Whose money is it anyway? A perspective into the shrouded workings of ONGC Videsh Ltd.

No doubt, readers may have heard the name of ONGC Videsh Ltd., the sister company of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation.  It was set up in 1989 to be a procuring agency for India's gas needs by buying up oil fields around the world.  The company has right now purchased up to 14 Projects in 16 countries.  The company was actually set up to be based on the mighty Chinese Oil Co's like CNOOC, CNPC and Sinopec.  However over the years with big ticket investments from the TAX PAYERS money, the company has been involved in oil exploration in the Myanmar, Russia, Vietnam, Iraq,  Syria,  Libya, Nigeria, Sudan and South Sudan,| Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela and Kazakhstan.  

The figures that OVL is investing are not reported or divulged to the tax paying public who are funding these projects.  We only get to hear once in a while that OVL has invested $5 billion in so and so field, OVL has invested $2 billion in so and so field.  What really is not easy to digest is that despite of being in oil exploration business the Company doesn't have any information on the exact amount of investment it made using our money or the quantity of oil produced by it.  As of today, we still hear that 80 to 85 % of our oil needs are to be imported from the oil producing companies.  

The OVL doesn't even have a website of its own and the only page it has on the ONGC website gives a broad view of the companies giant plans which are hard to digest in view of the fact that even after being in business for 22 years, why are we still importing so much oil.  The ONGC website states thus :

OVL has build up a sound Oil and Gas Reserve base since 2001. As on 1st April 2012, the remaining 1P and 2P reserves are 193.38 MMTOE (Oil 98.30 MMT, Gas 95.08 BCM) and 392.70 MMTOE (Oil 250.45 MMT, Gas 142.25 BCM) respectively in 9 countries.

If OVL is using our money, we the ordinary, tax paying citizens should know the exact amount it has invested and the exact amount of oil it is drilling and shipping to India.  What is a reserve of any use to India, if the oil is not being brought here to shield us against the vagaries and indecent fluctuations of the price of oil in the markest.  

But as per my research, the investments of OVL are shrouded in a big veil of secrecy with only certain facts being reported in the media.

My questions to the OVL are simple and should be in a public realm as we the tax payers should know the following.  How much of our money has been invested in the overseas fields.  How does OVL explain the investments in the following countries which I believe are violent and not good for doing business.  How has it improved our oil situation since 1989?

Myanmar : Civil unrest, Military Junta ruling the country

Iraq : Civil war

Syria : The dirtiest civil war and genocide against fellow citizens by the ruling elite

Libya : Civil war

Nigeria : Civil war

Sudan and South Sudan : Civil war and Taliban presence

How does the management explain investing our hard earned money in the above countries, whose future can not be guaranteed by the countries themselves, leave alone others. 

The only countries which are stable as of today are the Russia, Vietnam, Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela and Kazakhstan but the investment made in these countries, too has never been made public nor there are any reports of the output the fields in these countries are giving.

I believe in the mantra of Government has no business to be in business and if it is indeed in a business, then the information of the investments it makes should be in the public realm.    This is the hard earned money which the tax payers pays to the government for secure living, after all.

Kindly write in about if you feel what I am saying is correct or otherwise.  If you want to read my views about the happenings in the world click here!

Vijay Prabhu

Another must have App for your Android devices = AirDroid is updated

This is one App all you Android phone users must have.  AirDroid lets you control most of your phone functions from your desktop  web browser over the air.  Furthermore it is free and compatible with all Android devices 2.1 and up

With AirDroid you don't need the USB cable to do the odd jobs and therefore do it even if you phone is not around.  Which means you can send and receive SMS lying on your bed through your laptop.  You can also remotely lock your Android if it lost, locate it using Google Maps and if you can't recover it, wipe your data completely.

Other key features of AirDroid are:

※ Desktop SMS
Send & receive SMS from the comfort of your computer. Faster typing and navigation with the full keyboard and large screen.
※ Files and Media
Move photos, videos, ringtones and any other files on and off Android, all without a USB cable.
※ Find Phone
Locate and lock your Android when it’s lost. Cannot get it back? Simply wipe all data remotely.
※ Manage Apps
Easier way of app search, installation and apk export.
※ Camera and Screenshot
See through the lens of your Android camera, front and back. Or stream the screen of your Android in nearly real-time.
※ Phone Calls, Clipboard , Url transfer and more
Call contact, share clipboard content, push url to Android and more features awaiting your discovery.

