Know all about 'Facebook Home' app for Android

Facebook unveiled its most ambitious attempt yet to enter mobile computing without a phone of its own, introducing a new app that replaces the home screen on some Android smartphones. Here are some facts about the 'Facebook Home' app:

The 'Home' app will be launched first on HTC First phones and from April 12 it will available for download for free from Google Play.

 

With Home, everything on your phone gets friendlier. From the moment you turn it on, you see a steady stream of friends’ posts and photos. In simple words, after installing the 'Home' app, a user will see images from Facebook updates cover the entire screen, while status updates and icons of friends float on top.

 

The app has a feature called 'News Feed', that enables you turn on your phone or press the home button, you see a stream of posts. Cover feed puts the spotlight on whatever friends are sharing now—photos, status updates, links and more.The Home app also has a feature called 'Chat Heads' that allows users to see small icons of friends when they send a Facebook or text message.

The new app lets users comprehensively modify Android, to prominently display their Facebook newsfeed and messages on the home screens of a wide range of devices.

 

The idea behind the software is to bring Facebook content right to the home screen, rather than requiring users to check apps.

 

Notifications about calls, events, updates and other apps appear on your home screen and stick around until you need them.

 

Instead of traditional wallpaper or a lock screen, users with Home installed will see a new Facebook cover feed that displays a rolling ticker-tape of photos, status updates - and eventually, ads - from Facebook's network.

Zuckerberg said features like cover feed will be ad-free initially, but he envisioned advertising as another form of content that will eventually be integrated. Offering Facebook messaging, social networking and photos on the very first screen that Android users see could divert attention from the panoply of services, such as search and email, which generate advertising revue for Google.

'Water-Droplet' shaped building in India

The form of The Indra Tower is composed of different depths of the balconies on each floor.

 

Facebook aims to take centerstage on Android phones

MENLO PARK, California (Reuters) - Facebook Inc on Thursday unveiled its most ambitious attempt yet to enter mobile computing without a phone of its own, introducing a new app that replaces the home screen on some Android smartphones.

Called "Home," the new software lets users comprehensively modify Android, the popular mobile operating system developed by Google, to prominently display their Facebook newsfeed and messages on the home screens of a wide range of devices - while hiding other apps.

"Why do we need to go into those apps in the first place to see what's going on with those we care about?" Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg told the hundreds of reporters and industry executives gathered at the company's Menlo Park campus.

"We want to bring all this content to the front."

The "Home" software will be available for download for free from Google Play starting April 12. In addition, AT&T Inc has exclusive rights to sell for $100 the first handsets, made by Taiwan's HTC Corp, that come pre-installed with the software starting the same day. France Telecom's Orange will be offering the phone in Europe.

Shares in Facebook finished trading up 82 cents, or 3.1 percent, at $27.07; Google stock closed at $795.07, down $11.13 or 1.38 percent.
Analysts say should the new software take off, it may begin to draw users away from Google services. Offering Facebook messaging, social networking and photos on the very first screen that Android users see could divert attention from the panoply of services, such as search and email, which generate advertising revue for Google.
Instead of traditional wallpaper or a "lock screen," users with Home installed will see a new Facebook "cover feed" that displays a rolling ticker-tape of photos, status updates - and eventually, ads - from Facebook's network.
Facebook's executives, acknowledging that messaging and communications remain the most fundamental use for smartphones, also showed off a new "chat heads" messaging interface, which would combine SMS text messages and Facebook chat messages under one tool.
"On one level, this is just next mobile version of Facebook," Zuckerberg said. "At a deeper level, this can start to be a change in the relationship with how we use these computing devices."
People who used the software and the HTC phone on Thursday appeared impressed by the highly visual design and interface that featured a multitude of pictures. But analysts say the jury is still out on whether Home has appeal beyond habitual Facebook users.
Some were skeptical consumers would leap at the chance to make Facebook so central to their lives.
"Facebook thinks it's more important to people than it actually is," said Charles Golvin, an analyst at Forrester Research.
Golvin said that in markets like Spain and Brazil, mobile users spend far more time in messaging apps like Whatsapp compared to the Facebook app.
"For the vast majority of people, Facebook just isn't the be-all and end-all of their mobile experience. It's just one part," he said. "I see a more apathetic response among Facebook users than Facebook might be expecting."

