Samsung Galaxy Alpha

Samsung Galaxy Alpha pre-orders open 28 August ahead of 10 September UK release date

Those who pre-order from Samsung directly will be able to collect the handset from the Samsung Store in the Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, east London, as well as the company’s ‘Experience Stores’ from 10 September.

                                 

The Galaxy Alpha will go on general sale across the UK from the likes of Carphone Warehouse and Phones4u two days later, on 12 September.

Focusing on improving the design of its smartphones, the Galaxy Alpha is the first Samsung to feature a metal body - although the back is still plastic - and it’s 4.7-inch screen is exactly the same size as the upcoming iPhone 6, which is due to be announced on 9 September.

The phone will come with either a quad-core or octa-core processor (depending on market), a 12-megapixel rear camera, 32GB of storage (although no microSd card slot to increase this) and 2GB of RAM.

                             

Android 4.2.2 KitKat is the operating system of choice, while a thickness of just 6.7mm makes the Galaxy Alpha one of the slimmest smartphones ever made, 0.9mm thinner than the iPhone 5s.

The Galaxy Alpha will be available in Charcoal Black, Dazzling White, Frosted Gold, Sleek Silver, and Scuba Blue.

Windows 9 inbound: Microsoft to unveil Windows 'Threshold' in September

Our first glimpse of Windows 9 may be right around the corner, as the new rapid-fire Microsoft scrambles to put the stigma of Windows 8's disastrous launch in the rear view mirror.

Microsoft is set to officially unveil Windows "Threshold"—as it's currently code-named—at a press event on September 30 or soon thereafter, according to the Verge's Tom Warren. A week ago, ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley reported that Microsoft was targeting a "technology preview" for Windows Threshold in late September or early October. Both Warren and Foley are well-connected Windows watchers with a firm track record; the duo was the first to report on the Windows Blue update that eventually evolved into Windows 8.1, for instance.

Rather than being a sweeping overhaul in the vein of Windows 8, Windows Threshold actually appears poised to dial back the gargantuan changes found in that operating system. Microsoft has already announced that the Start menu is coming back to the OS, joined by the ability to run Metro apps in discrete desktop windows. Recent leaks (including Foley and Warren's own reports) suggest other, mostly pro-desktop tweaks are inbound, including virtual desktop support, the removal of the Charms bar, and—possibly—the introduction of Windows Phone 8.1's sassy virtual assistant, Cortana, to Windows proper.

Hopefully there's more to Threshold than simple UI changes. We can think of other features we'd like to see in Windows 9—15 of them, in fact. We'll know for sure what's making the cut before long, if the two reports prove true. And if they do, Microsoft will reportedly make the technical preview public, so that developers and enthusiasts alike will be able to take Windows 9 for a whirl. Fingers crossed.

How To Do Online Shopping

Buy online How ?
From concert tickets to washing machines, groceries to holidays, there’s bound to be a website that sells just what you want.If th ere’s a particular brand or store you like, you can go straight to their website or you can visit a shopping website such as eBay or Amazon, which carry broad ranges of new and second-hand items. If you’re a bargain hunter, you can use a price comparison site such as moneysupermarket.com, which lists the websites that sell your product according to price.


In this guide, we’re going to show you how to find a product online and make a transaction. 
You will need:

• A Computer with an internet connection
• A Credit card and a Debit card

Follow these step-by-step instructions for the online shopping -

Step 1: Type the name of the product you want to buy into the search box of a search engine such as Google – for example, ‘roberts radio’ – and click Search. 

Step 2: You should see a range of websites, from ‘bricks-and-mortar’ department stores such as John Lewis to large websites simply devoted to shopping, such as Amazon. If you’ve searched for a particular brand, you may also see the brand’s own website. Choose one of these websites and click on the link. 


Step 3: A new page will open, taking you to the retailer’s website. You can now refine your search by typing in keywords (for example ‘Roberts Revival radio’) in the search box, which is usually at the top right of the screen. Then click Go or Search or, in this case, the magnifying glass next to the search box. Alternatively, you can click into a specific category (such as 'All radios') and browse until you find a product you like.


Step 4: We have clicked into 'All radios' and then 'DAB'. A selection of products is now shown.


Step 5: Click on the product you are interested in purchasing. If you would like to buy the item, click add  cart. Doing this will save the details of this item until you’re ready to purchase it, just as if you’ve popped something you want to buy into a real shopping basket. 

 
  You’ll now be taken to your shopping basket, where you can choose to 'Checkout' or 'Continue Shopping'.  


Step 6: If you wish to go ahead and purchase without shopping for other items, you will need to confirm that you are happy with the terms and conditions and click Checkout. A new page will then open that displays a form for you to complete with your name, contact and delivery details. 


Now, if you’re happy to proceed with your purchase, click Continue.    

 Step 7: A new page will open that displays a summary of your order, complete with billing and delivery details. If all the details are correct, click Continue.   Step 8: Finally, enter your credit or debit card details and any other information required. Click Proceed if you’re happy to make the payment.


