Apple CEO Tim Cook slams new book on company

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="Apple CEO Tim Cook slams new book on company" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-32287853,width-300,resizemode-4/TimCookiPad.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Apple CEO Tim Cook slams new book on company" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> 'Haunted Empire', a new book on Apple has not gone down well with the company's CEO Tim Cook. </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 691px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> 'Haunted Empire', a new book on Apple seems to have riled the company's CEO Tim Cook. So much so that he has issued a statement to CNBC slamming the book.<br /> <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /> Here's the full statement: "This nonsense belongs with some of the other books I've read about Apple. It fails to capture Apple, Steve, or anyone else in the company. Apple has over 85,000 employees that come to work each day to do their best work, to create the world's best products, to put their mark in the universe and leave it better than they found it. This has been the heart of Apple from day one and will remain at the heart for decades to come. I am very confident about our future. We've always had many doubters in our history. They only make us stronger."<br /> <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /> The book, written by former Wall Street Journal technology reporter Yukari Iwatani Kane, dwells on Apple's performance in the post-Steve Jobs' days. Critical of the company's performance under Cook, the book says that Apple's best days are behind it. Offering little praise for Apple, and Cook in particular, the book goes on conclude that the company is entering a period of decline without Jobs at helm.<br /> <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /> Commenting on Cook's statement the book's author Kane told technology website Re/code in an email, "For Tim Cook to have such strong feelings about the book, it must have touched a nerve," Kane said. "Even I was surprised by my conclusions, so I understand the sentiment. I'm happy to speak with him or anyone at Apple in public or private. My hope in writing this book was to be thought-provoking and to start a conversation which I'm glad it has."<br /> <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /> 'Huanted Empire' is based on interviews of over two hundred current and former executives, business partners, Apple watchers and others.</div> </div> </div> </div>

Apple CEO Tim Cook slams new book on company

'Haunted Empire', a new book on Apple has not gone down well with the company's CEO Tim Cook.  'Haunte...

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3D printer boom lures new wave of Japanese entrepreneurs

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="3D printer boom lures new wave of Japanese entrepreneurs" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26800538,width-300,resizemode-4/3DPrinter.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="3D printer boom lures new wave of Japanese entrepreneurs" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> When it comes to 3D printers, the economy ministry sees potential.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 2231px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <br />TOKYO: Junichiro Asami gave up a stable job to join a group of Japanese entrepreneurs building businesses based on 3D printing, showing the sort of pioneering spirit Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes can revitalize a calcified economy. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Whether these entrepreneurs can lay the foundations for a new era in Japanese products though may depend on whether Abe can tear down barriers in a wider business culture that shuns risk and supports the status quo. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Asami, 38, formerly a management consultant at Deloitte, is in no doubt about the prospects for 3D printing, potentially a game changing technology that will allow households and companies to bypass manufacturers by producing their own parts and goods. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"I expect that entire business models and manufacturing systems will have to change to adapt to the 3D printer," Asami said at a seminar for start-up businesses. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />If history is anything to go by, Asami's and Abe's task will not be easy. After World War II businessmen built companies that turned into the likes of electronics giant Sony, but since then Japan has not produced a new global technology powerhouse as people have become less tolerant of risk and of failure. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Abe, who took office almost a year ago with bold promises to end almost two decades of economic malaise, wants to encourage innovation and make Japan an easier place to do business. But he is trying to shake up a political and economic system largely built around well established industries. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Expectations were high for deregulation that would tear down barriers broadly across sectors, but Abe's economic growth strategy in June left many areas unaddressed. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />He has struggled to push through bigger economic reforms, such as making it easier for companies to hire and fire, which analysts say would allow for a more <span class="ads" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">dynamic</span> economy. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />But there have been smaller successes that could help Asami and other start-up businesses. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Executives and consultants say it is becoming easier to get government subsidies, which can help secure additional funding from the country's risk-averse banks. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Earlier this year the government revived a nationwide subsidy scheme for start-ups that had been mothballed for about six years. So far this year, the scheme has granted subsidies to 77 percent of all companies that have applied. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The number of firms applying for funds is also growing rapidly, from 15 in April to 2,302 in June. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />When it comes to 3D printers, the economy ministry sees potential. It is pushing for 4.5 billion yen ($44 million) to be included in the budget to subsidize development of high-end 3D printers. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Craftmanship</strong><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Tomoko Mitani, principal analyst at technology research firm Gartner, doubts the sector will spawn another Sony-like company but as the technology improves, it should make it cheaper for Japanese manufacturers to develop specialized goods. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The technology is likely to spread to medical devices, non-manufacturers and lead to the creation of new companies and services, which will benefit the economy, she said. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"Companies are providing 3D printing services over the Internet, which could allow some manufacturers to order goods and have an interesting economic impact," Mitani said. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Another entrepreneur, Nobuki Sakaguchi, says the 3D printer sector has struck a chord with some who hope it can reignite passion for Japan's long tradition of perfectionist craftsmanship, known as "monozukuri" or "making things." <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"The real value is this can inspire people and lead to new ventures in the future," said Sakaguchi, chief executive of Open Cube Inc, which makes personal 3D printers that melt plastic thread and deposit the resin to form an object. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Sakaguchi, 39, who works from a small office in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, said one of the main obstacles for entrepreneurs is a culture that favors getting a secure job at a big Japanese company, many of which do not tend to reward creativity. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />New ventures have also found it difficult to get bank loans, navigate the application process for government subsidies and even rent office space. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Only a very small number of companies, such as on-line retailer Rakuten, emerged successfully from Japan's last wave of technology entrepreneurs. Most other firms faded away, which has discouraged other start-ups, Sakaguchi said. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />If Japan's nascent 3D printer industry can produce some success stories, the field could really take off, he argued. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Internationally, the 3D printer market is already dominated by the United States and Germany, with 75% and 15% market share, respectively. Japan's share is just 0.3%. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />However, there is substantial growing room, figures from Wholers Associates, a US consultancy and authority on the market, suggest. It sees the global market in 3D printers and related services growing to almost $11 billion by 2021 from $2 billion in 2012. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Some technology evangelists say the spread of 3D printers will unleash a wave of do-it-yourself "makers," because people will no longer have to wait for a company to design and build things they want. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Gartner's Mitani is skeptical, partly because products made by personal 3D printers that use plastics are still somewhat crude, especially when compared to a high-end printer that can fuse metals and ceramic powder. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />That may be the case, but first the government needs to create an economy where entrepreneurs can flourish, said Mariko Obayashi, 50, who runs a 3D printer business. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"Japan needs a more fluid labor market, where people can quit a major company, start their own and get re-hired somewhere else if they fail," Obayashi, who spent 26 years at camera-and-printer-maker Canon Inc before starting her 3D printer business Smilelink last year. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"A lot of Japanese people think entrepreneurs are strange, but they are good for the economy.<br />"</div> </div> </div> </div>

