Advisory board calls for new limits on NSA surveillance, addresses many major concerns

Advisory board calls for new limits on NSA surveillance, addresses many major concerns


The panel tasked with advising the Obama administration on the National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance programs recommended new limits on the agency’s spying practices, according to reports.

Previously, many were skeptical of the group’s ability to provide sound advice given the history of the participants and their close ties with the Obama administration.

In the over 300-page document containing the panel’s recommendations, many of the major concerns involving NSA activities were addressed.

The panel urged Obama on Wednesday to bring the government’s mass collection of phone call logs to an end, a practice which a federal judge recently ruled to be likely unconstitutional.

Instead, the advisors called on the administration to keep them in private hands “for queries and data mining” by court order only, The New York Times reports.

The panel also recommended a new test to be conducted before operations involving surveillance of foreign leaders are approved.

The test would involve weighing the potential impacts on diplomatic and economic sectors if the operation were to be uncovered, as many recently were.

The decision to monitor communications of foreign leaders should be made by the president himself and his advisers, not the intelligence agencies, according to the panel’s recommendations. However, it was reported previously that the White House knew about the surveillance.

The panel also called for new limits on surveillance of ordinary non-Americans. Recently, it was reported that millions of ordinary British citizens have been spied on by the NSA, something which would be limited if the panel’s recommendations were implemented.

Speaking of the NSA’s efforts to subvert work on secure encryption standards, the panel called on the NSA to make it clear that “it will not in any way subvert, undermine, weaken or make vulnerable generally available commercial encryption.”

The panel also touched on the practice of purchasing so-called “zero day” exploits, something which has made the U.S. the world’s largest buyer of malware.

The advisors said the U.S. practice of using the software flaws to launch cyberattacks undermines the public’s confidence in American products and should be discontinued.

The likelihood of the implementation of that recommendation in particular seems quite slim. The New York Times notes that the practice was responsible for getting a hold of zero day exploits that “were critical to the cyberattacks that the United States and Israel launched on Iran in an effort to slow its nuclear program.”

Yet that might not be the only one of the 46 recommendations issued by the five-member panel. Indeed, the recommendations are non-binding and many would require either Congressional legislation or presidential action.

The White House called the report “comprehensive and high quality” in a statement and said their overall review would come to a close “over the next several weeks,” Fox News reports.

“The President will work with his national security team to study the Review Group’s report, and to determine which recommendations we should implement,” the statement said.

Some in Washington have already voiced their support for the report. Many of the long-time critics of the NSA will likely voice similar opinions as well.

“The message to the NSA is now coming from every branch of government and from every corner of our nation: You have gone too far,” said Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).

The 2 Easy Ways to Make Your PC Run Like New

One of the most frustrating things in life is a slow computer.  

Every few years, we buy an expensive new PC and love how fast it starts up, runs programs, and loads websites. Inevitably though, it starts to slow down until eventually we are pulling our hair out waiting for it to do routine tasks.

Why is this?  It turns out the answer is actually quite simple and you don't even need to be "technical" to understand the causes and solutions.

The good news: It's not the computer hardware that's the problem. In most cases, the hardware you have is perfectly capable of being restored to its original glory and kept in fast running condition with minimal effort.

Rather, the problem lies with changes that occur to the PC's software.

 The two most common causes of slowdown (along with easy solutions) are:

1. The most common problem: registry errors
Every time you (or your kids) load a program, game, or file, your PC's software registry is updated with new instructions needed to operate that item. However, when the item is removed, these instructions usually remain on your PC. Every time you run your computer it tries to execute these instructions but, because the related program can't be found, it causes a registry error. Your PC is doing a lot more work than it should be, and the result is a significantly slower computer.

One of the best ways to manage this is with a neat little tool from Support.com, a Silicon Valley based company. It's called ARO 2013 and it scans, identifies, and fixes registry errors —resulting in a computer that's a lot more like it was when you first bought it. On top of the amazing results it offers, it's so easy to install and use that it was recently awarded a coveted 4.5 star rating (out of 5) by CNET's editorial staff, and has been downloaded more than 30 million times.