COMPETITION WITH GOOGLE

Facebook's wide-reaching mobile strategy could heighten its competition with Google, the dominant Internet search engine and the developer of Android with whom it is locked in a battle for Internet users' time online and for advertising dollars. But if it proves to be popular among Android users, Home could also place the two companies in something of an uneasy partnership.

More than 750 million mobile devices featuring Android have been activated to date, according to Google, more than gadgets based on Apple Inc's iOS, the runner-up.

Zuckerberg downplayed the rivalry even as he praised Google's willingness to let other companies tinker with Android. He said he was confident Google would not make changes to Android that would hamstring Facebook.
"If 20 percent of time people are spending on their phones is in Home, I really think they're going to have a hard time making a rational decision" to limit Home's functionality, Zuckerberg told reporters.
Google issued a neutral statement, saying the new phone demonstrated Android's openness.
"The Android platform has spurred the development of hundreds of different types of devices," the company said. "This latest device demonstrates the openness and flexibility that has made Android so popular."
Not everyone is sure that Google will remain neutral.
"Google has made Android open, but as they release the next version, are they going to be as open?" said Simon Mansell, the chief executive of TBG Digital, an advertising technology provider. "Facebook is hiding all the Google stuff with their own stuff, and how Google will respond is interesting."
For Facebook - founded in Zuckerberg's dorm room in 2004 as a website - bolstering its mobile presence is critical. Nearly 70 percent of Facebook members used mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets to access its service at the end of 2012, and 157 million of Facebook's roughly 1 billion users accessed the service solely on a mobile device.
The company has stepped up efforts to ensure that its revenue-generating ads can be viewed on mobile devices and Zuckerberg has said that the company's engineers are now focused on creating "mobile-first experiences."
Zuckerberg said features like cover feed will be ad-free initially, but he envisioned advertising as another form of content that will eventually be integrated. Analysts say the company treads cautiously when introducing ads into any of its services, wary of infuriating users.
"This is about becoming more deeply embedded in the operating system on mobile devices, and creating a broader platform," said Jan Dawson, chief telecoms analyst for the research firm Ovum. "It will allow Facebook to track more of a user's behavior on devices, and present more opportunities to serve up advertising."
But "that presents the biggest obstacle to success for this experiment: Facebook's objectives and users' are once again in conflict. Users don't want more advertising or tracking, and Facebook wants to do more of both."
Reports that Facebook was developing its self-branded smartphone have appeared sporadically and Zuckerberg has shot them down, as he did again on Thursday.
But with specialized software that adds a layer on top of Android, Facebook may get many of the benefits of having its own phone without the costs and risks of actually building a hardware device, analysts said.
"It's much lower risk than developing a phone or an operating system of its own, and if it turns out not to be successful, there will be little risk or loss to Facebook," Dawson said. "If it does turn out to be successful, Facebook can build on the model further and increase the value provided in the application over time."

Controversies may continue to court IPL (2013)

