Friday, July 17, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The story of chocolates
Chocolate was drink and was a favorite of Montezuma, Emperor of the Aztecs. Hernando Cortez, the Spanish conquistador, brought the drink to Spain in 1529. It remained as a favorite of the Spanish royalty for several years before becoming consumed extensively all over Europe. Three centuries afterward in England chocolate was first used as a non-liquid confection.
In 1847, Joseph Fry & Son -- under the leadership of the original Joseph Fry's great-grandson -- discovered a way to mix some of the melted cacao butter back into defatted, or "Dutched," cocoa powder (mixed with sugar) to make a paste that could be pressed into a shape. The resulting bar was such a big hit that people soon began to think of eating chocolate as much as drinking it. Many people credit this as the very first chocolate bar for eating.
John Cadbury made a similar product to his range in 1849, and today's original chocolate bars would not be considered very tasty. The early eating bars of chocolate were made of bittersweet chocolate. Milk chocolate was introduced in 1875 when Henry Nestle, a maker of evaporated milk and Daniel Peter, a chocolate maker, got together and invented milk chocolate.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Latha Jishnu: Hope is a patent troll for IIT-Bombay
There is an air of celebration emanating from IIT-Bombay. Reports in the local papers suggest that the senior faculty is delighted with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that IIT-B signed last Monday with Intellectual Ventures (IV), a Washington-based company that specialises in buying patents and leveraging them for optimum gain.
IIT-B is clearly expecting great things from this agreement. It hopes that IV will be able to monetise its intellectual property (IP) in a more systematic way and help it to reap the rewards of global commercialisation. For academic institutions in India, even IITs which are regarded as top-flight hubs of innovation, the path to commercial success is strewn with problems. Not only are patents costly, but institutes have to struggle to create a prototype or take their idea to a level where the technology can be proven, as those in charge of IIT-B’s research and development moaned at the MoU-signing function. IIT-B has about 130 patents under its belt, but these have not generated any revenues for the institution.
So for these academics, the partnership with IV brims with hope and promise. IV will pay IIT-B a licensing fee for these patents and will also bear the patenting costs. The partnership is not exclusive and IIT-B is free to engage with others for IP-related matters. IV is offering its global network to help IIT-B to make the most of its innovation and will also bring a sharper focus to its R&D by identifying the demand-areas in the coming decade.
On the face of it, the open-ended licensing agreement is the best kind of deal for the institute since it allows IIT-B the option to pursue other ways of capitalising its IP. IV enjoys a fearsome reputation globally of being a patent troll, that is, a company which specialises in buying up patents and licensing it to others. As a result, it engages in a vast amount of litigation to pursue other companies that it believes might have incorporated any part of the IP in the patents that it owns without due permission. The patent troll’s main activity is seen as litigation and thus the reason for its unsavoury reputation.
IV’s founder is Nathan Myhrvold, earlier the chief strategist and chief technology officer of Microsoft, who describes himself as an ‘intellectual capitalist’ — akin to, but superior to a venture capitalist. IV has built up a formidable war chest of patents and, according to reports in the US, has more than 20,000 patents and patent applications “related to everything from lasers to computer chips.” It has also set up a fund (estimated to be $500 million) with a limited number of strategic partners who are investors as well as customers in IV’s patent portfolio.
Why would a company of this kind be interested in India which is a notorious laggard in innovation? One explanation is that IV is intent on mopping up potentially-promising technologies that are being thrown up in the IITs and the public research institutions in India. Reports suggest that IV is also seeking an agreement with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the vast network of the country’s public research institutes, which is sitting on some 3,000 patents.
But not everyone is enamoured of IV. Critics predict that IIT-B is unlikely to benefit from this agreement because there is no evidence yet that the US firm’s hybrid business model has worked. They say there is need for transparency in such MoUs, especially on the valuation of the patents. For IIT-B, however, the comfort with IV comes from Ashok Misra, who heads its India operations. Misra is an IIT veteran who has been in Delhi and Mumbai for decades. He was the director of IIT-B when he left his assignment mid-way last July to join IV. So when Misra claims that IV’s unique business model will “enhance the creation, dissemination and use of technological inventions coming out of premier institutes such as IIT- Bombay”, his peers will believe him. Misra says his goal is to find “excellent collaborators to help develop the best solutions for the global marketplace of the near future”, a tantalising prospect for IITs which have made little impact in even the domestic market.