You can now get a free working version of the software, which will quickly scan your entire PC and identify all of the registry errors that may be bogging it down. The free version also scans for junk and checks your PC's baseline security status. It will eliminate the first 50 errors for free, and if you have more errors that you want to clean up or want to set the program to run on a regular basis (which is recommended), you can easily upgrade to the full version for just $29.95.  After that, registry errors will no longer be a problem.

To get the free version, simply click here.

2. Spyware and viruses

Spyware and viruses are software programs that are loaded on your computer without your knowledge or permission. They have various purposes, including:

• Changing the default search engine in your browser
• Tracking your Web surfing habits and showing you targeted advertising
• Using your email program to send out spam to other email addresses
• Stealing your personal information

Most spyware and viruses get onto our computers through files that we download from the Internet or as attachments to emails. They tend to take up a lot of computing power and, as a result, will significantly slow down your computer.

The simple rule of thumb to follow is to never download any free software programs from companies you do not know and trust, especially screensavers, emoticons, and the like. In addition, you should never open any attachment to an email unless you are 100 percent certain you know and trust the sender. Having a good anti-virus/spyware removal software running at all times will also help.

Follow the above advice, and your PC should stay fast and safe.

Stanford researchers conducting study to find out what metadata can show NSA about your personal life

Stanford researchers have launched a crowdsourced study relying on volunteers to hand over their data in an effort to find out how much the National Security Agency (NSA) can learn about their targets just through harvesting metadata.

The NSA has collected metadata on millions of Americans and others around the world. Documents revealed in June of this year that Verizon was ordered to hand over all records for U.S. customers to the NSA. Since then, reports of the NSA’s ability to create complex “pattern of life” profiles for millions of people have also emerged, among many other related reports.

In order to show just how revealing the metadata can be, researchers Jonathan Mayer and Patrick Mutchler created the Android app “MetaPhone.”

The app collects a person’s metadata including call logs and basic data from Facebook accounts in order to build a profile based on data similar to what the NSA gathers.

Mayer points out that some say the NSA program has little impact on privacy and is not really surveillance since it just collects metadata.

“Like many computer scientists, we strongly disagree,” Mayer wrote. “Phone metadata is inherently revealing. We want to rigorously prove it—for the public, for Congress, and for the courts.”

The researchers will gather data from participants’ phones through the app, which will then be analyzed at Stanford University.

“Device data will include records about your recent calls and text messages,” the researchers said, according to WorldNetDaily. “Social network data will include your profile, connections and recent activity. The data will be stored and analyzed at Stanford, then deleted at the end of the study. Research staff will take reasonable precautions to secure the data in transit, storage, analysis, and destruction.”

After just two weeks of conducting the study, the researchers have already shown that they can automatically predict a participant’s relationship status using metadata.

Even though only one in four subjects had their Facebook account configured to display relationship status to a stranger, the researchers still found out about their targets’ relationships.

Their current system, however, has a bit of a tradeoff. If they want to get relatively few singles wrong, they can correctly guess around 60 percent of individuals with significant others. If they accept getting 33 percent of singles wrong, they can get over 80 percent of individuals with significant others right.


“These are, to emphasize, preliminary results. We will have more, better, and higher confidence findings as additional users (like you!) participate,” the researcherswrote, noting that it is just a first step towards confirming just how important metadata is.

Mayer told MIT Technology Review that they believe metadata can reveal a great deal of private information about a person’s personal life.

“Our hypothesis is that phone metadata is packed with meaning,” he said.

MIT Technology Review notes that this research could make waves outside of just debates around policy and legal concerns about domestic surveillance.

They point out that private industry has joined the datamining frenzy, with some telecommunications companies monetizing their own customers’ metadata.

Just how much personal information can be obtained through this type of metadata analysis remains to be seen and the researchers have not revealed how long they will be collecting data.

Yet if what was accomplished after just two weeks is any indicator, they might be able to find out quite a bit indeed.

Google’s Newest Invention: A Lie Detector Throat Tattoo

Google’s Newest  Invention: A Lie Detector Throat Tattoo

Remember that one time when Google CEO Eric Schmidt said, “Google policy is to get right up to the creepy line and not cross it”? Well, apparently Google has just filed a new patent for…

Wait for it…

An electronic lie detector throat tattoo.

I wish I was just joking.


