Tuesday, 23 October 2012
Saturday, 20 October 2012
Refer a friend to Facebook and win Rs 50 talk time
HYDERABAD: Social networking site Facebook is offering mobile talk time worth Rs 50 to new 'selective' users coming through referrals in India, a senior company official said.
Kevin D'Souza, Country Growth Manager, Facebook, said the initiative has been taken on a pilot basis and the amount of recharge varies from user to user and place to place.
To a query on whether this is for users who are coming through referrals, he said: "Yes. It is for users coming through referrals."
"We keep on trying new things. Because we do not know what will work. This is one of the tests. Just to get a feel of it, this particular test is being done in India," D'Souza said in a press conference.
"It is currently evolving with multiple pricing strategies. Different telecom carriers have different Facebook plans," he added, without elaborating further.
According to Facebook's mobile version talk time promotion page, after registration a user has to provide his mobile number to get Rs 50 free talktime and also the mobile number of the individual who may have referred him/her.
"Once you sign up and confirm your account, you will receive the talktime within three days," Facebook said.
"Facebook reserves the right to discontinue this service at any time without notice. Talktime rewards earned before this service is discontinued will be credited as appropriate," the company added.
To a query on Facebook access in Jammu and Kashmir, Kirthiga Reddy, Director - Online Operations, Facebook India refused to comment saying that the4 company always respects local laws.
"We cannot comment on specific situation. But we will say that our approach in such a situation is always to respect local laws," Reddy said.
Facebook makes sure that the content on the site is in accordance with terms and policies, she added.
Recently, reports said the Jammu and Kashmir government had directed internet service providers to block 'Youtube' and 'Facebook' if needed, to ensure that a controversial film deemed offensive to Islam was not accessible to subscribers in the state.
Reddy said the Facebook user base in India has grown to 65 million from barely eight million two years ago, making it a strong platform for marketers.
Source : TOI
Kevin D'Souza, Country Growth Manager, Facebook, said the initiative has been taken on a pilot basis and the amount of recharge varies from user to user and place to place.
To a query on whether this is for users who are coming through referrals, he said: "Yes. It is for users coming through referrals."
"We keep on trying new things. Because we do not know what will work. This is one of the tests. Just to get a feel of it, this particular test is being done in India," D'Souza said in a press conference.
"It is currently evolving with multiple pricing strategies. Different telecom carriers have different Facebook plans," he added, without elaborating further.
According to Facebook's mobile version talk time promotion page, after registration a user has to provide his mobile number to get Rs 50 free talktime and also the mobile number of the individual who may have referred him/her.
"Once you sign up and confirm your account, you will receive the talktime within three days," Facebook said.
"Facebook reserves the right to discontinue this service at any time without notice. Talktime rewards earned before this service is discontinued will be credited as appropriate," the company added.
To a query on Facebook access in Jammu and Kashmir, Kirthiga Reddy, Director - Online Operations, Facebook India refused to comment saying that the4 company always respects local laws.
"We cannot comment on specific situation. But we will say that our approach in such a situation is always to respect local laws," Reddy said.
Facebook makes sure that the content on the site is in accordance with terms and policies, she added.
Recently, reports said the Jammu and Kashmir government had directed internet service providers to block 'Youtube' and 'Facebook' if needed, to ensure that a controversial film deemed offensive to Islam was not accessible to subscribers in the state.
Reddy said the Facebook user base in India has grown to 65 million from barely eight million two years ago, making it a strong platform for marketers.
Source : TOI
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
Google launches free SMS service in India
PUNE: Search giant Google has started rolling out free SMS for its free email service Gmail and paid email service Google Apps customers in India. The service allows users to send SMSes to mobile phones from chat windows. Users have to add mobile numbers of their contacts in the email address book and they are set.
The service starts with 50 SMS credits for each user, every sent SMS costing one credit. Every reply received adds on 5 credits subject to the maximum level being 50 SMS at any given time. There is no official statement from Google on the launch of this service, however the service has gone live this evening in the chat windows of many users.
Google is rolling out the service in partnership with cellular operators, which means they would share revenue with Google out of SMSes users on their network send. It specifies a way to buy more SMS credits.
