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Great offers on IBPS Exam books

Great offers on IBPS Exam books

Check out our selection of IBPS Exam and get up to 25% off on select titles. 

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Micromax launches first Canvas tablet @ Rs 16,500

Riding high on the success of its Canvas series of smartphone, Micromax has launched its first tablet under the Canvas brand. The new Canvas Tab P650 tablet has an 8-inch display, similar in size to the Apple iPad mini and Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 (311). The company has priced the new tablet at Rs 16,500 and is available in stores across India as of now. 

Micromax's new Canvas Tab P650 has an IPS display and features an aluminium body. This tablet runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) and can be upgraded to future versions of Google's mobile OS, Micromax said. Under the hood, this tablet packs a 1.2GHz quad-core processor paired with 1GB RAM. The device has 16GB internal storage and supports microSD expansion up to 32GB. 

On the back of Micromax Canvas Tab P650 is a 5MP camera, while the front panel sports a 2MP shooter. This tablet works on Wi-Fi as well as 3G networks and comes with voice calling facility. Powered by a 4,800mAh battery, this tablet offers five hours of browsing time on 3G. The tablet comes pre-loaded with apps like Spuul, Opera Mini, M! Live, Music Hub and M! Security. 

Commenting on the launch, Rahul Sharma, Micromax co-founder, said, "With Canvas Tab, we are offering Indian consumers a unique combination of superior technology complemented with unmatched style. We aim to extend the Canvas experience to our users on the tablet PCs, supported by an entire eco-system of applications. The Canvas Tab will strengthen our leadership in the tablet PC market complemented with a 360 degree go to market strategy to reach out to the consumers." 

Though this is said to be the first tablet under the Canvas brand, Micromax already offers tablets under its Funbook series. According to the latest IDC report on Indian tablet market, Micromax is the second biggest manufacturer with 13.33% market share. Samsung leads the segment with a market share of 15.76%.

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iOS7: Apple‘s swipe at Android

The changes to Apple's iOSsoftware became apparent as I drove to the headquarters of the company's rival, Google. As I navigated using Apple's mapping app, I noticed one of my favorite attributes was missing: the directions for each next turn presented in green boxes that resemble highway signs. 

Many of the changes in Apple's operating systemfor mobile devices are cosmetic. Gone are three-dimensional icons that mimic real-world counterparts, such as a magazine rack for the Newsstand app. They are replaced by larger, two-dimensional icons sporting abstract designs and pastel colors. Apple also extended that new look to many of its apps. In Maps, the green boxes are replaced with solid white across the top. 

It didn't take long to realize that deeper down, the new iOS 7 software is the same as the one I've come to know. 

The new software does have several functional improvements, but those could take time to stumble upon. The good news is that even if you never discover them, you can still use your device the way you did before. The free update is available starting Wednesday. 

I'm covering the features specific to Apple's new iPhone 5S and 5C in a separate review. This one is about whether it makes sense to upgrade to iOS 7 on your existing iPhone or iPad. 

The biggest functional change is the use of swipes instead of taps to access key functions. You can already swipe up from the bottom right side of the screen to quickly access the camera when your phone is in the lock screen. With iOS 7, you can also swipe up for the Control Center, which contains frequently used settings and apps. That's available whether or not the phone is locked. 

Swipe down from the top of the screen to get recent notifications and the day's highlights, including the weather, appointments, reminders and stock quotes. Swipe down from the center of any home screen for a search box. From many apps, you can swipe from the left or the right instead of tapping the left and right buttons. 

The Control Center is the most useful of the functional improvements. 

From there, you can turn Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on and off. Before, you had to find those switches in the settings. That would have come in handy for my flight to Silicon Valley last week for Apple's event introducing the new phones and software. Likewise, a Do Not Disturb feature is easier to access. It lets you silence incoming calls and messages, though you can make exceptions for certain numbers or for those calling repeatedly, in case there is a true emergency. 

The Control Center also lets you easily control music playback and adjust the screen's brightness. It gives you quick access to a flashlight feature, the clock, a calculator and camera. My only complaint: You can't pick the apps featured and replace the calculator, for instance, with Facebook or Gmail. 

I found the left and right swipes useful primarily within certain apps. In the Safari browser, I use it to return to the previous page. In Mail, I return to the list of messages after reading one. Again, these are all things I could do before with taps rather than swipes, but sometimes the swipe feels more natural. 

The new software also makes it easier to manage multiple apps at once. Double click on the home button to see all open apps, each represented by a large image showing the app's content rather than just an icon, as was the case before. Close an app by swiping the image up. In the past, you had to hold down an icon and hit the minus button. 

