Displayed in New iPod at Apple store

The new iPad is displayed at an Apple store. Consumers worlwide are very interested in tablet computers like Apple's iPad and electronic readers such as Amazon's Kindle, and sales of the devices could take off when prices drop, according to a new survey.

Giving the iPhone a Run for Its Money

There's a two-foot-by-two-foot area near the foot of my bed that I call "the Bermuda triangle." It's the only spot in my entire Manhattan apartment where I get service on my iPhone 3G. And even there, the line is crackly and the call usually drops within five minutes.

It's frustrating that I pay $100 a month for my requisite AT&T (NYSE: T - News) wireless plan when my iPhone has essentially become a pricey iPod that I use to send text messages. And I'm not alone: Cities like New York and San Francisco are swarming with iPhone users who can't get a signal.

So I was intrigued by HTC's Droid Incredible, the newest smart phone on the block to utilize Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG - News) increasingly popular Android operating system and Verizon's (NYSE: VZ - News) more reliable wireless network.

The Incredible costs $200 with a two-year Verizon contract and mail-in rebate, and the service plans runs between $90 and $120 a month. It is light and rectangular-shaped, with a 3.7-inch touchscreen and vivid, colorful graphics. The device has four simple buttons: the menu key, search key, return key and "Leap" key, which displays thumbnails of seven different customizable screens. The spacious touchscreen keyboard was easy to use to type email, but BlackBerry owners who love their keyboards may disapprove (but don't they always?).

I found plenty of Android apps to play with, including Flixter and Shazam, two of my iPhone favorites. However, I was disappointed that the Android store didn't have as many of my favorite news apps as there are in the Apple store, such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and CNN apps. Still, reading the news and browsing the Internet with Google's operating system was amazingly fast. Google's own programs, such as Voice Search and Maps, were seamless.

Indeed, it was the Incredible's zippy efficiency that won my heart. The Incredible served up new emails instantly, whether I was in my apartment or walking among the skyscrapers of midtown Manhattan, places where my iPhone typically would stall for several minutes. Websites loaded at lightning speed, and browsing online felt more like using a computer than a mobile phone.

Verizon's wireless coverage was excellent. I enjoyed a 30-minute conversation with an old friend while relaxing on my couch, which is impossible to do on my iPhone without the interruption of a dropped call.

I also loved the 8-megapixel camera, complete with zoom, flash, and video. It made my iPhone's 2-megapixel, zoomless, flashless camera look weak. In fact, the Incredible's photos were comparable to a digital camera, but my iPhone's pictures only turn out well if they're close-ups and in the daylight.

However, the Incredible's Sense interface, which gives users the seven different customizable screens based on themes like work and travel, felt too busy and not nearly as intuitive as my iPhone. The graphics were bright and beautiful, but I often found myself overwhelmed by the options for widgets and folders, and didn't necessarily think that so much customization was helpful.

I did like the "FriendStream," which merged my Gmail, and Facebook and Twitter friends into a single list, allowing me to see everyone's status updates in one place. The phone also created a special list of my "friends" that was pretty much right on target about who are my nearest and dearest (turned out it was culled from my most frequently Gmail contacts). It saved me the time and effort of creating a list of my "favorites" among my contacts.

Music-wise, I wasn't impressed with the Incredible. I liked the built-in radio, but the Incredible's software isn't Mac-compatible, and I couldn't load songs purchased from Apple's iTunes. Instead, I had to transfer tracks from Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN - News) using a miniSD card. The company said that an advantage to supporting mp3s purchased from Amazon.com is that because they aren't copyright protected, they can be loaded onto multiple devices. Even so, for me, it won't replace my iPod.

The biggest downside to the Incredible was its short battery life. The company says that battery life will vary on individual usage and that typically a user can make it through a full day on a single charge. But when I was running multiple apps at once, I burned through the battery in about four hours. Granted, that's pretty much the same as my iPhone, but I expected better performance.

So, is HTC's Droid Incredible worth it? For me, and doubtless others who have a love-hate relationship with the iPhone and AT&T, the Droid Incredible offers a competitive alternative. Though lacking in the music and battery department, it offers loads of apps, Google's strong computing power, and Verizon's superior wireless coverage. At about the same price, the Droid Incredible gives the iPhone a run for its money.

Facebook's expansion triggers political backlash

SAN FRANCISCO – Facebook's plan to spread its online social network to other websites could be detoured by regulators looking into privacy concerns that have raised the ire of federal lawmakers.

Four senators said Tuesday that Facebook needs to make it easier for its 400 million users to protect their privacy as the site opens more avenues for them to share their interests and other personal information.

The Federal Trade Commission already had been examining the privacy and data collection practices of Facebook and other social networks, the agency confirmed Tuesday.

Then last week, Facebook announced a proposed expansion that irked Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and, he says, many Web surfers who called his office to complain.

Having built one of the Web's most popular hangouts, Facebook is trying to extend its reach through new tools called "social plug-ins." These enable Facebook's users to share their interests in such products as clothes, movies and music on other websites. For instance, you might hit a button on Levis.com indicating you like a certain style of jeans, and then recommend a movie on another site. That information about the jeans and the movie might be passed along to other people in your Facebook network, depending on your privacy settings.

Facebook says all this will help personalize the Web for people. It stresses that no personal information is being given to the dozens of websites using the new plug-ins.

Still, it means that information that hadn't been previously communicated could get broadcast to your friends and family on Facebook.

And Facebook is indeed sharing some personal information with three websites that Facebook hopes will demonstrate how online services can be more helpful when they know more about their users. The sites with greater access to Facebook's data are business review service Yelp, music service Pandora and Microsoft Corp.'s Docs.com for word processing and spreadsheets.

Facebook users who don't want to be part of the company's expansion have to go through their privacy settings and change their preferences.

Schumer thinks the onus instead should be on Facebook to get users' explicit consent, a process known as "opting in."

"They have sort of assumed all their users want their information to be given far and wide, which is a false assumption," Schumer said in an interview.

Schumer sent a letter calling for simpler privacy controls to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. The concerns were echoed by Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo; Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska; and Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn.

Facebook tried to assure Schumer that its latest idea won't invade users' privacy.

"We welcome a continued dialogue with you and others because we agree that scrutiny over the handling of personal data is needed as Internet users seek a more social and interactive experience," a Facebook vice president, Elliot Schrage, wrote in a letter to Schumer.

Schumer called Facebook's response inadequate and said his staff planned to meet with the company Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the FTC indicated it will weigh into the debate at some point.

"Our plan is to develop a framework that social networks and others will use to guide their data collection, use, and sharing practices," said Jessica Rich, deputy director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Schumer pledged to introduce legislation that would expand the FTC's powers over Facebook and other Internet social networks if the regulatory agency doesn't feel it has the authority to require more straightforward privacy controls.

