2013 the World Wide Web will celebrate its 22nd birthday

On August 6 2013 the World Wide Web will celebrate its 22nd birthday. Think about that for a second. The World Wide Web is younger than 98% of people reading this story. This February Facebook celebrates its 9th birthday. LinkedIn turns 10 in May. Twitter is 6. AirBnB and Dropbox are both 4 yours old. The estimated value of Dropbox is $3.5 billion and for AirBnB it is $2 billion.

Not too long ago I had an intern who asked me ‘Do you think there is still room for revolutionary innovation on the web? I mean, isn’t everything invented already?’ I reminded me of that infamous quote by Charles H. Duell (Commissioner, U.S. patent office, 1899) “Everything that can be invented has been invented.”

Back in 1999 or 2000 when I first heard of Google, and gave it a try, I was very impressed. Not with their website (which looked awful) or their technology (sure, they were faster but HotBot and AltaVista worked fine too) but with the audacity of their ambition. They were competing with Yahoo!, which was then a multi billion dollar company with thousands of employees. Here was a tiny startup run by two PhD students at Stanford University. I didn’t think they had a chance.

Innovation always comes from an unexpected source. Look at Google. They don’t fear competition from Microsoft, which is trying to compete in Search with Bing, but from Facebook. Facebook makes search irrelevant for a lot of people. Once upon a time if you were bored you would go to Google and type in ‘funny homepages’. Now, you don’t have time to get bored because you are busy commenting and liking on Facebook.

The cost of competing is still going down. Amazon has just lowered their costs for hosting with another 25%. In 1997 when you wanted to launch a website you had to invest about a million to get there. These days all it takes is a basic knowledge of PHP, a few open source solutions and a long weekend to hack the whole thing together. And if it becomes popular overnight you can scale it endlessly via the Cloud.

Isn’t it logical that we will see innovation speed up, expand and become even more disruptive? With the barrier to entry getting lower and lower, what is stopping new ideas from entering the market? It is clear to me that the Web as we know it is only just picking up steam. It is a terribly exciting market to be in.

We have seen some amazing companies grow up and reach their teens this past decade. Some shining examples of how simple ideas can have tremendous impact. I promise you however that although we’ve seen a lot of amazing things, we are just getting started.

You think you’ve seen the sun, but you ain’t seen it shine. The best is yet to come. Indeed, it is.

Future of Humanity: Designing new threads within the Internet of Things around people

The Internet of Things is bigger than we may realize. We are experiencing a shift from a world of inanimate objects and reactive devices to a world where data, intelligence, and computing are distributed, ubiquitous, and networked. My fellow analysts and I at Altimeter Group refer to the Internet of Things (IoT) as the Sentient World. It’s the idea that inanimate objects gain the ability to perceive things, perform tasks, adapt, or help you adapt over time. And, it’s the future of the Internet and consumer electronics.

In 2008, the number of things connected to the Internet exceeded the number of people on earth. By 2020, it’s expected that there will be 50 billion things connected.

A network of things creates an incredible information ecosystem that connects the online and physical world through a series of transactions. In a world where data becomes a natural bi-product of these exchanges, developers, businesses, and users alike are faced with the reality that data isn’t only big, its volume and benefits are also overwhelming.

Did you know that the world creates 2.5 quintillion bytes of new data every day? According to IBM, 90% of the data in the world today has been created in the last two years alone.

Considering the relationship between the Internet, data, and devices, I can’t help but think about Marshall McLuhan’s ominous words, “The more data banks record about each one of us, the less we exist.”

With the Internet of Things, that data takes residence in the cloud with various devices and apps siphoning and funneling information in and out, requiring an incredible amount of vision and architecture to organize, analyze, and present it in a way that makes sense while also offering insight and utility. Instead of eclipsing our individuality, I believe the future may reveal the exact opposite. There’s a sense of empowerment and personalization that emerges and, along the way, we subconsciously and consciously begin to crave it. We become insatiable in our pursuit of personalized feedback and it may, in fact, define us.

The Convergence of Devices, Data and the Net

We’re starting to realize the magic of the IoT today in some of the most basic aspects of our lives. While at Le Web, the audience was introduced to Lockitron, a clever system that combines a mobile app, a household device that mounts to existing door locks, and the Internet to open and close doors remotely. I immediately thought of a partnership with Airbnb to give renters peace of mind in controlling their rentals.

Nest is disrupting the long dormant world of thermostats by connecting mobile devices to existing thermostats (heating/air conditioning) with the simplicity and elegance of an iPod. But it’s more than controlling energy and temperatures remotely, Nest learns and begins to adapt without input.

Square’s Jack Dorsey has disrupted the age old world of payment systems by transforming mobile devices into cash registers, connecting money, data, and the net into one frictionless transaction. It’s the data part that represents something so much more however. In that regard, Dorsey sees the real value beyond the transaction—where the swipe and the receipt ultimately become a communication medium. In his view, payments represent “a necessary transaction” to create a channel where merchants learn more about individual consumers and equally, consumers learn more about their behavior.

The Convergence of People, Devices, Data and the Net

When I marvel at the future of the Internet of Things, I can’t help but think about another often shared idea from McLuhan that, “the medium is the message.”

There’s more to smart appliances and devices than utility or remotely controlling our surroundings. The underlying current of this powerful information exchange are the experiences that surround and emanate from each transaction.

What if the medium wasn’t just the device, the medium was us?

At the center of the IoT and Big Data are the very people who fuel the constant exchange of information. At the same time, it creates a human network, where we become nodes and the information that ties together people and devices feeds new experiences and changes our behavior over time.

This is an era of which my good friend Loic Le Meur and I refer to as the Human API, the idea that who we are, who we know, what we experience and do are important layers in the Internet of Things. While this may sound foreboding, we do in fact become part of the “machine.” I’m not referring to Skynet or Raymond Kurzweil’s theory of Singularity, however. I’m talking about how we open the door to a new generation of technology development that improves lifestyles and enhances relationships while unlocking aspirations.
If you’re unfamiliar with the meaning of API, it stands for application programming interface. Simplified, it’s an interface for programmers to develop upon a common platform where software can communicate with other software objects and also devices.

