PM to open website for Quran

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate a specialized website for the holy Quran at Osmani Memorial auditorium in the city on Friday morning. The website has been developed by Religion Ministry involving Tk 60 lakh. The website includes Bangla, English and Arabic versions of the holy script along with pronunciation and translation. It also contains audio and visual contents. Religion Secretary Abdul Awal made the disclosure while talking to journalists on Wednesday. He said the digitalization of the holy book started in December in 2010 following the Prime Minister’s directive. The address of the website is: http://www.quran.gov.bd

Railway introduces e-ticketing

Bangladesh Railway on Tuesday introduced the electronic ticketing service to ease the sufferings of passengers. Communications and rail minister Obidul Quader formally inaugurated the service at the conference room of railway ministry on Tuesday noon. From now on, rail passengers will be able to purchase electronic railway tickets from internet using credit, debit and visa cards. While inaugurating the service, the minister said, “This initiative will help us to fulfill our dream of building digital Bangladesh.” “We have introduced the service in order to ease the sufferings of people”, he added. Initially Bangladesh Railway (BR) would keep 10 percent of its tickets reserved for e-ticketing, said the minister. The service will also help curb the malpractice of touting train tickets," said Railway director general Abu Taher. In order to buy e-tickets visit: www.esheba.cngbd.com

013 kromabukera years

According to global market analyst firm NDP Group 1 in 013 per cent of the global sales of the Google chrome book in notebooks . For just one year chrome book The Rise In Windows laptop is sanketai thunderbolt .Technology sambadabisayaka site said the Senate report , 01 were in the possession of the laptop world is scarcely any chrome book . After just one year of the chrome book now occupy one-fifth of the market .Chrome book evidence of the popularity of the Christmas holidays . In excess of the occasion is Christmas shopping in the western world. In this Christmas , according to data provided analaita ayamajanera largest retailer in the world to sell laptop computers , most of the occasion was the Google chrome book .
 In keeping with the popularity of chrome book to market insists on building Chrome OS laptop the laptop builders sisthaniya . Samsung , Asus and Acer laptop builders like each one has its own chrome book . HP is the largest PC insists nirmarta construction of new chrome book .013 had a monopoly in the market for technology products, Chrome and Android OS powered devices. According to enapidira , 01 million Android and Chrome devices sold worldwide in 4 halechila . In contrast, 013 were sold in the month of November to January, 17.6 million Android and Chrome devices .Due to the decrease of selling Windows laptop manufacturers looking for an alternative to Windows operating system for a long time . Google chrome book that this is the ' overnight ' thunder signal the emergence of the Windows laptops , it goes without saying .

Rayuktibisbe the Top

Rayuktibisbe the Top•Come in 013 different new technologies , new services. On the other, the various activities taking place in history, which occurred bacharatite upcoming bacharatite pretty big impact .
One of the important events that took place in 013 prayuktibisbe Ten CNN news report highlighted . We do not know what 's the most important happenings of prayuktibisbera .
 1 . Enaesae SpyingU.S. National Security Agency ( enaesae ) at the year's most exciting news was the dagger . Enaesae - with the former contractor Edward snodenera world can know that they have been spying . It has technology affected . Many organizations protest changed to protect their security as well as customers . The effect of 014 prayuktibisbe unresolved issue in the CNN report said .


 The. HackingThis year has been the victim of large -scale hacking institutes . Among these companies, the New York Times , tech giant Apple , as the company was on the microblogging site Twitter . The Syrian Electronic Army and the Chinese army was behind the hacking and computer hacking group has revealed the hand of the media outlets report confusion .


 3 . AppleTech giant Apple has come up with quite a few services to customers in the year, and industry updates . This year they have introduced a new iPhone operating system, iOS 7 with the new version of the Mac OS X operating system . In addition to the two fastest iPad and iPhone 5 S and 5 C. The company brings to market two smartphones .


 4 . Micro Video SharingMany micro- video -sharing social media has started this year . The first name on the microblogging site Twitter Vine customers through a larger share of the second video , allowing for a maximum of six . The highest 15 -second video on Facebook share owned insatagrama the service for its customers in turn .


 5 . Nokia and MicrosoftNokia sold this year was going to become one of the most discussed news . Software giant Microsoft bought Nokia's mobile phone division and its Shortly after the construction company CEO Steve balamarake long said goodbye .


 6 . Geimim consoleAfter a long time in the company of two of the three institutions geimim console manufacturers have brought to market this year, the console geimim them . Both the console and the other is a Sony PS 4 eksabaksa One Microsoft . However, towards the end of the year due to the market not say clearly now a console ahead of the competition . It would make sense to wait until 014 .


 7 . SnyapacyataSMS text and social giants like Facebook madhyamaguloke behind snyapacyata quickly going forward . CNN - Prediction snyapacyatera customer 's specification .


 8 . Wearable TechnologySeveral advanced wearable technologies come to market this year . Being the victim of these criticisms , praises kuracche yet again . There are quite a few wearable technology Google Glass , Adidas fitness tracker , etc. Various প্রযুক্তিপ্রতিষ্ঠান smartaoyaca created .


 9 . Technology IPOLast year, the microblogging site Twitter after the social giant Facebook released their shares in November this year . Several questions , however, about the same profit organization has raised the matter with the United Nations said on CNN .


 10 . BitakayenaSince 009 bitakayena prevalent as online virtual currency . But suddenly, this year, it has precedence . Bitakayenera validation and acceptance of the world as well as becoming Likewise, increasing the use of . Bitakayenera monetary value has risen a little higher this year .

Movement in the laboratory ' worm '

Movement in the laboratory ' worm '•Large projects have achieved the creation of artificial life . Under the scheme was simulated in the computer simulation to create kitati nature of the torsion can walk .According to a BBC news report , open the computer code , the worm project aims to create living creatures similar to the raundaoyarmera nematodes .This week the project that began in 013 , the researchers added a new code , which can move virtual kitati way . Their next goal kitatira body attachment with the brain - the animal can understand how and why it is movement .Project director John haralimyana says , this is classified as natural kitagulo swim has several similarities with the Artificial and virtual kitatira movement . The next step in the project is moving forward masale kitatike a process that helps plug-in .Worms are open to researchers of the project that will soon come up with a virtual version online kitatira can communicate with people through a web browser .

Airtel Bangladesh signs corporate agreement with Thakral Group

Airtel Bangladesh Ltd signed a corporate agreement with Singapore-based IT organization Thakral Group to provide all sorts of voice and non-voice services to meet their day-to-day communication needs. Under the agreement, Thakral Group will enjoy customized call tariffs and value-added services of Airtel, which would keep the users of the Group “one step ahead of others” in receiving telecommunications services. On behalf of airtel, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Abhay Seth, Head of Marketing Nauman Fakhar, Head of Corporate & SME Sales Adil Hossain Noble, Head of LSME Raihan Faiz Osmani and Thakral Group’s CEO Shahzaman Mozumder, Chief Operating Officer Basab Bagchi and Moinul Haque Chowdhury attended the signing ceremony on January 13 at airtel’s Gulshan office at the Pink City. Welcoming Thakral Group, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Airtel Bangladesh Chris Tobit said, “Airtel is honored to be the corporate partner of the renowned IT Company. This is only the first step towards building a long-lasting relationship between these two organizations. We hope users in Thakral would enjoy our best-in-class services at a very competitive price.” CEO of Thakral Group Bangladesh Shahzaman Mozumder said, “We are truly excited to have the partnership with leading global telecommunications service provider, Airtel. Its cutting-edge technology, innovative services and affordable tariffs inspired us to sign the deal.”