The political pressure could undermine Facebook's ambition to create a more social, open Web that could make it easier to aim online advertising at consumers based on their presumed interests. Facebook would probably thrive in a more communal Internet because it has amassed a huge database of personal information since Zuckerberg set up its website in a Harvard dorm room six years ago.

If Facebook's plans pan out, it could change the way people think of social networking. Instead of communicating on a closed website, Facebook's users could interact with one another over the entire Web. More sharing could spawn more customized websites that look different to each person visiting, depending on their friends and preferences.

While Zuckerberg has likened his vision to an online nirvana, critics see another hole in the crumbling walls of online privacy.

Facebook is moving from being a social network about sharing with friends "to a service that is about collecting and sharing information about you with advertisers so they can more closely tailor ads to you," said Ginger McCall, staff counsel at the Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information Center.

Fake anti-virus software a growing online threat: Google

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) – Google said Tuesday that fake software security programs rigged to infect computers are a growing online threat with hackers tricking people into installing nefarious code on machines.

An analysis of 240 million Web pages by the Internet search giant during the past 13 months revealed that fake anti-virus programs accounted for 15 percent of malicious software it detected.

"The Fake AV threat is rising in prevalence, both absolutely and relative to other forms of Web-based malware," Google said in its findings.

"Clearly, there is a definitive upward trend in the number of new Fake AV domains that we encounter each week."

Fake anti-virus (AV) peddlers rig websites to frighten visitors with pop-up messages warning that supposed scans have found dangerous malicious software on machines.

The scam goes on by selling victims programs that hackers claim will fix the purported problems but which in fact usually plant nefarious computer code on machines.

Such transactions can also leave credit card information in the hands of cyber crooks.

"Surprisingly, many users fall victim to these attacks and pay to register the Fake AV," Google said.

"To add insult to injury, Fake AVs often are bundled with other malware, which remains on a victim?s computer regardless of whether a payment is made."

Google has refined tools to filter out booby-trapped Websites and hackers have evidently responded by flitting from one domain name to another.

Tech blog says it paid $5,000 for possible iPhone prototype

(CNN) -- Apple Inc. hasn't said how much future generations of the iPhone will cost, but an editor of a technology blog said his site shelled out $5,000 to get its hands on a possible prototype.

Gizmodo Senior Editor Jesus Diaz said his blog paid "a source" $5,000 for the phone, which was shown in a video on the blog Monday.

"Paying for an exclusive has always been done in the journalism world. There are people who admit they do it and people who do not. We have done it," Diaz told CNN's Gabriela Frias in an interview on CNN en Español's "En Efectivo."

Diaz said the blog's source obtained the phone after it was left in a bar.

"An engineer was in a bar, celebrating his birthday. He drank two drinks too many and forgot the phone," Diaz said.

He said Gizmodo returned the phone to Apple after receiving a letter asking for it.

Video: Is this the new iPhone?

RELATED TOPICS

• Apple iPhone
• Gizmodo.com

"It has come to our attention that Gizmodo is currently in possession of a device that belongs to Apple," says the short letter from Apple's lawyer to the blog. "This letter constitutes a formal request that you return the device to Apple. Please let me know where to pick up the unit."

Gizmodo, which posted the letter on its site, said the letter erases any doubt that the phone is the real deal.

"Just so you know, we didn't know this was stolen when we bought it," wrote Brian Lam, the site's editorial director, in his response. "Now that we definitely know it's not some knockoff and it really is Apple's, I'm happy to see it returned to its rightful owner.

"P.S. I hope you take it easy on the kid who lost it. I don't think he loves anything more than Apple except, well, beer."

Photos of the fourth-generation iPhone prototype first appeared on the tech blog Engadget over the weekend. The site said whoever sent the photos found the phone on the floor of a bar in San Jose, California.

On Monday, Gizmodo said it had obtained the device, but wouldn't say how.

Diaz said the price Gizmodo paid for the phone was worth it, even though editors weren't able to take advantage of all its features.

"It was remotely deactivated by Apple," he said. "But the screen is better, double the resolution of past versions. The quality of the product is much better. ... It is pleasing to touch it."

The find was widely considered the real thing in the tech world.

"At this point we're pretty much certain it is this summer's new model," wrote Wired magazine. "Somebody at Apple is in big trouble."

Daring Fireball blogger John Gruber, who is known to have connections inside Apple's Cupertino, California, headquarters, said on his blog that Apple had reported a prototype stolen.

He also said Apple has a patent out for a phone with a ceramic backing. Some of the images online appeared to show just such a backing.

Gizmodo's photos of the device's internal components show they're labeled as Apple products. The blog also said a computer recognized the device as an iPhone, and the phone apparently runs the yet-to-be-released iPhone OS 4.0.

Apple has not confirmed that a new version of the iPhone exists, though analysts widely expect the fourth generation of the device will be released in the summer. Apple did not return CNN requests for comment.

Even if the new iPhone is real, it's important to keep in mind that the device is just a prototype. It's unclear how many of its features will be available on the new phone.

A quick glance at the photos shows a flatter, less curvy iPhone. The back of the phone is completely flat, unlike the current model, which is tapered to fit the curve of a palm.

The new phone's back is ceramic rather than plastic, and has an aluminum border with two volume buttons instead of just one. Unlike the current model, it has a front-facing camera. It also has a camera on the back, which is larger than the one on the back of the current 3GS model.

Microsoft debuts 'fix it' program

Microsoft has launched "Fix It" software that keeps an eye on a PC and automatically repairs common faults.

The software basically adds the automatic diagnostics system in Windows 7 to older versions of Microsoft's operating system.

The software, currently available as a trial or beta version, is intended for users of Windows XP and Vista.

The package also tries to anticipate how security updates will affect a PC before they are installed.

Bug watch

Once installed, the software gets updates about known issues with Windows or any connected devices, and regularly checks to see if a host machine has fallen victim. Once fixes become available it will tell users they are ready or attempt to apply them.

The software has onboard fixes for about 300 of the most widely encountered problems that stop Windows working as it should.

The software also maintains a list of the hardware and software on a machine so if the automatic fix does not solve a problem, it will be able to help users supply detailed information to Microsoft's support staff about what has gone wrong.

Those signing up and downloading the Fix It software can use it on several different machines.

The free software can be downloaded from Microsoft's support pages. Windows XP users wanting to use it must have Service Pack 3 for the operating system installed.

The Fix It service began in late 2008, when Microsoft began using the logo to highlight automatic fixes on its support pages that dealt with very common problems.

Anyone clicking on the logo kicked off a download that tried to fix that problem automatically.

Microsoft, like many other software firms, has built a vast database of faults and problems as technology built into Windows reports back about crashes and other bugs that machines encounter.

'Microsoft vendor exploiting workers'

WASHINGTON: Microsoft said it had opened an investigation following a report of harsh working conditions at a factory in China that makes products
for the US software giant.

