Zuckerberg gets hero rating in IIT-D, insists internet.org is not a villain

NEW DELHI: Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday said that he supported net-neutrality "100%", but added that he also strongly backed zero-rating.

Facebook's initiative, In ternet.org, rebranded as `Free Basics' a couple of months ago, has generated much debate on the subject. The service, delivered in collaboration with telecom operators, allows access to online content on "basics" such as health, education and employment and subscribers aren't charged for the data used.

Activists argue that such "zero-rating" pla ns go against the principle of net neutrality . But Zuckerberg believes that's "going too far". Answering questions at Facebook's first Town Hall Q&A in India, held at IIT-Delhi, he said: "Net-neutrality is a very important principle and we do a lot to support it in terms of pushing for regulation. This debate (exists) because countries are trying to figure out what their regulation should be." As loud cheers rang out at IIT-Delhi welcoming Mark Zuckerberg to the capital, cyber experts in the city voiced their concerns over Facebook's internet.org initiative. While the founder of the social networking powerhouse claimed that the views of people not connected to the internet were being ignored in the ongoing debate, net-neutrality advocate Nikhil Pahwa blamed Facebook for creating a "false choice".
"Zuckerberg is asking people to choose between universal connectivity and netneutrality ," Pahwa said. The principle of net-neutrality , he added, means that the opera tor shouldn't be giving a competitive advantage to any entity whether by manipulation of speed or differing pricing.

"Free Basics (the new name for internet.org) users will primarily get access to Facebook and its partners and this effectively discourages usage of the open web," Pahwa said, pointing out that internet penetration has increased dramatically in the past six months alone -rising by 52 million new users according to the Internet and Mobile Association of India.

We really don't have a problem, according to Pahwa. "There are ways to provide free access -it has been done in Africa, Bangladesh and the government free Wi-Fi projects are also on the same format. And none of these restrict usage to just a few sites," he said.

But, speaking at the IIT campus, Zuckerberg insisted that the line taken by net neutrality proponents may ultimately harm access to the net for the very large num bers who are still not online.

"Those pushing for netneutrality have access already ," Zuckerberg said."Those not on the net can't sign a petition pushing for access. We have a moral responsibility [toward] people who do not have access."

The type of content that'll be available through Free Basics is low-bandwidth, text and "not directly cannibalizing the operator's business".The platform "isn't a filter," Zuckerberg said.

Apparently Free Basics users -about 15 million across the world -tend to become full subscribers once they realise the benefits of being connected.

Zuckerberg's in India to interact with its Facebook community -population roughly 130 million -and a tiny part of it, about 1,100, attended Wednesday's Town House on the IIT campus.

"That's the second largest Facebook community in the world," Zuckerberg said."Our mission is to connect the world and India is the world's largest democracy . For every 10 people who get access, one gets a job, one gets elected out of poverty . It is a big opportunity to develop the economy here, one of the things you can do for the world."

Speaking on social tools from the Facebook stable, Zuckerberg said the safety tracking tool was used by millions to reassure family and friends after the recent earthquake. There's also Amber Alert on Facebook -a missing child alert currently available only in Canada and USA -that was launched in January this year and "at least one child has been found using it." "In 5-10 years, we want to build computers that are better at main human senses -that can see better, hear better," he said.

India and Africa are two bright spots of hope, opportunities: PM Modi.

“Africa and India are two bright spots of hope and opportunities in the global economy,” Modi said in his speech to the heads of 54 African countries at the India-Africa Forum Summit.

The Prime Minister also emphasised on the importance of youth and said that it “something precious that unites us”.

“Two third of India and Africa is under the age of 35. And, if the future belongs to the youth, then this century is ours to shape and build,” he said.

“It is not just a meeting of India and Africa. Today, the dreams of one-third of humanity have come together under one roof. Fabric of this world is richer because of the 54 sovereign flags of Africa,” he said.

Modi will speak to delegates, including heads of state or officials, from all 54 African Union nations, with announcements aimed at jump-starting bilateral trade and burnishing Indian investment in the continent.

BlackBerry Priv Android Apps Hit Google Play, 'Productivity Edge' Leaked.

   

BlackBerry's much-anticipated Priv Android slider smartphone is now up
for pre-orders at $699 (roughly Rs. 45,500), and is slated to begin shipping in the
 US starting November 6.

