YouTube all set for Hollywood Partnership

According to New York Times, YouTube and the William Morris Agency are nearing a deal that would put the Hollywood talent broker's clients in YouTube productions.

The YouTube deal would reportedly give William Morris clients an ownership stake in the videos they create for the popular video Web site. William Morris represents the likes of actors Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe and producers Michael Bay and J.J. Abrams.

An agreement would give the agency's clients, which also include musicians and other celebrities, access to at least 100 million viewers, the latest figure comScore offered for YouTube traffic.

Microsoft releases Web Sandbox

Software giant Microsoft has made source code for its Live Labs Web Sandbox project for securing Web content through isolation available via open source under the Apache License 2.0s.

Web Sandbox features technology for mashing up code while maintaining process isolation, quality of service protection, and security. It is intended to address a problem in which Web gadgets, mashup components, advertisements, and other third-party content on Web sites either will run full trust alongside content or are isolated inside of IFrames. This results in many Web applications being intrinsically insecure with unpredictable service quality.

Microsoft has open-sourced the Web Sandbox framework and is partnering with industry leaders to evolve Web Sandbox into an industry-wide solution.

Microsoft is looking for developers to experiment with Web Sandbox. Web Sandbox builds upon Microsoft's experience with DHTML, Windows, Windows Live Web-based gadgets, and the Microsoft BrowserShield project, which leverages JavaScript virtualization through rewriting.

Although Microsoft is using an Apache license for the project, it is not sponsored or endorsed by the Apache Software Foundation. The company last year became a sponsor of the foundation.

$1 trillion global loss from data theft

According to a study released by security technology firm McAfee Inc. , data theft and breaches from cybercrime may have cost businesses as much as $1 trillion globally in lost intellectual property and expenditures for repairing the damage last year.

McAfee made the projection based on responses to a survey of more than 800 chief information officers in the US, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, China, India, Brazil, and Dubai.

The respondents estimated that they lost data worth a total of $4.6 billion and spent about $600 million cleaning up after breaches.

The California-based company launched the survey after detecting a rapid acceleration of malicious software, last year.

According to McAfee Inc. - CEO David DeWalt, “This was a very insidious type of malware that was designed either to steal your data, steal your identity, steal your money, and in many cases the scale as well as the sophistication was very alarming”.

The survey of 800 companies in 8 countries showed that 80 percent of malware aimed to make a financial gain, in contrast to traditional viruses and worms which just had nuisance value.

Data lost accidentally or through theft can be expensive to replace and simultaneously, it can be damaging to a company's reputation or brand.

New Lumix Digital Cameras from Panasonic

Panasonic is all set to expand its line of Lumix digital cameras. All the new cameras are expected to arrive in April.

The TS1 is a new model that is waterproof, shockproof and dustproof, and also records AVCHD Lite High Definition (HD) video. It’s a 12.1-megapixel camera with 28mm lens, 4.6 optical zoom and iA mode. It’s waterproof to 10 feet, shockproof from up to five feet, and dustproof with rubber padding, reinforced glass and carbon resins inside the camera, and an airtight body. The camera also touts a 2.7-inch LCD display. Priced at $399.95, the camera will be available in silver, green or orange finishes.

The DMC-FS25 is a 12.1-megapixel camera with 5x optical zoom and 29mm wide-angle lens. It sports a 3.0-inch LCD display and shares the same slim look as other FS-series Lumix cameras. The camera’s “Intelligent Auto” mode includes Auto Focus tracking and “Intelligent Exposure” functions. It works with SD and SDHC memory cards. It’s priced at $249.95; it will be available in silver, black and gold finishes.

The FX580 also features a 12.1-megapixel sensor and touch-screen 3.0-inch display interface, paired to a 25mm lens with F2.8 brightness and 5x optical zoom lens. Optical image stabilization, the “Intelligent Auto” (iA) mode and other features come standard; it can also record 1280 x 720 video at 30 frames per second. It’s priced at $399.95 and comes in an aluminum body.

The DMC-FX48, another 12.1-megapixel model, features a 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens, 5x optical zoom, iA mode, image stabilization, and face recognition. It records 1280 x 720 video at 30 fps, sports a high-speed burst mode and macro zoom function, and has a 2.5-inch LCD. It’s priced at $349.95 and comes in silver and black finishes.

The new ZS series succeeds Panasonic’s TZ series. The $399.95 ZS3 sports 10.1-megapixel sensor, 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens and 12x optical zoom, and can record video in AVCHD Lite format. It features the same iA mode found on the other new Lumix models along with Face Recognition. The ZS1, priced at $299.95, comes with a 10.1-megapixel CCD, standard iA mode (no face recognition) and no movie mode.

iPhone and iPod touch dominate IGF Mobile award finalists

IGF Mobile- The Independent Games Festival Mobile, has named its finalists for its second annual competition. The iPhone and iPod touch dominate the award finalists and are the clear winner. Games made to be played on the devices dominate in every category.

IGF Mobile takes places during the Game Developers Conference (GDC) Mobile conference, at a special ceremony that is scheduled to happen during the event on March 24 in San Francisco. The winners will be honored alongside others at the IGF Awards on March 25, 2009.

iPhone-based finalists include Smiles, Fieldrunners and Edge in the IGF Mobile Best Game category; Galcon and Eliss in the Innovation In Mobile Game Design category; Fieldrunners, Dizzy Bee and Ruben & Lullaby in the Achievement In Art category; Real Racing in the Technical Achievement category; Radio Flare, Zen Bound and Edge in the Audio Achievement category; and with finalists include Edge, Dizzy Bee, Fieldrunners, Zen Bound and Frenzic in the Best iPhone Game category.

