Apple “switches” to Intel!

Monday; June 6, 2005 will go down in history as the day that turned the computing world upside down. This day, Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Computers announced to the world that Apple will switch to Intel processors. After decades of convincing people to switch to Mac, Apple switched itself!

This announcement will, sadly, bring the un-timely death of the PowerPC architecture for personal computers. Millions of Apple and Macintosh fans were be-wildered when they got to know that Apple was, in fact, moving to x86. After years and years of rubbishing the platform, Apple was, in fact, switching to it!

In the hindsight, it is a master move! Of course, a person who researched two months for buying a refrigerator won’t take such a BIG decision for no reason. Actually, this decision was forced, primarily, to boost the apple portable sales.

As we all know, portables are the future of computing. The recent sales figures of laptops prove this point. Apple was quite happy with IBM and their G5 chip. The dual core G5 was a performance beast. But, in the portable arena, the G5 chip is a failure. It gets too hot to be used in a laptop. IBM tried for a long time to run G5 at a cooler temperature, but in vain. The G4 chip is a very good processor in its own right. It offers the highest battery life of all processors. But, it is ageing. It can no longer compete against the Pentium M processor of Intel. Hence, the move to Intel.

After the move to x86, speculations were rife that Mac OS X would install on x86 based personal computers. But, it is not going to happen. Apple earns 60% of its revenue from hardware sales. They will never license Mac OS X to run on x86 based computers. Apple will probably use a customized chipset with the Intel processors so that Mac OS X remains exclusive to a MAC.

As Apple will adopt x86 as its platform, it will be possible to use off the shelf graphics cards which will bring the costs down. Also, it will be easier for the gamers to upgrade their graphics cards to meet the requirements of the latest games. I know you’ll say, “MAC and Games?!?!” Yes! Apple has confirmed that users will be able to install Windows on the new “Mactels”. So users will be able to dual boot Windows and Mac OS X on a Mac! This will drive in the gaming community, which hitherto, stayed away from the Macintosh Platform due to the lack of games.

Of Course, Apple says that it will not support Windows on a Mac, but hey, not everything is said in words! Apple is playing a shrewd game here, support for gamers for the hardcore gamers and the ever-green Mac OS for all other tasks. Finally, Apple has overcome its weaknesses and it’s ready to fight hard!

There are reports and news going around that the current MACs will be obsolete and Apple won’t support the PowerPC architecture. But there reports are just farce and totally wrong. Apple will fully support the PPC architecture even after the shift to Intel processors. This has been confirmed in press releases by Apple.

There are articles around that Apple should have gone in with AMD or Sony(with their CELL processor). But AMD has the same problem as IBM. They don’t have the production capacity to meet Apple’s demand. The Cell processor developed by Sony is primarily a gaming chip which doesn’t meet the demands of a personal computer. That is why, Apple went in with Intel which has the capacity as well as the resources for future research and development.

Again, Apple will save money by using Intel chips. IBM sold the chips to Apple at a premium. These savings are expected to be passed onto the consumer. This will help Apple serve all the consumer groups which will lead to higher sales.

Finally, if you consider these points, you will understand that it is a master move by Apple and the innovator himself, Steve Jobs!

-Anand Batra

A Career in Finance! CFA or CA?

So you’ve just passed out the twelfth standard exams and have got admission into the best commerce college in town? What now? Which career to choose? What are the options? If you are doing commerce, most probably you’ll select a career in finance or marketing or maybe even HR!

Finance is a lucrative career for the thousands and thousands of fresh commerce under-graduates. It offers high salaries; excellent growth opportunities and better working conditions (Just ask the marketing guys about working conditions!!!).In India, you can become a finance professional by passing out CA, CFA or CWA. But, CA and CFA are the current hot courses which most students prefer.

CA stands for Chartered Accountant, a qualification which can be acquired from the ICAI (Indian Chartered Accountants Institute) and is a five year course.

On the other hand, CFA stands for Chartered Financial Analyst, a course offered by the ICFAI (Indian Chartered Financial Analysts’ Institute)

However the big question is which course is better? Which course offers that little bit extra that can help your career boom? Let’s try to find out!

CA is a more traditional and old-school course which includes auditing, costing and other such related concepts whereas CFA is a new, fresh option which deals mostly with investments, portfolio management etc

The conservatives, however, tend to go with CA. CA is considered to be a stable, high-yielding occupation which offers good growth opportunities.

On the other hand, CFA is a product of the new world economy and is a high profile, more “cool” and a modern occupation.

The course contents and examinations of CA are theory-based in line with the traditional Indian Education System whereas CFA offers a dynamic and a new approach to education and examinations. However, in CFA you have to take exams every three months which becomes a bit hectic as compared to the curriculum of CA.

A Chartered Accountant is more likely to join traditional banks or jobs related to auditing, costing etc whereas a Chartered Financial Analyst is more likely to join modern and high-profile investment banks, insurance companies etc.

But becoming a CA isn’t child’s play! Only 1-5% of all final year candidates clear CA. Not to mention, the vast majority who don’t even clear the Foundation and Inter Stages. Such a tough structure ensures that only the very best become qualified chartered accountants.

In this department, CFA is a bit more liberal. Quite a few number of candidates manage to clear the three levels i.e. LEVEL I, II and III. This is vastly due to the fact that CFA exam papers are multiple-choice based which makes the study-load on the students a bit less.

