Loneliness may make you a Facebook addict: Study

Researchers have found that compared to non-lonely people, lonely people spend more time on Facebook.

Feeling of loneliness drives people to Facebook, according to a new study. Researchers found that compared to non-lonely people, lonely people spend more time on Facebook.

Lonely individuals who are shy or have low social support may turn to Facebook to compensate for their lack of social skills and/or social networks in face-to-face settings, the study found.

Hayeon Song, an assistant professor of communication at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, analysed data from relevant existing studies to conclude that there is a relationship between Facebook use and loneliness.

The researchers concluded that the relationship exists because the feeling of loneliness brings its users to Facebook, rather than because Facebook makes people lonely.

The researchers said they chose to focus on Facebook because it is by far the most popular online social media site, with people using it to share personal information, meet people and develop friendships.

Whether the impact of all that 'connectedness' is helping or harming human interactions is an ongoing topic in the media as well as in the scholarly community, Song said.

For several decades, researchers have been looking at whether internet use, in general, is psychologically beneficial or detrimental.

Basically, researchers have had two conflicting hypotheses about what they call the 'internet paradox,' Song said.

"Does spending so many hours with a machine keep people from making real connections with other people? Or, does it allow people who are shy or socially awkward a chance to connect with others in a way that's more comfortable for them than face-to-face communication?" Song said.

Song and her team's meta-analysis results, based on all the published studies, found that as loneliness increases, the time spent on Facebook increases.

This means, at least, that Facebook does not help in reducing loneliness even if we feel more connected while using it, Song said.

The research team looked at the cause-and-effect relationship between loneliness and Facebook use.

"We found that loneliness caused Facebook use rather than the other way around," Song said.

Non-lonely people use Facebook, but they also maintain rich personal communications and relationships without it, according to Song.

The research was published in the journal Computers in Human Behaviour.

Facebook creates 'Safety Check' tool for disasters

Facebook is launching a tool that lets users notify friends and family that they are safe during or after natural disasters.

The tool, called 'Safety Check,' will be available worldwide to the social network's 1.32 billion users on computers and mobile devices. This includes the basic "feature" phones many people still use to access Facebook, especially in developing countries.

People already use Facebook to tell people they are OK after earthquakes and other disasters but Facebook says the Safety Check tool will make it easier. It grew out of a disaster message board that Facebook engineers created in 2011 following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Once users activate the tool, it will determine their location using the city they have listed in their profile, the last location they've shared or the city where they are using the internet. If they are in an area affected by a natural disaster, Safety Check will send them a notification asking if they're safe.

If they say yes, their Facebook friends will be notified. There's no option to say no. Users can also mark their friends as safe, but the friends have to approve it.

Hiring checks: What Indian startups look for in candidates

Startups are using multi-level assessments, psychometric tests and roping in external partners.

 Hiring mistakes can prove costly given the fierce pace at which startups are scaling up.Swati Bhargava, co-founder of leading cashback site Cashkaro, learnt this the hard way when they hired a senior person for online marketing last year.

They faced various issues with the hire, says Swati, including overpromising and underdelivering on his part and management styles, which alienated other team members. "We had to let the person go in three months and undo and re-do a lot of work done by him. We realised in hindsight that it would have been better to wait and look for the right person than spend so much energy , time and resources on making it work," says Bhargava. In the process, Cashkaro estimates they lost out nearly Rs 8 lakh on salaries, training and the like.

As Bhargava learnt first-hand, the biggest challenge facing startups today isn't getting funded - it's hiring the right people. Attracting good talent isn't enough - they need to be the perfect fit as well. That's why a bunch of them, from Snapdeal and Vuclip to Cashkaro, Wingify and TastyKhana, are now deploying techniques like multi-level assessments, psychometric tests and roping in external partners to make sure they don't end up paying a heavy price for quick, wrong hires.

"The industry is growing at breakneck speed.The margin of error of getting a wrong hire is minimal," says Saurabh Nigam, VP - HR at Snapdeal. "We want to guarantee that our hiring is as scientific as possible."

Recently, Snapdeal rolled out a three-level assessment test to get the right talent, in skills, aptitude, culture and fitment. There's a standarised aptitude test with different benchmarks; after clearing which a candidate is tested on functionspecific skills. In the technology domain, for instance, Snapdeal has tied up with HackerRank to test candidates on coding skills.

The final stage involving psychometric tests is to gauge cultural and values fitment, and for that Snapdeal is speaking to multiple partners besides the likes of Aon Hewitt and Development Dimensions International. All this will be in place before the company hits campuses for hiring later this year.

Cashkaro's Swati and her co-founder husband Rohan now extensively use numerical, written and psychometric tests to measure various parameters including analytical skills, communication skills, multitasking skills and the ability to function independently . "When it comes to recruitment, we can't afford to get it wrong," says Swati.

Unlike large companies which have big training setups to train new joinees, startups want people who can jumpstart, says Varun Aggarwal, CTO and COO of leading employability solutions company Aspiring Minds, which works with nearly 600 startups. "They really want to avoid bad hires. For some, even one bad hire might be 10% to 20% of their total work force," he says.

According to the Indian Startup Study Report 2014 by the Hay Group, Indian startups face a high employee attrition rate of 17%, which rises to 21% in growth startups, says its director Debabrat Mishra. "More than the direct cost, it's the cost to business that has bigger implications in case of a bad hire," says Anuj Roy , partner, digital practice at executive search firm Transearch.

Startups across the board agree that the success of their organisations hinges on the right talent. People who thrive in a startup are generally cut from a different cloth: they need to be goal-oriented, passionate, self-motivated, be able to handle uncertainty, think out of the box, be adaptable, open to chances and have the ability to exceed expectations.

