Author: Serkadis

  • India Transformed? Insights from the Firm Level 1988-2005

    Published: November 18, 2009
    Paper Released: October 2009
    Authors: Laura Alfaro and Anusha Chari

    Executive Summary:

    Between 1986 and 2005, Indian growth put to rest the concern that there was something about the “nature of India” that made rapid growth difficult. Following broad-ranging reforms in the mid-1980s and early 1990s, the state deregulated entry, both domestic and foreign, in many industries, and also hugely reduced barriers to trade. Laura Alfaro of Harvard Business School and Anusha Chari of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill analyze the evolution of India’s industrial structure at the firm level following the reforms. Despite the substantial increase in the number of private and foreign firms, the overall pattern that emerges is one of continued incumbent dominance in terms of assets, sales, and profits in both state-owned and traditional private firms. Key concepts include:

    • In sectors dominated by state-owned and traditional private firms before liberalization (with assets, sales, and profits representing 50 percent or higher shares), these firms remain the dominant ownership group following the reforms.
    • Rates of return remain stable over time and show low dispersion across sectors and across ownership groups within sectors.
    • The high levels of state ownership and ownership by traditional private firms in India raise the question of whether existing resources could be allocated more efficiently and whether remaining barriers to competition jeopardize the effectiveness of reform measures that have been put in place.

    Abstract

    Using firm-level data this paper analyzes, the transformation of India’s economic structure following the implementation of economic reforms. The focus of the study is on publicly-listed and unlisted firms from across a wide spectrum of manufacturing and services industries and ownership structures such as state-owned firms, business groups, private and foreign firms. Detailed balance sheet and ownership information permit an investigation of a range of variables such as sales, profitability, and assets. Here we analyze firm characteristics shown by industry before and after liberalization and investigate how industrial concentration, the number, and size of firms of the ownership type evolved between 1988 and 2005. We find great dynamism displayed by foreign and private firms as reflected in the growth in their numbers, assets, sales and profits. Yet, closer scrutiny reveals no dramatic transformation in the wake of liberalization. The story rather is one of an economy still dominated by the incumbents (state-owned firms) and to a lesser extent, traditional private firms (firms incorporated before 1985). Sectors dominated by state-owned and traditional private firms before 1988-1990, with assets, sales and profits representing shares higher than 50%, generally remained so in 2005. The exception to this broad pattern is the growing importance of new and large private firms in the services sector. Rates of return also have remained stable over time and show low dispersion across sectors and across ownership groups within sectors.
    55 pages.

    Paper Information

  • HBS Cases: Customer Feedback Not on elBulli’s Menu

    Published: November 18, 2009
    Author: Julia Hanna

    He’s been called “the Salvador Dalí of the kitchen” for creations ranging from beetroot and yogurt ice-cream lollipops to a deconstructed Spanish omelet served in a parfait glass. Each year, some 2 million hopeful diners vie to be one of the fifty customers he serves each evening for the six months that elBulli, his restaurant, is open. The world is beating a path to Chef Ferran Adrià’s door, but why?

    “Creativity comes first; then comes the customer,” he has said. So what can HBS students learn about marketing from a business owner who says he doesn’t care whether or not customers like his product?

    HBS assistant professor Michael Norton’s interest in what motivates seemingly irrational consumer behavior has found a perfect subject in Adrià. To eat at elBulli, customers must navigate a mysterious reservations system. If they are lucky enough to be one of the 8,000 who get a booking that year, they are then given a date and time to show up. Reaching elBulli’s coastal perch involves traveling to Barcelona, then negotiating two hours of narrow, twisting mountain roads. But then they enjoy a five-hour meal of thirty-some completely original, whimsical dishes prepared by Adrià and his team of thirty to forty cooks. The meal costs roughly 230 euros and represents hours of laborious research, testing, and preparation. In addition to engaging a diner’s five senses, Adrià and his team hope to evoke irony, humor, and even childhood memories with their creations. “We have turned eating into an experience that supersedes eating,” he has said.

    “If the product is merely food, Adrià should move the restaurant to Barcelona or Madrid,” says Norton, who has written a case on elBulli with Julián Villanueva and Luc Wathieu. “Another view is that the product is the whole experience, from start to finish—so driving for two hours in the mountains is a crucial aspect of the product.”

