Google Wave : An Organic Collaboration Platform Netspeak

Google Wave, launched into the wild frontiers of cyberspace recently, has commenced its journey. NetSpeak explores the potential/possibilities of this awesome new collaboration tool from Google.

The Net enables us to do collaborative tasks with ease — but only with a series of tools/services. During the different phases of a collaborative project we rope in appropriate services. For instance, somebody coordinating a project may use e-mail to send notes and other project related information to team-members.A few e-mails back and forth might settle this part.

Soon, the coordinator and his/her team might find e-mail quite insufficient to continue the collaboration. Its asynchronous nature makes real-time communication impossible. In addition, a person who chips in at a later stage may find it difficult to keep up with the ongoing email conversation — as there exists no means to provide him with all the threads.

So, the next step is to adopt other collaboration tools — Instant Messenger (IM) tools such as Gtalk/Skype, collaborative editing services such as ‘Google Docs’. In this way, by slicing and dicing different tools, one manages to accomplish the task.

During the course of this communication process, many valuable data get generated. However, as the data are spread across different locations/databases — some in the e-mail clients, some in the IM server and some in the document management system, the team will find it difficult to oragnise them into a cohesive information product. If only we could accomplish everything with a single tool, the communication/collaboration efficiency of the team will then experience a quantum leap. This, in a nutshell, is exactly what Google Wave offers.

Google Wave can be described as a communication/collaboration tool in which products like e-mail, IM, discussion board and Wiki are rolled into one. Though it can be considered a mix of these products, the final outcome is much more than sum of its components — they are all combined in a synergetic fashion.

Once logged on to the Wave infrastructure (https://wave.google.com/wave/), you will find the Wave creation interface. (You now need an invite to participate on Google Wave). Once a Wave is created, you can simply add participants using the ‘+’ button. Now, the fun begins! All the participants who are now on-line and on the Wave window can actively interact in real-time. Yes, for Google Wave the significance lies in real-time participation — real-time e-mail, real-time chat, real-time editing and so on.

When a participant types something, each of the characters entered becomes visible to all the participants. So, in the middle of his/her sentence itself you may understand the intention of your buddy and can answer his/her query before it arrives in full.

Being a hosted service, the Wave thus created (with all its historic details) will be available to all the participants as and when they need it. Another advantage of the Wave is that a new participant can join the discussion at any point of time. Unlike in the traditional e-mail, this late entrant will not miss out on information history.

The facility that lets a participant edit anywhere on the Wave anytime is another valuable feature. A Wave can contain numerous messages from its participants. The interesting feature is that one can reply to any of these messages and create a threaded conversation based on that message.

A Wave is an extremely dynamic entity that always gets enriched through the collaboration process. You can easily attach images and other documents. As you drop files on a Wave, they become immediately accessible to all the participants.

A great feature of Google Wave is the extension facility that enables developers across the world to enhance its functionality. Extensions come in two forms — gadgets and robots. A gadget is nothing but a small application that can be integrated with a Wave — like the google maps gadget.

Robots (http://code.google.com/apis/wave/extensions/robots/index.html) are software based automated participants made for a specific purpose like IM bots. To use a robot, you just need its address (it looks like an e-mail id).

Another Wave feature worth a mention is the ability to connect to other data sources like Twitter (http://wave-samples-gallery.appspot.com/about_app?app_id=5002).

The facility to embed a Wave on web pages/blogs is another innovation worth watching. This feature allows one to spread multiple communication channels to different data sources and funnel information from each of them without ever visiting them. (NetSpeak has not tested this particular facility so far.)

Google Wave becomes more enjoyable if you have more participants to play with. One shortcoming of this service at present is that not many users have access to it. So, now even people with accounts find it difficult to explore the tool in full. One solution could be to access public waves — waves available to anyone with a Google Wave account. To obtain a list of available public waves, do a search with the string ‘with:public’ on your Wave search box.

