Thursday, September 29, 2011

Cloud Computing vs Virtualization



Jargon in the computing industry is quite numerous, and many of them are difficult to understand. Virtualization and cloud computing are two terms that were relatively obscure but have since come to the forefront due to Google’s push for cloud computing. The two terms are closely related but are not in competition with each other. Virtualization is the creation of a virtual environment on another machine. A good example of this would be creating a Windows XP environment for an old program to run on inside a Windows 7 operating system. On the other hand, cloud computing is a computing architecture where the bulk of the resources are pooled together and can be accessed remotely usually through the Internet.

Virtualization provides several advantages. The first, as illustrated above, is allowing applications that were designed from one operating system to run on another one. It is a more cost-effective solution than having two or more machines just to be able to use all the software you need. For cloud computing, the main concept and goal is to create a virtual computing platform where resources can be allocated depending on the needs of each individual user. This provides flexibility as each user is allocated just what he needs, and it can be allocated to another user once that user logs out. It also means that the user’s computer need not be very powerful as most of the processing is done on the cloud. It is also convenient for users as their data would lie in the cloud, and they don’t need to worry about leaving data at home or on another computer. Their data would always be accessible regardless of which computer they are on.


The use of “a virtual computing platform” above may have already clued you in that cloud computing uses Virtualization in order to achieve its goals. This is true since it is necessary to virtualize each user’s desktop environment as well as resources like drives and folders in order to give the user the general feel of a personalized desktop.

Note This
  1. Virtualization is the virtual simulation of any computing element while cloud computing     is an architecture where resources are pooled together and remotely accessed.
  2. The goal of Virtualization is to provide multiple environments in a single machine while  the goal of cloud computing is to provide a scalable computing platform.
  3. Cloud computing utilizes Virtualization.


Wednesday, September 28, 2011

What is VoIP and SIP


In telecommunications, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is the new buzzword as many companies and individuals try to take advantage of the cost savings it offers. Another new term connected with VoIP is SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) due to the appearance of many SIP phones. The main difference between SIP and VoIP is their scope. VoIP is actually not a discrete technology but a family of technologies that are primarily concerned with setting up voice calls across packet networks like the Internet. SIP is just one of the technologies that are under the VoIP umbrella.

There are many technologies used in VoIP. There are technologies that are used to convert and compress the audio signal; there are technologies that are used to format the digital data and transmit it to the destination, and there are technologies that are used by devices to communicate with each other. SIP is in the latest of the three. It is a protocol that standardizes signals to initiate, terminate, accept, reject, hold, or redirect VoIP calls. It is basically a language used by the phones in order to communicate what it wants to do with each other. SIP is not concerned with how the voices are carried across the network once the call has been initiated as other protocols are used for that.

What confuses most users is the difference between VoIP handsets and SIP handsets. Keep in mind that a SIP handset is also a VoIP handset. The products that are commonly called VoIP phones require to be connected to a computer, and the computer has to be turned on in order to conduct calls. It is not very desirable to have a computer running just so you can make and receive calls. SIP phones are able to do the signaling without the need for a computer. It can, therefore, be plugged into an Ethernet outlet and connected to the Internet. In this scenario, only your modem needs to be constantly powered to give the SIP phone access to the Internet. In this manner, SIP phones behave more like traditional phones.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Reset Your BIOS



Did you recently upgrade your PC, change its components, or test a setting in the BIOS that now stops it from power up all the way? Here's how to reset your BIOS.


First of all, if you have, read the manual to the motherboard and look for BIOS or CMOS Reset.


Generally, the easiest and least fiddly method is to remove the power cord from the computer, open it and look for a button battery (usually bigger than the ones in a watch) remove it for for five or ten minutes. Theoretically this should work.

If no manual is handy and removing the battery did not work try the following methods:

METHOD 1

  1. Power down your PC.
  2. Open your CPU
  3. Find the 3-pin jumper near the power supply on the motherboard, typically labeled "clear cmos" or "reset bios".
  4. Remove the jumper from the default position (typically connecting the 1st and 2nd pins).
  5. Replace the jumper to connect the 2nd and 3rd pins.
  6. Push the power button on the front of your PC once.
  7. Wait a minute.and switch off again 
  8. Return the jumper to its default position, connecting the 1st and 2nd pins.
  9. Power on your PC with its front power button.

METHOD 2

  1. open Command Prompt , click Start Menu > Run > type CMD (enter).
  2. type debug (enter).
  3. then type this bellow code
o 70 10
o 71 20
type quit.
exit.