3D printer boom lures new wave of Japanese entrepreneurs

When it comes to 3D printers, the economy ministry sees potential. TOKYO: Junichiro Asami gave up a stable job to joi...

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BlackBerry sales plunge in US, China: Kantar

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="BlackBerry sales plunge in US, China: Kantar" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26801177,width-300,resizemode-4/BB10-slide1.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="BlackBerry sales plunge in US, China: Kantar" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> BlackBerry sales have reportedly dropped to nearly zero in countries like the United States, China, Spain and Japan.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 431px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> LONDON: BlackBerry sales have reportedly dropped to nearly zero in countries like the United States, China, Spain and Japan, with UK remaining its best-selling area.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />According to a new data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, the company's share of sales in the US fell to just 0.8%, and to less than a tenth of a percent in China, Spain and Japan.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The collapse in BlackBerry sales points to the problems that have arisen since the company's tried to first sell itself to a private equity group, and then tried and raise 1 billion dollars at the same time as it fired its chief executive Thorsten Heins, The Guardian reports.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Its largest sales share was recorded in the UK at 3.3%, but this figure does not indicate how many people are already using BlackBerry handsets, the report added.</div> </div> </div> </div>

BlackBerry sales plunge in US, China: Kantar

BlackBerry sales have reportedly dropped to nearly zero in countries like the United States, China, Spain and Japan. ...

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Now, video chat with your banker through ATMs

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="Now, video chat with your banker through ATMs" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26807995,width-300,resizemode-4/IMG_20131203_135604.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Now, video chat with your banker through ATMs" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> "This machine is ideal for the new banks. If there is an executive along with the ATM, this is as good as a bank branch," Dastur added.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 955px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent;">MUMBAI: Account holders can look forward to videoconferencing with bank executives through ATMs with NCR Corporation India unveiling its new machine which it describes as an interactive teller. In addition to videoconferencing, the machine allows the bank executive to remotely process transactions giving most of the bank branch functionality to the ATM.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><br /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"There is a lot of interest on the new ATM and we have received a lot of inquiries from banks" said Navroze Dastur, MD, NCR Corporation India. Besides multinational banks, which face restrictions on branch licensing, the new generation banks that will be launched next year are seen as a big market for ATM manufacturers as these banks have to open several low cost branches in unbanked areas. "This machine is ideal for the new banks. If there is an executive along with the ATM, this is as good as a bank branch," Dastur added. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The machine can accept currency notes of different denominations scan them for fakes and reject or impound suspect notes and identify the serial number with the depositor. It can scan identity cards and other documents, record the accountholder's signature on a touch pad and print passbooks and issue bank statements. According to Dastur the new machine would also address issues of security. "If there is an incident such as the one that took place in Bangalore, the bank executive can remotely freeze the machine and alert authorities," he said. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />At present ATMs accept cash deposits these are largely in envelopes and have to be physically verified by the bank employees. The interactive teller instantly credits the cash deposit to the customers account. Although technically feasible, currency notes deposited in the machine are not recycled and used for withdrawals as RBI rules require that bank staff validate the notes that they have received for deposit. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Speaking to ToI, Dastur said that although the ATM business is booming with large orders from banks and `White label' operators, the growth of the industry was also dependent on the ability of the ecosystem to grow. "One of the issues is that availability of currency to stock the machines," he said. Another external requirement is of bandwidth. The interactive teller requires higher bandwidth than what is needed for regular offsite ATMs and this could be an issue for some remote machines. </div> </div> </div> </div>

Now, video chat with your banker through ATMs

"This machine is ideal for the new banks. If there is an executive along with the ATM, this is as good as a bank branch,...