Google subsidiary Motorola filed U.S. patent application #20130297301 for the nanotechnology entitled, “Coupling an Electronic Skin Tattoo to a Mobile Communication Device” on November 7, 2013. It begins:

A system and method provides auxiliary voice input to a mobile communication device (MCD). The system comprises an electronic skin tattoo capable of being applied to a throat region of a body. The electronic skin tattoo can include an embedded microphone; a transceiver for enabling wireless communication with the MCD; and a power supply configured to receive energizing signals from a personal area network associated with the MCD. A controller is communicatively coupled to the power supply. The controller can be configured to receive a signal from the MCD to initiate reception of an audio stream picked up from the throat region of the body for subsequent audio detection by the MCD under an improved signal-to-noise ratio than without the employment of the electronic skin tattoo.

The fact that it’s temporary (it’s applied with an adhesive) makes it only half a tick less creepy than that guy who wears a trench coat and visits children’s parks alone. However, it only gets creepier and the potential privacy invasion factor only gets more invasive from there.

First, there’s the fact that whoever controls the tattoo can send the signals it generates to all kinds of mobile devices:

Controller 101 of electronic tattoo 110 can be configured to execute programs or instructions to enable communicative coupling of the electronic tattoo to external electronic devices such as a smartphone, a gaming device, a tablet computer, a wearable computer, for example.

Obviously based on this description, the “controller” doesn’t necessarily have to mean the person wearing the tattoo.

Further, it can single certain people out in a group setting:

…The throat microphone of electronic skin tattoo 200 can have its own identification and be selectable in a group setting, for example, where multiple users are wearing an electronic skin tattoo 200.

Next there’s the express mention that the tattoo can also be applied to animals:

The electronic tattoo 110 can comprise audio circuitry 103 that enables reception of acoustic signals from a person’s throat when the electronic tattoo 110 is applied to a throat region of a body. Here it is contemplated that the electronic tattoo 110 can also be applied to an animal as well.

Optionally, the electronic skin tattoo 200 can further include a galvanic skin response detector to detect skin resistance of a user. It is contemplated that a user that may be nervous or engaging in speaking falsehoods may exhibit different galvanic skin response than a more confident, truth telling individual. 

Google Tracks Everything You Do, Even Offline

Google Tracks Everything You Do, Even Offline

Google tracks everything you do, and they are not limited to just tracking you online. The search giant is now developing ways to track users across laptops, tablets and smartphones. They can even follow you right down to the the stores you visit and businesses you call from your mobile device.

The new Google AdWords feature, called “Estimated Total Conversions“, is aimed at advertisers that use the platform to serve their ads to you while you browse the Internet. The idea behind the new technology is to track a user from the time they are served an advertisement, until the time they walk into a brick and mortar store, or shop online in order to purchase the advertised product. Google uses the following pitch when selling the new feature to advertisers:


People are constantly connected, using multiple devices throughout the day to shop, communicate and stay entertained. A September 2013 study of multi-device consumers found that over 90% move sequentially between several screens for everyday activities like booking a hotel or shopping for electronics.
As consumers are increasingly on the go and switching between devices, marketers are telling us they want to see a more complete and accurate picture of how their online advertising drives conversions. Conversions can come in many forms: visits to stores, phone calls, app downloads, website sales or purchases made after consulting various devices. Getting better insight into these complex purchase paths can help you optimize your online advertising and allocate budget more effectively.

In addition to your web browsing habits, Google is now tracking your call logs, your GPS records, and a list of the devices that you use on a daily basis. This of course includes your mobile phones, tablets, laptops and more. All in the name of targeted advertising and conversion statistics.


Google has the ability to access many types of user data from Android apps as well as Google branded apps for the Apple iOS including Google search, Gmail, Google Maps and the Chrome web browser. If a person is using any of these apps while they are shopping, or happens to have them running in the background, Google can use that data to pinpoint the user’s location and see if they are in a store or other place of business.

So if you were on your laptop searching for a new television, and you were presented with a Best Buy advertisement in the search results, Google could tell if you walked into, or called a local Best Buy an hour later to make the purchase. You would only need to have your mobile device along for the ride, Google would be recording the entire process. This would be an example of Google’s “Cross Device Conversion” technology.