Google Wave is not an ordinary one-dimensional product. It demands a paradigm shift in the manner we use the Net to collaborate/communicate — a shift from using multiple tools in different formats to a uniform communication/collaboration infrastructure. In its current form, Google Wave is at its infancy and the features discussed here are just the tip of the iceberg. Over the coming days/months, it may evolve into a consummate communication/collaboration product.

DATA RECOVERY TOOL

File deletions by accident are quite common and to help us recover from such disasters several tools exist (like Recuva, discussed in the past). The free software, ‘Win data Recovery’ ( http://www.files-recovery.org/) is yet another one that is worth a test. You can use it to recover deleted files (even from RecycleBin), files lost from a crashed hard-disk and the like.

Courtesy : The Hindu

Keywords: google, wave, google wave, IM, Chatting, Collaboration Portal, on-line discussions

NASA’s Mission Phoenix on MARS

A telescopic camera in orbit around Mars caught a view of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander suspended from its parachute during the lander's successful arrival at Mars Sunday evening, May 25.

The image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter marks the first time ever one spacecraft has photographed another one in the act of landing on Mars.

Meanwhile, scientists pored over initial images from Phoenix, the first ever taken from the surface of Mars' polar regions. Phoenix returned information that it was in good health after its first night on Mars, and the Phoenix team sent the spacecraft its to-do list for the day.

"We can see cracks in the troughs that make us think the ice is still modifying the surface," said Phoenix Principal Investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona, Tucson. "We see fresh cracks. Cracks can't be old. They would fill in." Camera pointing for the image from HiRISE used navigational information about Phoenix updated on landing day. The camera team and Phoenix team would not know until the image was sent to Earth whether it had actually caught Phoenix.

McEwen said, "We've never taken an image at such an oblique angle before."

Monday's tasks for Phoenix include checkouts of some instruments and systems, plus additional imaging of the lander's surroundings.

Keywords: NASA, NASA's Phoenix, MARS, HiRISE, Earth, Globe

Indian Govt. to take Fuel Price RISE decision soon..!

With the price of oil skyrocketing Indian consumers are waiting anxiously for their governments' decision on raising petrol prices. After pressure from the left, second round of cabinet talks are planned with a decision expected soon. India's Petroleum Ministry on Friday said a domestic fuel price hike was "inevitable" to bail out state oil firms that sell fuel at hugely discounted rates and are reeling from surging global prices.

A "price hike is inevitable," Petroleum Secretary M.S. Srinivasan said, but added the "specific quantity of the price increase" was still being worked out. The Press Trust of India reported without naming sources that the petroleum ministry was seeking a 10-rupee-a-litre increase in Petrol prices and a 5-rupee-a-litre hike in Diesel prices. Based on current pump prices in New Delhi, this would represent a 22 percent increase for Petrol and 16 percent on Diesel.

State-owned refiners have been reporting combined revenue losses of 105 million dollars a day as international prices have surged. The government sets the massively discounted prices at which fuels are sold to shield the country's poverty-hit masses from high fuel costs and to help contain inflation.

The ministry was proposing a combination of price hikes and duty cuts to reduce the revenue shortfalls suffered by state-owned refiners from sales of petrol, diesel, liquid petroleum gas and kerosene.

But the Congress-led government which faces general elections within a year, is fearful any fuel rise could trigger a backlash from voters already reeling from high overall inflation running at 7.82 percent, far above the central bank's target of 5.5 percent.

In February this year, India hiked gasoline and diesel prices for the first time in 20 months.

Keywords: Indian Petroleum Ministry, Petroleum, Petrol, Diesel, Indian Economy

Google expands Free Phone Number and Voicemail Project

Google is partnering with homeless shelters in San Francisco to distribute free phone numbers and voicemail accounts to those without homes, the company said Wednesday.

The Internet giant is expanding a service that was started by Grand Central, a San Francisco-based start-up that Google acquired last year. Grand Central's technology allows calls to be routed to a home, business, or cell phone using a single phone number. The service offers people a way to organize and unify their communications, a Google spokesman said.

