Hacker attacked Intel at same time as Google

Chip maker Intel has announced that it was a victim of a 'sophisticated' hacker attack this year at about the same time when Google was attacked. Intel disclosed the attack in a regulatory filing late on Monday. It doesn't necessarily mean that Intel was infiltrated or that the attackers were the same ones that targeted Google.

Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy said that the attack on Intel wasn't broad-based like the one that hit Google. He said Intel isn't aware of any intellectual property being stolen. Intel, like other major corporations, faces constant computer attacks. Mulloy said the company was only pointing out there was a connection in terms of the timing of the Google attacks as part of a disclosure to investors about the company's risks.

The disclosure comes amid increased fears of state-sponsored espionage targeting corporate computer networks. Google revealed last month that its network was attacked from inside China and that the intruders stole intellectual property - an attack that Google says could cause it to leave China. Google said at least 20 other companies were targeted as part of the attack, but those companies weren't identified. Software maker Adobe Systems and Rackspace, a Web hosting service, have acknowledged being targets.

Data thefts cost firms $2 Million a year

Trade secrets and customer information thefts costed firms an average of $2 million each last year, according to research conducted by security software maker Symantec, reports Bloomberg.

In a survey of 2,100 IT executives worldwide, 75 percent of respondents reported cyber attacks last year. Most intrusions were aimed at stealing a firm's intellectual property, such as product designs. "We can expect to see companies going out of business because their intellectual property is stolen," Maureen Kelly, a senior Director of Product Marketing, said in an interview to Bloomberg. "For some, this is a matter of life or death."

Businesses coped with the recession by trimming staff to handle security, while hackers have become more skillful. Last month, Google said, it and at least 20 other companies had suffered a series of 'highly sophisticated' online attacks originating in China.

In many cases, hackers have switched their attentions to stealing trade secrets, according to Symantec. "While hackers are still looking for customer data, such as credit card information, they are now going more for industrial espionage and counterfeiting," Kelly said in an interview.

"They are also more specialized - with one person to break in, another to get the data, a third to install the software to steal information, and a fourth to encrypt it and distribute it," she said.

Developing countries may face e-waste crisis: UN

If proper electronic-waste recycling is not established in developing countries, they will face serious environmental and public health consequences, says a report by United Nations. According to UN, the urgency in addressing e-waste disposal is driven by the sharp rise in sales of electronic products expected over the next decade in emerging countries like China and India, across continents such as Africa, and over large regions including Latin America.

Such imports are expected to add millions of tons of e-waste in regions where recycling efforts are inadequate to handle even current e-waste levels, reports InformationWeek. While inadequate recycling efforts are not being properly addressed, the quantity of e-waste that exists today is growing.

For example, e-waste from old computers is expected to jump from 2007 levels by 200 percent to 400 percent in South Africa and China and by 500 percent in India. E-waste from discarded mobile phones will be about seven times higher than 2007 levels in China and 18 times higher in India, the report released Monday from the UN Environment Programme said. E-waste from televisions will be 1.5 to two times higher in China and India. This year, China is expected to produce about 2.3 million tons of e-waste domestically, second only to the U.S. with about three million tons.

Among the recommendations in the report is for countries to establish e-waste management centers of excellence that build on existing organizations working in the area of recycling and waste management.

Microsoft includes social networks into Office 2010

Trying to make Outlook more users friendly, Microsoft plans to include social networking services into its latest generation Outlook email program, to be released with an Office 2010 set of applications later this year.

In a video posted at the U.S. software firm's website, Dev Balasubramanian, Outlook Office Group Product Manager said, "It really is about bringing friends, family, and colleagues into you inbox. As you communicate with them you can see their social activities; you can see all of the folks in your social network and it updates as you are reading your email."

Software that channels LinkedIn updates to Outlook inboxes was available online on Wednesday at linkedin.com/outlook for people dabbling with a test version of the popular email program. Now Microsoft is talking to Facebook and MySpace to do the same with content from those online communities. The LinkedIn connection to Outlook will allow people using the email program to stay in tune with any changes in job status, contact information, or affiliations being shared by friends at the career-focused online community. Elliot Shmukler, Product Management Director, LinkedIn said, "LinkedIn is all about your professional network. Outlook powers the professional inbox so the match is very clear."

Microsoft's announcement came shortly after Google fell into trouble with Electronic Privacy Information Center filing a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission calling for an investigation into whether the original Buzz wrongly disclosed too much information about people. Google Buzz was launched with a feature that automatically created public social networks based on the Gmail contacts people most frequently sent messages to. Electronic Privacy Information Center on Wednesday filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission calling for an investigation into whether the original Buzz wrongly disclosed too much information about people.

Google plans superfast internet

Google plans to build a fibre optic broadband network that will connect customers to the internet at speeds 100 times faster than most existing broadband connections in the US, the company announced on its corporate blog.

"Our goal is to experiment with new ways to help make internet access better and faster for everyone," two Google product managers, Minnie Ingersoll and James Kelly, wrote in the blog post Wednesday.

