Google Launches Free Voice Navigation In India

Finally, Indians can enjoy the privilege of a free and accurate voice assisted navigation, as Google launched its navigation service in India which would allow the Smartphone and Tablet owners to get turn-by-turn voice instructions to reach the destination by walk or drive. The service will be available free for Android platforms.

Even though the app was available free with the Android versions, it lacked official supported till now. The current beta version of this app was found to be accurate in a test by TOI. The users can select instructions either for walking or driving and the app automatically reroutes its coordinates, in case the user deviates from proposed path. It also provides layered information on the popular landmarks, petrol bunks, ATMs and restaurants on the way.

According to Darren Baker, product manager for Google Maps, “the service, which is available in 40 languages in 74 countries, is now offered only in English. However, the announcement of upcoming directions in the navigation service is in a ‘friendly, familiar Indian accent’”. India is a ‘dynamic and fast-growing’ market for online map services, he continued.

Even though India is a strong customer base for many Smartphone manufacturers and internet based services, not many free navigation services were available to the customers on devices, except Nokia, which offered a navigation service in some of its high end phones. Some paid navigation apps were also available. However, none of these were purely effective in helping people navigate through the highly unorganized Indian routes. But with the availability of Google’s navigation, along with some of its other services like ‘Local’- a dynamic directory of places around a user, and ‘transit’- that uses data supplied by public transport authorities to allow users to get information on routes and times of buses or trains by public transport, the navigation in India, is expected to get much easier.

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Ants Speak the Language of the Internet

If you have thought than only humans are intelligent, then pay close attention. According to a paper written by a Stanford biologist and computer scientist, ants speak the language of the Internet - “ifs,” “elses” and “end ifs.”

Deborah Gordon, a biology professor, had recently prepared an algorithm that described how harvester ants go out and search for food. There was something suspicious in the algorithm, so Gordon called up computer science professor Balaji Prabhakar and asked him if that reminded him in any way of file transfers on computer networks.

Prabhakar told Bjorn Carey of Stanford engineering’s in-house news site, “The next day it occurred to me, ‘Oh wait, this is almost the same as how Internet protocols discover how much bandwidth is available for transferring a file!’ The algorithm the ants were using to discover how much food there is available is essentially the same as that used in the transmission control protocol.”

Carey explained the whole process, “Gordon has found that the rate at which harvester ants — which forage for seeds as individuals — leave the nest to search for food corresponds to food availability. A forager won’t return to the nest until it finds food. If seeds are plentiful, foragers return faster, and more ants leave the nest to forage. If, however, ants begin returning empty handed, the search is slowed, and perhaps called off.”

That process is almost identical to how computers transfer files on computer networks using transmission control protocol (TCP). The system divides data into numbered packets. When the destination receives a packet, it sends back an acknowledgment to the source. If that comes back slowly, the source will decrease speed, and if it comes back quickly, it will increase speed.

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India Spends 1 Of Every 4 Online Minutes In Social Networks

The online population of India literally lives inside social networks, as it is revealed that more than 25 percent of the total online Indian minutes were spend on social networking activities. Indians are also fond of Google sites as it turned out to be the destination of more than 95 percent of them.

The findings came out on a latest report from ComScore on top online sites and activities in India. Google stand as the most popular site in the country followed by Facebook and then Yahoo sites. Microsoft sites have finished in the fourth position. Adding to it, many local websites secured spot in the top 10 ranks.

Considering the engagement in websites, the difference was huge between the best of local brands and the topper, Facebook. People spent an average of four hours on Facebook in June whereas Network 18, the local leader engaged people for an average 31.6 minutes during the month. The Google sites, including YouTube had visitors spending an average of 2.5 hours.

In India, social networks have turned to be the primer driver of daily digital Media Consumption followed by the entertainment sites. The time spent on online retail shops in the country grew 0.5 percent as the trend is gaining momentum within the country.

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Delete un-necessary emails without checking from your Gmail

It had usually been irritating to receive useless emails or spam emails in your account. Few days back I received almost 15 to 20 useless emails everyday amongst those which were useful. Then someone told me about a new feature “FILTER” that Gmail provides you to get rid of unwanted emails.