Fasten your seat belts, and get ready to be launched into the world of fast paced and explosive cricket via the much-awaited IPL6. The now famous Indian Premier League championship has got everything the players and fans of cricket have ever dreamt of – loads of excitement, constant dosage of international level cricket, instant fame and tons of money, plenty of entertainment and nail-biting ebullience! Besides the lure of cricket, it's the additional paraphernalia in the form of cheerleaders, the music and the nerve whacking atmosphere of the stadiums that adds to the attraction of IPL. The current and the sixth edition of IPL – the Pepsi IPL 2013 is slated to open at 7:30 pm (IST) on 2nd April'13, Tuesday at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
However, despite the hype and hoopla surrounding it, IPL has managed to gather storms time and again. It has been consistently rocked by controversies. What lies ahead for this edition? Ganesha, with the help of Vedic Astrology, reads the opening ceremony chart of IPL to predict the way ahead for IPL6.
Astrological Observations
In the opening ceremony chart of IPL, the Lord of Ascendant, Venus is exalted and placed with two fiery planets, Sun and Mars. This combination promises the glitter and glamour not limiting itself to cricket during this IPL season. The months of April and May will be witness to a power packed and entertaining cricketing action in India. The entire scenario promises added fun and entertainment to make it more interesting for the fans. Speculations are bound to be at their peak too.
There is no doubt that IPL 6 will  provide a healthy dose of entertainment to its fans and will also remain a darling of the media; not just because of the glamorous cricket it promises, but also because of the probable controversies that may rock the tournament. As the retrograde Saturn is placed in the Ascendant with Rahu, this season shall provide the media enough fodder to chew on. Also, the dark shadow of banning the Sri Lankan players and the resultant political gimmicks may disrupt the harmony of sports. The forthcoming eclipses may also aggravate some controversies and a few unpleasant situations. All in all, get ready to enjoy a power packed MASALA cricketing tournament.
Team-wise IPL 2013 Predictions
The retrograde Saturn-conjunct Rahu and transiting Mars may not augur well for the front-runners Chennai Super Kings during the first half of the IPL season. Hence, they may have to contend with only moderate success, during the first half of the IPL-6. But as the tournament progresses, their performance is likely to improve. Stars may favour Dhoni, the team's captain, and this shall also support the entire team. In short, Chennai Super Kings' performance will pick up gradually, and they will have good chances of securing their place in the top four teams.
The defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders shall get support from the transiting Mars and Mercury. But, the transiting Jupiter may not provide them the required support. They may start their campaign on a slightly weak note. But, the transiting Sun and Mars will help them from mid-April onwards. In team's captain Gautam Gambhir's chart, the transiting Saturn and Rahu are passing through the 5th House over the Natal Mercury, and are also aspecting the Natal Moon. Consequently, he only has a moderate support from the planets. However, the latter half of the IPL-6 looks set to be better for him. Nonetheless, Kolkata Knight Riders will win some important matches, and shall remain in the race for the top four spots.
Jupiter in Taurus will help the Delhi Daredevils Team. However, the transiting Venus is not very supportive, and hence they will have to work hard to find glory. Also, the transiting Saturn and Rahu may not be favourable for them. So, they will have to work very hard for achieving success. Mahela Jayawardene, the captain, though has good support of the transiting Jupiter, which may help his team march forward. However, the path could be rather difficult for this team.
Mumbai Indians will find strong support from the transiting Jupiter during this IPL season. However, the transiting Saturn and Rahu may restrict their progress. So, their performance will be inconsistent. The transiting Ketu in the Ascendant and retrograde Saturn in the 7th House of Ponting's chart may not support his team much. However, the transiting Sun and Mars will cast benefic rays in his chart post 20th April. So, Mumbai Indians will display some outstanding cricket after this date. They will have a strong case to cement their place in the top four teams.
The retrograde Saturn and Rahu conjunction in Libra will hamper Royal Challengers Bangalore's progress and Kohli's performance as a Captain. However, due to strong support of transiting Jupiter and Mars, they are likely to play positively. Their performance will improve significantly from 25th April. Chances of getting a place in the top four are good for them.
Kings XI Punjab will have strong support from transiting Venus and Mercury. But transiting Mars and Jupiter may not help them much during this season. So, their performance may remain inconsistent throughout this tournament. The transiting Saturn conjunct Sun in Adam Gilchrist's chart may also restrict the progress of the team. So, despite performing well in some matches, chances of getting a place in Top four are not so bright for them.
Pune Warriors have a strong support of transiting Jupiter and Mars. So, they are likely to surprise their opponents. Also, Angelo Mathews will have support of transiting Mars, Sun and Jupiter during this season. His positive approach will also help his team. However, during the later half of tournament, this team might stray wayward. But they will certainly try hard to find their place in the top four.
Rahu and Saturn in Libra may cause problems for the team Rajasthan Royals. Also, they may not get desired support from the transiting Jupiter, and hence their performance may not reflect their actual potential. However, Ganesha notes that the team captain Rahul Dravid's personal chart looks better, and here is where the team may find its silver lining. This may be supportive for  help the team to remain in contention for the top four slots.
Sunrisers Hyderabad will have the support of transiting Jupiter throughout the tournament. However, the planet of glory, Venus will not support them. Also, lack of support from attacking Mars may restrict their progress. The transiting Saturn and Rahu may, however, spell difficulties for the captain Kumar Sangakkara. Overall, the performance of this team may only be average during this tournament.
With Ganesha's Grace
The GaneshaSpeaks Team

