IT companies should not over reach themselves

India's big IT companies are building strong consulting practices that are taking them into spaces traditionally dominated by the likes of Accenture, Deloitte, PwC and even McKinsey and The Boston Consulting Group. 

Infosys' $350-million acquisition of Switzerland-headquartered Lodestone, a consulting firm focused on SAP-enabled business transformation, is only the latest indication of how serious IT companies have become about consulting. 

L and T merges Infotech business with engineering services

Infrastructure and engineering major Larsen & Toubro today said it has integrated its IT business L&T Infotech with L&T Integrated Engineering Services to accelerate growth in the technology space. 

"L&T believes this restructure will help the company in growing these businesses," the company said in a release. 

L&T Infotech has been reorganised as two clusters -- industrial and services -- and the current L&T Integrated Engineering Services will be rebranded as L&T Technology Services, it added. 

Facebook outperforms Google in advertisement revenue from browsing

Facebook is doing a better job than Google in getting web surfers to click on advertising based on browsing history, according to partners using the social network's ad service that debuted in June. 

Facebook Exchange, or FBX, generates as much as four times the return on ad dollars than other real-time bidding systems, said Triggit, which makes software tools to help Facebook deliver the ads. 

Another partner, AdRoll, said advertisers used to getting $10 for every $1 they spend are making $16 for every dollar spent on FBX. Attracting more advertisers is critical for Facebook, which has seen its stock drop 45% since its IPO in May. 

Sidbi launches website for entrepreneurs

The Small Industries Development Bank of of India (Sidbi) has launched a website—smallB.in—for young entrepreneurs in the country, which aims to be a single source of information for those aspiring to set up a venture. The mix of resources and information on the site can help provide simplify the process of establishing a business in India. 

"Young entrepreneurs do not know where to start. To add to it, a large number of registrations are required to start a business," said Sushil Muhnot, chairman and managing director of Sidbi. The website helps in preparing a business plan and managing the business in the context of the environment and sector. 

Hype around cloud making it cloudy, Gartner

Ongoing hype around private cloud computing is creating misperceptions about private cloud, according to Gartner. To help reduce the hype and identify the real value of private cloud computing for IT leaders, Gartner explains five common misconceptions about private cloud. 

"The growth of private cloud computing is being driven by the rapid penetration of virtualisation and virtualisation management, the growth of cloud computing offerings and pressure to deliver IT faster and cheaper," said Tom Bittman, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner. "However, in the rush to respond to these pressures, IT organisations need to be careful to avoid the hype, and, instead, should focus on a private cloud computing effort that makes the most business sense." 

Security is priority investment, Gartner

While the global economic slowdown has been putting pressure on IT budgets, security is expected to remain a priority through 2016, according to Gartner. Worldwide spending on security is expected to rise to $60 billion in 2012, up 8.4 per cent from $55 billion in 2011. Gartner expects this trajectory to continue, reaching $86 billion in 2016. 

The security infrastructure market consists of the software, services and network security appliances used to secure enterprise and consumer IT equipment. 

ntel wants to make passwords obsolete

Passwords for online banking, social networks and email could be replaced with the wave of a hand if prototype technology developed by Intel makes it totablets and laptops. 

Aiming to do away with the need to remember passwords for growing numbers of online services, Intel researchers have put together a tablet with new software and a biometric sensor that recognizes the unique patterns of veins on a person's palm. 

"The problem with passwords -- we use too many of them, their rules are complex, and they differ for different websites," Sridhar Iyengar, director of security research at Intel Labs, said at the annual Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco on Thursday. "There is a way out of it, and biometrics is an option." 

Sistema to buy Aircel for dollar 3 billion

Malaysian billionaire of Indian origin T Ananda Krishnan has held direct talks with Russian telecom giant Sistemato sell 74% stake in his mobile telephony company Aircel, said sources aware of the development. Sources said Ananda Krishnan, or TAN as he is called, and his local partner, the Reddys of the Apollo Hospital Group, want to quit India's telecom sector which is mired in controversies. 

