Political Future of Pakistan

Here in Pakistan, we think a lot about our future, our business, jobs and most importantly our country future. Where we're heading, every new government is taking us into deep drain of political, economic, regional uncertainty. If you see news, you would feel how this country is running? Our political parties from all quarters are just worried about their ministerial positions in government and if you ask any federal minister about his/her plan or strategy for next 3 months - they would have absolutely no clue.

The government is running on day-to-day basis, where they're addressing issues as they're facing them and forgetting the yesterday issues.

Imran Khan, chief of PTI is one who talks and acts different from others and his past shows his capability of being a good administrator and honest individual. The problem with him is he doesn’t have strong rural presence or vote bank, and most of Pakistani who vote are from this area - over 65%. And right now, the presence of PTI in next election will only hit bad to PML (N) who came to power twice since 1990 and failed to make any effective economic reforms. The history shows that only in military governments or when military head was running political governments, Pakistan saw economical and multi-dimensional social uplift overall - when Pakistanis were coming back and investing here. Now, in short is totally the opposite - people living in Pakistan are finding ways and trying utmost to leave as soon as they possibly could.

For me at least, I find it realistically difficult to see the possibilities where Imran Khan will make any impact individually but if he could join hands with anyone who've political leadership following at urban region will make the difference. PTI will and should not join hands with PPP, the party who is currently running the government and as always being labeled as corrupt and PML (N).
The only option for any political change possible for next election is with President Musharraf party, he has the political following at urban/rural region and his days were amazing and hopeful for us all.
    

An inspiration dies but legacy lives on...

Today, an inspiration died - Steve Jobs.  

What is Cloud?

There is still a debate among some IT experts on definition or understanding of Cloud and how it differ from offering software as service. So what I've decided is to give an overview of cloud offering and its layer in simplest way possible. First, understand its defintion - Cloud computing is delivery of computing as a service, where shared resources, software and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility (like electricity) over a network (like grid station which product electricity or internet) so it is service delivery platform.

Now, there're 3 major layers of Cloud computing. Today, I will just explain these 3 layers briefly.

Application Layer: Software as a Service (SaaS), sometimes referred to as "on-demand software" is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally (typically in the (Internet)  and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet. SaaS has become a common delivery model for most business applications, including accounting, collaboration, customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), invoicing, human resource management (HRM), content management (CM) and service desk management.

Platform Layer: Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a way to rent hardware, operating systems, storage and network capacity over the Internet. The service delivery model allows the customer to rent virtualized servers and associated services for running existing applications or developing and testing new ones.

In other words, PaaS is the delivery of a computing platform and solution stack as a service. PaaS offerings facilitate deployment of applications without the cost and complexity of buying and managing the underlying hardware and software and provisioning hosting capabilities, providing all of the facilities required to support the complete life cycle of building and delivering web applications and services entirely available from the Internet. So you're also using platform for software development.

PaaS offerings may include facilities for application design, application development, testing, deployment and hosting as well as application services such as team collaboration, web service integration and marshalling, database integration, security, scalability, storage, application versioning, application instrumentation and developer community facilitation. These services may be provisioned as an integrated solution over the web. It facilitates deployment of applications without the cost and complexity of buying and managing the underlying hardware and software layers

Infrastructure Layer: Infrastructure as a Service is a provision model in which an organization outsources the equipment used to support operations, including storage, hardware, servers and networking components. The service provider owns the equipment and is responsible for housing, running and maintaining it. The client typically pays on a per-use basis.

Characteristics and components of IaaS include Utility computing service and billing model, automation of administrative tasks, dynamic scaling, desktop virtualization.

• So if you're offering software as a service - it's SaaS, where your customer come and use these software as an hosted offering.
• Now if you add a platform, where developers, community contributors come and use this platform for development, maintenance, testing etc. of any deployed software then it's PaaS. 
• And if you also add hardware in your cloud as service then it's IaaS like block storage, network.

Hope, it was helpful... I will be explaining all these terms in detail in coming posts.

 

Movie Night or Workshop Night.. You decide!

Like every alternative Saturday, the plan was in place for movie night at Cinepax but this time - it wasn't the usual day.