"You can always send an SMS to your own phone, and then reply to that message multiple times. Every time you send a reply message, your SMS credit is increased by five. Effectively, you're buying more messages by paying your phone company for these outgoing messages," it writes on its chat help portal.
The service currently supports eight cellular operators including Aircel, Idea, Loop Mobile, MTS, Reliance, Tata DoCoMo, Tata Indicom and some circles of Vodafone. BSNL, MTNL and Airtel are not supported yet.
The SMSes sent from Gmail chat are delivered to mobile phones while replies from the mobile phone come into the chat window. For the mobile phone user, the reply is charged at local SMS rate as per her/his normal billing plan.
If no replies are received to any of the 50 SMSs sent and the credit balance come down to zero, Google says, "...it will increase back up to one 24 hours later. So, you won't ever be locked out of the system."
Source : TOI
The service starts with 50 SMS credits for each user, every sent SMS costing one credit. Every reply received adds on 5 credits subject to the maximum level being 50 SMS at any given time. There is no official statement from Google on the launch of this service, however the service has gone live this evening in the chat windows of many users.
Google is rolling out the service in partnership with cellular operators, which means they would share revenue with Google out of SMSes users on their network send. It specifies a way to buy more SMS credits.
"You can always send an SMS to your own phone, and then reply to that message multiple times. Every time you send a reply message, your SMS credit is increased by five. Effectively, you're buying more messages by paying your phone company for these outgoing messages," it writes on its chat help portal.
The service currently supports eight cellular operators including Aircel, Idea, Loop Mobile, MTS, Reliance, Tata DoCoMo, Tata Indicom and some circles of Vodafone. BSNL, MTNL and Airtel are not supported yet.
The SMSes sent from Gmail chat are delivered to mobile phones while replies from the mobile phone come into the chat window. For the mobile phone user, the reply is charged at local SMS rate as per her/his normal billing plan.
If no replies are received to any of the 50 SMSs sent and the credit balance come down to zero, Google says, "...it will increase back up to one 24 hours later. So, you won't ever be locked out of the system."
Source : TOI
Wednesday, 10 October 2012
General Motors plans to hire 10,000 software developers, programmers
DETROIT: Now hiring in Detroit: Software developers and programmers. General Motors is moving past layoffs and the Motor City's rusty, low-tech image. It's setting out on its own to develop software and invent the most advanced gizmos for your car.
America's biggest automaker plans to hire up to 10,000 computer professionals in the next three-to-five years as it tries to lead the auto industry with cutting-edge technology.
It's a bold and expensive move, counter to the industry's history of buying software and other electronic applications from outside companies. Experts say it's also the start of a trend as manufacturers realize that software is among the few things that will set them apart from competitors.
"The companies that build the software themselves in general are going to have an advantage," says David Kirkpatrick, author of a book about Facebook and CEO of Techonomy Media, a New York firm that specializes in setting up technology conferences. "If you outsource the development of software in particular to others, you can risk ... your own ability to compete in the future.''
General Motors isn't alone in trying to move more technology development under its roof. But the plans of its biggest competitor, Ford Motor, aren't nearly as ambitious.
GM's aims to bring 90 per cent of its computer technology work into the company by recruiting workers to four new information technology centers around the nation. Ford recently joined GM, BMW AG and Renault-Nissan in opening a technology office in California's Silicon Valley, although it's staffed by only about 15 people.
GM's first "Information Technology Innovation Center" was announced last month in Austin, Texas, with plans to hire 500 programmers and software experts. And Monday the carmaker unveiled plans to hire 1,500 more at a second computer center in Warren, Michigan, on the campus of its big tech center. GM already has product designers, engineers and other technical experts at the site, including the team that created the Chevrolet Volt electric car.
The other two sites haven't been revealed.
Staff at the centers will try to stay on top of software trends. They'll develop the latest ways to link smartphones with cars or control a vehicle's heating and air conditioning with voice commands. They'll also be counted on to invent technology that no one's thought of yet. And GM also sees long-term cost savings when the centers are fully in operation.
"We're currently seeking the next generation of game-changers to help us usher in a new age of automotive innovation,'' says GM Chief Information Officer Randy Mott, who was Hewlett-Packard's CIO until he joined GM in February.
