Passwords are passe but biometrics not yet Passwords are passe but biometrics not yet viable

Biometric logins that use fingerprints, voice recognition or identify people by the way they type are not yet a viable option in portable devices like netbooks, palmtop computers and smart phones.

Biometric logins look set to replace conventional passwords for accessing online banking and credit card services, online payment companies and even internet stockbrokers.

However, smart phones and other portable devices do not currently have the sophistication to be adapted easily for biometric technology.

Moreover, users are likely to be reluctant to carry yet another device and its electrical charger along with their smart phone simply to login to their bank account when not at their desktop computer.

James Pope of the College of Business Administration, University of Toledo, Ohio, and Dieter Bartmann of the University of Regensburg, Germany, explain that the security of online financial transactions is becoming a problem, especially as security loopholes in login systems and web browsers emerge repeatedly.

Simply logging in with a password looks set to become technically passe.

"Passwords have been widely used because of their simplicity of implementation and use but are now regarded as providing minimal security," the researchers say.

As repeated scare stories about hacking and identity theft pervade the media, consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about online security.

Further development of e-commerce and banking will be stifled if the issues of fraud and identity theft are not addressed, a University of Toledo release says.

While biometric readers are being adapted for desktop computers, they are seriously lagging behind in portability and compatibility with smart phones and other mobile computing devices.

The findings were published in the International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing.

Majority of PC for teens to be touchscreen by 2015

The immediate productivity gains promised by the flood of touch-enabled devices coming to market in 2010 will be slow to materialize in the enterprise, according to Gartner.

"What we're going to see is the younger generation beginning to use touchscreen computers ahead of enterprises," said Leslie Fiering, research vice president at Gartner. "By 2015, we expect more than 50 percent of PCs purchased for users under the age of 15 will have touchscreens, up from fewer than 2 percent in 2009. On the other hand, we are predicting that fewer than 10 percent of PCs sold to enterprises in 2015 for mainstream knowledge workers will have touchscreens."

Ms. Fiering said that although touch and pen input are not new to the PC industry - both have been available, largely as niche products for vertical industry applications, for over 20 years - there is renewed interest in touch input today. Multitouch on smartphones and the Apple iPhone phenomenon have shown users how useful touch can be with the right implementation, and Apple's introduction of the larger iPad has set off a wave of speculation about changing the industry.

The earliest adopters of touch-enabled devices will be consumers who rarely deal with legacy issues. They will be looking for entertainment and casual gaming applications. Gartner predicts that iPhone and touch-enabled smartphone users will want to extend the multitouch experience to their PC computing. iPad and the overwhelming majority of slate, tablet and touch-enabled convertible devices planned for 2010 will have a consumer focus.

Touch-enabled devices will have slow adoption in the enterprise, due to heavy requirements for typing and text input, Gartner analysts said. The "muscle memory" of mouse users and the potential problems of moving a user's hands from the keyboard to the mouse will create particular adoption barriers for knowledge workers. Instead, consumers and education will be the earliest adopters of touch-enabled PCs and notebooks.

One of the key target usages for the next wave of tablets will be media content consumption (movies, newspapers and e-books), and the real success driver for entertainment devices will be the content delivery ecosystem. If this category succeeds, it will create greater market awareness of and demand for touch in other PC applications.

As prices drop, education will become a major market for touch and pen-enabled devices. Younger children just entering school find direct manipulation on the screen a natural way to interact with their computers. Older students are already using pen input to annotate class material or capture formulae and graphics that can't be recorded with keyboards (for math, chemistry and physics classes, among others). However, most school districts do not want to support two separate devices - one for touch and another for pen. To deal with the differing requirements of the different grades, most districts are looking for dual-input screens that support both touch and pen in a single device.

"Consensus among the Gartner client U.S. school districts is that over half, and possibly as many as 75 percent, will be specifying touch and/or pen input within the next five years," said Ms. Fiering. "Consider this as the precursor to a major upcoming generational shift in how users relate to their computing devices."

Conversely, enterprises will be slow to adopt touch input for mainstream knowledge workers. The long tail of legacy enterprise applications that don't leverage touch, and the large contingent of mouse-trained employees, will make many enterprises doubt the business case for adding touch - and any additional costs - to PC hardware standards. However, employees are increasingly bringing their own PCs and technologies to work, whether sanctioned or not, and as with other consumer technologies, enterprises will eventually be forced to acknowledge the use of touch for their mainstream knowledge users.