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RBS offers compensation after new IT glitch

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="RBS offers compensation after new IT glitch" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26799970,width-300,resizemode-4/software.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="RBS offers compensation after new IT glitch" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) said it will compensate customers who lost money owing to a "systems issue".</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12px; height: 971px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <br />LONDON: Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) said it will compensate customers who lost money owing to a "systems issue" which prevented them from using their payment cards on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The troubled lender said it had fixed the glitch which had left customers unable to pay for petrol after filling up their cars -- in principle a criminal offence -- and others forced to abandon trolleys full of shopping at the checkout. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"We've really caused problems. It is completely unacceptable that customers couldn't access their own money," Susan Allen, RBS director of customer relations, told BBC radio. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The state-rescued bank, which owns Natwest and Ulster Bank, added in a statement: "The systems issues that affected our customers last night have now been resolved and all of our services are now back working normally. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"If anyone has been left out of pocket as a result of these problems, we will put this right." <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Customers used Twitter to vent their anger about the latest problem, which occurred on so-called 'Cyber Monday', tipped to be the busiest online shopping day of the year as shoppers took to the Internet to buy Christmas presents. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"Just had to leave an IOU at the petrol station," wrote one customer, while another tweeted: "NatWest_Help just topped up a full tank of petrol only to find out there are technical difficulties with all NatWest cards." <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />It was the latest in a string of technological meltdowns at RBS, most recently when an IT failure in may left customers unable to access their accounts online using mobile apps. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />In June 2012, a software upgrade left hundreds of thousands of people unable to make or receive payments for several days, and cost the group £175 million (210 million euros, $290 million) in compensation. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The bank has struggled with a series of blows to its reputation since it was rescued by the British government following the 2008 financial crisis. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Most recently, a report by the government, which owns 81% of the bank, accused RBS of forcing small businesses to default so that it could sieze their assets.</div> </div> <span id="storyendpath" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></div> </div>

RBS offers compensation after new IT glitch

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) said it will compensate customers who lost money owing to a "systems issue". L...

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Microsoft working on single update for Windows, WP, Xbox

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="Microsoft working on single update for Windows, WP, Xbox" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26800171,width-300,resizemode-4/microsoft3.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Microsoft working on single update for Windows, WP, Xbox" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> Microsoft's Threshold update is said to include updates of all three OS platforms -- Xbox One, Windows and Windows Phone.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 411px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> WASHINGTON: Microsoft's new unified operating-system is reportedly codenamed "Threshold" which is said to include updates of all three OS platforms, Xbox One, Windows and Windows Phone. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Microsoft executive vice president Terry Myerson recently mentioned the codename in an internal email, which refers to the wave of operating systems across Windows-based phones, devices and gaming consoles, ZDNet reports. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Microsoft plans to support the same core set of "high value activities" across platforms, like documents, decision making, IT management. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The company is also about to deliver an update to Windows 8.1, known as Windows 8.1 Update 1, in 2014.</div> </div> </div> </div>

Microsoft working on single update for Windows, WP, Xbox

Microsoft's Threshold update is said to include updates of all three OS platforms -- Xbox One, Windows and Windows Phone. ...

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Happiest Minds to create app store for Aakash, UbiSlate tablets

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="Happiest Minds to create app store for Aakash, UbiSlate tablets" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26801865,width-300,resizemode-4/Aakash-2.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Happiest Minds to create app store for Aakash, UbiSlate tablets" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> Happiest Minds will develop Datawind's App Store, which will be designed to create a connected experience for first time Android users.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 571px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> NEW DELHI: Datawind, the maker of Aakash tablets, today said it has partnered with IT firm Happiest Minds Technologies to develop applications and solutions for its UbiSlate range of tablets. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Under the partnership, Happiest Minds will develop Datawind's App Store, which will be designed to create a connected customer experience for the first time Android users,Datawind said in a statement. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The App Store will be available on all Datawind devices, it added. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"The UbiSlate platform now evolves to the next level with our partnership with Happiest Minds. Through this partnership, we will be able to create a complete mobility experience by offering access to cost effective cloud applications and solutions to our customers," Datawind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli said. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Through this partnership, both the companies will look to create affordable mobility solutions for education and healthcare sectors, he added. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"With our IP led approach, domain knowledge of education and healthcare sectors and singular focus on disruptive technologies, we look forward to creating world class applications for Datawind customers," Happiest Minds product engineering services CEO Joseph Ananthraju said.</div> </div> </div> </div>

Happiest Minds to create app store for Aakash, UbiSlate tablets

Happiest Minds will develop Datawind's App Store, which will be designed to create a connected experience for first time Andr...

