How to Enable FaceBook TimeLine :)

FaceBook TimeLine :) , a crazy (and kind of creepy) omnibus look at everything that has ever happened in your Facebook lifespan. It’s like a story book of your life — or at least the online, documented parts.

Facebook said that Timeline would be on the way for everyone sometime in the coming weeks… which is great and all, for everyone else. You’re the type of person who reads TechCrunch, and are thus likely the type of person who likes their new and shiny things right now.

That’s okay. We can make it happen.

Fortunately, enabling Timeline a bit early isn’t too difficult — but it’s not at all straight forward, either.

You see, Facebook is enabling Timeline early for open graph developers. You, too, can be an open graph developer — even if you’re just looking to dabble.

A few things to note:
- You probably don’t want to do this unless you’re actually a developer. Expect bugs.
- Only you will see your timeline at first (unless you decide otherwise), but it will automatically go public after a few days. My timeline was automatically hard-set to go public on September 29th.
- It seems that if you login into Facebook on another machine, Timeline gets disabled automatically on all of your machines. With that said, it seems you can get back to your timeline (but ONLY after following the steps below) by navigating to http://www.facebook.com/YOURUSERNAMEHERE?sk=timeline
- You’ll need to have a “verified” account for one of the steps, which means you need a credit card or phone number attached to the account.
Here’s how to do it:

1. Log into Facebook

2. Enable developer mode, if you haven’t already. To do this, type “developer” into the Facebook search box, click the first result (it should be an app made by Facebook with a few hundred thousand users), and add the app.

3. Jump into the developer app (if Facebook doesn’t put you there automatically, it should be in your left-hand tool bar)

4. Create a new app (don’t worry — you wont actually be submitting this for anyone else to see/use). Give your shiny new app any display name and namespace you see fit. Read through and agree to the Platform Privacy agreement. This is the step you need to be verified for.

5. Ensure you’re in your new app’s main settings screen. You should see your app’s name near the top of the page

6. Look for the “Open Graph” header, and click the “Get Started using open graph” link.

Create a test action for your app, like “read” a “book”, or “eat” a “sandwich”

7. This should drop you into an action type configuration page. Change a few of the default settings (I changed the past tense of “read” to “redd” — again, only you can see this unless you try and submit your application to the public directory), and click through all three pages of settings

8. Wait 2-3 minutes

9. Go back to your Facebook homescreen. An invite to try Timeline should be waiting at the top of the page

And you’re done! We’ve seen this work quite a few times now, so it should work without a hitch for just about anyone.

Awww... Kids These Day's

A survey has found that around a third of UK children under the age of 10 have their own cell phone, with one in ten owning an iPhone.

There was a time when little kids used to talk into toy phones to imaginary friends. Now it seems that they have real phones with Internet access and pay-as-you-go payment plans.

According to the results of a survey released this week, 10 percent of UK children under the age of 10 have their own iPhone, while a third have a cell phone. Five percent even have their own iPad.

Of the parents questioned in the survey, 10 percent said they felt it was OK for children as young four-years-old to have their own cell phone.

The study was conducted by cloud security firm Westcoastcloud to coincide with the release of its new Netintelligence iPad app, an internet security product for schools.

The survey, which questioned 2,000 families with children aged 10 or below about technology ownership, also revealed that 16 percent of kids have their own laptop. A quarter of those aged under 10 had their own email address, while 8 percent were signed up to a social networking service – which is interesting as Facebook, for example, stipulates that users of its service must be aged 13 or older.

Regarding cell phone ownership, 68 percent of parents said they got their kids a device primarily so that they could keep in touch with them when they were out, though Westcoastcloud also said that “17 percent of parents bought their kids a phone after they succumbed to their child’s pestering.”

Westcoastcloud’s Bill Strain commented on the survey’s findings, saying: “It’s great that youngsters are interested and engaged with the latest technology, but children owning their own phones as young as four does seem unnecessary.”

On a cautionary note, he added: “Kids will always be able to gain access to their parents’ phones and laptops but when primary school age children gain access to the Internet on these devices, parents need to be aware. There’s the potential that they could access unsuitable or potentially harmful content.”

Over 5 percent of parents said they didn’t check what their child was looking at on their cell phone and estimated that their offspring spent around three hours a week online, using phones, computers or other devices. Surprisingly, half of those surveyed said they had no parental controls installed on their Internet-connected devices.

As part of a new Communications Act being planned by the UK government, broadband providers there may soon be forced to offer parents ways of protecting their children from harmful online content.