Padma Awards 2013: List of awardees

NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday conferred Padma Awards to 108 eminent personalities from various fields.

Following is the list of the recipients:

Padma Vibhushan

Raghunath Mohapatra, Art, Orissa

S Haider Raza, Art, Delhi

Prof. Yash Pal, Science and Engineering, Uttar Pradesh

Prof. Roddam Narasimha, Science and Engineering, Karnataka

Padma Bhushan

Dr. Ramanaidu Daggubati, Art, Andhra Pradesh

Sreeramamurthy Janaki, Art, Tamil Nadu

Dr. (Smt) Kanak Rele, Art, Maharashtra

Sharmila Tagore, Art, Delhi

Dr. (Smt) Saroja Vaidyanathan, Art, Delhi

Abdul Rashid Khan, Art, West Bengal

Late Rajesh Khanna, Art, Maharashtra

Late Jaspal Singh Bhatti, Art, Punjab

Shivajirao Girdhar Patil, Public Affairs, Maharashtra

Dr. Apathukatha Sivathanu Pillai, Science, Engineering Delhi

Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat, Science and Engineering, Delhi

Dr. Ashoke Sen Science and Engineering Uttar Pradesh

B N Suresh, Science and Engineering, Karnataka

Prof. Satya N Atluri, Science and Engineering, USA

Prof. Jogesh Chandra Pati, Science and Engineering, USA

Padma Bhushan

Ramamurthy Thyagarajan, Trade and Industry, Tamil Nadu

Adi Burjor Godrej, Trade and Industry, Maharashtra

Dr. Nandkishore Shamrao Laud, Medicine, Maharashtra

Mangesh Padgaonkar, Literature and Education, Maharashtra

Prof. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Literature and Education USA

