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techknow beat by Bilal Iqbal So then it’s a thousand-riyal question: To go for the latest and greatest Samsung Note 4 or its predecessor, the last year’s champion, Galaxy Note 3. The Galaxy Note 4 went on sale (and quickly out of stock) in Doha a couple of weeks back for QR2,800. But as supply met demand in the ensuing days, those of you prudent enough to resist the temptation may also be the ones thinking if what the Note 4 offers over Note 3 is worth the premium it charges. The Galaxy Note 3 in the market, the 4G version, is currently retailing for QR2,000 but can easily be had for QR1,800 with a little digging. The Notes are currently the only high end phablets in the market to offer a stylus, the S Pen. And with the ability to mimic how pens write, complete with the capability to register over a thousand pressure levels, these are not your styluses of yore. No device of this size can compete with the productivity options that the Notes offer. This holds especially true for people who would like more control over editing the finer details in the pictures on their phones, or edit videos on the go. The human finger is just too fat for the kind of precise controls that such tasks demand. This also means then that the S Pen is, and will continue to be, a niche accessory. Thankfully then, the Note doesn’t rely solely on the laurels of its innovative S Pen, and consistently offer some of the best smartphone experience in the market today. Their cameras are top notch. Their screens are superb. They are blazing fast. And their battery lives (starting with the Galaxy Note 3) will easily get you through a heavy day of usage, or two days of moderate use. Visually, you will not find much of a difference between Note 3 and Note 4. They are virtually the same size and shape, with Note 4 being ever so slightly bigger and heavier (176grams vs 168grams). Holding them in hand though is a completely different experience, with the metal body of the Note 4 feeling significantly more premium than Note 3. You also get a higher resolution screen (2K display instead of FHD on Note 3), a better camera (16mp with OIS vs 13mp), better battery life (the battery in Note 4 is virtually the same size, but better hardware optimisation from Samsung results in better battery life, despite the QHD screen), faster charging (up to 30% faster, according to Samsung), heart rate monitor, fingerprint scanner, and, of course, a faster processor with better GPU. Put together, are all these improvements worth the extra asking money? That would, of course, depend on you. Reviewers worldwide are in agreement that the Note 4 does indeed make a compelling argument for itself, and if you are the sort of person who must have the latest and greatest, then the decision may already have been made. No one will tell you that you washed your money down the drain. Another thing to consider is that the Note 4 variant being sold in Qatar comes with the Samsung-made 64-bit Exynos chipset, instead of the more common Snapdragon 810. You do lose developer support when it comes to Exynos (we are talking custom ROMs like Cyanogenmod), but it is currently benchmarking higher than the Snapdragon variant. This means that it should be able to perform better on games going forward. Also, being 64-bit means it should play nicer with Android 5.0 Lollipop when it eventually comes out for Note 4 — Android 5.0 supports 64-bit processors. The Exynos variant does come with slower 4G speeds than the Snapdragon variant, but if our experience with the 4G networks in Qatar are any indications, you will not find any practical speed differences in daily use. So unless you like to change around the software running your phone, the Exynos variant should serve you plenty fine (unlike last year’s Exynos Note 3, which offered only 3G speeds). But if you believe in getting the most from your money, or are just short on cash, the Note 3 still makes a very compelling case for itself. It is plenty fast, has 4G (with speeds as fast as the Exynos Note 4), decent camera, sufficient storage and is virtually guaranteed to get an update to Android 5.0 Lollipop. Something must be said here for the painfully slow updates that Samsung pushes out to its phones in the MEA region — we got our Kit Kat update for the Note 3 months after its global rollout started. Unlike the HTC, who has promised Lollipop updates for their One M8 and M7 within 90 days, we are, going by Samsung’s past record, looking at 4-5 months or longer before the Lollipop update for Note 4 rolls out (maybe even longer in Qatar) and 7-8 months for the update to come to Note 3 (again, longer in Qatar). Samsung, officially, has made no comments on the update schedules for any of its devices. What about existing Note 3 users? Should you throw away your one-year-old phone and rush to get the latest gadget? We will go here with our 24-month upgrade cycle. There are rumours that given Galaxy S5’s less-than-stellar sales performance, Samsung is working on the Galaxy S6 from scratch. The design cues in the Galaxy S6 will also make their way to Note 5, and it will be interesting to see what Samsung comes up with (here’s hoping they do away with their iPhone-inspired home button and go to a much nicer look for their TouchWiz).   Unless you are really excited by the potential that the Galaxy Gear VR has, the upgrades, while significant, are incremental and you could easy last another year with your Note 3. If you do want the Gear VR, we suggesting waiting until Samsung releases the headset. The promise of an Imax-like experience at home is tempting to say the least, but we would wait a couple of more months to see how the Gear VR actually pans out. It is rumoured to come out some time in December.      

  Reuters/Palo Alto Hewlett-Packard Co  has taken a modest step toward re-imagining the venerable personal computer, merging a 3D scanner and projector with an all-in-one PC to create a $1,899 ensemble it hopes can rekindle industry interest. The new desktop computer, called Sprout, goes on sale online Wednesday. In a departure for the company, HP also announced it will begin to share the 3D printing technology it has been developing for years. The technique, which the company claims can print 10 times faster and much cheaper than current products, will be shared with select manufacturing and technology partners to garner feedback before a tentative 2016 launch. Like many of its rivals, HP is struggling with a stagnant personal computer business that still makes up half its revenue. HP hopes a new take on the old PC can re-ignite customer interest, though it is careful to play down expectations. Several industrywide attempts to revive the market, such as ultrathin laptops and all-in-ones, initially failed to catch on. Sprout sits atop Microsoft's Windows 8 and can be wielded via a sensor-laden mat on the desktop akin to a giant mousepad. HP is betting that users prefer touch controls at desk-level rather than onscreen. Its biggest departure from the traditional computer is a display-mounted 3D scanner and projector that creates a digital image of objects placed on the mat. It also projects images onto the desktop, which a user can edit by touch. HP executives demonstrated how various items from pens and cups to figurines and pictures can be scanned, tacked onto  existing images or video, edited then emailed or shared through social media. Eric Monsef, who heads the project for HP, said the initial production run will be modest but can be scaled up if needed. The key is to attract developers for a new Sprout marketplace or apps store, for specifically designed software that can to take advantage of 3D capabilities. It will come with apps from Dreamworks Animation, Skype and Evernote, among others. "It's about getting people excited again," Monself said in an interview. The hope is that Sprout will entice more developers as time goes by, who will in turn devise novel ways to make use of the technology, he said. "Day of launch, we're not even at the halfway point of our work." HP's anticipated entry into 3D printing, however, will not come until 2016, after a process of feedback and refinement is completed. The company calls its technique "multi jet fusion" because it employs a series of printing jets spraying multiple chemical agents simultaneously. It also claims it is cheaper than other commercially available technologies. "We've been working for a number of years already. We have patents going back more than 10 years," said project chief Ramon Pastor. "We didn't want to introduce a product that wasn't a breakthrough."    

