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Author: ashokkarania

  • Nasscom Webinar: Enterprise Mobility – How Secure & How To Make It Secure?

    “Apps” is increasingly becoming buzzword in the Mobile Internet space and while the adoption of mobility is increasing, perils like security go hand in hand unless Mobility practitioners don’t plan aptly.

    NASSCOM brings to you the 2nd webinar encompassing all facets of “Security in an Enterprise World” on the 9th of July 2013 ,where the focus of the webinar will be to understand security threats while designing and developing mobile application.

    The Session Would Cover:

    1. Challenges of Mobile Device Security in Enterprise Mobility Environment

    2. Security Threat Points (Attack Points) – The Device, The Network, The Data Center

    3. Mobile Application Threats (Local Storage, Content, Transport Layer, Limitations of Platform Environment Restrictions etc.)

    4. Security properties every developer should know (Tips and Tricks for Developers and Architects)

    5. Q/A

    Details:

    Date: 9th July, 2013
     
    Time: 16:00  – 17:00  IST

    Who Should Attend?
    • C-suite – CMOs, CIOs, and even CEOs with transformation objectives
    • Marketing Executives looking for innovation in Customer channels
    • Technology Managers evaluating mobility channels
    • Mobility enthusiasts

    Registration: Click Here

    Speaker Profile:

    Keith Katz
    VP – Management Products
    Kony

    With over 10 years in the mobile messaging space, Keith has held Technical leadership and Engineering roles with Research In Motion, Sprint-Nextel, Zenprise, and Kony.

    Since joining Kony in 2013, Keith’s primary focus is to provide vision and leadership of the creation and future of the Management Products division of Kony. This includes the areas of Mobile Application Management, Device Management, and Content Management. In addition, Keith is a frequent contributor and thought leader to the overall wireless and mobile industry to both customers and partners.

    Keith currently resides in Orlando, FL, having relocated from the Washington D.C. area in 2004.

    Kinjan Shah
    Senior Solutions Architect
    Infrostretch Solutions
    Kinjan Shah is a Sr. Solution Architect at InfoStretch Solutions. He has developed over the years a strong expertise and experience around mobile applications and enterprise solutions; with proven track record of forming and leading teams in complex, cutting-edge technology projects. Have served in various roles over these years but always with a focus on technology.

  • Raanjhanaa : Epic Love Saga Wins !

    Raanjhanaa : Epic Love Saga Wins !

    Love is in the Bollywood air ! After Aashiqui 2 and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Raanjhanaa brings a different love story with a twist.

    Aanand Rai’s Tanu Weds Manu was an impressive outing. I was looking forward to Raanjhanaa and A R Rahman’s music. I was very curious to see Dhanush – can he pull off a full fledged Bollywood movie based in Benares? I was pleasantly surprised. Raanjhanaa is one of the best movies of 2013 inspite its melodramatic second half.

    Raanjhanaa is an epic love story where a passionate lover meets innocent beauty. The boy is an ardent devotee of his love while the girl is at her casual best. The first half keeps us hooked with engaging plot, great acting, nice music and beautifully captured Benares (different from traditional images we see on TV). Dialogues are earthy, witty and impeccably placed. Consider this one : Pyaar na hua, UPSC ka imtihan ho gaya. Dus saal se paas hi nahi ho raha.

    The movie gets diluted in the second half due to the political plot and confused direction. If Raanjhaana had continued its first half tone, it could have been better. I know Rai had a great challenge for second half, but the current chosen second half’s melodrama diluted the impact.

    A R Rahman is wonderful – each song is a beauty. Whether it is Tum Tak or Title Song or Tu Mun Shudi – Rahman take forward the Rockstar form and balances it with Benares times. Abhay Deol is his usual self and is rooted in his character. Swara Bhaskar is a strong and a real emerging talent. She had excelled in Rai’s earlier outing Tanu Weds Manu as well. Sonam Kapoor is at her best in the movie. She really transforms her throughout out the movie and this can be considered her strongest performance to the date. But the real winner is Dhanush. Dhanush wins you over with his passion and persistence. You really root for him. You want him. Every slap of Sonam brings you closer to Dhanush.