Grand Central had already been offering the free phone number and voicemail service to people in San Francisco through Mayor Gavin Newsom's Project Homeless Connect, which brings together nonprofit organizations and other social-service providers in one location to provide on-the-spot services for homeless. The services include medical, mental health, substance abuse, housing, dental, and legal services, plus free eyeglasses, California ID, food, clothing, and wheelchair repair.

Since the acquisition of Grand Central last year, Google has been participating in periodic Project Homeless Connect events in which it has been providing the homeless with free phone numbers and voicemail accounts that they can access from any phone. More than 4,000 phone numbers and voicemail accounts have been distributed this way, Craig Walker, a senior product manager of voice products for Google, told the San Francisco Chronicle.

On Wednesday, Google announced that it would expand Grand Central's project and partner directly with homeless shelters that will now be able to give out phone numbers and voicemail accounts and help individuals set up their accounts anytime. The idea is to expand the service, and eventually offer it in other cities, a Google spokesman said.

"When you lose your home, you lose more than your house," said Google's spokesman. "You lose a permanent way of staying in touch with family members, employers, and social service providers. Being able to give a phone number to people and access voicemail can be a very powerful thing in sustaining quality of life."

Keywords: VoIP, Google, Grand Central, Free voicemail and Phone number

US Recession may be Worse than Feared: Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett, the world's richest person, said on Monday the US Economy is in a Recession that will be more severe than most people expect. Buffett made his comments on CNBC television after his Berkshire Hathaway Inc agreed to invest $6.5 billion in the takeover of chewing gum maker Wm Wrigley Jr Co by Mars Inc in a $23 billion transaction.

"This is not a field of specialty for me, but my general feeling is that the recession will be longer and deeper than most people think," Buffett said. "This will not be short and shallow. I think consumers are feeling gas and food prices," he added, "and not feeling they've got a lot of money for other things." He was not immediately available for further comment.

Known for his frugality, the 77-year-old Buffett has lived in the same 10-room Omaha, Nebraska, house for a half-century, despite being worth an estimated $62 billion. On Wednesday, the U.S. Commerce Department is expected to say how fast the economy grew in the first quarter. Economists on average have projected that gross domestic product grew at an annualized 0.2 percent rate in the quarter.

Two quarters of declining GDP is a traditional indicator of recession. That last happened in 2001. Economists expect the U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday to cut a key lending rate for a seventh time beginning last September. Berkshire is a $197 billion conglomerate best known for its insurance holdings, such as auto insurer Geico Corp, but it owns more than 70 businesses.

In March, Forbes magazine pegged Buffett's net worth at $62 billion, ahead of Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim's $60 billion and Microsoft Corp Chairman Bill Gates's $58 billion. Gates is a friend of Buffett and a Berkshire director.

Keywords: Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Carlos Slim, USA Economy, USA Recession, Berkshire Hathaway Inc, Wm Wrigley Jr Co.

Microsoft's Board Fails to Decide on YAHOO Bid

Microsoft Corp's board met on Wednesday to discuss its stand-off with Yahoo Inc over its $41.8 billion takeover bid, but failed to reach a decision on what to do next, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Microsoft's board of directors is still weighing whether to adopt a hostile approach and nominate a proxy slate of directors to replace Yahoo's board, sweeten its cash-and-stock offer for Yahoo, or possibly walk away from the deal, the Journal said. A Microsoft spokesman was not available for comment. A Microsoft-imposed deadline for Yahoo to start talks on a final deal or face a proxy battle passed last Saturday. An announcement from Microsoft is expected later this week, the report said.

Microsoft, according to the report, has indicated it would be willing to raise its bid to as much as $33 per share but such an offer may still fall short of the $35 to $37 per share that Yahoo's major shareholders are looking for. Meanwhile, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, who is also a member of the board, has appeared ready in recent days to abandon the offer since Yahoo and its major shareholders want significantly more money, according to the Journal.

Ballmer had said last week that Microsoft was considering walking away from the deal. But most Wall Street analysts dismiss this as a hardball negotiating tactic rather than a real threat to end its two-year-long pursuit of a deal.

