MORE Magazine by more magazine

CONTENT {November 2010 | Volume 3 | Issue 4}

Disclaimer: Where opinion is expressed it is that of the author’s and does not necessarily coincide with the editorial views of the publisher or MORE. All information in this magazine is verified to the best of author’s and publisher’s ability. However, MORE does not accept responsibility for any loss arising from reliance on it.

Cover story

In 2006, the total of IT services export from Pakistan was US $ 1 Billion whereas today's estimated size of export is US $ 1.4 Billion. That shows that our exports are at stand still during all these years. We had some 75000 IT professionals employed in 2006 that means IT sector of Pakistan could only manage to provide employment to some 35000 more graduates during the next 4 years. Where others are being absorbed, no one has the answer.

teleCom

VimPelCom-orasCom deal iN jeoPardy?

ChiNa makes fastest ComPuter oN earth

Recently, the CEO of Telenor Jon Fredrik Baksaas told Reuter that Telenor supports VimpelCom’s eﬀorts to expand internationally. Vimpelcom has the capacity for it (to expand abroad) but the parameters around a potential acquisition or merger must also be in place, Baksaas said. They were not suﬃciently in place when the press release was issued (regarding the Orascom negotiations).

The race to build the fastest supercomputer has become a source of national pride as these machines are valued for their ability to solve problems critical to national interests in areas like defense, energy, finance and science. Supercomputing technology also finds its way into mainstream business; oil and gas companies use it to find reservoirs and Wall Street traders use it for superquick automated trades. Procter & Gamble even uses supercomputers to make sure that Pringles go into cans without breaking.

teChnology

review

ubuNtu 10.10, a stable aNd user frieNdly os

Nokia C3, Pros aNd CoNs

Nokia C3 is being sold in Pakistan for a while but it is being launched in other parts of the South East Asia. From the looks you would find it to have a resemblance with BlackBerry style but a technical comparison is not justified.It’s a low budget equipped with basic features. Nokia is targeting those who are into lots of texting,

39 latest in teCh

22-31

month in FoCus

33-40

mobile Phones

42-43

Cameras

gadgets

45-46

MORE Magazine printed at Banquet Printing Press 28-A, Nisbat Road, Lahore and published by Mudassar Jehangir Mufti at 2nd Floor, Ali Mansion, 41-A, Lower Mall, Lahore Tel: 042 2106737 Email: info@apnatime.com

Cover story

Pakistan needs a practical IT policy

which could transform our country into an IT hub. After so much home work and planning from our ministries, the private and civil sectors which are the biggest stakeholders are found complaining of being ignored by the policy makers. For years our government is playing with fig-

Mudassar J Mufti

The seriousness of present government is quite evident from the fact that it has number of ministers for all the other departments enjoying all the benefits but there is no one who could take care of IT in Pakistan

ures whereas reality is far from true. According to the statistics of PSEB, Pakistan produces approximately

port from Pakistan was US $ 1 Billion

20,000 IT graduates every year who

whereas today's estimated size of export

come from nearly 110 universities con-

is US $ 1.4 Billion. That shows that our

ducting IT courses in Pakistan. Cur-

exports are at stand still during all these

50000 skilled IT people every year from

rently, there are 110,000 IT professionals

years. We had some 75000 IT profession-

India as a part of agreement between

employed in Pakistan and out of them

als employed in 2006 that means IT sec-

India and Brussels.

15,000 are engaged in export-oriented

tor of Pakistan could only manage to

activities at various software houses

provide employment to some 35000

team of Information Technology were

more graduates during the next 4 years.

recognized for excellence with 7 merit

Where others are being absorbed, no

awards at the 10th International

and call centers. In 2006, the total of IT services ex6 | more | November 2010

one has the answer. According to Daily Mail, European countries have approved the import of

Despite of the fact that Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

www.apnatime.com

Cover story Asia Pacific ICT A wards (APICTA) held in Kuala Lumpur just recently, no Pakistani

Indian IT industry contributes around 6 per cent to India's GDP, their government is planning to bring down the broadband access cost to connect every panchayat by 2012. Indian hardware industry is now pegged at $45 billion which is expected to touch $125 billion in 2015 and $400 billion in 2020

www.apnatime.com

Vision A country that will be globally com-

IT professional has been demanded

petitive with a modern Information

from European countries that shows the

Technology (IT) Enabled Economy and a

loop holes in our IT, Foreign and Trade

knowledge-based Information Society

policies.

where strong, eﬃcient and sustainable

The seriousness of present govern-

improvements in society, economy, cul-

ment is quite evident from the fact that

ture, regional integration and good gov-

it has number of ministers for all the

ernance are achieved through a robust

other departments enjoying all the ben-

IT infrastructure and eﬀective IT applica-

efits but there is no one who could take

tions.

care of IT in Pakistan. Nevertheless, just recently Ministry of IT, Government of Pakistan has developed an initial draft of the National IT Policy (Revised 2010).

mission Improve the quality of life of citizens to the highest attainable levels by ensuring

Government claims that it has received

availability of accessible, universal, aﬀordable,

input from various stakeholders through

modern and high quality IT facilities and serv-

a broad based consultative process over

ices within the country.

the past several months but industry

Personally speaking, this draft and

leaders are questioning the genuine-

all other previous policies have been

ness of this claim.

talking about the similar things. But the

Jehan Ara, President of P@SHA talks

results shows that Pakistani IT ranking is

about this initial draft as “I am not sure

not even commendable within Asian

who these stakeholders were and do

countries.

not believe that this is the way policies should be drafted”. Ministry has put this initial draft on its website to get it reviewed by local businessmen and citizens of Pakistan.

Industry stakeholders say, the upcoming IT policy will remain a part of books only, the real implementation is hard to do on government's part. The limited space doesn't allow to

Ministry has asked all the stakeholders

discuss the entire policy draft, but it

to give their comments on it before it

seems the ambiguous policy is contrary

gets finalized possibly in the month of

to the actions of authorities. In the New

December.

development section of the draft min-

According to the industry experts, the draft gives a very rosy picture of the fu-

istry says, “The Government of Pakistan would

ture but it the is execution which matters.

provide support for IT Research, Innova-

For examples it starts from these lines;

tion and Development organizations and create a fund to support deploy-

introduction Information Technology (IT) has been

ment of local IT innovations.” In actual, there is a war going on

a major growth driver for the Pakistani

among institutions over the allocation

economy in the past. In the last decade

of funds. Government has stopped all

the industry showed tremendous

the research funds that were scheduled

progress and grew quite rapidly. Even

to be issued to HEC and the universities

though it has registered tremendous

in Pakistan. Those students who had

growth, Pakistan based IT industry still

gone abroad for their PHDs are helpless

forms a very small part of the global IT.

and do not see a future for themselves. November 2010 | more | 7

Cover story In today's scenario any IT related person will advocate the importance of Open Source regime. The entire world is moving towards this phenomenon which is assisting countries to save huge amount of investment as well as giving everyone equal opportunity to establish the expertise

lined and government deliberately contracted with foreign firms causing local businessmen to depress more. A phenomenal growth rate in the IT sectors of other Asian countries further boils our blood. Just recently forbes magazine have listed three Indian cities - Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Chennai among the world's fastestgrowing cities. Indian IT industry contributes around 6 per cent to India's GDP, their government is planning to bring down

In the hardware and software sec-

would provide funding to promote and

the broadband access cost to connect

tion, it says, “Government of Pakistan

develop FOSS based ERPs and specific

every panchayat by 2012.

would provide incentives to software,

FOSS applications for industries of high

hardware and IT systems development

significance to the economy of Pakistan.

mation and communication technology

sector for Research, Innovation and De-

Government would support FOSS local-

event 'Bangalore IT.biz 2010', Indian

At the 13th edition of India's infor-

velopment in order to compete for local

ization initiatives for a wider IT impact

Union Minister for IT and Communica-

and foreign market shares with new and

and inclusion of the non English speak-

tion, Sachin Pilot, "The commitment of

innovative products”.

ing population on the IT bandwagon. In

the government of India has been that

The true picture is that the govern-

this regard Open Source Resource Cen-

by 2012 we will connect every single

ment has been unable to implement a

ter – a project of this Ministry would be

panchayat with high-speed broadband”.

balanced IT policy and a incentive based

further strengthened. Measures would

tax formula for our local IT industry

be instituted to make it a sustainable

hardware manufacturing market for

which has caused dozens of local play-

and permanent structure under the

Continue to page 11

ers to windup their businesses.

Ministry”. In today's scenario any IT re-

At one place the the draft focuses on

lated person will advocate the impor-

the open source software, it says, “ The

tance of Open Source regime. The entire

movement towards adopting and im-

world is moving towards this phenome-

plementing Free and Open Source Soft-

non which is assisting countries to save

ware (FOSS) has reached a scale, which

huge amount of investment as well as

is challenging the domain of proprietary

giving everyone equal opportunity to

software product. FOSS is being widely

establish the expertise.

deployed and massive commercial busi-

But how would government (Punjab

ness opportunities exist around the

Government) would justify its decision

FOSS paradigm. Eﬀorts would be made

of making a multi billion agreement

to develop and sustain a large group of

with Microsoft which it did earlier in

professionals who can contribute, de-

2010 whereby all the government de-

velop and implement FOSS across multi-

partments will be equipped with Mi-

ple domains and oﬀer end-users a

crosoft Windows and its dependent

choice to move away from proprietary

Microsoft Oﬃce Suite. Wouldn't it con-

software to FOSS. Under the Policy,

tradict with the upcoming IT policy

steps would be taken to establish Free

which focuses on open source?

and Open Source Software (FOSS) mir-

While establishing the Punjab IT

rors for free and easy access to open

project, all the local IT hardware and

source software resources. Government

software solution providers were side-

8 | more | November 2010

India should also emphasise on

Under the Policy, steps would be taken to establish Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) mirrors for free and easy access to open source software resources. Government would provide funding to promote and develop FOSS based ERPs and specific FOSS applications for industries of high significance to the economy of Pakistan www.apnatime.com

saddads

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Cover story

November 2010 | more | 9

teleCom

Zeeshan Butt

Prime Minister told his parliament that his government has decided to go ahead with the nationalization of Djezzy but it will only proceed further once Orascom settles the liabilities including $ 230 mn taxes and fines. The central bank of Algeria is also demanding $ 190 mn of fines for alleged currency violations by Orascom apart from unpaid wages of former employees. n

Naguib Sawiris is under immense

pressure as his plans to sell out his major telecom operations are not executing smoothly. A pending merger of Russia’s VimpelCom Ltd and Orascom Telecom Holding may turn out to be another failure if the Algerian unit Djezzy is excluded

Mr. Sawiris has already been told that he is not welcome to operate in the country and a nationalization of Djezzy is indispensable. Algerian government is prolonging the agony of Mr. Sawiris who is in no mood to lose this deal with VimpelCom

from the transaction. Shareholders at VimpelCom Ltd are raising eyebrows. According to news reports, Telenor

Telenor said that its partly-held Russ-

Initially, the Algerian authorities had

ian mobile group Vimpelcom must clar-

demanded $ 600 mn in terms of back

will not be keen on merger if Algerian

ify its deal to take over Orascom

taxes and fines and put a restriction on

government takes away Djezzy, the

Telecom before Vimpelcom's board

the transfer of anything. Mr. Sawiris has

highest earning entity of Orascom Tele-

takes a final decision on the transaction.

already been told that he is not welcome

com Holding. Telenor ASA has 27%

Following the comments, Orascom Tele-

to operate in the country and a national-

stakes in VimpelCom.

com's shares plunged to a 19-month

ization of Djezzy is indispensable.

