It's True!

Ruthwik & Vishwak's big event is tomorrow! Please donate today!

2026-05-11T12:51:10.226-07:00

BASIS Pflugerville Dillo Dash

Ruthwik & Vishwak's big event is tomorrow! Please donate today!

Hi Reddy

Tomorrow is the BASIS Pflugerville Dillo Dash for Ruthwik & Vishwak!

Will you consider donating today?

Donate Now!

Thank You!

Vamsi Krishna Reddy

You are receiving this email because Ruthwik & Vishwak added you as a potential donor for the BASIS Pflugerville Dillo Dash fundraiser.

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Only 3 days left to reach Ruthwik & Vishwak's goal!

2026-05-09T13:20:45.268-07:00

BASIS Pflugerville Dillo Dash

Only 3 days left to reach Ruthwik & Vishwak's goal!

Hi Reddy!

We're just 3 days away from Ruthwik & Vishwak participating in BASIS Pflugerville Dillo Dash! They've set a BIG goal this year for donations, and they're close to reaching it!

Your donation makes a huge difference in helping Ruthwik & Vishwak's school raise funds for the Annual Teacher Fund.

Donate Now!

Thank You!

Vamsi Krishna Reddy

You are receiving this email because Ruthwik & Vishwak added you as a potential donor for the BASIS Pflugerville Dillo Dash fundraiser.

This Fundraiser is powered by Booster

Ruthwik and Vishwak want your help!

2026-05-05T17:22:26.233-07:00

BASIS Pflugerville Dillo Dash

Ruthwik and Vishwak want your help!

Hi Reddy!

Ruthwik and Vishwak are excited to participate in the BASIS Pflugerville Dillo Dash!

We need your help to reach our goal for the Annual Teacher Fund. Please donate to support Ruthwik and Vishwak in raising the funds needed for BASIS Pflugerville.

Donate Now!

Your generosity couldn’t come at a better time. Thanks in advance!

Vamsi Krishna Reddy

Also check out the video with Ruthwik and Vishwak in it.

Watch Video

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It's True: The Story Behind Quantum Computing's Potential

2024-02-23T06:41:00.000-08:00

Title: It's True: The Story Behind Quantum Computing's Potential

In the vast landscape of technology, certain breakthroughs have the power to reshape our understanding of what's possible. One such innovation that's been buzzing around in the IT industry is Quantum Computing. And amidst the hype and speculation, there's a fascinating story that illustrates the profound impact this technology could have on our future.

It begins with a group of researchers huddled in a dimly lit laboratory, their eyes fixed on a curious apparatus humming softly in the background. This is no ordinary computer; it's a quantum computer, a machine designed to harness the mind-bending principles of quantum mechanics to solve problems that defy the capabilities of classical computers.

The team, led by Dr. Emily Chen, has been working tirelessly for years, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the realm of computing. Their goal? To demonstrate the true potential of quantum computing and its ability to revolutionize industries ranging from finance to pharmaceuticals.

As they run their experiments, they encounter challenges that would stump even the most seasoned researchers. Quantum phenomena such as superposition and entanglement, once confined to the realm of theoretical physics, now take center stage in their quest for progress.

But amidst the setbacks and frustrations, there are moments of sheer brilliance. A breakthrough in algorithm design here, a novel approach to error correction there—each step forward brings them closer to their ultimate goal.

Then, one fateful day, it happens. After months of painstaking effort, they achieve a milestone that sends shockwaves through the scientific community. They successfully simulate a complex molecular structure with unprecedented accuracy, unlocking insights that could revolutionize drug discovery and materials science.

As word of their achievement spreads, the implications become clear. Quantum computing isn't just a fanciful notion relegated to the realm of science fiction—it's a game-changer with the power to transform our world in ways we've only begun to imagine.

From optimizing supply chains to revolutionizing cryptography, the potential applications of quantum computing are virtually limitless. It's a paradigm shift that promises to usher in a new era of innovation and discovery, where the impossible becomes routine and the unimaginable becomes reality.

But amidst the excitement, there's a sobering reality to consider. Quantum computing is still in its infancy, with many technical hurdles to overcome before it achieves widespread adoption. And yet, the promise it holds is undeniable—a testament to the power of human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of knowledge.

So, as the researchers in Dr. Chen's lab continue their work, fueled by curiosity and driven by a sense of possibility, one thing becomes clear: the story of quantum computing is not just a tale of scientific progress—it's a testament to the boundless potential of the human spirit. And in a world where anything is possible, it's true: the future is quantum.

US Consulate in Hyderabad releases video on prohibited items at Nanakramguda facility

2023-04-28T08:40:00.003-07:00

Hyderabad: The US Consulate in Hyderabad recently released a video regarding prohibited items at its Nanakramguda facility. The consulate serves as the largest US diplomatic mission in South Asia, and all visitors, including applicants for passport and visa services, individuals attending meetings or events, and even US citizens, must undergo security screening upon arrival.

It is mandatory for visitors to carry government-issued identification, which must be the original document. Photocopies of IDs are not accepted. Additionally, visitors must ensure that the name on their identification matches the name on their appointment.

List of items prohibited at US Consulate in Hyderabad

There are several items that cannot be taken inside the US Consulate General in Hyderabad.

Following is the list of prohibited items at the consulate

Cell phones
Battery-operated or electronic devices,
Bags including purses, travel bags, backpacks, briefcases, and suitcases (Unsealed plastic bags, small cloth bags and zip folders)
Food or drink items
Cosmetics
Sealed envelopes or packages
Flammable items
Sharp objects
Weapons
Long-handled umbrellas, and
Powders of any kind, including religious-related powders or spices.

As the list is not exhaustive, other items can be prohibited at the discretion of security staff.

Upon arrival at the consulate, visitors will be asked to place all their belongings in a tray that goes through an X-ray machine. If any prohibited items are found, the applicant will be asked to leave the premises and come back after keeping them somewhere outside the premises of the US Consulate.

New address of US Consulate at Nanakramguda

The new facility of the US Consulate in Hyderabad is located at Sy. No. 115/1, Financial District, Nanakramguda, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500032.

The new consulate office was built with an investment of USD 297 million and is situated on a 12.2-acre site with 54 visa processing windows.

On March 15, 2023, the consulate officially ended its lease of Paigah Palace and began operations at the new facility on March 20, 2023.

Old income tax regime vs new income tax regime: Which one should you choose?

2023-02-01T07:32:00.003-08:00

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced major changes to the new income tax regime in the Union Budget 2023, including lower tax rates and a tax rebate on income up to Rs 7 lakh. But how does it compare with the old income tax regime? Here is all you need to know.

In Short

New income tax regime gets major overhaul
Old tax regime sees no change
New income tax structure now becomes default tax regime

By Koustav Das: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday gave a makeover to the new income tax regime, with lower tax rates and introduction of standard deduction. However, the old income tax regime -- which allows for deductions such as home loan interest payments -- was left untouched.