Simulated tests of programming, personality assessment and those based on situation handling skills are very relevant for startups, says Aspiring Minds' Aggarwal. Their technology and products are used in various combinations by customers according to requirements and include AUTOMATA (simulated test of computer programming), AM-Start (workplace competency test measuring traits like effective communication, team work, learning attitude, prioritisation, etc) and AMPI (Big-five based personality inventory to measure goal-orientation, dependability, and so on).

In March this year, mobile video company Vuclip used psychometric tests at two campuses to filter through hundreds of resumes to get down to a set of about 30-40 candidates for in-person interviews.

"We assessed potential hires for what we call their `get-it' ability as well as their other skills to help find the best functional and cultural fit. This is because we believe that a combination of natural intelligence (not just grades) coupled with a great attitude leads to amazing results," says Nickhil Jakatdar, CEO of Vuclip.

Candidates have mastered the art of cracking the interviews and hence, start-ups are using psychometric assessments to know their real self, adds Mohit Gundecha, co-founder and CEO of Jombay, a startup in the space of recruitments and profiling.

"Start-ups typically measure behavioural traits like stress tolerance, risk taking, adaptability, guilt consciousness and dependability of the potential hires," says Gundecha, whose clients include Vuclip and Pune-based food ordering startup TastyKhana. Jombay uses assessment and analytics to find the cultural fitment of the candidate to the job and the company.

Sparsh Gupta, partner and CTO of Wingify , says that they have used external agency tests to whittle down the number of applicants while hiring for customer happiness (support) engineers where the pool of available talent tends to be very big.

Overall, he says, the passion and the vision of the hires are hugely important. "Every product we design is like a baby. We nurture it, design it and spend months, even years, refining it.We need people who believe that we can become the next big thing and work towards making it happen."

Amazon to hire 80,000 seasonal employees

Amazon has said it would hire 80,000 seasonal employees in the United States to help with an expected flood of holiday sales.

Amazon has said it would hire 80,000 seasonal employees in the United States to help with an expected flood of holiday sales.

The figure is 10,000 more than Amazon announced last year. Amazon is adding employees in its warehouses and other centers that manage sales and deliveries, and noted that it offers "competitive hourly wages and a comprehensive benefits package."

Some of these employees will be kept after the holiday season, Amazon said, noting that 10,000 of those hired for seasonal jobs last year were retained for permanent positions.

"We're excited to be creating 80,000 seasonal jobs, thousands of which will lead to regular, full-time roles with benefits starting on day one and innovative programs like Career Choice for employees to further pursue their education," said Amazon vice president Mike Roth.

Amazon now has more than 50 'fulfillment centers' which manage product deliveries in the United States and will have more than 15 sorting centers by the end of 2014.

Amazon is also reportedly set to open physical brick-and-mortar stores in some cities for the first time, possibly as 'pop-up' locations that would operate only for a few weeks.

The US National Retail Federation has said it expects a 4.1% rise in holiday shopping purchases this year.

CMC to merge with Tata Consultancy Services

CMC shareholders will get 79 equity shares of Re 1 each of TCS for every 100 equity shares of Rs 10 each of CMC, it added.

IT firm CMC has said it will be merged with India's largest software services firm Tata Consultancy Services.

"The board of directors of CMC and TCS have approved the amalgamation of CMC with TCS pursuant to and subject to the provisions of Sections 391 to 394 of the Companies Act, 1956," CMC said in a filing to the BSE.

CMC shareholders will get 79 equity shares of Re 1 each of TCS for every 100 equity shares of Rs 10 each of CMC, it added.

The swap ration has been arrived at based on the valuation report prepared by BSR & Associates LLP.

The consolidated revenue of CMC for the quarter ended September 30, 2014 stood at Rs 616.69 crore with net profit of Rs 76 crore.

"The amalgamation will enable TCS to consolidate CMC's operations in a single company with rationalised structure, enhanced reach, greater financial strength and flexibility," CMC said.

It will aid in achieving economies of scale, more focussed operational efforts, standardisation and simplification of business processes and productivity improvements, it added.

Incorporated in 1975, CMC has over 11,000 employees.

How Apple Pay be the next iRevolution

(Apple Pay is designed to work on the company's newest iPhones, which contain a chip that allows payments at a special terminal in retail outlets.)

 

Apple's skinnier iPads and flashy big-screen iMac are sleek and stunning. But the tech giant is making a bigger strategic bet with next week's launch of Apple Pay — the mobile pay service aimed at turning your iPhone into your wallet.

The service, which goes live and has hundreds of banks on board, is "hugely important" says Forrester Research analyst Frank Gillett. It puts Apple in the middle of a wide range of consumer transactions, underscoring Apple's value as a brand and giving people a powerful new reason to buy iPhones, iPads and other gadgets.

Apple Pay is designed to work on the company's newest iPhones, which contain a chip that allows payments at a special terminal in retail outlets. It also will be available on the new iPad Air 2 for online purchases only.

"It's a strategic advance not just because it may be a new revenue source, but because it injects Apple into a whole different value stream" for customers and the company's business partners, Gillett says.

Mobile pay isn't new; rival tech companies and the banking industry have worked on such systems for years. But Apple is launching its new service at an ideal time, says Gartner tech analyst Van Baker. Consumers are increasingly worried about the security of traditional credit and debit cards and US merchants are facing new mandates to switch to safer chip-based cards or other payment systems.

"Consumers are going to have to learn a new way to pay," Baker said. "That levels the playing field for new technology."

Assuming there are no system breakdowns or security flaws, Apple will get the benefit of pioneering a mobile payment system that has widespread brand recognition and acceptance from consumers, retailers and banks. That's crucial to its success, said MasterCard Inc executive James Anderson, but he doesn't expect Apple will hold the market by itself. The payment processor plans to work with other digital systems as well.

"We've done a lot of work with Google over the years and I expect we'll continue to work with them," Anderson said.