    The case also highlights the distinction between understanding and listening to customers. “Adrià’s idea is that if you listen to customers, what they tell you they want will be based on something they already know,” Norton observes. “If I like a good steak, you can serve that to me, and I’ll enjoy it. But it will never be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. To create those experiences, you almost can’t listen to the customer.”

    Norton asks students to consider the operations and marketing of elBulli. There is much about the restaurant that is inefficient, as MBAs are quick to note: Adrià should lower his staff numbers, use cheaper ingredients, improve his supply chain, and increase the restaurant’s hours of operation. But “fixing” elBulli turns it into just another restaurant, says Norton: “The things that make it inefficient are part of what makes it so valuable to people.”

    Adrià’s other business ventures include publishing elBulli-related catalogs, consulting to large food manufacturers, and the launch of an elBulli hotel and a chain of reasonably priced restaurants called Fast Good. But what is the balance between leveraging the Adrià/elBulli brand and breaking its core meaning? In a classroom discussion of first-year Marketing students, Norton says opinion was divided. Some felt sure that Adrià should be doing more to cash in on his name; others said he would destroy what he has worked so hard to build.

    In December, students had the opportunity to hear from the man himself when Adrià visited Norton’s Marketing class, where his comments made it clear that for this particular business owner, creativity and innovation trump any traditional decisions about pricing and operations.

    “I should charge 600 euros [for a meal at elBulli],” Adrià has said, “but I do not cook for millionaires. I cook for sensitive people.”

    Because Adrià doesn’t adhere to business norms, the elBulli case shows just how broad the spectrum for marketing a “product” can be—and that’s not a bad thing for MBAs to learn. “Marketing is a science, but it’s also an art,” Norton remarks.

    “Adrià says he doesn’t listen to customers, yet his customers are some of the most satisfied in the world. That’s an interesting riddle to consider.”

    About the author

    Julia Hanna is associate editor of HBS Alumni Bulletin.

  • Fixing Left 4 Dead 2 crashes, freezes and steam/install errors


    Gamingnewslink.com’s self-help guide for fixing Left 4 Dead 2 crashes, freezes and steam/install errors
    Spread the link to this page if you find this post useful ^_^

    One last note before proceeding to the list of Left 4 Dead 2. If you encounter errors or issues with Left 4 Dead 2 that are not included in the list below, issues which the solutions listed does not resolve, Tell us about it by Posting it in the comment box at the bottom of this page (No registration required). Include details about the Left4Dead 2 error and the specifications of the system you are running L4D2 on. It doesn’t have to be a fullblown dxdiag log, just the Video Card, Processor and amout of RAM and of course the Operating System (and service pack versions) you are playing Left 4 Dead 2 on. REMEMBER to check the comments at the bottom of this post.

    List of Known Left 4 Dead 2 errors and solutions/workarounds

    Problem #1 : Left4Dead 2 error message “Incomplete Installation (35)”
    Fix : make sure your firewall allows outbound TCP connections to port 27019 and 27031.
    credits: Richkaethler

    Problem #2 : L4D 2 slowdown/lagging everytime the map is changed
    Fix : Tab-out and get back in the game again
    credits: Heino Kaveri

    Problem #3 : Left 4 Dead 2 freezing/stuttering/lagging every x seconds
    Fix #1 : Turn off mutli-core rendering
    Fix #2 : Turn off Vsync
    credits: Dunastrig

    Problem #4 : L4D2 Pink/dark texture problem
    Fix : no known fix as of this posting

    Problem #5 : Left4Dead 2 headless models problem
    Fix : Update your graphics card to the latest version

    Problem #6 : L4D2 error “Unable to load library client”
    Fix : no known fix as of this posting

    Problem #7 : Left 4 Dead 2 always crashes on Windows Vista 64bit
    Fix : START > MY COMPUTER > WINDOWS > RIGHT CLICK ‘CSC’ > PROPERTIES > SECURITY
    Make the ADMINISTRATOR own the folder
    credits: Havok

    Problem #8 : L4D2 always crashing randomly
    Fix :
    1. Close Steam
    2. Go to ..\steam\steamapps\
    3. Delete left 4 dead 2 common.ncf, left 4 dead 2 client.ncf
    4. Restart Steam
    5. Right Click L4D2 click Install
    credits: Freyar

    Problem #9 : L4D2 can’t run after install: Verify steam service is running
    Fix :

    To Fix (First Try)