While the changes to the new income tax regime, which has now been made the default personal tax structure, have received wide coverage, several are confused about whether the amendments to the new income tax regime make it more attractive in comparison to the old regime.

WHAT CHANGES IN THE NEW INCOME TAX REGIME?

Among the major announcements made by the finance minister, the most important one was the extension of rebate for annual income up to Rs 7 lakh, applicable to people under the new income tax regime.

“Currently, those with income up to Rs 5 lakh do not pay any income tax in both old and new tax regimes. I propose to increase the rebate limit to Rs 7 lakh in the new tax regime. Thus, persons in the new tax regime, with income up to Rs 7 lakh will not have to pay any tax,” the finance minister said.

n addition, a standard deduction of Rs 50,000 has also been introduced under the new income tax slab. This means, a salaried taxpayer would be eligible for an upfront deduction of Rs 50,000 from the total taxable income under the new income tax regime as well -- earlier, this deduction was only available under the old structure.

THE NEW INCOME TAX SLABS

The finance minister also rationalised tax slabs under the new income tax regime, reducing the number of taxable brackets to five. The new tax slabs are 1) 0-3 lakh - Nil, 2) Rs 3-6 lakh - 5 per cent, 3) Rs 6-9 lakh - 10 per cent, 4) Rs 9-12 lakh - 15 per cent, 5) Rs 12-15 lakh - 20 per cent and 6) 30 per cent for anything income above Rs 15 lakh.

The government said these measures will provide major relief to all taxpayers who opt for the new regime.

For instance, any individual with an annual income of Rs 9 lakh will be required to pay tax worth only Rs 45,000, which is just five per cent of his/her income. It marks a 25 per cent deduction over the Rs 60,000 that needs to be paid under the existing structure. Similarly, an individual with an income of Rs 15 lakh would be required to pay only Rs 1.5 lakh or 10 per cent of his or her income, a reduction of 20 per cent from the existing liability of Rs 1,87,500.

Abhishek Soni, Co-Founder of Tax2win, said, “The introduction of new slabs with lesser tax rates under the new tax regime as well as the announcement of introducing a single simplified common ITR form in the future, clearly shows the government's objective to simplify the income tax for the common people.”

“Further, no tax is levied up to Rs 7 lakh of income, a big relief for millions of salaried individuals,” he added.

NEW VS OLD INCOME TAX REGIME: WHAT'S BETTER FOR YOU?

Does the makeover make the new income tax regime make it more attractive in comparison to the old tax structure? Let’s find out.

The new income tax regime should become a clear choice for those earning Rs 7.5 lakh annually, given the introduction of a Rs 50,000 standard deduction, which will make them eligible for claiming a rebate on income up to Rs 7 lakh.

What if your income is higher?

Unlike the new income tax regime, slabs under the old tax structure have not been changed under the budget – income up to Rs 2.5 lakh exempt from tax, 5 per cent tax on income over Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, 20 per cent tax on income above Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh and 30 per cent on income above Rs 10 lakh.

The old tax regime has been the mainstay for taxpayers in the country despite higher tax slabs, as it offers more scope for tax deductions to individuals with higher annual incomes and more investments.

You can claim several deductions under the old income tax regime under Section 80C, Section 80D and more. Not to mention, they are also eligible for an upfront standard deduction of Rs 50,000. With these, the taxable income of an individual with investments reduces drastically.

HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON

For example, with an annual salary of Rs 9 lakh, you can claim several deductions – under Section 80C, Section 80D, interest on home loan and NPS of Rs 50,000 – to bring your taxable income to literally zero. Simply put, if you can claim deductions to bring taxable income to Rs 5,00,000, the tax amount becomes zero due to the rebate applicable under Section 87A.

In comparison, people opting for the new income tax regime will have to pay Rs 45,000 as tax on an annual income of Rs 9 lakh as they cannot claim deductions to reduce their taxable income.

In fact, individuals with annual income slightly above Rs 10 lakh will also have a lower tax outgo under the old tax regime as they can claim all the deductions to bring down their taxable income drastically. On the other hand, those with an annual income above Rs 10 lakh will have to pay tax at a flat rate under the new income tax regime after standard deduction, in the absence of deductions.

MADE UP YOUR MIND? WAIT..

The old tax regime still looks more lucrative for people with higher annual incomes, but only if they have the investments to claim enough deductions.

However, for individuals who do not want to invest in too many long-term tax-saving schemes or do not have a housing loan, the new income tax regime could be the answer.

US Consulate General Hyderabad asks visa applicants to visit its new centre This new location will be effective from January 8

2023-01-05T20:32:00.003-08:00

Hyderabad: The US Consulate General Hyderabad on Thursday asked all applicants visiting the Hyderabad Visa Application Centre for their scheduled appointments, document submission and passport collection to visit the new location i.e., Lower Concourse, Hitec City Metro Station, Madhapur, Hyderabad.

This new location will be effective from January 8.

How Indian techies in the US manage their finances

2022-11-22T01:00:00.006-08:00

For some, it’s about international exposure, while others see it as an opportunity to earn, save and excel in career.

Reshma Yellapu, a 26-year-old who recently moved to the US, was taken aback when she first learned that the monthly rent of a single-bedroom flat in Boston, Massachusetts state, is $2,500. That translated to ₹2 lakh (at the exchange rate of ₹80 per dollar), which is how she calculated the cost.

There is an inherent flaw in converting any income/expense directly with the exchange rate.

Like Yellapu, most Indians tend to convert foreign currency-denominated numbers to Indian rupees using the prevailing exchange rate. But there is an inherent flaw in converting any income/expense directly with the exchange rate as the cost of living in both countries could differ significantly.

For example, a $100,000 salary in the US may support a lifestyle akin to what India offers for just ₹23.14 lakh (as per the purchasing power parity (PPP conversion factor). This is because the cost of living in India is comparatively lower to that in the US. For the uninitiated, PPP allows for comparing standards of living between countries.

Mint spoke to four Indian IT professionals living in the US about how they manage their finances there

Source: https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/how-indian-it-professionals-in-the-us-manage-their-finances-11669051530794.html

Day After 1,200 Twitter Employees Resign, Elon Musk's SOS To Engineers

2022-11-19T04:21:00.005-08:00

New Delhi:

A day after hundreds of Twitter employees decided to resign, owner Elon Musk sent an SOS to the staff: Anyone who writes software, please report to the 10th floor at 2 pm today. Musk, in an email, asked software engineers to fly to San Francisco and be at the Twitter office in person.

Musk added that only those who can't physically get to the Bay Area or have family emergencies will be excused from attending, reports Bloomberg.

The Twitter owner asked the engineers to send a bullet-point summary of their coding accomplishments in the last six months, along with as many as 10 screenshots of the most salient lines of code. Musk said the meetings will be short, and are being held to help him “understand the Twitter tech stack.”