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BlackBerry is not for everyone: CEO

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="BlackBerry is not for everyone: CEO" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26778681,width-300,resizemode-4/BB10-4.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="BlackBerry is not for everyone: CEO" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> John Chen said in a letter to customers that BlackBerry is refocusing on delivering devices and services to business users.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 1191px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent;">TORONTO: BlackBerry's interim chief executive said reports of the death of the company "are greatly exaggerated."</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><br /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Former Sybase CEO John Chen said in a letter to customers that BlackBerry is returning to its roots, refocusing on delivering devices and services to business users. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Chen was brought in as the interim chief executive and executive chair after talks to sell the company collapsed last month. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />He said in the letter that the company is aware that "BlackBerry is not for everyone." <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Blackberry quickly lost dominance as the leading smartphone maker after the 2007 launch of Apple's touchscreen iPhone and the 2008 introduction of Google-powered Android phones. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Chen notes that competitors are circling but that BlackBerry is "very much <span class="ads" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">alive</span>, thank you." <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Chen said BlackBerry has substantial cash and said he'll refocus the company on four areas, including the handset business. Chen put more emphasis on BlackBerry's mobile device management business, which allows IT departments to manage different devices connected to their corporate networks. He also emphasized BlackBerry's popular BlackBerry Messenger application. And he mentioned embedded QNX software systems, which are used in-vehicle infotainment systems and industrial machines. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />BGC analyst Colin Gillis said a letter meant to reassure customers is needed. The much-hyped BlackBerry 10 system, its latest phones, flopped. The company disclosed in September that it would book nearly a billion dollars in losses related to unsold phones and the company announced last month it was no longer for sale. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"They are being targeted pretty heavily. Their customers are up for grabs," Gillis said. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Focusing on business users is probably the only move Blackberry has left, Gillis said. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"It's a much smaller business. This is the niche player. You can build phones for those people in that niche. You can have a decent little business," Gillis said. "Enterprise customers who like keyboards. There's not really a good keyboard device out there. Some people like keyboards. I personally don't love typing on glass." <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Gillis said he expects Chen to name himself CEO soon because he's not acting like an interim CEO. "He's signing all this stuff as CEO," Gillis said. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Shares of BlackBerry rose 4 cents to $6.37 in afternoon trading on the Nasdaq. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The decline of the BlackBerry has come shockingly fast. The BlackBerry, pioneered in 1999, changed the culture by allowing on-the-go business people to access wireless email. Then came a new generation of competing smartphones, and suddenly the BlackBerry looked ancient. Apple first showed that phones can handle much more than email and phone calls with its iPhone. In the years since, BlackBerry been hammered by competition from the iPhone as well as Android-based rivals<br />.</div> </div> </div> </div>

BlackBerry is not for everyone: CEO

John Chen said in a letter to customers that BlackBerry is refocusing on delivering devices and services to business users. ...

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Apple buys Indian-owned analytics firm Topsy

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="Apple buys Indian-owned analytics firm Topsy" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26773436,width-300,resizemode-4/apple-logo.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Apple buys Indian-owned analytics firm Topsy" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> Apple has been trying to boost its mobile advertising revenue for years.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 891px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <br />SAN FRANCISCO: Apple has bought Topsy Labs in a deal that will provide the iPhone maker with more insights about the chatter on Twitter.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Topsy was co-founded in 2007 by Vipul Ved Prakash, Rishab Aiyer Ghosh (another techie of Indian-origin), Gary Iwatani and Justin Foutts. "Hacker, entrepreneur, Desert Rat. Founder Topsy and Cloudmark", reads Prakash Twitter profile.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Topsy pores through the stream of conversations occurring on Twitter to identify trends and people influencing public opinion. The San Francisco startup also runs a free search engine that boasts an index of every tweet posted since 2006, a resource that's not publicly available on Twitter's own online messaging service.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Apple Inc spokeswoman Kristin Huguet confirmed the Topsy acquisition Monday without elaborating on the Cupertino, California, company's plans for the Twitter analytic tools. The acquisition price wasn't disclosed.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans,'' Huguet said.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Getting a better grasp on the hottest topics on Twitter could help Apple sell more advertising on iPhones and iPads.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Apple has been trying to boost its mobile advertising revenue for years.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Topsy's Twitter tools also could be used simply to give the iPhone a search feature that isn't available on rival products running on Google's Android operating system. Unlike Topsy, Google hasn't been able to obtain a licensing agreement that would give its search engine more immediate and deeper access to Twitter's content.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Twitter ranks among the most popular applications on smartphones, so a quicker way to search through tweets on the device might appeal to some consumers.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Apple spent a total of $496 million acquiring other companies during its last fiscal year ending Sept. 28. In comparison, Google Inc. spent $1.4 billion acquiring other companies during the same stretch<br />.</div> </div> </div> </div>

Apple buys Indian-owned analytics firm Topsy

Apple has been trying to boost its mobile advertising revenue for years. SAN FRANCISCO: Apple has bought Topsy Labs i...

