Online and offline: the birth of new forms of business

The first projects at the intersection of online and offline began to appear about 5-7 years ago, when some companies began to work in a format of business, combining two different fields of activity.

If you think about it, and the Internet itself - is a sort of a global project that creates online and connecting it to the line. Because the Internet allows, for example, people from offline to communicate online. But we are now so widely will not speak. I would still like to dwell on the story of the services that operate within the Internet, but that bring real activity in offalyne (in offices, at home, on the streets ..) with the activities of people sitting at the computer - using a special device.

Of course, the projects at the intersection of online and offline initially looked a little differently than we used to see them now, after 5-7 years. One of the first service that came from online to offline, you can call the mobile communications: the people, instead of communicating over a wire, began to talk of a network of "wires" through which information is transmitted at high speed.

For example, I propose to recall an episode from the old Soviet film: the landlord of his phone calls home to his stable and ordered a mare. Well-known films, popular songs, played on a "form of communication," a cab and mares, recalling, for which he served one of the first telephones. It is clear that at the moment there was a technological breakthrough, and we see a huge extensive network that allows us to anywhere in the world for a few seconds to contact us with the correct person.

Online master was offline or offline has become integrated with the Internet? The answer to this question is still not clear. In my opinion, the launch of the "seam" the direction given offline, "fingering" online.

The mechanism is that a large store (take for example the brightness of the GUM Department Store, or), working exclusively offline, decides to open her own site, which later formed the basis of an online store and web-based applications (such as web windows). Today there is a reverse chain: entrepreneurs first create a business on the Internet (the same e-stores), and only then "nominated" in-line.

The reason for changing trends, in my view, quite clear: the founders of companies have realized that the Internet can easily test the market. In fact, you can hang out a virtual product, look: it is sold or not sold? Thus, there is a way to estimate the demand for goods and assess the market as a whole, and then make a decision - is there any point in the future development of the project, investing in the future. And only after such monitoring can run a more powerful line.

After all, as was the fate of many well-known online "supermarket" (eg, Amazon, or Ozon): they were selling a limited range of goods and severely tested the market, the results achieved for the sale of core products (say, for Ozon has been and remains a book) and went into more Hard-line. So today, these online stores for more than 80% work in an offline: a well-organized logistics, a lot of storage, a network of partners ... And only 20% of the business - it is a working site with a catalog of products.

The 20% - is the application. This is the «id» of online stores that can be placed, for example, on the sites of other online stores.

Apple has something ...

Apple is appointed on March 7 presentation of a new product, as reported loopinsight.com portal with reference to the invitation. It is expected that the company will introduce a Tablet PC iPad third generation. According to rumors, the new device will Retina display with a resolution of 2048 * 1536 pixels, higher capacity battery and Voice Assistant Siri, which first appeared on smartphones iPhone 4S.

The presentation will take place in San Francisco, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Will begin at 10:00 local time (22.00 Moscow time). The invitation stated that the company is "something that you really should see. And touch."

Surveillance of subscribers has become even easier and cheaper

Researchers from the College of Science and Technology, University of Minnesota have demonstrated a new method to covertly determine if the subscriber network in range of a particular base station GSM. In some cases, this allows you to set the location to within one square kilometer.

At the core of the proposed attack is the fact that the base stations and subscriber terminals GSM network share some official data in unencrypted form. An attacker could call the number of the victim and find out whether it is in a certain area of ​​the base station by simply monitoring the radio.

To carry out attacks quite mobile, laptop and distributed on the principles of open source Radio scanners Osmocom GSM (http://bb.osmocom.org/trac/). First, you must define a mobile phone service identifiers of the victim. To do this, the attacker is located close to the object of surveillance, when it is in interest to the attacker site, for example, at home, and calls on his cell phone. At the same time on his laptop attacker monitors the broadcast base station, which sends out the one with a fixed interval of time to determine if your phone is in its area of ​​responsibility. In these queries, the base station broadcast in an unencrypted form specifies the unique identifier of a mobile phone of the victim, known as a TMSI (Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity) and, rarely, ID, IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity).

After making a few calls the victim and listening to broadcast, the attacker can calculate these identifiers. To remain undetected, it is enough to make short, no more than five seconds, the calls. That's enough to make a mobile phone of the victim could reply to a broadcast call to the base station, but not enough, he began to beep.

