Corporation website shut after Tech Mahindra claims failure in payment for services

NEW DELHI: All citizen-centric services provided by the three municipal corporations were hit on Thursday after Tech Mahindra, IT company engaged in civic agencies' e-governance project, decided to withdraw technical support resulting in complete shutdown of the website. According to Tech Mahindra, the civic agencies had not paid them for their services. But by Thursday evening, a consensus was reached and the services were made operational.

The services were shut from October 1 to October 3. "Shutting down of services will adversely affect the functioning of the civic agency,'' said an official. Services like licensing, booking of parks and community halls, online payment of property tax and others were badly hit.

Samsung overtakes Google in 2013 Most Innovative Companies list, Apple still on top

Every year Boston Consulting Group makes a list of the most innovative companies and for 2013 Samsung has beaten Google and has taken its second spot. This leaves Google in third position, after maintaining the second spot for seven consecutive years since 2006.

Apple is sitting on the top of the list for ninth year in a row, which is quite impressive. Nevertheless, the consultancy company points out that Samsung has impressed it with its “leadership commitment” and the work the company’s chairman Lee Kun-hee has done.

The consultancy goes further:

This reputation has become global in recent years as the company has moved from innovative success to success. Samsung has vaulted up the ranking in our survey from number 28 in 2008 to second place this year.

An integral part of determining the results of the report is a survey of 1,500 senior executives. They’re asked to name a company outside of their industry that they think is the most innovative.

In comparison, Samsung’s biggest domestic rival LG stands at 25th place.

vMicrosoft too slow on phones, admits boss Steve Ballmer

Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer, who has announced he will be stepping down, admitted his company was too slow to react to the smartphone era.

The chief executive was talking to an audience of Wall Street investors and analysts.

He blamed a focus on developing its Windows operating system for letting mobile opportunities slip by.

However, he said the company now has significant opportunities in the market.

The firm has recently purchased the mobile phone unit of Nokia, a move that will allow it to speed up development on its Windows Phone platform.

The market is currently dominated by products from Apple, with its iPhone and iPad, and Google's Android platform which is used by many manufacturers such as Samsung and LG to power their devices

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Steve Ballmer's successor has not yet been announced

Josh Mobiles unveils ‘Josh Feather’

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Josh Mobiles, India's very own electronic company that has been breaking all the boundaries in the Mobile category, adds another feather to the existing range by unveiling its latest ‘Josh Feather'. An ideal phone for all those who wants things at one go!

Today's youth have been demanding devices that integrate their communication needs and has diverse capabilities. Keeping the basic utility of consumers in mind Josh Feather is a multi-functional gadget that is multi - functional utilized for seeking directions, social networking, checking mails and much more that one desires for.

To begin with Josh Feather boasts a large 3.2 inch full touch display that's ultra smooth and responsive at the same time, elevating the user experience. It houses a 2MP Camera, which allows the users to enjoy the insta click moments. The dual-SIM running phone's memory is expandable upto 8GB via micro SD slot.

The Gaming Zone @ Feather is loaded with ‘Sokoban' and many more pre -installed games. Coupled with this is the special app ‘ebuddy' which allows Instant Messaging service and Social Media networks for those who are always on go!

A special addition to Josh Feather being ‘Dual language' which supports both Hindi and English enhancing the user experience and preferences, also packed along is the wireless FM feature allowing you to listen to your favorites at work as well.

Rounding up the package is a 1450mAh battery that shall give up to 3.5 hours of talk time and three to five days of standby time.

This stunning design and features of Josh Feather caters to every segment in the market. Priced attractively at Rs. 2,299/- surely makes it an irresistible buy.

First look: Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Samsung is giving its latest Galaxy Note smartphone a stylish makeover. 

The Galaxy note 3 has a soft, leather-like back. It feels like you're holding a fancy leather-bound journal. Grooves on the side of the big-screen phone make it easier to grip.

But I found the new phone to be complicated to use. There's too much going on. Between Scrapbook, My Magazine, Air Command and dozens of other functions, it might take even the most experienced smartphone user several hours to figure out.

I tested out the Note 3 for about 45 minutes Wednesday at a Samsung press event in a New York hotel. The company also unveiled its next tablet, the Galaxy Note 10.1, which is basically an extra-large version of the Galaxy phone, but without the cellular service. The phone and its pen were both tied down to a table with a security device, so I was hampered testing it out. A colleague spent several minutes with the tablet and was likewise hampered.

But I saw enough of the Note 3 to at least like its look and feel.

With its leather-like back and the stitching around it, the phone feels expensive and well made in my hands. The soft back can be snapped off the phone to reveal the battery. Samsung will sell replaceable back covers in several different colors, but the phone itself will come in just three: black, white or pink.

Outgoing Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer regrets lapse in mobile phones market

I regret that there was a period in the early 2000s when we were so focused on what we had to do around Windows that we weren't able to redeploy talent to the new device called the phone," Ballmer said.

Outgoing Microsoft CEO said Thursday his biggest regret is missing the boat on smartphones -- but he said the software giant should not admit defeat just yet.

"I regret that there was a period in the early 2000s when we were so focused on what we had to do around Windows that we weren't able to redeploy talent to the new device called the phone," Ballmer said in a conference with analysts.

"That is thing I regret the most," he repeated, adding "It would have been better for Windows and our success in other foreign factors."

The smartphone and tablet computer market is currently dominated by Apple's iPhone and iPad and by devices powered by Google's Android operating system.

Mobile phones to help civic body collect waste efficiently

Mayor S.M.Velusamy launching a mobile application to monitor garbage bin collection in the city on Tuesday. Corporation Commissioner G. Latha is in the picture. Photo: K. Ananthan

The Coimbatore Corporation on Tuesday launched a waste collection system based on the use of mobile phones to ensure efficacy.

Under the new system, the Corporation has numbered each of the 3,400-odd bins in the city and also provided the mobile phone number of the sanitary supervisor of the ward concerned and the mobile phone number for grievance redressal.

The time and frequency of cleaning will also be mentioned on the bin.

The Corporation had also developed an android-based mobile application to ensure efficacy in removing and transporting the garbage.

The civic body provided the application-installed android mobile phones to sanitary supervisors, who will have to go to the bin at the scheduled time and day to ensure that it has been cleaned.