You cannot Block unwanted types of emails from marked addresses or domain but you can simply set a “FILTER” to move these emails or messages directly to trash and can delete without checking them.

To set a Filter follow the steps below:
• Login to your Gmail account.
• Click on Mail settings and then click on “FILTER” and select “Create a new Filter”.

• Now fill up the field with Filter’s details and then click on “Create Filter with this search”.

• Now select the action that you would like for these unwanted emails by Tick marking on the appropriate box.
• And then, finally click on “Create Filter”.

Now you had set a Filter to those emails that used to disturb you a lot. And no more unwanted emails are going to disturb you from now.

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WCF concepts implementation with examples and interview questions

WCF - Windows Communications Foundation

"WCF is a programming platform and runtime system for building, configuring and deploying network-distributed services. It is the latest service oriented technology; Interoperability is the fundamental characteristics of WCF. It is unified programming model provided in .Net Framework 3.0. WCF is a combined feature of Web Service, Remoting, MSMQ and COM+. WCF provides a common platform for all .NET communication."

A WCF Service is composed of three components parts viz,

1) Service Class - A WCF service class implements some service as a set of methods.

2) Host Environment - A Host environment can be a Console application or a Windows Service or a Windows Forms application or IIS as in case of the normal asmx web service in .NET.

3) Endpoints - All communications with the WCF service will happen via the endpoints. The endpoint is composed of 3 parts (collectively called as ABC's of endpoint) as defines below:

Address

The endpoints specify an Address that defines where the endpoint is hosted. It’s basically url.

Ex:      http://localhost/WCFServiceSample/Service.svc

Binding

The endpoints also define a binding that specifies how a client will communicate with the service and the address where the endpoint is hosted. Various components of the WCF are depicted in the figure below.

·         "A" stands for Address: Where is the service?

·         "B" stands for Binding: How can we talk to the service?

·         "C" stands for Contract: What can the service do for us?

Different bindings supported by WCF:

Binding	Description
BasicHttpBinding	Basic Web service communication. No security by default
WSHttpBinding	Web services with WS-* support. Supports transactions
WSDualHttpBinding	Web services with duplex contract and transaction support
WSFederationHttpBinding	Web services with federated security. Supports transactions
MsmqIntegrationBinding	Communication directly with MSMQ applications. Supports transactions
NetMsmqBinding	Communication between WCF applications by using queuing. Supports transactions
NetNamedPipeBinding	Communication between WCF applications on same computer. Supports duplex contracts and transactions
NetPeerTcpBinding	Communication between computers across peer-to-peer services. Supports duplex contracts
NetTcpBinding	Communication between WCF applications across computers. Supports duplex contracts and transactions

Contract

The endpoints specify a Contract that defines which methods of the Service class will be accessible via the endpoint; each endpoint may expose a different set of methods.

Types of contracts in WCF

Service Contract

Service contracts describe the operation that service can provide. For Eg, a Service provide to know the temperature of the city based on the zip code, this service is called as Service contract. It will be created using Service and Operational Contract attribute.

Data Contract

Data contract describes the custom data type which is exposed to the client. This defines the data types, which are passed to and from service. Data types like int, string are identified by the client because it is already mention in XML schema definition language document, but custom created class or data types cannot be identified by the client e.g. Employee data type. By using DataContract we can make client to be aware of Employee data type that are returning or passing parameter to the method.

Message Contract

Default SOAP message format is provided by the WCF runtime for communication between Client and service. If it is not meeting your requirements then we can create our own message format. This can be achieved by using Message Contract attribute.

Fault Contract

Suppose the service I consumed is not working in the client application. I want to know the real cause of the problem. How I can know the error? For this we are having Fault Contract. Fault Contract provides documented view for error occurred in the service to client. This helps us to easy identity, what error has occurred.