METHOD 3
  1. Open the CPU
  2. Remove the CMOS battery. This should be a regular 3V, round, flat watch battery.
  3. Wait at least 5 minutes.
  4. Reinsert the CMOS battery.
  5. Move the rocker-style switch at the back of your PC (if applicable), to the on (I) position.
  6. Power on your PC with its front power button.

METHOD 4
  1. Turn on your computer and press the key on your keyboard to enter the BIOS. This is typically the Del (delete) key. Pre-built systems from major manufacturers may use a function key such as F1, F2, or F10.
  2. Go to the last tab or page of your BIOS.
  3. Select an option similar to "restore factory settings".
  4. Save your changes and confirm your selection if necessary. This will often be combined with the process of exiting a BIOS. Some BIOS types may have this as a separate option such as "F10: Save Changes".

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Google Chrome OS


As if its decided lead in spiders, searches, and engines is not enough, Google launches its new Chrome OS, the company’s browser-based operating system. The new OS offers marked differences in data handling, such as cloud data storage, adding more user security and ease of use. It is also a very light operating system and does not eat up a lot of RAM. This is ideal for netbooks and systems that rely on cloud computing. Being a by-product of the Chrome browser, the Chrome OS also boasts of similar security features that the browser has been known for.

How it works


Security is one of the key components in the Chrome OS. The system fuses typical system-level security systems with exploit mitigation techniques. Thus, it successfully decreases the venues for attack and the system codes that can be attacked by malicious programs. And because all applications run through the browser, the operating system is more compact and easier to control and protect.

Sandboxing has been crucial in how Chrome functions. Through sandboxing, processes and applications have minimal interactions with each other and the operating system kernel. This partitioning of processes and applications makes it difficult for any malicious attacks to affect the whole system. Crashes become seldom, if these occur at all.

Security


Security is also one of the trademarks of the Chrome OS. Contrary to current trends in operating systems, Chrome limits the ability of applications to download and run any binary. This minimizes any application compromises that open up the whole system to attacks.


 
Likewise, the Chrome OS boasts of a verified boot process. This boot process allows the system to start up and boot without possible harm to the system’s memory, the Linux kernel, and the partition tables. This is done through cryptography.


Since the whole Chrome OS is secured by Google, it is close to impossible for any malicious program to penetrate and run. And even when some freak malicious programs do manage to get through the doubly secured kernel hardening and processing infrastructure, this will be immediately detected upon reboot. This sends a prompt to the user. It also initiates self-cleaning program within the system.

The cleaning process has less hassle too than the others. Since the system data is set apart from the user data, the system can fix itself without causing the user any setting changes and lost data. Cached data is also kept intact, within the “cloud” of Google servers. Adding to user specification security, the user data within the browser, OS , and plug-ins are encrypted. Devices cannot share user data.

For any bugs found upon installation, the Chrome OS has set up an auto system update and patch. All this is done in the background, even while the user keeps on working online.

Now, that makes for a lot of exciting new stuff from a technology company that’s been very reliable and attentive to its users.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Apple iPad 3 Features and Release




The Apple iPad is one of the best-selling tablets in the world, and the iPad 3 is one of the most anticipated devices from Apple this year.

In a nutshell, the Apple iPad3 will feature a new, thinner and sleeker design, down nearly 20 percent in size compared to the iPad 2. It will also support full touchscreen HD display with a screen resolution of 2048 x 1536.

Apart from that, the iPad 3 will have a lighter battery life, reducing the weight of the tablet. However, the battery is reported to cost 20 to 30 percent more than the current iPad’s battery, which will also have a longer battery life.

It is also expected that the iPad 3 will have a wireless charging technology, which will be able to charge the battery and transfer data wirelessly.

iPad 3 Features :

A6 Processor: A6 is a Quad-core Processor (1.7GHz.), iPad 2 is A5 processor (900MHz dual-core) This would make the iPad 3 as powerful as any high-end desktop

iOS 5: It includes multitasking features, such as notifications, task-finishing, app-switching, location and background sound.

3D Feature and New Retina-Display: the screen resolution of the iPad3 will be 2048 x 1536 pixels

Cloud Computing:iCloud users can store photos, apps, calendars and access songs on iTunes without having them to store in the phone’s memory.

Camera:Unlike the iPad 2, the new tablet will come with LED flash to support the camera. It is expected to have a 5MP camera with 1080p or 720p video recording quality of 60 frames per second.