Mp3 players at risk of permanent hearing loss

An European Union body on health risks has said that up to 10 million young Europeans are in danger of damaging their hearing by playing their MP3 personal music players too loud.

The EU Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks said that listening to MP3 players and other personal music players at high volumes for long span of time can cause loss of hearing and tinnitus, a ringing sensation in the ears.

It found that 5-10 percent of MP3 users risk permanent hearing loss if they listen to a personal music player for more than one hour per day, each week at high volume settings for a period of at least 5 years.

The committee further reported that no cure is currently known for hearing loss or tinnitus.

The conference, organised by the European Commission in Brussels, discussed possible measures to prevent such health effects, ranging from warnings flashed on the devices' screens, to limits on the maximum volumes on players.

Vertu to launch mobile service in Japan

Luxury mobile phone brand Vertu, has revealed that it will begin offering mobile services in Japan. Vertu is owned by Finnish cellphone giant Nokia.

The Finnish company will become a so-called Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), thus becoming the first mobile phone maker to encroach on the Japanese service provider domain.
Vertu is known for making expensive, handcrafted handsets that are often embellished with titanium, gold, jewels and crystal.

Vertu's MVNO service will be hosted by Nokia Siemens Networks from its Singapore hosting centre which is capable of servicing customers throughout the Asia Pacific region.

It was last November when Nokia pulled out of the Japanese market due to disappointing sales, but chose to leave its high-end Vertu brand in the country.

Samsung to launch new Netbooks and new Smart Phones

Samsung Electronics plans to follow-up its NC10 netbook in the coming few months with a new model and expand its range of smart phones with models based on a number of different operating systems.

Samsung already offers phones based on the Windows Mobile, Symbian and Linux operating systems but perhaps most anticipated is an announcement from the company concerning a phone based on the Android OS developed by Google.

Samsung is a member of the Open Handset Alliance group formed around Android but has yet to show a phone running on the platform.

No other details were disclosed but a follow-up to the NC10 has been rumored for a while. It is also being reported that NC20 will be launched somewhere in February which will be based on Via Technologies' low-power Nano processor.

If true that would be a departure from most competing machines, which almost all run the same Intel Atom processor. It would also be somewhat of a coup for Via, which has struggled to gain share from Intel in the mainstream market for years.

The NC10 was launched in the latter half of 2008 and, like most netbooks. It is based on Intel's Atom processor and Windows XP. It has a 10.2-inch screen.

Netbooks have become popular with consumers, who are attracted by their compact size and low price. The market was created in 2007 when Asustek Computer launched its Eee PC and grew quickly to initially attract fellow Taiwanese competitors and then major laptop brands jumped into the market.

Earlier this month Sony launched its Vaio P-series machines which are netbook-size laptops but based on the higher-specification Intel Atom Z520 chip.

Verizon launches Verizon Hub VOIP Phone

Verizon Wireless has launched a VOIP-based, Linux-powered home phone, the Verizon Hub. The Hub plugs into a home broadband line and acts as a family calendar, limited Web browser, messaging center, digital picture frame and, of course, a phone.

The Hub is based on OpenPeak's OpenFrame design. The OpenFrame or the Hub - is an 8-inch, 800x480 touchscreen device. It has a single DECT 6.0 cordless phone that snaps into the base.
The Hub's home screen shows floating, Web-based widgets such as a calendar and the weather, along with details about missed calls and visual voice mail.

Verizon dressed the OpenFrame up with their own proprietary services. The device can stream movie trailers and other video from V CAST; send directions to phones using VZ Navigator; track children's cell phones using Chaperone; view local traffic information, and send and receive text, picture, and video messages. The Hub doesn't require that you get your broadband from Verizon, though – it works with any Internet connection.

By touching buttons on the OpenFrame's panel, you can sync it with the various contact lists and calendars in your life, view TV schedules, send an IM or SMS, check the weather, surf the Web, watch streaming video, play music or do a range of other things. The devices are based on Freescale MX31 processors, with two 600-MHz ARM11 chips doing the heavy lifting.

Verizon has not announced pricing or service plans for the Verizon Hub. The product goes on sale on Feb 1.

Russia to Develop own national operating system

According to CNews, Russia is planning to develop its own national operating system. The move is designed to reduce Russia's need to rely on foreign software and licensing agreements. And the alleged "open code" solution, likely a Linux/GNU derivative, will give Russia a greater degree of customization, as well as increased control over how the potentially free OS is used and accessed.

This isn't the first time Russia has dabbled with the idea of widespread open-source software distribution. According to Russia Today, a pilot program is already underway in three Russian regions to replace Microsoft-branded operating systems in Russian schools with Linux alternatives. All Russian schools are expected to make the software switch by 2009.

Accelerated Internet Strategies offers iPhone development courses online

Accelerated Internet Strategies has launched an online training program towards iPhone development. The training program begins February 2, 2009 and costs $97 per course. They are offering five courses are in the series. One can take all the five courses for $425.