   

Ahead of the release, some highlight features of the Priv are making it to the Internet and the latest in the series is the handset's 'Productivity Edge' or notifications on the curved edge display. In the meanwhile, BlackBerry has released Priv-specific Android apps to the Google Play store. These include MicrosoftexFAT, Notes, BlackBerry Calendar, Contacts, BlackBerry Hub, BlackBerry Keyboard, BlackBerry Services, Tasks, BlackBerry Device Search, BlackBerry Password Keeper, BlackBerry Launcher, BlackBerry Camera, and DTEK. Some of the apps are brand new, while others have been updated. The apps listings were first spotted by BlackBerry Central. Also new, is the release of the BlackBerry Content Transfer app for BlackBerry Priv users, available on BlackBerry World.

The Content Transfer for BlackBerry app will allow users to switch to the new Priv by moving data that is saved on an old BlackBerry 10 device (running 10.2.1 and later).

Data that is associated with a web-based account, such as contacts and calendar events, is transferred when you add the account to your new device. Your data can be transferred with password-protected encryption using Google Drive, your media card, or a private Wi-Fi network," explains the app listing in the Store.

BlackBerry previously revealed updates for its device roadmap for the year which primarily included Priv Android smartphone. Notably, BlackBerry has been pitching its first Android smartphone as a flagship slider device.

Getting back to the leaked Productivity Edge, to recall, the BlackBerry Priv sports a 5.4-inch Oled QHD (2560 x 1440) display with curved edges, something we have already seen on the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6 Edge+. However, the Canadian company has so far not detailed the function of the Priv's curved edges.

Meizu rolls out Flyme 5.0 update for MX5.

Meizu has released a stable version of its Flyme 5.0 OS for its new MX5.Launched in August this year, the smartphone ran Flyme 4.5 that is based on Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Those who haven’t received the update yet will have to be patient as Meizu rolls out the update in batches. Though it’s for China, it is also expected to roll out for users in other markets gradually. A Meizu fan page lists the new changes that the new update will add to MX5’s desktop, notifications and so on.

The all new Flyme 5.0.1.1A will add new changes to desktop such as split screen mode, multitasking, floating notice, folders are automatically and more.

The changes also include new music locker screen, select whether to display notifications in lock screen and a new customer assistant and online chat support to help users facing any issue.

Besides, you will view new call floating notices, suspended dial plate design, independent online yellow pages, energy management, new search function support for use of text and voice category management and more. A new weather search 4 x 2 widget and new home search, tool box app and loss reporting mode. You can view the complete changelog here.

In our review, we found that the MX5 is a good phone, resemblance to the iPhone notwithstanding. It is responsive, performs well in most tasks, has minimal bloatware, a good camera for daylight shooting, good build and battery life. Read the complete review.

Xiaomi reportedly working on ‘Apple-inspired’ 3D Touch-like feature.

Xiaomi has managed to woo audiences in most markets it is present and has become a well known brand in India too. Apart from offering products at affordable prices and conducting flash sales, one of its striking ability is its zest to become the next Apple. In the bid to becoming the next Apple, the company has been replicating its products. Adding to the long list of ‘Apple-inspired’ features/products, the next is said to be 3D Touch.

Citing a tipster on Weibo, a GforGames report reveals that Xiaomi has patented a technology that is almost similar to 3D Touch. Apple introduced the all new 3D Touch, a pressure-sensitive display, this year. It helps recognise not just taps and presses, but also deep press. It will come with three different types of input support, reportedly the reason why it is being called ‘3D’ display. So, don’t be surprised to see the feature in the next Xiaomi phone.

It’s not just Xiaomi, even Samsung is looking to deploy the feature. While Samsung plans to utilise Synaptics’ touchscreen controller, Xiaomi could either do the same or build a new technology altogether, adds the report.

Xiaomi’s decision to rip-off the Touch 3D doesn’t come as a surprise. As we’ve seen in the past, Xiaomi has gone the extra mile to imitate Apple. In fact, CEO Lei Jun is also known to copy Steve Jobs’ trademark blue jeans and black turtle neck shirt. The MIUI OS looks just like the iOS. For instance, the new MIUI 6 is almost similar to iOS 7.

From Sapphire Glass to Macbook-like laptops, there are reports indicating more Apple rip-offs on the way. After all, Xiaomi enjoys being called the ‘Apple of China.’