At the preparatory stage of the attack can be considered complete, since for a couple of "base station - User Terminal" identifiers TMSI and IMSI remain unchanged. In the future, an attacker rather sit in the control area of ​​the base station, make a call and find out the object of surveillance, whether it responds to a mobile phone.

Denise Tsui-Kang Fu (Denis Foo Kune), one of the authors of the attack, said that for its neutralization mobile operators need to complicate the process of determining the location of the subscriber. According to him, it can be done in several ways, for example, sending broadcast queries are not one and the last three base stations, which was registered by the subscriber terminal. Or change the identifier TMSI after each broadcast paging to an attacker could easily compare it with the victim's mobile phone number. The third method is to randomly dispatch intervals broadcast calls to malicious traffic analysis more difficult.

For more information on simple and inexpensive method for establishing the location of the subscriber in GSM cellular networks can be read in a scientific paper published on the website of the University of Minnesota at http://www-users.cs.umn.edu/ ~ foo / research / docs / fookune_ndss_gsm . pdf.

The computer will get rid of traffic jams

In the near future, management of road traffic on city street corners will be carried out without the usual traffic lights and signs, "Stop." At first glance, heavy traffic, controlled by electronic drivers, may appear chaotic and unmanageable. However, in reality, the order will closely monitor the virtual manager.

"The future is knocking at our doors. Not far off the day when we can sit comfortably with the newspaper in the backseat of the car and the car itself will carry us through the city streets and intersections, "- said Professor Peter Stone (Peter Stone) from the University of Texas at Austin. He has long been specialized in the development of artificial intelligence, and some of its systems to help make a reality the dream of "unmanned" driving. Several years ago, the professor and his students built a prototype of an autonomous vehicle named Marvin. The car, developed in close collaboration with engineers from Austin Robot Technology, demonstrated in the DARPA Urban Challenge competition in 2007.

Stone has recently demonstrated its more recent developments at the annual convention of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), held last week in the Canadian city of Vancouver.

"Computers have already learned how to manage passenger airliners and make it no less a virtuoso than a live pilot with years of experience. Maybe it's time to trust the smart cars and drive the car - said in a speech professor. - Cars that can do without a driver, already exist, although not too common. However, once they become a daily occurrence, we need systems that can coordinate and harmonize their movements. "

Stone and his colleagues have been developing systems management virtual crossroads, which will make travel by car more rapid and extremely safe. The latest development of scientists suggests the presence of continuous communication between the driver and the so-called "administrator junction» (intersection manager).

The vehicle must be in advance of contact with the dispatcher, tell during his appearance at the crossroads and reserve space for travel. The duties of "administrator" will include the processing of the request and authorization for travel. The coordinated action of AI-drivers and the control system ensures continuous movement and lack of traffic jams.

To date, a "virtual crossing" exists in the form of the model displayed on a computer screen. The only real car, taking part in trials, is Marvin - past development of scientists from Texas. However, Professor Stone is sure that the benefits of the proposed solutions can be evaluated in the foreseeable future, when the streets of big cities will be a lot of cars that can get along without a driver.

Degradation of the family because of the enthusiasm of online games

Online role-playing games have a negative impact on marital satisfaction (not virtual, real), say researchers from the University. Brigham Young (USA).

Degradation of the family because of the enthusiasm of online games

Professor Neil Lundberg and his graduate student Michelle Ahlstrom talked to 349 pairs. 75% of the respondents who dropped out to be husband and wife amateur porazmahivat virtual sword, dream of having their restriction spend less time in the ministry of guilds, and more - for a family.

But the main complaint is not the time, but to the fact that the obsession with computer games, do not approve of the second half, leading to degradation of the family atmosphere: his wife is less talk of serious subjects, at least find each other in bed, often quarrel.

They play mostly, of course, the men, but there are instances when the couple go together in some Azeroth. 76% of couples said that this experience has a beneficial effect on the relationship, especially if in the course of the game, they interact in the virtual world using avatars, and not just sit in front of the monitor and because of the squabbling, whose turn it is to take up the mouse.

In any case, it is not always a matter of time spent on the game, and not the content of the game, and how the game affect real life: Do not overexcited nervous system, do not miss you sleep, sex, work, study, kitchen tea at midnight ?