Revenues & Experiences on Mobile Devices

Since the release of the iPad and subsequent Google Android “tablets,” publishers have scrambled to figure out how to not only create mobile-worthy content but also monetize it by integrating advertising into these buzz-worthy platforms. All the while, advertisers are chomping at the bit to create and execute their campaigns across the gamut of outlets in order to maximize their reach among highly-desirable demographics.

Late last year, UM Global and Time Inc. conducted a study of iPad satisfaction, usage and response to advertising, and the results were promising for content producers and advertisers alike. The study found that more than 9 out of 10 iPad owners who read magazines were at least somewhat likely to subscribe to those publications on the device, and nearly as many would recommend doing so to their friends. The study also found that magazine readers’ response to advertising was also very positive; bright visuals, striking photos and interactive features were what most enticed the reader to engage with ads.

This is all great news, but with no best practices to date, pricing and implementation of ads is somewhat uncharted territory to be carefully navigated.

Many publishers have taken a “roll-out” approach to advertising in iPad editions. In the first few issues there are no ads; the focus is on the content, the dramatic layouts and a layered Internet experience. Gradually, they can integrate simple sponsor sections with videos or custom interactive tools.

Simultaneously, iPad editions are taking a some-what similar approach to custom publications with regard to advertising. As opposed to a print publication, in which advertisers are represented in droves, there are a limited number of advertisers for most apps. This allows advertisers to showcase the richness and depth of their brands while offering a more personal, less intrusive, experience with the brand.

What it really comes down to, however, is dollars – on both the cost and benefit side! Consider the expense associated with engineering your content for iPad or tablet delivery. And balance that against the potential revenue benefit provided by reaching the growing audience of sophisticated, tech-savvy (and often more affluent) consumers who engage via mobile platforms.

Experimentation with fixed-price rate models, cost-per-click rate structures, and even cost-per-action strategies is still going on. But the overall selling point is this: the consumer base is there and, unlike many traditional publishing platforms, it’s growing!

With 1 in 5 Americans currently owning or planning to purchase a tablet in the next few years, the trend is clear: this platform as a content-delivery and emerging media channel will only continue to grow in big numbers. And while it is predicted that there will be more advertising standards by the end of the year, advertisers and publishers alike must weed through the uncharted territory of this brave new world and embrace this as a period of innovation, experimentation and, for those who are successful, monetization.

Microsoft warns: 900 M Internet Explorer users at risk

LONDON: Microsoft has warned that the 900 million users of its Internet Explorer Web browser are at risk of having their computers hijacked and their personal information stolen by hackers.

The software giant has issued a 'critical' security alert over a newly-discovered flaw that affects all versions of the company's Windows operating system, including Windows XP (SP3), Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 (R2), reports the Daily Mail.

However, Firefox, Google Chrome and Safari browsers are unaffected by the threat because, unlike Internet Explorer, they don't support MHTML files, where the problem lies.

The loophole only seems to affect the way Internet Explorer handles some web pages.

Microsoft said that the bug is inside Windows, presumably because they don't want users to migrate to other browsers.

The company has so far been unable to remove the bug itself and has issued a 'fix it' security patch to block any attempts to use it.

All Windows users, particularly those who use Internet Explorer, are being urged to download the patch as the company's security team is working on a way to permanently fix the problem.

The company has described the flaw as a serious threat, although no hackers are thought to have yet exploited the vulnerability.

"An attacker could construct an HTML link designed to trigger a malicious script and somehow convince the targeted user to click it. When the user clicked that link, the malicious script would run on the user's computer for the rest of the current Internet Explorer session," said Microsoft spokeswoman Angela Gunn in a security advisory published online on Friday.

"Such a script might collect user information (e.g. email), spoof content displayed in the browser, or otherwise interfere with the user's experience," she added.

How to secure your facebook account ?

HTTPS security is being made available to Facebook users slowly, so though it might not be available to you now, it should appear soon. The option will exist as part of the advanced security features on Facebook.

Facebook announced that it is now offering users the ability to use encryption to protect their accounts from being compromised when they are interacting with the site, something security experts have been seeking for a while. The site currently uses HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) when users log in with their passwords, but now everything a user does on the site will be encrypted if he turns the feature on, the company said in a blog post.

Enabling full-session HTTPS eliminates the ability for attackers to use tools like the Firefox plug-in called Firesheep to snoop on communications between a person's computer and the site's server over Wi-Fi. "Starting today we'll provide you with the ability to experience Facebook entirely over HTTPS. You should consider enabling this option if you frequently use Facebook from public Internet access points found at coffee shops, airports, libraries, or schools," the post says. "The option will exist as part of our advanced security features, which you can find in the Account Security section of the Account Settings page."