The Human API represents an opportunity for relationships and technology to be linked by an open source platform…you.

The Medium IS the Message

Revisiting McLuhan’s “medium is the message,” where the form of a medium embeds itself in the message, as a result, it creates a symbiotic relationship by which the medium influences how the message is perceived. The idea of the Human API sets the stage for devices to not only talk to one another, but also talk to us and affect how we process and adapt information to influence how we go through life every day.

If we intentionally program for the Human API, I believe we can design a complementary track within the Internet of Things where products combine utility, experiences, and outcomes.

Let me give you a simple example. Fitbit, makers of wireless trackers and scales, had a tremendous presence at LeWeb. Many speakers and attendees wore these wireless devices to track steps, distance, calories burned, and stairs climbed. At night, it measures sleep cycles, to help users learn how to sleep better. The intention is to motivate you to reach your goals by bringing greater fitness into your life. It is the social element and the corresponding activity that I also find fascinating.

Products such as Fitbit and also Nike’s FuelBand build upon the Human API by collecting the digital breadcrumbs of users and assembling them in a way that makes sense of daily activity and validates progress. Perhaps more importantly, these devices, the data they collect and present, and the social relationships linked by publishing this information in social channels drives the ongoing pursuit of goals, and brings people together to help one another live better. As these devices are connected socially, experiences become the epicenter of engagement and encouragement, inspiring people and networks of people through extended relationships along the way.

That’s the point.
Over the years, many developers have created specialized apps and devices that helped us accomplish things through creative “life hacks.” These hacks have given us a taste of what’s possible and are now about to become a way of life. To do so, they now require intentional design to create desired experiences and to change behavior and bring about thoughtful outcomes.

The Human API and the Need for Experience Architecture

Designing new threads within the Internet of Things around people, information, and devices requires architecture. Rather than exploring the deeper convergence of human and machine (“singularity”), the idea of solidarity seems more apropos here and now. I’m not referring to the trade union movement in Poland during the 1980s that inspired opposition to communist regimes across Eastern Europe. I think of solidarity in this case as a movement where individuals come together around a common interest to promote mutual support within the group.

Developing solutions that spark solidarity is only possible through experience architecture. This is where the next generation of visionaries and leaders will push us forward for they represent an emergent genre of experience architects.

This is where you come in…
The Human API opens up tremendous opportunities to develop devices, apps, and experiences that connect information, people, and aspirations to change behavior. This form of human interface design introduces the potential to create harmony in a world of digital chaos, making sense of noise and information overload to accomplish tangible goals or help people see or do things they didn’t or couldn’t before. In the process, we strengthen on our connections around common goals and interests.

This raises questions that experience architects need to consider:

What does all of this tell us about ourselves and those around us?

How do our devices better communicate and improve how we communicate and adapt?

How does the IoT bring people together around a purpose, outcomes, or aspirations?

How does it enable us to optimize the lives of our users and customers?

The future of the Internet of Things requires the balance of experience architecture and the exchange of human information between people and machines, and it is beautiful. And, it takes design.

Imagine what we—as users, entrepreneurs, investors, and enterprises—could do with all of this information. Imagine how we can improve connectivity, lifestyles, and relationships by constructing ecosystems that foster meaningful experiences and inspire changes in behavior.

This hyper-connected world will bring devices, systems, information and people closer together … to create new possibilities, all based on human APIs. As experience architects, the future is yours to develop.

What are your thoughts on the idea of the relationship between people, devices, the Internet of Things? Let’s keep the conversation going!

What incredible development on internet media in every 60 seconds

World Wide Web is growing at rapid pace. On average, more than a billion new pages are added to it every day. To give you an idea of how big world wide web is, our Infographic 60 Seconds will cover some really interesting facts about websites that we use on day-to-day basis.That disclaimer aside and without further ado, here's what's happening each minute 

(click to zoom this info-graphic)

Did You Know That - In 60 SECONDS

• Search engine Google serves more that 694,445 queries
• 600 videos are uploaded on YouTube videos, amounting to 25+ hours of content
• 695,000 status updates, 79,364 wall posts and 510,040 comments are published on Social Networking site Facebook
• 320 new accounts and 98,000 tweets are generated on Social Networking site Twitter
• 13,000+ hours of music streaming is done by personalized Internet radio provider Pandora
• 1 new article is published on Associated Content, the world’s largest source of community-created content
• 1,600+ reads are made on Scribd, the largest social reading publishing company
• Popular blogging platform Wordpress is downloaded more than 50 times
• Popular web browser FireFox is downloaded more than 1700 times
• 20,000 new posts are published on Micro-blogging platform tumbler
• 100 accounts are created on professional networking site LinkedIn
• iPhone applications are downloaded more than13,000 times
• WordPress Plugins aredownloaded more than 125 times
• 370,000+ minutes of voice calls done by Skype users
• new Questions are asked on YahooAnswers.com
• 1 new definition is added on UrbanDictionary.com
• 100+ questions are asked on Answers.com
• 1,200+ new ads are created on Craigslist
• 6,600+ pictures are uploaded on Flickr
• 70 New domains are registered
• 168,000,000+ emails are sent

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Why Beautiful People Have Higher Salaries

Studies have shown that attractive people are usually hired sooner, get promotions more quickly, and are paid more than their less-attractive co-workers. Attractive people earn an average of 3 to 4 percent more than people with below-average looks, according to Daniel Hamermesh, professor of economics at the University of Texas at Austin and author of the book, "Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People Are More Successful."

Researchers have studied the concept of beauty as a factor in a person's success over and over again, and in multiple ways. Beautiful people tend to bring in more money for their companies, and are therefore seen as more valuable employees and harder workers, according to an article in Psychology Today by Dario Maestripieri, a professor of comparative human development, evolutionary biology, and neurobiology at the University of Chicago. A door-to-door insurance salesman is better able to sell to customers who find him attractive, says Maestripieri, because the customers will be more likely to buy if they think it will increase their chances to have sex with him. Maestripieri calls this principle "the pleasure of dealing with good-looking people."

