Microsoft unveils new mobile software platform

MS, Intel and Nokia team up in hope to give Apple and Google a run for their money, finds Ashlee Vance

The frenetic pace of the mobile phone industry has forced some of the technology world’s largest players to make a break with the past. Microsoft, Intel and Nokia—all leaders in their respective markets—have struggled to capitalise on the rise of a new class of smartphones that can tap into a vast pool of software. So these companies have come to the world’s largest mobile technology conference here with a message of change. They’re willing to abandon tradition if it means getting another shot at the fast-growing mobile device market and blunting the advance of companies like Apple and Google. On Monday at the Mobile World Congress, Microsoft unveiled a new version of its flagship smartphone software, which was called Windows Mobile but has now been dubbed Windows Phone. Steve A Ballmer, Microsoft’s chief executive, took the stage for a few minutes before a demonstration of the new software began. “We debated a lot about how much we should position and talk about from whence we have come and what we will show you,” Ballmer said. “At the end of the day, we said, ‘Let’s get on with the show.’” Windows Phone 7 Series has a cleaner look than most of today’s phone software, with bright blue icons on a black background. One version of the initial screen has four large, square icons for Phone, People, E-Mail and Text functions that Microsoft calls Live Tiles. Underneath, a rectangular box pulls in calendar information. And below that Microsoft is highlighting its Zune music and video software and its Xbox Live gaming service. The product marks a rare moment when Microsoft scrapped previous versions of its software in favour of building something new from scratch. Microsoft has spent the past 18 months trying to add gloss and sophistication to a product that had suffered ridicule as being clunky and too wedded to the company’s personal computer roots. “We think there is a really big opportunity for a fresh start,” said Todd Peters, the vice president at Microsoft in charge of mobile product marketing. “Consumers have an amazing capacity for retrying things.” Intel and Nokia too have opted for a fresh start. The companies have decided to create a new software platform called MeeGo that they hope will make its way into cars, home phones, smartphones and computers. At its core, MeeGo stands as a broad attempt to outflank mobile phone software from Google, Apple and Microsoft by creating a product that can bring a similar interface to a wider range of computing devices. “The next evolution of mobile computing, which is way beyond smartphones, tablets and netbooks, will require a truly open platform,” said Kai Öistämö, Nokia’s head of devices. Historically, Microsoft and Intel have dominated the computing industry hand-in-hand, with Microsoft producing the most-used software and Intel building the most popular chips. But this Wintel duopoly, as it’s sometimes called, has failed to carry over to the mobile world. Instead, Microsoft finds itself taking yet another crack at building phone software and trying to play the role of the innovator rather than an also-ran mimicking Apple and Google. For its part, Intel has been forced into the software game so that it can ensure that enough solid applications exist for the company’s Atom chips, which sit in laptops today but have yet to make their way into mobile phones. So different is this new world order that Microsoft has thus far refused to offer a version of its mobile operating system for the Atom chips, focusing instead on building software for rival ARM chips. Nokia emerged as a natural partner for Intel given the company’s recent struggles in the smartphone arena. While its leads in overall smartphone market share, Nokia has watched interest in Apple’s iPhone and phones based on Google’s Android software skyrocket. The iPhone, in particular, also opened up the market for mobile applications through Apple’s App Store, which has served up more than 3 billion software downloads. Intel and Nokia look to team on attracting software developers to MeeGo, and Intel has even backed the idea of running MeeGo on rival chips if it helps the software gain broader interest. Analysts contend that the mobile market remains in a state of flux, leaving plenty of room for these companies to build momentum if they can create something that catches the consumers’ eye. Microsoft has intended to do just that by reorganising its mobile division and presenting people a phone interface quite unlike anything else on the market. More than two years ago, Microsoft started plucking top executives away from companies in a wide variety of industries, hoping they could revitalise its mobile software group. Mr. Peters brought some marketing muscle over from Staples, where he helped to create the popular “Easy Button” campaign. Other executives arrived from Procter & Gamble and Nike, as Microsoft sought to find a new way of talking to consumers, since about 86 percent of phones running Windows are sold through retail outlets. While studies show that consumers tend to react favourably to the Windows brand, they’ve been less enamoured with the way Microsoft’s phone software works. “We need to have a degree of humility as we go about our business,” Peters said. “It has been painful, but it’s getting better.” Microsoft has also pulled some of its top engineers from other divisions over to the phone group, hoping the workers could provide inspiration and structure around the processes needed to make a polished product on time. “We debated a lot about how much we should position and talk about from whence we have come and what we will show you,”