TAN's Maxis Communications, which owns majority shares of Aircel, is discussing a Sistema proposal which values the Indian mobile operator at about $6 billion, said a source mentioned above. The valuation number could not be confirmed independently. Russian conglomerate Sistema operates the MTS brand in India through a joint venture with Shyam Telelink. 

iPhone 5 first lot sold out, waiting list growing

Apple today began taking pre-orders for the recently launched iPhone 5, the latest iteration of its iconic smartphone. Within a few hours, the Apple Store website showed shipping time of two weeks for all variants of the device -- 16, 32 and 64GB.

As with all iPhone launches, Apple has received a tremendous response for the recently unveiled device. The first lot of all-new iPhone 5 will be shipped on September 21, while the devices being sold at the time of writing this story were scheduled to be delivered on September 28, a week later. Apple has also put two devices-per-user limit on its online store.

When pre-booking for iPhone 5 started, many buyers encountered problems on the website, such as store under maintenance message, reported CNET. The overwhelming online sales response indicates that those who choose to buy iPhone 5 from Apple stores and carriers like AT&T, Verizon and Sprint should gear up for long lines and hours of waiting.

Microsoft detects new malware on PCs

A customer in Shenzhen, China, took a brand new laptop out of its box and booted it up for the first time. But as the screen lit up, the computer began taking on a life of its own. The machine, triggered by a virus hidden in its hard drive, began searching across the internet for another computer. 

The laptop, supposedly in pristine, super-fast, direct-from-the-factory condition, had instantly become part of an illegal, global network capable of attacking websites, looting bank accounts and stealing personal data. 

For years, online investigators have warned consumers about the dangers of opening or downloading files emailed to them from unknown or suspicious sources. Now, they say malicious software and computer code could be lurking on computers before the bubble wrap even comes off. 

Passwords for online banking, email could be replaced with wave of a hand

Passwords for online banking, social networks and email could be replaced with the wave of a hand if prototype technology developed byIntel makes it to tablets and laptops. 

Aiming to do away with the need to remember passwords for growing numbers of online services, Intel researchers have put together a tablet with newsoftware and a biometric sensor that recognizes the unique patterns of veins on a person's palm. 

"The problem with passwords, we use too many of them, their rules are complex, and they differ for different websites," Sridhar Iyengar, director of security research at Intel Labs, said at the annual Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco on Thursday. "There is a way out of it, and biometrics is an option." 

Dell India s strategy is to focus on mid market

Once a game-changer, always a game-changer.Michael Dell changed the rules of the personal computing (PC) industry with his disruptive direct-selling model and lean manufacturing. Now he's at it again. While the previous model worked well for over 20 years, the PC business commoditised and margins dwindled. Coming back as CEO in 2007, Dell who started the business from a college dorm in the early 80s, soon realised that the company needed an orbit changer.

JobBuzz Says Information Is Power Launches New Awareness Campaign

Done with college? So what is the next step? Most of the people who this question applies to, reply with a one word answer “Job”. While almost everyone acts on the idea, there are very few who have complete and accurate knowledge about their prospective employers. Straightforward observation will demonstrate that most of the job seeking population from 18 to 32 years acts to choose a career on skewed information, or limited information. Many are unsure about their career choices and the exact segment of the market where they want to chalk out their career. Limited number of people research about job roles and other statistics about employers before walking in for an interview. Adding to the existing complication of a plethora of options and the dawdling with application and rejection is the fact that there is no centralized source of information … until now!

Russian search engine Yandex plans to develop its own internet browser, says report

Yandex, Russia's most popular internet search engine, plans to develop its own internet browser to defend its market share, business daily Vedomosti reported on Thursday. 

The daily, citing unnamed sources within Yandex, reported that the browser should be available in the fourth quarter. 

Yandex, known as the 'Russian Google' and which raised $1.4 billion when it floated on the US Nasdaqstock exchange in May 2010, declined to comment. 

Google will not remove YouTube clip mocking Prophet Muhammad

YouTube, the video website owned by Google, said on Wednesday it would not remove a film clip mocking the Islamic Prophet Muhammad that has been blamed for anti-US protests in Egypt and Libya, but it has blocked access to it in those countries. 

The clip, based on a longer film, depicts the prophet as a fraud and philanderer and has been blamed for sparking violence at US embassies inCairo and Benghazi. The US Ambassador to Libya, J Christopher Stevens, and three other American diplomats were killed in an attack on the US embassy in Benghazi on Tuesday. 