Finger-Print Proof:The touch screen will be coated with oleophobic materials, which will reduce the oil and fingerprints on the screen.

Release Date:There isn’t any official word from Apple on when the iPad 3 will be released; however, rumors indicate that it will be announced sometime early next year. Reports state the trial production is likely to start this October. One of the major reasons why the launch of the device has delayed is due to the Retina Display technology. 

Please make sure that you keep visiting this page to stay updated.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

PDF TO WORD : BEST CONVERTER EVER

Unlike other textual formats, PDFs aren’t that easy to edit. It is hard to edit them directly, so another available option – converting a PDF to a Word document – attracts more and more users. However, the task is not as easy as it may seem because of numerous in-depth differences between PDF format and Word or RTF files.

That’s what PDF to Word was developed for. The program delivers smooth and accurate conversion of virtually any PDF document to a corresponding Word or RTF file. The process runs so easily, that you would never think the conversion could be a problem!

You simply drag a desired PDF file to program’s window, then click the convert button and receive an accurately converted RTF or DOC file on the other side. It is that easy: no unnecessary configuration, no hundreds of options anymore. Drag in the file, click the Start, and you’re done! And PDF to Word Converter cares very much about accuracy of conversion, so every file you process looks exactly as it did before that.
Download Link

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Windows Administrator Password Remover

Hello Readers.. If we lost an user log in password means no issues!! We can log in as administrator and Change the user’s password, But once if we lose administrator password, there arises the problem.
Windows Password Remover is the professional Windows password recovery software to restore lost Windows administrator and user passwords for you to instantly log into Windows without re installing the OS. It supports to restore passwords of all versions of Windows, as Windows 7, Windows Vista, XP, 2008, 2003 and 2000, etc.


Burn iso to a cd, that will work during the boot process and instantly reset / remove the administrator.

Installation Notes


Windows Administrator Password Remover:
1) Burn the iso on a cd.
2) Boot the CD.
3) Wait until it asks any thing from you (Some time).
4) Remove the password of the administrator.

The interface is simple and easy,
You will get it.


Monday, September 19, 2011

Four-Camera 3D shooting possible: for Glasses Free 3D TV

When it comes to producing 3D TV content, the more cameras that are used to simultaneously record one shot, the better. At least two cameras (or one camera with two lenses) are necessary to provide the depth information needed to produce the left- and right-eye images for conventional 3D, but according to researchers at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, at least four cameras will be needed if we ever want to achieve glasses-free 3D TV. Calibrating that many cameras to one another could ordinarily take days, however ... which is why Fraunhofer has developed a system that reportedly cuts that time down to 30 to 60 minutes.

The STAN assistance system ensures that the optical axes, focal lengths and focal points are the same for each camera. That way, as the viewer moves their head, the combined shots will all look like one three-dimensional shot.

Objects that are visible in all four shots are identified using a feature detector function. Using these objects as references, STAN then proceeds to calibrate the cameras so that they match one another. Due to slight imperfections in lenses, however, some discrepancies could still remain. In those cases, the system can do things such as electronically zooming in on one shot, to compensate for the flaws. This can be done in real time, so STAN could conceivably even be used for live broadcasts.

The Fraunhofer team is now in the process of developing a video encoding system, to compress all the data into a small enough form that it could be transmitted using the conventional broadcasting infrastructure. The four-camera setup is already in use by members of the MUSCADE project, which is a consortium dedicated to advancing glasses-free 3D TV technology.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Creating the next Nokia Tune: Listen & Vote


Introducing the Nokia Tune Remake.
You may have heard about this little competition that Nokia are running at the moment. There’s something ever so slightly special about it – namely the prize


The Nokia Remake gives you the opportunity to create the next version of the Nokia ringtone. To put that into perspective, your work could be featured on over 100 million phones around the world! That isn’t all either, the winner will also take home a cool $10,000. Got your attention? Good 

The competition launched over a week ago and, needless to say, there have been some awesome entries! These will eventually be whittled down to 10 finalists. Five chosen by the number of public votes (“Likes”), and five by the specialist judging panel.

As we can see below The Five Most ‘Liked’ Entries are currently as follows – but that could all change.

1. The Great Marvelous – 35,976 likes

2. Progressive Nokia – 11,993 likes

3. Nokia tune China Classical Ver – 8,470 likes

4. Nokiorchestra – 4,829 likes

5. NOKIA CHINESE – 3,381 likes

Have a listen and vote for your favorites!

