Space laser could help detect counterfeit food post life on Mars

The European Space Agency (ESA) has revealed that a laser device developed to measure carbon on Mars could soon be used here on Earth to detect counterfeit food.

Today's equipment is large, bulky and stationary. Samples of, say, polluted soil must be collected in the field, put in a flask and brought to the lab for testing – clearly unsuitable for space testing. But the new laser 'isotope ratio-meter' from RAL Space could change that.

Thanks to its small, lightweight, robust, highly accurate lasers, the device could be sent into space to look for trace amounts of gas in very small samples. "You take a laser, whose optical frequency or 'colour' can be continuously adjusted, beam it at a gas sample, and detect the level passing through the gas," explained Dr Damien Weidmann, Laser Spectroscopy Team Leader at RAL Space.

As the laser colour changes, the light passes straight through the sample until it reaches a particular frequency, specific to the isotopic gas, that is partially blocked. "Each molecule, and each of its isotopic forms, has a unique fingerprint spectrum. If, on the other hand, you know what you are looking for, you can simply set the laser to the appropriate frequency."

Through an ESA program, Weidmann and his colleagues have been able to demonstrate that the laser can quickly root out counterfeit food. Fake honey made using sugar, for example, would be detected by the laser by scanning the carbon dioxide released from burning only a few milligrams of the product. Likewise, counterfeit olive oil and chocolate could also be detected.

Though Weidmann said it was important for his project to attract interest from industry, sending the laser to Mars is his real goal. "I wanted to develop this to help gather evidence as to whether or not there was life on Mars," said Weidmann.

Weidmann stated that using the laser to measure carbon isotopic ratios in methane on Mars could help determine where the hydrocarbon came from. "If it's bacterial in origin, it would mean a form of life occurred on Mars," he added.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/space-laser-could-help-detect-counterfeit-food-post-life-on-mars/1073539/0

Microsoft testing Outlook app for Windows RT devices: Report

Teams within Microsoft are reportedly debating whether the company should release a native version of Outlook for Windows RT devices or not. The company has reportedly completed and testing a final version of Outlook for Windows RT devices.

Microsoft is reportedly testing a native version of MS Outlook for Windows RT-based devices. Dubbed as Outlook RT, the e-mail client would run on Microsoft’s ARM-based Surface RT devices as well as any ARM-based Windows RT slates and PCs.

According to CNET, Microsoft hasn’t yet decided the date for commercial availability of Outlook RT, as odds are the company may never release it. The teams within Microsoft are still debating whether the company should release the app or not.

The report further quotes sources at Microsoft claims some people at the Windows unit want to retain the Mail/Calendar/People app as it bundles currently. There are some other people who want to simply rename the existing Mail app in Windows RT as Outlook. There are also suggestions to launch Outlook as a separate native app.

“Microsoft currently has its own Mail client for Windows 8 and Windows RT — a product that is not seen as very robust or solid by many of us Surface RT/Windows RT users. The Windows RT Mail client is not even as good as the Mail client that’s part of Windows Phone, many of us feel,” writes Mary Jo Foley in the report.

“Quite a few of us would rather have the option to run Outlook on our Surface RTs and other Windows RT devices. But for now, Microsoft doesn’t include Outlook as part of the Office Home & Student 2013 RT suite that it bundles with the Windows RT operating system. Only Word RT, Excel RT, PowerPoint RT and OneNote RT are included. (It’s worth noting that these four apps are Desktop apps, not “Metro-Style”/Windows Store apps. There are only two members of the Office suite that currently exist in Metro-Style form: OneNote and Lync.),” she adds.

Microsoft is yet to comment on the rumours of a native Outlook app for Windows RT.

Source: http://www.thinkdigit.com/Apps/Microsoft-testing-Outlook-app-for-Windows-RT_13224.html

Nokia introduces Music+ service for Lumia devices

Nokia has announced Music+ Lumia-only music streaming service. The app is available as a paid upgrade.

Nokia takes on music streaming services such as Spotify and Last.fm as the company rolls out an extension to its Mix Radio app called, Nokia Music+. The new Nokia Music+ app is available as a premium upgrade for the Lumia users.