Teletalk commences online Telecharge at shurjoMukhi payPoint

Teletalk, the state-owned mobile-phone operator, has launched online Telecharge at payPoint, an Internet Payment Portal, owned and operated by the IT outfit shurjoMukhi for the first time in the country’s telecommunications history. A news release said the service is expected to bring a lot of ease and flexibility to Teltalk subscribers and increased revenue for the incumbent as the payPoint, www.paypoint.com.bd, offers Teletalk subscribers the facility to top-up their mobile phones– called Telecharge in Teletalk parlance--from anywhere in the world using any credit or debit card--be it Visa, Mastercard or DBBL Nexus Card. Chief Executive Officer of shurjoMukhi, the IT outfit of that runs payPoint Fida Haq, said, “We believe Teletalk is going to enjoy increased revenue by virtue of the 24/7 availability of the service.” He added: “The fact that it attracts a demographic which is tech savvy and connected adds to the image of the incumbent as a provider of cutting edge services to its clientele payPoint uses DBBL and BRAC Bank e-Payment Gateways at the back-end so security of the transactions are fully ensured.” Using the service, a Teletalk subscriber can Telecharge airtime of up to BDT 1,000 at a time to a Teletalk mobile number and can have five such transactions per hour. The service is available 24/7/365 from anywhere in the world. Both Teletalk and shurjoMukhi firmly believe the Telecharge facility on payPoint will take digitalisation of services in the Telecom sector of the country to a new height of excellence freeing the customers the hassle of going up to a shop, the press release added.

Click into knowledge world Grameenphone Internet Utshab on

Grameenphone Internet Utshab, a campaign with an objective to spread the power of internet among the students, got off to a festive start across the country. The announcement came up at a press conference organized by Grameenphone (GP) Limited at a local hotel in the city Saturday. Under the campaign, around 100 events will take place across the country wherein students from 1,000 schools and colleges are expected to participate, the organizer informed journalists. Participants are requested to read daily newspapers to know the details about internet festival. The ministry of science and information communication technology is supporting the event as the strategic endorser while Opera Mini as the browser partner. Students participating in the program will be shown how they can explore the world through internet from their fingertips using mobile internet. A knowledge-based quiz competition will be held in each event where the participants will be allowed to browse the internet to find out the answer. The winner will be declared as the `I-Genius’ of the event and will participate later in national level. `I-Genius’ will be introduced as the `Internet Ambassador’ of his/her own locality to spread the internet in the community. There will be a number of audiovisual presentations on the benefits of the internet so that the students can learn the way internet can enlighten their lives. The organizer arranged an interactive game session for the audience where they can win attractive prizes by active participation. Hands-on internet experience will be provided to interested students, teachers and parents through both mobile phone and computer. Speaking on the occasion, additional secretary and Executive Director of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) Md. Mahfuzur Rahman said, “This program will encourage our youth to apply the power of technology in their daily life. This initiative will support our focus on spread of the light of internet towards building the Digital Bangladesh.” Chief Communication Officer of GrameenPhone Kazi Monirul Kabir said, `This internet festival is a unique initiative to bring the dream of Digital Bangladesh a step forward. Since students are the future of the country, this program will help them understand the power of internet and thus will enable them to utilize this power in building the nation.”

Citycell’s pocket router on market

Citycell, one of the country`s leading mobile operators, has launched a pocket router device named ‘My-Fi’ and thereby attained huge response from the subscribers. Using the device anyone can set up a wireless network at any place as the device is portable. The subscriber of Windows, Macintosh and Linux operating systems support the router can connect up to five devices including I-Phones, Tablets and Laptops simultaneously. The routers support a range of up 30 meters indoors and 50 meters outdoors. Users can use it as Modem as it includes USB ports. Zoom Ultra Data plan users will be able to download data up to one mbps rate. Citycell chief executive officer Mehbub Chowdhury said, “The recently launched router attained huge response. Users are experiencing high speed mobile broadband service at Wi-Fi zones. Our endeavor to fulfill the vibrant demand of the Citycell subscribers will continue like previous time.”

Galaxy S3 hits BD

The Samsung Galaxy S3, an Android Smartphone, has hit the market of Bangladesh. Managing Director of Samsung Electronics in Bangladesh Office CS Moon launched the ultra modern mobile-phone at a city hotel Thursday. Addressing the launching ceremony, he said, “The Galaxy S3 Smartphone will add the new dimension in the experience of the consumers.” The device is the successor to the Samsung Galaxy S2. Earlier, CS Moon gave an exclusive interview with banglanews, country’s first leading online news portal, over the launching programme. Regarding launching programme, he said, “We are feeling thrill before Galaxy S3 launching in Bangladesh market on June 14.” The marketing will be started on June 15 in the country. He said, “In the meantime, we have got some 500 preorder of Galaxy S3.” After launching Galaxy S3, Bangladeshi customers will be acquainted with the latest Smartphone technology of the world, Moon told banglanews ICT Editor. Moon said each and every Smartphone of Galaxi Series has gained popularity all over the world. “But, Galaxy S3 has gone beyond of all Smartphone,” he claimed. Galaxy S3 contains some special features, including smart design, human mind, voice recognition, direct call that separated all Smartphone in the world market. The market price of Galaxy S3 has been fixed now at Tk 67, 500. About the high price, he told banglanews, the price would be brought under purchase capacity of Asian customers with the passage of time. He, however, mentioned that technical research is going on to come down the price of Galaxy S3. It is undoubtedly a ‘High Product’ and you are living with the most modern technology and its each feature would help you as a friend in all aspects. About the after sale service of Galaxy S3, CS Moon said, “The Samsung dealers are directed to ensure highest service for Galaxy S3 and the service will begin within two or three days in the country.” Replying to another question on the present scenario of Samsung and future Samsung technology in Bangladesh, CS Moon said, “Samsung, the future companion, is the name of innovation and it has much curiosity and research on new things.” About the making of Galaxy S3, he said, “It is a product of Korea-based production technology and has less presence of Chinese materials and the joint initiative with China was the consideration of Samsung high ups for less price.” In a query over ‘Digital Bangladesh’ he also said, “Bangladesh is moving toward digital industry and it would not have to wait much for it.” The right decision of the government in right time is also important in this regard and it has to lag behind if it does not cop with the new technologies, he added. In response to a query on the smartness of Bangladesh, Moon said, “The customers of the country do have much curiosity about Galaxy S3 and Samsung also has come here to be as top brand.” The price of the product is not the main target and the customers would accept the product if we could create a brand value here and at this time Samsung is doing that, he told banglanews. Within few hours Samsung Galaxy S3 will start its journey and Bangladesh will also be added to world information pace which would be an excellent junction, Moon again said. The device was released in 28 countries, including in Europe, on May 29, and in India and Malaysia on May 31, 2012. Based on a survey in UK, as of June 2012 the Samsung Galaxy S III is the most popular handset in UK. The Galaxy S3 I9300 pre-order has been already reported by the Korea Economic Daily to cross over 9 million. For pre-booking for Galaxy S3, the interested customers have to visit Samsung Mobile fan page on facebook and they also can visit two brand shops--Bashundhara City, level-5 at Dhaka and another is Akhtaruzzaman center of Agrabad in port city Chittagong. Features of Galaxy S3 4.8-inch HD super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 and 309ppi pixel density, 8.6 mm thickness, 133g weight, 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos processor with 1GB RAM, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, Samsung Touchwiz UI 4.0, 16/32/64 GB storage options, expandable memory up to 64 GB (giving a maximum of 128GB memory), 2,100 mAh removable larger battery, 8 megapixel camera to capture 1080p video, voice recognition feature known as S-Voice, eye tracking feature, smart stay sensor to keep track on your eyes, direct call to automatically call a person, smart alert for missed calls and messages.

Teletalk 3G Modem Dongle hits market

Teletalk, a state-run mobile-phone operator, launched the 3G Internet Service Modem, ‘Dongle’ in the first day of the New Year 2013. Managing Director (MD) of the Teletalk Mujibur Rahman inaugurated the 3G Internet Modem at a city hotel on Tuesday noon. The interested one can buy the modem from the Teletalk Sale Centres. The price of the modem has been fixed within Tk 25,000, sources said. Managing Director (MD) of Teletalk Mujibur Rahman told banglanews that the subscribers would get the speed of 2G when they will go out of the 3G network.

