BlackBerry knocked out of Top-5 sellers by China' ZTE

TORONTO: China's ZTE Corp. has replaced BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) among the world's top five mobile phone sellers.

According to a report released Friday by tech research company IDC, the low-priced cellphone maker ZTE also pushed Apple to the last spot on the Top-5 list on the back its surging sales.

The report "Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker'' said Apple was pushed from the fourth slot to the last position despite shipping a record number of iPhones during the fourth quarter.

BlackBerry had made to the IDC's Top-5 list only last April.

According to figures, Nokia remained the No. 1 mobile phone seller, shipping 123.7 million units during the quarter even though its sales declined 2.4 percent since last year.

However, Nokia still commands about 31 percent of the global smart phone market.

Shipping 80.7 million units during the period, Samsung was at the second spot, with 20.1 percent share of the global market.

At 30.6 million units, LG Electronics also posted 9.7 decline in its sales since last year.

Riding on zooming sales of its low-priced mobile phones, China's ZTE Corp. grabbed the fourth spot from Apple by shipping 16.8 million units during the quarterly period.

With 16.2 million iPhone units shipped during the period, Apple came last on the Top-5 list.

However, with an annual growth rate of 86 percent, Apple continued its hold over developed markets in North America and Europe, the IDC report said.

Though Blackberry posted growth of 35 percent over the previous year, it was knocked off the Top-5 list. !

"Change-up among the number four and five vendors could be a regular occurrence this year. Motorola, Research In Motion, and Sony Ericsson-all vendors with a tight focus on the fast-growing smartphone market who had ranked among the top five worldwide vendors during 2010--are well within striking distance to move back into the top five list," said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC's Mobile Devices Technology and Trends team, in a statement.

The IDC was bullish on both RIM and Apple in big markets like India, China, and the Middle East. According to the report, 1.39 billion mobile phones were shipped during the year ending Dec 31, 2010 - up from 1.17 billion sold in 2009.

Google updates service tracker amid Egypt shutdown

SAN FRANCISCO: An Internet blockade in Egypt inspired Google on Friday to provide an improved tool for tracking access to the firm's popular websites.

A portion of a Google Transparency Report that charts worldwide Internet traffic patterns was modified to reflect conditions on the Web within the past four hours.

Prior to the change, the traffic tool launched late last year had a 30-hour delay.

"Given the recent interest in the availability of our services, we've reduced the time delay in the Traffic tool on our Transparency Report to less than four hours," the company said.

The roller coaster graph line for Egypt traffic to YouTube , Blogger, and other Google sites during the past two weeks plunged abruptly to zero on Thursday and was still there when checked by AFP at 2330 GMT on Friday.

According to Renesys, a US Internet monitoring company, Egypt's four main Internet service providers cut off international access to their customers in a near simultaneous move on Thursday.

"The Internet has been one of the greatest innovations of our lifetime because of the access to information it gives people around the world," Google chief legal officer David Drummond told Al-Jazeera news on Friday.

"We believe that access is a fundamental right, and it's very sad if it's denied to citizens of Egypt or any country."

The Egyptian government's unprecedented shutdown of Internet access in the face of massive anti-government protests came under fire on Friday from the White House , social networking giants and digital rights groups.

iPad apps, accessories as lucrative as the tablet

NEW DELHI: iPad hasn't just made $10 billion for Apple in less than a year of its launch. It is also the breeding ground for thousands of apps and accessories that make millions on the side. This is because an iPad buyer is condemned not to be content with just the device alone. Within days of the purchase-if not at the time of purchase itself-iPad owners download many of the over 2 lakh apps (some free, some paid) on offer and pick up an accessory or two-cases, docks, speaker systems, keyboard...the list goes on.

Now that the iPad is officially available, here's a quick lowdown on what you will most probably need to have with the device-if you are planning to buy one. The first thing you will need is a case. You can choose to go for the official Apple iPad case (Rs 2,500) or one of the many hundreds of different skins, sleeves or hard cases from manufacturers like Belkin and Griffin. Prices start as low as Rs 1,200 and can go up to Rs 4,000 on the more expensive wooden, engraved or personalised options. Then, depending on how finicky you are, you will want a screen protector and/or screen cleaner kit (the fingerprints on that gigantic screen are a nightmare).

As for the apps-the iPad accesses a specific section of the Apple App Store , so you don't have the might of 3,00,000 applications like you do with the iPhone, but there were 60,000 iPad-specific apps at last count. Many of the same apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch are also available for the iPad, but tagged with the 'HD' (or high definition) moniker.

Business-oriented apps

While there is a global developer community, India's contribution (specifically for iPad apps) has been modest. There have been a few which were developed for the iPhone, and these will work on the iPad, but are not optimised for the screen size and resolution. !

That the iPad is not just a toy is proven by the hundreds of excellent business-oriented apps. The iWork suite lets you view and edit all office documents. With Dropbox, you can sync and manage your files across various devices. With Files to Go, you can access the iPad's documents from a computer. You can sketch diagrams with Intraviz, create a mind map with iThoughtsHD or simply use the large screen as a doodle board. And for life after work, you can play some engrossing games like Solitaire, Scrabble, Angry Birds, Flight Control, learn to play the piano with Virtuoso Piano HD or brush up on your social networking skills with Tweetdeck . This is just a taste of some of the apps available that you can get; a small list from among the top downloaded iPad apps.

Of course you don't have to be iPad owner to enjoy every single of these apps. Many of these are also available on Android, a platform which is being used by the growing army of what are called 'iPad killers' - basically tablets by other companies. Some, like Samsung's Galaxy Tab, offer a lot more features than the iPad (dual cameras, the ability to make phone calls and expandable storage). The Galaxy Tab, initially priced at Rs 38,000, has since cut prices to match the iPad's starting price of Rs 28,000. Other major tablet options available in India are the Dell Streak, Olive Pad and Viewsonic ViewPad . A fresh salvo in the tablet war will be fired by the Motorola Xoom and BlackBerry Playbook, both of which are expected to be launched in the first half of 2011.

Tablets won't steamroll Microsoft, top exec says

DAVOS: Concerns that roaring demand for tablets and smartphones like Apple's iPad and iPhone will leave Microsoft in the dust are simply overdone, Microsoft International's president told Reuters.

"Devices are going to go and come," Jean-Philippe Courtois, president of Microsoft International , told Reuters at the World Economic Forum , adding that the company was making progress developing products in the tablet arena.

In January, Microsoft said it would make a version of its Windows operating system compatible with chips designed by ARM Holdings to establish a major presence in smartphones and tablets.

Microsoft, whose Windows software powers 90 percent of the world's computers, on Thursday reported results that fell short of outsized expectations and failed to assuage investors that the rapid spread of devices made by Apple Inc and smartphones and tablets that run Google software would dominate the next phase of computing.