History of Indian Tricolor

"A flag is a necessity for all nations. Millions have died for it.
 It is no doubt a kind of idolatry which would be a sin to destroy. 
For, a flag represents an Ideal The unfurling of the Union Jack evokes
 in the English breast sentiments whose strength it is difficult to measure. 
The Stars and Stripes mean a world to the Americans. 
The Star and the Crescent will call forth the best bravery in Islam." 

"It will be necessary for us Indians Muslims, Christians Jews, Parsis, 
and all others to whom India is their home-to recognize a common flag to live and to die for." 
- Mahatma Gandhi

Every free nation of the world has its own flag. It is a symbol of a free country. The National Flag of India was designed by Pingali Venkayyaand and adopted in its present form during the meeting of Constituent Assembly held on the 22 July 1947, a few days before India's independence from the British on 15 August, 1947. It served as the national flag of the Dominion of India between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950 and that of the Republic of India thereafter. In India, the term "tricolour" refers to the Indian national flag.

The National flag of India is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy blue wheel which represents the chakra. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes.

Evolution of the Tricolour

It is really amazing to see the various changes that our National Flag went through since its first inception. It was discovered or recognised during our national struggle for freedom. The evolution of the Indian National Flag sailed through many vicissitudes to arrive at what it is today. In one way it reflects the political developments in the nation. Some of the historical milestones in the evolution of our National Flag involve the following:

Unofficial flag of India 
in 1906 

The Berlin committee 
flag, first raised by 
Bhikaiji Cama in 1907 

The flag used during the 
Home Rule movement 
in 1917 

The flag unofficially 
adopted in 1921 

The flag adopted in 1931. 
This flag was also the 
battle ensign of the 
Indian National Army 

The present Tricolour 
flag of India

The first national flag in India is said to have been hoisted on August 7, 1906, in the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) in Calcutta now Kolkata. The flag was composed of three horizontal strips of red, yellow and green.

The second flag was hoisted in Paris by Madame Cama and her band of exiled revolutionaries in 1907 (according to some inl9OS). This was very similar to the first flag except that the top strip had only one lotus but seven stars denoting the Saptarishi. This flag was also exhibited at a socialist conference in Berlin.

The third flag went up in 1917 when our political struggle had taken a definite turn. Dr. Annie Besant and Lokmanya Tilak hoisted it during the Home rule movement. This flag had five red and four green horizontal strips arranged alternately, with seven stars in the saptarishi configuration super-imposed on them. In the left-hand top corner (the pole end) was the Union Jack. There was also a white crescent and star in one corner.

During the session of the All India Congress Committee which met at Bezwada in 1921 (now Vijayawada) an Andhra youth prepared a flag and took it to Gandhiji. It was made up of two colours-red and green-representing the two major communities i.e. Hindus and Muslims. Gandhiji suggested the addition of a white strip to represent the remaining communities of India and the spinning wheel to symbolise progress of the Nation.

The year 1931 was a landmark in the history of the flag. A resolution was passed adopting a tricolor flag as our national flag. This flag, the forbear of the present one, was saffron, white and green with Mahatma Gandhi's spinning wheel at the center. It was, however, clearly stated that it bore no communal significance and was to be interpreted thus.

On July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly adopted it as Free India National Flag. After the advent of Independence, the colours and their significance remained the same. Only the Dharma Charkha of Emperor Asoka was adopted in place of the spinning wheel as the emblem on the flag. Thus, the tricolour flag of the Congress Party eventually became the tricolour flag of Independent India.