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Windows tablet sales to touch 39.3 million by 2017: IDC

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="Windows tablet sales to touch 39.3 million by 2017: IDC" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26802045,width-300,resizemode-4/windowsphone.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Windows tablet sales to touch 39.3 million by 2017: IDC" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> IDC said it finds that PC is still the primary computing device.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 831px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent;">NEW DELHI: The growth of smart devices like 2-in-1s and tablets is expected to fuel the volume for desktop vendors and the PC ecosystem in coming years with shipments of</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span>Windows-based tablets<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">expected to touch 39.3 million units by 2017, research firm</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span>IDC<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">said.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><br /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Two-in-ones are devices that can function both as a tablet and a laptop. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"Emergence of 2-in-1 devices, many of which will run Windows along with Windows-based tablets themselves, is expected to provide some new volume for the Windows platform as well as the PC vendors and other parts of the traditional PC ecosystem in coming years," IDC said in a statement. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />IDC said it finds that PC is still the primary computing device, its usage is nonetheless declining each year as more devices become available. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"The Windows-based tablet market is expected to grow to 39.3 million units in 2017 from less than 7.5 million in 2013 and less than 1 million in 2011," IDC Worldwide Quarterly PC Trackers Vice President Loren Loverde said. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />However, he added that relative to the PC market size of roughly 300 million units by 2017, these Windows tablets would add just a couple per cent a year relative to PC growth. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"Even so, these Windows devices are projected to account for 10 per cent of a combined PC and Windows Tablet market by 2016, making them an important growth segment for the PC ecosystem," Loverde said. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The research firm forecasts that global PC shipments are expected to fall by 10.1% in 2013, slightly below the previous projection of 9.7 per cent and by far the most severe yearly contraction on record. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The firm expects PC shipments in 2013 to touch 314.2 million units from 349.4 million last year. Shipments are projected at 305.1 million units by 2017<br />.</div> </div> </div> </div>

Windows tablet sales to touch 39.3 million by 2017: IDC

IDC said it finds that PC is still the primary computing device. NEW DELHI: The growth of smart devices like 2-in-1s ...

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After Facebook, Twitter also eyeing Indian startup

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="After Facebook, Twitter also eyeing Indian startup" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26777877,width-300,resizemode-4/Twitter5.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="After Facebook, Twitter also eyeing Indian startup" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> Microblogging platform Twitter is also said to be in talks for its first acquisition of an India-based startup, Frrole.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 631px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> NEW DELHI: Yesterday Facebook made news for reportedly finalizing its acquisition of an Indian company Little Eye Labs. Now, microblogging platform Twitter is also said to be in talks for its first acquisition of an India-based startup, Frrole.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Frrole is a Big Data startup that analyses tweets by Twitter users to generate insights for media, consumer and entertainment verticals. Based in Bangalore, this company is described as a social newspaper that gets its data from Twitter. It sifts through over 10 million tweets per day and divides them into categories. The company covers data from 55 cities in six countries to aggregate content.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />According to a report by technology website TechCrunch, "the two companies are still exploring ways to make it work."<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Twitter's recent marketing push has given rise to a need for providing accurate data that advertisers can use to sell ads on the platform.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Facebook is in talks with Bangalore-based Little Eye Labs, which helps Android app developers to measure, analyze and optimize their apps.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Apple today acquired Topsy Labs, a Big Data startup that also gives insights into Twitter chatter. It is co-founded by Vipul Ved Prakash, a former Napster engineer, and has raised $32 million from investors.</div> </div> </div> </div>

After Facebook, Twitter also eyeing Indian startup

Microblogging platform Twitter is also said to be in talks for its first acquisition of an India-based startup, Frrole. ...

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Reliance Communications raises 3G internet rates by 26%

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="Reliance Communications raises 3G internet rates by 26%" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26790882,width-300,resizemode-4/rcom.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Reliance Communications raises 3G internet rates by 26%" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> Reliance Communications has increased 3G mobile internet rates by 26% and reduced benefit on internet packages by up to 60%.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 691px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> NEW DELHI: Telecom operator Reliance Communications has increased 3G mobile internet rates by 26% and reduced benefit on internet packages by up to 60%.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The company has increased the cost of 1GB of 3G internet usage to Rs 156 from Rs 123 it charged earlier.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The Rs 123 mobile internet pack on its 3G network will now offer only 400MB of internet surfing, which is down by about 60%.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Under the high value 3G mobile internet pack of Rs 246 and Rs 492, the company has reduced usage limit from 2GB to 1.5GB and from 4GB to 3GB respectively.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />No immediate comments were received from RCom in this regard.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />As on September 30, 2013, RCom had 9.1 million 3G customers out of 116 million mobile subscriber base on its network.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The increase in mobile internet rate from RCom comes within couple of months after the three major telecom operators - Airtel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone - increased their 2G mobile internet rates by similar levels.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The increased 3G mobile internet rates by RCom are at par with 2G mobile internet rates of Airtel, Idea and Vodafone.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />RCom has rolled-out 3G services in all the 13 circles covering over 333 towns.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Shares of RCom were trading at Rs 141.1, down 0.84%, during afternoon session at BSE today.</div> </div> </div> </div>

Reliance Communications raises 3G internet rates by 26%

Reliance Communications has increased 3G mobile internet rates by 26% and reduced benefit on internet packages by up to 60%. ...