This is the reason why the company received flak on complaining about counterfeits cannibalising its sales numbers. All said and done, Xiaomi was getting a taste of its own medicine. However, if recent reports are to be believed, then Apple has for the first time overtaken Xiaomi to become the largest smartphone vendor in China, which is one of the world’s largest markets.

Only 1 in 9 IIT-Delhi students to get entry to Mark Zuckerberg's townhall.

NEW DELHI: When Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg interacts with students and faculty at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi in a town hall on October 28, most students will be sitting out.

Almost everyone of the over 8,000-strong student community at the IIT wants to meet and, if possible, ask a question to Zuckerberg, a role model for many of them. But the venue where the tech entrepreneur is holding the town hall is too small to accommodate all of them.

Only one in nine students will get an entry to the hall and they have been selected through a lottery. The hall has a seating capacity for 1,100, but only 900 of the seats are reserved for students.

The entire session is being handled by a Facebook team. It started the process last Thursday and the response so far has been huge.

When an invite was posted on the IIT website, 1,300 students filled up the application form in the first two hours. Facebook discontinued the link after it got 3,500 applications.

"Town hall has always been popular, but not like this one," said a faculty at IIT Delhi. "Mark is a role model for most of the students as he is easy to identify with. Also as the focus of both the institute and students is moving towards entrepreneurship and innovation, his visit has created a lot of enthusiasm."

Zuckerberg is expected to speak for 15 minutes and spend the next hour answering questions from the audience.

Arshad Nasser, one of the lucky students selected to participate in the town hall, said there would be no direct questioning, though most town hall meetings allow that. "I wonder whether my question would be read out on."

Nasser, who is in his final year of Master's in Design, said he was not sure whether it was the question he had put in the application form for Zuckerberg or the lottery that got him through. His question was: "Will FB extend itself as a physical product so that it can interact with devices at home and also connect with social circle?"

Jyoti Meena, a final year B-Tech student, said many of her friends who could not make it to the list were upset. Still, she said the Facebook chief 's visit itself has created excitement on the campus.

TCS in word wide...

BMW rolls out new M6 Gran Coupe for Rs 1.71 crore.

New Delhi: German automaker BMW has launched newM6 Gran Coupe, the car will be available at the company's dealerships across India and is priced at Rs 1.71 crore (ex showroom Delhi). The car will be available in petrol variant.

BMW also launched the BMW M Studio showroom in Mumbai, which is the first showroom in country dedicated exclusively for the retailing of BMW M division performance cars.

There are no major changes in the car, the changes to the car include new LED headlamps, updated tail lamps andslightly altered grille.

It is powered by the 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo engine, the car can go from 0-100kmph in just 4.2 seconds with a top speed of 250kmph. The top speed can be increased with the optional M Drivers package.

The new BMW M6 Gran Coupe's safety features includes six air bags, Active M Differential, M Dynamic Damper Control, M Dynamic mode, M Compound Brakes, Active Protection with Attention Assist and Active headrests (front).

Microsoft Fleshes Out Its 3D Capabilities With Purchase Of Havok From Intel.

Microsoft announced today that it has purchased Havok Software from Intel. The chip maker purchased Havok, an Irish gaming technology company, back in September 2007.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In a short blog post, Microsoft called Havok the “leading provider of 3D physics.” That’s the core of this; Microsoft, as a company, is working on both gaming and augmented reality. In short, its Xbox and Hololens projects require that the software giant have the best tooling possible.

To better understand why Microsoft would want Havok as part of its portfolio of technologies, the following line from aVentureBeat sto

Microsoft announced today that it has purchased Havok Software from Intel. The chip maker purchased Havok, an Irish gaming technology company, back in September 2007.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In a short blog post, Microsoft called Havok the “leading provider of 3D physics.” That’s the core of this; Microsoft, as a company, is working on both gaming and augmented reality. In short, its Xbox and Hololens projects require that the software giant have the best tooling possible.

To better understand why Microsoft would want Havok as part of its portfolio of technologies, the following line from aVenture Beat story concerning a new product from the company is illuminating: “Havok FX is a graphical effects tech aimed at PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.”

Two of those, you will note, are decidedly inside the Microsoft wheelhouse. And if you want to win not only the console battle, but the platform struggle that will come next — whether that will be virtual reality or augmented reality, we will see — sometimes you staff up.ry concerning a new product from the company is illuminating: “Havok FX is a graphical effects tech aimed at PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.”