  AFP/New York Amazon on Monday unveiled a new media stick allowing users to stream content to television sets, challenging Google's Chromecast device released last year. The plug-in Fire TV Stick, a device the size of a pack of gum, provides access to Amazon Instant Video as well as other services including Netflix, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN and NBA Game Time. The dongle is being sold in the US market for $39, or $19 for customers who subscribe to Amazon Prime, which gives customers free shipping and access to music, videos and other online content. The new stick appeared to be a challenge to Chromecast, which has sold in the millions since Google unveiled it a year ago. Amazon said the Fire TV Stick "has 50 percent more processing power and twice the memory of Chromecast," adding it also has six times the power of the Roku Streaming Stick, and as a result delivers faster video. The new device includes Amazon's "Advanced Streaming and Prediction," which anticipates which movies and TV episodes viewers want to watch and buffers them for faster playback. Like the other devices, Fire TV Stick can "mirror" content on a tablet or smartphone to stream for viewing on a TV set. "Fire TV Stick is not a gadget -- it's a seamlessly integrated service that brings together the features customers expect from Amazon," a statement said. Microsoft earlier this year introduced its Wireless Display Adaptor, a similar thumb-drive-size gizmo that plugs into HDMI and USB ports in televisions, and then wirelessly connects with tablets, computers or smartphones running Miracast software. Several companies already make Miracast plug-in devices for televisions. Amazon this year launched a $99 Fire TV streaming media box, which offers some additional features for gaming and other services.  

MULTI-FACETED: From designing the curriculum with head judge Robert Ford to scheduling all the teacher training sessions, Dr Theodore Chiasson’s role in putting together the massive Olympiad is multi-faceted. By Anand Holla In the week leading to the 2014 Qatar National Robot Olympiad showdown, Dr Theodore Chiasson appears as unperturbed as he perhaps would the week after. The man, who organises the grand annual championship of ingenious gadgetry, sits at his office in the College of North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q) and speaks with poise as measured as a machine’s moves. “Robotics invokes a passion for learning that I haven’t seen anything else do,” Chiasson says, “It seems like the silver bullet. While it’s been said for 50 years that there’s no silver bullet for education, I believe robotics is a silver bullet for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.” “If a student gets really excited about robotics,” he continues, “it could change the whole path of his or her career and life. A lot of times students don’t choose science because they think it’s difficult and boring. But robotics shows that it’s difficult and fun, which is very different.” The Dean of Information Technology at the CNA-Q certainly knows how it all flows. As the weekend saw Qatar’s biggest ever Robot Olympiad bustling with more than a whopping 300 teams at Aspire Zone, from elementary, middle and senior schools in Qatar across seven categories, it was clear that the event will only grow in the years to come. Four years ago though, few could have predicted this staggering growth curve. It all started in 2009 for Chiasson when he served as a judge at that year’s Qatar National Robot Olympiad (QNRO). “The following year, no competition was held. So I approached the World Robot Olympiad (WRO). That’s because I saw, from the projects presented at the 2009 Olympiad, that it was a great competition for encouraging students to start studying science,” he says. In 2011, Chiasson became Qatar’s representative for the WRO and CNA-Q hosted the competition on its campus with 69 teams and just one category (Open). The following year, Maersk Oil Qatar’s decision to fund the initiative as part of their corporate social responsibility plan, injected the event with a newfound vigour. From expansion in training for teachers to expansion in the competition categories, the Olympiad had just gotten bigger, better, stronger. “That year, we held a regional event called the WRO Arabia, which had 108 teams that flew in from all over the Middle East and even Africa. That year’s QNRO saw 112 teams,” Chiasson says. As the programme drew strength from the Supreme Education Council’s endorsement and Qatar Petroleum, too, signing on, more independent schools lined up for participation. The QNRO is essentially the culmination of the year-long school robotics programme, GO ROBOT, which seeks to boost students’ interest in STEM subjects. This year, more teachers trained in robotics and more robotics kit and games tables were donated to schools — all courtesy sponsors — than ever before.   “But we started off really small in 2011, with just 69 teams and 25 or 30 coaches involved. We were able to offer the teachers very brief training of five hours. We now offer 30 hours of instruction,” Chiasson points out, “This year, 500 teachers signed up for the training and 400 of them attended some of it, while more than 150 attended all 30 hours. That sure is a big contrast to 2011.” The teachers’ training is split over 10 three-hour lessons. “In the first lesson, they uncover a brand new kit, build the robot as per the manual, learn the bare basics of programming,” Chiasson explains. “What follows are a series of programming lessons, done in a visual programming language that comes with the robotics kit.” The choice of equipment for showcasing this automated wizardry is Lego Mindstorms, a full-fledged robotics kit. Chiasson says, “Lego Mindstorms are ideal because all of their parts are identical in all the kits. They have extreme tolerance levels in their construction because they are made from Lego bricks — one of the most precise toys on the planet, if not the most precise.” “The design possibilities, with just a few bricks, are limitless,” Chiasson continues, “So when you have a whole kit with an expansion kit, which together is more than 1000 pieces, you can create an extraordinary number of different designs.” In the mid-Nineties, when the first version of Lego Mindstorms hit the market, Chiasson, who was doing his PhD in Computer Science in Nova Scotia, Canada, bought a kit so he could play with his five-year-old son. “The programming language interested me the most then. It was designed to look and act like Lego blocks,” he says. From designing the curriculum with head judge Robert Ford — which they teach to their own staff of around 15 instructors — to scheduling all the teacher training sessions, Chiasson’s role in putting together this massive Olympiad is multi-faceted. “We will be hosting the world finals of this competition next November, which will see 400 teams from more than 50 countries,” he says. The major addition to this year’s Olympiad has been the third category (Open and Regular being the other two) of GEN II Football, featuring 20 teams. “On a large football game table, two robots from each team fight it out,” Chiasson elaborates, “They are equipped with special sensors — an infra-red secret sensor that can detect the ball which emits an infra-red signal, and a compass sensor which helps the robots figure which way they are aiming their kicks.” Predictably, it’s a pain in the neck for the kids to push their robots into playing some quality football, which here means two 10-minute halves. “It’s really difficult because the robots have very limited sensors to facilitate precise movement,” he says. The referee’s role is significant, too, as there are bound to be a lot of interventions. Chiasson explains, “For instance, every time the ball touches the side of the playing field, it has to be moved to a neutral area. If a robot is damaged, it gets a 30-second penalty and is removed from play.” The technically better robot is not guaranteed to excel either. “In robotics, the environment is not as kind to you as you’d like,” Chiasson reasons, “You can program your robot such that it works perfectly, but then you encounter your opponent’s robot and things don’t go so well. A real simple robot might end up doing really well, whereas a complicated robot might just trip itself up. It’s impossible to predict.” What is much easier to predict is the sway of robotics in fuelling students’ fascination for STEM. “Robotics is wonderful in instilling an interest and excitement about science which you don’t necessarily get from a teacher’s lecture,” Chiasson says, “Research has shown that children that get involved with robotics are more likely to pursue STEM courses and careers. Research also shows an increase, especially for girls’ participation in engineering fields if they are introduced to robotics.” Chiasson then puts this in better perspective. “I have found that when you build a robot yourself and you want it to do something new, you have to learn more maths, more science or more physics, to be able to do that. The motivation for the learning is then within the student, which makes for a complete paradigm shift in terms of the learning environment,” he points out. Even the most formidable challenge posed by touch-screen technology in the way of the youth’s pre-occupation with smartphones and tablets doesn’t seem to interfere with developing a passion for robotics. “As robotics is technology, there’s an attraction there, too. The children are not used to playing with technology that interacts with the environment. Robotics, therefore, draws them away from the touch-screens. The children now interact with the robot in the environment as opposed to just in their minds. So robotics brings imagination to life in some ways,” Chiasson says. The natural ability of children to play and try different things helps them learn robotics faster than most of their teachers, Chiasson feels. “If I come across a challenge, I would put it to the kids and let them solve it. That’s because they would come up with ideas I would have never thought of. My mind is closed from all the things I have learned. Theirs are still wide open,” he says. The satisfaction of creating your own robot, too, is unmatchable to say, posting a new top score on Subway Surfers. Chiasson refers to a video clip of the 2012 Olympiad on their website: “There’s this young girl who’s standing next to her robot and she says — We built the robot and we programmed the robot.” And that, Chiasson believes, sums up everything. “She owns it,” he says, “She learnt how to do it and she’s proud of her accomplishment. She didn’t win the competition and she didn’t have to. She was so happy to be participating and she could show that she could build and programme a robot that could do whatever she wanted it to do. So it’s all about getting children to embrace STEM, and to make them feel proud of what they can do with it.”      

