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Samsung set for record Q4 profit of $8.3BN

Samsung Electronics, the world leader in mobiles and memory chips, likely earned a quarterly profit of $8.3 billion, as it sold close to 500 handsets every minute and as demand picked up for the flat screens it makes for mobile devices, including those for rival Apple products (Source : TOI)

Samsung has issued preliminary earnings guidance for Q4 and said its expectation is another record quarter with consolidated profit of around 8.8 trillion Korean won ($8.3 billion), on consolidated sales of approximately 56 trillion Korean won ($53.6 billion). The Q4 figure compares to 8.06 trillion Korean won in the previous quarter, and 4.66 trillion Korean won in the year ago quarter.

According to figures, Samsung shipped 18 million Galaxy S III units in the third quarter, up from 5.4 million in the second quarter, an increase of 230 percent.

Apple, meanwhile, shipped 16.2 million iPhone 4S handsets during the third quarter, down from 19.4 million in the second quarter, a decrease of 16 percent.

Apple also shipped 6 million iPhone 5 handsets during the third quarter since its launch in September. That said, Apple said on September 24 that it sold 5 million iPhone 5 handsets in the first weekend alone, but as the third quarter typically ends on September 30, it tallies up with the research firm’s estimates.

Strategy Analytics executive director Neil Mawston said in prepared remarks: “Samsung’s Galaxy S III has proven wildly popular with consumers and operators across North America, Europe and Asia.”

Foreseeing the statistics above only gives us a reason to anxiously wait & watch what Samsung Galaxy S4 has in store for us.The device, reportedly named Samsung GT-I9500 is already creating waves in the smartphone market with the rumored features expected to be :

  • Exynos 5450 CPU clocked at 2.0GHz
  • Mali-T658 8 Core GPU
  • 4.99″ SuperAMOLED Full HD Resolution Display
  • 2GB of RAM
  • 13 Megapixel Rear facing Camera
  • 2 Megapixel front facing camera
  • Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean out of the box

Recently, a photo of the rumored S4 was leaked :

Samsung GT-I9500

Effects of internet on environment

A Map of the Internet. Image Source: DiscoveryMagazine.com

Of course, its better to browse the internet & communicate rather than waste fuel & travel long ways to meet someone. Again, its better to just have a chat conversation online, or exchange emails online rather than having to waste immense amount of money on telephone bills.

No doubt that the traditional methods had a vast effect on the environment, but does that mean the Internet doesnt? If you think it doesnt, you’re wrong!

Every search in Google you perform results in 1-10 grams of CO2 emissions. With 3 billion searches approximately conducted every day, we are talking about 30,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emission per day.Shocking!

Above is only true for google, what about the other uses of internet?Expect huge numbers!

So, what are the different ways to optimize the environmental impact of the internet? Many corporates involved in building and operating the data centers, servers have been working on improving data center efficiency for several years. Processors have increased in computing power, while decreasing in energy demand, and new ways have been developed to keep massive server farms cool. Server farms can be located near hydroelectric facilities or other sources of renewable energy and the can be built in the arctic circle to take advantage of natural cooling.

On an individual level it is important to simply be aware that using the internet is not “carbon neutral” and don’t leave your computer on when you aren’t using it.

Take a look at some of the facts:

  1. 35 billion minutes are logged online every month from users around the world, according to data compiled earlier this year by Go-Gulf.com.
  2. According to anti-virus software firm McAfee, the electricity used to transmit the trillions of spam sent over the course of one year is equivalent to the amount of electricity needed to power more than two million homes. Simultaneously, the carbon output equates to that of three million cars!
  3. The global IT industry generates as much greenhouse gas as the world’s airlines according to research firm Gartner.

In the report published in journal Environmental Science & Technology, researchers said their projections suggest that ICT sector’s share in greenhouse gas emission is expected to double by 2020.

Lets make this planet a better place to live in – Heal the world!

 

iPad Mini Sales Dissapoint: Only 8% of US Population Buys During Holiday Season

 

With today being the Thanksgiving festival in USA, apart from rejoicing with their family and friends, they look forward to the big sale that follows. Standing in line outside leading stores from the wee hours of the morning, people from all over the States look to buy a gadget or a home appliance that they have wanted all year long. And this year there are quite a few goodies on the shelves. The top being Apple iPad mini. With everyone moving over from bulky laptops and desktops, the tablets have taken over the world. Allowing people to carry their work on the move, small and handy, convenient and easy to use, these tablets are the new rage.

But what is surprising is that among a  survey done in the USA, it was found that only 8% of the sample population said they wanted to buy an iPad mini. The rest were all leaning towards other devices. However, the percentage of peope who wanted a Microsoft surface was also that low.  In 2011, during the holiday season, Apple sold nearly 11million iPads,  and they were hoping to go higher and reach the 16million mark this year, adding another 8 million for the iPad mini segment. Retailers have all stocked high on these tablets, hoping to make the most of the holiday season, and give people what they want, without having to wait for delivery.