Keywords: Microsoft Corp, Yahoo Inc, Steve Ballmer, Wall Street Journal

INDIA PSLV-C9 Launched Successfully with 10 Satellites

India's PSLV-C9 blasted off into space, carrying ten satellites including the country's latest remote sensing satellite CARTOSAT-2A, from Indian Space Research Ogranisation's Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Monday.

It was an awesome sight as the workhorse launch vehicle of ISRO roared into the skies leaving behind a trail of smoke and a rumble that shook the earth. A galaxy of scientists, led by ISRO Chief G Madhavan Nair, watched the course of the flight with bated breath.

Scientists cheered as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its thirteenth flight, soared into the clear sky in a perfect lift off at 9.23 am from the second launch pad.

Besides the 690 kg CARTOSAT-2A, the PSLV is also carrying ISRO's Indian Mini Satellite-1, weighing 83 kg, and eight nano satellites built by universities and research institutes in Canada and Germany.

While the CARTOSAT-2A, carrying state-of-the-art panchromatic camera, will be used for mapping purposes and management of natural resources, the IMS-1 will be used as a platform for trying out advanced technology in future launches.

“India can build any type of SLV”, said by A P J Abdul Kalam and we hope the same and wish India all the very success.

Keywords: PSLV-C9, CARTOSAT-2A, ISRO, Sriharikota, India

Apple fights NYC over green apple logo

Look at this logo for a moment:

If you saw it on a reusable cloth shopping bag, would you think for a moment, "Hey, that must be Apple's new iBag!"? Apparently, Apple is worried that's the case. The above logo is actually the emblem of New York City's GreeNYC campaign, the Big Apple's move to encourage denizens and visitors to reduce pollution and greenhouse gases.

In case you can't tell, the GreeNYC logo is a combination of the infinity symbol and a green apple, the implied message being something along the lines of, "Let's keep the Big Apple green for all eternity." Apple maintains that the GreeNYC looks too much like its own corporate logo, which, of course, looks like this (in green).

The company has gone so far as to file a formal complaint with the U.S Patent and Trade Office against the GreeNYC logo, according to Wired, claiming that it will confuse people -- and potentially tarnish Apple's good name. "Any defect, objection or fault found with [GreeNYC's] goods and services marketed under [GreeNYC's] marks would necessarily reflect upon and seriously injure the reputation which [Apple] has established for its goods and services," the claim states

NYC's response, according to Wired: ’The city believes that Apple's claims have no merit and that no consumer is likely to be confused,’ says Gerald Singleton, the intellectual-property lawyer representing the Big Apple. 'This well-known city is using its new design in a variety of contexts that have absolutely nothing to do with Apple Inc.'

Keywords: Apple Computers, Apple Inc, NYC, GreenNYC, Big Apple.

USA H-1B Visa: Two new Bills to raise Capacity

Has US Congress yielded to Bill Gates appeal on H1-B visa? Not yet. But the lobbying seems to be working. Just a day after the software czar headed for Capitol Hill to lobby for the increase in the annual quota of temporary skilled worker (H-1 B) visas, two bills were introduced in the Congress to fulfill Bill's wish.

The bills introduced by two members of the US House of Representatives -- one Republican and the other a Democrat -- have introduced legislations that would increase the annual cap of temporary skilled worker (H-1 B) visas. Senator Lamar Smith, from Texas introduced a bill that would increase the annual cap on H-1B visas to 195,000, while the Democrat Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona introduced another bill that aims to take the cap to 130,000 in 2008, and increase it further depending on demand.

Smith's legislation "Strengthening United States Technology And Innovation Now Act" (SUSTAIN Act) suggests making 1,95,000 H-1 B visas as the base level for the fiscal year 2009, which will begin October 1, 2008. Alongside, Compete America, a coalition of industry, research and education institutions have also begun pitching for an increase in the annual quota.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will start accepting applications for temporary skilled worker (H-1 B) visas from April 1 for the fiscal year 2009 that begins on October 1. As was the case in the past couple of years, it is expected that the annual quota of H-1 B visas will be exhausted on the first day itself. At present, the quota is at 65,000 visas a year. Of this, 6,800 visas are set aside for Chile and Singapore as per their trade agreements with the US.

