Friday, 22 November 2013

Xbox One just as sleek (on the inside) as PlayStation 4

(Credit: iFixit)

Though it may not be as smooth and slim as its primary competitor, the Xbox One's hardware is just as user-friendly. As illustrated in an iFixit teardown Thursday, Microsoft's all-in-one entertainment machine achieved an 8 out of 10 on the repairability scale and actually gave the teardown specialists slightly less trouble than Sony's PlayStation 4.

FCC considers lifting cell phone ban on planes

The Federal Communications Commission is considering green-lighting the use of cellphones and mobile broadband services on airplanes above 10,000 feet.

The agency, which has restricted the use of cellular devices for making phone calls or surfing the Web in-flight, is circulating a proposed rulemaking among its commissioners. The agency will introduce the item at its December open meeting, and will then allow for public comment on the proposal.

FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said Thursday that it's important for the FCC to keep up with changing technology.

"Modern technologies can deliver mobile services in the air safely and reliably, and the time is right to review our outdated and restrictive rules," he said in a statement. "I look forward to working closely with my colleagues, the FAA, and the airline industry on this review of new mobile opportunities for consumers."

The FCC's move comes just weeks after the Federal Aviation Administration said it plans to change its rules for using electronic devices in flight. The agency said it will now lift restrictions so that devices, such as e-readers and tablets, can be used during take-off and landing. But at the time, the FAA said that it would still restrict the use of cellular services in-flight, requiring users to switch their electronic gadgets to "airplane mode," which turns off the cellular radios.

The changes in the FCC rules would now make it possible for consumers to use cellular voice and data services once the aircraft reaches 10,000 feet. These devices will still need to be in airplane mode during take-off and landing.

But even though the rule changes will make it possible for these services to be accessed in-flight, the FCC will not force airlines to allow people to talk on their phones or use cellular data services while in the air. Airlines may still impose restrictions on usage. There has already been a lot of debate surrounding whether people should be allowed to make phone calls while traveling in such close quarters.

The question of whether cellphones could be used on airplanes has come up in the past at the FCC. The agency considered a similar proposal in 2004 and sought public comment. But it dropped the rule changes in 2007 after flight attendants and others lobbied against it. At the time, the FCC said that it lacked enough technical information to change the rules.

Changes to rules restricting cellular service in Europe are also changing. Last week, the European Commission adopted new rules to allow passengers to use devices with 3G and 4G data connections. Previously, the agency only allowed 2G wireless services to be used aboard flights above 3000 meters. But as it is in the U.S., airlines in Europe will ultimately decide whether passengers can use any cellular device while flying.

(Credit: Jet Blue)

Did You Know That ??

Did You Know That There Is A Russian Novel Published In 1999 Which Re-Tells ‘The Lord Of The Rings’ From

A novel written by a Russian author and published in 1999 tells the story of ‘The Lord of The Rings’ but from the perspective of Sauron. The title of the novel is ‘The Last Ringbearer’ and it is a fantasy story written in Russian language by the writer Kirill Eskov. It is considered to be an informal sequence of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ created by J.R.R. Tolkien.

What makes the Russian story interesting is the statement around which the book is structured, i.e. that Tolkien has offered the story from the point of view of the visitors while Eskov’s account is told from Sauron’s perspective. Thus, Mordor is depicted as a peaceful land on the brink of an industrial revolution. However, Gandalf, who is representative of an imperialistic and warlike wing, sees the country as a threat.

copyrights: http://shutterstock.com

The Russian novel hasn’t been legally published in English but has already been translated in other languages. In fact, several publishing companies have planned to make an English translation of the book but the idea hasn’t been fulfilled so far.

Dairy products: Engro Foods CEO calls for standardised classifications

The local food giant also clarified their products conform to both internal and external quality certifications. CREATIVE COMMONS

KARACHI:

At a time when companies are trying to cater to changing demand patterns, innovation is bound to happen and the government needs to realise it, said Engro Foods Chief Executive Officer Sarfaraz A Rehman, as he called for nationally applicable classifications for existing and waiting-to-be-launched dairy products.

In an interview with The Express Tribune, Rehman said the classifications would ensure that the industry and food regulatory authorities are on the same page.

His statements referred to the Punjab Food Authority’s (PFA) current regulation standard, which according to him, do not have a classification mechanism to regulate Dairy Omung, a product of Engro Foods — a subsidiary of Pakistan’s largest private-sector conglomerate Engro Corp.