Walmart, for example has doubled the orders for iPads and other brand tablets. They are offering the iPad 2 along with a $75 gift card for just $399 in honor of thanksgiving holidays.  Apart from the tablets, there are many eager to buy a laptop, especially since the discounts are heavy during this holiday season. About 18% of the total 32% keen on laptops said they wanted a desktop computer while the remaining 13% were looking to bring home an ultrabook. What is alarming is that there are quite a few who say they have done their yearly shopping and will not be doing any this season. Am sure this will be a big blow for the brands that were looking to make a loot, and make up for the losses across the year.

Ajmal Kasab Hanged Till Death at Pune’s Yerawada Jail this Morning

After nearly four years of fight between Indian and Pakistan government politics, at last Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving Pakistani gunman caught up in the Mumbai attacks, was hanged to death at the Yerawada central prison here this morning in a very private and secret operation.

Kasab was buried inside the premises of Pune’s Yerawada Central Jail shortly after he was hanged, Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said.

“Ajmal Kasab was hanged at 7.30am,” Maharashtra home minister R R Patil said in Mumbai shortly after the hanging. Pakistan government was kept informed about the execution.

This topic is slightly out of coverage as per our software development theme, but we decided to publish to cheer the death of Ajmal Kasab that killed lots of innocent people. Atlast people who lost their loved one have got the justice. ……..’Vande Mataram’…..

Best Gadget for Reading eBooks | 7 Devices That Help You Study Easier

Today, it seems as if everyone lives and breathes technology. We are in the age where gadget use is no longer just a dream but a necessity. The use of technology has influenced education and it’s for a great reason.

Today, educational institutions are now urging students to use gadgets to supplement their learning. Whether you’re in college today or you’re thinking about starting up, here are top seven gadget picks to help you study easier.

The iPad

Well, Apple has launched two new models of the iPad, which are the fourth generation iPad and the iPad mini. What makes this wonderful contraption a good study aid is the rich application ecosystem. The Apple website says that there are over 275,000 apps that are made for the iPad. Of those hundreds of thousands of apps, there are many fantastic apps such as Evernote, Blackboard and more than can help you with school.

Livescribe pen

This is an award-winning e-pen that lets you learn without the hassles. It is a smartpen with a built-in microphone where you can do recording and writing. It can easily record the lectures in a discreet way.   With this gadget, you no longer have to worry about wasting paper or using tapes to record.

eBook reader

An iPad could also become your eBook reader but an iPad can be expensive. A cheaper alternative is to use Android-based eBook reader or tablet. Aside from the cheap price, these eBook readers are able to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi. Android-based eBook readers have access to the Google Play app store that lets you download applications that can help you study.  Even if you’re not using it for school, this is a great way to keep yourself entertained with leisure books.

Noise-Cancelling Headphones

These headphones usually come as active or passive noise-cancelling headphones and they can be over-ear or in-ear flavors. They are useful in letting you study and cancel out the noise caused by your roommates who are snoring or just being loud.

iPod touch fifth generation

The iPod touch 5th generation is best known for being a personal media player.  It stores and plays MP3 files. What makes this a gadget wonder is the five-megapixel rear camera powerful enough to take snapshots of the whiteboard. It also can record the lectures via its audio recorder.

Microsoft Surface RT

This tablet computer from Microsoft is made for students. It has the productivity tools pre-installed that a student needs to gain better grades. It is a very powerfultablet computer with a QWERTY keyboard just like a laptop with a netbook price tag.MS Surface RT has a front-facing camera where you can do Skype video chat with classmates and others.

PlanOnScanStik personal scanner

This should take the cake. This gadget allows you to scan book pages without the need for photocopiers and your classmates’ notes with less effort in actually writing them on your own notebook.

So there you have it, the best gadgets that you can use for make studying easy. However, there is a caveat. It doesn’t mean that your grades will start to soar with the use of these gadgets. There is no magic formula in getting good grades. It has always been hard work and perseverance, but there’s no doubt that by considering these apps, you can make school life a lot easier.

Kathy Cady works for her start-up project, How Much Is It? This is a resource that can help anyone across the globe find out what things are going to cost.

President Obama Wins 2012 Election Defeat Mitt Romney | US Election

obama victory cartoons on social network

obama victory cartoons on social network

Obama was slowly and gradually making his way back into the hearts of the people of America. Purely based on the figures from various states on the ballot status, the Democrats definitely have a good edge in the early voting stages.  Both Romney and Obama have been running campaigns and quite a few advertisements that could affect the votes tally, especially in a few states. The way Obama’s team has been working on focusing on certain segments of the country will be an advantage to the current leader, and it will reflect on the poll results.

Each man held meetings and offering the public solutions to various issues that was plaguing the American economy. Obama pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy while Romney offered tax cuts, both of which were targetting the economic growth of the nation.