University of California sues Facebook over patents

A University of California patent licensee which has sued some of the biggest US companies is taking on three more --Facebook Inc, Wal-Mart Stores Inc and the Walt Disney Co.

Eolas Technologies Inc and the Regents of the University of California filed lawsuits on Wednesday over four patents they believe the companies are infringing.

The patents for interactive technology, including hypermedia display and interaction, were issued to the university and licensed to Eolas, a Texas company chaired by Michael Doyle.

iPhone 5 launch, Apple unveils new EarPods

With the launch of iPhone 5, Apple on Wednesday also unveiled headphones with a 'breakthrough design'. The white earbuds that ship with all of Apple's portable devices are getting an update. Now called "EarPods," they're tube-shaped, which Apple said will help fit the shape of the ear. 

They'll go on sale Wednesday as a stand-alone accessory but will be included free with new devices out in October. 

Infosys launches SpeedSolve for call centres

IT bellwether Infosys Tuesday said it has launched "a comprehensive next generation product" -- SpeedSolve -- to redefine customer service by making communication faster and more efficient for call centres and related operations.

SpeedSolve, launched with AT&T, "leverages state-of-the-art technologies for messaging, multimedia, reporting and smart device integration to facilitate real-time collaboration between customer service representatives and subject matter experts," Infosys said in a statement.

Global IT companies hiring talent from small towns

When Sukruth KS first walked into the National Institute of Technology in the small town of Warangal in Andhra Pradesh three years ago, he was just another engineering student. When he passes out in May next year, he will be the one whoMicrosoft hired for a $1,00,000 (approximately Rs 60 lakh) salary for a global posting. 

Anmol Kumar, Balmukund Trivedi and Dinesh Reddy, three of Sukruth's batchmates, have also snagged similar salaries from Epic Systems, a US-based company that makes software for healthcare companies. To put that in perspective, the highest pay cheques seen at top-notch IITs are in the $1,40,000 range. 

Global tech and internet firms are on the prowl in small towns this placement season, looking to lure talent from NITs and good private engineering colleges. Both would rank a notch lower than IITs in the talent pecking order. 

Donot use social networking e-mail id for online banking, business transctions, warns Symantec

Security software maker Symantectoday advised internet users not to use e-mail ids being used for social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter for carrying out online banking or business transactions in order to prevent stealing of financial data. 

"They (internet users) should be more cautious while on social networking sites. They should have separate e-mail id for social networking site and other e-mail id for carrying out transactions like banking," Symantec MD Shantanu Ghosh told reporters here while replying to a query steps needed to be protected from cyber attack on social networking sites. 

Apple will be like Nokia, RIM in 2 years, Analysts

Asian mobile carriers look set to cash in on the iPhone 5 and its superfast speeds, but the model is not the game-changer that Apple needs if it is to remain top of the heap, analysts said on Thursday.

The phone's use of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless technology will allow carriers to increase their charges and boost profits as existing users download more content and smartphone non-converts are tempted to take the plunge.

Flipkart May Launch Its Own Payment Gateway And Marketplace Soon

Flipkart is getting into making its own payment gateway services it seems according to a report in Trak.in. Another important piece of information that the article provides is that Flipkart may be getting into the marketplace thing soon, possibly to compete with Junglee and eBay.

A forum discussion in Pluggd.in shows that two companies called “FLIPKART MARKETPLACE PRIVATE LIMITED” and “FLIPKART PAYMENT GATEWAY SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED” have been approved by the MCA in the last 15 days. Something surely is brewing up at Flipkart!

Amazon aims to offer same day delivery to its customers

At the moment, it is little more than dirt and gravel. But a sunbaked field at the edge of this farming town will play a significant role in one of the most ambitious retailing ventures of the era: the relentless quest by the online mall Amazon.com to become all things to all shoppers. 

A million-square-foot warehouse stocking razor blades and books, diapers and dog food will soon rise on this spot, less than a mile from the highway that will deliver these and just about every other product imaginable to customers 85 miles away in San Francisco. It is hundreds of miles closer to those consumers than Amazon's existing centers in Nevada and Arizona. 