The PFA, as reported by a section of the local media, banned the distribution and selling of Dairy Omung in Punjab on grounds that it contained sub-standard contents.

The company was quick to refute these reports and clarified that Dairy Omung was ‘not banned at all’. It, however, acknowledged that premises of their distributor in Lahore were sealed by PFA following which the company got a stay order from the Lahore High Court.

The local food giant also clarified their products conform to both internal and external quality certifications.

To say Omung has substandard content is incorrect, Rehman said. “We kept testing this product for years before its launch.

“Different products have different nutrition levels, some provide better digestion while others provide a better energy level. This does not mean one is superior, while the other is substandard.”

Dairy Omung’s nutritional values, the company clarified, have been verified by Eurofins, Hamburg –a leading international group of laboratories that provide a range of analytical testing services to the pharmaceutical, food, environmental and consumer product industries and the governments.

Sourced from pure milk base, Dairy Omung is an innovative and economical substitute for loose milk, the statement said. However, Punjab Pure Food Rules 2011 do not have any classification and defined standards for dairy liquid, it said.

What is more interesting, is that the PFA tells the company that Omung, as per PFA’s standards, is not milk – something the company readily agreed upon.

“It [PFA] said since there is no classification to declare Omung as milk, Engro can’t sell it as such.

“We agreed with them. We never called it milk in the first place — not on the label or in our ad campaigns. But, we need a classification not just for Omung but other new dairy products as well.”

Meanwhile, Rehman added that a company would be unable to launch a new product that is not covered under the existing classifications. “This is why there is a need for new regulation standards. But this needs to be made at a centralised level and not on a provincial basis.

“We can’t make four different products — it will be impossible logistically,” said the CEO, adding that each province has different volume requirements.

The company is in discussion with the PFA to present Dairy Omung to the Scientific Committee of PFA for review and subsequent formation of regulations and standards, the statement said.

Business ownership: Entrepreneurship to ‘get boost’ as New-G launched

“Entrepreneurism, particularly the creation of new small and medium size businesses, is the driver of economic growth,” says termed entrepreneurship the driver of economy. PHOTO: NNI

KARACHI: As the world celebrates the Global Entrepreneurship week, it was an apt time for the launch of the National Entrepreneurship Working Group (NEW-G) in Pakistan. Armed by the support of the United States consulate in Karachi, New-G is a non-profit entity that will work on entrepreneurship and innovation in the country.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development identifies entrepreneurship as a leading indicator of economic growth. However Pakistan has been one of those developing countries that lacks a national strategy or policy framework to promote entrepreneurship.

During an afternoon conference in Karachi, business leaders, academics and government officials gathered to discuss how to build Pakistan’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Addressing the seminar, US Consul General Micheal Dodman termed entrepreneurship the driver of economy. “Entrepreneurism, particularly the creation of new small and medium size businesses, is the driver of economic growth,” said Dodman. “We have seen the benefits of entrepreneurship in the US, and are pleased to be able to partner with groups like NEW-G and others who are working to promote entrepreneurship in Pakistan.”

Dodman said the US government will provide professional and technical expertise to NEW-G as he looked forward to working alongside the organsation.

Meanwhile, S Rizwan Razvi, NEW-G president, said the group’s plan was to work with the country’s educational, business, regulatory and social sectors to assist Pakistan towards future prosperity. “One of the goals of today’s seminar is to engage all stakeholders in designing strategies for the promotion of entrepreneurship in Pakistan,” said Razvi. “Pakistan’s biggest challenge in the upcoming years is to create 36,000 jobs and this can only be done if new businesses are developed.”

Needed: women entrepreneurs

One of the main highlights of the conference was the significance attached to the promotion of women entrepreneurship in Pakistan. Razvi pointed out the dearth of female entrepreneurs in the country, stating that their contribution to economy amounts to just 1%. He added that women entrepreneurs in Pakistan are mostly necessity-driven.

Comparing the statistic to the US, Dodman said there were more than 10 million women running their own businesses in the country, contributing $3 trillion to the economy.

Dodman further pointed out that the US consulate supports NEW-G’s vision of promoting female enterprises and have contributed through various programmes. One such programme is the mentorship scheme through which the US consulate has provided mentorship to 5000 individuals, that includes several women.