Although there are shortages of programmers and software engineers in some parts of the country, GM should be able to recruit enough talent by setting up shop in four different regions, experts say. With the tech-hub of Austin and GM's home base in Detroit already covered, the most likely locations for the next two centers are on the West Coast, experts say.
GM says it will offer competitive wages and benefits to pull in recent college graduates and experienced information technology professionals. The company's iconic brand status will help attract people, experts say.
But offering competitive pay will cost GM. Software engineers make $60,000 to $70,000 a year right out of college, and experienced workers can make more, says James Stoeckmann, senior compensation specialist for World at Work, an organization of human resources executives who deal with pay issues.
Expensive or not, the strategy is correct for GM as it tries to differentiate its products from other automakers, says Michael Robinet, managing director of IHS Automotive, an industry consulting firm. With the gap in quality between brands shrinking, the way a car drives and its electronics soon will be the only things that set a company apart, he says.
Currently, GM and most automakers rely on outside companies for touch screen and other technology. But often those companies sell the technology to multiple carmakers, or new software is sold in an expensive bidding war, Robinet says. "If they have their own skunk works and they find a new technology, they are guaranteed to bring it to market first," he says.
Ford, for instance, worked with Microsoft Inc. on its pioneering Sync system, which brought voice activation technology into cars ahead of most competitors. But Ford only had exclusive use of the system for a year before Microsoft was able to license it to other companies, namely Hyundai and Kia.
Outside companies have so much expertise that it will take years for GM to catch up, making it unlikely that the company will completely walk away from outside firms, Robinet says.
Yet with software gaining so much importance in the way all companies operate, it's even possible that GM will find its next generation of leaders somewhere in the computer centers, says Kirkpatrick. "CEOs of every company in the future are going to have to be software thinkers," he says
America's biggest automaker plans to hire up to 10,000 computer professionals in the next three-to-five years as it tries to lead the auto industry with cutting-edge technology.
It's a bold and expensive move, counter to the industry's history of buying software and other electronic applications from outside companies. Experts say it's also the start of a trend as manufacturers realize that software is among the few things that will set them apart from competitors.
"The companies that build the software themselves in general are going to have an advantage," says David Kirkpatrick, author of a book about Facebook and CEO of Techonomy Media, a New York firm that specializes in setting up technology conferences. "If you outsource the development of software in particular to others, you can risk ... your own ability to compete in the future.''
General Motors isn't alone in trying to move more technology development under its roof. But the plans of its biggest competitor, Ford Motor, aren't nearly as ambitious.
GM's aims to bring 90 per cent of its computer technology work into the company by recruiting workers to four new information technology centers around the nation. Ford recently joined GM, BMW AG and Renault-Nissan in opening a technology office in California's Silicon Valley, although it's staffed by only about 15 people.
GM's first "Information Technology Innovation Center" was announced last month in Austin, Texas, with plans to hire 500 programmers and software experts. And Monday the carmaker unveiled plans to hire 1,500 more at a second computer center in Warren, Michigan, on the campus of its big tech center. GM already has product designers, engineers and other technical experts at the site, including the team that created the Chevrolet Volt electric car.
The other two sites haven't been revealed.
Staff at the centers will try to stay on top of software trends. They'll develop the latest ways to link smartphones with cars or control a vehicle's heating and air conditioning with voice commands. They'll also be counted on to invent technology that no one's thought of yet. And GM also sees long-term cost savings when the centers are fully in operation.
"We're currently seeking the next generation of game-changers to help us usher in a new age of automotive innovation,'' says GM Chief Information Officer Randy Mott, who was Hewlett-Packard's CIO until he joined GM in February.
Although there are shortages of programmers and software engineers in some parts of the country, GM should be able to recruit enough talent by setting up shop in four different regions, experts say. With the tech-hub of Austin and GM's home base in Detroit already covered, the most likely locations for the next two centers are on the West Coast, experts say.
GM says it will offer competitive wages and benefits to pull in recent college graduates and experienced information technology professionals. The company's iconic brand status will help attract people, experts say.
But offering competitive pay will cost GM. Software engineers make $60,000 to $70,000 a year right out of college, and experienced workers can make more, says James Stoeckmann, senior compensation specialist for World at Work, an organization of human resources executives who deal with pay issues.