The mail came hours after Twitter was forced to close its office after a mass exodus over Musk's ultimatum to commit to an "extremely hardcore" work environment. Musk had asked the staff to choose between working intense long hours, or losing their jobs.

At least 1,200 employees resigned yesterday creating a cloud of confusion over which people should still have access to company property, reports New York Times.

Musk, the world's richest man, has come under fire for radical changes at the social media company, which he bought for $44 billion late last month.

16CommentsHe had already fired half of the company's 7,500 staff, scrapped a work-from-home policy, and imposed long hours, all while his attempts to overhaul Twitter have faced chaos and delays.

Vent your frustration by breaking things at this place in Hyderabad

2022-10-13T20:41:00.000-07:00

Hyderabad: Angry and need a place to vent out your frustration?

Head out to The Rage Room at Madhapur in the city to pacify your anger. Pay a fee, pick up things and smash them to smithereens to let out all that pent-up frustration, and feel relieved!

Brainchild of 25-year-old Suraj Pusarla, this new setting lets people channel their anger and smash almost every object in the room.

Speaking about how it started, Suraj, a commerce graduate, says: “When I was young, I was short tempered and used to break remotes at home. But I don’t want everyone to break remotes at their homes now. That was one of the reasons behind starting The Rage Room. I want people to come here, engage in activities, break things, and relieve their stress.”

Setting up the place was a fun activity for him and his friends. While the construction was done by the professionals, Suraj and his companions got together to paint the whole set up and do the interiors.

The place has two rage rooms that can accommodate a group of seven people at once. Each session would last for about 20 minutes and the customers will be provided with an unlimited access to darts, boxing kits, and as well as rage balls.

Visitors get to choose from three packages – ‘Quickie’ where a crate full of seven bottles, plastics and electronic stuff like keyboards, mouses, and speakers will be provided for Rs 1,300. Another package ‘Rough Day’ costing Rs 1,500 includes two crates of 15 bottles, plastic, and electronic stuff, while the ‘Rage Mode’ costing Rs 2,800 comes with a huge item like washing machine, television set, refrigerator, oven, and laptop. All for you to break and smash.

The ‘Extra Happiness Days’ of Amazon Sale

2022-10-09T23:28:00.002-07:00

The ‘Extra Happiness Days’ of Amazon Sale can assist you in getting the goods you want at the most affordable prices by providing enticing discounts and incentives.

Because of the discounted prices on Alexa, the Fire TV Stick, and the Echo Buds offered by Amazon Prime Friday Deals, you have even more reasons to rejoice. Prime Friday Deals also provides a variety of other unique incentives, such as 10% instant savings up to Rs. 100, in addition to price reductions, EMI choices, en ..

Hackers steal $611 million in Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies in largest DeFi crypto theft

2021-08-11T02:53:00.002-07:00

Hackers have stolen more than $600 million in Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies by breaching blockchain-based platform Poly Network, the company confirmed through a tweet on Tuesday.

HIGHLIGHTS

Poly Network has confirmed that it was attacked by hackers.
Hackers have stolen more than $600 million in cryptocurrencies.
This is the biggest theft in DeFi space till now.

Hackers have stolen more than $600 million in Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies by breaching blockchain-based platform Poly Network, the company confirmed through a tweet on Tuesday. This is the biggest hack ever in the decentralised finance or DeFi space till now. Poly Network is a platform which allows users to exchange crypto tokens and has confirmed that thousands of investors have been affected by this latest crypto theft.

“We are sorry to announce that #PolyNetwork was attacked,” Poly tweeted Tuesday morning, confirming that millions of dollars have been stolen from crypto investors. It also shared the addresses of the attackers to which the stolen amount was transferred.

"We call on miners of affected blockchain and crypto exchanges to blacklist tokens coming from the above addresses," the platform, which was formed by an alliance between the teams behind multiple blockchain platforms - Neo, Ontology and Switcheo, said. It has asked hackers to return the assets while adding that a legal action will be taken against those involved.

Ethereum is believed to be the most affected cryptocurrency in the theft. Hackers have stolen $273 million in assets was taken in Ethereum tokens, $253 million in tokens on Binance Smart Chain and $85 million in U.S. Dollar Coin (USDC) tokens on the Polygon network. . About $33 million of the stablecoin Tether that was a part of the theft has been frozen by Tether’s issuer soon after the attack. This means that these tokens cannot be used by the hackers.

The attack is being seen the largest in the relatively youndg crypto space which has been facing multiple challenges over the past few months.

"We are aware of the poly.network exploit that occurred today. While no one controls BSC (or ETH), we are coordinating with all our security partners to proactively help. There are no guarantees. We will do as much as we can," tweeted Changpeng Zhao, CEO of Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange.

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Poly Network said a preliminary investigation found a hacker exploited a "vulnerability between contract calls". This kind of hacks in the DeFi space have become a major concern for investors. There have been multiple instances since the beginning of this year but, in no case the amount stolen was as much.

Bitcoin jumps 12% as Elon Musk hints change in position on environment impact of Bitcoin mining, asks for ideas to develop Dogecoin

2021-05-25T00:13:00.001-07:00

Bitcoin is nearing the $40,000 level again after Elon Musk tweeted. [Illustration by Suneesh K | Moneycontrol]]

Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, has asked his Twitter followers to submit ideas to “develop Doge” (cryptocurrency Dogecoin) on GitHub or the Dogecoin subreddit page on Reddit and tagged the Dogecoin developers account on the platform.

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The Cryptocurrency enthusiast, in a following tweet, also lauded a follower’s suggestion to change Dogecoin fees based on phases of the moon as “pretty awesome”.

“If you’d like to help develop Doge, please submit ideas on GitHub & http://reddit.com/r/dogecoin/ @dogecoin_devs,” he tweeted.

GitHub, controlled by Microsoft, provides hosting for software and version control development, and is usually used to host open source projects.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin is nearing the $40,000 level again after Musk tweeted that he had “potentially promising talks" with North American Bitcoin miners on the energy conservation efforts in mining the cryptocurrency.

No Need to Buy Oximeter Anymore? This Mobile App Monitors Blood Oxygen, Pulse Rate

2021-05-24T00:53:00.000-07:00

New Delhi: With India reeling under the COVID-19 pandemic since last year, oximeters have been become an important item for households, especially since the severe second wave. However, with an increase in demand for the vital health device, prices of pulse oximeters have been hiked by manufacturers. A good pulse oximeter can easily cost around Rs 2,000 these days. Also Read - 'Oxygen On Wheels' Program Flagged Off in Mathura to Help Covid-19 Patients in Rural Areas

To replace the oximeter, a Kolkata-based health startup has developed a mobile app. The new app called CarePlix Vital’s can monitor your blood oxygen level, pulse, and respiration rates. Also Read - Noida Gets 20 'Auto-Ambulances' Fitted With Oxygen Support to Help COVID Patients | See Pics

According to a report in BGR.in, all one needs to do to use the mobile app is place a finger on their smartphone’s rear camera and flashlight and within seconds, the oxygen saturation (SpO2), pulse and respiration rates are displayed on the device.