As for the new iPad Air 2 announced at a company event, analysts praised its technical features, including faster processors, better cameras and Touch ID, which lets users unlock the device with a fingerprint.

"I've heard people say it's evolutionary, rather than revolutionary," tech expert Carolina Milanesi of the research firm Kantar Worldpanel said after Apple's announcement. But she added, "why do you need to revolutionize something that's already the best in its class?"

The new super-thin iPads should sell well during the upcoming holiday shopping season, even as the worldwide tablet market is showing signs of slowing growth, analysts said. But they're not the kind of game-changing new product that has made Apple a darling of Silicon Valley and the tech industry's most valuable company.

The new 27-inch iMac desktop computer with a high-resolution Retina screen struck Bob O'Donnell of TECHnalysis Research as the most cutting-edge hardware product announced Thursday.

"It's stunning. It shows Apple is doing cool new stuff," he said. "Unfortunately it's not going to sell to a lot of people. Not many people are willing to pay $2,499 for a new desktop computer anymore."

The next major hardware release is likely to be Apple's smart watch, due out next year. Cook and other executives teased the device several times Thursday, even getting comedian Stephen Colbert in on the act. Reached via Mac call, "Chief of Secrecy" Colbert told head software engineer Craig Federighi to "get back to work" because he was "jonesing for some jewelry."

TECHnalysis' O'Donnell thinks the watch is "an interesting product," but notes that it will compete against fitness trackers and other devices that are primarily niche products. And many of its functions can already be performed on smartphones.

'Malvertising' is the new weapon for cyberespionage: Research

A surge in malware disguised as online advertisements aimed at unsuspecting web users has hit major US military contractors in the past few weeks.

 A surge in malware disguised as online advertisements aimed at unsuspecting web users has hit major US military contractors in the past few weeks, marking a dangerous twist on a decade-old scourge for advertisers, security researchers said on Thursday.

Researchers from Fairfax, Virginia-based security software company Invincea said they had documented new uses of so-called 'malvertising' to carry out highly-targeted cyberespionage campaigns against three firms in the military-industrial arena.

Malvertisements lurk behind banner ads and videos, delivering hidden code via ad networks to consumers and business users browsing the web. They exploit the automated dance that takes place in the blink of an eye between advertisements and web pages, every time a user lands on an ad-supported web site.

Data security breaches now regularly hit high-profile businesses such as banks and retailers, leaving millions of consumers vulnerable to identity theft and financial fraud. But research into malvertising has revealed how cybercriminals and spies can use the marketing industry's latest tools to pinpoint high-value targets.

Invincea researchers said the goal of the intrusions appeared to be the theft of military secrets or intellectual property rather than click-fraud or bank account phishing. They noted that some of these companies are producing technology for use in combat zones.

"In the past, we have seen organized cybercrime learn attack techniques from advanced nation state actors," Invincea chief executive Anup Ghosh said, using industry parlance for cyberspies. "This is a case where advanced state actors would be learning from cybercrime in terms of methods and tactics."

Invincea researchers said that in the last two weeks of September they had detected up to six malvertising attacks that targeted one aerospace contractor and saw similar attacks against two other military contractors.

They declined to speculate on who or where these specific cyberattacks originated, focusing instead on how they worked.

What is clear is that perpetrators are turning to the demographic targeting tools available to any online marketer, taking advantage of real-time advertising bidding networks, which work like stock exchanges for marketers, to place malware-laced ads that target specific organizations or audiences.

Invincea said they thwarted the attacks but declined to name the targeted firms. It will provide forensic evidence in a report it plans to publish on its website at www.invincea.com/ on Friday.

Adware meets spyware

Malvertising sprang up as a way to make easy money by installing malicious code on computers that redirected the infected machines to web sites to earn cash from advertising click fraud or to steal bank accounts. Researchers from several security firms have detected a malvertising surge this year aimed at consumer and business users.

Victims can be targeted based on their interests in certain news sites, or online poker or stock forums, Invincea researchers said. Browser cookies can be used to target users with specific tastes in handbags or luxury holidays.

Perpetrators can set up a corporate front to deliver normal ads, then swap landing pages from time to time for malicious code. They place these ads on advertising exchanges and bid up prices for placement on sites that its targets are known to visit, based on what they glean from these intended victims' advertising profiles.

Malvertising sites are typically online for less than four hours, before they are deleted, making it nearly impossible to keep track of new vulnerabilities, Invincea said.

The Invincea study found these vulnerabilities in most online advertising networks. "Any real-time ad bidding service that allows for automatic redirection is inherently insecure," said Pat Belcher, who heads Invincea's security analytics team, which conducted the forensic research. "It is across the board."

Spy toolkit

The evolution of malvertising into a toolkit for spies raises the stakes for the online advertising industry, which cyberexperts say has failed to protect Web site customers and their users by weeding out fake advertisers who exploit the instantaneous nature of Web ad delivery to defeat most existing anti-malware tools.

Three major advertising organizations in the United States said last month they would team up to fight ad fraud, malware and piracy. An independent body is being set up to monitor nefarious actions.

"Criminal activity threatens to erode trust in the digital ecosystem," Randall Rothenberg, chief executive of the Interactive Advertising Bureau said. "It is time that publishers, marketers and agencies stand together to combat these dangerous forces as a unified entity."

Digital marketers are projected to spend $140 billion globally this year, with that growing to an estimated $214 billion by 2018, which would represent nearly one-third of all media ad spending, according to market research firm eMarketer.

By undermining consumer trust, the attacks imperil the vast number of web sites which fund themselves by running online ads alongside their own content to keep their sites free to users.

"Ad delivery networks today are not incentivized to address the problem in a credible manner as they derive revenue from the criminal enterprise," the Invincea report states. "Turning a blind eye to the problem is rewarded economically," it said.