Its shares were flat after reporting results, despite reporting better-than-expected profit.

Courtois said the more critical part of the information technology industry was cloud computing, in which Microsoft has established a major presence. Cloud computing refers to the practice of using Internet technology to move computers and information away from desktops and into remote data centers.

"This is a deep transformation of the scenario in IT over the last decade," he said.

Still, investors have chosen to focus their attention on the explosive growth of sales of smartphones and tablets, which propelled boosted Apple to overtake Microsoft as the largest U.S. technology company by market value last May.

Microsoft shares, which have! fallen 3 percent in the trailing 12 months, have sharply underperformed the Nasdaq , which rose 24 percent. Apple shares have risen 65 percent in the same period.

Some analysts agree with Microsoft's view, stressing that the tablet market, while robust, is nowhere near the girth of the PC industry. Apple sold about 15 million iPads last year, and 7 million in the quarter ending December 2010. Microsoft sold 300 licenses for its Windows 7 operating system.

Looking ahead, Courtois talked up Microsoft's Kinect technology, which lets video game players control operations with a wave of their arms. Microsoft demonstrated Kinect to the world's power elite at the World Economic Forum.

Kinect could provide another avenue of growth as Microsoft explores broad applications of the technology in computing and business.

"We just did a survey in the BRIC countries showing that 80 percent of people finding value in natural user interface, basically opening up the IT world to many more people in the future," Courtois said.

Iomega's backup and charger for iPhone

iPad launched in India at Rs 27,900

Tablets won't steamroll Microsoft, top exec says

DAVOS: Concerns that roaring demand for tablets and smartphones like Apple's iPad and iPhone will leave Microsoft in the dust are simply overdone, Microsoft International's president told Reuters.

"Devices are going to go and come," Jean-Philippe Courtois, president of Microsoft International , told Reuters at the World Economic Forum , adding that the company was making progress developing products in the tablet arena.

In January, Microsoft said it would make a version of its Windows operating system compatible with chips designed by ARM Holdings to establish a major presence in smartphones and tablets.

Microsoft, whose Windows software powers 90 percent of the world's computers, on Thursday reported results that fell short of outsized expectations and failed to assuage investors that the rapid spread of devices made by Apple Inc and smartphones and tablets that run Google software would dominate the next phase of computing.

Its shares were flat after reporting results, despite reporting better-than-expected profit.

Courtois said the more critical part of the information technology industry was cloud computing, in which Microsoft has established a major presence. Cloud computing refers to the practice of using Internet technology to move computers and information away from desktops and into remote data centers.

"This is a deep transformation of the scenario in IT over the last decade," he said.

Still, investors have chosen to focus their attention on the explosive growth of sales of smartphones and tablets, which propelled boosted Apple to overtake Microsoft as the largest U.S. technology company by market value last May.

Microsoft shares, which have! fallen 3 percent in the trailing 12 months, have sharply underperformed the Nasdaq , which rose 24 percent. Apple shares have risen 65 percent in the same period.

Some analysts agree with Microsoft's view, stressing that the tablet market, while robust, is nowhere near the girth of the PC industry. Apple sold about 15 million iPads last year, and 7 million in the quarter ending December 2010. Microsoft sold 300 licenses for its Windows 7 operating system.

Looking ahead, Courtois talked up Microsoft's Kinect technology, which lets video game players control operations with a wave of their arms. Microsoft demonstrated Kinect to the world's power elite at the World Economic Forum.

Kinect could provide another avenue of growth as Microsoft explores broad applications of the technology in computing and business.

"We just did a survey in the BRIC countries showing that 80 percent of people finding value in natural user interface, basically opening up the IT world to many more people in the future," Courtois said.

Apple finally brings iPad to India; starting price Rs 27,990

NEW DELHI: The Apple iPad is finally here! Starting Friday, you can visit the nearest Apple retailer (or iStore) and pick up the tablet you've always wanted. The starting price of Rs 27,990 will most likely make Apple aficionados rub their hands in delight. The base version of the iPad (16 GB, wi-fi only) has been selling at Rs 33,000 in the grey market and on online stores.

iPad has earned the title of the fastest selling gadget ever. In less than a year of its launch, it has sold nearly 15 million units, earning close to $10 billion in revenue. The iPad launch was announced in the US exactly a year ago (January 27, 2010), though it only went on sale in April 2011. Since then, the iPad has single-handedly reinvented the tablet market.

Though not through Apple, iPad has been on sale in India since August 2010, mostly through the grey market. Several e-commerce websites also started selling the device subsequently. Analysts peg the total number of iPads in India currently at about 40,000 units. This includes sales through the grey market, online sales or those who simply purchased the device abroad.

Not only is the India launch of the iPad delayed (it was launched in Hong Kong & Singapore as far back as July 2010) but the iPad 2, due out in a couple of months, is rumored to have dual cameras, a higher resolution 'retina' display and a faster processor. Add that to the increasing competition from other tablet makers like Samsung, Motorola and BlackBerry and your choice becomes confusing- wait for iPad 2 or pick up a non-Apple device that packs in more features.

Like elsewhere in the world, an entire ecosystem is getting created around the iPad. Accessories for Apple products is a flourishing industry and various accessories for the iPad have been available for the past few months at ele! ctronics stores and e-commerce sites.

BSNL has announced 3G plans specifically for the iPad while Airtel, Vodafone and Idea have been selling micro SIM cards (for 3G versions) for some time.

In all, there are six versions of the iPad available; capacities of 16, 32 or 64GB in a choice of Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + 3G. The 16GB Wi-Fi only version will be priced at Rs 27,990 while the top of the line 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G version will be priced at Rs 44,990.

Facebook says has seen drop in traffic from Egypt

SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook has seen a drop in traffic to its Web site from Egypt on Thursday amid anti-government protests in that country, the company said.

"We are aware of reports of disruption to service and have seen a drop in traffic from Egypt this morning," Facebook spokesperson Jillian Carroll told Reuters in an email.

Apple finally brings iPad to India; starting price Rs 27,990

NEW DELHI: The Apple iPad is finally here! Starting Friday, you can visit the nearest Apple retailer (or iStore) and pick up the tablet you've always wanted. The starting price of Rs 27,990 will most likely make Apple aficionados rub their hands in delight. The base version of the iPad (16 GB, wi-fi only) has been selling at Rs 33,000 in the grey market and on online stores.

iPad has earned the title of the fastest selling gadget ever. In less than a year of its launch, it has sold nearly 15 million units, earning close to $10 billion in revenue. The iPad launch was announced in the US exactly a year ago (January 27, 2010), though it only went on sale in April 2011. Since then, the iPad has single-handedly reinvented the tablet market.

Though not through Apple, iPad has been on sale in India since August 2010, mostly through the grey market. Several e-commerce websites also started selling the device subsequently. Analysts peg the total number of iPads in India currently at about 40,000 units. This includes sales through the grey market, online sales or those who simply purchased the device abroad.