Nokia Music+ features unlimited downloads and unlimited music discovery. It also has unlimited skips, allowing users to skip from track to track. The app promises to deliver high quality streaming music. Even over a 2.5G connection, Nokia Music+ allows you to download music at ‘eight times’ the standard quality. Moreover, there’s option to access lyrics as well as a web-app for desktop users.

“It’s the only smartphone music service out there offering access to millions of songs out of the box without the need to sign up, sign in, or suffer adverts in between enjoying the music. When you add in the ability to skip songs and save playlists for offline uses like the tube, you have something unique,” says Jyrki Rosenberg, VP Entertainment at Nokia in a blog post.

“Nokia Music is great for discovering new music, and we’ve found that there’s a core of users that want even more of it. This is how Nokia Music+ came about. By introducing features like infinite skips and unlimited downloads, we’re opening the doors for unlimited music discovery at only €3.99 per month.”

Nokia Music+ will be rolled out in the next few weeks. The app will be available at around $4 in the U.S., however Nokia says the price will vary according to territory.

Source: http://www.thinkdigit.com/Apps/Nokia-introduces-Music-service-for-Lumia-devices_13226.html

Apple’s iPhone disappointment fans doubt on growth

Apple Inc missed Wall Street’s revenue forecast for the third straight quarter after iPhone sales came in below expectations, fanning fears that its dominance of consumer electronics is slipping.
Shares of the world’s largest tech company fell 10 percent to $463 in after-hours trade,

wiping out some $50 billion of its market value – nearly equivalent to that of Hewlett-Packard and Dell combined.
On Wednesday, Apple said it shipped a record 47.8 million iPhones in the December quarter, up 29 percent from a year earlier. But that lagged the 50 million that analysts on average had projected.

Expectations heading into the results had been subdued by news of possible production cutbacks by some component suppliers in Asia, triggering fears that demand for the iPhone, which accounts for half of Apple’s revenue, and the iPad could be slowing.

But some investors clung to hopes for a repeat of years of historical outperformance, analysts said.

“It’s going to call into question Apple’s dominance in the space. It’s still one of the strong players, the others being Samsung and Google. It’s still a two-horse race, but Android continues to grow rapidly,” said Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu.

“If you step back a bit, it’s clear they shipped a lot of phones. But the problem is the high expectations that investors have. Apple’s conservative guidance highlights the concerns over production cuts coming out of Asia recently.”

Apple is forecasting revenue of $41 billion to $43 billion in the current, second fiscal quarter, lagging the average Wall Street forecast of more than $45 billion.

Fiscal first-quarter revenue rose 18 percent to $54.5 billion, below the average analyst estimate of $54.73 billion, though earnings per share of $13.81 beat the Street forecast of $13.47, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Apple also undershot revenue targets in the previous two quarters, and these results will prompt more questions on what Apple has in its product pipeline, and what it can do to attract new sales and maintain its growth trajectory, analysts said.

Net income of $13.07 billion was virtually flat with $13.06 billion a year earlier on higher manufacturing costs. The year-ago quarter also had an extra week compared to this year.

Gross margins consequently slid to 38.6 percent, from 44.7 percent previously.

“You can’t just keep rolling out iPhones and iPads and think that everybody needs a new one,” said Jeffrey Gundlach, who runs DoubleLine Capital LP, the $53 billion bond firm. “The mini? What is that all about? It is a slightly smaller iPad — so what? So that is our new definition of innovation?”

“There are plenty of competitors like Samsung and other legitimate competitors like them,” added Gundlach, one of the highest-profile Apple bears. He maintains a $425 price target.

Taking into account the drop in shares in Wednesday’s after-hours trading, Apple’s stock is now down 34 percent from its September record high and the company has lost about $227 billion in market value.

Shares of several of Apple’s suppliers crumbled. Chip suppliers Skyworks and Cirrus Logic both fell more than 6 percent. Qualcomm Inc slipped 1.8 percent.

China is next big growth driver
Intense competition from Samsung’s cheaper phones – powered by Google’s Android software – and signs that the premium smartphone market may be close to saturation in developed markets have also caused a lot of investor anxiety.

Meanwhile, sales of the iPad came in at 22.9 million in the fiscal first quarter, roughly in line with forecasts.