More: How To Be Yourself At Work: 3 Tips

"Good-looking people are more appealing as potential sex partners," Maestripieri says, "and [so] other people choose to interact with them, to spend time near them, talk with them, buy insurance from them, and hire them as employees."

Hamermesh, however, believes that it's not just the sex appeal that makes attractive people more successful. He writes that attractive people tend to have desirable personality traits, like higher self-confidence -- likely a direct result of their good looks-that appeal to employers.

"Beauty may just reflect reflect self-esteem. Perhaps people's self-confidence manifests itself in their behavior, so that their looks are rated more highly, and their self-esteem makes them more desirable and higher-paid employees," he writes. "Another possibility is that beauty and the attractiveness of one's personality are positively related, and that it is the general sparkle of one's personality, not one's beauty, that increases earnings."

More: 3 Soft Skills You Need To Get Hired

Researchers at Rice University and the University of Houston also conducted a study on beauty's effect on success. They limited their study to how facial appearance affects excellence in a job interview. The study found that people with facial blemishes and "disfigurements"-birthmarks, scars, blemishes-were more likely to be rated poorly by their interviewers. The interviewers tended to recall less information about these candidates', which negatively impacted their evaluations.

"The more the interviewers attended to stigmatized features on the face, the less they remembered about the candidate's interview content, and the less memory they had about the content led to decreases in ratings of the applicant," said Juan Madera, a professor at the University of Houston and co-author of the study.

Even with the bias against the less fortunate-looking, Hamermesh says there are still ways to succeed despite one's looks. "First, don't go into an occupation where looks matter a lot," he says in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. "Don't be a TV broadcaster; be a radio broadcaster. Don't be a movie actor. Most important, go into fields that you enjoy, and that you have an advantage in doing. Accentuate your strengths, and try to avoid those things where you are relatively disadvantaged."

Survey:Facebook may be the social network of the past.

In the near future, developers say car apps will be big and Facebook may be the social network of the past.

How do you unseat a Goliath like Facebook? The strategy in a nutshell: Think mobile. According to a survey conducted by Appcelerator and research firm IDC, more than 66% of mobile developers believe that start-ups have a fighting chance against Facebook--if they go mobile first.

“Developers are highlighting a cautionary note that all businesses should pay attention to: Mobile has the power to reshape entire industries and these changes will be swift,” the survey reads. “It is not enough to port elements of your existing business model over to mobile. Staying competitive in the era of mobility requires fundamentally re-envisioning traditional business models through a mobile-first lens.”

It's worth noting that there have been some attempts already to chip away at Facebook's dominance via mobile apps: fast-growing social network Path is one, which the survey doesn't mention. But these are still early days. The survey's larger point is that every business--not just those in the social media space--will need to take a mobile-first approach in the coming years.

The report surveyed 5,526 mobile developers from August 22-28, 2012 on their perceptions of the mobile space and its future integration with social media and the cloud. According to Appcelerator and IDC, this report compiles the world’s largest mobile developer survey conducted to date.

Respondents also weighed in on future mobile predictions: 84% believe they will be building apps for television by 2015 and 74% of developers say they will be building apps for cars by the same date. Above all, most respondents acknowledged the speed at which mobile development is growing and highlighted its importance in the small business community.

“Mobile provides enterprises with an unprecedented opportunity to transform their relationships and build towards competitive advantage--even faster than was possible when Web technologies emerged,” the survey says. But be warned: Mobile “will also leave a wake of casualties among companies that underestimate the speed of disruption.”

"What are we learning?, How to Get the Best Results?":Catch employees using this technique

If you want your team to learn from experience, I encourage you to add this simple question to your conversations.

My team has a not-so-inside joke about me. Here's why they tease me: Whenever we get unexpected results, or friction with a client or vendor or in a new working environment, at the end of the day I ask them:

"What are we learning?"

I'm not the first person to notice that smart people still repeat mistakes ... often.  Even smart people often fail to learn from experience.

If you want your organization to learn from all of its experiences, then I encourage you to adopt this simple question as a part of your regular dialogue.

You could ask it at the conclusion of every meeting, but I have found that people get numb to the exercise, so it produces a diminishing quality of responses. You could ask it by email, but I have found that I get short answers or no response at all.

How to Get the Best Results

So if you are going to adopt this question, here are a few guidelines:

When to ask: I like to ask just after the part of the conversation when people have let off steam. I don't have much stomach for general complaining, but some frustration is understandable when people are focusing on their own excitement, surprise or disappointment. My goal is to transfer the energy of the moment into behavioral reinforcement or change for the future.

How to ask: Usually, I start with a quick summary of the circumstances--what we expected, where we are now, and how we got to this point.  Of course, because I am in the conversation, I have to try to check my own emotional energy at the door, which is not easy. But one of my old mentors told me, "Facts are our friends, even when they are unfriendly." I try to stick to the facts.

Who to ask: Each time, try to ask someone different to weigh in first. That's a good way to make certain that, over time, everyone gets heard. Many small teams have some very vocal members, while others are quiet. However, some of the best insights may come from the quiet members--and to get their ideas means asking them first.

Start positive: The group will want to hear what you have to say. Go last and start first with the productive and positive lessons first. The risk inherent in this question is that it can become another way to point out faults and flaws. That will not produce a culture that embraces learning.

Skip the blame: Similarly, keep in mind that "What are we learning?" is a very different question than "Whose fault is it?" You are looking for insights that will change behaviors and increase the potential for success in the future. To do that, focus on the facts and the process, not the people.

Even though my team teases me, I catch my employees using the same technique with vendors, clients, and each other. Learning organizations win.

Careers Are Dead,brings with it low-wage temporary or contract work as a way of life.