The Background: My 2 neighbors kids (who've nothing to do except hitting points on each other, one can't stop laughing when they're scoring points on one another) I received the call from Talha and asked - rather told me that Akbar bhai we're going to watch Cars 2 so please book our tickets for the weekend. Before booking the tickets I checked with the regular group and everyone declined as this is a children movie so decided to take my nephew - Qasim and niece - Eshal, and of course their parents were also invited. So tickets were booked for 7, but only 6 watched the movie - you can guess who didn't. 

The Day: Everyone was excited (I think Osama and Talha were more excited than the children, they in fact given me 100% assurity that my GreenDoll - RIV1800 is also featuring in Cars 2) and there is a high chance that some good looking girls will come for autograph and most probably give their contact numbers for once in a lifetime ride experience on GreenDoll. So with this hope in my heart - we took off to Cinepax. 

The RoadTrip: After just 2 minutes drive on main road - my ever trusted vehicle - RIV1800 stopped on main road for no reason and within 3 minutes she fixed itself (by She, I meant the GreenDoll). Rest of the ride was smooth till we reached near to the main gate. 

Now here I would like to stop everyone and give you glimpse of a experience. Almost a month or two back, at the same spot a when we were entering in to Cinepax - a girl (yes a girl, who was driving alone and look for help) car was broken. I was with Irfan and Saqi... and guess what we inquired about the trouble and when she told us kay petrol mok geya hai tu bawajood iss kay kay hum mai say 2 banday bachelors thay - we didn't stop to help her... :-s because I didn't help the smart lady that day; Allah main nay mujay iss din saza de aur mere car ussi same/exact location per kharab kar de (For the record, GreenDoll is a trust worthy ride and this is the first time it has disappointed me) and for the record too: Saqi kept on saying kay mai help karta hoin and he didn't..

Trouble Time: Luckly Ali bhai was following me, so kids moved to his car and I was now alone - helpless.

Rest assured, my car was broke and guess what, not even a single male drive stopped and asked for the help BUT interestingly 2 girls drives at least stopped and asked about the trouble and one smiled (of course non helped, aur waisay bhi how could I possible get help from a girl) 

Khair, I pushed my car aside and start making the call - of course my good friends responded with a BIG LAUGH kay bachoo aur ja humary beghar :-s and rest say bhai, mai tu kud biwi bachoin kay sath hoin (aik time per aik he mosebat bardast hote hai).

So then I called rescue Saqi007 and guess what he answered the call and within 30 minutes, I had a mechanic with me. Of course, Sohail was as always ready to come by for help even if he knows his presence only increase in trouble not in solution.

Long story Short and Lesson Learned:

• Always help a beautify girl in trouble otherwise her curse will get you in trouble someday and surprisingly at same location
• Never go in your own car to watch the movie (just get Sohail's car)
• Don't pay for tickets unless you're sure to watch the movie. 
• Keep good relationship with your mechanics
• Trust your fat friends - they'll always help you as smart ones are busy elsewhere

Apple has more cash than the federal government of US..

As the BBC has reported, the software company Apple has more cash on hand than the United States federal government, according to the company's financial records.

Apple's quarterly financial report shows that the company responsible for the iPad, iPod and the iPhone now has $76.4 billion in reserve cash, while the Treasury Department is sitting on just $73.7 billion.

The feds could probably learn a thing or two from Apple's success. Congress remains embroiled in a debate over spending and whether the federal government, which currently owes trillions in debt, should be allowed to borrow even more. International credit rating agencies have threatened to downgrade the national debt for the first time in the nation's history if Washington doesn't come up with a solution to lift the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling while implementing a concrete plan to get the nation's financial house in order.

Meanwhile, Apple's financial report shows that the company's profits, even through the last recession, are booming.

NOTE: Resource taken from online website.

The Gmail man...

Now the battle is on between Microsoft and Gmail - with the "Gmail Man". Last week Microsoft conducted its annual Global Exchange sales conference and successful kept every attendees (12000 of those) from tweeting or blogging about its new secrets.