Using HTTPS may mean that some pages will take a little bit longer to load, and some third-party applications aren't currently supported, the company said. The option is rolling out over the next few weeks. "We hope to offer HTTPS as a default whenever you are using Facebook sometime in the future," the post says.
"Every user's Facebook page is unique and it's been complex pulling together all the different parts," said Facebook Chief Security Officer Joe Sullivan when asked what the time frame is to making HTTPS the default setting. "It's an interesting technical challenge for the company.

Here's how you can secure your Facebook account.
Log in to Facebook and click Account in the top right corner of the page.
• Select Account Settings and scroll down to Account Security.
• Click Change and check the box next to Secure Browsing.
• You can also view all account activity, so check back regularly to see if someone is accessing your account without your permission.

More Bloopers......

HD Videos for i phone 4

This is plain farce. The page talks about HD Videos feature in iPhone 4, while the image says iPod on top left!

Bloopers by Apple

Apple makes excellent gadgets, no doubt. But their PR team is also famous for some of the worst photoshop goof-ups in recent times. Things seem to have gone out of hand ever since they hurriedly launched iPod Touch 4G early this week.

We have collected and listed out some of the recent Photoshop bloopers from Apple, thanks to the folks at 9to5mac!

This is an ad for the latest iPod Touch. Notice the phone icon on bottom left of the pic on the right?!

Switching to 3G ? :: Then Think Once......

While the 3G Launch of Major operators in India is just a couple of weeks away,we’ve got some bad news on 3G here. Once it’s here, more than one crore people are speculated to use 3G and so are their brains to get damaged.
Recent reports reveal that the population using 3G Services is likely to be affected by cancer and neuro-phsychiatric problems in the upcoming two years due to exposure to harmful radiations, which are 20-15 percent stronger with 3G coming in.

Children below the age of 16 are the most prone to brain cancer five times more than the adults, recent studies by the Electircal Engineering Department at Indian Institute of Technology reveal.
They run the risk of developing neuro-psychiatric problems, including headache, memory loss, diz ziness, tremors, muscle spas ms, numbness, altered reflexes, muscle and joint pain, depression, and sleep disturbance. More severe reactions include seizures, paralysis, psychosis and stroke, says the study.
The results of the study have been presented to the Telecom Department and there is no response from the telecom department yet.

Are you moving from 2G to 3g?
Then think once !

Enhanced Vision Technology by GM

Technology really never ceases to amaze us, a new Enhanced Vision Technology currently being developed by General Motors aims to turn the ordinary car windshield into augmented reality based virtual display that uses lasers, night vision, eye tracking and GPS to assist you in driving. Enhanced vision technology can pin point obstacles in the path, mark the road using lasers during night and can even display your destination using the GPS technology on your windshield in real time.

Nokia ---> The Morph Concept

Launched alongside The Museum of Modern Art “Design and The Elastic Mind” exhibition, the Morph concept device is a bridge between highly advanced technologies and their potential benefits to end-users. This device concept showcases some revolutionary leaps being explored by Nokia Research Center (NRC) in collaboration with the Cambridge Nanoscience Centre (United Kingdom) – nanoscale technologies that will potentially create a world of radically different devices that open up an entirely new spectrum of possibilities.

Morph concept technologies might create fantastic opportunities for mobile devices:

Newly-enabled flexible and transparent materials blend more seamlessly with the way we live
Devices become self-cleaning and self-preserving
Transparent electronics offering an entirely new aesthetic dimension
Built-in solar absorption might charge a device, whilst batteries become smaller, longer lasting and faster to charge
Integrated sensors might allow us to learn more about the environment around us, empowering us to make better choices

In addition to the advances above, the integrated electronics shown in the Morph concept could cost less and include more functionality in a much smaller space, even as interfaces are simplified and usability is enhanced. All of these new capabilities will unleash new applications and services that will allow us to communicate and interact in unprecedented ways.

Flexible & Changing Design

Nanotechnology enables materials and components that are flexible, stretchable, transparent and remarkably strong. Fibril proteins are woven into a three dimensional mesh that reinforces thin elastic structures. Using the same principle behind spider silk, this elasticity enables the device to literally change shapes and configure itself to adapt to the task at hand.

A folded design would fit easily in a pocket and could lend itself ergonomically to being used as a traditional handset. An unfolded larger design could display more detailed information, and incorporate input devices such as keyboards and touch pads.

