Develop Apps for 'Akash' , get rewarded

The world's cheapest tablet is on way to become a potential money spinner for students and social networking startups. Datawind, the maker of Aakash, a low-cost tablet, has announced a contest for students wherein their best applications will be embedded in the Ubislate - the commercial version of the $35 tablet likely to be launched next year.

"We hope to create an entrepreneurial culture among the student community. Students think unconventionally unlike large corporates or software development firms. If they design an useful application which is selected, it would be pre-burned in millions of tablets to be shipped out by us," said Suneet Singh Tuli, chief executive of Datawind said at the IIM Lucknow's Entrepreneurial Summit.

About three lakh pre-sales booking have been received for Ubislate, expected to be priced at Rs 3,000 at retail stores. The Ubislate is expected to be bundled with a Rs 99 data plan for internet access.

Tuli added that while it could be a money-spinner for a student who will get a royalty from the usage of application on the tablet, they would also gain by offering a useful application to their users. About Rs 1 lakh each will be awarded to five students who come up with a winning application for the world's cheapest tablet, which runs on Google's Android operating system, version 2.2.

Social sector organisations also stand to gain from the low-cost tablet. India's software lobby, Nasscom, also announced a partnership with Datawind Monday whereby it will distribute 200 tablets to non-government organisations (NGOs).

To boot, Nasscom Foundation has partnered with Datawind and announced a contest wherein 10 NGOs will have an opportunity to win 20 tablets each, mainly to improve their operations and programme implementation.

To win these tablets, the social organisations will have to showcase how best they can leverage Aakash tablet for promoting education, health and livelihood.

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Eraser is an advanced security tool for Windows which allows you to completely remove sensitive data from your hard drive by overwriting it several times with carefully selected patterns. Eraser is currently supported under Windows XP (with Service Pack 3), Windows Server 2003 (with Service Pack 2), Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

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Most people have some data that they would rather not share with others - passwords, personal information, classified documents from work, financial records, self-written poems, the list continues.

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Source:-http://eraser.heidi.ie

Facebook, Google oppose US online piracy bills

nternet heavyweights Facebook, Google, Twitter and Yahoo! joined ranks Tuesday to oppose legislation in the US Congress designed to crack down on online piracy. 

In a joint letter, the firms said they "support the bills' stated goals -- providing additional enforcement tools to combat foreign 'rogue' websites that are dedicated to copyright infringement or counterfeiting." 

"Unfortunately, the bills as drafted would expose law-abiding US Internet and technology companies to new uncertain liabilities, private rights of action, and technology mandates that would require monitoring of websites," they said in the letter to the House and Senate judiciary committees. 

"We are concerned that these measures pose a serious risk to our industry's continued track record of innovation and job-creation, as well as to our nation's cybersecurity," they said. 

The legislation introduced in the House and Senate would give US authorities more tools to crack down on "rogue" websites accused of piracy of movies, television shows and music and the sale of counterfeit goods. 

The bills have received the backing of Hollywood and the music industry but have come under fire from digital rights and free speech groups. 

In the letter, the Internet companies said "we cannot support these bills as written and ask that you consider more targeted ways to combat foreign 'rogue' websites dedicated to copyright infringement and trademark counterfeiting." 

The House Judiciary Committee is to hold a hearing on the bill on Wednesday. 

The Obama administration has come in for some criticism for shutting down dozens of "rogue websites" over the past year as part of a crackdown known as "Operation in Our Sites." 

US authorities in November, for example, shut down 82 websites selling mostly Chinese-made counterfeit goods, including golf clubs, Walt Disney movies, handbags and other items. 

In addition to Facebook, Google, Twitter and Yahoo!, the other companies signing the letter were eBay, LinkedIn, Mozilla and Zynga.

Source:- http://www.techgig.com

Microsoft CEO says Windows era is everlasting

Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer proclaimed an everlasting "Windows Era" as the software giant's board easily won re-election at an annual meeting of shareholders.

Ballmer along with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings and six others saw their positions on the Microsoft board secured with more than 92 per cent of votes cast by investors.

In response to a question from a stockholder, Ballmer downplayed the notion of a "post PC-era" marked by smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices supplanting desktop or laptop machines powered by Microsoft Windows software.

"We are in the Windows Era," Ballmer said. "We were, we are, and we always will be."

While the types of computing devices people use evolves so does Windows, he said regarding the operating software at the heart of Microsoft's empire.