8 Samsung smartphones price drop

As a global technology leader, Samsung not only offers the best technology, but also offers them at the best price. Keeping the end users purchasing ability in mind in this New Year, Samsung Mobile is offering a range of phones at a more affordable price; good news for the trendy and sociable customers, who are willing to have a phone from the world’s no 1, be a part of the Samsung family and stand out in the crowd. Each device of Samsung family has been created to meet unique needs and allow users to share the fun and excitement in their lives with friends and family. Samsung E2252, Champ Neo, Champ Deluxe, Galaxy Y, Galaxy Y Color Plus, Galaxy Y Duos, Galaxy S Duos and Galaxy SII (16 GB) are all available in the market with more affordable and unbelievable price tags. The stylish and slim Smart Dual SIM phone at the low end, E2252 can now be bought at BDT 4,500 (previously priced at BDT 4,890). Samsung Champ Neo is now available at BDT 5,500 (previously priced at 5,900) and Champ Deluxe can be purchased at BDT 6,900 (previously priced at BDT 7,190). Both the phones of Champ series have amazing full touch screens, Smart Dual SIM and social networking features. Dream comes true for look-alike smartphones users, who could not afford a REAL smartphone yet because of affordability. It’s high time for them to buy Samsung Galaxy Y with a stylish design only at BDT 10,900 (previously priced at 11,900). Samsung Galaxy Y Color Plus with a wide range of stunning color covers can be purchased only at BDT 12,300 (previously priced at BDT 12,700). The best combination in entry smartphone and Smart Dual SIM for smart people, Galaxy Y Duos is now available at BDT 13,900 (previously priced at BDT 14,500). At the mid-range, Galaxy S Duos has been priced at BDT 25,500 (previously priced at BDT 27,900). Good for young professionals wanting to separate their business and personal life. At the high-end, the all-time popular fast, slim and vivid Galaxy SII is being available at BDT 43,000 (previously priced at 47,500). So for those of you who have been waiting to purchase exciting Samsung devices, this is the time. Hurry to your nearest Samsung Smartphone Café and other authorized retail outlets, where a range of Samsung mobiles are lined up for you with hot new prices.

Facebook ends on March 15th !

Facebook will be shut down in March, as managing the site has become “too stressful”, announced Mark Zuckerberg, the pioneer of the popular social network that brought millions across the world on board along the information superhighway. “Facebook has gotten out of control,” said Zuckerberg in a press conference outside his Palo Alto office in California, “and the stress of managing this company has ruined my life. I need to put an end to all the madness.” Zuckerberg went on to explain that starting March 15th, users will no longer be able to access their Facebook accounts. “After March 15th the whole website shuts down,” said Avrat Humarthi, Vice President of Technical Affairs at Facebook. “So if you ever want to see your pictures again, I recommend you take them off the internet. You won’t be able to get them back once Facebook goes out of business.” Zuckerberg said that the decision to shut down Facebook was difficult, but that he does not think people will be upset. “I personally don’t think it’s a big deal,” he said in a private phone interview. “And to be honest, I think it’s for the better. Without Facebook, people will have to go outside and make real friends. That’s always a good thing.” Some Facebook users were furious upon hearing the shocking news. “What am I going to do without Facebook?” said Denise Bradshaw, a high school student from Indiana. “My life revolves around it. I’m on Facebook at least 10 hours a day. Now what am I going to do with all that free time?” However, parents across the country have been experiencing a long anticipated sense of relief. “I’m glad the Facebook nightmare is over,” said Jon Guttari, a single parent from Detroit. “Now my teenager’s face won’t be glued to a computer screen all day. Maybe I can even have a conversation with her.” Those in the financial circuit are criticizing Zuckerberg for walking away from a multibillion dollar franchise. Facebook is currently ranked as one of the wealthiest businesses in the world, with economists estimating its value at around 7.9 billion. But Zuckerberg remains unruffled by these accusations. He says he will stand by his decision to give Facebook the axe. “I don’t care about the money,” said Zuckerberg. “I just want my old life back.” The Facebook Corporation suggests that users remove all of their personal information from the website before March 15th. After that date, all photos, notes, links, and videos will be permanently erased.

Facebook ends on March 15th !

Facebook will be shut down in March, as managing the site has become “too stressful”, announced Mark Zuckerberg, the pioneer of the popular social network that brought millions across the world on board along the information superhighway. “Facebook has gotten out of control,” said Zuckerberg in a press conference outside his Palo Alto office in California, “and the stress of managing this company has ruined my life. I need to put an end to all the madness.” Zuckerberg went on to explain that starting March 15th, users will no longer be able to access their Facebook accounts. “After March 15th the whole website shuts down,” said Avrat Humarthi, Vice President of Technical Affairs at Facebook. “So if you ever want to see your pictures again, I recommend you take them off the internet. You won’t be able to get them back once Facebook goes out of business.” Zuckerberg said that the decision to shut down Facebook was difficult, but that he does not think people will be upset. “I personally don’t think it’s a big deal,” he said in a private phone interview. “And to be honest, I think it’s for the better. Without Facebook, people will have to go outside and make real friends. That’s always a good thing.” Some Facebook users were furious upon hearing the shocking news. “What am I going to do without Facebook?” said Denise Bradshaw, a high school student from Indiana. “My life revolves around it. I’m on Facebook at least 10 hours a day. Now what am I going to do with all that free time?” However, parents across the country have been experiencing a long anticipated sense of relief. “I’m glad the Facebook nightmare is over,” said Jon Guttari, a single parent from Detroit. “Now my teenager’s face won’t be glued to a computer screen all day. Maybe I can even have a conversation with her.” Those in the financial circuit are criticizing Zuckerberg for walking away from a multibillion dollar franchise. Facebook is currently ranked as one of the wealthiest businesses in the world, with economists estimating its value at around 7.9 billion. But Zuckerberg remains unruffled by these accusations. He says he will stand by his decision to give Facebook the axe. “I don’t care about the money,” said Zuckerberg. “I just want my old life back.” The Facebook Corporation suggests that users remove all of their personal information from the website before March 15th. After that date, all photos, notes, links, and videos will be permanently erased.

Bikroy.com launched in BD

Swedish based internet company Bikroy.com has announced that they shall formally launch the first Bangla online classifieds in Bangladesh on October 18, 2012. Mr. Nils Hammar, CEO of Bikroy.com, Ms. Eshita Sharmin, Country Manager Marketing of Bikroy.com were present at the press conference along with Mr. Munir Hasan, ICT Consultant, Ministry of Information and Technology as the Special Guest. Officials have said that Bikroy.com comes into the market with the aim of providing a credible platform for online buyers and sellers to interact. The website provides a simple, safe and fast buying and selling experience for the approximately 7 million internet users in the country. Also, using Bikroy.com is completely free. Owing to the growing use of mobile internet in Bangladesh, the Bikroy.com team have also launched a mobile site. For many people in this country, mobile phones are the first point of contact with the digital world. For sellers, the site provides benefits such as free ad placements, potentially faster sales than anywhere else and the better possible offers for their products. The ads are valid on the site for a period of 90 days. Also the site is available throughout Bangladesh, so buyers can purchase items from someone in their own towns and cities. The advent of Bikroy.com promises to open a whole new market in the digital world of Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, the lack of a reliable platform discourages trading of second hand products over the internet. But Bikroy.com provides a smart and friendly platform for the trading of second hand items ranging from cars to mobile phones, houses to vehicles. At Bikroy.com, all advertisements go through a strict approval process, making sure that all proper terms and conditions are followed, and products and services traded are legitimate and genuine. Expert, top of the line programmers in Sweden, develops Bikroy.com. They have also launched similar Internet products in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. However the page is managed and maintained by local representatives from Bangladesh to ensure that the end consumer has a 100per cent localised experience. Nils Hammar, CEO, Bikroy.com said, “This is a product that anyone with access to the internet can use easily.” He said that all one needs is a valid email address, and in three easy steps anyone can quickly and easily upload a classified ad on to the website. “Bikroy.com is available in both Bangla and English versions making it the only classifieds site in Bangladesh catering to Bangla and English preferences of audiences,” said Hammar. Incidentally Nils Hammar happens to be one of the first 20 team members at Skype. Hammar developed Bikroy.com with the aim and vision to bring value to the burgeoning internet market in Bangladesh.

pipilika.com BD`s first search engine sets out

Pipilika, country’s first search engine which is capable of searching in both Bengali and English, was developed recently as a gift to the nation before Pahela Baishakh. The search engine www.pipilika.com will be launched formally on April 13. A team of 11 young and energetic students of Computer Science and Engineering Department of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have developed Pipilika. They are Mishu, Talha, Talha Ibne Imam, Towhid Sazzad, Asif, Baker, Apu, Farhad Ashish and Maksud. Professor Dr Muhammad Jafar Iqbal was the project director and Ruhul Amin Sajib was main researcher and team leader while IT Department of Grameenphone assisted the project. Ruhul Amin Sajib said, “We have uploaded the beta version and we are always developing the features and functions. Anyone can send us advice.” The developers told banglanews that people may face problem as it is beta version and but readers can find their searched topics easily.

