Facebook Allegedly Sells Users’ Info: ProPakistani

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Facebook Allegedly Sells Users’ Info: ProPakistani

Facebook Allegedly Sells Users’ Info

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 06:28 AM PST

Read this post in Urdu

Facebook, is yet again, alleged for selling users' information to third parties, particularly with the advertisers, said a report published by The Daily Telegraph.
Newspaper further says that Facebook, a social networking website, may face a crackdown by European Commission that is planning to stop the way the website “eavesdrops” on its users to gather information about their political opinions, sexuality, religious beliefs – and even their whereabouts.
Report says that move by European Commission comes after paper's investigation that highlights the extent to which Facebook can help companies to focus adverts according to the profiles of users.
Report claims that Facebook uses a sophisticated software to gather information about its users private information in addition to their activities on the website, to make it available to advertisers.

Everything people share with their friends on Facebook is being tracked by the firm, retained, and can be used for commercial purposes.
It can even harvest information by performing keyword searches on behalf of advertisers. In this way, it can find out, for instance, details about people’s political beliefs or their sexual preferences.
Facebook stores messages and “chats” sent via the site and keeps them on its database even after they are deleted by those involved in the private online conversations.

Following consistent reports and major privacy concerns, EU can issue a directive for Facebook in January which will ban such advertising practices unless users specifically allow it, the newspaper said.
Facebook has denied the allegations.

Ufone Launches Blackberry Curve 9360

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 03:31 AM PST

Read this post in Urdu

Ufone today announced the launch of BlackBerry Curve 9360, another industry first BlackBerry launch in Pakistan.
The BlackBerry Curve 9360 is equipped with the new BlackBerry OS 7.0 and features a powerful 800MHz processor with built in 3G, GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and BBM.
Once again Ufone has proved to be a pioneer in presenting the most advanced and latest technology to its valued customers. Ufone has been the first company to introduce various BlackBerry smartphones for the first time to the Pakistani market, such as Bold 9000, 9700, 8780, 9900, Torch 9800, Curve 8520 and 9300.
Ufone is offering the customers something extra in the form of functional and stylish devices which ensure that the customers get the best value for their money. Blackberry 9360 is only 11mm thick and as light as a feather with a weight of 99g. The back side sports a 5MP camera on one side and LED light flash for taking pictures on the other end.
The BlackBerry 9360 is equipped with a 2.4"screen with 480×360 resolution. The compact QWERTY keyboard, optical track pad and four BlackBerry shortcut keys appear to be fused to the bottom of the screen. The exterior of the phone has a stylish frame and elegantly sculpted surfaces. The slim design of the phone gives an easy grip on the device which gives the end user exceptional experience.
Speaking at the launch Akbar Khan, Chief Marketing Officer at Ufone said that in today's day and age staying connected 24/7 is the need for all business functions. This BlackBerry handset is one of the most technologically advanced BlackBerry to date and shall facilitate the empowerment of the fast paced Pakistani corporations and businesses to remain ahead in the race to be the best.
Here are Specs for Blackberry Curve 9360

Weight: 99 g
Display

Type: TFT
Size: 480 x 360 pixels, 2.44 inches

Touch-sensitive optical trackpad
Memory:

Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall
Internal: 512 MB storage, 512 MB RAM
Card Slot: microSD, up to 32GB,

Data: GPRS, EDGE, 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, USB
Camera: 5 MP, 2592х1944 pixels, LED flash
Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion 1000 mAh
Price: The devices will be sold from corporate sales and regional sales and service centers for Rs. 29,999/.

Global Feature Phone Penetration Still Firm at 73%

Posted: 28 Nov 2011 06:40 PM PST

Despite all the hype that Android or iOS has created over last couple of years, low-end feature phones, with basic telephony and data services, still dominate the global handset market.
A recent study, carried out by VisionMobile, reveals that with all the growth in smartphones shipments, the global share of smartphone penetration stands at 27 percent, that too thanks to high numbers in Europe and North America.
Report suggests that smartphones adaption is understandably high in regions with 3G network coverage and where subscription plans are postpaid. While remainder of markets with 2(.5)G networks and prepaid subscription is dominated by feature phones, mainly by Nokia.
Report says that smartphone penetration is measured at 65% in the USA and over 50% in Europe to 19% in Asia-Pacific, 17% in Latin America and 18% in Africa/Middle East.

As clearly shown above, Nokia dominates in the feature phone market while Apple leads in Smartphone race. Though both the winners are facing tough competition in their respective markets.
Nokia, as per report, was sluggish to react over Apple's move earlier on, and then it decided to go with Windows platform instead of Android, which made room for other vendors to play aggressively in smartphone market.
Apple's iPhone, on its respective front, is exposed to severe competition from Android that has support from multiple vendors including Samsung, HTC, Huawei, ZTE etc., while Nokia's low end dominance is being caught up by low-end android devices that can cost just US 100 dollars.
Report claims that Apple is potentially challenged in penetrating low-end developing markets as its profit margins doesn't make it viable for the company to sell smartphones at lower price, unlike Android. Though Apple has recently started offering considerable discount on old iPhones but those offers came with yearly contracts for postpaid subscribers, something Apple can't practice in prepaid markets.

You can download complete report, which further discusses the mobile brands, their market positioning and business strategies in detail. Here's the link.

