Friday, 27 February 2015
Wednesday, 25 February 2015
Google will bring it’s balloon-powered Internet and wind energy project to India
Recently Facebook announced Internet.org in India, and now Google is also all set to bring its internet project offering connectivity to remote areas here. According to a new report by The Times of India, Google is in talks with the Indian government to introduce its Project Loon, an internet project that uses high-altitude balloons to offer affordable internet across the globe to people without any access.
Mohammad Gawdat, VP of business Innovation at Google X told the news site that the company plans to launch a commercial format that will allow coverage on “every square inch” on earth by 2016. He also said that the company is working ‘closely’ with telcos and governments across the world to achieve this.
Project Loon uses balloons that travel 20 km above the earth. Using software algorithms, Loon determines where the balloon needs to go depending upon the wind. It started as a pilot project in New Zealand wherein 30 balloons were launched. Last year in November, Google announced that Project Loon has the ability to launch up to 20 balloons per day. According to a Google+post, it was possible because the autofill equipment had improved and the time to fill the balloon had come down under 5 minutes.
The balloons can now last up to 10 times longer in the stratosphere, than they did in 2013 and a lot of them have lasted over 100 days – with 130 days being a record, Google had said.
Besides, Google is reportedly also working on a wind power project with an ‘aeroplane-like kite that is tethered up to 300 metres to do a manoeuvre aided by the direction of the wind’. Its movements generate power. “We believe through this we should be able to get a 100% improvement on the current renewable technology out there. It will be available at a much cheaper cost,” Gawdat further told the news site.
He further said that Google is in talks with the Indian government to deploy this wind power project here. The company hopes to begin production by 2016.
Google may be developing digital deodorant
Tech giant Google has been awarded a patent for a body odour busting device which releases fragrances to keep the user smelling fresh. The wearable ‘fragrance emission device’ includes several sensors that can detect the physical activity of the user.
These sensors would also detect a rise in temperature and moisture, suggesting increased sweat levels and body odour. The device fits under the clothes and uses its range of sensors to keep tabs on odour levels. When needed, it releases fragrances to keep the user smelling fresh.
It is also able to regulate just how much spray is needed to cover the user’s body odour needs, ‘express.Co.Uk’ reported.
The device will also provide travel tips which can suggest routes away from people within the user’s social network of contacts that are linked to the device, in case of those bad-smelling situations. The route suggesting portion may employ searching technology such as Google Maps or Google Earth to supply the alternate route.
An earlier report suggested that Google was to bring it’s balloon-powered Internet and wind energy project to India. According to a report, Google is in talks with the Indian government to introduce its Project Loon, an internet project that uses high-altitude balloons to offer affordable internet across the globe to people without any access.
Project Loon uses balloons that travel 20 km above the earth. Using software algorithms, Loon determines where the balloon needs to go depending upon the wind. It started as a pilot project in New Zealand wherein 30 balloons were launched. Last year in November, Google announced that Project Loon has the ability to launch up to 20 balloons per day.
Modified Android banking apps are infected by Trojan
The deadly virus, also called ‘Badaccents’, is a premium service banking Trojan that arrives bundled with legitimate Android applications and infects smart phones featuring this operating system.
“The Trojan is created by modifying the legitimate application and then re-distributing via marketplace or other separate channels,” the cyber security agency said. It also tricks the user to respond to a popup with a message to lure the user into launching the downloaded application packages saying: “Google play needs to be updated”, which at times, is malicious in content.
The agency also suggested some counter-measures to stop the illegal activity of such viruses. “Do not download and install applications from untrusted sources, install applications downloaded from reputed application market only, run a full system scan on device with mobile security or anti-virus solution and check for the permissions required by an application before installing.
“Also, exercise caution while visiting trusted/untrusted sites for clicking links, install and maintain updated mobile security/anti-virus solutions, users are advised to keep an eye on data usage and unusual increase in mobile bills, avoid using unsecured, unknown Wi-Fi networks and make a practise of taking regular backup of Android device,” the advisory suggested.
