Monday, July 13, 2009.

Mark the date. Microsoft is supposed to announce something major that day. What could it be? Is it the much-awaited Web office? Or is it Gazelle, the new browser? The bets are that it is the former. The announcement is likely to be made at the Microsoft Wordlwide Partner Conference in New Orleans.

The Web office will be something like Google Docs or the Zoho suite.

R. Dinakaran

I recently came across a news item about Nokia’s initiative on e-waste saying the company would take back even non-working mobile phones. If there is something we are least bothered about, it is e-waste. We don’t care about where our printer cartridges go after we discard them. It’s the same with mobile phones, monitors and each and every electronic item we use.

I have a (non-working) monitor, two flatbed scanners (in working condition - one without a driver and another without a cable), a multimedia speaker set (non-working again) and a bill printer (I am still wondering how and why I bought it). I have no idea what to do with them or how to dump them. I have tried all I could but they refuse to get out of my house.

I first rang up a guy who had advertised saying he would take `working and non-working’ computer parts. “Yes, sir, what do you have?” he asked. I listed out the items. “What else do you have?” he asked. “That’s it,’ I said. “No, sir, we can’t take them,” he politely said. I could understand why he wouldn’t take the monitor, but the scanners? They were in working condition. “No sir, we can’t do anything with them.” I told him there would be someone who would be ready to take the scanners. “No, sir, nobody wants scanners. If you have anything else, please let me know. I will definitely take them,” he said.

After several unsuccessful attempts, I asked my computer dealer friend Roshan. “Why don’t you give me the scanner model number? I will find the driver,” he said. I told him I had already tried to get the driver, but couldn’t. “No sir. Just tell me the model number. It’s easier to find a driver than to dispose it,” he said.

I called my friendly neighbourhood raddiwallah. “No. I don’t know what to do with it,” he said, and offered some helpful advice. “Why don’t you call a computer dealer?” So, I am back to square one. I have decided to wait till I get a proper recycler - despite my wife’s protestations about putting up with “all that junk.”

This appeared in the eWorld supplement of The Hindu Business Line dated Monday, June 15, 2009

Apple refused to let out the iPhone 3G S specifications.  But the guys at T-Mobile went ahead and put them in their Web site. After Wired’s Gadget Lab reported it, T-Mobile has hastily modified the info.

Here is the original snapshot of the specs posted by T-Mobile

This is a press release from Apple

SAN FRANCISCO—June 8, 2009—Apple® today updated the aluminium unibody MacBook® Pro line to include 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch models featuring Apple’s innovative built-in battery for up to 40 percent longer battery life. Each MacBook Pro includes an LED-backlit display with greater colour intensity, the innovative glass Multi-Touch™ trackpad, an illuminated keyboard, an SD card or ExpressCard slot, a FireWire® 800 port and state of the art NVIDIA graphics. Starting at just Rs. 74,400 (MRP), the MacBook Pro line is more affordable than ever, with some models up to Rs. 37,000 less than the previous generation. The industry’s greenest notebook lineup, every Mac® notebook achieves EPEAT* Gold status and meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements, setting a new standard for environmentally friendly notebook design.

“Across the line, all of our new MacBook Pro models now include Apple’s innovative built-in battery for up to seven hours of battery life, while staying just as thin and light as before,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Starting at just Rs. 74,400, the aluminium unibody MacBook Pro is more affordable than ever and sets a new standard for environmentally friendly notebook design.”

The new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models include Apple’s innovative built-in notebook battery for up to seven hours of wireless productivity on a single charge without adding thickness, weight or cost. Using Adaptive Charging and advanced chemistry first introduced with the 17-inch MacBook Pro earlier this year, the built-in battery delivers up to 1,000 recharges before it reaches 80 percent of its original capacity—nearly three times the lifespan of conventional batteries.** The longer battery lifespan equals fewer depleted batteries and less waste.

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro is a significant upgrade over the original aluminium MacBook it replaces. With the same sleek and durable design popular with consumers, students and professionals, all 13-inch MacBook Pro models now include a seven hour built-in battery, an SD card slot, a FireWire 800 port, an illuminated keyboard and an improved LED-backlit display with 60 percent greater colour gamut. Featuring the powerful NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is available in two models: one with a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive priced at Rs. 74,400 (MRP), and another with a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive priced at Rs. 93,300 (MRP).

