Laptops, smartphones preferred over tablets for accessing Net

Laptops and smartphones are preferred over tablet PCs when it comes to access the Internet, a survey by global consultancy firm Deloitte has said.

"69 per cent of the respondents say that they use laptops to access Internet, while 64 per cent use their smartphones. Interestingly, only 24 per cent use tablets to access the Net," an online survey conducted by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited said.

The survey was conducted among 2,000 consumers in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune and Ahmedabad.

"About 60 per cent of smartphone users say they use the mobile network for data access. As for laptop users, about 80 per cent of them access the Internet through fixed broadband, the survey added.

The survey said despite availability of data plans providing Internet access to mobile users, a significant portion of traffic from mobile devices has moved to Wi-Fi connections.

However, mobile network remains the key connectivity channel for smartphones users, it said.

Deloitte said data is one of the main reasons for a 'bill shock' among consumers.

"More than 60 per cent of the respondents say that there have been times when their bills have been higher than what they expected over the past 12 months," it said.

Data is followed by roaming charges for a bill shock among 46 per cent respondents, while 33 per cent respondents say it is due to exceeding call allowances and 32 per cent said its because of exceeding their mobile Internet usage allowance.

"Deloitte sees that reduction in roaming charges lately will further tilt the trend towards data. Competition and a saturated mobile voice market has forced operators to offer very competitive capped data packages, which has led to affordability of data plans," it added.

For purchasing a smartphone, battery life remains the top influencing factor in consumers' mind, followed by design, reliability, brand, operating system and camera quality.

As for tablets, brand is the most important factor, followed by reliability of the device, operating system, battery life and design.

Lying in your resume is good business

Thomas, Pickford & Thomas is an equity firm that specializes in oil and gas. It is based in Austin, Texas and was founded by Gary and Michael Thomas, who have several years of Wall Street experience.

The Daily Dot's Aaron Sankin writes, "I spent three years as a staff accountant at Thomas, Pickford & Thomas... The firm's philosophy, as listed on its website, is 'based on the premise that companies that generate a high return on equity on a consistent basis generally achieve an above average share price appreciation over time.' Jack Ford, my supervisor there, will have no problem verifying any of that for you."

There's a catch, of course. Sankin never worked there. He is not an accountant. "Everything about the firm, from its website to Mr Ford, is part of a career services package I purchased on the internet - for a mere $150. And it's shockingly effective," writes Sankin.

Thomas, Pickford & Thomas does not exist. Its website is fake. Rob Ford, the man who would talk to background-checkers for HR departments, is a phony. The entire setup is a package offered by a company called CareerExcuse.com.

"For a small fee, CareerExcuse. com promises to not only craft an elaborate lie based on your exact job specifications but to see it through for as long as necessary. The site will provide a live HR operator and staged supervisor, along with building and hosting a virtual company website - complete with a local phone number and toll-free fax. CareerExcuse will even go so far as to make the fake business show up on Google Maps," writes Sankin.

Career Excuse was started in 2009 by William Schmidt, after he was let go from his job at the height of the recession. When some of his unemployed co-workers asked him to act as a reference, he realized he was on to something big.

Within the first 24 hours of launching the CareerExcuse.com site, Schmidt received many orders for his services."Yes, there's a moral issue in fibbing on your resume to land a job, but that's for people to deal with themselves," he says.

"In today's environment with rampant unemployment, everyone's looking for an edge. Our service just gets them the interview." Schmidt is not the only one. In the past few years, the fake company industry has boomed, with companies like AlibiHQ.com joining the fray.

And it's getting even more sophisticated - and lucrative.

6 games with a difference

Not all computer games are about gratuitous violence, wizards, wars and car races. A new breed of developers is creating offerings that not only entertain, but also inform and educate you about environmental, social, and political issues. And the best part is that they are free to play ...


Collapsus

Collapsus is a hybrid multimedia presentation that melds a documentary-like storyline with video footage, animation and mini games. This free-to-play offering revolves around the planet's energy crisis.

The story is set in a fictional world that's making its transition from fossil fuels to renewable resources. As part of the teething problems, cities start facing blackouts as they try hard to cope with the change. The game is played out on a single web page, and takes the form of a short film; as the story progresses, news items, games and videos get unlocked.

Players need to click and explore the game's interface to understand the crises at hand and get a better understanding of what's unfolding before them. Collapsus boasts great production value and a pacey narrative, guaranteeing a fun-filled , yet educational experience. www.collapsus.com


Bioharmonious

While we marvel at all the advancements man has made over the decades, our planet has also undergone tremendous change. However, we seldom notice ecological shifts - or realise that after-effects are usually felt several years down the line.