On last week, Microsoft launched its "Gmail Man" spoof, which meant to spur the troops selling office 365 against Google apps, and specifically Gmail. In the video, Gmail Man tracks the keywords from your email and shows how they run ads on your inbox against it. The message was simple: Gmail cares more about advertising revenues than privacy.

Google has acknowledged that Gmail scans content and context of email as part of its ad system. And some have real concerns over G+ privacy issues.

There’s been a lot of back-and-forth between Microsoft and Google in the Office 365 vs. Google Apps cloud app-suite debate. The two have taken pot shots at their competitor’s feature set, uptime record, pricing models and more. They’ve also both taken to publicizing their respective customer wins/steals from one another.

Here is the Gmail Man video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrkAuwaoFGg&feature=player_embedded .

So bottom line is: the War is On - once again.

When Linus complains about Apple! AGAIN...

Anyone who've heard or read Linus Torvalds - would know, he is pretty tuff when it comes to complementing someone's else work. Though Linux is amazing in its own but if you keep on bashing your competitor, someday it will strick you back. Recently, and previously he made a comment calling "Apple’s filesystem is ‘complete and utter crap". It's built on 25-year old technlogy that stood by the test of time, through multiple OS versions and a change in hardware technology culminating in a now UNIX-based architecutre. Mac OS X is an amalgam of FreeBSD and NexT. It's HFS+ filesystem isn't ext4 but it has its own features that are pretty good.

Here is a quick comparison between these two:

HFS+ Features

• Maximum number of files per filesystem: Four billion.
• Supports volume sizes to 8EiB.
• Supports file sizes to 8EiB.
• Journaling.
• UNIX file permissions and ACLs.
• Transparent Compression.
• Transparent Encryption.
• UNIX filesystem layout.

Ext4 Features

• Maximum number of files per filesystem: Four billion.
• Supports volume sizes to 1EiB.
• Supports file sizes to 16TiB.
• Journaling.
• UNIX file permissions and ACLs.
• No Transparent Compression.
• No Transparent Encryption.
• UNIX filesystem layout.

So, you see, by comparison on some significant metrics, HFS+ is comparable to or superior to ext4. I do find it considerable overkill on the part of both that these filesystems can address more disk space than is currently available on the entire planet. As an illustration, if you could magnetically format the Moon (1 Lunabyte (LB)) and find a USB cable long enough to reach it, you could use the Moon to store your illegally downloaded MP3s, movies and porn–for everyone on Earth.

Why did Linus make such an incredibly crazy statement? Jet lag? Hangover? iPhone malfunction?

Note: Source taken from CNET blog.

Android in serious trouble after Apple patent blew...

Late yesterday an ITC judge ruled that smartphone maker HTC has infringed two Apple patents, and it seems likely that every single Android device out there infringes the same patents.

The two Apple patents that HTC is infringing are as follows:

• U.S. Patent No. 5,946,647 on a “system and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data.”
• U.S. Patent No. 6,343,263 on a “real-time signal processing system for serially transmitted data.”

This is a very significant development since these two patents are also in dispute between Apple and Motorola and Apple and Nokia. This decision is also landmark in that it is the first legal judgement that finds Android in infringement of third-party intellectual property rights.

Just how serious is this ruling for HTC? Very serious. The worst-case scenario is that the ITC imposes an US import ban against all of HTC’s Android products. That’s how serious this is for HTC.

According to intellectual property activist Florian Mueller, Apple is unlikely to grant HTC a license for these patents and might make a damages claim.

But it gets worse. This also has severe implications for all Android products on the market, irrespective of the maker, as Mueller also pointed out:

It’s hard to see how any Android device could not infringe them, or how companies could work around them.

Mueller has put together a chart showing how all Android devices infringe the same patents that HTC has been found infringe.

HTC claims that is has found ‘alternate solutions‘ to these patents, but Mueller isn’t optimistic:

But can those patents really be worked around? Standing in front of the Great Wall of China, you can also vow to walk around it. That doesn’t mean it’s a viable option.

And it seems that it is going to get worse as Android is at the center of 49 federal and ITC infringement suits.

Note: Source taken from CNET blog.

When you're doomed!