The Pittsburgh-based National Labor Committee (NLC), in a report denounced conditions at a KYE Systems Corp factory in the city of Dongguan in Guangdong province.

The NLC, a private group with a stated mission to "help defend the human rights of workers in the global economy," said KYE recruits hundreds of "work study students" aged 16 and 17 years old who work 15-hour shifts, six and seven days a week.

It said that in 2007 and 2008, before the recession, "workers were at the factory 97 hours a week while working 80-and-a-half hours."

"In 2009, workers report being at the factory 83 hours a week, while working 68 hours," the NLC said.

It said workers were paid 65 cents an hour, "which falls to a take-home wage of 52 cents after deductions for factory food."

"Workers are prohibited from talking, listening to music or using the bathroom during working hours," the NLC report said, adding that "as punishment, workers who make mistakes are made to clean the bathrooms.

"The workers have no rights, as every single labor law in China is violated," the report alleged. "Microsoft's and other companies' codes of conduct have zero impact."

Microsoft said it takes the claims "seriously" and vowed to "take appropriate remedial measures in regard to any findings of vendor misconduct."

"Microsoft is committed to the fair treatment and safety of workers employed by our vendors," the Redmond, Washington-based company said in a statement to AFP.

"Microsoft has invested heavily in a vendor accountability program and robust independent third-party auditing program to ensure conformance to the Microsoft Vendor Code of Conduct."

The NLC report said the factory makes computer mice for Microsoft, as well as products for other companies, including Hewlett-Packard, Best Buy, Samsung, Foxconn, Acer, Logitech and Asus.

What IT slowdown?

The apprehension, underlying some recent forecasts, of the Indian information technology (IT) sector losing zip appears to be grossly exaggerated. Markets abroad are likely to show far greater vigour than these forecasts anticipate. And the domestic market for IT products and services would appear to be on the verge of a quantum leap to a new order of magnitude.

Indian software companies weathered the financial crisis that froze IT budgets in their traditional markets. It reflects the resilience of the sector that garners over half of its revenues from North America. The demand for global IT services will rebound with economic revival. In fact, tepid growth in Europe and North America need not mean tepid growth in these markets' demand for IT services.

On the contrary, the assurance that things are on the upswing, offered by the tepidest of growth, combined with the need to cut costs further in an environment of slow top-line growth makes slow recovery a surer booster of demand for India's IT services than an environment of rapid revenue growth around the world. US-based companies will outsource more work to Indian firms to cut costs and improve margins as their incomes struggle to rise.

Indian companies should therefore adopt new business models to offer business transformation opportunities through integrated consulting, business intelligence and knowledge services. Innovation should be their watchword.
Domestic demand for IT services will also look up, with large e-governance initiatives by the Centre and state governments: the unique identity card program, computerisation of tax departments and the central record keeping infrastructure for the new pension scheme.

A second round of upgradation in banking IT infrastructure and IT solutions for the organised retail chain will also have positive spin-offs for the sector. The gradual tapering off of growth in call revenues for the telecom sector generates demand for a variety of value added services. Broadband wireless access is about to undergo a sea change, creating the infrastructure for delivery of new, data-intensive services. The prospects for India's IT industry never looked better.

Dell smart phone for AT&T to be called 'Aero'

NEW YORK (AP) -- AT&T says Dell's first smart phone for the U.S. market will be called the "Aero."

The carrier said Monday it will sell the phone soon. The phone is based on Dell Inc.'s Mini 3 phone, which is already sold in China and Brazil, but has a custom-made user interface designed by AT&T Inc. and Dell.

The phone will run Google Inc.'s Android software. The price and the specific launch date were not announced. AT&T has previously said it would carry Dell's phone.

Compaq, now part of Hewlett-Packard Co., produced a line of handheld PCs named "Aero" a decade ago, when they competed with the Dell "Axim" line.

World's First 3G/4G Android Phone Coming this Summer from Sprint

Las Vegas -- Sprint and HTC Corporation today announced summer availability of the world’s first 3G/4G Android handset, HTC EVO 4G exclusively from Sprint. HTC EVO 4G delivers a multimedia experience at 4G speeds that is second to none, making it possible to download music, pictures, files, or videos in seconds – not minutes – and watch streaming video on the go with one of the largest pinch-to-zoom displays, at 4.3 inches, in the wireless industry.

Sprint 4G offers a faster wireless experience than any other U.S. national wireless carrier, and Sprint is the only national carrier offering wireless 4G service today in 27 markets. Sprint 4G delivers download speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G1, giving HTC EVO 4G the fastest data speeds of any U.S. wireless device available today.

“Sprint continues to lead the 4G revolution as we introduce HTC EVO 4G to give our customers an experience that is unlike anything available in wireless to date,” said Dan Hesse, Sprint CEO. “Not only is this feature-rich device incredible on our Sprint 3G network, but Sprint 4G speeds will take mobile multimedia, including live video streaming, gaming and picture downloads, to a whole new level.”

Customers will be able to purchase HTC EVO 4G through all Sprint channels and through national retail partners, RadioShack, Best Buy and Walmart, this summer. Pricing will be announced at a later date. Pre-registration begins today at www.sprint.com/evo.

A device beyond compare

HTC EVO 4G delivers a robust list of features, including a 1GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ processor ensuring a smooth and quick user experience. With dual cameras – an 8.0 megapixel auto-focus camera with HD-capable video camcorder and a forward-facing 1.3 megapixel camera – HTC EVO 4G unleashes the ability to create, stream and watch video that far surpasses expectations of what is possible on a phone today.

With built-in mobile hotspot functionality, HTC EVO 4G allows up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices to share the 4G experience. Users can easily share an Internet connection on the go with a laptop, camera, music player, game unit, video player, or any other Wi-Fi enabled device.

With integrated HD video capture and 4G speeds, HTC EVO 4G makes slow uploads and grainy video a thing of the past. Now, it is possible to post high-quality video to YouTube™ or Facebook, or share moments in real time over the Internet live, via Qik. After these videos have been captured, it is easy to share them on an HDTV via an HDMI cable (sold separately).

The custom Web browser is optimized for HTC EVO 4G’s large display and Sprint 4G speeds to deliver a full, no-compromise Internet experience. Adobe Flash technology ensures that rich Internet content, such as embedded video and animation, are displayed the way they are meant to be seen. Pinch-to-zoom and automatic text reflowing provide easy Web page views.

HTC EVO 4G features the newest version of the highly acclaimed HTC Sense user experience. Along with all of the HTC Sense features first introduced on HTC Hero, HTC EVO 4G adds a number of new features, including Friend Stream, which aggregates multiple social communication channels including Facebook and Twitter™ into one organized flow of updates; a “Leap” thumbnail view to easily switch between home screen “panels”; the ability to download new, interactive widgets; and a “polite” ringer, which quiets the ringing phone once lifted up.

