Apple Awarded Patent For 'Slide To Unlock'

If you remember the event when Steve Jobs revealed the first original iPhone back in 2007, you'll remember how the whole crowd was completely awestruck when Steve slided his fingers over the Slide To Unlock text to show off his greatest creation to the world. Now that tiny Slide To Unlock gesture is exclusive to Apple. 

Here is what Steve Jobs said about Slide To Unlock back in 2007:

To unlock the phone, I just take my finger and slide it across. Wanna see that again? We wanted something you couldn’t do by accident in your pocket. Just slide it across – BOOM

Head of iOS Scott Forstall is named as one of the inventors alongside a slew of other Apple engineers including Imran Chaudhri, Bas Ording, Freddy Allen Anzures, Marcel Van Os, Stephen O. Lemay and Greg Christie.

The patent application for Slide To Unlock was filed by Apple in December 2005, over an year before the original iPhone was revealed in 2007. Now no other company will be able to use this gesture unless and until this patent is said to be invalid by court.

Boeing 787

Boeing's first 787 Dreamliner made its first commercial flight today. After years of delays the future of aviation has arrived. And according to reviews, it was a totally pleasant flight. Even if the 787 can't totally fix flying, it might make it a whole lot better.

Okay, so all that happened is that a plane took off from Tokyo and landed in Hong Kong. Happens every day. But passengers aboard the Dreamliner's inaugural commercial flight found themselves actuallyenjoying the experience. The Telegraph's Peter Hughes positively gushed about the plane's creature comforts. And who can blame him: The Dreamliner has higher ceilings and bigger windows and increased cabin pressure, along with softer LED lighting. The 787 is in many noticeable ways a more comfortable aircraft. It sounds awesome.

A lot of people are understandably excited about the plane—Hughes reports that one American fanboy shelled out $31,781 on eBay for a ticket. The plane is much cheaper to operate than its predecessors. Even if the savings aren't passed on to us, passengers will see more non-stop flights on lower-demand routes, which means fewer connections and ameliorated congestion at huge regional hubs.

On top of all of that, it's nice to hear first hand that the plane is a plush ride. Congratulations to the engineers at Boeing for building a commodious and technologically-advanced flying machine. [The Telegraph; Image: Boeing]

India’s $35 Aakash Android tablet lands in America

The Indian government thinks the $35 Aakash Android tablet has the power to change the world. The device (whose name means “Sky” in Hindi) was produced entirely in India — a point of pride for the Indian government.


The 7-inch Android-based device will be distributed at a government subsidized price of $35, making it the world’s cheapest Android device. The general retail price will be $60, which is still remarkably cheap for such a powerful device. A contract between the Indian government and Canadian development partner DataWind, should put between 10 and 12 million devices in the hands of students across India by the end of 2012, according to Computer World.




And next month, the first Aakash tablets will go on sale throughout India, and millions of children will be able to join the tablet revolution that is transforming education, communication and entertainment across the world.

Indian Army needs Rs 41,000 crore to rev up waning firepower

The Navy and IAF may be on the modernization track at a pace that's much slower than desired, but it's the Army which seems to be floundering. The 1.13-million-strong force needs as much as Rs 41,000 crore to meet even existing shortages in equipment and ammunition.

The Army has painted a grim picture in its 11th Plan (2007-2012) review, pointing at operational gaps artillery, aviation, air defence & nightfighting capabilities, ATGMs (anti-tank guided missiles), PGMs (precision-guided munitions) and specialized tank and rifle ammunition, say sources.

Holding that the "hollowness" in ammunition and equipment is "still critical", the 11th Plan review to the defence ministry says around Rs 41,000 crore will be required "to make up current deficiencies". This, when both China and Pakistan are rapidly modernizing their forces.

Incidentally, the Army itself has projected the remote but nevertheless plausible eventuality of a simultaneous "two-front war" in a worst-case scenario, as was first reported by TOI earlier.