Finally, some statistics to prove the stereotypes right. According to a recent survey from Millennial Branding and Payscale, Millenials really are most likely to be employed in service industry jobs. So, all those jokes about post-graduation latte pouring and t-shirt folding haven’t been in vain. And while it might be comforting to think of these jobs as necessary way stations on the path to an upwardly mobile future – especially if you’re someone who holds one – there’s mounting evidence that the American labor market may never return to its pre-recession composition. The future is already here and it brings with it low-wage temporary or contract work as a way of life.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, almost 30% of American workers are expected to hold low-wage jobs – defined as earnings at or below the poverty line to support a family of four – in 2020. This number will remain virtually unchanged from 2010. Given that roughly 50% of recent college grads are unemployed or underemployed and those who do work are much more likely to hold these types of jobs, this is a particular grim prospect for young workers hoping to leave these positions behind for greener career pastures.

And even if Millennial workers do manage to move from retail to the corporate world, there’s no guarantee that their office job will be on the career track. The number of temporary or contract positions was up 6% over last year’s numbers in the first quarter of 2012 according to the American Staffing Association. In fact, the number of temporary or contract jobs added to the economy has been increasing for nine consecutive quarters since the recession officially ended. Over 40% more people hold temp jobs now than in 2009. This growth starts to become something to worry about when temp jobs aren’t being converted to permanent ones and when contract work replaces full-time positions. As ASA CEO Richard Wahlquist put it when discussing the numbers:

“Employers remain hesitant to add permanent employees due to uncertainty about the current strength of the economy and future economic conditions, including impending tax increases and spending cuts expected to take effect in January 2013. In times like these, businesses are being much more strategic in sourcing additional talent and maintaining work force flexibility.”

And this cautious approach to staffing and reliance on a disposable workforce may continue for years. While there are certainly highly-skilled and in-demand professionals who are able to parlay their hired-gun status into big paydays or renaissance workers who are mashing up day jobs and dream jobs, those who benefit financially from the gig economy are in the minority. With low-wage occupations set to keep growing – even in economic hotspots such as Silicon Valley – most young workers may be destined to either cycle through a number of temporary positions in search of better wages and working conditions or resign themselves to juggling multiple low-wage jobs in order to support themselves if they aren’t able to find an entry point to the career track before they age out of their recent grad status.

While scaring up sympathy for Gen Y is often yeoman’s work, the prospect of a generation of workers who are facing job insecurity and uncertain career growth has broader social consequences that can’t be written off as the inconvenience of a coddled few. That economic mobility we prize as a hallmark of the American Dream? Well, just like the 30-year career with a single employer, its days may be over, too. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts:

“Americans raised at the top and bottom of the income ladder are likely to remain there themselves as adults. Forty-three percent of those who start in the bottom are stuck there as adults, and 70 percent remain below the middle quintile. Only 4 percent of adults raised in the bottom make it all the way to the top, showing that the “rags-to-riches” story is more often found in Hollywood than in reality.”

Try not to think about this when you clock in for your next shift at the mall.

IT pro needs both technical expertise and soft skills: Just keeps growing

Depending on which company you talk to, there are varying demands for IT technical skills. But there is one common need that most IT organizations have: soft skills. This need is nothing new. As early as three decades ago corporate IT sought out liberal arts graduates to become business and systems analysts so they could “bridge the communications gap” between programmers and end users. And if you look at the ranks of CIOs, almost half have backgrounds in liberal arts.

So what are the soft skills areas that companies want to see in IT professionals today?

1: Deal making and meeting skills

IT is a matchup of technology and people to produce products that run the company’s business. When people get involved, there are bound to be disagreements and a need to arrive at group consensus. IT’ers who can work with people, find a common ground so projects and goals can be agreed to, and swallow their own egos in the process if need be are in high demand.

2: Great communication skills

The ability to read, write, and speak in clearly and effectively will never go out of style — especially in IT. IT project annals are filled with failed projects that were good ideas but poorly communicated.

3: A sixth sense about projects

There are formal project management programs that teach people PM methodology. But for most people, it takes several years of project management experience to develop an instinct for how a project is really going. Natural project managers have this sixth sense. In many cases, it is simply a talent that can’t be taught. But when an IT executive discovers a natural project manager who can “read” the project in the people and the tasks, this person is worth his/her weight in gold.

4: Ergonomic sensitivity

Because its expertise is technical, it is difficult for IT to understand the point of view of a nontechnical user or the conditions in the field that end users face. A business analyst who can empathize with end users, understand the business conditions they work in, and design graphical user interfaces that are easy to learn and use is an asset in application development.

5: Great team player

It’s easy for enclaves of IT professionals to remain isolated in their areas of expertise. Individuals who can transcend these technical silos and work for the good of the team or the project are valued for their ability to see the big picture. They are also viewed as candidates for promotions.

6: Political smarts

Not known as a particularly politically astute group, IT benefits when it hires individuals who can forge strong relationships with different constituencies throughout the company. This relationship building facilitates project cooperation and success.

7: Teaching, mentoring, and knowledge sharing

IT’ers able to teach new applications to users are invaluable in project rollouts. They are also an asset as teaching resources for internal IT. If they can work side by side with others and provide mentoring and support, they become even more valuable — because the “real” IT learning occurs on the job and in the trenches. Central to these processes is the willingness to share and the ability to listen and be patient with others as they learn.

8: Resolving “gray” issues

IT likes to work in binary (black and white). Unfortunately, many of the people issues that plague projects are “gray.” There is no right or wrong answer, but there is a need to find a place that everyone is comfortable with. Those who can identify and articulate the problem, bring it out in the open, and get it solved are instrumental in shortening project snags and timelines.

9: Vendor management

Few IT or MA programs teach vendor management — and even fewer IT’ers want to do this. But with outsourcing and vendor management on the rise, IT pros with administrative and management skills who can work with vendors and ensure that SLAs (service level agreements) and KPIs (key performance indicators) are met bring value to performance areas where IT is accountable. They also have great promotion potential.

10: Contract negotiation

The growth of cloud-based solutions has increased the need for contract negotiation skills and legal knowledge. Individuals who bring this skills package to IT are both recognized and rewarded, often with highly paid executive positions.

iPhone 5 Next-generation launch in August;4G compatible for super fast browsing & 3D renders show off white edition

The iPhone 5 won’t drop in August after all, it seems, after it emerged that the handset still has to undergo a series of tests before it’s ready to be showcased to expectant tech watchers.