Mark Zuckerberg says Facebook has overcome hurdles

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg hasn't enjoyed seeing his company's stock get pummeled on Wall Street this summer, but he is relishing the opportunity to prove his critics wrong. 

``I would rather be in a cycle where people underestimate us because I'd rather be underestimated,'' Zuckerberg said Tuesday. ``I think it gives us the latitude to go out and make some big bets.'' 

Zuckerberg, 28, made his remarks before a standing-room-only audience at a tech conference in San Francisco in his first interview since Facebook Inc.'s rocky initial public offering in May. 

Infosys BPO is stable despite senior exits

 The business process outsourcing (BPO) arm of software service exporter Infosys has been a curious case with greater appetite for acquisitions than its parent, which often gets blamed for being too conservative.

Infosys BPO has done at least three acquisitions in as many years. With a merger and acquisitions team of its own, inorganic strategy will be key to doubling its revenues to a billion dollars, CEO and Managing Director D Swaminathan told ET. In an interview with ET, he dispels concerns around recent spate of senior level exits. Excerpts: 

What Infosys should do to impress markets

 At $345 million, Infosys' acquisition of Lodestone, a European IT consultant, is its costliest ever. The purchase seems to make sense: it will increase Infosys' footprint in Europe, a market where it has so far not had a significant presence. 

Lodestone has 200 clients, of which 83% are located in Europe, mainly in Switzerland and Germany. Most of these clients will be new for Infosys, which has 700-plus clients now. 

Texas Instruments cuts forecast over poor chip demand

 Texas Instruments said on Tuesday that chip demand this quarter would be at the low end of its expectations due to weak markets such as Europe, realising investor fears.

The maker of chips for products ranging from cellphones to cars was able to maintain its financial targets for the quarter only due to an insurance payment, cost cuts and better than expected sales in its declining wireless business.

iPhone 5 launched, Taller, thinner, better

 iPhone 5, the world's most awaited gadget, is here. iPhone has been here since 2007, but Apple gave it a completely new avatar made of glass and aluminium on Wednesday in a bid to take on rising challenges from the Android brigade.

iPhone 5 is everything that a smartphone owner could possibly ever desire for: It is taller, leaner, lighter, shinier and packs in much more punch than ever. But the best part lies in its price tag. Apple iPhone 5 will cost the same as its predecessor - $199, $299 and $399 for 16, 32 and 64 GB versions respectively. These prices are applicable to the operator-locked handsets in the US market. Apple did not give out the prices of unlocked variants.

You lose more than Rs 10,000 a year to cyber crooks

In the last 12 months, cyber crime cost every Indian net victim Rs 10,585 ($192) on an average. India is emerging as the global hot spot of cyber crooks

Times Internet is online video service BoxTV opens to a rush in India, UK and US

Times Internet Ltd has launched BoxTV.com, an online video service that offers premium content such as movies, television shows and short films.

The service, BoxTV, will focus on premium content only, not hosting UGC content like Google's YouTube.BoxTV.com has been launched in India, the US and the UK, and has got 50,000 requests for registration already, Satyan Gajwani, chief executive officer of Times Internet Ltd, said.

Mobile users say best apps are free, Gartner

Nearly 90 percent of the apps downloaded for use on mobile devices worldwide are free, and most of the paid apps cost $3 or less, a research firm said onTuesday.

The report by Gartner said worldwide mobile app downloads will surpass 45.6 billion in 2012, with free downloads accounting for 40.1 billion.

Among the paid applications, 90 percent were less than $3 each, Gartner said.

The research firm said it expects this trend to continue with apps between 99 cents and $2.99 accounting for 87.5 percent of paid downloads in 2012, and 96 percent by 2016.

New encoding to make emails hacker proof

 Among the billions of emails sent back and forth daily are some that do contain personal, proprietary and sensitive information, documents, media, photos, videos and sound files. 

Unfortunately, the open nature of email means that they can be intercepted and, if not encrypted, easily read by malicious third parties. Even with the PGP - pretty good privacy - encryption scheme first used in 1995, if a sender's private "key" is compromised all their previous emails encrypted with that key can be exposed. 

Silicon Valley remains unaffected by Facebook s misery

Silicon Valley, it turns out, doesn't revolve around the stock prices of Facebook and its playful sidekick, Zynga.