Bioharmonious tries to educate players on the precarious and unavoidable balance that needs to be maintained between 'manmade' and 'natural' elements.
In the game, you're presented with two planets - one is natural with a diverse ecosystem, while the other is artificially created, with polluting machinery. Both planets are dying because the original planet's survival is linked to the manufactured planet's continued existence... and vice-versa .

You play as one of the scientists entrusted with the task of saving both ecosystems. And you get just six minutes to do that. Depending on how you decide to restore harmony between the two, the game will end in six different ways.

Bioharmonious takes the fantasy route to demonstrate how our existence on planet Earth is indelibly linked to its natural resources. artworksforchange.org/bioharmonious


Half the Sky Movement

HtSM is a Facebook game that raises awareness about the problems that women face around the world. You play as Radhika, an Indian woman; sharing her journey as she completes quests and creates opportunities for herself, her family, and her community.

In the course of the game, you travel to Kenya, Afghanistan, Vietnam, and the US, eventually becoming a role-model for women worldwide. All the stories in this game, its developers say, are based on real-life examples of the work that is being done by seven organizations: The Fistula Foundation, GEMS, Heifer International, ONE, Room to Read, The United Nations Foundation, and World Vision. And each quest requires your character to make a series of decisions in order to achieve her goal.

At the end of each level, you are presented with an opportunity to get involved with issues you've just experienced - through direct donations towards causes, surgeries, donating books and more. As of November 2013, Half the Sky welcomed its one millionth player; has received over two lakh book donations, and contributions amounting to over 2 crore. www.facebook.com/halfthegame


Nation States

It's election time and almost all of us have an opinion on how the country should be run. This text-based game gives you a chance to build a nation, and run it according to your own ideologies.

Depending on how often you choose to play each week, you are presented with a number of pressing issues that require decisions. These can range from 'making voting compulsory' to 'censoring certain books' . Each issue comes with a number of options, and you have to decide how your government will act. The choices you make, will ultimately affect how your country shapes up.

Nation States lets you interact with other countries; join international groups where decisions are not made by you alone, but by ballot. The game not only forces you to think about where you stand on certain critical issues, but it also teaches you that things are usually not as simple as they seem. www.nationstates.net



Data Dealer

Be careful with whom you share your personal information. In Data Dealer, you'll learn how e-mail addresses, phone numbers, medical records, and social account profiles, can be obtained and sold for profit.

In the game, you play an unscrupulous character who owns a database that needs to be replenished continuously by floating online contests, dating websites and loyalty cards. You can bribe a disgruntled hospital employee to gain some medical records, which can then be sold to insurance companies. Buyers of your database could even be government agencies. Insidious, isn't it? Well, it doesn't end there; while you manage your shady dealings, there is the constant threat of getting hacked or being crippled by privacy activists and angry citizens.

This light-hearted game uncovers the darker side of online registration pages and forms we come across everyday. The next time you are asked for your personal details in exchange for a small gift or discount, think again. datadealer.com




Plague Inc

This one is a strategy game, but definitely unlike anything you've ever played before. Plague Inc is a race against time - only here, you're not saving the world; you're working against it. Your aim: To create a new disease that infects and obliterates humans before medical science can find a cure.

Gameplay involves creating a pathogen and then placing it anywhere on the map of the world. As the game progresses, you can collect DNA points to 'upgrade' your virus, making it more contagious and fatal. How your disease spreads depends on the choices you make: Developed countries are harder to infect. On the other hand, they have airports and seaports that can help in spreading your disease. Then, the country's climate, neighbours and resources play a big role too. All of these are real variables that determine the spread of any epidemic.

The game is addictive and educational. You learn about the effects of heat and cold on disease, the importance of medical research, how pathogens evolve; giving you a superb idea of how untreated diseases can grow to pandemic proportions. And it's scary. Very scary. Android | Free,iOS | 55

7 weird gadgets for techies

It's tough to shop for techies. They already own everything with a plug or rechargeable battery. But fear not, a slew of unique technology gifts have hit the market just in time for Christmas. 

Here's a roundup of some of the season's most offbeat offerings. While these items may seem a bit wacky and bizarre, it's doubtful that the tech enthusiasts in your life own anything similar.

Call Me Gloves, Hammacher Schlemmer

Price: $80

These winter gloves let you wirelessly connect to your smartphone by making the universal "call me" sign. That is, by holding your thumb to your ear, pointing your pinkie finger toward your mouth and folding the rest of your fingers in to make the shape of a phone.