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Samsung starts pre-order for Galaxy S Duos 2

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="Samsung starts pre-order for Galaxy S Duos 2" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26634335,width-300,resizemode-4/SamsungGalaxySDuos2.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Samsung starts pre-order for Galaxy S Duos 2" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> Smartphone giant Samsung has started taking pre-orders for Galaxy S Duos 2 on its India e-store.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 671px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent;">Smartphone giant</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span>Samsung<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">has started taking pre-orders for</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span>Galaxy S Duos 2<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">on its India e-store. The successor to Galaxy S Duos, dual-sim Duos 2 is now listed on Samsung's India online store for Rs 10,999.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><br /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Samsung Galaxy S Duos 2 has a 4-inch WVGA display and runs on a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. The device comes with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system with TouchWiz UI on top out of the box. The phone has a 5MP rear camera with LED flash and a VGA in the front. It packs 4GB of internal storage and 768MB of RAM and the battery capacity is 1500mAh (same as in the earlier version). The 4GB of inbuilt storage can be expanded up to 64GB via microSD card. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Galaxy S Duos 2 has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS and 3G for connectivity. The Galaxy S Duos 2 has 121.5x63.1x10.57mm dimensions, weighs 118g and is available in black and white colours. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />On the specs front, there doesn't appear much difference of a between S Duos 2 and the original S Duos (launched in September 2012), except for the upgraded processor and operating system version. Duos 2 also has the same design as the earlier Duos. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Samsung recently also made Galaxy Grand 2, the follow up to its successful Galaxy Grand Duos smartphone official. The all-new Galaxy Grand 2 has a 5.25-inch HD screen and 1.2GHz quad-core processor. It comes with 8GB internal storage, up to 64GB microSD card support and 1.5GB RAM. On the back, it has an 8MP camera with LED flash and sports a 1.9MP camera in front<br />.</div> </div> </div> </div>

Samsung starts pre-order for Galaxy S Duos 2

Smartphone giant Samsung has started taking pre-orders for Galaxy S Duos 2 on its India e-store. Smartphone giant   S...

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6 gadgets to get you fitter

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="6 gadgets to get you fitter" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26686170,width-300,resizemode-4/Health2.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="6 gadgets to get you fitter" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> Here are some cool tech toys that’ll encourage you to exercise and help you to stay fit...</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 4302px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent;">The festive season is always fun. It's the time for family and friends; there are weddings and parties to attend. What joy! But there's a downside to the revelry. Before we even realize it, we're sleeping later than usual, rising later too, and our diets go for a toss. Our pants get that little bit tighter, and blouses need some opening up at the seams...</span><br /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Well, the celebrations are going to continue well into January, but we don't need to wait till the New Year to make resolutions towards healthier living. Here are some cool tech toys that'll encourage you to exercise and help you to stay fit...<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">One step at a time </strong><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><img class="gwt-Image" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/26664442.cms" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Exercise is not only about sweating it out at a gym, or jogging for kilometres on end. To ease yourself into a fitter lifestyle, you can start by climbing stairs, walking whenever possible, and involving yourself in some sort of physical activity. And this is where the Beurer AS50 Activity Sensor comes in. The device, which also works when stored in a handbag, keeps track of all your movements and tells you if you're doing enough to stay healthy. It calculates how many calories you've burned, and advises you whether you need more exercise. Its free EasyFit software for your PC automatically logs your fitness data - and if you're meeting your target, the device rewards you with encouraging smileys. How cute!<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Price: Rs 6,000<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Also consider: Omron Step Counter HJ-313-AP ( Rs 3,000), Portronics Health Key 3D Pedometer ( Rs 1,250)<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Scales and measures </strong><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><img class="gwt-Image" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/26664432.cms" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />If you've been indulging in mithais, chocolates and scrumptious dinner spreads, the Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer can gently nudge you back to a healthy lifestyle. Besides your weight, this high-tech scale measures your Body Mass Index (BMI), heart rate, and also the air quality in your bedroom to warn you of excessive carbon dioxide build-up.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The WS-50 supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi connections, and stores up to eight password-protected profiles - enough for the entire family. You only need to weigh yourself once every morning for all your data to be sent to the free app on your smartphone or tablet.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Withings Health Mate, available for Android and iOS devices, provides a precise history of past weigh-ins, fat mass, and recommended heart-rate values. Women may hate it for its candid readings, and men with paunches will barely be able to see its display in the beginning. Nonetheless, the WS-50 is a great device to coax you into sticking to your diet, and working out some more.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Price: Rs 19,500<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Also consider: Withings Wireless Scale WS-30 ( Rs 11,200), Salter 9124 Full Body Analyser Scale ( Rs 5,200)<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">It's all on the wrist </strong><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><img class="gwt-Image" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/26664404.cms" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The Fitbit Flex is a simple-looking device that's capable of some complex tasks. This water-proof wristband tracks number of strides, distance covered, calories burned, and uses LEDs to show your progress, with each of its five lights representing 20 per cent of your goal. Its free online tools - and apps for Android and iOS - allow you to follow your progress through graphs and charts. You can log your workouts and weight, create a food plan to eat smarter, and before you know it, you'll have a complete picture of your progress.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />At night, the wristband measures sleep quality. Its online Fitbit dashboard reveals how long you slept and the number of times you woke up, to help you learn how to sleep more soundly. Flex also has a silent alarm that gently vibrates to wake you at your desired time.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The band automatically syncs your data to your computer or smartphone via its wireless sync dongle or Bluetooth to give you real-time access to your stats throughout the day.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The best part, this band shares its data seamlessly with over 30 popular health apps, including MyFitnessPal, LoseIt!, SparkPeople, Sleep Debt, Microsoft HealthVault and FitStar. And if your friends have a Fitbit Flex band too, you can challenge and compete with them on Fitbit.com. Yes, this band does all of this and more. All you have to do is put in the exercise.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Price: Rs 6,600<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Fits like a sock</strong><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><img class="gwt-Image" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/26664420.cms" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Now if you plan on some serious jogging and walking, it pays to be kitted just right. And the Nike Flyknit range of shoes is probably one of the lightest pairs of footwear you'll find.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The Flyknit marries the age-old craft of knitting with high-tech fibres and pressure maps of the foot to result in a shoe that fits snugly like a sock, but with just the right amount of support and flexibility. In fact, over time, the shoes take on the characteristics of your foot, so the more you wear it, the better it fits.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />What's uber neat, however, is that a Size 9 Free Flyknit weighs just 207g. It's light all right, and it will help you shed some weight as well.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Price: Rs 12,000 onwards<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Watch your heart </strong><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><img class="gwt-Image" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/26664395.cms" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The Suunto M1 is more than just a trendy timepiece. Strap the included sensor belt around your chest before you start exercising, and then navigate to the Heart Rate mode on the watch. Within seconds, you'll see your cardio fitness levels displayed on your wrist. The hi-tech M1 displays your heart-rate zone—calculated after measuring your 'maximum' and 'resting' heart rate—to help you exercise better, whether it is to develop endurance, aerobic capacity, or your cardiovascular system.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />It maintains a log of your activity, and also gives you a real-time reading of the calories you've burned while you work out. In keeping with an active lifestyle, this fitness timepiece is engineered to operate in extreme temperatures, between -10°C to +50°C, and is water-resistant up to 30m. Indeed, this hard worker promises to get the job done. The question is, can you keep up?<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Price: Rs 9,500<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Also consider: Polar FT 7 Heart Rate Monitor ( Rs 9,000)<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Look ma, no ropes </strong><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><img class="gwt-Image" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/26664393.cms" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Skipping rope has many health benefits. It's a great fat-buster (helping you shed up to 450 calories in just half an hour). It promotes cardio-vascular activity, and even fights osteoporosis by boosting bone density. But skipping indoors isn't advised: You'd need a fair amount of room so you don't knock stuff off tables - or worse, tangle the rope in your ceiling fan.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The Portronics Wireless Skip takes care of these problems. This portable, battery-operated gizmo sports a digital panel that measures the numbers of skips, as well as calories burnt. It allows you to pre-set your workout, and beeps accordingly. And since it's actually rope-free, you can use it almost anywhere and at any time. The best part, you don't even have to bother about tripping when skipping!<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Price: Rs 1,79<br />9</div> </div> </div> </div>