Not only is the India launch of the iPad delayed (it was launched in Hong Kong & Singapore as far back as July 2010) but the iPad 2, due out in a couple of months, is rumored to have dual cameras, a higher resolution 'retina' display and a faster processor. Add that to the increasing competition from other tablet makers like Samsung, Motorola and BlackBerry and your choice becomes confusing- wait for iPad 2 or pick up a non-Apple device that packs in more features.

Like elsewhere in the world, an entire ecosystem is getting created around the iPad. Accessories for Apple products is a flourishing industry and various accessories for the iPad have been available for the past few months at ele! ctronics stores and e-commerce sites.

BSNL has announced 3G plans specifically for the iPad while Airtel, Vodafone and Idea have been selling micro SIM cards (for 3G versions) for some time.

In all, there are six versions of the iPad available; capacities of 16, 32 or 64GB in a choice of Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + 3G. The 16GB Wi-Fi only version will be priced at Rs 27,990 while the top of the line 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G version will be priced at Rs 44,990.

New gaming speakers from Razer

Sony to release new PlayStation Portable this year

TOKYO: Sony said Thursday the successor to its PlayStation Portable machine will go on sale late this year, offering the quality of a home console in an on-the-go machine boasting a screen double the size of smart phones.

The NGP, short for ``next generation portable,'' has a touch panel in the front and touch pads in the back to allow players to tap on the machine to move images, in addition to the usual buttons and switches.

It also offers a third-generation wireless connection plus the already available WiFi, allowing for more social networking and downloads. Its five-inch screen is OLED _ a different technology from liquid-crystal display _ for good color and image quality about four times better than the current PSP.

Sony said gamers will be able to play games they had been playing on the PlayStation 3 home console without feeling any drop in quality.

Kazuo Hirai, who heads Sony Corp.'s gaming section, proudly held the shiny black machine to cameras, declaring: ``This is the NGP.''

He did not give a price, regional release plans or other details. ``We will pursue the ultimate in entertainment,'' said Hirai, President and Chief Executive of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., Tokyo-based Sony's gaming unit. ``We want to create a revolution in your hands.''

His comments underline an effort at the Japanese electronics and entertainment company to ward off the formidable threat of Apple Inc. which is delivering hit after hit such as the iPhone and iPad.

The popularity of smart phones such as the iPhone is a potential threat to game machine makers as more people play games, as well as watch video, do e-mail and chat on cell phones. People are also using other portable devices such as the iPod and iPad to pl! ay games .

Hirai said Sony was working on what he called PlayStation Suite, for enjoying some PlayStation Portable games on smart phones and tablet PCs. Sony will start providing support and starting a licensing program for devices running Google's Android software systems starting this year, he said.

There had been some speculation about Sony introducing phone features, or the so-called PlayStation Phone. Hirai did not talk about that in his presentation.

Sony is facing off in portables against Japanese rival Nintendo Co., which is introducing a new DS with glasses-free 3-D features next month.

U.S. software maker Microsoft Corp. is another major player with its Xbox 360 home console, but it does not make a portable. Microsoft has a cell phone business with its Windows Phone 7 software for games and other entertainment on smart phones.

PlayStation Portable sales have been dropping _ by as much as 37 percent last year to about 2.7 million for April-September from 4.3 million the same period the previous year.

By contrast, Apple sold 16.2 million iPhones during the October-December quarter alone.

Sony has not yet disclosed its PSP sales numbers for October-December.

More than 64 million PlayStation Portable machines have been sold cumulatively around the world since it went on sale in December 2004.

Yuji Fujimori, an analyst with Barclays Capital in Tokyo, says it's too early to assess what Sony has in the works.

In the long run, game consoles may disappear altogether as games and social networking have arrived on smart phones and other devices, he said.

``Sony'! s messag e is more about keeping rival Nintendo in check,'' said Fujimori.

The NGP comes packed with Sony's latest motion sensor and GPS location technology so that gamers can tilt and sway the machine to play golf games, kill monsters and experience other ``virtual realities,'' Hirai said.

Hirai brought on stage several game software developers such as Sega and Capcom who showed footage of PlayStation 3 games adapted for NGP to demonstrate great graphics quality. Sony has signed dozens of developers around the world to work on NGP games.

``We believe NGP will change the way people play games on the go,'' said Philip Earl of U.S. game maker Activision Inc.

Sony unveils new handheld; takes on DS, smartphones

TOKYO: Sony Corp launched a new handheld gaming device , the first to feature 3G wireless connectivity , as it battles with Nintendo's best-selling DS and tries to fend off rising competition from smartphones and tablets.

The announcement came the same day Nintendo is expected to report a slide in quarterly profit. Nintendo launches its 3D version of its popular DS model next month.

Sony said the new device, which it has codenamed "NGP" for Next Generation Portable, will go on sale around the year-end.

It will feature 3G wireless connectivity, the first in a portable games device, and use a 5-inch OLED panel, Sony said.

That compares with 3.5 inches for a standard smartphone screen.

The device also has a back touch pad in addition to the front touch panel and a motion sensor for more intuitive use, Sony said.

With smartphones and tablets from the likes of Apple Inc eating into the market for portable gaming devices, Sony and Nintendo desperately need a blockbuster product to boost sales and profit.

Nintendo's DS sold nearly 136 million units up to last September. Sony's PSP has sold some 61 million.

The next-generation PSP may be closely related to a PlayStation phone that may be in the works.

If not announced this week, the PlayStation phone could be unveiled on Feb. 13 at a Sony Ericsson event in Barcelona.

Analysts expect Nintendo to report a nearly 40 percent drop in profits for October-December as sales of its DS and compatible software fade ahead of the 3D launch.

Next week, Sony is ! expected to post a fall in profits for October-December, hit by its struggling TV business.

Europe to give one-third revenue to HCL Technologies

DAVOS: When European debt and sovereign crisis is giving anxious moments to multi-national CEOs, India's HCL Technologies is bullish on the continental Europe, aiming to get one-third of its revenue from the region.

"The Europeans are finding that their costs structures are not competitive...this is first-time that the Europeans are opening to outsourcing," Vice-Chairman and CEO of USD 3-billion firm, Vineet Nayar , told PTI on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting here.

With the USD 800 million acquisition of the UK-based Axon two years ago, HCL Technologies which offers IT solutions across different sectors, gets 28 per cent of its revenue from Europe.

"Our share of revenue from the continent Europe will be only higher...," Nayar (48) said.

He said the European companies want to become cost competitive, particularly in the manufacturing sector, offering opportunities for the Indian IT firms to offer them solutions to improve their bottomline by use of technology.

"We see fear in Europe because of debt and Euro crisis... there is a significant emphasis on cost cut in Europe and therefore they are open to Indian IT companies like never before...," he said.