At this point, you may be asked for another password if you’ve signed up for 3-D Secure, an added layer of security for online credit and debit card transactions. This includes Visa’s ‘Verified by Visa’ and MasterCard’s ‘SecureCode’. Once you’ve given the right password, your order will go through.
 
You should receive an email confirming that your order has been received. Retailers often send a second email once an item has been posted. 

Yahoo re-enters in the e-commerce area

• Yahoo on Thursday announced the relaunch of its e-commerce platform, which allows small businesses to easily set up online retailing.

• The new Yahoo Stores system, said a company blog post, allows users to "turn your idea into a business in less than two minutes."

• The company "took the best of everything we've learned from our million-plus customers over the past 16 years and applied it to Yahoo Stores to give small business owners a more powerful, streamlined and beautiful way to turn their ideas into a business," he said.
• Kumar said the online store can be set up to take orders within minutes, including a secure payment processing system.

• Customers can visit the Yahoo Stores site and select themes from a variety of templates to sell on websites and mobile devices, the company said.

• The move can help Yahoo regain a foothold in online retailing in a market expected to grow to $304 billion this year, according to the research firm eMarketer.

E-commerce provide up to 50000 jobs in India in future

NEW DELHI: As foreign and domestic e-retail majors such as Amazon and Flipkart expand their businesses aggressively, hiring activities are expected to grow by over 30% in the sector and may help create up to 50,000 jobs in the next 2-3 years.
According to leading human resources consultancy Randstad India, the hiring in this space is likely to rise by 20-30% in next few years on the back of entry of domestic online start-ups and e-commerce MNCs into Indian marketplace, as also because of setting up of back-office operations for various global businesses.

Another HR firm Unison International says that hiring has been rather slow in the e-commerce space over last couple of years, but recruitment may grow rapidly now by 33% over the previous year as various retail brands are also bringing in their business online.

As per findings of Jigsaw Academy, the e-commerce industry may create 15,000-50,000 jobs in the next three years for data analysts professionals alone.

The sector recently saw one of the largest merger deals between homegrown e-commerce majors Myntra and Flipkart, while another domestic firm Snapdeal has also got new investors.


"The deal will only make Myntra's fashion business stronger and we will target more aggressive scale - to this end, our hiring will continue to be extremely aggressive but selective," Myntra VP-HR Pooja Gupta told PTI.

"We are working also to make HR more Technology and Analytics driven and that focus will continue," Gupta said.

According to global major Amazon, which is seen as one of the major competitors for the domestic e-commerce player, the "the industry is growing rapidly and there is still a huge potential for growth".

"Likewise, we have grown exponentially over the last 11 months and will continue to see growth. Our hiring will continue to match this pace and grow accordingly," Amazon says.

HR consultancy MeraJob India's CEO Pallav Sinha said that the sector is "clearly poised for explosive growth".

"While private equity investments in e-commerce companies is one of the reasons for the expectation of this growth, the primary drivers are - proliferation of mobiles; development of digital payment platforms and social media usage.

"Hiring in e-commerce is therefore poised for growth that could match the job creation rate in mobile telecom in early 2000's. Fiscal 2014-15 would be the tipping-point in this hiring growth in India," Sinha said.

In terms of remuneration, e-commerce has emerged to be paying better than the retail while compensation packages for data analytics professionals is higher than banking and financial firms as well as IT BPO sectors, experts said.

"With global e-commerce giants entering India, demand for talent will increase along with compensation for top executives," Randstad India's Uppaluri said.

"The management and technical roles recruited from top B-schools and engineering campuses, have a starting package between Rs 8 to 12 lakhs per annum while senior executive compensations range from Rs 50 to 75 lakhs with attractive employee stock options plans (ESOPs)," he added.

Unison International MD Udit Mittal felt that the salary was more for this sector against the traditional retail "majorly because a lot of people who take up job in e-commerce are taking a higher risk as we never know if the e-commerce business model they are working towards will fly or can backfire".

"Traditionally data analysts in the BFSI sector are paid the highest salaries but e-commerce players are the new entrants, they are building their analytics capabilities and in a bid to get the right analytics talent, are offering lucrative salaries to analysts across levels," Vohra said.

English Out Of UPSC

English Out Of UPSC

Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Jitendra Singh, announced in the Parliament today that the marks obtained in English would not be included for gradation or preparing the merit list in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)exam. This comes a day after Home Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting to resolve the controversy over the exam. 

He also said that one more attempt would be allowed in 2015 for civil services aspirants who had appeared in 2011.

The UPSC aspirants from non-English backgrounds have been demanding the aptitude test (CSAT-II) to be scrapped as, according to them, it is discriminatory to those from Hindi-speaking states.

The CSAT-II paper in the UPSC preliminary exam carries questions on English comprehension and communication skills, besides logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making and problem-solving skills.

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9 Unfair Advantages That Help People Get Ahead !

Some people are born with natural advantages that put them ahead of everyone else. If you happen not to need as much sleep as most people, for instance, you have extra time in the day.

In a popular Quora thread, users addressed the question: "What is the most unfair advantage a person can have?" The answers may open your eyes and help you take steps to level the playing field.

We've collected some of the top answers and added some of our own ideas. We'll skip some of the more obvious advantages, including gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, which are all worth discussion elsewhere.

