Flare Apr+May

CONTENTS
08 | EDITOR'S NOTE
Editorial
APRIL 15 - MAY 15, 2012
09 | READER'S RESPONSE
Letters to the Editor
INTERVIEW
36 | We can help Pakistan in energy management: Bertrand
TELEPEDIA
11 14 18 22 31 38 40 42 54 55 56 | | | | | | | | | | | Pakistan witnesses worst FDI decline Cellular users get 100 billion SMS mark Mobilink bridging the digital divide April Fool's prank takes innocent lives Ufone sponsors traffic discipline campaign Etisalat becomes 1st to launch 3G in Afghanistan Lack of local market skills, Samsung share shrink to 3% Emerging world of mobile advertising Blackberry loses swallow senior executives Mobile Phone! The most powerful tool Apple set to be the first $1 trillion firm?
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COVER STORY
26 | New SIM activation like 'old wine in new bottle'
INSIGHT
10 16 19 21 30 41 46 51 52 53 | | | | | | | | | | Pakistan is my second home: Sheikh Nahyan Youth demands power not laptops Pakistan plans excessive internet censorship Laptop scheme full of scams WiMAX can help resolve energy crisis Internet economy to hit $4.2 trillion Teen now texts more than talk face-to-face Pakistan is most promising emerging market Cloud becomes nightmare for Bill Gates Hacktivists stole 100 million records
30 WiMAX can help resolve energy crisis
EVENTS
12 17 20 29 34 | | | | | Ufone Bankers Open 2012 Changhong Ruba now creating easy life in Pakistan Ufone celebrates Faisalabad City Mobilink Jazz Concert jolts the audience Sony launches Alpha SLT-A77, Alpha, NEX-7 in Pakistan
EXCLUSIVE
23 | Telecom needs Hina: Experts 44 | Trends for total transformation 50 | A leader makes things happen
SYNOPSIS
57 | National News 64 | International News
36 We can help Pakistan in energy management: Bertrand
Mobilink Jazz Concert 29 jolts the audience
MOSAIC
48 | National Mosaic 49 | International Mosaic
TECHTOOLS
70 72 76 78 79 80 81 82 84 | | | | | | | | | Mobile Review Current Mobiles Upcoming Mobiles High Range Mobiles Low Range Mobiles Laptops Computers Accessories Gaming Zone 17 Changhong Ruba now creating easy life in Pakistan Youth demands power 16 not laptops
Editor s No t e
Old wine in new bottle
A new Automated SIM registration system has been launched to block the use of unregistered cellular connections by criminals; the new system seems like old wine in a new bottle, the new and old system are same with a slight changes in the procedure. According to the new security check system, subscribers` documentation would be maintained electronically instead of taking down their details on paper and pre-sale would be automated linking it with already automated post-sale procedure called 789. Under the new procedure, only original CNIC would be required to be presented at any registered sale point to buy a new SIM along with terms and conditions document in the SIM jacket. The sale personnel would send the CNIC of the customer to a short code to authenticate the sale. PTA under the chairmanship of Dr Muhammad Yaseen has failed so far to serve and protect the interests of the people of Pakistan. In his four (4) years tenure, the chairman dented not only the regulator but damaged the telecom sector severely. He provides irreparable loss to the most promising telecom sector in the region. His tenure will end in June this year, while he served only to his closed ones and worked for the vested interests of those, who provided him with kick-backs. Its astonishing fact that, the chairman, who is in the public office, taking public pay, while his services to public is below average, even in the recent meeting of National Standing Committee on telecom &IT, when asked about the standard tariffs, he replied, its not possible to establish a standard tariff mechanism for service providers due to hike in fuel prices and high maintenance charges. If, we asked him, who you are serving to? And, for what you are getting millions tax-payers money in pay. According to ITU's ICT indicators, more than 160 economies world-wide have launched 3G services commercially and the list includes Afghanistan and Somalia! Countries from New Zealand to USA are allocating huge amounts of national resources to deploy infrastructure, like Optic Fiber Cables, to facilitate delivery of broadband to the citizens. Whereas we are taking ages even to allocate the God-given resource of frequency-spectrum which will facilitate the provision of broadband. The minister-in-charge of MoITT, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Prime Minister of Pakistan doesnt have time for the affairs of this sector, while the role of regulator is negligible. In 2011, all the five cellular operators bore the cost of Rs. 100 billion (Rs.10 Arab) on fuel burning to keep the services seamless due to heavy power outages across the country. Now, if the present government wants to address the issues of this promising sector to flourish and attract heavy FDI in the country, the PM has to appoint, the present Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar as Federal Minister for ministry of IT and Telecom. Hina has a rich educational background. She can attract big investors in the country to give a helping hand to the tumbling economy. If PM Gilani appoint her as federal minister for IT & Telecom, our telecom sector will become the leading market in the region in a short span of time. 8
April15,May15-2012
Zubair Ahmed Kasuri Irfan Khan Usman Yaqoob Director Marketing M. Farooq Malik Manager Marketing Zafar Khan Afridi Senior Graphic Designer M. Naeem Mughal Graphic Designer Azhar Javed General Manager Muhammad Saeed Chief Photographer Mobile: 0321 - 8404389
Editor Assistant Editor
Legal Penal: Sardar Fakhir Ahmed Advocate Rana Naveed Ahmed Joya Advocate Lahore Office 46J-Gulberg III, Lahore-Pakistan. Ph: +92-42-38350195, 042-35880183 Fax: +92-42-35880183 Islamabad Office Phone: +92-51-5892027 +92-51-2254548 Kasur Office Phone: +92-492-770820-763250 Karachi Office 14 Star Marketing & Production 32-1-C-1/6, Block 6 PECHS Main Shahrah-e-Faisal. Tel: 021 34311781-3 Registration No PCPB/105 (Vol. 8 Issue:8) Price Rs: 400 URL: www.fla re .pk Email: flare.mag@gmail.com Colour Sepration: Fotoscan Process, 25-C Lower Mall, Lahore. Ph: 042-37111906, 37234042.
Zubair Ahmed Kasuri, (Editor-in-Chief) publisher of FLARE leading telecom magazine, printed it from Qasim Naeem Art Press, Near Bank Road, Main Bund Road, Lahore and published from 46J, Gulberg III, Lahore.
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AE Education Minister Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al-Nahyan was accorded a warm welcome when he reached Lahore on a brief visit. A child presented a bouquet to Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al-Nahyan while a smartly turned out contingent of police presented him a guard of honour. Expressing his views, Sheikh Al-Nahyan has said he considered Pakistan his second home and always pleased to visit here. He said he could not forget the love and affection given by the people of Pakistan. He said Lahore was the city of lively people whose hospitality was famous. Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz said the strong relationship of brotherhood and friendship existed between Pakistan and the UAE never left Pakistan alone in any crisis. He said the UAE had played an important role in rehabilitation of flood-affected families in Pakistan for which he was thankful. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, leader of opposition in Senate Ishaq Dar, MPAs and senior government officials welcomed the distinguished guest. The UAE ambassador in Pakistan was also present on the occasion. PML-Q President Ch Shujaat Hussain and Senior Federal Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi held meeting with Education Minister of UAE Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al-Nahyan. Dr Salman Shah, Ambassador of UAE in Pakistan Eisa Abdullah, Honrary Minister UAE Ch Muhammad Muneer, Ch Shafay and Rashikh Hussain were also present. Ch Shujaat and Ch Pervaiz thanked the guest for visiting their residence and stated that the UAE had always helped Pakistan in the hour of need. They claimed that Shaikh Nahyan had made huge investment in Pakistan which provided employment opportunities as well as his contribution in the development of various sectors. Mean-
while, Ambassador of Pakistan to United Arab Emirates Jamil Ahmad Khan hosted a reception in connection with Pakistan Day here at a local hotel. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the UAE Minister for Higher Education was the chief guest. In his opening speech, the Ambassador paid tribute to the father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He said this day is celebrated to remember the heroic constitutional battle fought by the people under the dynamic leadership of Quaid-e-Azam and the countless sacrifices rendered in the struggle for an independent country, which emerged on the world map in 1947. He said the guiding principles professed by the founding father and enshrined in the constitution
call for political freedom, self-governance and economic independence as essential conditions for a vibrant society. Praising the visionary leadership of UAE, the Ambassador said that it was late President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, who laid the foundations of the special bilateral relationship between Pakistan and UAE. This is a demonstration of heart to heart relations of people of the two countries which are de-
veloped through historical trade and social ties, he added. The present leadership of the two countries have taken these historical relations to new heights and the two brotherly countries have already inked scores of bilateral agreements and MOUs to accelerate bilateral relations in trade and commerce, and a number of similar instruments are currently under negotiation, he emphasized. Appreciating the continued interest of UAE investors in Pakistan, particularly in the petroleum, banking and telecommunication sectors, the Ambassador pointed out that it was a matter of great pride for them that UAE was the largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Pakistan. He said that over one million Pakistanis are presently living and contributing to UAE in almost every sphere of life and "we are extremely privileged to indicate the enormous role of our countrymen towards the economic and infrastructure development of our host country." He also expressed deep gratitude to UAE for its valued support during the recent election of Pakistan to the United Nations Security Council. During his address, the Ambassador also highlighted the fact that Pakistan has been a frontline state in the global war against terrorism and has rendered countless sacrifices in this regard. He reiterated his country's continued commitment and contribution in this war which have been globally appreciated and acknowledged. Governor of Sindh Ishratul Ebad who is currently visiting UAE also attended the reception and briefly talked on the Pakistan-UAE relations. The reception was also attended by Faris al Mazrouei, Assistant UAE Foreign Minister for Security and Military Affairs, ambassadors of many countries and large number of Pakistanis. n
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Telepedia
Pakistan witnesses worst FDI decline

Investors repatriate $565 million
he foreign direct investment is on decline due to energy crisis, poor infrastructure and worst law and order situation in the country. Telecom sector witnessed an outflow of $253.3 million Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in eight months of the current financial year 2011-12 as a result of closure and curtailment of their businesses and operations in the country. Despite slow economic activities in the county, repatriation of profit and dividend by foreign investors is gradually increasing. It posted a surge of 46 percent during the first eight months of current fiscal year. Foreign investors repatriated $565 million on account of profit and dividend in July-February period of fiscal year 2011-12 compared with $386.7 million in the corresponding period of last fiscal year, depicting an increase of $178.7 million. During the period under review a decline of 47 percent was registered in the FDI. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, the country attracted $558.5 million worth FDI in first eight months of current fiscal year against $1.046 billion in the same period of last fiscal year, showing a decline of $487.5 million. Economists said the repatriation of profit was constantly on decline during the last fiscal year as slow economic activities had hit the profitability of companies.
pended their licenses on different grounds. Another prominent factor that led to a drop in share of the sector was the stuck up privatization proceeding of $800 million payment by Etisalat due to a dispute with the government of Pakistan over legal transfer of land and property titles. Besides, the growing competition and entrance of three foreign cellular companies during 200509, the profits started to squeeze and ARPU/month declined from $ 3.2 in 2007 to $ 2.4 in 2009 onwards. Due to falling average revenues, the existing cellular companies are not only reluctant to bring new investment but one of the cellular company is continuously disinvesting from Pakistan, SBP stated. However, the upcoming auction of 3G licenses and expected release of PTCL privatization proceeds by Etisalat may lead to some rebound in FDI sector as if the trend of past, the central bank reported. The telecom was one of the most attractive sectors for foreign investors from 2005 to 2008. Its share in total FDI started to rise gradually and reached 45 percent in financial year 2006-07. The privatisation of PTCL and investment of foreign cellular companies, initially Telenor and Warid and then later China Mobile were dominant factors behind the sharp rise in FDI during 200508. One obvious reason for the sharp jump in FDI in the telecom sector was the privatization of PTCL. Within the telecom sector, FDI inflows were largely due to five companies (PTCL, Telenor, Warid, Mobilink and China Mobile). Foreign investment in these companies stood at 95 percent of FDI (on average) in telecom sector during 20042010. However, the share of these five companies declined sharply in 2010-11, SBP mentioned in its recent report The State of Pakistan Economy. The share of companies providing broadband internet services such as Qubee (subsidiary of
Telecom sector witnessed an outflow of $253.3 million FDI in eight months of the current financial year 2011-12 as a result of closure and curtailment of their businesses and operations in the country
According to the State Bank of Pakistans statistics, the de-investment in the telecom sector, one of the leading contributors of FDI in Pakistan, was recorded 364 percent in Jul-Feb compared with FDI landing $ 96 million in the corresponding period of the previous financial year.
Our country attracted $558.5 million worth FDI in first eight months of current fiscal year against $1.046 billion in the same period of last fiscal year, showing a decline of $487.5 million, according to the State Bank of Pakistan
Different telephony service providers including GSM, LDI, Wireless, Car Tracking Services (Class Value Added Services) have limited their businesses because of tough competition environment and high operational cost whereas few of the companies have winded up their business afterwards Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) sus-
Augere), Wateen and wi-tribe increased in financial year 2010-11. Earlier, the telecom sector had attracted merely $79.1 million foreign direct investment (FDI) in the fiscal year 2010-11, showing a declining trend as compared to previous years. The share of telecom sector in overall FDI contracted to 5 per cent in the previous fiscal year against 17 percent of the year 2009-10. The FDI in telecom sector was 1824 million dollars in 200607, 1438m dollars in 2008-09, 815 million dollars in 2008-09 and 374 million dollars in 2009-10. According to the latest statistics the overall telecom sector including Long Distance International (LDI), cellular, broadband and various class value-added service providers have brought only $79.1 million FDI during 2010-11. The telecom industry that contributed highest in the FDI among all different industries has failed to continue its spending on infrastructure and technology, as telecom operators are reluctant to invest in the country where their returns are constantly squeezing against their increasing operational expenses. The FDI level is the lowest since year 2003-04 in the telecom sector as FDI continued to increase till 2009-10. The sector used to be considered highly potential as landing billion dollar investment with host of economic activities. n
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Telepedia
Farooq Malik
hort Messaging Services (SMS) is a vital source of communication, but the civil society looks concerned over these packages as youth is increasingly seen caught in amorous advances thanks mainly to cheap night packages offered by various Telecom operators in a bid to expand customer network. SMS is vital source of revenue for cellular companies and all cellular companies generated approximately 100 billion SMS in 2011. This huge rise in the SMS traffic owes largely to the attractive and wide range of bundle packages being offered by all the operators. Daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly and even unlimited packages are being offered at very low rates by cellular companies to capture potential of this service. The amazing
their own language and social groups away from the prying eyes of their parents. Apparently, 60 percent of youngsters send and receive over 125 text messages daily to interact with their peer group. Excessive texting is leading to a number of problems for kids such as insomnia, depression, lack of eating, isolation etc. Besides, according to the survey, prolonged engagement with such an activity can lead to diseases like brain tumour, infertility etc. Almost 90 percent of those interviewed by APP admitted that they sleep with their cell phone lying next to them and thus, keep slightly awake most of the time during their sleep. Majority of respondents admitted that they are often awakened by a phone call or a text message after
SMS is vital source of revenue for cellular companies and all cellular companiesgenerated approximately 100 billion SMS in 2011. This huge rise in the SMS traffic owes largely to the attractive and wide range of bundle packages being offered by all the operators
part of this story is that almost all cable operators offer arguably cheapest call charges with almost entirely free Text messages offer with charges as low as 25 paisas by paying only nominal charges one can enjoy free talk on any number of one's own choice. Though there is a widely held consensus which cuts across all sections of society that Communication itself is not a bad thing since it helps people grow confidently and resolves issue besides providing opportunity to be in contact with loved ones. Its extensive use among youth is a cause of concern for elders. "The issue is not about call charges it is the negative use of the facility which bothers parents" said Najib Ahmad a government servant in communications department. If mobile packages are free, the youth especially the students can use it for their study purpose. "By talking free the whole night they can make each other understand the difficult sums of science or physics or formula which they were not able to understand while sitting in the class", he maintained. He was of the view that the cheap communication is for the facilitation of the people and they can use it for positive purposes. Contrary to this, the social circles showed their concern over the increased immoral activities and held internet, facebook, cable and the cheap communication facilities mainly responsible in this regard. Naseem Ahmed who is a retired professor said," I cant understand the usage of mobile night packages. What are they meant for and what these mobile companies want to communicate through these night packages. Zehra, who is a house wife, also looked worried over the night packages offered by the mobile companies. She said these offers of mobile companies like talk free from 12am to 5am are beyond understanding. "It looks these are the free offers for the youth to communicate anything with their loved ones. It not only will keep them away from the teachings of Islam but also from their studies." going to bed and the lack of sleep has affecting their work and progress. Around 80 percent of youngsters said they check their phones every few seconds to see if they have received any message and due to constant fast typing on cell phones keypad, they feel severe pain in area between thumb and wrist which throbs constantly. Pakistan National Youth Assemblys President Hanan Ali Abbasi while talking to media said the immature generation has become addicted to avail these kinds of packages. These kinds of portable platform providers are taking away our youth from family, cultural, traditional and religious values and they did not even care about their health, he remarked. He said it is the responsibility of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to set certain standards and ask the cellular companies to abide by them to curb this day by day increasing trend which would create big problems for the youth if not address well on time. This step is imperative for safeguarding bright future of youngsters, and a code of conduct must be developed to create awareness among masses regarding harmful affects of excessive use of such services, he said. The cellular companies seemed in race of announcing free night packages, low rates for one special number etc. regardless of the fact that they are making customers addict of a curse which is not only wasting valuable time of them but distracting their attention from constructive activities, Hannan said. n
Around 80 percent of youngsters said they check their phones every few seconds to see if they have received any message and due to constant fast typing on cell phones keypad, they feel severe pain in area between thumb and wrist which throbs constantly
She added. It looks it is a conspiracy against our youth, she claimed. On the other hand, cell phones nowadays have become symbol of independence for youth because mobile phone helps them to develop
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Flare Report
Youth demand power not laptops

Mian brothers do not give a single laptop from their pockets. Punjab Govt purchased 125,000 laptops with a sum of Rs4 billion but the PML-N spent more than Rs.4 billion additionally on lavish ceremonies, advertisements, billboards, lunch & dinners, while the VVIP protocols expenses are out of this; the total sum exceeds Rs 10 billion
harif family have started distribution of free laptops to the brilliant students across the Punjab on the cost of public fund. Mian brothers do not give a single laptop from their pockets. PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza Sharif, MNA and Maryam Nawaz joined race to distribute free laptops. No doubt, the Punjab government has started many developing projects in the province as underpass, over-bridge, road expanding projects, hospitals, academic buildings, yellow cabs and much more. One of the futile scheme is distribution of laptops among the students. Majority students who have got the laptops opined that Punjab government must focus on major crisis like electricity. Punjab government have spent million of rupees on the advertisements of laptops distribution ceremonies. It spent three crores on ceremony to distribute laptops worth two crores; it sure is PML-Ns way of doing things. Couldnt all the laptops be distributed to students in their classes by their teachers? The ceremonies alone, in all cities, must have cost more than the cost of laptops distributed. But then politics is more important than purpose. People dont want yellow cabs, green tractors or black laptops. What they want is honest governance, across the board law and justice, real education, religious tolerance, sensible economic and foreign policies. This is how institutions are destroyed and humiliated when the politicians start to dole out money in this case computer as a bribe to get votes. What would have been better is to strike a deal with the education department of Punjab or whomsoever with in the education board. This reinforces institutions and does not reflect that its a bribe. A student said I got the laptop but I still think its a waste money just increase vote bank among the students community, laptops are luxury not necessity, this money could have been spent to help the needy ones, lots of projects could have been started with this money helping thousand of unemployed
people but instead the corrupt govt decided to waste tax payers money on the dual core laptops which wont worth anything in next 2 years just for their political drama, this shows how much selfish leadership we have. Another student said: Instead of giving laptops you should have build universities in South Punjab. Laptops are useless there is no electricity. The routine life of the common man is badly af-
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fected by the prolonged loadshedding in the country. Citizens said that the statement of federal minister with regards to putting an end to loadshedding seemed to had a reverse effect, since after a few days of the announcement, loadshedding in the city was increased manifold. Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Zaeem Qadri have said the laptops had been purchased with a sum of Rs4 billion of which Rs2 billion had been saved through adopting austerity measures in the bureaucratic management of the province while rest Rs2 billion had been provided from the ADP. The austerity measures taken by the Punjab government resulted in the provision of 125,000 laptops to students. But the PML-N spent more than Rs.4 billion on lavish ceremonies, advertisements, billboards, lunch & dinners, while the VVIP protocols expenses are out of this. Those, who have received laptops, are jubilant, while those left out are expecting to get the systems in the next phase. While another class of students who initially qualified to reflect on the list of selected candidates on Punjab governments website and later denied the laptops are highly agitated and agitating. Apart from several students, many PML-N opponents and neutral citizens protest that why the PML-N is using public resources to advance its political agenda. In Lahore, the first laptop distribution ceremony at Punjab University has consumed millions of rupees either to be paid by the Punjab University or the Punjab government. The only speech by PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif was nothing but to woo the youth, who are most likely to play a vital role in next elections by polling their votes. Mr Sharif castigated his major opponents PPP led by Asif Ali Zardari and PTI led by Imran Khan and said the PML-N was the only party that would fetch the nation out of crisis. He even kept on asking students to check PML-N previous tenures achievements and success stories on the laptops given to them. n
Usman Yaqoob
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Telepedia
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nformation Technology is the catalyst for change in todays rapidly evolving world. IT revolution has changed the life style of people in every walk of life. It has created a world without boundaries and due to advance communication facilities; the entire world can be viewed on computer screen by just a click of a button. The computer revolution is the major contributor to the progress of many nations. As Pakistan moves towards the future, the digital divide that prevails here has become one of the biggest hindrances in the way to its development. The eradication of this digital divide will pave the way for the future for the population in the underdeveloped areas of Pakistan. This will empower deprived individuals providing them with the opportunities to compete with the rest of the world. Today more than 2.4 million people of Pakistan can access Internet and other information networks of the entire world.
and ten (10) webcams for the provision of online lessons. A small ceremony was held at the school where the Mobilink torch bearers officially handed over all the equipment to the management of the school. They also capitalized on this opportunity by interacting with the students and spreading the message of the importance of IT literacy amongst them. Developments in Literacy (DIL) has been educating and empowering underprivileged students, especially girls, by operating student-centered model schools; and providing high-quality professional development to teachers and principals across Pakistan for over a decade. DIL is providing state of the art, high quality education to empower 16,000 students all over Pakistan. The DIL Model School is located in Khuda Ki Basti, which is a community housing project of Saiban a local NGO. The housing scheme is for the low income group of Sheikhpura, located in Kala Shah Kako.
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Mobilink Foundation to bridge the digital divide partnered with Developments in Literacy (DIL) to set up a Computer Lab at the DIL Model School in the Khuda ki Basti community in Kala Shah Kaku near Sheikhupura. Mobilink Foundation envisions a Pakistan where the digital divide would minimize and the rural areas would be empowered enough to compete with the rest of the world. It was with this vision of enabling individuals that Mobilink foundation took an active part in this project in collaboration with DIL. The partnership is built on DIL providing training to the teachers as well as the IT curriculum for the facility
while Mobilink Foundation is immersed in fulfilling the hardware requirements and equipment for it. Mobilink has sponsored a total of ten (10) computer systems, one (1) printer, twenty (20) audio headsets
Mobilink Foundation is fully cognizant of the importance of IT literacy for the economic development of the country and bridging the digital divide. The Mobilink Foundation remains committed towards leading social responsibility in Pakistan, with a history of helping the deserving across the country. The Mobilink Foundation has a dedicated and efficient team of Torchbearers; trained employee volunteers who enable the Foundation in the various causes it identifies for the relief of the underprivileged across Pakistan. Each Mobilink Foundation Torchbearer is empowered to clock an average of five (5) dedicated hours per month during official working hours. n
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Censorship of the Web is nothing new in Pakistan, which, like other countries in the region, says it wants to uphold public morality, protect national security or prevent blasphemy
any countries censor the Internet, but few spell out their intentions as explicitly as Pakistan. In an effort to tighten its control over the Internet, the government recently published a public tender for the development, deployment and operation of a national-level URL filtering and blocking system. Technology companies, academic institutions and other interested parties have submitted proposals for the $10 million project, but anger about it has been growing both inside and outside Pakistan. Censorship of the Web is nothing new in Pakistan, which, like other countries in the region, says it wants to uphold public morality, protect national security or prevent blasphemy. The government has blocked access to pornographic sites, as well as, from time to time, mainstream services like Facebook and YouTube. Until now, however, Pakistan has done so in a makeshift way, demanding that Internet service providers cut off access to specific sites upon request. With Internet use growing rapidly, the censors are struggling to keep up, so the government wants to build an automatic blocking and filtering system. While China and other governments that sanitize the Internet generally do so with little public disclosure, Pakistan is being surprisingly forthcoming about its censorship needs. It published its request for proposals on the Web site of the Information and Communications Technology Ministrys Research and Development Fund and even took out newspaper advertisements to publicize the project. The system would have a central database of undesirable URLs that would be loaded on the distributed hardware boxes at each POP and up-
Muslims. The Technology Ministrys Research and Development Fund says in its tender that the Internet filtering and blocking system will be indigenously developed, but campaigners like Ms. Saleem say they think it is likely the agency will try to adapt Western technology for the purpose. To try to prevent this from happening, Ms. Saleem wrote to the chief executives of eight international companies that make Net filtering technology, asking them to make a public commitment not to apply for the Pakistani grant. Websense, which is based in San Diego, responded, declaring in a statement on its Web site that it would not seek the contract. Broad government censorship of citizen access to the Internet is morally wrong, Websense said. We further believe that any company whose products are currently being used for government-imposed censorship should remove their technology so that it is not used in this way by oppressive governments. Governments around the world buy filtering and blocking technology to root out illegal content like child pornography. Some private companies employ it to restrict access to social networks and other distractions on company computers. But the use of Western technology to rein in political speech in countries with repressive regimes has come under increasing scrutiny since the Arab Spring. Even before implementing its new system, Pakistan has been an active censor. The country was 151st, out of 179, on a ranking of media freedom by the Paris-based group Reporters without Borders in 2011. Reporters Without Borders urges you to abandon this project, which would reinforce the arsenal of measures for
dated on daily basis, the request for proposals says, referring to uniform resource locators, the unique addresses for specific Web pages, and points of presence, or access points. The database would be regularly updated through subscription to an international reputed company maintaining and updating such databases, according to the request, which was published last month. The tender details a number of technical specifications, including the fact that the technology should be able to handle a block list of up to 50 million URLs (concurrent unidirectional filtering capacity) with processing delay of not more than 1 milliseconds. Pakistans move to clamp down has set off a storm of protest among free-speech groups in the country and beyond. Opponents of censorship say they are doubly appalled because they associated this kind of heavy-handed approach more with the previous regime of Gen. Pervez Musharraf than with the current government of President Asif Ali Zardari. The authorities here are big fans of China and how it filters the Internet, said Sana Saleem, chief executive of Bolo Bhi, a group that campaigns against restrictions on the Internet. They overlook the fact that China is an autocratic regime and we are a democracy. What makes this kind of censorship so insidious is that they always use national security, pornography or blasphemy as an explanation for blocking other kinds of speech, Ms. Saleem said, adding that her site had been blocked for several months in 2010 when it made reference to a ban on Facebook. Access to the social networking service had been restricted because of a page featuring a competition to draw the prophet Mohammed something that is considered blasphemous by
Pakistans move to clamp down has set off a storm of protest among free-speech groups in the country and beyond. What makes this kind of censorship so insidious is that they always use national security, pornography or blasphemy as an explanation for blocking other kinds of speech
communications surveillance and Internet censorship that have already been put in place by your government, the group wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. On the other hand, the Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) has apparently decided to shelve its plans to install a massive URL blocking system. Member National Assembly Bushra Gohar confirmed that the MoIT had decided to reverse its decision. Secretary IT Farooq Ahmed Awan said that the URL project has been withdrawn due to the concern shown by various stakeholders, the legislator from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa said. Welcoming the move, Gohar said that she would ask Secretary IT to launch an inquiry against those posted the advertisement without proper consultation. n
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fone arranged for fun filled three day fiesta to celebrate Faisalabad and the success of the city. The attractive event boasted of 100 different stalls which were set up by the local industry. The festival was open to the general public so that they could witness the diversity of the industries in Faisalabad which are a source of pride for the entire nation. Celebrating Faisalabad City was a family festival which gave the local entrepreneurs an opportunity to display, sell and interact directly with customers while giving visitors an opportunity to shop, enjoy food and have fun all under one roof. There were also live performances including stand-
it is also helping the underprivileged people who cannot afford to pay for their treatment. The Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology has clinical departments including cardiology medicine & cardiac surgery, and allied essential operation theatres. The institute also offers a training centre for medical, para-medical and nursing staff. Speaking on the occasion, Abdul Aziz, President and CEO Ufone said, For Ufone the cardinal principle is that action speaks louder than words. While other may come up with rhetoric, Ufone actually delivers. The city of Faisalabad has served as backbone to countrys economy and Ufone feels
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up comedy and the kids area boasted of a jumping castle, stuff toys, slides and other various sources of entertainment for the children. The entry ticket was priced at only Rs. 20/- per person and Ufone donated the proceeds from the sale of these tickets to the Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology as a gesture to truly support the industrial city. The hospital is not only state of the art but
humble to arrange such a festival for the people of Faisalabad. It is interesting to see a mix of different industries come together under one roof and create such a positive ambiance and portray the success of the city. It was also heartening to see kids and adults enjoying the festivities. We hope the proceeds of this activity will help improve the plight of disadvantaged patients at Institute of Cardiology. n
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Laptop scheme full of scams Punjab govt accused of violating rules