Two of those, you will note, are decidedly inside the Microsoft wheelhouse. And if you want to win not only the console battle, but the platform struggle that will come next — whether that will be virtual reality or augmented reality, we will see — sometimes you staff up.

A New App Called Soon Organizes Your Everyday Bucket List.

Your friend tells you about a great new TV show they’re watching on Netflix, or a new restaurant that you just have to try. If you’re like me, you tend to pop open the Notepad app on your phone and jot down this information for later…And then you promptly forget about it.

A new mobile application called Soon is now offering a better way to help you keep track of all those things you want to remember to do – whether that’s a movie you want to see, a bar you want to visit, a book you want to read, and more.

The idea is that by listing these sorts of smaller-scale “bucket list” items in their own dedicated space instead of using a note-taking app, it will be easier to keep track of everything you want to do.

Over 1 billion Android devices could be affected by the latest vulnerability.

Stagefright is undeniably the most talked about Android bug in the recent times. Discovered first in July by security researchers at Zimperium zLabs, Stagefright is a vulnerability that could be used to gain access to any Android device with a simple text.

Google acknowledged the bug and seeded the patch to manufacturers and carriers. Most major manufacturers rushed to patch their devices only to know that the bug still exists and then came another round of patches. Now, we are onto Stagefright again.

Zimperium security has now discovered the vulnerability again. According to areport at Motherboard, “the security researchers warns that two new Stagefright bugs can allow hackers to break into your phone by tricking you into visiting a website containing a malicious multimedia file, either mp3 or mp4.” The report adds, “These two new bugs were also found in the Android media playback engine called Stagefright, just like the first series of bugs disclosed in late July.”

RELATED

• What is 'Stagefright' Android exploit all about?
• Lava Pixel V1 starts receiving 'Android StageFright' bug fix
• OnePlus 2 gets Oxygen OS 2.0.1 update with stagefright fix and software enhancements

Earlier this week at Google event, Google CEO Sundar Pichai claimed that Android now has 1.4 billion 30-day active devices and the researchers at Zimperium security believe that 1.4 billion people could be affected by these bugs. They have found that ‘almost every Android device’ released since 2008 could be affected by one of these vulnerability.

In a blog post, Joshua Drake, a security researcher at Zimperium zLabs, wrote “Merely previewing the song or video would trigger the issue.” Drake later explains that the hackers can even inject the exploit via public Wi-Fi and intercept the victim’s unencrypted network traffic.

A Google spokesperson has said that a patch for these new vulnerabilities will be rolled out to users of its Nexus phones on October 5. Motorola sent a Stagefright bug fix for its Moto X device this morning which patches these vulnerabilities. Its likely that other OEMs and carriers will follow-suit.

Apple acquires speech recognition start-up VocallQ to improve Siri.

In a bid to bolster Siri’s performance even further, Apple has acquired speech recognition start-up VocallQ, according to a latest report from the Financial Times. The U.K.-based artificial intelligence startup is aimed at making it easier for people to speak to computers in a more natural way.

VocallQ uses deep learning to understand the context in which words are spoken. Apple could use VocallQ’s technology for Siri, its digital personal assistant, and even apply it for the company’s self driving car, which it is reportedly working on. The company could also improve its own iPhone-connected CarPlay feature that makes Messages and Maps safer using voice and on-screen controls. VocalIQ software also seeks to help computers better understand commands and their context. Deep learning is part of VocalIQ’s method for improving language recognition.

The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed and Apple did not offer any other details about the acquisition. It only released a statement confirming the deal “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”  It is not known whether VocalIQ’s team will move to the US, as a result of the acquisition. In recent times, voice recognition has become an important part of the internet and mobile ecosystem and various tech companies are banking on it. In January, Facebook acquired Wit.ai, a startup that enables developers to add natural language processing to apps.

Earlier this year Apple had acquired augmented reality company Metaio, camera technology firm LinX, GPS technology firm Coherent Navigation and database company FoundationDB.

Scientists develop new technology to derive electricity from photosynthesis.

Toronto: Researchers have developed micro-photosynthetic cell technology that can harness electrical power from photosynthesis and respiration of blue-green algae.

Both photosynthesis and respiration, which take place in plants cells, involve electron transfer chains.

The main concept in the technology developed by a team led by Muthukumaran Packirisamy from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, involves trapping these electrons that are released by blue-green algae.