"One of the remarkable things about Windows over the years is that is has adapted," Ballmer said.

"It will be a tablet machine; a reading machine, and a note-taking machine," he said. "We are going to have to push Windows into more form factors."

The Windows 7 operating system and the latest version of Office software have been selling at unprecedented rates to businesses while rivals Apple and Google have won consumers hearts when it comes to smartphones and tablets.

When called upon to explain Microsoft's plan to protect freedom of expression while doing business in China, Ballmer said the company is careful to do no more than the law there requires.

Microsoft is part of a Global Network Initiative founded to promote global norms when it comes to online privacy and human rights, he noted.

"At every country in the world, I think you are looking at a suite of products and services that have enabled people to express views more widely than ever before," Ballmer said.

Source:- http://www.techgig.com

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5 Google Paid Search Products You Need to Know

For many digital marketers, the fall of 2011 might be remembered for bringing dynamic advertising to paid search. Google’s newest offering, said to flip “the search engine on its head,” does away with the traditional keyword advertising approach in lieu of matching landing pages with the right user search. 

Dynamic Search Ads is just one of dozens of innovations Google has made to its AdWords product over the past few years. Google paid search has evolved to include everything from video to coupons and a call feature, all in the name of improving advertiser results. Not every Google product is a good fit for every advertiser – in fact, some of its offerings aren’t even available to the masses yet. But Google is nothing if not progressive, and for this reason many of them warrant a closer look.

1. Google Image Search. Instead of advertising exclusively on Google’s web results page, this product allows brands to place their listings next to Google Images. Typically, this approach is best suited to those who’ve noted a distinct benefit to presenting consumers with a product image up front. The campaign is set up through AdWords, except that instead of uploading ad copy alone, the advertiser also submits an image that will precede the organic image search results on the page.
2. Google Media Ads. Previously known as Google Video Plus Box, this program was initially tested in beta with advertisers ranging from automotive to CPG. A box beneath a standard search ad would display a web-only video such as an instructional product clip, and advertisers would pay the equivalent of their cost-per-click text ad bid when the video hit the 10-second mark. The unit has since morphed into Google Media Ads and is open only to the entertainment vertical (at least, so far).
3. Google Product Ads/Extensions. Similar to the video extension, this unit allows brands to include additional promotional material in their text ads. The ad pulls information from an advertiser’s existing Google Merchant Center account and can include anything from images to business center maps, product titles, detailed descriptions, and prices. Brands can promote their entire product inventory through paid search and, in theory, generate more qualified clicks because they’re providing the user with more product information up front.
4. Google Redemption Ads/Offer Extensions. Through this program, brands can deliver a coupon directly to search engine users from their paid search ads. Several user options exist, including having the coupon emailed to a desktop or texted to a mobile phone – they can even be saved to a user’s Google Wallet. Redemption options, too, are varied: depending on what the brand is looking for, consumers can redeem in store, online, or by mail.
5. Google Call Extensions/Metrics. When generating phone calls is a campaign priority, Google’s call feature can help. Advertisers include in their paid search ad a unique toll-free number provided by Google that links to the marketing client’s existing phone number. Advertisers can then track which AdWords campaigns their calls are coming from, along with the duration of the calls and the caller’s area code, through their existing Google account.
6. Google Sitelinks. One of the most useful of Google’s newer products, Sitelinks affords the ability to include up to six additional links in your AdWords text ad. This gives brands complete and immediate control over the pages, products, and messaging they wish to promote.
   Considering the length of time it can take for Google to re-index a site, and the urgency of updating ad copy and Sitelinks for such events as new product line launches, this can be a critical advantage. “You’re giving the user seven links to choose from and letting them select exactly where they want to go,” says Nathan Lewalski, one of Enlighten’s senior interactive media planners, “but you’re also gaining a competitive advantage by owning more real estate on the results page.” Click-through rates on these ads tend to be higher because users instantly know what to expect from a site. “Without paid search,” Nathan says, “it’s unlikely the user would see a brand’s newest messaging or get sent directly to new pages in time.”

Google is infamous for experimenting with its AdWords products (not to mention giving them countless different names). The advantage for advertisers is a glut of program options and a fresh take on how to supercharge those two little lines of text. Take some time to learn what’s new in Google Ad Innovations. The company’s next unit could be the one you’ve been waiting for.

Source:- http://www.techgig.com/tech-news/