Expensive or not, the strategy is correct for GM as it tries to differentiate its products from other automakers, says Michael Robinet, managing director of IHS Automotive, an industry consulting firm. With the gap in quality between brands shrinking, the way a car drives and its electronics soon will be the only things that set a company apart, he says.
Currently, GM and most automakers rely on outside companies for touch screen and other technology. But often those companies sell the technology to multiple carmakers, or new software is sold in an expensive bidding war, Robinet says. "If they have their own skunk works and they find a new technology, they are guaranteed to bring it to market first," he says.
Ford, for instance, worked with Microsoft Inc. on its pioneering Sync system, which brought voice activation technology into cars ahead of most competitors. But Ford only had exclusive use of the system for a year before Microsoft was able to license it to other companies, namely Hyundai and Kia.
Outside companies have so much expertise that it will take years for GM to catch up, making it unlikely that the company will completely walk away from outside firms, Robinet says.
Yet with software gaining so much importance in the way all companies operate, it's even possible that GM will find its next generation of leaders somewhere in the computer centers, says Kirkpatrick. "CEOs of every company in the future are going to have to be software thinkers," he says
Monday, 8 October 2012
LEARNING TO LIVE WITHOUT RECOGNITION IS A SKILL!!!
There was a farmer who had a horse and a goat…..
One day, the horse became ill. So he called the veterinarian, who said:
"Well, your horse has a virus. He must take this medicine for three days.
I'll come back on the 3rd day and if he's not better, we're going to have to put him down.
Nearby, the goat listened closely to their conversation.
The next day, they gave the horse the medicine and left.
The goat approached the horse and said: “Be strong, my friend.
Get up or else they're going to put you to sleep!”
On the second day, they again gave the horse the medicine and left.
The goat came back and said: "Come on buddy, get up or else you're going to die!
Come on, I'll help you get up. Let's go! One, two, three..."
On the third day, they came to give the horse the medicine and the vet said:
"Unfortunately, we're going to have to put him down tomorrow. Otherwise,
the virus might spread and infect the other horses".
After they left, the goat approached the horse and said: "Listen pal, it's now or never!
Get up, come on! Have courage! Come on! Get up! Get up! That's it, slowly! Great!
Come on, one, two, three... Good, good. Now faster, come on...... Fantastic! Run, run more!
Yes! Yay! Yes! You did it, you're a champion...!!!"
All of a sudden, the owner came back, saw the horse running in the field and began shouting:
It's a miracle! My horse is cured. We must have a grand party. Let's kill the goat!!!!
The Lesson:
Nobody truly knows which employee actually deserves the merit of success, or who's actually contributing the necessary support to make things happen.
One day, the horse became ill. So he called the veterinarian, who said:
"Well, your horse has a virus. He must take this medicine for three days.
I'll come back on the 3rd day and if he's not better, we're going to have to put him down.
Nearby, the goat listened closely to their conversation.
The next day, they gave the horse the medicine and left.
The goat approached the horse and said: “Be strong, my friend.
Get up or else they're going to put you to sleep!”
On the second day, they again gave the horse the medicine and left.
The goat came back and said: "Come on buddy, get up or else you're going to die!
Come on, I'll help you get up. Let's go! One, two, three..."
On the third day, they came to give the horse the medicine and the vet said:
"Unfortunately, we're going to have to put him down tomorrow. Otherwise,
the virus might spread and infect the other horses".
After they left, the goat approached the horse and said: "Listen pal, it's now or never!
Get up, come on! Have courage! Come on! Get up! Get up! That's it, slowly! Great!
Come on, one, two, three... Good, good. Now faster, come on...... Fantastic! Run, run more!
Yes! Yay! Yes! You did it, you're a champion...!!!"
All of a sudden, the owner came back, saw the horse running in the field and began shouting:
It's a miracle! My horse is cured. We must have a grand party. Let's kill the goat!!!!
The Lesson:
Nobody truly knows which employee actually deserves the merit of success, or who's actually contributing the necessary support to make things happen.