On the brighter side, Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer told Reuters that iPhone sales more than doubled in greater China – a region that Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook has vowed to focus on as its next big growth driver.

The company will begin detailing results from that country going forward. Revenue from the region totaled $7.3 billion, up 60 percent from the year-ago December quarter.

“These results were OK, but they definitely raised a few questions,” said Shannon Cross, analyst with Cross Research. “Gross margin trajectory looks fine so that’s a positive and cash continues to grow. But I think investors are going to want to know what Apple plans to do with growing cash balance.”

“And other questions are going to be around innovation and where the next products are coming from and what does Tim Cook see in the next 12 to 18 months.”

Addressing production rumors

In an unusual move for Apple, which typically does not respond to speculation, Cook addressed the production cutback rumors at length on the conference call and questioned the accuracy of rumors about its plans.

Media reports earlier this month said the company is slashing orders for iPhone 5 and iPad screens and other components from its Asian suppliers.

“Even if a particular data point were factual, it would be impossible to accurately interpret the data point as to what it meant for our overall business, because the supply chain is very complex,” he said, adding that Apple has multiple sources for components.

“Yields might vary. Supplier performance can vary. The beginning inventory positions can vary. There’s just an inordinately long list of things that would make any single data point not a great proxy for what’s going on,” he said.

Apple’s initial iPhone and iPad mini sales were hurt by supply constraints, but Cook expects supply to balance demand for the iPad mini this quarter. He also acknowledged that iPad was cannibalizing its high-margin Macintosh computers, but said it was a huge opportunity for the company.

“On iPad in particular, we have the mother of all opportunities here, because the Windows market is much, much larger than the Mac market is,” he said. “And I think it is clear that it’s already cannibalizing some.”

In another departure from tradition, Apple intends to tweak the way it both reports results and publishes forecasts.

Apart from breaking out results from China, the company also will no longer provide a single revenue or gross margin outlook. From Wednesday, it began providing the range it expects to hit, rather than the often-ludicrously conservative estimates that Apple was once notorious for.

The new policy took many by surprise.
“Before people could always ignore the guidance,” said Dan Niles, Chief Investment Officer of AlphaOne Capital Partners, LLC. “Apple is telling investors that they need to pay attention to the guidance and you can’t ignore it, which is basically what we all did in the past.”

Yahoo! buys scrapbook website Snip.it

Yahoo! confirmed Tuesday that it bought Snip.it, a young San Francisco startup that lets people create scrapbooks with pictures, articles, videos and other content found online.

“The Snip.it team created an innovative technology that lets people share content in a

social and fun way,” Yahoo! vice president of product Mike Kerns said in a statement emailed to AFP.

“Reading and sharing content is a core daily habit for most of the world, and we can’t wait to work with the Snip.it team to make that experience even more entertaining for our users.”

A message posted at Snip.it told users it was “joining forces” with Yahoo! and that the service was no longer available. A link was provided to a hall of fame honoring top Snip.it contributors.

“For the past year and a half, we’ve worked tirelessly as a team to build the best social news platform on the Web,” Snip.it said in the message.

“We are thrilled at the opportunity to bring Snip.it’s vision to a larger scale at Yahoo!”

Snip.it launched in late 2011 as a place where people could share digital “scrapbooks” based on topics or themes of their choosing.

Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed but unconfirmed online reports estimated the figure to be in the vicinity of $15 million.

Samsung Galaxy S4 reportedly set to launch in April

The successor to Samsung Electronics’ blockbuster Galaxy S3 could launch in April.

That’s according to Samsung news Web site SamMobile, which pegs the phone’s launch on April 15.

The Galaxy S franchise has emerged as a true competitor to the iPhone, and garners as much hype and anticipation as Apple’s marquee smartphone. While early iterations of the Galaxy S phone faced a slow start, the Galaxy S3 catapulted out of the gate as a smash hit, and has held up remarkably well even as other competitive phones have faded. The phone has helped propel Samsung into the top spot among handset vendors.

The Galaxy S4 — which ultimately might be branded Galaxy S IV — will feature wireless charging as a key feature. But unlike other smartphones such as the Nokia Lumia 920 or Droid DNA, the service won’t be built-in. Users will have to buy a kit with a wireless charging station and replacement cover, according to the report.