The electron transfer chains of photosynthesis and respiration are constructive in harnessing the electrical energy from blue-green algae.

This photosynthetic power cell consists of an anode, cathode and proton exchange membrane.

The anode chamber consists of cyanobacteria and it releases electrons to the electrode surface from a redox agent that is present at the cathode. An external load is connected to extract the electrons.

The fabricated cell could produce an open circuit voltage of 993 mV and a power density of 36.23W/cm2.

The performance of the power cell can be increased by reducing the electrode spacing between the two electrodes of proton exchange membrane and efficient design of the cell.

These micro photosynthetic power cells may entail significant military and wireless applications. They can also be good power sources for Bio micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, the researchers said.

Apple's iPhone 6s more water-resistant than previous models, says iFixit.

A few days ago, a video emerged that showcased Apple’s new smartphones submerged in water for a long time. While the iPhone still isn’t certified as water-resistant, turns out the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus sport a combination of new technology that makes them far more resistant to liquid damage than past iPhones.

Experts at iFixit tore the iPhone 6s and discovered some ‘mystery adhesive’ around the display which is already secured with screws. Apple hasn’t simply ran a strip of glue around the existing display but instead, it appears that the iPhone’s frame has been subtly reworked to accommodate the new gasket.

There has also been a slight increase in the width of the lip running along the perimeter of the frame, which is about 0.3 mm wider than on the iPhone 6.

Additionally, in conversation with Wired, Jeff Suovanen, an engineer at iFixit, who took an iPhone 6s apart to study its water-resistant credentials stated, “Typically, if you get a phone wet, the danger comes when you have logic board contacts with a charge running through them exposed to water. They can short out, and afterwards they can start to corrode.”

Suovanen also found that rather than waterproof the case, Apple has opted to waterproof the logic board itself. “It’s basically a thin wall, it almost looks like wetsuit material. It’s not that, but it looks like that. It’s soft, spongy, you can press on it and feel it give a little bit.” he added.

Apple iPhone 6S and 6S Plus releasing in India on October 16.

Apple Inc. has now started pre-booking for the latest iPhones with the authorized premium sellers in the country. As per the initial reports from the Apple, the company is going to introduce the smartphones in the country by October 16. Other than that, Authorized sellers in India, including iNvent, has started pre-booking the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus with an advanced payment of 10,000 INR.

iPhone 6S and 6S Plus are one of the strongest and fastest smartphones Apple has ever released. If we look at the specifications and torture tests that have appeared online, it feels as if these smartphones are practically indestructible, and as far as the water and ten feet free fall tests are concerned, Apple iPhone 6S and 6S Plus made a great stand against them – with no scratch or a malfunction of the speaker, display or any other component in the device.

Talking about the specifications upgrade in the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, then we have a new camera, processors, a new display featuring 3D Touch and an aluminum shell that can break your thumb if you try to bend it. Technically speaking, Apple has fixed all of the flaws of the previous generation iPhones.

TRAI taking all measures to protect customer interests.

As the Indian telecommunication subscriber base grows phenomenally, with the urban tele-density reaching 148 per cent and rural areas fast catching up, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is making efforts to improve customer satisfaction.

As part of it, TRAI has evolved a mechanism that addresses the customer concerns through Telecom Service Providers (TSP).

Speaking at a Customer Outreach Programme here on Thursday, TRAI Principal Advisor S.K. Gupta said as call-dropping was a big issue, Airtel and Idea had migrated to per-second billing instead of minute-based billing.

Issues falling in the regulatory framework of TRAI, which include not just landline and mobile phones but several other services like FM radio,

Direct-To-Home (DTH) TV, Internet Protocol on TV (IPTV), cable televisionand even community radio, were taken up with the TSPs and punitive action taken whenever customer grievances remain unresolved at the appellate level, Mr. Gupta said.

TRAI advisors Agneshwar Sen and G. Muralidhar and Senior Research Officers G.P. Vishnoi and P.S.R. Murthy spoke on the activities of TRAI.

Cable TV digitisation

According to a presentation made by TRAI officers, more than 2.20 crore Set Top Boxes (STB) have been installed so far in the four metros and 38 Tier-I cities in the first two of the four phases of the digitisation of cable TV connections.

The process is to be completed in all urban areas by the end of 2015 and throughout the country before January 1, 2017.

Reliance Communications to Partner Reliance Jio to Launch 4G Services.

