Naveed Babar

Google is shutting down its Orkut social network on September 30' 2014

2014-06-30T21:34:00.000+05:00

Google today announced plans to shut down Orkut, its first attempt at building a social network. The platform will be formally closed on September 30, after which users will be unable to log in or export their photo albums to Google+.

Orkut grew out of Google’s 20 percent initiative, which allowed employees to use a fifth of their working week on side projects. Of course, the social network has since been supplanted by Google+, a more ambitious service that ties into many of Google’s other products. The decision to close Orkut is therefore hardly surprising – the fact it took so long is probably more of a shock.

Starting today, it will be impossible for newcomers to create a new Orkut account. Existing users can access the service as normal, however; Google says the three-month period should “give the community time to manage the transition.” Orkut enthusiasts can also export their profile data , community posts and photos using Google Takeout.

Orkut has been around for a decade and to mark its legacy, Google will preserve all of the site’s public communities in an archive. It’s a nice gesture, although users can choose to opt-out by decoupling Orkut from their Google account.

“It’s been a great 10 years, and we apologize to those still actively using the service,” Paulo Golgher, an engineering director at Google said. “We hope people will find other online communities to spark more conversations and build even more connections for the next decade and beyond.”
The Orkut app will be removed from Google Play and the App Store later today. You can find out more about the changes and how its user base will be affected in the coming months here.
Google says it’ll be focusing its efforts on YouTube, Blogger and Google+ moving forward. None of these services featured at the company’s I/O conference last week, although CEO Larry Page insisted the latter is still “growing tremendously.” Google+ was recently updated with a new photo editor, Auto-Awesome Effects and photo albums called Google+ Stories.

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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CORE I3, CORE I5, CORE I7...

2013-07-27T00:21:00.000+05:00

-> Core i3:
* Entry level processor.
* 2-4 Cores* 4 Threads
* Hyper-Threading (efficient use of processor resources)
* 3-4 MB Cache
* 32 nm Silicon (less heat and energy)

-> Core i5:
* Mid range processor.
* 2-4 Cores
* 4 Threads
* Turbo Mode (turn off core if not used)
* Hyper-Threading (efficient use of processor resources)
* 3-8 MB Cache
* 32-45 nm Silicon (less heat and energy)

-> Core i7:
* High end processor.
* 4 Cores
* 8 Threads
* Turbo Mode (turn off core if not used)
* Hyper-Threading (efficient use of processor resources)
* 4-8 MB Cache
* 32-45 nm Silicon (less heat and energy)

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Facebook: If It's Not Broke

2012-05-17T01:06:00.000+05:00

Some clever big wigs behind social network phenomenon Facebook have decided the current smooth running of the site is simply not enough. No doubt keeping the Facebook site builders busy and in employment, CEO Mark Zuckerburg has announced the roll out of the dreaded timeline, which is currently optional but due to become mandatory for all users.

The timeline in short is a hazy inaccurate scrap book of your life - well at least your life since you joined the website. Making it easily accessible to view every wall comment, status, or picture tag & upload simply by hitting the year in which you (or your friends) want to visit.

Facebook is a fantastic tool which helps you to stay in touch with people that without it you probably would have long forgotten. Its a great way to speak to distant family members, old school pals and those friends who've moved away, making it difficult to visit them on a regular basis.

After finding out someone I didn't want to know the ins & outs of my daily life could access my profile via a mutual friend, I made a conscious decision around a year ago to only update my status with silly jokes, general social commentary or inane chatter about my dog, TV or the weekend which I would be indifferent about strangers knowing.

My profile has always been set to private and I only have people on my friends list whom I actually know & have met at one time in my life or another. My true friends who I actually still make the effort to see, I can probably count on two hands. These are the friends whom I have no qualms about sharing all aspects of my life with. Whilst of course I like all the people on my friends list, most are just acquaintances, some I've not seen for years. Despite what someone's profile leads you to believe - no one actually has 500+ friends.

So what do I expect to see on my timeline? I travelled. I went to a party. I was unhappy. I was drunk. I got angry. I was bored. I had a Chinese takeaway. I hated someone. I watched a TV series. I went shopping twice in one weekend. All statements I would never dream of immortalising if I was making a psychical scrapbook - so why does Facebook feel it necessary to allow me & my friends to revisit these times? Why on earth would I (or my fiance) want to see photo's or wall posts from ex partners, read an irate status that is long forgotten or be reminded of old friends who we no longer associate with?

As I'm getting older (& possibly more boring) I'm finding Twitter much more suited to my needs. The conundrum of posting your entire life in words and pictures on Facebook is becoming increasingly alien to me, despite the fact I had a very different view just a few years ago.

A survey independent from Facebook conducted in 2010 suggested that old partners, ex friends & enemies or those who only know of you through degrees of separation are more likely to access your public profile on a regular basis than your actual friends.

Thanks to Facebook I know the ins and outs of the lives of babies and toddlers whom I've not actually ever met. You are bombarded with only the positive rose tinted tidbits implying a perfectly warped impression of parenting without the mundane or frustrating aspects.