“HTC and Sprint have a strong history of working together to bring consumers technologies and advancements that make their lives easier,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC. “We believe that the HTC EVO 4G represents the best of Sprint and the best of HTC working together to bring an unmatched device to the U.S. This combination of HTC and Sprint innovation will allow people to do even more while on the go, faster than ever on the Sprint 4G network.”

Experience Android at 4G

HTC EVO 4G, the world’s first 3G/4G Android handset, features the latest iteration of the increasingly popular Android platform. Leveraging the Android 2.1 platform, HTC EVO 4G can deliver a wide array of useful new features:

* Android 2.1 enables a new way to search with pictures instead of words. Google Goggles™ works with everything from books, DVDs and barcodes to landmarks, logos, artwork and even wine labels. A picture taken of the Golden Gate Bridge returns all of the information anyone would need to know about the structure. By just taking a picture of several restaurant options, HTC EVO 4G will provide restaurant reviews to ensure the best choice.

* Text messaging and email composition feature built-in voice-to-text technology. By simply pressing a microphone button on the screen, messages can be composed by just speaking, making keeping in touch faster and easier than ever.

* Through Android Market™, HTC EVO 4G users have access to thousands of useful applications, widgets and games to download and install on their phone, with many more to come.

In addition to today’s Android apps, the performance of which will be enhanced by 4G speed, application developers will be introducing new apps that take advantage of 4G power in new ways – games and communications tools and other apps that bring together video, presence and location simultaneously, and capabilities that haven’t yet been imagined. For example, an application developer might create an app that allows a customer to simultaneously watch a streaming sporting event while pulling down stats and conducting a video chat with a friend.

A Sprint 4G developer guide is available today from the Sprint ADP Web site http://developer.sprint.com. The Sprint 4G developer guide explains how to develop on an Android 2.1 handset and how to take advantage of 4G and unique hardware/software capabilities, including how to use a forward-facing camera in an app; how to use HDMI output; and how to build in network detection (3G, 4G or Wi-Fi) to optimize quality of data in an app. The Sprint 4G developer also will include sample apps and source code that highlight these features. It will supplement the Android 2.1 SDK. As a charter member of the Open Handset Alliance™, Sprint is actively engaged with the Android community. Sprint has employed an open Internet approach, and the Sprint Application Developer Program has been providing tools for third-party developers since Sprint first launched the Wireless Web on its phones in 2001.

“Sprint and HTC have come together to propel the Android platform into the 4G world with the introduction of HTC EVO 4G,” said Andy Rubin, vice president, mobile platforms at Google. “The Android platform was developed to give people unmatched mobile connectivity to the Internet. By combining this vision with the promise of Sprint’s first-to-market 4G technology, HTC EVO 4G makes accessing thousands of applications from Android Market, using Google™ services like Google Goggles, Google Earth™ and the all-new Gesture Search, or simply browsing the Web faster, easier and more enjoyable than ever before.”

Blazing trails with Sprint 4G

As the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology, Sprint made history by launching 4G in Baltimore in September 2008. Today, Sprint 4G covers more than 30 million people and expects to have up to 120 million people covered by the end of 2010.

Sprint currently offers 4G service in 27 markets, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland, Ore., San Antonio and Seattle. Following is a comprehensive list of markets by state where Sprint 4G is currently offered: Georgia – Atlanta, Milledgeville; Hawaii – Honolulu, Maui; Idaho – Boise; Illinois – Chicago; Maryland – Baltimore; Nevada – Las Vegas; North Carolina – Charlotte, Greensboro, (along with High Point and Winston-Salem), Raleigh (along with Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham); Oregon – Portland, Salem; Pennsylvania – Philadelphia; Texas – Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Killeen/Temple, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, San Antonio, Waco, Wichita Falls; Washington – Bellingham, Seattle. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/4G.

In 2010, Sprint expects to launch service in multiple markets, including but not limited to, Boston, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Minneapolis, New York City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Sprint is harnessing the power of 4G as the majority shareholder of Clearwire, the independent company that is building the WiMAX network. Sprint is the only national wireless carrier to offer 4G services on the Clearwire WiMAX network.

Microsoft Launches Exciting Promo Offer For Windows 7

Microsoft India has launched an attractive Windows 7 promotion for channel partners and consumers across India. The promotion, valid from March 22, 2010 to May 22, 2010, provides opportunities to win prizes every day including a trip to Thailand, plasma TVs and Chevrolet Beat Car with purchase of every original Windows 7 PC.

The contest is available on the sale and purchase of every original Windows 7 PC across the country. All partners need to do is sell original Windows 7 based PCs from their store and ensure customers participate in the promo before leaving the store.

The customer has to SMS the COA (Certificate of Authenticity) number on his PC to 58888. He will then receive an instant response on his registration and will need to enter a slogan within 10 words starting with “I get lifetime security with original Windows 7 because…” to 58888, to be a part of the winner pool.

Microsoft’s panel of experts will evaluate entries daily and choose the winners. If a channel partner’s customer wins, he will be entitled to a prize as well.

Rajiv Popli, Director, Windows Client, Consumer and Online Business, Microsoft India, said, “We are seeing unprecedented sales for Windows 7 in India. It is our most successful OS ever. The promotion should help build on this momentum by driving excitement in the partners and have them promote original Windows 7. Microsoft makes a very compelling case for adoption of genuine Windows by one and all and promotion should spur positive action.

Oscar-savvy iPhone users let their lights shine

Slumdog Millionaire, please collect your Best Picture Oscar.

Oh, sure, the 81st Annual Academy Awards won’t be handed out until Sunday night. But if the users of the Sonic Lighter app for the iPhone and iPod touch are any indicator, then the makers of rags-to-riches story of a Mumbai teen might as well start memorizing their acceptance speech.

Sonic Lighter is a $1 novelty app that turns your iPhone or iPod touch into a mobile lighter. There’s a social network aspect to the app, too, as its developer, Smule, can track wherever someone “ignites” Sonic Lighter anywhere in the world.

To that end, Smule puts out Sonic Lighter updates that let users weigh in on issues of vital import—in this case the winner of the Best Picture award. As of this writing, Smule’s Sonic Lighter map shows Slumdog Millionaire leading the way with 37 percent of the vote. The lamentable Curious Case of Benjamin Button is in second right now with 27 percent, while Milk is in third with 16 percent.

Skeptical about the wisdom of iPhone-toting crowds? Smule notes that past Sonic Lighter surveys have correctly predicted the U.S. presidential election and the outcome of Super Bowl XLIII. (Though to be fair, barring a surprise surge by Ralph Nader either at the polls or on the gridiron, Sonic Lighter really had a 50-50 shot at calling either event correctly, didn’t it?)