YouTube will soon launch app for children called YouTube Kids
YouTube is releasing a new app for children next week, called YouTube Kids, which will run on smartphones and tablets and focus on kid-appropriate content.
The free app from Google’s online video service will be available for download from Feb. 23 and will feature kid-friendly design, with big icons and minimal scrolling, according to details seen by Reuters. The app, which will be separate from the mainstream YouTube mobile app, will also feature parental controls such as a timer that can be used to limit a child’s screen time.
The Wall Street Journal earlier reported the launch, saying the company is planning to announce the new app on Monday at a children’s entertainment industry conference.
A YouTube spokeswoman confirmed the information.
In December, USA Today reported that Google was planning to roll out child-friendly versions of its most popular products in a bid to be “fun and safe for children.”
Internet companies such as Google and Facebook Inc do not offer their services to children under 13.
Earlier, Video app Vine had also launched a new kiddies version termed 'Vine kids' app that allows children to watch family-friendly content. The app is available on the official App Store and specially targets children under the age of five.
The app requires iOS 7 or later version and is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Microsoft to discontinue support for Google, Facebook chat in Outlook.com
Under Satya Nadella`s reign, Microsoft has been undergoing many structural changes. The latest move comes in the form of the company’s decision to pull support for Facebook and Google chat.
Outlook has sent an email to its customers informing them about its decision to discontinue support for Facbeook and Google chat in Outlook.com. It further said that Outlook will not come integrated with Google Chat either as Google has discontinued the chat protocol used by Google Talk platform.
“Microsoft’s Google Talk support in Outlook.com was a highly requested feature shortly before the software maker introduced it in May 2013. Microsoft is now pushing customers to use Skype in Outlook.com, in a move that feels similar to the retirement of the Windows Live Messenger service back in late 2012,” points out a piece in TheVerge.
The company hasn’t disclosed why it plans to pull support from Facebook chat. However, Microsoft reportedly believes that most of its users chat via Skype. Lately, the company has been focusing on Skype and have added several improvements.
Recently, Microsoft announced real time translation by launching a Spanish-English test program using its Skype messaging service. The program had its first trial with school children in Mexico City and their counterparts at a school in Tacoma, Washington. Late last year, the company also added Skype group chat to Office Online in their latest update.
Monday, 2 February 2015
WhatSim:a simcard of whatsapp
WhatSim: The card that lets you access WhatsApp anywhere without a data connection
WhatsApp is the most popular mode of communication these days. The popularity of the app has now led an Italian company to launch a new SIM called WhatSim, a SIM that lets you use the messaging service even on roaming without the need for Wi-Fi or data connection.
According to Manuel Zanella , the inventor of the card and also the founder and CEO of Zeromobile, WhatsApp is used by everyone but the only ‘limits’ come in the form of data connection, especially while travelling.
So, how does it work? WhatSim is compatible with 400 operators across the world and works in about 150 countries. It easily connects to a provider network and in case you change your position, it automatically searches for a new provider. In case a provider with better signal is available, then it automatically connects by itself without the user even noticing it, explains the company.
The SIM could not only be a boon for anyone who loves to travel. This way, they can stay connected with their dear ones, without incurring any roaming charges.
The WhatSim costs €10 that translates to approximately Rs 714. At this price, you can chat for free all over the world for a year. WhatSim has neither fixed costs nor monthly payments and it never expires, claims the company.
However where multimedia exchange such as Photos, Videos, Audio Clips are concerned, it will require users to recharge and the number of credits you require to share this content will depend on which zone your country falls into, says WhatSim.
India is currently in Zone 3 and users will need 150 credits for photo, 600 credits for sharing video messages, 30 credits for voice messages. Contact and location shares don’t require credits. Each recharge of €5 gets users 1000 credits and recharges can go up to a maximum of €50 (10,000 credits). So if you want to share photos, etc in India, you will have to shell out some money.
Zanella also plans to launch a special version of WhatSim inspired by Pope Francis and designed for those countries of the world that the UN calls the Global South. In some of these countries, he wants to sell the WhatSim for €5.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)