Other users openly declare their Doctors latest diagnosis on returning from the GP. Katy's had cystitis twice in 3 months & Michelle's benefit payments are paid fortnightly Tuesday

Some crudely imply they've 'just had a good ol' session' forgetting Catholic great aunt Mary is on their friends list. One will openly update all 500 of their online friends of their tragic struggle battling mental illness & another is blase about discussing their pending day as the accused in court.

Some even speak with those whom previously they never had many dealings, thanks to the equivocal weak link that both parties happen to have children. (Like millions of other women in the country). This entails liking and commenting on each others sprog-related status updates. Every. single. one. of. them.

"Did you breastfeed & have a natural birth?" ...Well I tried to breastfeed once & had a C section, but OMG! lets now forge a friendship based on this tenuous link!

I will cringe at what I wrote just 2-3 years ago no doubt, along with the many(!) photos I took from the age of 15 onwards but at least I am responsible for putting them there.

As the generation of Facebooked children become adults. Developing little personalities of their own and inevitably become computer literate internet savvy grown ups. I'm not sure they are going to appreciate that Mum & Dad's Facebook timeline - which is no doubt permanently archived on the web forever - is public viewing for them ...or their teasing school friends.

It's bad enough I cringe when my Mum gets my baby album out purely for the amusement of my fiance, let alone having 2,749 of them for the whole world to see at a click of a mouse.

Facebook is persistently redesigned when it doesn't need to be. It worked perfectly fine as it was with the previous basic but functional layouts, without the live post ticker, scarily accurate photo recognition tagging technology and without the facility to chat in real time.

As the timeline roll out looms it does make you question; if it was never broke in the first place - why are Zuckerburg & co constantly trying to fix it?

Source Facebook / Twitter

Be Aware while use Skype

2012-05-01T00:07:00.001+05:00

If you are a user of the messaging software Skype, you know that you can see the location of your contacts in the Skype interface. What you probably do not know is that there is currently a way to display a Skype user’s remote and local IP address as well.

A script has been uploaded to Github that offers these options. According to the page, it can be used to lookup IP addresses of online Skype accounts, and return both the remote and the local IP of that account on a website.

This blog post reveals how the script works. It basically starts an add a Skype contact request but does not complete it. The log file will display the local and remote IP of that Skype user, even if the user is not added to the list of contacts in Skype.

The script is for instance available on this site. Just enter the user name of a Skype user, fill out the captcha, and click the search button to initiate the lookup. You will receive the user’s remote IP and port, as well as the local IP and port.

This works only if the Skype user is online at the time of the lookup, and not if the user is offline. The IP address can reveal the user’s country of origin, and maybe even the town or district. This can be done with the help of tools such as this one. Just enter a public IP address in the form, and you will receive information about the provider of the IP address.
You can also use a tool like IP on Map to display the real world location of an IP address on a map.

Some Skype users may not see this as a problem at all, as the IP address does not reveal a user’s name or street address for instance. The IP address can however lead to those information, for instance in a lawsuit.

There is currently no way of protecting yourself against the lookup of the IP address, other than not logging in to Skype when the software is not needed. The only other option would be the use of a virtual private network or proxy to hide the IP address from users who look it up. (via Hacker News)

What’s your take on this? Do you think Microsoft / Skype should fix the issue, for instance by revealing IP addresses only after confirmation by the new contact in Skype?

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Swiss Army Knife With 1 TB USB Flash Drive

2012-04-28T23:01:00.003+05:00

Victorinox has launched a Swiss Army Knife, which will also have a 1 TeraByte USB Flash drive. Victorinox has had the USB knife in its product line for many years, but this one, titled the SSD, has many additional features. The SSD connects to eSATA II/III and USB 2.0/3.0 with a single connector. It has a monochrome graphic display, which shows what is on the drive. The USB drive supports 256 AES encryption.

This Swiss Army Knife Has a 1 Terabyte USB Drive Alongside the Essentials
The flash drive can contain the data up to 64GB, 128GB, 256GB and 1TB. The data transfer rates are 22MB/s for reading and 15MB/s for writing.
Apart from the monstrous flash drive, the knife also consists of a blade, scissors, nail file with a screwdriver tip and a LED/laser pointer.
“The Victorinox Swiss Army brand is synonymous with everyday “survival” tools and we continue to evolve our product offerings in the electronics division to provide solutions for living in a technology-focused world,” said Andrea Huder, Head of Electronics for Victorinox. “The addition of the Victorinox SSD and Slim 3.0 to the flash USB line provides consumers with a quick and reliable way to store, transport and protect their personal and professional documents.”
This device will be available in April 2012. It’s price has not yet been announced.

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Facebook Might Allow Underage Children

2012-04-28T21:53:00.002+05:00

Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg is willing to change the age restrictions to become a member of Facebook. This will allow the children younger than 13 years to join and use the website. In a report published by International Business Times, Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged that the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act regulates what information websites can gather on children under age 13 and wants to change this.

According to a survey by Consumer Reports, almost 7.5 million kids under the age of 13 use different social networking sites. What’s surprising is that 5 million of the children are under the age of 10.