Mobile telecoms operator Reliance Communications Ltd will partner conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd's telecoms unit to trade and share mobile airwaves and offer high-speed 4G services.

With this partnership, the once-feuding Ambani brothers have taken another step in working together after their father Dhirubhai Ambani's death in 2002 led to a power struggle between his two sons that split the Reliance empire.

Mukesh Ambani, the country's richest man, controls Reliance Industries, while Reliance Communications, India's fourth-biggest mobile phone carrier, is controlled by his younger brother Anil.

Reliance Communications and Reliance Industries' telecoms unit, Jio, have entered into business tie-ups in the last couple of years that included sharing of mobile masts and leasing of optic fibre network.

On Wednesday, Anil Ambani told his company's shareholders that the latest partnership would allow Reliance Communications to access 4G mobile networks of Jio, which, in turn, can use the former's 2G and 3G networks when needed.

The pact will facilitate Reliance Communications' customers access to Jio's 4G networks on an "asset-light and minimal capex model", a company statement cited Anil as saying at the annual shareholders' meeting.

Jio won 4G mobile airwaves in 2010 and is expected to start nationwide commercial services by end of this year, joining leading Indian carriers Bharti Airtel Ltd and Vodafone Group Plc's India unit.

Reliance Communications will also enter into a pact with Jio for trading and sharing of 4G mobile airwaves, said Anil, whose empire includes infrastructure and financial services companies. 4G typically offer customers faster Internet browsing speed.

Mobile phone carriers in India, the world's second-biggest market by number of customers, have spent billions of dollars on buying telecom airwaves to meet surging demand for voice and data services.

An Internet-based startup boom in the country has also seen increased adaptability on smartphones, bolstering the demand for high-speed data.

Reliance Communications was also at an "advanced stage of merger talks" with the India telecom operations of Russian billionaire Vladimir Yevtushenkov's conglomerate Sistema, Anil said.

The company also expects to sign and announce the sale of a stake in its mobile tower unit "within the next month or two", a transaction which would result in reduction in its debt, he said.

Shares in Reliance Communications, the most-leveraged Indian telecoms carrier with $5.8 billion (roughly Rs. 38,012 crores) in net debt as of the end of March, ended 6 percent higher on Wednesday at 67.85 rupees, while the broader Mumbai market index rose 1.4 percent.

Facebook Updates Profile Options for Mobile Users, Adds Profile Videos.

Facebook rolled out updates to mobile profile pages to enable users to better personalize their profiles and more easily control their privacy settings.

Facebook has sought to improve and ease its mobile profile experience as it makes more of its $10 billion-plus in annual ad revenue off of phones. The updates also come during New York City's 12th Advertising Week, where Facebook is courting the world's largest advertisers and companies.

Among the new features are profile videos, or a short looping video clip that users can create in place of a static profile picture. The feature is similar to Vine, a video sharing app owned by Twitter Inc.

Users can also set a temporary profile picture that reverts to their old picture at a specified time. Those who want to support a sports team or charitable cause for a specific week, for example, can choose a picture to display for a short time period.

Facebook also introduced more ways to control privacy settings so that users can curate what pieces of information are public and which are only viewable to "friends," or people that they have allowed to view profiles.

Facebook explained the move in ablog post, saying, "People visit Facebook profiles more than four billion times per day, and we're continually looking for ways to make profiles the best place for people to curate their online identities and connect with others... Today, we're unveiling some new, mobile-friendly features for Facebook profiles. There are three main improvements that will give you more opportunities to express who you are and control the content showcased on your profile."

Infosys, TCS, Other Indian IT Firms Form Consortium to Tap Chinese Market.

    In a significant initiative to break into the highly-regulated Chinese market, five top Indian IT firms have for the first time formed a consortium to work on big-ticket projects planned by China's southwest Guizhou province, which includes a major cloud-based data centre.

TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Tech Mahindraand NIIT have formed the consortium on an experimental basis under an initiative of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Shanghai, which has signed an MoU with Guizhou province, located near Shanghai.

The initiative came as Guizhou government approached the NIIT and the CII to help it in its massive infrastructure development plan which included setting up a big cloud-based data centre, Prakash Menon, Shanghai-based president of the NIIT, told PTI here. Menon is also the co-chair of CII-sponsored India Business Forum (IBF).