Here are some of the most unfair advantages that can help people get ahead in life, and what you can do if you lack them:

1. A need for little sleep

"This is a genuine and unfair advantage, since it is almost entirely genetic and not based around lifestyle or nutrition," says serial entrepreneur Ivan Mazour. He mentions that former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher slept only four hours on weekdays, meaning that she had a 20-hour day to work in.

Nothing you can do to your sleep schedule will significantly affect your natural need for sleep, but if you recognize that you're someone who needs eight hours of rest to function at your best, you can maximize your productivity by keeping your days on a tight schedule. And if you're in a leadership position, figure out which tasks you can delegate to your employees rather than spending time on them yourself.

2. Nurturing parents

Just because someone is born with resources doesn't mean they'll have a well-adjusted life, says Quora user Michael Wong. Loving parents provide their children with wisdom and a support system that makes them happier and more capable of building relationships and having a successful career.

Studies have shown that the support of friends and family helps people deal with stress and recover from setbacks. So those who unfortunately had negligent parents can find a way to build a support system of their own.

3. An inclination to optimism

Some people naturally find the silver lining to every challenge that comes their way, which allows them to persist even after suffering a setback, says marketer Sondra Webber.

The good news is that happiness is ultimately a choice, and even those who are more inclined to be cynical don't have to let it sabotage their success.

4. A photographic memory

You either have the ability to precisely remember words and visuals or you don't, says writer Barry Hampe.

If you lack an eidetic memory, as it's called, here are a few tricks for remembering numbers, text, names, and faces.

5. Physical attractiveness

Most people offer deference to those with pretty faces and bright smiles, says Quora user Peter Havas. Several studies show the advantages of being attractive, and a recent one even found that attractive male entrepreneurs bring in far more investor money than their less attractive counterparts.

Don't fret if you weren't born to strut down the runway. People respond positively to anyone who takes care of their hygiene and dresses appropriately for their industry.

6. The ability to resist temptation

Those who can delay gratification have the ability to control their emotions and impulses and usually end up more successful, says Quora user Kyle Pennell.

It's worth identifying the distractions that are holding you back. Then, whenever the temptation to indulge them arises, you'll be better able to ignore it.

7. Charm

"It is an innate quality that immediately disarms people and influences another person's behavior to lean in your favor," says Quora user Genevieve Gonnigan. "A charming person will have the advantage in almost every situation."

The late Napoleon Hill, a pioneer of the self-help genre, highlighted some of the key traits of the most likable people. They're things that anyone can work on, like knowing when not to speak your mind and how to make someone feel important.

8. Connections

Families spend ridiculous sums of money to send their kids to an elite university not just for the education, but also for the future powerful people they'll meet, says writer Jay Bazzinotti.

Even if you don't have the advantage of a powerful collegiate network, you can maximize your chances of catching a big break by developing relationships with those you meet at networking opportunities.

9. The ability to selectively ignore people's feelings

Quora user Zafar A. Ansari goes so far as to say that a "lack of conscience" is a natural advantage, but there's plenty of research that shows the opposite, that close personal and professional relationships are your biggest asset on the path to success.

He does have a point, however, because those who can ignore someone's feelings when competing against them for a promotion or in a negotiation have a better chance of doing what is best for achieving their goal.

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This 2 Minute Trick Will Boost Your Productivity

Even the most organized to-do lists can be overwhelming if you don't know where to start.

Luckily, Edward G. Brown lays out a simple solution for prioritizing tasks in his book "The Time Bandit Solution: Recovering Stolen Time You Never Knew You Had." All you have to do is differentiate between what's most important - the "critical few," as Brown puts it - versus what can wait - the "minor many."

At the core of this decision process sits the classic 80/20 rule: You should dedicate 80% of your time to the 20% of tasks that prove most profitable. "Not everything we do is of equal importance, no matter how it feels when our entire to-do list is racing around our brain," Brown says.

To determine your critical few and minor many, Brown suggests creating an "Importance v. Urgency Prioritization Grid." This reorganizes your to-do list so that it's sorted by urgency. Start by making a grid with four boxes. Label the two columns along the top as tasks that are extremely important to you and tasks that are only somewhat important.

Next, label the two rows along the left to represent tasks that are extremely important and somewhat important to others.

Here's our version of Brown's prioritization grid:

Your critical few are the tasks that fall into the A1 box on the grid, Brown says. These tasks are important both to you and those counting on you, so they should be given top priority. "You have to learn to prioritize and admit to yourself what you probably already know: What's urgent you cannot live without; what's important you have to deal with but not at the expense of what's urgent," Brown advises.

Once you complete the projects in A1, move on to A2 and B1. You might need to adjust which items belong in your critical few box as deadlines near, Brown warns.

Differentiating between tasks that are important to both you and a client or boss versus things that are only important to someone else will allow you to make the most of your time. "This is you training yourself to take situational control over your time based on knowing when something isn't really urgent," Brown says.

Though it may seem counterintuitive at first to not help someone the minute they ask, in the long run you'll save yourself time - and stress - by getting your most crucial tasks completed first.

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