticed very strong evidence that Windows 7 has succeeded in a big way among early adopters and enthusiasts, who dominate the readership of a website like this one. I also see clear indications that businesses are adopting Windows 7 at a faster pace than in earlier Windows versions.

The monthly reports on operating system versions provide an ideal snapshot for my purposes, with data that goes back far enough to see meaningful trends. Using Excel, I plotted data from December 2008 (a month before the Windows 7 beta was made public) to July 2010 and then made some simple projections. Here�s what the chart looks like; actual Net Market Share data is to the left of the line in the center of the chart, and my projections are to the right:

Click to Enlarge Image
Yes, you can make a case for a hockey-stick growth curve with even a slight increase in the Windows 7 adoption rate. You could also argue for a slowdown, although I think that scenario is unlikely based on the overwhelmingly positive reception of Windows 7 in the market and where we are in the PC replacement cycle. The most likely scenario, in my opinion, is that the pace of migration from XP to Windows 7 will accelerate over the next two years as XP gets closer to its end-of-life date.

In the Net Market Share data, the percentage of Mac OS X use has remained in a very narrow range for that entire period. In December 2008, the total for Mac Intel and Mac OS was 4.45%. For July 2010, the Net Market Share report breaks usage by OS X version rather than hardware platform, but the total for OS X 10.6 and 10.5 is nearly identical at 4.42%. In between, the percentage of users never rose above 4.45% and never dropped below 4%.

As someone who�s watched every Windows release since the early 1990s, I find it remarkable that Windows 7 usage has overtaken Vista so quickly, roughly nine months after it was released. NetMarketShare noted that trend with its July 2010 report. That same crossover appears in the ZDNet visitor data I posted yesterday, except that it happened about 8-10 months earlier. If the broad PC market is still lagging early adopters by that same gap, then I expect Net Applications will report that Windows 7 has passed XP in usage sometime next summer.
1:10 AM | 0 comments

Ubuntu 10.10 to Get Multi Touch

Written By Lingkar Dunia on Thursday, August 19, 2010 | 4:19 AM


Multitouch capabilities might be all the rage on portable devices, and Windows 7 had made much of the gesture and touch capabilities built into the operating system, but for now desktop Linux users have largely been left out in the cold. However, Canonical�the company behind the Ubuntu desktop Linux distribution�has announced that multitouch support will be included in Ubuntu 10.0 (codenamed Maverick Meerkat). The technology will add multitouch support and gesture interaction with applications, and although many applications will have to receive substantial interface makeovers to be multitouch-friendly, Canonical is working on folding multitouch into Unity, it�s lightweight netbook environment.

�The world�s expectations of software experience are being raised by advances in mobile computing. We are bringing that revolution to the Linux desktop: for window management and applications,� Canonical wrote in a blog post. �Though our work at the application level has only just started, we are certain that multi-touch and gestures will be central to the way we use Linux applications in future.�

Canonical is distributing GPL-licensed libraries so applications can develop multitouch interfaces, and has also posted a set of guidelines for building consistent multitouch interfaces.

For now, the multitouch effort is concentrating on high-end convertible tablet PCs; however, broader hardware support is expected, including support for 3M and N-Trig hardware, and eventually touchpads and input devices like Apple�s new Magic Trackpad.
4:19 AM | 0 comments

Apple iPhone 4 Available in China by September


China Unicom, China's second-largest telecommunications operator, may start selling Apple Inc's iPhone 4 in the mainland market in September, state television reported on Thursday.
"China Unicom has reached an agreement with Apple, and the iPhone 4 may enter the mainland market by as early as next month," the report said, citing a company statement released to the ongoing China Internet Conference in Beijing.

China Unicom officials in Beijing and Hong Kong declined to comment. Apple could not immediately be reach for comment.

"The rumor has been out for the last couple of days. It is something positive for China Unicom but not very significant as I think most subscribers find the price of the iPhone too high," said Victor Yip, a Hong-Kong based analyst with UOB Kay Hian.

Various news media have reported this week that China Unicom may become Apple's vendor for its popular iPad and iPhone 4 products. The reports have been unconfirmed by the company.

China Unicom, the sole telecom distributor of Apple's iPhone, has seen slow sales for the popular handset because of high subscription fees and stiff competition from lower priced Android handsets.

China Mobile Ltd, the country's largest provider, has also expressed interest in bringing in Apple's iPhone and iPad products.

Apple opened its second flagship store in China last month and is on track to have 25 retail outlets in the country by the end of next year. Apple executives said in April that they saw the Chinese market as a major growth opportunity.