The five courses include Introduction to Object Oriented Programming and Logic; Objective-C 2.0 for iPhone Developers; Cocoa & Xcode for iPhone Developers; iPhone SDK Programming - Getting It Done; and iPhone SDK Programming - Advanced.

Each course is offered online as a “webinar.” Each course lasts one month. Each class is taught Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Classes are offered online twice a week in the evening lasting 1-2 hours. They’re also recorded and made available in the event you miss a session.

Students will need a high-speed Internet connection and a phone line to call in and listen. Voice over IP (VoIP) is also available.

For more details please visit their site.

T-Mobile takes G1 Android phone to Europe

Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile has announced that it will soon begin selling its G1 Android phone in several European countries. The phone has been available for the last few months only in the United States and Great Britain. The first countries on the list are the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany and Poland.

The initial response to the G1 has been very strong, with hundreds of thousands sold in the US by the end of 2008. T-Mobile Chief Executive Hamid Akhavan describes the phone as the most successful ever sold in this country. It is also reported that the G1 will be offered for the subsidized price of $1.33 (EU1.03) in Germany, along with a two-year contract. In the US, it sells for $179 with a two-year contract.

For the Australian market, Samsung has announced that it would bring out an Android phone by the second quarter of this year.

Get ready for Cupcake
There are also reports of a major update to the Android software, code-named Cupcake. The update is expected to support video recording and video sharing.

The Android mobile platform was launched in late 2007 by Google, along with a consortium of other companies who endorsed the open-source platform. A large community of third-party developers has begun to create applications for Android, which can help drive sales. In addition to games and basic applications, developers are beginning to turn to more business-oriented software.

Panasonic, Sharp and Toshiba launch gadget recycling program

Panasonic, Sharp and Toshiba - the three of the biggest names in consumer electronics have launched a joint nationwide recycling program in the U.S. that allows consumers to return end-of-life gadgets at no cost for recycling.

Sharp, Toshiba and Panasonic began offering the program last week through their joint company, Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Co. (MRM). They are offering the program at 280 collection points in the US.

According to President of MRM, David Thompson, “the joint venture company has plans to envisage 400 collection points open by the end of 2009, rising to 800 by the end of 2011”.

Consumers can drop-off televisions, VCRs, computers, laptops, MP3 players, cell phones and other consumer electronics products produced by the three partners for no cost and most centers also accept products from other manufacturers, although there may be a cost for some products. That typically depends on if the state has a recycling law and if a manufacturer has contracted with MRM to handle its products.

Unlimited music from Nokia to Australia and Singapore

World's top mobile phone maker, Nokia, plans to roll out its unlimited music service in Australia and Singapore. The mobile maker is also eyeing further expansion in Europe and the United States.

According to Tero Ojanpera, the head of entertainment and communities at Nokia, "the next two countries which we are going to roll out in the next 10 weeks are going to be in Asia, in Australia and Singapore. We'll be launching there in the first quarter of 2009, in February and March."

Like any organization trying to sell music, Nokia needs to secure rights agreements with both the recorded music side of the business and the publishing side.

Nokia's tagline "Comes With Music" service offers unlimited music from the four major music labels and many independents. The music can be kept even after the yearly contract has expired.

The individual tracks can be downloaded to the phone and a single computer and are free, though the cost of the music is reflected in the price of the phone itself.

Watch Youtube Videos on Your Television

Now you can watch YouTube videos on your television screen. YouTube has partnered with Sony and Nintendo to bring YouTube videos for Television through PlayStation 3 and Wii respectively.

YouTube has configured a new website for television and it is currently available only through Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s PS3. The Web site is available globally in 22 localized sites and in more than 12 languages.

According to a promo, “YouTube for Television offers a dynamic, lean-back, 10-foot television viewing experience for Internet connected consoles”. YouTube has also simplified the experience by enlarging text and streamlining navigation to function better on the Wii and PlayStation 3's built-in Web browsers.

RIM alliances with Redington India for BlackBerry Distribution

The Canadian leader in wireless communications, RIM (Research In Motion) has partnered with Redington India to set up national retail distribution channels.

The motto of the alliance will be to strengthen market position as well as to increase the availability of RIM’s flagship product BlackBerry across India.

The current BlackBerry smartphones and service plans will be available via retail and modern trade outlets in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, NCR and Pune.

The alliance has even further plans to increase the retail supply of BlackBerry smartphones, which will increase the availability of the BlackBerry Pearl series, BlackBerry Curve series and BlackBerry Bold smartphones across India.

Witnessing the End of an Internet Era

Steve Jobs departure for health reasons comes some seven months after his rival Bill Gates retired from Microsoft.

The two culture-changing men were seen as leaders of rival camps:- personal computer lovers versus the cult of Macintosh computers.

The dueling technologies had faces at which people aimed praise of scorn. Gates was the PC. Jobs is the Macintosh.

According to historian Peter Friess, who is the president of The Tech Museum of Innovation in the Silicon Valley, “Jobs and Gates, both born in 1955, grew up during the socially rebellious 1960s and bear its mark”.

Gates and Jobs both dropped out of college to pursue dreams of building computers for people. While the first PCs and "Macs" were sold by Gates and Jobs before there was a Web to surf, the men led their respective companies to glory in the Internet Age.