“People needed a pulse oximeter or similar wearables such as a smartwatch to get their vitals such as oxygen saturation and pulse rate. The underlying technology in all of this is photoplethysmography or PPG,” Subhabrata Paul, Co-Founder CareNow Healthcare told The Indian Express.

“We are achieving this through our smartphone’s rear camera and flashlight. If you see the wearables and oximeters have infrared light sensors in them but for the phone, we just have the flashlight. Once we cover the rear camera and flashlight with the finger and start the scan for around 40 seconds, we are doing nothing but calculating the difference of light intensity and based on the difference we plot the PPG graph. From the graph, the SpO2 and pulse rate is derived,” the co-founder said.

China Says To Give Another $30 Million To WHO, Days After US Halts Funds

2020-04-24T03:11:00.001-07:00

Beijing, China:

China announced Thursday it will donate another $30 million to the World Health Organization to help in the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic, days after Washington said it would freeze funding.

"China has decided to donate another $30 million in cash to the WHO, in addition to the previous donation of $20 million, to support the global fight against COVID-19 and strengthen developing countries' health systems," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular press briefing.

He added that China's contribution to the UN agency "reflects the support and trust of the Chinese government and people for the WHO".

The US, which is the WHO's biggest contributor, accused the WHO last week of "mismanaging" the COVID-19 crisis, drawing ire from Beijing as both countries spar over the deadly virus.

In announcing the funding freeze last week, US President Donald Trump accused the WHO of covering up the seriousness of the COVID-19 outbreak in China before it spread.

Trump said US taxpayers provided between $400 million and $500 million per year to the WHO, while "in contrast, China contributes roughly $40 million a year and even less".

A technical glitch has broken everyone's Firefox extensions

2019-05-04T05:20:00.001-07:00

If you're struggling to get your Firefox extensions working today, you're not alone – a technical glitch has rendered all add-ons unusable, and Mozilla is currently working on a fix.

As Engadget reports, it looks like an out-of-date certificate has borked everyone's extensions, as Firefox is simply recognizing them as incompatible.

Tweets from the official Firefox browser and Mozilla Add-ons accounts show that the issue is being worked on behind the scenes, but as yet there's no estimated time for when everything will be back working normally.

IndiGo, other airlines bar TDP MP Diwakar Reddy after he creates ruckus at Vizag airport

2017-06-15T15:59:00.001-07:00

NEW DELHI: IndiGo on Thursday barred TDP MP Diwakar Reddy from its flights, hours after the lawmaker went on a rampage at Vizag airport targeting the low cost carrier. Following IndiGo's decision, Air India, SpiceJet and Jet Airways also announced that they will not allow the TDP MP on their flights.
"The Visakhapatnam incident is a matter of concern. As IndiGo has banned the MP, AI has also barred his travel on our flights," said an AI spokesman.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP created a major ruckus at the airport when he was denied boarding pass as he reported late for a flight to Hyderabad. JC Diwakar Reddy, Lok Sabha MP from Anantpur in Andhra Pradesh, reached less than 45 minutes before 6E 608 was supposed to take off.
When the MP reached the counter, he was told that the check-in for the flight had been closed. The TDP politician got very abusive and restless. He entered the ticketing corner of IndiGo inside the airport and allegedly damaged some furniture and a printer there.
The MP - who is known for his temper and was involved in a similar incident at another airport last year - was reportedly accommodated on the same flight which got delayed in the process and left after its departure time of 8.10 am on Thursday.
However, IndiGo later announced to ban him from its flights and other airlines followed suit.
In Ravindra Gaikwad case too this March, Air India had first banned the Shiv Sena MP from flying and then other airlines did the same.
"That was the first time airlines banned an unruly flyer and we were forced to reverse that move under instructions from the aviation ministry as Shiv Sena is an important ally of the ruling NDA. The BJP-led Maharastra government is surviving on Shiv Sena support. This time, the MP is from another ally the TDP and the aviation minister is from the same party. Let us see how fast the aviation ministry buckles now," said a senior official of an airline.
The aviation ministry is working on a no-fly list but implementing that will take time as first some identity proof like Aadhaar or passport number needs to be linked to booking domestic air tickets. Without that, the banned person can simply buy tickets on another name.

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IndiGo had issued a statement in which the airline said it will "take all necessary action to address this violation."

US' Loss, Europe's Gain? EU Says 'Open To Highly Skilled Indian Professionals'

2017-02-22T05:44:00.001-08:00

NEW DELHI: The European Union today said it is ready to accommodate more Indian IT professionals and denounced any form of protectionism in global trade, amid anxiety over the Trump administration's possible clampdown on H1B visa. Pushing for deeper trade ties with India, a delegation of European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs also expressed "regret" over failure by both sides to resume the stalled dialogue to firm the long-pending EU-India trade and investment pact. Criticising the new US government's protectionist rhetoric which triggered fears in Europe as well, head of the delegation David McAllister said Europe is "open" for allowing more Indian professionals who are high on demand.

"Europe is open for people with high demand. Indian people are highly skilled. Our IT sector would not have been successful if we did not have skilled professionals from India," he said.

Soon after taking over as US President, Donald Trump had decided to overhaul the work visa programmes like the H-1B and L1, a move that will adversely hit the lifeline of Indian tech firms and professionals in the US. Pressing for early resumption of negotiations for the EU-India Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA), Mr McAllister said the delegation urged the Indian leaders to resume the talks as the pact will significantly boost two-way trade.

"We deeply regret that we are not being able to move ahead. We will use the visit to call for resumption of talks for the agreement," he told reporters.

The EU delegation, the second one here, will hold talks with a number of Union Ministers, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the Vice Chairman of NITI Ayog Arvind Panagariya and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan among others.

A European Parliament Delegation for relations with India is also in the country and it had strongly sought resumption of talks for the trade pact during its meetings with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The BTIA talks have been stalled since May 2013, when both sides failed to bridge substantial gaps on crucial issues, including data security status for IT sector.

Launched in June 2007, negotiations for the proposed agreement have witnessed many hurdles as both the sides have major differences on crucial issues.

Delegation member Urmas Paet said that the EU would like to have the trade pact with India on the lines of the recently concluded EU-Canada trade deal, which features a new mechanism on investment protection and dispute settlement.

India has already made it clear that it will not allow investment to become part of any global agreement that allows investors to challenge governments in an international tribunal.

In the EU-India Summit in Brussels last year, the two sides had failed to make any announcement on resumption of the negotiations as many bottlenecks still remain.

The two sides are yet to iron out issues related to tariff and movement of professionals but the EU has shown an inclination to restart talks.

Besides demanding significant duty cuts in automobiles, the EU wants tax reduction in wines, spirits and dairy products, and a strong intellectual property regime.

The Bermuda Triangle mystery may have been solved - say scientists

2016-10-27T23:29:00.003-07:00

Researchers in the US claim they have discovered the answer to the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle.

