Gmail = E-mail + Chat + more…! You can now make telephone calls as well!
Gmail is not only about e-mail anymore. Google has now officially announced that users can make calls to telephone across the world from its e-mail service itself.
PC - to - PC voice/video chat had always been available by means of Google Voice, but not everyone gets to sit in front of the computer all through the day. Telephones are a better way to catch hold of someone immediately and now, Gmail has a feature that allows one to call and receive calls from telephones. Also, you will not necessarily have to have a Google Voice account for making these calls. However, international calls will be provided for by means of Google Voice only.
Users can make calls by means of the newly included “Call phone” option. It is very easy to use and all the user has to do is to choose the option, enter the telephone number and dial. The Gmail user will also get an incoming call alert, just the same way as you get an alert when someone messages you… you can choose to attend/ignore the call as you may please.
According to the post in Google’s blog, calls to telephones within USA or Canada are free of cost. Calls to other countries will have some tariff defined and rates will differ based on the country to which the call is placed. Calls to countries like the UK, France, Germany, Japan will be charges as low as 2 cents a minute. However, calls to other countries might be slightly more expensive.
As of now, Skype has been the major player in the internet telephone service provider industry. By launching this service, Google has now jumped headlong in competition with Skype. How the service will pick up is something that we have to wait and watch; however, since Gmail is one of the most successful e-mail services available with a major portion of the world using the same, chances are that this service will do very well indeed!
Microsoft all set to launch its IE9 Beta version
Microsoft has officially announced the launch date of its most awaited IE9 Beta version as September 15, 2010. Although the actual date of release of IE9 is not yet known, it is expected that we should get wind of it during the Beta launch.
Since March, when Microsoft first announced IE9, they have released four developer preview builds, the last of it being in the first week of August. It has been using preview inputs/feedback from various developers to tweak the product to perfection. However, these previews lacked in providing a true user interface such as search, history or bookmarks.
During the fourth preview build release, Microsoft had given a lead saying that this would be the last of the builds to be released before the official beta launch.
It is said that the IE9 team have primarily focused on two major aspects namely, speed of the browser and support standards for HTML5. Microsoft claims IE9 browser to have an enormous advantage over IE8 with respect to its speed of loading Web pages. This seems to have been proved in the Acid3 test conducted to check the speed at which a browser loads the Web pages. The speed acceleration is attributed to its new JavaScript engine christened “Chakra” that runs directly in the browser’s code instead of the traditional method where they run as a separate script engine.
Although Microsoft has been boasting about the speed element, the actual look and feel of the IE9 browser is left to much speculation since even the preview versions were not available with as much as the basic user interfaces.
Also, it is unfortunate that only a minimal number of Windows users might be able to use the IE9, reason being that it is not compatible to work on Windows XP that is used in almost 65 – 70% of the PCs that run on Windows. IE9 shall be compatible only with Windows Vista or Windows 7. This means that majority of the Windows users do not actually get to take advantage of IE9’s speed. Hopefully, Microsoft will find a way through this hitch.
The Capsa Network Analyzer – a true help for networking professionals
Colasoft’s Network Analyzer named “Capsa” is a software that helps to monitor and troubleshoot the network in internet and intranet. It achieves this by analyzing the information in and out of the network. Capsa monitors the network by identifying the use of bandwidth and traffic of the data being transferred. This is achieved by counting the number of packets and sizes of the packets in the network.
The traffic is monitored by tracking network congestion where data flow is small. The data to be transferred between 2 computers is split into packets and sent from the source system to the destination system. The Capsa Network Analyzer can function as a packet sniffer, capturing and decoding these packets: in layman’s terms, you can say it reads the packet; thus making it easier to isolate the problem. It can also track acknowledgements on receiving the packets and retransmissions between the source and destination systems.
Capsa also analyzes protocols like HTTP abbreviated as hyper text transfer protocol requests, SMTP or mail transfer protocols, file transfers and domain network services that translate the domain of the destination from user friendly data to IP address which a computer can understand and vice versa. It can be used to identify incorrect configurations for gateway, by tracking the connectivity between the source and destination systems. Gateway is the router that connects the system to the internet or intranet and servers. Capsa can also be used to track security breaches. By monitoring the file transfers one can track transfer of unauthorized files.
Filters can also be set using the Capsa Network analyzer in order to locate and identify problems in the network. But unless the user knows where to locate the problem and sets the filter accordingly, Capsa will not identify the problem by itself. The results are provided in a user friendly manner such that any user with some network knowledge can understand. It displays the packet decoding information in Hex, ASCII and EBCDIC codes and of course one can choose the mode of his results. Results are also displayed in graphs helping one to read the results easily.
Though internet is used by nearly everyone, Capsa requires the user to have some technical knowledge of networking. It can be best suited for business than individual users. It is definitely of great use to networking professionals.
Tata Photon Plus – high speed wireless internet from Tata Teleservices
Today being the age of the internet, it is rare to find any sector that does not make use of or require this technology. The demand for internet and the internet usage requirements of customers are growing at very high rates today. Almost everyone wants to access the internet for some reason or the other; that too things need to be accessible as swift as lightning to mach the rapid phase of life these days. Internet usage has grown to such an extent that its need is felt by us at all times, irrespective of the duration of hours or location. Such being the scenario, internet solutions such as wireless, high-speed internet services are definitely a boon to the internet users of today’s world.