6 gadgets to get you fitter

Here are some cool tech toys that’ll encourage you to exercise and help you to stay fit... The festive season is alwa...

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Meet K5, a night watchman on wheels

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="Meet K5, a night watchman on wheels" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26686616,width-300,resizemode-4/Knightwatchman.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Meet K5, a night watchman on wheels" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> The night watchman of the future is 5-feet tall, weighs 300 pounds and looks a lot like R2-D2. And will work for $6.25 an hour.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 931px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> The night watchman of the future is 5-feet tall, weighs 300 pounds and looks a lot like R2-D2 - without the whimsy. And will work for $6.25 an hour. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />A company in California has developed a mobile robot, known as the K5 Autonomous Data Machine, as a safety and security tool for corporations, as well as for schools and neighborhoods. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"We founded Knightscope after what happened at Sandy Hook," said William Santana Li, a co-founder of that technology company, now based in Sunnyvale, California. "You are never going to have an armed officer in every school." But what is for some a technology-laden route to safer communities and schools is to others an entry point to a post-Orwellian, post-privacy world.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"This is like R2-D2's evil twin," said Marc Rotenberg, the director of the Electronic Privacy and Information Center, a privacy rights group based in Washington.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />And the addition of such a machine to the labour market could force David Autor, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist, to rethink his theory about how technology wrecks the middle class. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The minimum wage in the United States is $7.25, and $8 in California. Coming in substantially under those costs, Knightscope's robot watchman service raises questions about whether artificial intelligence and robotics technologies are beginning to assault both the top and the bottom of the workforce as well.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The K5 is the work of Li, a former Ford Motor Company executive, and Stacy Dean Stephens, a former police officer in Texas. Knightscope plans to trot out K5 at a news event on Thursday — a debut that is certain to touch off a new round of debate, not just about the impact of automation, but also about how a new generation of mobile robots affects privacy.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The co-founders have chosen to position their robot not as a job killer, but as a system that will upgrade the role of security guard, even if fewer humans are employed.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"We want to give the humans the ability to do the strategic work," said Li in a recent telephone interview, describing a highly skilled analyst who might control a herd of security robots.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The robot, which can be seen in a promotional video, is still very much a work in progress. The system will have a video camera, thermal imaging sensors, a laser range finder, radar , air quality sensors and a microphone . It will also have a limited amount of autonomy, such as the ability to follow a preplanned route. It will not, at least for now, include advanced features like facial recognition, which is still being perfected.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Knightscope settled in Silicon Valley because it was hoping for a warm reception from technology companies that employ large security forces to protect their sprawling campuses.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Over all, there are about 1.3 million private security guards in the United States, and they are low paid for the most part, averaging about $23,000 a year, according to the Service Employees International Union. Most are not unionized, so they are vulnerable to low-cost automation alternatives.</div> </div> </div> </div>

Meet K5, a night watchman on wheels

The night watchman of the future is 5-feet tall, weighs 300 pounds and looks a lot like R2-D2. And will work for $6.25 an hour. ...