Recently, the CEO of Telenor Jon

low. According to Reuters, OT fell 5.4

Orascom says, it has paid Algerian

Fredrik Baksaas told Reuter that Telenor

percent to its lowest close since 17

government extra tax but the status quo

supports VimpelCom’s eﬀorts to expand

March 2009. Traders also cited a report

is same. Algerian government is prolong-

internationally. Vimpelcom has the ca-

that Algeria will not begin talks on na-

ing the agony of Mr. Sawiris who is in no

pacity for it (to expand abroad) but the

tionalising Orascom's local unit Djezzy

mood to lose this deal with VimpelCom.

parameters around a potential acquisi-

until next year, adding to doubts about

tion or merger must also be in place,

the Vimpelcom deal.

Baksaas said. They were not suﬃciently

According to Bloomberg, Orascom

He lost a merger deal with MTN few months back when Algerian government used the similar tactics.

in place when the press release was is-

will not remain lucrative in the absence

He had hoped that $ 6.6 bn deal

sued (regarding the Orascom negotia-

of Djezzy considering its $ 4 billion debt.

with VimpelCom might solve the Djezzy

tions). Now, they (Vimpelcom) are in a

On the other hand, Algerian govern-

dispute because of the fact that Rus-

period of negotiations where some of

ment is determined to give Orascom

sians, being the largest weapon sup-

these issues must be clarified further

Telecom a tough time. The government

plier, are on good terms with Algerian

before the board can take a final posi-

has imposed a tax bill on Djezzy. Re-

government. Even the recent visit of

tion on the case, he said.

cently, Ahmed Ouyahia, the Algerian

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

10 | more | November 2010

www.apnatime.com

teleCom Continued from page 08 could not bring the desired results for

furthering growth of the industry, he

1:3,200. The government wants to in-

Sawiris as Algerian authorities has al-

added. Indian hardware industry is

crease this to 1:20. As there are 53mn

ready declared that they will not negoti-

now pegged at $45 billion which is ex-

students in the Indonesian schools

ate with VimpelCom but only Orascom

pected to touch $125 billion in 2015

system, this would require at least

Telecom Holding.

and $400 billion in 2020.

2.5mn computers.

According to media reports, Vimpel-

On the employment front, he said

PC market leader Acer has an-

Com asked $ 7.8 bn from the Algerian

the proposed IT Investment Region

nounced its target of increasing its

government who oﬀered only $ 2bn.

(ITIR) project on the outskirts of Ban-

share of the Indonesian PC market in

VimpelCom says, it will go to court if a

galore was expected to create 4 mil-

2010. Indonesia has already become

fair price is not fixed by the authorities.

lion jobs and would attract

Acer's largest South East Asian PC

According to Financial Times, the CEO of the Russian company, Alexander Izosimov said, “he would prefer to own

investment of about Rs 1 lakh crore

market, surpassing Thailand and

(Indian Ruppee).

Malaysia. Acer has said that it expects

Business Monitor International,re-

Orascom Telecom Holding SAE’s Djezzy

cently published its research report

unit, though a compromise is possible

“Indonesia Information Technology

under which Algeria would own a stake

Report Q4 2010". The report says,

in Djezzy and VimpelCom would run it.”

By 2014, Indonesia's hardware-

netbooks to comprise around 30% of its total PC sales in Indonesia this year. Meanwhile second-placed vendor HP pledged to strike back and set a target of reclaiming top spot in the In-

Going to court would be a “last resort,”

dominated IT market is projected to

donesian market from Acer at some

Izosimov said in comments confirmed

reach a value of US$8.1bn. With infor-

point in 2010. The next few years should

by Elena Prokhorova, a spokeswoman

mation and communication technol-

feature a shift away from packaged pro-

for VimpelCom.

ogy (ICT) penetration of only around

prietary software towards other models,

20%. Indonesian government is opti-

such as cloud computing.

Newspaper further writes that, Alexey Subbotin, VimpelCom’s director of investor

mist in achieving this target on the

Microsoft Indonesia has reported

relations expressed his views that Vimpel-

basis of following steps it took during

that cloud computing accounts for

Com is optimistic that Orascom Telecom

the last 2 years.

around 20% of its local revenues and

Holding SAE will resolve the ownership

In April 2010, the Indonesian gov-

had been growing at about 50% per

ernment said it was ready to eliminate

year. In 2010, Telkom partnered with

duties on PC components in a bid to

Microsoft to launch cloud computing

Weather Investments SpA (parent com-

assist the local PC industry. Nearly all

services which target SMEs with appli-

pany of Orascom Telecom) is scheduled

PC components, such as motherboards

cations for tax and finance.

dispute with Algerian government. The board of VimpelCom and

to meet at the end of this month to fi-

and graphic cards, used by the industry

nalize the merger agreement. The two

are imported, which means manufac-

models. Intel’s Director Channel Oper-

companies have already agreed to

turers had to pay import duties.

ations for Asia-Pacific Kamil Hasan re-

merge most of their assets in a transaction valued at about $6.5 bn.

In 2009, a ministerial decree di-

We will have to learn from these

cently told one of the local

rected that local government oﬃces

newspapers, that despite of all the

Subbotin further said, “The transac-

across Indonesia must adopt open-

technological advancements in Pak-

tion is not just about Algeria, we have a

source software (OSS) by 2011. The

istan many challenges still lie ahead.

much more practical approach. Other

city of Surabaya launched a pilot proj-

One of these is the low literacy

assets of Weather Investments are at-

ect for OSS applications with the goal

rate as people living in underserved

tractive to us.”

of saving 20-25% of the municipality's

communities and rural areas get little

budget.

or no access to quality education and

Though, VimpelCom seems determined to maintain its interest for other

The government is rolling out e-

hence are unaware of the benefits of

assets of Orascom Telecom Holding but

learning initiatives, which could cause

technology deployment. “There is no

a tough Algerian stance can lead to dif-

education's share of local IT spending

dearth of local talent, the need is to

ferent results. A possible “compromise”

to rise from its estimated level of

channel it in the right direction cou-

could turn out to be an exclusion of

around 4%. The ratio of PCs-to-stu-

pled with a strong sustainable policy

“Djezzy” from the deal.

dents in public schools is around

framework,” he said.

www.apnatime.com

November 2010 | more | 11

teChnology

MORE Report

If you are fed up of costly license fee, security issues and heavy processing that eat most of your hardware resources then better give Ubuntu 10.10 a chance. The latest version of Ubuntu called Ubuntu 10.10 or the Maverick Meerkat was unveiled in mid of October. This operating system has all the beauty and the character to seduce any ordinary home PC user using Microsoft Windows. If not revolutionary, Ubuntu 10.10 is definitely an evolutionary version â&#x20AC;&#x201C; improvising on the previous versions. Even at this stage most of the features/technologies used in Ubuntu are far more advanced and future ready than Windows or Mac in many aspects, especially when it comes to improving your productivity.

We won't discuss the flaws of Windows but focus on ubuntu itself.

speed Canonical, the parent organization that support Ubuntu, claims a more streamlined boot process (yes, improving on the already superfast Lucid boot speed) and, of course, a sparky new kernel

Unlike Windows, Ubuntu has a wider support for most hardware including your printers, scanners and Wi-Fi. Chances are that in most cases you don't have to worry about installing drivers for these devices

based on 2.6.35 and bringing with it improved hardware support.

called the The Ubuntu Font Family, that's easy to read and easy on the eyes. It's cer-

style There's new themes, icons, and default

multiple desktop Multiple desktop is a very cool feature

tainly clean, and reminiscent of the

which makes Ubuntu one of the hot flavors

Ubuntu logo font introduced in 10.04. For

of Linux. This feature keeps your desktop

wallpaper as expected, but there's also the

the netbook edition, a new interface de-

clutter-free and you can run dozens of

introduction of a new system font collec-

sign called Unity aims to make using net-

apps/software without getting lost in the

tion designed specifically for Ubuntu,

books simpler and more stylish, too.

maze of software. You can have more than

12 | more | November 2010

www.apnatime.com

teChnology one Desktop Space and then spread the

Ubuntu comes with most important

Webcam, you must make sure that the

running software across the desktops thus

software pre-installed so that you can

one desktop may be running all your web-

start working the moment your are fin-

sites, other will be playing songs and so on.

ished with the installation. The per-in-

low standards and their low-quality

stalled software includes OpenOﬃce

products fail to run under Ubuntu, just

productivity oﬃce suite, Evolution Mail

the way a lot of hardware fails to run

client & Calendar, Empathy IM Client

under Apple Mac. So, when you go to

thing that you see in this version is the new

which allows you to connect to Facebook

buy hardware do ask the vendor if the

New fonts If you are a loyal Ubuntu user, the best

product is supported by Ubuntu. There a few vendors who do not fol-

font. The technical font design work and im-

Chat, Yahoo! Chat, Gtalk, MSN chat, and

product supports Ubuntu. If you are or-

plementation is being undertaken by none

many more from one application. It also

dering online, Google to check if the

other than Dalton Maag. The font was re-

supports Voice and Video chat.

hardware is supported by Ubuntu.

leased under a libre-licence and is now packaged in Ubuntu 10.10. You can use the new font in your text editing as well. The Ubuntu Font Family includes Regular, Bold, Light and Medium weights, with italics. There is a Monospaced member of the family for terminal applications,

Ubuntu software center is the place where you will get every thing according to your desire for free. Software/packages are categorized in a very user friendly way. Just choose the category and find out what community has created for your need

as well as a Condensed version for spacecritical applications. A total of 13 variants!

Ubuntu comes pre-installed with Firefox web browser, Brasero Disc Burner for

Copy Paste

ubuntu software Center Ubuntu software center is the place

writing CDs and DVDs, A Movie Player,

where you will get every thing according to

Rhythombox Music Player, Sound

your desire for free. Software/packages are

place. If you are pasting a file with the

Recorder, Shotwell Photo Manager – a

categorized in a very user friendly way. Just

same name, it now asks whether you want

software which allows you to edit images,

choose the category and find out what

to replace the file or not. It not only shows

and games and much more.

community has created for your need.