Gazipur being made largest model City Corporation

Gazipur is going to be the largest and model city corporation in the country soon, with all the major ICT hubs being built here, said planners.

A final gazette will be published soon, after demarcating the area and amending the gazette on the city area. But a mass hearing will be held before that.

Deputy Commissioner of the district M Kamal Uddin Talukder made the disclosure while talking to banglanews in an exclusive interview Saturday.

He also informed that the preliminary works have been completed for building the city corporation with over 50 mouzas of Gazipur municipality, Tongi municipality and Kashipur, Kaultia, Bashon and Konabari unions.   

The DC said, “Huge development works have been done in the district with assistance of local lawmakers after he joined here. There are different important organizations, including national and international, here. That’s why many people of the country are now moving into the district.”

Regarding health service he said, “Construction work is underway to upgrade the 50-seat Gazipur Sadar Hospital to a 100-seat one for increasing the health services. The hospital will be opened within next couple of months.”

About the role of the district in building up a digital Bangladesh he said, “The district is going to be information technology capital of Bangladesh. Because, a high-tech park is being built based on information technology at Kaliakoir.”

He told bangalnews that an information university would be set up beside the high-tech park and some 50 acres of land have been fixed for this purpose. 

The deputy commissioner also disclosed that various developments works are underway in the district, including setting up computer lab in primary schools, computer distribution, internet connection to government and semi-government organizations.

Kamal Uddin said, “Our first target is to digitize the district. We are working for that and a digital festival will be arranged on December 31.”

Micromax gravity sensor set X600 hits Bangladesh Market

A gravity sensor mobile phone set X600 Gravity hit Bangladesh markets on Monday. Micromax Informatics Limited (“Micromax”), the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company and the third largest mobile handset seller as at March 31, 2010 announced the launch of their product here. The dual SIM X600 allows users to change the SIM by rotating the phone upside down, a press release said. The phone packs a 2MP camera and comes with a music player, stereo FM radio, and video recording features. The connectivity options include Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS, and USB. The X600 has a 3.2’’ 262K QVGA screen (240*400) with preloaded social networking applications like the integrated Opera Mini, Nimbuzz etc. This phone also gives you the feature of setting up your email account. With the micro SD slot, the memory of the phone can be expanded to 4GB. The X600 is powered by an 1100 mAh battery giving a talk time of up to 5 hours and stand by time of 8 days. X600 is available at a price of BDT 5599 only. The model is available across Bangladesh. For more information, please visit www.micromaxinfo.com

Micromax gravity sensor set X600 hits Bangladesh Market

A gravity sensor mobile phone set X600 Gravity hit Bangladesh markets on Monday. Micromax Informatics Limited (“Micromax”), the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company and the third largest mobile handset seller as at March 31, 2010 announced the launch of their product here. The dual SIM X600 allows users to change the SIM by rotating the phone upside down, a press release said. The phone packs a 2MP camera and comes with a music player, stereo FM radio, and video recording features. The connectivity options include Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS, and USB. The X600 has a 3.2’’ 262K QVGA screen (240*400) with preloaded social networking applications like the integrated Opera Mini, Nimbuzz etc. This phone also gives you the feature of setting up your email account. With the micro SD slot, the memory of the phone can be expanded to 4GB. The X600 is powered by an 1100 mAh battery giving a talk time of up to 5 hours and stand by time of 8 days. X600 is available at a price of BDT 5599 only. The model is available across Bangladesh. For more information, please visit www.micromaxinfo.com

Micromax gravity sensor set X600 hits Bangladesh Market

A gravity sensor mobile phone set X600 Gravity hit Bangladesh markets on Monday. Micromax Informatics Limited (“Micromax”), the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company and the third largest mobile handset seller as at March 31, 2010 announced the launch of their product here. The dual SIM X600 allows users to change the SIM by rotating the phone upside down, a press release said. The phone packs a 2MP camera and comes with a music player, stereo FM radio, and video recording features. The connectivity options include Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS, and USB. The X600 has a 3.2’’ 262K QVGA screen (240*400) with preloaded social networking applications like the integrated Opera Mini, Nimbuzz etc. This phone also gives you the feature of setting up your email account. With the micro SD slot, the memory of the phone can be expanded to 4GB. The X600 is powered by an 1100 mAh battery giving a talk time of up to 5 hours and stand by time of 8 days. X600 is available at a price of BDT 5599 only. The model is available across Bangladesh. For more information, please visit www.micromaxinfo.com

Micromax gravity sensor set X600 hits Bangladesh Market

A gravity sensor mobile phone set X600 Gravity hit Bangladesh markets on Monday. Micromax Informatics Limited (“Micromax”), the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company and the third largest mobile handset seller as at March 31, 2010 announced the launch of their product here. The dual SIM X600 allows users to change the SIM by rotating the phone upside down, a press release said. The phone packs a 2MP camera and comes with a music player, stereo FM radio, and video recording features. The connectivity options include Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS, and USB. The X600 has a 3.2’’ 262K QVGA screen (240*400) with preloaded social networking applications like the integrated Opera Mini, Nimbuzz etc. This phone also gives you the feature of setting up your email account. With the micro SD slot, the memory of the phone can be expanded to 4GB. The X600 is powered by an 1100 mAh battery giving a talk time of up to 5 hours and stand by time of 8 days. X600 is available at a price of BDT 5599 only. The model is available across Bangladesh. For more information, please visit www.micromaxinfo.com

Micromax gravity sensor set X600 hits Bangladesh Market

A gravity sensor mobile phone set X600 Gravity hit Bangladesh markets on Monday. Micromax Informatics Limited (“Micromax”), the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company and the third largest mobile handset seller as at March 31, 2010 announced the launch of their product here. The dual SIM X600 allows users to change the SIM by rotating the phone upside down, a press release said. The phone packs a 2MP camera and comes with a music player, stereo FM radio, and video recording features. The connectivity options include Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS, and USB. The X600 has a 3.2’’ 262K QVGA screen (240*400) with preloaded social networking applications like the integrated Opera Mini, Nimbuzz etc. This phone also gives you the feature of setting up your email account. With the micro SD slot, the memory of the phone can be expanded to 4GB. The X600 is powered by an 1100 mAh battery giving a talk time of up to 5 hours and stand by time of 8 days. X600 is available at a price of BDT 5599 only. The model is available across Bangladesh. For more information, please visit www.micromaxinfo.com

Coming homespun laptop Buy one at only Tk 12,000

In an important breakthrough at home in the present world’s fastest-growing sector Bangladeshi, Bangladesh’s telephone industry began manufacturing and assembling laptop and notebook computers. 

One can buy a laptop for only Tk 12,000, the cheapest ever in the country, when the high-demand ICT product is marketed commercially.  

Telephone Shilpa Sangstha (TSS), the lone state-owned industrial unit for phone manufacturing, Friday started the manufacturing and assembling operations on test in collaboration with a Bangladeshi IT company and a Malaysian machine-manufacturing firm.

After visiting the laptop-manufacturing factory in Tongi, Gazipur, Post and Telecommunications Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju came up with the good news before journalists.