In a rare joint appearance, Jobs and Gates reminisced on stage at an All Things Digital conference in California two years ago. The men joked that their rivalry was misunderstood.

Early this week, Jerry Yang, the very public face of Internet pioneer Yahoo Inc., was replaced as chief executive by Carol Bartz.

What could be the meaning of the retirement or departure of these technology icons? Are we witnessing the end of an Internet era??

Three more members to Satyam board

The government has appointed three more members to fraud hit Satyam board. The three new members are Tarun Das, S. Balakrishnan and T. N. Manoharan.

Tarun Das has been chief mentor of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), S. Balakrishnan is from Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and T. N. Manoharan is the the former president of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).

The government had last week appointed Deepak Parekh (HDFC chief), Kiran Karnik, former head of National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) and C. Achuthan, former presiding officer of Securities and Appellate Tribunal.

According to Deepak Parekh, the expanded six member board will meet on January 17.

Sony Ericsson launches PlayNow Kiosk - new mobile entertainment service

Sony Ericsson has launched a new service for mobile entertainment. Using this service handphone users in the Asia Pacific region can download the latest movies, TV series, games and music from its retail stores.

The new service called PlayNow Kiosk is limited to Sony Ericsson handphone users and is part of the firm's efforts to differentiate itself amid tougher competition due to the global economic crisis.

According to Sony Ericsson, “during the first phase of the launch, the service will be available at more than 80 Sony Ericsson stores in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia”.

The stores will feature a station where customers can plug in their phones, browse and download the latest movies within just three to four minutes for a fee.

Popular television series, games, ringtones and music, including more than 1,800 albums and 23,000 individual tracks, are available.

PlayNow Kiosk is expected to "create an opportunity for impulse buys and instant gratification" as the service is available in strategic places such as train stations.

KPMG and Deloitte - new auditors for Satyam Computer Services

The government appointed board for Satyam Computer Services has taken first step for survival of the company and has named new auditors.

KPMG and Deloitte were appointed as the new auditors. The new audit firms replace PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The Reserve Bank of India has sought details of banks' exposures to Satyam and other firms run by the founding family, including Maytas property companies.

Satyam's market value has dived to less than $450 million from more than $7 billion six months ago.

According to company affairs minister PC Gupta, "different possibilities" were being examined.

Carol Bartz appointed CEO of Yahoo Inc

Carol Bartz has been appointed CEO of Yahoo Inc. As CEO, Carol replaces Jerry Yang, who is one of the co-founder of Yahoo.

Yahoo's decision to bring in an outsider apparently irked its president, Susan Decker, who also was a candidate for the CEO job. Both Decker and Bartz are on Intel Corp.'s board of directors.
Bartz's track record indicates she will move quickly to build upon Yahoo's strengths while doing her best to shed the weaknesses.

Bartz spent nearly 17 years at Autodesk, which specializes in making design software for architects and engineers. She was the San Rafael-based company's CEO from 1992 until 2006, when she stepped aside to become executive chairman - a job that paid her a $500,000 salary.

While Bartz was CEO at Autodesk, the company's annual revenue increased from nearly $300 million to $1.5 billion.

Bartz had established her management chops in nine years at Sun Microsystems Inc., where she eventually became the No. 2 executive behind the server maker's then-CEO, Scott McNealy. She also has worked at Digital Equipment Corp. and 3M.

Yahoo also is far larger than Autodesk, with annual revenue of more than $7 billion and roughly 13,000 employees, nearly twice the size of Autodesk's work force.

Bartz also will have to coexist with Yang, who will play the role of "Chief, Yahoo" while remaining on the company's board. Those two also share a boardroom together as directors at Internet gear maker Cisco Systems Inc.

Bartz is known for a no-nonsense approach. Before graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1971 with a degree in computer science, Bartz was a cheerleader, homecoming queen and a cocktail waitress - a job that helped pay her college tuition.

China witnesses 298 million internet users

China has witnessed a fast-growing population of Internet users. The Internet users in China has risen to 298 million after passing the United States last year to become the world's largest.

According to China Internet Network Information Center, the latest figure is a 41.9 percent increase over the same period as compared to that of last year.

China's Internet penetration rate is still low, with just 22.6 percent of its population online, which leaves more room for rapid growth.

China's Internet use is growing at explosive rates despite government efforts to block access to material deemed subversive or pornographic. Regulators are in the middle of a crackdown on sites accused of carrying sexually explicit material.

However, the financial size of China's online market still trails that of United States, South Korea and few other countries.

According to research firm Nielsen Online, the United States had an estimated 223.1 million Internet users in June.

China is preparing to launch third generation mobile phone service, which supports wireless Web surfing- that is expected to set off a new surge in Internet use.

Wipro - Satyam - Megasoft - blacklisted by World Bank

The World Bank has said that it plans to publish in the future the names of all companies it bans from doing work with the poverty-fighting institution, and has immediately listed three Indian companies.

The Bank said the move aligns its disclosure practices for companies involved in wrongdoing that work on development projects financed by the World Bank and those that provide goods and services directly to the institution.

This change was made in order to maintain fairness and transparency. Until now, the World Bank has only published the names of debarred companies involved in Bank-financed projects, but has not listed blacklisted firms that receive direct contracts from the institution under its corporate procurement program.

There are currently three companies that have been debarred along with their affiliates under the Bank Group's corporate procurement program.

