Tech queries: How to backup mobile data

How can I backup my mobile phone contacts so that I can easily transfer when I change the phone? 

The best way to keep your mobile phone contacts backed up is using cloud storage; back them up securely to your Gmail account. This would be a good excuse to sign up for Gmail if you haven't done so already. 

You need to have GPRS activated on your SIM card and then head to http:// www.google.com/mobile/sy nc. Google provides step-bystep instructions and sync settings for various mobile phones (including iPhone, BlackBerry, various Nokia phones and Windows Mobile). 

Once you get a new device, you can set up the sync again, to download all the contacts onto the new phone. Of course, it goes without saying that this process is simplified if you get an Android device. 

If your contacts are synced to Gmail, all you have to do is sign in with your G-mail ID on your new Android phone and all the contacts will be transferred immediately. 

Read more: Tech queries: How to backup mobile data - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/personal-tech/how-to/Tech-queries-How-to-backup-mobile-data/articleshow/6941121.cms#ixzz17tT1hUzj

Google Chrome OS to make PCs cheaper

NEW DELHI: Google has launched a test version of the Chrome OS, its much-awaited and delayed internet-centric operating system that analysts say could make the personal computer cheaper by up to 25% in India. 

"Chrome OS is essentially a free software," says Sundar Pichai, vice-president for product management at Google, and one of the two leaders of a team that developed the new software. 

An operating system makes up for roughly a fifth, and in many cases a fourth, of a PC's cost. For this reason, experts expect a fall in computer prices in 2011 because the Google OS is free. For example, a Rs 22,000 PC shipped from an original equipment maker costs as much because it comes with an operating system priced at nearly Rs 4,000. 
Likewise, a Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic version costing Rs 5,690 and the Windows 7 Ultimate at Rs 11,190 add to PC prices. 

"Google Chrome is bound to bring down PC costs, given that it will be opensource and will not have associated licensing fees," says Pankaj Arora, Managing Director of Protiviti Consulting. 

The price factor apart, users of the Chrome OS computers can also look forward to other benefits. For starters, they do not have to install software. Rather, the PCs rely on applications delivered over the internet, making it easy for users to access files and applications from any machine. 

Chrome ideal for people on the move 
Chrome PCs also start up quickly, taking users to a browser within 10 seconds after booting. "The Chrome is ideal for \an increasing number of people who need to access or record information in their daily work, but are seldom at a desk with a PC and ethernet connection," says tech consultancy Ovum. Though aimed at netbooks, the lightweight Chrome can support desktops and laptops as well because it runs on both X86 ( Intel Pentium, Atom family) as well as the ARM chip systems. 

Besides Google features such as Docs for spreadsheets, presentations and word processors as well as Reader for PDF documents, users can hook up with common accessories such as calculator and tabs for Facebook, YouTube and built-in security features via a browser. 

Google first announced Chrome OS in July 2009 along with plans to sell netbooks running the software from the second half of 2010. Tuesday's news conference in San Francisco at which the internet giant began distributing a limited number of PC models running the software does not mean that users are about to lay their hands on the Chrome OS. 
Google's inability to go beyond a test version means that customers are staring at a further delay. The Chrome OS will only be available to a select group of users because the new devices running the software are being shipped by Google's partners such as Samsung and Acer for now, says Mr Pichai. Acer and Samsung devices are expected to hit the market in mid-2011. 

"We are (also) working with multiple PC manufacturers to bring a number of netbooks to the market next year," he adds. 

In the meantime, "Technical people can download and install it easily after a bit of tweaking, though," says Pichai. The company will hand out about a few thousand laptops with Chrome OS for education and non-profit use. 

For Google, the Chrome OS presents an opportunity to take aim at Microsoft and Apple by offering an alternative to their operating systems, the Windows and Mac OS. 

"Provided there is huge demand for the Chrome OS in 2011, PC prices may fall by a couple of thousands, since the OS may come free," says Vishal Tripathi, principal research analyst at Gartner. 