Both CFA and CA can be pursued along with your graduation course. However, you can appear for the LEVEL III examinations of CFA only after you complete your graduation.

Though both courses are related to finance, they are completely different from each other. They have completely different approaches. One offers auditing, business laws as its core subjects while the other offers financial management, investment analysis etc as its main subjects.

According to the ICAI website, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is a statutory body established under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949. The objective of the institute is to (a) To develop conceptual understanding of the fundamentals of financial accounting system which processes transactions and other events thro­ugh a book-keeping mechanism to prepare financial statements.(b) To impart skills in accounting for various kinds of business transactions.(c) To lay a theoretical foundation for the preparation and presentation of financial statements.(d) To develop an understanding of the rules of measurement and reporting relating to various components of financial statements.

According to the ICFAI site, The MS (Finance) Program is a two-year postgraduate professional program in financial management and analysis. Successful completion of the MS (Finance) Program leads to the CFA Charter from Council of Chartered Financial Analysts (CCFA). The focus areas include Corporate Finance and Control; International Finance and Risk Management; Investment and Portfolio Management; and Banking and Financial Services.

Again, there is a big gap in the popularity of the two courses. Over 2 lakh candidates enroll for CA every year as compared to the thousands that join CFA. This is due to the fact that CA is an old course while CFA has been recently introduced. But, mere numbers can’t be held as a benchmark of the efficiency of any course.

However, the final decision of selecting the right career rests with the individual. He should feel comfortable with the course and its contents. For example, a person may feel more comfortable with the theory-based approach of CA while some other person may feel more comfortable with the more dynamic CFA.

Remember, it is YOUR career and YOU have to decide what’s best for you!

-Anand Batra

Good News!

Good news for ya'll :D

Indian Express published my article on Mac Mini on their site Expressindia.com :)

What's more... Its on the front page :D

Link: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=46582

The Great US Game

Recently, United States of America agreed to sell F-16 fighter jets to its 'major Non-Nato ally' Pakistan. This, according to the world media, marks a special place for President Musharraf in the good ol' White House. But, i beg to differ.

First let us discuss something about the F-16. F-16 is a nearly three-decade old fighter jet which is manufactured by Lockheed Matin under the supervision of the United States Government. Technically, a F-16 is an average aircraft which is ageing fast. This is proven by the fact that even the US Air Force has stopped giving orders for this aircraft.

I think this "so called sale" of these fighter jets to Pakistan is just a lollipop for President Musharraf. The real target of USA in not PAKISTAN but INDIA. By selling a few old jets to Pakistan, USA IS EXPECTING A MUCH BIGGER ORDER FROM INDIA.

The US Government knows that India will purchase more aircraft to maintain its air supremecy if Pakistan purchases aircraft from them. That is why, US is not only offering more "advanced" F-18 aircrafts to India but are also offering manufacture of future aircraft in India under a technology transfer agreement. The US knows that an order from India will be much larger and much more diverse than that of Pakistan

Lets look at the GDP of both India and Pakistan to assess their defence spendings. For the year 2004, India's GDP was estimated to be around $ 650 billion whereas Pakistan's GDP, during the same period, was estimated to be around $318 billion. Pakistan's defence budget for this year is Rs 19,392 crore compared to India's Rs 77,000 crore. This makes India a very lucrative buyer for the ultimate seller, USA. Thus, by offering Pakistan a few old planes, it expects a large bill from India.

I guess India and Pakistan should realize this. USA has given advanced weaponry and jets to Pakistan under the guise of 'fight against terrorism'. Nowhere in this world terrorism is fought against by using F-16 jets!

The motive is clear... USA wants money and it doesn't matter to the White House if its at the cost of insecurity in South Asia. Well done Bush.. Well done Condi...





To be continued....

Ma, they shrunk my Mac!

With the recent launch of Mac Mini in India, Apple Computers Inc. has started a revolution. You may ask what’s new? Mac is already available in the Indian market . What’s new is its price. Yes! The Mac Mini is available for just Rs. 32,000! Finally, a Mac within the reach of the masses! And yes, you can carry the Mac Mini in your bag! At just 6.5”x2”, it’s the smallest computer available!

But, then the question arises, why so cheap? When other Mac models start at Rs. 53,000, why a Mac Mini for just 30,000? The answer is, Steve Jobs! He is known to be an innovator. The man who reversed the fortunes of Apple with the launch of the iPOD has just delivered a master piece. The Mac Mini is targeted at the normal home user. It is more than sufficient for normal surfing, movies, music and casual gaming. It is even enough to run a web server!

Currently it comes in 2 models. However, we are going to review the M9686 model with the 1.25 Ghz Mac G4 Processor. The processor is fine for home usage. Surfing the net, playing music and movies, some casual gaming can be done smoothly. Also, it is ideal for people with cramped spaces. The hard disk at 40 gb is more than enough for normal usage. However, you need to buy your own monitor, keyboard and mouse.

The Mac Mini comes in with an on-board ATI Readon 9200 pro with 32 MB of dedicated video memory which should be enough for casual gaming and some graphic-intensive applications. The system(or rather box) comes bundled in with 256 MB DDR RAM which is upgradeable.