Please download this must have App from Google Play now.  Do write in comments regarding this App. If you like this App, visit here for more Android Apps

Vijay Prabhu

Flashing your Sony Xperia Z, just hold for a few moments and read this carefully

I know many of you Sony Xperia Z users must be eager to flash their phones right now because I always am.  The flashing of phones which are new is a challenging and funny business.  The very idea of flashing your newest phones gives you the feeling of that one up man ship over the manufacturer.  Don't forget flashing a phone also increases certain aspects of its working and unlocks a few hidden doors.  

Now the latest challenge before the active Android community is flashing or unlocking the Sony Xperia Z phone.  Though as I have said earlier, it is fun unlocking a phone but in case of Xperia Z, you have to take care of a few things before flashing it.  

First and foremost, remember that Sony Xperia Z packs a DRM software which is required for running the Bravia Engine(which is one of best hardware on Xperia Z), TrackId and most important of the OTA updates.  So flashing Xperia Z would make these important softwares unworkable.  However the formidable XDA forums have succeeded in taking a backup of the TA partition before flashing your Xperia Z.  The TA partition hold the DRM information so you have to back up your TA partition before flashing Xperia Z and then restore the TA partition on the flashed phone and you are good to go.

If you have already flashed your phone without backing up then this article is useless to you because restoring a TA partition from other phones will render your phone useless or hard bricked as it seems the TA partition is unique to every phone.  Read this article from XDA Forums for details.

If you want a full tutorial on flashing your Xperia Z please visit the XDA Forums website.  Remember, flashing a phone voids it warranty  and do not do it if you are not comfortable with the tinkering.

Please write in your comments on the article.

Vijay Prabhu

Shortcut to doubling your money, why Indians always fall prey to ponzi schemes which promise to make you a millionaire

I take it that every body of the 125 billion people of India wants to be a billionaire in quick time or else time and again why would people, especially the lower middle class fall prey to the various schemes offering to double or sometimes triple your money in six months or a year.  How can Indians believe that a person or an entity can pay them double or triple times the money they have invested when the banks and Government securities do not pay that much.  

Over the years I have watched my friends, relatives and neighbours fall prey to various schemes where they had invested their life's hard earned money in foolish schemes, with a hope of doubling their investment in the shortest period possible.  And 99 people out of 100 have lost money.  The 100th man is lucky because the schemers often pay one in 100 to prove that their scheme is worth investing and to garner faith among the thousands of idiots who will put their hard earned money in these schemers hands.

My heart goes out to the millions of investors of Saradha, who may have lost their life long earning in the schemes floated by Saradha only to realise that there is no gold at the end of the rainbow.  Time and again we here that somebody has lost his or her lifetime earnings in such schemes and yet none of us learn anything from it. This really saddens me.

In Mumbai in the 1990s, Mr.Sherekar wreaked havoc with the money of simple BEST drivers and conductors.  Sherekar promised to give double the investment in 6 months and in no time he had all the employees of BEST, their relatives and persons known to them, flocking his doors to invest their money.  As the beginning, as it happens with all ponzi schemes, Mr.Sherekar started paying double in six months.  A select few took the doubled amount and were lucky but most of them, then reinvested the doubled amount with Sherekar only to lose all their earnings.    This happened in front of my eyes and when I warned my friends, they took me to be a idiot for not investing money with Mr.Sherekar.  Alas! time proved I was right and they lost their money. 

The story keeps repeating, every now and then we here somebody losing money to some scam.  As it is we have more then enough scams and then to lose money in one of these is really heart wrenching.  As per Government figures, 87 companies have vanished after raising Rs.342.00 crores from ordinary people like you and me.  Rs.342.00 crores is hellua lot of money.   People may say that Government is not doing enough to catch these schemers, but what can the Government do if we Indians believe in chasing impossible dream of minting millions without any work.  Mind you these is the number of the crimes reported.   The number may be in at least 1000 crores if you add the unreported, next door schemes that are taking place even right now.

The most common system of Ponzi is multi-level Marketing.  In this set up the Ponzi of the Chief Cheater sets up a marketing company and tells you to buy some literature or goods to be sold and promises you that every referral (more often your relatives and friends) will bring you certain returns.  After that your referral will bring their referrals and ultimately you just have to sit at home and enjoy the earnings.  You may invest up to lakhs of Rupees for the first time and over time the Ponzi promises you returns in crores(it is always in crores).  You make a fool out yourself and invest in the scheme and then start searching for other fools, more often in your circle of friends or relatives.  After collecting the amount the Chief Cheater just vanishes and you blame the gods, your destiny, write off the loss and go on with your life.