By most indications, tech companies in this hub of innovation are humming along, even as two of its rising stars endure steep declines in their stock prices that have wiped out more than $60 billion in wealth in the past six months.

YouTube rolls out new version of iPhone app

Google Inc is releasing a new version of its YouTube video app for iPhones that will for the first time feature advertising but won't have the benefit of being pre-loaded on Apple Inc's popular smartphones.

The new YouTube app will be available for download at Apple's App Store beginning on Tuesday, Google said in a blog on the company website on Tuesday.

Computers to read your lips

A computer is being taught to interpret human emotions based on lip-reading, one which could improve our interaction with these machines and perhaps allow disabled people to use voice synthesizers, more effectively and efficiently.

Karthigayan Muthukaruppan of Manipal International University in Selangor, Malaysia, and co-workers have developed a system using a genetic algorithm that gets better and better with each use to match irregular ellipse (lip shapes) fitting equations to the shape of the human mouth displaying different emotions.

IBM to help Jet Airways go green

Jet Airways has can now accurately calculate, track and report aircraft emissions, thanks to IBM. The airlines can now map each carrier's carbon emissions, optimise its fuel usage by a detailed analysis of each flight. Significantly, this project is being done under the strategic 10-year business transformation agreement with the IT major to streamline and consolidate its IT operations. 

Wife of former German Prez sues Google

Bettina Wulff, the wife of the former German President Christian Wulff, has sued web giant Google in a legal action to stop rumours about her private life.

Wulff, in her defamation lawsuit against Google, claimed that when the name Bettina Wulff is typed into Google's search engine, it suggested search terms included the words "prostitute" and "red light district".

Wulff has denied that she has ever worked as a prostitute.

However, Google said that the auto-generated text reflects what others are already searching for online, the BBC reports.

Apple iPhone 5 revealed in ad before launch

As the world waits for the launch of AppleiPhone 5, Gresso, a manufacturer of luxury accessories, has rolled out a limited editionbumper case for the upcoming iPhone 5. In an ad on its website, the company has showcased the bumper case for the sixth-generation iPhone priced at $3000. 

The company, however, does not mention the dimensions of the device or where it got the dimensions from. Along with the bumper case, the advertisement shows an iPhone in the background, which likely should be iPhone 5. 

Microsoft hiring for Surface tablet

 Microsoft has begun recruiting employees for more than two dozen temporary holiday shops as it gears up to sell its new Surface tablet computer.

The US tech giant on Monday had job listings posted for retail operations for at least 30 shopping centers and urban center locations in the United States.

Microsoft is seeking retail store managers and other personnel for its "Microsoft Holiday Stores," but has released no specifics on how long these shops would be operational or what they would sell.

Cybercrime cost India dollar 8 billion in last 12 months, Norton

More than 42 million people in India have fallen prey to cybercrime in the past 12 months, suffering about $ 8 billion in direct financial losses, estimates a report by security solutions firm Norton.

The 'Norton Cybercrime Report 2012' found, based on experiences of more than 13,000 adults across 24 countries (including 1,000 from India), said direct costs associated with global consumer cybercrime are pegged at $ 110 billion over the past twelve months.

"In India, it is estimated that more than 42 million people fell victim to cybercrime in the past 12 months, suffering approximately $ 8 billion in direct financial losses," it said.

Facebook users spend at least 8 hours a day on the site

One in nine Facebook users admit to spending a daily average of eight hours on the social networking site and checking their accounts over 20 times a day, according to a new UK research. 

The research by a UK based e-commerce website examined the social media habits of 18-25 year olds in Britain and found that most obsessed Facebook users log onto the site over 20 times a day and spend a daily average of eight hours on the social networking site - the equivalent of a full working day. 

Mahindra group to merge IT businesses with Tech Mahindra

 Anand Mahindra plans to merge the information technology businesses of his $15-billion group under the Mahindra Satyam-Tech Mahindra combine, or allow the smaller entities to explore strategic options including sale or merger with an outside entity. This would entail Bristlecone and Mahindra Engineering Services to come under Tech Mahindra or chart an independent course. 

The diversified conglomerate, which forayed into IT almost 25 years ago, has mandated investment bankers for this restructuring, said sources directly familiar with the matter. The latest development comes even as the automobile-to-aerospace group is finalizing the merger of Mahindra Satyam — which it acquired through a government sponsored deal — with parent Tech Mahindra. 