The perfect balance of performance and portability, the 15-inch MacBook Pro now features a seven hour built-in battery, an SD card slot, an improved LED-backlit display with 60 percent greater colour gamut and 4GB of RAM across the line at an entry price Rs. 14,700 less than before. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro is available in three models: a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 250GB hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics for a new entry price of Rs. 1,04,900 (MRP); a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 320GB hard drive, and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and 9600M GT graphics for Rs. 1,19,600 (MRP); and a 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 500GB hard drive, and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and 9600M GT graphics for Rs. 1,41,600 (MRP).

The 17-inch MacBook Pro, which includes an eight hour built-in battery, an ExpressCard slot, a brilliant LED-backlit display, 4GB of RAM and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and 9600M GT graphics, has been updated to include a faster 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and a larger 500GB hard drive for Rs. 1,57,400 (MRP), which is Rs. 5,200 less than before.

All MacBook Pro systems feature Apple’s revolutionary aluminium unibody design and for the first time can be upgraded with up to 8GB of RAM, and up to a 500GB hard drive or up to a 256GB solid state drive. The 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models can also be upgraded to a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. All MacBook Pro systems include a next generation, industry-standard Mini DisplayPort to connect with the 24-inch Apple LED Cinema Display.

Apple today also updated the incredibly thin and light MacBook Air®, making it more powerful and more affordable. Measuring just 0.16 to 0.76-inches thin and weighing just three pounds, the MacBook Air is available in two models starting with the new entry price of Rs. 93,300 (MRP) for a 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 120GB hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics, and a 2.13 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 128GB solid state drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics for Rs. 1,12, 200 (MRP).

Every Mac notebook achieves EPEAT Gold status and meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements, setting a new standard for environmentally friendly notebook design. Each unibody enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminium and comes standard with energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. All MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models contain no brominated flame retardants and use internal cables and components that are PVC-free. The built-in battery design results in less waste and depleted batteries can be replaced at a cost, which includes installation and disposal of your old battery in an environmentally responsible manner.

Every MacBook Pro comes with Apple’s innovative iLife® ’09 featuring iPhoto® for managing photos, iMovie® for making movies and GarageBand® for creating and learning to play music. Every Mac also runs Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system, featuring Time Machine®, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac; Spaces®, an intuitive feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; Mail with easy setup and elegant, personalised stationery; and iChat®, the most advanced video chat.

Pricing & Availability

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro, 15-inch MacBook Pro, 17-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air  will be available in 4 weeks through Apple Authorised Resellers. Mac OS® X Snow Leopard™ will be shipping in September 2009, and any new Mac system purchased without Snow Leopard from Apple or an Apple Authorised Reseller between June 8, 2009 and the end of the program on December 26, 2009, is eligible for the Mac OS X Snow Leopard Up-To-Date upgrade package. Pricing available at launch. Users must request their Up-To-Date upgrade within 90 days of purchase or by December 26, 2009, or whichever comes first. For more information please visit www.apple.com/uk/macosx/uptodate.

The 2.26 GHz, 13-inch MacBook Pro, for a maximum retail price of Rs. 74,400, includes:

• 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;

• 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

• 1066 MHz front-side bus;

• 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

• 160GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive® with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

• Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

• built-in AirPort Extreme® 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

• Gigabit Ethernet port;

• built-in iSight® video camera;

• two USB 2.0 ports;

• one FireWire 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);

• SD card slot;

• one audio line in/out port, supporting both optical digital and analogue;

• glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

• built-in, 58WHr lithium polymer battery; and

• 60 Watt MagSafe® Power Adapter.

The 2.53 GHz, 13-inch MacBook Pro, for a maximum retail price of Rs. 93,300, includes:

• 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;

• 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

• 1066 MHz front-side bus;

• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

• 250GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

• Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

• Gigabit Ethernet port;

• built-in iSight video camera;

• two USB 2.0 ports;

• one FireWire 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);

• SD card slot;

• one audio line in/out port, supporting both optical digital and analogue;

• glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

• built-in, 58WHr lithium polymer battery; and

• 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.53 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a maximum retail price of Rs. 1,04,900, includes:

• 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;

• 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

• 1066 MHz front-side bus;

• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

• 250GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

• Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

• Gigabit Ethernet port;

• built-in iSight video camera;

• two USB 2.0 ports;

• one FireWire 800 port;

• SD card slot;

• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analogue;

• glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

• built-in, 73WHr lithium polymer battery; and

• 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.66 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a maximum retail price of Rs. 1,19,600, includes:

•15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;

• 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

• 1066 MHz front-side bus;

• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

• NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics with 256MB GDDR3 video memory;

• 320GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

• Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

• Gigabit Ethernet port;

• built-in iSight video camera;

• two USB 2.0 ports;

• one FireWire 800 port;

• SD card slot;

• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analogue;

• glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

• built-in, 73WHr lithium polymer battery; and

• 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.8 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of Rs. 1,41,600, includes:

• 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;

• 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 6MB shared L2 cache;

• 1066 MHz front-side bus;

• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

• NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3 video memory;

• 500GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

• Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

• Gigabit Ethernet port;

• built-in iSight video camera;

• two USB 2.0 ports;

• one FireWire 800 port;

• SD card slot;

• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analogue;

• glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

• built-in, 73WHr lithium polymer battery; and

• 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.8 GHz, 17-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of Rs. 1,57,400, includes:

• 17-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1920 x 1200, glossy display;

• 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 6MB shared L2 cache;

• 1066 MHz front-side bus;

• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

• NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3 video memory;

• 500GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

• Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

• Gigabit Ethernet port;

• built-in iSight video camera;

• three USB 2.0 ports;

• one FireWire 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);

• ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;

• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analogue;

• glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

• built-in, 95WHr lithium polymer battery; and

• 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

*EPEAT is an independent organisation that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognised as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

**A properly maintained MacBook Pro battery is designed to retain 80 percent or more of its original capacity during a lifespan of up to 1,000 recharge cycles. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. For more information visit www.apple.com/uk/macbookpro/battery.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

What do you do if your Nokia mobile charger conks out? Buy a new charger. I agree, this is not a great advice.

Okay. I will put it this way. What if your phone is still under warranty and the charger conks out? Again, buy a new charger. Are you not entitled for replacement because the warranty has not expired, you may ask. Definitely, yes. But be ready to live without a charger for at least ten days.

I can hear you asking, “Ten days? How will I charge the phone?” That’s your headache. What else can you do? Buy a new charger.

Before you hit me, let me tell you this is not a joke. I gave my charger for servicing over 12 days ago and I am still waiting for the replacement.

I went to the service centre with the phone and the charger. The guy checked them and said the charger had gone phut and had to be replaced. Was the phone under warranty, he asked. I said yes and gave him the bill. “You will get a replacement,” he said and asked me to sign on the Service Job Sheet. Now came the bombshell — “Come after ten days.”

Ten days? Why? “Because the replacement has to come from New Delhi,” he said. New Delhi? “Don’t you have chargers here,” I asked. (The centre has a showroom in the premises.) “Yes. But all replacements have to come from New Delhi,” he said.

What do I do for the “at least” ten days? “You can buy one at our showroom,” he helpfully said. “Why should I buy? The phone’s warranty has not expired,” I asked. “Then you would have to wait for ten days,” he said. He also refused to provide a spare charger.

“Can you get it a little early,” I asked. “It is possible. If we get it early, we will inform you,” he said. “Where?” I asked. “In your mobile,” he said.

I asked him how he was going to inform me in my mobile if I can’t charge it. “Ok. Give me an alternative number.” I gave him the number. That’s the last I have heard about my poor charger. (Today is the 21st day).

The phone I have is the high-end E71 that costs almost Rs 20,000. Those who use this model are mostly executives who have to check their mails often. I wonder what they will do if Nokia is going to take ten days to replace a charger.

Yes. I still manage to charge my mobile. I have a Nokia Bluetooth headset and I use its charger. The output is quite low and Iam glad it doesn’t take ten days to charge.

Update: I finally got the charger after 24days

It put on a brave fight, but was no match for online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia. Finally Microsoft has decided to pull the plug off Encarta.

Microsoft says in its Encarta FAQ section: “On October 31, 2009, MSN® Encarta® Web sites worldwide will be discontinued, with the exception of Encarta Japan, which will be discontinued on December 31, 2009. Additionally, Microsoft will cease to sell Microsoft Student and Encarta Premium software products worldwide by June 2009.”