Android users give permission for Google to track them in this manner when they opt-in to use “location services” on their smartphone’s Options menu. iPhone users allow this behavior when they agree to allow “location services” for apps like Google Maps and Gmail.

Online tracking is nothing new, however Google has taken this a step further by continuing its tracking efforts into the real world.

Apple Said Developing Curved IPhone Screens

Apple is developing new iPhone designs including bigger screens with curved glass and enhanced sensors that can detect different levels of pressure, said a person familiar with the plans.

Two models planned for release in the second half of next year would feature larger displays with glass that curves downward at the edges, said the person, declining to be identified because the details aren’t public. Sensors that can distinguish heavy or light touches on the screen may be incorporated into subsequent models, the person said.

With screens of 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches, the two new models would be Apple’s largest iPhones, the person said, and would approach in size the 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 3 that Samsung Electronics Co. debuted in September. The South Korean maker last month released its curved-screen Galaxy Round, the latest phone in an array of sizes and price points that’s helping keep Samsung ahead of Apple in global market share.

The new Apple handsets are still in development and plans haven’t been completed, the person said, adding that the company probably would release them in the third quarter of next year.

Screen Size

Natalie Kerris, a spokeswoman for Cupertino, California-based Apple, declined to comment.

“Screen size is one of the things where Apple has to catch up to the Android camp,” Dennis Chan, an analyst at Yuanta Financial Holding Co. in Taipei, said, referring to phones using Google Inc.’s operating software. “Innovation in components has been a key for Apple since the first iPhone came out.”

Apple broke with past practice in September when it unveiled two versions of the iPhone at the same time, the iPhone 5s with more advanced features and the iPhone 5c at lower prices, as part of a strategy to appeal to broader markets.

Demand for the iPhone 5s is much higher, and iPhone 5c production has been reduced, the person said.

Revenue growth for the current quarter, Apple’s traditional holiday sales period, may be the slowest since 2008, according to data compiled by Bloomberg based on the company’s financial forecast published last month. Samsung said last month it expects this quarter’s shipment growth rate from the prior quarter to fall to a “low single digit” percentage from the “mid-10 percent range” the prior period.

Testing continues on the pressure-sensitive technology, which is unlikely to be ready for the next iPhone release and is instead planned for a later model, the person said.

Apple’s testing and development of new materials follows its history of working with suppliers to produce new technologies that can enhance device functions. The original iPhone, released in 2007, offered touchscreen technology developed with Taipei-based TPK Holding Co. (3673) that was more responsive than available at the time.

Apple said last week it will open a new plant in Arizona to make components for its devices. Merrimack, New Hampshire-based GT Advanced Technologies said Apple will prepay $578 million for furnaces to make sapphire materials used in smartphones, with the iPhone maker getting some exclusive rights.

Bitcoin Virtual Currency

Bit coin Virtual Currency…Passing Fad or Worthwhile Investment?

Bit coin virtual currency might be more than just a passing fad. In fact, it could be a worthwhile investment, according to experts. The virtual currency was launched in 2008 by an anonymous developer known only as ‘Satoshi Nakamoto’. The creator has since disappeared, leaving a trail of questions about his identity and motives.

Bit coin is not issued by any government and is not controlled by a central bank or regulators. In contrast to conventional currencies, which offer a theoretically limitless volume, there can only be a specific number of Bit coins generated worldwide. Critics say this limit is more representational of a commodity than any currency.

The total number of Bitcoins is limited to 21 million, however there are only 12 million Bitcoins in circulation today. The process of creating new Bitcoins is controlled by a mathematical algorithm that reduces the number of generated Bitcoins each year until the year 2040.

The value of a Bitcoin has nearly tripled since November 1st and today it hit an all time high of $358.00 on Mt. Gox, the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange. In June of 2010, one Bitcoin was worth$0.004

Earlier this year. Bitcoin attracted the attention of Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, the brothers best known for their battle with Mark Zuckerberg over the origins of Facebook. After investing $11m in the virtual currency, they filed paperwork with the SEC to start a fund that would invest in, and track the value of, Bitcoins.

In order to get your hands on this shiny new currency you will have to start by getting a digital Bitcoin wallet, software that allows you to store and trade your Bitcoins. Your digital wallet will give you access to the Bitcoin network and works much like a peer-to-peer file sharing service.