Sending a strong message to the opponents of the India outsourcing story, Nayar, a regular at WEF meetings, said that HCL Technologies would hire 90 per cent of their European manpower from the locals.

The company has already built a delivery centre at Helsinki and Poland .

For the US markets, the HCL Technologies would focus on telecom and entertainment because these industries face threat of survival and are looking for! solutio ns, he said.

The entire space of life sciences will also remain a priority area, reason being President Barack Obama's focus on healthcare.

The company with a 72,000 headcount gets 55 per cent of its revenue from the United States, 28 per cent from Europe and the balance from Asia, including just about five per cent from India.

With the potential of the private sector in infrastructure, the HCL Technologies will focus on offering solutions to the Indian power firms, besides the financial services, Nayar added.

Japanese cos are eyeing Indian IT for acquisition

Bangalore: Japanese IT companies are aggressively looking at technology companies in India to acquire. Three Japanese IT majors, Fujitsu, NTT Data and Hitachi Consulting, were amongst the early bidders to acquire Patni Computers, though all of them eventually backed off.

But they have been successful in some others. NTT Data acquired US-based IT services firms Keane International and the US-based Intelligroup in 2010, and Hitachi Consulting acquired another US IT company called Sierra Atlantic in January 2011. Over three-fourths of employees in these companies are based in India.

In the next 18 months we could expect a lot more action from Japanese companies, said Partha Iyengar, V-P at research firm Gartner. According to IT industry body Nasscom , the Japanese IT services market, pegged at $108 billion, is the world's second largest after the US.

A shortage of skilled manpower and increasing cost pressures are driving the Japanese IT majors to explore cheaper offshore buys in India. The demand for IT services in Japan is driven by the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) and manufacturing industries, which together account for over 40% of the IT services market. Local companies like Fujitsu, Toshiba , NEC and NTT Data and US-headquartered IBM are the top players in Japan.

According to Raja Lahiri, director - transaction services at KPMG India , Japanese companies are looking at acquiring mid to large sized IT services companies in India. It makes sense to have a presence in India to service global clients, as also the large Japanese market. With an ageing population they lack the manpower skills that India can offer, he said.
! < br> Most Japanese enterprises continue to operate the legacy mainframe and more than 53% of Japanese IT services constitute customized software development. These applications, developed using IBM family architecture, require extensive manpower skills.

Japanese firms are beginning to migrate their applications in view of the high maintenance cost, low flexibility and non-availability of legacy skills. As Japanese vendors who developed these systems will get biggest pie of migration opportunity, it makes sense to have centres in nations like India to gain scale and cut costs.

There's also another reason why the Japanese are interested in Indian IT. As Sameer Dhanrajani, country head of Fidelity National Financial India, points out, Japanese companies have been primarily servicing the APAC, China and South Korean regions due to cultural affinity.

They miss out on large opportunities in the more lucrative European and US markets. India has a first mover advantage in capturing the US and European offshoring markets. Thus acquiring Indian companies with blue-chip clients is an attractive option.

However they now realize that as countries like China and India threaten to eat into their own client base at home as well as globally, not having an offshore presence in India puts them at a disadvantage, Gartner's Iyengar added.

Fujitsu president Masami Yamamoto recently said that the company intends to increase its focus on IT services through acquisitions of software firms particularly in the area of cloud computing.

A paper titled The competitiveness of Japan's software industry' by Tatsuo Tanaka , a faculty fellow at the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI) in Japan, indicates that Japan excels in produ! cing cus tom and embedded software, but lags when dealing with packaged business and online software. Custom software is said to be inefficient in terms of cost and quality because it can't derive economies of scale and compete globally against packaged business and online software.

Fidelity's Dhanrajani added that Japanese companies are involved in high-end software development, engineering and R&D work. They do not have the IT services capabilities at the lower end of the value chain, which constitutes the mass segment of IT services demand. To offer services across the value chain it becomes essential for them to make acquisitions in India, said Dhanrajani.

Reasoning Global to raise $12 m to expand portfolio

KOLKATA: Reasoning Global eApplications , a start-up firm that builds software for retail operations, will raise $12 million in a second round of fund raising to expand its product portfolio and market reach.

This is the second round of funding for the company that first raised early stage capital of $2.5 million from high networth individuals. The early investors are USA-based Mitesh Mathija, Singapore-based Atin Kabra and India-based Dev Raman" , said Jeetendra Joshi, Vice president marketing.

The Hyderabad-based start-up has built e-commerce solutions for a host of clients including consumer goods major Godrej, Videocon and Geetanjali Jewellers. The product Martjack, a multi-channel retail solution allows retailers to sell products either on the internet or the mobile phone. Fresh funding will be used to roll out new products such as Ipaynear designed as a cash on delivery service for online shoppers.

Besides setting up e-stores for large retailers, the company also provides such services for small entrepreneurs who are looking to sell online. Apart from providing links to manufacturers and suppliers the company also connects these fledgling outfits to its network of collaborators such as internet major Google for advertising, HDFC bank for online payments and Aramex for logistics. "We aim to garner about 40% of e-retail transactions done direct or indirectly in the next two years," said Joshi.

According to industry officials, there are 81 million internet users in India with the number estimated to touch 180-200 million by 2015.

"Annual sales through e-commerce is expected to reach Rs 2,000 crore by 2014," said Ankur Dinesh Garg, managing director, Wirefoot Consulting, an internet and mobile consultancy firm.

Rural India gadget-savvy too: Gfk Nielsen

NEW DELHI: Indians living in rural areas are just about as gadget-savvy as those residing in cities, according to a study conducted by global market research firm Gfk Nielsen. The findings, based on an extensive audit of retail stores in November last year, reveal the huge potential of rural India, especially for the telecom sector, and may force telecom companies to increase their focus on villages and small towns.

The first-of-its-kind study found that 7% of all mobile phones sold in the rural areas were touch screen handsets as against 10% in urban areas. Rural customers beat their urban counterparts in the use of multiple SIM handsets as about 40% of all mobile phones sold in these areas had multiple SIM slots as against only 22% sold in the metros.

Half of all the mobile phones sold in rural areas were Internet-enabled, the audit found. Rural subscribers, however, are more price sensitive as handsets priced under 2,000 made up nearly half of the total sales in rural India, as compared with one-fourth in urban areas. A rural customer spends 2,000 to buy a mobile phone while an urban customer would spend up to 3,000, the study found. This gap widens in metros where customers buy a cellphone for 3,500 on an average.

"Mobile phones of sub 2,000 price segment contribute 24% of urban India sales value whereas in rural India, share of this price segment doubles," said Anant Jain, GfK Nielsen India's account director for telecom and IT . "There are more than 1,500 different models in the market from over a 100 brands in different price ranges, leading to increasing share of evolving features, such as multiple SIM slots, social networking applications and touch screen."