The minister said the low-cost laptop worth Tk 12,000 would be available on the market within this month.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the proponent of ‘Digital Bangladesh’, would inaugurate the doyel (magpie)-brand Bangladeshi-made laptop.

TSS Ltd, the state-run telephone-equipment manufacturer, with 2M Corporation Ltd, Dhaka, and TFT Technology, Penang, Malaysia, are assembling and producing the laptop and notebook, sources said.

“Some 10,000 laptops will be produced a month and this quantity will be increased after expansion of the factory,” the minister informed the pressmen.

He disclosed that they have a plan to export laptop after satisfying domestic demand.

“Laptop will be provided to each and every student of every school and college alongside general people,” the minister said, explaining the plan for expansion of the sector of knowledge economy.

“We will be able to build up digital Bangladesh long before 2021,” Raju hoped.

TSS managing director Mohammad Ismail, GM Abdus Samad and high officials of the project were present during his visit.

Fahim at DevsTeam’s celebration PayPal service in BD soon

PayPal, a largest organization of money transaction through internet, is set to launch its service in Bangladesh in the beginning of next year to ease online payments as well as money transfers for freelancers and web entrepreneurs. Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) President AKM Fahim Mashroor came up with the disclosure at a programme held at a city hotel on Friday evening. The programme was organized to celebrate the triumphs of Bangladeshi organization DevsTeam who has secured their first place as a world-class search engine optimizer and content developer in a competition organized by outsourcing giant marketplace freelancer.com. Bangladesh Open Source Network (BDOSN) general secretary Munir Hasan, the Daily Kaler Kantho Sr Sub-editor Mohammad Khan, Bangladesh ICT Journalist Forum (BIJF) member Kawsar Uddin, Monthly Computer Jagat Sub-editor MA Haque Anu, ICT Editor of the Daily Jugantor Tariq Rahman, students of DevsTeam, mass media workers and well-wishers were present in the programme. Fahim Mashroor said, “Bangladesh has attained considerable success in outsourcing. Bangladesh has secured third place at popular online marketplace, Odesk where around 12 per cent of its jobs are done by the Bangladeshi freelancers.” Previously, Bangladeshi youths have achieved many glorious successes participating in various competitions worldwide, he added. Fahim also said, “PayPal will start their operations early 2013. The PayPal representatives have already visited Bangladesh. Bangladesh Bank has amended its rules and regulations in this regard. Therefore, there is no legal barrier to start online payment system PayPal in Bangladesh.” DevsTeam placed the first position in a competition titled ‘SEO and Content Writing Competition’ was organized to sort out the top content developers and search engine optimizers. US $15,000 will be given to DevsTeam as first prize. Top internet marketers and developers from various countries including Australia, India and USA participated in the competition. About DevsTeam: Five young entrepreneurs - Al-Amin Kabir, Yunus Hossain, Masudur Rashid, Taher Chowdhury Sumon and Nasir Uddin Shamim jointly started the organization two months ago to provide web application design and internet marketing services. The organization consists of two brands ‘Steam SEO Services’ and ‘Themeaver’ to provide search engine optimization service and designing word press theme respectively. It also plans to launch more services regarding to creative designing and content development. Moreover, it also arranges skill development training workshops regarding freelancing for the youths. To learn more log on to: http//:www.devsteam.com

China's rumour crackdown 'cleans' Internet

China has the world's most sophisticated online censorship system, known outside the country as the Great Firewall. It blocks many social media websites, such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and others, along with many sites hosted in Taiwan and those of rights groups and some foreign media agencies.

The crackdown on online rumours is really intended to quash anti-government discourse, activists say. High profile users of Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like microblog, have been targeted, apparently for political speech.

In a rare public appearance, Ren Xianliang, vice minister of the State Internet Information Office, emphasized China's commitment to scrubbing the web of content it deemed critical or offensive.

"The fight against rumours has received a positive response and has been quite effective," he said.

"The Internet has become clean. The frequency of slander has declined, but it has not impacted the orderly flow of information."

Although social media has become a platform for users to voice complaints and criticism about the government, authorities force domestic internet firms to delete user-posted content they consider too politically sensitive.

China will work to strengthen regulation of the internet by training local internet regulators and net companies, Ren added, and further "manage" search and microblogs as well as Tencent's popular WeChat app.

"We will meet the demands of the people to create a cyberspace with Chinese characteristics," Ren said.

He reiterated China's right to block websites with information on Tibetan independence or support for separatists in China's far western region of Xinjiang.

"Some websites propagating material on Tibet and Xinjiang aim to split our nation, or try to subvert the power of the state," Ren added. "This runs counter to China's laws and regulations."