    Dhanush rules the screen. He owns the movie. Though he received 1/3rd of Abhay Deol’s compensation, he hits the ultimate jackpot. He proved that Kolaveri Di is not his only claim to fame. He has the talent. Can he break the South Jinx? Can he surprise us again ? We are waiting !

    The new Bollywood is a great place. Again and again it is proving that what really matters is talent and hard work. When they shine, looks really take a back seat. Irfan. Nawazuddin. Dhanush. It is exciting phase for Bollywood.

    Raanjhanaa – Recommended !

  • Bollywood : 2013 H1 Review

    Bollywood : 2013 H1 Review

    Its Half Time of 2013. Bollywood Has Had A Mixed Journey.

    The content and treatment continues to win. The new talent is getting better results and traditional stars are being challenged. Good times for Bollywood continue!

    Top Movies So Far:
    1. Raanjhanaa – Genuine Love Story With Twist. Straight From The Heart. Special Touch. Rahman Music. Sonam. Benaras. Dhanush Surprises And Wins The Show Hands Down! (Separate Review Coming)
    2. Kai Po Che – Excellent Adaption, Magical Moments, Sushant Is A Revelation, Maanjha !!!!
    3. Special 26 – Cool Thriller, Acting Power, Smart Drama, Nice Heist Movie
    4. Aashiqui 2 – Romance. Drama. Passion. Music. Aashiqui Triumps Again. Aditya – Shraddha Are Good Discoveries.
    5. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani – The Ranbir Kapoor Show. Ranbir-Deepika Overpower Ayan Stamp. Moments of Wake Up Sid With Karan Johar Factory Take This To 180 Crores.

    Honorable Mentions:
    1. Jolly LLB – Good Screenplay. Nice Acting. Satire Works. Saurabh Won !
    2. Bombay Talkies – 100 Years of Cinema Deserved Better !
    3. ABCD – Any Body Can Dance – Raw Dance Power. New Talent On Rise.
    4. Inkaar – Concept was great, execution tacky !
    5. Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola
    6. Table No. 21
    7. Race 2 – Got Numbers. Nothing Special.
    8. Murder 3
    9. Ghanchakkar
    10. Fukrey

    The Dud Of The Year:
    Himmatwala

    Which movies you loved?

    Special26_Poster

  • Warren Buffet’s The Philanthropic Pledge

    Warren Buffet’s The Philanthropic Pledge

    Warren Buffet is an inspirational hero to one and many ! He has been a legend in the investing world but his philanthropic pledge has put him in the same league as Rockerfeller and Tata. Even Bill Gates has changed his legacy !

    I am reproducing Warren Buffet’s Philanthropic Pledge – It is worth reading !

    “In 2006, I made a commitment to gradually give all of my Berkshire Hathaway stock to philanthropic foundations. I couldn’t be happier with that decision.

    Now, Bill and Melinda Gates and I are asking hundreds of rich Americans to pledge at least 50% of their wealth to charity. So I think it is fitting that I reiterate my intentions and explain the thinking that lies behind them.

    First, my pledge: More than 99% of my wealth will go to philanthropy during my lifetime or at death. Measured by dollars, this commitment is large. In a comparative sense, though, many individuals give more to others every day.

    Millions of people who regularly contribute to churches, schools, and other organizations thereby relinquish the use of funds that would otherwise benefit their own families. The dollars these people drop into a collection plate or give to United Way mean forgone movies, dinners out, or other personal pleasures. In contrast, my family and I will give up nothing we need or want by fulfilling this 99% pledge.

    Moreover, this pledge does not leave me contributing the most precious asset, which is time. Many people, including — I’m proud to say — my three children, give extensively of their own time and talents to help others. Gifts of this kind often prove far more valuable than money. A struggling child, befriended and nurtured by a caring mentor, receives a gift whose value far exceeds what can be bestowed by a check. My sister, Doris, extends significant person-to-person help daily. I’ve done little of this.

    What I can do, however, is to take a pile of Berkshire Hathaway stock certificates — “claim checks” that when converted to cash can command far-ranging resources — and commit them to benefit others who, through the luck of the draw, have received the short straws in life. To date about 20% of my shares have been distributed (including shares given by my late wife, Susan Buffett). I will continue to annually distribute about 4% of the shares I retain. At the latest, the proceeds from all of my Berkshire shares will be expended for philanthropic purposes by 10 years after my estate is settled. Nothing will go to endowments; I want the money spent on current needs.