How smartphones are hurting Google's profit

The rise of smartphone use to access the internet, and slowing clicks on ads, cut into profits by Google in the Q3.

The rise of smartphone use to access the internet, and slowing clicks on ads, cut into profits by Google in the third quarter, the company has revealed.

Shares in Google fell after the technology giant said that although overall revenues had risen sharply, underlying performance suffered from a buying spree to recruit top talent.

Google said Thursday its profit in the past quarter dipped slightly from the level a year earlier.

Net third-quarter profit fell five percent to $2.8 billion, while revenue grew 20% to $16.5 billion.

Shares in Google tumbled 2.3% to $512.20 in after-hours trading on the results, which disappointed Wall Street.

Paul Ausick at the finance blog 24/7 Wall Street said Google's revenue fell short of expectations, and that revenue from 'paid clicks' from online ads was also disappointing.

A key indicator for the market, the number of clicks on ads on its sites rose by 17% on a 12-month comparison, but this was sharply down from growth of 28% in the second quarter.

Each click generates a payment by the company which has placed the ad. The market also pays close attention to another indicator, the average price of each click. This fell by 2% after a fall of 9% in the previous quarter.

This is in line with a falling trend for two years. Analysts say it reflects the rise of use of smartphones on which companies can run ad campaigns at lower cost.

Google's expenses were also higher, led by some $2.4 billion in costs for data centers.

Chief finance officer Patrick Pichette said however that the company "had another strong performance this quarter", and added that "we continue to be excited about the growth in our advertising and emerging businesses."

Pichette said expenses were higher in part because of aggressive hiring by the California tech giant — with some 3,000 jobs added to bring the company's headcount to 55,000.

"We continue to attract and hire the best talent from the best colleges and universities around the world," he said in a conference call.

"It's very clearly an extraordinary quarter from a hiring perspective." While Google has been the undisputed leader in online advertising, it is facing new challenges, notably from firms like Facebook.

According to the research firm eMarketer, Google is expected to slightly boost its market share in online advertising to 32.4% this year, while Facebook will grab around 8%. But in the US market, Google is losing market share, according to eMarketer.

Google earlier this week ramped up its mobile arsenal, upgrading its Nexus line of devices with a new tablet and smartphone, and unveiling its revamped Android software, to be dubbed 'Lollipop'.

Additionally, the US tech giant announced the launch of a streaming media player for music, movies and videos, which also allows users to play games via the Android TV device.

The new devices give Google and its Android partners a broader portfolio to compete against Apple, which launched two upgraded large-screen iPhones last month and unveiled new iPads on Thursday.

Omid Kordestani, who was officially named chief business officer at Google, said the company showed "continued momentum in our core business and exciting innovation in other areas."

HCL announces Q1 results, shares plunge 8.78%

Shares of software services provider HCL Technologies plunged nearly 9% today after the company reported 32.3% rise in consolidated net profit for Q1.

Shares of software services provider HCL Technologies plunged nearly 9% today after the company reported 32.3% rise in consolidated net profit for the first quarter ended September 30, which is below market expectations.

HCL Tech's shares tumbled 8.78% to Rs 1,510.60 on the BSE.

At the NSE, the stock plunged 8.74% to Rs 1,511. The company's scrip was the biggest loser among the 50-Nifty stocks.

The stock witnessed selling pressure, in line with other IT stocks, after the company missed estimates in earnings.

HCL Technologies today reported 32.3% rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 1,873 crore for the first quarter ended September 30 on the back of strong growth in Europe and business services.

The company had posted a net profit of Rs 1,416 crore in the year-ago period, it said in a BSE filing.

Consolidated revenues grew 9.7% at Rs 8,735 crore in the July-September quarter of this fiscal as against Rs 7,961 crore in the same quarter of the previous fiscal.

The firm follows July-June as the fiscal year. In dollar terms, net profits rose by 36.1% to $ 307.2 million in the first quarter of the current fiscal as against $ 225.6 million in the year-ago period

Chipmaker SanDisk forecasts lower revenue

Chipmaker SanDisk forecasts current-quarter revenue below analysts' estimates due to supply constraints.

Chipmaker SanDisk forecasts current-quarter revenue below analysts' estimates due to supply constraints.

SanDisk's shares fell 5% in extended trading, after the company also reported lower-than-expected revenue for the third quarter.

SanDisk, a supplier of memory chips for Apple's iPhones, in June bought Fusion-io, a solid-state storage products maker.

Rival Samsung Electronics said last week that it would spend $15 billion to build a major new factory in South Korea to make either memory chips or logic chips.

SanDisk forecast revenue of $1.80 billion-$1.85 billion for the fourth quarter ending December. Analysts on average were expecting $1.88 billion, according to Thomson Reuters.

The company's GAAP net income fell 5% to $262.7 million, or $1.09 per share, in the third quarter ended September 28 as expenses rose 25% from the prior quarter, mainly due to costs related to restructuring and the acquisition of Fusion-io.

Excluding the restructuring items and other non-cash items, SanDisk earned $1.45 per share.

Revenue rose 7% to $1.75 billion.

Analysts on average had expected a profit of $1.33 per share and revenue of $1.77 billion.

The revenue miss "is a bit of negative surprise given how strong the launch of the Apple's next gen iPhones have been and the addition of recent acquisition Fusion IO," Wedbush Securities analyst Betsy Van Hees told Reuters.

SanDisk also said it would pay a quarterly dividend of 30 cents per share.

The company's shares closed at $85.31 on the Nasdaq on Thursday. Up to Thursday's close, the stock had risen 21% this year.

Moto X, G, E will get Android 5.0 update

The Moto X (both 1st and 2nd generation), Moto G (1st generation, 2nd generation and LTE version), Moto E, Droid Ultra Droid Maxx and Droid Mini will get the OS update, as per the company. 