Still, it will be interesting to see if Google convinces manufacturers to move away from Microsoft and produce Chrome OS netbooks, he says. 

"Partnerships of Microsoft with PC makers remain strong as ever and demand for Chrome will depend upon its performance." Microsoft India had no comment on the impact of Chrome OS on the operating system market. Dell, HP, HCL, Acer and Lenovo are the largest PC sellers in India. The partnership with Acer, which has a 10% share in the Indian PC market, is the only one officially announced by Google yet. 

Google's other partner Samsung has a less than 2% share in India. In comparison, Microsoft's share in the global operating system market is more than 90%. In India, that rises to 98%, thanks to the Windows OS. The Windows XP is the most-used OS in India with a market share of about 70%, followed by Windows 7 (about 20%) and Windows Vista (8%), says StatCounter, the online tracker of tech statistics. 

The balance 2% marketshare is divided between Mac OS and Linux users. And despite Google's best-laid plans, tech analysts say Chrome OS, which is primarily aimed at netbooks might lose out if tablet PCs swamp the netbook market. "Apple has a jump on Google in this market, and it will have a second version of the iPad with an updated version of its own iOS before Chrome is officially released to the world in the second half of 2011." 

Adds Ovum, "Given that a USP of Chrome is the 'instant on', will these workers want it on a device such as netbook or even the Cr-48 'pilot device' laptop being offered by Google for testing? No they will want a tablet." 

There are other challenges as well. "Awareness of opensource software is limited in India, especially amongst small businesses," says Rohit Chaudhary, CEO and founder of the newly-launched eTechies.in, a PC support provider. "Besides, resellers are not pushing netbooks to consumers because they come with lower margins."

Read more: Google Chrome OS to make PCs cheaper - The Times of India http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infotech/software/Googles-new-Chrome-OS-to-cut-PC-prices/articleshow/7068481.cms?curpg=2#ixzz17tRzxqdH

Bharti to roll out 3G in Bangladesh

KOLKATA: Bharti Airtel is rechristening Warid Telecom International in the run-up to rebrand its Bangladesh operations and rolls out 3G services in the country. Warid Telecom will become Airtel Bangladesh and structured as an offshore subsidiary of Bharti Airtel. 

"Bharti Airtel has made all necessary submissions to the statutory authorities in Bangladesh to rename Warid Telecom International to Airtel Bangladesh. The name change will be effective shortly. But we cannot comment on whether the Warid name change will coincide with a brand change for the Bangladesh market," a Bharti Airtel spokesman told ET. 

Sunil Mittal-promoted Bharti Airtel entered Bangladesh this January when it acquired 70% ownership in Warid Telecom for $300 million from UAE-based Abu Dhabi Group. Other major mobile phone companies in Bangladesh are Telenor-backed Grameen Phone, Orascom-owned Banglalink and Axiata. The latest developments come at a time when Bangladesh with its 160 million population is expected to garner substantial revenues for Bharti Airtel's South Asia operations in the coming quarters. 

Read more: Bharti to roll out 3G in Bangladesh - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/telecom/Bharti-to-roll-out-3G-in-Bangladesh/articleshow/7082308.cms#ixzz17tNWimsu

Dell launched the Dell Streak in India in association with Qualcomm and Tata DOCOMO.

Dell launched the Dell Streak in India in association with Qualcomm and Tata DOCOMO. It’s a 5-inch Android-based tablet by Dell.

Complete Features and Specifications:

·      Full screen browsing experience with a 5-inch capacitive multi-touch WVGA display

·      Gorilla GlassTM display resists damage and scratches resulting from regular use / accidents.

·      10mm thickness, Dell Streak is more portable than any other tablet.

·      Integrated social media apps: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Google Maps

·      High resolution 5 MP camera with flash, VGA front facing camera for easy point and shoot and enabling video calls.