by Bilal Iqbal It’s been a long time coming, ever since the rollout of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean back in October 2012. After Project Butter debuted on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to address the biggest criticism that users levelled on the platform — mainly the perceived lag while navigating an Android device — 4.2 was a relatively minor upgrade. Surely then, the next version will be Android 5.0, said pundits. Instead, come July 2013, all we got was another flavour of Jelly Bean, 4.3 this time, bringing with it similarly incremental upgrades as Android 4.2. Some perceived the move as an attempt by Google to address Android fragmentation, something that had been plaguing the platform since it moved from Android 2.3 Gingerbread to Android 4.0 Icecream Sandwich. The platform had matured sufficiently enough for Google to slow down the rollout of major features and instead give manufacturers time to catch up — a smart decision, in retrospect, given how the term Android Fragmentation gets thrown around a lot less nowadays than it used to just two years back. Android 4.4 Kit Kat in September 2013 was another attempt by Google to address fragmentation issues. The focus this time was to run on a wide range of devices in the market, with 512mb of RAM being stated as recommended to run Kit Kat. Just about all low-end devices now ship with a minimum of 512mb of RAM, meaning no device gets left behind. The optimisations made to make Android 4.4 Kit Kat that much leaner came to be known as Project Svelte. But where was Android 5.0? Was Google planning to stay at 4.x for the foreseeable future? Google had be following a roughly six-month release schedule for its Android builds up until now, with one update usually being minor and one major. The next update was expected somewhere around June or July and gave Google a good eight to nine months. But come June 2014, all we got was the preview of what’s coming next, codenamed Android L (with no mention of the version number). The biggest apparent improvement to Android L was going to be a new interface, dubbed by Google as Material Design. In Google’s words, the idea is to “develop a single underlying system that allows for a unified experience across platforms and device sizes. Mobile precepts are fundamental, but touch, voice, mouse, and keyboard are all first-class input methods.” If you own an Android device, chances are you have already seen Material Design in action on Google apps, like Google Plus, Chrome browser, Gmail, Maps and Play store etcetera. Google’s plan is to eventually have all its products across the board use the Material Design language for a consistent user experience. It was not until last week that Android L was officially unveiled to be Android 5.0 Lollipop, signifying that Google considers this to be the next major Android release.   What’s New Material Design. It’s fluid and features a large amount of animations, all without the hint of stutter. A Techcrunch hands-on of the newly announced Nexus 6 (launching with Android Lollipop) said: “At least running on a freshly-unboxed Nexus 6, Lollipop is smooth. Ridiculously smooth, even. Every animation (and Lollipop/Material Design uses a lot of animations and transitions) ran like butter, refusing to stutter even when I tried to trip it up by loading many apps in rapid fire.” But unless you use a Nexus device or one from a manufacturer that does not like to make plenty of changes to the stock Google look (like Motorola, for instance), all you will be getting are hints of Material Design throughout your UI. A leaked Samsung software running Android Lollipop, for instance, shows that the Samsung UI looks more or less consistent with what it is right now. That said you will still see snippets of Material Design shine throughout the user interface. Lollipop also features a refreshed notification system, where each notification is displayed on a card and batches of notifications can be clubbed together by an app. This will give apps more freedom to display information. The existing notification system, while a good start, was beginning to get a bit long in the tooth given its restrictive nature. You will even be able to see notifications on your Lock Screen as cards, if you want to. Other major improvements in Android Lollipop are behind the scenes. For instance, Google is promising improved battery life by at least 90 minutes. Geek.com noticed that they were consistently getting about 2.5 hours more from their Nexus 5 (and when you are struggling to make through the day, every single minute counts). Google has also changed the way applications run on Android. They have moved from Dalvik to ART. Dalvik was a Just In Time compiler, meaning it would get the code ready to run each time you would use an app. As you would expect, this would mean that it would take longer for an app to load up. In contrast, ART, or Android Runtime, prepares the code to run the moment an app is installed. Without having to compile the code at runtime, apps load up much faster and the system performance is improved. Compiling the code ahead of time does take up more space on your device, but with the high storage options now available on devices with the ability of expanding memory for cheap, this should not pose that big of an issue to anyone. These are not the only changes made to the Lollipop, but these are by far the most visible. Other changes are more behind-the-scenes that should help developers.    Who’s getting it? The big question, will your phone get it? If you are running a Nexus 4 or later or any Nexus tablet, you should be one of the first people to get the Lollipop update. That is to be expected, given they are Google devices. But who else? Sony has committed to bring the Android 5.0 Lollipop to the entire Xperia Z line-up. It did not make any mention of its lower-tiered devices though. HTC has also committed to upgrading its One flagships and One Mini phones to Lollipop, but has said nothing about its lower-tiered devices. Motorola gets major brownie points for taking it up a notch, committing to upgrading all its newer devices (from the flagship Moto X to the entry-level Moto E). That’s it. Seriously. It’s been a week and there have been no announcements or commitments made by the other two major Android manufacturers: Samsung and LG. While we are certain that Samsung and LG will bring Android Lollipop to their recent flagships, an early announcement would have been nice. We are also concerned about the state of the multiple Samsung devices that dominate the midrange: we fear many of them will probably not get the upgrade and a word from Samsung on their fate will go a long way in allaying our concerns. Here’s hoping we get good news.   The authour can contacted on email at [email protected] or followed on Twitter at @tknobeat   IMPROVEMENTS: The Android 5.0 Lollipop update brings with it a new User Interface and faster performance that goes easier on the battery.    