This leaves 58,200 H-1 B visa for applicants from the rest of the world. Let’s see this year breaks the record of last year total noof processing.

Keywords: Bill Gates, H1B Visa American Visas, USCIS, SUSTAIN

Has the India Stock Market bottomed Out?

The global turmoil has pushed Indian stock indices to levels unthinkable. Is there more pain ahead or is it time to buy? Three experts weigh in.

International credit markets are in a crisis and the stock markets have been shaky. Nobody is in a position to react to the big macro issues such as where the dollar is going, what is the likely GDP growth of US or China, and so on. For every smart person on one side of the question, there is another smart person on the other side.

The Indian Financial Markets have also been witnessing sustained volatility and clearly global cues are the deciding factor, in the absence of any strong domestic positive news. The US economy and its future course will be a critical factor in assessing the FII mood and market sentiments, going ahead.

As far as the valuations are concerned although the Indian markets are now trading at 14-15x FY09E, and a large part of the froth generated is now out of the system, the sustainability of any upward move in the market clearly depends on global factors. I feel that the markets are trading closer to fair fundamental value but a minor down-move is not ruled out in the short term. One key deciding factor for the Indian markets will be FII liquidity, which seems to have completely dried up and unless this revives substantially way, we may continue to see volatile and choppy markets for another 3-4 months, followed by a noticeable recovery that could start from September ’08 onwards. However, even this will be subject to the forthcoming general elections, which now look scheduled early.

Clearly, retail investors should look at the SIPs (systematic investment plans) of mutual funds as the right investment option if they do not have the ability and the capacity to take risk directly. Equity as an asset class will definitely bounce back and offer significantly better returns over the next two-to-three year horizon. With elections looming near the corner, the markets will continue to remain choppy and volatile and this may keep investors away from the markets.

Nevertheless, this is an excellent time for an investor to build a quality portfolio of stocks because prices of almost all blue chip stocks have come off by almost 50% and hence returns from these levels over the next two to three years will be a significant for any retail investors. However, they will have to be patient and have the conviction in their investment decisions and take a long-term call on the markets without looking at the short-term aspects. It should be very clearly understood that the India story continues to remain strong but sentiment has taken a beating due to unfavorable global developments.

However, unfortunately, while investing in equity, retail investors tend to take a short-term view and look for almost instant gains. This short-term approach needs to be curbed and equity, as an asset class, needs to be considered by the investors for long-term deployment. If this approach to investment is followed, the current market scenario is ripe for retail investors to enter for making substantial long-term gains.

Keywords: NSE/BSE, Indian Stock Market, Indian Economy, SIP, FIIs, Mutual Funds, Equity, Futures

83 Indian Companies Made Acquisitions In US In 2007; 70% of them IT/ITES

India’s US conquest continues with over 73 per cent increase in outbound Indo-US cross border transactions. According to a report released by Vitrus Global Partners, a cross-border investment and advisory firm focused on US and India-based transactions, Indian companies accounted for a total of 83 US-bound acquisitions in 2007.

This accounted for a cumulative transaction value of over $10 billion in 2007. In 2006, there were only 48 transactions. Among the conclusions it draws, about 70 per cent of these transactions were in the Information Technology/ IT-Enabled Service (IT/ITES) sector compared to only 40 per cent last year. The report says that it reflects “the growing pressure amongst IT/ITES companies in India to scale up their size and service offerings”.

What has led to the increase in number of M&As is that there is easy access to the US, the need for acquiring more customers, marketing and distribution channels of the acquired company, low interest rates and tariffs. Besides, there is easy access to external commercial borrowings which provide Indian companies sufficient liquidity for global acquisitions.

The mega deals of 2007 were Hindalco’s acquisition of Novelis for $6 billion, Rain Calcining’s acquisition of CII Carbon for $595 million, Wipro’s acquisition of Infocrossing for $568 million and Firstsource’s acquisition of MedAssist for $330 million.