Most of the time these MLM guys are well versed with human psyche and will brainwash you with very good presentations and with meetings with people who have already earned crores(these people are a party to the scheme).  They will tell you that ATTITUDE is 100 % (where a=1, b=2 etc. attitude comes to 100) and other extremely good stuff, show you dreams about the crores and within no time you are sold to the idea.  So sold that you are willing to cheat your friends and relatives and sell them the scheme.

Not so long ago, many lost their money in the SpeakAsia scandal,  Sanjeevani scandal and remember the host of the tree plantation companies which sprung up overnite to loot you with a dream of owning a tree and making you millionaire.  

A new type of scheme which caught my eye is that you invest a certain amount monthly with a jeweller for 11 months and they will give you 12 instalment from their pocket.  Sounds great but wait a minute there is a catch.  After completion of 12 months you get to purchase the jewellery in their shop (this lot is kept separate and you have to buy from it), it is more costly and it will have a diamond you don't need, and always be at least three times the amount you have saved.  So ultimately you are fooled by the ingenuity of the schemers and end up buying jewellery you don't need.

My only request to my fellow Indians is to be aware of one thing in life, there is no shortcut to success or life, the only ways to make obscene kind of money are to join bollywood or to make money in the Share market, currency or the commodities trade and here too only 1 in a million survive.  So why not live your own live as God willed it instead of chasing the unnecessary millions which will never be yours.

Remember you are as guilty as the ponzi, cheaters, scammers or what ever you call it if you are part of it.  Your guilt is your dream which makes you think you will mint millions without any sweat.

Please write in your experiences with the swindlers so that you can protect others from falling prey to this menace!  If you liked this article and want to check out my other Op Ed articles click here.

Vijay Prabhu

Samsung Galaxy S IV 16GB available to Indians for 41500.00 and in two colours

Indians will never have it so good, just after it was launched in US markets, Samsung has gone ahead and launched Galaxy S IV in Indian markets for Rs.41,500.00.   What makes it more interesting is that Samsung will be giving a couple of surprise gifts to early buyers.

Right now the online eCommerce portal HomeShop18 has the phone available on their website.  They have priced the SIV at Rs.1.00 less at Rs.41,499.00 and have two colours available for buyers, White Frost and Black Mist. But the only downside is that Indians will have to make do with 16GB version. Samsung has also confirmed that all the existing EMI schemes of the Samsung "Own Now" promotional campaign will be available for the S4.

Vodafone India is offering a special scheme for S IV buyers called the  ‘All-In-One’ tariff plan from Vodafone, for both  post-paid and pre-paid customers. Under this plan, for a single rental, customers will get unlimited Internet, up to 3000 local and STD voice minutes and up to 750 local and national SMS. Vodafone is also running exclusive contests on the purchase of Samsung Galaxy S4 from the Vodafone stores. Four winners will get hospitality tickets for the IPL match and four other customers stand a chance to win high-end Samsung phones.

In addition to above, Samsung is giving buyers a choice between three different covers for S IV.  One is the S View cover with a magnetic strip, that customizes the display window allowing users to take or receive calls without opening the front flap, while also accessing important information like call alerts, alarms, date, time etc.  It is similar to the classic Flipcovers that we've seen with the Galaxy Grand, and protective backcovers that also protects the rims providing a firm grip. Those seeking enhanced power solutions get to chose from the Wireless charging Pad & Cover combo, or the extended battery kit or the mammoth 9000mAh power pack. 

The Galaxy S4 if you will recall my earlier post will come with a 5-inch display with a full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution and is covered with Corning's Gorilla Glass 3 and a pixel density of 441 PPI. The rear camera is a brand new 13-megapixel module and the front one is a 2-megapixel. The primary camera can take more than 100 shots in four seconds, according to Samsung, and users can keep the ones they like. Then there's "Sound and Shot", which seems like a bit of a gimmick at the moment. It lets you record five seconds of audio before you take a photo. Samsung has also included a 'Dual camera' mode, which takes shots with both the front and back cameras and integrates them into a single scene. 

The Galaxy S4 comes with all the connectivity features one expects from a flagship. There's support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi, which also runs on the standard a/b/g/n bands, Bluetooth 4.0, and LTE Cat 3. There's an IR blaster here, which is making a comeback of sorts into smartphones after a brief exile. The battery sounds wholesome at 2600 mAh.