My friends (Allah inn sab ka bhala karay) never gave me a good opinion about marriage (in fact one - Saeed offered a full support and his car keys to run away from my nikkah (marriage) ceremony - let's see it turns out to be a good decision to stay or I would regret why I didn't took the blue pill - surprisingly his car color is blue), they always have some stories or warning when we talk about marriage or WIFE :-s not be mention, the tension I've seen in my friend's face when they receive calls from their so-called better half (pata nahe who and why they started calling like this). Let's try to compare the 2 lives - bachelor and married.

• Azadi (Freedom): well, there is no doubt you've more freedom being bachelor - can go anywhere, anytime - all the time, unless you don't have an Army dad at home :-s if your father is/was in Army then you can feel the pain I'm referring.
• FUN/Joy Factor: here I think, one has a 50/50 chance. So let's call it a tie.
• Responsibility: feeling of responsibility or personality change is better at married side which again is good not to feel too happy about if you're a casual going type.
• Care: You somehow tends to start care about your wife and less about your friends... waisay why you do this, when you know God has made wife to make sure you don't spend a relaxed minute in your life - this is what I think, Afif will agree but we've others like Sohail, which sometime confuses me if he is married at all - nothing has changed in his life after marriage and everything is changed for Afif... why Afif why? And we're friends like Saqi007 who're waiting for Pakistan to pass law like some in Europe and American states about marriages, maybe.. :)
• Professionalism: Well, surely... you change after becoming only better-HALF when earlier you were better FULL.. ;-) You start to care more about your job security and stuff when earlier you were only cared about where to spend your money and now how to save your money..

People are right when they say, girl/woman changes in your plans of life and sometime, it works for good.

Best of luck who want to be married and Best of luck who wants to be bachelor again - of course and unfortunately you can't enjoy 2 shows in 1 ticket.

Beware of "Mouse Thieves"

I am working in my current workspace from last 5 years and in just 6 months, there're 3 incidents when my computer mouse is stolen - not going missing like missing people in Pakistan. And guess what, I'm not the only victim... People have lost their head phones, pens, shoes, lip sticks, makeup kit, vanity bags etc. (The list is long for girls) but for boys - they just loss either pens or computer mouse.

You must have heard many different types of thieves who specialize in specific areas or items. But luckily in software houses, you'll not find them but thieves with multiple dimensional irritating skills - some have habit of borrowing pen and not returning it, some would come to your desk and take your notepad and will forget to return. Married people can't buy their own computer mouse, pens, note pads as they are overburdened by daily pampers purchase for kids and ever demanding WIFE... and bachelors have tendency of following the seniors.

This is unfortunate that in our society we do socially/morally offensive things without realizing how this act would affect others. I don't want to go into religious aspect of it as we first need to become human.

Just for anyone or everyone - Hamid sb. is a great guy and I can promise, he will give you 10 computer mouse if you ask him that you need to sell them to cover pampers cost or pay the rent of your flat. :)

And please stop taking my laptop mouse - this is office property and let this remain within office and don't sell it outside, I can buy at 2 rupees higher price.

Shoaib Mansoor's BOL

Of course when we talk about film industry - you would either be talking about Hollywood or Bollywood (generally producing the urdu versions of Hollywood movies). But what about Pakistani productions? There're not many names in Pakistani film industry which can be compared with top film makers of the world, luckly in Pakistan, we've one - Shoaib Mansoor.

I've been watching movies regularly for 12 years now and would say, have developed a pretty good sense of movie making and its all aspects. Being able to compare movies with each others and identifying small or big mistakes by producers, directors, writers, cameramen etc., I'm able to recommend good movies to people and can easily judge whather one would like certain movie or not. So if at the end, I recommend you to watch this movie - just go to the cinema and watch it.

The story of a movie is something which many writers and directors would not even dare to touch. He has addressed so many issues in this movie that at certain stage, you actually lost track of all. From women position in society - where one curse them of being there and other depending their livehood on them. From Religion - where you interpret it for your own profit and then practice it on choices sometimes made by you or you're forced into them. From Gender, where society totally reject transgenders and how they're exploited by few sexually. From Sectarian division, where our society is still divided on pitty issues of believes which may not be of any important to Allah. From Education, Law, Ethics, Sports, Parenting... in other words, the everyday life and deals - the movie has touched so many aspects that it has become a must see for anyone who wants to see a true art movie.