According to sources cited by Boy Genius Report (BGR), the next-generation iPhone is currently still in the ‘engineering verification’ stage of testing and has yet to even enter the ‘design verification’ phase of trials.

Going by earlier iPhone models’ progress to market, this suggests that the handset is several weeks, more likely months, away from going into production proper.

Extrapolating further, it's possible to surmise that the handset is likely to appear in September or October and that recent projections it would arrive next month, which in all honesty seemed a bit left-field to us anyway, are wide of the mark.
BGR’s sources also corroborated rumours that the handset will be 4G compatible for super fast browsing and will feature Near Field Communications chips to allow users to pay for low ticket items by swiping their iPhone over a reader.

News of Apple’s release plans comes amid a slew of spec-sheet leaks for its next tilt a smartphone, with most reports claiming it will feature a larger four-inch screen, twice the pixel-pushing power courtesy of a quad-core processor and a larger, taller design.

New 3D renders show off white edition

Love them or hate them, 3D renders give us a taste of what unannounced handsets such as Apple’s eagerly awaited iPhone 5 might look like. As these latest illustrations so capably do.
Most renders can be spotted from a mile off. But following last week’s ‘leaked photos’, which many news outlets, including yours truly were duped into thinking were tangible, it’s become clear that in the intoxicating grip of anticipation, even the best of us can make a boo-boo.
Dutch designer Martin uit Ulrecht, who brought you the recent, photorealistic renders of the black iPhone 5, has released fresh new renders, this time illustrating the white version of the handset. Frankly, if we didn’t know better, they may as well be the real thing.

Of course, they are not. Some might be even relieved, because as great as they look, the actual design of the handset, clearly based on the alleged leaked backpanel from earlier this month, doesn't look like the major overhaul many iFans are hoping for having sat through two generations with same design.

We’ll let you decide for yourself. Do you think these mock-ups are more or less what you’re expecting from the sixth-generation iPhone? Or do they look too similar to the current design? Let us know in the comments section below.

കാത്തിരിപ്പിനോടുവില്‍ ഐഫോണ്‍ 5 എത്തി

സന്‍ ഫ്രാന്‍സിസ്കോ: ആപ്പിളിന്റെ ഐഫോണ്‍ 5 പുറത്തിറങ്ങി. സന്‍ ഫ്രാന്‍സിസ്കോയിലെ 'യെര്‍ബ ബ്യൂന' ആര്‍ട് സെന്ററില്‍ നടന്ന ചടങ്ങിലാണ് ആപ്പിളിന്റെ ഈ വര്‍ഷത്തെ ആദ്യ സ്മാര്‍ട്ട് ഫോണ്‍ പുറത്തിറക്കിയത്. ആപ്പിള്‍

സീനിയര്‍ വൈസ് പ്രസിഡന്റ് ഫിലിപ്പ് ഷ്വാര്‍ണെയാണ് ആപ്പിള്‍ ഐ ഫോണ്‍ 5 പുറത്തിറക്കിയത്.

ഞങ്ങള്‍ നിര്‍മ്മിച്ചതില്‍ എറ്റവും മികച്ച ഉത്പന്നം എന്ന ആമുഖത്തോടെയാണ് ഫിലിപ്പ് ഷ്വാര്‍ണെ ഐ ഫോണ്‍ മാധ്യമ പ്രവര്‍ത്തകരും ടെക്ക് വിദഗ്ധരും അടങ്ങിയ സദസ്സിന് പരിചയപ്പെടുത്തിയത്.

ഗ്ലാസിലും അലുമിനിയത്തിലുമാണ് പുതിയ ഐ ഫോണ്‍ 5 നിര്‍മ്മിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്. അഞ്ച് വര്‍ഷത്തിനിടയില്‍ ഇറങ്ങിയ ആറ് ഐഫോണുകളില്‍ എറ്റവും തടിയും ഭാരവും കുറഞ്ഞ മോഡലാണ് ഐഫോണ്‍5. 7.6മില്ലി മീറ്റര്‍ തടിയും, 112 ഗ്രാം ഭാരവുമാണ് ഇതിന്റെ പ്രത്യേകത. ഐഫോണിന്റെ മുന്‍ മോഡല്‍ ഐഫോണ്‍ 4എസിനെക്കാള്‍ തടിയിലും തൂക്കത്തിലും 20ശതമാനം കുറവ് വരുത്തിയാണ് ഐ ഫോണ്‍ 5 ആപ്പിള്‍ നിര്‍മ്മിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്. ഐ ഫോണ്‍ 5 ന് പ്രധാന വെല്ലുവിളി ഉയര്‍ത്തുന്ന സാംസങ്ങിന്റെ ഗാലക്സി എസ് 3യുടെ ഭാരം 142 ഗ്രാമാണ് എന്നത് ഈ കാര്യത്തില്‍ മികച്ച പുരോഗതി ആപ്പിള്‍ കൈവരിച്ചു എന്ന് വ്യക്തമാക്കുന്നു.

അടുത്ത തലമുറ വയര്‍ലെസ്സ് ബ്രോഡ്ബാന്‍ഡ് സങ്കേതമായ എല്‍.ടി.ഇ അഥവ 4ജി ഉപയോഗപ്പെടുത്തിട്ടുണ്ട് ഐഫോണ്‍ 5ല്‍. ഫോണിന്റെ അകത്തെ പ്രവര്‍ത്തനങ്ങളും വീഡിയോ പ്രവര്‍ത്തിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിലും, ഇന്റര്‍ നെറ്റ് ഉപയോഗത്തിലും മികച്ച വേഗം ഇതുവഴി കൈവരിക്കാന്‍ എല്‍.ടി.ഇ സാങ്കേതികവിദ്യ വഴി സാധിക്കും.