Transparency International has brought to the notice of Planning & Development Department, Government of Punjab allegations of violation of Punjab Procurement Rules, (PPR) 2009 in the procurement of 125,000 laptops by the Punjab Government, incurring a loss of at least Rs 1.7 billion
s the laptop distribution continues on various campuses of Lahore, the beneficiaries of this scheme flock the IT markets for laptop related services including operating system changes and software installations. The walls and notice boards in educational campuses are flooded with the advertisements like Install Windows on your laptop, Get MS Office and Windows Media Player. The laptops are given with Linux-based operating system Ubuntu installed on it. Even the operating systems installed have upgraded versions available easily but the laptops came by default with Ubuntu 10.10 version while currently Ubuntu 12.04 is being used. However unfamiliarity of students with Linux-based OS has created a hoax amongst them and they are shifting to Microsoft Operating Systems Windows 7 or XP, while licensed versions of Windows 7 Professional installation costs some Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,000 per laptop. Recently, Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) has brought to the notice of Planning & Development Department, Government of Punjab allegations of violation of Punjab Procurement Rules, (PPR) 2009 in the procurement of 125,000 laptops
by the Punjab Government, incurring a loss of at least Rs 1.7 billion. In a letter sent to the Secretary, Planning & Development Department, Government of Punjab, Ali Tahir, TIP Adviser, Syed Adil Gilani has citing a number of serious allegations reported in this regard.
He requested the Secretary to examine the allegations. According to Punjab Procurement Rules, 2009, P&D Department was obliged to issue tender documents comprising detailed specifications, evaluation criteria and other documents complying with Rule No 23. He also sought tender documents to ex-
amine whether the Rule was applied or not. The allegations such as direct procurement from company should have been made or government opened a back-to-back LC to favour the supplier are not correct. However, P&D Department may clarify the allegations such as indirect reference that the specifications of laptops in the tender were different from those procured (like i3 or i5 processors were specified in tender, while the machine provided by the government runs on Pentium-D processor) and laptops distributed by the provincial government do not carry any guarantee, or the prices are 70 percent higher than market costs needs detailed report. A processor benchmarking website revealed that the processor installed in the Dell Inspiron n4050 is the most sluggish processor available in the market. The benchmark chart topper common CPUs indicates that the processor these laptops hhave in them, Intel Pentium B950 2.10GHz, is slower from most common processors, Corei5-2400, Core i7870, AMD Phenom II X6, Corei7-2630QM, Corei7 950, Core i7 960, Core i5-2500K, Core i72670!M, Core i7-2600 and Core i7-2600K. n
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April Fool's prank takes innocent lives
phone by scanning your fingerprints, when in all actuality its activated by touch, but your friends wont know this. Scan their fingerprints and show them how advanced you are with the latest technology. Get creative and spin a story with it, have fun at their expense for a few minutes! April Fools Day pranks are all in the name of fun and who can fault you for trying to bring a few smiles to your friends faces. When April Fool's goes wrong: Prank call about high school shooting draws town's entire police department. An army of law-enforcement officers responded to a bomb threat at a high school that turned out to be an April Fool's Day joke. Three police departments, a helicopter, paramedics, firefighters and a Swat Team raced over to Roseville High School in California when they took the prankster's call seriously. The caller, a 30-year-old man with autism who was in Virginia, told officials that stu-
April Fools Day pranks are all in the name of fun and who can fault you for trying to bring a few smiles to your friends faces; but we should play pranks in a responsible way
pril Fools Day is the one day out of the year that its socially acceptable for adults to play pranks. Its a day to get your friends and family with a joke, one that might even get them a bit mad at first. The fury will quickly wane after you belt out April Fool's Day, and the victim of the joke realizes that you were quite clever with your prank. At least two people fell prey to the April fool prank and were killed in Lahore. As per details, a woman named Sadia 35, telephoned Mahmood Khan 60, and told him that his son (Taj) was killed in a robbery attempt. After hearing the news the father could not sustained and died due to heart-attack. Soon after revealing the facts about his fathers death, Taj killed Sadia by striking hammer on her head. Thus in this way the two families lost their family members due to a fake prank. The police officials when contacted by media said that Taj after killing woman (Sadia) have escaped from his house along with his family but police started search for him. Im not against this day to be celebrated, but we should play pranks in a responsible way, you can make someone a fool with a good prank but spreading the news of someones killing etc could brought some serious repercussions as in Lahore one irresponsible prank took two lives while the other killer become absconder with his family. We should avoid such irresponsible pranks to enjoy the thrill of the fools day. As with everything else today technology is taking
over so why would April Fools Day jokes be any different? All you need to trick your family/ friends is one cool prank and spread it through your cell phone. With the invasion of The Walking Dead everywhere you look there are zombies and this free Android app helps you scare the pants off your friends and family. This alarm app is quite scary both with its loud and disturbing alarm and with the picture of the zombie that shows up on the screen while the alarm is going off. Set the alarm then hand the phone to your friend to play a game, get directions or check out the weather. Watch their face when this loud and
dents were injured and a pipe bomb was in the cafeteria. Officials at the Roseville Police Department, which received the call, suspected that the call may be a hoax, but they said they had to take the steps necessary in case it was a real emergency. A dispatcher who took a call that a juvenile had an assault rifle on the campus. Emergency crews at the scene cleared the entire school and anyone outside the campus as procedure. They searched for a bomb, but they didn't find anything. The unidentified man who made the call has made pranks similar to this one with other police agencies. A study has proved that all fools use their thumb while reading SMS, It is too late now don't try to change your finger now its too late catch another fool ! April Fool haha. Sachin has sent an SMS " I want to retire soon " Dhoni immediately forwarded the sms to all his friends then a second sms popped up in Dhoni's mo-
A study has proved that all fools use their thumb while reading SMS, It is too late now don't try to change your finger now its too late catch another fool ! April Fool hahaha
intrusive alarm goes off and a zombie appears where they were intently looking. Your April Fools reply to your startled friend might not be met with an immediate smile because this does pack a fright, but theyll come around. The Fingerprint Lock app looks like a high tech system that unlocks your cell
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bile " Happy April Fools day" ha ha. Hanuman went to Sita in Lanka and said " Lord Rama sent me, give your ring to show him . Sita Gave the ring and Hanuman said haha, I am not real hanuman i am duplicate haha april fool . Then Sita told that is not gold ring it is rold gold hahaha same too you. Salman Khan has sent an sms to bollywood friends I am not going to open my shirt in my upcoming films " Rakhi Sawant Replied " Ohh no I don't agree to this , this is disgusting" then Shahrukh replied " Hey Rakhi Dont get emotional it is April fool prank by Salman. n
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Telecom needs Hina: Experts

She is articulate, brilliant, enterprising, and very far-sighted even at such a young age. She is humble, approachable, professional, and knows her job very well, if we have more people like her in our government, perhaps Pakistans positive image wont need any marketing beyond simply introducing them to the world
elecommunication has emerged as one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy ever since the sector was opened to private concerns. In 2007 the sector grew by 80 percent while average growth rate in last four years has been more than 100 percent. Telecommunication sector has attracted substantial amount of Foreign Direct Investment in the country. It has produced a very healthy and strong impact on the economy and society. Role of telecommunication sector is indispensable for economic development. Telecommunication infrastructural investment can lead to economic growth in several ways: transaction costs of data collection, placing and receiving orders have greatly reduced due to the availability of advanced telecommunication infrastructure. Telecom facilities have become an essential part of our life and people feel an ease in their life with these facilities. Of course main purpose of these facilities is connectivity and information. However telecommunication sector is also suffering from its share of problems and issues such as the problem of double tax domain where both the federation and provinces are bent upon taxing the sector. Another issue is heavy taxation with high rates of Federal Excise Duty. Issues such as terrorism and a recent decline in foreign investment are also taking its toll on the sector. The government should realize the enormous growth the telecom sector has shown in the country. This is the time for the decision makers to lead this sector to further expansion and progress. The government should reduce the taxation on the Telecom services and its related equipments that will help in reduction of the cost of the service, which ultimately encouraging for more telecom usage. Telecom analysts around the world still believe in Pakistan to be a lucrative market and forecasts that mobile subscribers in Pakistan would hit 118million mark by next year. The sector has been growing at a rapid pace where growth rates have become the hallmark. However, slow growth was witnessed for the first time ever last year, where we witnessed a huge decline in FDI. Although, this trend cannot be attributed only to saturation as there are factors like international financial crisis, devaluation of rupee, security situation, hike in petrol prices, limitless power outages and re-registration of SIM programme. When this correspondent asked various multinational companys CEOs and telecom experts, how the telecom sectors issues be addressed? They opined that, in the current cabinet, the most suitable personality is Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar. They expressed that, she is the most powerful, intelligent and experienced woman, who can rescue the drowning ship of telecom. She achieved some landmark goals, despite the pressure exerted
by media and opposition parliamentarians, they added. Analysts said, if she is given a chance, the sector could flourish and would be in a position to attract international players to come and invest here. Hina Rabbani Khar was born on January 19, 1977 in Multan. She has all that it takes to be a leader. A business woman by profession, she graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) from Lahore University of Management Sciences in 1999, and received her M.Sc. degree in Management from University of Massachusetts, U.S.A in 2001. She was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs on February 11, 2011, as part of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani's new cabinet. She was the first female Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Pakistan's history. After Shah Mehmood Qureshi was dismissed as Foreign Minister, she became Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs on February 13, 2011. She was officially appointed as foreign minister on 19 July 2011 by President Asif Ali Zardari and was sworn in as permanent Minister for Foreign affairs on 20 July 2011. In a message of felicitation, President Zardari described Ms Khars appointment as a demonstration of the PPP governments commitment to bring women into the mainstream of national life. She is articulate, brilliant, enterprising, and very far-sighted even at such a young age. Moreover, she is humble, approachable, professional, and knows her job very well. At the end of the day, if we have more people like her in our government, perhaps Pakistans positive image wont need any marketing beyond simply introducing them to the world. She believes in an evolutionary change in the foreign policy of Pakistan rather than a revolutionary one; she said, theres a real change in Pakistan for whos responsible for what. But itll happen in an evolutionary way, not a revolutionary way. According to telecom analysts and practitioners minister-in-charge MoITT, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani doesnt have time for the affairs of most lucrative sector, Hina Khars performance as Foreign Minister is commendable, she can attract international
investors which would lead the telecom sector to new heights. If we have a federal minister like Hina Rabbani, the performance of regulator and other stakeholders would be doubled. The incumbent government should have to take a bold step and appoint Hina Rabbani as Telecom minister to compete with the international markets. n
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Cover Story
Zubair Ahmed Kasuri
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new Automated SIM registration system has been launched to block the use of unregistered cellular connections by criminals; the new system seems like old wine in new bottle, the new and old system are same with a slight changes in the procedure. According to the new security check system, subscribers` documentation would be maintained electronically instead of taking down their details on paper and pre-sale would be aut o m a t e d linking it with already automated post-sale procedure called 789. Under the new procedure, only original CNIC would be required to be presented at any Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Prime Minister of Pakistan registered sale point to buy a new SIM along with terms and conditions document in the SIM jacket. The sale personnel would send the CNIC of the customer to a short code to authenticate the sale. Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and all Cellular Mobile Operators of the country commercially launched an automated procedure for Sale of Mobile SIMs. Key points of new Automated System: Only original CNIC will be required to be presented at any registered Sale Point to buy a new SIM along-with Terms & Conditions document in the SIM jacket. The sale personnel shall send the CNIC of the customer to a short code to authenticate sale. Only SIMs sold through registered sales channels would be activated Post sale procedures for calling 789, responding to asked questions, agreement to the Terms & Conditions and declaration that the SIM will not be misused; remains the same. All authorized franchisees and retailers have been given a unique identification and only authorized sellers shall be allowed to sale the SIM. The sale has been automated to track which SIM has been sold by which particular sale channel (retailer) to ensure accountability. PTA hopes that the new system shall not only help to eliminate the misuse of CNICs copy but also facilitate in keeping authentic
Cover Story
record of SIMs sale thereby enabling track of sale channels in case of any misuse. Moreover, transition of existing Cellular Subscriber Agreement Form (CSAF) to e-CSAF will help to maintain an authentic subscribers database. Chairman PTA Dr. Muhammad Yaseen visited Call Centers of different mobile companies for inaugurating the commercial launch of the project and was briefed about the arrangements made in this regard. The Chairman congratulated all stake-holders on reaching this milestone and hoped that the new system will further strengthen the processes of SIM verification. He also thanked the mobile companies for extending cooperation in successful implementation of existing SIM verification processes and hoped that the same spirit of mutual cooperation may prevail in future as well. I am surprised, PTA under the chairmanship of Dr Muhammad Yaseen has failed so far to cent meeting of National Standing Committee on telecom &IT, when asked about the standard tariffs, he replied, its not possible to establish a standard tariff mechanism for service providers due to hike in fuel prices and high maintenance charges. If, we asked him, who you are serving to? And, for what you are getting millions taxpayers money in pay. The four years rule of the Dr. Yaseen regime is marked by failures, inefficiencies, corruption scandals, bad policies and controversies, most of which are the c o n s e quences of the actions and inactions of the Chairman. D r . Yaseen, who someDr. Mohammad Yaseen Chairman PTA times for the pleasure of government and sometimes on his own deliberately misused his powers, made wrong choices, ignored wrongdoings, pampered the corrupt and failed to be like a true guardian of the public kitty. On administrative matters and in regard to the day to day running of the government, the competent authority is Dr. Yaseen and not the regulator. Dr Yaseen in his 4 years tenure looted the public kitty, he even couldnt conduct a Quality of Service Survey (QoS) to gauge the quality of services providing to reverend customers by service providers. In the recent Broadband survey, the regulator took kick-backs and declared those operators services best, whose services are below standard. Yaseen has given Local Loop licences on the basis of favoritism by violating the rules and regulations, LL operators yet to start services, while they have been given licences in the past. If the operators having licences not serious in their operations then, why PTA showing reluctance in licence cancelation, why Mr Chairman having soft corners for them? Our neighboring country, India started 4G (Fourth generation) services, while PTA yet to go for 3G (yet the date to be finalised). Due to their negligence, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) witnessing huge decline; the government is also not serious to ask the regulator that why the valued subscribers are being deprived of the lucrative technology. I would like to urge all those who have anything to do with the ICT sector to do whatever they can, to push and expedite the introduction of mobile broadband (3G technology) I say this because the spectrum auction has been delayed again, albeit for good reasons. Irrespective of the on-going, unnecessary "controversy" surrounding the auction of 3G in Pakistan, allotting 3G frequencies to telecom operators is extremely urgent and essential for Pakistan. We have already been left behind by countries who used to be our followers in 2G technology. Mobile broadband - or 3G - should have been introduced in Pakistan four years ago. The delay has made us lose huge opportunities relating to job creation, international trade, economic growth and Foreign Direct Investment (Telecom FDI 2007: $1,824 million and 2011: $79 million). Alarmingly, the technology gap between the advanced countries and Pakistan has widened even more, despite the fact that
PTA under the chairmanship of Dr Muhammad Yaseen has failed so far to serve and protect the interests of the people of Pakistan. In his four (4) years tenure, the chairman dented not only the regulator but damaged the telecom sector severely. He provides irreparable loss to the most promising telecom sector in the region. His tenure will end in June this year, while he served only to his closed ones and worked for the vested interests of those, who provided him with kick-backs
serve and protect the interests of the people of Pakistan. In his four (4) years tenure, the chairman dented not only the regulator but damaged the telecom sector severely. He provides irreparable loss to the most promising telecom sector in the region. His tenure will end in June this year, while he served only to his closed ones and worked for the vested interests of those, who provided him with kick-backs. Its astonishing fact that, the chairman, who is in the public office, taking public pay, while his services to public is below average, even in the re-
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Cover Story
more than 70 percent of our population is below 35 - normally considered early adopters of modern technology. According to ITU's ICT indicators, more than 160 economies worldwide have launched 3G services commercially and the list includes Afghanistan and Somalia! Countries from New Zealand to USA are allocating huge amounts of national resources to deploy infrastructure, like Optic Fiber Cables, to facilitate delivery of broadband to the citizens. Whereas we are taking ages even to allocate the God-given resource of frequency-spectrum which will facilitate the provision of broadband. Mostly, they are only thinking in terms of mobile phones - and not broadband. Although a lot could be done with 3G smartphones, which are estimated to be around 15 million in Pakistan and expected to increase to 50 million by 2016. It is the 3G mobile broadband mainly using USB dongles, complementing fixed broadband - that is of higher value and main attraction for a country like ours. While people in developed countries usually use mobile broadband in addition to the fixed broadband, mobile broadband is often the only access method available to people in developing countries. In a country of over 180 million people, there may be 5 million fixed lines, and not all of them are usable. Broadband has tremendous commercial applications but one of its main benefits lies in its capability as a deliverer of basic services to hundreds of millions of citizens, especially those living in the hinterlands of the country. Education, health, governance, commerce, agriculture, women empowerment, all can find their way. Greater access to broadband services has been found to help accelerate achievement of development targets like the universally-accepted Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is only by using broadband that we can serve our exploding population (having a CAGR of 2.5 percent) at their doorsteps. Not only through pro-

herself extremely lucky. She is happy for the way her mind is constantly challenged in terms of working hours, the changes she can make, and the room for innovation is just tremendous. She has been able to make some changes that arent very popular, but in the long term they are great for Pakistan, e.g. in the telecommunications and banking sectors. She is articulate, brilliant, enterprising, and very far-sighted even at such a young age. Moreover, she is humble, approachable, professional, and knows her job very well. At the end of the day, if we have more people like her in our government, perhaps Pakistans positive image wont need any marketing beyond simply introducing them to the world! The first challenge of her statesmanship came after just a few days when she meets her Indian counterpart, 79-year-old SM Krishna, in New Delhi. We have learned lessons from history but are not burdened by history. We can move forward as good, friendly neighbours who have a stake in each others future and who understand the responsibility that both the countries have to the region and within the region, Khar told reporters in New Delhi. Foreign Minister Ms Hina Rabbani Khar said World Trade Organization (WTO)s approval for Pakistan to export tariff free exports of products to European Union EU states is a major diplomatic achievement. Responding to questions in
multinational companys CEOs and telecom experts, how the telecom sectors issues be addressed? They opined that, in the current cabinet, the most suitable personality is Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar. They expressed that, she is the most powerful, intelligent and experienced woman, who can rescue the drowning ship of telecom. She achieved some landmark goals, despite the pressure exerted by media and opposition parliamentarians, they added. The telecom analysts said, if she is given a chance, the sector could flourish and would be in a position to attract international players to come and invest here. Now, if the present government wants to address the issues of this
3G - should have been introduced in Pakistan four years ago. The delay has made us lose huge opportunities relating to job creation, international trade, economic growth and Foreign Direct Investment (Telecom FDI 2007: $1,824 million and 2011: $79 million). Alarmingly, the technology gap between the advanced countries and Pakistan has widened even more, despite the fact that more than 70 percent of our population is below 35 - normally considered early adopters of modern technology
viding them with jobs, social services and prosperity, but also by addressing mass migration to urban centers and saving our bursting mega-cities from crumbling under their own weight. Currently, broadband is available in less than 300, small and big towns and cities in Pakistan. The minister-in-charge of MoITT, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Prime Minister of Pakistan doesnt have time for the affairs of this sector, while the role of regulator is negligible. In 2011, all the five cellular operators bore the cost of Rs. 100 billion (Rs.10 Arab) in fuel adjustments due to heavy power outages across the country. The incumbent government had appointed four (4) federal ministers for the office of MoITT, namely: Abdul Latif Khosa, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Sardar Assef Ahmed Ali, Dr Babar Awan and fifth is PM himself, these rapid changes of ministers damaged the telecom sector severely. These portfolios assignment caused delay in USF and R&D development projects, which further curtailed the penetration of Broadband services in the far flung areas in Pakistan. When this correspondent asked various promising sector to flourish and attract heavy FDI in the country, the PM has to appoint, the present Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar as Federal Minister for ministry of IT and Telecom. Hina Rabbani Khar has a rich educational background; she graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) from Lahore University of Management Sciences in 1999, and received her M.Sc. degree in Management from University of Massachusetts, U.S.A in 2001. Hina Rabbani Khar remained Pakistans State Minister for Economic Affairs. The State Ministers report directly to the Prime Minister and hold specific portfolios. In Hinas case, she was responsible for international (multilateral and bilateral) grants and loans. Her Ministrys the official signatory for any project that is launched in Pakistan with foreign financial assistance. She is a co-owner of the Polo Lounge, an upscale, popular restaurant located on the Lahore Polo Grounds. She has no issues, whatsoever, with being a woman. In fact, she feels that it is more positive than negative as one gets a lot more recognition and opportunities, and a lot of it has to do with how professional the person is. She considers
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Senate... she said it would help provide preferential access to Pakistani goods to European markets. She said it took two years to take process to successful culmination. She noted countries like Bangladesh dropped their reservations to the package due to persuasion by Pakistan. She said Pakistan-EU relations have improved significantly as they have established strategic dialogue and held summit level interaction. She hoped Pakistan would also get GSP plus facility from EU in 2014. Keeping in view her achievements, she is the most promising candidate for the office of MoITT, she got brilliant mind, education and learnt the art to turn the minds of important personalities and investors regarding investing in Pakistan. She can attract big investors in the country to give a helping hand to the tumbling economy. If PM Gilani appoint her as federal minister for IT & Telecom, our telecom sector will become the leading market in the region in a short span of time. n
Flare Report
Event
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InsighT
IrfanKhan
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iMAX Forum, the global body that certifies and promotes the compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless products, hosted the South Asia Conference 2012 at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad. The event was held under the patronage of the countrys regulatory body, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, and co-organised by Wateen Telecom, Pakistans leading converged communications service provider. It brought together over 100 professionals from government organisations, telecom operators, equipment manufacturers, solution providers, media and other ICT related industries, whose had travelled from across the region to attend the conference. The aim of the conference was to create awareness about how WiMAX is a cost-efficient, sustainable and easily scalable solution for broadband distribution. It can help improve the countrys economy by helping industries such as electricity, aviation, oil & gas, agriculture, healthcare amongst others in becoming more efficient, transparent and vertical through its various applications. For instance, WiMAX can help resolve Pakistans electricity crisis through smart grid applications, through efficient and secure electricity distribution. WiMAX technology has achieved a penetration rate of 50 percent of all broadband connections in urban centres in Pakistan. This success of the technology is unparalleled anywhere else in the world. I am delighted to come to Pakistan and look forward to returning to continue supporting the success of WiMax operators in the country, Mr Declan Byrne, President of the WiMAX Forum, stated in his welcome address to representatives from across the globe. The Conference included speakers from AWB, Purewave, Airspan, Fanoos Telecom, Gemtek Technology and Banglalion among others, who discussed various go-to-market strategies, planning considerations and applications for WiMAX operators. Alepo,
a leading provider of WiMAX solutions shared how broadband and mobile networks can collaborate for better provisioning of data services for consumers. Pakistan has four WiMAX operators in the country, namely Wateen, Qubee, Mobilink Infinity and Wi-Tribe who account for around 29 percent of the total broadband market share. Consumers in the country are showing their preference for wireless broadband, which offers a lucrative untapped broadband market. Pakistan is the first country in the world to have rolled out a nationwide WiMAX network, established by Wateen Telecom, making the country a perfect setting for the WiMAX community to host its South-Asia Conference.
Naeem Zamindar has the honour of being the first Pakistani to join the Board of Directors of the WiMAX Forum; WiMAX South Asia 2012 focused on opportunities, challenges and strategies involved in operating a profitable WiMAX network in South Asia
Chairman PTA, Dr Mohammed Yaseen, shared his vision for the countrys broadband policy in enabling the countrys economic and social needs, spoke to the delegates present at the conference. The PTA is thankful to the WiMAX Forum for bringing together industry leaders from the region to discuss vital issues such as exploring different go-to-market strategies and applications to make investments by the telecom investors in the country profitable. Pakistan has a huge untapped market with only seven
percent of households having subscribed to broadband internet. The fixed market space is virtually untapped and future potential for growth is immense for broadband operators, said Dr Yaseen. Speaking about Wateens commitment to WiMAX, Naeem Zamindar, CEO Wateen Telecom, said,Wateen Telecom is focused on proliferating broadband internet in Pakistan and we are firmly committed to the idea that WiMAX can change every aspect of life in Pakistan for the better. Being one of the pioneers for the technology in the world, Wateen believes WiMAX is the solution of choice for emerging countries and can leapfrog Pakistan to progress. Naeem Zamindar has the honour of being the first Pakistani to join the Board of Directors of the WiMAX Forum. WiMAX South Asia 2012 focused on opportunities, challenges and strategies involved in operating a profitable WiMAX network in South Asia. "As a pioneer for WiMAX technology in Pakistan, it is an honor for Wateen to bring the first WiMAX South Asia conference to the country. I would like to congratulate the WiMAX Forum on hosting this year's summit in Islamabad and providing an opportunity for telecom professionals to work together and share experiences," said Naeem Zamindar, CEO Wateen Telecom. The event participated from operators Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, etc. The aim of the conference was to create awareness about how WiMAX is a cost-efficient, sustainable and easily scalable solution for broadband distribution. It can help improve the countrys economy by helping industries such as electricity, aviation, oil & gas, agriculture, healthcare amongst other in becoming more efficient, transparent and vertical through its various applications. For instance, WiMAX can help resolve Pakistans electricity crises through smart grid applications, through efficient and secure electricity distribution. n
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Telepedia
The objective of this campaign is to educate the masses and drivers of Islamabad about the importance of maintaining ones lane
aking another step forward in being a socially responsible organisation Ufone sponsored the launch of Islamabad Traffic Polices lane discipline campaign. The objective of this campaign is to educate the masses and drivers of Islamabad about the importance of maintaining ones lane. Inspector General of Police, Bani Amin Khan was the chief guest for the occasion and inaugurated the campaign. At the launch Ufone helped uplift the face
Salman Wassay, Chief Commercial Officer at Ufone and Akbar Khan, Chief Marketing Officer at Ufone were also present at the event. They interacted with the children present on the occasion and took part in handing out the information flyers to the general public along with IG Police. Speaking on the occasion, Salman Wassay said that Ufone was well aware of its social obligation towards the populace and the organisation strived to ensure that they supported public service
of I-8 Garden Chowk Lane by marking the road lanes with paint, installing sign boards and painting of kerbstones. Ufone has also displayed public service messages regarding lane discipline across major highway routes in Islamabad. The atmosphere was made lively by traffic police volunteers dressed up as cartoon characters and children dressed in fancy costumes. A number of volunteers were seen handing out flyers which contained information on the importance of lane discipline. To project a soft image of the ITP, candy and flowers were also distributed amongst the general public.
causes such as the lane discipline campaign. He praised the dedication shown by ITP and said that such efforts are what made it an exemplary model for the whole nation. He further stated that Ufones corporate strategy echoes its long standing commitment of balancing social responsibility alongside growth and productivity. He emphasized on the need for discipline on the roads and off it, stating that as a nation we needed to be more conscious of our responsibilities as good citizens. The efforts of the children present on the occasion were lauded by all officials who were present at the event. n
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Flare Report
Sony launches Alpha SLT-A77, Alpha, NEX-7 in Pakistan