The researchers note that the problem of gambling addiction and its impact on the marital relationship is more serious than it might seem. The fact that many of the players declined to participate in the survey. The average age of respondents was 33 years old, the average duration of marriage - for seven years. In 84% of couples where one spouse is, it was her husband. In 73% of couples in which both play, the husband having fun anymore.

In general, according to some estimates, 36% are married lovers multiplayer merrymaking.

How to catch a cheater on the sites for singles

Eighty percent of users logged in online dating services, indicate in your profile false information. However, a group of scientists from Cornell University were able to identify several characteristic features, which can be almost accurately identify a liar.

"In order to avoid becoming a victim of fraud, it is enough to pay attention to some key words in the profile of the potential chosen," - say the researchers, who were subjected to careful analysis of dozens of profiles hosted on one of the most popular sites.

One of the most important indicator is the amount of personal information provided. The more concise description, presented in a personal profile, the greater the likelihood of fraud.

Cheaters very reluctant to use in their questionnaires the pronoun "I". This statement is true even in cases when the user is only slightly embellished reality, for example, reduced its real age a couple of years, or "dropped" a few pounds of weight. "Maybe so liars are trying to distance himself from his own dishonest statements" - explains Professor Tom Catalina (Catalina Toma).

Another characteristic feature of the language of liars is to use words that contain negation. Instead of the adjective "gay" dishonest user is likely to use a synonym for "negrustny" and the epithet "companionable" replaces the "boring".

If you read the profile you are unable to find unambiguous clues "see through" dishonest user can be in person. "Cheaters are usually not very talkative, because they have to constantly monitor their own words and memorize a lot of information - says Professor Thomas. - The more information a liar gives the other party, the greater the likelihood of errors and discrepancies later. "

In an effort to hide his own lies, liars and are trying all means to avoid the "slippery" to the conversation. If the user profile is specified imprecise age, height or weight, and downloaded pictures do not correspond to reality, most likely the client will not want to discuss his own appearance. Instead, he prefers to talk about work and life achievements.

According to the researchers, these are not overly complex rules make it possible to recognize the truth about 65% of cases.

E-mail is losing popularity

In the framework of large-scale study comScore confirmed that e-mail is displaced from the World Wide Web. Among users aged 18 to 24 years to use e-mail has been reduced by one third from a year earlier. Reduction is also recorded in the 35-44 age category (one percent) and 55-64 (7 percent).

The research team directly relates this decline to a multitude of mobile devices. Members belonging to the younger age groups, have not only smartphones, but also MP3-players with functional smartphones, such as the iPod touch, as well as tablets like the iPad. Although the mobile versions of sites such as Gmail, there are, they are mostly useless, since the pre-installed on devices, applications run faster and can publicize the letters came in the background.

These changes can become a "permanent shift" suggest comScore, as there is no reason to expect the popularity of home PCs. According to IDC, sales exceeded sales of tablet PCs, while smartphones are selling better than PCs and tablets together.

IT-giant is testing some kind of communication device of the "new generation"

The company Google, known for its desire for innovative ideas, where, apparently, has not come up with anything new, busy testing the personal communication device the next generation. What they look like is difficult to say, since access to information about them is completely closed.

For information about the existence of prototypes of future 'killers of all smartphones "distributed portal Engadget, citing the Federal Communications Commission, FCC. According to information received, FCC has received a request from Google to test prototypes of 102 new means of communication outside their laboratories. The document says that the Soup support Bluetooth technology and Wi-Fi, but hardly a set of modules, wireless communication is limited by them. With absolute certainty one can assume that the prototypes great feel in cellular networks, second, third and fourth generations. It is not clear to what the number "102". In all likelihood, employees write Engadget, we are talking about a single concept, issued in an amount of 102 copies, not the 102 different models.

Testing of the next generation will be engaged Google employees in California, New York, Massachusetts and several other states. All details about the possibilities of this new product and its fundamental differences from the communicators remain unknown. Representatives of Google waive any comments on this issue, FCC staff is not very willing to discuss it with reporters. We only know that if the Federal Communications Commission gives go-ahead for testing outside the laboratory Google, then all tests will be completed by July 15.

At the time, Google has got to change the world of mobile communications with a single blueprint. It was first discussed in 2007, it was named Google Phone. In fact, it was a prototype mobile phone with a custom operating system based on the kernel Linux. After a little time the OS was renamed in Android, and now it is the most popular mobile phone system in the world, overtaking the long-and Windows Mobile (now Windows Phone), and the notorious iOS, and even with the world pochivshuyu Symbian from Nokia.