The audit revealed that five of 10 phones sold in rural India have a camera as against six in urban India. It found people in rural ! areas, w here more than 70% of the Indian population resides, bought 30% of all mobile handsets sold in the country in November.

More than 2.2 lakh retail outlets in India sell mobile handsets. Of this, 70,000 cater to 6 lakh villages in the country. Researchers said this leaves a lot of room for telcos and manufacturers to reach out to the rural customer. Large population, low tele-density and increasing focus of telecom marketers in the rural areas offer high-growth opportunity, said GfK Nielsen India's commercial director Nikhil Mathur.

With an average handset price of 2,700, the mobile handset industry in the country was valued at 3,200 crore in November. Rural India has ample appetite for high-tech features including smart phones, touch-screen phones and GPRS-enabled handsets. In rural India, around 4% of the market value comes from smartphones compared with 19% in urban areas. A rural buyer spends 33% less on a phone than an urban buyer. This explains the disparity in urban and rural areas but underlines the value for money quotient and the Indian majority's purchasing power.

The number of mobile phones with GPRS, or Internet connectivity, sold in rural India was just about the same as those without this feature. Touchscreen phones also seem to be popular in rural India as more than 7% of mobile phones sold here have touch screens as compared with 10% in urban India. However, the average selling price of a touch screen phone in rural areas is 2,800 as against 6,200 in urban areas.

Facebook tightens user security

SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook on Wednesday announced heightened privacy controls for members of the world's largest online social network.

The security enhancements came on the heels of a hacker posting a bogus message on the public fan page of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg suggesting that the website pursue social good instead of business profit.

The release of improved tools for protecting the content of users' profiles was tied to an international Data Privacy Day this week, according to Facebook. "A key part of controlling information has always been protecting it from security threats like viruses, malware and hackers," Facebook's Jake Brill said in a blog post.

New security features being rolled out included the availability of one-time passwords that US Facebook members could use at shared computers in places such as cafes, airports or hotels where keystrokes might be saved on machines.

Sending a mobile phone text message reading "otp" to 32665 will result in a Facebook user getting a response containing a password that works only once and expires in 20 minutes. The mobile phones must be registered in Facebook users' accounts to get disposable passwords.

Facebook will also let members remotely check whether they are still logged onto the service at other computers and then sign-off from afar. "In the unlikely event that someone accesses your account without your permission, you can also shut down the unauthorized login before resetting your password and taking other steps to secure your account and computer," Brill said.

Facebook on Wednesday said a software "bug" let a hacker impersonate chief executive Zuckerberg in a comment posted to his public fan page at the website. The bogus update posted late Monday suggested that Facebook turn to its users instead of banks for mo! ney and got "liked" by more than 1,800 members of the social network before it was erased.

Mobile app industry to surge in 2011: Gartner

Worldwide mobile application store revenue will almost triple to $15.1 billion this year, boosted by a surge in Google's Android market, research firm Gartner said on Wednesday.

Apple created the market for mobile online software stores with the iPhone store in mid-2008, scoring an instant hit that drove smartphone sales and reshaped the way mobile content is delivered.

"We estimate that Apple's App Store drove close to nine application downloads out of 10 in 2010 and will remain the single best-selling store ... through 2014, although to a lesser extent, as other stores manage to gain momentum," analyst Carolina Milanesi said.

Last week, Apple's App Store reached 10 billion downloads. Its closest rivals are Google's Android and privately held GetJar which sells software for all platforms and reached 1 billion downloads last June.

Android, offered free to cellphone vendors, was expected to become the world's most popular smartphone operating system this year as vendors like HTC (2498.TW), Motorola Mobility and Samsung Electronics roll out new models.

Gartner forecast 81 percent of all downloads this year will be made for free.

It said 16 percent of application store markets' $5.2 billion revenue was generated from advertising, a share it expected to nearly double to 30 percent by the end of 2014.

Google on hiring spree; to add over 6000 employees in 2011

BOSTON: Google Inc is all set to go on a hiring spree this year with the company planning to add more than 6000 people around the globe in one of the "biggest" workforce expansions in company history.

In a blog post today, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Research Alan Eustace said Google was "looking for top talent--across the board and around the globe."

The company had added more than 4,500 workers in 2010 primarily in engineering and sales departments.

The workforce expansion set for 2011 and said to he the "biggest hiring year in company history", will be more than the 6,100 workers Google had hired in 2007.

Google plans to hire more than 1,000 workers in Europe alone this year.

The company said it will hire "as many smart, creative people as we can to tackle some of the toughest challenges in computer science: like building a web-based operating system from scratch, instantly searching an index of more than 100 million gigabytes and even developing cars that drive themselves."

Eustace said the hiring comes when not just the company's products but also the company "grew" in 2010.

Google's operating system Android now runs on over 100 devices with more than 300,000 activations each day, while Chrome has at least 120 million active users, Eustace added.

California-based Google has been trying to keep its employees who are being lured by rivals companies like Facebook and Apple .

Last year, Google announced a 10 per cent raise for all its employees.

Facebook, which has been giving stiff competition to Google, has about 200 ex-Google workers in its roughly 2,000 workfor! ce.

Google had last week announced major changes in its top management positions with company co-founder Larry Page set to take over as CEO in April from current chief executive Eric Schmidt . As on December 31, 2010 Google had a total workforce of 24,400.

Twitter blocked in Egypt amid unrest

SAN FRANCISCO: Twitter was inaccessible in Egypt in what was believed to be a move to thwart protesters using the social network in a campaign to oust President Hosni Mubarak.

The US-based microblogging service that allows people to use mobile phones to broadcast short text messages was out of service in Egypt yesterday, according to the herdict.org tracking website recommended by Twitter.

A Twitter spokesman declined to comment on what was causing the service outage in Egypt.

The news came as tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across Egypt, facing down a massive police presence to demand the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak in protests inspired by Tunisia's popular uprising.

Twitter and Facebook were among Internet social networking services reportedly being used by protesters to share information and coordinate activities.

The protests were the largest and most significant since riots over bread subsidies shook the Arab world's most populous nation in 1977, analysts said. In Cairo's central Tahrir Square, thousands of protesters chanted in unison: "The people want the ouster of the regime."

Despite some 20,000 to 30,000 police being deployed in the center of the capital, demonstrators had broken police barriers to march towards the square, where police fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse them.

The protest, called by the pro-democracy youth group the April 6 Movement, coincided with a national holiday to mark Police Day.

Tech Queries

I have been deleting files using Shift + Delete key. How can I recover them?
Bhavya Gupta

If you have deleted files using the Shift+Delete method, you have essentially bypassed the recycle bin. The Shift + Delete method should be used only if you are absolutely sure you want to delete a file. You may or may not be able to get the files back you can try a free software program called Recuva. Another free program that works well to recover photographs and with removable media (flash cards and USB drives) is Convar's PC Inspector.