Remember, if you feel like being a music maestro, you have until the 2nd October to submit your entry on the competition page

Saturday, September 17, 2011

The Future of Skin

Of all our human organs, skin is arguably one of the most abused — yet it’s also arguably the most reliable. It protects everything inside us, helping us avoid harm by sensing obstacles in our way, making sure we stay hydrated, and ensuring we keep ourselves at the right temperature. It constantly replenishes itself, sloughing off former layers that we’ve either burned or dried out or scraped or ignored, while new ones grow in their places.

Many of skin’s properties would be useful in other applications — like helping people with artificial limbs regain some of what they’ve lost. And an electronic skin, or at least some tactile sensory ability, could help machines understand the delicate differences in force that are required to grip an apple, a hand or a piece of steel.

Researchers trying to duplicate its beneficial properties are building teeny stretchable electronics that can give artificial limbs a real sense of touch.

And scientists are making several changes to human skin itself, turning it into a 21st century interface capable of much more than feeling another person’s caress. From conductive tattoos that turn skin into a human-machine communications device, skin is getting plenty of upgrades.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Download Now Windows 8 (DP)

    As promised earlier today at the Build Conference,The developer preview is up for grabs now on the newly launched Developer site.There are two kinds of builds available over the Developer site.First is with Developer tools and a 64 Bit version while the other version is Without the Developer tools in 32 bit as well as 64 bit version.





BUILD is a new event that shows modern hardware and software developers how to take advantage of the future of Windows. Learn how to work with the all new touch-centric user experience to create fast, fluid, and dynamic applications that leverage the power and flexibility of the core of Windows, used by more than a billion people around the world.

Hear how the UI was designed to work seamlessly with a diversity of devices and form factors. Go behind the scenes and learn all about the new app model that allows you to create powerful new apps. All while retaining the ability to use your existing apps. Web-connected and web-powered apps built using HTML5 and JavaScript have access to the power of the PC. Touch-optimized browsing, with the full power of hardware-accelerated Internet Explorer 10 transforms your experiences with the web. BUILD is the first place to dive deep into the future of Windows.



Here are the details of the Developer Builds and Windows 8 Videos that are up now on the site http://channel9.msdn.com/events/BUILD/BUILD2011

Windows Developer Preview with developer tools English, 64-bit (x64)
64-bit Windows Developer Preview
Windows SDK for Metro style apps
Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Express for Windows Developer Preview
Microsoft Expression Blend 5 Developer Preview
28 Metro style apps including the BUILD Conference app

Windows Developer Preview English, 64-bit (x64)

Includes a disk image file (.iso) to install the Windows Developer Preview and Metro style apps on a 64-bit PC.

Windows Developer Preview English, 32-bit (x86)

Includes a disk image file (.iso) to install the Windows Developer Preview and Metro style apps on a 32-bit PC.


Building "Windows 8" - Video #1





Windows 8 Hands-on at Microsoft Build 2011

Samsung Tablet



Monday, September 12, 2011

ANDROID – THE MOST ATTACKED MOBILE OS: MCAFEE


Malware attack on mobile devices, especially on Android platform, has surged in recent times, the computer security software maker McAfee said.

According to McAfee report, malware threat on Android device raised to 76 per cent since last quarter, making it the most vulnerable OS in the market. The report noted Android as the ‘most attacked mobile operating system.’

“This year we have seen record breaking numbers of malware, especially on mobile devices, where the uptick is in direct correlation to popularity,” Vincent Weafer, senior vice president of McAfee Labs, said in a statement.

Android over took Nokia’s Symbian OS as the most popular target for mobile malware developers. The rise of malware attack on Android may help cyber criminals to steal personal data from Android users.

The security firm added that these malwares may appear in “everything from calendar apps, to comedy apps to SMS messages to a fake Angry Birds updates”.

Interestingly, the report revealed that the hacker groups LulzSec and Anonymous were some of the prominent cyber news generators in 2011 Q2.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

CASIO In-Camera GPS Features




Pros
  • Excellent in-camera GPS and mapping
  • Ultra-wide-angle 24mm lens with 10X optical zoom
  • 14.1 MP CCD Sencer
  • Phenomenal battery life
  • Green-screen-like Dynamic Photo feature
  • Very good image quality in well-lit situations
  • 360-degree Slide Panorama mode
Cons
  • No manual controls
  • Mediocre macro mode
  • Digital zoom only in video mode
  • No burst mode
Bottom Line
The vacation-friendly EX-H20G has a 10X-optical-zoom lens, great GPS features, and in-camera mapping. It's a top performer in daylight, but it lacks manual controls and a few key features.

