ITV

Category: Software

  • India short of trained manpower to tackle cyber crime

    India short of trained manpower to tackle cyber crime

    NEW DELHI: Even as India ranks third in terms of the highest number of internet users in the world after US and China and the number is projected to grow six-fold between 2012 and 2017 with a compound annual growth rate of 44 per cent, it is among the top 10 spam-sending countries in the world alongside the United States.

    According to a whitepaper launched by ASSOCHAM-KPMG, highlighted that India has a huge shortage of cyber security specialists with the number of trained manpower only accounting for 556 compared to 1.25 lakh in China and 91,080 in the US. This is despite the fact that cyber crime cases in the country registered under the Information Technology Act last year rose by about 61 per cent to 2,876 with Maharashtra recording the most number of cases.

    To check cyber crime and hacking of systems, the government launched the National Cyber Security Policy of India (NCSP) followed by the release of guidelines by the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre of the National Technical Research Organization (NTRO) in July this year.

    One of the key agendas of the National Cyber Security Policy of India is to create a taskforce of 500,000 cyber security professionals in the next five years. Public and private sector partnership (PPP) is also seen as a key step to counter cyber crime.

    The whitepaper asserts that there is need for enterprises, SMEs and the government bodies to not only adopt the various guidelines and advisories issued by the security agencies but also to regularly review the implementation of the same. There needs to be a timely review of the IT act to keep pace with the developments and sophistications in cyber crime.

    Apart from consulting private sectors and cyber security equipment manufacturers, international coordination is also something that India needs to consider in the days to come to counter cyber attacks more effectively and efficiently. The implementation of all these aspects together will be a challenge that needs to be dealt with precision to secure the critical infrastructure of the country. 

  • Broadband optical fiber access solution to be launched for cable ops by Alcatel-Lucent

    Broadband optical fiber access solution to be launched for cable ops by Alcatel-Lucent

    NEW DELHI: A new broadband optical fiber access solution is being launched soon by Alcatel-Lucent for cable multiple-system operators (MSOs).

    The Ethernet Passive Optical Networking (EPON), solution can be integrated into existing cable access networks to deliver greater capacity to more businesses at a lower cost. This will enable MSOs, particularly those in North America, to expand their service offerings to meet the growing data bandwidth needs of businesses.

    Bright House Networks, the sixth largest owner and operator of cable systems in the US has selected Alcatel-Lucent’s EPON solution for its commercial services network, Alcatel-Lucent said in a statement.

    “Compared with competing alternatives, EPON has clear advantages in capital efficiency, vendor interoperability, bandwidth scalability and standardised provisioning,” said Bright House Networks, Network Engineering/Operations & Enterprise Solutions – SVP Craig Cowden.

    North American businesses are estimated to spend over $140 billion per year in total on communications services, yet MSOs are currently only capturing a small percentage of this market.

    “The business communications market segment is growing rapidly and cable operators in North America have a real opportunity to address it,” said Alcatel-Lucent Fixed Networks head Federico Guillen.

    Revenue from fixed broadband services providing connections between 100 megabits-per-second (100Mbps) and 1 gigabit-per-second (1Gbps) is predicted to more than double between 2013 and 2017.

    Alcatel-Lucent’s EPON solution for MSOs is based on the highest capacity fiber platform on the market – the Alcatel-Lucent 7360 ISAM FX with 1G EPON and 10G EPON linecards.

    The solution supports DOCSIS provisioning of EPON (DPoE), EPON Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) Optical Network Units (ONU), and a 10G EPON ONU. This enables it to integrate smoothly with existing networks, provisioning systems, and customer premises equipment, allowing MSOs to provision new services.

    EPON delivers more bandwidth (up to 1G or 10G upload and download speeds) than today’s DOCSIS networks and supports three to four times the number of customers per fiber as existing point-to-point coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM) solutions.

  • 87% drop in complaints against VAS after regulations: TRAI

    87% drop in complaints against VAS after regulations: TRAI

    NEW DELHI: There has been a decline of around 87 per cent in the number of complaints made against wrong activation of value added services (VAS) like mobile internet and caller tunes since July.