Copy paste now oﬀers option to re-

the thumbnail of the file (if image) and

Unlike Windows, Ubuntu has a wider

Cloud

also gives an option to rename the new

support for most hardware including your

file. You also get an option to apply the

printers, scanners and Wi-Fi. Chances are

same action to all files.

that in most cases you don't have to worry

hard with both the Desktop and Server

about installing drivers for these devices.

editions of Ubuntu. For the desktop the

However, if you are adding hardware like

free 2GB online storage on Ubuntu One

Pre-installed softwares

Canonical is pushing cloud computing

for all Ubuntu users has been supplemented by a new, cheaper, pricing structure (upgrade to 20GB for $US2.99) and the addition of both a Windows client (for cross-OS syncing) and both iPhone and Android clients, along with a new streaming service to stream music from your cloud collection to your smartphone. If you already have an earlier version and you don't want to do Software Repository where everything is available that you desire

a clean install you can upgrade to 10.10 from within 10.04 itself via the Update Manager - but as

www.apnatime.com

November 2010 | more | 13

teChnology you have to stop your work and waste micro-seconds to switch between chat windows and software windows. Under Ubuntu the 'Always On Top' feature allows you to keep that window on top of all the windows. So, if you are writing a mail, a tiny window will keep floating and you can chat as well as work at the same time without wasting a microsecond. It's very useful when using tools like calculators. A simple process of software/package installation

Volume indication The Volume Indication on top right panel now show the Music Player and Track Playing. It also allows you to control the music player. You don't have to launch the player, irrespective of which player – Amarok, or Rhythmbox – you can control it from within the Indicator. I consider the latest version of Ubuntu to be the best version ever. The new font makes it cooler than any other operating system. It is extremely secure, resource and cost eﬀective. It is updated every six months thus keeping my machine up-

Tone of “games” and other applications

dated with latest technologies. What else should I ask for? In our next editions we will discuss other features in detail. Most of the features are taken from re-

10.04 is an LTS (Long Term Support) re-

doing some work on any other software.

lease, you'll first need to tell it you want

The moment you click on the other win-

view done by Swapnil Bhartiya on mukt-

to: click System --> Administration -->

dow, the chat window disappears and

ware.com

Software Sources, then under the Updates tab set 'Check for new distribution releases' to 'Normal Releases'. Click Close and run the Update Manager and you'll be prompted to upgrade. Backup your home directory and personal data first, of course, as when doing any operating system install or upgrade for your machine.

always on top Some of the minor features of Ubuntu improve your productivity manifold. One such feature is “Always On Top”. It's minor but extremely important. If you are chatting with someone while 14 | more | November 2010

Recently, Ubuntu lovers gathered in Lahore to show their commitment for an open source and license free operating system. A group photo at the party

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Cover story

November 2010 | more | 15

teChnology

A Chinese scientific research center

MORE Report

Mr. Dongarra said, the Chinese

perquick automated trades. Procter &

has built the fastest supercomputer

computer "blows away the existing

Gamble even uses supercomputers to

ever made, replacing the United States

No. 1 machine."

make sure that Pringles go into cans

as maker of the swiftest machine, and

The computer is under the dual

giving China bragging rights as a tech-

supervision of the Chinese Ministry of

And typically, research centers

nology superpower.

National Defense and the Ministry of

with large supercomputers are mag-

Education.

nets for top scientific talent, adding

The computer, known as Tianhe1A, has 1.4 times the horsepower of

The race to build the fastest super-

without breaking.

significance to the presence of the

the current top computer, which is at

computer has become a source of na-

machines well beyond just cranking

a national laboratory in Tennessee, as

tional pride as these machines are

through calculations.

measured by the standard test used

valued for their ability to solve prob-

Over the last decade, the Chinese have steadily inched up in the rankings of supercomputers. Tianhe-1A

the Chinese system is a unique hybrid design that uses approximately 7,000 Nvidia graphics chips along with 14,000 intel Xeon CPus. the graphics chips are what give the system the extra oomph to catapult it into the top supercomputer spot.

stands as the culmination of billions of dollars in investment and scientific development, as China has gone from a computing afterthought to a world technology superpower. "What is scary about this is that the U.S. dominance in high-performance computing is at risk," said Wuchun Feng, a supercomputing expert and professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. "One could argue that this hits the founda-

to gauge how well the systems handle

lems critical to national interests in

mathematical calculations, said Jack

areas like defense, energy, finance

Dongarra, a University of Tennessee

and science. Supercomputing tech-

by combining thousands of small

computer scientist who maintains the

nology also finds its way into main-

computer servers and using software

official supercomputer rankings. The

stream business; oil and gas

to turn them into a single entity. In

ranking of top 500 faster machines is

companies use it to find reservoirs

that sense, any organization with

held every six month.

and Wall Street traders use it for su-

enough money and expertise can buy

16 | more | November 2010

tion of economic future of US." Modern supercomputers are built

www.apnatime.com

teChnology what amount to off-the-shelf compo-

million times faster than one of the

out, he expected a second Chinese

nents and create a fast machine.

earliest supercomputers, built in 1976.

computer to be in the top five, culmi-

The Chinese system follows that

For the record, it performs 2.5

model by linking thousands upon

times 10 to the 15th power mathe-

thousands of chips made by the

matical operations per second.

American companies Intel and Nvidia.

Mr. Dongarra said a long-running

nating years of investment. The United States has plans in place to make much faster machines out of proprietary components and to

But the secret sauce behind the sys-

Chinese project to build chips to rival

advance the software used by these

tem — and the technological achieve-

those from Intel and others remained

systems so that they are easy for re-

ment — is the interconnect, or

under way and looked promising. "It's

searchers to use. But those computers

networking technology, developed by

not quite there yet, but it will be in a

remain years away, and for now, China

Chinese researchers that shuttles data

year or two," he said.

back and forth across the smaller

He also said, when the list comes

is king.

nytimes.com

computers at breakneck rates, Mr. Dongarra said. "That technology was built by them, they are taking supercomputing very seriously and making a deep commitment, he said" The Chinese interconnect can handle data at about twice the speed of a common interconnect called InfiniBand used in many supercomputers. For decades, the United States has developed most of the underlying technology that goes into the massive supercomputers and has built the largest, fastest machines at research laboratories and universities. Some of the top systems simulate the eﬀects of nuclear weapons, while others predict the weather and aid in energy research. In 2002, the United States lost its crown as supercomputing kingpin for the first time in stunning fashion when Japan unveiled a machine with more horsepower than the top 20 American computers combined. The United States government responded in kind, forming groups to plot a comeback and pouring money into supercomputing projects. The United States regained its leadership status in 2004, and has kept it, until now. Tianhe-1A, which is housed in a building at the National Supercomputing Center in Tianjin, can perform mathematical operations about 29 www.apnatime.com

Massively powerful supercomputer coming in 2018 Intel, DARPA, and the San Diego Supercomputer Center have launched an eight-year project to create the most powerful computer ever constructed. By 2018, the extreme-scale supercomputer will be running exaflop-level calculations: that's a million trillion operations every second, or about a thousand times faster than the fastest supercomputer we've got today. For a long time, building a faster supercomputer was just a matter of piling on more CPUs and GPUs to work together to crunch more numbers. This is still sort of true, but we're getting to the point where the architecture of the system itself becomes way more important. As the associate director of the SDSC puts it, "today's crude and simplistic memory cache and prefetch policies won't work at the exascale level." The tricky part is getting the right data to the right processors at the right times so that none are sitting idle. But, you can't be just tossing data around, even though moving a single byte from one place to another only takes a billionth of a joule, when you're talking about a supercomputer that operates in the exaflop range, that basically means a dedicated nuclear power plant just to keep all the lights blinking. Efficiency in both programming and power becomes a huge challenge, and Intel is working on new chip designs that will be up to 1,000 times more efficient than even the most efficient systems we've got right now. Apparently, we're not quite at the level of determining the ultimate answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything quite yet, but don't panic: according to Moore's Law, zettaflops and yottaflops should be right around the corner. Source: Dvice.com November 2010 | more | 17

review

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review n

Nokia C3 is being sold in Pakistan for a while but it is being

sms, email and Chat

launched in other parts of the South East Asia. From the looks you would find it to have a resemblance with BlackBerry style but a technical comparison is not justified. It’s a low budget equipped with basic features. Nokia is targeting those who are into lots of texting, social networking and love to have a QWERTY key pad on their phone. Yes, it does fulfill these desires. Nokia has taken extra care on its design at this low cost. Since the target market is youth, it is available in Slate Grey (a little bluish), Golden White, and Hot Pink.

Nokia is advertising C3 as a social machine. That’s true it is really aﬀordable and handy piece of machine designed to keep you busy with Emails, SMSes and your favorite messengers. With internet package so cheap these days, this phone is a 24 hour toy for anyone. Talking about the design and outlook which is very clean and decent for anyone to hold, the front is all glossy plastic prone to

Nokia is advertising C3 as a social machine. That’s true it is re-

fingerprints (but easily cleanable) other than the keypad which is

ally aﬀordable and handy piece of machine designed to keep you

a four row matt finished area. All the keys are nicely sized and

busy with Emails, SMSes and your favorite messengers. With in-

packed reasonably. More you type, more you will get used to it

ternet package so cheap these days, this phone is a 24 hour toy

and of course less chances of mistyping. There are dedicated keys

for anyone.

for commonly used punctuation marks. A generously sized space bar is pretty helpful for a speedy texting, email or chatting. Rare of the phone is matt finished plastic at the top and bottom and within that is a metal battery cover which can be re-

SMS editor is simple and old fashioned, with QWERTY keyboard it is much easier to type on the bubble like keys. Complete log of all the “conversations” is also available for any particular contact that you can refer to anytime.

moved very smoothly by squeezing two knobs placed on either

Email is located in the main Menu, its configuration is piece of

side (left/right) of the phone. 2 MP camera and the speaker grill

cake, just put the Email IDs and the Passwords; the phone does all

are placed at the upper part.

the technical work and server configuration itself. You can add as

Top houses 2mm charger plug along with 3.5 mm audio jack.

many email accounts as you want. We worked with 5 at a time.

Nothing on the right side, no volume rocker, no dedicated camera key, whereas on the left you will find the microUSB port and the microSD card slot. An ordinary 2.4 inches low res screen of 320 x 240 pixels is just OK for image less usage. The phone is based on Nokia’s S-40 operating system which is quite dated now. Its high end phone are using Series 60 but perhaps Nokia wanted to keep the price low for young people who would not aﬀord to spend more for the social applications. Nevertheless, something new with the screen, it has 3 panels or strips, whatever you call them, a very handy place to put

There should have been at least 3 MP camera. With no LED flash support the camera is useless in the low light areas. Photos are often very noisy and does not fulfill the desire of photography by any means. Similarly, video recording @20fps gives you a very blurry and noisy video which can not be shared on any social network being a quality video.

your applications on them for a quick launch. I placed my favorite contacts on the top one (it shows their images along with the

Downside is that it does not support to download your at-

name of the selected one), Email accounts on the second one and

tachment other than jpeg and that too is limited to a specific size.

left the third one as it is with the pre-defined list of applications

It therefore wont' serve the professional guys who keep attach-

shortcuts which you would normally find in the “Inside Menu Area”.

ing Microsoft Oﬃce files in their emails.