The bank has debarred Satyam Computer Services, India's fourth-largest software company, for eight years in September 2008, and Wipro Technologies, India's No. 3 software company, for four years in June 2007 both for "improper benefits to bank staff".

In addition, it has also barred India's Megasoft Consultants for four years in December 2007 for "participating in a joint venture with Bank staff while conducting business with the Bank".

All three companies were involved in different contracts and their debarments are not related. The World Bank has long been under pressure to step up its fight again fraud and corruption within the institution and in projects it finances in developing countries.

Satyam's chairman and founder Ramalinga Raju resigned last week after revealing years of accounting fraud in India's biggest corporate fraud. Raju admitted last week that about $1 billion, or 94 percent of the cash on the company's books was fictitious.

Deepak Parekh - Kiran Karnik - C Achuthan – First Three Board Members of Satyam Computers

Indian authorities have installed three prominent business leaders to run scandal-hit software giant Satyam Computers.

The government appointees replaced the company's own interim board of directors who took charge after Satyam founder and chairman B. Ramalinga Raju admitted that his company's accounts and assets had been falsified.

According to company affairs minister P.C. Gupta, “the new board would provide necessary vision and accountable leadership in this hour of crisis to restore credibility, customer confidence and employee morale”.

Gupta described Satyam as "a company of national and international fame" as he announced the first three new board members.

"It has many professionals on its roll who are amongst the best and the brightest in the world. It is therefore important to ensure continuity of the company”, he said.

Satyam, which has clients in 65 countries and 53,000 staff, has been on the investment list for several top Indian and global mutual funds but its future existence now looks bleak.

The Indian government has said the financial mismanagement at Satyam had "resulted in serious damage to the reputation of Indian corporate sector and the regulatory mechanism in the eyes of the world."

The new board members include Deepak Parekh, head of one of India's largest private banks, and Kiran Karnik, former chief of the National Association of Software and Service Companies. The third member of the new board is C. Achuthan, eminent lawyer and former boss of the Securities and Exchange Board of India, India's market regulator that is probing the billion-dollar scandal.

In his resignation letter Raju had written that heading the company as the deception grew was like riding a tiger, not knowing how to get off without being eaten.

Dell Introduces Ultraslim Adamo Laptop

Dell Inc, the world's second-largest maker of personal computers, introduced a 10-inch netbook which could be a possible competitor to Apple Inc's MacBook Air.

The new black laptop is called "Adamo," which means to fall in love with. The laptop has an ultraslim design that makes it easy to hold.

Dell said it would begin shipping Adamo in the first half of 2009 but declined to give any pricing info. According to Michael Tatelman, vice president of global consumer sales and marketing at Dell, “it won't be just a laptop, but a whole new brand name of luxury products”.

"There's things and products that you like, and there's things and products that you love. Adamo ... will be the new luxury franchise in the Dell brand lineup," said Tatelman.

The company did not reveal more specifications of the laptop, other than saying Adamo represented the best of Dell's craftsmanship, performance and design. More product details will be revealed at a later date and the product will ship this quarter.

Dell has also announced the Mini 10 netbook, which will include a 10-inch screen and a full-sized keyboard. It will also have some unique mobile features like GPS capabilities and a built-in TV tuner, which will allow users to watch broadcast TV on the go. The tuner supports certain standards in the U.S., Western Europe, Japan and China.

The netbook will be based on Intel's Atom Z-series processor and is scheduled for release in the next few months. Pricing information was not immediately available. Dell already offers Mini notebooks with 9-inch and 12-inch screens.

Sony announces Cyber-shot DSC-G3 : An Answer to iPhone and iPod Touch

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700 was released last year and it was the first digital camera to offer an on-board 4GB flash drive. Now the company has announced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The company has augmented the T700's integrated storage and basic specs with Wi-Fi capabilities and one-click access to photo-sharing sites.

Like the DSC-T700, the 10.1-megapixel with 4X-optical-zoom, Cyber-shot DSC-G3 will have a high-resolution touch screen that measures 3.5 inches diagonally, as well as 4GB of flash storage in addition to a Memory Stick slot. But the G3 also adds some new tricks to the mix, namely 802.11g Wi-Fi connectivity and integrated, one-click uploads to sharing sites such as Dailymotion, Picasa, Shutterfly and Youtube. Sony says that other photo and video-sharing sites are accessible via the G3's Web browser, and the company is open to create more one-click-upload partnerships in the future.

In addition to the mobile-upload capabilities, the G3 will have in-camera editing features that make the most of its huge LCD touch screen and 4GB flash storage, such as the ability to add your own digital tunes to the camera to create slide shows accompanied by music.

With a nice megapixel count, a slick and slim frame, a huge touch screen, Wi-Fi connectivity, and multimedia-playback capabilities, the DSC-G3 looks like an interesting rival to the iPod Touch and iPhone.

The device Cyber-shot DSC-G3 has been priced at $500.

Sony to launch lightest Notebook PC

Sony Corp has planned to launch the world's lightest 8-inch Notebook PC.

The new Sony Vaio PC will come with Microsoft Corp's Windows Vista operating system, supporting all the software programs found in full-sized notebooks, and sell for about $900, setting itself apart from Netbooks.

Pioneered by Taiwan's Asustek in 2007 and one of the rare bright spots in the electronics industry, Netbooks are generally described as low cost, mini-laptops optimized for Internet use, and sell typically for $300 to $400.