The Siri voice assistant is better, too. She sounds less robotic than she once did and can adopt a male voice. Siri is able to handle a greater range of commands, including adjusting settings and returning recent calls. 

The most useful change is the ability to edit voice commands. I asked Siri how the Nets did, but she heard me as Mets. Instead of having to repeat the phrase over and over until Siri got it right, I simply hit "tap to edit." Then again, maybe she's smarter than me: The Mets are still playing, while the Nets don't start the regular season until October 30. 

Specific apps that come with iOS are also improved, including these: 

* The Maps app offers voice navigation for walking directions, though it still lacks biking and transit directions, as Google offers. The background of maps now dims at night so the screen light doesn't distract drivers. 

* Safari makes it easier to switch between open Web pages. Before, you got one page at a time and had to scroll through all to get to the last one. Now, all the open pages are presented like upright dominos, so that you can jump right away to one in the back. 

* The Camera offers eight filters to tweak photos the way you would on Instagram. But with Camera, you see what your filtered photo would look like before snapping. You can now take square photos, perfect for Instagram. In addition, photos you take are automatically grouped by trip and other attributes, so they'll be easier to find and share later. 

* The App Store offers suggestions based on your current location. I get an app for the American Museum of Natural History in New York when I'm a few blocks away, and apps for food delivery near my apartment in another neighborhood, where people with small kitchens don't cook. 

A new iTunes Radio service offers free Internet radio stations, with buttons to easily buy songs you like on iTunes. I got my fill of 80s music with a Hits of the '80s station. I can create new stations based on songs or artists I hear, and I can move a slider between hits and discovery, the latter for more obscure tunes. Sad to say, few of the 80s songs were obscure, but that's a reflection of my listening habits and not the software. Unless you pay for the $25-a-year iTunes Match service, you'll get about four ads an hour. 

Although I dismissed many of the changes as cosmetic, a few of them improve functionality. Gone are those familiar bars showing cellular signal strength. You see five dots instead. The idea is to create more space for actual content. In many apps, including Maps and Safari, menus automatically disappear until you need them again, again to leave more space for content. 

These are all nice touches that make upgrading well worth it, especially for something free. You don't necessarily need a new phone.

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Microsoft releases security patch for Internet Explorer

Microsoft released an emergency software fix for Internet Explorer on Tuesday after hackers exploited a security flaw in the popular Web browser to attack an unknown number of users.

The software maker said on its website it released the software, known as a "Fix It," as an emergency measure to protect customers after learning about "extremely limited, targeted attacks" that made use of the newly discovered bug.

Microsoft said the attacks took advantage of an undiscovered flaw, or "zero day" vulnerability in industry parlance.

State-sponsored hacking groups are often willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for zero-day vulnerabilities in widely used software such as Internet Explorer, according to security experts who track that market.

They typically use them on small numbers of carefully selected, high-value targets, to keep such flaws secret.

Once Microsoft issues a warning about a zero-day bug, other groups of hackers involved in massive cyber-crime operations, such as identity theft, rush to reverse-engineer the Fix Its so they can build computer viruses that also exploit the same vulnerabilities.

Security experts said Internet Explorer users should either immediately install the Fix It or stop using the browser until Microsoft can put out an update, which will be automatically installed through its Windows Update program.

"With the Fix It out, I'm sure any attacker who is a bit sophisticated can figure out what the flaw is and implement a similar exploit in their own attack toolkit," said Wolfgang Kandek, chief technology officer with the cybersecurity firm Qualys Inc.

"Fix Its" are pieces of software for remediating security flaws that must be downloaded and installed on PCs. They are designed to protect customers while Microsoft prepares official updates, automatically delivered via the Internet to be installed on computers.

Kandek said he expects Microsoft to push out an update to address the issue within two to three weeks.

The Fix It can be installed by clicking on a link this page on Microsoft's support site

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Big Savings on Pen Drives & External Hard Drives

Big Savings on Pen Drives & External Hard Drives

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Nokia‘s 6-inch phablet may launch on Oct 22

A new tweet from Nokia has revived the rumours about the company's large-screen "phablet" device. The tweet, which appears to be a teaser, said "At Nokia, we never stop innovating. More to share on October 22."

Codenamed Bandit, Lumia 1520 is speculated to have a 6-inch screen. Lumia 1520 will be the largest smartphone in Nokia's portfolio, as the company's current biggest smartphone has a 4.7-inch display. Lumia 1520 is said to be a top-end device, with features like a full HD screen, quad-core processor and 20MP rear camera.