Sonys Camera Reborn Concept includes compact interchangeable lens camera with world's fastest release time lag; the NEX-7 is the fastest of any interchangeable lens digital cameras in the world
ony has unveiled a comprehensive line-up of interchangeable-lens cameras with the purpose of reinforcing and extending its marketleading position in the compact digital still camera market, said Country Manager Pakistan Shinya Mehdi Mukaida in a launching ceremony held at local hotel in Lahore recently. Taking a quantum leap in speed and precision, the new range has taken digital imaging to the next level with revolutionary technologies that deliver exquisite photography, ease of use and portability. The SLT range - the Alpha SLT-A77 and the Alpha SLT-A57 features Sonys award winning Translucent Mirror Technology, making it the quick-
image processor which give the camera unparalleled speed and accuracy. Sony has given the SLT-A77 the worlds first* XGA OLED True-FinderTM, providing the best resolution, contrast and responsiveness of any electronic view finder (EVF) on the market. Budding film makers will also benefit from a number of enhanced video capabilities in the SLT-A77. Thanks to the faster speed of the new BIONZ processor, users can now film in both interlace and progressive including cinematic mode. The Alpha SLT-A57 also features the 12fps continuous shooting** function,
high quality, high-sensitivity image performance, as well as Full HD video recording with16.1 effective megapixel EXMOR APS HD CMOS sensor. The SLTA57 has various unique features such as Auto Portrait Framing, enabling anyone passionate about photography to take amazingly sharp, vibrant images with every snap. The SLT-A57 will be available from April 2012. The compact, beautifully styled Alpha NEX-7 allows photographers to capture DSLR-quality stills and video with the creative freedom of interchangeable lenses. Taking creative options to new extremes, the Alpha NEX-7 is styled in magnesium alloy for supe-
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est, most responsive interchangeable lens camera in its class. The NEX range featuring the Alpha NEX-7 features quick, responsive auto-focus and the worlds fastest release time lag. The Alpha SLT-A77 is the worlds fastest* 12fps full-resolution continuous shooting camera with high-precision phase-detection AF. It is also equipped with 24.3 effective megapixel EXMOR APS HD CMOS sensor and newly developed BIONZ
rior strength and premium looks, and weighs approximately 291g (camera body only). The NEX-7 features the Sony-unique EXMOR APS HD CMOS sensor with 24.3 effective megapixel resolutions that is teamed with the latest revision of Sonys BIONZ image processing engine. With the worlds fastest shutter release lag of nearly 0.02 seconds, the NEX7 is the fastest of any interchangeable lens digital cameras in the world. n
Interview
Flare Report
We can help Pakistan in energy management: Bertrand
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orn in Marseille in the south of France, Christian is well travelled and says that's reflected in his personality, love of sports and business life. "I attribute my talkative nature and a passion for football to Marseille," he explains. "From Grenoble, a city in southeastern France, where I grew up, I took away a love for the mountains and skiing and from Montpellier, another city in the South of France, where I was granted my first management role, I understood bullfighting." He headed operations in the Philippines, Australia and Italy. He says, I have learnt a lot from people. I cherish the kindness of the people of the Philippines. I appreciate their way of life and their constant smiles. Hierarchy is very important in the Asian culture and I've learnt about how to make people feel comfortable enough to express themselves, without necessarily adhering to hierarchy all the time. Australians are good at keeping up a work-life balance, something that I've rarely been able to follow myself. Their open nature is also admirable. You talk to anyone and instantly feel like their friend. In Australia, from a professional standpoint, I learnt a lot about operations and remote management, with the team located in different offices. I love Italy as well for the open extroverted nature of the people, the culture, and obviously, the food. Currently, he heads a team of hundreds of professionals in his Dubai office. He says, the experience has been incredible so far. There are around 20 nationalities at the regional headquarters. Such diversity in an office is wonderful and unique.
Flare team talks to Christian Bertrand, Vice PresidentMiddle East & Africa, APC by Schneider Electric, who says, I'm still as excited and motivated about working here as I was on my first day. In his role as vice-president, Christian oversees operations in 43 countries. Running one of the world's leading manufacturers of uninterrupted power supplies, electronics peripherals and data centre products, requires him to be alert around the clock. Work is already 80 percent of his life. He says, I often tell visitors that we have 11 days a week - seven working days and four weekend days - as well as 30 hours a day in this region, taking time difference into account
Dubai gave me an opportunity to continue developing my international experience. I could continue discovering new cultures and I had my family with me. Today, the approach has worked and I aim to share that with all the people I interact with. I enjoy mentoring and transmitting knowledge. I would rather be on the stage addressing a group of 100-200 people than writing. I get this opportunity within the company when we train young talent. My years of travel and living in various parts of the world have taught me that life is the way you make it, not the way it is. You cannot control everything. The motivational book Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson taught me to cope with change and about how to go back to basics in difficult situations. So I move on in a new playground with new challenges and new teams. I don't think I can ever call it a day when it comes to work. I am too high-energy to settle into a laid-back existence. If anything, I see myself contributing to the less privileged with my experience and abilities. Excerpts from interview: Flare: What role APC Schneider can play to get Pakistan out of the current situation? Christian Bertrand: Though, this is nice question, Im not sure we can bring Pakistan roamout of this situation, what we can do, we can help any country, there are a lot of countries across the Middle East Africa even Asia even Europe thats not only Pakistan in grip of energy crisis, this is a global issue that not Pakistan only. You might have some specific challenges; worldwide, we know that the energy consumption is going to double in the next 30 years.
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While we have to divide carbon dioxide emission thats a global issue of the entire world, so what we can do as a strong commitment from Schneider Electric, we can help Pakistan to do more with less energy, so up to 30 percent energy reduction, save money on electric bills, save the resources of our planet at the same time and to avoid investing more because if we consume too more money 30 percent less thats already 30 percent more that you can deliver to your customers. Thats how we can help, we can help you in all activities not only one, so we may be focus on data centres and IT applications, but Schneider can ask the same commitment to all activities in reducing consumption. It might be reducing consumption of buildings, consumption of industries and reducing consumption of IT data centres. The two main points I would like to highlight here and how we achieved that beside from the component side, which we have state-of-the-art components, we invest a lot of money on R& D to make that happened belieding the battle thats to keep on energy management services so if our customers understand where they are knowingly wasting money and normally on our side, after I have been corrected the initial setup and make the staff base very productive & efficient and they maintained this all along with our software that covers again all activities for any part of the economy of a country. Flare: How much investment do you have spent in Pakistani market? Christian: Well, we dont disclose values, so I cannot talk about dollars value but to highlight our commitment to Pakistan, we have been pres-
Pakistan, as we are sure there is potential growth for our activities in the country that we can bring value for our Pakistani customers. Flare: How APCs data centres different from others and how much more energy efficient are they? Christian: APC has been always on the forefront of the innovation, so what we proud of is to have really brought forward the technology; who invented the renewal cooler, APC; who brought the modular scalable approach, APC; so then obviously its our capacity to write; our competitors are trying to catch-up us sometimes they get close never to our level, I tell you, but they can get close and then we progress again, you will see in the very
Flare: Tell us about CSR activities Schneider Electric initiated so far? Christian: APC by Schneider Electric is involved in many CSR activities worldwide, thats the core of our values bringing not only charity into market, but we do when needed, in many countries, we invest to develop skills to help improving the living conditions of people; here I have to give just two examples: 1- Trainings, organized by Schneider Electric worldwide, we invited recently 250 students as well to join a contest, we invest on trainings in most of the emerging economies, lots of sessions happening in Africa for instance; 2- BipBop Programme: We want to improve the living conditions of the people; if you dont
ent in Pakistan for a long time already for more than 10 years, our setup increasing year after year. We started limited operations to get familiar with the country with the people and so on so step by step we are investing more now, so our setup in Pakistan has more than 350 people. We have manufacturing sites, since we acquired a river last year, we invested in the IT business and all businesses are represented so thats a very strong setup that we have in Pakistan, but will continue, as I said Schneider Electric has a strong commitment to
near future drastic progresses on that side as well from APC. How much? Its not important what really is important to continue leading the battle, again in different angles, component levels, excellent component levels and innovative approaches in order to air-power customers more efficient as we mentioned energy efficiency and softwares thats really clearly the two battles for the next years and we are continuously leading these battles in Pakistan and other countries.
have a bank account, you cant pay electricity bill, you cant receive bill; how you can get access to power; so the target was not to engage people but to invent a system that allow people to get access to electricity without bank accounts and addresses and so on so, somehow granting safety for the suppliers. BipBop programme which is delivery (a prepaid electricity bill) and you will get electricity without any bank account, without anything; you just pay for what you get delivered, thats Schneider Electric took at the right. n
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Etisalat Afghanistan has gained a customer base of more than 3.5 million active subscribers in less than three years, which is offering mobile services and has been ranked Number One in building the best networks in the country
tisalat, the largest telecommunication company in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, has launched the first ever 3G services in Afghanistan through its arm Etisalats Afghanistan. The service agreement was signed by the Chairman of Afghanistan Telecommunication Regulatory Authority, H.E. Abdul Wakil Shergul and Etisalats Afghanistan CEO, Ahmed Alhosani during a ceremony held at Ministry of Communications & Information Technology offices in Kabul. The ceremony was also attended by Afghan Minister of Communications & Information Technology, Amir Zai Sangin; Afghan Minister of Finance, Dr. Omar Zakhilwal; senior Afghan government officials; and media representatives. Today is an auspicious moment in the history of telecommunications in Afghanistan, said Etisalat Afghanistan CEO, Ahmed Alhosani. It calls for a celebration of a public-private partnership for connecting people and improving Afghan lives for many generations to come. This achievement comes after only four years of the launch of Etisalat Afghanistan, which is offering mobile services and has been ranked Number One in building the best networks in the country. Since its launch, Etisalat Afghanistan has gained a customer base of more than 3.5 million active subscribers in less than three years. Mr. Alhosani congratulated H.E. Chairman ATRA Abdul Wakil Shergul and H.E. Amir Zai Sangin, Minister of Communications & IT, Government of Afghanistan for their vision which led to achieving this important milestone, as well for their continuous support to Etisalat to partner in the development of Afghanistan. We are proud to be the first to launch 3G services in Afghanistan, said Mr. Alhosany. This shall certainly spur a new era of advanced development in
Afghanistan while positively impacting every aspect of peoples lives. Mr. Alhosani said that through the launch of 3G services in Afghanistan, Etisalat has brought a rich understanding of technology, business and culture of communities to the country. We consider ourselves a change agent in the future of economic development in the most dynamic regions such as Afghanistan, he said, adding, and we rewrite the economic equations that govern the success of businesses and communities.
added people of Pakistan are benefiting from their hospitals and continued support for flood victims. Rehman Malik requested Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar to consider to enhance the telecom facilities for under privileged areas in Pakistan, specially in FATA, Malakand and Swat where security situation is improved. Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar appreciated support of Senator Rehman Malik and other ministries. He said that Etisalat Group is committed to development of telecom sector in Pakistan. The Minister assured CEO Etisalat Group for provision of full security to the PTCL/Etisalat installations and staff and appreciated the support of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, President of UAE as it has always stood with Pakistan on all difficult moments, irrespective of the fact whether it is earthquake or floods.
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On the other hand, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Etisalat Group, Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar calls Interior Minister Rehman Malik in Islamabad recently. On the occasion, Minister for Interior, Rehman Malik said Pakistan appreciates investment from United Arab Emirates (UAE) in all economic sectors, especially telecom which is creating better opportunities for market as well as for people. He was talking to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Etisalat Group, Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, who called on the Minister here. The Minister thanked UAE authorities particularly Etisalat for doing excellent work in Pakistan and
The Minister appreciated services of Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar and his team headed by Abdul Rahim A. Al Nooryani, Chairman & CEO, Etisalat International Pakistan (EIP) and Waleed Irshaid, CEO, PTCL. n
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Lack of local market skills Samsung share shrink to 3%

According to market statistics 2.5 million cellphones sell-out in Pakistan every year, in which 50 percent market share captured by Chinese handsets, Nokia has 35 percent share, Apple got 4 percent, other brands have 8 percent share, while the Samsung, who claims worldwide leader get only 3 percent in the most lucrative telecom market
s a world leader in digital technology Samsung Electronics is progressing into a new era in product development, corporate culture and contributions to the global society. But its hurting to compare Samsungs performance in Pakistan, our telecom sector is spreading its wings across the length and breadth of the country; cellular subscribers crossed a bench mark of 114.61million in population of 188 million with tele-density around 66 percent. According to market statistics 2.5 million cellphones sell-out in Pakistan every year, in which 50 percent market share captured by Chinese handsets, Nokia has 35 percent share, Apple got 4 percent, other brands have 8 percent share, while the Samsung, who claims worldwide leader get only 3 percent in the most lucrative telecom market. On its website, Samsung says, in order to achieve our goals, we understand how important it is to build relationships and have full support from first class suppliers. Samsung Electronics is looking for potential world-class partners with innovative and distinctive technologies for collaboration & creating new business opportunities. Together with suppliers, we will work together towards a common goal: To be the World's best. If you would like to be a partner with Samsung Electronics; together we will create the future of digital experiences. But, when we look at their performance in the local market, it seems that, there is a huge vacuum with reality. The difference between words and actions speak for itself. They are enjoying their deep sleep as their shares going down with each passing day.
Its very shocking to know that Samsung which claimed Pakistans top selling brand imported just 19,204 handsets in Pakistan; the main reason of failure is Samsung management; Its a shock; Samsung is struggling to get some good candidates for its Pakistani market, who can kick-off their operations
According to Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) released the import of Samsung handsets figures for the month of February 2012 recently. Its very shocking to know that Samsung which claimed Pakistans top selling brand imported just 19,204
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handsets in Pakistan. One can imagine that Samsung handsets share depicts its popularity and credibility. There are many reasons but main reason of failure is Samsung management in Pakistan. Its a shock; Samsung is struggling to get some good candidates for its Pakistani market. Those who are currently running Samsung business are ignorant of local market demands and knowledge. They are mere enjoying high salaries but have no interest in boosting the market share for Samsung in local market. The head is responsible for managing and controlling the companys business and day-to-day operations with the aim of securing significant, sustained increase in the value of the company. Samsung totally failed to provide good services to the customers as major customers have numbers of complaints regarding sales and services, helpline non-attendance, inferior quality handsets, etc. The popularity of Chinese handsets in Pakistan is due to multi-functions, design, low cost and much more battery lifetime as compared to Samsung cellphones, which have lack innovation, high price, poor battery time and poor service. On the other hand, Nokia still has 35 percent market-share is the talented local management with rich native market knowledge. Mobile phone users in Pakistan reached 114.61 million and its population is 180 million higher by 2.1 percent than the last years. The countrys population has been growing at a decelerating pace but still Pakistan has one of the highest population
growth rates in the world. The imports of mobile handset witnessed growth of 58 percent in the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2011-12 compared with corresponding period of previous fiscal year, reflecting high domestic demands of customers for multiple brands. According to the figures of Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS), the expenses of mobile handsets are on the rise as Rs 14.25 billion were spent on the imports of various brands. As per estimates, the handset sales have increased to 0.125 million handsets on monthly basis having price range between Rs 1,000 to Rs 55,000. According to the dealers the mobile handsets market is changing its dynamics constantly in the past three months with number of global and local branded phones increasing their shares tremendously. These include: Apple, Nokia, HTC, LG, ZTE etc, but Samsung is continuously walking on the slippery path, as its shares declining with rapid pace, if the top management of the Korean mobile phone maker fail to decide to change it current management in Pakistan, it would be no more to survive in the most promising market in the region. A stitch in time saves nine, if the top executives of Samsung dont make their minds to change its Pakistani team, it would be too late to recover the loss, the current local management is really denting the image of Samsung in the minds & hearts of Pakistani mobile lovers. Apple is the new player in the market and getting its position better and better, while the old player Samsung is losing its feet. n
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he first internet domain was registered back in 1985. It might be difficult to believe, but back then, many folks weren't convinced of its use, and indeed it wasn't until a decade later, in the mid-nineties, when the net really started to take off. Nowadays, any prediction involving the internet generally involves stratospheric growth, as witnessed in the latest piece of research on the net economy from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Come 2016, the internet economy will be worth no less than $4.2 trillion among the G20 nations. And the UK could be set to do very well out of that, given that the BCG pegged the country at a G20-leading 8.3 per cent of its economy coming from the internet. BCG estimates that the UK's internet economy will be worth 220 billion by 2016. Currently, the value of the global internet economy is estimated at $2.3 trillion, so it will nearly double up in just four years if it's to reach that $4.2 trillion prediction. If the internet was a nation, that would put it in the top five national economies, ahead of Germany and behind only the US, China, Japan and India. The BCG study indicated that 21 per cent of Americans questioned would give up sex to stay online, and two-thirds would forego their daily coffee(s). All this underlines the importance of the online economy, and online shopping for consumers today. Dominic Field, one of the authors of the study at BCG, stated: "The Internet has become like electricity or water." Rather aptly, as when combined those two entities will also produce a shocking prediction. The question is that what is the state of the online economy in Pakistan? Although, the country has over 20 million internet users with 12 percent penetration of the population, which is better than India perecentage wise. Internet growth is rapid. Lots of online shops are springing up all around the place but is anybody really buying online? Mobile usage is still based around 2nd generation phones, with no 3G internet or smartphone usage. Anybody using iPhone or Android apps from the Android market? Do smartphone connections on 3G even exist?
Internet economy to hit $4.2 trillion

Currently, the value of the global internet economy is estimated at $2.3 trillion, so it will nearly double up in just four years if it's to reach that $4.2 trillion prediction. Huge growth expected as consumers increasingly find online shopping indispensable
The reason can be extreme load shedding, poor economy, and massive corruption. Buying from online shops is more common in western societies as compared to India and Pakistan. In Europe, the eBusiness has grown so much, people order hot pizzas over internet while sitting inside their homes. There are different methods of payment online. VIsa Debit and Credit cards, Master Debit and Credit cards, Paypal etc. Unfortunately, the whole world's banking system is based upon Interest where loans are given in different forms and then profit is earned in the form of Interest. Credit card is one of its form where holder of card buys on credit and then later pays the money back to bank among with specified percentage of Interest. But in case of Debit card, one can do a finite shopping depending upon the amount of money he has in his bank account. This second form of shopping with Debit cards is much safer than shopping with Credit cards. Still, we lack 3G cellular network. Lack of 3G network has not let the people's emotions down and they still buy iPhones, smartphones with android and etc in large quantity. India's Internet economy is expected to reach Rs 10.8 trillion by 2016, as the country's growth rate in this segment is far ahead of many of the developing nations, says a report by Boston Consulting Group.
The question is that what is the state of the online economy in Pakistan? Although, the country has over 20 million internet users with 12 percent penetration of the population, which is better than India percentage wise. Internet growth is rapid
Online economy in Pakistan is far far behind from US or British economy. Here, people due to low literacy rate and lack of awareness prefer buying from shops instead of buying online. Online fraud is common in Pakistan. Here, online sellers sell faulty products, loot people and then bring defame to this business. As a result, people prefer to buy from local shops instead of buying over internet. But if they buy online, they prefer to buy from famous foreign eShops like amazon, ebay etc. This is a truth, internet penetration is more in Pakistan than India. But unfortunately, quality of Internet Services is lower as compared to India.
According to a report in the Boston Consulting Group's Connected World series, the Indian Internet economy contributed Rs 3.2 trillion to the overall economy in 2010, representing 4.1 per cent of GDP, and is projected to rise to Rs 10.8 trillion by 2016. n
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he mobile marketplace is proving to be an advertising powerhouse. Globally, mobile ad revenues reached almost $3 billion in 2007, and forecasts are pointing to a potential for more than 60 percent year-over-year growth, reaching $19 billion or more by end of 2012. It is no surprise that the mobile advertising space is bubbling with enthusiasm. The cost of interaction of mobile is low, there is a huge cost efficiency to use mobile for interaction, low cost of transaction and, therefore, there are big opportunities for advertisers to leverage the use of this medium. As more and more generic ads pop up on mobile phones, users could very well perceive them as another spam invasion, and retreat in huge numbers. There is a vital need to create a solution that can protect and nurture mobile advertising's lucrative possibilities. Operators need a Marketing & Advertising solution that represents a fresh approach which benefits everyone - operators, advertisers, and subscribers. They need a new Mobile Marketing & Advertising application, which instead of hitting subscribers with unwanted, one-size-fits-all offers gives advertisers the ability to deliver relevant messages to the right recipients at the right time and in the ways they want to receive them. The solution needs to explicitly request subscribers' permission to interact with the network through an opt-in system. Users can choose to indicate their interests, preferences, and other relevant information to build individual profiles. With that intelligence, it should generate real-time ad inventory and target both content and delivery based on a subscriber's location (if the subscriber has chosen this option), their preferences for devices, message formats, and timing, and other contextual information. It should also provide the critical capability of protecting users' privacy and personal data, and it enables performance tracking to measure advertising effectiveness. Mobile advertising will definitely grow and print, radio, television and internet in this will be only other mediums that will grow on mobile. Even individuals or companies will look at how is it
Millions upon millions of people around the world use mobile devices, meaning that mobile advertising is a far more efficient solution for reaching the masses. What makes this tool so unique is that information being sent to a targeted market niche
the most effective way of reaching the consumers on the mobile, so for sure in the next couple of years mobiles will grow significantly. Mobile advertising, which is still at a nascent stage, still has a long way to go in Pakistan. In the past few years, mobile internet use has exploded and there is no end in sight. Millions upon millions of people around the world use mobile devices, meaning that mobile advertising is a far more efficient solution for reaching the masses. What makes this tool so unique is that information being sent such as the launch of a new product or service, a promotion for a special event, an announcement of a contest, and so is not disseminated randomly but to a targeted market niche. Already mobile advertising is being recognized as one of the most exciting value added services seen in a long time. Even so, once 3G (third generation) is yet to come to Pakistan, people using mobile devices to connect to the internet will experience faster speed and improved video quality that will enhance the mobile advertising experience. With this, the ability to view advertising, news, shortad clippings, and more would be much better than what people experience today. It is also expected that the advent of 3G, along with innovative changes in technology specific to platforms, networks, and end-user mobile devices will push mobile advertising to an entirely new level. For advertisers, mobile advertising campaigns could become more sophisticated and robust while being received and viewed by the recipient as seamless streaming video. New studies suggest that by the year 2013, the global mobile marketing industry will reach approximately $24 billion. Currently, most of the value added services specifically for mobile devices has to do with online gaming, music downloads, and social networking such as Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook. However, with 3G, mobile advertising will be one of the top value added services. The study showed that approximately 20 percent of internet users currently click on banner ads via a mobile device and of those, some 60 percent actually searched for or requested additional information for the product or service found within the banner advertisement. Therefore, as 3G rolls out around the globe, content-rich applications will be used more often, which in turn will be a driving force for the success of mobile advertising. With this type of forecasting, experts believe that by the end of 2010, the use of mobile advertising will shoot up to about 20 percent for companies and advertisers that use this technology. Because mobile advertising has already been proven a beneficial medium for communicating to people all over the world but also targeted niches, more and more companies are beginning to invest. The bottom line is that with the integration of 3G, rich mobile advertising in the form of videos is expected to become the first choice for companies and advertisers. n
Emerging world of mobile advertising