But that, according to one view, is not the solution. Scientists point out that Indian institutes have been unable to make the most of their IP because there is no portfolio management of their patents. As a result, they end up with bits and pieces of interesting IP which do not add up to much. It’s a bit like owning small pieces of property; only a significant chunk of real estate helps one to reap the true value of property. It remains to be seen whether the patent troll can help IITs to increase their IP holdings.
source : http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/latha-jishnu-hope-ispatent-troll-for-iit-bombay/352118/
IIT-B is clearly expecting great things from this agreement. It hopes that IV will be able to monetise its intellectual property (IP) in a more systematic way and help it to reap the rewards of global commercialisation. For academic institutions in India, even IITs which are regarded as top-flight hubs of innovation, the path to commercial success is strewn with problems. Not only are patents costly, but institutes have to struggle to create a prototype or take their idea to a level where the technology can be proven, as those in charge of IIT-B’s research and development moaned at the MoU-signing function. IIT-B has about 130 patents under its belt, but these have not generated any revenues for the institution.
So for these academics, the partnership with IV brims with hope and promise. IV will pay IIT-B a licensing fee for these patents and will also bear the patenting costs. The partnership is not exclusive and IIT-B is free to engage with others for IP-related matters. IV is offering its global network to help IIT-B to make the most of its innovation and will also bring a sharper focus to its R&D by identifying the demand-areas in the coming decade.
On the face of it, the open-ended licensing agreement is the best kind of deal for the institute since it allows IIT-B the option to pursue other ways of capitalising its IP. IV enjoys a fearsome reputation globally of being a patent troll, that is, a company which specialises in buying up patents and licensing it to others. As a result, it engages in a vast amount of litigation to pursue other companies that it believes might have incorporated any part of the IP in the patents that it owns without due permission. The patent troll’s main activity is seen as litigation and thus the reason for its unsavoury reputation.
IV’s founder is Nathan Myhrvold, earlier the chief strategist and chief technology officer of Microsoft, who describes himself as an ‘intellectual capitalist’ — akin to, but superior to a venture capitalist. IV has built up a formidable war chest of patents and, according to reports in the US, has more than 20,000 patents and patent applications “related to everything from lasers to computer chips.” It has also set up a fund (estimated to be $500 million) with a limited number of strategic partners who are investors as well as customers in IV’s patent portfolio.
Why would a company of this kind be interested in India which is a notorious laggard in innovation? One explanation is that IV is intent on mopping up potentially-promising technologies that are being thrown up in the IITs and the public research institutions in India. Reports suggest that IV is also seeking an agreement with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the vast network of the country’s public research institutes, which is sitting on some 3,000 patents.
But not everyone is enamoured of IV. Critics predict that IIT-B is unlikely to benefit from this agreement because there is no evidence yet that the US firm’s hybrid business model has worked. They say there is need for transparency in such MoUs, especially on the valuation of the patents. For IIT-B, however, the comfort with IV comes from Ashok Misra, who heads its India operations. Misra is an IIT veteran who has been in Delhi and Mumbai for decades. He was the director of IIT-B when he left his assignment mid-way last July to join IV. So when Misra claims that IV’s unique business model will “enhance the creation, dissemination and use of technological inventions coming out of premier institutes such as IIT- Bombay”, his peers will believe him. Misra says his goal is to find “excellent collaborators to help develop the best solutions for the global marketplace of the near future”, a tantalising prospect for IITs which have made little impact in even the domestic market.
But that, according to one view, is not the solution. Scientists point out that Indian institutes have been unable to make the most of their IP because there is no portfolio management of their patents. As a result, they end up with bits and pieces of interesting IP which do not add up to much. It’s a bit like owning small pieces of property; only a significant chunk of real estate helps one to reap the true value of property. It remains to be seen whether the patent troll can help IITs to increase their IP holdings.
source : http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/latha-jishnu-hope-ispatent-troll-for-iit-bombay/352118/
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Asus Launches M4 Series Motherboards
Asus has added new M4 series motherboards to its motherboard line up for India. Based on AMD and Nvidia chipsets, Asus has introduced M4A series and M4N series respectively. All new M4 series motherboards support AMD Phenom II Socket AM3 processors. Asus M4 series motherboards will be available through Rashi Peripherals.
The new M4A series motherboards include AMD 790FX chipset based M4A79T Deluxe and M4A79 Deluxe motherboards. We've already reviewed M4A79 Deluxe recently and found it to be a good performer with decent features. Apart from that, the M4A series include AMD 790GX chipset based M4A78T-E and M4A78-E as well as 780G chipset based M4A78 PRO. Out of these, only M4A79T Deluxe and M4A78T-E support DDR3 memory, while the rest M4A motherboards support DDR2 memory with up to 1066MHz frequencies.