A new iPad that was unveiled at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California on Thursday. AFP/San Francisco Apple, facing tough competition in the tablet market, on Thursday unveiled a new line-up of iPads that feature its mobile payments system and include the fingerprint unlock used on iPhones. The California tech giant said its iPad Air 2 would be thinner than its rivals, with upgraded graphics power and other features. The new lineup aims to help Apple regain ground in a tablet market increasingly dominated by the rival Android platform. Apple said its mobile payments system known as Apple Pay, allowing iPhone and iPad users to tap their devices to pay at retailers, would begin operations on Monday with more banks and merchants on board. The iPad Air 2 is 18% thinner than its predecessor, Apple said as it unveiled the new device at its Cupertino, California headquarters. The new design "makes it the world's thinnest tablet," Apple vice president Phil Schiller said. "It's so thin you can stack two of them and it will still be thinner than the original iPad." The new slimmed-down tablet comes after last year's iPad launch prompted rivals to say they had a slimmer profile. The new tablet comes with a more powerful processor that delivers livelier graphics, improved battery life and Touch ID, the fingerprint unlock system that Apple uses on its iPhones. Apple also upgraded its smaller tablet, called the iPad Mini 3, which will also have the Touch ID system. Apple chief Tim Cook said the iPad has been wildly successful, with 225mn units sold in the four years since the initial launch. But in a tablet market that is cooling, the rival Android platform has been gaining share. Cook said the Apple Pay system, which has signed up major merchants and banks as well as payment processors like Visa and MasterCard, was gaining participants. "Just since last month, we have signed another 500 banks," he said. "They will be rolling out support later this year and early next year."

AFP Facebook has unveiled a "safety check" tool to allow users to alert friends and family about their status in emergencies, a system developed after the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami. "We want to provide a helpful tool that people can use when major disasters strike, so we've created 'safety check' - a simple and easy way to say you're safe and check on others," a Facebook blog post said late on Wednesday. Facebook said it began working on the system after the Japan disaster: "During that crisis, we saw how people used technology and social media to stay connected with those they cared about," the statement said. The new tool expands on its "disaster message board" used in Japan. In "safety check," users in areas affected by a disaster will get a notification asking "Are you OK?" Users can select to click "I'm safe" and status updates will be sent to friends. Facebook will use a user's smartphone location to determine if someone is affected by a catastrophe, while allowing people to correct any location mistakes. "Unfortunately, these kinds of disasters happen all too frequently," Facebook said. "Each time, we see people, relief organisations and first responders turn to Facebook in the aftermath of a major natural disaster." Facebook said the tool will be available globally on Android, iOS, feature phones and desktop.

GOOD BUSINESS: Muhammad Mehfuz Alam sits comfortably in his shop in Souq Waqif.  By Umer Nangiana     Name: Muhammad Mehfuz Alam Nationality: Bihar, India Shop location: Al Bisht Al Fakhir, Souq Waqif   These days, he hardly sits idle. It is the start of peak season and soon this traditional souq in the heart of the Qatari capital will be bustling with people, many of them tourists. Muhammad Mehfuz Alam, an expatriate from Bihar in India, sells Arabic men’s clothing in one of the many shops named Al Bisht Al Fakhir in Souq Waqif and he says business is good in this popular market.   What do you sell? I only have Arabic items. Bisht, farwa and much more. It is all imported mostly from Saudi Arabia, Syria, Pakistan and other countries and comes ready-made. We do not stitch anything here. We only do alteration in size or shape to fit. The farwa is a heavy and very warm overcoat made from thick sheep wool. The farwa comes in differing colors and a variety of interesting traditional designs.    What is your shop’s specialty? It is bisht. It is the traditional Arabic men’s cloak popular in Arab countries which they wear over their dress. Our main business is bisht. Winter is our peak season in which we sell the woolen ones. They start from QR250-QR400 for a normal one and a better quality one starts from QR800 and goes up to QR2,500. However, what is special is our pricing. You will attract more customers if you price your product a little lower than others.   Who are your customers? Everyone! A lot of people from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Saudi Arabia buy it. There are customers for every quality. If somebody needs a little cheaper one, I have that quality starting from QR200. Similarly if somebody wants to gift it to friends or wear it for some occasion like weddings, I have that good quality available too. It depends on the customer’s choice, I have every variety. Most of our customers are local Qataris. Then we get tourists from different countries as well which include Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE and Europeans.   Where do you source your goods from? The goods come from Syria mostly and the dealers supply it to others in Qatar as well. We purchase from them directly.   How is business here? Business is doing really well. Now, our season is approaching. From November to January, these three months is the peak season. And then, we sell a lot during Ramadan and Eid al-Adha as well. Farwa is the most selling item alongside bisht. I also have saif (swords). They come from Syria and we also purchase them locally.   What problems do you face running this shop? Thank God, I have not faced any problems here so far.   What kind of customers do you find annoying? So far I have not come across any such customer. I have never been irritated by those bargaining. It is their right and if they do not like the price they would simply walk away. If I am getting profit, I will sell it otherwise I will not, it’s simple.   Tell us your favourite anecdote related to a customer. I have a customer who is a Qatari. He visited our shop last month and purchased an uber worth QR800. He gave me a tip that was more than the price he paid for his purchase. So I managed to develop a connection with him. Whenever, he visits this place (Souq), he comes to see me. Recently, he went for Hajj and before that he visited me. So far, anyone I have come across, either local or expatriate, they all have treated me very well and behaved very well. It is simple if you treat others with love, in return, they will give you love.   What is the best thing about Souq Waqif? I find working in Souq very special. It is also because there is always some event or the other happening here so we do not need to go anywhere else for outing or entertainment. Everything is available here.   Where do you spend your leisure? I have no particular hobbies. Most of my time is spent in work and then I talk to my family and my children and that is enough for me. I am happy.      