I want to buy a DSLR . Should I buy the Canon SX30 IS or the Nikon P100 ??
Shreyansh Sanghani

DSLRs, or Digital Single Lens Reflex , cameras are a very specific type those that have interchangeable lenses, a single lens for viewing and image capture, large image sensors and a mirror in front of the image sensor that flips up while taking a photograph.

DSLRs have a lot of advantages over regular cameras because of these features. The primary advantages are better quality of images, better low light sensitivity and expandability. The disadvantage is that they are typically larger and heavier than other cameras.

Also, buying additional lenses and accessories is an expensive proposition. The cameras you refer to, do have a single lens for viewing and picture taking, but they do not have interchangeable lenses, large image sensors or mirrors. These cameras are also sometimes referred to as prosumer cameras. The advantage is that they offer more features than a compact point-and-shoot camera and usually have long zoom lenses built in.

Some attractive entry-level DSLRs you can consider are the C! anon EOS 1000D or the Nikon D3100 (if you want video as well). The Canon 1000D is available with an 8-55mm kit lens for as low as Rs 22,000 while the Nikon D3100 with an 18-55mm optically stabilised lens can be bought for Rs 32,000.

iGate asked to pay Rs 11 cr tax for onsite work after Infosys

MUMBAI: Software companies could end up paying tax on a sizeable part of their income, depending on how much work they do onsite, as tax authorities hold that onsite services are not eligible for tax sops.

In the second such notice sent out to a software firm, iGate Corp has been asked to pay tax on pure onsite software development and work that involves deputation of technical manpower, also referred to as 'body-shopping'. The first such notice was sent to Infosys Technologies .

iGate has said it is not involved in deputation of technical manpower (DTM) while agreeing that income from this activity is not eligible for tax benefits under Section 10A. This section deals with tax exemption for software export profits for specified units such as export-oriented units or units registered with the Software Technology Parks (STP) of India . The tax holiday is valid till March 2011.

The income-tax department has asked iGate to pay around Rs 11 crore for the assessment year 2007-08 categorising its business under four heads, deputing of technical manpower, purely onsite services without offshore content, software work with predominantly onsite component of over 70% and the balance being done offshore, onsite-offshore work with over 30% offshore component done from STP or SEZ units.

"The kind of services that Infosys, TCS, Wipro offer are similar. So if two companies have got the order now, there could be more getting it later. The companies we spoke to said they will appeal if they receive such an order," said an analyst with an overseas brokerage. "The re-opening of these cases could affect companies with units in SEZs that have started less than 10 years ago, even if the tax claims are eventually unsuccessful," said TP Ostwal, a chartered accountant! and tax advisor.

iGate did not respond to a mail from ET requesting its comments on the issue. For the assessment year 2007-08, the company had a turnover of 747 crore and a profit before tax of 50.38 crore. Infosys had said it would it appeal against the I-T department's order.

"The proportion of DTM receipts to overall revenue receipts was estimated to be as high as 80% about a decade back. This proportion is reported to have steadily declined to about roughly 40%... DTM contract receipts are also derogatively known as 'Body Shopping' receipts," the I-T department said about Indian software companies. All activities where the liability of iGate was limited to supply manpower and the control and supervision of work was with the client have been categorised as DTM.

Additionally, profits from pure onsite work where the software development contracts do not have any mention of the STP or SEZ undertakings have also been considered as not eligible for exemption. These contracts are with the US branches and executed entirely in US or Europe.

Huawei Ideos comes to India with Aircel

Microsoft, RIM grow on app developers: Survey

TORONTO: Mobile software developers remain fixated on Apple and on Google's Android as the prime targets of their toil, but Microsoft and Research In Motion are making inroads as tablet offerings multiply.

The iPhone, which boasts more than 300,000 third-party applications, or apps, retains the attention of 92 percent of developers, according to a survey released on Tuesday by research firm IDC and app platform Appcelerator.

The survey of more than 2,200 developers found many expect to produce more apps for more platforms with more complexity.

"Cloud connectivity, location and social will define the experiences of most applications this year and going forward," said Appcelerator's Scott Schwarzhoff in an interview.

"Respondents said 'last year I was kicking the tyres, this year I really am ramping up my efforts'," he added.

Developer intent is a useful indicator of broader interest in a platform, as consumers are drawn to devices that can perform specific tasks such as checking news or stock prices, tracking how far you've run or finding nearby restaurants.

Apple's iPad tablet and Android phones -- which are made by a number of handset makers including HTC , Samsung and Motorola Mobility -- tied for the next biggest share of developer attention, with 87 percent saying they are very interested in each platform.

Android tablets such as Samsung's Galaxy Tab and Motorola's Xoom, which flooded an electronics trade show this month, round out the top tier with interest from 74 percent of developers, up from 62 percent in September.

SECOND-TIER

RIM's BlackBerry smartphone ! platf orm and Microsoft's Windows Phone 7, which launched in October, grew cache in a second tier well below Apple and Android but drawing away from Nokia's Symbian and its planned MeeGo offering, which lagged at less than 20 percent interest.

But the sharpest rise in interest was directed at RIM's PlayBook, which the Canadian company has touted heavily to developers since announcing its existence in September. It is expected to launch in March.

"Quite frankly, three months ago we thought this thing (PlayBook) was never going to take off," Schwarzhoff said.

A lot of businesses "know BlackBerry, know RIM and have standardized on it and are saying we need an enterprise-grade tablet and if RIM's coming out with one we have to take a serious look," he said.

Twenty-eight percent of respondents said they were looking at the PlayBook, compared to 16 percent in September.

In contrast to the rising interest in tablets, the developers surveyed shunned connected televisions, with interest in both Google TV and Apple TV declining sharply.

About 40 percent of respondents were from either North America or Europe with the remaining 18 percent from elsewhere.

Satyam scam: ICAI to hold disciplinary meetings in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) will hold all its Disciplinary Committee meetings on Satyam Computers multi-crore accounting scam henceforth in Hyderabad , ICAI Vice-President G Ramaswamy, Vice-President said on Monday.

At present, the ICAI is in the process of framing charges on two employees of Satyam namely Vadlamni Srinivas, former CFO and V Prabhakar Gupta, former internal auditor, Satyam and two former auditors of PricewaterhouseCoopers , S Gopalakrishnan and Srinivas Talluri.

"The Delhi High Court order issued last month clearly states that criminal proceedings and investigations related to professional misconduct are two different issues. It also asked the auditors to appear for the ICAI's meetings so that we can proceed with the case," said Ramaswamy on the sidelines of International Taxation Conference , 'Jnanadeep' organised by the ICAI.