    * Exit Steam
    * Open a ‘Command Prompt’ (cmd.exe if you are using ‘Run…’ from the start menu)
    * Run: “c:\Program Files\Steam\bin\SteamService.exe” /repair
    * Note: Change “c:\Program Files” to wherever you have steam installed. For a 64 bit OS the default would be: “c:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin\SteamService.exe” /repair
    * Start Steam

    To Fix (If that didn’t work)

    * Exit Steam
    * Delete the file:
    32 bit Windows: “c:\Program Files\Common Files\Steam\SteamService.exe”
    64 bit Windows: “c:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Steam\SteamService.exe”
    * Restart Steam

    To Fix (at your own risk)

    * Exit Steam
    * Kill SteamService.exe from the task manager
    * Copy the version from \Bin into \Common Files\Steam
    * Restart Steam

    To Fix (Safer, or if the above doesn’t work)

    * Exit Steam
    * Open the Control Panel
    * Open ‘Programs and Features’
    * Right Click on ‘Steam’ and select ‘Repair’
    * This operation can take awhile.

    credits: JoeR

    Problem #10 : Left4Dead 2 problematic lag(freezing intermitently), slowdown and eventually crashing
    Fix 1 : Disable multicore rendering
    Fix 2 : mat_queue_mode 0 (console command)
    Fix 3 : Update Nvidia Drivers to Beta 195.39
    credits: oct42, redninja, mic

    Problem #11 : Left 4 Dead 2 CTD (crash to desktop) fix
    Fix :
    1)Navigate to your windows folder (usually c:/windows/)
    2)Inside there, goto the CSC folder
    3)Try to open the folder and it should fail (if it doesn’t, you have a different problem). It’ll come up with ‘You don’t currently have permission to access this folder’ at which time you keep pressing continue until it says you’ve been denied.
    4)Right-click the folder, go to properties.
    5)Go to the security tab at which point it’ll say ‘To continue, you must be an administrative user with permission to view this object’s security properties’ at which point you click continue.
    6)Click on admin in the owner tab which will swap the owner to the administrator then click OK.
    7)You then click on OK once again which will bring up the security tab.
    8)Tick ‘full control’, press OK twice to get out of the properties tabs.
    9)Run the game.
    credits: fuloran

    Problem #12 : Post Your Left 4 Dead 2 error at the comment box below if you are experiencing errors that are not listed here
    Solution : Help out and post solutions to L4D2 errors at the comment box below if you know one :)
    credits: YOU!

    Important!: If you are experiencing errors with Left 4 Dead 2 that are not listed above or is not solved by the specified fixes, Tell us about it by posting in the comment box below (include system specs, OS, and description of the error you encounter in Left 4 Dead 2), NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED TO POST/ASK QUESTIONS/POST SOLUTIONS

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  • The Google Phone Is Very Real. And It’s Coming Soon

    The debate over Droid v. iPhone rages on, but lots more Android surprises are on the way. Get ready for the Google Phone. It’s no longer a myth, it’s real.

    The next “super” Android device will almost certainly be a HTC phone that’s much thinner than even the Droid or iPhone – The Dragon/Passion. This is the phone the senior Android guys at Google are now carrying around and testing, at least as of a couple of weeks ago. If you’re willing to give up the Droid’s keyboard, the Dragon/Passion is going to be a really cool phone. It should be fully available very soon.

    But it isn’t the Google Phone. Everything up until now has just been a warm up to the Google Phone.

    Way more interesting are the rumors we’ve been hearing for months about a pure Google-branded phone. Most of our sources have unconfirmed information, which we describe below. But there are a few things we have absolutely confirmed: Google is building their own branded phone that they’ll sell directly and through retailers. They were long planning to have the phone be available by the holidays, but it has now slipped to early 2010. The phone will be produced by a major phone manufacturer but will only have Google branding (Microsoft did the same thing with their first Zunes, which were built by Toshiba).

    There won’t be any negotiation or compromise over the phone’s design of features – Google is dictating every last piece of it. No splintering of the Android OS that makes some applications unusable. Like the iPhone for Apple, this phone will be Google’s pure vision of what a phone should be.