If you don't like to be criticised on yourself, believes or anything that is around you then you might find many grounds not to like this movie but I'm sure, you'll still like it. :)

Movie evolves around a Hakeem sb. (sort of a doctor) and her elder daughter, the performance of both are applaudable. Plus of course, role of prostituation and religious believes have played a central role in it. How the parents are ready to go to certain extremes if someone is born transgender and above all how sexual obsessed this society is... (just want to make a point here that still, American or Indian societies are far ahead from ours but this doesn't mean we should not discourage the ills)

So, just go to cinema and watch this movie.

And one important NOTE: do not go along with children under 18, there are some touchy issues/scenes which you'll not find comfortable watching in presence of kids.  

Overall, both thumbs up for Shoaib Mansoor!
  

Through cloud, Apple circles wagons on ecosystem: 10 proof points

In a keynote speech during its Worldwide Developers Conference event, leading tech company Apple announced new features for “Lion,” the next version of its desktop operating system OS X; the next version of its mobile operating system, iOS 5; and a new service, iCloud, which stores content in the cloud and automatically syncs it across multiple devices.

In doing so, it demonstrated how quickly the company is circling the wagons on its computing ecosystem, shutting out outsiders unless they play by strict rules — and nearly doing away with alternatives altogether.

This is hardly the first article ever published about Apple’s distaste for working with partners on any grounds but those it sets ahead of time, but in today’s keynote speech, chief executive Steve Jobs made it expressly clear that if you want to reach a significant portion of the market for laptops, smartphones and tablets, you’ll have to play by its rules.

It’s good to be the popular girl, isn’t it? Here’s a list of 10 proof points, based on Apple’s announcements today:

1. Software, via the App Store. The Mac OS X App Store was announced months ago, but Apple reinforced it with numbers this time: it’s now the No. 1 channel for buying computer software, ahead of Best Buy and Walmart. With the Mac installed user base growing 28 percent year-over-year — the PC is declining — and MacBooks occupying almost three-quarters of all notebook sales, that means Apple is increasingly able to pressure developers through its App Store chokepoint, just the same as the App Store in iOS. Which means a cut for Apple and rules as to what kind of content can be sold there. That includes its own operating system — OS X Lion will be sold exclusively through this route, locking down the channel for that and making it a little harder to make a Hackintosh.

2. E-commerce, via iOS Accounts. Apple said it had more than 225 million accounts with credit cards and one-click purchasing. That’s a serious customer base for any kind of e-commerce endeavor, and it means anyone who uses an iOS device — or Mac App Store-enabled PC — is in this boat.

3. Advertising, via iAds. If you want to show an add anywhere on this platform, save for the World Wide Web (and even then, Adobe Flash just won’t do), you’ll need to use Apple’s advertising platform.

4. Books, magazines and newspapers, via iOS Newsstand. Any of these that you subscribe to, you can now do through Apple’s offering. It instantly gives publishers a way to get in front of iOS users, particularly those with iPads — under Apple’s rules, of course.

5. Music, movies and TV, via iTunes in the cloud. This is a big one: no more multiple downloads/payments for the same piece of content. My CNET colleague Greg Sandoval has been doggedly reporting on Apple’s sparring with record labels over royalties for this kind of thing — let’s just say the legal kinks aren’t all worked out — but the bottom line is that it’s the last damn time you’re paying for Led Zeppelin I.

6. Games, via Game Center. iOS is now the world’s most popular gaming platform, besting console makers by a significant margin in terms of installed customer base. And it’s social, thriving on more usage by others around you.

7. Contacts and calendar, via iOS sharing. Now you can share your contacts and calendar with other users, allowing iCal the potential to make significant inroads against Google’s offering. Still, without significant enterprise support (most shops are using Exchange or Google Apps), this is more of a consumer play — and contacts without Facebook seems to take the teeth out of this.

