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ISRO To Launch 10 Satellites Together

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch ten satellites, including eight from abroad, which will be carried by PSLV-C9, on April 28 from Sriharikota.

The cluster of satellites being carried on board the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C9 will also include the advanced remote sensing satellite, Cartosat-2A, which will carry high resolution stereo cameras and scientific instruments and will have intelligence gathering functions.

This will mark the first time that ISRO will attempt a simultaneous launch of ten satellites, ISRO officials said.

The mission will also see the launch of eight micro-satellites. The 5-20 kg satellites have been provided by three European countries, as well as from Canada.

The satellites would be ejected into a 635 km orbit. Cartosat-2A, which is of one metre resolution, would be used for mapping purposes and management of natural resources.

The second Indian satellite of the cluster, weighing 85 kg, was an experimental remote sensing satellite. It would also be used as a platform for trying out advanced technology during the coming launches, the official said.

The launch is scheduled at 0920 hrs from ISRO’s launch port Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on 28 April. ISRO considers the launch very important as it was a major step forward in its commercial launch operations.

Technically also, it is an important mission, as satellites have to be put at the right time in precise orbit one by one.

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Posted in Innovative, Future, Sky, Research, Space, Science, Trends | 1 Comment »

iPhone In India On Vodafone, Likely In September

Indians will no longer need to illegally buy, unlock and then use the most-desired item on gadget lovers’ lists — the Apple iPhone. Its much-awaited and delayed India launch is expected with telecom operator Vodafone in the first week of September.

Initially the 8 GB version of the much-hyped touchscreen device — which combines Wi-Fi capabilities with a powerful email client, TV feeds, online music store and map-based location guide — will be launched at a price ranging between Rs 27,200 and Rs 28,000. Based on buyer response, the launch of the 16 GB version will be staggered to the middle of 2009.

“Post launch in India, the iPhone can be ‘unlocked’ (or configured to use SIM cards from all telecom carriers), though the company is not fully open to such a possibility,” the source said.

The real signs of ‘iFatigue’ in India over the long wait for the iPhone are evident on Internet chat forums where users debate thorny issues like how to unlock the iPhone without losing call quality, free open source hacker kits like AppTapp, the best unlock deals at the right price, and quick bargains in the grey market.

via Business Standard

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Posted in Smart Phone, iPhone, Apple, Mobiles, Gadgets | 8 Comments »

Software Turns Mobiles Into Wi-Fi Hotspots

Here’s a cool use for a phone that has both cellular broadband and Wi-Fi: Turn it into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot so your friends can surf the Internet on their laptops.

A couple startups have created and made available software like this in the last year. But a more established software maker said Wednesday that it has created a package for carriers to offer their customers.

TapRoot Systems Inc. of Research Triangle Park, N.C., said it was talking with carriers about providing their customers with the software, which would let up to five Wi-Fi users connect to a phone.

A possible free trial version would let only one Wi-Fi user connect to the phone at a time.

The software works on phones with Windows Mobile or Symbian S60 software. Windows phones are common in the U.S., while Symbian is championed by Nokia Corp. and more common in Europe. There already is an independent program called WMWifirouter that turns Windows phones into hotspots, and there’s one called JoikuSpot for Nokia phones.

Capacity is limited on third-generation cellular broadband networks, and carriers are somewhat restrictive of the applications they allow, for fear their networks will be overwhelmed.

[via msnbc]

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Posted in Software, Innovative, Smart Phone, Networking, Laptop, Ideas, Research, Mobiles, Gadgets, Trends, Internet, Nokia, Computers | 1 Comment »

Modu Mini Phone: Worlds Lightest And Smallest Phone

Everyday there is a new mobile phone model is being released in to the market. Some are trendy, some are smart and well designed and loaded with hundreds of features.

Did you ever wanted to have a phone that’s just a phone. Here comes the lightest and smallest phone: Modu Mini phone. You can think of Modu as an expanded SIM card. It can make a call, send text messages, and hold a contact list—the bare minimum required to be a mobile phone. That is why it is so small—about the size of an iPod Nano.

This Modu Mini Phone is a modular phone, that can be slipped into different device jackets —like an MP3 player, a GPS device, a bigger cell phone, car stereo, or a digital camera. (Although, it will initially only support GPRS, which is slow. Another drawback—there is no WiFi.) In a camera, for instance, Modu can be used to send pictures over the wireless network. (Although, it will initially only support GPRS, which is slow. Another drawback—there is no WiFi.)

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Posted in Telecoms, Smart Phone, Networking, Future, Innovative, Ideas, Gadgets, Mobiles, Embedded, Digital Camera, First | No Comments »

Emirates Launches First In-Flight Mobile Phone Calls

Emirates has become the first commercial airline in the world to provide in-flight mobile telephony service to passengers, the company said.

The first authorized mobile phone call from a commercial flight was made Thursday at 30,000 feet on board an Emirates Airbus A340-300 aircraft flying from Dubai to Casablanca in Morocco. Emirates has received approval from international air safety organizations before adopting the in flight mobiles system developed by AeroMobile.

BlackBerry email and other GPRS data applications will be available later on this year and there’s even a politeness policy enforced making sure that passengers keep their mobiles on silent.  Mobile access will only be enable at cruising altitude, I guess if something does go wrong the pilots will have more time to react and rectify the issue. Mobile services will also be only be enabled on day flights and as usual always be on silent mode while in flight.

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Posted in Sky, Services, Trends, Mobiles, Gadgets, First | No Comments »

Firefox 500 Million Downloads Celebration

The Firefox browser has been downloaded more than 500 million times, according to SpreadFirefox website. Mozilla is celebrating this by raising 500 million grains of rice on FreeRice. Which is enough to feed 25,000 people for a day.

In honor of the 500 million download mark we’re celebrating by raising 500,000,000 grains of rice in one day to help feed the world’s poor. Since we have reached the milestone, it is time to flock to freerice.com and attempt to push the days total over 1/2 billion. This is just a foreshadow to where one day Firefox will be. Food for thought, uh, better yet, Food for Lives; if we reach 500 million grains of rice, that’s a direct contribution in feeding 25,000 people for one day! Donate now, http://freerice.com

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Posted in Software, Open Source, Internet, Linux, Computers | No Comments »