According to Sony the new notebook weighs around 1.4 pounds. It is as thin as a mobile phone, will be available at major retailers in the United States beginning February.

Satyam Scandal - Biggest Corporate Fraud of India

Satyam Computer Services, the country's fourth-largest software company, had served more than a third of the Fortune 500 companies in the past. There is plenty of humiliation to go around now that Satyam Computer Services has admitted to a huge fraud.

The Satyam fraud has been unraveling for some time now. First the World Bank denied to do business with the company as Satyam had stolen data and bribed bank officials. Then in December, Satyam’s investors revolted after the company proposed buying two firms with ties to Mr. Raju’s sons. Also several directors quit, and the founders suffered margin calls that forced them to sell stock.

The chairman, B. Ramalinga Raju, resigned on Wednesday (6th of January 2009) after revealing that he had systematically falsified accounts as the company expanded from a small firm to a large MNC.

Mr. Raju said that 50.4 billion rupees of the 53.6 billion rupees in cash and bank loans the company listed as assets for its second quarter were nonexistent. Revenue for the quarter was 20 percent lower than the 27 billion rupees and the company’s operating margin was a fraction of what was declared.

Mr. Raju said he sincerely apologized to shareholders and employees and asked them to stand by the company. “I am now prepared to subject myself to the laws of the land and face consequences thereof”, he said.

In the four-and-a-half page letter distributed by the Bombay stock exchange, Mr. Raju described a small discrepancy that grew beyond his control.

“What started as a marginal gap between actual operating profit and the one reflected in the books of accounts continued to grow over the years. It has attained unmanageable proportions as the size of company operations grew,” he wrote.

News of the scandal quickly sent jitters through the Indian stock market, and the benchmark Sensex index fell more than 5 percent. Shares in Satyam fell more than 70 percent.

Satyam trading in the New York Stock Exchange has been suspended indefinitely. The India Stock Exchange has also taken Satyam out of its Nifty Fifty stock index.

Satyam serves as the back office for some of the largest banks, manufacturers, health care and media companies in the world. Clients included General Electric, General Motors, Nestlé and the United States government. The revelations could cause a major shake-up in India’s enormous outsourcing industry and may force many large companies to investigate and perhaps revamp their back offices. It also spreads doubts over accounting standards in India as a whole.

The FIFA (Soccer) World Cups in South Africa in 2010 and 2014 in Brazil may need a new “official IT services provider as Satyam might not be able to meet its commitments.

The London-based World Council on Corporate Governance revoked the “Golden Peacock Global Award for Corporate Governance” it awarded the company in September.

Sony Electronics announces 15 new Camcorders

Sony Electronics seems to be one of the busiest companies at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The company has announced 15 new products in the camcorder category. The big additions in the new line of products include easy-to-use, pocketable camcorder which is YouTube-friendly.

Among the new home-video offerings are the company's first forays into flash-memory camcorders, with five new models that incorporate solid-state drives. Four of the five camcorders capture standard-definition only.

The other top tier products are the high-definition, hard-drive-based XR series, which will replace the AVCHD (Advanced Video Codec High Definition) Handycam SR10, Handycam SR11 and Handycam SR12 models. The SR line will live on, however, with three new standard-definition units.

The $200, MHS-CM1 Webbie HD has a miniature, camcorder-like shape and offers a 5X optical zoom, 5-megapixel stills, a MemoryStick slot, a 2.5-inch LCD screen, and Sony's Picture Motion Browser software embedded in the camcorder for clip management and easy uploads.

The $170, slightly more compact MHS-PM1 Webbie HD is "about the size of a BlackBerry. It offers a swiveling lens, captures 5-megapixel stills, and has Picture Motion Browser and a MemoryStick slot.

Both Webbie HD camcorders record high-definition MPEG-4 (H.264) video, and are available in silver, orange, and the goes-with-anything eggplant.

At $ 1500, Sony Handycam HDR-XR520V, packs a whopping 240GB hard drive, which the company says translates to 92 hours of footage captured at the lowest setting (7 mbps). The XR520V, as well as the other new camcorders in the XR series, maxes out at a 16-mbps bit rate for HD footage. The XR520V also has Sony's new back-illuminated Exmor-R CMOS sensor, which offers better low-light footage, as well as a built-in GPS receiver that geotags photos and video and automatically updates the camcorder's clock based on the time zone. The XR520V captures 1920-by-1080 high-definition video and 12-megapixel stills.

The Handycam HDR-XR500V (priced at $1300) has the same specs as the XR520V but holds a 120GB hard drive that stores 46 hours of footage at the lowest bit rate. The XR500V and the XR520V are Sony's first consumer camcorders to use the six-blade-aperture G Lens found on the company's professional HDR-FX1000 camcorder, which reduces light refraction and captures background lights with more clarity.

The new hard-drive-based XR series are two other models. The HDR-XR200V (priced $1000) is a 120GB camcorder that has a 15X optical Carl Zeiss zoom lens, captures 1920-by-1080 HD video, shoots 4-megapixel stills, sports built-in GPS, and offers Smile Shutter and face detection.
The HDR-XR100 (priced at $750) provides an 80GB hard drive, a 10X optical Carl Zeiss zoom lens, 1920-by-1080 HD video, 4-megapixel stills, and Smile Shutter and face detection, but no built-in GPS.