    That’s it for confirmed, super-high confidence information, which frankly isn’t a whole lot more than we all heard back in late October. But we also have a few more details as well that we’ve gathered from a number of sources. Everything that follows we still consider to be just well-sourced rumors:


  • China Says Microsoft Violates IP With Windows, Bars Sales

    For years, Microsoft has been among the loudest complainers concerning “piracy” in China, so it’s a bit of a surprise to see things switched around a bit. Mesanna was the first of a few to alert us that a Chinese court has found Microsoft guilty of violating the intellectual property of a local firm, Zhongyi Electronics, and demanded that the company cease selling Windows XP throughout China. The issue is the Chinese character fonts. According to Zhongyi, Microsoft licensed them for Windows 95, but not other versions. Microsoft, of course, insists that it is not infringing, and says it will appeal the ruling.

    Still, with this ruling, as well as the recent attack on Google for violating copyright in China, it makes you wonder if China is doing this in an attempt to show American firms what might happen if they actually get what they “want” in terms of stronger copyright enforcement in China.

    Permalink | Comments | Email This Story





  • Dope Wars more awesome on BlackBerry as Druglord Wars

    DruglordWars

    Berry Wars has been given a huge update and is now a visually stunning BlackBerry game called Druglord Wars. The game is just like the original Dope Wars, where the aim is to buy low and sell high, all the while avoiding the cops.

    Some new features to the game include:

    • Global online leaderboard to compare your skills to the world.
    • 17 drugs to buy and sell in 11 beautifully rendered cities.
    • 18 weapons and storage containers to take down enemies and hold more drugs.
    • Over 125 custom designed images just for BlackBerry.
    • Save games and preview progress before resuming.
    • Unlimited gameplay mode to see how far you can take your drug empire.

    The game is currently on sale for $3.99 until November 20th (regularly $4.99). Druglord Wars is available for OS 4.6 and up with 480×320 or 480×360 screens, and there are plans to support 4.5+ with 320×240 soon.


    © Kyle for BlackBerry Cool, 2009


  • Google Chrome OS Will Be Revealed Tomorrow

    The wait for Google Chrome OS is almost over as the company is getting ready to reveal the upcoming operating system in an event tomorrow at Googleplex, the company’s headquarters. It’s unclear whether Google will release any actual code or a rough, working version, but there will definitely be plenty of details and an in-depth overview of the web-based OS as well as more clearly laid out plans for the launch schedule.

    Rumors about an impending launch surfaced last week and Google has now more or less confirmed them, with the only unknown left being the issue of whether there will be any code available or not. Google sent out invites to several industry insiders announcing that it would reveal a lot of information on the project. The event will be lead by Sundar Pichai, Google’s VP of Product Management, and Matthew Papakipos, Google engineering director for Google Chrome OS.

    Google will show the audience just how far along it is with the OS which was only revealed last summer. The dev team must be confident enough with the state of the project if it’s ready to reveal it to the world and judging by Google’s usual pace and the state of the initial releases of its products its safe to assume that the foundation is well laid out by now. The project, though, is likely to be very rough around the edges and,… (read more)

  • Microsoft’s Windows Azure Cloud Container

    Microsoft’s cloud container continues to evolve. The company has unveiled the next generation of its data center container at its Windows Professional Developers Conference, and it includes significant design advances over the existing containers deployed in Microsoft’s Chicago data center.

    The 20-foot container on display at the PDC is an example of Microsoft’s Generation 4 Modular Data Center design, which abandons the raised-floor architecture that has been a staple of modern data center design in favor of a container-based model. Microsoft says the use of server-packed containers – known as Pre-Assembled Components (PACs) – will allow it to slash the cost of building its new data centers, which will have no roofs.

    Optimized for Outdoors?
    The Generation 4 container on display at PDC looks to be completely optimized for outdoor use, with a design that relies upon fresh air (”free cooling”) rather than air conditioning. While we’re not on-site at PDC and haven’t been able to inspect the container, it features louvers on the exterior of the container to draw fresh air into the cold aisle and expel hot air from the rear of the hot aisle.

    UPDATE: Microsoft’s Bob Muglia has more on the design. “ Ambient air is drawn over a membrane onto which a small amount of water is released,” Muglia tells InformationWeek. “I think it’s two gallons an hour. The slow release of water drops the temperature of ambient air coming in through a system of louvers by 20 or 25 degrees and that’s sufficient to keep the servers cool enough. ”

    Here’s a look at a video of the container shot by a PDC attendee:

    The container features the branding for Windows Azure, Microsoft’s developer-focused cloud computing platform. Windows Azure will run at facilities in Chicago, San Antonio, Dublin, Amsterdam, Singapore and Hong Kong.