There are quite a few players who have ventured into offering high-speed wireless internet services in India recently. One such recent launches is the Tata Photon Plus, the mobile wireless broadband internet service launched recently by Tata Teleservices.
The Tata Photon Plus can be accessed by two means:
- USB modem – this is the most preferred mode for individual users who might use either a laptop or desktop PC.
- Router – this is the most preferred mode for businesses or for people who want to access the internet simultaneously in many computers.
Tata Teleservices claims that the Tata Photon Plus offers a maximum speed of 3.1 Mega bytes per second. However, the actual speed might vary based on various factors such as time of the day, number of users accessing the service at any given time, the webpage that is opened, etc.
Any user of the USB modem can access Tata Photon Plus high speed wireless internet connection at any location, even while they are traveling. Although the Photon Plus service is available in only selected cities in India, the device automatically switches over to the Photon Whiz (a wireless internet service offered by Tata Teleservices that provides a speed of 144 Kilo bytes per second) and thus will ensure uninterrupted service wherever you go.
It’s not only raining mobile phones at Nokia – it’s raining Laptops too!…Nokia introduces its recent venture, the Booklet 3G
Mobile phones are not the only devices manufactured under Nokia’s wing anymore – there are laptops too!
Nokia, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of mobile phones, today unveiled its latest venture to the rest of the world. This time around, they have come up with a handsome mini laptop named “The Booklet 3G”.
Nokia success in the realm of mobile phones has now paved the way for its expansion into manufacturing laptops. The Booklet 3G has an ultra portable aluminium chasis, measures a little more than 2 centimeters in thickness and weighs 1.25 Kg
With the introduction of the Booklet 3G, Nokia still sticks to its promise of “connecting people”. The attractive mini laptop provides you with a wide range of connectivity options that include 3G/ HSPA, Wi-Fi and a GPS receiver, giving the end user high speed internet access. You really can’t expect less from a leading mobile phone manufacturer! Can you?
Other features include:
- A 12 hour battery life
- Powered by Intel atom processor
- Runs on Microsoft Windows
- Includes Nokia’s broad suite of Ovi services
- 10-inch screen
- HDMI port
- A front facing camera which makes video calling easy
- A built in SD card reader
- An integrated Bluetooth
With its Hi-Fi features such as the Ovi maps gadget, you could accurately pinpoint where you are located in just a matter of seconds. The 12-hour battery life and other connectivity features ensure that you could stay “well-connected” through most part of the day, without the headache of having to carry all your battery charging equipments.
Its features are no way less in terms of looks. Its style is sure to capture the heart of many.
More specs are expected to be revealed on September 2nd on Nokia World. With all its packaging that include handsome looks, striking and fancy features, the Booklet 3G mini laptop is a sure eye-catcher.
Will “Bing” bong Google?
Microsoft and Yahoo have finally signed the long anticipated search and advertising deal that is likely to last for the next ten years. The Microsoft-Yahoo search deal allows both companies to share resources and combine scale, through which they aim to compete Google search. Microsoft’s new search platform, Bing is said to have innovative and powerful features; and if combined with the scale provided by Yahoo, it is more likely to deliver rapid advances in relevancy and usefulness. Bing is expected to become a strong competitor for the current leader in search – Google.
As per the Microsoft-Yahoo search deal, Microsoft will obtain an exclusive ten years license to Yahoo’s search technologies and also be able to integrate Yahoo’s search technologies into its existing web search platforms. Microsoft’s Bing search platform will be the sole algorithmic and paid search platform for all Yahoo sites. This means that Microsoft will now power Yahoo search i.e., Bing search engine will become the default search engine for Yahoo sites. However, Yahoo will continue to use its technology and data in other areas of its business such as enhancing display advertising technology. Yahoo will own the user experience in all Yahoo sites, including the user experience for search, even though it will be powered by Microsoft technology. Also, Yahoo will do the necessary sales advertising for both companies’ premium search advertisers.
The Microsoft-Yahoo search deal is expected to benefit web users and advertisers in such a way that it improves their web search experience by churning out search results fast and also with lot of relevance; thereby increasing internet efficiency. By combining both companies’ complementary strengths and search platforms and the scale provided by Yahoo, it is likely that the pace and breadth of internet search and search advertising is bound for a new high with Bing. The Microsoft-Yahoo search deal also provides for protecting consumer privacy by restricting the data sharing between both the companies to a minimum necessary that is needed to operate and improve the combined search platform, Bing.
“Will ‘Bing’ bong Google?” - Only time can tell…
Protect Your Children Over The Internet
Your children’s nature is very valuable property to you and hence you always want to protect it from impurities. So talk to your children about things on the Internet such as pornography, violence and hate sites that are a concern to you. Make them understand that they should tell you immediately about these things if they encounter anytime.
Make your children aware of the demerits of giving away personal information over the internet, or to agree to meet unknown people, or give out their personal photographs to anyone online.
Many Internet Service providers have some parental controls through which parents can easily control the reach of their connection. Block access to certain Web pages, chat rooms, groups and other Internet communities which are unfit for children.
Today several software are also available for low costs through which you can easily block access to certain objectionable sites and prevent children from disclosing personal information on the Internet. You can even have some categories of sites blocked which you need not to detect manually.
Be aware of your children when they start spending much time online. Also try to monitor them manually time to time and make sure that they are actually using the Internet securely.