Mobile advertising will definitely grow and print, radio, television and internet in this will be only other mediums that will grow on mobile. Even individuals or companies will look at how is it the most effective way of reaching the consumers on the mobile, so for sure in the next couple of years mobiles will grow significantly; but still has a long way to go in Pakistan
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One of the reasons that some people avoid using mobile devices to access the internet is because of slow downloads and poor quality video. For endusers in this situation, receiving mobile advertising is more of an annoyance but by using 3G the overall experience would be richer. Everything the user would do online via the mobile device would be improved to include mobile advertising.
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Capacitive Stylus: The trend of the stylus is back for new-generation touch screens. Use this one if you like to be precise in writing and drawing on a tiny screen or simply want to keep it scratch-free.
in the room. You can set the app to record feeds and upload them to a free, private YouTube account. Solio Bolt: Solmate Solio Bolt by Chennai-based Ideaplus Systems gets the thumbs up for quality conversion of solar energy and product design. The batteries come with an integrated solar panel which can be charged by keeping in the sun. Once its internal 2000mAh Li-Poly battery is fully charged (which
This stylus is slightly heavier than a pen and comes integrated with an LED reading light as well as a laser pointer. All you need to do is put slight pressure and the stylus works smoothly even on screen protectors. Violight cellphone sanitizer: A study by the London School of Hygiene says your cellphone has more germs than a toilet seat. Kill the germs on your device the Star Trek way with Violight UV Cellphone Sanitizer. It is a metal basket with a lid in which you can put your phone, charger, MP3 player, PDA, even
takes 8-10 hours in sunlight), you can use it to charge your phone. The Bolt battery keeps the charge for up to one year, and will deliver a full charge to your phone in 3 hours, after which you need to recharge it again. Its not suggested as a replacement for your charger, but it is handy if you are travelling or are in a place where theres no electricity. Drone Controller: Drone is an open-source standard game controller with buttons to play games and other apps on touch-screen devices. Its ergonomic, has a standard button layout that you might be familiar with if you are an old-time gamer, and is built well enough to be tossed into a backpack. It is compatible with Bluetooth devices. If you are a
netic ring. The lens and the app have been created for iPhone 4/4S. JuiceTank case: Start-up company Detached has launched a case for your smartphone which comes with a lightweight plug built-in so that you can simply use it as a wall charger. Once your phones finished charging, the plug can be folded completely flat so that nothing sticks out. No fuss, no cords and no need to carry an extra battery or that charger. The
earbuds or anything else which will fit in the slim box. The germicidal UV rays will zap the viruses and bacteria in just 5 minutes. iZon room monitor: Want to keep an eye on your child or pet while you are in office? This appcontrolled camera live-streams video and audio of any space. The camera connects to your iPhone via an app called Stem:Connect. The camera has a magnetic base so that you can position it at any angle. Once set, you can see a live feed from the camera anywhere in the world on your iPhone. It can be configured to alert you when it senses motion or sound
case is made of polycarbonate, used in bullet-proof glass, so your phone is cushioned against drops. Wilson Sleek: Dress up your mobile phone in this Wilson cradle to convert it into a signal-catching superhero. This data and phone signal amplifier cradle acts like an antenna to boost your calls, reduce the number of dropped calls, increase data rates in weak signal areas and originate calls in dead spots. It amplifies signals both to and from the cell tower, making your cellphone 20 times more catchable. Just keeping the cradle around your phone will in-
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bit of a geek, you can even create and upload your own code to modify the characteristics of the controller and use it for other apps and stuff. Dot iPhone Panorama Lens: Want to create a seamless video panorama from your phone but do not have that kind of feature in your smart device? Stick the Dot iPhone Panorama Lens to your phones camera. This little black lens captures all the action around you in a 360-degree video. Once its shot, you can use the free accompanying app called Looker to make the video an interactive Flash video. It creates videos which run like Google Street View, where you can zoom in and pan out to see all that has been shot. The video can also be saved as an HD wide-screen video with the same app. The lens is attached using rings that are to be stuck to the back of the phone or case. On the other side, it holds the lens with its mag-
crease its signal strength since its an antenna. The cradle is adjustable to any phone size. However, do some groundwork before you buy this product. Sleek 2G/3G only works between 824-894 MHz and 1,850-1,990 MHz. If your wireless service provider matches this frequency, only then will this product work with your phone. n
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TenPearls brings 3D game for iPhone lovers

Karachi: TenPearls, a Karachi based application Development Company focused on mobile, software and game development, has announced the launch of Carumba! a car racing game for iPad and iPhone in 3D. TenPearls claims that Carumba! has been downloaded for more than 50,000 times in first 30 days. An official statement said that Carumba is designed for both kids and adults to give them the real experience of car racing.
Launched as a free game, Carumba! allows users to earn coins during the race, and redeem them to unlock other cars and tracks or to get additional nitro boosts. Integration with Game Center, Apples Social Gaming Network, provides users ability to brag about their scored through the Leaderboard. Additionally, Carumba! allows users to personalize the experience through available selection of make and color of their cars, race tracks, background music and background
Ministry of Information Technology initiated National Information and Communication Technology ICT&D Fund in order to accelerate the development of ICT infrastructure
National ICT Scholarship Program 2012
lated disciplines in the top ICT universities of Pakistan, and hence enhance capacity in the best ICT related educational institutions. This program is run with the fi-
Racers can use their iPhone or iPad to steer and control their cars with precision at high speeds. The first version of this car racing game is developed as a mobile game application for the Apple iOS (iPhone and iPad).
scenery. TenPearls said that it plans to launch multi-player mode, where players can race against each other, and schedule their races. There are also plans to launch this game for the Android platform. n
for research, development and educational purposes. National ICT R&D Fund is offering fully funded scholarships for talented students from rural/non-metropolitan areas of Pakistan with the objective to develop human resource capacity in ICT fields in Pakistan. The Prime Ministers National ICT Scholarship Program 2011 (Extended for Spring 2012) will provide fully funded 4 year undergraduate degree scholarships in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) re-
nancial collaboration of Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) of Government of Pakistan. The program has been successfully in operation since 2006. In order to accelerate the process and to cater the students who could not benefit for fall 2011, the program of the year 2011 has been extended for Spring 2012. This year there will be no ICT Scholarship Award Test and it is the responsibility of a candidate to get admission at any of the Participating Universities. n
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ot so long ago, "text" simply described plain old letters on a page. Today, according to new research, it's become the primary method of communication for America's teenagers, more popular even than face-to-face conversations. It's enough to make even the least techsavvy of adults sit up straight and go, "OMG!" News of the paradigm shift comes by way of a report on "Teens and Mobile Phones," released by the Pew Research Center. After surveying some 800 teens ages 12 to 17, Pew found that 54 percent were daily texters, up drastically from just 38 percent in 2008, and now far outpacing actually talking to each another, which rests at a measly 33 percent. Just as staggering is the sheer volume of texting being done by today's teens. The study found that half of all those it surveyed send upwards of 50 text messages a day, for a total of 1,500 a month. One in three sent more than 100 a day. The researchers also noted a distinct gender divide, with young women texting on average much more than young men (80 texts daily versus 30), a finding that contradicts results of previous studies on the same subject. The Pew study does more than just provide raw data on the texting trend. It analyzes how such extensive cell phone use complicates relationships with authority figures, reporting that "for parents, teens' attachment to their phones is an area of conflict and regulation," especially as their parents attempt to limit usage and control the contents of information being sent and stored. More than two-thirds of parents reportedly check the contents of their child's phone, and 62 percent have taken it away as a form of punishment. Meanwhile, 64 percent of the teens surveyed admitted to texting in class, despite the fact that 65 percent of the study group attended schools that completely banned cell phones.
Just as staggering is the sheer volume of texting being done by today's teens. The study found that half of all those it surveyed send upwards of 50 text messages a day, for a total of 1,500 a month
Pew also briefly addresses the phenomenon of "Sexting," which has resulted in numerous legal problems and personal tragedies for many teens in recent years. The report notes that 4 percent of the teens surveyed "say they have sent a sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude image of themselves to someone via text message," while 15 percent had received such images. Pew also published a study late last year specifically addressing "Teens and Sexting," but the implications of those findings are likely to change in light of the latest report. Reacting to the findings, technology guru and parent Cory Doctorow drew a comparison between the mobile phone's place in the lives of today's teens and the place held by cars for teens of the past. Writing on Boing Boing, Doctorow observes that the explosion of teen drivers beginning in the postwar era produced something else now taken for granted: The widespread adoption of driving licenses by teens meant that for the first time in American history, practically every adolescent could be expected to carry government-issued identity papers. ... The ubiquitous mobile phone in adolescent hands has meant an enormous increase in adolescent freedom to communicate and to form groups to take action. But it's also meant an unprecedented (and as yet, largely unfelt) increase in the amount of surveillance data available to parents and authority figures, from social graphs of who talks to whom to logs of movement to actual records of calls and texts. Meanwhile, around the Web, Doctorow's fellow tech writers -- joined by no shortage of parents -reached their own conclusions about the deeper truths the study revealed. TechCrunch blogger Scott Merrill wasn't moved, saying the study just shows "what everyone already knows." At rival research firm Poynter, Damon Kiesow was similarly unimpressed with Pew's survey, summarizing it as follows: "A new report from the Pew Research Center confirms what every parent of a teenager already knows: Kids send a lot of text messages." However, he did concede that the study had one surprising finding: the enduring appeal of text-based messages in the face of flashier new technologies like video chatting. "Text messaging is often viewed as an outdated technology, but an emerging generation of avid texters may force a reconsideration of that approach." San Francisco Chronicle writer Ryan Kim recognized that practicality played a large role in the difference between teens' communications with their peers and with their parents: "If teens want to convince a parent they're OK or need to wheedle something out of them, they'll switch to voice calls. Text messaging is more for avoiding arguments or nosy questions." He also highlighted Pew's finding that while texting is way up among teens, e-mail use by the age group is on a simultaneously steady decline, down from 15 percent in 2008 to 11 percent in 2009.
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The Wall Street Journal's Jennifer ValentinoDeVries also commented on this latter finding, observing, "Although e-mail is considered relatively informal by adults, teenagers in the Pew survey said they see it as formal, something used mainly by teachers and parents." n
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National
Fr e e d ow n lo ad | f la re .p k
High Highness Sheikh Nahayan bin Al-Nahayan, Chairman Abu Dhabi Group with CEOs of various companies of the Group in Pakistan at the event held in Lahore.
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani talks with Lt-Gen Zaheer-ul-Islam, DG ISI, during meeting at PM House in Islamabad.
Information Minister Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan presents a bouquet to Saudi Cultural and Information Minister Dr. Abdul Aziz Bin Mohayuddin Khoja on his arrival at Islamabad airport.
Agha Qasim, VP Corporate Affairs Mobilink, and PTA Chairman Dr Mohammad Yaseen evaluating the Automation of Pre Sale Documentation Procedure at the Mobilink Call Centre, Islamabad.
Majid Qureshi (right), Regional Head Franchise Sales & Distribution, Warid Telecom hands over the cheque of Rs.500,000 to the winner ofSMS Crore Ka weekly prize campaign in Lahore.
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President & CEO Ufone Abdul Aziz, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce Muzammil Sultan along with other dignitaries at 3-day Ufone Faisalabad Shopping Festival 2012.
Group photo of 1st International CSR Business Excellence Award winners with the chief guest Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khan Khosa on the occasion organised by NFEH Naeem Qureshi president NFEH and other prominent guests also seen in the picture
Fr e e d o w nl oad | fl ar e. pk
International
Mosaic
A penitent of the brotherhood "Estudiantes" talks by phone dress before the start of the procession during Holy Week in Oviedo, northern Spain.
University and CEGEP students call members of the provincial Liberal government on their cell phone during a demonstration against a hike in tuition fees in Quebec City.
A model displays the "One" series new models of Taiwan's smartphone maker HTC during a press conference in Taipei.
A model poses as Japanese electronics giant Sony introduces a new line of the company's "Bravia" television sets in Tokyo.
Managing Director Fujifilm India Kenichi Tanaka (L), Indian Bollywood actress and Fujifilm cameras brand ambassador Minissha and others hold newly launched digital cameras at a Fujifilm product launch event in New Delhi.
A Japanese tourist makes a call on her cellphone upon arrival at Chaklala Airbase in Rawalpindi after evacuation by the Pakistan Air force from Gilgit.
The president of Japanese toy manufacturer Bandai, Kazunori Ueno (L) and actress Meisa Kuroki display a new virtual pet robot "Smart Pet", which is used to dock iPhones or iPods at a press preview in Tokyo.
A prototype for "Google Glasses" is shown in this publicity photo released. The Internet search giant took the wraps off a project to create digital "augmented reality" glasses designed to take photos, display directions and let the wearer have videochats with friends, among other things.
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Exclusive
Flare Report
A leader makes things happen
to develop ideas, effectively plan its implementation, execute the plan second to none and achieve superior results time and time again. At first blush this does seem like a tough challenge, after all who can know it all, right? Well, here is where we make the mistake of shying away from it. Its not like you mug up the books and case studies, all you need is knowledge and that comes from observation. So my friends, start observing, regardless your position. Curiosity kills the cat, we all heard that growing up well, we are grownups now, so the statement becomes curiosity is a prerequisite to continuous improvement and excellence. How would man make it to the moon if it were not for curiosity, I would like to know. You need to be curious, whats around that corner, what comes next, whats that market like, how can we tap in? Whenever you are confronted by a situation in which you have to deal
A leader is supposed to be a jack of all trades and master of none so to say. A leader knows enough about almost everything relating to todays dynamic corporate world and has the ability to develop ideas, effectively plan its implementation, execute the plan second to none and achieve superior results time and time again
To be a leader, you need to make things happen. Should you come across something that needs to be done, get up and do it. Leadership is not only required in the professional facet of your life, it plays a vital role in your personal as well
eadership is somewhat an enigma for most of us; there is a ton of information available over the internet and many articles that define leadership and the skills required to be a leader are free to read but since all this information is scattered, we only sift through and think we got enough information out of the few articles we found. This article is a summation of all the secrets of the Holy Grail we call Leadership Skills To be a leader, you need to make things happen. Should you come across something that needs to be done, get up and do it. Leadership is not only required in the professional facet of your life, it plays a vital role in your personal as well. If you have dishes to be washed, get it done! If you have assignments to complete, do it! Dont be lazy or distract yourself from the task at hand. Remember, being professional starts way before you are formally employed, so start today, start now and get it done, whatever it is you need done! We all know and agree nothing in existence around us is without reason or purpose. Ever wondered why we have two ears and one mouth think deeper, why do we have 32 bars around our tongue? Simple, so we could listen more and talk less. Leading is all about listening more, understanding and
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taking the necessary action. As a leader, one needs to listen to every bit of information available, think about it well and then take required steps. You must have seen CEOs often talking very little, taking brief pauses during the little conversation they have it is not because they are arrogant or think too much of themselves, rather they take their sweet time thinking and then speaking. So listen well, and talk less. Every day is a journey when it comes to our existence, same is the case with profession; the three questions which need to be clearly answered and explained are where are we to go?, how are we supposed to get there?, what would be my role. Every team asks these three questions from their leader and expects clear answers. The leader will never be able to explain and answer unless s/he isnt clear on the journey so make sure you have enough information to clearly answer. Unless you do so, your team will be confused and your results, well lets just say they wont be what you expect them to be. As your career progresses, you will be expected to operate in a range of positions dealing with a number of tasks. A leader is supposed to be a jack of all trades and master of none so to say. A leader knows enough about almost everything relating to todays dynamic corporate world and has the ability
with a number of people before coming to a decision yourself, listen to what every one of them have to say. Instead of filtering out people you are not very fond of in particular, listen to everyone; chances are that very individual gives you a eureka moment. Remember, every situation has multiple conclusions dont jump to one, analyze carefully and sincerely. A common mistake most of us make, we think we have it covered or say hey I got this! ask yourself, do I really? If something inside you begins to jump around and makes you uneasy, you are
not prepared my friend. So what is a good preparation then? A good preparation is a plan laid in such a way that every possible corner is covered. Moreover, a good plan will also have effective contingencies, and satisfies the if this, then that situation. As mentioned earlier, a leader makes things happen Go get some! n
Flare Report
InsighT
Pakistans location makes it a gateway to half of worlds population in China, India, Central Asia, West Asia and the Gulf region. Pakistans 4th largest labor force who are talented, hardworking, English speaking, cheap and technology savvy, give it unbeatable advantages
e said that despite various challenges, Pakistans economy has maintained an average growth rate of 5 to 6 percent for the past six decades. Pakistans mineral resource endowments of $ 30 trillion (double of US GDP) consisting some of the worlds largest reserves of Coal, gold, copper, chrome, gas, rare earth, rock salt, gemstone, marble, onyx and granite in addition to 42 other minerals, is only tip of the iceberg, with half of the country surveyed. Pakistan is the most promising Emerging Market, he was addressing the Pakistani community recently. He said Pakistan has rich agriculture base, being among Top 20 Producers of twenty horticultural products. Pakistans location makes it a gateway to half of worlds population in China, India, Central Asia, West Asia and the Gulf region. Pakistans 4th largest labor force who are talented, hardworking, English speaking, cheap and tech-
nology savvy, give it unbeatable advantages. Pakistan is located in an Energy rich neighborhood with plenty of energy potential resources of its own including coal, hydel, wind and solar which could make it the favourite of the investors, Mr. Javed observed. Pakistan is the only major untapped market for Multinationals looking for safe havens for long term profit sustainability. The rate of return is as high as 40-50 percent with provision for 100 percent repatriation of equity, profit and dividend. The rate of return on investment in Pakistans stock market was the highest globally during the last decade. A dollar invested in Pakistani stocks in 2001, became twelve dollars in 2011. Pakistan is home to 800 Multinationals and the number could very well double in the next few years. Pakistan has 53 percent population under twenty years, which by virtue of demographic div-
idend give it a 2 percent GDP growth rate advantage. Pakistan has become a part of Flying geese economies of Asia, benefitting from the rise of the Peoples Republic of China. Pakistans rich cultural heritage, social capital and soft power give it a winning edge in the 21st Century, a fact acknowledged by the worlds eminent scholars such as Joseph S. Nye Junior, Anatol Lieven and others in their writings. The 20th Century vindicated Pakistan, the 21st Century belongs to us, Mr. Javed added. More and more Singaporean companies are making investments in Pakistan. Bilateral trade is also increasing. Pakistanis are actively engaged in the development of Singapore-Pakistani relations in all fields. High Commissioner Javed complimented the contributions of the Pakistani Community to project Pakistan. n
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Flare Report
hat terrifies a man as smart and successful as Bill Gates? Just two words, it turns out. Some say these two words keep him up at night. Others claim they are the real reason for his early retirement. Still others assert that the concept behind these words is a bigger threat to Microsoft than Apple, Amazon, and Facebook combined. The two words upended Bill Gates' world? "Cloud computing." Bill Gates nightmare is that Microsoft, a company he builds for a lifetime, will be wiped out. What scares Bill Gates? Cloud computing. Bill Gates knew the world he created was in danger of being upended, and on a grey autumn afternoon he sent an urgent memo to his top engineers and most trusted managers. It sounded the alarm that a disruptive "wave" was about to wash over the entire world, forever changing the way we get information and do business. It also warned that this could wipe out the $300 billion Empire he'd spent his life building. It was happening a few hundred miles south, on the banks of the Columbia River. A mysterious outfit known only as "Design, LLC" constructed two massive, windowless warehouses as "looming like an information-age nuclear plant." Inside those monoliths, the "wave" Bill Gates feared was being built under the code name "Project 2." Today, "Project 2" -- or "cloud computing" -- is a $160 billion tsunami. And experts say it will capsize a $1 trillion industry. For an eerily similar tale, step into the time machine. On Feb. 28, 1881, a British
It sounded the alarm that a disruptive "wave" was about to wash over the entire world, forever changing the way we get information and do business. It also warned that this could wipe out the $300 billion Empire he'd spent his life building
geeky college dropout started writing software with his former high school pal. PCs replaced the mainframe. Companies began building interoffice networks for employees to run programs like Microsoft Office and access files or printers from a central server. But, like Edison's, Bill Gates' model was far from perfect. PC networks were inefficient. Every time a company needed a new application, it had to expand its data centres, reprogram old systems, and hire technicians. a Microsoft product forces $8 more of IT expenses. Expensive and inefficient -- just like Chicago's unlinked power stations. Today we look up restaurants on Google, find directions on MapQuest, watch videos on YouTube, and sell furniture on Craigslist -- and all we need is an Internet connection. Now none of that content is even stored on your computer. Thanks to the thousands of miles of fiber-optic cable laid during the 1990s, the speed of computer networks caught up with the speed of the computer processors. Computers that were once isolated are now linked in a giant network, or "cloud."
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stenographer named Samuel Insull arrived in the port of New York, hired by Thomas Edison's chief engineer to serve as Edison's private secretary. Insull knew the model Edison had created was flawed. He got his chance to unleash his "wave" -- to change the trajectory of the electricity industry -when, after overseeing the merger that created General Electric, he was offered the presidency of the Chicago Edison Company. At the time, cities like Chicago had dozens of small, privately owned power stations transmitting direct-current electricity to nearby neighborhoods. Insull envisioned a centralized serving center -- akin to today's "cloud" -- that would do away with the inefficiencies of the one-station, one-neighborhood model. Little did anyone know that the world of electricity was about to change drastically. Insull's vision was to create a "utility" by building giant central power stations that would transmit alternating-current electricity over great distances. These power stations could be linked to form a giant grid that would serve homes, businesses, and industries in even the most remote locations. Because these utilities could match supply with demand, realize economies of scale, and use their capacity more efficiently, they could deliver electricity at a fraction of the cost. He was right on the money: By 1907, utilities produced 40percent of the power in the U.S. In 1920, that number stood at 70percent, and a decade later, it was over 90percent. And what was once unimaginable suddenly became reality. Insull transformed Edison's legacy into something greater and more efficient than its creator had imagined. Today's visionaries are doing the same. Remember when computers took up entire rooms and were used for mathematical calculations? Then Intel (INTC) unveiled the microprocessor, and a
Like Edison's, Bill Gates' model was far from perfect. PC networks were inefficient. Every time a company needed a new application, it had to expand its data centres, reprogram old systems, and hire technicians. As a result, global IT spending jumped from under $100 billion a year in the 1970s to over $1 trillion by the turn of this century
As a result, global IT spending jumped from under $100 billion a year in the 1970s to over $1 trillion by the turn of this century. IT consulting firm IDC reports that every dollar a company spends on
Like electricity, cloud computing isn't just a modern convenience -- it's becoming an enormous industry. Everyone from individuals to multinational corporations can now simply tap into the "cloud" to get all the things they used to have to supply and maintain themselves. This shift will save some major companies millions -- and will make smart investors billions. Three companies in particular are on the forefront of this massive shift. n
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011 was the year of the hacktivist. 100 million users saw their data compromised by hacktivist groups such as Anonymous and LulzSec. Out of an estimated 855 data-breach incidents recorded last year, only around 25 were attributed to hacktivists. While their activities accounted for just 2 percent of external breaches, they stole 58 percent of all the 174 million records stolen last year. The data comes from Verizons 80-page 2012 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR, PDF). The most significant change we saw in 2011 was the rise of hacktivism against larger organizations worldwide. The frequency and regularity of cases tied to activist groups that came through our doors in 2011 exceeded the num-
more complete picture of the current state of cybercrime. Meanwhile, activists with hacker skills were behind more than half the data stolen in cyber attacks last year, according to findings released by Verizon Communications. While criminal groups accounted for an overwhelmingly majority of cyber strikes on networks, "hacktivists" were the ones who rampantly looted data once inside computers, Verizon said in an annual Data Breach Investigations Report. "This re-imagined and re-invigorated specter of 'hacktivism' rose to taunt organizations around the world," the US telecom titan said. "Many, troubled by the shadowy nature of its origins and proclivity to embarrass victims, found this trend more frightening than other threats." About 98 percent of
Hacktivist groups like Anonymous and LulzSec werent responsible for the most data breaches in 2011. They did, however, steal the most records from users last year, according to a new report
ber worked in all previous years combined. But this was not restricted to our caseload alone; the other organizations participating in this report also spent a great deal of effort responding to, investigating, and prosecuting hacktivist exploits. It was extremely interesting to piece these different perspectives together to form a global view of investigations into activist groups and their victims. 3 percent of all external attacks may not seem like much (though remember were dealing with over 850 incidents here, and notice related motives are higher than that; plus we suspect some unknown agents are actually activists), but this trend is probably the biggest and single most important change factor in this years DBIR. That is not to say that hacktivsm is new; the term has been standard lexicon since it was coined by the Cult of the Dead Cow hacker collective in the late 90s. Back then, it mostly consisted of website defacements, coordinated denial of service attacks, and other antics to express disagreement, obtain bragging rights, or just because. The major shift that occurred in 2011 was that activist groups added data breaches to their repertoire with much heightened intensity and publicity. In other words, 2011 saw a merger between those classic misdeeds and a new oh by the way, were gonna steal all your data too twist. But even thats not the whole story. Although activist groups accounted for a relatively small proportion of the 2011 caseload, they stole over 100 million records. Thats almost twice the amount pinched by all those financially-motivated professionals we discussed earlier. So, although ideological attacks were less frequent, they sure took a heavy toll. The report is based on security-breach investigations conducted by the Australian Federal Police, The Dutch National High Tech Crime Unit, the Irish Reporting and Information Security Service, the Police Central e-Crime Unit, and the United States Secret Service. We welcome these collaborators and firmly believe the more data we can share with the incomputer network breaches at companies last year were the work of outsiders, with criminal groups out for profit were figured to be behind 83 percent of those attacks. However, it was self-described activist organizations such as Anonymous and Lulz Security who stole 58 percent of the data while being involved in far fewer cyber attacks, according to Verizon. "While good old-fashioned greed and avarice were still the prime movers, ideological dissent and schadenfreude took a more prominent role across the caseload," the report said. The report cited data provided by the US Secret Service, the Dutch National High Tech Crime Unit, the Australian Federal Police, the Irish Reporting & Information Security Service and the Police Central e-Crime Unit of the London Metropolitan Police. The Verizon findings were released on the same day that an IBM X-Force 2011 Trend and Risk report indicated that tightened security at companies is forcing cyber crooks to rethink tactics and shift to new fronts such as smartphones. The X-Force report indicated hackers were increasingly resorting to automated password guessing programs, attacks on mobile gadgets, and "phishing" attacks that trick people into downloading viruses or revealing sensitive information. "We've seen surprisingly good progress in the fight against computer crime through the IT industry's efforts to improve the quality of software," said X-Force threat intelligence and strategy manager Tom Cross. In a bit of good news, the amount of spam email in 2011 was about half that in 2010, according to IBM. n
While criminal groups accounted for an overwhelmingly majority of cyber strikes on networks, "hacktivists" were the ones who rampantly looted data once inside computers; this re-imagined and re-invigorated specter of 'hacktivism' rose to taunt organizations around the world
dustry, the better we can understand and prepare for the threats we collectively face, a Verizon spokesperson said in a statement. As always, the DBIR includes only confirmed data breaches worked either by Verizon or one of the aforementioned agencies. We believe that with each passing year, the data grows and evolves helping to paint a
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Telepedia
Flare Report
esearch In Motion Ltd. has been ousted from the top spot for smartphone shipments in its home market for the first time, trailing Apple Inc.s iPhone. Due to loses, several senior executives at Research in Motion have resigned, as the BlackBerry maker posted a quarterly loss. Three Research In Motion executives have announced they are leaving the firm, including former co-chief executive Jim Balsillie. RIM, based in Waterloo, Ontario, shipped 2.08 million BlackBerrys last year in Canada, compared with 2.85 million units for Apple, data compiled by IDC and Bloomberg show. In 2010, the BlackBerry topped the iPhone by half a million, and in 2008, the year after the iPhones debut, RIM outsold Apple by almost five to one. BlackBerry, one of the biggest consumer brands
survey of analysts. Sales probably dropped 18 percent to $4.53 billion, analysts predict. RIM said in December sales would be $4.6 billion to $4.9 billion. By contrast, Apples fourth-quarter profit more than doubled to US$13.1 billion almost triple RIMs sales as revenue surged 73 percent to $46.3 billion. Apple fell 0.6 percent Wednesday in New York to $602.50. The shares have gained 49 percent this year and have soared almost six-fold since 2009. Still, many of Canadas banks and the federal government remain loyal to RIM devices. Royal Bank of Canada, the countrys largest bank, only issues BlackBerrys, said Katherine Gay, a spokeswoman for the Toronto-based bank. Bank of Nova Scotia and Bank of Montreal do the same. Toronto-Dominion Bank, which issues BlackBerrys to its staff, is assessing the policy and allows employ-
Several senior executives at Research in Motion have resigned, as the BlackBerry maker posted a quarterly loss; BlackBerrys loss of domestic preeminence shows the iPhones user-friendly features and wealth of apps trump other considerations
to emerge from Canada, had enjoyed more loyalty among locals who embraced its made-in-Canada roots. BlackBerrys loss of domestic preeminence shows the iPhones user-friendly features and wealth of apps trump other considerations, said Paul Taylor, a fund manager at BMO Harris Private Banking in Toronto. For RIM, in its home market, to lose that No. 1 position to iPhone is strategically important, said Taylor, who manages about $15 billion in assets, including RIM and Apple shares. It does identify, even with a home-country bias, how consumers are responding to the greater functionality of the iPhone. To halt a sales slump thats spreading north from the U.S., Thorsten Heins, RIMs new chief executive officer, has vowed to do something dramatically different. The BlackBerry 7 phones introduced last year have better Web browsers and touch-screen navigation than older models and the BlackBerry 10 devices due out this year will represent further improvement, Heins said. Sales in Canada, which account for about 7percent of RIMs revenue, fell 23 percent in the fiscal third quarter from a year earlier as U.S. sales tumbled 45 percent. That dragged worldwide revenue down 5.9 percent, offsetting rising emerging-market sales. While RIM was once a hotbed of innovation, it didnt invest enough in promoting its devices once the iPhone arrived, said Alfred DuPuy of Interbrand, a research firm. They got so good at innovation they just expected the product to sell itself, said DuPuy, head of the firms Toronto office. From a brand perspective, they just lost their way. BlackBerry slipped two spots to 54th in Interbrands October 2011 ranking of the worlds top 100 brands as Apple climbed nine spots to eighth. The challenge for Mr. Heins is to take that iconic brand and products that are reasonably competitive and ensure that they do get appropriate attention from the average consumer, BMO Harriss Taylor said. Thats the challenge: to reverse the negative sentiment that has developed. Market-share losses, a series of marketing missteps and product delays sent the stock down 75 percent last year and RIM recently closed lower at $14.04 in New York, down 90 percent from its mid2008 record. That hasnt stopped investors from betting on further declines. Short interest in RIM reached an eight-year high this month. ees to use personal Apple and Android devices for corporate email, said Dave Codack, head of employee technology.
Market-share losses, a series of marketing missteps and product delays sent the stock down 75 percent last year and RIM recently closed lower at $14.04 in New York, down 90 percent from its mid-2008 record. That hasnt stopped investors from betting on further declines
RIM will probably say fourth-quarter profit fell by more than half to 82 cents a share when it reports results March 29, according to a Bloomberg
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BlackBerry still has an edge over the iPhone in some emerging markets. In the Middle East and Africa, RIM shipped 8.3 million handsets to Apples 2.5 million iPhones last year. In Saudi Arabia, teenagers have embraced RIM because they can flirt using its free BlackBerry Messenger instant messaging, avoiding local religious police who restrict interaction between unmarried men and women. RIM in the past did really well as carriers pushed the product and thats what sold, said Wu, who is based in San Francisco and rates RIM the equivalent of a hold. Now you get the opposite, its not what the carriers push but what customers want and customers are choosing iPhones even in Canada. The Canadian company has been stung by slipping smartphone shipments and limited deliveries of its poor selling PlayBook tablet. n
Flare Report
Exclusive
Mansha eyes India for economic uplift