Other Oscar-themed iPhone apps available for download in advance of Sunday’s festivities include:

In pics: Nokia's new phones

In pics: Nokia's new phones

As the annual GSMA Mobile World Congress began in Barcelona, the slowdown pangs were palpable. The event known for its eye-catching launches looks muted this time, with a thin array of product rollouts. Among these are some additions to Nokia’s line-up. The world's no. 1 cellphone manufacturer took stage on day 1 of the show to announce two new business handsets, the super-thin E55 and the sliding E75. The company also launched two phones in its Navigator series, 6710 and 6720. And far from Mobile World Congress, the company made another big launch: Nokia N86, company's entry into the `fat' megapixel cellphone club. Here's further looking into the Nokia's new line-up.

E55

Nokia showed its thinnest smartphone ever, E55, at the mobile show event What makes E55 Nokia's thinnest ever smartphones are its keys. Nokia claims it is the company's first compact QWERTY device, and has half as many keys as the company's previous thinnest smartphone, E71. The phone is also Nokia's first smartphone with the longest battery life of up to a month on standby time. E55 runs on Nokia's S60 software and has an AGPS (Assisted Global Positioning System) receiver, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, a 2.4-inch, 320x240 pixel screen and a 3.2 megapixel camera. It also packs a 3.5mm headphone socket for listening to the digital music player or the built-in FM radio and support for Nokia's Ngage gaming platform. According to Nokia's executive vice president Kai Oistamo, "The Eseries phones have traditionally been seen as enterprise devices, but the E now stands for efficiency." The phone will ship in the second quarter for around (US$340).

E75

Nokia also unveiled the successor to the 9000 series Communicators, E75. The phone sports a QWERTY keyboard that slides out from behind the 2.4-inch, 320x240 pixel display, and a regular dialling keypad just below the display. The phone packs a 3.2 megapixel camera, AGPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, FM radio and music player. Nokia's executive vice president said, "E75 simplifies connection to Lotus Notes, Microsoft Exchange, POP3 and IMAP e-mail services, or Web mail services such as Gmail or Yahoo Mail." E75 will ship in March for €375 before subsidies and taxes. Nokia claimed that E75 will be the first device to provide access to corporate email through the Nokia Messaging service at no extra cost. Nokia plans to make it available across all Eseries models and 40 other devices, extending push e-mail to over 100 million Nokia users.

6710 Navigator

Nokia also pulled curtains off its new entrant in the Navigator range, 6710 Navigator, its follow-up to 6210 Navigator. The phone's 2.6-inch 240 x 320 pixel display has been optimised for outdoors use with a light sensor that adjusts the brightness of the display according to the environment. 6710 Navigator packs AGPS receiver and Nokia Maps software featuring navigation tools for pedestrians. The device has a 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, Bluetooth, WiFi and support for push email. Nokia's mapping and navigation solution has been upgraded, and comes with a dedicated key on 6710 Navigator. Navigation has also been integrated with Ovi, allowing easy synchronisation between a PC and the phone. The phone also comes with full voice guidance. The phone is a quad-band GSM with support for tri-band UMTS (depending on region). Both HSDPA and HSUPA high-speed data is supported. 6710 comes with an FM radio and 3.5mm audio socket. It will ship in the third quarter for around €300 before tax and subsidies.

Nokia 6720 Classic

Nokia also unveiled an entry in the classic range, Nokia 6720 Classic. The phone packs plenty of GPS features, including Nokia Maps 3.0 with integrated A-GPS, City compass, map rotation and pre-installed maps in microSD. 6720 Classic sports a 5 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash, Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus and full panorama support. The phone runs on Symbian S60 with GPS and offers 3.5G support. The phone is capable to geo-tag locations and can be shared over high-speed HSDPA technology. It also support's the company's NGage gaming platform. Nokia said that the handset will come with `active noise cancellation' for clearer voice calls. It will offer around 8.5 hours of talk time, over 20 days of standby time, around 9 hours of video playback and 27 hours for music. It will also deliver almost 14 hours of GPS pedestrian navigation and over 7 hours of in-car navigation. Nokia 6720 classic is expected to ship in the second quarter with an estimated retail price of $313.

Nokia N86

Away from all action at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Nokia launched its 8 megapixel phone, N86, in Singapore. The phone boasts of 8 megapixel Carl Zeiss lens camera with auto-focus running on Symbian OS. The phone has dual flash LED, 8GB of internal memory. The slider phone has a 2.6-inch non-touchscreen OLED display and packs aGPS, microSD slot (up to 16GB) and 11.5 hours of standby battery time with 3G enabled. Incidentally, Sony Ericsson too showed of its 8 and 12 megapixel camera phones in Barcelona on the same day.

What all Google killed?

Google has often been extolled for its product innovations. However, it seems slowdown has cast its shadow on the company's `innovation spirit' too. The search giant, who is taking a harder line on managing expenses as the recession curbs spending on online ads, has been almost on a shutting spree. The past six months witnessed the company pull the plug on as many as nine of its new products. Several of these causalities include products launched with lot of fanfare like Google Lively, which was widely believed to be the company's answer to Second Life. Here's looking into the products/services Google has dumped in the last few months. Broadcast radio ad business Google Inc has abandoned its efforts to sell advertising for broadcast radio stations, acknowledging that the three-year project has failed. The leading Web search company said that it plans to sell its Radio Automation business, which created software to automate broadcast radio programming, and phase out its Audio Ads service. The move will likely result in up to 40 people being laid off, Google said. Google has been re-appraising initiatives intended to expand its income beyond Internet advertising, which accounts for more than 90 per cent of total revenue. Advertisers will continue to be able to use Audio Ads until May 31, the company said. Google -- which had 20,222 full-time employees as of December 31 -- would instead focus its efforts on placing ads on streaming audio over the Internet, according to company's vice president of product management, Susan Wojcicki. Google plans to continue investing in its television ad business. It also is seeking ways to sell more advertising on online audio services, which younger audiences are using. Google Lively In July 2008 Google launched Google Lively, a 3D virtual reality service, with much fanfare. Four months, and Internet giant's take on Second Life ran out of fuel. Google announced that it is discontinuing Lively by the end of the year. The shut down reflected Lively's inability to stand out from the rest of the virtual reality crowd. Lively was Web-based and allowed anyone to set up virtual spaces, such as rooms, that could be embedded onto blogs or Facebook pages. Google management concluded that it needed to sharpen its focus on its primary business of Internet search and advertising as the company's revenue growth showed signs of a deteriorating economy. "We've also always accepted that when you take these kinds of risks not every bet is going to pay off. It has been a tough decision, but we want to ensure that we prioritise our resources and focus more on our core search, ads and apps business," Google wrote in a blog post. According to the blog, the employees working on Lively were reassigned other jobs after the service shut down. The pack of virtual worlds is led by Second Life, where people deploy animated alter egos known as avatars to pursue digital fantasies.