Covering more than half-a-million square miles of ocean located between Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico, the term 'Bermuda Triangle' was first coined by writer Vincent H Gaddis in 1964.

The area is notorious for a high number of planes and ships going missing there.

In a new Science Channel documentary, meteorologists claim an unusual type of cloud in the region could be behind a number of the disappearances.

The hexagonal-shaped clouds, measuring between 30km and 75km across, can cause extremely localised high winds which, they speculate, could be the cause of some of the incidents.

"These types of hexagonal shapes over the ocean are in essence 'air bombs','' Dr Randy Cerveny of Arizona State University said.

"They're formed by what are called microbursts. They're blasts of air that come down out of the bottom of clouds and hit the ocean, and they create waves that can sometimes be massive in size once they start to interact with each other."

However, some experts have disputed the claims.

"When I look at a hexagonal cloud shape in the Bahamas, this is not the cloud signature of what a microburst looks like," NBC TV meteorologist Kevin Corriveau said.

Others have pointed out that disappearances are "relatively insignificant" given the huge number of ships and aircraft that pass through the area. (© Daily Telegraph, London)

Siachen avalanche: Ten dead soldiers are latest in needless loss of lives on this 'bald man's comb'

2016-02-04T21:28:00.001-08:00

Ten army soldiers, including a junior commissioned officer, are feared dead after an avalanche ripped off their post at 19,600ft in one of the world’s highest battlefield between India and Pakistan, Saichen in the northern glacier sector of the Ladakh region on Wednesday.

The army, late on Thursday, ruled out any possibility of missing soldiers being alive, although search operations will continue until the dead bodies have been extracted from the snow.

"It is a tragic event and we salute the soldiers who braved all challenges to guard our frontiers and made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty,” The defence ministry’s spokesperson in Jammu, Colonel SD Goswami, said in a statement.

“The glacier gets 35 feet of snow every season temperatures plumes to 60°C. Rescue teams are braving adverse weather and effects of rarified atmosphere to locate and rescue survivors. However, it is with the deepest of regret that we have to state that chances of finding any survivors are now very remote," the statement, added.

However, from the minute the army found out about the avalanche burying the post, there was little hope about the survivors. The question, senior army officers, pondered was not whether anyone was alive, but about the challenge of finding the dead bodies.

A senior army official based in Jammu and Kashmir told Firstpost, late on Thursday that even to reach the spot, rescuers would need to spread ropes, and then stairs, so that people could walk on it. At 19,600 feet, soldiers can’t walk for more than 10 steps, “you need rest for five minutes, and than carry forward because the oxygen content is very low.”

“There are pickets, (like this one) that remains closed for five months in areas like these — we call them winter posts. If someone is sick, you have to bring him back in a helicopter. When an avalanche comes, it destroys the helipad too. If the troops are not alive, who will set up that helipad?” he asked.

The army says that reaching the post also puts “someone else’s life at risk”, and that is the reason rescue operations are conducted during the night, mainly because the threat of avalanches is lower at night.

“The worst time to go there is between 11 am and 12 pm, but now the threat is reduced, because the area has already suffered one avalanche. In any case, the army will be operating at night, because the snow is harder and the threat of avalanches is lower. But I'm afraid for them that even after reaching there, finding the dead bodies in these extreme circumstances will be a challenge,” another officer said.

This is not the first time soldiers have lost their lives in Siachen — on both sides — and it won’t be the last time. The deadly mountains buried 129 Pakistani soldiers and 11 civilians on 7 April, 2012, when a massive avalanche struck the Pakistani military headquarters at Gayari, 30 kilometres west of the glacier terminus. The operation, to rescue the dead bodies, lasted for months and Pakistan was forced to invite international experts to help them in the rescue mission — which also failed to extract dead bodies for a long time. There are many dead bodies of Pakistani soldiers still missing in these mountains.

Battlefield of Siachen

The dispute over Siachen is the only conflict between two neighbours where inhospitable terrains have claimed more lives than actual combat. The majority of an estimated 2, 700 people, who were killed on both sides of the Saichen glacier, died not because they were fighting each other, but because of the extreme conditions in which they live — avalanches, exposure and altitude sickness caused by thin, oxygen-depleted air.

That is perhaps the reason why it is called the highest-altitude battlefield in the world. Situated in the East Korakoram range, it is the longest glacier in Himalayas at 77 kilometres in length and three kilometres in width. Both India and Pakistan spend billions in order to maintain troops — access to the area from the Pakistani side is much better in terms of road connectivity, than the Indian side. India also has to spend more comparatively because the troops are actually camped on a glacier, which is supported by a fleet of helicopters.

The Karachi Agreement, which India and Pakistan signed in July 1949, is considered to be the genesis of the conflict. This agreement demarcated ceasefire lines between India and Pakistan but stopped at a point NJ 9842. After the war of 1971, the LoC was not delineated beyond this point.

The access provided by Pakistan to climbers and mountaineers from its side to various areas led India to believe that Pakistan had snatched and unilaterally extended the LoC from NJ 9842 to the Karakoram Pass, thus eating into over 10,000 square kilometres of Indian territory.

The famous army mountaineer, Colonel Narendra Kumar, whose pioneering exploration paved way for India to take the glacier in early 1984, accidently discovered Pakistan’s “cartographic aggression” displayed on commercial American maps, while out on an expedition with a German expedition team. Colonel Kumar, in whose name an Indian post is named, found that the maps showed a line from NJ 9842 — which was the last point delineated on the LoC between India and Pakistan — drawn straight to the Karakoram Pass, instead of going north, as was internationally accepted.

After convincing his seniors, the colonel was permitted to carry out a counter-expedition in 1978. "As we reached Siachen, Pakistani helicopters were flying over us… and they were firing out coloured smoke," Colonel Kumar said in an interview in 2014. According to him, the rubbish left behind by mountaineers and climbers had convinced them that Pakistan was taking over the area. Pakistanis were also alarmed when they found cigarette packets and food packages on the main Siachen glacier; by then, they were convinced India was also trying to set up a base in the area.

Had Indian intelligence agencies not learned about an interesting shopping trip in London in 1984, Pakistan might have seized control of the entire mountain region.

"We found out that Pakistanis were buying lots of specialist mountain clothing in London," Colonel Kumar said in the interview. Later a Pakistani army officer admitted the mistake of buying from the same store as the Indians. New Delhi immediately dispatched troops to Siachen, beating Pakistan by a week. On 13 April, 1984, Indian troops snatched control of the Siachen glacier a week before Pakistan could. The race to deploy troops in extreme circumstances, devoid of any human or animal presence, started that year.

A soldier's nightmare

Stephen P Cohen, a prominent expert on South Asian security — while dismissing the geographical importance of Siachen in a military context — once described the standoff between India and Pakistan in Siachen as “a struggle of two bald men over a comb.” It was perhaps the most fitting line, which explains the madness over a region that has only given body bags to both the nations.