IT/ITES remains the most acquisitive industry capturing over 51 per cent share of the total US-bound transactions by volume, followed by health-care (11%); chemicals, textiles, and automotive (5% each); metals & mining, jewelry, travel, and media (4% each). Other industries accounted for less than 2 per cent each in terms of volume.

Keywords: India Inc, Acquisitions, IT/ITES, Hindalco, Novelis, Rain Calcinings, CII Corbon, Wipro, Firstsource, Infocrossing

India urges UK not to restrict movement of HSMP visa holders

India on Wednesday raised with Britain the plight of 49,000-strong Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) Visa holders, mostly Indians, and suggested that any changes in the policy should not be applied retrospectively.

At the two-day meeting of the India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) held here, the Indian delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath emphasised that Britain adopt a more liberal visa regime for students and liberal visas for Indian professionals working for Indian companies, given that UK is used to service the whole of EU.

An estimated 49,000 highly skilled professionals, mostly from India came over here since 2002 when Britain introduced the HSMP scheme promising the professionals, including doctors, scientists and IT specialists, that they could settle down here at the end of four years.

But in November last year, Britain suddenly effected changes in their Visa regime and adopted a new point based system under which many of the professionals who entered the UK under HSMP since 2002 were not able to qualify for permanent residency.

Earlier NASSCOM had made a representation to Liam Byrne, Britain's Minister in the Home office regarding revisions to UK Work Permit Regulations. Specifically NASSCOM had argued that the requirement that a company should employ a worker for six months before becoming eligible for a UK ICT Work Permit is difficult to meet in the IT sector where staff is often recruited after winning major contracts.

According to sources, the delegation also stressed that the UK should revise the list of eligible criteria to include Indian Business Schools and National Institutions such as IIMs, IITs and National Institute of Fashion Technology.

Keywords: HSMP, UK Migration, Work Permit to UK

No Discrimination against INDIA in new Point-based Visa System

Britain on Monday assured India that there will be no discrimination against Indian professionals in the new point-based system for work Visa. In a meeting with Minister of State for Industry Ashwani Kumar here, Duke of York and special Representative of UK's Department of Trade and Investment Andrew Albert Christian Edward said there would be "no discrimination against Indian professionals for work visas in the UK".

Kumar hoped that the new visa system would give greater fairness to Indian professionals for entry in the UK. The new point-based system for managing migration would ensure only workers with skills to benefit Britain's economy come to the UK and put in place a licensing system for businesses who want to recruit from overseas. Both sides also stressed on the need to increase business contacts between SMEs, service sectors, education as well as skill up gradation.

Referring to the overall outward investment profile of the UK, Edward said there is tremendous scope for an exponential growth in trade as well as investments.

UK is the third largest investor in India with cumulative FDI of 4.13 billion dollars. Indian investment in the UK during 2006-07 in 76 projects generated 1450 jobs making it one of the major investors. Total investment in these 76 projects was to the tune of over two billion dollars in sectors like telecom and IT.

Keywords: HSMP Visa and Point Systems, India Visas, UK Visas

US Missile successfully shoots down spy satellite.

US Missile successfully shoots down spy satellite:

A missile launched from a Navy ship successfully struck a dying US spy satellite passing 130 miles over the Pacific on Wednesday, a defense official said. Full details were not immediately available. It happened just after 9:00 am (10:30 pm EST). Two officials said the missile was launched successfully. One official, who is close to the process, said it hit the target. He said details on the results were not immediately known.

The goal in this first-of-its-kind mission for the Navy was not just to hit the satellite but to obliterate a tank aboard the spacecraft carrying 1,000 pounds of a toxic fuel called hydrazine.

US officials have said the fuel would pose a potential health hazard to humans if it landed in a populated area. Although the odds of that were small even if the Pentagon had chosen not to try to shoot down the satellite, it was determined that it was worth trying to eliminate even that small chance.

Officials said it might take a day or longer to know for sure if the toxic fuel was blown up.