All of the new XR camcorders also offer Sony's Optical Steady Shot stabilization, which the company says has a much wider ranger of lens shift to compensate for shaky hands. According to Sony, the new Optical Steady Shot system has ten times more correction angle than its current Handycams do.

The only flash-based high definition camcorder is the 8GB Sony Handycam HDR-CX100, which captures more than 3 hours of 1920-by-1080 HD video, shoots 4-megapixel stills, and offers ‘point and shoot camera’ style features such as Smile Shutter and face recognition. The CX100, also has a 10X optical Carl Zeiss zoom lens.

On the standard-definition horizon are the Sony Handycam DCR-SX60 (16GB flash drive, $400), DCR-SX41 (8GB flash drive, $330), and DCR-SX40 (4GB flash drive, $300), all of which have an impressive 60X optical Carl Zeiss zoom lens.

In addition, there are three new SX-series cameras which offer expandable storage by way of a Memory Stick slot, as well as a 2.7-inch touch-screen LCD.

The DCR-SX60 holds up to 10 hours of standard-definition video in LP mode, the DCR-SX41 holds up to 5 hours, and the DCR-SX40 holds up to 2.5 hours. However, while the DCR-SX60 offers Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization, the DCR-SX41 and DCR-SX40 do not--something to think about, given the whopping 60X optical-zoom range.

Also in the arsenal of Sony is a flash-storage camcorder, Handycam DCR-DVD850 (priced at $430), a standard-definition "hybrid" camcorder that records to three different storage media: mini-DVD, Memory Stick, and a 16GB flash drive, which stores about 10 hours of video in LP mode. The DCR-DVD850 also features a 60X optical Carl Zeiss zoom lens, plus Super SteadyShot optical stabilization and a 2.7-inch-diagonal touch-screen LCD.

Asus Unveils Eee PC T91 Netbook With Touchscreen

Asus is one of those companies that always manage to come up with new ideas. So there is no surprise that the trailblazing PC maker is once again, showing off a number of new laptops at CES. Among them are an ultraportable that runs like a race car (Lamborghini VX5), a tablet PC (Eee PC T91), and an even slimmer, sleeker netbook.

Asus has unveiled its latest Eee PC T91 netbook, with an 8.9-inch touchscreen that swivels and can even fold down to convert the device into a tablet PC.

The new touchscreen Eee PC, the T91, boasts an 8.9-inch touchscreen that swivels. Think of it as a touch-screen variant of the 8.9-inch, 901-series models that broke out on the scene in 2008. This hybrid netbook operates the same way as full-blown convertible laptops do, offering a screen capable of rotating 180 degrees. The T91 will offer built-in GPS functionality, a TV tuner, and an FM transmitter. It has the potential to be one well-rounded, affordable, portable entertainer.

The company developed its own touch mode software at research and development centers in Taiwan and China.

The T91 also comes with a TV tuner so people can watch their favorite shows on the road, and GPS (global positioning system) technology to transform the netbook into a navigation device.

Netbooks are miniaturized notebooks about two-thirds the size of a normal laptop that have become popular for mobile computing and Internet use. The devices are designed with less powerful chips and other components so they're more battery efficient, cost less and usually weigh just a few kilograms.

It is expected that Eee PC T91 will be available in the market in the next three months, while the pricing information is not yet revealed.

Google releases Picasa for Mac software

Google has released a public beta of its Picasa for Mac desktop software. Users can organize, edit and upload photos. The software, which runs on Intel Macs with OS X 10.4 or later. This is first time when Picasa has been offered for the Mac.

The free Picasa software is designed to help you organize your photos, regardless of where they reside on your computer. It imports photos from iPhoto library and other folders on your Mac, including external hard drives.

It also includes many editing tools, such as those for straightening, text generation, create collages, and removing red eye, as well as Photoshop-like effects and adjustments.

According to Jason Cook, product marketing manager for Picasa, it is an effort so that people can make their photos look better.

Picasa for Mac integrates with Google's Picasa Web Albums online photo-sharing service, which Mac users have had access to previously using Google's iPhoto plug-in or the standalone uploader application. Using Picasa, one can keep local and online photos in sync and share photos easily with those in a Gmail address book.

Picasa includes many other features too. For example, a slideshow movie maker with one-click YouTube uploading.

LG Electronics to introduce Broadband HDTV with Netflix

LG Electronics has announced the first TVs with built-in Netflix video streaming to market a broadband-enabled high-definition TV to build a bridge between the Internet and the television set.

LG and Netflix have said that the plasma and liquid-crystal display (LCD) Broadband HDTVs will be on display at the Consumer Electronics Show.

The LG HDTV sets are broadband-enabled and contain Netflix streaming software.

The LG HDTV will not allow users to surf the Internet through their TV set but it does away with the need for a set-top box, video-game console or other device to access shows online from Netflix.

The new models from LG, including both LCD and plasma, have an Ethernet connection, do not require an external device, and allow Netflix members to watch streaming movies.

Netflix has more than eight million subscribers. It started out by delivering DVDs of movies in the mail and now has moved increasingly to streaming content directly over the Web to televisions or PCs.

Netflix offers more than 100,000 movies via mailed DVDs and a growing collection of more than 12,000 titles are available for instant streaming.