Tips for f1 visa
F1 Visa Interview Tips Not TricksPrepare your own answers in 1 or 2 sentences for few common questions like –
Why U.S? why not India, Europe?Why did you choose this univ among the other admits?What do you want to do after M.S?How do you plan to fund your education? (There is absolutely no need to show astronomical figures in bank. Liquid cash for 1st year and some plan like loan for second year. Sound confident. Do not be in a hurry and show your bank statements or CA statements unless asked for)Will you return to India after Master’s?A. YES. Just say yes I would. Cut it there. Do not go on telling him stories of how companies like XYZ are investing so much and it will help u etc etc…elaborate it only if asked. Don’t try too hard to convince him. Short confident answers will do the job. Remember they are like high level HRs taking the interviews. With their experience, they have the ability to read and assess you in a minute. etc//. Do your homeworkListen to the question properly and think for a second before answering. Don’t be in any sort of a hurry to start your answer the moment he ends the question.
If you take that little pause, you will know what exactly is being asked and will answer accordingly. Otherwise the answer may turn out to be vague or irrelevant.
F1 Visa Interview TipsConsulates Doesn’t MatterDon’t worry if you are attending interview at Mumbai consulate. It doesn’t matter which consulate.
All that matters is how well you answer. They have been rejecting quite a bit but don’t let that fear suck you in.
What happens at the most? They will reject you. Anything else? Apply again.
If it’s the second time already, still it’s okay.
There are plenty of opportunities in other countries and in India. When the fear of reject doesn’t come into the picture, there is no place for anxiety and you’d be calm and confident.
Luck is a factor but not the only factor.
99% of the factors are in our control and don’t mess it up there.
Keep ClamHave a cool mind. I have seen people shivering literally.
How can one expect to answer properly in such a state of mind?
Remove the fear of a reject totally. When the univ gives us admission, when we want to study, when we have funds ready, there is no reason why we’d be rejected unless we mess it up ourselves by fumbling too much.
Will You Come BackWill he believe when I say I want to come back? Answer is no.
He won’t. but sound confident about your plans if asked.
“There is absolutely nothing you can do to prove that you’d return”.
If a country is against immigrants, it will not believe people on word on the basis of a 1 minute interview.
This is all a trap and a good reason for them to reject applicants. If they want, they can kick us out soon after our graduation ceremony. They wouldn’t offer us OPT’s of 12 months (extended to 24 now) and give us options.
Basically what I want to convey is U.S needs us more than we need U.S. Let us look at it from a different perspective now. After providing world class infrastructure for research, will they willingly allow us to go back, work in home countries and become a competition to them inturn?
No. Surely not. They are looking to filter and take the best brains from all the countries.
This filtering is done from the visa stage as I see. Who is a potential immigrant and who is not? How can it be decided in a few seconds? Don’t try too hard to convince him here. If he has decided to give you that potential immigrant slip, no amount of explanation would convince him.
U.S. Visa Rejection ReasonsNow you may ask why and when he gives this slip. As per my understanding, he uses this tool to remove people who he thinks are false, people who lie, who can fabricate, who can cheat. Many good applicants fumble, confuse, shiver which should be avoided at all costs!
A little of that is expected and VOs understand it – they are humans too. But too much of it won’t help for sure.
I saw a guy today worrying about what he should say if the VO asks his name!
His worry was that his name on i20 is a little different than passport. How does it matter if I say Gudepu sai chetan or sai chetan gudepu!!
Too much worry will lead to nothing.
Conclusion is – Avoiding 214b is almost entirely in our hands.
Don’t try to be brilliant in that 3 minutes.Don’t try to be brilliant in that 3 minutes.
Can we change our gre score? GPA? Univ?
Nothing! Take a deep breath and Just be yourself. Look into his eyes deeply and answer but don’t try to interpret his expressions.
Don’t start thinking that he’d issue the visa or reject you. HE should analyze YOU and not the other way round! Forget about the result and talk freely.
Be crisp with the answersBe crisp with the answers. When he asks why this univ? don’t go on explaining with too many technical terms. He may be an arts grad or a psychology or a political science grad. Explain in words that he can understand!
Which UniversityTo those going to not so good univs; VOs don’t care where we are going.
They are just there to make sure that we atleast know why we chose that univ.