Little imagination on gender diversity

Male-heavy boards dominate in the start-up mecca of Silicon Valley, which prides itself on progressive thinking and putting talent first. A Reuters survey of the 10 top venture-backed start-ups, as measured by venture funds raised, shows that six do not have any women on the board, including Pinterest. And none has more than one.
Reuters' research relied on publicly available data and discussions with start-up executives and board members.
The gender imbalance has been the norm for years despite some recent signs of change. Google, Facebook and Twitter all went public without a woman on the board. They are more diverse now.
Big, established companies, by contrast, frequently have two or more female directors, based on the 10 largest US tech companies by market value. All of the top 20 have at least one.
The dismal record of start-ups when it comes to gender diversity was highlighted last month when Twitter came under fire for its all-male board on the eve of its public offering. On Thursday, the company announced that it had added former Pearson chief Marjorie Scardino to its board.
Entrepreneurs and executives contacted by Reuters did not question the conclusion that there are few women directors at start-ups, but they frequently described it as unintended, and some such as Pinterest say their executive ranks are more balanced.
Start-ups tend to blame the lack of women on their boards on factors such as their youth, their small boards, their single-minded focus on growth to the exclusion of other priorities, and a scarcity of women steeped in technology. They also blame venture capitalists, who are usually male, usually hold the bulk of board seats - and don't want to see their voting power diluted by adding noninvestor board members.
Critics counter that entrepreneurs who pride themselves on creativity and innovation simply aren't trying hard enough when it comes to gender diversity.
At Pinterest, the focus is on work, said Chief Executive Ben Silberman, whose board consists of himself and two male venture capitalists. "It's pretty heads down," he said. If the company expands the board and a qualified woman emerges as a candidate, "we'd be open to it," he added.
"Diversity across all dimensions, including gender, is important to our success," a Pinterest spokesman said. The company's leadership is roughly 40 percent female, including its heads of engineering, finance, sales and recruiting, he added.
Public companies think about board diversity all the time - whether it's because they are constantly being scrutinized, or because they face public investor pressure.
"The companies that want to do it will do it. Those who don't will not," said Maria Klawe, president of Harvey Mudd College, a computer scientist and a board member at software giant Microsoft and chipmaker Broadcom. "This stuff doesn't happen by chance."
The issue is not simply one of social equity. A study by the Credit Suisse Research Institute, a bank-funded group, looked at 2,360 public companies and found that over six years, the share price of large-capitalization companies with at least one woman on the board outperformed companies with no women on their board by 26 percent.
For small and mid-capitalization stocks, the outperformance totalled 17 percent.
The study identified a handful of factors that could explain the better performance, including a healthier mix of leadership skills, better corporate governance, greater understanding of consumer decision-making, and access to a wider pool of talent.
Even though it's now conventional wisdom in Silicon Valley that a lack of women in leadership and technical roles is a big problem, progress has been very slow, especially at the top.
"Meritocracy is the word you hear all the time here. Everyone can get ahead," said Heidi Roizen, a venture capitalist at Draper Fisher Jurvetson and a former software-company founder and Apple executive. "I don't think it's as clean and pure as people think."
Women board members set an important tone, said Roizen and others, signalling to employees that talented women can succeed in the organization.
The Boys Club
That matters especially at a time when skilled technology workers are in high demand, but women are not pursuing tech careers in anywhere near the numbers as men. While women receive 43 percent of US bachelor's degrees in math and 40 percent in physical sciences, they receive only around 30 percent of doctorates in those areas, according to the National Science Foundation. They receive around one-fifth of bachelor's and doctorates in computer sciences.
Only 27 percent of entrepreneurs are women, says Ross Levine, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who is researching the gender gap in entrepreneurship. Only 20 percent of start-ups across industries have one or more female senior-level executives, according to a study of start-ups by Dow Jones VentureSource.
And about 89 percent of all venture capitalists are male, according to the National Venture Capital Association, directly affecting the lack of women on start-up boards.
"If my investors don't have more women working for them there's not much I can do to get more women on the board," said Dave Goldberg, the chief executive of SurveyMonkey, also one of the 10 start-ups surveyed by Reuters. Goldberg is married to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, one of the most successful female executives in Silicon Valley.
One of Goldberg's two independent board members, former VeriSign chief financial officer Dana Evan, is female.
Roizen and other female venture investors say their industry is beginning to change. More women are starting companies, they say, and as some of those companies achieve success that will bolster the number of female VCs, since many VCs cut their teeth as company founders.
"It's been in the last two, three, four years," says Theresia Gouw, a VC at Accel Partners, pointing to examples such as her portfolio company Birchbox, a beauty-products subscription business launched by two women in 2010.
Indeed, a handful of women have achieved celebrity status in the start-up world, including Sandberg, Google's head of ads and commerce Susan Wojcicki and Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer.
High-profile female venture capitalists include Mary Meeker of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, who is on the board of payments-service Square and funding service Lending Club, and Aileen Lee of Cowboy Ventures, who has backed companies such as Dollar Shave Club and Philz Coffee.
If a company doesn't land a female VC on its board in its early years, when most start-up boards consists of the founder and a few key investors, it acquires a built-in chance later: when it weighs going public. Both New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq board rules, such as building audit committees, generally require bolstering board seats.
Still, many start-ups duck and weave rather than bringing a woman onto the board. Facebook dallied until after its 2011 IPO before appointing Sandberg to the board. Google added two women to its board a year after its 2004 IPO. Now three of Google's 10 directors are women.
Some female directors of start-ups say they are sometimes reluctant to overtly suggest the topic of adding more women for an open board seat. That is because they know it might raise the hackles of existing board members who want to make sure the best person gets the seat, not somebody who was less qualified but female.
"People don't want to just stuff women on these boards," said Ann Winblad, a venture capitalist at Hummer Winblad, who says she tends to suggest women candidates without highlighting their gender as an asset.
Many people, both male and female, assume the woman is the weaker candidate, said Meiko Takayama, founder and chief executive of advocacy organisation Advancing Women Executives.
"It's based on unconscious bias," Takayama said. "It's not malicious."
Roizen herself was the subject of a Columbia Business School study that asked students to evaluate her accomplishments - but with half the students seeing her name as "Howard," not "Heidi." The students seeing her true name thought she seemed selfish, not the type of person they wanted to hire or work for. The students who saw the name "Howard" thought he seemed likeable.
'Cop Out'
Many young companies acknowledge the issue, often saying they go out of their way to try to hire from a relatively small pool of technical women. But critics roll their eyes when that qualification comes up.
"I personally think that's a bit of a cop out," said Carol Bartz, the former chief executive of Yahoo and a Cisco board member. "There are all kinds of expertise that you need on a board. And if the entire board is technical then it is not diverse enough."
"They're more comfortable with their VC boys' network and really don't want to rock the boat," she added.
Bartz said that sometimes the companies can make the specifications - or 'spec' as it is known in the recruiting industry - for the recruitment of board members so narrow that it automatically eliminates women from the candidate pool.
That spec always sounds the same, said Martha Josephson, Silicon Valley-based partner with recruiting firm Egon Zehnder: someone from the C-suite who has experience running big parts of a company's operations.
Even if existing board members are actively looking for a woman to bolster their ranks, unacknowledged biases can come into play, said investor and former analyst Esther Dyson, whose board seats include genealogy company 23andMe, local-organizing network Meetup, and advertising company WPP Group.
"A just-okay guy seems suitable," she said. "But a just-okay woman doesn't quite match the awesome-woman image they have in their heads."
Dyson forms part of a small group of sought-after female board members for start-ups that also includes Evan, the SurveyMonkey board member, and former Macromedia CFO Betsey Nelson, whose board seats include LivingSocial.
"Can you show us a pool that has more than the same names that circulate?" Nelson said she often finds herself asking when the subject arises of ensuring that women win consideration for an open seat. Evan says she is approached at least 3-4 times a quarter to join a board.

Trace dubious SMS senders: BTRC

The BTRC made the order on Wednesday in a meeting with representatives of the operators.

BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose told bdnews24.com that the operators were given five instructions to trace the SMS senders.

He said the operators would soon begin work on the instructions.

Bose declined to elaborate the instructions. “The five instructions cannot be divulged for security reasons,” he said.

Scores of users in Bangladesh received SMSes on Monday and Tuesday from unknown senders on execution of Molla, who was convicted of war crimes during the country’s Liberation War in 1971.

They said the country would face a civil war if the Jamaat leader was hanged.

The government earlier announced that Molla would be hanged on Tuesday midnight but the Supreme Court’s Chamber Judge stayed the execution few hours before the time.

A top official of BTRC told bdnews24.com the SMSes were being sent from abroad in the last several days. “They could have been identified easily had they been sent from inside the country.”

He said the operators had to install some new technologies to identify overseas SMS senders.

Earlier on Jun 23, unknown people sent SMSes with a call to say ‘no’ to the chiefs of the two major political parties.

Telecom brand ‘SFONE’ in BD

Bangla China Telecom Ltd. (BCT) held a ‘press conference’ on the inauguration of ‘SFONE’. The ceremony was attended by Mohammed Shahin Hossain (Chairman), Mohammed Shahabuddin (Managing Director), Shaikh Monjur Morshed (CEO) and MD. Golam Mohiuddin (Director) of Bangla China Telecom. In the conference there were media personalities and dignitaries from the business community besides the hi-tech enthusiasts. After the press conference, around evening, famed model Emi enthralled the gathering with her team under the choreography of Tumpa, presenting a very exquisite Fashion Show. And sensational vocal performer Mila performed many of her popular songs. The high officials informed the media journalists that, after being established in 2011, BCT Ltd. has set their objective to be in the top two positions by next year and to be the competitive market leader with in two years. Shaikh Monjur Morshed, CEO, BCT Ltd. In his remarks said, that BCL Ltd. has its own 9 Service Centers with more than 50 service collection points and 64 Dealer Points; besides 5000+ Retailer Points, which is one of the best strategic set-ups in the country. Mohammed Shahabuddin (Managing Director), in the perspective of the current technological scenario, it is a must and an unavoidable requirement for the livelihood in regardless the age and social class barriers. They have also focused on the facts that, with one of the best mobile Service Teams in Bangladesh, BCT Ltd. aspire to change the digital landscape. Products which were displayed are B12, SL20, D20, D40, D60, Romeo, Juliet, and ST10. All 8 Mobile Phones were displayed, with their specifications. BCT Ltd. has initiated its own concept route and creative rational intending to render services as a group. They have always adopted a customer friendly policy built on Quick Service and Rapid Response Systems as well as a judicious mix of technological perfection with Cost and Quality.