    This is a departure from the current Microsoft container design, which features one container filled with IT gear and another holding the power and cooling infrastructure. Here’s a look at one of the double-decker data center containers currently in use at Microsoft’s  Chicago data center:

    microsoft-chicago-containers

    Microsoft’s $500 million Chicago facility uses a hybrid design built around data center containers. The lower level is a vast space with a high ceiling and diagonal parking spaces for the 40-foot container stacks.

    The first phase of the 700,000 square foot facility can hold up to 56 containers, and a second phase (currently shell space) offers identical capacity. That gives the Chicago facility a total capacity of 112 containers holding 224,000 servers.

    In laying out its Generation 4 design, Microsoft said its future data centers would require no water and have no roofs. The company says the new design may reduce capital investments by 20 to 40 percent by creating a “competitive and innovative supplier landscape.” It is also designed to accelerate Microsoft’s data center deployment process, shrinking the timeline from 18 months to as little as three to six months.

    RELATED STORIES:

  • Stress Test: How long can the BlackBerry Bold 9700 play music? (Part 2)

    BlackBerry_Bold9700_battery_test

    UPDATE: The Bold 9700 battery just died. The BlackBerry Cool official time is 19:22, exactly 29 hours. This is 29 hours while using the device heavily. Let’s see an iPhone do that!

    UPDATE: 16:19 and 26 hours into the test, with 10% battery left. Part 2 of the test has sort of changed. It started off as a test of the music playback under more strenuous network conditions and has turned into a test of how long the battery will last under power user conditions. I’ve been playing music, tweeting, taking pics, using Google Maps, running several other apps simultaneously, making and taking calls and constantly pulling data from both Maps and Twitter. There was a break when I went to sleep but I left all the connections and apps running so it was still very much active.

    UPDATE: 14:16, 24 hours into the test, and the battery is at 25%. Something I’ve noticed is that making calls depletes the battery much faster than anything else. I knew this intuitively but the test really made it obvious. Streaming music doesn’t seem to have much impact on battery life at all.

    UPDATE: 10:40 went through the night and we’ve been back on WiFi, radio for a couple hours. At 30% and around 20 hours we’re definitely going a full day no problem.

    UPDATE: It’s 02:29, 12 hours into the test. The batter reads 40% and I have been using a very decent amount of apps and data. Holding the BlackBerry Button, it shows the following apps: Messages, UberTwitter, Home Screen, BlackBerry Messenger, Media, Radio Companion, Setup Wizard (I switch devices a lot), Visual Voice Mail, Google Maps, Browser, Gmail and Phone. I’m going to give the updates a rest until around 8 AM.

    UPDATE: It’s 23:11 and I have been out and about for the past 2 hours. During that time, I wasn’t listening to music but I was burning through data and the battery pretty fiercely. I was Tweeting pics, using Google Maps and calling friends. I’m not sure if this corrupts the test or anything, but I’m back at the office and on WiFi, streaming music on Bluetooth. At 55%, the battery is still going strong. We’re about 9 hours into the test.

    UPDATE: 20:11 and the battery is at 65%. I’ve been using the device pretty intensely over the past 6 hours. On a normal day, I’ll probably use 20 minutes on headphones and the BlackBerry Media Gateway for 30 mins the odd time. So far, I’ve used about 5 hours of streaming Nobex on WiFi and Bluetooth, and another hour on radio and headphones.

    UPDATE: The time is 18:14 and the status screen is telling me the battery is at 80%. By the looks of the meter, I would say it’s around 95%, but we’ll see. We are almost 4 hours on WiFi, taking in emails, BBM, and SMS, streaming music using Nobex and playing it via Bluetooth over the BlackBerry Media Gateway. Go baby go!

    UPDATE: The time is 15:55, just over an hour into the test and the battery hasn’t budged, we’re still full bars. I’ve had a few BBM’s, and about 10 emails come in through WiFi, all the while streaming music using Nobex and playing it off the BlackBerry Media Gateway. Things might change if I leave the office and get off WiFi.

    UPDATE: Okay we’re good to go. I have the Bold 9700, running all connections, using EDGE, roaming on the Rogers network and this bad boy is sucking in data like a Dyson vacuum. The time is 14:22 and we’re starting off on WiFi, at my office, listening to the Bold 9700 via Bluetooth on 7.1 surround sound. I know, it doesn’t make a difference that it’s 7.1 but it’s still cool. I also made sure to make the amplifier read Bold 9700. Oh yeah, and I’m running Nobex Radio Companion for the music because Pandora and Slacker figured out I’m Canadian. We’re full battery.