How To Choose Best Hosting for Your Website

     If you are starting a website the first thing you should do is find a good hosting provider.If you select the right hosting provider it will not only save you from future hassles but it is also beneficial for SEO of your website.There are too many hosting provider available in the market and many of them will give you fake promises like unlimited bandwidth ,connections,space etc.But as your website start gaining decent traffic they will ask you to upgrade your hosting plans as they cannot support that much traffic under your current plan.

Then most of us have no other option but have to upgrade the hosting plan as moving the website to new host is not an easy task. Moreover there is no guarantee that the new host will not play the same tricks.So selecting the best hosting can be really difficult.
Each webhost usually provides three types of hosting services
  • Shared Hosting
  • Dedicated Server Hosting
  • Virtual Dedicated Server or Virtual Private Servers

Shared Hosting:-.In shared hosting same server is shared by multiple websites and the resources (bandwidth,space,connections) are limited.Most of the companies don’t guarantee high performance in shared hosting. It is recommended for new webmasters
Dedicated Server Hosting:-In dedicated server hosting you will have your separate server.It is recommended if your own a blog network (20-30 blogs),high bandwidth website (like streaming websites,image hosting) or if you want to run advanced softwares on your server.Dedicated servers assure you peek performance and high reliability.

Virtual Dedicated servers :-In virtual dedicated servers there will be many customers on the same server (like shared hosting) but you will be given separate privacy and resources (like dedicated hosting)

While selecting a any hosting Plan you will have to choose between Windows Hosting or Linux Hosting

Windows Web Hosting:- The biggest advantage of windows web hosting is that you can run Microsoft softwares such as Access and MS SQL databases.If you are a developer then you can also use Microsoft programming technologies like Active Server Pages (ASP), Visual Basic Scripts, MS Index Server

Linux Web Hosting:-Linux web hosting is cheaper than windows hosting and it is also known for high speed and less frequent crashes.But you cannot run Microsoft softwares on your Linux hosting

So choose your hosting plan as well as hosting provider wisely as it will benefit you in the long run.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Google Voice Users Can Now Export Texts, Voicemails & Phone Numbers

An update to Google Takeout, the search giant’s data export service, now allows Google Voice users to retrieve all of their account data.

“We believe that our users should be able to export any data that they create in (or import into) one of our many products,” Google engineer Anthony Jawad writes in a post on the news.

“This means that all of the data associated with your Google Voice account, from your call history to voicemail messages, greetings and call recordings, is now available for download,” he adds.

The Google Takeout update, also announced by way of the quirky YouTube video below, comes courtesy of The Data Liberation Front, a team of in-house engineers building products to help users move their data in and out of Google.

Google Takeout was first released in July. The service launched with the ability to export data from Buzz, Contacts and Circles, Picasa Web Albums, and your Google profile.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Gmail Develops Three-Pane View

     Gmail has introduced a preview pane feature that allows users to read emails without opening them. The setting gives the option of choosing between “previews” and “list views.” Users can modify the preview pane to appear either horizontally or vertically adjacent to their lists of emails.


Some users of Rapportive and Boomerang have complained of minor glitches when using the new Google Labs product. The preview is nearly identical to the preview feature seen standard on Microsoft Outlook.

Gmail users can activate the preview panel by going to “Gmail settings” and selecting “Preview Pane” in the “Labs” section.


Sony Announces Two Tablets

     Last week, Sony announced two Android-powered tablets, Tablet S and Tablet P, with the earliest deliveries of the former beginning later this month. Surprisingly–and commendably–Sony made some interesting design and functionality choices with their very first tablets.

The more conventional of the two is the Tablet S, a WiFi-only 9.4-inch device in the traditional tablet packaging that runs on Android 3.1 (buyers will be able to upgrade to 3.2 later in the year). Features include DLNA compatibility–the ability to wirelessly “throw” sound and images to compatible devices–as well as a built-in infrared transmitter that turns the hardware into a multifunctional universal remote. Access to Sony-controlled music, videos and book stores is of course included.

The dual-screen Tablet P is the more unique of the two in terms of looks, with a folding clamshell design that opens to a pair of 5.5-inch touch-sensitive displays that can function separately (think an email inbox in the top window and the contents of a specific email in the bottom) or together.