After the Satyam scam broke out in Janury 2009, apex body of Chartered Accountants found the four auditors guilty of misconduct. The CBI in its chargesheet also alleged that the external auditors were paid hefty sums to cook up company accounts, thus becoming part of the crime.

He said that the Institute will hold its next meeting in third week of February. "PWC and auditors who got bail, are appearing before the special court every day. As a result they are unable to attend the Committee's proceedings. Henceforth, we will conduct all related meetings in Hyderabad," Ramswamy said.

ICAI's high-powered committee in its report had earlier said, prima facie, the conduct of the auditors both from Pricewaterhouse, which was the then statutory auditor of Satyam, and Satyam's internal aud! it team, was found negligent.

Meanwhile, ICAI expressed surprise over the delay in implementing international accounting norms, IFRS. According to Amarjit Chopra, president, ICAI, the norms were decided by a core group in which all the industry associations, including FICCI, FAPCCI and Assocham, were part of the core group, which prepared the IFRS norms.

"We did our job and submitted the same. We don't understand why some industry associations are now raising concerns over implementation," he said. Last month, FICCI has asked the government to delay the implementation of IFRS citing the April, 2011 deadline as highly unworkable and unfair.

iGate kicks off integration with Patni Computers

BANGALORE: iGate and Patni have started the formal merger process with the appointment of a two-member team to drive the integration. iGate announced the $1.2-billion acquisition of Patni Computer Systems earlier this month and the managements of both companies met last week to flesh out their go-to-market strategy and integration plan.

Integration has been pointed out as a major concern for the Nasdaq-listed iGate as Patni is more than twice its size. Industry watchers say iGate might have to deal with high attrition and loss of clients in the months to come and how it tackles this challenge will be key to the success of the deal. iGate has appointed Delloite and Mercer to advise on the integration process.

iGates HR global head Srinivas Kandula and Patnis executive vice-president and chief marketing & strategy officer, Sunil Chitale form the two-member team to lead the integration process.

iGate is also working on identifying the leads in each department after the integration and Kandula is likely to remain the HR head of the combined entity, while iGate CFO Sujit Sircar will continue to head finance, sources close to the development said.

Phaneesh Murthy, the current CEO of iGate will remain CEO once the integration is over. When contacted, iGate and Patni said they could not comment on the developments at present. The senior management team of Patni met the iGate board last week.

In an earlier interview to ET, Murthy said they had been discussing retention and incentive packages for Patni employees and that these were likely to be stock-based incentive schemes. iGate employees were informed they would be getting 125% of their variable pay for the quarter just a day after the deal.

The acquisition, one of the largest in the Indian IT ! space, p uts iGate in the billion-dollar league in revenue. The company said with its differentiated offering and the scale it derives from this acquisition, it will now have a better chance of winning larger deals. A delisting from the Indian stock exchanges could also be on the cards for Patni as Murthy has been clear he would like a single listed entity in the US.

It is a complex process and lots of people do not succeed. We will have to do feasibility studies and study the model but we do not need to do it in a hurry, Murthy told ET last week.

Hitachi launches 2011 range of ACs

Social networking sites are a 'modern form of madness'

LONDON: They may be a venue to socialise and keep in touch with people, but social networking websites like 'Facebook' and 'Twitter' are making people "less human" by isolating them from reality, a US sociologist has claimed.

According to Prof Sherry Turkle of Massachusetts Institute of Technology , the way in which people frantically communicate online via social networking sites can be seen as "a modern form of madness".

In her new book, 'Alone Together', Prof Turkle writes that a behaviour that has become typical may still express the problems "that once caused us to see it as pathological".

She explains that people are become isolated from reality due to such social networking sites because technology is dominating our lives and making us "less human", 'The Daily Telegraph' reported.

Under the illusion of allowing us to communicate better, technology is actually isolating us from real human interactions in a cyber-reality that is a poor imitation of the real world, she suggests.

"We've invented inspiring and enhancing technologies, yet we have allowed them to diminish us," she writes.

Her warnings -- and those from other cyber-sceptics -- follow the death of Simone Back , a woman in Brighton who posted a suicide note on Facebook that was seen by more than 1,000 of her "friends".

Yet none of them called for help -- instead trading insults with each other on her Facebook wall.

Turkle's book has created significant attention in the US because her previous works, The Second Self and Life on the Screen, were most positive about changing technology.

Apple's iPad enters Singapore classrooms

SINGAPORE: If Oprah can do it, so can schools in Singapore.

Two schools in the wealthy city-state have begun handing out Apple iPads to students, relieving them of the need to carry satchels full of bulging text books and notes.

Nanyang Girls High School has spent S$135,000 (about $100,000) to buy 150 iPads for 140 students and 10 teachers in a pilot project. Users connect to the Internet using the tablet, and download books and course material.

They can take notes on the iPad, and use worksheets. "It's much more convenient," said 14-year-old Chloe Chen, sitting in a classroom wih her iPad in front of her. "Teachers can just tell us to go a website, and we can immediately go and do our work."

Last year billionaire talk show host Oprah Winfrey gave staff at her magazine an iPad and a check for $10,000 each.

Seah Hui Yong, dean of curriculum at Nanyang Girls school, said the iPad was chosen because it complemented a new method of teaching under which students are given more freedom to learn themselves, instead of relying solely on the teacher in traditional classrooms.

"It's not so much about the iPad," she said, adding that if some other better device comes along, the school could switch.

"If you talk to the girls you will realise that they practically don't need training. I think if anything, the joke is the teachers are probably taking a little bit longer time in getting used to it."

Safeguards are being put in place as well. "There will be some concerns - making sure that the girls are going to appropriate websites, also making sure that the girls don't get addicted to the device and use it too much," said Physics and Information Technology teacher Mark Shone.
Nanyang Girls is a secondary school, which means the youngest students are 12. Other schools in Singapore using the tablet include Tampines Secondary School and teachers at Nanhua Primary School. A fourth, Dunman Secondary School, will use iPads in project work in the future, a teacher said.

MindTree says its vision & strategies in right direction

BANGALORE: Mindtree has said that the firm has the right strategies and a credible management to take it on the right path, and that being innovative and flexible will help it win customers in a dynamic market place. The firm was responding to an article in ET dated January 21, which said that it faces an uncertain future due to strategic bets going wrong and slippages in performance.

The companys executive chairman Ashok Soota and CEO and MD N Krishnakumar have said that MindTree is an 11-year young company, which has achieved a run rate of $340m in revenues . You would appreciate that among the many IT services companies which started around the same time, very few of them exist today as independent companies or have completed an IPO. MindTree is one of the few exceptions.

They add that at a revenue level, MindTree has a CAGR of 22%, 28% and 39% in the last three, five and ten years, respectively. We have a strong organic growth engine and acquisitions have contributed only about 20% of our growth. All acquisitions have been well integrated and have strengthened our service offerings.