Touch and pen are already being used in many enterprise vertical applications for field service, law enforcement and clipboard replacements. Touch is also being used in many customer-facing situations like information kiosks and automated teller machines (ATMs). This trend will grow as touch-enabled hardware prices continue to drop and application software gets more sophisticated. Restaurants, retail and healthcare providers (for patient admittance, charting and patient records) may be among the largest adopters.

For workers immersed in graphics data analysis, touch will extend the value of the datasets as users directly manipulate the resulting graphs. Software support will be the big issue. Over time, as more touch-based graphics analysis applications become available, the features will move down market for mainstream employees, but not in the near term.

Gartner expects progress to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. No single "killer application" will change the market overnight; rather, there will be an incremental introduction of user interface and ergonomics improvements, drops in hardware prices and increases in touch-enhanced software.

"As with many recent technology advances, touch adoption will be led by consumers and only gradually get accepted by the enterprise," Ms. Fiering said. "What will be different here is the expected widespread adoption of touch by education, so that an entire generation will graduate within the next 10 to 15 years for whom touch input is totally natural.

Microsoft to bring Silverlight platform to set-top Microsoft to bring Silverlight platform to set-top boxes

Software giant Microsoft announced that it will launch new products and initiatives at the 2010 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show next week in Las Vegas.

The company said it is working with System-on-Chip (SOC) partners Intel and Broadcom to deliver support for reference designs that will provide complete Silverlight platform to set-top boxes, connected TVs, Blu-ray Disc players and other devices.

Microsoft also unveiled details about Internet Information Services (IIS) Media Services 4 and announced the upcoming release of Silverlight Media Framework 2.0. The latest version allows providers and broadcasters to encode content once and deliver it to Silverlight- and non-Silverlight-enabled devices. Version 4 also supports smooth multicast streaming, along with third-party encoding products and Microsoft Expression Encoder.

Silverlight Media Framework 2.0 is claimed to allow users to distribute media content with almost no coding. The framework is essentially an open-source version of the player used by NBC, NRK and CTV for the recent Olympics coverage.

"Our vision is to bring Silverlight to every screen, and as we continue to expand the capabilities and resources for Silverlight and IIS Media Services," said Scott Guthrie, Corporate Vice President of the .NET Developer Platform at Microsoft.

37 percent of Internet users are from rural India

According to a survey conducted by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), 20 million Indians use Internet everyday. The survey also shows that 36 percent of all web users are from small towns like Kolhapur, Thrissur and Panipat, reports Jaimon Joseph from CNN-IBN.

"We did the survey across 31 cities in the country, among 19,000 households, 68,000 individuals," said President, Internet and Mobile Association of India Dr. Subho Ray. "While we are happy to note that people in the smaller towns are taking to internet seriously, for a deeper engagement we need to provide them the best innovations in the language of their choice, at an access cost that does not pinch and through a device that they have. Only then this engagement is going to be sustainable." However, the figure is comparatively more than metros. In a nation of a billion plus population, just 71 million people claimed to have used internet in 2009.

However, school and college students are the largest group of web users, young males too have a sizable chunk. Whereas women have a tiny presence. Cyber cafes are the favorite place to log in from, with free office internet coming a close second. While a quarter of all users log in from home, about two million Indians surf the web on their phones.

Checking e-mail is India's favourite web activity. Downloading and social networking comes a close second. Finally, just 16 percent of users get the news updates from the web.

"Factors like an increased popularity of smart phones and the imminent arrival of 3G networks means more people will access the web on their mobiles. By next year we expect the figures to double, "said Ray.

Apple iPad will take time to hit Indian market

Craving to get your hands on the Apple iPad? Wait for a while as it will be still some time before it becomes available in the Indian market.

Experts also believe that the tablet will create a new user segment in India.

Unveiled in January, the iPad lets users browse the web, read and send email, share photos, watch videos, listen to music, play games, read e-books and much more. The 9.7 inch touchscreen tablet is just 0.5 inches thick and weighs just 1.5 pounds-thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook-and delivers battery life of up to 10 hours.