One of the major issues with the children using Facebook is time management. Children will find it difficult to manage the time while using Facebook. Also social networking for children is too early to begin if Facebook were to allow underage children, but it will definitely save them grace by telling truth about their age.

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Install Apps on Android

2012-04-28T20:52:00.001+05:00

If you are using an Android smartphone, you will definitely want to know how to install apps on Android. There are certain applications that you will want to have on your Android phone. But as a beginner you find it difficult to install or uninstall the apps.

In this article, we will give you the information about how to install apps on Android. We are sure you will this information useful.
How to Install Apps on Android

The best way to download an install an app on Android is to use the Android Marketplace. It is similar to iPhone store. The Android marketplace is a repository containing many different apps. Many different developers develop the apps and upload to the Android marketplace for others to use. Some of the apps are free, while others are paid.

Installing Android Applications

To install apps on your Android device, use the following steps:
1- Go to the Applications Menu, and open the Android Marketplace.
2- From here you can find the desired application. You can search for your desired app or you can browse to find the desired app.
3- Each application has a rating and description. You can choose your app based on these.
4- Click on the application you are interested in. Then click the Install button towards the bottom of the screen.
5- To install the application, you have to agree to the terms.

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10 Reasons You Should Buy an iPhone

2012-04-26T20:28:00.005+05:00

1) Because they have rounded edges, so you won't poke yourself.
2) Because the other kids in your high school class have one already.
3) Because you enjoy donating to CISPA every time you pay your bill.
4) Because Steve Jobs said to buy one and he knew everything.
5) Because you love to spend money on a minor upgrade each year.
6) Because you like to laugh at Siri trying to understand your accent.
7) Because you love Instagram and want the authentic experience.
8) Because the 3.5" screen fits your dainty little fingers so well.
9) Because you want to do your part to bring back slave labor.
10) Because you just don't know any better.

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Nokia launches 41 megapixel smartphone‎

2012-03-01T21:14:00.000+05:00

Nokia says the phone is only so slightly heavier than previous models and is still pocketable.

Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia has unveiled a new smartphone with an unprecedented 41-megapixel camera.

The 450 Euros device, 808 PureView, runs on software that Nokia is reportedly phasing out in favour of the Windows Phone.

The new smartphone, which was announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, is expected to launch in Europe in May, The Telegraph reports.

With 41 MP, the phone is able to shoot images that Nokia claims can be printed in "poster size".

Files, however, condense four or five pixels into one, and Nokia claims they are smaller than equivalent products from rivals.

A Carl Zeiss lens shoots in continuous focus HD video, at 1080p.

Mary McDowell, the firm s executive vice president for mobile phones, said the company s engineers had been working on the product "for years".

She said it was "natural" to assume that its technology would be used in other Nokia products in the future.

McDowell added that while the device was larger than its rivals, it was still sized to fit in pockets, rather than replace a full-size camera.

According to the report, the device uses a 1.3GHz processor, comes with 16GB of storage and runs a 4" screen at 360 x 640, which is below HD resolution.

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Zenbook UX31 Asus New Creation

2012-03-01T20:57:00.001+05:00

This slim, clever and quick laptop is great news for those who need Windows

13.3 inch screen | 2.3 mm front edge | 4 GB RAM | 4+ hours battery time

Only 2.8 mm thin at the front edge and about 17 mm at the thickest point, the Zenbook is as slim and stylish as it gets. The spun metal and hairline aluminium body give it an industrial yet appealing look. And it can get cracking from sleep mode in just 2 seconds. If that is not impressive for a Windows machine, its standby time of two weeks certainly is.

This good-looking, fast machine is smart too. It automatically saves all data and open files when its battery reaches 5 per cent charge. You don’t have to bother with shutting down before rushing off for a meeting.

While you can choose between an i5 or i7 Core processor, there is no option to the 13.3 inch (33.8 cm) screen. (In case you want an 11.1 inch display, you can go for Asus’ UX21 model.) The LED backlit display supports 1,600 x 900 p resolution. Integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 give you basic graphic processing, but you can’t push it to the edge.

For storage you can choose between a 128 GB or 256 GB hard disc, and there is 4 GB of Ram. It comes preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium. And while it looks thin, the machine is slightly heavy at 1.3 kg.

For connectivity, it has: USB 3.0, USB 2.0, Micro HDMI port, and a mini-VGA port. There is no Ethernet, just a Wi-Fi. What is really nice is that this machine is Bluetooth 4.0 ready.

The other smashing features are in its speakers. Asus teamed up with B&O, and incorporated in them its Sonic Master technology. The sound is enhanced because of digital sound processing and the speakers’ oversized resonance chambers.

The Zenbook delivers a good 4+ hours of battery time on power save mode. In this mode, however, the machine tends to be a bit slow—especially while browsing the internet or working on large Excelsheets. It works fine in performance mode, but you will need to keep its power adapter nearby.

This machine works very well for people who want a thin and light machine that does what it promises, runs Windows, and boasts of a good battery backup.

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