Colours of the Flag:

In the national flag of India the top band is of Saffron colour, indicating the strength and courage of the country. The white middle band indicates peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The last band is green in colour shows the fertility, growth and auspiciousness of the land.

The Chakra:

This Dharma Chakra depicted the "wheel of the law" in the Sarnath Lion Capital made by the 3rd-century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The chakra intends to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation.

Flag Code

On 26th January 2002, the Indian flag code was modified and after several years of independence, the citizens of India were finally allowed to hoist the Indian flag over their homes, offices and factories on any day and not just National days as was the case earlier. Now Indians can proudly display the national flag any where and any time, as long as the provisions of the Flag Code are strictly followed to avoid any disrespect to the tricolour. For the sake of convenience, Flag Code of India, 2002, has been divided into three parts. Part I of the Code contains general description of the National Flag. Part II of the Code is devoted to the display of the National Flag by members of public, private organizations, educational institutions, etc. Part III of the Code relates to display of the National Flag by Central and State governments and their organisations and agencies.

There are some rules and regulations upon how to fly the flag, based on the 26 January 2002 legislation. These include the following:

The Do's:

• The National Flag may be hoisted in educational institutions (schools, colleges, sports camps, scout camps, etc.) to inspire respect for the Flag. An oath of allegiance has been included in the flag hoisting in schools.
• A member of public, a private organization or an educational institution may hoist/display the National Flag on all days and occasions, ceremonial or otherwise consistent with the dignity and honour of the National Flag.
• Section 2 of the new code accepts the right of all private citizens to fly the flag on their premises.

The Don'ts

• The flag cannot be used for communal gains, drapery, or clothes. As far as possible, it should be flown from sunrise to sunset, irrespective of the weather.
• The flag cannot be intentionally allowed to touch the ground or the floor or trail in water. It cannot be draped over the hood, top, and sides or back of vehicles, trains, boats or aircraft.
• No other flag or bunting can be placed higher than the flag. Also, no object, including flowers or garlands or emblems can be placed on or above the flag. The tricolour cannot be used as a festoon, rosette or bunting.

The Indian National Flag represents the hopes and aspirations of the people of India. It is the symbol of our national pride. Over the last five decades, several people including members of armed forces have ungrudgingly laid down their lives to keep the tricolour flying in its full glory.

HP India launches HP Mini 210 Notebook

Country's leading PC brand expanded its outstanding Mini notebook portfolio with the launch of new HP Mini210 notebooks. With thin, striking designs and colours, the new models are engineered to provide an unsurpassed customer experience for technology enthusiasts looking for performance, design, style and innovation.

Available in the HP Mini's broadest range of color and design options to date, the affordable HP Mini 210 provides all-day computing, optional high-definition (HD) video playback,mobile broadband connectivity, and is global positioning system-capable (GPS).

The latest HP Mini210 is the best in the industry and boasts of the latest Atom 450 instead of Atom 280 with advanced features and suite of incredibly power packed applications for all users' computing needs. Its embedded features likeChicklet keyboard, Chicklet Touchpad with multi gesture support, stereo speakers, wireless LAN, integrated webcam, Bluetooth, Microsoft Windows 7 OS and battery life of more than 9.5 hours make the HP Mini210 a superb user experience.

Starting at 1.22 kilos (with HDD) and measuring less than 1-inch thin, the HP Mini 210 is available in a colorful choice of stylish Black Crystal, Silver Crystal, Pacific Blue or Sonoma Red HP Imprint finishes.

With a 10.1-inch diagonal standard or optional BrightView Infinity HD LED widescreen display and an island-style keyboard that is 93 percent of a full-size QWERTY keyboard, the new HP Mini 210 is designed for those who surf the web, check email, listen to music and need access to people or information while on the go. The companion PC also features a built-in WLAN, webcam and microphone. Enjoy more than 9.5 hours of battery life of freedom and fun, and connect with optional 3G broadband connectivity and GPS-ready system.