·      Removable battery, built-in Wi-Fi, 3G HSUPA and Bluetooth connectivity

·      Compatible with all GSM/3G connections

·      Powerful Snapdragon™ mobile processor

·      You can talk on the phone and browse the web at the same time or listen to music while using the Google Navigation app.

·      Access and download Google Android Market’s many applications

·      Qualcomm’s QSD8250 chipset with integrated 1GHz processor

·      HSUPA with up to 7.2 Mbps downlink and 5.76Mbps uplink speeds

·      32 GB Micro SD expandable memory.

Dell Streak was designed with the future in

Dell Launched Dell Streak

mind and will support updates including platform upgrades, Adobe Flash 10.1 on Android 2.2 software innovations.Rs.34,990 is the initial cost and

it will be available for pre-booking at all Dell Exclusive stores, and Tata DOCOMO authorized retailers.

Microsoft designs application to construct a Tactile touchscreen

Bangalore: A display that utilizes technical tricks so as to convince the users regarding them touching the ridges, bumps and textures of a displayed image, popularly known as "tactile" touchscreen is to be constructed with the design of the new application of Microsoft. 

The experts still have not confirmed to the feasibility of the idea of Microsoft's design, proposing the production of a real texture using pixel- sized shape- memory plastic cells. The presence of conventional touchscreens is known to have limitations wherein they can be noisy and a buzz can be heard due to the frequencies being in the audio range.

"Creating well-defined bumps on a touch surface is in many ways the holy grail of text entry on touch devices because it would enable touch typing at much faster speeds than on touchscreens today," New Scientist quoted Patrick Baudisch, a display interaction expert at the University of Potsdam in Germany, as saying.
"There would be no more reason for mobile keypads - they would simply be emulated when necessary. That could affect massive change in this field."

Erez Kikin-Gil, Microsoft's named inventor the idea is not aimed at a smaller platform like phones or tablets but at table- sized computing displays such as the company's surface.
As per the patent, modulation of wavelengths can create textures when the display coated with a light-induced shape-memory polymer which hardens when one wavelength of ultraviolet light is transmitted at a pixel and becomes soft due to another wavelength hitting it. 

Top 10 IT certifications in demand today

There are a number of technology certification programs. Some of them are sponsored by software vendors, some by vendor-neutral organizations, and some by educational institutions. But which are the skills and certifications that can give you an edge over the others on getting the job?

Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)
MCTS helps IT staff validate skills in installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting a specific Microsoft technology. The MCTS certifications are designed to communicate the skills and expertise a holder possesses on a specific platform. For example, candidates won't earn an MCTS on SQL Server 2008. Instead, they'll earn an MCTS covering SQL Server business intelligence, database creation or SQL server. MCTS credential enables professionals to target specific technologies, and is generally the first step toward the Professional-level certifications.

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
CCIE is a vendor-sponsored certification, focusing on Cisco's products. It requires that the candidate passes both a written exam and a hands-on lab. Candidates have to choose from one of several tracks: Routing and Switching, Security, Storage Networking, Voice, and Service Provider. CCIEs must recertify every two years or the certification is suspended. CCIE accreditation captures most of the networking company's certification glory.

Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP)
CCSP focuses on skills related to securing networks that run Cisco routers and other equipment. Candidates are required to pass five written exams and must recertify every three years by passing one current exam. Before a candidate can take the CCSP exams, he must meet the prerequisites by obtaining one of Cisco's lower-level certifications, either the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or the Cisco Certified Internetwork Specialist (CCIP). It focuses on skills related to securing networks that run Cisco routers and other equipment.

Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE)/Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA)
RHCE is one of the well respected Linux certifications in the industry. The exam is performance-based. Candidates are required to perform actual network installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and administration tasks on a live system.

RHCA is an advanced certification that requires completion of five endorsement exams, each of which costs $749. Like the RHCE exam, they are hands-on skills tests. Candidates must have the RHCE certification to take the RHCA exams.

Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
ITIL certifications provide demonstration of knowledge and skills involved in management positions in IT services. There are three certification levels: Foundation, Practitioner, and Manager. The Manager level certification requires completion of a two-week training program, and candidates must have the Foundation certification and five years of IT management experience. Then, they must pass two three-hour exams consisting of essay questions. ITIL is intended to assist organizations in developing a framework for IT service management. Worldwide, ITIL is the most widely recognized qualification in IT service management.

International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB)
ISTQB is a software testing qualification certification organization. It is responsible for the international qualification scheme called "ISTQB Certified Tester". The qualifications are based on a syllabus, and there is a hierarchy of qualifications and guidelines for accreditation and examination. It is the ISTQB's role to support a single, universally accepted, international qualification scheme, aimed at software and system testing professionals, by providing the core syllabi and by setting guidelines for accreditation and examination for national boards.

Project Management Professional (PMP)
The Project Management Institute (PMI), a nonprofit organization that serves as a leading membership association for project management practitioners, maintains the PMP exam. The certification measures a candidate's project management expertise by validating skills and knowledge required to plan, execute, budget, and lead a technology project. Eligible candidates must have five years of project management experience or three years of project management experience and 35 hours of related education.

 Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)

MCPD accreditation measures a developer's ability to build and maintain software solutions using Visual Studio 2008 and Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5. Split into three certification paths (Windows Developer 3.5, ASP.NET Developer 3.5, and Enterprise Applications Developer 3.5), MCPD targets IT professionals tasked with designing, optimizing, and operating those Microsoft technologies to fulfill business needs.

Sun certified system administrator (SCSA)
SCSA gives the wide opportunity to professionals interested in imparting knowledge related to the Solaris operating system administrator. It's beneficial for all system administration professionals and linked with performing an essential system administration tasks on Solaris system. The basic requirements for SCSA certification is, to have deep knowledge of Solaris system and involves two examinations related to different versions of this operating system.

Oracle's Database administration (DBA)
Oracle has introduced a wide range of certification programs for entry level to experienced professionals and for domains ranging from database administration and database management to programming.

Oracle's OCA DBA 11g is an entry-level certification specifically designed to certify foundation skills required for database administration or application development. Its objectives are intended to measure a candidate's ability to work as a junior team member with database administrators or application developers. OCP DBA 11g develops, within the candidate, the skills of managing a large scale database and enhances the knowledge regarding the concepts and architecture relating to database, backup and recovery procedures. OCA DBA 10g is an entry-level certification specifically designed to certify foundation skills required for database administration or application development. OCP Certification DBA 10g validates a candidate's skills that include implementing and managing complex Oracle Database 10g functions, and recovering and tuning the database using advanced tools and technologies. OCA DBA 9i is an entry-level certification specifically designed to certify foundation skills required for database administration or application development. 

Patni computer to hire 350 by 2011

CHENNAI: IT and BPO service provider Patni Computer Systems plans to recruit 350 employees by the end of 2011, the company said today. 

The new recruits would be based in the second delivery centre in Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat which was inaugurated recently, Patni Computer Systems said in a statement here. 

"We are looking at strengthening our presence in this burgeoning IT delivery hub and expect Gandhi Nagar to play a crucial part in this delivery expansion strategy...," Patni Chief Executive Officer Jeya Kumar said. 

The company currently has a headcount of 400 at the existing centre and had planned to add 350 employees at the new centre taking the total employees to 750 in the next one year, it added. 

Patni currently has over 16,000 employees at global delivery centers across 16 cities. It has 30 offices across the Americas, Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA), and Asia-Pacific region the statement added.

Read more: Patni computer to hire 350 by 2011 - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/careers/job-trends/Patni-computer-to-hire-350-by-2011/articleshow/7000183.cms#ixzz16aifOK00