    The drop has been witnessed after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued directives to operators for putting an end to such practices.

    On 10 July, TRAI issued directives to telecom operators to take double confirmation from consumers before activating VAS and refund money of subscriber if the complaint is made within 24 hours for services that are valid for more than a day and six hours if a service is valid for a day.

     

    Under the rules, consumers can register complaints about wrongful activation of VAS on a toll-free common number, 155223, irrespective of the network they use.

    The regulator observed that total number of complaints received for VAS almost halved from 1,85,468 in July to 95,510 in August.

    The VAS activation on mobile network also came down by about 57 per cent from about 70 million in June – when rules were not in place – to 30 million in July. 

    The data did not incorporate details of state-run BSNL, Sistema Shyam, Videocon and Punjab based Quadrant.  

  • Have talent, will become animation hub

    Have talent, will become animation hub

    MUMBAI: The state-wide agitation over Telangana notwithstanding, the Andhra Pradesh government is pulling out all stops to make Hyderabad a media, animation and gaming hub.

    And not without reason, for, of the approximately $70 billion worth global animation industry, India’s contribution is around $ 900 million, with Hyderabad alone accounting for nearly $ 550 million.

    The Rs 350-crore GAME City project is in the last leg of finalising tenders, informs Madani

    So, after sponsoring the participation of Hyderabad-based animation companies at the recently concluded MIPCOM 2013, Information Technology and Communications Department deputy director (promotion) Syed Shawket Hussain Madani also made a pitch about how Hyderabad has a large talent pool that just needs the right push.

    Enlisting the challenges facing the animation industry, Madani said: “Infrastructure, which is dedicated to the media pool, is one challenge. The second important thing is to nurture the talent pool that specialises in 2D and 3D. The third challenge is to make gaming a part of the curriculum while the fourth is the policies relating to the animation industry,” and added that the AP government is coming up with a Gaming Animation Media Entertainment (GAME) City to tackle these obstacles.

    About the Rs 350-crore GAME City project funded by the state government, Madani informed: “We are in fact in the last leg of finalising tenders, which will be out by this month end.”

    Spanning more than 38 acre, GAME City will have an incubation space constructed over 8 lakh sq ft and various other facilities including a sound and acoustic studio, auditorium and shade studio. “We will give free bandwidth to the occupants for the first three years. Also considering that the software required for making animation series is expensive, the government has decided to buy the software and load it on the common server, which can be used by various companies located within GAME City,” said Madani.

    With plans to complete the 27,000 square feet incubation centre in the next two months, “Tenders for this are already out,” said Madani. The AP government is looking at big names to be part of the GAME City project. “Though Electronic Arts and Walt Disney already have their presence in Hyderabad, we want more such names to be part of this GAME city,” he said.

     

    As part of the larger project, a delegation was recently formed, comprising members from the AP government, industry and associations as well as architects and teachers from various institutes. “The team went to Dubai, Manchester, Amsterdam and South Korea to understand the needs of the animation industry and ensure that GAME City is well equipped,” said Madani.

    Additionally, the government is in the process of holding meetings with BBC and Al Jazeera among a host of other channels to set up businesses in Hyderabad. “We are negotiating with the University of Manchester for its specific programme that promotes animation in 2D and 3D. We have already signed a memorandum of understanding with Netherlands to set up an educational joint venture for making available its educational content to universities in Hyderabad,” informed Madani.

    Not only Hyderabad’s animation industry but also the work force stands to gain from these measures, which are expected to generate jobs for nearly 40,000 people. “This GAME city will complement the existing media and entertainment industry of Hyderabad,” concluded Madani.

    This is all very well but naysayers peg the fortunes (or otherwise) of the project on the upcoming elections. “The project sounds interesting and will be helpful to us. But, everything depends on the upcoming elections. If there is change in power, I am unsure if the project will see the light of the day,” said a Hyderabad-based CEO of an animation company who did not wish to be named.