The article talks about Bad Decisions and some wrong strategies . MindTree does not wish to be a me too company. And this has built a differentiated , sustainable, next generation services company , which appeals to the younger workforce.

The letter added that the acquisition cost of Kyocera Wireless India was only $6m, and the acquisition in itself has yielded favorable results. The revenues from services to Kyocera Corporation since the time of acquisition till date have been $22m, with healthy margins.

A conclusion that MindTree faces an uncertain future is incorrect and is unfair as it is not based on any research or data. In a market like Global IT servic! es , whi ch is dynamic and ever changing, being nimble, innovative and flexible will help Mind-Tree win customers. MindTrees Vision and strategies are in the right direction.

Our correspondent replies:

The article highlights concerns surrounding the company given its recent patchy performance and the fact that some of its bets have gone wrong. It does not in any way seek to undermine MindTrees corporate governance, people practices or knowledge management . In fact, it gives credit to the company for its technnology and client relationships. The article also highlights the point that MindTree has 269 customers of which 48 are Fortune 500 clients.

The concerns that the article tries to highlight are more recent, in the context of expectations investors had from a company of MindTree's calibre. Companies, especially in this sector, are measured on their performance quarter-on-quarter . As regards the Kyocera unit, it has been mentioned with reference to the drop in revenues in the third quarter from this segment, and future prospects with a top customer ramping down. We have not questioned the acquisition strategy nor commented upon the rationale.

Wipro's key decisions to be taken in markets not in Bangalore

BANGALORE: Software firm Wipro will shed departments and collapse its sprawling, complex internal structure into a few focused units as part of new CEO TK Kuriens plan to grow sales and grab market share. Wipro, which shocked corporate India last week by removing its joint CEOs and appointing Kurien, is attempting to fend off aggressive rivals such as Cognizant and also compete better with domestic rivals Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys.

Its traditional model was built around several departments targeting the same customers for different kinds of business. We plan to have one axis from three earlier, said a top official involved with the restructuring. Most importantly, the plan is to shift the entire decision-making to the markets. Decisions will be taken in the markets, not in Bangalore, the official added.

By doing this, Wipro hopes to empower its top leaders to take critical decisions and risks without waiting for long approvals.

2012 is the make-or-break year for TCS, Infosys, Cognizant and Wipro, said a senior executive at one of the top three Indian tech firms. While TCS wants to be the largest low-cost provider, Infosys has ambitions to become an Accenture and Cognizant wants to grow the fastest, he added.

The structure will have mini CEOs heading different vertical businesses with increased risk-taking powers and decision-making. In the existing model, there are at least three sets of departments selling and interfacing with customers.

One-Wipro formula being promoted

Take, for instance, a customer like Citibank. Three separate departments banking, sales and software testing have mandates to sell business to the bank directly.Everybody has been selling to customers who, in turn, do n! ot see u s as One Wipro, another official familiar with these changes said on conditions of anonymity.

Over the next few weeks and months, Wipros top brass, including billionaire founder Azim Premji , the new CEO Kurien and others will identify leaders who can play these roles and be designated as presidents of different business verticals. In an interview with ET last week, Premji said he wants Wipro to become one of the top five global services companies in the next few years.

The joint-CEO model worked well in certain cases and now for the new phase, we have to turbo-charge our performance and position ourselves well to capture the next phase of growth. This is what I expect. No more, no less, Premji had said.

Technology services companies such as Wipro sell two kinds of solutions broadly. A horizontal service line such as software testing or back-office service can be sold to any customer irrespective of the industry. As part of the vertical structure, companies such as Wipro focus on building domain specific expertise and sell solutions.

In the new structure, all functions of sales, consulting, BPO and technical services such as software testing will have to align themselves more closely with these mini CEOs. Currently, there are at least seven senior vice-presidents heading the verticals of energy and utilities, retail and government, media and telecom, technology, manufacturing, healthcare and finance.

ET Review: HTC 7 Mozart

Windows Phone 7 might not yet have been officially launched in India but the first Windows Phone devices are already out in the market. First off the mark was the large-screen HTC HD7 , and now comes the second, again from HTC, the MTC 7 Mozart .

Where the HD7 had an almost smallish tablet-like design, with the 4.3 inch screen dominating, the Mozart has a relatively smaller (but still big) 3.7 inch display. Its frame is also less wide but it retains the relative slimness of the HD7, making it one of the most palm-friendly larger touchscreen devices we have seen. But what really stands out is its design in the HTC Legend tradition, the Mozart has been crafted out of a single piece of anodized aluminum.

This does not seem to be evident from the front of the phone, which is dominated by the 480 x 800 display, but comes to the fore when you turn the phone over and see the anodized aluminum with the company name engraved on it. The front has three soft keys (Home, Search and Back), there is a dedicated camera key on the right side and rather unusually, the volume rocker on the left. The innards, like the HD 7, are impressive too a 1GHz processor, 576 MB RAM and 8GB onboard storage.

However, while the HD7 was very much a professional device, the Mozart is targeted at the multimedia loving crowd. The display is lovely (very good for Web browsing and watching video), there is high-fidelity virtual surround sound which sounds just wonderful, and most significant of all, an 8.0-megapixel camera with autofocus and a Xenon flash, no less. And this being Windows Phone 7, it is all covered in a brilliant tile interface where you can add any number of tiles (representing shortcuts and/or apps) to a vertically scrolling homescreen, which works with butter-like smoothness with hardly any lags and comes with mail and office apps out of the box. The Mozart i! s a grea t-looking phone with a very good looking OS to boot.

Indian IT sector back on growth path: Kris Gopalakrishnan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Infosys Technologies Ltd CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan has said the Information Technology sector in India is in another growth phase.

"In 2008, the industry saw growth coming down to single digits. Most IT companies stopped hiring employees and stopped expanding.

Fortunately, growth is back and most companies are hiring in large numbers again. The top five companies are estimated to hire 1,60,000 to 1,80,000 new employees in the next 12 months," he said here

Gopalakrishnan was delivering the keynote address on 'Sustainable Development Strategies for the Capital City (Thiruvananthapuram)'at a discussion organised by College of Architecture here last evening.

"The IT industry has grown fast over the last 15 years. For example, the industry had about 1.50 lakh employees in 1993, around five lakh employees in 1999 and today, the industry employs around 2 million employees," Kris said.

Multinational corporations are also looking to India to expand their markets and to create back office function and many of them are looking at Tier II and III cities to expand, he said.

Emphasising the significance of infrastructure development in growth of these cities, he said an effective mechanism is essential to implement various development strategies.

"Industry bodies, relevant NGOs, civic bodies must all have a role to play. For example, industry bodies will be able to mobilise participation by experts. Industry will be able to provide project and programme management expertise. Civic leaders will be able to mobilise public opinion.

Thus I believe there is a higher chance of the initiatives getting implemented," Kris said.