Army officers and reports published over the years say soldiers suffer weight loss of around 15 kilograms every 90 days. Most of them, because of the prolonged use of oxygen masks, complain of hearing loss, eyesight and memory loss. They breath the purest — albeit scarce — oxygen, sleep in ice-caves, and endure blizzards and storms with thunderous velocity of 150 kilometres per hour that sometimes continue for weeks on end.

Soldiers need special equipment, apparel and gear to survive. Reports of people getting incapacitated due to frostbite are normal. There is not enough oxygen to light fires for even cooking purposes.

On the diplomatic front

In June 2005, when former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh flew to the Siachen base camp to talk to soldiers, he said that, the “time has come to convert this battlefield into a peace mountain. It must become an example of peace wherein nobody feels any threat and there is no scope for conflict.” This came in the wake of lobbying groups putting pressure on both the countries to avoid confrontation in the mountains.

India has been insisting that the line needs to be demarcated beyond the point it was left without delineation all along the 110-kilometre-long Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) before considering demilitarisation, and Pakistan wanted to keep the status quo with troops moving to the pre-1984 position.

The tragedy that struck the Pakistani side in 2012 had triggered peace talks between two nations, but failed to break the ice.

“We are keeping men there because it is now a line of control. And the moment you demilitarise it, you will have another Kargil. Conditions are today far better for the soldiers than they were few years ago.” an army officer says.

Interestingly, as the improvement in technology and equipment has made things better for soldiers from both the sides, they have realised that the biggest problem in the area is not the altitude, but disposal of human waste.

The question people in India and Pakistan should ask themselves is why they need to waste precious human lives on what is often called a ‘block of snow’. The tragedy that took place on Wednesday could have been avoided, had there been no need to keep troops in such hostile circumstances.

AAP could get thumping majority in Delhi: Dear BJP, exit polls may not be wrong

2015-02-08T00:14:00.000-08:00

The Delhi voter turnout at 6 pm on 7 February was reported to be a record 67.08 percent as against 65.63 percent in 2013, where nearly 1.33 crore voters exercised their franchise today in the Delhi assembly election.

The six exit poll reports, including the last one from Chanakya’s, have given a clear edge to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the BJP. The exit poll report of Chanakya has predicted 42-48 seats for AAP. If all these exit-polls are to be believed, then the AAP is clearly ahead of its strongest competitor BJP in Delhi Election 2015.

Meanwhile, the BJP seems to have got into back foot, with the party’s spokesperson Sambit Patra telling a news channel, “If the need arises, we’ll positively go for introspection.” Though the BJP’s chief ministerial nominee Kiran Bedi in her post-poll press conference said, “We should wait and not take these exit-poll figures as final. Wait till February 10.”

Now, a few questions that the aam aadmi (common man) would like to know:

1. Can all the exit-polls go wrong and is there a possibility of complete reversal, with the BJP getting a thumping majority?

2. Kiran Bedi’s claim during her press conference that between 3 and 6 pm, where maximum turnout of voters happened, 100 percent voting would go in BJP’s favour. On what grounds?

3. And, finally, was the induction of Kiran Bedi in the BJP and naming her as the future CM – a bad move?

Social scientist Shiv Vishvanathan opines with a positive note, “The BJP did well, the AAP did better. But, after Bedi came, a lot of negativity emerged within the BJP and that’s worrying.” Though the voter turnout was slow due to the chill in the air from 7 am to 10 am, after 1 pm it picked up. By at 5 pm the turnout touched 63 percent against 51.50 percent at 3 pm.

In between 2 to 4 pm – the period that witnessed maximum voting -- a large section belonging to slums, unorganized colonies, labourers, autowallahs and from the lower economic group – believed to be AAP’s major vote bank came out in large numbers. Is Bedi’s claim during the press conference that “100 percent voting could go in BJP’s favour during this period” acceptable?

“How can she claim with such confidence that all voted for the BJP?” questioned AAP’s senior leader and chief spokesperson Yogendra Yadav. “No doubt, the BJP has a strong cadre, but the picture can dramatically change,” he added. While, the RSS cadre pushed till the last moment, the AAP volunteers equally mobilized the voters to polling booths.

“I was surprised to see how AAP volunteers outside my polling booth monitored its voters. When, I reached late, they handed me the slip and said they had been waiting for me,” said Manjula, a South Delhi voter. Even the assembly seats in Chandni Chowk constituency like Matia-Mahal, Ballimaran, Chandni Chowk, where there is a sizeable Muslim population, voted in large number between 2 and 5 pm. As a result, the turnout of the pockets having these segments of voters crossed 60 percent mark.

“Besides general population, nearly a thousand sex workers from GB Road, many first timers, voted today after 2 pm,” Shahzad Ahmad, who has been monitoring this particular segment said. As per the Election Commission’s numbers, Northeast Delhi reported the highest voter turnout of 66.37percent. East Delhi 64.67 percent, New Delhi 59.29 percent and North Delhi 65.56 percent. The polling percentage in Northwest Delhi was 62.1 percent, Southwest Delhi recorded 63.66 percent and West Delhi 64.48 percent. Central Delhi recorded 64.66 percent, whereas the lowest was in South Delhi with 61.7 percent.

A senior BJP member, who chose to remain anonymous, told Firstpost, “AAP chose to campaign in a decent manner, without using abusive language. What AAP did in its 49-day tenure, unfortunately the BJP couldn’t in eight months despite being in power at the Centre. This caught common man’s attention and people gradually started liking the AAP.”

The member further added, “Induction of Kiran Bedi didn’t cause that much anger than her being named as CM nominee. The party workers and members left with no option, and in a hush-hush manner they said what could be done as it was Modi sahab’s decision. In my last 20 years, I’ve seen the party suddenly gets into an over-confident mode during Delhi elections and almost thinks that they would be forming the government. Fault lies here and now exit-poll results are speaking in that direction.”

“We didn’t resort to any kind of acrimony and name calling, and chose to talk about the problems and issues of the common man,” said AAP leader Ashish Khetan.

An unusual scene that both the media and the voters witnessed at a polling booth in BK Dutt Colony, Aliganj was whenArvind Kejriwal came out after casting his vote at SGTB Khalsa Girls Senior Secondary School. His popularity can be judged by the fact that nearly 500 people were waiting outside the booth to have a glimpse of him. The rooftops and balconies of the flats adjoining the school were full of people waving at him and raising slogans. There was a situation of a virtual stampede near the booth and the security forces had to take him out of the back door.

"I'm fully confident. We'll make it. We've got immense support from Delhi voters," Kejriwal told Firstpost on his way out of the booth.
"The overwhelming welcome he has received tells that he's already a winner,” remarked Jagdish Gherna, a senior citizen and resident of BK Dutt colony.
According to political analysts, the Congress knowing that it would again face a similar result like in 2013, decided to silently back AAP to stop the Modi juggernaut.