But, the MAC is the un-disputable leader when it comes to software. Mac OS 10.3 Panther is considered the best operating system and its graphics make Windows XP look like a pauper. User-friendliness touches a new level with the MAC. Its so easy and well- categorized that a new user will not have any problems with the usage or the environment. At this price, you can get powerful windows computers too but as they say,”A MAC is a MAC!”

Here are the complete specifications:

Processor: 1.25GHz PowerPC G4

Hard Disk: 40 GB ATA

Memory: 256 MB DDR Ram upgradeable to 1 GB

Optical Drives: Slot-loading Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)

Ports: One FireWire 400 port; two USB 2.0 ports; DVI output; VGA output (adapter included)

Networking: Built-in 10/100BASE-T Ethernet and 56K V.92 modem

Wireless: AirPort Extreme option (based on 802.11g specification; IEEE 802.11b Wi-Fi certified)⁴; internal Bluetooth module available as build-to-order option

Audio: Headphone/audio line out

System Software: Mac OS X version 10.3 “Panther,” includes Classic environment, Mail, iChat AV, Safari, Sherlock, Address Book, QuickTime, iSync, iCal

Other Software: iLife ‘05 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and GarageBand), AppleWorks, Quicken 2005 for Mac, Nanosaur 2, Marble Blast Gold and Apple Hardware Test

-Anand Batra

NEVER LOSE HOPE!

We all have this time in life where we lose all hope, don’t we? The time when we get so depressed that we feel that nothing can go right for us, no one can help us. But, you should realize…. it is YOU who can help yourself. A determined effort never fails. NEVER lose hope in life. “ Even a dead clock shows the correct time twice a day”. Here are a few examples of people who never lost hope and fought difficult circumstances.

1) In the 1940s, a young inventor named Chester Carlson took his idea to 20 corporations, including some of the biggest in the country.

They all turned him down. In 1947 after seven long years of rejections. he finally got a tiny company in Rochester, New York, the Haloid company, to purchase the rights to his invention -- an electrostatic paper-copying

process.

Haloid became Xerox Corporation.

2) A small boy - the fifth amongst seven siblings of a poor father, sold newspapers in a small village to earn his living. He was not exceptionally smart at school but was fascinated by religion and rockets. The first rocket he built crashed. A missile that he built crashed multiple times and he was made a butt of ridicule. He is the person to have scripted the Space Odyssey of India

single-handedly.

He is Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam.

3) In 1962, four nervous young musicians played their first record audition for the executives of the Decca recording Company. The executives were not impressed. While turning down this group of musicians, one executive said, "We don't like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out."

The group was called The Beatles.

4) In 1944, Emmeline Snively, director of the Blue Book Modelling Agency told modelling hopeful Norma Jean Baker, "You'd better learn secretarial work or else get married."

She went on and became Marilyn Monroe.

5) A school teacher scolded a boy for not paying attention to his mathematics and for not being able to solve simple problems. She told him that you would not become anybody in life.

The boy went on to become Albert Einstein.

6) In 1954, Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, fired a singer after one performance. He told him, "You ain't goin' nowhere....son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck."

He went on to become Elvis Presley.

7) A candidate for a news broadcaster’s post was rejected by officials since his voice was not fit for a news broadcaster. He was also told that with his obnoxiously long name, he would never be famous.

The candidate was Amitabh Bachchan.

8) A little girl - the 20th of 22 children, was born prematurely and her survival was doubtful. When she was 4 years old, she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, which left her with a paralysed left leg. At the age of 9, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependent on and began to walk without it. By 13 she had developed a rhythmic walk, which doctors said was a miracle. That same year she decided to become a runner. She entered a race and came in last.

For the next few years every race she entered, she came in last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running. One day she actually won a race. And then another. From then on she won every race she entered.

Eventually this little girl - Wilma Rudolph, went on to win three Olympic gold medals.

Zip that file!

For a dial-up dominated country like India, downloading big files from the internet is not possible without huge bills. In such situations zip utilities come handy. They compress the size of the file and make it as small as possible. Also, they support part-by-part downloads which ensures that you can download the file in parts so that you don’t have to download the full file again if you get disconnected. Truly, zip utilities are a boon for dial-up oriented countries like India. We have compiled a list of the most popular zip utilities for you

-WinZip

One of the oldest zip utilities, it is also one of the most popular and high rated ones. For many years, people trust and use WinZip for their files. Features include .zip and .tar file format support, 128 bit encryption for your sensitive data, fast compression of files, reduction of file sizes by upto 50% and a flexible user interface. It has a very simple interface and even a newbie can use it easily. But, lack of support of .rar format is a major disadvantage

-WinRar

Often described as the best zipping utility, this product from the RarLab has taken the No 1 spot from WinZip. The best feature, undoubtedly, is the support for .rar format. This format reduces the file size even further and is said to be better than .zip in terms of reliability. Common features include support for Linux formats like .tar and .bz2. Also, it is very light on the system as zip utilities are expected to be. It also features an archive repair utility which is a boon if a large archive you download becomes corrupt. Overall, it beats WinZip in all aspects.

-PowerZip

PowerZip is a relatively new player in the market as compared to WinZip and WinRar. It supports all major formats like .zip, .rar, .tar, .ajr , .bz2 etc. It also claims to have full compatibility with archives created by other clients. It also supports split downloading which is a nice feature. Feature-wise, it is very close to WinZip and WinRar. But, it will have to prove itself in times to come.