Even integrated electronics, from interconnects to sensors, could share these flexible properties. Further, utilization of biodegradable materials might make production and recycling of devices easier and ecologically friendly.

Self-Cleaning

Nanotechnology also can be leveraged to create self-cleaning surfaces on mobile devices, ultimately reducing corrosion, wear and improving longevity. Nanostructured surfaces, such as “Nanoflowers” naturally repel water, dirt, and even fingerprints utilizing effects also seen in natural systems.

Advanced Power Sources

Nanotechnology holds out the possibility that the surface of a device will become a natural source of energy via a covering of “Nanograss” structures that harvest solar power. At the same time new high energy density storage materials allow batteries to become smaller and thinner, while also quicker to recharge and able to endure more charging cycles.

Sensing The Environment

Nanosensors would empower users to examine the environment around them in completely new ways, from analyzing air pollution, to gaining insight into bio-chemical traces and processes. New capabilities might be as complex as helping us monitor evolving conditions in the quality of our surroundings, or as simple as knowing if the fruit we are about to enjoy should be washed before we eat it. Our ability to tune into our environment in these ways can help us make key decisions that guide our daily actions and ultimately can enhance our health.

International : I-Pad lossing grip to Android

Apple's iPad still reigns supreme among tablets, but its grip on the market is starting to loosen.

In the fourth quarter, Apple's tablet captured 75.3 percent of worldwide market share, easily beating Android-based devices' 21.6 percent share, according to market-research firm Strategy Analytics. However, those figures differ vastly from the third quarter when Apple had 95.5 percent share and Android had just 2.3 percent.

For 2010 overall, iPad's held 84.1 percent of the market, while Android devices accounted for 13.1 percent.

Despite the iPad's slip, Apple sold millions more in the fourth quarter compared with the third. Strategy Analytics reported that 7.3 million iPads shipped worldwide in the fourth quarter, up from the 4.2 million in the third quarter. All told, Apple shipped 14.8 million iPads last year, the firm said.

Just 100,000 Android units shipped during the third quarter of 2010. But in the fourth quarter, 2.1 million units hit store shelves. In total, about 2.3 million Android-based tablets shipped worldwide last year.

The vast majority of those Android units were likely Samsung's Galaxy Tab. Samsung announced in early December that it had shipped 1 million units worldwide since their release in November. A report from South Korea news agency Yonhap said Samsung shipped 2 million Galaxy Tab units last year altogether. However, the company would not confirm that figure when contacted by CNET last week.

Either way, 2011 is shaping up to be an even bigger year for the tablet market as a whole.

Market researcher IDC said earlier this month that it expects 44.6 million tablets to ship this year. IDC estimates that 17 million devices shipped in 2010.

At the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month, a slew of companies, including Asus, LG, Motorola, and Acer, showed off their entries for the tablet market in 2011. And by year's end, the market is expected to be filled with devices to compete with Apple's tablet.

For its part, Apple is also expected to deliver a new entrant to the tablet arena with the iPad 2. So far, however, the company has been its typical, tight-lipped self on any details surrounding that potential device.

Paypal Almost Dead in India :-0

PayPal India users, here is a bad news for you. PayPal given a 30-day advanced notice on changes to PayPal user agreement for India with effect from 1 March 2011. Reserve Bank of India sets up new requirements for PayPal services in India. With effect from March 1st, you are not able to keep any money in your online PayPal account and received money must be transferred to your bank account in India with in 7 days. Receiving payments into PayPal account may not exceed US$500.

You are not allowed to use money in your PayPal account to buy goods. As you are not allowed to maintain balance in your PayPal account, If you want to make payments via PayPal, the money should first be transferred to PayPal using your bank’s credit card.

Many PayPal users are blaming PayPal for the restrictions. We should not blame PayPal, PayPal has to comply with RBI guidelines, otherwise RBI will stop PayPal operations in India. On the other side we are not to blame RBI too. As the money coming through PayPal is taxable in India. Most PayPal users may not declaring it or not transferring to their bank account. They are directly using money in PayPal account to pay or buy online. If the user didn’t declare money earned through PayPal on Income Tax returns or didn’t transferred money to bank account, Income tax authorities of India won’t have a clue about your earnings through PayPal. So, RBI might set this guidelines to keep track of the payment activities on PayPal as they are not able to monitor PayPal directly as they do with the banks in India.

You can read the full notice PayPal here and here is a PayPal blog post.

Its just like the previous BalckBerry issue in India. The guidelines are may be acceptable but the US$500 restriction is not fair, they should increase the limitation at least.