    So it turns out the BlackBerry Bold 9700 can play music for up to 38 hours, as advertised (the BlackBerry Cool official time is just short of 39 hours).

    It seems as though we tested the Bold 9700’s music playback in a similar way that RIM would test it. There might be a standard for such a test somewhere, and maybe the National Institute of Standards and Technology could comment.

    Let’s get on to Part 2 because it’ll be much more interesting. Playing the Bold 9700 with the radio turned off is really throwing RIM a bone. It’s time to test the Bold 9700 under some decent Power User conditions. For Part 2 of “Stress Test: How long can the BlackBerry Bold 9700 play music?”, I’m going to use the device as a primary communication and music device. I think the following conditions would be cool:

    • Radio On.
    • WiFi On.
    • American SIM and device roaming on Canadian Network.
    • Streaming Slacker Radio during down time.
    • Headphones On, Volume Full and Bass Boost On.
    • When at office and home, connected via Bluetooth and playing to stereo (this is a personal shout-out to BlackBerry Cool Reader Caspan).
    • Taking emails, calls and SMS.
    • Taking advantage of GPS and maps when appropriate.
    • I might even take a pic or two.

    So take your guess, how long will the Bold 9700 play music under heavy usage conditions? Comment your predictions and we’ll see the discrepancy.


    © Kyle for BlackBerry Cool, 2009


  • Birds are tired of Google Street cameras and aren’t going to take it anymore


    View Larger Map
    This is the first known bird attack against a Google Street camera. But it’s not surprising. Birds have a right to a certain degree of privacy too. [via Jalopnik and Geekologie]


  • TwitterBerry changes name to OpenBeak

    It was barely a month ago that we re-reviewed TwitterBerry. We originally reviewed it in early 2008, but the company behind it, Orangatame, brought it up to date, adding many features that users demanded. Unfortunately, TwitterBerry is no more. Orangatame has changed the name to OpenBeak in hopes that it “allows the app to grow beyond both the Twitter platform and BlackBerry smartphones.” With the name change comes a few new features, including two that I had complained about in the TwitterBerry review. (more…)

  • The Casio EX-G1 is for the fashion-conscious outdoorsy types

    casio-ex-g1

    A quick glance at the Casio EX-G1 doesn’t revel that the camera is a rugged-type model. It’s just too good looking. But then you might start to notice that the dials are recessed and reinforced and the case seems like it could work underwater. (it can) It’s just that Casio managed to out a 12.1 MP ruggedized camera that’s actually a looker.

    casio-ex-g1-back

    The camera’s equipped with all the standard modern conveniences too. It sports a 12.1 MP sensor, a 960 x 240 2.5-inch reinforced LCD, a 3x zoom, and microSDHC storage. But more importantly the camera is shockproof, dustproof, freezeproof and waterproof up to 10 feet for 60 minutes, which makes it an awesome option for those that enjoy beaches, snowbording, and surfing. (not me) The EX-G1 should be out for $300 in December and available in both red and black.


  • Nokia Nseries ditching Symbian by 2012?

    maemo

    According to the Maemo marketing team, it looks like it’s already in motion. Apparently Nokia still has some Nseries devices in the pipeline which will still use S60 as the operating system, but after those are out of the factory, it seems like Maemo will be the OS of choice for Nokia’s Nseries. That doesn’t mean that Nokia has plans to ditch Symbian altogether yet, as the enterprise-friendly Eseries and new Xseries will still run Symbian for the foreseeable future.

    Read

  • Samsung announced SE Asian availability dates for their Omnia line-up

    samsungomniarange

    Samsung has announced the South East Asian availability rates and prices for their Windows Mobile Omnia line-up.

    The Samsung Omnia 2  is of course already released in Singapore and other SEA markets, but the Samsung Omnia Pro B7610 (QWERTY Slider)will only be coming to SEA in December 2009 and Singapore mid-January 2010.

    The Samsung Omnia Pro B7330 (Front-facing QWERTY) will be coming to SEA this month November 2009.

    Lastly the Samsung Omnia Lite will be coming to Singapore November 21st for $598 and the rest of SEA December 2009.