The left glove has a speaker in the thumb and a microphone in the pinkie. Buttons on the glove's cuff let you answer and end calls. There also are conductive fibers woven into the tips of both thumbs and index fingers so you can text and Web surf on a smartphone or tablet without taking the gloves off.

You'll get 12 hours of talk time out of the battery, but you'll need more time than that to convince onlookers you're not crazy.

Egg Minder, Quirky.com

Price: $70

Nobody likes a bad egg. This gadget wirelessly connects to your smartphone to make sure you don't eat one. LED lights show you which eggs in the tray are the oldest and the app's push notifications let you know when you're running low, preventing a last-minute scramble at breakfast time.

Plush Toast Wireless Speaker, ThinkGeek

Price: $40

Speaking of breakfast, does the person you're shopping for like toast? I mean, really like toast? If so, then this tablet holder and speaker might be right for them.

Most tablets fit and plug into this rechargeable device. You can listen to music that way, or connect it to your smartphone or iPod via Bluetooth. Its plush exterior makes it as cuddly as a teddy bear. It's sure to please both day old bread enthusiasts and small children.

Scout1 Wi-Fi Pet Monitor, Motorola Mobility

Price: $300

This product, sold exclusively through PetSmart, you keep an eye on Felix or Snoopy while you're away. In addition to viewing furry friends remotely, users can pan, tilt and zoom cameras through their smartphone, tablet or desktop computer.

There's also two-way audio to allow remote conversations between you and your pet, infrared night vision, temperature monitoring and the ability to take snapshots and record video, just in case Fido does something especially cute.

Does Rover like to roam? If so, you can connect and view up to four cameras in multiple rooms.

Personal Submarine, Hammacher Schlemmer

Price: $2 million

If Santa has some extra cash he can buy this two-person submersible that can reach depths of 1,000 feet. The sub's transparent acrylic dome keeps adventurers safe and dry as they channel Jacques Cousteau and Jules Verne.

The sub is powered by battery packs that can supply up to six hours of travel and a maximum speed of three knots. It's also equipped with four external 150-watt quart-halogen lamps to light up the underwater landscape, along with a xenon strobe light and RF beacon alerts to let others know your location.

There's a bit of a learning curve when it comes to piloting these vehicles, so training is included.

Pop Dongle by Pop Secret, eBay auction

Price: To be determined

Does the person you're shopping for find smartphone games a little dry? Well the folks at Pop Secret think the key to jazzing things up lies in adding butter, or in this case, a buttery smell.

The Pop Dongle is part of an iPhone game created by the popcorn maker. It plugs into your iPhone's earphone jack and when you slather pieces of popcorn with butter in the on-screen game the dongle releases a buttered-popcorn scent.

There's nothing fancy about the game. The scent itself hangs in the air and after a while you can't really tell when the dongle is releasing it.

You won't find these in stores. The only dongles available to the public are being auctioned on eBay. The money goes to the Red Cross. The first sold earlier this month for $315. At last check, bidding on the second was up to $152.50 in an auction set to close on Monday.

The third will be auctioned off in bidding that ends on January 2.

Zombie apocalypse supplies, Larson Electronics

Price: Various prices

Everybody needs to be prepared for the day that zombies take over the earth, right? Larson Electronics, which makes heavy duty and industrial lighting, has a collection of products designed for just that.

Offerings include a high-intensity discharge spotlight capable of reaching distances of over 5,000 feet--just what you need to let you know walkers are approaching. There's also a solar-powered LED beacon for signaling other survivors and universal handcuff keys to help you escape from unfriendly members of the living.

IT sector bets big on SCAM in 2014

The $110-billion technology services sector looking for new growth engines will be shouting SCAM in 2014. A trend that started a few years back, albeit in silos, social networking, cloud services, analytics and mobile computing, or SCAM, is now converging and will collectively account for 89% of new technology spending growth in 2014, says research firm IDC.

Industry experts from IT services players such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro as well as analysts see SCAM as not just another opportunity but one that fundamentally changes how computing is done. "From the mainframe era, we came to mini-computing, client-server and web. While aspects of SCAM have been around, there's an overall shift in how users access information, work and entertain themselves. They're now using mobile devices and companies want solutions that cut across the SCAM areas. In 2014 this will be a big focus area," says a business head of a top-five services companies who wished not to be named because his firm is in a silent period prior to the third quarter results.

Nexus of forces
For instance, a combination of the four services was in play for the first time at this year's US Open tennis tournament. IBM, the technology partner for the US Tennis Association for the past two decades, used analytics, cloud services, mobile and social technologies to bring the 2013 US Open to tennis fans. The IBM-enabled digital US Open offered fans, players, broadcasters and media with access — via tablets and smartphones — to a range of data insights, including player stats, videos, live scoring, and historical and real-time analysis of tennis data like, a player's winning chances based on past performance.