Now Available: Apple iPhone 4 Black Smartphone 32GB
4:17 AM | 0 comments

Firefox 4 Beta 3 encloses Windows 7 touch support


Mozilla has released the latest beta for Firefox 4, making this is the 3rd beta in the Firefox 4 development cycle. Beta 3 is available in more than 30 languages, 10 more than the last update. The beta also enables Windows 7 multi-touch support, which allows users the ability to interact with the browser without the need of a mouse. Several JavaScript tweaks have also been implemented to give the user a more streamlined and faster experience.

Beta 3 also changes to the C++ representation of JavaScript, which enables Firefox to execute numeric code more efficiently, allowing for more streamlined graphics in web applications.

As with the past betas, the Mozilla Labs feedback add-on is included, giving a user the chance to submit any bugs or errors they find using Beta 3. Mozilla recommends users keep the feedback add-on enabled, as it gives Mozilla the ability to better track bugs and errors found within the browser. Mozilla states the feedback addition has allowed for more than a half-million testers to submit approximately 3,500 pieces of feedback every day. Additional statistics show that the majority of people using the Firefox 4 Beta are males, who use the web between 2-6 hours every day, and use Firefox for communication and entertainment.

Readers looking for the latest Firefox 4 beta can find it here.
4:10 AM | 0 comments

Windows Live Essentials 2011 Beta 2 Available Now


Microsoft has just released the next major version of the Windows Live Essentials 2011 beta suite. The package comes with a number of improvements, bug fixes and added features.

Microsoft originally released a Windows Live Essentials beta on June 24. Essentials includes the popular programs Windows Live Movie Maker, Mail, Writer, Sync, and Family Safety. The Windows Live team has aimed to ensure that the next version of Windows Live Essentials takes advantage of Windows 7 fully. All applications now use the new ribbon UI and integrate further into Windows 7 by using Jumplists. Windows Live Sync is also included which keeps your files synchronized on the web and across multiple PCs.

Microsoft also introduced several new features for Windows Live Photo Gallery, including photo fusing to blend photos together and improved facial recognition.

Download Windows Live Essentials 2011 beta refresh (English full installer)

Build number: 15.4.3001.809.

Some applications carry a different build number, so here is a master list of the versions:


  • Movie Maker � 15.4.3002.0810
  • Messenger � 15.4.3002.0810
  • Mail � 15.4.3002.0810
  • Photo Gallery -15.4.3002.0810
  • Sync � 15.4.3001.0809
  • Family Safety � 15.4.3001.0809
  • Writer � 15.4.3001.0809
4:07 AM | 0 comments

PayPal Soon Integrated Android

Written By Lingkar Dunia on Saturday, August 14, 2010 | 2:46 AM


eBay's PayPal is in talks with Google to about adding its payment service to Android devices, according to a Bloomberg report Friday.

If the discussions to use PayPal for Android application purchases go well, the service could be available on smartphones with Google's software by the end of this year, according to Bloomberg's unnamed sources.

Android app purchases currently are made using a credit card or Google's own competitor to PayPal, Google Checkout. PayPal is already available as an application for accepting and making mobile payments on several mobile platforms, including Android. The reported description of PayPal for mobile sounds like it would work in a more integrated fashion on Android, similar to how the iTunes Store works on Apple's iOS devices.

Both Google and PayPal declined to comment on the report.
Google's chief competition in smartphones, Apple, uses iTunes to handle payments for app purchases on its iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

In June, PayPal announced a new service for app developers that will let them accept credit card payments using PayPal without requiring buyers to have a PayPal account, called Guest Payments. Software developers offer credit card payments for applications, in addition to PayPal's electronic transferring of funds between a buyer and seller.
2:46 AM | 0 comments

Facebook Launches Live Streaming Channel

Facebook Live is now available on the social network's site.
Facebook has launched a live-streaming channel designed to provide its users with content detailing what's happening at the company's headquarters.

Dubbed Facebook Live, the new service is basically a PR channel for the company. According to a representative, Facebook Live "is a natural extension of our blog and is a way to communicate with our users more directly." Facebook will be airing interviews with people that stop by its headquarters, highlighting its new products, and trying to capture the "activity already happening at Facebook." Whereas it was doing all this before with text, now it wants to up the ante with video.

Content will be available on Facebook Live all day, every day. When shows are live, Facebook users can comment and potentially have their questions answered by the hosts. After a show airs, users will be able to go back to the Facebook Live page and watch a rerun of it at their convenience. Facebook Live can be embedded into other Web sites, or users can add a Facebook Live page to their profile pages to have quick access to the service.

It's worth noting that Facebook isn't getting in the content business to compete with services like Ustream or Livestream, which enable users to create their own live-streaming channels and push content out to viewers. Instead, Facebook Live (which is powered by Livestream, in fact) seems to be little more than a way for the company to pat itself on the back and tout its products.