8. E-mail, via iCloud. MobileMe is now absorbed into iCloud. And it’s for free. Fans of MobileMe shelled out $99 a year for a suite of helpful services, including the @me.com e-mail service. Now it’s open season — anyone can have this.

9. Documents, spreadsheets and presentations head to the cloud. Pages, Numbers, Keynote — all of the files managed by these are traditionally Microsoft territory (with Google Apps leading the resistance charge) and that company has resisted letting Apple’s iWork suite make any inroads against it. But if these apps are easily available on any iOS device, can they begin to turn the tide?

10. Direct messaging, via iMessage. Think of it like BBM for the Apple set: direct messaging for iOS users only, over Wi-Fi or 3G.

11. Peer-to-peer file sharing, via AirDrop. Replacing the run-across-the-room-with-a-USB-stick phenomenon.

12. Photo Stream. Share and sync photos across devices, in conjunction with iPhoto.

So let’s review:

If you’re a business and want to sell software, music, movies, TV, books, magazines, newspapers, video games or ads to the growing mobility-minded population that also happens to be increasingly favoring Apple products, you’ll have to play by Apple rules.

If you’re one of the millions of consumers who use an iOS device and want to send a short message, e-mail, photo, file or business document of any kind — or want to buy something online — Apple has solutions that are not just available, but preferred on your chosen ecosystem. You have to go out of your way to find an alternative, assuming it’s available through the channels I’ve outlined above — after all, Apple’s the gatekeeper.

It’s a services world, baby, and you’re just livin’ in it.

Note: Source taken from CNET blog.

now it is OUR WAR! Part-I

Pakistan has lost over 35,000 lives in last 3 years after engaging itself in partial war-like situation with extremist working inside and outside Pakistan. These people have died in parks, masjids, churches, temples, imam-barghas, shrines, market places, on roads - in other words, just name a place and situation and you will find people here in Pakistan have shed their blood and they're still called by rest of the world that they're not serious in this war or have not done enough.

I wonder how they want us to do enough?

After 9/11, there was a continuous debate among intellectuals here in Pakistan whether to declare this Afghan war against Taliban and al-Qaeda as ours or keep our distance from it. I was of option earlier, it was not our war - the mess is created by America and it should be solely its responsibility to clean this up.

Unfortunately, we had two terrible incidents in month of May, first of Osama bin Laden's presence in Abbottabad and then attack on Pakistan Navy base in Karachi. Of course, many would argue how could Osama be in Abbottabad - living so near to PMA Kakul and without coming into ISI or other intelligence agencies radar. Yes, there is a possibility some elements might be helping in his 5 years presence there but in general, we must understand... after this bloodshed, many in Pakistan stopped backing Osama and so as America as it keeps on violating our airspace.

I'm personally least bother, if Osama was there or not? I just don't want to get myself into this debate... For me, being a Pakistan - the one who thinks he is a die-hard Pakistani, a nationalist - who've been supporting Army, our institutions from day1, can't undertake this predicament that we can't do anything if someone violates our airspace or land from western borders. Give me break - we're a nation of 180 million people and we can't do anything... Yes, maybe we can't as our politicians and Armed officers are more concerned about their children future in abroad then of 80 million young Pakistanis living in Pakistan - I will come to this point some other day.

The 2nd incident was attack on PNS base in Karachi, they took down two of most expensive spy planes P-3C and guess what like every bad boy in classroom - TTP declared they're responsible. Just to recap for those who don't know about TTP involvement in Pakistan... they're doing everything which could help our border enemies to laugh on us.

You know what is the solution of both problems? if someone ask me for one-single solution... I would say, fire the top lots - we should at least first 50+ people from junior most military officier to senior most. This would've been the clear message for all, that if Americans can find Osama here and if few TTP members can invade a base then we should better not have them.   

Cloud Hosting

When looking at Shared Web Hosting services a proper Cloud infrastructure does present some unique advantages. While much of this is seamless to the end-user the provider is able to offer a better, more scalable, and more reliable service. By having multiple servers running on the backend with a "floating" infrastructure your hosting account is not tied to one physical server as it is with a traditional shared host. Servers going down have very little (temporary) or no effect on your hosting. Growth of an environment is much more managed by the host as that environment is floating and can easily be scaled up and migrated to faster and more powerful physical servers without the need of a traditional, time consuming, invasive migration.