Dodgeball

Dodgeball was a company that Google acquired in May 2005. The location-based meeting service allowed users to share their current locations using SMS messages. Come January 2009, the company announces that Dodgeball will be shut down "in the next couple of months." Here goes the closure announcemet: "Google has decided to shut down dodgeball. I know this is kind of a bummer, but the site has been in maintenance mode for a while now, and it's just time to shut it down for good." "We're planning on doing this in two stages. Everything will continue to function as-is until the end of February (can anyone say shutdown party?). At that point, we'll turn off the SMS service and the site will enter read-only mode. We'll leave it like that for about a month giving you time to save or export any of your data that you might want to keep. Sometime around the beginning of April we'll shut the site down for good, delete all the user accounts, and the associated data." Incidentally, Dodgeball founders quit Google in April 2007. Both were reportedly unhappy with the way Google was handling the service and blamed Google of apathy.

Mashup Editor

The online mashup creation service by Google has too become a history now. The company plans to phase out the service in next six months. The service, which was in private beta, is being replaced by App Engine. It was direct competition for Yahoo Pipes and Microsoft Popfly. Google in a blog post wrote, "we will be shutting down the Mashup Editor in six months. While it is always hard to say goodbye to a product, when we launched the Mashup Editor as a private beta last year, we did so to better understand the needs of you, our developers. And you spoke, and much of what we learned together is now a big part of App Engine, the new infrastructure for hosted developer applications. We look forward to working with you in the migration to App Engine, and can’t wait to see what you build."

Can Google Android save Motorola?

NEW YORK: Motorola Inc is betting on Google Inc's Android cellphone software to liven up its next generation of devices, but analysts doubt it is enough to revive the fortunes of the mobile phone maker.

The decision by Motorola co-chief executive Sanjay Jha to pare the mobile devices unit by 25 per cent, and to scale back the number of devices and software platforms Motorola develops, are practical moves for a company whose phone sales dropped by a half in just a year.

But even analysts who recommend Motorola shares do not expect these plans to soon revive the company, which is fighting increasingly stiff competition with fewer resources and demoralised workers.

"I'm bullish on the stock, not at all on the handsets," said Goldman analyst Simona Jankowski. "I feel their position in handsets is awful and will get worse."

Jankowski only recommends Motorola shares on the premise that the price does not reflect the value of non-handset businesses, such as television set-top boxes and wireless network gear, and an estimate that an implied valuation handicap of US$5 billion for the cellphone unit is too severe.

Motorola shares have fallen more than 60 per cent in the last year, giving the company a market value of US$10.28 billion on Monday, based on a share price of $4.55.

Analysts say Motorola will find it tough to compete in a cutthroat market where the focus has turned to software and inventive user interfaces, such as touchscreens popularised by Apple's iPhone.

"That's extraordinarily difficult. Motorola has never shown it can innovate in software, ever," said Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart.

He said Motorola's strength in hardware shown by phones such as Razr, a hit in 2004 and 2005, and the Renew, its latest device made from recycled bottles, would be little help.

"They're competing in a software era using hardware and their products have been stale for two years," Greengart said.


Many analysts welcomed Motorola's decision to develop a phone for later this year using Google's open-source Android operating system, instead
of several rival systems including home-grown software.

But the problem is that rivals are also using Android. "If you come out with a plain vanilla Android phone in the second half, you're no better off," said Greengart.

Besides iPhone, market leader Nokia, and Android rivals such as HTC, Motorola also needs to battle Palm and its highly anticipated Pre phone, and Research In Motion, whose BlackBerry email phones have a passionately loyal following.

And Jha has to do this with 5,000 fewer cellphone workers. Nobody disputes the need for cost cuts to reflect shrinking sales, and some analysts are looking for more. But company morale is a worry.

"My sense is that handset employees are more concerned about job security than getting the new products out," said American Technology Research analyst Mark McKechnie.

These employees will be further tested in the coming months as analysts expect continuing market share losses and device sale unit declines for at least two more quarters.

The company, which reports earnings on February 3, has warned it would post a net loss of seven cents to eight cents per share on revenue of US$7 billion to 7.2 billion, with phone sales down to 19 million units from 40.9 million a year ago.

Motorola slid to fifth place in the global handset market in the fourth quarter, down one notch from the quarter before.

Goldman's Jankowski sees Motorola phone sales falling to 14 million in the current quarter and to 13 million in the June quarter, before edging back up to 20 million in December.

UBS analyst Maynard Um said it makes sense for the company to focus on keeping its carrier customers up to date while it develops the new phone. He noted that Motorola still has a recognisable brand and an established distribution channel working in its favour.

"There's always a chance they will (recover)" he said. "Is it going to be more difficult? Absolutely."

How BlackBerry Storm ‘beats’ iPhone

How BlackBerry Storm ‘beats’ iPhone

Indiatimes Infotech 3G iPhone may be more almost six months old, however, its list of competition seems to be only getting longer. Latest on the iPhone-rival (or killer) list is Blackberry Storm, the touchscreen phone from enterprise business phone maker Research In Motion (RIM). The eagerly anticipated touch-based iPhone 3G alternative has been launched in India by Vodafone. With Storm, RIM aims to give a tough fight to Apple which added enterprise features in its second-generation iPhone. As an industry analysts said, with Blackberry Storm RIM is putting one foot on both sides of the smartphone fence, as this device will appeal to those who like the iPhone but also want BlackBerry capabilities. Just like earlier BlackBerry models, Storm is compatible with enterprises' BlackBerry servers, which offer email integration, security and management features. However, Storm adds these features to a slew of enhancements designed to go after consumers wanting a sleek, iPhone-like design. So, does Blacberry succeed in its `iPhone makeover'? What is it that iPhone has that Storm doesn't and vice versa.

Copy and paste

BlackBerry has it, Nokia has it, however, 3G iPhone lacks it. BlackBerry's first touchscreen phone Storm also supports cut-and-paste feature. This means Storm users will be able to cut information like phone numbers, URLs, email addresses and so from one application and paste it somewhere else. All other BlackBerry phones also support this feature. Almsot all iPhone rivals including Google G1, Samsung Omnia and Nokia 5800 pack cut-and-paste functionality. Most of the smartphones available in the market support the cut and paste feature, but somehow Apple has preferred to stay away from it. Video recording BlackBerry's first touchscreen phone boasts of a 3.2 megapixel camera with video recording, auto focus, variable zoom and flash. This compares to Apple 3G iPhone's 2 megapixel camera with no video recording option and no flash support. Storm records videos at half-VGA resolution. Unlike iPhone, BlackBerry Storm offers video recording option. No video recording in 3G iPhone also means no video conferencing. iPhone also lacks optical zoom feature.