The NIIT has signed an MoU with the provincial government for the $16 million (roughly Rs. 104 crores) project to train IT professionals. This is a first that Indian IT majors, who have struggled in the highly-regulated Chinese market despite India's push to China to open up, have joined hands for Chinese projects.

India has consistently asked China to open up its market for IT and Pharmaceuticals - two of India's most successful export ventures - as a means to address the trade deficit surpassing USD 40 billion out of a total bilateral trade volume of $70 billion (roughly Rs. 4,59,163 crores) last year.

TCS China president Sujit Chatterjee said it is a new beginning as it's the first time a Chinese province has sought Indian IT sector's help for its infrastructure development. Despite being leaders, Indian IT firms have struggled over the years in China as businesses are mainly garnered by global companies such as IBM, in association with local firms.

"Our footprints will never match IBM and others. Key to success here is to collectively stand together as a front. If that happens no body can fathom the kind of capability Indian IT has," Chatterjee said.

He, however, cautioned that this was a regional initiative confined to Guizhou province. But "if this is successful it can be replicated across industries including pharmaceuticals and sister-city initiatives and energy projects," he said. "This group needs to stick together but the moment someone bypasses it, it will collapse."

Asked how the five would split the business in a fiercely competitive sphere, Chatterjee, whose company has made a much bigger mark in China compared to other Indian IT firms, said the consortium is formed with an understanding that project allocation will be based on strength and past record of firms. "All of us have references, proof of presence, which is very important. No single company has all of it and different companies have done different things," he said.

Chatterjee along with Menon and Madhav Sharma, CII China's Chief Representative, met Indian Ambassador Ashok K Kantha and briefed him on the initiative. Kantha will travel to Guizhou in the second week of October over the project.

Twitter Will Reportedly Name Jack Dorsey As CEO, Bringing Back The Founder’s Instincts

The decisive leadership of a founder could be what’s necessary to bring Twitter’s value to the masses. And apparently that’s what it’s going to get, as Re/Code reports Twitter has made the decision to bring its co-founder and Square chief Jack Dorsey back as CEO. He’d been serving as Twitter’s interim CEO for four months since Dick Costolo chose to step down.

The announcement could be made as soon as tomorrow, and head of revenue Adam Bain reportedly refused the CEO job as long as Dorsey wanted it. After months of confusion at Twitter among prevalent feelings its product must change to embrace mainstream usage, Dorsey could rally morale with the mandate only available to someone who started the company.

Founders are simply afforded a special trust from employees. Dorsey is widely credited with the spark to create a public microblogging service. The belief that his ideas got Twitter this far could bolster confidence in Dorsey making drastic product updates. While Twitter has become immensely popular and important to a user base of 316 million, it may take changes that anger its early adopters in order to bring Twitter’s value to the masses.

A CEO installed from outside or who joined later in the company’s history could be accused of meddling with the fundamental identity of Twitter. But since Dorsey built that identity, he might have the authority to modify it.

Whether that’s altering the reverse chronological timeline, what’s counted in a tweet’s 140 characters, or how live events are followed, Twitter needs to make itself a daily staple for more than news junkies and Internet people. Its advertising model depends on it. For many, Twitter still feels like an unharnessable river of information or shouting into a black hole. It’s hard to know who to follow. It’s even harder to know who to unfollow. And unless you have some soapbox or level of IRL celebrity, tweeting to a tiny audience can seem like a waste of time.

This is all hurting Twitter’s growth. New users are scared, and older users got burned and churned. In the first six months of this year, Twitter only grew 28 million users from 288 million to 316 million. Meanwhile, in the nine months since December, Instagram has grown from 300 million to 400 million users. As advertisers seek massive scale, Wall Street has soured on Twitter’s inability to grow faster. The report of Dorsey’s return has already boosted Twitter’s share price over 3 percent.

The Twitter board’s indecision about who would become CEO may also have hurt Twitter’s ability to attract and retain talent. As a public company, Twitter doesn’t have the same potential to multiply its valuation as younger startups. Without the lure of that massive upside, employees need to believe they’re building something important with a team that gets stuff done to be satisfied. That’s tough to come by with no permanent CEO, an ailing share price, and a sense of product paralysis.

But with Dorsey at the helm, even if he’s reportedly staying as CEO of Square, the kind of radically progressive changes necessary could finally get pushed through. Twitter’s product has remained stagnant due to seemingly endless back and forth testing of minor updates. Captain Dorsey could say “make it so,” and the blue bird could fly in a new direction.