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November 2010 | more | 19

review

Overall, the phone is a mix of pros and cons. IM messaging on move, facebook and twitter are the hallmark of this phone. It will do justice to your emails as well but attachment handling is still a problem. Absence of document viewing and very low memory straight forwardly make it a less desired machine for professional people. You can enjoy audio player and FM radio but movie is not the playground for C3. G-talk, Yahoo, MSN messengers are real fun. Since they don't

it by now particularly when you are making a phone for youth

require a high speed internet, therefore, they will let you con-

who are into entertainment stuﬀ all the time. If they can't play a

nected till your battery dries up.

movie on internet due to slow connection speed and less internal

The phone does not support multitasking and it gets really slow when switching between applications, especially when

memory, at least they should have a choice to enjoy the stored movies/clips.

messengers are getting singed in. Facebook shows the similar attitude at the time of refreshing pages. Very low internal memory and slow internet (in the absence of Wi-Fi) multiplies the eﬀect. The reason may be Outdated Operating System, Insuﬃcient RAM/ROM, Slow processing speed In order to keep the price low, few areas have been ignored. It does not have 3G and GPS support. Unless we have 3G in Pakistan, adding or subtracting such a feature is not an issue. 55MB

Poor 2mP Camera There should have been at least 3 MP camera. With no LED flash support the camera is useless in the low light areas. Photos are often very noisy and does not fulfill the desire of photography by any means. Noise reduction algorithm does not work properly, transferring those images on a computer screen is a useless eﬀort. Similarly, video recording @20fps gives you a very blurry and

internal memory seems to be insuﬃcient especially when there

noisy video which can not be shared on any social network being

are applications like Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo etc.

a quality video. Party lovers are not advised to waste their mo-

there will be issues while playing Youtube movies. Youtube

ments using this video camera.

will only work on a Wi-Fi as GPRS/EDGE in Pakistan can not be of any help. It will only eat your GPRS fee. Wi-Fi of good speed can play it but the pixelated view on full screen mode will not amuse you. Nokia is bundling this machine with the Ufone SIM which is

Wireless Connectivity is superb Nokia C3 is smart enough to detect the GPRS or a Wi-Fi net-

known for its unreliable GPRS performance. Nokia people should

work, which ever is available. While on move, we did enjoy using

have worked in this area as their selling points are highly depend-

IM messages, facebook, twitter as well as browsing on Opera

ing upon on good Internet speed.

Mini. Opera will help you in most of the cases it compresses the content of a site and display it briskly as it does most of the im-

entertainment Music Player is pretty good and can play AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, WMA, AMR-NB. Equillizer is available which you can reset according to your

ages handling on its server. For any local content, Bluetooth 2.1 is available. Overall, the phone is a mix of pros and cons. IM messaging on move, facebook and twitter are the hallmark of this phone. It will

choice, stereo widening option is also available. Sort your songs

do justice to your emails as well but attachment handling is still a

by artist, album and genre.

problem. Absence of document viewing and very low memory

The supplied headphones in the package are a whack. Phone

straight forwardly make it a less desired machine for professional

has a standard 3.5 mm jack which allows you to put headphones

people. You can enjoy audio player and FM radio but movie is not

of your own choice.

the playground for C3.

FM radio also performs well, it has all the basic functions and the RDS support as well. Video player is very disappointing. S40 platform is known for its low quality video handling but Nokia should have worked on 20 | more | November 2010

If you are not a very big fan of Photography and Movie making which I believe is not the case for majority of the youth, then this phone is right for you. Don't forget to buy an extra memory card as Nokia has not taken care of it in the package.

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software creates 3d wiring maps of the brain Utilizing a recently-developed technique called HARDI (High Angular Resolution Diﬀusion Imaging), researchers at the Eindhoven University of Technology have created a software tool that could reduce the need for exploratory brain surgery. The new technology converts MRI scans of the brain into three-dimensional images, which provide neurologists with a “road map” of the wiring of a patient’s brain.

Up until now, it has been diﬃcult to establish where the nerve bundles were in patients’ brains, and where those bundles intersected. It is very important for neurologists to know this information, both to avoid damaging the nerve bundles, and to know where to target when using deep brain stimulation to treat conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. “With this new tool, you can determine exactly where to place the stimulation electrode in the brain,” said Eindhoven’s Prof. Bart ter Haar Romenij. “The guiding map has been improved: because we now see the roads on the map, we know better where to stick the needle.” Being able to actually see 3D images of the brain’s wiring could also provide fresh insights into neurological and psychiatric disorders. gizmag.com

3G service started on mount everest Scandinavian company TeliaSonera has started a 3G base station on Mount Everest at about 17,000 feet that will enable mountain climbers at the 29,035foot summit to surf the Internet and even send videos of their exploits. TeliaSonera owns 80% of Ncell Nepal, which set up four solar-operated base stations and four traditional towers in the region. One station is located at the region’s airport in Lukla at about 9,400 feet. Like the mountaineers who struggled for decades to reach the Everest summit -- it was first climbed in 1953 -telecommunications companies have struggled to establish service at the world’s highest mountain. First, it was China Mobile, which actually placed a cell tower at 21,315 feet on the mountain. Using Sherpa porters and yaks to ascend the mountain, the China Mobile team struggled mightily because the oxygen level at that altitude was just 38% of ground-level oxygen. The China Mobile voice eﬀort was established in 2007

22 | more | November 2010

in preparation for the Beijing Olympics. To prove the eﬃciency of the China Mobile system, Rod Baber, an English climber, climbed to the Mount Everest summit and successfully made calls. So his cell phone’s batteries wouldn’t

freeze, Baber strapped the batteries to his body. In 2009, Nepal Telecom inaugurated GSM and CDMA coverage on the mountain using satellite as well as ground antennas. As mountain climbers have flocked to Mount Everest in recent years, the various calling services are a safety aid. Nepal Telecom has said that its system is capable of handling 3,000 calls simultaneously. For years, satellite phones provided voice service to climbers and rescue workers, but the erratic weather in the region often rendered satellite service ineﬀective. Sherpa guides praised the new service. “The erratic and expensive satellite connection that many times does not work for days will be replaced with this service, making it possible for all climbers to keep in touch with their organizers and families,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa, according to media reports. He is a member of the International Mountain Protection Commission. Source: informationweek.com

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first visitors enter ferrari World

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest indoor and the first Ferrari theme park opened just recently. With 20 rides and attractions assembled over 2,500 hectare of amusement facilities at Yas Island, the park promises to be an intense multi-sensory experience for children and adults alike. For the more daring enthusiasts, a ride at the Formula Rossa — the world’s fastest rollercoaster blasting away at 240kph — will leave them buzzing with the sensation of being in a Ferrari F1 car. An adrenaline-pumping ride up over 62 metres at G-Force and a flume ride at Ferrari 599 engine are also an added treat for the thrill seekers as well as racing against a GT coaster at 95kph at the Fiorano GT Challenge. For those who opt for a more leisurely pace with their young ones, they can cruise with ‘Nello’ in his fantasy world at the Speed of Magic or explore Italy’s famous landmarks at Bell’Italia by either wandering through cobbled footpaths or driving in a small-scale Ferrari 250. The budding race drivers meanwhile, can get their driving lessons early at Junior GT and will have a chance to pilot a scaled-down Ferrari F1 racer at the Junior Grand Prix. The little racers will also get early training on the waterless car washing at the Junior Training Camp or get to spin at the Ferrari Carousel. khaleejtimes.com

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agloves give touchscreen functionality

With capacitive the technology of choice on the majority of touchscreen devices hitting the market, people have been coming up with all kinds of interesting ways to interact with their devices when the winter chill sets in and gloves become a necessity. Now there’s a glove-based solution in the form of Agloves, which provide even greater touchscreen friendly surface area for your hands. Whereas the Etip gloves feature a conductive material known as X-Static fabric on the tips of the thumb and index finger, the Agloves are made with silver coated nylon to make the entire glove conductive. With silver boasting particularly high electrical conductivity it allows the Agloves to better transfer the skin’s bioelectrical charge through the gloves to the screen. The Boulder-based company behind the Agloves says that since the whole glove is knitted with its unique silver yarn they are able to work even if the wearer’s fingertips lose conductivity, when they are too cold or dry for example. In such cases the rest of the hand is able to pick up the slack and allow the bioelectricity to travel from other areas on the hand, through the glove to the fingertips to maintain a connection. Also, because the Agloves provide full 10-finger functionality, users are able to type using full QWERTY onscreen keyboards like that found on the iPad, or do four-finger swipes. The Agloves pair costs under US$17.99 gizmag.com November 2010 | more | 23

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bmW enters the scooter market While the European motorcycle industry is in crisis due to dramatically falling sales, BMW is moving in the opposite direction. After years concentrating on larger capacity two wheelers, it is moving into the scooter field. Having already shown an electric version of its ultra-safe C1 scooter, plus several MINI scooter concepts in recent weeks, BMW Motorrad recently unveiled a maxi scooter concept. Two premium scooters will be derived from the concept vehicle in the near future and there’s also an electric version being investigated. For many years, scooter segment riders were looked down upon by regular motorcyclists, and it was only when Suzuki kicked oﬀ the maxiscooter craze with a lively 400cc engine just over a decade ago that the scooter form factor got some respect. The feet-forward riding position of the scooter oﬀers a combination of the relaxed “chopper” riding position, but with protection from the weather and somewhat greater protection in an accident.