But the force is nowhere near 100% operational capability, which an earlier projection held would be possible only by the end of the 14th Plan in 2027.

Take, for instance, ATGMs. While "authorized holding" for these missiles is over 80,000, just about half that number is actually held by the infantry, mechanized infantry and armoured corps, say sources. Similarly, the Bofors ghost is yet to be exorcised, with the force failing to induct any new 155mm howitzers since the infamous 1980s scandal.

A senior official, however, said, "Deficiencies are being made up. The Defence Acquisitions Council and Cabinet Committee on Security have cleared some major contracts. It will take some time for the equipment to reach troops."

The Bofors ghost is yet to be exorcised, with the force failing to induct any new 155mm howitzers since the 1980s scam. 

Indian IT companies battle fake job offers

Indian IT firms are facing a major threat in the form of fake job offers being sent to prospective jobseekers in the name of companies and their representatives.

Industry giant TCS says that this is an industry-wide problem and is stepping up efforts to battle the situation.

“We have posted a detailed note on job sites apart from our own website. We also create awareness through announcements in national and regional media and have a toll free service line for assistance,” said Ajoy Mukherjee, global HR Head at TCS.

TCS is one among several IT firms who are facing a similar problem of online job frauds. Other names such as Wipro and L&T Info Tech are also in the list with L&T Info Tech alone receiving several such complaints.

Experts foresee it as a growing trend in the IT industry, and consider fresh job seekers as an easy target.

“Spam Mails is a growing trend especially in the IT industry. These jobs are majorly for fresher's who are ready to do anything to get the job. These fake sites thrive on getting money and the databases, so candidates should not get lured into the trap,” said Vandanaa Pannaswami, associate director at ABC Consultants.

"The industry's requirements are high and at the same time increasing dramatically. The projected requirement for next year is significantly higher than this year," said Som Mittal , president of Nasscom. As the companies look to move to smaller cities for hiring, this is a problem that could need urgent attention.

Indian IT majors are leaving no stone unturned to reduce the growing concern of online job frauds. While Analysts foresee it as a growing trend, IT companies consider Awareness as the key to the problem.

Indian military helicopter 'breaches Pakistan airspace'

Pakistan's military have forced an Indian military helicopter down after it crossed into Pakistani territory, a spokesman in Islamabad says.

The four Indian army officers on board were taken into detention after the helicopter landed in the Skardu region of northern Pakistan.

There has been no word on the incident so far from the Indian side.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since 1947, two of them over disputed Kashmir.

Pakistani officials say they are now investigating how the helicopter came to cross the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border between the two countries.

"The helicopter had came deep into our airspace. It was forced to land. Four Indian army officers have been taken into safe custody. They are safe," Maj-Gen Athar Abbas told Reuters news agency.

He added that India had been informed of the incident.

There were regular clashes across the LoC before the nuclear-armed neighbours agreed to a ceasefire in 2003. They now exchange only sporadic fire and there have been just a handful of clashes in recent years.

Last February, the two countries resumed a formal peace process suspended after the 2008 attack on Mumbai (Bombay), in which gunmen killed 165 people. Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistan-based militants.

The two countries' foreign ministers met in Delhi in July and hailed what they said was a new era in ties, agreeing to fight militancy and boost trade and travel.

Achtung: German satellite to crash down tonight, won't land in Germany

As if it weren't hard enough keeping your house safe from debt collectors these days, now you have something else to worry about: a falling German satellite called ROSAT. The German Aerospace Center has estimated that the hunk of decommissioned, extra-orbital metal will enter the atmosphere sometime between 7:30pm ET tonight and 1:30am ET tomorrow. It's unknown whether any of the thing will survive re-entry, but the 1.7 ton telescope mirror onboard very well may, striking the surface at a hasty 17,398MPH. The agency doesn't know where it will fall, but did reassuringly say that it won't hit Europe -- German scientists basically telling the rest of the world to spend all night worrying while they doze away, peacefully. At least it won't be taking any of its orbital brethren with it...