Why? “Encarta has been a popular product around the world for many years. However, the category of traditional encyclopedias and reference material has changed. People today seek and consume information in considerably different ways than in years past,” says MS. Wikipedia, the online editable encyclopedia, with over 95 per cent of the online market is one of the major “considerably different ways” people get information. Microsoft, with all its muscle, could only watch as Wikipedia gained and consolidated its hold on the encyclopedia market

If you find comprehending the reason for the economic crisis and the banking system collapse,  This American Life, an online radio/podcast site, has a nice 59-minute programme that explains it in an easy-to-understand format. You can listen to it here. 

This is what This American Life has to say about the episode:

The collapse of the banking system explained, in just 59 minutes. Our crack economics team—the guys who explained the mortgage crisis, Alex Blumberg and NPR’s Adam Davidson—are back to help all of us understand the news. For instance, when we talk about an insolvent bank, what does it actually mean, and why are we giving hundreds of billions of dollars to rich bankers who screwed up their own businesses? Also, two guys go to New Jersey to look at a toxic asset.

If you have an Airtel Internet connection with an ‘unlimited’ data plan, things may not be the same again.Under its Fair Usage Policy, if your downloads cross 40 GB, your download speed will be “rationalised by up to 50 per cent for the rest of the billing cycle”. What this means is that you will get only half the speed. For example, if you have opted for the 512 Mbps unlimited plan, if you cross 40 GB, your download speeds will be reduced to 256 Mbps till the billing cycle. The normal speed will be restored at the beginning of the next billing cycle.Airtel says, “The intent of the Fair Usage Policy is to provide the optimum internet experience to all customers.”Here is the full text of Airtel’s announcement: 

Airtel’ Fair Usage Policy 

Airtel’s Fair Usage Policy is designed in such a manner that we continue to provide the best of internet experience to all our customers.

Why a Fair Usage Policy?

A very small number of customers use an excessive amount of the network bandwidth, to the extent that it can impair the experience of others. The intent of Airtel’s Fair Usage Policy is to provide the optimum internet experience to all customers.
What happens in Fair Usage Policy?

Under the policy we have defined fair usage levels for unlimited data transfer plans and needless to mention, the usage levels set are very generous such that most customers will not be affected by the Fair Usage Policy.
On reaching the fair usage level, the plan speed would be rationalized by up to 50% for the rest of the monthly billing cycle. You would also be redirected to a page which will inform you that the speeds for the rest of the billing cycle month would be as per the Airtel’s Fair Usage Policy.Please note that the speeds would be upgraded to the normal speeds at the start of the next billing cycle.

What’s the impact of Fair Usage Policy on data transfer limits?

We assure you that the data transfer limits remain unlimited and no change has been made in the same.  

Microsoft has launched a new mobile software Windows Phone. This mobile software is based on Windows Mobile 6.5. Which means, the software you see on Windows-based mobiles will now be known as Windows Phone, not Windows Mobile.

The new phones will feature “a new user interface and richer browsing experience”, says Microsoft. Windows® mobiles will also feature two new software: My Phone - to sync messages, photos, video, contacts and more to the Web and Windows® Marketplace for Mobile, “a new marketplace that will provide direct-to-phone mobile applications and can be accessed from both the phone and the Web.”

The new interface will provide a ‘dashboard-like experience’ and also includes an improved touch screen interface and an updated version of Internet Explorer.

Top mobile companies (Microsoft calls them ‘mobile partners’ such as HTC and LG showcased mobiles based on the new platform at the Mobile World Congress 2009. HTC’s Touch Diamond 2 and Touch Pro 2, announced at the Mobile Congress, will be upgradeable to Windows Mobile 6.5.

LG will add a Windows Mobile 6.5 version to the LG-GM7300. The phone now runs on Windows Mobile 6.1

The phones that run on the new OS will be available in the second half of this year, says Microsoft.

Mr Jack Schofield of the Guardian says it’s still a horizontal platform strategy. Microsoft does the software and hardware manufacturers such as HTC innovate on top.

The beta version of the Google toolbar for Firefox has come out with a new tab page. What is a tab page? It is different from the tabs you have on top of Firefox. If you have used Google’s Chrome browser, you will be familiar with it.

When you open a new tab in Firefox, you usually get a blank page. But if you have the beta toolbar, you “will instead see small thumbnails of your favorite sites (up to 9), as well as recently-closed and bookmarked pages based on your browser history”. You can even edit the thumbnails.

You also have the option of changing the tabbed interface to the default blank page through either your Toolbar or Firefox settings.