French firm plans to set up solar power plant

Parco, a subsidiary of French donor agency AFD, could offer $15 million in support of private sector projects. PHOTO: FILE

LAHORE:

A French solar energy company is eyeing Pakistan with interest in an attempt to set up a mega solar power plant, an indication that foreign investors are looking at the country positively.

These remarks were made by French embassy’s Head of Economic Section in Pakistan Eric Noitakis while talking to Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Engineer Sohail Lashari at the chamber on Friday.

The diplomat said the solar company had committed to putting in investment into establishing the plant in Pakistan and he wanted to share this with the business community because this showed that foreigners were looking at Pakistan positively.

He said Parco, a subsidiary of French donor agency AFD, could offer $15 million in support of private sector projects in Pakistan, providing a great opportunity for the sector to get funds for its viable projects.

He asked the LCCI to take lead and bring an 80-plus delegation to France from different chambers in Punjab in order to deepen bilateral trade. In the second half of 2014, he said, a French business delegation would visit Pakistan, if the LCCI brought its delegation in the first half of the year.

Regional trade was very important and Pakistan and India should promote bilateral trade as it was the best way to change the mindset of people in both countries, he remarked.

Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI president stressed that the chamber wanted to sign a mediation deal with the Paris Chamber of Commerce for resolving disputes between Pakistani and French businessmen.

“We are going to start video conferencing at the Lahore Chamber to promote interaction with chambers around the world,” he said.

Lashari said a mediation centre had been established to help private sector companies resolve disputes swiftly and easily since cases in commercial courts often consumed a lot of money and time. “It (the centre) will avoid full-scale court procedures and dramatically reduce the time and cost of resolving disputes,” he said.

He asked French companies to target Pakistan as a potential market for their brands keeping in view the size of the consumer market, which is over 180 million, and extravagant spending by the rich.

“More than half of our population constitutes the youth who are brand conscious and also inclined to follow the fashion trends. So, I think more and more French brands can be introduced in Pakistan to tap such a huge segment of the society,” he suggested.

Catalogue exhibitions, franchise fairs and sharing trade information could also play a vital role in enhancing bilateral trade.

Pakistan’s major exports to France are clothes, hosiery items, bed and kitchen linens, appliances used in medical sciences, floating docks and light vessels, footwear, carpets, rice and leather goods.

Its imports include turbo-jets, turbo-propellers and other gas turbines, aircraft parts, electricity generating sets, rotary converters, medicated mixtures, seeds and natural milk products.

TDAP forced to restructures due to budget crunch

The budget cut would hinder the TDAP’s job of creating linkages between the business community in Pakistan and its counterparts across the globe, said TDAP Secretary. DESIGN-FAIZAN DAWOOD/FILE

KARACHI: Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Secretary Rabia Javeri Agha said that the body was facing a ‘massive financial crunch’ after funds allocated by the federal government were reduced by 30%.

While conveying this to Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) acting president Muffasar A Mailk, Agha added that the budget cut would hinder the TDAP’s job of creating linkages between the business community in Pakistan and its counterparts across the globe. “The TDAP had been receiving Rs 1 billion to meet its expenditure since the 90s up until now,” said Agha. “But the reduction will create problems. Our job is to create strong linkages and this will now be massively affected.”

Agha further highlighted that, despite the development of high quality products in Pakistan, there is a lack of promotion in the international market and requested the KCCI to showcase these products at various platforms.

Referring to the World Expo, Agha said that Pakistan should refrain from participating as this would not only be costly but would fail to fulfill any commercial purpose.

Meanwhile, Malik said that during the past few years Pakistan has faced several difficult challenges. These include economic instability, internal and external security threats and the deteriorating law-and-order condition that have reduced the pace of local and foreign investment.

“We, at the KCCI, believe that the only solution strengthen the economy is industrialisation and enhancing exports,” said Malik, adding that the country was in dire need of a paradigm shift in respect to exports.

The official believed that a profitable situation could be created by focusing on regional trade, encouraging exports to South Asian Association for Regional Corporation and Association of South East nations

Stressing on the importance of ensuring a smooth business community and exports, Malik suggested that the TDAP should introduce a legal framework to protect exporters from unforeseeable circumstances such as consignment losses.

He furthered advised the TDAP to work jointly with the KCCI and set up a showcase display centre for Pakistani products in European
countries and other regional countries.

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