They said that Google plans to build and test the network in trial communities around the country starting later this year and that the tests could encompass as many as 500,000 people. They cited 3-dimensional medical imaging and quick, high-definition film downloads among the applications of such high-speed internet access.

"We'll deliver internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today with 1 gigabit per second, fibre-to-the-home connections," the post said. "We plan to offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people."

"We're doing this because we want to make the web better and faster to everyone," said Kelly, who also promised that the network would operate on open access network, in which users could choose various internet providers and which would not give preference to any one kind of content. Kelly appealed to local officials who were interested in having their community participate in the trial to contact the internet giant.

The announcement continued Google's recent initiative to expand into market sectors beyond its core web search speciality. In the last year it has made a splash in the mobile phone market with its Android operating system and Nexus One handset, and Tuesday announced a social networking feature aimed at taking on Facebook and Twitter.

While broadband industry incumbents may fear the entry by Google, Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski welcomed the move, the Washington Post reported.

"Big broadband creates big opportunities," he said in a statement. "This significant trial will provide an American testbed for the next generation of innovative, high-speed internet apps, devices and services."

Basics of six sigma

Introduction to Six Sigma :

What is Six Sigma?

• It is a highly disciplined process.
• Helps us focus on

> Developing; and

> Delivering.

• Near – perfect Products & Services.
• It is a management philosophy.
• Customer based approach realizing that defects are expensive.
• Fewer defects > Lower Cost > leads to >Improved Customer Loyalty.
• Way to achieve strategic business results.
• Six Sigma is statistics.
• Produce less than 3.4 defects per million opportunities.
• Organizations do not achieve this, indicating – there is still Opportunity.
• To implement and achieve the six sigma level of 3.4 defects per million opportunities or less, a Process is required and used.
• Sigma – A statistical term, measuring how far a given process deviates from perfection.
• The central idea is to measure defects in a process.
• Then, eliminating defects and get as close to “Zero - Defect” as possible.

Six Sigma is:

• The structured application of tools and techniques.
• Applied on project basis to achieve sustained strategic results.

Six Sigma - Key Concepts

At its core, Six Sigma revolves around a few key concepts.

Critical to Quality: Attributes most important to customer.

Defect: Failing to deliver what the customer wants.

Process Capability: What your process can deliver.

Variation: What the customer sees and feels.

Stable Operations: Ensuring consistent, predictable processes to improve Variations.

Design for Six Sigma: Designing to meet customer needs and process capability.

The Six Sigma Methodology

Six Sigma has two key methodologies:

D M A I C: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control.

It consists of following five steps:

1.Define the process improvement goals that are consistent with customer demands and enterprise strategy.

2. Measure the current process and collect relevant data for future comparison.

3.Analyze to verify relationship and causality of factors. Determine what the relationship is, and attempt to ensure that all the factors have been considered.

4. Improve or optimize the process based upon the analysis using various techniques.

5.Control to ensure that any variances are corrected before they result in defects. Set up pilot runs to establish process capability, transition to production and thereafter continuously measure the process and institute control mechanisms.

D M A D V: Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify.

It also consists of following five steps:

1.Define the process improvement goals that are consistent with customer demands and enterprise strategy.

2.Measure and identify CTQ’s (Critical to Qualities), product & production capabilities and risk assessments
3.Analyze to develop and design alternatives, create high – level design and evaluate design capability.

4. Design details, optimize the design, and plan for design verifications. This phase may require simulations.

5.Verify the design, set up pilot runs, implement production processes and handover to process owners.

Roles for implementing Six Sigma

To implement Six Sigma in an organization, the following roles are instrumental:

CHAMPIONS

• Drawn from Upper Management.
• Responsible for Six Sigma implementation.
• Act as mentors to Black Belts.

Master Black Belts

• Identified by Champions.
• Act as in-house expert coach.
• Guide Black and Green belts.

Black Belts

• Operate under Master Black Belts.
• Devote 100 % of their time to Six Sigma.
• Focus on Project Execution.

Green Belts

• Employees who take up Six Sigma implementation along with their other job responsibilities.
• Operate under the guidance from the Black belts.

Green and Black belts are empowered to initiate, expand, and lead projects in their area of responsibility.

So wishing you all a zero defect process management n conrol :)

Nokia launches 5233, for $160 in India

Nokia has launched a new model, the 5233 touch screen phone which is apparently the cheapest Nokia touch screen mobile you can purchase in India at $160, reports infocera.

The Nokia 5233 is built for entertainment, with a 3.2 inch touch screen, touch user interface, Nokia Ovi player, FM radio, email, Bluetooth, GPS with Ovi Maps, and a battery life of up to seven hours.

Along with this handset, the buyers will also receive an AC-8 charger, WH-102 stereo headset, PlectrumStylus CP-306, BL-5J battery and user guide. It is available in black and red colours.

One great specification is that you can access your social networking sites, and also manage up to 10 email accounts.