    techknow beat   by Bilal Iqbal     LG’s return to legitimate smartphone credentials began with the Optimus G, and while it had much going for it in terms of specs compared to its nearest South Korean rival, the Samsung Galaxy S3, it could never quite get out of the S3’s shadow. The Optimus G managed to sell 1 million devices in the four months after its release. In comparison, the S3 topped off at over 40 million devices sold during its lifecycle (reaching 20 million sales in just 100 days). But direct competition was not the point. The Optimus G, it seems, was meant to be the first step for LG into the high-end smartphone market. And to that end the device launched to much praise, getting most things right (except for the rather short battery life). LG had also yet to prove its credentials as a manufacturer that supports its phones.  The device launched with Android JellyBean (Android 4.1) out of the box, but subsequent updates were nowhere to be found. This in turn must have affected the company’s credibility with potential buyers when the G2 came out. The company did fumble about with its game plan after the Optimus G, trying its hand at a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 competitor with the Optimus G Pro, before deciding on its own path with high-end smartphones. The LG G2 (they dropped the Optimus moniker) was the first serious intent from the company to break free from the Galaxy influence and go its own route, giving its devices a compact, minimalistic outlook. The menu buttons, for instance, were moved on-screen, like Google intended, something Samsung has continued to resist. This allowed the company to make G2 extremely compact — fitting a larger screen in a body that virtually measures the same as Galaxy S4 (never mind the Xperia Z1, which was going crazy with bezels huge enough to send it competing with the Note series for size, even though it sports just a 5-inch screen).   G2’s UI, though, still seemed influenced the company’s Korean rival. Clearly this was not the final edition of LG’s design plan. What started with the Optimus G came a full circle with the LG G3 — a phone that builds upon the G2, keeping its sleek minimal design and adding to it with an equally intriguing look for its UI, going from cartoonish to a more serious minimalistic look. But what truly added to the company’s credentials as a serious high-end phone manufacturer was the long awaited update for the Optimus G, which was taken straight to Android 4.4 (KitKat). In contrast, the international version of the S3 (with 1gb of RAM) will never make it to Android 4.4. Point LG. The G3 has been out in the Qatari market for a while now, and what’s seriously impressive about it is the asking price. It has not been priced the same as other flagship phones that it competes with. The G3 comes in two variants, one with 16gb of internal memory and 2gb of RAM, while the second variant comes with 32gb of internal memory and 3gb of RAM. The memory on both devices can be extended via a MicroSD card. The cheaper of the two variants retails for QR2,250, while the other goes for QR2,450. Retailers frequently have the more expensive variant of the G3 on offer, giving away vouchers worth QR200 or accessories with it. In contrast, the G3’s competitors who have been out in the market for much longer, retail for higher. HTC One M8 goes for QR2,600, Sony Xperia Z2 goes for QR2,800 and Samsung Galaxy S5 goes for QR2,600. That said, all three phones came out much before the G3 and have gone through price cuts internationally (and can be had for much cheaper in Qatar too, if you know where to look). The anticipated release of the Galaxy Note 4 and Xperia Z3 in Qatar by the end of October further complicate the equation. Some may even throw the Apple iPhone 6 into the equation, but in my opinion if you are already looking at Android phones, then you made your choice regarding the iPhone 6 much earlier in the decision-making process. So then, how does the G3 hold its own against the Android competition, both current and those coming soon. On paper, we would say, quite well. The device has its compactness going for it, giving you almost as big a screen as a Note 3 and Note 4 in a much smaller size. It is marginally taller than the S5, shorter than One M8 and virtually the same height as the Xperia Z2 and Z3. In thickness too, the G3 is competitive. Side bezels are normally well optimised by manufacturers and here the G3 is kept in check by its sprawling screen. In essence then, the G3 is only marginally bigger than its competitors, but offer for that a screen size of 5.5 inches. In other words, you get a screen of phablet proportions in a body that’s no bigger than a phone (by 2014 standards): the best of both worlds.Moreover the screen is at the cutting edge of technology, offering a resolution of QHD (a resolution matched by no phone from a known manufacturer other than the upcoming Note 4). That said, being the first to carry QHD display has taken its toll on the phone. For one, it is not the benchmark behemoth that its chipset would suggest, especially in the graphics department (higher resolution means more pixels to render) and its battery life, while good, is not what you would expect from G3 given G2’s strong performance. The phone especially loses out on its web browsing score, managing to last just 6 hours and 40 minutes on a full charge in a GSMArena battery test. If you like to browse heavily on your phone you may be in trouble, but otherwise an endurance rating of 69 hours on GSMArena battery test means the phone should be able to easily get most people through a day’s use. The screen itself is excellent except for contrast, where it loses out to other flagships. The phone’s biggest draw on paper then is also its biggest weakness (but only in comparison with the rest of the stellar specs that the phone boasts). Elsewhere you will not be compromising on any feature, getting a 13MP OIS camera (which while not class leading, is still reviewed pretty favourably), ample storage space, excellent performance all at a price that should put a smile on your face. The phone’s biggest asset may arguably be its asking price. When the Note 4 and Z3 launch come October end, the G3 will be offering much of the same at a price that is 20% lower. LG has priced the G3 to win, and if you can look past LG’s status as a relatively new entrant to the high-end smartphone market, the phone may just win your heart.   *The author may be contacted at [email protected] or followed on Twitter at @tknobeat   Dimensions LG G3 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9 mm  Samsung Galaxy S5    142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm HTC One M8  146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4 mm Sony Xperia Z2           146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm Sony Xperia Z3           146 x 72 x 7.3 mm Samsung Galaxy Note 3         151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm Samsung Galaxy Note 4         153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 mm   Source: GSMArena   LG G3’s key specs at a glance Screen size      5.5 inches Screen resolution         QHD, 1440x2560 (534 pixels per inch) Screen type/screen protection IPS/Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Weight            149 grams Internal memory          16/32gb RAM   2gb/3gb 4G       Yes, up to 150Mbps download, 50Mbps upload Expandable storage     Yes, up to 128gb Bluetooth        v4.0 NFC/Infrared ports     Yes FM radio         Yes Processor         Snapdragon 801 (2.5Ghz quadcore Krait 400) GPU    Adreno 330 GSMArena battery test           69 hours Source: GSMArena        

AFP A 31-year-old American was treated for addiction after wearing Google Glass for up to 18 hours a day and even experienced dreams as if looking through the device, doctors said. It is the first known case of Internet addiction involving Google Glass, a fledgling technology which provides online access via a tiny screen attached to a spectacle frame, they said. The naval serviceman had a history of drinking, depressive moods and relationship difficulties, according to the case study reported in the journal Addictive Behaviors. He was admitted to the US Navy's Substance Abuse Recovery Programme (SARP) in San Diego, California, in September 2013 after resuming heavy drinking. "The patient had been wearing the Google Glass device each day for up to 18 hours for two months prior to admission, removing the device during sleep and bathing," the paper says. "He noted that when he dreamed during his residential treatment, he envisioned the dream through the device. "He would experience the dream through a small grey window, which was consistent with what he saw when wearing the device while awake." His superiors had allowed the man to use the device for his job as it sped up his work of identifying and logging convoy vehicles. The gadget also helped him socially, as a topic of conversation with strangers. The serviceman developed a dependence on the device, and without it "he was less confident and exhibited significant craving similar to patients desiring their substance of abuse," the study said. Examined on admission, the patient repeatedly raised his right hand to his temple to tap it with his forefinger - an almost involuntary motion that he had used to turn on Google Glass and gain access to the Internet. During the admission interview, the man's short-term memory was poor, he often lost his train of thought and rarely made eye contact, doctors found. Under the facility's rules, patients have to give up computers and mobile phones during treatment - something that caused the patient much frustration and annoyance. "He stated, 'The withdrawal from this is much worse than the withdrawal I went through from alcohol'," the study reported. After his 35-day treatment, the patient became less irritable, the tapping of his temple became less frequent and his thought process and short-term memory improved. But he still intermittently experienced dreams as if looking through the Glass window.