BBC banned its reporters to write news on Twitter

BBC forbade its employees to write or exclusive breaking news on Twitter, before they will notify their colleagues about what happened.

The corresponding statement was made editor of Social Media by Chris Hamilton.

The statement says that journalists must first inform the emergency news in writing to his colleagues, so that they could have it send out to all BBC services (the company combines a number of TV channels, radio stations and websites in different languages).

The company noted the importance of Twitter in the press, but added that the priority for them is to alert the audience the BBC, not just people reading microblogs.

Note that this decision followed a statement from the broadcaster Sky News, which has banned its employees working in the accounts, retweet messages from users not employed by the company. Broadcaster also warned employees that they are not written in the working accounts of events not directly related to work. In addition, Sky News journalists were asked to refrain from assessing those who cover their colleagues.

iPhone has learned to show dreams on request

The new application platform iOS called The Yumemiru allows you to translate into reality the dream of many people who until recently was considered impossible. The proposed program is able to capture the moment of immersion in the dream, and dreams are programmed with a special soundtrack.

Despite the fantastic nature of this application, the construction of dreams is a relatively simple process, based on the physiological reactions of the organism. With the help of a timer and a built-in microphone, mobile phone software determines the onset of the so-called "stage of REM sleep» (REM). At this point, the human brain has high sensitivity and can be easily adjusted to the desired wave with a suitable background music, voices and sound effects.

In the dialog box, configure the application user can choose the interest of his dream. The list of available options includes the sensation of flight, stroll along the beach or the woods. The developers claim that the methodology used to simulate more complex situations. For example, the application allows the sleeper to feel rich, or make him feel romantic feelings.

Attention is invited to a few interesting extra features. Including in the Yumemiru included tools to record their own dreams to help reconstruct the details of a pleasant dream upon awakening. Users will be able to share information with their friends and acquaintances on social networks. A built-in clock allows you to control the duration of sleep.

Appendix Yumemiru running the operating system iOS 4.0 and can run on devices iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S, and iPod touch. The program has already gone on sale in the shop App Store. We should also note that at the moment only the product interface translated into Japanese. Users are not familiar with this language will have to use their own intuition.

Smart search engine Wolfram Alpha has become a very clever

Service engine Wolfram Alpha knowledge acquired pay accounts. Their owners will be given a lot of additional tools, including the ability to analyze files and images.

Wolfram Alpha creator of the British mathematician Stephen Wolfram (Stephen Wolfram) has announced the launch of the Pro version of its service, which he calls the machine a knowledge base.

Opened in May 2009, a web service Wolfram Alpha is like a search engine, but the principle of its operation is somewhat different. He gives no reference to the relevant sites that contain the necessary information, and direct answers.

Questions for this may relate to a variety of areas, both areas of life, and scientific disciplines. The official website of Wolfram Alpha in the examples mentioned 30 chapters in which the user can ask questions, including people, history, geography, physics, chemistry, materials, capital markets, music, sports, finance, etc.

It is also possible to compare the issues. For example, a user may ask to compare the personal assets of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. In this case, simply enter a search string «net worth bill gates vs warren buffet». In addition to the current values ​​of the system will present graphs of savings over time.

In addition to text queries, the user can enter mathematical expressions, and Wolfram Alpha will compute them.

The knowledge base system is wide enough, especially in science. For example, you can ask about any rare plants and animals.

The essence of innovation - Wolfram Alpha Pro - is the appearance of new methods of data input and output.

The American shot the family because the removal of friends on Facebook

The American shot a gun for a married couple that they are removed from the social network of friends in his 30-year-old daughter.

Sixty Marvin Potter decided to deal with offenders of their daughter, who was going through very difficult situation in an ordinary social networks - the couple removed the woman from the list of friends on Facebook, RIA Novosti reported.

Potter has repeatedly tried to "talk heart to heart" with Billy Payne, Jr. and his mistress Billie Jean Hayworth, but it seemed to him that the threats did not lead to any result. Then the man decided to take up arms.

In late January, a man shot the couple, leaving alive only by their eight-month baby.

Google pays $ 25 for information about each user

Internet giant Google to offer its users money in exchange for full information about the sites they visit. In particular, the company introduced its program Screenwise, which allows you to track all user actions, in exchange for a fee of $ 25, according to nadezdaperemen.