Motorola manufactured Nexus 6 is the latest device to join the Google Nexus family. It is the only smartphone to come preloaded with the new Android Lollipop 5.0 OS.

Just a few hours after the launch of the phone, Motorola announced the names of other devices that will soon get the Android 5.0 update.

Motorola confirmed the same through a post on its official blog. The Moto X (both 1st and 2nd generation), Moto G (1st generation, 2nd generation and LTE version), Moto E, Droid Ultra Droid Maxx and Droid Mini will get the OS update, as per the company.

Although the date of the update has not been confirmed, Motorola said it would be rolled out soon depending on "partners' support."

The name of Android Lollipop 5.0 was revealed after much anticipation and speculation. The new Android OS is supposed to be the "most ambitious release of Android". Google describes it as "A bold, colourful, and responsive UI design for consistent, intuitive experiences across all devices."

Android Lollipop 5.0 comes with a lot of new features. This update enables users to respond to messages from the lock screen. Another new feature is a new messaging app which is a simplified version of Hangouts and not a 'replacement'. An official statement from a Google spokesperson stated that "Messenger and Hangouts offer users choice, each have their own benefits. Hangouts work great for cross platform (web, iOS, Android) and cross medium communications (video, voice, messaging, SMS). Messenger will be specially designed to be a quick and easy way to send and receive SMS and MMS messages on Android"

Apple Pay can transform mobile payments

Apple’s new payments service Apple Pay could be a big game-changer.

 Although it will be a long while before it is available in India, Apple's new payments service Apple Pay could be a big game-changer.

Apple Pay will be available in the US beginning October 20 with all Apple devices that feature fingerprint scan using the Touch ID.

For shopping in stores, Apple Pay will work with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and with Apple Watch. For online shopping within apps, Apple Pay will be available on iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3.

Using Apple Pay in stores is promised to be fast and easy. One simply has to hold iPhone near the contactless reader while keeping a finger on Touch ID.
The new service will be enabled on October 20 with the free iOS 8.1 update.

Apple Pay is designed to protect the user's personal information. It doesn't collect any transaction information that can be tied back to a user and payment transactions are between the user, the merchant and the user's bank.

According to Apple, it won't collect the users' purchase history. So when we are shopping in a store or restaurant, Apple won't know what we bought, where we bought it, or how much was paid for it.

Actual card numbers will not be stored on the device. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is created, encrypted and stored in the Secure Element of the device. The Device Account Number in the Secure Element is walled off from iOS and not backed up to iCloud.

"Our team has worked incredibly hard to make Apple Pay private and secure, with the simplicity of a single touch of your finger," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice-president of Internet Software and Services. "The reaction to Apple Pay has been amazing. We continue to add more Apple Pay ready banks, credit card companies and merchants, and think our users will love paying with Apple Pay."

In the US, Apple Pay already supports credit and debit cards from all the three major payment networks, American Express, MasterCard and Visa, issued by the top US banks. In addition to American Express, Bank of America, Capital One Bank, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo and others, who announced support in September, more than 500 new banks from across the country have signed on to Apple Pay.

Users can make purchases in stores and within apps, with credit cards issued by many of the leading banks, which make up 83 per cent of the credit card purchase volume in the US.

Leading payment solution providers and terminal suppliers are working to bring merchants in stores and in apps the ability to easily, securely and privately accept payments using Apple Pay.

Checkout is simple and can be done with a single touch—there's no need to manually fill out lengthy account forms or repeatedly type in shipping and billing information, says Apple. Your actual card number too is kept private and not shared with the online merchant.

Online shopping within apps allows users to pay for physical goods and services, including apparel, electronics, health and beauty products, tickets and more. Apps with the ability to use Apple Pay at launch include: Apple Store app, Chairish, Fancy, Groupon, HotelTonight, Houzz, Instacart, Lyft, OpenTable, Panera Bread, Spring, Staples, Target and Uber.

Apple has claimed that many more will support Apple Pay by the end of this year with popular apps such as Airbnb, Disney Store, Eventbrite, JackThreads, Levi's Stadium by VenueNext, Sephora, Starbucks, StubHub, Ticketmaster and Tickets.com, among others.

Google's revenue falls short despite curbing price declines

The total number of ads, or paid clicks, expanded by 17% in the third quarter. That was down from the 25% growth rate that Google delivered in the second quarter.

\ Google Inc's revenue fell short of Wall Street's expectations as growth in Internet advertising slowed in the most-recent quarter, offsetting a modest improvement in ad pricing, sending its shares down about 3%.

The total number of ads, or paid clicks, expanded by 17% in the third quarter. That was down from the 25% growth rate that Google delivered in the second quarter.



But online advertising rates, which have been mired in a multi-year decline, moderated slightly in the third quarter, declining 2% year-on-year. That marked an improvement from the 6 percent decline in "cost-per-click" or CPCs in the second quarter.

Shares of Google fell 2.7% to $510.11 in extended trading on Thursday.

"The CPC decline abated. That's a big positive," argued BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis. "If CPCs flatline that's going to help the core meaningfully."

Google posted $16.52 billion in revenue for the three months ended September 30, compared to $13.75 billion in the year ago period. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters were looking for revenue of $16.57 billion in the latest quarter.



Google ramped up its spending during the quarter. The company increased its headcount by roughly 3,000 employees, contributing to a 46% rise in research and development costs.

On Thursday, Google announced it had appointed Omid Kordestani its new chief business officer, replacing Nikesh Arora, who had departed a quarter ago to join Japan's Softbank Corp. The chief business officer is considered a key position, overseeing all the company's revenue-generating activities and serving as a liaison to investors and Wall Street.

Twitter lets users stream music, audio via SoundCloud tie-up

The online messaging service introduced on Thursday what it called "Audio Card," through which users can listen to a variety of content whilst browsing their timelines.