പുത്തന്‍ ആപ്പിള്‍ എ6 ക്വഡ് കോര്‍ പ്രോസസ്സിങ് ചിപ്പാണ് പുതിയ ഐഫോണ്‍5 ല്‍ ഉപയോഗപ്പെടുത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നത്. ഇത് വഴി മുന്‍പ് ഇറങ്ങിയ ഐ ഫോണിനെക്കാള്‍ രണ്ട് ഇരട്ടി മെച്ചപ്പെട്ട പ്രകടനം ഇത് കാഴ്ചവയ്ക്കും എന്നാണ് ആപ്പിള്‍ അവകാശപ്പെടുന്നത്. ഇത് ആദ്യമായി ശബ്ദത്തിനും വിവരസംസ്കരണത്തിനും ഒരേ ചിപ്പ് എന്നത് ആപ്പിള്‍ തങ്ങളുടെ ഒരു ഫോണില്‍ നടപ്പിലാക്കുകയാണ് ഈ ചിപ്പിലൂടെ ‍. റെഡിയോ പ്രോസസ്സര്‍ എന്ന ഈ സംവിധാനം സാംസങ്ങിന്റെയും മറ്റും ഫോണുകളില്‍ നേരത്തെ ഉള്ളതാണ്. പക്ഷെ പുതിയ ആപ്പിള്‍ എ6 ക്വഡ് കോര്‍ പ്രോസസ്സറിന്റെ ശേഷി ആപ്പിള്‍ വെളിപ്പെടുത്തിയില്ല എന്നത് ശ്രദ്ധേയമാണ്.

3.5 ഇഞ്ച് എന്ന നിലയില്‍ നിന്ന് വര്‍ധിപ്പിച്ച് പുതിയ ആപ്പിള്‍ ഐഫോണിന്റെ സ്ക്രീന്‍ 4 ഇന്‍ഞ്ചായി ആക്കിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. ഒപ്പം പുതിയ മോഡല്‍ ഐപാഡില്‍ പരീക്ഷിച്ച റെറ്റീന ഡിസ്പ്ലേയും ഇതില്‍ നല്‍കുന്നുണ്ട്. കാഴ്ചയിലും ഗ്രാഫിക്ക് അനുഭവത്തിലും ഒരു മികച്ച പുരോഗതിയാണ് ഇതുവഴി ആപ്പിള്‍ വാഗ്ദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നത്.ക്യാമറയില്‍ 8 എംപിയില്‍ കൂടുതല്‍ വര്‍ധനവ് വരുത്താന്‍ ആപ്പിള്‍ തയ്യാറായില്ലെങ്കിലും പനോരമ വിഷന്‍ അടക്കമുള്ള പ്രത്യേകതകള്‍ ആപ്പിള്‍ നല്‍കുന്നുണ്ട്. ഇത് പുതിയ ലൂമിയ,ഗാലക്സി ഫോണുകളുടെ പ്രധാന പ്രത്യേകതയായിരുന്നു

ബാറ്ററിയുടെ ശേഷിയുടെ കാര്യത്തില്‍ മുന്‍കാലങ്ങളില്‍ നേരിട്ട പരാതികള്‍ പരിഹരിക്കാന്‍ കാര്യമായ ജോലി ആപ്പിള്‍ ഗവേഷകര്‍ എടുത്തിട്ടുണ്ടെന്ന് തെളിയിക്കുന്നതാണ് ബാറ്ററി സംബന്ധിച്ച് നല്‍കുന്ന വാഗ്ദാനങ്ങള്‍. 225മണിക്കൂര്‍ സ്റ്റാന്റ് ബൈ നല്‍കും എന്ന് അവകാശപ്പെടുന്ന ആപ്പിള്‍, 40 മണിക്കൂര്‍ സംഗീതത്തിനും, 10 മണിക്കൂര്‍ എല്‍ടിഇ ഉപയോഗത്തിനും, 10മണിക്കൂര്‍ വീഡിയോകള്‍ കാണുന്നതിനും, എട്ടുമണിക്കൂര്‍ ത്രീജി ഉപയോഗവും, എട്ട് മണിക്കൂര്‍ വൈഫേ ഉപയോഗവും ലഭിക്കുമെന്ന് പറയുന്നു. ആപ്പിള്‍ ബാറ്ററിയുടെ കാര്യത്തില്‍ നല്‍കുന്ന എറ്റവും മികച്ച വാഗ്ദാനമായണ് ഇത് കണക്കിലെടുക്കുന്നത്. എന്നാല്‍ ബാറ്ററിയുടെ ശേഷി പൂര്‍ണ്ണമായി ആപ്പിള്‍ വെളിപ്പെടുത്തിയിട്ടില്ല.

ആപ്പിളിന്റെ ഓപ്പറേറ്റിങ് സിസ്റ്റത്തിലെ എറ്റവും പുതിയ പതിപ്പായ ഒഎസ് 6 ലായിരിക്കും ഐഫോണ്‍ 5 പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കുക. ഓപ്പറേഷന്‍ പര്‍പ്പിള്‍ എന്ന പേരില്‍ തീര്‍ത്തും രഹസ്യമായി വികസിപ്പിച്ച ഈ ഓപ്പറേറ്റിങ് സിസ്റ്റത്തിന്റെ പരീക്ഷണ ഉത്പന്നം കൂടിയാണ് അപ്പിള്‍ ഐഫോണ്‍ 5. ആപ്പിള്‍ പുതുതായി വികസിപ്പിച്ച മാപ്പ് ആപ്ലികേഷന്‍,സിരി, കൂടുതല്‍ പുതിയ ആപ്ലികേഷനുകള്‍ എന്നിവയും ഐഫോണ്‍ 5ല്‍ ഉള്‍കൊള്ളിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്

എന്നാല്‍ എറ്റവും വലിയ പ്രത്യേകത ഐ ഫോണ്‍ 5ന്റെ എറ്റവും വലിയ പ്രത്യേകത ഇത് കഴിഞ്ഞ മോഡലിന്റെ വിലയ്ക്ക് ലഭിക്കും . പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ച വില ഇങ്ങനെ 16ജിബി മോഡല്‍ -11,000 രൂപ,32ജിബി മോഡല്‍ -16,500 രൂപ, 64 ജിബി മോഡല്‍ -22,035 രൂപ എന്നിങ്ങനെയായിരിക്കും എന്നാല്‍ ഇന്ത്യന്‍ വിപണിയില്‍ എത്തുമ്പോള്‍ ഇതിന്റെ വിലയില്‍ കാര്യമായ മാറ്റങ്ങള്‍ സംഭവിക്കാം

The secret of success in life: Who Want to be Thought of as Brilliant?