AFPHackers based in Russia used a flaw in Microsoft Windows to spy on NATO, European governments and other organizations as far back as 2009, security researchers said Tuesday. A report by the cybersecurity firm iSight Partners said the flaw dubbed "Sandworm" allowed the cyber spies to gain access to computers using all versions of Windows for PCs and servers during the past five years. The researchers said Microsoft was notified of the vulnerability and was making a patch available on Tuesday. The report said the team exploiting this flaw began operating in 2009, and stepped up its efforts in late 2013, as the crisis in Ukraine broke out. The researchers said the targets included NATO, Ukrainian government organizations, Western European governments, energy and telecom companies in Europe and US academic institutions, but added that "visibility is limited and that there is a potential for broader targeting from this group." They noted that many of the attacks "have been specific to the Ukrainian conflict with Russia and to broader geopolitical issues related to Russia." According to a blog post by iSight, it's not clear what data may have been stolen but that the broad range of attacks "virtually guarantees that all of those entities targeted fell victim to some degree." "We immediately notified targeted entities, our clients across multiple government and private sector domains and began working with Microsoft to track this campaign and develop a patch to the zero-day vulnerability," iSight added. It noted that NATO was targeted as early as December 2013, and that other attacks hit a Polish energy firm and French telecommunications company. The cyberspying effort was referred to as Quedach by the security firm F-Secure, which described some elements of the campaign last month "but only captured a small component of the activities" and failed to identify use of the security flaw, according to iSight.

Satya Nadella: I was inarticulate on how women should ask for a raise. AFP Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella triggered uproar on Thursday after suggesting working women should trust "karma" when it comes to securing pay raises. Nadella was speaking during an on-stage discussion at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference in Arizona, when he made the remarks. Asked about advice for women interested in advancing careers but uncomfortable asking for pay increases, Nadella was quoted as responding they should just trust "that the system will actually give you the right raises as you go along." He reportedly went on to contend that women who don't ask for pay raises have a "superpower" in the form of "good karma, that'll come back." Moderator Maria Klawe, a college president and a member of Microsoft's board of directors, pointedly disagreed with Nadella, triggering applause from the audience. Studies have consistently shown women get paid less than men doing the same jobs. Klawe advised women listening to "do your homework" to make sure their pay is on par with that of male counterparts. Nadella later scrambled to damp down the controversy in a response on Twitter. "Was inarticulate re how women should ask for a raise," Nadella said in a message fired off at his @satyanadella Twitter account. "Our industry must close gender pay gap so a raise is not needed because of a bias." Nadella also reportedly sent a memo to Microsoft employees apologising for suggesting women rely on good karma instead of asking for raises, saying his reply to the question earlier was "completely wrong."

  IMMINENT: Samsung’s Gear VR is all set to be the first promising VR headset to the market.   By Bilal Iqbal    techknow beat When it comes to technology, the next best thing is not the half-baked smart watches that cost way more than they should given the things they do, but a new class of devices that promise to transport you to an entirely new world. Virtual Reality is no longer a subject limited to speculative science fiction movies and books. With three very viable prototypes already in the works, 2015 could be the year when the VR craze takes off. Sony has its Project Morpheus for PS4, Samsung has its Gear VR for the Note 4 smartphone and Oculus VR has its much-praised Rift headset. The Oculus Rift and Project Morpheus are slated for release in 2015, but the Gear VR, announced last, might actually beat them to the market in true Samsung style. There is little concrete information on availability and pricing for the headset, but rumours suggest that it might come to the market by December at a not-too-exorbitant price of around $200 dollars (roughly 750 to 800 Qatari Riyals). Part of the reason why the Gear VR is rumoured to cost less than what you would expect of such a cutting-edge device is that it does not use a screen of its own — it requires you to own a Samsung Note 4 and uses the phone’s screen to render the virtual reality scenes for you. So if you are planning to get the Note 4 anyway, the cost of buying into this exciting new tech is not that much. On the other hand, the total cost of the setup will set you back anywhere around QR3,600 later this year. Given the high costs involved, the question you may ask is how well does it work. Samsung has a track record of rushing concepts to the market, anyone remember the early Gear watches? The first few watches that Samsung released felt a lot like early prototypes to early adopters and reviewers (hardly surprising given that latest smart watches have barely begun to breach the realms of acceptability). One piece of info that may help put many minds at ease is that Oculus is behind the Gear VR. Oculus is currently the pioneering company in VR technology, with its Rift prototypes turning many sceptical people into true believers. Oculus has co-developed the hardware with Samsung and have also built the Oculus Mobile Software Development Kit that developers will be using to bring their games and apps to the Gear VR. The final unit, according to Oculus itself, is not as immersive as say what the Rift might be when it comes out on PCs in 2015, but is still way ahead of anything being developed on the mobile platform. Early users also question how useful Gear VR can be for mobile gaming, especially because of the limited controls made available to you. Even so, there are still a number of interesting games in development. There is a new edition of Temple Run in development for instance, dubbed the Temple Run VR, which will take you into a first-person experience. Then there’s Omega Agent, allowing you to strap on a jetpack and train to become a Cold War spy. Land’s End is another game for the Gear VR, a unique puzzler with an interesting look. Oculus itself is working on a dungeon crawler RPG in veins of the Legend of Zelda titles. Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4 (which is a game engine that is used by developers to make their games and is sure to power a number of games going forward) is also being ported to the Gear VR.   So even if the VR platform does not lend itself naturally to gaming (without the presence of a suitable controller), you can be sure that you will have plenty of games to play on the Gear VR. But gaming is not the only thing that the Gear VR should be useful for. The Gear VR can act as your very own cinema screen, with no annoying toddlers in the backseat to ruin the experience for you. Hayden Dingman of the PC World, for instance, described the experience as “surprising”. In his words, “the thing that stuck with me most was Oculus Cinema. And by stuck with me most I mean ‘has probably killed movie theatres for me.’” The Gear VR will be able to simulate a screen as big as the IMAX, in 3D. Dingman watched a demo of a film he had seen on a real IMAX 3D screen and came away with nothing but praises. The Gear VR could be the definitive film experience at home for movie buffs.   That said, a caveat: a number of people who have tried the Gear VR hands-on have found out that the Note 4 tends to get hot enough to the point where it has to shut down. We do not expect this to be a big problem while watching movies in a cold room, but your experience may be ruined while playing games, which are sure to be much more demanding on the phone’s chipset. Also, the Samsung Wireless Gamepad that some of you may consider to get to play games properly on the Gear VR itself has not been well-received, with its layout and buttons getting flake (not to mention the additional QAR300 that you will have to shell out to get it). At this point, there are a lot of unknowns about the Gear VR. The cost can be prohibitively high. Then it only supports one device at present. We wonder if it will at all be possible for Samsung to bring Gear VR support to the Galaxy S6, something that we feel will be needed to get more developers on board. Ultimately, it would seem that Gear VR is not poised to become mainstream any time soon, but works rather well for what is essentially the first VR unit to the market. You will not find yourself frustrated like early adopters of the Gear smart watch were. Not everything will be perfect once it launches, but if you dive in knowing well what it offers, you should find plenty to keep you happy with you investment.   *The author may be contacted at [email protected] or followed on Twitter at @tknobeat        