  • Google readying ‘Mobile Meter’ app that offers rewards for tracking mobile usage

    Google readying ‘Mobile Meter’ app that offers rewards for tracking mobile usage

    MUMBAI: Google wants to dig a little deeper and monitor a user’s app usage as well. Reports reveal that the company is readying new mobile apps that compensate users if they allow their mobile behavior to be monitored. The project, known internally as “Mobile Meter,” utilises iOS and Android apps that intelligently monitor app usage and web browsing habits and send the data back to Google.

    According to rumors doing rounds the Mobile Meter program will be totally voluntary. Participants will be required to give their consent (or opt in) before joining. Google isn’t the first to reward users to gather mobile trends either: Nielsen has been conducting research into mobile trends with an Android app.

    Google already passively collects data to improve its apps and resources. The Google Maps app, for instance, regularly feeds back location metrics to enhance the service. The app will presumably enable the company to evaluate the different habits of Android and iOS users, gaining an important insight into Apple’s ecosystem. Talks are that Google will organise all of the information it collects to ensure the privacy of its panelists.

    Google has confirmed development of the new apps, which it says are part of its Screenwise market research project that began rolling out last year. The Mobile Meter apps will replace an older method that allowed panelists to participate, helping Google measure media consumption across all screens but with more accurate results on mobile. Both the Android and iOS apps will be submitted to their relevant app stores in the near future, although only panelists will be able to actually use them. The company notes that while there isn’t an open call for volunteers right now, it recruits for panels on an ongoing basis and compensation varies based on the panels people participate in.

  • Pinterest unveils ads, strikes international mobile deal

    Pinterest unveils ads, strikes international mobile deal

    MUMBAI: After announcing its intention to do so last month, the fast-growing social network unveiled its new ‘Promoted Pin’ advertisements recently. The pins are marked by a subtle label below the item description. In a blog post, Pinterest CEO and co-founder Ben Silbermann said ‘Promoted Pins’ are still in a testing phase and “nobody’s paying for anything yet – we want to see how things go and, more than anything, hear what you think.”

    San Francisco-based Pinterest promises the ads will be tasteful, transparent and relevant: “No flashy banners or pop-up ads,” Silbermann said in the blog post. The ads will appear in both Pinterest’s online and mobile apps, and are being rolled out now to a small portion of users for feedback.

    Don’t expect the ads to remain unpaid for long. Once fine-tuned, Pinterest is expected to open the floodgates for its first revenue-generating product. With an estimated 53 million users and a value of $2.5 billion, ads should significantly cushion four-year-old Pinterest’s coffers.

     

    In a separate development, Pinterest announced Thursday a deal to place a special widget on Android phones sold through Spanish mobile giant Telefonica. Pinterest already has an Android app, but the prominently placed widget will update faster and allow non-users to search it for shopping, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

    No money is involved in the deal, but Pinterest is hopeful it can add international users, as well as bolster its mobile footprint. Telefonica has about 316 million customers in Europe and Latin America.

  • Twitter has edge over Facebook in real-time TV, says report

    Twitter has edge over Facebook in real-time TV, says report

    MUMBAI: When it comes to so-called “TV talkers”, those who use social media while watching television programs, Twitter still has an edge over Facebook, a report said Thursday.

    As per the report, Twitter is still more attractive to advertisers and marketers than Facebook when it comes to real-time TV, according to eMarketer.

    “Facebook is further behind, but it has several advantages—such as its massive size—that will, over time, make it an attractive option,” said the report.

    Still, with more than a billion users, compared to Twitter’s base of more than 215 million, Facebook’s real-time TV promise is huge. A major reason is that, compared to Twitter, it has more user data for advertisers to tap.

    Twitter, the report noted, “integrated with TV shows and networks and developed ad products that align with marketers’ television advertising.” Twitter has reported that “95% of public social conversations around TV happen on its service,” the report said.

    Twitter’ strong TV potential has become more prominent as the San Francisco-based social network moves toward going public. Analysts sizing up the Twitter offering have consistently pointed to TV as one of its core strength.