There's multiple network connections, multiple storage locations for redundancy, ease of management as in a virtualized environment a provider will be able to manage, modify, grow, enhance, replicate for development, and various other tasks much quicker and more effectively.

Now with Cloud Hosting, there are also many "levels" of service just as there is with traditional hosting. Ie: Shared (aka Cloud Web Hosting), Dedicated/VPS (Cloud Servers), and full on private complex clusters (Virtual Private Data Center/Private Cloud). It's up to the provider to decide which levels of services they are able to provide you with but the capabilities of Cloud Hosting are rapidly growing.

Cloud have many advantages:

• Faster loading/performance: as your site(s) are served from multiple locations VS. Being in only one NOC 
• Redundant back-ups: since copies are stored on that vast network again VS. Being on one server somewhere
• With a single server: if it crashes a RAID arrayed backup could/should step in, with a better quality host.
• And much more ECO Friendly.

A good reference that explains cloud in much simple way, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFVuJfex4l0&feature=related .

 Reference: resource taken from WHT

Can Ireland be next Test Cricket Playing Nation?

After the surprise win over English early this week, if you see them batting against India - they are actually planning like professionals and settle team. I would definitely like to see a competitive team giving a real test to Indian bowling and batting line up. They lost 2 wickets early; let's see if they can come out of this trouble.

Best of Luck to Irish team... we certainly want to see a well-tempered team in International arena who love to beat these Brits. :)

Another side thought; last time when they beat Pakistan; our coach couldn't take this defeat... let's see what happens to Andy Flower?  

Let's talk more about iPhone...

Guess what, Apple has now iPad2 to astonish the world of IT and people who're looking to surprise the world with wonders. Those who've used or experience of running iPad1 know what kinda tool Apple has made, it was fast, slim and have more features than any of its competitors.

Now before talking about iPad2, do you know that over 100 million books were downloaded from iBooks service in less than one year and with over 200 million accounts with registered credit card numbers on Apple stores (iBook, iTunes and App Store). And just to give you the idea on its achievement - Apple has paid out over $2 billion to developers cumulatively.

How many iPhone are sold yet - 100 Million... and with over 15 Million iPads

iPad2 is dramatically faster. It has a new chip called A5. It's dual-core, so we get twice as fast performance on the cpu and nine times better graphics performance. There's also a gyroscope, which the iPhone and iPod Touch also have. iPad 2 will have the same battery life as the first version, but will be 33 percent thinner. It is 13 mm thick to 8.8 mm thick, which is .5 mm thinner than an iPhone4. It's lighter too than the original iPad -- 1.3 pounds, down from 1.5. The new iPad is a little rounder. And it comes in two colors. "We'll be shipping white from day one," he says, referring to the elusive white iPhone.

Price starting from $499, available in 16, 32 and 64 GB version, wireless and non-wireless. There is an accessory cable for HDMI out, for connecting the iPad to displays. Also comes with smart covers available in polyurethane and leather cases but in many colors. iOS 4.3 that will make safari runs must faster.

Now Apple has iMovie with improved offering. You can play Piano, Hammond B3 organ, guitar - in other words, anything...

So personally, I think Apple has made another mark in post-PC era - first iPod, then iPhone and now iPad. What's next?   

Land on "Zarmina" Goldilocks for Sale - invest now!

If you’re having any difficulty in buying property here on earth, eBay offers an unique opportunity to buy the land outside our solar system http://cgi.ebay.com/Gliese-581-g-Zarminas-World-Extrasolar-Planet-Property-/150536510033?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230cacda51 .

The scientist who discovered Gliese 581 g nicknamed it 'Zarmina' after his wife. We wish to honor that name. We feel it embodies the mystique of the place, and that just makes it sound like an awesome planet. Yes. Plus, it's going to look great on a brochure.

P.S. Don’t waste time, right now they’re just running promotional price of $20/10acres.

For further details, you may like to read http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/breakingorbit/2010/12/goldilocks-planet-for-sale-on-ebay.html .