Of these M4A series motherboards, M4A78T-E and M4A78-E carry integrated ATI Radeon HD 3300 graphics, while M4A78 Pro has ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics. All four new M4A series motherboards, except M4A78 PRO, include FireWire 400 (1394a) support.
The M4N series motherboards include Nvidia nForce 980a SLI chipset based M4N82 Deluxe, nForce 750a based M4N72-E and GeForce 8300 based M4N78 PRO. Asus has equipped GeForce 8 series GPU with Hybrid SLI support in M4N82 Deluxe and M4N72-E motherboards. All Nvidia chipset based M4N series boards support DDR2 1066MHz RAM. The M4N82 Deluxe and M4N72-E motherboards offer support for FireWire 400.
All M4 series motherboards feature 8 channel HD audio and 8-phase power design for better power efficiency. Equipped with Asus TurbV overclocking utility for voltage adjustments and Turbo Key, overclocking for enthusiasts will be easier. Turbo Key acts as physical overclocking button like PC's power button.
Asus might show these M4 series motherboards at the CeBIT conference starting March 3 at Hannover, Germany.
source:http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Asus_Launches_M4_Series_Motherboards/551-99265-581.html
The new M4A series motherboards include AMD 790FX chipset based M4A79T Deluxe and M4A79 Deluxe motherboards. We've already reviewed M4A79 Deluxe recently and found it to be a good performer with decent features. Apart from that, the M4A series include AMD 790GX chipset based M4A78T-E and M4A78-E as well as 780G chipset based M4A78 PRO. Out of these, only M4A79T Deluxe and M4A78T-E support DDR3 memory, while the rest M4A motherboards support DDR2 memory with up to 1066MHz frequencies.
Of these M4A series motherboards, M4A78T-E and M4A78-E carry integrated ATI Radeon HD 3300 graphics, while M4A78 Pro has ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics. All four new M4A series motherboards, except M4A78 PRO, include FireWire 400 (1394a) support.
The M4N series motherboards include Nvidia nForce 980a SLI chipset based M4N82 Deluxe, nForce 750a based M4N72-E and GeForce 8300 based M4N78 PRO. Asus has equipped GeForce 8 series GPU with Hybrid SLI support in M4N82 Deluxe and M4N72-E motherboards. All Nvidia chipset based M4N series boards support DDR2 1066MHz RAM. The M4N82 Deluxe and M4N72-E motherboards offer support for FireWire 400.
All M4 series motherboards feature 8 channel HD audio and 8-phase power design for better power efficiency. Equipped with Asus TurbV overclocking utility for voltage adjustments and Turbo Key, overclocking for enthusiasts will be easier. Turbo Key acts as physical overclocking button like PC's power button.
Asus might show these M4 series motherboards at the CeBIT conference starting March 3 at Hannover, Germany.
source:http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Asus_Launches_M4_Series_Motherboards/551-99265-581.html
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
ZTE comes up with two NGN data cards
Chinese vendor, ZTE announced that launch of two new data cards namely the MF662 and the MF645.
The MF662 data card with dimensions of 93 x 28.8 x 12.9mm is designed for HSPA networks, says ZTE and promises to provide users with a much faster broadband experience. The data card can support Download and Upload rates of up to 21.6 Mbps (up from 14.4Mbps on HSPA) and 5.76M, respectively.
ZTE claims that the MF645 with dimensions of 69 x 27 x 12mm is the world’s smallest data card and also believed to be world’s first plug-and-play data card which enables users to watch digital video content on a laptop or PC over a 3G connection. ZTE promises that the data card with 7.2mbps download rate will offer similar experience as that offered by traditional TV.
“HSPA+ is an important step in network evolution as it will lead to lower connection cost, giving consumers access to innovative and effective services. More importantly, it will help carriers test out the business case for next-generation networks, opening the doors for LTE,” said Zhang Yadong, general manager of data cards, ZTE Corporation. “ZTE is reinforcing its leadership position in the HSPA market by announcing two innovative data cards that will provide consumers with a superior user experience.”
source:http://www.telecomtiger.com/Broadband_fullstory.aspx?passfrom=Broadband&storyid=5388§ion=S212
The MF662 data card with dimensions of 93 x 28.8 x 12.9mm is designed for HSPA networks, says ZTE and promises to provide users with a much faster broadband experience. The data card can support Download and Upload rates of up to 21.6 Mbps (up from 14.4Mbps on HSPA) and 5.76M, respectively.
ZTE claims that the MF645 with dimensions of 69 x 27 x 12mm is the world’s smallest data card and also believed to be world’s first plug-and-play data card which enables users to watch digital video content on a laptop or PC over a 3G connection. ZTE promises that the data card with 7.2mbps download rate will offer similar experience as that offered by traditional TV.