While the opinion polls before the main voting showed both Obama and Romney on par and facing the heat,  the Democratic factor is the only one that provides him an additional edge over the other, which could tilt the table and lead to Obama winning the polls

According to a study done by Reuters-Ipsos, one in ever 3 Obama voters shared the opinion that the most important issue was the economy, while only half of Romney’s voters agreed to this. The 2nd most important was healthcare, followed closely by unemployment.  The debates and discussions of this US Election 2012 has been popular not just in the country but outside as well. All thanks to the various social media channels and online live streaming sites.

And today, as the polls drew to an end, it became evident who was the next leader, It was Obama indeed!!t

 

We bring for some amazing pictures of Obama and Mitt Romney Battle So Enjoy!!

RIM Is Planning On Launching A New Line Of Blackberry 10 OS Devices

About time, Blackberry users have been waiting patiently for quite a while. There has been a few rumours on Blackberry 10, but none concrete or exciting. Finally, here comes news that RIM is planning on launching a new line of BlackBerry 10 devices.

There are millions of Blackberry users, though some have moved to other Operating systems, there are the loyal ones who deserve some joy. RIM once ruled the roost with their Blackberry devices and this was way ahead of the Android phones being launched into the market. These smart phones were used by corporate executives all over the world, and introduced the world to checking emails on the go. And now, the brand  is fighting for a space in the market. The new BlackBerry devices and BB10, the new operating system could be what brings some relief to RIM and this is excepted to happen early 2013, which is just a few months away

Latest news is that BlackBerry 10 has achieved entry  into labs with nearly 50carriers, a very important step as they gear up for the launch in the 1st quarter of 2013.  This is what RIM’s Chief Executive Thorsten Heins had to share during a recent press meet.

After the OS 7 that was introduced about a year ago, this will be the next biggest thing for Blackberry owners and for RIM. Only time will tell what lies ahead for this company that was once a giant.

Spamming on Skype: How To Deal With Skype Spam Calls?

A few days ago, a “malicious spam” hit the net based audio & video communication website ‘Skype’. This did not happen across the world, but in India only.  Like many other viruses, this was also a message sent out to people on their Skype accounts, appearing as if it came from their friends.

Cyber security experts discovered this malware content had been hiding and lurking around the internet, of users across the Indian sub continent who made use of this Voice-over Internet Protocol ( VoIP) service frequently.

Skype is used by people across the globe to communicate with each other, be it friends, family or work. It is easy and convenient, especially since all one needs is a mobile or computer with internet connectivity and the application downloaded along with an account on the same.

The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), that is a division under the Government’s Communications &Information Technology ministry, shared that this spam would eventually gain control of the victim’s machine by entering through the backdoor and sending our messages to the remote http server. The worm had been observed to steal users’ credentials and information which could lead to fraudulent activities.

The one thing that the center is advising people across the globe is to be careful on what link they click on and to double check with their friends if they indeed did send the mail or message.

  • The subject of the messages sent out was something to the effect of  ”follow unsolicited web links or attachments in Skype messages and install latest security updates to Skype”.
  • It is also recommended people download the latest version of Skype and use a good anti virus software.
  • This will help protect the system and alert the users against any virus or Trojan, no matter how trivial or serious it is.
  • Don’t answer calls from users you do not know.
  • Change your privacy settings to only allow calls from people you have added to your contact list.
  • Block the user that called you and report them for abuse.

Google Launches Nexus-10 Inch Tablet | Everything You Need to Know

samsungnexus10

samsungnexus10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All that has been in the news the past week, or month has been smart phones and tablets being launched into the market. Joining this bang wagon comes the Tablet that has beeb co-manufactured with Samsung, the Nexus 10.  Bigger than the iPad mini, fitted with a 10-inch screen, it has one of the highest resolutions among tablets, a good 2560 x 1600 that beats the iPad 3 and 4 hands down. Google was scheduled to introduce the device at a media event in New York on Monday, but was forced to cancel because of Hurricane Sandy.

The Nexus 10 also has not one but 2 front-facing stereo speakers, one on each side of the screen and has a 8 MP camera on the rear, while the front comes with a 1.9Mp camera. This is used not just to take pictures but also doing video chats. The other features on the Nexus 10 are that it comes with a dual-core processor, built in 2GB RAM. It is also available in 16GB and 32 GB space version.

The unique aspect of this device is that it supports NFC (Near Field Communication) and is fitted with a micro-HDMI port.

The OS on the device is Android 4.2 Jelly Bean on which Google has brought out a few new features. Some of them are 1) gesture typing keyboard, which is similar to Swype [seen on most Samsung devices], and panorama photo shoot mode. Many expected the device to have Key-Lime Pie, but unfortunately not just yet. It goes on sale on 13th November across the world [ India excluded], with the price starting at  $400  for 16GB model and $500 for 32GB