The next Galaxy S phone will also reportedly feature a larger 2,600 mAh battery, compared with the Galaxy S3′s 2,100 mAh battery.

With a launch date in April, SamMobile said Samsung could hold its own event in March, or possibly unveil the smartphone at Mobile World Congress, which begins in late February. The Galaxy S3 was unveiled at a Samsung event in May last year.

Even if the April 15 launch date holds true, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Galaxy S4 will make its way to the U.S. at that time. As with the Galaxy S III, the phone may launch at different times depending on when the U.S. carriers want to release the phone, which could vary from days to weeks.
Samsung declined to comment on the report, noting that it wouldn’t comment on rumors.

IBM says it has tool to kill deadly drug-resistant superbugs

Hospital-acquired infections have become a major killer in the United States, mainly because the drug-resistant “superbugs” that cause them have proven nearly impossible to stop.

But now IBM and the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology say they have come up with what they’re calling an antimicrobial hydrogel that can successfully fight the superbugs that are behind killers like MRSA.

In an announcement today, IBM Research and its partner on the project said that their antimicrobial hydrogel was designed to cut through diseased biofilms and almost instantly kill off drug-resistant bacteria. The collaborators on the project said that the the synthetic drug is meant for combating the growing infection problems plaguing American hospitals, because it is non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable.

Normally, IBM said in its announcement, antimicrobials are used in standard household cleaners like alcohol and bleach. But those substances haven’t proved effective in fighting deadly skin infections like MRSA because antibiotics are becoming less effective and standard disinfectants aren’t meant for biological situations.

But the new hydrogel was created to be used in creams and other therapeutics that are meant for healing. The hydrogel can be applied to contaminated surfaces, and its positive charge instantly attracts the microbial membranes’ negative charge. The bacteria is then meant to be killed by what IBM termed membrane disruption, a step that staves off any kind of resistance to the hydrogel.

Although it’s not yet clear how this advancement will make its way into actual hospital and other relevant settings, research like this is meant to jump-start the commercial development of actual drugs and other therapies.



Source : http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57565551-76/ibm-says-it-has-tool-to-kill-deadly-drug-resistant-superbugs/

Micromax launches 5-inch phablet Canvas HD

Strengthening its position in the phablet segment, Micromax has launched a new device, the Canvas HD. The device has a 5-inch five touch point HD IPS panel display. It is powered by MediaTek’s 1.2 GHz quad core processor paired with 1 GB RAM and runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Canvas HD also has also an 8 MP rear camera and 2100 mAh battery.

It is a dual SIM phone with single active option. The Canvas HD has 4GB internal memory with an expandable memory of up to 32GB. The device will be available from the first week of February and will be priced below Rs 15,000.

In future, market will be for Micromax and Samsung, competing against the likes of Nokia and HTC. Micromax will lead the Indian market with its budget pricing.

Lenovo showcases latest business and consumer innovations in Egypt

Lenovo introduced the focus product range for the Egypt market in 2013 including its range of convertibles, such as the Lenovo Yoga and ThinkPad Twist, as well as the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, IdeaCentre A720 All-in-One, ThinkPad Tablet 2 amongst others.

At an event at the Four Seasons Hotel, Cairo; Lenovo Egypt Country Manager Yasser Shaheen outlined that Lenovo is the #3 player in Egypt with 14.2% market share and 36.6% YTY growth and the #4 player in MEA with 36.3%.

In the last year, Lenovo achieved the highest growth amongst the top 10 main vendors in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), securing a milestone ten per cent market share in seven countries across the region including Egypt, UAE, South Africa, Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan and Qatar. As such, Lenovo’s MEA business is recognized as being a significant contributor to the global revenue growth which has assisted the PC manufacturer in achieving 2nd position in the market amongst PC manufacturers worldwide.

Lenovo recognizes the importance of emerging markets such as MEA for sustained growth with Egypt set to play an important role in its bid to hit the number one spot. “Lenovo has a market share of 7.7% in the Middle East and Africa region, resulting from sales growth increasing 36.3% in this period last year (Q4 2011). In Egypt, one of our key strategic markets, we rank #2 in Portable PC market with 26.1% YTY growth and #4 in Desktop PC with 149.7% YTY growth.