Please read my earlier reviews for all the details.  If you are looking to buy a new Android phone and have cash to burn this is the phone to go for as it has all the frills of a high end phone and also the 'Omph Factor' going with it.  Read my compartive article of other phones in the same category viz. HTC One v/x Sony Xperia Z v/s BlackBerry Z10 here.  Please post in your comments on this article.

Vijay Prabhu

Yahoo for iOS devices a new way to watch the latest news

Yahoo! on Tuesday updated its App for iOS without any hype or hoopla.  The new Yahoo is version 3.0 and gives you a handsome feast of the latest news as and when it happens.  This together with the fact that the App is free is sure to be a must have App for you.  As you all recall what happened during the Boston Marathon, it is imperative that you have access to the latest news and Yahoo gives a very good audio visual experience on that front.

The Yahoo app is very much focused on news and the latest headlines, bringing more personalization to your news feed, quick summaries for easy reading, and viewer friendly article pages with photo backdrops.  Once again I remind you that this App is only for news and only news so don't expect anything other than news from it.  

Users have the option to view headlines in a clean list as per their preference or choose the default layout.  The App also features a visual view of the news. The clean list is great for quickly scanning headlines which you have to pull down to refresh.  But by hitting the menu button in the upper left, you can flip a switch to turn the visual news feature on. 

The brief summaries are made by Summly, a company Yahoo acquired just a month earlier.   The app also uses parallax scrolling to make the headlines scroll slightly faster than the background image to give the news feed a feeling of depth.

All in all a must have App for iOS devices.  If you are interested you can download the App here from Apple Store. If you like this App, get many more iOS Apps from here.

Kindly comment in on the App.

Vijay Prabhu

Jelly Bean updates for Sony Xperia P, Xperia go and Xperia E Dual coming by weekend

Those of who have purchased the Sony Xperia P, Xperia go and Xperia E Dual are in for a treat from Sony Corporation.  The Sony today announced a rollout of Jelly Bean 4.1 for these phones.  Further you don't even have to wait much longer as the rollout will begin this weekend and will be completed world over by end May, 2013.    With this almost all of Xperia products are getting a update.

The Jelly Bean as we know is the latest Android operating system version from Google till it releases Key Lime Pie.  The Sony Corporation has integrated its own U.I with the Jelly Bean to give the Sony users a new and unique experience. The update offers you very slick and one of kind experience with Sony's media Apps like Walkman, Album and Movies.  It will make it very easy for you to  use the library and share your images, songs and movies effortlessly.  You will be above to view your content for longer time using the Battery Stamina mode which is highly customisable.   The Battery Stamina mode shuts down the Apps when the screen is off thereby saving loads of battery and it can instantly start the killed App again when the screen is switch on or activated.

Sony has also made the UI simple so that you can quickly search and launch the Apps with a simple application tray sorting.  You have to simply press and hold on any App to move it or add it to your homescreen.  You can also create a folder within the tray.

With the update, Sony has also revamped the Homescreen. Users can personalise their homescreens for which Sony has added seven more panes. Finally if you own a Xperia P, Xperia go and Xperia E dual, you can now easily get the Google Now, a App known for its efficient note, calendar and other daily tasks maintenance.

In case of Xperia go, the upgrade can be done only with a PC Companion or Bridge for Mac due to the size of some software packages. These users will get an in-phone notification if their devices are running on Ice Cream Sandwich. Sony also reveals that the Xperia S, Xperia SL, Xperia ion and Xperia acro S are next in the queue to receive Sony’s Android 4.1 software, which should begin by the end of May.  

Read other OS update related news here and post your comments regarding this article.

Vijay Prabhu

Finance Ministry DA (Dearness Allowance) order from 1.1.2013 (Jan 2013) released today

The Finance Ministry has released the DA orders

DA ORDERS RELEASED BY FIN MIN Download now from here OR DOWNLOAD THE FILE HERE

Or if your mobile has bar scanner scan the QR code below and download

Swype now available for Android devices after giving 3 years of beta releases

Swype the original swiping keyboard is now officially launched for Android devices.  After 3 years of beta releases and Apk, Swype today was finally made available on Google Play with a hitch though.  It is a paid App and costs around $0.99(Rs.54.00) to buy. However the good news is that there is a Free trial version which you can check out before thinking of buying this App.  Another word of caution is that Swype is giving out App for $0.99 for a limited time as a promo sale.

The App comes with a bunch of features, including Living Language and Next Word Prediction. Living Language crowd-sources and updates your dictionary with the latest trending words. Living Language also further localises your dictionary with an additional dialect supplement for your preferred language.  In essence you along with your friends build up this dictionary. 