The product, touted as a device between smartphone and a laptop, was officially launched in the US market Saturday. Prices in the US start at $499 and the most advanced model costs $829. But Indians customers who are eagerly waiting to try the 'game changing product', as it is often called, will have to wait for some more time.

"iPad will be available in both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models in late April in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. International pricing will be announced in April. iPad will ship in additional countries later this year," said an official release.

Industry observers in the U.S. believe the iPad could well outsell the Apple's iPhone, launched in 2007, of which one million had been sold after 74 days on shop shelves.

However, considering price sensitive Indian market where consumers always look for a package product seeking maximum features in lowest possible amount, iPad may remain limited to the upper middle class segment only.

According to technology experts, besides the great features iPad has constraints too like it cannot multi-task, doesn't have a external keyboard, disk drive or a USB drive.

The experts believe it would create a niche market for itself and emerge as a lifestyle product and not a mass product in India.

"This product will create a new class. But given the Indian market scenario, iPad it is not going to have a mass market. It will be a niche product ... it will be a lifestyle product ...," said Akhilesh Tuteja, executive director KPMG, a consulting firm.

"To start with, it will have buyers who would like to experience it. It will create a class of its own. For a complete experience, one needs to have peripherals. But iPad doesn't have an external keyboard, no USB drive and disk drive," Tuteja told IANS.

Explaining further, Tuteja said the secret to iPad's success lies in the applications.

"The product is not the game changer. It is the applications on it, that would change the game and may take away the need of carrying laptop," Tuteja added.

Mahesh Uppal, a telecommunication expert, said: "It is a very powerful product. Once 3G (third generation) services are in place in Indian market, then it will be much better."

After it was unveiled by Apple in January, iPad was stated to be the next big thing to hit the market after iPhone. Creating a new segment, the device tries to blend in best features of a laptop, smartphone, book reader and offers a number of other services.

Technology lovers in India are keenly waiting to experience the new age device.

Sudipto Roy, 31, who works in a multinational firm in Noida, said: "Since the day iPad was launched, I have been waiting for it. I can't wait for months for its launch in India. I will ask my friend coming from US next month."

Meanwhile, Apple has already geared up to provide thousands of applications for iPad users.

The App Store, a service by Apple, on iPad lets people wirelessly browse, buy and download new applications from the world's largest application store. iPad will run almost all of the more than 150,000 applications on the App Store, including applications already purchased for iPhone or iPod touch.

Developers are already creating new applications designed for iPad that take advantage of its multi-touch interface, large screen and high-quality graphics.

The new iBooks application for iPad includes Apple's new iBookstore, where one can buy and read books on it. The iTunes store gives iPad users acc ess to the world's most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalogue of over 12 million songs, over 55,000 TV episodes and over 8,500 films including over 2,500 in stunning high definition.

Apple's 'iKey' to replace the humble door key

Computer giant Apple is set to revolutionize the traditional door key with introduction of a hi-tech alternative nicknamed the 'iKey'.

It means people can stop carrying around a bunch of keys, and instead use a single electronic device to unlock their car, front door and gain access to their office.

The technology simply requires the users to enter a pin code and wave the device over an electronic pad fitted beside a door to open it.

Apparently, a newly published patent application, filed with the US Patent Office, contains the details of the new technology.

It is speculated that the next model of the iPhone will contain this feature.

The application states: "The device can communicate with an external device to open a lock. By way of example, the electronic device may be a model of an iPhone.

"The external device may be any suitable electronic device such as a portable media player, personal data assistant or electronic lock that may be used to access a door, car, house or other physical area."

For safety purpose, the device may be attributed with a feature to encrypt any information that passes between the iPhone and the computer-controlled lock, preventing hackers from "listening in".

Leander Kahney, a consumer technology expert and author of a book and blog called the Cult of Mac, said there were rumours that Apple has been testing the technology.

"If true, it's a very big deal. As well as opening doors and unlocking your car, it could also turn your iPhone into an electronic wallet and ID card," the Telegraph quoted him as saying.

He added: "You'd be able to pay for buses and trains, as well as your morning coffee and groceries in a jiffy, just by laying your iPhone on a special pad, and the price is electronically deducted from your account.

"The trouble is that the technology hasn't gone completely mainstream. If Apple were to adopt the technology, they would likely set the standard, and that would drive widespread adoption as everyone scrambles to make their systems iPhone-friendly."