-Windows Xp Zip Utility

All the Windows Xp users would have noticed that all their .zip files are automatically opened by Windows without the need for a third-party software. However, it supports only a few formats. There is no support for formats like .rar, .tar etc. Also, it has compatibility issues with archives created by newer versions of third-party software. Overall, Microsoft needs to keep focus on quality and not quantity

- Anand Batra.

Wherez my file!

“P2P”! This word is the latest sensation on the net. P2P refers to peer to peer and is a form of file sharing. The best thing about p2p is that it is sharing of files between users. If you want to download a file, you will have to let other peers to download a file from your machine! The popularity of this form of file sharing is increasing day-by-day. Also, the number of clients which operate such network are on the rise. Here is a list of the most popular P2P clients:

1) Bit-Torrent-

BitTorrent is a protocol designed for transferring files. It is peer-to-peer in nature, as users connect to each other directly to send and receive portions of the file. However, there is a central server (called a tracker) which coordinates the action of all such peers. This has become the most popular P2P network due to the vast availability of files and no advertisements.

2) Kazaa-

The big daddy of the past, Kazaa has slipped to the no 2 spot. This is due to the loads of advertisements that the client carries and the claims that it is a form of spyware. Although, it is still best for the small file downloads. It claims to have the largest base of files on the p2p network. All in all, kazaa has to improve a lot to keep its position in the market.

3) E-Donkey-

“Hey! This is easy” is the first thing people say when they run E-donkey. One of the simplest P2P clients around, e-donkey is a nifty product. It is more suited to larger file downloads than Kazaa. You will find a large base of ISO’s(image files) of various Operating systems (open source) here. You can either use the free version or pay to download the ad-free one. The presence of ads in the free version is a bit of hindrance for users who prefer neat interfaces.

4) E-Mule-

Don’t be mistaken, this is not another name of e-donkey! According to their official site, eMule is one of the biggest and most reliable peer-to-peer file sharing clients around the world. Thanks to it's open source policy many developers are able to contribute to the project, making the network more efficient with each release. But, it is not updated regularly and lags behind the others in many areas including the base of files and reliability. However, its popularity is on the rise and with a more active community it is hoped that this client will improve.

However, like everything in life, P2P has another side. Piracy has increased a lot due to the peer-to peer clients as operators have no way to check what is being shared. Also, viruses and malicious code spread very quickly through such clients. The recent DPS scandal can be taken as an example of the mis-uses of file sharing.

Whats up with the music?

So you’ve got a great collection of songs on your PC and just can’t find the right player. Do you think your player doesn’t satisfy you? Then, its time to switch preferences! Here is a list of the BEST music players available to rock you!

Windows Media Player- This is the good, old media player from the Microsoft stable. It comes in-built with your copy of Windows which makes it the most popular player. There have been vast improvements in version 10 which have given it a new trendier look. Features like radio, burning capabilities and online music purchase attract users. However, WMP is still a bit heavy on the system and compared to Winamp and Jetaudio, it still has a large form factor.

Winamp- Winamp had created a boom with its launch in the mid 90’s. It is considered to be the best media player around. It supports all major formats which is now a common feature. The real USP of Winamp is its ease of use and the vast number of themes which enable you to make Winamp look as you like! It is extremely light on the system and can be minimized to the system tray, a feature which WMP lacks. But, you need to pay to enjoy all the features which is a bit of hindrance.

Jetaudio- Though it is a new entrant into the media player market, Jetaudio is already creating waves. It combines the ease of use of Winamp and the features of WMP. Infact you can host your own radio station with the click of a button! Like Winamp, it has a small form factor and a variety of themes. It minimizes into the system tray, so you can enjoy music without cramping up the desktop. The looks are really impressive and coupled with the themes; it is arguably the best looking media player. But, it is an adware and you need to pay for an ad-free version.

Real Player V2 Gold- An old veteran of this trade, Real player has lost a bit of its sheen. From being the most popular player, it has slid to the No.3 or No.4 position. But its main attraction is still the good old .avi format. Like WMP, it is big in size. Unfortunately, it is quite heavy on the system and cramps up the desktop space. A new user may get confused while operating it. All in all, this old tiger needs an upgrade.

MusicMatch JukeBox- MusicMatch Jukebox is one of the best looking media players currently available. But, it is resources hungry and quite heavy on the system. The first time you run the player, you need to register to use it. It is loaded with features like cd-burning, cd-ripping, online shopping and online radio. The best feature is the simple operations. Almost everything can be done from the main interface itself. All in all, the most funky player that has been created!

TWEAK FIREFOX!

“Better than Internet Explorer by leaps and bounds”. This is what Forbes had to say about Firefox! An example of the success of the open source community, Firefox has become a craze. Suddenly, there are websites and forums dedicated to a browser! And the results are showing! Firefox snatched 5% of the market from IE in just 3 months! However, it needs a bit of tweaking to make it perform better. We have compiled a list of tweaks which will make Firefox even better.

Fix a memory leak in Firefox 1.0

Unfortunately, Firefox 1.0 seems to consume more memory than it should, which hurts performance, when set to the default of 51200 KB (51 MB).