Several companies are eyeing the market for large-screen smartphones, with devices like Acer Liquid S2, Huawei Ascend Mate and Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 present in this segment. Major manufacturers like Apple and HTC are also said to be working on smartphones with 6-inch screens.

Earlier, there were speculations that the company will be launching Lumia 1520 on September 26 at an event in New York. The company was expected to announce new devices including the phablet at the event to revamp its lineup of Lumia smartphones which use Microsoft's Windows Phone software.

Reports also suggest that apart from Lumia 1520, Nokia 10.1-inch Windows RT tablet, Sirius, may also be unveiled at the event.

Nokia and Microsoft are still operating as separate companies as the 5.44 billion euro deal, which was announced on September 3, has not yet closed.

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Infosys launches new version of Finacle

Infosys, country's second largest software services exporter, launched a new version of its banking solution Finacle, aimed at making deeper inroads into the international markets. 

"With Finacle 11E, we have taken a component approach to help banks of all sizes to rapidly modernise their operations in a phased manner, while minimising the risks. It will enhance banks' efficiency and improve customer experience across all channels," Infosys senior vice-president and global head for Finacle M Haragopal told PTI. 

Finacle today powers 168 banks across 81 countries and about 14 per cent of the global banked population are serviced by it, he added. 

Banking and financial services accounted for 27 per cent of Infosys' revenue of Rs 11,267 crore in the June quarter. 

"The offering is futuristic and resonates strongly with the impending trends in the banking space globally. This new solution is a key to Finacle's growth globally, especially in the advanced markets of the US and Europe," Haragopal said. 

In the domestic market, over 50 per cent of the public and private sector banks and eight foreign banks are powered by Finacle, thus serving about 40 per cent of the banked population in the country. 

"Factors like macroeconomic uncertainty, regulatory upheaval, and changing customer preferences are leading banks to transform their businesses rapidly. However, such large-scale transformation projects are often too expensive or too complex for these banks to take on," he said. 

Finacle 11E will allow banks to take on transformation projects in bite-size pieces, increasing agility, minimising customer disruption and reducing risk, Haragopal added. 

"Research indicates that reducing complexity in banking technology alone can result in 20-30 per cent increase in profits. Complexity of IT, combined with insufficient expertise within the business, is a major roadblock to modernising their IT infrastructure. That is a challenge that the new solution will address," he said.

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10% off or more on select Cameras

10% off or more on select Cameras A wide range of point & shoot and DSLR cameras, with 10% off or more on select models.

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Increased hacker attacks make cybersecurity costly

IT experts have revealed that cybersecurity cost at global financial institutions have increased manifold with the aim to secure their own and customers' assets with increasing number of hacker attacks and internal threats. 

A four-day exhibition, Sibos, organized by Belgium-based global transactions service provider SWIFT for the first time in the Middle East kept the central topic as cybersecurity at global financial institutions. 

Most IT security experts at the Sibos agreed that cybersecurity shall not be considered as a cost center, but as an investment into a bank's financial soundness and reputation. 

The banks are keeping up with the latest technologies to secure their assets from hackers. 

According to a study released on June 25 by Russian anti-virus software producer Kaspersky and research firm B2B International, 649,000 U.S. dollars is the average cost at large companies in the wake of a cyberattack rise. 

Earlier this year, a series of cyberattacks had knocked down the websites of major US lenders, including Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America. 

A survey at the summit also revealed that over 30 percent of bank technology experts fear internal attacks, such as data stealing by employees or business partners. 

IT security costs were also raised due to implementation of encryption codes and procedures to control internal threats. 

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IBM to invest $1 billion in Linux, open source technologies

IBM said it would invest $1 billion in new Linux and open source technologies for its servers in a bid to boost efficiency for big data and cloud computing. 

"Many companies are struggling to manage big data and cloud computing using commodity servers based on decades-old, PC era technology," said IBM vice president Brad McCredie. 

"These servers are quickly overrun by data which triggers the purchase of more servers, creating unsustainable server sprawl. The era of big data calls for a new approach to IT systems; one that is open, customizable, and designed from the ground up to handle big data and cloud workloads." 

Linux is an open-source operating system which can be used in servers, personal computers and other devices. 

IBM, which produces supercomputers as well as servers which run computer networks and manages big data for corporate clients, said it would establish a new Linux in Montpellier, France:

"The new center is among a growing network of centers around the world where software developers can build and deploy new applications for big data, cloud, mobile and social business computing on open technology building blocks using Linux and the latest IBM POWER7+ processor technology," IBM said.

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