“Success so far has been driven by Egypt’s strong enthusiasm for new technologies, especially in the convertibles which complement Lenovo’s PC+ strategy model where new form factors blur the lines between the tablet and the laptop. We think these innovative convertibles are the best devices for a groundbreaking touch screen experience, plus their multi-modes give people even more ways to use their PC. It is important to Lenovo worldwide to bring innovative devices to the Middle East region as we see businesses and consumers enthusiastic and eager adopters of innovation, especially in the Egyptian market,” said Yasser Shaheen.

Products launched in Egypt are designed to cater to the varied consumer, small to medium (SMB) and enterprise markets ranging from desktops and All-in-One devices all the way to the latest convertible suite. Lenovo has a track record of product innovation in commercial and SMB PCs, and its comprehensive line-up caters to the different user requirements in Egypt. Lenovo’s portfolio features innovations developed for SMBs, such as Lenovo Solutions for Small Business (LSSB), a pre-loaded security and productivity software suite in selected ThinkPad models. In addition to Lenovo’s Enhanced Experience 3.0, proprietary to Lenovo PCs, that also increases the performance and productivity of Lenovo device users.

Lenovo Yoga 13 Flexes Into Totally Unique Poses

The Lenovo Yoga’s revolutionary hinge allows it to uniquely move 360° and fold from laptop to tablet in one simple motion. As one of the world’s first multi-mode Ultrabooks, Yoga 13 provides a high level of flexibility between work and play without compromises. Infused with powerful 3rd generation Intel Core processors and powered by Windows 8, Yoga 13 provides laptop-grade performance to get work done all day without slowing down, thanks to its super slim 16.9 mm frame and eight hours of battery life. At the flip of the hinge, Yoga 13 transforms into a media-friendly tablet primed with rich audio-visual features like Dolby Home Theatre. Visuals, such as photos, videos and websites, look stunning on its 13.3-in high definition IPS display, which provides bright background and vivid colors. Users can gesture to flip through photos with Yoga 13′s special Motion Control technology or simply use their fingers on the multi-touch screen.

Lenovo Yoga 11 Balances Power and Mobility

Its smaller screen size counterpart, Yoga 11, is the world’s slimmest multi-mode PC, measuring just 15.6 mm. Yoga 11′s slim design, 11.6-in screen and long 13 hour battery life make it a great convertible for mobility. Yoga 11 lets users watch HD movies, play games, get connected and stay productive with Microsoft Office applications virtually all day long. As an added bonus, both Yoga 13 and 11 can be used in completely new ways: convert them into a Stand1 by flipping the keyboard behind the screen to watch movies or view pictures, or bend them upright like a Tent2 to play games or video chat.

ThinkPad Twist Puts New Spin on Small Business Computing

ThinkPad Twist makes it easy to choose one affordable device that can do it all. Use it as a full-performance Ultrabook, and then twist the top to switch to a convertible tablet. The 12.5-in ThinkPad Twist gives professionals the technologies they need for both their business and personal computing. For exceptional business-class productivity, ThinkPad Twist packages up to 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processors, up to Windows 8 Pro, optional 3G3, large storage up to 500 GB or 128 GB SSD and the ThinkPad-brand’s legendary keyboard, quality and reliability features. Users can work for hours with nearly all-day battery life and tablet-like quick resume from standby. This powerful machine also includes dedicated software tools specifically for small business including Lenovo Solutions for Small Business powered by Intel Small Business Advantage and Lenovo Cloud Storage by SugarSync.

ThinkPad Twist’s luminous high definition 350nit HD display and Dolby Home Theatre audio produce a stand out multimedia experience, and whether it’s a client video presentation or action-packed movie, simply connect to high definition video with Twist’s mini-HDMI or DisplayPort jack and turn up the volume. Like Yoga, Twist can convert into new modes like Stand, a great position for work collaboration via the multi-touch screen.