    This pledge will leave my lifestyle untouched and that of my children as well. They have already received significant sums for their personal use and will receive more in the future. They live comfortable and productive lives. And I will continue to live in a manner that gives me everything that I could possibly want in life.

    Some material things make my life more enjoyable; many, however, would not. I like having an expensive private plane, but owning a half-dozen homes would be a burden. Too often, a vast collection of possessions ends up possessing its owner. The asset I most value, aside from health, is interesting, diverse, and long-standing friends.

    My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound interest. Both my children and I won what I call the ovarian lottery. (For starters, the odds against my 1930 birth taking place in the U.S. were at least 30 to 1. My being male and white also removed huge obstacles that a majority of Americans then faced.)

    My luck was accentuated by my living in a market system that sometimes produces distorted results, though overall it serves our country well. I’ve worked in an economy that rewards someone who saves the lives of others on a battlefield with a medal, rewards a great teacher with thank-you notes from parents, but rewards those who can detect the mispricing of securities with sums reaching into the billions. In short, fate’s distribution of long straws is wildly capricious.

    The reaction of my family and me to our extraordinary good fortune is not guilt, but rather gratitude. Were we to use more than 1% of my claim checks on ourselves, neither our happiness nor our well-being would be enhanced. In contrast, that remaining 99% can have a huge effect on the health and welfare of others. That reality sets an obvious course for me and my family: Keep all we can conceivably need and distribute the rest to society, for its needs. My pledge starts us down that course.”

    Very inspiring indeed !

  • InfoStretch Wins the GESIA Award for the Best Software Company in Gujarat!

    Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India – July 1st, 2013: InfoStretch Corporation, a global leader in Enterprise Mobility services – Development, Testing and Sustenance has been awarded with the prestigious GESIA Award for The Best Software Company. InfoStretch has been winning this award for the past four years in various categories. This year, it won the “The Best Software Company in Gujarat” award, another proof of company’s exponential growth and success.

    “I was in London inaugurating our new office when I heard this news. InfoStretch has been recognized globally and yet we retain our local identity as an active community member across all geos,” said Rutesh Shah, President and CEO of InfoStretch Corporation. “I am very happy to say that we have received accolades from reputed names like Forbes, Inc. 500/5000, Ernst & Young and several others for our continuous pursuit of excellence in mobile services. This recognition would not have been possible without the energy and commitment of my InfoNeers. And so, I dedicate this GESIA award to each one of them for their passion and hard work,” he added.

    The company was judged on several criteria such as annual revenue, employee turnover, employee satisfaction, company culture, speed of growth, customer satisfaction and innovation in product and services.

    “InfoStretch positions itself to become the next-gen mobile application lifecycle company with a significant footprint across all stages of the lifecycle – development, testing and sustenance. Towards this effort, it has put significant investment in new product innovation to address obvious pain points of enterprises,” said Vipul Jani, Head of India Operations, InfoStretch Corporation. Winning an award like this helps us to establish our mobile footprint more firmly with conviction, across all geos, as we expand and scale”, he added.

    About InfoStretch

    InfoStretch is a leading provider of mobile and enterprise QA services and solutions. Our offerings range from enterprise QA, mobile application development, testing, and automation to certification and sustenance. We’ve been providing expert solutions and services to various large and strategic players in the mobile ecosystem including enterprises, carriers, app stores, VAS, and ISV’s to actualize their mobile and QA strategy very successfully.

    About GESIA

    GESIA, the Gujarat Electronics and Software Industries Association, is the premier trade body and the chamber of commerce of the Gujarat IT-ITES industry with over 200+ member companies. GESIA is the only State Level Association for Electronics, Software, IT, ITES, BPO/KPO/LPO, Telecom/ISP, Networking and IT Education recognized by the government of Gujarat, India. For more information, visit http://www.gesia.org.

  • London Restaurants – June 2013

    London Restaurants – June 2013

    London has become a second home to me. London is a global city like New York, Tokya and my very own Bombay !

    London is a global melting pot of cultures. No other place has such an eclectic mix of people, culture, language, cuisine, art, businesses, brands and tolerance.