With plenty of storage space, full instrumentation, plus the excellent suspension and running gear of the maxi-scooter, and the form factor becomes a desirable and practical alternative to the motorcycle, particularly for extended commuting purposes. It was however, the performance of subsequent maxi-scooters which earned them respect at the stoplight GP and a legitimate place in motorcycling. Yamaha followed Suzuki’s 1999 Burgman 400 with a 40 horsepower 500cc T-Max in 2000, then Honda trumped that with the 50 bhp Silver Wing 600 twin, then in 2002, Suzuki raised the bar further with the Burgman 650. BMW Motorrad appears set to go straight to the top of the performance scale in the maxi-scooter area, notifying its intention of “combining in these scooters the outstanding handling of the motorcycle with the particular agility and conceptual comfort of the scooter for the maximum experience of dynamic riding.” Pricing has not yet been mentioned , though it will clearly be at the very top of the scooter market – expect a price well beyond any scooter yet seen on a showroom floor. gizmag.com 24 | more | November 2010

Carbon cloth, highly eﬀective at removing pollutants

Researchers at the University of Abertay Dundee (UAD) have discovered that activated carbon cloth is very eﬀective at filtering harmful compounds out of air and liquids. The material was first developed in the 1980s, to protect British soldiers from chemical attacks. It is still in use today, in chemical, biological and radiological warfare suits for the military. This recent study, however, indicates that it could have a number of other uses. The initial phase of the latest research was carried out in conjunction with Carbon Filter Technology, a Scottish company that manufacturers carbon cloth. The UAD researchers found that the material can be used to create reactive chemicals known as hydroxyl radicals. These are highly unstable, so they react instantly with any pollutants, even at concentrations of a few parts per million. When combined with ozone gas, it becomes an even more eﬀective filtration medium. “The fabric has countless tiny pores which absorb the organic molecules onto the surface via weak Van der Waals forces,” explained Carbon Fiber Technology’s Ian Johnson. “The pollutants then react with the oxidant (ozone) on the surface of the carbon cloth, converting them into smaller molecules or even carbon dioxide and water. The carbon cloth is really acting as a catalyst, promoting the decomposition of the pollutants.” Various uses for the relatively inexpensive cloth are now being proposed. They include using it in hospitals to filter antibiotic and drug waste out of outgoing water, in municipal water treatment systems to keep pollutants from entering rivers, on wound dressings, and as a covering for highly-sensitive equipment. gizmag.com www.apnatime.com

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Compact lPC-100m PC Stealth Computer which also makes industrial computer and peripherals has released a new ultra small PC designed specifically for in-vehicle/mobile/embedded applications. Stealth's model LPC-100M is a rugged small form PC that operates from 10-26 VDC power input making it ideal for DC powered applications typically found in vehicles and remote applications. One of the unique attributes the LPC-100M mobile computer possesses is a user selectable smart power control interface. Start-up and shutdown times are user definable allowing for safe application launching along with a controlled shutdown period. This is absolutely critical in preventing data corruption when power sources are interrupted in mobile and field environments. Housed in a rugged aluminum enclosure this powerful & versatile machine measures out at only 4.0" x 6.1" x 1.45” (102mm x 155mm x 37mm) or about the size of a paperback novel. The machine weighs in at a mere 1.2lbs or 0.54kg. Stealth's ultra small mobile PC utilizes the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo mobile processor technology and outperforms other computers many times its size. The LPC-100M is available with a standard Intel Dual Core Celeron T3100 (1.9GHz) or optional Intel Core 2 Duo processor P8400 (2.26Ghz). The machine employs the Intel Mobile GM45 Express Chipset featuring Intel's graphic media accelerator with advanced 3D graphics performance. The LPC-100M mini PC features a multitude of I/O connectivity built directly into its impressively small design such as; Gigabit LAN, 4-USB, 2-Serial, 1-DVI-I, 1-DVI-D Video, Audio In/Out, 2-PS/2 ports and 1-external express card slot. The rear locking DC power connector ensures power is securely in place. The LPC-100M supports up to 8GB of DDR3 memory and has a built-in 2.5” mobile hard drive with up to 500GB's of storage space for archived data. For applications that require extra high shock, vibration and wide temperature ranges an optional SSD (Solid State Hard Drive) is available. Systems are compatible with Microsoft Windows 7/XP, Linux etc and can be custom configured to meet the exact needs of the OEM or end user. The LPC-100M is currently shipping with base pricing starting at $1095.00 USD. dvhardware.net

multi-funtion, precision gaming mouse

Hamburg-based ROCCAT Studios has released a high-precision laser sensor gaming mouse that gives users access to 22 programmable function buttons without going button crazy. The Kone[+] mouse also sports precise aiming assistance, eye-catching multi-color light strips along its back, a sound feedback system and the option to alter its feel by adding weights. The successor to the company's acclaimed Kone mouse, the new input peripheral has been developed with the help of extensive feedback from the gaming community. It oﬀers a highly precise 6000dpi Pro-Aim Laser Sensor R2 with a combination of 10.5 megapixel resolution (11750fps) and 1000Hz polling rate for precise movement tracking. The Tracking & Distance Control Unit (TDCU) has been integrated in the laser sensor and caters for fine-tuning to suit the mousepad being used, as well as control over lift-oﬀ distances. gizmag.com

sm-7000b mouse promises more silence The SM-7000B (Silent Mouse Black) is an advanced 2.4G wireless optical mouse which connects to your PC, MAC or laptop with a super small nano receiver and has a 1000/1600 DPI selection button. Mouse has a comfortable size and is an excellent mouse for desktop use. But also for laptop users it is very suitable. Especially because of the small nano receive which

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you plug in a USB port and leave it there. It is so small that you do not need to take it out, you just forget its there. Furthermore the mouse is made from quality surface treatments so it feels good in your hand. On top of the mouse is a convenient 1000/1600 DPI selection switch to alter the mouse speed. Fast when you need speed and slow when you need accuracy.

November 2010 | more | 25

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Nokia siemens claims world record for copper dsl speeds Just when the future of broadband appears to be tipped towards the mass roll-out of optics, Nokia Siemens Networks proves that there's still life in the old copper wires yet. Using a virtual channel to supplement physical copper wire, data transmission speeds of 825 Mbps were recorded. Okay, so it was only over a distance of 400 meters (just over 1,312 feet) but the circuit managed to sustain 750 Mbps when the distance was increased to 500 meters (about 1,640 feet), with the technology promising broadband speed increases of between 50 and 75 per cent over existing bonded copper lines. Looking into ways of improving the existing copper infrastructure probably won't stop the networks from having to invest in

optic fiber altogether, but it might serve to put oﬀ that huge investment just a little longer – especially if speeds like those demonstrated by Nokia Siemens Networks are anything to go by. The super-fast speeds mentioned earlier were made possible using "circuits that involve the creation of a virtual – or 'phantom' – channel to supplement the two physical wires that are the standard configuration for copper transmission lines." Eduard Scheiterer from the company said that "the innovative use of technologies such as phantom circuits helps operators provide an eﬃcient last mile connectivity with existing copper wires," helping to prolong the life of existing infrastructure. Phantom DSL is set to find its way to the company's Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer products in the near future, having first been showcased during Broadband World Forum 2010 in Paris recently. gizmag.com

Creative launches Ziio 7″ and 10″ android tablets

The latest to join a growing number of devices entering the Android tablet market at the moment is Creative. The company will look to take advantage of its experience in audio tech by packing the new tablets with X-Fi tech and the apt-X audio codec, promising a premium audio experience whether it is via headphones or wirelessly with Bluetooth, using compatible apt-X speakers. Creative’s ZiiO oﬀers Android 2.1, without the Android Market, instead you’ll have the ZiiStore, Creative’s own application store. Creative is promising that the Android 2.2 update is coming, with Android Market support definitely coming with that upgrade. 26 | more | November 2010

The Creative ZiiO 7-inch model comes with an 800 x 480 pixel resolution display, the device measures in at 207.4 x 133 x 13.7mm and weighing 400g. Internally you’ll get Creative’s own processor, named the ZiiLabs ZMS-08. No word on how much RAM this gadget will have. In terms of connectivity, aside from that Bluetooth 2.1 with apt-X, you get Wi-Fi b/g, a 3.5mm jack and Mini-USB. However, Creative is pitching this as a media device first and foremost, going up against the likes of Archos, and as such you’ll find a good range of multimedia support, with wide audio and video compatibility (H.264, MPEG4, WMV9, MJPEG, MOV, AVI, MKV, MP3, AAC, WMA9, FLAC, OGG, ADPCM, MIDI, WAV, Audible). Creative is also promising HD video out from the tablets to your TV, along with the likes of a 640 x 480 front-facing camera, a microSD card slot (supports up to 32GB). A mic and stereo speakers are also present and correct. The 10-inch version oﬀers a 1024 x 600 pixel resolution display, is again resistive, and oﬀers all the above packed into a frame measuring 262 x 173 x 13.7mm and weighing 650g. Creative is promising 10 hours of mixed use, 5 hours of video, or 25 hours of music playback from the battery. Both tablets will be available mid-December and you will have the choice of 8 or 16GB models, costing £199.99 or £219.99 respectively for the 7-inchers, or £249.99 or £249.99 for the 10inch version. gadgetlite.com

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dell XPs laptop range: 3d, hd and skype enabled machines

Reading through Dell’s new XPS laptops press release, although one is impressed with the promise of High Definition NVIDIA graphics and the ability to watch “eye-popping” 3D games, movies and videos on large screen 3D televisions, not much really jumped out of the description over the other many press releases about new HD laptops flooding technology critics inboxes at present. Until, that is, the words ‘the industry’s first’ leapt out of the screen, a line that guarantees to rivet one’s concentration back to a text. “The industry’s first Skype-certified laptops with HD video streaming webcams so you can stay close to friends and family”, Dell excitedly enthuses. Skype, what an ingenious invention that was, and one, which in my opinion, has not had enough publicity and praise written about it. Savvy Skype users have now kissed goodbye to

28 | more | November 2010

hefty phone bills by making internet calls for free. Skype’s wiser gains were pushed even further when webcams became a regular feature on modern-day desks, enabling the visual to be interconnected with, what was for years, a solely aural experience, and all, for Skype-to-Skype users, for free! Although this is a review about Dell’s new XPS laptops and not about Skype, but the point I am making is that by being the first Skype-certified laptops and by incorporating HD video streaming webcams, being able to speak and watch friends and family with a higher quality, HD experience, in an extremely economic way, Dell may have come up with a winner. Although redefin-

ing the whole Skype experience is far from the only quality of Dell’s new XPS laptops worthy of a mention. Aurally, Dell claims these laptops produce the loudest and clearest sound the company has ever produced, and with built-in JBL designed and certified speakers with integrated MaxxAudio 3 processing technology, it is easy to understand the laptops will not fail to live up to these impressive audio claims. Visually, the laptops sound equally as capable of producing a ‘cinema-like’ experience. Being available in both 15 and 17 inch size screens, all of these stylish laptops include NVIDIA’s 3DTV Play software, enabling users to connect their Dell XPS laptops to 3D HDTVs and enjoy watching Blu-ray 3D films, browsing through 3D photos and videos and playing games in immerse stereoscopic 3D. Finally, Dell’s new family of XPS laptops really is “pushing the limits” on high-definition, 3D multimedia entertainment. latestgadgets.co.uk

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240 million Windows 7 Power licenses sold in a year loader makes you iron man

Microsoft celebrated Windows 7’s first birthday few weeks ago. Company announced that license sales of Windows 7 have eclipsed 240 million copies in just a year, reports Datamation. The company claims that 17.1 percent of all PCs are running the freshman operating system, surpassing the market share of Microsoft’s last operating system, Windows Vista. 93 percent of new PCs are shipping with it and all of the company’s more than 18,000 hardware partners are selling PCs with the OS on them, compared to 70 percent when Vista was a year old. Windows 7 is the fastest selling version of Windows yet.