BRAC University team at NASA’s Robotics Competition

A team from the School of Engineering and Computer Science of BRAC University has made history for the country participating in a NASA Robotic Competition for the first time. After 3 rounds of selection, the eight-member team has been accepted to compete at the NASA’s Annual Lunabotics Mining Competition (LMC) 2011. The team members are Dr. Md. Khalilur Rhaman (Faculty Advisor), assistant professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Shiblee Imtiaz Hasan (Team Leader), Mohammad Jonayet Hossain, Mahmudul Hasan Oyon and Kazi Mohammad Razin Anik, Imran Bin Jafar, Iftekhar Karim and Nirjhar Rouf. The prestigious event will take place at the NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA, the birthplace of NASA`s human space flights, on May 23-28. LMC is a university-level competition designed to engage and retain students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). NASA will directly benefit from the competition by encouraging the development of innovative lunar excavation concepts from universities that may result in clever ideas and solutions, which could be applied, to an actual lunar excavation device or payload. Top 46 teams from all around the world are participating in the LMC, including Harvard University, Virginia Tech, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and McGill University. BRAC University is the first Bangladeshi team to participate in such an event. Chairperson of BRAC Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, KCMG, and Vice-chancellor of BRAC University Prof. Ainun Nishat inaugurated the BRACU ChondroBot Sunday at BRAC University Indoor Games Room. Speaking as chief guest, Fazle Hasan Abed congratulated the students and expressed hope that Bangladesh would go forward with the achievement of the new generation. During the demonstration, team leader Shiblee said, “We analyzed past success and failures of others and was able to design a simple, yet efficient and reliable, tele-robotic system for lunar excavation. And hopeful about bringing success for our country.” Directors of the university as well as Chairpersons of different departments were present among the guests. It all started in October, 2010, when NASA approved BRAC University’s entry, designed by Shiblee Imtiaz Hasan, a BRACU CSE student and a recipient of many national and international awards. The whole robot has been made with reused parts from different places, making a positive impact for the environment at the same time.

Why Obama can`t use an iPhone

The troubled mobile phone maker BlackBerry still has at least one very loyal customer like US President Barack Obama.

At a meeting with youth to promote his landmark healthcare law, Obama said he is not allowed to have Apple`s smartphone, the iPhone, for "security reasons," though he still uses Apple`s tablet computer, the iPad.

Apple was one of several tech companies that may have allowed the National Security Agency (NSA) direct access to servers containing customer data, according to revelations by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. The companies deny the allegation.

Obama fought to keep his BlackBerry after coming to the White House in 2009, though he said only 10 people have his personal email address. Neither George W. Bush nor Bill Clinton used email during their presidencies.

BlackBerry, a Canadian company formerly known as Research In Motion, virtually invented the idea of on-the-go email, but lost its market stranglehold as rivals brought out more consumer-friendly devices, like Apple`s iPhone and phones using Google`s Android software.

The company recently

Snow bigger worry than strikers

We are talking about a minority who take part in actions brought on by the union," Ralf Kleber told Reuters in an interview.

"Amazon is a fair employer. Many of our workers have been with us for more than 14 years. The majority of workers would say it is a good, well-paid job."

Trade union Verdi has staged a series of strikes this year in a dispute over pay and conditions at distribution centers in Leipzig and Bad Hersfeld. On Monday, the union said about 1,000 employees walked out, almost a fifth of the regular workforce there. Amazon said less than 800 staff had joined the strike.

"Snowfall in Germany is the bigger problem in the Christmas business ... that is what gives me worry lines," Kleber said, adding that the strikes had not affected deliveries so far.

E-commerce sales in Germany are seen growing 12 percent for the full year to 33.1 billion euros ($45 billion), expanding an even faster 15 percent in the Christmas period, when the sector should make 8.5 billion euros in sales.

Amazon employs 9,000 warehouse staff in Germany plus 14,000 seasonal workers and sales there grew almost 21 percent in 2012 to $8.7 billion, representing a third of its overseas total.

BLACK SHEEP?

The union, which plans more strikes before Christmas, wants Amazon to accept a collective agreement on pay and conditions similar to deals it has in the mail order and retail industry and accepted by Amazon's biggest German rival, the Otto Group.

Michael Otto, chairman of the firm which has transformed itself from a mail order firm into Europe's second biggest online retailer, said last week unnamed competitors were tarnishing the image of e-commerce with poor working conditions.

"These black sheep are trying to get to the feeding trough and are creating short-term advantages for themselves with their social dumping," he told a retail congress in Berlin. "We need a consensus that minimum standards must be maintained."

Amazon says it pays staff in its nine German distribution centers well according to the standards of the logistics industry, and does not think the terms of the mail order and retail sector are justified for its largely unskilled staff.

"We are a logistics company. Trucks arrive, are unloaded. Goods are sorted, packed and loaded into trucks again," Kleber said, adding Amazon hired staff with no qualifications and many who had previously been unemployed for a long time.

A BBC documentary this week alleged that tough working conditions could threaten the health of Amazon logistics employees after an undercover reporter secretly filmed inside a British warehouse where he walked 11 miles in the course of night shift lasting 10-1/2 hours.

Kleber agreed that logistics was a demanding job, but rejected suggestions that Amazon drives staff too hard.

"People in logistics don't want their staff to walk more. They want staff to walk less, because walking less means being more efficient," Kleber said.

Amazon has announced recently it would build three new logistics centers in Poland and two in the Czech Republic, prompting speculation that it could seek to shift work across the border from strike-hit centers in Germany.

But Kleber said Amazon expected to keep expanding in Germany, including eventually delivering fresh groceries too, without giving a timetable. Its newest distribution center outside Berlin held its formal opening on Thursday.

"We have bonuses for the whole team rather than for the individual so nobody has an incentive to rush," said Karsten Mueller, head of the new Brieselang center, whose 1,000 staff will shift about 110,000 parcels on a busy day.

Sorting goods in six halls spread across the area of 10 football pitches, staff work 9-1/2 hour shifts in the peak period before Christmas, including a 45-minute break, with order pickers walking an average of 8-10 km a shift.

In addition to strikes, Amazon has faced criticism in Germany for a low tax bill and from the antitrust watchdog, which forced it to stop demanding third-party merchants offer their cheapest price when selling products on its platform.

Amazon testing delivery with drones

Bezos said the drones, unmanned vehicles that fly through the air, could deliver packages that weigh up to five pounds (2.3 kg). That represents roughly 86 percent of packages that Amazon delivers, he said.

The drones, which would pick up items from Amazon's distribution centers and fly them to customer's homes, probably won't be put into use for four or five years, Bezos said.