Next Word Prediction predicts the words you might want to type after your current one. After prolonged use, it learns your typing habits and starts recommending entire sentences that you are likely to type. For example if you swype I will it will automatically fill in be late in you office SMS.

There are also features like personal dictionary backups and syncing, dictation using Nuance's Dragon technology and the Smart Editor, which analyses entire sentences for any errors, grammatical or spelling.  The keyboard essentially works by letting you slide across the letters instead of tapping. The keyboard’s built-in dictionary automatically detects what words you might have been typing depending on what letter you stop your finger over. This potentially speeds up typing since you don’t have to lift your finger at all while typing a word.

You can add your own words to the dictionary by typing them out. After the first time, you can Swype the word whenever you want. This also applies to complex alpha-numeric keys such as passwords or emoticons. Swype also has gestures that let you access alternate keyboards really fast. For example, sliding your finger from the Swype key to the T key will bring up the numpad to let you type numbers faster.

This will be a wonderful addition to your Android smartphone and might make you a little lazy but it will also give you thumbs the much needed rest.  Check out the promo video put out by Swype.

If you like what you see then you can download the Swype App from Google Play Store.  Do comment in on the same.

Vijay Prabhu

Are we secure medically as a nation, how does Modern Healthcare touch lives and are we aware of it?

India is a pretty young nation with having completed just 66 years of independence.  Considering the fact that USA and other developed nations are far more mature to us in practically everything from human rights to medical treatment, we are lucky to have these nations as our allies in medical field.  Because as we are growing you will find the day and age of us die of natural causes is way past us.  That 99 percent of Indians will die of some ailments is a simple truth.  Gone are the days when you died a natural death, if you look around you you will find that all around you there is some kind of sickness .  Added to that the pressure cooker style of life we live, where we start our day with immense stress to end our day with sleeping pills only adds to the requirement of a good medical infrastructure in India.  

However, if you step outside in the streets you will find that each and every hospital in India is now named as a "super speciality" "multi speciality" or even "super specialized multi hospital" when in reality they do not even have capable doctors or the facilities on their panel.  Frankly I do not know how they are certified or how they put their names thus.  

In this scenario, considering the hyper stress full life we live in, we should be aware of true and genuine good hospitals giving out best treatment in India.  It is true that India has developed medically leaps and bounds due to key reforms in the medical sector including opening up of the sector.   And along with the low fees being charged by Indian hospitals compared to the western facilities it make a good sense to get your and your near and dear ones treated here.

Even the Middle Eastern and Asians come to India for medical treatment given the expertise and low cost benefits they incur.  A Knee replacement operation cost comparision is given below

Country	UK sterling price including hospital and doctors’ fees	US dollar equivalent	Percentage saving on UK price
UK	£9,500	$16,625
Bulgaria	£2,784	$4,872	71%
Cyprus	£6,842	$11,974	28%
Estonia	£5,410	$9,468	43%
France	£7,300	$12,775	23%
Germany	£6,500	$11,375	32%
India	£3,602	$6,304	62%
Norway	£7,800	$13,650	18%
Panama	£6,152	$10,766	35%
Poland	£4,770	$8,348	50%
Portugal	£8,500	$14,875	12%
Slovakia	£9,546	$16,706	0%
Spain	£7,666	$13,416	19%
Thailand	£4,816	$8,428	49%
Tunisia	£3,600	$6,300	62%
Turkey	£4,100	$7,175	57%
Venezuela	£4,870	$8,523	49%

In this graph you will find that India, Bulgaria and Tunisia are cheaper by as much as 60 to 70 % over the UK price however the other issue is security.  India offers a very good, secure and world class facility along with easy travel norms.  So if so many foreigners are coming to India, why should Indians go out to seek medical treatment at three times the cost excluding the airfare and domicile charges.  It makes no sense.

The medical field in India has grown leaps and bounds since the entry of the corporations in the Hospice business.  Few can match the expertise and costs benefits that these good Indian hospitals give you.  Add to that they have the latest equipment and a very capable team of internationally acclaimed doctors.  So much so that even citizen of the US prefer to get their treatment done here.

Among the corporate hospitals, Apollo Hospital Group stands out.  With branches in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Madurai, Mysore, Vizag among other cities this group fast expanding group has spread out all over India.  With best medical facilities and corporate style transparent structure the group has already made a name for itself.  It even has international branches in Dhaka and Mauritius.  You can visit its website to know about details here.