RoboSprint 2012: a Robotics Competition for All

Posted: 28 Nov 2011 06:35 PM PST

Robotics is a field which is fast picking up steam in Pakistan. Many universities organize their own competitions and there are national robotics competitions like NERC as well.
This year however, there is another competition which threatens to steal the show as the biggest robotics event of 2012. The event named, RoboSprint 2012, has been established by ICT R&D Fund in collaboration with Center for Advanced Studies in Engineering (CASE) who are also 3 time winners of National Engineering Robotics Competition (NERC) which is organized by EME, NUST.
The theme for the competition is being claimed as the most challenging ever to be presented at the national level. The competition itself is divided into two categories. The general category is the more complex one and allows all registered universities and their students to participate.
The Special category is a simpler version of the general category and is further subdivided into Special category Junior and Special Category Senior. Special Category Junior is open to all students in 12^th grade or lower while Special category Senior is open to all registered students at any university in Pakistan.

What makes this competition special isn't the prize money or the uniqueness of its theme, but its how the contest is aiming to be an educational campaign rather than just a competition. CASE is organizing Robotics seminars as well as assigning supervisors who will aid all aspiring competitors.
For the mentoring, CASE has initiated a National Student Co-ordination Program (NSCP) in which each registered team will be assigned a Team Guide from CASE Robotics Group (CRG). The team guide will facilitate the processes of design, fabrication and control by guiding the participating team.
All team guides will have experience in robotics competitions and maybe a faculty member, graduate student or a final year student. The guidance will include perfecting designs to helping with accommodation during the competition. So if you're looking to participate in RoboSprint 2012 get yourself a team guide as soon as possible.
I should also mention that CRG (CASE Robotics Group) is currently doing a nationwide tour in order to promote RoboSprint 2012.
Prizes:
The prize money for RoboSprint 2012 is distributed as follows:
GENERAL CATEGORY:

Winner: 1,20,000 PKR
1st Runners‐up: 60,000 PKR
2nd Runners‐up: 40,000 PKR
Best Engineering Design: 50,000 PKR
Best Idea Award: 30,000 PKR
4xParticipation Awards: 15,000 PKR

SPECIAL CATEGORY SENIOR:

Winner: 40,000 PKR
1st Runners‐up: 30,000 PKR
2nd Runners‐up: 20,000 PKR

SPECIAL CATEGORY JUNIOR:

Winner: 30,000 PKR
1st Runners‐up: 20,000 PKR
2nd Runners‐up: 10,000 PKR

Links for RoboSprint registration, official page on Facebook and rulebook are given below.
Registration (1000 PKR): www.case.edu.pk/RoboSprint/Registration.aspx (Last Date of Registration is 30th May, 2012)
Rulebook: www.case.edu.pk/RoboSprint/RoboSprint2012Rulebook.pdf
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/RoboSprint

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PTA Plans to Introduce Unified Licenses For LL, LDI Operators

Posted: 28 Nov 2011 06:30 PM PST

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has decided to chalk out strategies for merging Local Loop (LL) and Long Distance International License (LDI) to form a consolidated license, aiming to adopt advanced technological trends for delivery of multiple services to millions of customers at unified platform.
PTA has taken initiatives on licensing reforms for development of a regime, Class Value Added Services Licensing (CVAS) regime, which is more conducive for investment environment.
The main objectives of such reforms are to support the delivery of multiple services, promoting the innovation, the reduction of consumer prices and creating a more conducive regime for investment, PTA study stated.
The consolidation of licenses in Pakistan will lead to emergence of big players in market. These big players are expected to be better placed to compete with existing Significant Market Players (SMPs), which will bode positive impact on the competition in Pakistan.
The expected benefits include reduction in consumer tariffs, particularly the line rents etc., which are still being charged by some of the operators in Pakistan. The integrated licensee would be able to offer more services in addition to basic voice service and it will promote the trend of bundle packages in Pakistan.
At present PTCL being an integrated licensee is providing multiple services such as voice, internet, and IPTV and therefore is able to introduce various bundled packages.
The consolidation or merger of licenses will improve the revenues of operators that will gain potential to introduces various services at one platform such as Premium Rate Services, Payphone Services, Trunk Radio Services, Public Internet Service, Data Service, Tracking System for public application, Voice Mail, SMS Aggregator, Closed user group Video Conferencing, Content Service Provider Networking, Interactive Voice Response (IVR).
This leads to a number of benefits for operators as well as the customers, including but not limited to, greater ARPU through value added services and bundle packages for consumers.
The voice and data networks are getting integrated as fixed and mobile networks are changing to all IP Next Generation Networks (NGNs). The voice is shifting from PSTN networks to mobile networks whereas there is emergence of VoIP and growing trend of voice moving from PSTN to IP.
More importantly, NGN consume less energy so deployment of such networks has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint by 15 percent, PTA study stated.
The major telecom operators have almost completed their core networks' migration towards to Next Generation Network (NGN) as part of their infrastructure up gradation plan.
NGN platform is a well known reality for advanced level programming, the latest circuit designing techniques, the delivery of multiple services.
This has opened a new business avenue for service providers; besides raising many challenges for regulators in terms of establishing new licensing/regulatory regime.
Resultantly, the geographical licensing is changing into unified licensing.
Pakistan telecom market is divided into 14 telecom regions as per telecom deregulation policy and there is a restriction of local switching for LL operators, are required to switch the call within the telecom region.
NGNs use the distributed call server model which is independent of geographical restrictions.
Despite the fact that existing licensing regime is technology neutral, the restriction of switching within licensing area is a hindrance in the way of end to end NGN proliferation.
Due to the same hindrance; the operators cannot offer the services which are independent of geographical boundaries. e.g utilization of the same number through soft phone anywhere within Pakistan.
Therefore it can be stated that the present restriction on putting switching equipment’s within licensing area requires reconsideration due to the technical and economical reasons. The existing interconnect regime for LL operators to handover the call to LDIs is another restriction.
PTA has conducted a study for local market and it has sought inputs of local stakeholder on technical, legislative and commercial issues.
The study can be read in detail on this link (PDF File – 818 KB)