Clickable touchscreen

Storm's most striking feature is its 'Clickable' touchscreen. BlackBerry Storm packs a ClickThrough feature, which means its touchscreen is not just touchable but clickable. To select a specific area of a Web page, users can press down, so the entire screen clicks down. This means that the Storm has two levels of input (touch and click) which has been used to advance the interface. In simple words, when a user selects or enters a text, he can push the screen down. However, iPhone has a multi-touch display, but no clickable touchscreen.

Replaceable battery

User's one big disappointment in 3G iPhone was lack of user replaceable battery. Apple reportedly claims that it left out the user-replaceable battery option as it would add weight to the device. However, interestingly almost all smartphones in the market, even those at the lower-end offer this option. And so does BlackBerry Storm. The company claims Storm supports battery life of up to 15 days (standby time) and up to 5.5 hours (talk time). Apple iPhone support talktime of 300 minutes for 3G and 600 minutes for 2G and has a 300 hours standby time

Stereo Bluetooth
	BlackBerry Storm can sync with stereo Bluetooth or in-car Bluetooth handsfree, which again Apple iPhone cannot. BlackBerry's touch phone supports Bluetooth version 2.0. iPhone lacks A2DP on Bluetooth. A2DP audio devices, such as stereo Bluetooth headsets, offer enhances listening quality. Also, iPhone doesn't support file sharing feature including MP3, images and video files via Bluetooth.

Expandable memory
	BlackBerry's touchscreen device comes with 128MB of flash memory and 1GB of onboard memory. The phone offers support for microSD/SDHC expansion slot up to 16GB cards. However, iPhone which comes with storage options of 8GB and 16GB models cannot be further expanded. It has no memory expansion slot. The 2G iPhone was also available with same memory capacity with no further expansion.

Multimedia messaging

Unlike the iPhone that doesn't allow users to forward text messages as well as MMS messages, BlackBerry Storm doesn't have any such bar. The phone supports SMS and MMS functionality. In iPhone users can only send text messages or snapshots via email. Also, users can't send a SMS to multiple contacts as iPhone has no option for that either. iPhone also lacks support for voice-recognition that allows users to dial verbally. Here again BlackBerry Storm takes the lead, the phone supports voice dialing feature.

Storm lets users edit documents
	For those who depend on their phones for presentations, BlackBerry Storm is a good buyout. Storm comes preloaded with DataViz Documents to Go suite for editing Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents from the handset. However, iPhone only lets users view their documents with no option for editing Microsoft Office applications.

Coming soon: BlackBerry App Store
	RIM is all set to take on the Apple iPhone with the launch of its own application store. Recently, RIM announced its plans to come up with an app store next year that will let users download apps on their de

The Top Smart Phones

By most measures, iPhone owners should have been pleased last year when Apple sped up the phone, slashed its price and introduced a revolutionary App Store. But ask iPhone users how they would improve the device and most will have suggestions at the ready, including a longer-lasting battery, a higher-quality camera and cut-and-paste functionality.

The same is true of every phone on the market. No matter how many features manufacturers manage to pack into their pocket-sized devices, consumers inevitably want more — or less — or something just a bit different.

So, how does the current crop of smart phones measure up?

Nokia N97
With its touchscreen, physical keyboard, tons of storage and tight integration with a suite of software, Nokia's N97 is certainly a contender for the title of perfect smart phone. (Not that the company calls it a smart phone; Nokia's preferred term is "mobile computer.") Potential drawbacks include a high price (around $765, unsubsidized) and a long wait (the phone is slated to go on sale in spring 2009.) Also notable: Nokia 5800 XpressMusic.

See All of the Top 10 Smart Phones

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1
Before the N97 was announced, Sony Ericsson unveiled its own take on a touchscreen-turned-Qwerty keyboard phone, the Xperia X1. The phone's metal-finish body is light, yet sturdy. Users can customize the screen with panels that offer quick access to sites like Facebook. The screen lacks the iPhone's flash, though, and U.S. users will have to shell out $700 to $750, because operators aren't subsidizing it.

HTC Touch Pro
HTC is an old hand at touchscreen smart phones. Its Touch Pro marries a touchscreen with a keyboard for greater functionality, while its Touch Diamond is compact and stylish. The pros: HTC's visually striking TouchFLO 3-D software, which aims to make mobile multitasking and Web browsing as easy as on a regular computer. The cons: Downloading apps isn't quite as fun or intuitive as it is on phones from Apple. Also notable: HTC Touch Diamond.

Palm Treo Pro
Meet Palm's latest take on the Treo. The Pro's design has elicited comparisons to BlackBerrys, but Palm says the handset's productivity software, navigation features and 3G connectivity set it apart. A lack of carrier support in the U.S. means that consumers have been forced to seek out the phone online for $549. That could change soon; Sprint is rumored to be picking up the Pro for 2009. Also notable: Palm Centro.

Samsung Omnia
True to its name, the Omnia is designed to offer users anything they might want in a smart phone, including a 5-megapixel camera, FM radio and specially crafted software called TouchWiz that offers one-touch access to commonly used applications and features. Some users have called the handset's virtual keyboard challenging. Samsung's BlackJack II comes with a physical keyboard but generally trails BlackBerrys in sales.

LG Incite
LG, long a leader in multimedia phones (the Chocolate, the enV, the Viewty), is diving into the U.S. smart phone market. Its Incite sports a customizable "favorites" menu, streaming radio and a reflective screen that can double as a mirror. But its fall 2008 release, in the wake of flashier phones, may keep it from grabbing a larger audience.

BlackBerry Storm
The best thing about the Storm? It's like no other touchscreen phone. The worst thing? Ditto. Users have raved and ranted about the Storm's "clickable" touchscreen, prompting carrier Verizon to defend the phone as its best-selling device.