    June 2013 has been a great month for me and my London June Trip continued to prove that. InfoStretch’s London office went operational. InfoStretch also won the award for the Best Company at GESIA Awards – a feat that was yammered by our CEO while sipping coffee at Thames !

    London was packed in June due to summer, Champions Trophy, Wimbledon, music festivals and other events. The good thing was that the weather was excellent and we enjoyed it. The trip was very hectic but we stole time to explore London between a few meetings and one late evening. Food took us to new places as well. The new places that I discovered during this trip were:

    1. Kokeb – Kokeb is an Ethiopian restaurant in the Holloway Area on the Roman Way. This was my first Ethiopian food experience and I enjoyed it. Much of it was like the Indian food. The bread was similar to Dosa. Our hostess was smart, witty and very warm person with an excellent service attitude. The place was fully crowded on a weekday at 7:30 pm.

    2. Benito’s Hat – A good place to try Mexican food. We were craving for Mexican food and the Burritas at Benito’s were a great find. The extra spicy sauce was indeed too hot – my mistake to ignore the warnings from the boss of the joint !

    Benito's Hat

    3. Wagamama – A great option for Asian Food. The place was right next to my hotel and very convenient as well.

    4. GNH Bar – An island of peace in middle of madness ! The perfect place for meetings and some hot chocolate / coffee at King’s Cross station. I loved it.

    During meetings and dinner, I continued to entertain my traditional favorites – Masala Zone, Saraswati Bhavan, Pret A Manger, EAT etc. And yes, I had the street side ice-creams and Strawberries !

  • Gujaratilexicon’s Mobile Avatar Goes Live !

    Gujaratilexicon’s Mobile Avatar Goes Live !

    Gujaratilexicon Launches Five Mobile Applications

    Gujaratilexicon, the pioneering and leading Indian language portal on the internet, announced the launch of five mobile applications. The Gujarati portal’s all popular features like Gujarati Dictionaries, Proverbs, Idioms are now available as Mobile Application. Users across the world can enjoy Gujarati Crossword, English Crossword, Quick Quiz and Games on all the major smartphone and tablet platforms including Apple iOS, Android and Blackberry.

    The Gujarati World’s leading author and columnist Kajal Oza Vaidya launched the Gujarati Mobile Applications. She is an epitome of what Gujaratilexicon stands for – Gujarati Language and World Class Technology ! Kajal Oza Vaidya is a path-breaking author and has brought an unique freshness to Gujarati Literature. Similarly, she has leveraged the Technology in a very engaging way. Her Facebook page is very popular !

    Speaking on the occasion, Kajal Oza Vaidya complemented the Gujaratilexicon Team and Shri Ratilal Chandaria for the wonderful work done. She said carrying Gujarati books on head, or complaining about death of language, or asking for Government help – does not help Gujarati language. Instead, leveraging technology and moving with the times helps us to save the language. She said people proudly display their Gujarati Tag – I Am Proud To Be A Gujarati. But their Gujaratiness is limited to Khaman, Dhokla only – nothing else.

    As an avid Gujaratliexicon fan, she was happy to note the launch of the mobile version of the site. And the app was free – which every Gujarati always loves !

    In 2013, Gujaratilexicon Project achieved an important milestone of 2 Crore Visits on Gujaratilexicon website – a milestone achieved within 6 years. Gujaratilexicon has added one more feather to its cap – Gujaratilexicon Mobile Apps. Gujaratilexicon has launched five Mobile Apps and they will support all major platforms – iPhone, Android & Blackberry. Gujaratilexicon Mobile Application will act as a handy tool for Gujarati Lovers.

    Gujaratilexicon Mobile Applications are:
    1. GL Dictionary – It includes English to Gujarati, Gujarati to English, Gujarati to Gujarati Dictionaries. It also has the popular features like Word Of The Day & Quote Of The Day.
    2. GL Plus – It includes Opposites, Idioms, Phrases, Thesaurus and Proverbs.
    3. GL Special – It contains Agatyana Pauranik Patro (Famous Ancient Personalities), Pakshi (Birds Details), Chhand (Type of Gujarati Grammar), Vanspati Vishayak (Plants Details).
    4. GL Games – It consists of popular GL Games like Quick Quiz and Crossword
    5. Lokkosh – The popular crowd-sourcing website’s Mobile version. It Includes Search Words, Recent Words, My Contribution, Contribute Words, Juni Moodi