New software enhances the HP Mini 210 PC’s multimedia experience and makes it even easier to access offline content and update files on the go, anytime and anywhere:
• Access your music, photos and documents from anywhere with HP Cloud Drive – Allows users to access their synchronized content – including documents, photos and music – from the cloud without having to store it on a local drive.
• On-demand access to your media with HP MediaStream – Allows users to stream multimedia content from one PC to another over the Internet, without requiring data to be downloaded.
• Keep your music in sync with HP QuickSync software – Automatically synchronizes files created or edited on the road with a home or business PC over a wireless connection when connected to the same network.
• Access the Internet in an instant with HP QuickWeb – Allows users to access the web without booting up the notebook by simply pushing a button. In seconds, users have a connection to the Internet and can access websites and other content that normally requires a standard browser, as well as photos, music and more.
In addition to viewing HD content on the Internet, users can experience their own personal multiplex via an optional Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video Accelerator, which allows users to enjoy up to 1,080-pixel HD content.

The HP Mini 210 supports up to 2 gigabyte (GB) of memory and large hard drive options up to 320 GB, offering plenty of space to store movies, music, applications and files. A convenient, built-in VGA port allows users to connect to an external monitor, while a five-in-one digital media slot allows users to transfer files easily from various memory formats and amplify their entertainment experience anytime, anywhere.

Powered by an Intel Atom processor N450 with 1.66 GHz, the HP Mini 210 offers configure-to-order options on a number of features.

Now, push your e-mails via sms

Two leading mobile operators in the country, Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications, on Wednesday announced the launch of “push e-mail service on sms”. The service is made available to all subscribers on GSM and CDMA networks of Tata and Reliance. Subscribers will have to configure their e-mail IDs through the service operators, who in turn will access the e-mail, copy it and push it to your handset as an sms. Of course, only the body copy of the mail will be sent and attachment, if any, cannot be accessed. The push e-mail service will offer customers personalised email service from their Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo accounts on any type of handset. But they will not be able to access mails from official IDs received through Outlook Express. The push mail service, thus, eliminates the need for expensive data plans or high-end phones to receive e-mails and rich attachments on the go. Both companies have obtained the email-to-sms technology from Canada’s “iseemedia”, a leading provider of low-cost wireless e-mail services to operators in the country. Announcing the launch of this service, Tata Teleservices AVP Zubin Dubash said: “‘Push 4 All Mail’ is a revolutionary service that will change the way people communicate. Customers will no longer have to worry whether their handsets are GPRS/BREW- enabled or not.” Tata telecom offers the service at Rs 15 per month and at 0.50 paise for every sms sent to the short code. RCOM is offering it on its prepaid as well as postpaid platforms as a subscription service charged at Rs 30 and a usage tariff of 0.50 paise per sms. This service empowers users to compose, reply, forward, delete and filter e-mails. To subscribe to the service, Tata Tele users, for example, will have to send “option ” to 582829 (Tata Indicom) or 52206 (Tata Docomo).

Acer's Smart Phones

The new luxuriant of Acer - a smart phone with quintessential features such as Qualcomm snapdragon processor, Android 1.6 Operating system ,bold styling ,sharp features etc is the new craving – Liquid. It exemplifies speed with elegance. With ellipse curves, a choice of red, white and black colours, and a slim body shape, Liquid will please the attention seeking users. It displays a smooth finish…the fluidity of its curves gives the Acer Liquid its unique character and unconventional style.
Liquid, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon running Android 1.6 delivers real-time ubiquitous communication & location-aware content. This makes Liquid a power packed modern dynamo.
The real challenge is the present smart phone market. With new entrants like Google and dominant rivals like Apple, HTC, Motorola it’s clear that Acer can’t survive with its looks only. It has to deliver performance in order to stand above competition. Apple Inc with its numerous applications, flawless features, Google for its powerful operating system and the powerful processor, Motorola (Droid) with its proven performance etc, it will be a tough ground for Acer to carve its niche. It has to time and again prove its uniqueness amongst others otherwise it will evaporate as a vapour in this highly congested atmosphere of cellular market.