"All American users browser Chrome, over 13 years, with an existing account at Google, can register in this program - the company said. - This will help us to improve our products and services and create better conditions for all. "


In particular, after registration, the user must install a plugin in your browser. Each will receive a gift card for Amazon, worth $ 5 at the time of registration, and an additional $ 5 thereafter. In exchange for this, Google gets access to your anonymous information and tracks all of the sites you have visited.


Simultaneously with this expansion, spyware, Google provides its users, in partnership with the Institute of Information Networks, install at home a Cisco router for the analysis of Web data. Except for the secure pages «HTTPS» or "private" pages. Installation of this package, which includes all appliances connected to the Internet, will bring $ 100 to the user during registration, and $ 20 each month.


Google said: "Of course, this is not mandatory. People can choose if they want or they need presents ... The participants will be able to remain in the program as long as they want, or leave at any time. "


In recent weeks, the actions of Google's privacy, roiled the Internet community. In announcing the changes to the privacy settings, scheduled for 1 March, the company's actions have caused concern about a number of associations for the protection of the rights to privacy.

Samsung cut prices

The company Samsung Electronics Co, announced plans to launch TV on affordable price in the current year. This is associated with a significant increase in sales of cheaper TV company.

As pointed out by Kim Suk-hyun, as there is demand for such products, the company is ready to conquer this market segment.

To this end, Samsung will introduce a cheaper model based on the optimization of production costs. New items will be available within one to two months.
Recall that Samsung is by far the most successful manufacturer of televisions. With the new products the company plans to further improve profitability.

Google creates points-to-computer with a built-in display

In the next brainchild of laboratories Google, located, however, so far at the design stage, the network became known to the public. According to the site 9to5Google, the Internet giant in the face of an autonomous research unit known as the Google X, is working on a system with a display nagolovnym (Head-Up Display, HUD) in the form of glasses with built-in computer. Moreover, according to a source familiar with the novelty, it has a strong resemblance to the player, sunglasses, Oakley Thump, and display it, there is only one lens, and it is opaque.

Thus, the new creation of Google engineers nagolovnye more like portable computers, with some of our regular readers are probably familiar, but the device is equipped with a small camera with flash that allows you to shoot photos and videos suspected, and create a kind of augmented reality. It is also argued that the built-in computer hardware component of stuffing is similar to its Android-smartphone about a year ago, and for the control system can be used by the user's head turns.

We add that the public testing of new products from Google (which, allegedly, in principle, you can even make phone calls) is expected shortly, and will probably be held in the same manner as the test "hromobuka" Cr-48. However, if these points reach-to-computer with a display to the stage of commercialization, or will remain one of the most promising prototypes, it is not clear.

Social services are hindering the development of search

The former head of Google Inc. in South Africa, Macy Stafford (Stafford Masie) in a recent interview suggested that social services have become very popular lately, just kill the traditional search engines.

His opinion, Mr. Macy founded on observations of activity in social networks and microblogs. Before the advent of such projects all the people looking for information via search engines, and is now a growing number of Internet users prefer to do it in Facebook and the like. In social networks, given the current level of development, we can answer almost any question, and almost all the necessary information. And because these networks consist of pages of real people, the responses received and the information will always be valid at the time of this search.

In addition, this method of search is considered to be more dynamic - social networks are updated much faster than the pages linked are displayed in the search query in the same Google. According to Mr. Macy, and derive the benefits of these social networks, microblogs and other similar services in the first place in the ranking of search engines, although they are not established. The former head of Google South Africa says that we must somehow deal with it.

Stafford Macy confident that with the current state of Google has every chance to retain its market share of search engines, but the total number of requests in any case be reduced. Perhaps, analysts say the site ZDNet, this is the truth, but the population of the global network is growing, and not everyone wants to use social networks to find information, preferring the more classical methods. Plus, Google has already begun to "socialize" their services by launching last summer, its own social network Google +. Now it registered over 90 million people. So it is hardly the usual search engines, for which we have long been accustomed to disappear under the onslaught of Facebook and Twitter

Registration and resale of popular domain - a new kind of business on the Internet

With the constant development of the World Wide Web has become more urgent "nice" domain names or to put it more simply, the names of sites. Given that the total number of sites now are approaching 200 million, to pick up a nice, short and free domain name is becoming harder and harder, and therefore register a domain with a short title or popular it is now very difficult.