Little imagination on gender diversity

Male-heavy boards dominate in the start-up mecca of Silicon Valley, which prides itself on progressive thinking and putting talent first. A Reuters survey of the 10 top venture-backed start-ups, as measured by venture funds raised, shows that six do not have any women on the board, including Pinterest. And none has more than one.
Reuters' research relied on publicly available data and discussions with start-up executives and board members.
The gender imbalance has been the norm for years despite some recent signs of change. Google, Facebook and Twitter all went public without a woman on the board. They are more diverse now.
Big, established companies, by contrast, frequently have two or more female directors, based on the 10 largest US tech companies by market value. All of the top 20 have at least one.
The dismal record of start-ups when it comes to gender diversity was highlighted last month when Twitter came under fire for its all-male board on the eve of its public offering. On Thursday, the company announced that it had added former Pearson chief Marjorie Scardino to its board.
Entrepreneurs and executives contacted by Reuters did not question the conclusion that there are few women directors at start-ups, but they frequently described it as unintended, and some such as Pinterest say their executive ranks are more balanced.
Start-ups tend to blame the lack of women on their boards on factors such as their youth, their small boards, their single-minded focus on growth to the exclusion of other priorities, and a scarcity of women steeped in technology. They also blame venture capitalists, who are usually male, usually hold the bulk of board seats - and don't want to see their voting power diluted by adding noninvestor board members.
Critics counter that entrepreneurs who pride themselves on creativity and innovation simply aren't trying hard enough when it comes to gender diversity.
At Pinterest, the focus is on work, said Chief Executive Ben Silberman, whose board consists of himself and two male venture capitalists. "It's pretty heads down," he said. If the company expands the board and a qualified woman emerges as a candidate, "we'd be open to it," he added.
"Diversity across all dimensions, including gender, is important to our success," a Pinterest spokesman said. The company's leadership is roughly 40 percent female, including its heads of engineering, finance, sales and recruiting, he added.
Public companies think about board diversity all the time - whether it's because they are constantly being scrutinized, or because they face public investor pressure.
"The companies that want to do it will do it. Those who don't will not," said Maria Klawe, president of Harvey Mudd College, a computer scientist and a board member at software giant Microsoft and chipmaker Broadcom. "This stuff doesn't happen by chance."
The issue is not simply one of social equity. A study by the Credit Suisse Research Institute, a bank-funded group, looked at 2,360 public companies and found that over six years, the share price of large-capitalization companies with at least one woman on the board outperformed companies with no women on their board by 26 percent.
For small and mid-capitalization stocks, the outperformance totalled 17 percent.
The study identified a handful of factors that could explain the better performance, including a healthier mix of leadership skills, better corporate governance, greater understanding of consumer decision-making, and access to a wider pool of talent.
Even though it's now conventional wisdom in Silicon Valley that a lack of women in leadership and technical roles is a big problem, progress has been very slow, especially at the top.
"Meritocracy is the word you hear all the time here. Everyone can get ahead," said Heidi Roizen, a venture capitalist at Draper Fisher Jurvetson and a former software-company founder and Apple executive. "I don't think it's as clean and pure as people think."
Women board members set an important tone, said Roizen and others, signalling to employees that talented women can succeed in the organization.
The Boys Club
That matters especially at a time when skilled technology workers are in high demand, but women are not pursuing tech careers in anywhere near the numbers as men. While women receive 43 percent of US bachelor's degrees in math and 40 percent in physical sciences, they receive only around 30 percent of doctorates in those areas, according to the National Science Foundation. They receive around one-fifth of bachelor's and doctorates in computer sciences.
Only 27 percent of entrepreneurs are women, says Ross Levine, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who is researching the gender gap in entrepreneurship. Only 20 percent of start-ups across industries have one or more female senior-level executives, according to a study of start-ups by Dow Jones VentureSource.
And about 89 percent of all venture capitalists are male, according to the National Venture Capital Association, directly affecting the lack of women on start-up boards.
"If my investors don't have more women working for them there's not much I can do to get more women on the board," said Dave Goldberg, the chief executive of SurveyMonkey, also one of the 10 start-ups surveyed by Reuters. Goldberg is married to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, one of the most successful female executives in Silicon Valley.
One of Goldberg's two independent board members, former VeriSign chief financial officer Dana Evan, is female.
Roizen and other female venture investors say their industry is beginning to change. More women are starting companies, they say, and as some of those companies achieve success that will bolster the number of female VCs, since many VCs cut their teeth as company founders.
"It's been in the last two, three, four years," says Theresia Gouw, a VC at Accel Partners, pointing to examples such as her portfolio company Birchbox, a beauty-products subscription business launched by two women in 2010.
Indeed, a handful of women have achieved celebrity status in the start-up world, including Sandberg, Google's head of ads and commerce Susan Wojcicki and Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer.
High-profile female venture capitalists include Mary Meeker of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, who is on the board of payments-service Square and funding service Lending Club, and Aileen Lee of Cowboy Ventures, who has backed companies such as Dollar Shave Club and Philz Coffee.
If a company doesn't land a female VC on its board in its early years, when most start-up boards consists of the founder and a few key investors, it acquires a built-in chance later: when it weighs going public. Both New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq board rules, such as building audit committees, generally require bolstering board seats.
Still, many start-ups duck and weave rather than bringing a woman onto the board. Facebook dallied until after its 2011 IPO before appointing Sandberg to the board. Google added two women to its board a year after its 2004 IPO. Now three of Google's 10 directors are women.
Some female directors of start-ups say they are sometimes reluctant to overtly suggest the topic of adding more women for an open board seat. That is because they know it might raise the hackles of existing board members who want to make sure the best person gets the seat, not somebody who was less qualified but female.
"People don't want to just stuff women on these boards," said Ann Winblad, a venture capitalist at Hummer Winblad, who says she tends to suggest women candidates without highlighting their gender as an asset.
Many people, both male and female, assume the woman is the weaker candidate, said Meiko Takayama, founder and chief executive of advocacy organisation Advancing Women Executives.
"It's based on unconscious bias," Takayama said. "It's not malicious."
Roizen herself was the subject of a Columbia Business School study that asked students to evaluate her accomplishments - but with half the students seeing her name as "Howard," not "Heidi." The students seeing her true name thought she seemed selfish, not the type of person they wanted to hire or work for. The students who saw the name "Howard" thought he seemed likeable.
'Cop Out'
Many young companies acknowledge the issue, often saying they go out of their way to try to hire from a relatively small pool of technical women. But critics roll their eyes when that qualification comes up.
"I personally think that's a bit of a cop out," said Carol Bartz, the former chief executive of Yahoo and a Cisco board member. "There are all kinds of expertise that you need on a board. And if the entire board is technical then it is not diverse enough."
"They're more comfortable with their VC boys' network and really don't want to rock the boat," she added.
Bartz said that sometimes the companies can make the specifications - or 'spec' as it is known in the recruiting industry - for the recruitment of board members so narrow that it automatically eliminates women from the candidate pool.
That spec always sounds the same, said Martha Josephson, Silicon Valley-based partner with recruiting firm Egon Zehnder: someone from the C-suite who has experience running big parts of a company's operations.
Even if existing board members are actively looking for a woman to bolster their ranks, unacknowledged biases can come into play, said investor and former analyst Esther Dyson, whose board seats include genealogy company 23andMe, local-organizing network Meetup, and advertising company WPP Group.
"A just-okay guy seems suitable," she said. "But a just-okay woman doesn't quite match the awesome-woman image they have in their heads."
Dyson forms part of a small group of sought-after female board members for start-ups that also includes Evan, the SurveyMonkey board member, and former Macromedia CFO Betsey Nelson, whose board seats include LivingSocial.
"Can you show us a pool that has more than the same names that circulate?" Nelson said she often finds herself asking when the subject arises of ensuring that women win consideration for an open seat. Evan says she is approached at least 3-4 times a quarter to join a board.

Trace dubious SMS senders: BTRC

The BTRC made the order on Wednesday in a meeting with representatives of the operators.

BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose told bdnews24.com that the operators were given five instructions to trace the SMS senders.

He said the operators would soon begin work on the instructions.

Bose declined to elaborate the instructions. “The five instructions cannot be divulged for security reasons,” he said.

Scores of users in Bangladesh received SMSes on Monday and Tuesday from unknown senders on execution of Molla, who was convicted of war crimes during the country’s Liberation War in 1971.

They said the country would face a civil war if the Jamaat leader was hanged.

The government earlier announced that Molla would be hanged on Tuesday midnight but the Supreme Court’s Chamber Judge stayed the execution few hours before the time.

A top official of BTRC told bdnews24.com the SMSes were being sent from abroad in the last several days. “They could have been identified easily had they been sent from inside the country.”

He said the operators had to install some new technologies to identify overseas SMS senders.

Earlier on Jun 23, unknown people sent SMSes with a call to say ‘no’ to the chiefs of the two major political parties.

I’m not allowed an iPhone’

 US president Barack Obama admitted Wednesday he was not allowed to have an iPhone owing to security fears, explaining why he is sometimes seen with a bulky super secure Blackberry.

‘I’m not allowed for security reasons to have an iPhone,’ Obama told a group of young people at the White House for an event promoting his health care law, The Straits Times publishes this report on Thursday.

He added that his daughters Sasha and Malia spend a lot of time on their iPhones.

Blackberry is renowned for its strong security encryption - one reason why it is still popular in official Washington, even as the device loses market share to other smart phones including those manufactured by Apple.

Apple consumer lawsuit dismissed over data privacy

The four plaintiffs claimed in 2011 that Apple had violated its privacy policy, saying the iPhone maker had designed its iOS environment to easily transmit personal information to third parties that collect and analyse such data without user consent or detection.

They also claimed that they suffered damages by paying too much money for their iPhones and by losing storage space, among other things, according to court documents.

US District Judge Lucy H Koh in San Jose, California dismissed the case.

"Plaintiffs must be able to provide some evidence that they saw one or more of Apple's alleged misrepresentations, that they actually relied on those misrepresentations, and that they were harmed thereby," Koh said in the November 25 ruling.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs and Apple either did not respond to requests for comment or declined to comment.

The case is one part of nationwide litigation Koh is overseeing that consolidates 19 related lawsuits.