The dream of a ideal, stress free life is just a dream in today's hyper polluted environment.  Therefore it is always healthy to know the best of the best medical facilities you have.  In many cases when a emergency occurs in a family, because we love the dear one who needs treatment, we tend to rush him or her to the nearby nursing home or hospital.  This has happened to me and it may have happened to you.  More often than not, you will find that the nursing home or hospital is not competent to handle the emergency and then you have to shift to a good hospital.  Therefore it is always useful to know about the best medical facilities along with the equipment and doctors they have so you can rest assured that your near and dear one is a good hands.

This are my views and your views may differ, please write in your comments on this article and help me help others.  If you are interested in Op-ed pages click here

Vijay Prabhu

USD 15 million iPhone, get a peep into the millionaire's phone world

You wont believe it but the above photos are only for dreamers.  Yes, the iPhone in the image costs $15 million that is 15 followed by 6 zeros and approximately Rs.82 crores 50 lakhs.  Wow even the richest may think twice before buying this one.  Called the Black Diamond iPhone 5 it is hand crafted by Stuart Hughes.  

Stuart Hughes who is a known luxury Apple devices designer has crafted this phone with a rare black diamond and other precious metals.  And guess who the buyer is, you guessed it wrong its not a American or European but a Chinese who has commission the manufacture of this, the world costliest phone.

It took Stuart Hughes nine weeks to recreate the chasis of iPhone 5 in Gold and the then he hand crafted it with various precious stones.  There is a single, flawless, deep cut 26 carats blak diamond in place of Home Button.  The iPhone has 600 white flawless diamonds and full gold back.  The total gold used in the making of the phone is 135 grams.  The Apple logo on the rear has 53 flawless diamonds.

Naysayers may argue the use of such a expensive phone.  After all a phone is for making calls and sending messages and you can't carry such a phone in crowded places or you will be dead before you flash it out.  But the Chinese businessman may have other ideas about it

Whatever he will do with it, but certainly he can't flaunt it like we flaunt our SIII or iPhone.  Please write in your comments about the above iPhone.

Vijay Prabhu

How to install Facebook home on your Android Phone including an unsupported one

If you are a Facebooker and spend more than 5 hours a day on Facebook then the Facebook Home is a must have App for you.  However it is sad that the Facebook is rolling out the App in a staggered manner so if you do not reside inside the US of A then you cannot download Facebook Home via Google Play.    However the Android development community which is known to be very enterprising and forthcoming have come up with a very easy solution.  Instead of the official channel just download the Apk file and enjoy the Facebook Home till it officially arrives on your mobile.

First things first, you need a 720p display smartphone running on Android and a good internet connectivity phone.  So if you have a HTC One, Samsung S III, Note II etc you can go ahead with the procedure.  

The next thing which you need is a file managing App which lets you access your SD card and/or internal memory.  Download the App called Astro File Manager here from Google Play.  Now Go to the setting > Applications > Unknown Sources and click the small window in there.  This will let you install the App bypassing the Google Play.  Next thing you need is the Apk file for the Facebook Home.  Download the Apk File from here(courtesy Team MoDaCo).

Load the file from the Astro File Manager and enjoy Facebook Home on your supported phone.

If you dont have a supported phone that is your phone doesn't have a 720p display, don't be disheartened there is a workaround for that too but remember you wont be able to enjoy the full benefits of Facebook Home.  Also remember phone without 720p display is fine but you need a internet connection for this App and this App is a big data hogger.

If you have a unsupported phone first you have to download the Facebook App Apk from Team MoDaCo here and then get the Facebook Messenger App Apk from Team MoDaCo here.  Next download the Facebook Home Apk for unsupported phones from here.  Now with the help of Astro File Manager install these Apks one by one in the same order which I have posted and there you have it, the Facebook Home.

I have already written the review of Facebook Home which please read here.  The Facebook Home is a very good App if you are active Facebooker because the Chat Head always remains on top of the screen no matter if you are watching a movie, playing a game or  using a application.

In the meantime if you like this article kindly press the like button and show your appreciation.  Please write in your comments regarding the above tutorial.

Vijay Prabhu

Boston Marathon bombers identified, two brothers from Chechnya one dead one being pursued by the Boston Police

The Boston Police in a measure breakthrough have announced that they have identified the perpetrators of the Boston Marathon bombings.  At night on Thursday, one of the suspects was shot dead by the the Boston Police in a encounter.