If granted, the application filed at US Patent house will offer Apple legal protection from other companies copying its ideas and technology.

Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive, said: "We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it. We've decided to do something about it.

"We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours."

Think before you download

Are you downloading your favourite game or a particular application that allows you to share pictures, videos and information? These days, we have various gaming applications and individual developers coming out with unique and interesting downloadable applications. But, you need to make sure you are not inviting virus to disrupt your mobile handset. You should know that Internet/ mobile applications, if certified, can be trusted; if not, they can hamper your mobile data.

Worms, trojans, viruses and hackers - they not just threaten for your home PC or laptop anymore. As per Trend Micro, an Internet security firm, cyber crooks are on their way into your pocket. The popularity of smartphones like the Blackberry, iPhone and the emerging Droid is on a boom and that's making them a lucrative target for cyber crooks to cause mischief.

The possibility of someone hacking cellphone became public knowledge when Paris Hilton's mobile was hacked. Unfortunately for her, numbers of all her celebrity friends were also placed on the Internet - resulting in a barrage of calls to each of them. This was one of the highlighted cases of phone hacking through extracting personal information from the mobile handset.

The ingenuity of cyber criminals to come up with new social engineering angles seems endless. Mobile worms and viruses are similar to those that infect PCs. An unsuspecting user can be tricked into installing a harmless-looking file that infects a device and seeks additional mobile phones to target, often disrupting the phone's operations.

What can a mobile hacker do? There are quite a number of things that can be done by the mobile hacker. Depending on intent, their main targets are:

Steal your number: Your phone number can be accessed and obtained by hacking. This allows them to make calls and have it charged on your account.

Extract your information: Mobile hacking allows a hacker to contact your cellphone, without your knowledge, and to download your addresses and other information you might have on your phone. Many hackers are not content to just getting your information. Some will even change all your phone numbers! Be sure that you keep a backup of your information somewhere. All you have to do is to ensure that the handset is malware-protected. Here are some quick and easy points a user should keep in mind when downloading applications on mobile phones.

First, identify the source from where you are downloading the application. A general community site that does not have any face is not contactable. For example, download.com is the worst place to get the software from. You can download applications like our P2P software on your mobile.

Check the software for security certificates. Try not to use any unsigned application. These are third-party signatures from Verisign, Symbian and Sun. Absence of any trusted signature can make the application very dangerous. The only warning that you will get is when you install and load the application. So, go for trusted applications.

Once the signature is there, visit the company site to verify application that you have downloaded. Check for warnings, known bugs and the functions that it would provide. This may help you understand the resources the application will take, such as memory, CPU, etc. Applications like file share, Voip, etc use some core OS functionality. In case of a bug, such an application can disrupt other functionalities of the phone.

Social media-based applications that download the files can also bring in a virus-infected file to your handset. In such a case, one should have some anti-virus software installed in the system or the application should check for MIME-type before it allows the download of the content. But, make sure that you protect your handset with anti-virus software to ensure that even if by chance you have downloaded a non-trusted application, security solution providers like Trend Micro or McAfee have anti-virus solutions for you.

Check for your data plan before you start to use an application that uses some sort of data transfers. An application like mBit p2p can generate huge data transfers. The user is advised to get in touch with the customer care to identify an appropriate plan for it. The user can tell the customer support about the desired application and an appropriate plan for the same.

Follow these simple steps and you'll ahve a happy downloading session. So, treat your smart phones like your laptops or computers, and not a landline phone.

Four in five people feel Internet access should be 'a fundamental right'

Almost four in five people feel that access to the World Wide Web is a fundamental right, according to a survey.

The poll for the BBC World Service, which quizzed more than 27,000 adults across 26 countries, found that 87 per cent of browsers believed Internet access should be the "fundamental right of all people".

The survey also found significant number of supporters in favour of net access on both sides of the virtual divide, with those in South Korea forming the majority (96 per cent) in supporting the idea, the BBC reported.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents in Japan, Mexico and Russia confessed they could not deal without the virtual world.

The dangers of the online world, such as fraud, the ease of access to violent and explicit content and privacy worries, were amongst the most concerning aspects for those questioned.

A majority of users in Japan, South Korea and Germany also said they were afraid to express their opinions safely online, while those in Nigeria, India and Ghana were much more confident about speaking out.