Software glitch forces GM to halt sales of 60k cars

 General Motors has halted the sale of about 60,000 2013 models, including itsChevrolet Cruze compact car and Equinox crossover, to repair a software problem that affects the vehicles' OnStar communication system.

The cars are now on US dealer lots and the repairs should be done by early next week, saidGM spokesman Alan Adler on Friday. The fix takes about 30 minutes.

Mobile subscriber dip shows uncertainty in telecom industry, COAI

The decline in the number of mobile subscribers depicts the uncertainty the telecom market is witnessing right now and calls for a concrete policy by the government to address the issue, an industry lobby said on Sunday.

According to the data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), the telecom subscribers base fell to 944.81 million in July from 965.52 million in June - the first ever decline in the country.

Dell, Ramco join hands to leverage ERP as a service on the cloud

Dell today announced its strategic alliance withRamco Systems to deliver Ramco's ERP-as-a-service on the cloud to help mid-market businesses execute cost and operational efficiencies and accelerate revenue growth. The new offering strengthens Dell's growing portfolio of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions. 

Ramco's ERP on cloud supports businesses with wide functionalities across various industry segments, including production planning, asset management and analytics, along with regular corporate functionalities of HR, supply chain management (SCM), customer relationship management (CRM), and financial management. 

Why Lodestone acquisition may not change Infosys fortunes

 Lodestone's takeover will be a step closer for Infosys to strengthen its presence in the European market for IT enterprise services. With it, comes a battery of over 750 consultants that would add to the pool of Infy's in-house 10,000 SAP professionals. While this sounds great for the erstwhile IT bellwether, which has been struggling to grow business, it would not be able to influence its current situation at least in the near term on several counts.

Tiny size of the acquired business

Micromax takes a dig at Samsung in advertisements

Micromax, the indigenous phone maker, has taken on world's biggest smartphone manufacturer Samsung with advertisements that take a pot shot at the latter's Galaxy Y budget Android phone. Its advertisements build upon Samsung's phrase "aapke paas nahi hai uncle" and belittle the South Korean company's smallest phone in the Galaxy series by ridiculing its screen size and processor speed. 

BPO company Hinduja Global to hire 4,000 in 2012

Hinduja Global Solutions, the BPO arm of the diversified Hinduja Group, plans to hire about 3,000-4,000 people in the current fiscal. 

The company, which sees the global economic slowdown opening up more opportunities for the sector, also plans to open new centres inCanada and London. 

"Hiring has been good. We added about 4,000 people last year. I would say the trend may be the same this year too... about 3,000-4,000," company's Chief Executive Officer Paratha De Sarkar told PTI. 

Google fights to unseat Amazon as the top online mall

Whether you are looking to buy a power tool or neon jeans online, chances are you start your search onGoogle or Amazon.com. But which one? 

Behind the scenes, the two companies are waging a war to become the pre-eminent online mall. And e-commerce sites large and small are caught in the crossfire. As for consumers, the question is whether they will see a full range of products available online. 

Google is a search engine, not a store, but it is increasingly inching into e-commerce with products like its comparison-shopping service, Google Shopping. At the same time, more people are using Amazon, a retailer, as a search engine to look for what they want to buy. 

Wipro eyeing investments in Omani IT market, Premji

Wipro is looking at making Oman its next largest strategic market in the Gulf region and is looking forward to making biginvestments in the country, its chairman and managing director Azim Premji has said.

During his visit to Oman, Premji said it is potentially a very important market.

"It is a good to do business here and we have made a good entry. We think we can grow very aggressively here," he told the 'Times of Oman'.

Sachin joins Facebook, gets 4.42 lakh Likes

Sachin Tendulkar has signed up for Facebook! The batting maestro now has his offical page on Facebook, which will be managed by Seven3Rockersm, a digital VAS company. At the time of the writing this copy, the page had generated over 4.42 lakh 'Likes' from Sachin's fans. He will use this platform as a means to connect, interact and engage with his fans on the internet. 

Eastman Kodak to cut 1,000 more jobs

Bankrupt Eastman Kodak said it will cut 1,000 additional jobs by the end of this year and may cut more as it focuses on its commercial packaging and printing business. 