Once you have a digital wallet, you can move on to the next step to get your first Bitcoin. You can purchase coins, “mine’” coins, or sell something for payment in Bitcoin. In order to purchase a coin you will need to find an individual or a currency exchange willing to accept your payment method.

If you aren’t concerned with anonymity, reputable Bitcoin exchanges typically accept credit cards or PayPal payments. If you want to keep your transaction private, you can meet with a local Bitcoin dealer who is willing to trade Bitcoins for cash, or something else of value.

A coffee shop in Vancouver went live last week with an ATM machine that trades cash for Bitcoin. According to Robocoin, the ATM manufacturer, the machine did over $100,000 worth of business and handled 348 transactions in its first eight days of operation. Jordan Kelley, CEO of Robocoin, said that an estimated 70 percent of the ATM users created new wallets — suggesting they were mostly first-time Bitcoin users.

There will be a limited number of bitcoin in existence. Look into bitcoin mining. It takes money and energy to mine the bitcoin. It can't be printed out of thin air and devalued like the dollar. It will be a store of value that is not manipulated like gold and silver. It has made many millionaires already and has not gone mainstream yet. It has gained 2000% plus vs. the weakening dollar this year. The dollar and other fiat currencies are devaluing right now, what it bitcoin doing? Educate yourself on what gives a currency value. It does not matter what is money, it matter the quantity and issuance. There is no issuer, and the quantity is limited. The more that get on board the higher the price will go. The only way to stop it is to stop the internet. Good luck and become a bitcoin millionaire.

Motorola develops electronic tattoo to receive phone calls

It captures vibrations and sound directly from the user's throat, also eliminates the background noise for clearer voice calls.

Motorola has filed a patent for making an electronic tattoo on the human skin that will act as transceiver for mobile phones. Basically the phone's receiver and microphone is tattoo-ed on the skin so that user can use it as wearable gadget to be used with mobile phone and tablets. Engadget spotted the Motorola patent - Coupling An Electronic Skin Tattoo To A Mobile Communication Device.

The Motorola patent takes the wearable electronics to the next level and reminds us of the several futuristic science-fiction movies. The new Motorola patent describes inking an "electronic tattoo" on the neck of a user. This tattoo will have transceiver and microphone to transmit the information via Bluetooth, Zigbee or NFC connection. The electronic tattoo basically detects the skin response.

The tattoo basically captures vibrations and sound directly from the user's throat, also eliminates the background noise for clearer voice calls. The electronic tattoo also has electronic power built-in to transmit the audio to the smartphone or other mobile device. The electronic tattoo can also measure electronic conductance of the skin and can also have a display along user interface for feeding commands.

While the SmartWatches as wearable gadgets are just settling in, the electronic tattoo is long way from turning into reality. Google acquired Motorola and both have introduced innovative smartphone concept - Project Ara, a modular smartphone.

Google Glass coupled with electronic tattoo and SmartWatch can work seamlessly for a user to deliver all the notifications, engage in video-voice calls and more. As of now, there is no clarity on the commercial viability of this electronic tattoo on skin.

Nokia Lumia 929 leaks

Verizon-bound Nokia Lumia 929 leaks in high-res photos

The Nokia Lumia 929 entered rumorland a month ago via a press images

Today we get to see the first real and high-res photos of the Verizon's Lumia 929, courtesy ofWPCentral.

 Nokia Lumia 929 has the same internals and camera tech as the recently unveiled Lumia 1520 phablet, but comes with a smaller 5.0" 1080p AMOLED display and completely different shell.

So, the Lumia 929 runs on the latest Snapdragon 800 chipset with a 2.2GHz quad-core processor, Adreno 330 graphics and 2GB of RAM. The rest of the specs include 32GB non-expandable internal storage, LTE, NFC, and wireless charging support.

The camera on the Lumia 929 back is the same as the one on the Lumia 1520 - a 20MP PureView camera with ZEISS lens and a dual-LED flash. It uses Nokia's supersampling technology for 16MP full-res photos plus 5MP PureView pictures. There is nothing on the video recording specs just yet, but we guess the Lumia 929 will record 1080p@30fps videos, just like the Lumia 1520.. 