Delete [OperationContract] attribute:

When we delete  [OperationContract] attribute we get an exception

“Contract OR Binding mismatch between the sender and receiver”

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Want to become an App Developer , follow these Steps

Ever heard of any rags to riches stories of app developers? Ever heard of iShoot? Written by a programmer at Sun Microsystems in his spare time, the iShoot game rocketed to the top of the App Store charts earlier this year and earned its creator enough money to pursue a career as a professional developer.

Keith Stuart on guardian.co.uk charts the steps that any app/ game developer could adopt to become a top one.

1. Buy a Mac:

You don’t need a top of the range model; just one that has an Intel-based processor and runs the Leopard version of MacOS X. Any machine offering a degree of maneuverability should be preferred.

Peter Scott, CTO at Connect2Media recommends Mac Minis, "They are more than powerful enough, small and easy on desk space when you already have PCs, three LCD monitors and a bunch of devices. They are also easy to move round, developers can take them home at the weekend if they want to continue work."

2. Getting the SDK (Software Development Kit):

Apple provides the free SDK for iPhone development from their Developer site. Stuart Varrall, Creative Director at Fluid Pixel says, "This includes everything you need to get going, including the development environment Xcode, the iPhone Simulator for testing, performance analyzers, interface builders and the full documentation reference library."

3. Read up on Objective C:

This is the primary programming language for development on iPhone. "It's an extension of C to include object-orientated principles," says Varrall. "It has scripting elements to it, so is easier to pick up than some languages and anyone with programming experience should be able to transfer their skills."

 
4. Just Start Writing:

Give yourself a project and start working. If you can't face starting out on an original project, Varrall suggests a couple of modification tasks. "The SDK actually comes with a whole host of sample projects that cover most aspects of development. So the best place to start would be to take one of those and reverse engineer it and work out how it has been constructed. You can then build on these by adding new features and create your very own game very quickly."

5. Sign-up as an Official Developer:

If you plan to release your app, you'll have to sign up with the iPhone Developer Program. The standard cost is $99, and you will have to agree to Apple's terms and conditions, and sign and return the contract. It’s important you know that you'll need to sign up in order to test your code on an actual iPhone instead of an onscreen emulator. Once you're on the Developer Program you will receive a certificate, which allows you to pair up with an iPhone device.

 
6. Gear Up for a Few Months of Hard Work:

Depending on how much time you can devote to it and how many resources you have, developing a game or app could take weeks or months. You also need to face the possibility of dealing with crashes and debugging.

7. Submitting Your App to Apple:

Using an interface which is similar to the one used by music producers to submit albums, a finished app will have to be submitted. The process is straightforward enough- zip your file, upload it with a description, large and small icons and screenshots. If your app is good to go, Apple will take a week to approve the content and it will be made available in the store. If your app has bugs, it may take longer time to review and it may be rejected. In such a scenario, you can fix the issue and resubmit it.

8. Market and Adapt to Survive:

Things don’t get simpler once your app makes it to the App store. It is a possibility that your app has some design issues or a few bugs which is an issue that you will only know about when many users try out your app. In this case, you can submit your modifications.

To garner recognition for your app, you need to stand out in the crowd of over 20,000 apps. You need to have your marketing strategy in place from the inception of the developing process. Blog about your programming procedure, produce screenshots, stay in touch with developing communities, and send out press releases to iPhone news sites. You could always use social networking websites as well.

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Chromebox - The Real Desktop

Google chrome became the number one web browser beating IE recently. Cashing in on this success they are all set to promote Chrome OS as an alternate operating system for desktops targeted at business users. Google in association with Samsung today launched the Chromebox, a mini PC running on Google’s browser based OS. The device is designed for people who want some screen flexibility in their Chrome OS experience.

The Chromebox is ‘thin client’ device. Users can plug in their monitor, keyboard and mouse to access applications stored elsewhere. It gives users a change from windows and OS X and an opportunity to try a brand new cloud connected, Linux based OS.