    Read more details at CNET Asia here.

  • Don’t Post Comments On StlToday.com Or They Might Tell Your Boss

    Via Romenesko comes this little gem of how the online editor of StlToday.com got upset about a “vulgar” comment that was left on a story. The editor, Kurt Greenbaum, noticed that the commenter in question’s IP address was a local school, and contacted the school to alert them that someone from there had left a comment. And then:


    “About six hours later, I heard from the school’s headmaster…The headmaster confronted the employee, who resigned on the spot.”

    Lesson of the day? Don’t post comments on StlToday.com or its editors may call your boss.

    Permalink | Comments | Email This Story





  • Digg Is Doing Great, Profitability Not an Issue Any More, CEO Says

    The future is looking bright at Digg, or at least that’s what cofounder and CEO Jay Adelson is claiming. The social news aggregator has been trying a lot of things lately to spur growth and, more importantly, revenue and it’s clear that at least some of them are working; the CEO especially notes Digg Ads. They’re working so well in fact that revenue is no longer an issue at Digg and profitability is just around the corner.

    In an interview with Fox Business News, the CEO made some interesting comments regarding Digg’s present and future, but also on the state of ‘news’ in general. One of the first questions most startups are being asked is how are they doing financially. This has been an issue for Digg also and there has been a lot of pressure on the company to start making money. This was evident from all of the focus on generating revenue especially over the summer, but this isn’t as much of a concern now and Digg is actually doing quite well revenue-wise with profitability now not so far ahead.

    Digg has tried a number of products and it looks like Digg Ads turned out to be the most popular. These type of ads combine advertising with content, making them much more engaging for the reader, so much so that Digg has been seeing very high click-rates, as much as 100 times more than the one… (read more)

  • LA Times Stokes Unintended Acceleration Fears

    Unfortunately for Toyota, rumors of rampant incidents of unintended acceleration have been irresponsibly perpetuated by news organizations more concerned about ratings than facts. The L.A. Times has been particularly aggressive in their efforts to slander Toyota and stoke public fears. Two “news stories” have printed un-substantiated opinions as fact and used incendiary imagery to stoke fear in the hearts of Toyota owners.

    While the L.A. Times isn’t alone in this practice, they’ve been leading the charge. Here’s what Toyota owners need to know.

    NOTE: It should be stated clearly for all to hear that our blog isn’t living up to any high journalism standards. We were completely and totally wrong about the 2009 Tundra diesel and the Tundra hybrid…embarrassingly so. When we accuse other journalists of being “sloppy,” it shouldn’t carry a lot of weight. Still, the truth must be told.

    When Toyota announced their voluntary recall in September, two reporters (we’ll call them V and B) began gathering data to see if they could embarrass Toyota somehow. Two weeks later, they published this story with the headline “Toyota’s runaway-car worries may not stop at floor mats.” The article hints that Toyota’s electronic control systems might be faulty, a very scary prospect that probably got their article a lot of page views…yet 6 NHTSA investigations have determined unequivocally that there’s no problem with Toyota’s throttle control systems.

    Yes, that’s 6 separate investigations that determined Toyota’s throttle control system is completely safe. Yet the L.A. Times asks “Might a vehicle’s complex electronic features make it hard for drivers to react quickly when accelerating out of control?

    Obviously V and B have not driven one of the vehicles in question, because there’s nothing complicated about the gearshift, start button, or the function of the pedals. The only complexity is in the system behind these things…which is where the slander comes in. “Complex electronic features” insinuates there’s some sort of bug in Toyota’s throttle control system. Not true.

    Additionally, many of the accusations leveled at Toyota in this article advocate that a person in a panic situation might not be able to control their vehicle. No kidding?! Panicked people aren’t rational. There’s no way to “panic proof” an automobile, and it’s not a reasonable standard when it comes to assessing safety.

    V and B didn’t stop with the “runaway” accusations. Two and a half weeks later they published this story, which claims that Toyota and NHTSA are irresponsibly ignoring “1,000’s” of cases of runaway Toyotas. While the reporters make some interesting points, it’s hard to give V & B a lot of credit for being objective when they lead with this image:

    The lead image for the L.A. Times second "runaway Toyota" smear story (click the image to see the original).

    The lead image for the L.A. Times second "runaway Toyota" smear story (click the image to see the original).

    Talk about a smear job! That picture and the headline “Runaway Toyota cases ignored” make it look like a Toyota will plunge off a nearby cliff at a moment’s notice. Ridiculous.