  Reuters/Frankfurt First there was bendgate... now brace yourself for hairgate. Fresh from the online uproar over whether the shiny new iPhone 6 bends when carried around in pockets, Apple  has been hit by a new complaint - that the handset traps users' hair or beards when they make calls. It is difficult to gauge whether there is any real issue, but Twitter users have made #hairgate a rising social media trend, leading major news outlets to pounce on the story. ‘The seam on my iPhone 6 where the aluminum meets the glass is definitely catching my hair and pulling it out,’ one user tweeted. Bearded iPhone users have jumped on the bandwagon complaining that their facial hair gets yanked during calls, leading to spats over whether to treat #beardgate as a separate trend, or simply as a subset of #hairgate. Apple was not immediately available to comment. Jokers are having a field day, with the Twitter account of the Atlanta International Fashion Week speculating that it may be an elaborate plot against hipsters for whom facial hair has become de rigeur. Another user tweeted: ‘Congrats, Apple, for finally getting hipsters to shave.’ For some it is a heaven-sent marketing opportunity; Gillette Co. was quick to tweet: ‘Your phone may be smarter than ever, but leave the shaving to the experts.’ However, many iPhone 6 users were left to wonder what all the fuss was about. ‘I have iPhone 6. Doesn't bend and doesn't snag hair. Who thinks up these things?  Apple haters? Competitors?’ tweeted Dr. John Wooten, a Virginia-based technical consultant.       

Facebook has unveiled plans to start using ‘buy’ button on its site. AFP They're not just for sharing any more: Facebook and Twitter are now looking to play a bigger role in shopping. Both major social networks have unveiled plans to start using "buy" buttons on their sites, which could start having an impact on "social shopping" in the coming holiday season. The idea of using social networks such as Facebook to promote e-commerce has been around for some time, but so far has failed to deliver much. Facebook had some short-lived programs for "digital gifts" and another programs selling virtual goods via Facebook games. "Social commerce," stemming from reviews or referrals from social networks, is expected to hit $15bn by 2015, according to the research firm Invesp. Some analysts see a natural connection between social networks and shopping, since users often discuss products and brands in the messages. "Sharing is a fairly reliable indicator of what people are going to buy," says Andy Stevens, head of strategy and research for Share This, a company which produces a sharing button for websites and analyses social media trends. A study by Share This found that among "Millennials" born in the 1980s or 1990s, 55% will click on content shared by their peers, and often use these social media recommendations to decide what to buy. "People are waking up to the possibility that regular customers are using social networks as part of the decision-making process," Stevens told AFP. A Harris survey released last month by the marketing firm DigitasLBi found just 5% of Americans have made a purchase on a social media site, but that 20% would consider doing so. "Our study reveals tremendous untapped potential for growth in social commerce, especially among younger consumers," says DigitasLBi chief executive Tony Weisman. Weisman said that the amount spent on social shopping could hit $56bn if 20% of Americans participate. But he noted that concerns holding back social commerce include "security around financial data, privacy, and a seamless buying process." The survey found 42% were likely to make a purchase on social media if they knew their credit information was secure. Until recently, social media marketing has been mainly about "softer" strategies such as brand awareness, which are difficult to measure. Greg Sterling, an analyst at Opus Research, said moving toward social commerce is "a smart thing" for networks like Facebook and Twitter because of the sheer volume of users online, but that marketers need a well-defined strategy. "Just putting a 'buy' button out there is not going to be effective," he said, unless it is targeted in the right way "The challenge is building enough context around that 'buy' button." Sterling said a buy button may be best combined with research on users' browsing habits - an effective if controversial tool.

AFP/San Francisco Facebook said on Friday it has stepped up its battle against spammers who promise to deliver "likes" to its members, and warned users on using such scams. The world's most popular social network said that to date, it has obtained legal judgments of nearly $2bn against fraudulent activities on Facebook. It was not clear how much of that was actually collected. Facebook's moves appeared to counter concerns that users - including politicians and companies selling products - are buying "likes" to make them appear more popular. And it is targeting a cottage industry which seeks to deliver these results to Facebook members, often promising "10,000 likes" or more for a fee. "We write rules and use machine learning to catch suspicious behaviour that sticks out. When we catch fraudulent activity, we work to counter and prevent it, including blocking accounts and removing fake likes all at once," Facebook site integrity engineer Matt Jones said in a blog post. "As our tools have become more sophisticated, we've contributed some of our spam-fighting technology to the academic community as well, in hopes of helping other companies combat similar problems." Jones said that Facebook if necessary takes the spammers to court "to remind would-be offenders that we will fight back to prevent abuse on our platform. We also limit likes per account to make spammers' operations less efficient." Jones said the moves are aimed at preserving authenticity on the network of more than one billion members. Facebook uses various techniques including algorithms to detect when there is a suspicious spike in "likes." "It's important to remember that fraudulent activity is bad for everyone - including page owners, advertisers, Facebook and people on our platform," he said. "We have a strong incentive to aggressively go after the bad actors behind fake likes because businesses and people who use our platform want real connections and results, not fakes."

Reuters/San FranciscoFacebook Inc already knows who your friends are and the kind of things that grab your attention. Soon, it could also know the state of your health. On the heels of fellow Silicon Valley technology companies Apple Inc and Google Inc, Facebook is plotting its first steps into the fertile field of healthcare, said three people familiar with the matter. The people requested anonymity as the plans are still in development. The company is exploring creating online "support communities" that would connect Facebook users suffering from various ailments. A small team is also considering new "preventative care" applications that would help people improve their lifestyles. In recent months, the sources said, the social networking giant has been holding meetings with medical industry experts and entrepreneurs, and is setting up a research and development unit to test new health apps. Facebook is still in the idea-gathering stage, the people said. Healthcare has historically been an area of interest for Facebook, but it has taken a backseat to more pressing products. Recently, Facebook executives have come to realize that healthcare might work as a tool to increase engagement with the site. One catalyst: the unexpected success of Facebook's "organ-donor status initative," introduced in 2012. The day that Facebook altered profile pages to allow members to specify their organ donor-status, 13,054 people registered to be organ donors online in the United States, a 21 fold increase over the daily average of 616 registrations, according to a June 2013 study published in the American Journal of Transplantation. Separately, Facebook product teams noticed that people with chronic ailments such as diabetes would search the social networking site for advice, said one former Facebook insider. In addition, the proliferation of patient networks such as PatientsLikeMe demonstrate that people are increasingly comfortable sharing symptoms and treatment experiences online. Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg may step up his personal involvement in health. Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, a pediatric resident at University of California San Francisco, recently donated $5 million to the Ravenswood Health Center in East Palo Alto. Any advertising built around the health initiatives would not be as targeted as it could be on television or other media. Pharmaceutical companies, for instance, are prohibited from using Facebook to promote the sale of prescription drugs, in part because of concerns surrounding disclosures.  Privacy concerns Privacy, an area where the company has faced considerable criticism over the years, will likely prove a challenge. This week, the company apologized to users for manipulating news feeds for the purposes of research. But Facebook may already have a few ideas to alleviate privacy concerns around its health initiatives. The company is considering rolling out its first health application quietly and under a different name, a source said. Market research commissioned by Facebook found that many of its users were unaware that photo-service Instagram is Facebook-owned, the source said. Facebook's recent softening of its policy requiring users to go by their real names may also bolster the company's health plans. People with chronic conditions may prefer to use an alias when sharing their health experiences. "I could see Facebook doing well with applications for lifestyle and wellness, but really sick patients with conditions like cancer aren't fooling around," said Frank Williams, chief executive of Evolent Health, a company that provides software and services to doctors and health systems. People would need anonymity and an assurance that their data and comments wouldn't be shared with their online contacts, advertisers, or pharmaceutical companies, Williams said. It remains unclear whether Facebook will moderate or curate the content shared in the support communities, or bring in outside medical experts to provide context. Facebook declined to comment on its health care plans. 