The 20MP camera on the back of Lumia 929

Nokia Lumia 929 will be offered in glossy white and matte black flavors. More color options are quite likely, but they have yet to surface.

Lumia 929 runs WP8 GDR3 with Lumia Black

The Lumia 929 runs Windows Phone 8 GDR3 with Lumia Black on top of it. It should go official any moment on Verizon and go on sale a few days after that. The off-contract price is rumored to be $500 while the on-contract one is yet to be revealed.

Samsung deals with Nokia on patents for another 5 years

Samsung and Nokia have agreed to extend their patent agreement for another 5 years, granting the Korean tech giant access to Nokia phone patents until 2019. Samsung will pay additional compensation for patent use for the period starting January 1, 2014 (which is when the previous agreement was scheduled to end).

The exact amount of compensation is expected to be settled in a separate binding arbitration scheduled for 2015. Nokia expects the arbitration to save significant transaction costs related to licensing disputes between the two companies.

The patent extension sheds some light on Nokia's plans after the Microsoft acquisition, namely that the company will continue to make money on smartphones by "actively managing its patent portfolio and licensing activities," which are not part of the Microsoft deal.

iPad Air hands-on

Sleek bezels, thin edges and a diet that did wonders – here’s the iPad Air hands-on

While many were awaiting the iPad mini with Retina display, Apple was busy running the larger iPad through the treadmill so that when the unveiling came, it won’t fall into the shadow of its smaller sibling.

So much so, in fact, that once unveiled, it was revealed that the rudimentary upgrade was not to the big iPad but, in fact, the iPad mini. The streamlined body, reduced weight and retention of the great display made the iPad Air the talk of the town, garnering the front spot on Apple’s website is a testament to that.

Here goes a brief rundown of the iPad Air’s retail package, design and software for your viewing pleasure.

Let’s start off with the hardware. The iPad Air is nothing like its cumbersome predecessors. Compared to the fourth generation iPad, the latest one warrants its Air moniker by being 1.9 mm thinner, 1.2 mm shorter and a colossal 16.2 mm narrower. Weight has been reduced by a mind-boggling 183 grams – that’s the equivalent of a Nokia Lumia 920, to put things in perspective.

The back is now flat and the sloping edges are thinner and come to a beveled stop at the front where back meets an equally flat front. For the first time we see stereo speakers on the bigger iPad. We’re very pleased with their loudness, although they sound just a little hollow and the whole tablet vibrates when you’re listening to something.

Once you pick up the iPad Air you’ll immediately appreciate its low weight, even if you haven’t seen or held an iPad before in your life. If you’re a regular 9.7″ iPad user the difference will feel striking. To accommodate the difference Apple has gone with thinner side bezels and lighter materials, including a much smaller battery.

iOS 7 handles the software side of an otherwise great hardware package. The OS feels like an overblown port from the smaller iPhone – the grid of apps remains the same only you get more apps in the dock and a landscape mode. However digging a little deeper reveals a split-screen mode for most built-in apps like Settings, Contacts, Notes, etc.

Multi-finger gestures are available for launching the task switcher or swapping apps, but otherwise this is the iOS 7 you know and are familiar with if you’ve ever used an iPhone.

Stay tuned for our in-depth review.

Samsung W2014 flip phone

New Samsung W2014 flip phone runs Snapdragon 800 processor

After the Galaxy Golden, Samsung has announced a new high-end Android-based flip phone, called the W2014. Samsung has partnered with China Telecom to make this handset for the 'Heart of the World' charity concert.

The W2014 is the fastest Samsung flip phone (and possibly the fastest flip phone, in general), with a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor under the hood, along with 2GB RAM, 32GB internal memory (with microSD card slot), 13 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front camera, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, 1900mAh battery and Android 4.3.

The W2014 has dual displays, just like the Galaxy Golden, with a 3.7-inch 800x480 resolution Super AMOLED panel on either side of the flip.

No price or launch date has been announced so far but be certain that it's not going to be cheap.

Wikipedia announces article via SMS service

Wikipedia Zero allows users to search an article on Wikipedia via text messages and not internet.

Airtel, in association with Wikimedia Foundation, has announced a new service called Wikipedia Zero that allows its users free access to Wikipedia on mobile phones. However, this initiative has been started in sub-saharan Africa, starting in Kenya, and not in India.