The company, which invented the digital camera but had trouble adjusting to the digital age, has already reduced its workforce by about 2,700 worldwide since the beginning of 2012. 

Kodak also said Chief Operating Officer Philip Faraci and Chief Financial Officer Antoinette McCorvey will leave the company, which filed for bankruptcy protection in January. 

Spotify could have browser based version coming soon

Spotify is every bit a modern music service except for one thing: in order to use it on a PC or Mac, you have to download an application. That may be no big deal for users of smartphones or tablets (who seem to enjoy Spotify’s mobile apps), but it’s still a little weird on a desktop or laptop, and so a report that Spotify plans to release a browser-based version of its service makes a fair amount of sense.

Techcrunch reported Saturday that Spotify–the brainchild of Sean Parker and Daniel Elk–will release a web service in the near future that would allow users to log into their Spotify accounts from any PC or Mac and stream music. The report said that the service will likely add a few new music-discovery features as well.

RBI for banking facilities to visually challenged and physically disabled

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has advised banks to adopt measures to ensure that visually challenged and those with physical disabilities aren't discriminated against or at a disadvantage when accessing banking facilities.

RBI's advisory follows a report by Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities which noted that visually challenged persons are facing problems in availing banking facilities like internet banking.

How Twitter can help you find a new job

 If you're looking for a new job, you might want to consider using Twitter along with more traditional search tools to market yourself, find open positions, get career advice and network, it has been revealed.

You can begin by highlighting your skills in your Twitter bio, career experts advise, the New York Post reported.

According to reCareered.com President Phil Rosenberg, if you're currently employed and secretly looking for a new job you can create an additional Twitter profile for job-seeking purposes.

Kindle Fire HD First impressions

Amazon's new Kindle Fire HD boasts a much more vibrant screen than the original tablet that came out about a year ago. That makes buying movies and TV shows to watch on the device a lot more appealing. 

The screen is such a major improvement that I can't see why you would purchase the upgraded non-HD older model, even if it means saving $40. The new offering brings the new Kindle Fire HD into closer competition with Apple's market-leading iPad, which introduced a higher resolution screen earlier this year. 

Samsung says its multitouch software is not as awesome as Apple s

The battle rages on between Samsung and Apple over very expensive patent infringement claims. This time, the fight is in the Netherlands, and Samsung has taken an unusual line of defense against the charges by arguing that its touchscreen is not as good as Apple's. The company said that its multitouch software is more complex for developers to use than Apple's touch event model. The Android version also works on the application level rather than at the level of the operating system, as it does for iOS.

You may get call from Facebook if profile identity is suspect

Social networking giant Facebook is making a "huge effort" to weed out fake profiles to prevent misuse of such identities, a senior company official has said. 

"Absolutely, there is a huge effort," Facebook India business manager Pavan Varma told PTI when asked about the company's action on this front. 

If Facebook doubts the ownership of an account, it will ask the user to identify himself/herself, he said.

Full Coverage on Apple's new iPhone 

Time to bet on the stylus, again

Ever since I started in the design game more than 15 years ago, the stylus has been on the verge of death, or on the verge of a comeback depending on who you talk to. Thanks to the tablet, it seems the stylus is having a renaissance. If you do a search on Kickstarter for “stylus” you will find about 31 projects. I personally have backed three of these projects and have purchased a total of 7 different styli in my quest for the perfect iPad companion (my current favorite is the Lunatik Touch Pen). Why do I want a stylus? While I love my iPad for email, Web browsing and media consumption, I know it could reduce my need for pen and paper if only I had an accessory that afforded me more precision than my chunky index finger.

Apple iPhone 5 to feature next gen 4G

Tech giant Apple's new iPhone 5 will work on the fastest wireless networks around the world, including in the US, Europe and Asia, though it may vary among different mobile carriers.

The phone will have an advanced technical capability of LTE (Long Term Evolution) wireless network that would give all phone carriers a chance to sell their fastest data services to Apple's base of iPhone customers.

Smartphone makers, including market leaderSamsung Electronics, have already begun offering LTE phones globally, achieving a selling point that Apple has lacked so far, the Wall Street Journal reports.