    Speaking on the launch occasion, Shri R P Chandaria, the founder of Gujaratilexicon commented:
    “ The Future is Mobile Devices – Smartphones, Tablets, Smart TVs ! GujaratiLexicon Team has always ensured that the Gujarati Language Tools and Technologies are compliant with the latest technological trends. Hence, we decided to make the GujaratiLexicon resources available on the Major Mobile Devices. ”

    Mr Ashok Karania, Mentor of Gujaratilexicon Team said : “The internet version of Gujaratilexicon was launched on internet on Jan 13, 2006. In the last seven years, it has millions of visits and loyal fan base. People from all walks of life have adopted, loved and recommended Gujaratilexicon. Today, we are launching the mobile version to take the power of Gujaratilexicon to the millions of mobile users across the world. It is a very exciting feeling !”

    The User will be able to explore the GL Mobile App in the same fashion as the popular website. The User will type a Word in English or Gujarati and get the meaning and other details of the world. There is a facility to use the online keyboard and type the Gujarati word.
    Even the highly popular features like Crossword and Quiz will be made available on Phone. The Application will work on Smartphones like iPhone, Android Devices, Blackberry and Tablets like iPad, Galaxy Tab etc.

    Deval Talati and Maitri Shah, Directors at Arnion Technologies are equally excited. They commented: “The Team has faced extreme challenges on the project. The major challenge was the plethora of devices with different OS, Screensize and Features. The team ensured that the maximum devices were supported. Another challenge was the humungous about of data. GL database contained millions of words whereas the Mobile Phone had limited memory and screensize. Hence the database was rearranged to support mobile devices. “

    About Gujaratilexicon

    Gujaratilexicon is a landmark work in the history of Gujarati language containing resources of
    more than 45 lakh words. It aims to preserve, popularize and develop Gujarati language through the power of information technology. Lovers of Gujarati language can develop vocabulary, enjoy literature, read exclusive literature and join our mission through http://www.gujaratilexicon.com

    GujaratiLexicon projects include Digital Bhagwadgomandal – the crown jewel of Gujarati language and Lok Kosh – the dictionary of the people, for the people and by the people.

  • Mobile Retail Summit 2013 – London – Highlights

    The 2nd Mobile Retail Summit, which took place on 24 April 2013 at London’s Grange Hotel, was a great experience. Here is the quick snapshot of the event:

    Mobile Retail Summit 2013 – Highlights from MobileMarketingMag on Vimeo.

  • Phd Research – Where To Start?

    PhD is the pinnacle of learning about a subject.

    Many professionals and students are interested in pursuing PhD these day – which is a very welcome sign. India has one of the lowest PhD Ratio in the world.

    So where to start?

    Ahmedabad Management Association is organizing a informative session on “PhD Thesis Research : Where Do I Start?”. The session will be conducted by Dr Paresh Kariya, a leading PhD Authority and Director Of Otis.

    Details:
    Date: June 1, 2013
    Time: 6:30 PM
    Venue: Ahmedabad Management Association.

    Check it out !

  • Ahmedabad Book Fair Experience

    I have stopped visiting book fairs including the legendary Strand Book Sale. Because I have run out space in house (credit card takes care of running out of money !) I am an impulsive buyer when it comes to books. I am always ready with rationale for books : Books are the best investments – true friends – windows to culture!

    I made an exception to the rule by visiting Ahmedabad Book Fair. I had heard lot of positive reviews about the book fair. And I think the exhibition was worth the hype. It was a really well organized book fair with more than 300 book stalls. There was an exhibition of books converted to movies. I was very impressed by the eBook section of the fair – it was a nice and informative initiative. There were lectures and workshops. Also there was the mandatory food court for the foodie Amdavadis ! GujaratiLexicon Team conducted a workshop on Gujarati Internet World, Gujarati Typing and GujaratiLexicon.

    The Book Fair had special treat for Gujarati Book Lovers. The best collections were on sale. All religions and trusts were well-represented through their book stalls. Amish Tripathi, Chetan Bhagat ruled the show as usual in popular section. Children books, self-help books, cooking recipe books and religious books dominated the show.

    I was very pleased to see thousands of people visiting the book fair. It was a heartening sight to see kids in very big numbers. The love of books is second to none.