Leslie D'Monte &Amp; Priyanka Joshi

Stories by Leslie D'Monte &Amp; Priyanka Joshi

Caught in the web; draft rules stir hornet's nest

Caught in the web; draft rules stir hornet's nest

Rediff.com   25 May 2009

The IT Amendment Act, 2008, if notified, will give the government blanket power to block news portals and other sites for 'offensive' content.

Bharti to launch sub-Rs 8,000 Net PC

Bharti to launch sub-Rs 8,000 Net PC

Rediff.com   22 May 2009

The Airtel Net PC is a plug-and-play online computer, inclusive of a 15-inch LCD monitor, keyboard, mouse and Nivio companion (which enables the PC to connect to a backend Linux-run server for storage and applications) and priced at Rs 7,999 exclusively for Airtel broadband customers.

The making of a freewheeling success story

The making of a freewheeling success story

Rediff.com   18 May 2009

Driven by their dream to start their own venture, they almost scandalised their families when they launched a company Tachyon in 2000, right after college with a paltry investment of Rs 400,000.

Check out these magical mice

Check out these magical mice

Rediff.com   4 May 2009

If you have been using the same old mouse on your computer for a long time, then you might be surprised to learn the new features that a new mouse sports. Optical and laser technologies are fast replacing the rolling ball that used to adorn the underbelly of the old mouse.

Sebi mulls legal action against Pyramid promoters

Sebi mulls legal action against Pyramid promoters

Rediff.com   28 Apr 2009

Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is understood to be contemplating legal action against P S Saminathan, managing director and one of the promoters of Pyramid Saimira Theatre (PSTL), and Nirmal N Kotecha, another promoter of the company.

Top 4 IT firms continue to face the slowdown heat

Top 4 IT firms continue to face the slowdown heat

Rediff.com   23 Apr 2009

Wipro sees a silver lining in Q1; others say recovery by 2009-end.

Only 14% wi-fi networks secure

Only 14% wi-fi networks secure

Rediff.com   22 Apr 2009

According to a survey conducted by the Deloitte and Data Security Council of India, 37 per cent of wireless networks had no encryption at all, followed by 49 per cent using a lower-level protection like Wired Equivalent Privacy encryption and just 14 per cent using security layers like Wi-Fi Protected Areas (WPA and WPA2) to secure their networks.

Should the Satyam name be retained?

Should the Satyam name be retained?

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2009

The jury is still out on whether Tech Mahindra should retain the Satyam name. Srinivasan Swamy, CMD, R K Swamy BBDO, says. "Brand Satyam took a beating for only one reason -- accounting irregularities by its erstwhile chairman. The employees were not even aware of the fraud. The company's core values and foundation have not been impacted." The task for the new management, he believes, is to retain its clients and people and the brand image would get resurrected.

Disney launches comic books in India

Disney launches comic books in India

Rediff.com   15 Apr 2009

Disney Publishing Worldwide (India), a division of Walt Disney Company (India), has announced a licensing agreement with local publisher Junior Diamond to publish Disney comic books, both in English and Hindi.

Now, customised election news on your TV

Now, customised election news on your TV

Rediff.com   13 Apr 2009

Now, watch customised election news on your TV. Big TV, a Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group venture, is launching election-based interactive services that will be provided by its content partner CNN-IBN.

Need info? Your mobile phone can help

Need info? Your mobile phone can help

Rediff.com   9 Apr 2009

Google allows users to phone a toll-free number and make a query. The 'voice search' uses a combination of automated voice recognition engine and operators to provide this facility. To make the service faster and better, Google is also experimenting with voice recognition technology, which will ensure 24-hour support. Currently, the automated system offers results in English, but the operator-driven system offers results in only Hindi and Telugu.

Helping bloggers make money

Helping bloggers make money

Rediff.com   6 Apr 2009

Blogertize does not require bloggers to spend time to promote their blogs. That's the job Bhatia's site would do. It creates a link (in the form of an image) to a blog that would be placed on Blogertize for a minimum of three years at prices starting as low as Rs 750. "Without spending even a single minute on our website, bloggers stand to make thousands of dollars per year just by placing the link to our shopping portal on their blog," says founder Dushyant Bhatia.

Gaming 2.0 picks up steam

Gaming 2.0 picks up steam

Rediff.com   6 Apr 2009

Data from web analytic firm Comscore shows that last year, social networking traffic saw a surge of a whopping 51 per cent in India. Social games are simple games such as word puzzles, antakshari or quizzes. Also referred to as Gaming 2.0, this form of gaming does not require high-end PCs or 3D graphics. ComScore reports that networking sites like Orkut, Facebook, MySpace, iBibo and Hi5 draw maximum number of social gamers.

Worm infecting MS Windows may fool on April 1

Worm infecting MS Windows may fool on April 1

Rediff.com   31 Mar 2009

As April Fool's Day draws closer, Windows XP and Windows 2000 users are being advised by security experts to brace themselves against the third variant of the deadly Conficker worm which may begin a new cycle of spreading spam, stealing data or carrying out online scams.

New channels defy downturn fears

New channels defy downturn fears

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2009

If you thought television channels in India have been hurt by a slowdown in companies' spend on advertisements, consider this: In three months, Indian viewers have seen the addition of four new channels and two-three channels are expected to debut later this year.

Indian IT geek develops digital 'sixth sense'

Indian IT geek develops digital 'sixth sense'

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2009

It's a digital prototype called "sixth sense" that is currently being evaluated by major companies like Microsoft, Google, Hewlett-Packard and Samsung. The brain behind this device is the 28-year-old Indian-born Pranav Mistry, a researcher at the Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

India story intact, insists Nortel

India story intact, insists Nortel

Rediff.com   23 Mar 2009

"We have not lost a single customer in Asia, despite the news (its bankruptcy protection filing in Canada and the US)," said Francois Lancon, President Enterprise EMEA and Asia. He admits, though, that "what works for us (stickiness of clients) also works for our competitors," adding, "The slowing economy is helping us retain clients, since customers don't like taking big decisions like changing vendors during times of uncertainty."

Now, SMS-friendly phones from LG

Now, SMS-friendly phones from LG

Rediff.com   19 Mar 2009

Touch screens, slide-out QWERTY keypads, dual SIM phones and even a transparent phone will soon make their way into your hands from the LG stable in 2009.

Crisis? Diversify and prosper

Crisis? Diversify and prosper

Rediff.com   17 Mar 2009

Ronnie Screwvala, the chairman and CEO of UTV Software Communications, opens the door of his plush Breach Candy apartment himself. Once seated in the comfortable surroundings, Screwvala makes no attempt to brush off the fact that the media and entertainment industry in which he operates has been hit by the slowdown.

Satyam suitors may get info for last 2 quarters

Satyam suitors may get info for last 2 quarters

Rediff.com   12 Mar 2009

The Satyam board may present prospective bidders for the troubled Satyam Computer Services with operating statements for two quarters - October-December 2008 and January-March 2009 - to help them arrive at a decision.