We have a special relationship with China. Why cant we have a special relationship with India? Ive raised this matter with our government. For the first time in Pakistan every political leader has given a pledge that we have to normalise trade and opening-up with India, says Mansha
he richest man in Pakistan wants to see energy pipelines across borders, buy software from India instead of paying 10 times more to European firms, and launch his own IPL-like cricket team with Indian players. The 1947-born Mian Mohammed Mansha, who in 2010 became Pakistans first Forbes billionaire, told that for the first time there is political consensus in Islamabad and a shift in the defence establishment to normalise trade ties with India.
a fortune worth $ 2.5 billion. He is also the biggest single exporter in Pakistan. He hails from Chiniot, Punjab. Chiniotis are one of the leading industrialists of Pakistan. Mian Mohammad Mansha is the Chairman of Nishat Group - the biggest industrial and financial conglomerate of Pakistan. Nishat currently comprises of 21 companies including 13 listed companies with manufacturing assets of nearly 27 billion and three of Mansha's close relatives, Saigols, Jehangir Elahi and S M Saleem of United Bank among the top 45 indus-
Mian Muhammad Mansha Chairman, Nishat Group economic front. Asked how the separated neighbours can expand business under the shadow of terrorism, he suggested that trade would cushion a soft landing to hold the frayed bilateral relationship in case of a future incident. Terrorism is partly linked to people who have no jobs, he said. Therefore madrasas are coming up. We need to create a better economic environment. We should deal with future incidents maturely, he said, citing the example of the British government in the aftermath of the London bombings compared to the Americans after 9/11.
India is the largest importer of defence technology. Imagine if we can relieve ourselves from this military buildup and spend on the people on either side of the border. Mansha wishes he could just drive from Lahore into Amritsar and Chandigarh, on a stretch of highway where he estimates that property prices would shoot up if the border opened up for real
Mansha is in New Delhi to launch franchises to sell his textiles in every major city, buy technology from India, set up a cement processing plant, and open branches of the bank he runs, the MCB. We hope that Indian banks come to Pakistan too. He cited silly business barriers. His Pakistani mobile phone worked in his last tour of 10 African nations but not in neighbouring India. But in a symbolic first, the pilots of his Gulfstream jet received visas to stay in New Delhi instead of having to return to Lahore or simply stay on board till the tycoon finished business. India is the largest importer of defence technology, he noted. Imagine if we can relieve ourselves from this military buildup and spend on the people on either side of the border. Mansha wishes he could just drive from Lahore into Amritsar and Chandigarh, on a stretch of highway where he estimates that property prices would shoot up if the border opened up for real. n
Makhdoom M. Amin Fahim, Senior Minister for Commerce of Government of Pakistan shaking hands with Mr. Anand Sharma Commerce Minister of Government of India at the start of bilateral talks in New Delhi.
I have had many lucky breaks. Lady Luck has always been on my side. New projects just crop up before I stop doing the old ones" (Mian Muhammad Mansha) Mian Muhammad Mansha a name signifying continuous struggle, hard work and a faith so very firm in his Allah that nothing on the face of this earth ever stopped him from attaining the goodies that life had in store for him and he did attain the giddy heights of glory, for sure. A father of three sons, Mian Muhammad Mansha stands out the richest man of Pakistan with
trial families in Pakistan. He said, We have a special relationship with China. Why cant we have a special relationship with India? Ive raised this matter with our government, Mansha told. For the first time in Pakistan every political leader has given a pledge that we have to normalise trade and openingup with India. Theres a shift in our defence establishment that the time is right, and we should nurture our relationship. Our people are realising, like people everywhere, that today you need diplomacy on the
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Flare Report
he worlds insatiable appetite for all things Apple appears to be reaching new levels. Silicon Valleys hottest company could soon become the worlds first trilliondollar company, according to Wall Street analysts. Analyst Brian White sparked media frenzy with his headlinegrabbing prediction that Apples already sky-high share price will touch $1,000 within 12 months. Piper Jaffrays Gene Munster countered with an ever so slightly less bullish case that Apples share price would hit four figures by 2014. The technology group achieved another milestone as Apples stock price rose above Googles for the first time. Steve Jobs, Apples late cofounder, is rumoured to
At its current price Apple is valued at $590.82billion, making it the most valuable company in the world. At $1,000 Apple would be worth nearly $1trillion. No other company has been valued at anything like that price. Apple fever is spreading like a wildfire around the world
have decided against splitting Apples stock in order to one day pass Googles share price. But for all the hoopla, the leap to $1,000 would be a big hike for a company that has already enjoyed a record run on the stock exchange. Recently, Apples shares were worth $633.38 each slightly more than a mid-range iPad. A year ago they were changing hands at $341. At its current price Apple is valued at $590.82billion, making it the most valuable company in the world. At $1,000 Apple would be worth nearly $1trillion. No other company has been valued at anything like that price. Apple fever is spreading like a wildfire around the world, White said in his report. Just what might send Apples shares to $1,000 the answer is twofold: China and TV. When Tim Cook, Apples chief executive, stepped up to fill Jobs outsized sneakers, some worried Apples glory days were behind it. But so far the company, based in Cupertino, California, has more than delivered. In late January Cook announced record sales of iPhones and iPads as Apple more than doubled its profits to $13.06 billion, compared with $6 billion for the same quarter in 2010. Cook said the company had sold a record 37.04 million iPhones in the final quarter of 2011, a 128 per cent rise on a year ago. We could have sold more if wed had more supply, he said. The recently launched iPhone 4S proved to be the companys best seller in the quarter. We could not be happier, said Cook. The company reported record sales across nearly all product categories. Apple sold a record 15.43million iPads over the quarter, more than double the number of a year ago. And the company overtook Samsung as the worlds top smartphone maker last quarter, according to the research group Gartner. Topping that performance will be hard. In his report Munster forecast that Apple would sell 33million iPhones during the March quarter 11 per cent less than it sold in the holiday season. But those results excluded mainland China. launch of a new product a television. Apple has long been rumoured to be eyeing the TV market a move that could prove as disruptive to broadcast media as Apples iPod proved to the music industry. Foxconn, the Apple manufacturer at the centre of the recent workplace abuse scandal, recently bought an 11 per cent stake in LCD display maker, Sharp Corp, further fuelling rumours that an iTV (or whatever) is in the works. Cook has done little to dampen the rumours. Apple already has a TV product a set-top box called Apple TV. But it has not set the world on fire. Cook recently hinted there may be something else in the pipeline. Apple doesnt do hobbies as a general rule, he said speaking about Apple TV. The company always thought there was something there, and that if we kept following our intuition and kept pulling that string, we might find something larger, he said. The key risk to the Apple story is pace of innovation, Munster wrote in his report. While we have not seen anything to make us believe innovation will slow, it is the fundamental barrier that stands between shares at $600 and at $1,000. Apple has won the ecosystem and interface war, and must continue to innovate around its leadership position to grow the business. Going forward, consumer interest in owning future Apple products is a key metric to measuring Apples pace of innovation. But not everyone is buying Apple as a $1trillion behemoth. In fact some have questioned Apples value at half that price. n
Apple set to be the first $1 trillion firm?
Katy Huberty predicted Apple could sell 40million iPhones in China this year as it forges deals with the countrys top three telecoms firms. There are more than 150million high-end Chinese subscribers in the country, according to Huberty, but Apple can only reach 10 per cent through its partnership with China Unicom. Cook has called China Apples second most important market. Recent revelations about poor conditions at Apples Chinese factories may have damaged the brands image in some eyes, but they do not seem to have affected sales in China or elsewhere. But in order to push Apple over the $1,000 mark, White is predicting that Cook will need to cement his place as Jobs true heir with the
Apple had sold a record 37.04 million iPhones in the final quarter of 2011, a 128 percent rise on a year ago. We could have sold more if wed had more supply. The iPhone 4S proved to be the companys best seller in the quarter, said Cook
In January Apples launch of the iPhone 4S triggered a near riot in Beijing after a crowd of 2,000 some of whom had waited overnight in freezing temperatures lost patience and started pelting the stores windows with eggs. China remains a tiny market for Apple. But that is changing. Earlier this year Morgan Stanley analyst
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Wateen services reach Pakpattan Pakistan drops 14 points on

Lahore: Wateen Telecom has announced to start its service in Pakpattan, which is an addition to Wateens WiMax network and came as part of Wateens collaboration with the Universal Services Fund (USF). Through the USF, Wateen offers discounts to subscribers in areas where internet penetration is extremely low. Wateen is already working with USF on four broadband and three optical fibre projects in underserved areas of Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab, with subsidies worth a total of Rs 2.8 billion. With the addition of Pakpattan, Wateen now serves a total of 25 cities, with 960 WiMAX sites nationwide, making the company the largest WiMAX service provider in the country. Naeem Zamindar, CEO Wateen Telecom, stated on this occasion, The addition of Pakpattan to our WiMax network is part of Wateens mission to provide internet connectivity to every single Pakistani. We will continue to add more cities - as well as prethrough cutting edge technology; Wateen is the leading wireless broadband service provider in the country. The company is the pioneer in bringing wireless broadband technology to the country and the first in the world to roll-out a The lack of seriousness from the government of Pakistan reflects in the 11th Global Information Technology Report 2012 of the World Economic Forum. According to the Report, the Ministry of Telecom and Information Technology being headed by Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Prime Minister of Pakistan; shows lack of efficiency and poor governance at the part of the Government of Pakistan. Despite efforts over the past decade to develop information and communications technologies (ICT) infrastructure in developing economies, a new digital divide in terms of ICT impacts persists, according to the latest rankings of The Global Information Technology Report (GITR) 2012: Living in a Hyper connected World, released by the World Economic Forum. The GITR indicates Pakistan's challenges and opportunities on 10 different pillars, where Pakistan has not been able to show any remarkable improvements in the previous year. Pakistan lost its competitive advantage on the fixed broadband internet tariffs, where it dropped the ranking from 36 in 2011 to 79 in 2012, which means residential monthly fee in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP). The extent of information and communications technologies improving access for all citizens to basic services (health, education, financial services, etc.) also took a dip to 113 with losing 30 points from last year.
Global IT Report 2012
viously unconnected areas to our network until we are confident that all Pakistanis have easy and affordable access to the internet, he added. With its vision of enabling every man, woman and child in Pakistan
WiMax network on a nationwide scale. Over the last year, Wateen has invested heavily in improving and expanding its network, workforce, systems and processes to ensure delivery of an outstanding customer experience in the future. n
Mobilink has announced a 50 percent increase in balance inquiry charges from April 17th, 2012. An advert published in various newspapers read that charges for all balance inquiry services will be charged at 15 paisas plus tax (which would be 18 paisas including tax) from April 17th, 2012. Earlier, balance inquiry charges were 10 paisas plus tax or 12 paisas including tax. All the operators are moving to charge customers with such charges as in the past helpline and balance inquiry were exempted
Mobilink balance inquiry charges increases

from all taxes and were offered absolutely free, but now on each service it imposing charges, putting burden on poor users. It is feared that other
operators will follow Mobilink and will increase balance inquiry charges from 12 paisas to 18 paisas per inquiry. PTA isnt doing much in this regard. In fact, Chairman PTA Dr. Muhammad Yaseen once officially told Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat that authority could not ask operators to fix service charges. Dr. Yaseen said that setting a ceiling price is impossible because the cost of operators has gone up due to increase in power tariff. n
Government prioritizing of ICT also achieved a rank of 103 from 83 last year, making a variation of 20 points. A serious concern and bottleneck on Pakistan's business and entrepreneurship initiatives have been identified by the GITR on Pakistan's policies on the tax regime introduced in 2011, this actually sum of profit tax, labor tax and social contributions, property taxes, turnover taxes, and other taxes, as a share of commercial profits, Pakistan stood 58 this year from 39 last out of 142 economies in the world. The GITR also identified that the extent of information and communication technologies creating new organizational models are also weakening in Pakistan, going 81 from 63 last year. However, Pakistan improved its competitiveness in certain areas including, efficiency of the legal system in challenging regulations, where Pakistan improved from 95 in 2011 to 79 in 2012 out of 142 countries. The judicial independence was also highlighted as one of the advantages in Pakistan, where the improvements were made on 11 points, thus ranking Pakistan at 62 in the world. The effectiveness of the law making body has also improved 9 points, with a ranking of 93 this year. The quality of education system and the capacity for innovation also shows improvement of 7 points each ranking at 79 and 51 respectively. n
Warid launches call, SMS block service
Lahore: Ufone has announced the lucky draw results for its ShahCar Offer and made public the names of 10 lucky winners who have won Toyota Corolla XLI cars. Ufone had promised 10 Toyota Corolla 1300cc XLI cars; through lucky draw to those customers who would consume a minimum balance of Rs.200 during the month of March. All Ufone customers who had consumed Rs. 200 or above balance during March 2012 had automatically qualified for the lucky draw. The lucky winners are: 1. Shahid Ali from Lahore 2. Muhammad Sar-
Ufone declareses 10 Toyota Corolla car winners
6. Sajjad Hussain Memon from Noshero Feroz 7. Muhammad Iqbal Tabassum from Karachi war from Attock 8. Shahzad Rasool 3. Dilshad Ahmed Khan from Rajan Pur from Karachi 9. Wajid Iqbal from 4. Muhammad Yaseen Chakwal from Rahim Yaar Khan 10. Bilal Hassan from 5. Muhammad Khan Sialkot. n from Lahore
Lahore: Warid Telecom the leader in mobile innovations after the phenomenal success of 9211 Call Blocking Service now brings yet another extremely exciting value added feature that allows Warid users to block annoying SMS from any number and this enhanced feature of 9211 service is offered free of cost. Users can block unlimited on-net, off-net and international numbers by creating a block list for the obnoxious callers. To set pre-recorded announcements against a specific caller, users can also choose from a wide range of existing list
while they have an option of assigning self recorded announcements against the obnoxious caller numbers as well. There is another SMS Notification Service through which an alert is sent whenever the obnoxious caller tries to call. Integrating SMS Blocking facility into its already existing Call Block 9211 service greatly enhances the utility of service from user perspective. Best understanding the needs of its customer, Warid manages a vast product portfolio of over 60 Value Added Services on IVR, SMS, MMS and EDGE.
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PTCLs pursuit of innovation gives it an edge over other players: Naveed Saeed
Karachi: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) Senior Executive Vice-President Commercial, Naveed Saeed has said that his companys sustained pursuance of innovation has brought it closer to its consumers and given it a remarkable competitive edge over other market players. Our journey over the last five years has had a profound impact on how businesses deal with people and how people evolve their businesses, said Saeed during his remarks delivered at the oneday Marketing Conference (MarCon) 2012 organized by the Marketing Association of Pakistan in Karachi. The conference entitled New Trends and Insights in Creating and Sustaining Competitive Advantage was attended by more than 600 marketing and branding professionals, and was broadcast live on the Internet. Prominent speakers from the field addressed the forum and shared with the marketing fraternity their insights and experiences on emerging trends and practices. At PTCL, we have a big appetite for innovation, said Saeed during his presentation entitled Creating and Sustaining Innovation in Marketing. Pursuance of innovation drives us to perform and each step has brought us closer to our consumers. Saeed said that PTCL has gained a distinct competitive edge over other telecom operators because of its continued introduction of innovative products and services that are in line with consumers needs. Comprising the PTCL Eco System, these include
Country Manager Pakistan & Afghanistan, Visa International (Asia Pacific) LLC, Amer Pasha presents a shield to PTCL SEVP Commercial, Naveed Saeed.
Phone, Internet, IPTV, Videophone, Wireless, On the Go Cloud, Tablet, Smartphone and IPTV on Tablet. Saeed spoke at length about the emerging new trends in the fields of marketing and communications. He stressed the importance of viral space digital marketing, social media Internet marketing and mobile marketing as the essential new tools for companies wanting to maintain innovative edge over others.
Today, we are living in a new marketing millennium in which technology is impacting marketing, said Saeed. PTCLs technology shift has also brought a marketing shift for the company in which we are focusing on the futuristic innovation of our products and services for consumers. PTCL SEVP Commercial said that his companys endeavors have not only brought about a dynamic change in its perception and redefined its
image, but they are now also changing the lifestyles of its customers. PTCL products and services are creatively addressing affordability, quality, utility and identity needs of consumers, he said. With PTCLs right investments, agile network, sharp understanding of emerging technologies and customer centric products, we are clearly focused on understanding and meeting our customers aspirations, said Saeed. n
Warid starts new SIM Punjab Govt. to cap on Internet cafs activations operations
Personally monitoring the new 789 exercise of automation of sale of prepaid mobile SIMs, PTA teams are visiting call centers of mobile companies to ensure its effective execution. Director bile SIMs, the subscribers documentation will be maintained electronically through e-CSAF and this efficient system will not only eradicate the misuse of CNIC copies but also facilitate in Owing to countless controversies demanding the implementation of proper monitoring regulations for internet cafes, the Punjab government is going to forward a bill titled Net Caf Regulations Act (Punjab Cyber and Gaming Caf Regulations Act) 2012. The bill is likely to be tabled in Punjab Assembly after consultation with concerned stakeholders after announcement of budget in June 2012. According to sources, the bill was expected to be finalized in December 11, 2011, however, disagreement over some conflicting points from cabinet members couldnt bring it into due action then. Earlier, after considering various public concerns in a famous television talk show, the Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif ordered regularization of internet cafes. The bill is prepared to implement monitoring internet cafes in Lahore and other parts on province.
According to bill, in net cafes, private cabins will no more be allowed and the existing cabins will be removed. Instead, computers will be placed on simple tables. Moreover, customers will have to provide their identity cards and the net caf owners will have to maintain a record of their customers identifications. The owner of the caf will be culpable for any sort of misuse detected and the cafes will neither remain open after 10 pm nor before 8 am.
Cellular users reach 116.2m

Director General (Enforcement), PTA, Mr. Yawar Yasin (Second from left) cutting cake with Warid Officials at Warid Contact Center in Lahore.
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General (Enforcement), PTA, Mr. Yawar Yasin along with other PTA officials recently visited Warids Call Center in Lahore. Closely observing the process of 789 operations at Warids Call Center, the Director General expressed his satisfaction on the quality of operations. Highlighting the utility of the new process, he said that with the automated procedure for sale of mo-
keeping an authentic record of retail channel in case of any misuse. To mark the successful launch of 789 operations, a cake cutting ceremony was also organized at Warids Call Center. Mr. Yasin appreciated the role of mobile companies for maintaining measurable quality metrics to evaluate system efficiency for safe SIM verification processes. n
Mobile phone subscriptions in Pakistan have reached 116.2 million in February 2012 by adding 1.6 million subscribers in January 2012, revealed latest stats published by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. Total number of cellular subscribers stood at 116,209,749 with teledensity hitting 67.2 percent mark. Mobilink remains the top company with 35.2 million subscribers. Mobilink became first cellular company in the country to cross 35 million mark by adding 593,096 subscribers in January 2012. Telenor stood second with 28,844,869 subscribers fol-
lowed by Ufone at 22,423,269 adding 528,143 subscribers to subscribers. Both Telenor and reach a total base of
Ufone added 374,615 and 403,811 subscribers respectively in January 2012. In January 2012 Zong officially surpassed Warid by
14,951,789 subscribers; while Warid lost another 296,574 subscribers to settle with 14,693,616 subscribers at the end of January 2012.n
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Mobilink gives away 2000 school bags to PEF

The Mobilink Foundation has donated 2,000 school bags, made from recycled advertising material, to the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF). The school bags were formally handed over by Mobilink Foundation at a ceremony organized at the PEFs Rawalpindi Regional Office. The ceremony was also attended by principals and students of 32 schools from North Punjab. Chairman PEF and senior officials of Mobilink adto express my gratitude to the Punjab Education Foundation for giving us this opportunity to support the educational pursuits of the children. Raja Muhammad Anwar, Chairman PEF, added: Punjab Education Foundation is working to expand its educational programs across Punjab, opening the doors of quality education to more male and female deserving students. We are grateful to Mobilink for providing us with bags for our students. Mobilinks recycled school bags are produced from used panaflex sheets acquired from advertising billboards of Mobilink and other donating companies. The Mobilink Foundation launched the Recycled School Bags initiative in 2007, and has since donated over 37,000 bags, to organizations such as the JAQ Educational Trust, CARE Foundation, Zindagi Trust, Sindh Education Foundation and now the PEF. n
dressed the gathering, highlighting the importance of supporting education for the masses, followed by distribution of bags amongst students. Omar Manzur, Di-
rector Public Relations and CSR, Mobilink highlighted: The Mobilink Foundation is deeply committed towards making a difference in the lives of the underprivileged across
Pakistan. The recycled bags allow us to contribute on the dual fronts of protecting our environment, as well as providing children with a durable educational aide. I would like
PTCL extends Rs 2.3m for children ZTE bags 3G, 4G network upgrade of Pakistan Sweet Homes project from Telenor
Pakistan Telecommunication Company (PTCL) Senior Executive Vice President HR, Syed Mazhar Hussain said PTCL extended its assistance of Rs 2.3 million for the children of Pakistan Sweet Homes. He said this while addressing a ceremony on the occasion of the Annual Sports Gala celebrated by the children of Pakistan Sweet Homes to mark Pakistan recently in Islamabad. A project of PBM, the nationwide established Sweet Homes provide quality housing and education to nearly 3000-orphaned children across Pakistan. The colourful ceremony held at Jinnah Sports Complex, Islamabad from March 19-25, the Sports Gala was actively participated in by children who were provided an exciting opportunity for fun, games and sports gear through partnership between PBM and PTCL. "As a socially responsible corporate entity, PTCL has always endeavored to stand on the frontlines of social service for the people of Pakistan, whether they are vulnerable groups or affectees of natural disasters," said Hussain. "PTCL takes great pleasure in celebrating this significant occasion with these beautiful and talented children of Pakistan Sweet Homes from all over Pakistan who have made this event vibrant and colorful," said Mazhar Hussain. "What better day than today for PTCL to be with all of you and reflect the true spirit of Pakistanis as a united nation!" he added. Speaking on the occasion, MD PBM, Zamarud Khan especially thanked PTCL for its generous gift for the children of Sweet Homes. He also thanked PTCL Senior Executive Vice President HR, Syed Mazhar Hussain for attending the ceremony and encouraging the children. Speaker National Assembly, Dr. Fehmida Mirza; President Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Sardar Yaqoob Khan; Minister of Kashmir Affairs & Northern Areas, Mian Manzoor Wattoo; Managing Director, Pakistan BaitulMaal (PBM), Zamarud Khan, and hundreds of dignitaries and people from various sections of society were present on the occasion. n ZTE has won a 3G and 4G network upgrade and extension project from Telenor Pakistan. The Chinese gear maker will provide network equipment and assist the mobile service provider in the construction. ZTE will provide 18,000 network stations and corresponding CNs, VAS, bearer network, green power and supporting facili1,500 GSM new base stations, 7,000 HSPA base stations and 2,000 LTE base stations. ZTE said construction will take place between 2012 and 2017. This year, ZTE will begin expanding and enhancing TP's wireless network with the goal of achieving GSM, UMTS and LTE network upgrades and integration within 5 years. services for TP. This will help the operator achieve significant improvements to network quality, allowing it to focus on its market operation services and enhancing its market share. "As a long-term investor in Pakistan, we are eager to upgrade our network to meet the increasing customer needs. Telenor Pakistan looks forward to working with ZTE to ensure our customers receive superior network quality and next generation services," said Telenor Pakistan CEO Lars Christian Iuel. "ZTE is thrilled to be a part of this project. We are confident that the upgrade will enhance user experiences across Pakistan," said ZTE Pakistan CEO Peng Aiguang. n
ties. The telecom equipment maker will swap the existing 7,500 GSM stations. Moreover, it will construct
ZTE also will provide full network operation management and end-to-end service network optimization
WiMAX Forum welcomes Wateen Telecom to its Board of Directors