“Our internal survey projected 50 seats for AAP, which was criticized. Even if this figure comes down, it just can’t go below 40-42. And that’s what all the exit-poll results are showing. Let’s wait for the final results, and the AAP will form government,” remarked AAP’s senior member Radhakrishnan TR Aiyyer.

How, and Why, Apple Overtook Microsoft

2015-01-31T01:44:00.001-08:00

When Microsoft stock was at a record high in 1999, and its market capitalization was nearly $620 billion (roughly Rs. 38,31,445 crores), the notion that Apple Computer would ever be bigger - let alone twice as big - was laughable. Apple was teetering on bankruptcy. And Microsoft was so dominant in personal computers, then the center of the technology universe, that the government deemed it an unlawful monopoly.

This week, both Microsoft and Apple unveiled their latest earnings, and the once unthinkable became reality: Apple's market capitalization hit $683 billion (roughly Rs. 42,20,769 crores), more than double Microsoft's current value of $338 billion (roughly Rs. 20,88,755 crores).

At Apple's earnings conference call Tuesday, its chief executive, Tim Cook, called the quarter "historic" and the earnings "amazing." Noting that Apple sold more than 34,000 iPhone 6 every hour, 24 hours a day, during the quarter, he said the sheer volume of sales was "hard to comprehend."

Apple earned $18 billion in the quarter - more than any company ever in a single quarter - on revenue of $75 billion (roughly Rs. 4,63,481 crores). Its free cash flow of $30 billion (roughly Rs. 1,85,392 crores) in one quarter was more than double whatIBM, another once-dominant tech company, generates in a full year, noted a senior Bernstein analyst, Toni Sacconaghi. The stock jumped more than 5 percent, even as the broader market was down.

A far more subdued Satya Nadella, Microsoft's chief executive, who is trying to transform the company and reduce its dependence on the Windows operating system, referred to "challenges." Microsoft's revenue was barely one-third of Apple's, and operating income of $7.8 billion (roughly Rs. 48,202 crores) was less than a quarter of Apple's. Microsoft shares dropped over 9 percent as investors worried about its aging personal computer software market.

Robert X. Cringely, the pen name of the technology journalist Mark Stephens, told me this week that when he interviewed Microsoft's co-founder, Bill Gates, in 1998 for Vanity Fair, Gates "couldn't imagine a situation in which Apple would ever be bigger and more profitable than Microsoft." "He knows he can't win," Gates said then of the Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

But less than two decades later, Apple has won. How this happened contains some important lessons - including for Apple itself, if it wants to avoid Microsoft's fate. Apple, after all, is now as dependent on the success of one product line - the iPhone accounted for 69 percent of its revenue - as Microsoft once was with Windows.

The most successful companies need a vision, and both Apple and Microsoft have one. But Apple's was more radical and, as it turns out, more farsighted. Microsoft foresaw a computer on every person's desk, a radical idea when IBM mainframes took up entire rooms. But Apple went a big step further: Its vision was a computer in every pocket. That computer also just happened to be a phone, the most ubiquitous consumer device in the world. Apple ended up disrupting two huge markets.

"Apple has been very visionary in creating and expanding significant new consumer electronics categories," Sacconaghi said. "Unique, disruptive innovation is really hard to do. Doing it multiple times, as Apple has, is extremely difficult. It's the equivalent of Pixar producing one hit after another. You have to give kudos to Apple."

Walter Isaacson, who interviewed Jobs for his biography of the Apple co-founder and chief executive, said: "Steve believed the world was going mobile, and he was right. And he believed that beauty matters. He was deeply moved by beautiful design. Objects of great functionality also had to be objects of desire."

Like many successful companies, Microsoft nurtured its dominant position, but at the risk of missing potentially disruptive innovations.

"You have to acknowledge that Microsoft has been successful and it still is," said Robert Cihra, a senior managing director and technology analyst at Evercore. "But clearly, they've struggled over how to protect the Windows franchise while not having that hold them back in other areas. I think even Microsoft would agree that they've been too concerned with protecting Windows over the years, to their detriment."

By contrast, "Steve ingrained in the DNA of Apple not to be afraid to cannibalize itself," Isaacson said. "When the iPod was printing money, he said that someday the people making phones will figure out they can put music on phones. We have to do that first. Now, what you're seeing is that the bigger iPhone may be hurting sales of iPads, but it was the right thing to do."

Cihra agreed: "Apple laid waste to its iPod business. They're happier selling 74.5 million iPhones than they would be even if they still were selling that many iPods, which they wouldn't be anyway because someone else would have cannibalized them."

Microsoft has repeatedly tried to diversify, and continues to do so under Nadella. But "it's been more of a follower whereas Apple has been more of a trendsetter, trying to reinvent an industry," Sacconaghi said.

In belatedly buying Nokia, Microsoft is offering its own smartphone, the Windows phone, in head-to-head competition with Apple. While the device has garnered some critical praise, "I'm not sure consumers need a third option" to the Android and iOS platforms, Cihra said. Microsoft's already tiny share of the smartphone market has been dropping.

Perhaps more surprising, the Apple model of integrating all aspects of the design and manufacture of a product, long abandoned by other manufacturers, has been vindicated. Microsoft was once content to stick to software, ceding processors to companies like Intel and the PCs themselves to an array of other manufacturers.

"Microsoft seemed to have the better business model for a very long time," Isaacson said. "But in the end, it didn't create products of ethereal beauty. Steve believed you had to control every brush stroke from beginning to end. Not because he was a control freak, but because he had a passion for perfection."

Apple "proved that you want to own the hardware and not just the platform," Cihra said. "With the advent of PCs, everyone gave up on that model except Apple. But if you get that model right, the upside leverage is huge. If you want an Android device, you can go anywhere. But if you want an iPhone, you have to go to Apple.

"If you can do that, you get pricing power, and the profitability is unbelievable." Apple reported profit margins this quarter of just under 40 percent.

And then there's Apple's successful leadership transition to Cook, who took over as chief executive in 2011, shortly before Jobs died. It's not that Steve Ballmer, Bill Gates' immediate successor, and now Nadella haven't done a decent job at the helm of Microsoft. Until this week's dip, Microsoft shares were close to a record high. But Gates is still very much alive, and remains engaged with the company.

Jobs "told me that Tim Cook would be an inspiring leader," Isaacson said. "He knew Tim wouldn't wake up every morning trying to figure out what Steve Jobs would do. Steve would never have made a bigger iPhone. He didn't believe in it. But Tim did it, and it was the right thing to do."

Some investors worry that Apple could become the prisoner of its own success. As Sacconaghi noted, 69 percent of the company's revenue and 100 percent of its revenue growth for the quarter came from the iPhone, which makes Apple highly dependent on one product line.

"There's always the risk of another paradigm shift," he said. "Who knows what that might be, but Apple is living and dying by the iPhone. It's a great franchise until it isn't."