Who doesn’t want to be Iron Man and lift up 200 pounds in one go? Everyone does, in fact everyone dreams of being a superhero, but unfortunately it wasn’t possible, until this Power Loader Exoskeleton was developed. It is a dual-arm power amplification robot which is integrated with 18 electromagnetic motors which can make you powerful enough to lift 220 pounds without even realizing that you are lifting something heavy. The name “exoskeleton” comes from the Aliens movie. This exoskeleton even has force-feedback, which means that the more force you apply, the more the exoskeleton will react. Isn’t this truly one magnificent creation? This exoskeleton is still under construction by a Japanese subsidiary of Panasonic known as Activelink. The company says that this Exoskeleton won’t be ready for use until 2015, but once it is made, it will be a great robot for relief eﬀorts and the like. Right now, the picture you are seeing has the exoskeleton built with an aluminum-alloy frame which weighs around 500 pound. walyou.com

“I actually felt in the beginning we needed to temper expectations a bit, but a year later, we’re on track. We’re right where we thought we would be,” Gavriella Schuster, general manager of Windows product management, said in a statement. Windows return to grace has helped Microsoft’s bottom line as well. In the last three months, Windows and Oﬃce have helped the company raise its profit by 48 percent, with a 22 percent jump in overall revenue. Barring a disaster, things should only improve as more companies and consumers replace their aging PCs. Symantec also released the results of a Windows 7 enterprise survey it conducted, and they look good for Microsoft. The survey found that “very few” companies are waiting for Windows Service Pack 1 before making the leap to 7. In the past, especially with Vista, businesses held oﬀ the move to a new OS until Microsoft released its first major service pack, known for patching major bugs and security holes. This time, however, businesses are already making the plunge based on good word of mouth. digitaltrends.com www.apnatime.com

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latest in teCh

PayPal vending machine prototype

first all-robot surgery Performed at mcGill

Doctor’s at Canada’s McGill University Health Centre took a new step in robotic medical procedures with the first all-robotic surgery. While robotic surgeons have been used in an expanding number of procedures over the past few years this is the first where no part of the surgery was performed directly by humans. The brave patient went under the mechanically assisted knife for a prostatectomy. While the robots were of course controlled by medical doctors the surgery itself was performed by the da Vinci robosurgeon assisted by a robotic anesthesiologist, the somewhat less grandly named McSleepy. Robotic anesthetics are relatively

new in the field of robotic medicine but Dr. A Aprikian, MUHC urologist in chief said the anesthetic robot was a natural match for the procedure. "Automated anesthesia delivery via McSleepy guarantees the same high quality of care every time it is used, independent from the subjective level of expertise. It can be configured exactly to the specific needs of different surgeries, such as robotic surgery." The team hopes that this procedure will lead to more robotic procedures in the future as they feel that robots can provide health care of even higher safety and precision than doctors alone.

Vending machines have always been popular because they allow you to purchase all sorts of items on the spot and pay with cash. It seems that vending machines have advanced, and we’re positive that we’ll see vending machines that will allow you to pay electronically. Recently the PayPal X Innovate 2010 developers conference took place, and among other interesting things, the first vending machine that accepted PayPal was shown. In order to use this machine you’ll need a smartphone, and you’ll need to scan a special QR code on the vending machine in order to access your PayPal account and pay for the selected items. So far, this machine is only a prototype, but it works great. Ray Tanaka and his team from PayPal Labs designed this vending machine, and they’ve managed to merge candy dispenser, WiShield, LED display, along with other components into one. gadgetlite.com

intel to reveal next netbook chipset Intel has told partners that its upcoming Chief River chipset will support 22nm Ivy Bridge processors and USB 3.0. Digitimes also got wind that Chipzilla will reveal its Huron River chipset at CES 2011 in January and will have its laptop partners on hand to show oﬀ its handywork. Chief River, on the other hand, won't go into mass production until September 2011 30 | more | November 2010

with products expected in January 2012, presumably at CES. For netbooks, Intel is looking to put its Ceder Trail-M chipset into production in the second quarter of 2011, while it is set to start manufacturing its Oak Trail chipset next month. Oak Trial is intended for thin-and-light notebooks and tablet PCs. Intel is hoping that its Oak Trail chipset will keep it in the hunt as tablet manufacturers are clamouring for ARM-based chips. Recently Asus, HP and Viewsonic have kitted out tablets with Intel Atom processors, though the firm must be worried that products aimed at the mass market such as Apple's Ipad and Samsung's Galaxy Tab are powered by ARM chips. theinquirer.net www.apnatime.com

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Nikon d7000 16.2mP dX-format Cmos digital slr with 3.0 inch lCd (body only) Nikon has released the D7000 mid-level digital SLR. Housed in a magnesium alloy body, the feature-rich camera incorporates a 16.2Mp CMOS sensor, faster 'Expeed 2'branded processor, 921k dot 3.0" LCD and can record 1080p full HD movies. It features the company's latest 39-point AF system with 3D tracking and 2,016 pixel RGB metering sensor. It will start shipping with the 18-105mm VR kit lens from October 2010 at a retail price of $1499.95. We've had a pre-production D7000 in the office for long enough for us to prepare an full hands-on preview looking at the camera, its features and where it'll sit in the range.

logitech's solar-powered keyboard

tachyon camera for underwater shoot and gun mounting

The keyboard features two solar panels and can be charged from either the Sun or an indoor lamp. Logitech says the solar panels on the 7mm thick keyboard will last for 15 years, and it's five times more energy eďŹ&#x192;cient than other keyboards from the peripherals manufacturer. The K750 uses Logitech's Unify wireless 2.4GHz system, which supports up to six devices at once, to connect to a PC. The company also claims internal batteries mean the keyboard can be used for up to three months in the dark.

"You don't always have light. You cannot have a keyboard that stops working," vice president of product marketing, Denis Pavillard, told Pocket-Lint. A free desktop app that measures the energy left in the keyboard and the light level of the surroundings can be downloaded from Logitech's website. The keyboard's green credentials are further enhanced by the fact all of the packaging is recyclable. The K750 will cost nearly â&#x201A;Ź79. pcadvisor.co.uk www.apnatime.com

Tachyon introduces its new 2011 Tachyon XC HD helmet camera. The new helmet cam has integrated waterproof design lets you shoot underwater with no need for an external waterproof case and patented Dive Lock Switch that lets you shoot underwater to a depth of 100 Feet. The design also protects it against spray, mud, grease, rain, and snow. The new 2010 XC HD camera supports 720p HD video recording at 30fps and features a 120-degree lens. It supports SD/SDHC up to 32GB. The company also brings the 2011 Tachyon XC HD 3D Video System that basically combines two XC HD cameras for 3D video capturing. Tachyon also introduces the XC Micro GunCam Picatinny Rail mount that lets users easily and securely mount their helmet camera to a Picatinny rail, which is now common on firearms. The mount is constructed with tough zinc-alloy connections, has been successfully tested to withstand the recoil of a variety of assault rifles. itechnews.net

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PTA and PKNIC Join Hands to Promote Local Language Contents on Internet n Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Pakistan Network Information Centre (PKNIC) have announced a joint initiative to launch local Internet content drive in the country. Under the program, PKNIC would oﬀer 5000 FREE domains for those who would develop Local Content websites in Urdu or any other local language. PKNIC is the (ccTLD) operator for “pk domain”. ccTLD stands for country code Top Level Domain which represents a country on the Internet. Speaking at the occasion, Chairman PTA, Dr. Mohammed Yaseen said that this support has been oﬀered in view of the im-

portance linked with availability of local contents and applications for the future outlook of Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector of Pakistan. He further said that this program will encourage and contribute towards enhancement of local contents followed by applications as this initiative is the first of its kind in the world. Chairman PTA appreciated the eﬀorts of PKNIC management for this important project. PKNIC management highly valued the necessary endorsement of Chairman PTA for the joint initiative.

PTCL earns Rs. 2.081 billion profit in the first n Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has announced its financial results for the first quarter ended 30th September 2010. The company has announced a net profit of Rs. 2.081 billion compared to Rs. 2.568 billion recorded in the same period last year. During the last financial year, PTCL continued its strategy of developing new sources of income, on the Commercial side. In the financial year 2009-10, the growth momentum of PTCL remained strong in emerging segments of Broadband and Corporate Services. During the year, broadband footprint (wire line and wireless) expanded by more than 100% resulting in 172% increase in revenue from this market segment. For the period PTCL earned profit after tax of Rs. 9.294 billion which was 1.6% higher as compared with net profit of Rs. 9.151 billion for the last year. PTCL group revenue during the year under review stood at Rs. 98.906 billion, showing a growth of 6.7% over last year. Of this, PTCL’s revenue was Rs. 57.175 billion compared to Rs. 59.239 billion for the preceding year. In order to address diversified needs of the customer base, PTCL continued to introduce innovative products and services based on latest technology. PTCL remained the largest and fastest growing broadband service provider in Pakistan. During the period under review, the DSL broadband customer base registered an increase of 110% spread over 600 cities and towns with 85% market share.

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During this period PTCL EVO- Rev-A 3.1 Mbps wireless broadband service based on 3G technology has revolutionized the internet experience in the country. In less than a year, EVO has become the country’s fast growing wireless broadband network with connectivity and roaming in over 100 cities across. PTCL also launched its EVDO Rev-B network which offers unparalleled internet speed of up to 9.3 Mbps. This achievement makes PTCL the first operator in the world to launch this service commercially in Pakistan. Conscious efforts were made to further facilitate landline customers by expanding the spectrum of available services and packages. The geographical reach of popular packages was extended to benefit a broader customer base. PTCL further streamlined its pricing strategy to make it more customer focused by offering convenient payment plans. Special promotions were launched on Independence Day, Ramadan, Hajj, Christmas, Eid and New Year. Off peak and Sunday rates were also introduced to encourage higher usage. Besides the already available Pakistan Plus and International Plus packages, regional packages for new areas and local call packages were introduced in certain cities. Mobile Bucket was another package launched to facilitate the customers who call frequently from fixed line to mobile networks within Pakistan. A positive shift in land line usage was witnessed because of unified rate of Re.1 per minute on-net calls. PTCL has also worked on the network

quarter of 2010 expansion in the financial year .The Pakistan Internet Exchange (PIE) has been expanded by establishing an international presence. PTCL has also planned expansion in unserved areas through USF subsidy. PTCL has established Centralized Network Operation Center (NOC), and entire PTCL network is now being remotely monitored thus enhancing the operational eﬃciency. President PTCL Walid Irshaid commenting on the results said, “I am pleased to announce that we remained focused on our strategy of positioning PTCL as the leading integrated telecom company in Pakistan providing multiple solutions to business and household market segments and extending vital services to other telecom operators in Pakistan”. He said “we remain highly conscious of the fact that our success and growth can only come from satisfied customers it remains our challenge to provide friendly, seamless and prompt customer’s service. To this end, we endeavored to embark on several projects intended to bring PTCL closer to the customers”. On this occasion he further said that “we strongly believe that PTCL is poised to grow and remain the leading and dominant integrated telecom service provider of choice for customers throughout Pakistan”. The management and employees of PTCL remain committed to provide quality services at competitive prices through optimal use of resource for achieving enhanced revenue and greater levels of customer satisfaction as well as improved shareholders’ value. November 2010 | more | 33