In this connection formed the market selling domain names. It also includes companies that provide services for domain name registration, and those who are engaged in a secondary sale of domain names in their pure form. It also includes the companies that advertise on the network to the registered sites, hosting services, legal and judicial organizations and so on.

Perhaps someone is shocking, but 30% of sites on the World Wide Web does not contain information. They exist solely for the implementation of the advertising links. For example, it is believed that many companies would like to have your site for business.com. That's why this domain was sold for 360 million U.S. dollars.

Today, the commercial value possessed by all gTLD domains and part of the ccTLD zones (one of them is true. Ru), which are in tune with the commonplace of English nouns, singular, and the domain names of not more than three digits or letters. In addition, in the area. Com, after a free registration ended three-letter domains, are also of commercial value domains, which consist of four letters.

In the earlier days of the Internet domain name system was simply a more convenient form of addressing, which is easier to remember. As a result, the development of WWW, as well as by investing heavily in the development of online business, domain names have become a significant value. Like any other property, there is a need in their legal regulation.

Several countries have passed a series of trials in which the disputed domain name was. In some domain areas, disputes over ownership of the right domain name is not resolved only in court, but also on the procedure for UDRP, (a kind of arbitration).

Apple has resumed online sales of 3G devices in Germany

U.S. electronics giant Apple resumes sales of portable devices that support 3G networks in a German online store.


U.S. electronics giant Apple resumes sales of portable devices that support 3G networks in a German online store. This happened after the Cupertino-based company quickly enough time has made the suspension of judgment is not so long ago, at the suit of Motorola Mobility

Recall that in the end of last year, Motorola Mobility won an important victory in the litigation concerning the infringement of one of Apple patents in the field of 3G/UMTS. The German court found the company from Cupertino wrong in this matter, which led to the prohibition of sales on the German market, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and modifications of the iPad with 3G.


At the same time Apple had the right to appeal the injunction, which she did, referring to the repeated failures of Motorola to license the disputed patent on reasonable terms, while another seven years before he was declared describes common industry standards, that is covered by the concept of FRAND. Of course, the suspension of judgment does not mean its complete abolition, but it gives the company from Cupertino time to gather his thoughts to defend their positions.

Created the first smartphone from bamboo

23-year-old British student, will release the phone out of bamboo, reports Telegraph.

The smartphone is called "ADzero", is expected to be released at the end of this year. Made from four-year-old organically grown bamboo, treated for greater strength, he will be running the Android OS from Google.

Kieron Scott-Woodhouse, from Sheperds Bush, London, has developed this design because was saddened that the majority of modern models of phones are very similar to each other.

He is a student Middlesex University. Employers contacted him immediately after he published the design of your phone on the internet.


Phone was originally designed for the Chinese market, but the fact that he was well received in the UK means that we will see it in retail stores later this year.

Happy Birthday, Facebook!

Exactly eight years ago an event occurred, MDM is largely influenced the further development of the media, communications, organization of mass protests and human relations.
February 4, 2004, was launched social networking site Facebook, which is by far the largest, and the number of registered users it is more than 850 million

Originally set up Facebook for communication students at Harvard University, and the mounted resource is Mark Zuckerberg in his dorm. Zuckerberg offered a convenient and easy way to exchange information with each other, and it set him apart from other social network that existed at that time.

Until September 2005 the site used only by students, and in June 2006, Facebook opened up to professional communities. Free registration for all comers was opened in September 2006.

Video calls on Skype you can now make a resolution of Full HD

According to the report, for making video calls with Full HD users will need the appropriate webcam and adequate passing ability of Internet connection - 2 Mbit / s for incoming and outgoing channels.

In addition, the new version of Skype for Windows now has a Push to Talk, which allows users to designate a "hot key" on your keyboard to turn off the microphone during a call, as well as integration with the toolbar search engine Bing.

Also, an updated version of Skype users will be able to read their news feed from the social network Facebook directly in the customer service video calls, and call your friends in social networks, even if they are not on Skype.

On Friday, Russia's largest search engine "Yandex" Skype video calls and services today announced a collaboration in which the Russian company will promote Skype on their websites. At the same time the Russian Skype users by downloading the client program will be asked to install add-ons for the browser "Yandex.Bar", which is the button Skype, allows you to deposit funds through the payment system "Yandex".