To solve this, Firefox power users recommend limiting the memory cache using the Configuration Console. This frees up memory for other apps, speeding up everything to a greater or a lesser extent, depending on your machine and the applications you run. Here's how the trick works:

Step 1. Type about:config into Firefox's Address Bar and press Enter.

Step 2. Right-click any row, then click New, Integer. Type or paste the following preference name into the dialog box that appears (this is a hidden preference that doesn't exist in the Configuration Console until you create it):

browser.cache.memory.capacity

Step 3. Click OK, then enter the following integer number into the next dialog box, representing 16 MB of RAM for the cache:

16000

Step 4. Click OK to close the dialog box, then close all instances of Firefox and restart it.

Speeding up Firefox on Windows XP

You can speed up the loading of Firefox on Windows XP by adding it to the programs that XP "prefetches."

To do this, right-click the Start Menu item for Firefox, or any icon you use to start Firefox, and open the Properties dialog box. Add a space plus /Prefetch:1 to the command line and click OK. The resulting line might look as follows:

"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" /Prefetch:1

Force frames to be resizable on Web pages

If you visit Web sites that divide their pages into rectangular frames, but some of the frames aren't wide enough for you to see all of the words, you can tell Firefox to put borders around all frames so they're resizable.

To do this, use about:config to change layout.frames.force_resizability from "false" to "true."

All these tweaks should be enough to make your browser steam through the world wide web!

- Anand Batra

Spice up your desktop!

Are you among the ones who still use the default themes in Windows Xp? Do you feel that your desktop should look different? You just saw your friend’s desktop and wished yours looked as cool too? Here are some hot tips to spice up your operating system!

Get new themes!

- The desktop looks are one thing that impress people the most. But, Windows sports the same theme with three different color shades. To overcome this you can use software like Style Xp, WindowBlinds or the Uxtheme.dll patch. The links to these can be found by searching for these terms on any search engine.

- Software like Style Xp and WindowBlinds have a lot of visual styles which just look cool. Additionally, you can download loads of themes from sites like deviantart.com and neowin.net.

- The Uxtheme.dll patch is advised for more advanced users who like to set their own terms!

Change those icons!

- Icons can make your theme look great or can spoil the looks. So, it is important you use the right icons. Software like Iconpackager are a boon for people who just can’t find the right icons for their theme.

- Iconpackager sports a variety of icon sets customized for your needs. It has icon sets ranging from the sedate and simple looking to the glossy and chic type!

- You can download more icon sets from sites like wincustomize.com. We recommend you use the MAC-type icons which look exceptionally good

Additional Software

- There are various other software which can really make your desktop and working environment look good.

- Software like Desktop Sidebar add a customizable bar to your desktop! It is so versatile that you can check your mails and listen to music in the same bar! You can also read news via RSS and XML feeds. Regular feeds keep you updated with the weather in your area and yes it can show weather of all big cities of India.

- Objectdock is another software that deserves mention. You can add all your icons in this tiny desktop dock and it works just like the normal icons do. The real advantage is that you can keep your desktop clean by putting all icons in the dock. This resembles the Macintosh OS dock closely.

- You can download exciting wallpapers, themes and visual styles from sites like deviantart.com and themexp.org

Review: Maharaja

Game: Maharaja (*** Rating)

Publisher: Mobile2win

Compatibility: All color mobile phones supporting JAVA midlets

This is a funny little mythological game from the mobile2win stable. The game isn’t too complicated and the controls are very simple. The graphics of the game are pretty impressive and true to the mobile2win standards. In this game, the Maharaja has to save his captivated queen from the evil midgets. But the going isn’t so easy. He has to walk for miles to free his queen. Also, at regular intervals he has to overcome deadly obstacles. This requires continuous attention as even a small blip can cost the MAHARAJA dearly. After all love is at stake! The Maharaja gets 3 lives in each game to save his queen. But armed dwarfs, balls of fire, deadly poisonous snakes and sharp pointed walls stand in his way. The game can be best experienced on the crisp 262000 color display of the Samsung D410. All in all, it’s a simple fun game which guarantees TIME PASS!

Pros:

- Simple Controls

- Impressive Graphics

Cons:

- Sound Effects not up to the mark

- No really difficult challenges

- Anand Batra

Review: Bowling

Game: COM2US Bowling (Rating: ****)

Publisher: COM2US Games

Compatibility: All color mobile phones supporting JAVA midlets(Samsung Handsets are recommended)

Don’t be mistaken, this is NOT just another mobile phone bowling game. It is one of the better bowling games available. It is an impressive game with loads of features to entertain you. The graphics are certainly up to the mark with animated characters and are further enhanced by shadowing and color effects. The sound is one of the major pluses which makes this game score over other similar games. But, these sound effects can be fully experienced only on mobile phones supporting 16 chord polyphonic sound and above. The controls are pretty much standard for all bowling games and this is no exception. However, this game features spin and speed controls which most other games lack. One major attraction of this game is the small animated girl which plays the role of the gamer. All in all, it is ten frames of ultimate fun and complete satisfaction!