    It’s true that NHTSA and Toyota systematically exclude complaints without investigation, and the process may need a review. However, accusing NHTSA and Toyota of negligence in their response is irresponsible and incendiary. Here’s why:

    • NHTSA (and Toyota) HAVE to figure out a way to disqualify some complaints as a matter of practicality. With tens of thousands of claims filed with NHTSA every year for every make and model on the road, NHTSA can’t investigate each and every complaint.
    • Not all complaints are equal. Some people file a complaint with NHTSA because they really have a problem to report, and others complain because they’re angry with the manufacturer, because they’re trying to secure some sort of financial benefit, or because they’re trying to avoid prosecution. After all, it’s much easier to say “my car accelerated on it’s own” that it is to say “I was negligent.”

    Specifically, let’s look at what types of claims were thrown out:

    • Cases of unintended acceleration sustained for more than 1 second. Why? Because, according to NHTSA and their decades of investigation experience, most of these cases are the result of driver panic.
    • Cases of vehicles that couldn’t stop. Why? Because, according to a NHTSA study from 2004, most vehicle brake systems can stop an out-of-control vehicle with ease. If there’s a point to be made in the L.A. Times article, it’s here. The results of the study are (obviously) not correct.
    • Cases where the complaint isn’t specific as to the “cause” of the problem, meaning the owner didn’t register a specific enough complaint. When owners aren’t specific about their problem, their complaints are ignored.

    So what complaints does NHTSA listen to? Complaints from safety experts, police investigators, auto repair professionals, and specific complaints that match an existing pattern. Since the year 2000, NHTSA has investigated Toyotas for unintended acceleration 9 times…seems like NHTSA is doing their job.

    V and B do make some valid points. NHTSA’s processes could probably stand some improvement and Toyota needs to upgrade their vehicle computer systems. However, there’s no disputing that these articles are designed to scare people, and for that we say BOO.

    Read user reviews of Tundra Accessories.

  • Sharp prepares Android phone for next year as first Japanese cell phone maker

    Android is still in its infancy in Japan where most domestic makers still stick with their proprietary operating systems, with basically no one outside the geek community knowing what it is. But things are changing slowly. Last week, SoftBank (the country’s third biggest cell phone carrier) announced an Android-powered phone for next year when the company announced their new models for the next months.

    And yesterday, Sharp announced at an event in Tokyo it will roll out a yet to be specified number of Android-based handsets as early as the first half of next year. Sharp commands the biggest market share of all eight cell phone makers in Japan so this is very good news for the Google OS in what is the most advanced mobile society in the world.


  • Music Videos Available Soon on Hulu

    There are several big trends in the web space at the moment and one great emphasis has lately been on media content, be it video or music. Online video is hitting the mainstream in a big way and new music services are popping up faster than the unsuccessful ones are closing down. So, it’s only natural to combine the two and music video is quickly becoming a hotly disputed market. Now, with the announcement that Hulu is also starting to experiment with music videos, concerts, and other related material, it’s clear that the battle is heating up in this space as well.

    Since launching a couple of years ago, Hulu has seen a surge in popularity in the US, where it is available, becoming one of the most popular video services, helped by the exclusive long-form content it carries. Even though YouTube also has a lot of TV shows and similar content available, Hulu, with its specialized focus, is the preferred source for this kind of material. But this specialization has a downside and the site is now reluctant to add other types of content, like music videos, with the fear that it may alienate its core audience.

    Still, it doesn’t want to be left out completely so it’s partnering with EMI, the smallest of the four big record labels, and launching a limited test to see how the music content is received. The material will be li… (read more)

  • Sony Ericsson confirms no official Windows Mobile 6.5 update for the Xperia X1

    xperiax1nowm6.5 Smashing earlier rumours that suggested an official Windows Mobile 6.5 update for the Xperia X1 will be coming, Sony Ericsson has confirmed the contrary to CNet Asia.

    Some owners may be rightfully upset by this, as the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 has been one of the more expensive handsets of recent times, and while ROM’s are available on XDA-Developers they are not blessed with official updated drivers, meaning they would have issues not present in an official release.

    The device joins other premium devices such as the HTC Touch HD in not getting updates to the latest version of Microsoft’s mobile OS.

    Read more at Crave Asia here.

    Thanks Ahman for the tip.