But driving the point home that Facebook isn't getting into the video-streaming business seemed to be paramount to the social network. A Facebook representative was quick to point out that the social network "has no plans to get into content production."
2:42 AM | 0 comments

Oracle Sues Google Over Android

Oracle Corp to sued Google Inc, alleging patent and copyright infringement in the development of the popular Android Smartphone software.

The suit, filed on Thursday in California federal court, claims that Google "knowingly, directly and repeatedly infringed Oracle's Java-related intellectual property" in developing Android, Oracle spokeswoman Karen Tillman said in a statement. "This lawsuit seeks appropriate remedies."

Oracle acquired Java through its $5.6 billion purchase of Sun Microsystems earlier this year. Analysts said the suit against Google could signal that Oracle intends to be more aggressive in seeking licensees for Java, a technology that is used in many types of Internet-based products.

Oracle Chief Executive Larry Ellison has said he views the Java software as a key asset, pointing to its use in a variety of electronic devices, from PCs to DVD players.

"Sun's corporate philosophy was obviously very different from Oracle's in terms of enforcing the Java patents," said Edward Raines, an IP litigator at Weil Got shall who is involved in separate patent litigation against Oracle.

A Google spokesman said he could not comment on the lawsuit as the company had not had a chance to review it yet.

Analysts say Google's Android operating system uses portions of Java technology.
About 200,000 smart phones and other devices based on the Android operating system are sold each day, Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said at an August 4 conference.

The case is Oracle of America Inc v Google Inc, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
2:36 AM | 0 comments

China to Setup New Search Engine


Yes you have listened it correct. Now China is going to launch its own Search Engine to compete with Google in search engine market. China Mobile, the world's largest mobile phone company, has signed a framework agreement with the nation's official Xinhua news agency to set up a search engine. After Google closed its search engine in China this is somehow expecting by many experts.

The deal comes as US Internet giant Google surrenders share of the world's biggest online market to its Chinese rival Baidu, following a battle with Beijing over censorship and cyber attacks that Google says originated in China.

Xinhua announced the deal in a brief statement and a spokeswoman for Hong Kong-listed China Mobile confirmed its parent company had signed the agreement.

Shares in China Mobile, which had 554 million subscribers at the end of June, ended up 2.5 percent at 84.15 Hong Kong dollars (10.8 dollars) on the news, reversing earlier losses.

Google's share of the world's biggest online market fell to 24.2 percent in the three months to June, from 30.9 percent in the first quarter, research firm Analysis International said last month.

At the same time, Baidu increased its dominance with its market share rising to 70 percent in the second quarter from 64 percent in the first three months of the year.

China's search market was worth 2.67 billion Yuan (394 million dollars) in the second quarter, up 48 percent year on year.

The number of web users in China now stands at around 420 million, according to official figures released last month.

In March, Google said it would no longer bow to government censors and effectively shut down its Chinese search engine, automatically re-routing mainland users to its uncensored site in Hong Kong.

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2:31 AM | 0 comments

INTIMATE MEMENTOES FROM SHIPWRECK

Written By Lingkar Dunia on Thursday, August 12, 2010 | 6:20 PM

While in Whitby (North Yorkshire) last month, my good friend Martin Evans noticed and bought a copy of Stephen Baines' recent book: The Yorkshire Mary Rose - the ship General Carleton of Whitby. (Blackthorn Press, Pickering, Yorkshire; 2010; ISBN 9781906259204).

MARTIN'S GLOWING REPORT:

The book is a very readable account of the history of this unremarkable Baltic trader, lost in a storm off the north coast of Poland in 1785. Unremarkable, except that the wreck was found in 1995 and carefully explored by Dr Ossowski and his team of Polish underwater archaeologists. Because her cargo included much tar, the wreck was found very well preserved and some extraordinary material has been recovered and conserved, including clothing and personal possessions.
The book was on sale in a number of places in Whitby, including the nice Captain Cook Memorial Museum on the harbour front. This museum's seasonal exhibition is on Captain Phipps and his 1773 expedition towards the North Pole with the Racehorse and the Carcass. The displays includes typical items of clothing worn by seamen in cold regions, including a remarkably well preserved woolly cap and stockings, recovered from the General Carleton and on loan from the Polish Maritime Museum at Gdansk.

The exhibition is on in Whitby until the end of October, when the Cook museum closes for the winter.
Stephen Baines' book is very extensively researched, and he has assembled a huge amount of information about the ship's owners, crew, trading voyages and general history. There is much about the Whitby ship-building yards and the supporting industries in the latter part of the eighteenth century, backed by a long bibliography. But the book is not aimed at academics: it is a very readable account of the people concerned and their lives. I really enjoyed it.