I have come across terms like ‘visa rating for so and so univ’.
Trust me, there’s nothing like that! If it’s not a ranked univ, expect some grilling and prepare accordingly. Search for USPs of the univ or course there.
Did Consultant Fill Your DS160If he asks whether consultant filled up DS160, blindly say NO (even if you went to one).
Don’t try to convince him by giving proofs.
I read that a guy memorized his IP address and told the VO to crosscheck with his DS160 IP address.
Will anyone ever by heart the IP add’?
Is it a part of interview preparation?
Such things will obviously lead to further questions.
Don’t complicate things. Just stick to a confident NO.
If he keeps repeating the same question, you could probably tell him you have nothing to hide and can answer any question from the DS 160.
Visa Interview Counter NumbersThere is nothing to worry about specific counter no’s or specific VOs in any consulate.
As soon as you walk to the counter, by looking at you, no one will decide whether or not to issue the visa.
They are not so unfair.
The initial impression you make will be the most important.
Face the interview confidently. The way you walk to the counter and greet him itself will speak volumes.
Black Listed Universities?Consulate is not against RIT or UTA or NEU or SJSU. Don’t let all these things take a toll on your performance!
There are exceptions as always. Few of them with perfect answers also get rejects. But such cases will be through in the second attempt without doubt. It’s for our own good that we forget such cases. Take as little pressure as possible. Don’t bother about luck, officer’s mood etc which are not in our control.
To sum it up –Fact #1 : You want to study, you got admission, you have funds. There is no reason to worry about anything.Fact #2 : U.S needs you more than you need U.S A. We have an upper hand! So don’t go with a fear whether he’d find you good enough or not. Don’t underestimate yourself. Go confidently. Go like a brave soldier not like a wounded one.We deserve visa.
The only reason we fumble and get tensed is because we feel something is lacking in us and try to convince him on that.
Do not do that.
This is not a professional job interview where you’d be tested on the subject matter. These are questions even a 10th standard guy can answer casually. So don’t lose your sleep over it. Let us break this hype.
When we do that, automatically the anxiety, tension, euphoria surrounding will vanish. ATB!
P.S: These are entirely my personal views. I’d be happy to know what you think!
The teachings of Warren Buffet
What Warren Buffet says about basic investing, spending, savings are so true. Most of us know it, however too many of us do not live it.
If it does make a change in your life, thank HIM (I mean God) because this is common sense. WB said it once, I am just reproducing it.
1. On Earning:
Do not depend on a single income. Invest and create a second/ third source of income:
This means when you are young your first task should be saving and investing. By creating a second source of income you are quickly reducing your dependence on your job. This could help you to set out on your own one day. The quicker you can do it, the better.
2. On Spending:
If you buy things that you do not need, you may soon have to sell things you need:
It kind of summarizes Gen X’s reaction towards ‘luxuries’. As a part of Gen X we were perhaps criticised for some of our expenses, so it could be a generational thing even for WB. However, having goals and knowing where you are going, and not spending just to ‘show off’ are important lessons for all generations.
3. On Savings:
Do not spend what is left after spending, instead spend after you save/invest:
Also called ‘Pay Yourself First’. If you realise that investing in a pension plan or for your kid’s education is just helping you to save more later on. It is not a sacrifice, it is just postponing consumption. So understand, invest and then spend.
4. On taking Risk:
Never test the depth of the river with both your feet:
If you are doing something, do small. If you are a first gen investor, do not be carried away by equity lovers like me and put all your money in equity. Do a SIP with a small amount, and test the waters. Do a SIP of Rs. X (which could be 10% of your take home pay) for 5 years and then step up. And for heavens sake understand risk of inflation, and the concept of real returns
5. On Investing:
5. On Investing:
Do not put all eggs in one basket:
Immaterial of who you are and how much you understand, create a portfolio. A full range lunch plate is always better than just one item. So create a portfolio with bonds, bond funds, PPF, NSC, equity, mutual funds, and on the risk side medical and term insurance.
6. On Expectation:
Honesty is expensive, do not expect it from cheap people:
Not everybody is honest, nor does everybody want to be honest. Honest advisers are difficult to find especially in Health and Wealth, be careful.
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