Meet top 10 Web billionaires

The dotcom boom ushered in the new-age entrepreneurship and with it came a new set of billionaires. Billionaires who have brought their start-ups a long way from their ‘garage’ days. Many of them pioneers in their space, these online companies have today evolved into popular global brands and the key people behind them deck up the global rich list. Forbes recently released its annual list of 34 innovators who made their billions through the Internet. Incidentally, the 2008 list also includes three Indians: Indiabulls' Sameer Gehlaut, Party Gaming founder Anurag Dikshit and co-owner of Indian job site Naukri.Com, Kavitark Ram Shriram. Here' a profile of the top 10 billionaires who made their fortune from the Web. Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google Topping the Web billionaires list are the Google duo Sergey Brin and Larry Page with a net worth of $18.7 billion and $18.6 billion respectively. Brin, the president and head of Google's technology division, started Google along with Page in 1998 out of a friend's garage. Moscow-born Brin received a Bachelor of Science degree with honours in mathematics and computer sciences from the University of Maryland. He is currently on leave from the PhD programme in computer science at Stanford University, where he received his master's degree. Brin continues to share responsibility for day-to-day operations along with Page and Schmidt. Larry Page is Google's founding CEO and grew the company to be the behemoth it is today. In 2001, he moved into his role as president, products. Son of a computer science professor at Michigan State University, Page's love for computers began at age six. He earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering from the University of Michigan. Despite getting Eric Schmidt (chief executive of Google) on board, Page is still credited with being intensely involved in company's affairs. He is said to go through CV of every employee before the person is hired at Google even today. Jeffrey Bezos, Amazon Jeffrey Preston Bezos, founder, president, CEO and chairman of Amazon.com has a net worth of $8.2 billion. Inspired by the amazing power of Internet, Bezos created a business model that leveraged Internet's ability to deliver huge amount of information efficiently. In 1994 he founded Amazon.com, an online bookshop. Amazon tried to compete with brick and mortar shops on three counts: lower prices, authoritative selection and a wealth of product information. In 1997, Amazon went Public, and expanded from selling books to an online retailer with a vast portfolio of goods. Bezos started his career with Fitel, a start-up that was building a network to conduct international trade. The Princeton University graduate later went on to work as a financial analyst for DE Shaw & Co before founding Amazon in 1994. In 2004, he founded a human spaceflight startup called Blue Origin. Bezos also has a personal investment company called Bezos Expeditions. He was named Person of the Year by Time magazine in 1999. Though Amazon as a company may not inspire the awe, it did during its heydays, Bezos still has his name intact among the most venerable tech honchos. Pierre Omidyar, eBay Father of online auction, Pierre Omidyar founded eBay. Ranked at no. 4 in the Web billionaires list, Omidyar's net worth is $7.7 billion. French-born computer programmer, Pierre developed fascination for computers in high school and graduated from Tufts University in 1988 with a degree in Computer Science. After graduation he worked for Claris, a subsidiary of Apple Computer, developing software for the Macintosh. In 1991, he co-founded Ink Development Corp with three friends. The company included an Internet shopping segment and was later renamed eShop Inc. In 1996, eShop was sold to Microsoft. Intrigued by the technical problem of establishing an online venue for direct person-to-person auction of collectible items, he created a simple prototype on his personal Web page, and launched an online service called Auction Web in 1995. The revenue soon started pouring, with business expanding by word of mouth. In 1997, Omidyar changed the company’s name to eBay. Eric Schmidt, Google Chief executive of Google Eric Emerson Schmidt ranks at no. 5 with a net worth of $6.6 billion. Schmidt joined Google from Novell, where he led the company's strategic planning, management and technology development as chairman and CEO. Prior to his appointment at Novell, Schmidt was chief technology officer and corporate executive officer at Sun Microsystems Inc, where he led the development of Java, Sun's platform-independent programming technology, and defined Sun's Internet software strategy. Before joining Sun in 1983, he was a member of the research staff at the Computer Science Lab at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), and also held positions at Bell Laboratories and Zilog. He is generally acknowledged as the one who catapulted Google from being a promising tech company to a universal ‘God of Internet'. Schmidt has a degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University, and a Master's and PhD in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley. Jeffrey Skoll, eBay eBay's first president and second-largest shareholder, Jeffrey Skoll has a net worth of $3.6 billion. He served as director of eBay from December 1996 to March 1998. An Internet pioneer, Skoll served as eBay's vice president strategic planning and analysis in February 1998, its president from August 1996 to February 1998. One of the eBay cofounders, Skoll left the company and turned his attention to making movies and philanthropy. He was executive producer of North Country, starring Charlize Theron, and two George Clooney films, including Syriana. Skoll was also the executive producer of An Inconvenient Truth, the global-warming documentary that featured former Vice President Al Gore. Skoll served as channel marketing manager for Knight-Ridder Information Inc, an online information services company, from July 1995 to July 1996. Prior to this, Skoll served as president of Skoll Engineering, a systems consulting firm, that he founded. He was also the co-founder of Micros on the Move, a computer rentals company, as an adjunct to Skoll Engineering in 1990. He also serves as director at Community Foundation Silicon Valley and Ingenio Inc. Graduating in BASC Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto, he later pursued MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Shi Yuzhu, ZTgame Founder of China's third-largest online games company, Zhengtu, Shi Yuzhu has a net worth of $2.8 billion. He recently listed the company on NYSE Euronext. Almost half of his fortune comes from stakes in financial institutions China Minsheng Banking and Huaxia Bank. Shanghai's richest resident, Yuzhu was born in Huanyuan of Anhui Province. He graduated in Mathematics from Zhejiang University in 1984 and pursued software master degree from Shengzhen University. A few years later, he made his first million by selling his own software, and established the company Giant Group in 1991. Later in 1996, due to the over investment in Giant Building project and mismanagement, the Company fell into abyss of finance. Yuzhu later become an expert in capital operation, and paid back to the public small investors in Giant Building project. In 2004,Yuzhu sold his production technology, assembly line and brand by 1.2 billion Yuan RMB. Hiroshi Mikitani, Rakuten Hiroshi Mikitani is the man behind online shopping mall Rakuten, one of the Japan's most popular Web destination. With a net worth of $2.6 billion, Mikitani is Japan's leading Internet entrepreneur. Mikitani last year moved his company's headquarters from chic Roppongi neighborhood into cheaper bayside Tokyo. He reportedly treats employees to free meals with extra money. He also plans to launch e-commerce business in Taiwan. Mikitani is an MBA from Harvard University. Mark Cuban, Broadcast.com Next on the list is Mark Cuban, the founder of Broadcast.com, HDNet, and several other companies. With a net worth of $2.6 billion, Cuban has also been an angel investor for several startups including SlideShare, Goowy, RedSwoosh, Box.net, Weblogs Inc and Mahalo. Having worked as a bartender and a salesperson, Cuban started MicroSolutions in 1986, a systems integrator and software reseller. In 1990, Cuban sold MicroSolutions to CompuServe, then a subsidiary of H&R Block for $6 million. In 1995, he started Audionet with a fellow friend, which later became Broadcast.com in 1998. During the dotcom boom, Broadcast.com was acquired by Yahoo for $5.9 billion in stock. A passionate basketball fan, Cuban bought Dallas Mavericks, an NBA basketball team, from Ross Perot in 2000 for $285 million. He also serves as a chairman of HDNet, an HDTV cable network. Cuban also plans to build his media empire. David Filo, Yahoo The tenth richest Web billionaire is David Filo with a net worth of $2.5 billion. Co-founder of Yahoo Inc, David Filo met Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang as Stanford grad student. A native of Moss Bluff, Louisiana, he co-created the Yahoo Internet navigational guide in April 1994 with Jerry Yang. Filo is credited of having bought 40 per cent stake in Alibaba.com for $1 billion in 2005. Filo serves as a key technologist, directing the technical operations behind the company's global network of Web properties. He is credited with helping build Yahoo into the world's most highly trafficked website and one of the Internet's most recognised brands. Filo holds a BS degree in computer engineering from Tulane University and an MS degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University.