Read more about the content of this book.  Please note the owner of this 18th century ship was a woman!
6:20 PM | 0 comments

Microsoft Windows 8, Another Success after 7?

Written By Lingkar Dunia on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 | 3:30 AM


Everyone seems to waiting for Microsoft another OS Windows 8 after the success of Windows 7, which should arrive in early-2012, has yet to receive much media attention. That�s probably because the most exciting thing we�ve heard about it so far is that it �might� have an �app store�, and other leaks have all been centered around performance improvements (which are a given).

Microsoft has a lot riding on Windows 8. Windows Vista hurt Microsoft�s reputation (rightly or wrongly), and Windows 7 was its savior. Windows 8 needs to be better than Windows 7 in ways that consumers can see, understand, and experience, and it needs to give consumers a reason to upgrade (or cross-grade) for it to equal or surpass Windows 7. The software giant�s latest release of Windows has �skyrocketed� PC sales, and scores a rating of�94 percent customer satisfaction�, according to CEO Steve Ballmer.

In the last few years, Microsoft has seen a lot of change � with the departure of Gates, and then Bach and Allard in recent months, and with constant management shuffling, it will be interesting to see how Microsoft pulls it�s resources together to make Windows 8 the success that many are expecting it to be.
3:30 AM | 0 comments

Windows 7 Beat Windows Vista in Usage

Written By Lingkar Dunia on Monday, August 2, 2010 | 9:16 AM


In less than a year Windows 7 is really getting popular and become one of the most use Operating System by people today, Windows 7 is now being used more than Windows Vista, according to market researcher.

Windows XP is still the most-used operating system, used by more than twice as many users as Vista and Windows 7 combined. Windows XP was used by nearly 62 percent of devices accessing the Web.

Windows Vista's 14.34 percent, marking the first time that the newer version surpassed its predecessor. Windows 7 was used on 14.46 percent of devices accessing the Internet, as compared to Microsoft has said it has sold 175 million copies of Windows 7 since the product went on sale last fall.

Usage of Windows 7 has been growing quickly since its release, topping the 10 percent level by March. Within a month on the market, Windows 7 was being used by four percent of Net-accessing devices, a level it took Vista seven months to reach.
9:16 AM | 0 comments

HTC EVO 4G Smartphone Review


After the successful launched of Google Nexus One Android based smart phones. Many mobile companies come out with their brand new and competitive Android brands like Sony Ericsson XPERIA X8 Android Smartphone and also Samsung doing their best to compete in market in Android.

HTC is one of the well known smart phone company today because of its effective and fully loaded smart phones but now HTC comes up with its EVO 4G Android based Smartphone. It is really getting popular now and its almost beat Google Nexus One market and hold a top position in top android phones chart. HTC EVO 4G is fully loaded Android based Smart phone with numerous inbuilt features like;


GENERAL2G NetworkCDMA 800 / 1900
3G NetworkCDMA2000 1xEV-DO
Announced2010, March
StatusAvailable. Released 2010, June
SIZEDimensions122 x 66 x 13 mm
Weight170 g
DISPLAYTypeTFT capacitive touchscreen, 65K colors
Size480 x 800 pixels, 4.3 inches
- Multi-touch input method
- Accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate
- Proximity sensor for auto turn-off
- HTC Sense UI
SOUNDAlert typesVibration, MP3, WAV ringtones
SpeakerphoneYes
- 3.5 mm audio jack
MEMORYPhonebookPractically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall
Call recordsPractically unlimited
Internal512 MB RAM; 1 GB ROM
Card slotmicroSD, up to 32GB, 8GB included
DATAGPRSNo
EDGENo
3GRev. A, up to 3.1 Mbps
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 b/g, WiMAX 802.16 e (Wi-Fi router)
BluetoothYes v2.1 with A2DP
Infrared portNo
USBYes, microUSB v2.0
CAMERAPrimary8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, dual-LED flash
FeaturesGeo-tagging
VideoYes, 720p
SecondaryYes, 1.3 MP
FEATURESOSAndroid OS, v2.1 (Eclair)
CPUQualcomm Snapdragon QSD8650 1 GHz processor
MessagingSMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
BrowserHTML
RadioStereo FM radio with RDS
GamesYes
ColorsBlack
GPSYes, with A-GPS support
JavaVia third party application
- Digital compass
- HDMI port
- Dedicated search key
- Google Search, Maps, Gmail
- YouTube, Google Talk, Picasa integration
- MP3/AAC+/WAV/WMA9 player
- MP4/H.263/H.264/WMV9 player
- Facebook, Flickr, Twitter applications
- Voice memo
BATTERYStandard battery, Li-Ion 1500 mAh
9:03 AM | 0 comments

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