Pros:

- Great Sound

- Crisp Display

Cons:

- A bit slow

- Ineffective performance on low-end handsets

You've Got Mail

Recently, there has been a spurt of sites offering free E-MAIL. Everyday, there is a new site on the scene offering GB’s of mail storage space for FREE. Are you confused which e-mail service to use? Do not worry! We are here to help you! Here is a list of the most popular e-mail service providers…

• Hotmail- A creation of Sabeer Bhatia, Hotmail is the most popular mail service with millions of accounts. This is also one of the oldest and most reliable e-mail service providers. But, it is fast losing ground. Issues like slow speed, loads of ads, limited spam blocking are making users move away from Hotmail. But, the biggest limitation of Hotmail is its measly storage space of 2 MB. Compared to Gmail and Yahoo, this is a lot less.

• Yahoo! - After Hotmail, Yahoo Mail is the most used mail service on the net. It is fast catching up with Hotmail due to its impressive performance. With Yahoo, speed is no problem. An impressive set of themes and minimal ads make it look quite good. Recently, Yahoo has upgraded all free accounts to100 Mb. This is a welcome move considering the introduction of Gmail.

• Gmail- The newest kid on the block, Gmail has caught the fascinations of users. Although still in BETA stage, Gmail has turned out to be very popular. It is the fastest mail service available which woos lots of speed-strapped dial-up users. 1 GB storage space coupled up with an impeccable spam filter, makes it very user-friendly. As of now, signing up on Gmail is only possible through invites. Google intends to release Gmail to public very soon.

• Rediff- Our own DESI mail service, Rediffmail is right up there. Although it may not have the popularity of Hotmail or Yahoo but Rediffmail is no less on features. Blazing fast speeds and virtually no ads make it look very professional. 1 GB storage space ensures that you will not click the Delete button very soon. Rediff just loses out to Hotmail or Gmail on effective spam handling. Otherwise, Rediffmail gives any e-mail service a run for its money.

Although there are a lot more e-mail services available but we are concentrating on FREE e-mail providers because most casual users will not consider paying money for checking their mails. Other e-mail providers like Indiatimes, Sify, Gawab offer solid performance and are rising pretty soon too. AOL which is very widely used in America is very slow when accessed from other places. Hope we made your choice of e-mail providers clear with this information. Till then, HAPPY MAILING!

- Anand Batra

Kill That Virus!

The biggest problem for computer users and administrators is virus attacks. Viruses are basically malicious codes designed to affect the performance of your PC. Some viri destroy the executable files while some hijack your computer for further attacks. Here, anti-virus software come in handy. They detect such viri and protect your computer from damage. We have compiled a list of the most popular anti-virus software to help you protect your system!

1. Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal Pro

It is widely considered the best anti-virus today. Also, the virus detection rate is incomparable. No other anti-virus software can match its combination of performance and speed. It is light on the system and does not take much memory to run. It features real-time protection which checks all file operations instantaneously. Overall, it is the best anti-virus software in the market

2. McAfee Antivirus

An old player in the market, McAfee is showing symptoms of ageing. In the late 90’s it was the best A/v software around. Now it is nowhere near the top 3. But, still the user base is large and it sells on its name. Virus detection rate is decent but it is very heavy on the system. Overall, it has to improve a lot to be competitive

3. Norton Anti-virus

Another veteran, Norton is the most popular anti-virus in the world. Millions and millions of people trust on this software for the protection of their systems. Virus detection rate is decent but again like McAfee it is very heavy on the system. Too much attention has been given on the looks rather than the performance. Kaspersky anti-virus beats this hands-down in any test. But, trust is the biggest thing in the favour of Norton.

4. NOD32

NOD32 is the latest sensation in the Anti-virus market. It has topped the performance tests of many forums like Neowin.net and many other security- related sites. It is increadibly light on the system! Starting from the installation to the scanning, it is blazing fast. The virus detection rate is good and it has the ability to scan everything ranging from boot sectors to normal folders. Overall, NOD32 has a very bright future and should look to compete with top players like Kaspersky Anti-virus.

-Anand Batra

Gee! Its a Tux!

“Oh Linux! Must be geek stuff”… This is a common reaction when we hear that some one is running linux on his system. But, this is not true. Linux is very simple to operate. A creation of Linus Torvalds and a darling of the open-source movement, this operating system has been a great success.

Linux OS has now been divided into many distributions or distros. This operating system is highly customizable and servers both enterprise and home users. You can, infact, make your own operating system out of the source code of any distro provided you have the adequate knowledge! This OS is known to be very stable and being free or low-cost in some cases, around 70% of all web servers run on Linux. It is known to be more powerful than Windows and is much more secure. You don’t have to worry about virus attacks or malicious code if you are running this OS!

The most popular distros are mentioned here for our readers:

1. Fedora Core 3(Supported by Red Hat Linux)

This is more of a community type of OS where many users contribute their bit. This is known to be very powerful and stable. However, it is customized for enterprise usage and is not as user friendly as some other distros.

2. Suse Linux

This distro comes in 2 forms: Personal and Professional. The Professional version is a users dream while the Personal version is a bit lacking in features. However, you have to pay for the Professional version whereas the Personal edition is free. This is a really user- friendly OS and meets the demand of the industry too. It is widely accepted as the most ‘polished’ distro.

3. Slackware

Customize is the word! You can do anything on this distro! Rated as the best in many user surveys and polls, this OS really has raised the bar. Very seldom do you find a distro which can be used so freely and which provides complete control to the users. This distro can be downloaded for free from their site

4. Mandrake Linux

One of the oldest distros, Mandrake is a solid performer. This OS is truly a link between the two sets of users. It has the graphics, it has the stability, it has the security and most importantly it has the trust!