The Chromebox comes with more ports than the Chromebook, though it is missing an SD card reader. Apart from this the device is just a ‘box’ version of the new Chromebook 550. Users are comparing the Chromebook with Apple Mac Mini, which is ideally used for home theatres. But in reality the makers have launched the device to compete with the Mac and Windows PCs.

Chromebox is prices at $329. Google gives users added administration tools, hardware warranty, and lifetime support including 24-hour phone support for the retail price plus $150. This clearly indicates that the device has been launched keeping businesses and educational institutions in mind. It will cost an institution $479 plus the cost of desktop and keyboard to have a fully functioning desktop. Since more than one user can use the same desktop it makes for a smart buy for management.

What makes Chromebox work is the OS is runs on. With Google providing newer updates on short intervals with the latest Chrome OS 19 being desktop like. It is a smart buy when various users use a single unit, but it is more on the pricier end for an individual user. Let us hope Samsung is listening.

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3 Indian Innovators Who Have Made a Mark in World

Indian innovators have since forever, made 
their mark in the world of technology with great inventions and ground-breaking ideas. With a continuously exponential growth in the number of people interested in new technologies and numerous students starting their own tech projects for this evolving market, there have been many inventions by the Indian technologists like advanced GPS software and robots that have left the world awestruck.

On May 11, celebrated as National Technology Day in India since the 1998 Pokharan Test, the country awards its scientists and technologists who have made a mark in tech world. Former President, APJ Abdul Kalam himself felicitated the winners of the prestigious award for the National Technology Day 2012.

1. Ramesh Sojitra

Managing Director, Scanpoint Geomatics

Innovation: Created Software that matches satellite images with GPS co-ordinates

Coming from a small town in Saurashta, Ramesh started his career by mopping floors in a printing studio of Mumbai. He has redefined the Indian Geo-Informatics System with his commendable work in Scanpoint. The software generates 3D maps which can be used to plan new cities, estimate farm and forest cover, even guard borders at half the cost of what the foreign software charge. "It gives us pride to prove that we can compete with big MNCs," said Ramesh to IBN.

2. K Guruswamy

Director, Perfint HealthCare Corporation

Innovation: Designed Robots that treat Cancer

Guruswamy’s work has resulted in the most brilliant achievement by Indian medicine in the past decade. The Robot analyses the affected area and finds the part of the body that contains the cancerous tumor. By sending the data to its control unit, it then generates a microwave signal targeting the affected area and destroys the malignant tissues. "We are the only company in the world that offers the entire gamut of services in one package, from identifying to destroying the cancer," said Guruswamy describing the services of his excellent invention.

3. Ashok Atluri

Managing Director, Zen Technologies

Innovation: Developed Driving Simulators

Designed to save hundreds and thousands of lives lost in Indian road accidents every year the driving simulator of Zen Technologies simulates life like conditions of Indian roads to coach the drivers for real time situations. An alumnus of the Indian School of Business, Ashok says,” We've designed it according to Indian conditions, so there are cows crossing the road, pedestrians jumping in suddenly, everything you could think of on a typical Indian road.”

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Clean Your RAM using Notepad

Are you fed up of your computer working slow? Or you are tired of restarting your computer again and again due to its slowness?

This problem might occur due to RAM because at the time RAM might be full of remaining progress pieces which you are working with and you do not need them anymore. So, if you deleted or erase all those unnecessary piece of information, your RAM will be clean and your computer would work faster.

For doing so you can download or get software that can keep your RAM free, if anyone doesn’t have any software, then you can follow the tutorial that I am going to mention.

Steps to clean your RAM using Notepad

• Open your Notepad.
• Type FreeMem=Space(128000000)
• And save the file in any location that you like, named “CleanRAM.vbs”
• Now run the file.
• It will free memory in your RAM

If you want more memory to be free in your RAM, then you can use following codes instead of that mentioned in point2.

• FreeMem=Space(24000000), for 24 MB
• FreeMem=Space(32000000), for 32 MB
• FreeMem=Space(64000000), for 64 MB
• FreeMem=Space(72000000), for 72 MB
• FreeMem=Space(128000000), for 128 MB
• FreeMem=Space(256000000), for 256 MB

NOTE: Do not select the code that exceeds the memory than your RAM’s capacity

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Create New Folder using Keyboard

How to create “New Folder” using keyboard shortcut

Generally we create a “New Folder” using mouse. By right clicking and then going to new and clicking Folder.