ThinkPad X1 Carbon

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is Lenovo’s premier Ultrabook weighs less than three pound and packs a high resolution 14-inch display into a 13-inch laptop design. While incredibly light thanks to its carbon fiber construction, it retains ThinkPad’s renowned durability for use in practically any environment. To keep users up and running, the X1 Carbon provides eight hours of battery life and industry-best charge times with Lenovo RapidCharge technology. Equipped with optional 3G mobile broadband and hotspot technology, users can stay connected virtually anywhere, anytime. The X1 Carbon also includes a multi-gesture glass surface touchpad, HD face-tracking camera, dual array microphones and Dolby-tuned audio for crisp and clear sound. Business ready with Intel vPro technology, the X1 Carbon is among the first Ultrabooks to offer true corporate-level security and manageability, and for expansion capabilities and to manage unsightly cables, users can dock it via Lenovo’s new USB3 Dock.

ThinkPad Tablet on the go

The ThinkPad Tablet 2, designed for Windows 8 and powered by Intel’s next generation CPU technology, redefines business, appeasing IT manager and end user alike in one productive, mobile, reliable device.. This multi-use tablet lasts over 10 hours on a single charge, weighs in at 1.3 pounds – lighter than its leading tablet competitor – includes an optional digitizer an\d pen for precision input, offers 3G wireless for anywhere, anytime connectivity and runs Windows 8 apps and familiar desktop applications. This versatile tablet lets users work the way they want to with multi-finger touch support, pen input or the ability to connect to the optional ThinkPad Tablet 2 keyboard and dock for a PC-like computing experience. The ThinkPad Tablet 2 includes a host of IT manageability, security and corporate-level service and support to help IT managers easily deploy in their business environments.

IdeaCentre A720 All-in-One: Flexible and Stylish Touch Computing for the Digital Home

As the industry’s slimmest 27″ all-in-one and sporting a sleek metal exterior, the IdeaCentre A720 measures less than an inch (24.5mm) and combines a frameless display supporting 10-point multi-touch. The A720 continues Lenovo’s heritage of svelte designs for the AIO by smartly positioning the PC at the base on the unit. Improving AIO design even further, the A720 is engineered to optimize the touch experience in the ‘digital’ home. The A720′s widely adjustable hinge allows the screen to be pulled towards the user and folded back making touch applications more comfortable over longer periods in any position.

Go Thin – Go Light with the IdeaPad S300 and S400

Lenovo expanded its ultraportable IdeaPad product line with the IdeaPad S300 and S400 laptops. These affordable thin and light laptops strike a balance between portability and performance for consumers who want more computing power than a notebook, long battery life and a lower price point. Measuring just 21.9mm thin (less than one inch) and weighing 1.8kg (less than four lbs), the S Series features a sleek exterior design with a stylish metallic finish powered by either 3rd generation Intel Core processor. The S Series laptops combine comfort, simplicity and responsiveness to give consumers an affordable PC with quality construction and solid performance. Equipped with the latest technology, Lenovo IdeaPad S300 and S400 laptops are available with Intel’s 3rd generation Core i3 or i5 processors.

It is worth mentioning that Lenovo and SugarSync have launched Lenovo Cloud Storage by SugarSync, the first Cloud storage service to be integrated as an out-of-box experience broadly on Lenovo’s PCs and tablets. Lenovo users will enjoy a very generous 5GB of free Cloud storage space with their new devices.

Since establishing operations in Egypt, Lenovo has been committed in investing and empowering and its channel of partners.

“We have recently launched the Lenovo Partner Network Program designed to skill-up channel partners in Egypt. The introduction of the program reflects Lenovo’s long term commitment to equipping partners with in depth knowledge and tools to enhance their relationship with the PC manufacturer including access to a free online resource and a loyalty reward scheme,” added Yasser Shaheen.

Comprised of three membership levels – Member, Premium and Gold Partner – the program is designed to educate partners and potential members on the benefits of working with Lenovo. The program rewards loyal customers through an updated membership status (Premium or Gold) whereby they are entitled to additional resource and benefits.

Mozilla Unveils Firefox OS Smartphones – A Threat To Android?

Bangalore: Mozilla made a major foray into the Smartphone segment with the launch of first devices to run Mozilla’s HTML 5-based Firefox OS,”Keon” and the “Peak”, reports ZDNet.