According to comScore, in December 2011 Russia's monthly audience of Skype users has exceeded 22.4 million, up 41% compared to the same period in December 2010.

RIM PlayBook tablets give in exchange for the application

Company Research In Motion (RIM) promises to reward developers of applications for BlackBerry free tablet PlayBook. This is with reference to the vice-president of RIM Alec Saunders (Alec Saunders) reports SlashGear.

In order to take part in the contest, you must register and place their application in the official catalog of BlackBerry App World until February 13, 2012

PlayBook tablet was placed on the market in April 2011 at a price of $ 500 for the version with 16 GB of memory. In November, RIM had a sale, reducing the cost of all the tablets at $ 300. As a result, the company had to write off $ 485 million in the III quarter of 2011-2012 fiscal year that ended in November.

During the first 9 months of 2011-2012 fiscal year (April to December) RIM shipped 800 thousand plates, including 150 thousand in the III quarter, 200 thousand - in the II quarter and 500 thousand in the I quarter.

Because of the joke on Twitter British tourists were not allowed in the U.S.

U.S. authorities have denied the pair of British tourists entry into the country after they have allowed themselves to make a joke of a network of microblogging Twitter.

The phrase "destroy America", hosted in Britain microblog resident Brian Ley van was spotted by police agents in a few weeks before he went on holiday in the U.S..

Upon arrival at the international airport in Los Angeles, he and his girlfriend were arrested by armed guards, and then for five hours and interrogated, then he was handcuffed and placed in a bus with illegal immigrants, RIA Novosti reported with reference to the British newspaper The Sun.

They spent the night in different prisons, and were then flown home. According to the British tourist who was treating them like with these terrorists.

Brian was arrested despite the fact that the police tried to explain - a phrase destroy America (literally - "to destroy America"), he at the British slang in Twitter was trying to say that the U.S. is planning a fun walk and popyanstvovat.

Also, a British tourist was questioned about another of his jokes in the microblog, which literally meant that he was going on a trip to the United States engaged in digging the grave of Marilyn Monroe. In fact, as explained by Brian, he just quoted a phrase from the American animated television comedy Family Guy.

The police even checked luggage of British tourists trying to find them in spades. Brian girlfriend Emily suspected that she had to perform evasive action at a moment when he would be engaged in opening the grave.

Recall, January 18, Moscow police have detained at Domodedovo two natives of Kabardino-Balkaria, one of which failed joked, saying that he was going to blow up the airport.

Only 20% of owners use a modern version of BlackBerry OS

The new head of RIM Thorsten Hines said in a recent interview about his plans for the competition policy of the company for the next period. He told Reuters, that only 20% of owners use the modern version of the BlackBerry OS, and in some cases - BlackBerry 5 or even earlier.

To the greatest degree of attention will be given to encourage users to switch to new phones, including special contracts with suppliers of telecommunications services, within which to provide phones bundled with applications, reported Electronista.

Contracts have been prepared, and the company needs only to "budge," said Hines.

The strategy, he said, it is important to consider both the complexities arising from the enticement of users of other platforms, most of whom are choosing Android, or iPhone, and the inherent complexity of the BlackBerry platform associated with the update. To go to the BlackBerry 7 requires new hardware, such as, Bold 9900, despite the fact that the use of the device may have only a year ago. Given that all the OS updates are regulated by the provider, not RIM, providers often release them only after a few months after the release, or they may never release an update to the phone. While at Android may have similar problems, depending on your phone, iPhone owners will receive updates immediately, as soon as Apple releases them, and often for a period of two years or more.

Hines also said that the new PlayBook receive modem, which allows to exchange data at speeds of more than 42 Mb / s, as stated in the strategic plan. Supports standard LTE 4G PlayBook, which originally was scheduled last year, will now appear in the spring. Presumably it will be equipped with high-speed processor with a clock frequency of 1.5 GHz and OS PlayBook 2.0.

Network AT & T, Sprint and Verizon will provide support for the LTE standard by the middle of the year, although it is unclear when or even whether they have accepted the tablet PlayBook 3G or 4G. RIM has promised to release 3G and 4G for virtually every service provider, but delays release and low sales led to the fact that operators are forced to abandon the proposals. The leading position occupied by the iPad, as well as the reluctance of users to pay fees for data transfer to devices other than phones could interfere with RIM to provide the confidence of service providers.