month in FoCus PTCL announces special Hajj and Eid call rates n With Hajj and Eid around the corner PTCL has launched special Hajj and Eid call rates for its valued customers. The package has been launched to further facilitate the Haajis to meet their communication needs while on this spiritual journey. PTCL has given this offer keeping in mind the needs of the customers to remain in contact with their loved ones in Saudi Arabia with the best possible voice quality. PTCL as a company is driven more by a considerate approach towards its fellow Pakistanis especially when they are away from their homes, than maximizing profits PTCL Hajj and Eid package offers lowest call rates at only RS Rs. 2.99 per 20 seconds on fixed line and on mobile Rs. 4.25 per 20 second. This special promotional tariff is given in order to facilitate valued customers so that they can call on Saudi Arabia Fixed as well as Mobile numbers for a period of 1 month starting from 1st Nov-10. SEVP Commercial Naveed Saeed said that PTCL has always provided its customers with best and affordable facilities in all times and at all occasions and the main focus of PTCL is to facilitate and satisfy its customers. He further, said that in future PTCL aims to come up with more such offers for its customer’s convenience keeping in mind all their needs and demands. EVP Consumer services Aasif Inam said that PTCL is announcing with pleasure that it is giving the best tariff to call Saudi Arabia and it has lowered the rates keeping in mind the connectivity needs of our customers, he further said that PTCL in future will continue offering customer friendly initiatives which would further enhance PTCL’s image as a customer centric service provider.

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PTCL Offers more Broadband options to Students in Pakistan n In continuation of its trend to facilitate the student community in Pakistan, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) has launched a new package on its broadband service, in addition to its existing Broadband student basic package. The newly launched broadband student bundle package includes 1Mbps broadband connectivity with unlimited downloads, 150 free voice minutes and unlimited kehdo SMS, all just for flat Rs 999 per month. PTCL has taken this initiative keeping in view the need to provide country’s youth with easy and economical access to high speed broadband internet, thereby expanding their knowledge, skills and productivity. Such a package will make the usage of high speed unlimited internet not only aﬀordable for students but also give them the liberty to download unlimited infotainment material, free minutes to call on landline numbers and free unlimited voice SMS (Kehdo SMS). In addition to the above, PTCL has also extended the time period for students to apply for the Broadband packages and enter in the draw for 50 scholarships, worth Rs 100,000 each, till the end of December 2010. PTCL is already giving free easy learning cards for internationally certified online courses to all its

customers who want to enhance their educational and professional skills. SEVP Commercial Naveed Saeed marked this new offer a very significant initiative taken by PTCL and mentioned that PTCL in future will further come up with similar initiatives and opportunities for the human development and youth in Pakistan. He added that by adding many value added services and packages to its already existing growing portfolio of broadband service, today PTCL has become the obvious choice for people looking for high speed internet in Pakistan. In future as well, PTCL plans to launch many such offers to facilitate our valued customers, he added. EVP Multimedia and Broadband Zomma Mohiuddin said that the reach of PTCL Broadband access that spans across the length and breadth of the country, coupled with the affordable packages, will certainly go a long way in enhancing the general awareness and knowledge of the students and the new generation of the country. He added that since Broadband was all about access to information at high speed, PTCL’s leadership in providing the fastest Broadband service was leading the proliferation of Broadband across the country.

Group Photo of the PTCL employees who participated in the Customer Care Staff Training program organized by PTCL at Lahore under the umbrella of “Customer First” Transformation Program. A total of around 800 customer facing from across the country are being trained in Islamabad, Lahore & Karachi to transform PTCL into a purely customer centric organization.

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ZONG signs MoU with City District Govt. Lahore for environment protection

n Pakistan’s fastest growing cellular network - announced an initiative for protection of metropolitan environment in Lahore, as a Corporate Social Responsibility project. In this regard ZONG signed a MoU with the Solid Waste Management & Lahore Waste Management Company – a part of Solid Waste Management - City District Government Lahore, for creating awareness amongst citizens for environmental protection, with public sector investment in cleanliness of Lahore city through Solid Waste Management & a professionally managed company. As part of the MoU, ZONG will design and execute a public awareness campaign focusing on cleanliness of sur-

roundings within the Lahore city while encouraging public to dispose off their litter in a proper way. During the signing ceremony, officials from the City District Government Lahore, ZONG and other dignitaries were also present. Using its strength in cellular mobile telephony, ZONG will provide mobile phone connections to Solid Waste Management - City District Government Lahore workers & Lahore Waste Management Company that will have dedicated numbers for citizens to call in and register their complaints. Moreover this would be a generation shift from simple wireless to cellular subscription, making the staff more accessible and hence effective.

“Urban centers like Lahore generate thousands of tons of litter every day. It is important that citizens proactively support collection and disposal of litter in a systematic yet environmentally friendly manner,” stated Ali Kamran, Director ZONG. “As a responsible corporate citizen that believes in preservation of the environment, ZONG has decided to partner with Solid Waste Management - City District Government Lahore and use its technological advantage to reinforce positive values in our society,” he added. Speaking on the occasion, Waseem Ajmal Chaudhary, District Oﬃcer (Solid Waste Management) / Managing Director Lahore Waste Management Company said, “We are extremely pleased to partner with ZONG in this environmentally important project. We hope that this project will help encourage the citizens of Lahore to take care of the environment of their city with renewed zeal.” It is to be noted that improper or irresponsible disposal of everyday litter by the public leads to spread of deadly diseases, environmental damage, blocking of storm-water drains, besides giving an unpleasant look to the surroundings. ZONG’s initiative has a lot of potential to encourage behavior change amongst citizens, who should be proactive participants in maintaining cleanliness.

Easypaisa wins Best MMT Entrant of the Year Award n Easypaisa has won the award for ‘Best Mobile Money Transfer Entrant of the Year’ at the world’s first Mobile Money Transfer (MMT) Awards held in Dubai last week, making it the year’s best service of its kind in the world. The service was pitted against some of the world’s leading mobile financial service providers such as Vodafone and Safaricom. In the winning category, easypaisa competed against Grameenphone, Banglalink and Vodafone to win the

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award. It was also the only service nominated by the jury in three of the six categories; the two other categories being ‘Most Inventive Marketing Campaign’ and ‘Achievement in Financial Inclusion’. Pakistan’s first real branchless banking solution easypaisa was launched jointly by Telenor Pakistan and Tameer Microfinance Bank Limited last year. The service is now available at more than 11,000 agents across Pakistan. With more than 500,000 unique users in the last

month alone conducting more than 1 million transactions with a value of Rs2 billion in throughput, easypaisa is helping to provide people across Pakistan with much needed financial services. The Mobile Money Transfer Global Conference & Expo, where the award was announced, was held in Dubai from October 24-27 and attracted 500 participants from more than 50 countries. It is recognized as the industry's definitive category event. November 2010 | more | 35

month in FoCus Telenor Pakistan established its own VSAT network

To continue to provide uninterrupted and high quality services to its customers, Telenor Pakistan has established its own VSAT network. One of the country's largest, this satellite-based network will provide connectivity for GSM traffic in areas where microwave or optical fiber is unavailable. It has been designed to remain least affected by natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, thus allowing for uninterrupted communication services to customers. In the picture above, Khalid Shehzad, Chief Technology Officer, Telenor Pakistan (left) along with Atiq Ahmed, Deputy CTO, Telenor Pakistan inaugurates the hub site. Others who attended the ceremony include Imran Malik, CEO Supernet; Hamid Nawaz, Vice-President Supernet; and Shams-ul-Arfeen, CEO Telecard.

Telenor Pakistan announces results for Q3 2010 n At the end of Q3, Telenor Pakistan subscribers numbered 23.84 million, which is a growth of 9.9% over the same period last year. Market share remained strong at 23%; EBIDTA margins were 29.7%. Jon Eddy Abdullah, CEO Telenor Pakistan while commenting on the results said: “Telenor Pakistan continues to consolidate its business growth. The previous quarter saw Pakistan facing one of the worst floods in its history. Telenor Pakistan responded with concerted eﬀorts, becoming the first and one of the

largest corporate contributors to the relief drive. A calamity of the size we witnessed is bound to have some negative impact on the business environment of the country. However, this was minimized with the help of our teams and their well coordinated eﬀorts.” Telenor Pakistan also won several awards in the previous quarter: the Best Place to Work award, presented by Pakistan’s reputed HR associations, and the Best Practices Award, presented by The Data Warehousing Institute

The Environment Protection Department (EPD) and Telenor Pakistan jointly inaugurated the Global Countdown game here in Children’s Library Complex, today. The digital role-playing game is based on the idea of creating environmental awareness among the youth. The game was designed by Telenor Norway and gifted to Telenor Pakistan as part of the celebrations of Telenor’s 150th birthday. Punjab Minister of Education Mujtaba Shuja -Ur-Rehman (center right), Chief Strategy Oﬃcer and Vice President Corporate Aﬀairs Telenor Pakistan, Aamir Ibrahim (center left), Secretary Schools Aslam Kamboh (second, center right), Director General Environment Protection Department, Punjab Government, Dr. Shagufta Shahjahan (second, center left) with other members and school children pose for a picture after the inauguration ceremony.

Samsung’s Customer Service Faisalabad

Nubla Iftikhar, Head of Marketing Dell CSMB, Pakistan, at the PASHA ICT Awards

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Samsung Senior Manager Mr. In Jae Lee with Samsung CE Service Manager Shaikh Abdul Hai, Orient Service Manger Mr. Inam Opening CE Customer Service Plaza in Faisalabad.

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Samsung donates $10,000 for Vision-Care Eye Camp n Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global leader in digital media, mobile phones and convergence technologies, has recently donated USD 10,000 to the 78th Vision-Care Eye Camp-Pakistan, for Cataract surgeries performed by a delegation of Korean surgeons and medical staﬀ. This medical camp was conducted at UCH-Sambu Korean Eye Center (Lahore) which is well-equipped with a modern Operation-Theatre. The Korean Embassy in Pakistan, Lahore Korean Church and the United Christian Hospital also provided valuable support to this Eye Camp, where 572 Outpatient cases were handled, while 71 Cataract Surgeries were also conducted with the donation funds provided by Samsung. The General Manager of Samsung Pakistan, Mr. Steve Han said; “This humanitarian gesture from Samsung is a reflection of Sam-

sung’s strong commitment to social wellbeing. A companywide commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility is consistently nurtured within our organization, to regularly conduct valuable social initiatives and healthy activities to enrich the society”. The cataract patients treated at the camp were underprivileged citizens, who seriously needed medical assistance but were not able to aﬀord a comprehensive and lasting treatment for their eyes. Due to the timely financial assistance received from Samsung, the highly qualified and experienced Korean doctors were able to restore the vision of these suﬀering individuals. The cured eye-patients delightfully appreciated this life-changing experience, which will enable them to lead progressive lives once again and become productive members of the society.