For starters, Twitter has promised audio from SoundCloud's partners, which include such diverse sources as Nasa, the Washington Post, CNN, David Guetta, Coldplay and Warner Music.

But it's trying to snag more content partners in future, Twitter said in a blogpost on Thursday.

Twitter didn't say how Audio Card might evolve, except to stress that it offers musicians a chance to post exclusive clips.


A portrait of the Twitter logo in Ventura, California. (Reuters Photo)


"Many more musical artists and creators will be able to share exclusive, in-the-moment audio to millions of listeners on Twitter," the company added.

Twitter's new feature comes after rivals from Apple Inc to Google Inc have jumped into the business of music-streaming, considered the fastest-growing segment of a music market dominated by iTunes.

Twitter had reportedly been in discussions to acquire audio-sharing website SoundCloud, which has been called the Youtube of music, as far back as June.

The online messaging service introduced what it called "Audio Card," through which users can listen to a variety of content whilst browsing their timelines. 

 Twitter Inc will allow users to play podcasts, music and other audio clips direct from their timelines, or message feeds, via a new feature designed in partnership with Berlin-based audio-streaming service SoundCloud.

Amazon expands grocery delivery service to Brooklyn

Amazon.com is expanding its online grocery delivery program to Brooklyn's well-heeled Park Slope neighborhood on Friday.

Amazon.com is expanding its online grocery delivery program to Brooklyn's well-heeled Park Slope neighborhood on Friday, giving the No. 1 US online retailer a foothold in one of the wealthiest and densest markets in the United States.

The AmazonFresh program, which offers same-day or next-day delivery on more than 500,000 items including fresh and frozen groceries, will soon expand to other areas in Brooklyn.

The move is part of Amazon's slow build-out of its 'Fresh' program, targeting one of the largest retail sectors yet to be upended by online commerce. Amazon declined to say if it will expand to Manhattan or other parts of the New York metro area.

"Currently, we are offering AmazonFresh in Brooklyn and will continue being thoughtful and methodical in our expansion," an Amazon spokeswoman said in an e-mail.

Groceries have proven to be one of the toughest sectors for technology companies to manage, and Amazon faces competition from established companies like FreshDirect as well as fast-growing startups like Instacart.

But a successful foray in Park Slope could help Amazon cement customer loyalty and boost sales, especially among wealthy and middle-class families, analysts have said.

The top 10-20% of wealthiest Americans spend between 3 and 4 times more on food than the average American family, according to Bill Bishop, chief architect at Brick Meets Click, a consulting firm focused on retail technology.

"They are the sweetest of shoppers so anybody who attracts that business is taking the cream of the market," Bishop said.

Amazon could also use its Fresh program to experiment with its own delivery service, analysts have said.

Amazon tested Fresh in Seattle for five years before adding Los Angeles and San Francisco in 2013. The New York metro area presents very different logistical challenges, including a much higher population density.

Fresh will be offered for free to Brooklyn-based members of Amazon's $99-a-year Prime program through the end of the year. After that, Amazon will charge $299 a year for its 'Prime Fresh' program, which combines grocery delivery with free two-day shipping and other perks of Prime.

AMD gives weak revenue forecast, to cut 7% workforce

AMD is cutting 7% of its workforce and has given a lower-than-expected revenue forecast for the current quarter.

Struggling US chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) said on Thursday it is cutting 7% of its workforce and gave a lower-than-expected revenue forecast for the current quarter, sending its shares lower.

The company's third major round of job cuts since 2011 comes a week after AMD said chief executive officer Rory Read had been replaced by chief operating officer Lisa Su, an unexpected move that sparked speculation about fresh troubles at the chipmaker and hurt the company's stock.

"They're cleaning house and getting it set up for Lisa Su to take over," Stifel Nicolaus analyst Kevin Cassidy said of the workforce reduction, which AMD said would be made by December and save about $9 million in the fourth quarter and $85 million next year.

AMD had 10,149 employees at the end of the September quarter.

AMD has seen its market value nearly halved since when Read took over in 2011 as the company lost market share to much-larger Intel Corp.

AMD has been expanding into new markets such as game consoles and low-power servers but progress has been slower than demanded by Wall Street.

In a statement, AMD reported third-quarter revenue and gave a forecast for current-quarter revenue, both of which missed expectations and its shares were down 5% in extended trade.

AMD said its revenue fell 2% to $1.43 billion in the third quarter, missing Wall Street expectations.

The company said its fourth-quarter revenue would fall 13%, plus or minus 3%, from the September quarter. That would be about $1.244 billion.

Analysts on average had expected revenue of $1.47 billion in the third quarter and $1.48 billion in the fourth quarter, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

AMD reported a net profit of $17 million, or 2 cents a share, in the third quarter, compared with a net gain of $48 million, or 6 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding items, AMD earned 3 cents per share.

In the third quarter, AMD's Computing and Graphics group, which includes processors for PCs, saw its revenue fall 16% year over year.

Shares of AMD were down 5% extended trade after closing up 1.15% at $2.64.

iPad Air 2 can switch wireless carriers with a touch

Apple's new iPad Air 2 will allow subscribers to switch wireless carriers much more easily, by swiping an icon across the screen of the device.

 Apple's new iPad Air 2 will allow subscribers to switch wireless carriers much more easily, by swiping an icon across the screen of the device.

The feature, available thanks to a neutral Apple SIM card installed in the device, will allow customers to sign up for short-term service plans and switch carriers using their iPad, the company said.

The SIM card supports AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint high-speed networks. For service from the largest US carrier, Verizon Wireless, customers need to install a separate Verizon SIM card.

The feature allows customers to switch carriers based on their monthly needs, like bigger data buckets, more reliable connections or cheaper prices. Subscribers traveling can also plug into international carriers' networks and purchase temporary contracts through the iPad, the company said.