“HSPA+ is an important step in network evolution as it will lead to lower connection cost, giving consumers access to innovative and effective services. More importantly, it will help carriers test out the business case for next-generation networks, opening the doors for LTE,” said Zhang Yadong, general manager of data cards, ZTE Corporation. “ZTE is reinforcing its leadership position in the HSPA market by announcing two innovative data cards that will provide consumers with a superior user experience.”
source:http://www.telecomtiger.com/Broadband_fullstory.aspx?passfrom=Broadband&storyid=5388§ion=S212
Thursday, February 05, 2009
IBM Helps Indian Firm Go Green
Big Blue is implementing energy-saving technologies for Religare Enterprise.
IBM said Tuesday that it has signed a $3.1 million deal to implement green technologies for Indian financial services company Religare Enterprises Limited.
Under the contract, IBM will design, build, and maintain energy-efficient data centers in Delhi, Noida, and Mumbai for REL. It will also deploy networking gear and disaster-recovery systems for the company. The setup, which combines high-density computing with precision air conditioning controls, will cut REL's energy costs by up to 35% by reducing annual power consumption by 3,600 kilowatt-hours, according to IBM.
Nath added: "IBM's unmatched expertise to design and build a globally benchmarked, standardized, scalable and energy-efficient facility will certainly support our dynamic growth plans effectively."
IBM officials said there is increasing demand for systems that support green operations and help businesses reduce energy bills. "In these economically difficult times, companies across the board want solutions that can help them achieve greater operational efficiency and save costs," said Nipun Mehrotra, IBM's VP and general manager for Global Technology Services in India.
"IBM's consultative approach helped Religare with the process of design finalization and product selection, and ensured the final solution was miles ahead of those offered by other large competitors in India," Mehrotra said.
IBM to date has built more than 300,000 square feet of raised data center space in India. The company has more than 50,000 employees in the country.
sources:http://networkcomputing.in/Server-Storage-005Feb009-IBM-Helps-Indian-Firm-Go-Green.aspx
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Is Apple Building A Better iPhone?
Less than a year after the Apple iPhone 3G won the hearts of Mac-heads everywhere, there's reason to suspect a new iPhone may be in the making.
Sounds like crazy talk, right? But Apple has long been known for fast refresh cycles and updates, so another iPhone wouldn't be too much of a pipe dream. Evidence of a new iPhone appearing in late January could mean Apple is readying it for launch in June, which would fall in line with previous iPhone launches.
According to Apple watchers, MacRumors.com, Apple's iPhone 2.2.1 firmware update for iPhone and iPod Touch users hints of a next generation of iPhone dubbed iPhone 2.1.
MacRumors indicated that Apple uses a specific numbering scheme in firmware to distinguish between iPhone models. For example, the firstgeneration iPhone 2G is labeled as iPhone 1.1, while the 3G is iPhone 1.2. The numbers don't change for storage increases but represent functionality of different devices.
MacRumors said the new model number can be found in the USBDeviceConfuguration.plist in an unencrypted firmware.
In addition, MacRumors indicated that an iPhone application developer suggested someone is already using a new iPhone model to load ads in the application, based on an ad report from metrics firm PinchMedia. That could mean an Apple insider is testing new hardware.
Word is a next-generation iPhone could have more processing cores and advanced graphics processing.
source:http://www.crn.com/mobile/212903454
Sounds like crazy talk, right? But Apple has long been known for fast refresh cycles and updates, so another iPhone wouldn't be too much of a pipe dream. Evidence of a new iPhone appearing in late January could mean Apple is readying it for launch in June, which would fall in line with previous iPhone launches.
According to Apple watchers, MacRumors.com, Apple's iPhone 2.2.1 firmware update for iPhone and iPod Touch users hints of a next generation of iPhone dubbed iPhone 2.1.
MacRumors indicated that Apple uses a specific numbering scheme in firmware to distinguish between iPhone models. For example, the firstgeneration iPhone 2G is labeled as iPhone 1.1, while the 3G is iPhone 1.2. The numbers don't change for storage increases but represent functionality of different devices.
MacRumors said the new model number can be found in the USBDeviceConfuguration.plist in an unencrypted firmware.
In addition, MacRumors indicated that an iPhone application developer suggested someone is already using a new iPhone model to load ads in the application, based on an ad report from metrics firm PinchMedia. That could mean an Apple insider is testing new hardware.
Word is a next-generation iPhone could have more processing cores and advanced graphics processing.
source:http://www.crn.com/mobile/212903454
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