India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C14, launched 958 kg Oceansat-2 and six nano-satellites into a 720 km intended Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO) on 23 September 2009. Thursday, September 24, 2009: After the untimely loss of its lunar mission Chandrayaan, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has once again proved its capabilities. India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C14, in its 16th mission launched 958 kg Oceansat-2 and six nano-satellites into a 720 km intended Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO) on 23 September 2009. The Oceansat-2 satellite mainframe systems derive their heritage from previous IRS missions and launched by PSLV-C14 from…
Business
ISRO Launches 7 Satellites In 20 Minutes
Business
RIM profit and BlackBerry sales disappoint
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion on Thursday said it sold fewer BlackBerry phones than analysts had expected and that the company’s quarterly earnings were hurt by a legal settlement.Even though RIM still saw strong sales of BlackBerrys, the news sent the company’s stock price tumbling in after-market trading. Many are now wondering if RIM’s disappointing sales are an indicator of a wider smartphone slowdown or if the news is an indication that the company is losing its edge in an increasingly competitive market.RIM’s co-CEO, Jim Balsillie, said the company is still in very good shape.”This stuff (smartphones and mobile applications)…
Business
Verizon passing on the Pre after all?
If a report from TheStreet.com has it right, Verizon won’t be picking up the Palm Pre after all. Showcased at this year’s CES, Palm’s flagship phone garnered quite the following, and was praised as a potential iPhone killer. Just prior to its official debut on Sprint’s network in June, Verizon said it would offer the smartphone within six months.Sprint replied by saying it held exclusive rights to the Pre through 2009, which left most with the impression that the handset would be available via Verizon in January 2010. Palm’s CEO Jon Rubinstein recently fueled that anticipation when he said the…
Business
Debt in Australia: household finances improving
According to research by the Melbourne Institute, Australian households` finances are much better now than they were three months ago, news.com.au reports.The Institute found that 47% of Australian households found they were able to save part of their income (a slight increase on three months earlier), and there were fewer households running into debt and/or using up their savings.The research also found that households from New South Wales were more likely to get into debt, and that households in Victoria were more likely to `make ends meet`.The improvement of household finances in Australia could influence what the future may hold…
Business
Lower deposits required for FTB mortgages
Research by Mortgageforce suggests that the average deposit needed for first-time buyers (FTBs) to secure a mortgage fell to 21.25% (of the property`s value) in August, from 25.4% in July, moneynews.co.uk reports.Katie Tucker, a spokesperson for the organisation, said that the mortgage market is likely to offer `easier terms for first-time buyers in the future due to the stability of property prices.` She added that this should lead to mortgage lenders offering more generous deals.A mortgage expert for Think Money commented: “It is important that anyone looking to take out a mortgage to buy a property thinks about whether they…
Business
Insurance premiums `will continue to rise`
Experts have highlighted the importance of shopping around for insurance, warning that insurance premiums are rising and will continue to do so in the future. Lovemoney.com said that due to increasing risks in various areas, for example floods and storms, insurance providers are raising their prices. It cited recent statistics from the AA which suggested that comprehensive car insurance prices had risen by an average of 11% over the past year.An insurance expert for Think Money commented: “Research appears to suggest that average insurance costs have risen over the past year, but people could still save money by shopping around…
Business
BlackBerry Tour 9630
Tour BlackBerry 9630 (Verizon Wireless), has been in the business of the BlackBerry, when a strong, no nonsense smartphone, is essential and consumption levels in the world of smartphones recently made a large addition, is following the iPhone Apple. RIM almost everyone who has worked with monthly Stateside.Research In Motion’s BlackBerry 9630 device Tour is a popular consumer electronics, but unfortunately is making news for the wrong reasons. According to a report from PC World, is the QWERTY smartphone to see a return of up to 50%.It has been in the BlackBerry service, when a strong, no nonsense smartphone, is…
Facebook
Brand Lift: Facebook’s Answer To The Brand Advertising Conundrum
There are two primary types of online advertising: direct sales marketing and branded ad campaigns. Direct sales models like online affiliate marketing or email marketing have already been proven. However large brands have only begun spending billions of dollars online, because there have been very few ways to monitor the effectiveness of campaigns. Let’s say that you set up a Facebook application which millions of users interacted with. How do you then measure the ROI of that program once it’s complete? Given that large companies spend hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars on advertising everywhere, it’s difficult to…
Business
Australian university to hold annual ceremony in Beijing
The University of New South Wales (UNSW), which is celebrating the 60th anniversary its founding, will hold its annual alumni celebration and graduation ceremony in Beijing this year. The function is being organized to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Australian university said in a press release. The 60th Anniversary Alumni Celebration and Graduation Ceremony will take place from October 16 to 18, 2009, and will provide an opportunity to bring together an important regional network of alumni and researchers, along with senior staff of UNSW including deans and the vice-chancellor,…
Hack
Wacom light graffiti
[Jon] wanted to have some fun with the Graffiti Research Lab’s LASER Tag. Unfortunately his computer wasn’t quite up for the challenge of detecting the laser pointer with a webcam. Not to be discouraged by this hardware limitation, he purchased a used Wacom tablet and threw together some code to make it work with the GRL display software. Now designs can be scrawled on the pad and the projector displays them with the familiar dripping paint effect.
Hack
Pool-playing robot + ARpool
Enjoy losing at pool? Well the folks at Queen’s University just made it a whole lot easier. The Deep Green robot was created with the purpose of playing a flawless game, allowing it to beat even the most skilled human players. More than a couple of research papers have been written on the project. A ceiling-mounted Canon 350D tracks the position of all of the balls, in addition to another cue-mounted cam (for higher shot accuracy). Using a bunch of calculations, and a computer (probably more advanced than an Arduino), the Deep Green is able to strategize and play. Very…
Facebook
How To Use Competitive Analysis To Boost Your Facebook Fan Base
This is Day 26 of the 30 Days to 3,000 Fans program. You can learn more about the program here.
If you are the average small business owner, there is a good chance that the majority of your competition isn’t doing much in the social media space. However there always is at least one person who stands out from the rest and I’m sure you can think of at least one company which accels where others aren’t even trying. For larger brands, having a social media presence (including Facebook) hasn’t been optional for at least a few years now. If…