The other set of distros like Lycoris, Xandros, Linspire look better than any of the other versions and provide the home users what they need. Infact, with a bit of customization these distros give Windows Xp a hard time! Please do send in your suggestions and opinions about this article

-Anand Batra

Herez my firewall!

Are you among the millions who get loads of spam in your mail? Are you a regular downloader? Are you unsure of visiting unknown sites for the fear of infecting your PC? Then a firewall is the perfect remedy for your fears. A firewall, in simple words, blocks unwanted content and protects your PC. In view of the recent worms which spread through networks, a firewall is extremely essential. Here is a list of the most popular firewalls:

-Windows XP Firewall

With Service Pack 2, Microsoft has incorporated a firewall into Windows XP. It is a nifty utility considering the present scenario where a user is unsafe the moment he logs on to the net. But, this firewall has serious limitations. It is only a basic utility which is not enough for most users. It can not monitor out going traffic which is a big disadvantage. Microsoft needs to look more into this feature to make it competitive

-Norton Personal Firewall

This is another product from the diverse Symantec stable. Features include cookie manager, anti-virus and parental control and some privacy features. It is based on the AtGuard firewall program which was acquired by Symantec in 1999. Like other Norton products, it has one major disadvantage. It is quite bloated and a bit heavy on the system. For users with less than 256 MB ram, this is a big no-no.

-Zone Alarm Pro

One of the most popular firewall programs, this tops the user preference list. It is considered the most efficient firewall to-date. Features include Anti-virus scanner, Instant Messenger Security, Ad and Pop-up blocking, Spam Blocker and Website Filtering. But, like Norton Personal Firewall it is a bit heavy on the system and slows up the boot up process. All in all, it gives satisfactory performance and is quite reliable

-Kaspersky Anti-Hacker

Light! That’s what people say when they use this. One of the lightest firewall programs, this has gained immense popularity. The interface is very simple and is customized for first-time users. It also includes a ‘Stealth Mode’ which makes you completely safe from the unsafe net! It doesn’t affect the speed of the system as its very light. Users are recommended to use this program if they are going to use a firewall for the first time.

-Anand Batra

Security Web Site Filtering

Download That File!

The second most essential software in a dial-up connection oriented country like India is a download manager. Download managers are software that can be use to download files in parts. Of course, some of them claim to speed up your download. These software are a boon for dial-up users as they get disconnected very often and can’t download the whole file in one go. After browsers, they provide the most utility to the user. There are hundreds of download managers available which include freeware, shareware as well as paid software. Here is a list of the most famous download managers:

-Flashget

A product from the Amazesoft stable, it is considered the best download manager available. It is quite fast and is very light on the system. It is compatible with most of the browsers using plugins like Flashgot for Firefox. You can even schedule your downloads using Flashget! Recently, it has started supporting themes too.

-GetRight

Getright is a very easy program to use, but does have a lot of options and advanced features. It has all the same core downloading features as Flashget: automatically catching downloads from your browser, resuming, scheduling, dialing modems, shutting down your computer when done, etc. Also, there is an option to repair your files that get corrupt if the computer is shut down improperly.

-Download Accelerator Plus

The most popular download manager, it claims to boost your download speed by upto 300%. It has the most eye-candy among all the popular download managers. Features include search functions, an FTP browser, DAP Drive integration, media files preview etc. However, it is a bit heavy on the system and files get corrupt more often using this than with other download managers. It is an ad-ware and you need to pay for the full version. The full version features include minimizing to the system tray, simultaneous downloads, cool skins etc

-Internet Download Manager

It is a relatively new download manager which claims to increase your download speed by 500%. Features include error recovery, scheduling, resume capabilities, a graphical user interface etc. The graphics are above average and it is light on the system. However, it has to establish itself and face stiff competition from the old players in the market.

Anand Batra

Browse It!

Have you ever felt that your browser is just not good enough? Isn't it time to try a new browser? Alas! You googled the words ‘Internet Browser’ and got 2 million results!! Now what you do? Don’t worry! We are here to help you!

There are basically 3 major types of browsers

- Internet Explorer(IE) Based

- Mozilla Based

- Opera Browser

IE based browsers may or may not be freeware but Mozilla based browsers are free as they are classified under the Open Source category. The reader must not assume that Open Source software means freeware. Opera Browser is not freeware and you need to pay a certain amount of money to get an ad-free version

Basically the 4 most popular browsers are:

- IE (Rating: **)

- Firefox (Rating: *****)

- Opera (Rating: ****)

- Maxthon (Rating: ***)

1) Internet Explorer- This is the most widely used browser as it comes in-built with all versions of Windows starting from Windows 98. For the casual surfer, this is good enough. It offers decent speeds and is not too heavy on the system. However, for people who open more than 5 sites simultaneously this is not ideal as it does not support tabbed browsing. Also, its caching is poor limiting the speed at which a site opens. The main advantage is its wide compatibility.