Apple is also running into "the challenge of large numbers," Cihra said. With a market capitalization approaching $700 billion (roughly Rs. 43,25,825 crores), the number "scares people," he said. "How can it get much bigger? How is that possible?" Apple is already the world's largest company, by a significant margin.

But he noted that by many measures, Apple shares appeared to be a bargain.

"The valuation is still inexpensive," he said. "It's less than 13 times next year's earnings and less than 10 times cash flow," both below the market average. "Those are very low multiples. They have $140 billion (roughly Rs. 8,65,165 crores) in cash on the balance sheet and they're generating $60 billion (roughly Rs. 3,70,785 crores) in cash a year. All the numbers are just enormous, which is hard for people get their heads around."

Cihra noted that Microsoft dominates its core businesses, leaving little room for growth. But, he said, "Apple still doesn't have massive market share in any of its core markets. Even in smartphones, its share is only in the midteens. Apple's strategy has been to carve out a small share of a massive market. It's pretty much a unique model that leaves plenty of room for growth."

Can Apple continue to live by Jobs' disruptive creed now that the company is as successful as Microsoft once was? Cihra noted that it was one thing for Apple to cannibalize its iPod or Mac businesses, but quite another to risk its iPhone juggernaut.

"It's getting tougher for Apple," Cihra said. "The question investors have is, what's the next iPhone? There's no obvious answer. It's almost impossible to think of anything that will create a $140 billion business out of nothing."

Samsung to launch Galaxy S6 in March

2015-01-31T01:42:00.000-08:00

NEW DELHI: South Korean electronics major Samsung will launch its next flagship smartphone Galaxy S6 by March-end.

Though there is no official confirmation from the company yet, according to industry sources the company will unveil Galaxy S6 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015, scheduled for March 2-6. When contacted, a Samsung India spokesperson refused to comment.

Much-awaited Galaxy S6 will take over from Galaxy S5 as Samsung's top smartphone and is expected to be a huge departure from its predecessor.

Launched last year in March, Galaxy S5 was a big disappointment for Samsung and missed the company's first quarter sales expectations, which is a crucial test to assess any model's sales for the entire year.

In an effort to stem the rot, the company unveiled the Galaxy Alpha, its first Android phone with a metallic body, within six months of Galaxy S5's launch.

Samsung is expected to retain the same metallic design in its Galaxy S6, along with a 2K (1440x2560p) screen. Taking forward the Galaxy Note Edge design, Samsung is said to be working on a Galaxy S6 variant with curved screens on both edges.

There is some uncertainty over the processor to be used in the upcoming smartphone, with reports suggesting Samsung is facing overheating issues due to the top-end Qualcomm chip it is testing. However, there have also been reports junking such speculation.

If the reports of overheating are true, Samsung would likely use its own Exynos chip in the international variant. This chip is said to be designed on 64-bit architecture. Samsung usually sells Exynos-powered smartphones in 3G-dominant markets.

Other likely features of Samsung Galaxy S6 features are 20MP rear camera, faster 4G radios, 32 and 64GB storage options, microSD card support and battery capacity of over 3,000mAh.

Samsung is also said to be working on add-on back panels that provide extra functionality to the smartphone. Among the back panels being developed is one that turns the rear casing into an e-book reader, while another is said to put all the S Health features on the back.

Galaxy S6 is crucial to Samsung's profitability as the company' mobile sales are being squeezed by the likes of Xiaomi at the bottom end and Apple's new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus at the top end. The new iPhones have helped Apple post the biggest profit ever in corporate history recently.

Riding on stupendous iPhone 6 sales, some estimates say Apple may have overtaken Samsung for the numero uno slot though the final numbers are yet to be revealed. Samsung has a lot riding on the S6 launch after the failure of Galaxy S5 and is speculated to have delayed the launch a bit to ensure Galaxy S6 turns out to be a winner.

30 + New Year 2015 Pictures,Wallpapers And Images

2014-12-31T11:20:00.000-08:00

The 31st is coming which spells the end of 2014 and will begin a new journey of new year 2015. For few people it will be a great pleasure to wave goodbye. It is done in the style you will always remember and make it a highlight that will become a fond memory for the rest of your life. New Year is one of the most celebrated days in the world. The day is shaped by customs and traditions. The people start to prepare for the New Year at least on month in advance. The preparation begins by buying presents, decoration houses and making new costumes. The day is energized with fun, creativity and childlike excitement. The New Year Tree, which is one of the most exciting things for children and adults, is the object that you can see in every house during the holiday. Right before New Year the whole city gets new life and in a way starts looking like an ant-hill. All around people are hurling around the city, caring New Year trees, parents, and groceries or just waking and looking at the holiday madness. The entire city is decorated with lights in a variety of different colors hanging all over buildings and telephone polls. And after all this, New Year 2015 celebrations will begin and people will wish one another for love, prosperity and long live.

This was little bit debate on New Year. I have collected best New Year wallpapers, images, wallpapers for you that I am sure you are going to like and share with your friends. Also please do comment and tell us that how much you like this post. Stay blessed and have fun!!

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Micromax Yu Yureka: CyanogenMod sporting phone generating positive buzz

2014-12-20T01:27:00.000-08:00

Micromax on Thursday launched a new series of smartphones under its CyanogenMod based Yu brand. The first smartphone in the series is named Micromax Yu Yureka and the tag line for the smartphone is 'Play God' and the response the phone getting so far has been favorable.

The smartphone runs Android 4.4.4 but this is the CyanogenMod modified version of the OS. Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma said during the launch that this OS is like Android on 'steroids'.

CyanogenMod is a free, community built version of Android but it is highly customised and is designed to boost the performance of your Android device. It began as an open-source project on Github and is still the second biggest project on the site and Steve Kodnik is the founder/creator of CyanogenMod.

The Micromax Yureka runs Cyanogen OS 11 and perhaps the best news is that users will get OTA updates every month. Micromax has announced to bring Android 5.0 aka Lollipop update soon.

The phone costs only Rs 8999 and the users can root the phone, play around with the OS and not worry about losing their warranty.

The smartphone boasts of a 5.5-inch HD screen, 2GB DDR3 RAM, 16 GB storage which can be expanded to 32 GB via microSD, a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Octa-core processor, 13 megapixel rear camera, a 5 megapixel front camera and a 2500 mAH battery. This smartphone is a 4G LTE device as well.

The screen of the smartphone is made of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for extra protection. The pixel density is 267 ppi and it has an 80 degree viewing angle. The dimensions of the smartphone are 154.8x78x6/8.8 mm. This is a dual-SIM smartphone.

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30 + New Year 2015 Pictures,Wallpapers And Images

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Happy New Year

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Enjoying New Year

Black background

Loving Year

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Stars

Glowing Image

New Year Pictures

Nice One

Simple One

2015 Image

Cool Image

Happy New Year

Nice Festival

Mixture Of Colours

Remember This Day

Reddish One

Enjoying

New year 2015

Nice One

Unique Image