Pre-orders for the Tablet S began on Wednesday, with deliveries expected later this month. The 16 gigabyte model costs $499 and the 32 gigabyte model $599. The WiFi- and 4G-compatible Tablet P will be sold through AT&T, though Sony has yet to release pricing information or details on availability.

Zynga Delays IPO Because of Unstable Market

Zynga, the San Francisco-based game developer behind FarmVille and CityVille, will delay its initial public offering.

The company, which hoped to launch an IPOin early September, cited the rocky stock market, two sources told The New York Post. Zynga will now pursue an IPO in November.

The company set plans in motion in June when it filed papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission and prepared to raise as much as $1 billion.

Zynga is one of the most anticipated IPO offerings and will likely make $1 billion in profits this year. Like Groupon, it has come under fire for its accounting practices.

Samsung and Nokia Follow Apple to Release Cheaper Smartphones

Nokia and Samsung rolled out cheaper smartphone models — just after sources saidApple is planning to release a more cost-effective version of the iPhone 4.

Samsung unveiled four new Galaxy smartphones, while Nokia released three new phones that use its Symbian software. An analyst told Reuters that smartphone makers are beginning to release more low-end smartphones in an effort to meet demand and attract mass customers in countries like China and India.

Analysts also suspect Nokia, who has not had a strong smartphone offering, is trying to up the use of its Symbian software to stay afloat.

The demand for low-cost smartphones is growing, according to Reuters.

Samsung forecast on Wednesday cheap models costing below $200 would account for more than half the overall smartphone market by 2015 in volume terms, up sharply from last year’s 16 percent.

“Samsung seeks to expand market share in the emerging market with models costing around $200, as those markets have lower smartphone penetration rates compared with advanced markets,” a Samsung group spokeswoman quoted an executive from Samsung Electronics’ mobile division as telling a meeting of the group’s executives on Wednesday.

How to Choose a Web Designer

In his witty blog titled “Information Highwayman,” D Bnonn Tennant gives interesting advice on choosing a Web designer and it’s not what you’d think. Instead of contemplating your budget and analyzing a designer’s skillset, he says you should pay close attention to the words he uses on his Web site.
Words like business objectives, return on investment, your revenue goals, lead generation and increase sales indicate the designer possesses the valuable understanding that Web sites are business assets that must achieve specific business objectives, which in turn are tied to revenue goals.

On the other hand, if he’s peppering his site with terms such as branding, beautiful,passion, making a difference, modern or clean you should look elsewhere. “It doesn’t bear mentioning that a web designer will produce something that isn’t ugly or out-dated, does it?” he writes.

He also says that it’s a no brainer that your Web site should reflect your brand but focusing on brand recognition is the wrong approach for small companies. He says “…brand recognition is of utterly no consequence to small companies with limited audiences, and focusing on it instead of on real traffic- and lead-generation strategies will drive you into the ground.”

Read more at Information Highwayman.

Glimpse of the Future? Google Rolls Out 1-Gig-per-Second Network


    Faster than a speeding bullet! Or at least, faster than Time Warner. Google’s new 1 Gbps network so far appears to be more than 35 times faster for downloads than average U.S. broadband speeds, but Google’s ambition is to provide 100 times faster speeds, especially to homes and small offices where entrepreneurs are creating start-up companies. We can’t wait to try 1 Gbps speeds! But we have to wonder whether the move puts Google at greater risk for antitrust worries.

In addition to the Palo Alto network, Google is rolling out super-high-speed broadband in Kansas City, Kansas. And in an unrelated initiative, a project called GigU is planning to build super-high-speed networks around universities.

Verizon Wireless and Intuit Form Mobile Payment Partnership


 Verizon Wireless and small business software provider Intuit announced that the two companies would be partnering to provide mobile payment services through Intuit’s GoPayment system. Intuit’s mobile payment device and application will be offered in Verizon Wireless’ stores and marketed directly to small businesses through Verizon Wireless’ business-to-business channels.

Intuit’s GoPayment card reader is compatible with most smartphones and tablet devices, plugging into the device’s audio jack. The device is being marketed to small businesses and merchants that lose sales opportunities when they have to turn down payment by credit card. “GoPayment is meeting a huge need and is one of the fastest growing mobile payment solutions in the market,” Chris Hylen, general manager of Intuit’s Payment Solutions Division, says in a press release. “With Verizon Wireless, we’ll help even more people discover that they too can process credit card payments on the phones or tablets they already own.”