Mr. Steve Han, Managing Director Samsung Electronics and Mr. Injae Lee, Senior Manager at the 78th Vision Care Eye camp along with the team of Vision Care doctors and patients who have been sponsored by Samsung Electronics for cataract surgery.

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Samsung launches two versatile cameras with “2view” features n Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technology, unveiled the latest additions to its 2View camera portfolio - the 14.2 mega-pixel ST600 and ST100. Transforming the consumer-behavior in photography, Samsung 2View cameras are the new standard in compact camera category and reinforcing the company’s position as a global leader in innovative digital imaging. The ST600 and ST100 are inspired by the success of ST550 and ST500 cameras, to oﬀer a stylish design, a full-range of smart and easy-to-use features and Samsung’s revolutionary dual LCD technology. These new flagship cameras have 1.8” front LCD screens, activated by a simple tap, and upgraded from the previous 1.5” screens. The larger front LCD screens make it easier for consumers to properly frame themselves in their photos and videos, by stepping out from behind the camera and joining their friends and family in action. The Samsung 2View ST600 and ST100 are also available in four stylish, mood-inspired colors, including hot pink, gold, black and purple, and are encased in a slim and sleek compact frame with a metallic finish to deliver a new sense of fun with modern functionality. The General Manager Samsung Pakistan Mr. Steve Han said; “This launch is an important landmark for Samsung as it reinforces our position as a leading innovator in the digital camera market. Samsung continues to gather deep insight into our customer’s preferences and habits, thus simplifying their photography tasks. With the new ST600 and ST100, we have enabled them to take the perfect profile shot. Never again will they miss that perfect picture moment with family and friends, as they will always remain in front of the 2View cameras.” With high-quality Schneider KREUZNACH lenses, supported by Optical and Digital Image stabilization these cameras help consumers produce blur-free images. The ST600 has a 27mm wide-angle focal length with a 5x optical zoom, while the ST100 features an internal, 5x optical zoom, along with a 35mm focal-length. Samsung’s Smart Auto (Still & Movie) scene recognition technology enhances the quality of every image. Additional features include “self-portrait mode, couples’ mode, children’s mode, visual self-timer and the latest Samsung “Jump” mode which prompts the subjects to jump in unison and captures their images in mid-air. The “Smart Gesture User Interface” (UI) allows quick use of key features with a simple tilt or a hand gesture.

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month in FoCus Kingston Technology Brings Performance to UltraPortable 1.8” Devices

n Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory aﬃliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., announced the release of the Kingston SSDNow V+180 range, bringing the performance, endurance and productivity of solid state drives (SSD) to the 1.8” form factor. Part of the second generation Kingston SSDNow V+ range, the Kingston SSDNow V+180 is designed for today’s ultra-mobile devices, and with road warriors in mind. “Kingston Technology has listened to its customers, delivering the SSDNow V+180 Series,” said Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston. “Enterprises, SMBs and consumers can upgrade ultra-thin notebooks, certain notebooks, netbooks, and tablet PC with a 1.8” form factor to enjoy supercharged performance, enhanced endurance and boosted productivity.” Independent IT analyst IDC estimates that the number of mobile workers will hit 1 billion by 2011, driven by technology advances such as high speed networking, and the desire for greater work/life balance. Today’s road warriors demand the highest performance and durability in the smallest and most mobile configuration. Kingston’s SSDNow V+180 Series brings speed and endurance to the ultra-portable 1.8” form factor: • Kingston’s SSDNow can out-perform hard disk drives (HDD) by up to five times, enabling boot times up to 60 percent faster and allowing users to load, switch and run multiple applications at the same time more eﬀectively. • SSD’s hugely enhanced endurance brings confidence, particularly when users are on the road and away from IT support. The Kingston SSDNow V+ Series is up to eight times more shock-resistant than hard disk drives and because they have no moving parts, they are less prone to mechanical failures. • Less power-hungry than HDDs, SSDs also enhance battery life, meaning users work faster for longer. The Kingston SSDNow V+180 is available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB capacities, and is the latest addition to the Kingston SSDNow V+ Series family. It is backed by a three-year warranty, free tech support and legendary Kingston reliability.

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Nokia N8, available in Pakistan

n Nokia’s latest entertainment smartphone, N8 launched in Pakistan at the end of October. “With the N8 and the new Symbian software, we are bringing a familiar, faster and more intuitive user experience to the world’s most popular smartphone platform. The Nokia N8 has received the highest amount of consumer pre-orders in Nokia history and we are thrilled to start shipments of the N8, the first of Nokia’s new Symbian smartphone range. The Nokia N8 is the first in a new generation of Nokia devices. The device sets a new milestone in Nokia’s growth and innovation. With the Nokia N8, we continue to oﬀer an entirely new user experience - allowing people to be entertained, create and connect like never before. ” says Imran Mahmood, GM Nokia Pakistan. The first of a series of smartphones based on the new Symbian, the Nokia N8 is fast, easy to use and supports true multitasking, allowing users to run multiple apps simultaneously and switch between them easily. Dubbed the world’s best camera phone, the Nokia N8 lets you take the highest quality photos and shoot HD-quality videos in supreme clarity with the 12MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics. You can edit photos and videos on-screen and choose from multiple ways to share them; transfer large files to an external hard-drive with USB-on-the-go, or upload photos to social networks like Facebook, Twitter or RenRen straight from the homescreen. All this is delivered in a robust aluminum body in a range of vibrant colors with a realglass 3.5” AMOLED display and capacitive touch screen.

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month in FoCus

New Dawlance H-Zone Automatic ing Machine

Wash-

Dawlance H-Zone Washing Machine has a contemporary front load design, trendy looks and works wonders”. With the introduction of the best in technology, Dawlance has proved yet again that it is truly the most reliable and innovative home appliance brand in Pak-

Mehmood Ahmed Category Manager Washing Machines briefing about the product n Dawlance recently launched another product to enhance their category range. The latest addition to H-Zone range is the Dawlance Automatic Washing Machine (Model # DWF-3500HZ). This machine, apart from functioning as a regular automatic washing machine, has a revolutionary Air Wash feature that turns air into Ozone (O3) to sterilize, kill bacteria and remove odour from products like cushions, school bags, gloves, leather jackets, hand bags, high heels, business suits, delicate women’s clothes and stuﬀed toys. Backed and verified through research, Dawlance revealed that people now expect much more from a washing machine than just washing of clothes. Both fastpaced lifestyle and a concern for better health among today’s home maker means they want the washing machine to provide more varied washing options and convenient cleaning solution in the shortest possible time. Speaking about the launch of Dawlance H-Zone Automatic Washing Machine, Mehmood Ahmed Category Manager Washing Machines said, “Dawlance H-Zone Washing Machine is a breakthrough in washing technology. The new front load HZone automatic washing machine with the Air Wash feature sterilizes the clothes which

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cannot be cleaned on a frequent basis. This is done with Ozone power & is carried out without water and detergent. Whereas the advance Heater Dryer uses hot air to give you clothes which are ready to iron saving you from the hassle of air drying. Besides this it also has the regular One Touch Operations, Customized wash feature, Power Re-

Mr. Hasan Jamil - Head of Marketing Dawlance at the launch event

Models with the newly launched machine

sumption Memory and a Tilt Drum. Washing of not just clothes but so many other household materials was never this easy, it saves time, resource and is extremely convenient.

istan that continues to enrich the trust of Pakistani consumers by oﬀering them the most relevant & healthy solutions that are not just stylish and practical but are easy on pocket at the same time.

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month in FoCus

HTC joins Brightex to open its first HTC Concept Store in Pakistan n It’s a milestone for HTC, announcing the partnership with Brightex Distributions(Pvt) Ltd to open its first “HTC Concept Store” in Lahore, Pakistan. This will be the first store in Pakistan to oﬀer HTC products exclusively, and have the ability to showcase HTC’s latest innovation. In addition, the store will also provide user trainings, after-sales support and services. The HTC Concept Store is divided into three main areas namely the retail corner, product showroom, and service corner. There will be staﬀ on-site at each area to provide personal consultation, demonstrations or advise to interested customers based on their needs. With the latest HTC devices displayed in the showroom, demonstrations can be performed on the spot, to help customers in gaining better understanding of the products and technology, before the purchase. A training room has been specially built within the HTC Concept Store to provide additional instruction for HTC users, from basic usages, to the intricacies and advanced features of HTC’s products. “In the global PDA phone market, HTC has the strongest product line, and is the leader in PDA phone innovation. We believe that the HTC Concept Store will be an excellent experience for all our customers and will be beneficial to all 3 businesses involved. These are exciting times ahead for us. “said Naeem Tabish, Country Head for Pakistan. With the dedicated service corner, customers who wish to optimize and enhance the performance of their HTC de-

Group photo of Brightex Pakistan Team at the launch

vices can bring them to HTC Concept store where they will receive on-site diagnostic testing to determine the duration required for repairs. Uncomplicated repairs can be rectified within two working days while more complex cases may need a longer time. HTC Concept Store is located at Shop No 5, Lower Ground, Mall of Lahore, Lahore Cantt. Operating hours are 1200 to 2200 PST from Mondays to Sundays.

Children have fun doing science at the Alliance française of Islamabad

n The Pak-France Alumni Network (PFAN) and the Alliance Française of Islamabad hosted together a “science event” for about thirty children and their parents on October 27, 2010 in the premises of the Alliance Française in Islamabad. The event was an interactive session, during which the children performed science experiments under the guidance of two French experts, Michel Ouliac and Patrick Marcel . Both scientists were visiting Pakistan under the programme “La Main a la Pate (LAMAP)” in cooperation with Pakistan

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Science Foundation and the Embassy of France in Pakistan. After a brief introduction regarding LAMAP by Dr. K. Yaldram, the children were split into groups of 4 to 5 around a table. On the table each group was provided with a couple of objects. Using these objects the children were required to seek solution to a scientific question posed by the instructor. The children could discuss and argue amongst themselves before trying out the solution they had all agreed on. Problems were related to both biology

and physics. At the end of the session a volunteer from amongst the students presented before the participants the solution everyone had agreed to. The atmosphere in the two rooms used by the children was really pleasant. It was a real treat to see the children so full of enthusiasm trying to convince their colleagues that they had the right solution. Needless to say that the solutions to the problems were not always evident and the parents also learnt through the experience of their children. It was a memorable evening of having fun while doing science. The lesson for us scientists was that one could device simple science experiments from everyday household items and the children could be led into the wonderful world of science by letting them seek solutions to problems through a process of thinking, observation, discussion, argument, questioning and experimenting.

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mobile Phones

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mobile Phones

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Cameras

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gadgets

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gadgets

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