What differentiates highly respected achievers from others.  The following ten items are direct observations from the “what not to do/be” side of the world.

1. Speak with the “official style” to sound like an expert.

The “official style” was a term coined by Richard Lanham in his excellent book Revising Prose. Lanham said that we’ve been experiencing a verbal epidemic characterized by heavy bureaucratic prose that’s full of nouns and scarce on verbs. The solution, Lanham proposed, was an easy one: for every sentence you write, ask yourself “Who is kicking whom?”  The book is a short but invaluable read that I recommend to everyone. When you read it, you’ll realize just how pervasive the official, expert style is, and how much it muddies communication.The Five Hallmarks of Highly Respected Achievers David DiSalvo David DiSalvo ContributorThe Secret Power Of Introverts Jenna Goudreau Jenna Goudreau Forbes Staff How Your Brain Could Be Keeping You Fat David DiSalvo David DiSalvo Contributor

2. Find the irony in everything and point it out to everyone.

The world is full of irony, no doubt, but pointing out every instance doesn’t make you sound especially brilliant. If anything, it makes you sound preoccupied, less serious than you’re attempting to be seen, and pompous.  Subtle observations of the ironic, and in limited doses, is more effective.

3. Presume that ideas are more important than people.

This one seems to affect the intelligentsia most of all.  Ideas are generally easier to manipulate than people, since they’re abstract and malleable. Maybe that’s why so many would-be brilliants prefer them. But history makes a convincing argument that when ideas are valued more than people’s lives, it’s a short few steps to determining which people are least important of all, since they don’t measure up to the manifest greatness of the idea.

4. Presume that those with degrees from non-exemplary institutions are going nowhere and treat them accordingly.

Very little needs to be said of this one other than how wrong-headed it is, despite how frequently this thinking is invoked (always very quietly, of course). Some of the best minds in a multitude of fields graduated from schools nowhere near the top of annual rankings. What their achievement comes down to isn’t a degree, but how much they wanted success, and how fully invested they were in attaining it.

5. When recruiting people to support your vision, pretend like their ideas count, even though you have no intention of using them.

I’ve personally been on the receiving end of this one, and in my experience, once is enough. When a would-be brilliant has already firmly staked out his/her vision, but by necessity must recruit supporters to make the vision work, you have to make some quick determinations about whether this smells of true collaboration, or if you’re being brought in as a Doozer to build the Fraggle’s buildings. If you don’t mind being a Doozer, go right ahead, but you will be treated accordingly.

6. Consistently point out flaws in the ideas of others, and make sure it’s clear how you would address those flaws (even though you’ll never really have to).

From the detached vantage point of a would-be brilliant, it’s great sport to point out the fatal flaws in another’s ideas.  The best part is, the detachment is absolute because the ideas in question can’t rise up to defend themselves, and the people responsible for them have enough on their plates to mount a defense of their own.  In short, pointing out flaws from afar is an act of cowardice.


7. Point out to people in lesser rungs of your organization that everyone chooses their careers, and if they aren’t satisfied, it’s because they made bad decisions.
Not to pick on lawyers, but this one has been mentioned to me by so many paralegals and other non-lawyers that I lost count a long time ago. Getting a law degree is a great achievement, but I’ve never understood why it should confer a sense of “otherness” from everyone else in a firm working toward the same goals.  Same goes for an organization with credentialed professionals working along with those who don’t have initials after their names (engineers, accountants, doctors, etc.).
8.  When the rules of the game change, you have absolutely no obligation to inform those affected by the changes about what’s going to happen next (if you do so, it’s merely a courtesy).
The Five Hallmarks of Highly Respected Achievers David DiSalvo David DiSalvo Contributor
The Secret Power Of Introverts Jenna Goudreau Jenna Goudreau Forbes Staff
How Your Brain Could Be Keeping You Fat David DiSalvo David DiSalvo Contributor
This is typical procedure in most large organizations I’ve worked for and with: you know what we think you need to know, and when we think you need to know it, if at all.  It’s really a boldface distiction between the deciders and the decided-upon, and it serves to make everyone below the top floor extremely nervous about what’s coming next.  That’s a crappy way to live, and few people do their best work under such overwhelming ambiguity.

9. It’s perfectly fine to change how you treat people during the course of any given day.

The classic example of this one is the executive who goes to lunch with colleagues and speaks down to the waitress as if she barely has a brain. Later he returns to the office and interacts with his peers and superiors with polished grace and charm.  Which of those two ways of treating others best exemplifies this executive’s character?  Without a doubt, the first, for the simple reason that how we treat someone when we don’t have a motive of personal gain says much more about who we are than when we’re doing something out of expediency.

 10.  One’s role justifies whatever is necessary for one to achieve success.

Perhaps more than any other, this is what differentiates respected achievers from everyone else trying to get to the top.  One’s role never justifies “any means necessary.” It merely justifies evaluating all the options available, and then judiciously selecting those that least conflict with the well being of others.

The Rest of your day need not be a disaster: 7 Positive Thinking

Don't let a bad morning ruin your entire day. Use these mental tricks to change your momentum.

Had a lousy morning? Things looking grim?

Not to worry. The rest of your day need not be a disaster. It can in fact become one of your best, providing you take these simple steps:

1. Remember that the past does not equal the future.

There is no such thing as a "run of bad luck." The reason people believe such nonsense is that the human brain creates patterns out of random events and remembers the events that fit the pattern.

2. Refuse to make self-fulfilling prophesies.

If you believe the rest of your day will be as challenging as what's already happened, then rest assured: You'll end up doing something (or saying) something that will make sure that your prediction comes true.