Lahore: The WiMAX Forum announced the addition of five new members to its Board of Directors: Tom Mueller, General Manager, Digital Energy Communications, General Electric; Shoichi Hanatani, General Manager, Hitachi; Scott Morrison, Executive Vice President and President, Telecom Infrastructure Business Unit, NewNet Communication Technologies; Naeem Zamindar, CEO, Wateen Telecom; Ali Tabassi, COO, YTL Communications. All five companies are worldwide leaders in the development and deployment of next generation wireless technology. WiMAX provides a cost effective and scalable solution to the opportunity presented by a developing country like Pakistan where broadband penetration is less than 7 percent of households and demand is growing exponentially, said Nameen Zamindar, CEO of Wateen Telecom. Our focus is on developing a complete business model focused on providing affordable plug and play fixed broadband access and WiFi enabled hotspots to meet this growing demand. We are pleased to bring our experience and drive for success to help lead the WiMAX industry. "The WiMAX Forum would like to welcome the newest members of its esteemed Board of Directors, said Mohammad Shakouri, Chairperson of the WiMAX Forum Board of Directors. Each of my new colleagues brings a wealth of experience to their roles, and the WiMAX Forum is fortunate to now have access to their guidance and leadership. Other members of the WiMAX Forum Board of Directors include: Airspan Networks, Alvarion, Clearwire Corporation, Huawei Technologies, Information and Communications Research Laboratories at Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Intel Corporation, KDDI, KT, Packet One Networks, Samsung, Sprint, and UQ Communications. The WiMAX Forum is also pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has confirmed the election of Dr. Mohammad Shakouri as Chairperson of the Board of Directors. The WiMAX Forum would like to congratulate Mr. Shakouri, and thank him for taking on this role for the benefit of our industry. n
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PTCL continues motivating sales teams: Saeed

Lahore: Pakistan Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Company Limited (PTCL) and Airlink Communication recently held a motivational Sales & Distribution Conference for their sales and distribution teams. Held at Airlink Lahore office, the conference was led by PTCL Senior Executive President Commercial, Naveed Saeed, and was attended by management and sales teams of PTCL and Airlink. Airlink Communica-
Huawei unveils smartphone
LAHORE: Huawei officially unveiled the Huawei Honor, its latest Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread smartphone in Pakistan. It features a 16M 16:9 true color high-definition (HD) 4-inch FWVGA capacitive touch screen. Powered by a 1,900 MAh battery. The smartphone frees consumers from the inconvenience of searching for an electricity source, allowing them to share and connect for up to three days on a single charge the longest battery life among smartphones in the 4-inch PTCL SEVP Commercial, Naveed Saeed (center) along with the PTCL sales team and Airlink screen range. With a 1.4 Communication management at the conclusion of PTCL Sales & Distribution Conference held in Lahore. GHz processor, an 8tion is managing a na- cluding Vfone and EVO. rate objectives and megapixel HDR - enabled camera and a 2tional distribution pro- The conference helped strengthening their re- megapixel front-facing camera, Honor is a powerhouse in a sleek 10.9 mm-thin body and gram for PTCLs to align both teams to- lationships. n weighs just 140g, says a press release. n wireless products in- wards meeting corpo-
PTCL honored with CSR Business Excellence Award 2012

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has been honored with the "Best Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative 2011-2012" award by the National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH). Chief Guest on the occasion, Governor Punjab Sardar Latif Khosa presented the award to PTCL Senior Executive Vice President Business Zone Central, Jamal Abdalla Salim Hussain Al Suwaidi, at a distinguished ceremony of the NFEH 4th International CSR Summit & Business Excellence Awards held at a local hotel in Lahore. As a responsible company, PTCL has always been at the forefront of social development in Pakistan," said President NFEH, Naeem Qureshi on the occasion. "The CSR Business Excellence Award 20112012 award for PTCL recognizes its outstanding contribution for building a sustainable future for Pakistan through its social development initiatives in the year 2011-2012." The NFEH CSR Business Excellence awards recognize and promote Pakistani organizations making outstanding contributions to the country's sustainable future through exemplary corporate social responsibility initiatives. PTCL is amongst 36 organizations and companies which were awarded the CSR Business Excellence Award 2011-2012 in various categories. A total of 87 companies had participated in the competition. n
DGK Cement introduces Oracle E-Business

Dera Ghazi Khan Cement Company Limited (DGKCC), one of the largest cement-manufacturers in Pakistan, has announced the deployment of Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12 to help improve its operational efficiency, enabling it to automate its management and financial accounting system, reducing the time it needed to compile monthly operating results from 15 days to just three days. The unique and competitive value that Oracle has provided us in shape of smooth and integrated Procure-to-pay and Order-to-Cash business flows has facilitated us to get various types of real time information rapidly rather online, which saves a lot of time and money, said Muhammad Aslam, Chief Information Officer, DG Khan Cement Co. Ltd. Integrated information provided by the Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12 helps us to make better decisions about purchasing and inventory to run business efficiently. Oracle E-Business Suite has a strong footprint in the manufacturing industry and we are delighted that DGKCC has leveraged the most
comprehensive suite of integrated, global business applications to further improve their operational efficiency and transform its business with the support of our partners. said Akkasha Sultan Shaikh, Country Manager, Applications Business, Oracle Pakistan and South Asia Growth Economies West. The business benefits being enjoyed by DGKCC is a good example for other key players not only in cement industry but also in other manufacturing industries to follow.n
Augere inks MoU with Cybernet

Cyber Internet Services (Cybernet) and Augere Pakistan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore mutual business opportunities including the provision of redundant connectivity to clients and enabling 4G LTE services in the future. This cooperation between our companies will enable Cybernet to strengthen its promise to deliver resilient connectivity to its enterprise clients. By accessing Augeres robust and low latency network especially in many hard to reach and poorly served areas, Cybernet will be able to enhance the reach of its network and the diversity of its product portfolio. said Iqbal Ali Lakhani, Chairman Lakson Group. David Venn, Group CEO of Augere added, The alliance between Augere,whose brand Qubee is the fastest growing consumer broadband service in Pakistan, and Cybernet.
ICT R&D Fund to develop Advanced Tech Programme

The National ICT Research and Development (R&D) Fund has planned to develop an Advanced Technology Programme in Broadband Access Technologies aimed at supporting the growth of broadband sector through a R&D centered ecosystem at national level. Sources in the industry said that the national programme will support broadband sector not only for commercial activities but it will also produce kick-start knowledge-based value creation in this sector. The programme is a collaborative initiative that promotes collaboration and use of best practices around a specific focus area to drive business results. The institutions will provide free of cost space for the programme while the ICT R&D Fund will provide seed funding for sustaining the programme operations for the first three years including grants for equipment and for some initial R&D projects. Besides, the individual R&D projects and other activities will be distributed across the programme partners including telecom operators, commercial organizations, academic institutions and others. The utilization of the infrastructure, equipment and facilities under the umbrella of the proposed programme will be open to all industry stakeholders, government agencies, academic institutions and researchers. The programme is aimed at high economic and social returns within the shortest period of time through increasing utility of broadband services by customer of different walk of lives. n
Blackboards becomes smartboards

PakTurk International Schools and Colleges have replaced blackboards with smartboards to enhance skills and learning experience of the Pakistani students. The decision of electronic replacement was taken to introduce appropriate technology among Pakistani students after realizing their exceptional intellectual potential. The touch-sensitive display of a smartboard, which connects to computer and projector, can be controlled directly from the display. Teachers and students
sional objects and they can interact with learning material as can write notes in digital ink their fingers become the and save work to share later. mouse. Moreover, students in Students using smart- different classes and remote boards can view three-dimen- campuses can talk and act to-
gether seamlessly through wireless broadband connection which allows high-speed transmission of sounds, images, documents and other information. Underlining the importance of modern knowledge-sharing and teaching method, Eren stressed upon the teachers to give their best to ensure successful future for students. The newly introduced technology will help the teachers to learn and develop more, enable students overcome shortfalls and help bridge the digital divide, he said adding that blackboards will soon be a thing of the past. n
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Lahore: Summer festivity starts on a feel good note with an exciting new campaign from Pakistans leading footwear brand Servis unfolding in March. The campaign encapsulates the warmth and softness of summer moments it is that time of the year when you drench happily in the rain, play cricket on the beach, go partying with friends and basically do anything and everything that will take you outdoors to catch up with fun in the sun with friends. The television commercial croons Kabhi chaltay huay, ruktay huay, qadmon mein barhtay huay, baharon kay sang, yahan wahan, make me feel good, make me feel good, throwing the audiences into total serenity with its soothing melody.
Servis launches Summer in full Swing campaign

The campaign show cases a wide range of shoes that will cater to the changing needs of the customers along with the weather. Servis wanted to stand united with its customers this summer. The Summer in full Swing campaign is our way of saying that we are with our customers in their moments of summer joy. No one has done a summer launch like this in footwear before. We are expecting our customers will like our efforts remarked Naim-ul-Abd GM Marketing, Servis Sales Corporation. Senior Manager Communications, Mian Shahzad Khalid said, There is a lot of loudness out there in summer with the sun blazing down with all its glorious might. We kept the campaign soft so that it has a cooling effect on our
customers. Bringing our campaign to life at stores was one of the biggest challenges and we hope that our customers will
feel a huge difference when they will walk into our stores this summer said Hassan Khalid, Manager Corporate Communications.
The campaign is being aired on prominent television channels and radio stations, as well as stores and bill boards across Pakistan. n human development and economic empowerment to support underprivileged communities in the country. Etihad Airways CSR initiatives in Pakistan during 2011 included ongoing flood relief support for HRH The Prince of Wales Pakistan Recovery Fund, flying the Special Olympics team to the world games, and more recently, sponsoring the Oscar winning documentary Saving Face. n sector. Yassar Sakhi Butt said that over the last two decades IT sector has employed over half a million youngsters in different capacities ranging from software developers, hardware engineers, Call Centre operators and cable handlers. He added that it has still great potential to assimilate another half a million youngsters immediately with serious efforts of the government policymakers. He stressed upon the government to take measures for enhancing educational enrolment and particularly IT training capacity of the country people to promote IT culture and improve the competitiveness of Pakistani products and exports. n
PTCL launches smartphone with built-in EVO broadband

Islamabad: Pakistan Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Company Limited (PTCL) has launched the first ever 3G Android mobile Smartphone, EVODROID "Touch N Fly". PTCL EVODROID Touch N Fly comes with built-in 3G EVO wireless Broadband service that gives dual support for both EVDO and GSM/CDMA networks. Powered by Google Android Froyo 2.2 operating system, Smartphone EVODROID lets its users surf and talk simultaneously while on the move and that too at 3G speeds of up to 3.1 equipped with both 3G & Wi-Fi for un-interrupted on-the-go connectivity. The EVODROID Touch N Fly is packed with hi-resolution 3.5" 480*320, capacitive HVGA TFT LCD touch screen, 5.0 mega pixels autofocus rear camera, 3G Wi-Fi hotspot to enable sharing of Wi-Fi & 3G connections with multiple gadgets simultaneously, 512MB Flash ROM and 256MB DRAM, 4GB Micro SD card having extendable memory upto 32 GB included. "The EVODROID launch is a giant step forward in PTCL's growth as a technologically strong and revolutionary telecom company that is proving enhanced service quality to its valued customers," said Senior Executive Vice President Commercial, Naveed Saeed. "We are constantly striving to bring products and services that meet our customers' aspirations and empower them to experience the future today." "This Smartphone will open up new possibilities for customers with on-the-go connectivity offering a wide range of built-in and downloadable applications," said Executive Vice President Wireless Business, Omar Khalid. n
Etihad Airways wins Global CSR Leadership Premium Honours

Lahore: Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has won a prestigious Corporate Social Responsibility award in Pakistan. The award for Global Corporate Social Responsibility Leadership Premium was presented at the first CSR Business Excellence Awards 2012, organised by the National Forum for Environment and Health. The award recognized Etihad Airways on-going commitment to incorporating ethical values, complying with legal requirements, and respecting individuals, communities and the environment. This was achieved through outstanding, innovative and world-class services and projects implemented in 20102011. Accepting the award on behalf of the airline, Etihad Airways Area General Manager for Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, Amer Khan, said: Corporate and individual philanthropy is an important part of Etihad Airways CSR strategy. In Pakistan, our CSR programs focus on
ICCI calls for exploiting IT potential

Islamabad: The deteriorating socio-economic system of the country is futile to provide employment to the increasing labour force while IT is one of the areas that could offer enormous opportunities for creating countless jobs. Yassar Sakhi Butt, President ICCI, addressing a meeting at ICCI, said that country is facing a number of challenges for its economic revival, therefore, with other initiatives, IT industry should be flourished for technological advancement, generating revenues and reducing unemployment. He said that it was a healthy sign that IT sector of Pakistan has shown marked improvement and its ranking has gone up last year. However, much more is desired to harness the full potential of this sector, he added. He said that by tapfirms. He said that now a days economies of scale are greatly dependent on IT as its usage could enhance the performance of every sector of economy.
Mbps. Supporting all GSM SIMS to ensure maximum outreach without limitations of any specific GSM network, it brings three-months and six-months bundled EVO Wireless Broadband connections
ping full potential of IT, the country could also grab a substantial share in the intl IT market and enhance its exports as well. He said USA, Canada, Middle East, Malaysia, UK and other countries have outsourced many functions of their businesses to specialized
President ICCI said that inadequate legal framework has been the main hindrance in proper growth of this sector, beside issues of IT infrastructure and finance. He called upon the government to address these issues on priority to reap full benefits from a growing IT
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Rao Qamar takes charges as MD PIA

Lahore: Air Chief Marshal (R) Rao Qamar Suleman took over as Managing Director PIA at the PIA Head Office. Addressing the Senior Officers at the Board Room, he emphasized on the PIA officials that he would be joining the family of PIA workforce and would be working as a team to take PIA to a position where it belongs. At the outset, Rao Qamar said I would like to mention and dispel the misgivings that I would be joining PIA with a team of 30-40 members which is not correct and would be working with the available Human Resource in PIA with a few changes as the time and work may warrant. Earlier, the outgoing National Bank of Pakistan recently entered into an agreement with Microsoft Pakistan. The signing ceremony took place at the National Bank of Pakistan Head Office in Karachi. The Microsoft Enterprise Agreement will enable National Bank to use Microsoft Virtualization, Unified Communication, Business Process Automation, Private Cloud technologies as well as Premier Support to provide enterprise class technolo-
MD PIA, Mr. Nadeem Yousufzai welcomed Air Chief Marshal (R) Rao Qamar Suleman. Appreciating the leadership qualities of ACM (R) Rao Qamar, Nadeem Yousufzai said that the new MD would be a better administrator and Praying for his success asked the PIA officials to wholeheartedly work under his able guidance. The incoming Managing Director Praised and thanked the outgoing Managing Director, Nadeem
Khan Yousufzai. Rao Qamar said that he would be taking up one of the biggest and most important Corporation PIA in the country as a challenge and understands the difficulties and challenges facing the organization but working with PIA professionals we will certainly achieve the objectives. Rao Qamar appreciated and thanked the PIA Officials for the warm welcome given by them on his arrival.
Air Chief Marshal (R) Rao Qamar Suleman, belongs to Okara, got his initial training from PAF Public School, Sargodha where he belonged to the 17th entry (851 Sabre House). Thereafter, he joined Pakistan Air Force Academy, Risalpur in 1972 and was commissioned in Pakistan Air Force as a fighter pilot on 1 June 1975 in the 59th GD(P) Course. He commanded the PAF from 18th March 2009 till March 18, 2012.-- n
NBP inks accord with Microsoft

gy support services. The agreement was signed by Mr. Kamal Ahmed, Country General Manager, Microsoft Pakistan and Mr. Mahmood Siddique, CIO, National bank of Pakistan. Talking about the agreement, Mr. Kamal Ahmed said, Microsoft believes in providing custom based solutions to its customers. This accord will not only help optimize the IT infrastructure of National Bank but the software solution provided by Mi-
crosoft will enable the bank to achieve maximum efficiency. Mr. Mahmood Siddique, CIO, National Bank of Pakistan said, Keeping abreast with the changing financial world and meeting the banking needs of our customers effectively and efficiently is very important to us. Through an integrated IT infrastructure that Microsoft is developing for us, we will be able to deploy, manage and help secure timely solutions for our clients. n
Ufone brings Shahcar 2 with 20 Suzuki Swift Cars

After announcing 10 winners for Toyota Corolla XLI cars, Ufone has straight away announced Shahcar 2 offer with 20 Suzuki Swift cars to be given away through lucky draw. Any Ufone customers who will use Rs. 200 between April 10th to May 31st will automatically qualify for the lucky draw to win a Suzuki Swift car. Hence, all you have to do is to load Rs. 200 and consume this credit before May 31st, 2012, thats it. Important to note that Rs. 200 consumption will give you once entry in lucky draw. If you consume more balance, such as Rs. 600 it will enable you with three entries in the lucky draw and so on. important area of R&D. Some examples in Asia include the Technology Development in Indian Languages (TDIL) programme of Ministry of IT, government of India, Human Language Technology Centre at NECTEC, an initiative by National Agency for Science and Technology, government of Thailand, MASTAR project at National Institute of ICT by government of Japan, Research Division of Department of IT, Ministry of Communication, government of Bhutan, National Language in IT of High Level Commission in IT, government of Nepal, etc. National ICT R&D Fund is looking for comprehensive functions of the programme that will develop technologies in local language not only for computer but for mobile phones as well. n
In a demonstration of the governments resolve to curb the menace of piracy, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has initiated a crackdown on corporate users of unlicensed computer software. Acting on a complaint, the FIA raided a large pharmaceutical company with offices in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The company has been accused of using pirated software, in other words, unlicensed software. The production, sale, copy, purchase or usage of unlicensed software is an offence, punishable under Section 66 of Chapter XIV of the Copyright Ordinance 1962 and can lead to criminal prosecution for violation of the law. The FIA raid resulted in the confiscation of computers loaded with unlicensed software, including Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office. The use of unlicensed software by a large company of this nature reflects the scale to which the issue of software piracy has proliferated into penetrated the country. Kamal Ahmed, Country Manager Microsoft Pakistan remarked, Software piracy is a significant threat locally and we as a nation need to take concrete steps to curb it. It is unacceptable when profitable commercial organizations indulge in software piracy with complete disregard to the law, often in a manner which gives them an unfair cost advantage over Pakistan companies with licensed software. Promoting a culture that respects IPR, in software and other industries will attract greater foreign investment in our economy and also provide an incentive to local entrepreneurs to explore new ideas. n
FIA nets Pharma Company for Software Piracy
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KARACHI: The National Information and Communications Technologies Research and Development (ICT R&D) Fund plans to promote technologies and applications in local languages for assisting effective and widespread use of ICT across Pakistan. The organisation has sought the establishment of an Advanced Technology Programme in Human Language Technologies from private companies and educational institutes in this regard. Hence, ICT technologies and applications will be developed using local languages and content for uplifting of socio-economic development of Pakistani citizens and communities. The programme aims at
ICT R&D Fund plans to promote tech-apps in native languages

exploring avenues for capacity building for commercialisation of such technologies, thus contributing to developing a vibrant industry around local language computing and content. The significant challenge is to provide means and technologies to the Pakistani population to enable them to use and benefit from ICT that holds a significant promise for socio-economic impact for our nation, improving services, incubating innovation and increasing national harmony. ICT applications are available in English that excludes almost 90 percent of Pakistanis, who cannot communicate in this foreign language, from the potential benefits. In Pakistan more
than 66 languages are spoken, making Pakistan a very linguistically diverse country but enabling ICT in so many languages requires a considered and substantial effort. But the enormous advantage can be gained from big population by deploying ICT, useful applications and content in the local languages. National ICT R&D Fund is seeking a considered, large-scale and longterm effort, with significant involvement of the public sector, aimed at facilitating masses to use technology for daily lives with its commercial utility in future. The governments in other countries have set up public departments and organisations to cater to this
Lahore - A competition for the local software developers has been launched to create mobile phone applications with a view to promote apps development in Pakistan on platforms such as Apple iOS, Google Android and Nokias Symbian among others. The launch of the competition was announced at a bloggers meet-up by Djuice Pakistan, which was attended by representatives from Telenor Pakistan and Djuice including Ahmed Nadeem Pasha, Telenor Pakistans Regional Director South-1 region. Nokias Rabia Nizami, Head of Ecosystem Developer Experience in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran; Google Pakistans Badar Khusnood, Pakistan Country Consultant; and Qualcomms Asad Inayat, Director, Central Asia Region, Global Business Operations also attended. Others who were present at the event included people from academia, partner vendors, small & medium enterprises, and budding entrepreneurs. Apps will be published by Djuice on global websites such as Apples App Store, Google Play, and Nokia Store from where they can be downloaded by anyone, anywhere in the world. n
Software developers contest
PTCL honoured with 10th Teradata National IT Excellence Award 2012

Karachi: Pakistan Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Company Limited (PTCL) has been honoured with the 10th Teradata National IT Excellence Award for its 3G EVO Wireless Broadband Internet project by worlds leading analytic data solutions company, Teradata. At a gala event recently held at Karachi Golf & Country Club, PTCLs Senior Manager Wireless Products, Shafqaat H. Shah received the award from chief guest on the occasion US Consul General Karachi, William Martin, and MD Teradata Pakistan, Afghanistan & Bangladesh, Khurram Rahat. The award recognises PTCLs effective program management and product launch of Pakistan's strongest brand Karachi: PTCL Senior Manager Wireless Products, Shafqaat H. Shah (center) receives 10th Teradata names in the telecom National IT Excellence Award 2012 from US Consul General Karachi, William Martin (right), and MD Teradata Pakistan, Afghanistan & Bangladesh, Khurram Rahat (left). world - PTCL 3G Evo Wireless Broadband In- most comprehensive and which has revolution- put the country on the ternet. This project re- innovative telecom prod- ized the lives of Pak- path of progress. n sulted in the fastest, uct launched by PTCL, istani people and has to see an increasing number of people in the developing world having access to a fast, reliable and affordable wireless broadband service which allows for instant connectivity with people, business and entertainment technologies around the world. WiMAX technology has achieved a penetration rate of 50 percent of all broadband connections in urban centers in Pakistan. According to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority stats, there were 1.79 million Islamabad: Pakistan broadband connections Telecommunication Comin Pakistan, out of pany Limited (PTCL) rewhich 495,285 were cently conducted a creWiMAX subscribers. n ative town marketing campaign in Sindh province to reach its valucompanys net revenue able customers. The PTCL Town increased to Rs. 8.001 billion in 2011 against Storming campaign Rs. 7.464 billion in spread awareness about 2010. Meanwhile, the Companys exciting WorldCall Telecom re- products and services, ceived a syndicated $35 and also offered on-spot million loan facility for sales to potential custhe companys expan- tomers by setting up atsion and availed the fi- tractive town kiosks and nancing against corpo- running mobile floats rate guarantee of manned by PTCL sales Omantel. teams. Target areas inThe companies overall operations including DSL broadband services were witnessed Islamabad: Telenors growth in the sub- youth brand Djucie is all scribers base whereas set to launch their App its cable TV services and Game Store. In order were also recorded in- to accomplish this task crease in connections. Teleport Pakistan has In addition, LDI and signed an agreement Wireless services were with 24MAS. seen gradual improveThe agreement signment in 2011.The situing ceremony was held at ation of cash flow has been improved at Stockholm and the coreWorldCall Telecom Lim- services for store will be ited whereas its liabili- provided by 24MAS, a ties and losses have European-based interbeen seen under con- national mobile advertising and application detrol, analysts said. n
Karachi: Qubee, a WiMAX wireless broadband internet access provider in Bangladesh and Pakistan has declared that its WiMAX operations in Pakistan reached 75,000 subscribers and 125,000 subscribers in Bangladesh at the end of March 2012. Qubee is a subsidiary of Augere, a WiMAX wireless broadband internet access provider, having operations in Pakistan and Bangladesh. In Pakistan the subscriber growth rate was 79 percent over the year while in Bangladesh, Qubees WiMAX internet customer base grew by 178
Qubee gains 75,000 subscribers

percent in the twelvemonth period. Both the Pakistani and Bangladeshi Qubee services launched in 2009 and Augere said that it had rolled out a combined total of more than 700 WiMAX base stations by the end of 2011. David Venn, CEO of Augere, mentioned: We are delighted to have reached the 200,000 customer mark across two of our key markets. This demonstrates the viability of our business model, which centers on providing wireless broadband access in major population hubs in fast growing markets. It is also rewarding
PTCL storms Sindhs cities with creative customer outreach
WorldCall attracts investors in Karachi

WorldCall Telecom has been in focus of investors attention at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) for past one month as shares trading of the company was witnessed huge volume with constant improvement in par values. It was once again seen a top performer at KSE 100 index in terms of volume after number of shares traded crossed 30.86 million benchmark with value of a single share settled at Rs 4.05 per share after touching level of Rs 4.35 per share in intraday session. On the contrary, different players in the telecom sector witnessed lukewarm shares trading such as Telecard with 7.5 million shares volume, PTCL with 2.71 million and Wateen with 2 million shares trading on the closing session. It was not a first time that WorldCall Telecom stood in the top ten most favorite companies grabbing attention of the investors owing to its improved financial health, analysts said. The company volume of shares trading has crossed the level of 32 million in past week besides it improved its value from Rs 3.85 per share to Rs 4.05 per share so far. In 2011, WorldCall posted profit for the first time after its majority stakes were acquired by Omantel in April 2008. WorldCall Telecom posted Rs. 290.250 million ($3.4 million) as profit after tax in the year ended December 31, 2011 as compared to after tax loss of Rs. 1,147.006 million in the corresponding period in 2010. According to the financial results, the
cluded Hyderabad city, Jamshoro, Sanghar, Tando Adam, Shahdadpur, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Jhuddo, Thatta, Sajawal, Badin, Matli, Dadu, Mehar and Sehwan. These areas were also
covered with banners and outdoor branding. In addition, a Door Information Service also reached the general public by blending door-todoor and cold calling outreach. n
Telenor launching App and game store

velopment company. 24MAS has developed a state-of-the-art store environment, with retailing and promotional features never been seen before in the Pakistan market. Aamir Ibrahim, Chief Marketing Officer of Teleport Pakistan, said: This is the first time we have launched a games & app store for Teleport Pakistan. Our consumers are content hungry and we wanted to provide a first class retail experience for them on phones. 24MAS has delivered a solution that really enables us to retail content in an innovative way, with multiple revenue models and promotional tools to drive sales. We will be rolling out a nationwide marketing campaign across our user base to drive the service throughout the coming year. n
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NEW S
Mobile money could curb corruption in developing markets