The new LG HDTVs will use a broadband connection and Queue-based user interface to stream content.

Viewers can use the TV remote control to make their selections and can fast-forward and rewind the video.

Nothing has been revealed about the cost of the new Broadband HDTV.

Lenovo brings IdeaCentre A600 with Wii functionality

Lenovo has announced an all-in-one PC with a remote control that doubles as a motion-based gaming controller.

The all-in-one IdeaCentre A600 combines a monitor and CPU in a thin system. It will be on display at the Consumer Electronics Show from January 8 to 11 in Las Vegas.

Its wireless remote control is similar to that of Nintendo Wii, which allows users to interact with a video game by waving or pointing the game controller. Using motion-sensing technology, the Wii Remote becomes a racket when swinging during a tennis game, or a weapon when playing a fighting game.

The company is bundling some motion-based games with the PC to use with the remote-based gaming controller.

Lenovo is trying to capitalize on the trend of entertainment options merging into the PC. Few are able to play motion-based games, which could make this motion-based game controller a pioneer.

In addition to controlling TV functions and video recordings on the PC, the remote control can also be used as an air mouse that moves the mouse pointer when waved. It has some advantages over a conventional mouse - it can function without being on a surface and be used at a distance.

If the air mouse wasn't enough, the remote also works as a VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) handset. If you have telephony software on your PC like Windows Live or Skype, you can use your remote to make those phone calls because it essentially can act as a phone.

The desktop has a 21.5-inch screen that supports 1920 X 1280-pixel resolution for high-definition video playback. It runs on Intel Pentium Dual Core or Core 2 Duo mobile processors, supports up to 4GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. It includes Wi-Fi wireless networking and runs on the Windows Vista OS.

Options include the remote control, Blu-ray DVD player, a TV tuner and a Advanced Micro Devices' ATI graphics card.

The desktop is part of a new portfolio of entertainment PCs that Lenovo plans to show at CES.
The company is also rolling out a new laptop line, the IdeaPad Y series, which is targeted at mainstream users looking to create and view multimedia content. Lenovo has added features that can make watching movies an easier and enjoyable experience.

The IdeaPad Y series laptops come with screens ranging from 14 to 16 inches, run on Intel Core 2 Duo processors and include Windows Vista. The weight of the laptops ranges from 4.6 pounds to 6 pounds.

The IdeaCentre A600 starts at a price of 999USD. The desktop will be available worldwide by the beginning of March.

7mm Thick LCD TV from Samsung at Consumer Electronics Show

Samsung Electronics is going to unveil a flat-panel TV which is just 6.5 millimeters thick. The company will unveil the product at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The TV set is between 6.5mm and 7mm across its width and has an LED backlight.

The backlight sits behind the LCD panel and generates the light that shines through it to allow the image to be seen. Most LCD panels use thicker backlights that make use of fluorescent lights but LEDs are fast finding favor with TV makers for their thinness and better overall light.

If the demonstrations are to be believed then he Samsung TV stands to be the thinnest LCD TV at present.

Until now that record was held by Philips, which unveiled an 8mm prototype LCD television at the IFA electronics show in Berlin last year. At the same event Sony took the wraps off a 9.9mm set that has already gone on sale and fortunately that happens to be the thinnest LCD TV available in retail stores.

Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas begins on Thursday. Samsung has scheduled a news conference at which the TV set is expected to be first shown.

Even thinner TVs based on a newer screen technology called OLED (organic light emitting diode) are also expected to be on show at CES. Sony used last year's CES to launch the first commercial OLED TV into the U.S. market and no manufacturer has yet to follow-up the 11-inch XEL-1 with a competitor.

Get ready for Bluetooth wireless Web cam

Here comes the Bluetooth wireless Web cam. Ecamm Network has introduced BT-1 Bluetooth wireless Web cam. According to Ecamm Network, it is the world's first such device. BT-1 is Mac compatible and will cost $149.99. The device is expected to ship in March.

According to Ecamm, the BT-1 streams H.264-encoded video at 640-by-480-pixel resolution, and AAC-encoded audio at 48 kHz. It measures 2 inches by 2 1/2 inches by 5/8 inches, and sports a standard tripod mount. The device works with iChat, Skype, and other applications.

The BT-1 includes a flexible mini-tripod through which one can adjust camera position, pan, and tilt, along with a USB cable for recharging its battery.

The Web cam requires OS X 10.5 Leopard or later and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR or better.

Ecamm plans to show the Web cam at Macworld Expo in San Francisco next week.

LG Electronics alliances with YouTube and CinemaNow

LG Electronics has announced new alliances for its Network Blu-ray Disc Players. The company is now adding CinemaNow and YouTube to its lineup.

Netflix was LG's first partner on the instant-streaming front. In fact, LG was the first manufacturer to stream movies instantly from Netflix on a Network Blu-ray Disc Player. By adding CinemaNow's library of TV shows and videos - and YouTube's viral video community, LG is trying to boost the sale of its new Blu-ray products at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

According to Tim Alessi, LG's director of product development, millions of U.S. consumers view and download movies or TV shows through the Internet, and they are demanding easier ways to access content and more home-entertainment options.

From Blu-ray to instant streaming, from Netflix to CinemaNow and YouTube, LG is bridging the gap between packaged media and video-on-demand services to provide entertainment solutions for consumers' demand for content.