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Hackers latest target: SmartTVs, security cameras

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="Hackers latest target: SmartTVs, security cameras" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26687351,width-300,resizemode-4/Cybersqautting.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Hackers latest target: SmartTVs, security cameras" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> SmartTVs, routers and security cameras are also now vulnerable to attacks from cybercriminals, Symantec said.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 891px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 5px 0px;"> NEW DELHI: Besides PCs and mobile phones, internet-connected devices like smartTVs, routers and security cameras are also now vulnerable to attacks from cybercriminals, security software provider Symantec said.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />With millions of devices now connecting to the internet and in many cases, running embedded operating systems like Android, these devices are becoming a magnet for cybercriminals to hack into, Symantec director, technology sales (India and Saarc), Tarun Kaura told.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"The number of internet-connected devices is growing and studies show there could be about 50 billion connected devices by 2020. The threat landscape has grown as security researchers have already demonstrated attacks against smart televisions, medical equipment and security cameras," he added. He stated that while these newer devices may not hold information themselves, they are often a gateway to access the network and access enterprise data.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Symantec discovered a new Linux worm that is capable of attacking a range of small, internet-enabled devices like home routers, set-top boxes, security cameras and and even industrial control systems in addition to traditional computers. Although no attack against these devices has been found in the wild, many users may not realize they are at risk, since they are unaware they own devices that run Linux.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"Many companies making these devices don't even realize they have an oncoming security problem. These systems are not only vulnerable to an attack, they also lack notification methods for consumers and businesses," he said.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Asked what steps users can take to protect themselves, Kaura said the basic requirement is to use the in-built password protection. "Most people continue to use default passwords like '1234' or '0000', which is easy to guess," Kaura said adding that software vendors are now working on how to notify customers and get patches for these new vulnerabilities.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />According to research firm Gartner, the global security software revenue grew 7.9% to $19.2 billion in 2012 over the previous year as evolution of new threats and working practices like bring your own device (BYOD) drives spending on security.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Hackers latest target: SmartTVs, security cameras

SmartTVs, routers and security cameras are also now vulnerable to attacks from cybercriminals, Symantec said. NEW DE...

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BlackBerry starts offering free BB10 apps

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div id="LeftData" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; min-width: 155px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="sshow" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="cnt new_class3" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 310px;"> <div class="padL3" id="bellyad" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"> <div class="mainimg1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative;"> <div class="flL_pos" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"> <img alt="BlackBerry starts offering free BB10 apps" border="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" pg="" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-26684712,width-300,resizemode-4/Blackberry-Stock.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="BlackBerry starts offering free BB10 apps" vspace="0" width="300" /></div> <div class="zoomimg1 wd300 clearfix" pg="asStoryPic" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; bottom: 4px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 4px; width: 300px;"> <div class="photo11" style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px;"> BlackBerry is betting on the apps ecosystem to turn around its fortunes with free and discounts on BB10 apps.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="new_class2" id="ftredcmt" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="clearFix" id="inc_dec" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; height: 831px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal showpage1" id="artext1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="Normal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent;">NEW DELHI: Canadian handset maker </span>BlackBerry<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">is betting on the apps ecosystem to turn around its fortunes with free and discounts on apps across categories like games, music and productivity for users of its BB10 platform.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><br /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"BlackBerry is kicking off the winter festive season with a variety of offers on some of its most popular apps on the BlackBerry World. The offers will roll out throughout the month of December 2013," a BlackBerry spokesperson told. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />He added that the offer would be available to users of handsets like Q5, Q10, Z10 and Z30, which run on its BB10 operating system across the world. The company does not disclose the number of its users. Under the first offer, BlackBerry will offer one free apps each day between December 1 and December 25. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"One free app per day from the likes of Angry Birds, Pacemaker and Monopoly would be available for free download for a 24 hour period," the spokesperson said. Under the second offer, BlackBerry will launch its 'Hello Winter $0.99 Sale', where content will be offered at the discounted price during the entire month of December.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"BlackBerry World has over 1,40,000 apps for BB10 OS. India, in particular, has been a robust growth market for us from an apps standpoint, so I am confident that we will see <span class="ads" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">tremendous</span> traction with these offers," the spokesperson said. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />According to sources, 27-30% of its sales in India is of devices powered by the BB10 platform. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />In India, the four BB10-powered devices are priced between Rs 22,000 and Rs 44,000. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The Canadian firm has been facing stiff competition from other smartphone makers like Apple and Samsung as sales have declined over the past few months. It is now placing big bets on apps, including taking its popular messaging service BBM to other operating systems, aimed at raking in additional revenue in the coming months<br />.</div> </div> </div> </div>

BlackBerry starts offering free BB10 apps

BlackBerry is betting on the apps ecosystem to turn around its fortunes with free and discounts on BB10 apps. NEW DEL...

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