Wikipedia Zero allows users to search an article on Wikipedia via text messages and not internet. To search for a Wikipedia article through the Airtel partnership, a subscriber simply dials *515# on their phone, and they'll get a text message inviting them to search Wikipedia. The subscriber enters a topic (like 'Cheetah') in the same manner they would send a text message.

Sms service" title="Wikipedia announces article via SMS service">

Then, two other menus appear that let the subscriber clarify which article they are interested in. The first response is a list of possible matching articles to the search term and the user chooses the best match.

Then the Wikipedia article section headers are listed, and the user chooses which section to read.

So, with only entering a search topic and choosing from a couple of short lists, the subscriber can quickly select any Wikipedia article. At that point, about a paragraph of the article is sent to the phone via text, and the subscriber can respond to continue reading that article.

Praekelt Foundation, a South African nonprofit with expertise in text messaging, has developed the necessary technology for the service. Praekelt's technology acts as a bridge that communicates between the Wikipedia servers and the Airtel network, converting the customer's request for articles into the interactive menus and SMS delivery shown above.

"We're launching this service with Airtel Kenya as a three-month pilot in order to learn more about how well this works in practice. From the lessons we learn from this pilot, we hope to eventually make this service widely available to reach the billions of people who have mobile phones, but cannot afford access to the internet," Wikimedia said in its official blog.

Sony Xperia Z1

Sony Xperia Z1

Sony might have erred in signing Katrina Kaif as its brand ambassador for India, but it has done the right thing to arm the Xperia Z1 with a 20.7 megapixel camera with Exmor RS mobile image sensor, which is renowned for its capabilities to capture high definition images in low-lit areas. Further, the camera has the backing of G Lens. It has a 27 mm wide angle lens with F2.0 aperture that allows it to capture more light.

But it is not only low light imaging that makes it so special; you can also capture videos and pictures under water; so buy it this diwali and you can use it next holi as well!

Currently available for Rs 38,000, the Xperia Z1 comes with a 5 inch full HD display, Android 4.2, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage, and 64 GB micro SD card slot.

Nokia Lumia 1020

Nokia Lumia 1020

We have chosen this one not because Priyanka Chopra pitches for it, but because it has a huge 41 megapixel primary camera that we tested very recently (to check the camera review of Lumia 1020, click here).

This 41 megapixel camera is armed with Pureview technology, a 1/1.5 inch sensor, BSI sensor, and optical image stabilisation feature. Besides, Nokia has used Carl Zeiss optics with a new 6 element lens comprising five plastic aspheric lens layers and one high precision glass layer. Its f/2.2 aperture allows it to capture more light, which makes it one of the best smartphones for Diwali during when you will capture images in low light only. Besides, dual LED Xenon flash adds to the charm of Lumia 1020, at least for low lighting photography.

Google Custom Search Engine

Google Custom Search Engine

Custom Search Engine is important tool for blogs and websites.First of all you should know what is Custom Search Engine. CSE allows you to search specific blog or website. If you are running a website or blog, then you want that there should be a tool which will search your all blog / websites post to facilitate your visitors. CSE is that tool which shows all relevent post to the visitors, which increase page views for your blog.On the other hand you can add your google adsense ads to get revenue.In this post you will learn How To Create Your Own Google Custom Search Engine.Follow below simple and easy steps.

1). Go to Custom Search Engine

2). Click on " Create a custom Google search engine" button.You have to need Google account for this. Search engine will be saved with your Google account.

3). Enter the name and description of your search engine in relevent box as shown in below image.

4). Mention those sites which you want to search in custom search engine.For example

lowram.com/*

5). Character * is necessary. It will tell the search engine to search about those site which you have mentioned. You can define more than one sites as shown in given below image.

6). Click on next. Select the style of your search result and test the search you created. 

7). Click on "Next" button. A page will be appear which will give you code of your search engine. Ignore this page. Click on "Google Custom Search logo at the top of the page as hand icon shows in below image.

8). To get to your search engine’s page, click its name which you have mentioned in 3rd step in the list of search engines.

 9). You can share your search engine by sending URL as shown in address bar. You can also bookmark it to easily access.

By enabling search engine you can increase page views as well as revenue of your blog.