2) Firefox- This is the latest browser on the scene. But it is gaining immense popularity. As it is freeware, it can be freely used and distributed. It is Mozilla based but it has improved a lot due to contributions by the active users. It features tabbed browsing and its caching is highly effective. Also, it features an in-built download manager and pop-up blocker. It is one of the lightest browsers and can run on minimal system configuration. It is considered the fastest browser and the recent acknowledgement by Microsoft has propelled it to the top 3 slot.

3) Opera- For a long time now, it has been considered the best browser. What really makes it effective is the good looks and wide availability and recognition. It is similar in features to Firefox but it has that little bit extra. It features a POP mail and chat system for your complete browsing needs. Its caching is very effective and sports a variety of themes. However, it is a bit heavy on the PC and has a few limitations.

4) Maxthon- Formerly MyIe2, this is an IE based browser. However, it is ages apart from IE. It sports features like tabbed browsing, theme selection etc which is sorely missed in IE. The main advantage over IE is an effective caching system which increases the speed at which sites open which is crucial for dial-up users. It scores over Firefox and Opera as it features the wide compatibility of IE.

Among the above browsers, Firefox, IE and Maxthon are freeware while Opera has an 'ad-free' paid option if you so require. Hope we have made your choice easy with this small piece of info. Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

‘A Stitch in Time Saves Nine’

Are you among the millions who need to format their hard drive just because they didn’t know about the latest virus? Don’t you feel frustrated each time your system comes to a stand still just because you open an ordinary-looking attachment in your mailbox which contains a worm? If you are unsure what you need to do to keep your PC and Operating system running smoothly, read further….

Here are the things you need to do to keep your PC free from all the virus attacks and irritating errors:

1) INSTALL ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE:

The FIRST and FOREMOST thing you need to do is to install anti-virus software. Anti-virus software is your best friend when it comes to fighting viruses! It not only detects the virus but also prevents it from damaging your system. All you need to do is install the updates available on the anti-virus company’s site regularly and it will do its job. Anti-virus software includes paid ones like McAfee, Norton, Kaspersky etc and free ones like AVG and FIRE.

2) INSTALL THAT FIREWALL!

Are you a regular net surfer? Are you unsure of visiting unknown sites for the fear of infecting your PC with a virus? Then a firewall is the perfect remedy for your fears. A firewall, in simple words, blocks unwanted content and protects your PC. In view of the recent worms which spread through networks, a firewall is extremely essential. If you are using Windows XP, then a firewall comes built in. Otherwise, using ZoneAlarm Pro is a good and safe alternative.

3) WHAT’S WITH THE MAIL?

The GOLDEN RULE now-a-days is,” DON’T OPEN THAT ATTACHMENT”. Millions and millions of Pc’s and a large number of networks get affected due to ignorant people opening attachments from unknown mail ids. You can easily identify culprit mails if you observe closely. Most probably such mails contain attachments offering free passwords or free software. Also be careful not to download and open any attachment with the .pif extension. A new variant of a known virus may even cause damage to the system in spite of anti-virus software installed.

4) INSTALL THOSE SERVICE PACKS

Now-a-days, virus writers are targeting different areas of an operating system like Windows XP to spread their worms more quickly. For this reason, the companies release service packs to update the operating system so that the customers don’t suffer. But, NEVER ignore such security updates. Keep visiting the company’s site to be aware of such updates and to install them regularly. Microsoft has recently released SP2 for Windows XP. All readers using Windows XP are recommended to install this service pack from Microsoft.com or else order a FREE CD offered by Microsoft on their site.

5) AVOID VISITING DOUBTFUL SITES

Even if you have anti-virus software and firewall installed, avoid visiting doubtful sites or unusual sites. Such sites offer people free offers, free software and other such things. Innocent and ignorant surfers fall to their trap and in turn help in spreading the

worms.

6) DE-FRAGMENT YOUR HARD DISK

One step that you can take for ensuring effective computing is de-fragmenting your hard disk. This feature is available in all popular operating systems and should be used atleast once every month. De-fragmenting basically re-organizes your files properly for quick access and better hard disk utilization.

7) NEVER GIVE YOUR PASSWORDS

Many people get influenced by others and give their passwords and other sensitive info to such people. These people may be spammers or virus writers who may spread viruses using your mail ids and may get you in trouble. So, NEVER give out your passwords especially in Instant Messenger (IM) Conversations. This can be dangerous not only to you but also to others.

8) USE YOUR CREDIT CARDS CAREFULLY

Using credit cards on the net is a risky job and should be done very carefully. Be sure you use your credit cards only on reputed sites which have 128-bit SSL Protection. Also look for the Verisign Authentication. Avoid purchasing from sites which don’t feature 128-bit SSL Protection and Verisign Authentication. If you use your card carelessly, your card details can be stolen which is highly undesirable.

9) DON’T INSTALL UNKNOWN SOFTWARE

You may get unknown software at many unknown sites. But, NEVER download any such software unless you are aware of it. People tend to download software which ‘claim’ to increase your net ‘speed’ from unknown and unreliable sites. These are often spyware or keyloggers which can invade into your privacy.

10) AVOID SIGNING UP ON UNRELIABLE SITES

Often, people sign up with their mail ids on sites which offer certain freebies or adult content. These sites are nothing but sources for the spammers who spam your mail id and fill it with unwanted mails. Spamming causes a great loss to e-mail service providers and can prove fatal.

If you do all the above things, then you will most probably never get infected and all your fears will be put to rest!

- ANAND BATRA