Cybercrime cases shot up in last 10 years: Telecom minister

India has witnessed a massive surge in cyber crime incidents in about 10 years — from just 23 in 2004 to 72,000 last year.

India has witnessed a massive surge in cybercrime incidents in about 10 years — from just 23 in 2004 to 72,000 last year, telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said here today.

"In the year 2004, we had only 23 incidents (of cyber crime). Last year we had about 72,000 incidents. Media reports show as to how cyber attacks are done to completely immobilize the financial infrastructure, information infrastructure," Prasad said at cybersecurity event organized by The Observer Research Foundation and industry body Ficci.

As per government's cyber security arm Computer Emergency Response Team-India (CERT-In) 62,189 cybersecurity incidents were reported in just the first 5 months this year.

Attackers compromise computer systems located in different parts of the world and use masquerading techniques and hidden servers making it difficult to trace them.

Prasad expressed concern over the absence of technical and legal infrastructure to catch cyber criminals, as also the lack of mechanism to check the unhindered growth of network of infected computer systems and flow of global information to check cybercrimes.

"There is great imperative to have proper ecosystem where there is meaningful cooperation. It is very important that information is properly shared. It is equally important that there must be mechanism for accountability in place in respect to crimes committed in cyberspace," he said.

Internet, mobile phones and the new media are among the finest inventions and game changers, Prasad said, adding as to why should a few be allowed to abuse it to destroy humanity.

He said India will support the framework of internet governance which must be inclusive and democratic.

British Member of Parliament and Secretary of State for Culture Sajid Javid at the event said multi-stakeholder model, both to governance and security, is the single best solution to the challenge cybercrimes, Prasad said.

He said the UK government has spend almost a billion pound under its Cyber Security Strategy.

"It's a great opportunity for world leaders to come together and confront the criminals. I look forward to India taking part. We must ensure that the internet is safe, secure and successful, but we cannot allow that to be an excuse for further government control of cyberspace," Javid said.

In the United Kingdom, he added, computer-based attacks are ranked alongside international terrorism as one of the biggest threats to national security.

10 things Apple eliminated at its iPad Air 2 and iMac event

Apple is modernizing many of the tasks we use in everyday life and you'll surely see the differences years down the line if they're successful.

Apple is known for spearheading change through elimination: it radically axed disc drives from Macs, replaced physical keyboards with touchscreens on phones and made ethernet ports an optional accessory.

All of these were unconventional in their day. Six years ago, the MacBook Air lead to people worrying about losing the bulky, humming DVD drive that takes up 1/3 of a laptop's footprint.

iPad Air 2 and iMac event was no different. The Cupertino company is modernizing — for the better — many of the tasks we use in everyday life.

You may not have noticed the changes during the press conference, but you'll surely see the differences years down the line if they're successful.

1. Credit card swiping thanks to Apple Pay
Apple Pay begins to replace the swipe and sign routine of using credit cards on October 20 in the US. You just need a fingerprint and the latest iPhone.

There's no plastic involved when using an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus as a mobile wallet. The same can't be said about many of the popular plastic Google Wallet-linked Android phones.



Apple has enlisted 500 banks and the three major credit card companies: Visa, Mastercard and American Express. In addition to its Apple Stores, top-name retailers like McDonald's, Walgreens, Whole Foods, Subway, and Disney theme parks are going to accept Apple Pay.

2. Bugs through iOS 8.1 update
iOS 8.1 is going launch Apple Pay, but it'll also be used to fix those nasty Wi-Fi and battery drain problems too.

These annoying bugs were introduced in iOS 8 and made worse when a handful of people upgraded to iOS 8.0.1 before it was pulled. iOS
8.0.2 quickly took its place with some fixes.

More than any of the product announcements, Monday's iOS 8.1 may be a welcomed change for users facing issues with their current hardware.

3. 'Pencil thin' comparisons to the iPad Air 2
The iPad Air 2 isn't "as thin as a pencil" like last year's iPad Air. It's actually 18% thinner.

At just 6.1mm, it's now the world's thinnest tablet and it's super light too. iPad Air 2 weighs under a pound at 0.96 pound (437 g). Compare that to the original iPad at 1.5 lbs (680 g).

Apple eliminated the gaps between its three layers: the glass, the touch sensor and the LCD, making it thinner and sharper than previous iPads.

4. 32GB is out, 64GB is in
Like the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, there's no longer a 32GB option being offered within the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 lineup. It's been eliminated, for better or worse.

In its place, for the same price, is the 64GB iPad model. This seems like a way to keep selling the 16GB models, which should be long gone, without actually eliminating it.

If you're on the fence, Apple made the jump to extra storage a little easier, but not cheaper if you just wanted a little more room above 16GB.

5. SIM card switching between countries
International travel with any 4G-connected device is a hassle, but the new Apple SIM card can eliminate at least one overseas-trip headache.



Pre-installed in the iPad Air 2 with Wi-Fi + Cellular models, it allows for short-term plans from select carriers in the US and UK. Plans can be selected right on the iPad with no long-term commitments, making it easier to pay for a data plan from a local carrier on a trip.

This would be even more meaningful in the next iPhone 6S and iPhone 7, but it's a start.

6. The infuriating wall between mobile and Mac
There's no reason I should have to get up from my computer with a full-sized keyboard to respond to a text message on my phone that happens to be in the other room.

Cross-platform iMessages fixed this among iDevices owners and iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite take it a step further by relaying all SMS messages between my Apple-made devices.

There are also helpful features like Handoff that bridge the gap between mobile and computer apps. Start an email on the Mac and finish it on an iPhone and vice versa.