But can we create a “New Folder” using keyboard shortcuts? The answer to it would be YES!

 

ALSO SEE: Create AN Invisible folder in windows

To create a “New Folder” by keyboard shortcut- Hold down Alt key + F. Then, let go of Alt key, press W and then press F.

The above keyboard shortcut would work for Windows Xp and Windows Vista.

Windows 7 is much user friendly, so you can simply press Ctrl + Shift + N. This will instantly create a “New Folder” in Window 7.

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Create an invisible folder in windows

Have you ever had a folder on your desktop that you wanted nobody to see or want it to be hidden from each and every person except you?


Now you can make your folder truly invisible but then you have to remember where you placed it. This is a very funny trick and works greatly in Window 7.

With the steps mentioned below you can create a folder which nobody would be able to see:

• Using your mouse, click right button of it and create a new folder.
• Click on rename option. Delete the name of the folder so that nothing is written there.
• Now hold down “Alt” key and type 0160 using number pad and then release the Alt key.
• Now just click anywhere outside the folder. The folder will be created with an invisible name.
• Now you are required to change the icon to make the folder hidden. Right click on the folder and then to properties followed by Customize, then select a blank icon to make the folder invisible. Then click on apply and then OK.

And, you have a folder which is invisible.

See Video

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Download Wikipedia Articles for Offline Reading

Would you like to download the entire Wikipedia on your computer or mobile phone for offline reading? Well, here are some good options to consider.

Wikipedia, the world’s largest encyclopedia, provides database dumps of all their wikis that one can download for free and thus access the entire Wikipedia content on computers that are not connected to the Internet.

The database dumps are frequently updated and include every single article that’s available on the main Wikipedia website. The dumps are available as .xml.bz2 files that you can easily open on your computer using the free and portable WikiTaxi software.

WikiTaxi ships with an importer that will first un-compress the Wikipedia database files (.bz2) and then converts them into a .taxi file format. Now you open these .taxi files inside WikiTaxi just like the way you open .doc files inside Microsoft Word. If you are running low on space, the original Wikipedia dumps can be safely discarded.

A good alternative to WikiTaxi is Kiwix – this is also free software and available for Mac, Windows and Linux systems. You need to install the Kiwix software on your computer and then download one of the Wikipedia editions – the articles are packaged as .zim files that will open directly inside Kiwix without requiring any conversion.

The latest .zim package for various editions of Wikipedia can be downloaded from kiwix.org using any download manager or you can use this .torrent file to download using any BitTorrent client. This is 9.7 GB file and includes all the text of Wikipedia pages but no images.

Kiwix is definitely easier to use than WikiTaxi and the packaged .zim files can read across all popular platforms but the downside is that, unlike the database dumps used by WikiTaxi, the .zim files aren’t very frequently updated. Also, the zim package for English Wikipedia doesn’t include every article though the packages for other languages are complete*.

If you have an iOS device – like the iPhone, iPad or iPad Touch – you may grab the excellent Wiki Offline app and carry all the Wikipedia articles in your pocket. The app renders Wikipedia articles in a beautiful interface and supports tabbed browsing so you can open multiple articles side by side. Wiki Offline is also available in the Mac App Store for your Mac OS X.

The other option for using Wikipedia offline is WikiReader – this is a 3.5” monochrome device with a capacitive touch screen and contains over 3 million Wikipedia articles. The  updates to Wikipedia articles are released every quarter – you can update the device by connecting it to your computer – or you opt to receive updates on SD cards.

The WikiReader device costs  $99 and though I haven’t tried it myself, it did get a huge thumbs-up from Ars Technica. You definitely don’t need this if you carry a smart phone that is always connected to the Internet but could be a good reference tool for the rest of us with an impressive battery life – much like the Kindle.

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