Exactly after less than seven hours after the FBI releases images of Boston bombing suspects, one is killed in a shootout with police, the other remains the target of a massive manhunt.  The manhunt has already began and the whole area of Massachusetts has been shut down along with the rail and bus transport.  The businesses, schools and colleges have been asked to be closed till the suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19 has been apprehended.  

Earlier the elder brother of Dzkhokar, Tamerlan Tsarnev was shot dead by the Police officers in a encounter in which a Police officer, Sean Collier lost his life and another Police officer is in a critical condition.  The Police gave a hot pursuit at 10:30 p.m., when the two men robbed a 7-Eleven convenience store on the MIT campus in Cambridge.  The suspects later carjacked a Mercedes SUV in Cambridge, holding the driver at gunpoint for a half hour before he was released unharmed, according to the Middlesex district attorney's office. Police found the car and the suspects in Watertown, and pursued them into a residential neighborhood where gunfire was exchanged in which Tamerlan was shot dead.

Meanwhile Police have informed that the Tsarnev brothers had come from Dagestan in Russia as refugees to make their living in USA. Tamerlan was studying engineering at Bunker Hill Community College in nearby Charlestown while the fugitive, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was a wrestler at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School in Cambridge, Mass. He was named a Greater Boston League Winter All Star in 2011.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is the person whom the FBI believe to have dropped the explosive laden back pack which caused the second explosion and the Police say there may have been additional people involved in the Boston Marathon bombings.

Hope they get Dzhokhar Tsarnaev before any for innocent blood is spilled.  Please click here to read my articles on world affairs.  Please post in your comments on this article.

Vijay Prabhu

Just.me for iOS devices a all in one App for messaging, social networking and cloud storage

Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp just got a competitor in the form of Just.me.  Launched by a Silicon Valley veteran, Keith Teare, on Wednesday Just.me for iOS is a App which will combine email, multimedia messaging and cloud storage in a single iPhone app.

Just.me is backed by Google Inc's venture arm and True Ventures.  And if it plays its card right will be a headache for  Whatsapp, Kik, and Wechat and further dampen the already slowing usage of Facebook in the US.

Just.me's features include 

✔ provides you the best of texting, email and social networking apps all in one place 
✔ enables you in a single message together with text to include multiple photos, videos, and voice messages
✔ allows you to be unlimited – text as much as you want, add the media you choose, and message as often as you’d like, all for free
✔ gives you a choice of who to message – by integrating your iPhone address book into the app and enabling all of your contacts to receive messages – even if your contact does not have "just me" themselves
✔ recognizes that sometimes sharing is too much so "just me" lets you save messages as private, for your eyes only
✔ understands that sometimes sharing with contacts is not enough so "just me" lets you post publicly, including to Facebook and Twitter
✔ "just me" puts you in full control over who sees and uses your messages and media each time you save, send or publish a message

GETTING STARTED

You can start sending messages right away... Even if your contacts don’t have "just me", they can read your messages via email or SMS. They can choose to download "just me" to comment, like and reply using "just me". Replies create shared albums.

OTHER BENEFITS

All of what you do on "just me" is saved in your own private cloud that you alone control. Your messages, and all the media they contain, are available for you to look back to at any time. Over time your "just me" private cloud becomes an archive of your life, a little like an email archive, but with beautiful pictures, videos and audio recordings that can be enjoyed in their full glory.

✔ "just me" automatically remembers groups you message so you can easily use them again
✔ your private cloud on "just me" stores all of your media, you will be able to create slide shows and more
✔ there is no need for passwords - "just me" validates your existing email addresses and cell phone numbers

With good Privacy guidelines Just.me can be a handful to the other players in the already crowded market place.

If you have a iOS device and are interested in Just.me please download it from Apple Store.

You can also check out the latest iOS Apps here.

Please write in your comments on the same.

Vijay Prabhu

DA ORDERS RELEASED : At last Government to issue Dearness Allowance (DA) orders for 1.1.2013 today

The Government or the Cabinet will at last declare the DA for the period starting 1.1.2013 today as per Times of India dated 18.4.2013.  