7. Looking as foolish using an iPad as a camera
You'll still look silly taking photos with a 9.7-inch iPad, but Apple is right: it's the biggest and best non-traditional viewfinder around.

The new sensor in the iPad Air 2 iSight camera is now 8MP, giving you photos with a native resolution of 3264 x 2448 and, of course, video shot in 1080p.

Features like time-lapse video, 120 slow-motion video and exposure control give you more control over what you capture and editing on the
big screen, as opposed to an iPhone, makes it almost socially acceptable as a camera.

8. Passwords that are hard-to-type on an iPad
Even with that larger keyboard on a 9.7-inch iPad Air screen, entering passwords that are immediately hidden by asterisks is an annoyance that has to go.



Luckily, Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor has made its way onto the iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 3. Combined with extensions like 1Password, logging into sites and supported apps takes nothing more than the touch of the new home button.

Finally, the iPad is catching up with the old iPhone 5S with a gold color option and infinitely more useful biometric fingerprint sensor.

9. 4K as your highest resolution display iMac with a Retina 5K display cranks the pixel count so much that it gives you a better resolution than that 4K TV you probably haven't gotten around to buying yet.

With 14.7 million pixels and 5120 x 2880 resolution, this 27-inch all-in-one computer has 67% more pixels than a 4K display that doesn't contain a computer.

Of course, it comes at a price. It retails for $2,499 (£1,999, AU$2,999) through the Apple Store.

10. High entry fee: Mac mini is even cheaper
Alternatively, you can get more value from the Mac mini 2014 with an even cheaper entry-level price. It starts at $499 (£399, AU$619).

Lenovo will be India's 3rd largest smartphone player by year end

Lenovo said it is all set to become India's third largest smartphone company with the completion of $ 2.91 billion acquisition of Motorola later this year.

Chinese electronics giant Lenovo said it is all set to become India's third largest smartphone company with the completion of $ 2.91 billion acquisition of US-based handset maker Motorola later this year.

The company is already the number one player in the PC market in India.

In the Indian smartphone market, Lenovo lags behind Motorola, which is the fourth largest player.

"We will become the third largest smartphone seller in India after the Motorola operations get integrated with us by the year-end," Lenovo India managing director Amar Babu said.

The company also plans to enhance its position in the tablet market in India.

Lenovo today launched its new range of 'Yoga' tablets in India, priced between Rs 20,990 to Rs 47,990. The range — comprising of four devices — will go on sale from tomorrow exclusively on eCommerce site, Flipkart.

The range, comprising three Android and one Windows-powered units, includes features like full HD, Dolby Wolfson HiFi audio, 8MP rear and 1.6MP HD front camera. These units are powered by Intel's Atom chips.

The Yoga range, popular for its Stand, Hold and Tilt modes, will now include a 'Hang' option to allow better usage of the device.

"The Yoga range has become a franchise of its own. It accounts for a good percentage of our tablet sales," he said.

Asked the reason for launching new tablets even as the market was declining, Babu said the segment was on the rise.

"There was a correction in the market with the BIS standard kicking in and now there are better products in the market. Analysts already have indicated that the market is set to improve in the months to come," he added.

According to industry body MAIT, tablet PC segment witnessed a muted growth rate of 76% in 2013-14 against the triple-digit growth in the previous two years as fewer entry-level models were introduced.

The sales for 2013-14 stood at 3.35 million units as against 1.9 million units in 2012-13.

MAIT expects the segment to grow only by about 27% in 2014-15 as consumers opt for more higher screen sized smartphones.

However, players like Microsoft and chip maker Intel are confident of revival in demand and sales of tablets (devices with screen sizes above 6.99 inches), driven by new form factors like 2-in-1s.

Besides homegrown players, many multinational firms like Samsung, Lenovo and Asus have launched tablets in the last few months to cash in on the opportunity.

According to CyberMedia Research, over 7.46 lakh tablets were sold in the January-March 2014 quarter by as many as 30 domestic and international vendors. Samsung, Apple and Datawind were the top three players.

iPad Air, iPad mini 2 get price cuts in Ind

Apple has also phased out the fourth-generation iPad from its portfolio with tonight’s iPad launch.

 With the launch of iPad Air 3 and iPad mini 3, Apple has reduced the prices of the older iPads in its portfolio.

With this move, Apple enters the affordable tablet segment as the original iPad mini (16GB, Wi-Fi-only) now officially costs Rs 17,900. Online retailers have been selling this model at approximately Rs 16,000 in the market already. It competes against the likes of Samsung Galaxy Tab4 7.0 and Google Nexus 7 (2013).

Last year's iPad mini with Retina display, which has a 7.9-inch screen with 2048x1536p resolution, now starts at Rs 21,900 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model, down from Rs 28,900. The model has been renamed as iPad mini 2.



The original Wi-Fi-only iPad Air with 16GB storage is now available for Rs 28,900, marking a reduction of Rs 7,000 from its launch price of Rs 35,900.

Though the Apple India website has listed the 32GB variants of iPad mini 2 and iPad Air, it has not revealed the prices of these models. Similarly, it has also not announced the prices of the Wi-Fi + 3G variants of all these iPad versions.



The new iPad Air 3 (Wi-Fi-only) will cost Rs 35,900, Rs 42,900 and Rs 49,900 for the 16, 64 and 128GB variants. The cellular versions will cost Rs 45,900, Rs 52,900 and Rs 59,900 for the three storage options, respectively. It will compete against Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and Google Nexus 9.

Apple has priced the iPad mini 3 at Rs 28,900, Rs 35,900 and Rs 42,900 for the 16, 64 and 128GB models. iPad mini 3 with Wi-Fi + Cellular models have been priced at Rs 38,900, Rs 45,900 and Rs 52,900, respectively. Its main competitor in the Indian market will be Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.

Apple has also phased out the fourth-generation iPad from its portfolio with tonight's iPad launch.