Telecom operators sign up 18.85 mln subscribers in Jan

New Delhi, Mar 4 : Telecom operators in India have added 18.85 million subscribers in January 2011, led by Bharti airtel, to take the total number to 806.13 million, thus registering a growth of 2.39 per cent over the previous month.

The total number of telecom users was 787.28 million in December 2010.

The companies added 18.99 million mobile (wireless) users in January, taking total users to 771.18 million, while wireline connections witnessed a negative growth of 0.15 per cent to 34.94 million, according to data released today by sector regulator Trai.

In December 2010, total wireless subscriber base stood at 752.19 million, and wireline subscriber base was 35.09 million.

In January, Bharti airtel signed up 3.30 million users, followed by Reliance Communications 3.22 million, Vodafone Essar 3.11 million, Idea Cellular 2.51 million and state-run BSNL 2.11 million.

Tata Teleservices added 1.82 million subscribers and Aircel attracted 1.66 million users in the month.

As far as tele-density is concerned, it stood at 67.67 per cent by the end of January.

Wireless tele-density (mobile connections per 100 people) rose to 64.74 at the end of January. The wireline tele-density was 2.93 per cent.

Broadband subscription surged to 11.21 million in January 2011 from 10.92 million in December 2010, thereby posting a rise of 2.7 per cent, the data showed.

Source: http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-161118.html

UAE seeks membership of UN Human Rights Council

Geneva, March 4 : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has sought membership of the UN Human Rights Council during 2012-2015.

Obaid Salim Al-Za'abi, the UAE's Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG) announced his country's candidacy during a speech before the High Level Segment of the 16th session of Human Rights Council in Geneva.

He said the UAE government's decision on its candidacy was based on its strong belief in human rights causes as well as its interest in further promoting its relevant national policy.

Al-Za'abi also reiterated the UAE's preparedness to cooperate with the Council and its mechanisms.

On the developments in Libya, Al Za'abi said the UAE is closely following the situation in the country and the sufferings of the Libyan people.

He urged the international community "to rush humanitarian assistance and support to Libyans in this critical juncture of time."

Source:http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-161083.html

Microsoft Is Said to Plan Windows Release for Tablets in 2012

March 4 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp., the world’s largest software maker, won’t release a competitor to Apple Inc. and Google Inc.’s tablet operating systems until the 2012 back-to- school season, people with knowledge of the plans said.

Public testing of a new version of Windows will begin at the end of this year with partners and customers, said the people, who declined to be identified because the plans haven’t been disclosed publicly.

Microsoft is working to update its Windows 7 operating system with features more tailored to the touch screens, size and battery life of tablet computers to win a place in the surging market for the devices. The longer it takes Microsoft to release its operating system, the more time Apple and Google have to strengthen their hold on the market.

“If 2011 is the year of the tablet wars, Microsoft will be awfully late suiting up for that battle,” said Michael Gartenberg, a New Jersey-based analyst for research firm Gartner Inc. “It’s not a good position to be in.”

A 2012 debut for Microsoft would likely put it up against a third-generation iPad from Apple and second and third versions of devices based on Google’s Android system, Gartenberg said. Hewlett-Packard Co. and Research In Motion Ltd. will probably also release second-generation tablets by then, he said.

Mark Martin, a spokesman for Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft, declined to comment.

Competition among tablet makers is mounting, with more than 100 new designs entering the market this year, according to In- Stat. The market for tablets will grow to 118 million units by 2015, the Scottsdale, Arizona-based consulting firm said in a report yesterday.

Apple introduced its second iPad version this week -- less than a year after the original went on sale. Apple sold 14.8 million units of the first iPad through December.

“Battle lines are being drawn, land is being grabbed, users are being evangelized and spending money,” Gartenberg said.

Timelines for new versions of Windows often shift as the company develops and tests the product. Windows Vista came out more than two years late, while the current version, Windows 7, was a few months early.

In response to the iPad’s popularity, Microsoft said in January it would make a version of the next Windows software that works on ARM Holdings Plc technology for the first time.

That technology, the basis of chips made by Qualcomm Inc., Texas Instruments Inc. and Nvidia Corp., dominates smartphones and is in tablets that run Google’s Android operating system. Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. have used ARM-based chips in tablets to take on the iPad.

Source:http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-03-04/microsoft-is-said-to-plan-windows-release-for-tablets-in-2012.html

Air Force Tight-Lipped About Unmanned 'Mini Shuttle' Mission

Is the X-37B an open-ended experiment to discover what uses an autonomous space truck might be put to in the future? Or is it part of a super-secret offensive weapons development program? Air Force officials have repeatedly denied the space plane may become a space weapon, but their reticence about its true intentions has only increased speculation, creating a veil of secrecy Mizzou peace studies professor Bill Wickersham finds troubling.

A U.S. Air Force space vehicle called the "X-37B" that caused "conniptions among Chinese space bloggers" during its first mission last year, according to Heritage Foundation Chinese political and security affairs research fellow Dean Cheng, is being prepared for its second mission launch on Friday.

What that mission will entail, however, remains a mystery, in keeping with the space plane's James Bond image.

"The X-37B doesn't operate by the usual space travel rules," said Bill Sweetman, editor-in-chief of Aviation Week's Defense Technology International .

Source:http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Air-Force-Tight-Lipped-About-Unmanned-Mini-Shuttle-Mission-71986.html