    In a way, Twitter’s TV edge is based on how it quickly emerged as “a place where people have gone to discuss what they are watching on TV.”

  • Acclaimed Vampire App for kids arrives in iTunes store for Halloween

    Acclaimed Vampire App for kids arrives in iTunes store for Halloween

    NEW DELHI: Young vampire fans can now get the newest addition to the iTunes store: “Welcome to the Vampire’s Lair…If You Dare” from digital publisher LivoBooks.

     

    This hilariously creepy app is based on the award-winning animated short “Night of the Vampire” from Buba Films.

    Listed as number one on the “top five kid’s apps you don’t want to miss” by Mashable, and given an Editor’s Choice Award for Excellence in Design by Children’s Technology Review, “Welcome to the Vampire’s Lair…If You Dare” is a must for any kids age 8 to 11 who love all things spooky and silly.

    This storybook app features 3D animation, stunning sound effects, and word-by-word narration in English, Portuguese and Spanish, which can be easily be translated from one language to another with the touch of a finger. Included in the app is the full “Night of the Vampire” animated short.

    Enhancing the story are activities such as playing a tune with skeletons who jump out of caskets, feeding a man-eating plant, capturing scorpions before the clock runs out, make a heart beat in a jar in the Terror Laboratory and creating eerie photographs out of the user’s own image. The app is available for download in the iTunes store for the price of $2.99.

  • Acclaimed Vampire App for kids arrives in iTunes store for Halloween

    Acclaimed Vampire App for kids arrives in iTunes store for Halloween

    NEW DELHI: Young vampire fans can now get the newest addition to the iTunes store: “Welcome to the Vampire’s Lair…If You Dare” from digital publisher LivoBooks.

    This hilariously creepy app is based on the award-winning animated short “Night of the Vampire” from Buba Films.

    Listed as number one on the “top five kid’s apps you don’t want to miss” by Mashable, and given an Editor’s Choice Award for Excellence in Design by Children’s Technology Review, “Welcome to the Vampire’s Lair…If You Dare” is a must for any kids age 8 to 11 who love all things spooky and silly.

    This storybook app features 3D animation, stunning sound effects, and word-by-word narration in English, Portuguese and Spanish, which can be easily be translated from one language to another with the touch of a finger. Included in the app is the full “Night of the Vampire” animated short.

    Enhancing the story are activities such as playing a tune with skeletons who jump out of caskets, feeding a man-eating plant, capturing scorpions before the clock runs out, make a heart beat in a jar in the Terror Laboratory and creating eerie photographs out of the user’s own image. The app is available for download in the iTunes store for the price of $2.99.

  • Facebook introduces an easier way to create ads and measure their impact

    Facebook introduces an easier way to create ads and measure their impact

    NEW DELHI: Facebook has redesigned its ad buying and reporting tools based on responses from businesses.

    The ad buying process will start with a simple question – what’s your advertising objective? – and the Facebook tools will recommend an appropriate ad based on that objective, and then help determine how the ads performed against the objective.

    The updates, which we call objective-based ad buying and reporting, are part of ongoing efforts to make advertising on Facebook as simple as possible. In June, Facebook announced efforts to streamline Facebook ad types and provide consistency across formats. In July, ad products were streamlined, removing online offers, sponsored results and question ads. In August and September, it became possible for marketers to upload one image size that would work for all types of ads on Facebook, and the social site started offering a preview of how they would appear across Facebook.

    Feedback received from businesses was that when creating an ad, they did not want to choose an ad unit – they wanted to meet an objective. Facebook then spoke with marketers of all types and sizes to uncover the objectives that matter most to them. They are: Clicks to Website, Website, Conversions, Page Post Engagement, Page Likes, App Installs, App Engagement, In-store Offer claims, Event Responses.

    In turn, these objectives have become the new starting point for buying ads on Facebook. Based on the objective a business chooses, Facebook will recommend an appropriate ad-type (i.e., a Page post link ad to drive clicks to a website).