3. Get a sense of proportion.

Think about the big picture: Unless something life-changing has happened (like the death of a loved one), chances are that in two weeks, you'll have forgotten completely about whatever it was that has your shorts in a twist today.

4. Change your threshold for "good" and "bad."

Decide that a good day is any day that you're above ground. Similarly, decide that a bad day is when somebody steals your car and drives it into the ocean. Those types of definitions make it easy to be happy–and difficult to be sad.

5. Improve your body chemistry.

Your body and brain are in a feedback loop: A bad mood makes you tired, which makes your mood worse, and so forth. Interrupt the pattern by getting up and moving around.  Take a walk or eat something healthy.

6. Focus on what's going well.

The primary reason you're convinced it's a bad day is that you're focusing on whatever went wrong. However, for everything going badly, there are probably dozens of things going well.  Make list, and post it where it's visible.

7. Expect something wondrous.

Just as an attitude of doom and gloom makes you see more problems, facing the future with a sense of wonder makes you alive to all sorts of wonderful things that are going on, right now, everywhere around you.

Intellectual and emotional tools that truly create success

The world is inundated with sales tools: worksheets, playbooks, sales scripts, software, brochures, and so forth.But all of those sales tools put together are insignificant if you don't have the intellectual and emotional tools that truly create success.

Here are seven sales "tools" you need to develop:

1. Patience

If you're patient, you let customers decide at their own speed.  You realize that nobody ever got a plant to grow faster by pulling at the leaves of a seedling. If you lack patience, you'll be frustrated whenever things take longer than you'd like. Customers will sense your frustration and hesitate to buy.

2. Commitment

If you're truly committed to both your customer's success and your own success, you'll do whatever it takes (within legal and ethical bounds) to get the job done. You'll banish all thoughts of ever giving up. If you lack commitment, you'll consistently fail to follow through–and will often drop the ball at the worst possible moment.
                                                          

3. Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is contagious: If you're enthusiastic about yourself, your firm and your product, your customers will "pick up" your enthusiasm and believe in your ability to improve their lives.  If you lack enthusiasm, however, you'll always find yourself surrounded by naysayers and endless "objections.

4. Curiosity

Curiosity is essential to growth–and if you're growing as an individual and a professional, you'll spend time each day learning something new to better serve your customers. You'll read books, listen to audio training, take courses, and network with peers. If you're not growing, your ideas will become stale; your career will languish and your ability to compete will slowly drain away.

5. Courage

If you've got courage, you take the necessary risks to expand yourself and your business into new areas–even when you're facing enormous odds. You'll see setbacks as learning opportunities rather than failures.  But if you lack courage, you'll freeze up when things get weird, turning small failures into big ones.

6. Integrity

If you've got integrity, there's no disconnect between your stated purpose and your real motivations. Because there's no hidden agenda, customers sense the honesty and feel comfortable working with you. If you lack integrity, however, customers will have a nagging feeling that something is "not quite right"–and tend to balk rather than buy.

7. Flexibility

Life is all about change; nothing stays the same. If you've got flexibility, you can observe what's working and what's not and change your approach to match changing circumstances. If you lack flexibility, you'll pursue brittle strategies and tactics long after they've ceased to work.

How coding tricks are the secret sauce behind a great user experience.

You can take any user interface in the world, and whether it’s gorgeous and intuitive or ugly and clunky, there’s one unifying factor that will right pretty much any wrong: speed. Think about it. The load screen, the spinning beachball, the three-seconds of stutter before your click registers as a click--those are the worst experiences you’ve ever had with any user interface. And they’re all related to core responsiveness.
"These tricks give Instagram users a feeling of constant responsiveness."

This principle has led us to build faster and faster computers and faster and faster data networks, to cut the lag time behind multitasking and enable computers to wait on users rather than users on their computers. Almost everything on a modern computer happens instantly. It’s great. But what about mobile phones? How do you give this instantaneous experience when tethered to a shoddy 3G connection?

If there’s one company who could tell you, it’d be Instagram. And what do you know, Instagram’s co-founder Mike Krieger lifted the curtain on three of their backend (and UI) tricks that give the Instagram user a feeling of responsiveness, even when someone’s phone is trapped on a lousy connection. The ideas aren’t just clever; they’re so logical that you don’t need to be a coder to appreciate them:


Instagram Always Pretends To Work

What Instagram labels as “optimistic actions” really boil down to something far simpler: Always make it look like the service is working, even when it’s not. In your Instagram feed, this idea plays out to the “like” button. Have you noticed that whenever you click it, even deep down in a subway, that like button lights up? If your connection is broken, of course you can’t upload the bits of data to a central server to inform a friend that their photo of last night’s dinner was simply divine. But registering the action gives positive feedback to the user. It’s a lie, sure, but it’s a white lie. No one gets hurt banging their heads in frustration, and the like can always be uploaded later.

Loading Content Based On Importance, Not Order
When you open Instagram, you’ll spot content downloading incessantly. Even still, how can a spotty connection build a list of all your friends’ photos instantaneously? Instagram loads content, not by chronological order, but by importance. If a lot of friends have liked something, that photo will be loaded before a more recent shot by the same person that no one cared about. A user will eventually want the option to see everything, but in a pinch, they’ll have access to the content most important to everyone they know. It keeps the social service social.

Anticipating The User’s Every Move
Now if there’s any single slap-yourself-in-the-head lesson to be learned from Instagram, it’s that there’s no reason a computer should ever be waiting for the user to hit “submit” to start the data upload process. Instagram hides data transfers in screens that most people would call stagnant. For instance, when you’re captioning a photo for upload, Instagram will already be pulling potential stores and restaurants that match your GPS location for checking in, and they’ll have been uploading the photo itself (though not sharing it) since you selected a filter. This cuts down, or even eliminates, all possible lag time on the next few screens that the user visits. Just because you need a few moments to think of a funny caption doesn’t mean that your cell phone can’t tackle a few other jobs while it waits.

It just goes to show, still waters run deep. The simpler a UI feels on the surface, the more engineers that are swimming underneath, keeping it all afloat.