by Bilal Iqbal   Who doesn’t like free apps on their phone. The Apple App Store and Google’s Android Market (now called the Play Store) used to hold regular sales to commemorate milestones. X numbers of downloads reached: 90% off on some of the best and most popular apps on sale right now. It’s the birthday of something that we did: no need to pay 15 dollars for that app you’ve been wanting to get for the past many months, here have it for 25 cents. But as Android and iOS become ubiquitous, having reached most of the reasonable milestones there were to reach, such extreme sales have all but ended. You may find individual companies putting their apps on regular sales, but they never come close to the kind of massive discounts of the past. The Apple App Store was first launched in July 2008. Android Market made its way to handsets in October 2008. It’s been six years. They have matured. It would seem they no longer need to rely on flash sales to drive visits or attract customers to their respective platforms. Enter the relatively speaking little-known Amazon Appstore for Android, which launched in 2011. It has already been in the market for some three years now and seems intent on gaining the prime spot. The store takes some effort to install on your phone, but is well worth it: you will be rewarded for your troubles in the form of a free paid app daily. Yes, daily. You don’t have to wait for a 6-monthly flash sale. You don’t have to pay a single dirham. Just download it, register for an Amazon account and you are good to go. Every day, you will get a paid app to download for free. Sure it does not have the number of apps that Play Store and App Store boast of (1.3 million each), but at 240,000 apps and growing, The Amazon Appstore should give you access to most of the important apps that are available elsewhere. Amazon also offers frequent flash giveaways, as if to make up for the five minutes it took you to get it installed. Only last week, the Amazon Appstore was giving away around QR500 worth of free apps, including a dictionary worth 60 dollars (QR220), an office suite, Swype Keyboard, a bunch of games and utility apps. But lest you think such a sale is rarity, Amazon had a similar offer going on in July, where they were give away 100 dollars (about QR400) worth of software away for free. The first time the app loads it takes you through a simple registration process (assuming you don’t already have an Amazon account). Subsequent startups present the neatly laid out home screen to you, with the day’s free app sitting on top and centre in a carousel that acts as your shortcut to featured apps and categories for the day. Below the carousel is another Featured Apps and Games section, sort of like Editor’s Choice on Play Store. Scrolling up you will be able to find all the usual options such as Top Free Apps and Top Paid Apps from which to choose. Tapping the menu on the top left will present to you a variety of options: New Releases, Top Charts, Games, Recommended for You, Categories – in short, it is the full experience that you would expect from a modern app store. In my use, I found it to be fluid and bug-free. The biggest thing that the Amazon Appstore has going for it right now is the daily free app option, and since it is the main differentiator it has from the preinstalled Play Store on Android, I do not expect the offers to die out any time soon. And with potentially 365 paid apps including games to choose from in a year, there is no reason not to get it. After all, who doesn’t like free apps on their phone. l The author may be contacted at [email protected] or followed on Twitter at @tknobeat      

Reuters/San Francisco Microsoft Corp announced its 'Windows 10' operating system on Tuesday to replace the largely unpopular Windows 8, skipping a number to mark a leap toward a new system aimed at unifying computing and mobile devices. The next version of Microsoft's flagship product, which still runs the vast majority of personal computers, is aimed at recapturing the lucrative business market, which generally ignored the new-look Windows 8. Windows 10 will be "our greatest enterprise platform ever," said Terry Myerson, Microsoft's head of operating systems, at an event in San Francisco. Only 20% of organisations migrated to Windows 8, which was released two years ago, according to tech research firm Forrester. He said Windows 10, long known by the project name 'Threshold' internally, represented a new type of system for the company, as it seeks to unify computing as mobile devices proliferate. The name represented that leap, he said. "It's a bold statement for Microsoft to make," said Daniel Ives, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets. "So far there's not as much meat on the bone as we would have wanted, although it's still very early days." The new system, due out next year, restores the traditional start button menu, a feature which many PC users demanded back after it was omitted in Windows 8. An early version of the software, demonstrated on stage by Microsoft executive Joe Belfiore, showed two modes, one optimised for touch-controlled tablets, and one for PCs with mice and keyboard. Users can switch between the two depending on the device. Myerson added that his team toyed with the idea of calling the new product 'Windows One' to emphasise the unity of all the companies' products, but noted that name had already been used.  

Microsoft chief Satya Nadella addresses the media during an event in New Delhi on Tuesday. AFP/New Delhi Microsoft announced plans on Tuesday to offer its commercial cloud services from Indian data centres as it seeks to tap what it calls a $2tn market in the country where Internet use is growing rapidly. The move is part of the US tech giant's strategy to prepare for a world in which all data is stored online in locked accounts as it attempts to keep its market edge, with desktop use declining. Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said the company would set up data centres in three Indian cities by the end of 2015, describing the country's demand for cloud services as "incredible". "Last year, our cloud business in India grew over by 100%," said Nadella, on his first trip to India after taking the top job at the company in February. "Buoyed by that success, we have now decided to offer cloud services from local data centres," he told reporters. Microsoft, the world's biggest software maker, is facing stiff competition for cloud customers from US giants Google and Amazon. Cloud Internet services in India represents a $2tn market opportunity, the Indian-born Nadella said. The Microsoft chief kept mum about the amount of money that the firm will invest in India, but said "when we get started you will see the scale". India's Internet use is booming as more of its 1.25bn population buys smartphones, tablets and computers. Companies are also doing more computing in data centres. Nadella said his company would offer its Azure and Office 365 cloud services from the new data centres. "With more than 250mn Indians using Internet-connected devices today, there is an incredible demand and opportunity for India with Microsoft cloud services," he said. While Microsoft has seen its computer desktop business reduces, it sees its software as giving it market clout and the cloud has become a new revenue growth driver. Nadella's announcement came on the same day as the company said it intends to give an indication of "what's next" for its Windows operating system at a US event. eBay to split PayPal into standalone company US online auction giant eBay on Tuesday agreed to shareholders' requests for a split making its highly profitable PayPal brand into an independent company starting next year. Current eBay shareholders will receive stock in the future PayPal in proportion to their current holdings, the company said in a statement. The split will give shareholders "more targeted investment opportunities" and will increase the value of the company over the long term, the statement said, without giving more details of the spinoff. PayPal accounted for 41% of eBay's revenues last year and has more than 152mn active users. PayPal saw revenues rise 19% to $7.2bn in the past 12 months.