Research and analyst firm Gartner calls SCAM a 'nexus of forces'. Gartner expects SCAM business to be worth $104 billion, contributing about a fourth of business software revenue by 2017, up from about 10% at present. Says Naveen Mishra, research director, Gartner India: "Companies will rejig portfolios around SCAM. While the shift to SCAM has been happening for the past three to four years, the business opportunity is becoming real and bigger due to adoption of smartphones and mobile internet usage."

Globally, by 2015 there will be 5 billion mobile devices, and mobile app revenues alone will be $52 billion. Social media will have 1.5 billion users globally. That alone will be a $34-billion opportunity. Mishra believes customers from Fortune 500 to even smaller global companies will outsource business to IT services players to extract value from convergence of mobile, cloud, social media, information and analytics.

On cloud nine
N Chandrasekaran, managing director and CEO at TCS, the country's largest technology services provider, terms SCAM as "digital forces". "Social, cloud, analytics with big data and mobile are interlinked. Mobile computing is powerful because of cloud. Without cloud, mobile will have limited storage and memory. Without cloud services, social has no meaning. Without social, big data is small data and without big data there's less of analytics. So, we can't say one is bigger than the other. They are all linked to each other."

The SCAM opportunity which has been largely peripheral till now will become mainstream in 2014. According to a recent Gartner statement, "Technology providers must realize that the disruptive forces of cloud, information, mobile and social will reach mainstream status in 2014 and create new technology requirements, drive new purchasing and establish new competitive realities."

Chandrasekaran adds that 2014-15 will be better than the current fiscal year for the technology services industry. Much of that optimism comes from new demand for services arising out of SCAM.

IDC sees mobile, cloud services, social networking, big data and analytics help drive a 5% jump in global technology spending in 2014 to $2.1 trillion. Says Mishra: "It will transform business models of IT services companies. In a bid to acquire skills in the space, services providers will be looking for buyouts."

For instance, Wipro acquired a stake in data analytics firm Opera Solutions in May this year. He adds: "Large companies like Wipro, Tech Mahindra and TCS are in a better position to seize the opportunity. The small companies are too focussed on old models. They can look at partnerships with analytics or cloud firms to tap into the opportunity."

New vs old
However, large companies are not giving up on their existing models. Explains Chandrasekaran: "Why should one give up a successful model? New opportunities like the digital forces will run parallel to existing business."

Adds Sanjay Purohit, global head, products, platforms and solutions, Infosys: "Enterprise cloud will gather speed. We see a 10% increase in the number of enterprises using at least one cloud platform, while analytics will progress beyond establishing obvious relationships among data to uncover new and unexpected correlations. On the mobility front, enterprises must consider mobile application management as well."

According to Ankita Somani, IT analyst at Angel Broking, for large services providers like TCS, the SCAM portfolio accounts for less than 5% of the total business at present but "2014 demand looks good in these areas. A focus on SCAM will help improve both volume growth and margins."

While global companies — from banks to pizza outlets — seek to strengthen SCAM services to know better what the customer wants, IT companies see it not only as a new business opportunity but one that de-risks dependence on traditional backoffice maintenance and systems integration services.

Galaxy Grand 2's India launch date, price leaked

Within a fortnight of launching the Galaxy Duos 2, Samsung is set to unveil its Galaxy Grand 2 phablet in India. The device is the successor to the Galaxy Grand that was launched earlier this year and was a big hit in the country. It has a larger screen, more RAM and bigger battery than its predecessor.

The company will unveil the handset at an event in Mumbai on December 23. It is running a promotion #EverydayGrand campaign on Twitter ahead of the device's launch. Media reports suggest that the model will be priced between Rs 19,000 and Rs 21,000.

The all-new Galaxy Grand 2 has a 5.25-inch HD screen and 1.2GHz quad-core processor. It comes with 8GB internal storage, up to 64GB microSD card support and 1.5GB RAM. On the back, it has an 8MP camera with LED flash and sports a 1.9MP camera in front.

Connectivity suite of Galaxy Grand 2 includes 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB 2.0. It is powered by a 2,600mAh battery and the company claims that it can provide talk time of 17 hours. The phone will be available in white, black and pink colours in the market.

Some of the proprietary apps that come preinstalled in Galaxy Grand 2 are Story Album, S Translator, S Travel, Sound & Shot, Samsung Hub, Samsung Link and Group Play.

This phablet will compete against the likes of Sony Xperia C, LG G Pro Lite and Micromax Canvas Turbo, along with its sibling Galaxy Grand Duos.