These two Smartphones, rather than currying up for retailers, are aimed at developers who want to try this new platform for developing and testing apps. The retail versions will be made available in February.

“Developer preview phones will help make the mobile web more accessible to more people. Developers are critical to the web, and to Mozilla’s mission to make the web accessible to everyone,” Stormy Peters, director of developer engagement at Mozilla, said in a blog post on Tuesday. “Now we are working on bringing the power of the web to mobile through Firefox OS, along with all the power of open standards and an open community, and once again, we’d like to invite web developers to join us.”

The Two preview phones are developed by GeeksPhone in partnership with the Spanish carrier Telefonica.

Of two, the lower specced Keon will come with Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 1GHz processor, 3.5-inch HVGA touchscreen display, 3MP camera, and 4GB of internal storage,  microSD support, Wi-Fi (N), and GPS, but has no secondary camera.

The Peak is slightly higher specced—dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 4.3-inch qHD display, 8 MP primary and 2MP secondary camera, 4GB of internal storage and higher capacity battery.

“If you’re a developer interested in web technologies and mobile, now is the time to try out Firefox OS,” Peters said. And she added that the new OS is aimed at “keep the Web open” and “help make sure the power of the web is available to everyone — even on mobile devices.”

The offering from the Mozilla is an open source mobile OS, about which Peters said “you’re not locked in to a vendor-controlled ecosystem. You can distribute your app through the Firefox Marketplace, your own website, or any other store based on Mozilla’s open app store technology.”

This non-profit group’s OS project names as Boot to Gecko will go after Google’s Android or Apple’s iOS, to offer Smartphones that are less expensive than an iPhone while offering similar experiences to those running on other platforms.

On January 26, Mozilla will be hosting a set of “hack days” to give developers around the world the chance to “learn, hack, share, and celebrate Firefox OS”, Peters said.

Indian Made eTouch Pen Converts Old Monitors Into Touch Screens

Bangalore: Touch screen devices relish the digital era, and the demand for the same has increased especially after the introduction of the touch centric Microsoft Windows 8 operating system in the market. Majority of the PC/ laptop users are in a state of dilemma thinking of how to make the best use of Windows 8 system. In an attempt to make use of the growing demand, Bangalore- based Jeswill Hi-Tech Solutions has come up with an innovative stylus ‘e-touch Pen’ to facilitate the conversion  of non-touch based PC or laptop into a touch screen devices.

The e-Touch Pen is designed for the Windows 8 with non-touch devices, as the new Microsoft operating system provides the ultimate user experience on touch devices. The device can also be used on PC’s running on Windows 7.

The device works based on a combination of ultrasound infrared technology and doesn’t require drivers for installation. It includes components like a cordless electronic pen and a detachable base unit with a USB cable connector. It has a receiver that can be clipped on to a screen and a stylus pen that acts as a transmitter. Apart from that, a small magnetic strip is stuck onto the side of a screen.

The receiver is clipped on to the magnetic strip and connected to the computer through a USB port. Since the clipped on receiver is an infrared device, it helps in positioning the stylus. The stylus transmitter is a battery- operated, ultrasonic device which has few brushes at its tip which attracts the vibrations when the pen is moved on the screen. The signals are subsequently transmitted to the receiver. The receiver transmits the input to the PC which completes the action accordingly.

There lies a price gap between a touch screen PC and a non-touch PC which is more than 10, 000 in market, but the new i-Touch pen can bridge the gap as it costs around to 5,000.  It works on a maximum screen size of 22-inch with a resolution of 100 DPI.

According to Mr. Sylvester P. Moorthy, Chairman, Hi-Tech Solutions, the e-Touch pen was designed especially for Windows 8. He also said that users will be able to write, draw, and edit pictures on the screen as well as perform certain other functions using this device.

Ruchi Soya: Dinner Meet

Featuring among the top five FMCG players in India, with a turnover crossing Rs. 13,000 crores, Ruchi Soya Industries Limited is the flagship company of Ruchi Group of Industries. Besides being a leading manufacturer of high quality edible oils, vanaspati, bakery fats and soya foods, Ruchi is also the highest exporter of soya meal and lecithin from India. Nutrela (soya chunks, granules and soya flour) is the largest selling soya foods brand in the country.