Mobile salary dispersal is being used to fight corruption and ensure workers receive their full wage in emerging markets, according to the head of a mobile commerce and financial services solution provider. Pankaj Gulati, CEO and chairman at More Magic, said that as an example, in Afghanistan, the introduction of mobile money services has served to expose the extent of corruption within the police force. Previously, the superintendent of the police force used to receive a bundle of cash each month and distribute salaries from that, Gulati said. He would keep some of that cash to himself. Now, hes the most reluctant person to embrace mobile money, because he gets cut out of the loop. Whenever we look to begin offer salary dispersal services to police forces, the superintendents and supervisors are always the last ones to join hands with us. Prince, to his village. The worker says to the driver: You know my father, here is the money and he gives him an envelope with the money. Its informal, its insecure, its just based on trust and 90 per cent of the time it works, but the father on the other side is never really sure that the amount is what the son really sent him. Banks are in this business to make money. When the per capita income in these countries is $700 per year, its very hard for a bank to say: Im going to have a traditional brick and mortar branch with ATM machines, full-time staff and call centres. Banks are just as aggressive when it comes to building their business as any other entity, but there has to be a business case for it, and in some of these poor countries, there is just no business case for it. n
UK planning new Internet snooping laws

The British government wants to expand its powers to monitor email exchanges and website visits, local media reported. Internet companies would be instructed to install hardware to allow the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) -- Britain's electronic "listening" agency" -- to go through "on demand" every text message and email sent, websites accessed and phone calls made "in real time, the broadsheet said. The plans are expected to be unveiled next month. The Home Office interior ministry said ministers were preparing to legislate "as soon as parliamentary time allows" but said the data to be monitored would not include content. "It is vital that police and security services are able to obtain communications data in certain circumstances to investigate serious crime and terrorism and to protect the public," a spokesman said. "We need to take action to maintain the continued availability of communications data as technology changes. "Communications data includes time, duration and dialling numbers of a phone call, or an email address. "It does not include the content of any phone call or email and it is not the intention of government to make changes to the existing legal basis for the interception of communications." n
Thats why youre seeing a lot of impetus and a lot of successful use cases around mobile money. He added that the companys work in India also aims to give construction workers their full wage. In some instances workers are currently receiving less than a third of their wages, Gulati said, but the introduction of mobile salary dispersion services is helping to improve that. Whenever the Indian government has construction projects,
where they are carrying out road works or building bridges, the worker typically sees just 30 per cent of what the government is supposed to be paying him. That means 70 Cents per dollar disappears to corrupt middle men, Gulati said. There are no formal means of sending money home, Ive seen it with my own eyes in Haiti. A man works for his money, he goes to the bus driver, who drives the bus from the capital city, Port au
Apple chief a hit with workers
Apple Chief Tim Cook has won over the company's employees, according to a workplace study released showing he may be better liked than his legendary predecessor Steve Jobs. Cook topped a Glassdoor.com ranking of corporate chief executives with a 97 percent approval rating by those he commands at the Californiabased maker of iPads,
iPhones, iPods and Macintosh computers. In comparison, Jobs had a 95 percent approval rating in the Glassdoor ranking in March of last year. Jobs's cumulative approval rating was 97 percent when he ceded the Apple helm to Cook in August of last year due to a battle with cancer, which took his life two months later. "While many speculated how Cook would be received by employees and how he would lead the
China vows faster, cheaper Internet

China has said it will aim to bring faster and cheaper Internet access to more people, following complaints that a near monopoly by state-backed firms had hurt service. China has the world's largest number of Internet users at half a billion, but Beijing maintains strict controls over content and recently it launched a crackdown on microblogs after rumours spread of a coup. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology pledged to increase speed and lower prices, saying the Internet played a role in economic development, according to a document posted on its website late Sunday. China last year investigated government-owned China Telecom and China Unicom, which reportedly control two-thirds of broadband Internet access in China, over monopoly claims and complaints over high prices. No punishment was publicly announced, but both companies vowed to lower prices after the probe. China Telecom said it would cut prices for the public by 35 percent over five years. Fees charged by Internet access service providers are as much as three to four times higher than countries such as the United States, Britain and Japan, a government think-tank than 24 hours. This record of "Most number of people in a telephone conversation relay", makes Vodafone as the first ever telecom company in India to get a distinction for its superior network. This record that was established recently was for an uninterrupted telephone conversation relay
Vodafone sets a Guinness World Record
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Vodafone India, one of India's leading telecommunication service providers, has set a new Guinness World Records feat of uninterrupted conversation on its network for more
China said it had broken the barrier of one billion mobile phone accounts at the end of February, as more people in the world's most populous country ditch fixed phones. The number of cell phone subscriptions grew 20.7 million in January and February to reach just over one billion, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said, up from 900.4 million in April last year. In contrast, the number of fixed line subscripclaimed last year. tions fell by 828,000 during But the average speed that period to reach 284.3 of its broadband services is less than one-tenth that of those countries. Under the new plan, the ministry said it wants to bring Internet access to China's lagging western provinces, rural areas and poverty-stricken regions. It set a target this year million, the figures of adding 20 million house- showed. holds using fixed-line InMobile phone use has ternet to the existing 156 exploded in China in remillion nationwide. China's commercial capital of Shanghai from Sunday began offering disInternational trade counts of up to 30 percent groups representing more on Internet charges to pub- than 250,000 companies lic housing tenants, state have told Indian Prime media said. n Minister Manmohan Singh in a letter that his governfor 25 hours 11 minutes & ment's new retrospective 40 second in Mumbai with tax proposals have led forthe most number of people. eign businesses to reconThere were a total number sider their investments in of 36 people who partici- the country. pated in this uninterrupted India's federal budget conversation. The record last month outlined a prowas adjudicated by Mr. posal to enable the tax auJack Brockbank from Guin- thorities to make retroactive ness World Records who claims on overseas corpowas present on site. n rate deals and bring in new anti-avoidance measures,
tech giant, he seems to have settled in quite nicely," Glassdoor said in its report. The heads of chip maker Qualcomm and consultancy Ernst & Young were close behind Cook with approval ratings of 95 percent each. The list of the top five most popular chief executives was rounded out by American Express boss Ken Chenault and Google co-founder Larry Page, who were each given 94 percent approval ratings.
China's mobile phone subscriptions top a billion
cent years as handset prices and user charges have dropped, while the continual arrival of new technologies on the market has spurred sales. Of the more than one billion accounts, a total of 144 million used 3G technology -- nearly double the figure for April 2011. However, the figures do not indicate how many mobile phone users there are in China, as companies and individuals may have two or more subscriptions each. China also has the world's largest web popu-
Global business groups warn India over new tax plan
lation with more than half New Delhi: The Union a billion Internet users, Cabinet is expected to soon according to official fig- consider a proposal to inures. n crease foreign direct investment cap in broadcasting services like Direct-toHome and cable TV networks to a uniform 74 permoves that have been crit- cent.Among different segicised for further denting in- ments, 74 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) vestor sentiment. Recently, Chancellor would be considered in moGeorge Osborne also raised bile TV, which is an area of his concerns over the issue future growth, an industry ministry official said, with his Indian counter- adding, the proposal has part. gone for Cabinets apThe letter from seven proval. foreign business groups deThe proposal, mooted livers the broadest criti- by Department of Induscism yet made by the over- trial Policy and Promotion seas business community of (DIPP) in the Industry Ministry, has proposed that an Indian government that FDI limits in the broadcast has failed to enact econom- carriage services providers, ic reforms to spur invest- including Head-end in the ment and revive growth. n Sky (HITS) must be uniform. n
Govt may clear FDI cap in broadcasting services to 74pc
New Delhi: Telenor's Indian cellular joint venture partner, Unitech Ltd, is "in principle" ready to sell its stake to the Norwegian company but wants a "fair" valuation, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said. Separately, the Indian unit of the Norwegian state-backed carrier, among the companies set to lose their cellular licences after a court order, asked the country's Supreme Court to direct the government to hold 2G mobile spectrum auctions by June 2. In early February, India's Supreme Court ordered all 122 mobile licences awarded in a scandal-tainted 2008 sale, including 22 held by Uninor, Telenor's local joint ven-
Telenor India partner ready to sell JV stake
cences and spectrum through an auction. India's telecoms ministry said last month that it would take at least 400 days from February 2 to complete the auction process. The ministry has
Chinese telecoms giant Huawei has been blocked from bidding for contracts on Australia's ambitious national broadband project, reportedly due to concerns about cyber-security. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard defended the move as in the national interest, without commenting on the government's reasons for barring Huawei's involvement in the massive $37.5 billion project. "The National Broadband Network (NBN) is a huge infrastructure project... and you would expect that as a government we would make all of the prudent decisions to make sure that that ture, to be revoked in four sought direction from the infrastructure project does what we court on the timing of the want it to do and we've taken one of months. It asked the govern- auction. those decisions," Gillard told reporters "The auctions can and on the sidelines of a nuclear summit in ment to redistribute the li-
Huawei 'banned' from Australian broadband project
should happen by June 2. We don't think 400 days Sony is are needed," Sigve Brekke, prepping a head of Telenor's Asian Chromebook operations and also manPatent requests in requests)," said EPO aging director of the IndiSony appears to have an venture, told reporters the Europe reached a president Benoit Battis- a slim, ultraportable laprecord high in 2011, in a telli. top in the works. Unforin New Delhi.
Seoul. A source familiar with the deal confirmed media reports that Huawei was told not to bother tendering for equipment contracts on the project late last year due to security concerns about cyber attacks from China. Huawei, a major telecoms equipment maker founded by a former People's Liberation Army engineer, had reportedly been endorsed by the government corporation implementing the NBN, NBN Co., but Canberra intervened. Attorney-General Nicola Roxon's office said the NBN, which aims to connect 93 percent of Australian homes to superfast fibre-to-the-home Internet by 2017, would become "the backbone of Australia's information infrastructure."
Patent requests in Europe reached a record high
Apps could fence in freerange Internet

The free-ranging Internet is under assault by mobile applications that connect people exclusively to content kept in "walled gardens" online, according to a US study. While 59 percent of the experts surveyed for the study felt that the Web would continue to thrive, they also thought "apps" for gadgets such as smartphones and tablets would power an "anti-Internet" used only to connect to services such as films or Facebook feeds instead of for open exploration. "Instead of couch potatoes you'll have app potatoes," European Broadcasting Union head of institutional relations Giacomo Mazzone said in survey response. n
Tech Mahindra announces Satyam merger

Mumbai: India's Tech Mahindra announced its long-awaited buyout of IT outsourcer Satyam Computer, creating a new force in the sector with annual revenue of $2.26 billion. Tech Mahindra bought a 42.7-percent stake in Hyderabadbased Satyam in April 2009 when it was on the verge of collapse following an accounting scandal. The company has since operated under the name Mahindra Satyam and has emerged from the crisis profitable, posting a net gain of 3.08 billion rupees ($61 million) for
the last quarter of 2011. The takeover of the remaining stake will involve an exchange of stocks, with Satyam shareholders receiving one Tech Mahindra share for every 8.5 Satyam shares. The merger is expected to be completed in six to nine months. The as yet unnamed group will be India's fifth-largest locally-listed software exporter by sales and have annual revenue of $2.26 billion, a market value of nearly $3.4 billion and 350 active clients. Ankita Somani of Angel Broking said the merger created a diverse company with a presence in manufacturing, financial services, banking, telecom and retail. n
telling sign that companies are determined to stay on the cutting edge despite a debt crisis and an uncertain economy. In total 244,437 requests for patents were filed in 2011 at the Munich-based European Patent Office, the body's annual report showed. That is 3.7 percent more than 2010. The office, which centralises requests from 38 European nations, maintains a strict qualitative control and on average approves four requests out of 10. In 2011, the office approved 62,115 patents, 6.9 percent more than 2010. "Companies have responded very differently (to the crisis) than in 2008-2009 when we saw a huge drop (in
"The financial crisis is still here, but the vast majority of businesses have decided to not sacrifice research and development investment," he said. Companies "have absorbed the idea that to develop advantages in an increasingly globalised world, and where new competitors arrive in force, innovation must be maintained," Battistelli said. "Patents are the most effective way to do that," he said. For world tech giants, patents have become a key battleground and companies now defend their technology in courtrooms around the world, brandishing patents as their claim to new riches.
tunately, it's not an Ultrabook, but a Chromebook that runs Google's lightweight, always-connected operating system. Images revealed by the FCC showed that the Sony Vaio VCC111 appears to be an 11.6-inch laptop with HDMI and USB 2.0 ports. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are also supported. The keyboard does not have a Windows key, which indicates that it won't be running Microsoft's OS. If you need further confirmation, the manual also had references to the Chrome OS. There's speculation that this laptop is powered by an Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, which would be a major difference from the Intel Atom-based Chromebooks that have been launched. It could also mean longer battery life than its competitors. However, there's no official word on the actual specifications.
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HTC unveils new phones with powerful camera

Taiwan's HTC unveiled a new series of smartphones that it said would allow users to "retire your digital cameras", as it sought to fight back against rivals Apple and Samsung. The "One" series of phones, which hit Asian markets, have cameras that can autofocus in just 0.2 seconds, making them the equal of many modern digital cameras, the company said. any fabulous moments in your Asia Jack Tong, who also noted "From now on, you won't miss life," said president of HTC North that photography is the second most popular function of a smartphone. "With the One in hand, you can retire your digital cameras," he said. The handsets will cost up to $706 when they hit the shelves. The X model has installed with a 4.7 inch screen and powered by a quad core processor, while the cheaper V model will have a 3.7 inch screen. The company has said its first quarter revenue will likely fall 33 to 38 percent to Tw$65 billion-Tw$70 billion ($2.2 billion$2.36 billion), down from Tw$104.16 billion a year ago as Apple and Samsung strengthen their grip on the market. The company's net profit in the three months to December dived to Tw$10.94 billion, down from Tw$18.6 billion in the previous quarter. n
US regulators push for online Yahoo appoints new directors Yahoo Inc has appointed three new independent di"do not track" system rectors as it prepares for a proxy fight with activist hedge
US regulators pushed Internet companies to adopt a "Do Not Track" system that would give consumers more control over their personal data online, and asked Congress to pass privacy legislation. The Federal Trade Commission, in its 57-page final report on privacy recommendations, called for voluntary steps that look largely similar to the agency's December 2010 preliminary report. The FTC does not have the power to write rules, and is instead leaning on Internet companies to adopt tougher internal privacy policies that ensure the security of consumer data, and limit the collection and retention of such data. The agency can bring enforcement actions against companies that violate their own privacy policies. The report is in response to growing consumer concern about the lack of control over the collection and trade in vast amounts of detailed information about their online activities and real-life identities. The FTC in its report urged companies to consider consumer privacy when creating software, rather than adding privacy options later, and to be clear to consumers what data they are collecting and why. The FTC also said it is encouraged by the progress the industry has made in developing a Do Not Track system that lets consumers click a button on their Internet browsers to ensure their data are not being collected. The agency said it will work with Internet companies to get the system in place. n fund investor Daniel Loeb. John D. Hayes, chief marketing officer of American Express; Peter Liguori, former chief operating officer of Discovery Communications, and Thomas J. McInerney, the outgoing chief financial officer of IAC/InterActiveCorp will commence their tenure as directors effective April 5, Yahoo said in a statement. The appointments come as Loeb's hedge fund Third Point, which has a 5.8 percent stake in Yahoo, has sharply criticized the Internet Companys strategy and
launched a campaign to install four directors at its board. Yahoo said its board had offered to propose Harry Wilson, one of Third Point's four nominees, and a second person mutually acceptable to both Yahoo and Third Point outside of its three other nominees - to join the board in order to avoid a proxy fight. "The board believed that there is value in avoiding the cost and distraction that inevitably accompanies a proxy fight, and determined that this proposal was in the best interest of all of its shareholders to avoid that expenditure of resources," Yahoo said in a statement. n Saudi Arabia. Both countries have large expat populations and inbound annual remittances were worth about $36 billion combined in 2010, Held said. About 89 percent of the UAE's 8.3 million population are expatriates, while in Saudi Arabia just over a fifth of the 27 million population are foreigners. Etisalat's Egypt unit could also profit from an estimated $8 billion of inbound remittances from Egyptians working abroad. Etisalat has tied up with Western Union and MoneyGram International to allow money sent by mobile customers in the Middle East to be collected anywhere in the world. n apps have shied away. The number of apps available in the Windows Phone Marketplace now exceeds 65,000, surpassing those at another rival Research in Motion's BlackBerry store. But that is still far short of around half a million apps available on the Apple App Store and Google Play, according to app researcher Distimo. n
Etisalat eyes mobile remittances in Gulf

Dubai: UAE telecoms operator Etisalat, which saw $1.8 billion moved over its network last year via money transfers, has sought regulatory approval to expand its financial services offerings in the Gulf region, home to millions of expatriates. Mobile money services allow customers to pay bills or make remittances using SMS text messages, often at a cheaper cost than through banks or money transfer firms. "Remittances are a huge business opportunity," George Held, director of products and services at Etisalat, told news agency. "The cost base for telecoms operators is much different than for banks and exchange houses. We do not need bricks and mortar branches, so our costs are lower and we can pass on this saving and offer better exchange rates and transaction fees." The former monopoly was expected to focus on its home market and
Windows phone struggles app maket

Apps! That is the main challenge that Microsoft and Nokia, who are trying to claw back market share from Apple Inc's iPhone and Google's Android in the red hot smartphone market, face now. And so far the going does not look too good for the challengers and their warhorse Windows Phone platform. Apps, short for applications, are small pieces of software that do useful or fun things on cellphones. The huge number and variety of apps in Apple and Google stores are a key factor that has helped the companies emerge as dominant players in the lucrative smartphone market. Microsoft and Nokia said they
would invest a total of $23.9 million into a new mobile application development program, AppCampus, at Helsinki's Aalto University during the next three years. The move underscores the seriousness with which the two companies view the problem. Most popular global apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare the Windows Phone platform, but and Evernote are available on makers of many niche or local
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Orange wins Global Networking, Security Contract

International mining group Rio Tinto has awarded Orange Business Services a five-year contract to deliver global networking and security services to more than 280 Rio Tinto sites around the world. The ture, enhance network performance and further integrate global resources cost effectively. Building on a 10year working partnership between the two companies, this contract will allow further consolidation of IT ment, as well as secure Internet gateways and traffic optimization. These services will be provided under a dedicated service management structure, backed by global consulting and project management, and supported through a service catalog and order management portal. "Orange's global capabilities deliver considerable value to Rio Tinto," said Scott Singer, head of Global Business Services, Rio Tinto. "Over the past decade, Orange's technology and service solutions have supported our divestment and acquisition activities. We look forward to continuing to work with them to support our growth program, especially in developing nations where we will leverage Orange's far reaching network capabilities." n
Oracle, Google on track for trial after deal rejected

Google and Oracle continued legal wrangling in a dimming effort to reach a deal to avoid facing off before jurors in a patent case trial. The trial remained set to start next month in a San Francisco federal court after Oracle spurned a proposal that Google pay about $3 million in damages and potentially cut the company in for less than a percent of Android revenue. Northern Californiabased business software titan Oracle rejected the offer as too low. "Oracle cannot agree to Google's proposal that Oracle waive its constitutional right to a jury trial," Oracle lawyers said in a formal response filed to US District Court Judge William Alsup. "Although there are issues for the Court to decide, there are substantial questions for the jury as well." Oracle is accusing Google's Android software of infringing on Java computer programming language patents held by Oracle stemming from its recent purchase of Java inventor Sun Microsystems. Google has denied the patent infringement claims and said it believes mobile phone makers and other users of its open-source Android operating system are entitled to use the Java technology in dispute. Google has maintained that Sun, before it was acquired by Oracle, had declared that Java would be open-source, allowing any software developer to use it, and released some of its source code in 2006 and 2007. n
Multinational swoop nets two hackers

Two young hackers have been arrested in the Netherlands and Australia in a multinational operation prompted by tips from a South Korean student, police said. A 17-year-old Dutch boy and an Australian teenager were arrested last week in their own countries on suspicion of hacking into servers in nine nations, South Korea's Cyber Terror Response Centre said in a statement. The centre, part of the National Police Agency, said four Dutch investigators visited Seoul in February after a college student there reported a hacking case involving the server of Dutch telecom firm KPN. The student told investigators he had read a message in his university chatroom in which the writer claimed to have hacked into KPN. The centre said KPN, the largest telecom operator in the Netherlands, has taken steps to minimise damage. Based on information from South Korean police, Japan and Australia also launched separate investigations, it said. The hackers allegedly met in an Internet chatroom and broke into the servers of KPN and universities in South Korea, Japan, Germany, Britain, Norway, Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, between December and January, it said. The purpose of the alleged hacking was unclear. "This case underlines the importance of international cooperation in cyber crimes," the centre said, adding data would be sent to Dutch police for criminal procedures. n
services support users in both global offices as well as remote mining locations such as Canga East in Guinea, Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia and Almaty in Kazakhstan. This new contract will consolidate IT infrastruc-
infrastructure and services while addressing developing business requirements and improving agility and flexibility. Orange Business Services will provide WAN services including satellite access and network manage-
Microsoft is moving its European software distribution to the Netherlands from Germany after being caught up in patent disputes with mobile phone and tablet maker Motorola Mobility Inc. "We would have preferred to keep our European distribution center in Germany, where it has been for many years. But unfortunately the risk from disruptions from Motorola's patent litigation is simply too high," Microsoft
Microsoft shuts German distribution center in patent dispute
spokesman Thomas Baumgaertner said. He said the move was already in progress. So far, the U.S. software maker's distribution has been handled out of Germany by Bertelsmann's services unit Arvato. The news comes ahead of a German court decision expected on April 17 in a suit brought against Microsoft by Motorola, which is being bought by Google, for allegedly infringing a video technology patent. In a worst case sce-
nario the court could ban Microsoft from distributing some of its biggest products such as Windows 7 from Germany, thus affecting sales in other countries supplied by the German center. Germany has in recent months become a major battleground in the global patent war between makers of mobile phones, tablet computer devices and their operating software in a market worth billions of dollars. German courts, among others, forced Korea's Samsung Electronics to stop selling its Galaxy 10.1 tablet in the country and told Apple Inc to de-activate "push" notification features for some customers in Germany. In the upcoming decision, a regional court in Mannheim, Germany, is expected to decide whether Microsoft violated an agreement with Motorola by using certain video-compression software in products including Windows 7 and the Xbox 360 videogame console. German patent expert and blogger Florian Mueller said Dutch courts do not hand down sales bans in patent disputes as readily as German ones do. "Instead, the courts evaluate whether an injunction is fair and reasonable," he said. n
Online payment giant Paypal has named entrepreneur and founder of Zong, David Marcus, as its president. Marcus had held the position of VP of mobile since the acquisition of Zong last year. Marcus replaces Scott Thompson, who left Paypal to take the CEO role at Yahoo in January. Marcus will be responsible for the companys day to day operations. Zong was a pioneer in
Zong founder takes helm of Paypal

the carrier billing space, allowing users to make micropayments via their postpaid bill for virtual goods sold on social networking sites. Last year the company processed $118bn in transactions, including $4bn over mobile. That number is set to top $7bn in 2012. Telecoms.com spoke to Paypal recently for our upcoming focus on mobile money and learned that the company is making a push into the POS envi-
ronment via Big Retail as well as the occasional merchants with its Paypal Here offering. Theres also the integration ongoing with parent eBay to influence the shopping experience. Paypal said a consumer could use their phone to take a picture of a fabric swatch then search for something in the same material and check prices, then buy the item and have it delivered or pick it up in store. n
NEW DELHI: Nvidia has launched a new graphics card -GeForce GTX680 - based on its Kepler architecture to take back the performance crown from AMD. The company is claiming that GTX680 is the fastest graphics card for a desktop computer at the moment. Independent tests conducted by websites such as AnandTech and TechRe-
Nvidia takes back the graphics crown

port confirm that the new card is slightly faster than Radeon HD 7970, the top graphics card sold by AMD. There are only two companies - Nvidia and AMD in the world that make high-end graphics cards for computer gamers. They usually bring out new highend cards once every year. AMD had launched its new graphics card - HD 7970 based on its Graphics Core
Next architecture several months ago, taking the performance as well as timeto-market lead over Nvidia. GTX 680 has 2GB GDDR5 RAM running at 6000Mhz, 256-bit memory interface, 32 ROPs, 128 texture units and 1,536 CUDA cores. It has a TDP of 195W. Just like AMD's flagship card, GTX 680 is built using 28nm foundry process. n
PayPal lets shops take payments on smartphones

San Francisco: Online financial transactions titan PayPal has started to allow merchants across the world to take payments using smartphones in a direct challenge to startup Square. The PayPal Here system uses a triangle-shaped "dongle" card reader that plugs into mobile devices to let people make purchases. PayPal Here software also lets shopkeepers take payments by snapping a picture of a card with a smartphone instead of having to swipe it in the dongle. "No business will ever have to say they can't accept a form of payment," PayPal mobile vice president David Marcus said while unveiling the new service at a press event at San Francisco's famed Ghirardelli Square on Thursday. The service from eBay-owned PayPal is a spin on one offered by startup Square, a brainchild of Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. Square has been a hit with independent entrepreneurs and small businesses as wide ranging as masseuses and taxi drivers to farmers and bicycle shops. PayPal, which also announced a major push into Asian markets, plans to capitalize on its dominant position as a global service for online purchases. "We are going to aggressively push this out to our 100 million PayPal users around the world," Marcus said. "We can accept any form of payment, short of barter." PayPal will charge merchants a flat fee amounting to 2.7 percent of each transaction. n
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Robotic surgeries costlier but safer: study