The front page of Times of India says :

Cabinet may hike DA by 8% today: The Cabinet is likely to approve an 8% hike in dearness allowance for central government employees on Thursday. P 9
‘IMF happy with Indian economy’: 

The complete report is as follows :

Cabinet may hike dearness allowance by 8% New Delhi:The Union Cabinet is likely to approve a proposal to increase dearness allowance (DA) of central government employees by 8% on Thursday.      The move to increase DA from 72% to 80% will benefit around 50 lakh employees and 30 lakh pensioners of the central government. “The Union Cabinet may consider the finance ministry’s proposal to increase DA in its meeting scheduled for Thursday,” a source said, adding that the hike would be effective from January 1, 2013, and employees and pensioners would be entitled to arrears.      The government had raised DA to 72% in September 2012, which had come into effect from July 1, 2012. As per usual practice, DA is merged with basic pay when it breaches the 50% cap. TNN This may finally be the answer for thousands of Government employees hard pressed due to the rising inflation and another thousands of pensioners I did not understand the last part of the new Item which says that "As per usual practice, DA is merged with the basic pay when it reaches the 50 % cap" But as now please check my site or the Fin Min site/CGA website.  The orders should be out by 8.00 pm today Vijay Prabhu Update the DA has been announced and orders will be coming any time Update : 23.4.2013 After waiting a long long time the Government finally approved the DA of 8 % on 18.4.2013 but as of yet the orders have not been issued.  This delay seems a bit unfair for all the employees knowing that the increase has come but cannot get the money.  The employees already hardpressed by the rising inflation have a little to cheer if the DA order comes after any more delay.  However today on 23.4.2013, the orders are supposed to be upload on the Finmin and the CGA site, so check out this sites by 8.00 pm today.  I will post the orders as and when they are issued. Flash update 25.4.2013 DA ORDERS RELEASED BY FIN MIN Download now from here OR DOWNLOAD THE FILE HERE Or if your mobile has bar scanner scan the QR code below and download The DA orders for Madhya Pradesh State Employees has been released visit this post and download the order

Cricket Mania comes to your mobile, Disney launches IPL Cricket Fever 2013 for Android devices and its FREE

In a country where cricket is a religion after God, Disney and Indiagames wants to cash in on the current fever engulfing all Indians, the Indian Premier League by launching a free game for Android devices called the IPL Cricket Fever 2013.  The beauty of the game it is turn based and you can play it with your friends or with any random player.

The game offers you the option to play as a guest or you can link your Facebook account to it.  Logging in with your Facebook account gives you more options than playing as a guest. You can also challenge your Facebook friends if you log in via Facebook.

The game features all the nine teams that are playing this year’s IPL matches – Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab, Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Daredevils, Rajasthan Royals, Pune Warriors India and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The game is playable with your icons  like Sachin Tendulkar, M.S. Dhoni, Brett Lee, Lasith Malinga etc.

However if you choose to play as a guest, you will need to either challenge or accept a challenge placed by random opponents which can be fun too. The aim of the game is to score as many runs as you can within one, three or five over game formats. The aim is to win as many challenges as possible to stay on top of the leaderboard and to move to new skill levels.

With the game you can add cheerleaders from the in-game store but beware they are costly.  However the fun part is whenever you hit a four or six, you can show off your cheerleaders to your friends.

There is an IPL leaderboard for gamers to check the ranks of their selected teams too. For instance, if about 500 gamers select Mumbai Indians and each gamer wins two matches with this team, then their cumulative win score for Mumbai Indians will be 1000 and it will be ranked accordingly on the leaderboard as well.  There is a special Daily Bonus element where user will get bonus in soft currency for that particular day, if their team that is on the top of the leaderboard too.

The features of the game include full HD 3D graphics and 

* Now Login as GUEST and play unlimited IPL CRICKET!

* Watch the cheerleaders dance to your shots.

* Get Daily IPL Team Bonus. 

* Want to bat longer! Play with 3/5 over packs. 

* Power up’s now enabled, score more & Win more.

* Lost a match? Re-Challenge straightaway!

* Multiplayer Challenge

* Leaderboard

* Mobile PUSH Notification

* You can add world players to your world friend list.

Full Game Features:

- All official 9 teams available – “ Mumbai Indians, Chennai Superking, Hyderabad Sunrisers, Delhi Daredevil, King XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challenger Banglore, Pune Warriors

- Get exciting power-ups from the In-game Store

- Full 3D graphics with realistic animations and ball physics.

- Real simulation of cricket using new real time Physics and motion capture animations which immerses player into the game

- Simple pick up and play controls for batting.

- Track your game progression via Player Profile Card

- Tutorial section included teaching step by step controls of the game

- TV Broadcast style cameras to bring you a cinematic experience.  The game has already made it to the Top Ten in Google download list so get it now from Google Play only remember you need continuous internet connection and the game is a data hog.

Please post your comments on the game and press Facebook Like to spread the word!

Vijay Prabhu