Patients who have robot-assisted surgeries on their kidneys or prostate have shorter hospital stays and a lower risk of having a blood transfusion or dying but the bill is significantly higher, a study found. The analysis, which appeared in the Journal of Urology, compared increasingly common robotic surgery with two other techniques for the same surgery and found that direct costs can be up to several thousand dollars higher for the robotic type. Touted as less invasive and more efficient, robotic surgeries typically use a laparoscopic or keyhold surgery approach, in which tools and a tiny video camera are inserted into the body through one or two small inci-
sions. Robotic surgery replaces a surgeon's hands with ultra-precise tools at the ends of mechanical arms, all operated by the surgeon from a console. I think the take-home message is
that robotic (surgery), looking at our study, had certain beneficial outcomes compared to open and laparoscopic procedures, said study leader Jim Hu at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. n
Ever since we saw George Jetsons flying car, we have wanted one too. Now a flying car will be one of the stars of the New York Auto Show, but before the "Transition" hits the market, it will have to pass federal auto-collision tests. Steven Moscaritolo says the same engineering that makes a good plane doesnt necessarily make a road-worthy car, and thats been the challenge. The vehicle just had its first test flight, reaching 110 miles per hour at 14hundred feet. It costs about 276-thousand dollars a copy. New owners will either need a Pilot's License or to take 20-hours of training in the unique vehicle. n
Car finally takes off
Telecom links in all Indian villages by 2014: BSNL

AGARTALA: Stateowned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has undertaken an ambitious Rs 20,000 crore project to establish telecom links in all villages across India and to take e-governance to rural and far-flung areas in the next two years, a BSNL official said. "The Rs 20,000 crore project for the creation of a 'National Optical Fibre Network' (NOFN) for providing internet and other telecommunications connectivity to villages has been launched recently. It would be completed by the next two years," BSNL CMD R.K. Upadhyaya told reporters. "Once the NOFN was created, it would help in offering governance, banking and health and other basic services online up to the villages and rural areas," he said. "The BSNL has laid OFC from Kolkata to (Bangladesh capital) Dhaka and the network would be further extended up to northeastern states in near future via Bangladesh," he added.
Airtel signs ZTE for the first 4G service in India

Bharti Airtel announced it has selected ZTE Corporation as its telecom equipment partner for the 4G network launch in Kolkata. The TD/LTE service launch will offer high speed wireless internet access that can support bandwidth intensive applications, support video streaming and high-definition video conferencing. Bharti Airtel will deploy its TD-LTE network in the 2.3 GHz frequency band allocated by the Indian government for broadband wireless access technologies. ZTE will help Airtel plan, design, supply and deploy its 4G network in Kolkata. Commenting on the potential of 4G services in India, Sanjay Kapoor, CEO Bharti Airtel (India & South Asia) said, "According to industry estimates, by 2016 - 6 percent of all mobile connections will have 4G connection, which would create 36 percent of the total mobile data traffic - thus paving way for the en-
suing data revolution. The impending launch of 4G in the country will provide ultra high speed data access, driving fundamental changes in society at large. We look forward to the launch of 4G technology in India, which will be timed to match the world in its launch." "We are glad to be a part of Airtel's foray into LTE services for the first time in India," said Cui Liangjun, chief executive officer, ZTE India. ZTE is fully determined to build a strong LTE ecosystem that offers a scintillating experience for Internet users. n
Sony Mobile names Kunimasa Suzuki new CEO

Sony Corp. tapped one of Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai's top deputies to run its newly formed mobile phone business, a key facet of the company's efforts to regain its footing in the consumer electronics industry. Sony picked Kunimasa Suzuki, who oversees planning and design for all of Sony's consumer products and services, to become president and CEO of Sony Mobile Communications, which was created this year after the Japanese electronics maker bought out former joint venture partner Telefon AB L.M. Ericsson of Sweden. Suzuki replaces current CEO Bert Nordberg, who will become chairman of Sony Mobile. The changes will take place on May 16.n
Super thin solar cells invented

Tokyo: Austrian and Japanese researchers unveiled solar cells thinner than a thread of spider silk that are flexible enough to be wrapped around a single human hair. The thin-film device, comprising electrodes on a plastic foil, is about 1.9 micrometres thick, a tenth the size of the thinnest solar cells currently available, the researchers said. One micrometre is one millionth of a metre. "The total thickness of this device is less than a typical thread of spider silk," the researchers said in a report. "Being ultra-thin means you don't feel its weight and it is elastic," said one of the researchers, Tsuyoshi Sekitani from the University of Tokyo. "You could attach the device to your clothes like a badge to collect electricity [from the sun]... Elderly people who might want to wear sensors to monitor their health would not need to carry around batteries," Sekitani said. n
Nokia, RIM, HTC, Huawei competing for third-rank smartphone vendor title
Samsung Electronics and Apple have continued to widen their gaps against rival smartphone vendors in terms of shipments, leaving members in the second leading group in the segment including Nokia, HTC, RIM and Huawei Device to compete for the third-rank title, according to industry sources. Samsung and Apple combined took up nearly 50 percent of the global smartond leading group which also includes Motorola Mobility, LG Electronics, Sony Mobile Communications and ZTE, is narrowing and the rankings of the group could fluctuate drastically, said the sources. Since smartphone shipments by each vendor in the second leading group are likely to range from 25-60 million units in 2012, none of them will be able to take up over 10 percent of global Huawei boasts comparative cost advantages to roll out low-cost models for China and other emerging markets, the sources commented. HTC shipped about 6.57 million smartphones in the first quarter of 2012, lagging behind RIM and probably also Huawei, revealed the sources, noting that RIM shipped about 1011 million units in the quarter. Thanks to the launch of
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phone market in the first quarter of 2012, buoyed by strong sales of the Galaxy series lineup and the iPhone 4S, respectively, indicated the sources, adding that Samsung sat on the top of the vendor rankings with a 28 percent share in the quarter. However, the gap between each vendor in the sec-
market share, given that global smartphone shipments are expected to reach 680-720 million units in the year, indicated the sources. Among vendors in the second leading group, Huawei seems to have the highest potential to outperform Nokia to take up the third-rank position in the second half of 2012, since
the HTC One-series lineup in the second half of March, HTC may outperform RIM in the second quarter with its shipments reaching 10-12 million units, but the shipment gap between HTC and Huawei will be minor in the quarter, estimated the sources. n
Yahoo has announced that it will cut 2000 of its work force in order to save $375million a year. This is a huge blow to employees given the company employs around 14,000 people and many thousands more contractors. Scott Thompson, CEO of Yahoo has said, Todays actions are important next step toward a bold, new Yahoo! smaller, nimbler, more profitable and better equipped to innovate as fast as our customers and our industry require. We are intensifying our efforts on our core businesses and redeploying resources to our most urgent priorities. Our goal is to get back to our core purpose putting our users and advertisers first and we are moving aggressively to achieve that goal. Unfortunately, reaching that goal requires the tough decision to eliminate positions. We deeply value our people and all theyve contributed to Yahoo. The company is informing employees today, and approximately 2000 people will be notified of job elimination or phased transition. Through its restructuring efforts, Yahoo! says that it intends to grow by responding more quickly to customer needs and competing more effectively in areas where it can win. n
Yahoo confirms Telcos asked to maintain quality 2000 job cuts

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has asked operators whose licences have been cancelled to ensure quality of service for the period they will be in operation, Parliament was informed. The Supreme Court in its February 2 order had cancelled 122 mobile licences awarded in 2008 during A Raja's term as the Telecom Minister in 2008. It had termed them illegal and had allowed the impugned licences to run for four months after which the cancellation order will become operative. "Trai has issued instructions to all licencees, whose licences have been ordered to be quashed by the Supreme Court, to ensure quality of service during the period of four months, as per licence conditions," Minister of State for Communication and IT Milind Deora said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha. The apex court had also asked Trai to give recommendations for spectrum auction within one month and the government to conduct fresh auctions within four months. n
of service
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Tablet sales to double in 2012: Gartner

Hyderabad: Media tablet sales will double this year globally to 12 crore units from 6 crore units in 2011. Apple's iOS will dominate media tablet operating system (OS), with a projected market share of 61.4 per cent of worldwide in 2012. "Despite the arrival of Microsoft-based devices to this market, and the expected international rollout of the Kindle Fire, Apple will continue to be the market leader through the forecast period," Gartner said in a report. n
Facebook sues Yahoo back Twitter takes five spammers Gigabyte 7 to court over patents series
Facebook is stepping up its patent dispute with Yahoo by filing its own lawsuit against the struggling internet icon. Facebook's lawsuit came just weeks after Yahoo Inc. claimed that Facebook violated 10 patents covering advertising, privacy controls and social networking. Facebook denied Yahoo's allegations and accused Yahoo of violating 10 of its patents covering photo tagging, advertising, online recommendations and more. The spat is escalating as Facebook prepares for an initial public offering of stock in the coming weeks. If all goes expected, Facebook could fetch as much as $10 billion, gaining a value of $100 billion. Yahoo, which has struggled amid competition from Google and Facebook, has a market value of about $18.3 billion. n The microblogging site has finally taken a stand against five websites that have been heavily spamming its users. In a suit filed at a federal court in San Francisco, sources reveal that the defendants include TweetAttacks, TweetAdder, TweetBuddy, James Lucero of justinlover.info and Garland E Harris of troption.com. Twitter's official blog further states, "With this suit, were going straight to the source. By shutting down tool providers, we will prevent other spammers from having these services at their disposal. Further, we hope the suit acts as a deterrent to other spammers, demonstrating the strength of our commitment to keep them off Twitter". Other new anti-spam measures that the microblogging service has in place include aggressively suspending the @ spam mentions, along with a link shortener (t.co), which will check if a tweeted link leads to malicious content. Users have also been advised and encouraged to report and block any spammers that they come across. n
14 million IPTV subs in China

The number of IPTV users reached 14 million in China in January this year, according to statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China. China began the construction of IPTV In 2004, when China Telecom and the Shanghai Media Group put IPTV in commercial operation in Guangdong, Shanghai and other cities. In the same year, China Netcom also opened IPTV commercial system in Heilongjiang and Liaoning. The Ministry of Industry has revealed that the number of IPTV users has reached 14 million, and users of mobile TV have topped over 52 million. With 14 million users after eight years, with an average of less than 500,000 users in each province, the development of IPTV in China was slow. The market research report shows that the number of global IPTV subscribers is still in rapid growth. The number of IPTV subscribers in 2015 is expected to reach 105.1 million, and 2011 the number of users was 53 million, with the annual compound growth rate of 18.7 percent. The report also showed that the IPTV growth surpassed the cable and satellite TV service, expected service revenues will increase from $21.8 billion in 2011 to $45.3 billion, with the annual compound growth rate of 20 percent.
Boy sells kidney to buy iPhone

A teenage high-school student in China sold his kidney for an illicit transplant operation and used the proceeds to buy an Apple iPhone and iPad, state press said. The 17-year-old boy, who was paid 22,000 yuan ($3,500), was recruited from an online chatroom and is now suffering from kidney failure and in deteriorating health, the Xinhua news agency said. A surgeon and four others have been arrested and are facing charges of illegal organ trading and intentional injury. The kidney donor, only identified by his surname Wang, agreed to the April 2011 operation in the central province of Hunan without his parents consent, the report said. One of those detained was a hard-up gambler identified as He Wei, who acted as a middle-man between a hospital worker and the teenager. He was paid 220,000 yuan. Health ministry statistics show that about 1.5 million people in China need transplants, but only around 10,000 transplants are performed annually. The huge gap has led to a thriving illegal market for organs. Executed prisoners remain the main source of organs used in transplant operations due to the lack of voluntary donations, Vice Health Minister Huang Jiefu was quoted by state media as saying last month. International human rights groups have long accused China of harvesting organs from executed prisoners for transplant without the consent of the prisoner or their family -- charges the government has denied. n
enue for the period. Analysts said the weak results had raised concerns about the impact of the increasHTC also reported a ing competition on the Shares of smartphone maker HTC fell after the 35 percent drop in rev- firm's future growth. company reported a sharp "They have been amplunge in its profit for the bushed by very strong first quarter. competition in a very short The firm said net profperiod of time," Andrew it for the first three months Milroy of Frost & Sullivan of year fell 70 percent from told. a year earlier to $151mil"They are in the middle lion. The numbers come as of a really fast-paced marthe firm faces increasing ket and they haven't' recompetition from rivals sponded quite as well to such as Samsung and Apthe competition." n ple.
HTC first quarter profit tumbles 70pc
Gigabyte has just announced the launch of its new 7 series motherboards, which the company claims sport a new power design, and the world's first dual UEFI BIOS. The new Z77 chipset models are built to support the upcoming Intel Ivy Bridge processors, and come with a range of features designed to help overclockers and tweakers maximise their system with a minimum of fuss. The motherboards have a dual UEFI 3D BIOS, which offers two modes of interface, a 3D mode and advanced mode. According to Gigabyte, these "re-draw the traditional BIOS user experience with a far more intuitive and graphical interface." The 7 series also boasts digital controllers for the CPU, graphics and system memory to facilitate more precise power delivery to PC components. The motherboards also utilise Ultra Durable 4 technology, with protection measures in terms of safeguards for moisture, high running temperatures, electro-static discharge and sudden power loss. Henry Kao, Vice President of Gigabyte's Motherboard Business Unit, commented: "The new GIGABYTE 7 series motherboards are designed to offer a seamless upgrade for enthusiast PC DIYers by providing specifications and features that will be compatible with future CPUs, VGA cards, memory, SSDs, and wireless protocols for years to come." n lanesi. The Lumia 900 went on sale in the United States through AT&T in April and is due to launch globally this quarter. The model won several awards at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas when it was launched there in January. "This is not the best time for this," said John Strand, founder and chief executive of Strand Consult. Nokia said the problem was related to phone software, not to hardware, the network or the Windows Phone operating system. "A memory management issue was discovered that could, in some cases, lead to loss of data connectivity," Nokia smartphone unit chief Jo Harlow and Nokia U.S. chief Chris Weber said in a joint statement. n
motherboards launched
600,000 infected Macs, Apple working on fix

Apple is developing a tool designed to remove the Flashback malware currently found on over 600,000 Mac computers according to the company. In addition to the Java vulnerability, the Flashback malware relies on computer servers hosted by the malware authors to perform many of its critical functions, Apple said in a post on their website. Apple is working with ISPs worldwide to disable this command and control network. The Flashback malware first appeared in September 2011, and tricked users into downloading it by appearing to be an Adobe Flash Player plug-in installer. Russian antivirus company Dr Web had previously reported that the malware was now found on over 600,000 Mac computers, and had evolved into a Java exploit. Apple issued an update for OS X 10.6 and 10.7 systems earlier this month that updates the systems Java files, preventing the computer from being infected by Flashback.
Nokia smartphone bug hits U.S. ambitions
Bharti Airtel offers 4G services in India

India's Bharti Airtel said it had become the first company in the country to offer high-speed Internet services using fourth-generation (4G) telecommunications technology. The company said high-speed wireless broadband "has the potential to transform India" and to provide a platform for "building the country's digital economy." "Today's launch is a major mile-
stone for India and Airtel," Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal said in a statement. Bharti rolled out the 4G wireless broadband services in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata and is working on launching advanced technology networks in other parts of the country. 4G allows mobile phone users to surf the Internet, video conference and download music, video and other con-
Helsinki: Struggling cellphone maker Nokia has found a software bug in its new flagship Lumia 900 model, dealing a blow to its ambitions to re-enter the lucrative U.S. smartphone market. tent at a rate several times faster than Nokia lost smartphone 3G services that are still being rolled market dominance to Apple out across the country. n and Google in part due to its weak performance in the United States and the Lumia 900, which uses Microsoft's Windows Phone software, is key to its comeback bid. "It's like they stalled their engine when everybody is looking at them at the start of their race," said Gartner analyst Carolina Mi-
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Sony To Launch PlayStation

We heard earlier today that Microsoft are expected to launch the new Xbox 720 by Christmas 2013, and now according to a recent reports it would appear that Sony intends to launch their PlayStation 4 console before Microsoft's next Xbox console. The news comes from the guys over at VG247, who have been told by a source that Sony are aiming to get their PS4 console to market before Microsoft launches the Xbox 720.
MorpHex Hexapod Robot

We first showed you the MorpHex hexapod robot back in December, and now this cool robot is back with a range of new moves and tricks, including the ability to be able to move around in sphere form. This funky robot also has some new dance moves have a look at the video of him in action below, and he features 25 servos along with a custom body shell.
Gyroscopic Urban Vehicle Concept

We have featured a number of concept transportation devices here on Geeky Gadgets over the years but this gyroscopic vehicle concept created by designer Sanu K R looks like a lot of fun to drive. The concept is equipped with just two wheels and works in a similar why to how a Segway functions, using gyroscopic technology to self balance.
Microsoft's Mustang Inside

Towards the end of last month Microsoft announced a concept car is was creating with help from West Coast Customs to inspired developers to build apps and automotive technologies for the future. The project uses a 2012 Ford Mustang that looks like a 67 Mustang fastback. Now the finished car has been showcased by West Coast Customs showing exactly what gone inside Microsoft's Mustang.
Lensbaby Composer Pro targets

When it comes to digital cameras, there are those who use the standard entry level to mid-range digital cameras, while serious enthusiasts as well as professionals decide to fall back upon the DSLR. However, in recent years, there has been a new category that cropped up along the way the Micro Four Thirds segment, and it has been embraced by Panasonic, Olympus, Sony and Samsung. I am then pleased to announce that camera accessories manufacturers have not overlooked this particular new segment of the digital camera market, and Lensbaby fails to disappoint with their latest Composer Pro which targets Micro Four Thirds cameras.
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Child Piloted Tumbler

Children should be given the chance to live out their childhood to the fullest instead of being tethered to books, so to speak, all the time. I guess that at the end of the day, there needs to be a careful balance between having fun while learning. If your kid has an adventurous streak in him or her, then you might want to consider a pre-summer purchase of the $79.95 Child Piloted Tumbler. Yes sir, this rolling tumbler will put your little one firmly in control (and safe, too), as he/she is ensconced inside its protective inflatable honeycomb structure.
Interactive poster responds to kisses

I am quite sure that those who have just entered puberty, hormones raging and all, would definitely have had a crush on one of their favorite movie or pop stars before. Actresses, models, it does not matter surely someone must have sent you head into a spin some time or another! When movie posters were all the rage, you could see Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt as pin ups, while the boys have their favorites, too, such as Alicia Silverstone and Uma Thurman. Well, some even go so far as to give their idols a smooch on the lips meeting not flesh and blood, but paper that gets mustier as time passes by.
Carbon Fiber Magic Mouse

Apple's Magic Mouse already has a great design, but if you fancy something a little different than the standard Magic Mouse, have a look at this carbon fiber Magic Mouse. It is basically an Apple Magic Mouse which has been given the carbon fiber treatment with some vinyl and it is available in black, graphite, silver or white. You can buy a brand new one which will cost you $99 or your can send in your existing magic mouse and they will cover it in carbon fiber for $29,
Take photos with your fingers

You remember when you were a little kid, and there was no such thing as digital cameras back then? Most of the time, when our parents wanted to snap photos of their exuberant and energy filled children running around, a stern shout is required to make sure we all stop in our tracks, tuck in our shirts, straighten out ourselves and pose in front of the camera. Dad would then use his hands to frame a particular shot, by making an L-shape with his thumb and pointing finger on both hands, merging them into a rectangle, followed by clicking on the shutter button.
Sony 57 DSLR is ready take over

Sony certainly knows how to branch out in terms of product variety, and one of the niches that they have tried out in recent memory (instead of spearheading it) would be the digital camera market, and I must say that their DSLRs are decent offerings, although you still find most wedding photographers stick to Nikon or Canon for their work. Well, this has certainly not stopped Sony from rolling out newer models in due time, and this time around, we have the Sony 57 that will be the latest addition of their popular line of A-mount cameras which employ Translucent Mirror Technology.
Adam ARTist 5 $1200 USB Monitor Speakers

Adam Professional Audio specialises in high-end sound solutions and has built a range of products that have performed this task since 1999. Their latest ARTist 5 150W 5.5 Active 2-Way monitor speaker continues this tradition and provides you with a 5.5 basket woofer with a carbon fiber/Rohacell/glass fiber diaphragm and the acclaimed X-ART tweeter. Within the ARTist 5 monitors each driver is powered by its own Class-A/B 50W RMS (75W Peak) amplifier to provide a strong performance with low distortion. Providing you with prolevel audio with terrific clarity and a full frequency response, says Adam's.
Qualcomm's Quad Core S4 Chips

Qualcomm are working on a quad core version of their S4 processor which is intended to be used in Windows 8 laptops, and Qualcomm are expecting the devices to be thinner and lighter than Apple's MacBook Air and also ultrabooks built with Intel's platform. Rob Chandhok, who is senior vice president at Qualcomm has been speaking to PC world and we said that We think much lighter than what Intel calls an ultrabook,. Qulacomm's processors are currently used in smartphones, and the company is hoping to expand its business into ultra thin notebooks, just as Intel is expanding its business into
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Previous Ninja Gaiden games assumed you were a master swordsman. They gave you the tools to succeed and expected you to use them, having you bounding from walls before plunging a sharp blade into your enemies' bowels in a series of dizzying attacks. The challenge was steep but surmountable, and the thrilling acrobatics you witnessed onscreen were a direct result of your skill and finesse. Ninja Gaiden 3, on the other hand, has little faith in you. On medium difficulty, you don't need to do much but hammer on a few buttons and occasionally block or dodge, yet every last kill is a cinematic event. Where previous games rewarded you for how adeptly you manipulated the controller, this one rewards you for pressing X. Forgot how to climb a wall? Ninja Gaiden 3 reminds you every time. (Do yourself a favor and turn off tutorial prompts after the first few levels.) Was your mind boggled by having multiple weapons and ninpo attacks before? Never fear: Ninja Gaiden 3 gives hero Ryu Hayabusa only a single weapon and a single ninpo. If you came to this series for deep, challenging combat, be prepared: this is no longer your Ninja Gaiden. The core combat has its moments though, at least when the game requires you to do a bit more than hammer buttons and watch awesome things happen. A few boss fights are quite fun, such as one in which you take on a gunship that eventually falls to the ground and grinds its way around the battle arena. An encounter with a hulking dinosaur has you dodging about before closing in for a few energetic swipes. Such enjoyable battles are the exception rather than the rule, however. You face a particular nemesis multiple times, and each time, the same basic tricks suffice. The fact that Ninja Gaiden 3 is much less challenging than its predecessors isn't necessarily a bad thing; what is bad is the stunning lack of depth and creativity, best exemplified by these tame boss battles. Kamurocho has seen better days. This pleasure district was once a place where yakuza could relax and enjoy the simple pleasure of clobbering each other in the streets. Alas, those days are over. A zombie outbreak has shifted the focus of life in Kamurocho from brawling with the living to killing the undead. Unfortunately, the heroes and villains of earlier Yakuza games who take center stage in Yakuza: Dead Souls don't bring the same level of panache to gunning down zombies that they do to punching street toughs. It's initially entertaining to see Kamurocho turned upside down by this new crisis and watch these familiar characters facing an unfamiliar threat, but battling these zombies is a tiresome and frustrating process, and the series' signature charm is in short supply. It doesn't take long for all hell to break loose and Kamurocho to find itself swarming with zombies, and once that happens, the story becomes a cursory backdrop against which the slaughter of the undead takes place. It has its moments; the unbalanced way in which playable character Goro Majima actually relishes the outbreak for the sporting pleasure of killing zombies is unforgettable, and it all builds up to an outrageous finale in which series lead Kazuma Kiryu confronts a massive monstrosity and shares important life lessons. But these instances are few and far between, and on the whole, the story doesn't deliver the intensity and insanity that have helped make prior Yakuza games so memorable. Unfortunately, the problems with the combat, which makes up the majority of the game, cannot be ignored so easily. At its best, that combat is inoffensive but unremarkable. At its worst, it's tedious and infuriating. The game's four heroes radiate charisma but get too few opportunities to shine, and the recycled attractions of Kamurocho provide little incentive to visit these crowded streets. At least there's hope that this dark chapter in Kamurocho's history won't be the last. Much like the yakuza who populate it, you just can't keep a good entertainment district down. The monstrous mutated scientist stares you down, but you aren't worried: you've got powerful guns at hand and three teammates at your side. But just when you think you know the rules, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City breaks them. At first, you can't turn and run; all you can do is slowly back away and shoot. If you brought a shotgun to this unexpected battle, sorry: you really should have brought an assault rifle if you wanted to be effective here, assuming you have enough ammo in the first place. Eventually, you're allowed to flee, but the game doesn't tell you that, and so you back into the streams of flame bursting from the corridor's walls. Want to run past the beast? There's an invisible barrier on either side. You'd suppose that AI-controlled teammates might help, but they're not even in view, apparently filing their nails in the corner while you get caught in an inescapable series of knockdown attacks. The entire scene is absurdly bad, as if the game is actively working to make you hate it. You might miss some of the more subtle touches, however, given how dark Raccoon City is. This is a Resident Evil game, so you expect to push through pervasive gloom. But environments are poorly lit, everything cloaked in a dim cloud that obscures your vision without ramping up tension. (Compare this visual design to the infinitely superior, which provided proper visual contrast and still elicited your innate survival instincts.) The problems don't end here, though: Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City drowns in its own flaws, many of them so basic it's a wonder they appeared in a final product. Team deathmatch variants called Team Attack and Heroes round out the selection. No matter which mode you prefer, however, you run into some of the same problems as in the campaign: flaky cover mechanics, long animations leading to damage loops, and so forth. Weapon imbalances are also a problem. Raccoon City has a persistent leveling system in which you earn points that can be spent on new weapons and abilities. You can earn more powerful weapons in other shooters, of course, but pistols rarely make you an unstoppable killing machine. In Raccoon City, that Lightning Hawk pistol, combined with the game's quick draw aiming system, gives you an edge over players with dinky weapons like heavy machine guns and bolt-action rifles.
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CONTENTS

APRIL 15 - MAY 15, 2012

30 WiMAX can help resolve energy crisis

36 We can help Pakistan in energy management: Bertrand

Mobilink Jazz Concert 29 jolts the audience

Editor Assistant Editor

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Pakistan witnesses worst FDI decline

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Youth demand power not laptops

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Laptop scheme full of scams Punjab govt accused of violating rules

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April Fool's prank takes innocent lives

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Telecom needs Hina: Experts

Zubair Ahmed Kasuri

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Sony launches Alpha SLT-A77, Alpha, NEX-7 in Pakistan

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We can help Pakistan in energy management: Bertrand

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Lack of local market skills Samsung share shrink to 3%

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Internet economy to hit $4.2 trillion

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Emerging world of mobile advertising

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TenPearls brings 3D game for iPhone lovers

National ICT Scholarship Program 2012

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A leader makes things happen

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Mansha eyes India for economic uplift

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Apple set to be the first $1 trillion firm?

Wateen services reach Pakpattan Pakistan drops 14 points on

Global IT Report 2012

Mobilink balance inquiry charges increases

Warid launches call, SMS block service

Ufone declareses 10 Toyota Corolla car winners

Cellular users reach 116.2m

Mobilink gives away 2000 school bags to PEF

WiMAX Forum welcomes Wateen Telecom to its Board of Directors

PTCL continues motivating sales teams: Saeed