Hemendra Singh Panwar, Civil Service, Madhya Pradesh

Maharaj Kishan Bhan, Civil Service, Delhi

Rahul Dravid, Sports, Karnataka

H Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom, Sports, Manipur

Padma Shri

Gajam Anjaiah, Art, Andhra Pradesh

Swami G C D Bharti alias Bharati Bandhu, Art, Chhattisgarh

B Jayashree, Art, Karnataka

Sridevi Kapoor, Art, Maharashtra

Kailash Chandra Meher, Art, Orissa

Brahmdeo Ram Pandit, Art, Maharashtra

Vishwanath D Patekar alias Nana Patekar, Art, Maharashtra

R Nageswara Rao alias Surabhi Babji, Art, Andhra Pradesh

Lakshmi Narayana Sathiraju, Art, Tamil Nadu

Jaymala Shiledar, Art, Maharashtra

Suresh Dattatray Talwalkar, Art, Maharashtra

P Madhavan Nair alias Madhu, Art, Kerala

Apurba Kishore Bir, Art, Maharashtra

Ghanakanta Bora Borbayan, Art, Assam

Hilda Mit Lepcha, Art, Sikkim

Sudha Malhotra, Art, Maharashtra

Ghulam Mohammad Saznawaz, Art, Jammu and Kashmir

Ramesh Gopaldas Sippy, Art, Maharashtra

Mahrukh Tarapor, Art, Maharashtra

Balwant Thakur, Art, Jammu and Kashmir

Puran Das Baul, Art, West Bengal

Rajendra Tikku, Art, Jammu and Kashmir

Pablo Bartholomew, Art, Delhi

S Shakir Ali, Art, Rajasthan

S K M Maeilanandhan, Social Work, Tamil Nadu

Nileema Mishra, Social Work, Maharashtra

Reema Nanavati, Social Work, Gujarat

Jharna Dhara Chowdhury, Social Work, Bangladesh

Late Dr Ram Krishan, Social Work, Uttar Pradesh

Late Manju Bharat Ram, Social Work, Delhi

Prof Mustansir Barma, Science and Engineering, Maharashtra

Avinash Chander, Science and Engineering, Delhi

Sanjay Govind Dhande, Science and Engineering, Uttar Pradesh

Prof. (Dr) Sankar Kumar Pal, Science, Engineering, West Bengal

Deepak B Phatak, Science and Engineering, Maharashtra

Dr. Mudundi Ramakrishna Raju, Science and Engg, Andhra Pradesh

Prof. Ajay K Sood, Science and Engineering, Karnataka

Prof. Krishnaswamy Vijayraghavan, Science and Engg, Karnataka

Dr. Manindra Agrawal, Science and Engineering, Uttar Pradesh

Dr. Jayaraman Gowrishankar, Science and Engineering, Andhra Pradesh

Prof. Sharad Pandurang Kale, Science and Engineering, Maharashtra

Vandana Luthra, Trade and Industry, Delhi

Rajshree Pathy, Trade and Industry, Tamil Nadu

Hemendra Prasad Barooah, Trade and Industry, Assam

Milind Kamble, Trade and Industry, Maharashtra

Kalpana Saroj, Trade and Industry, Maharashtra

Dr. Sudarshan K Aggarwal, Medicine, Delhi

Dr. C Venkata S Ram alias Chitta, Venkata Sundara Ram, Medicine, Andhra Pradesh

Dr. Rajendra Achyut Badwe, Medicine, Maharashtra

Dr. Taraprasad Das, Medicine, Orissa

Prof. (Dr.) T V Devarajan, Medicine, Tamil Nadu

Prof. (Dr.) Saroj Chooramani Gopal, Medicine, Uttar Pradesh

Dr. Pramod Kumar Julka, Medicine, Delhi

Dr. Gulshan Rai Khatri, Medicine, Delhi

Dr. Ganesh Kumar Mani, Medicine, Delhi

Dr. Amit Prabhakar Maydeo, Medicine, Maharashtra

Dr. Sundaram Natarajan, Medicine, Maharashtra

Prof. Krishna Chandra Chunekar, Medicine, Uttar Pradesh

Dr. Vishwa Kumar Gupta, Medicine, Delhi

Prof. (Captain) Dr. M Sharaf-eAlam, Literature and Education, Bihar

Dr. Radhika Herzberger, Literature and Education, Andhra Pradesh

J Malsawma, Literature and Education, Mizoram

Devendra Patel, Literature and Education, Gujarat

Dr. Rama Kant Shukla, Literature and Education, Delhi

Prof. Akhtarul Wasey, Literature and Education, Delhi

Prof. Anvita Abbi, Literature and Education, Delhi

Nida Fazli, Literature and Education, Madhya Pradesh

Surender Kumar Sharma, Literature and Education, Delhi

Dr Jagdish Prasad Singh, Literature and Education, Bihar

Late Shaukat Riaz Kapoor Alias Salik Lakhnawi, Literature and Education, WB

Prof. Noboru Karashima, Literature and Education, Japan

Christopher Pinney, Literature and Education, UK

Premlata Agrawal, Sports, Jharkhand

Yogeshwar Dutt, Sports, Haryana

Hosanagara Nagarajegowda Girisha, Sports, Karnataka

Subedar Major Vijay Kumar, Sports, Himachal Pradesh

Ngangom Dingko Singh, Sports, Maharashtra

Naib Subedar Bajrang Lal Takhar, Sports, Rajasthan

Ritu Kumar, Fashion Designing, Delhi

Dr Ravindra Singh Bisht, Archaeology, Uttar Pradesh.

The selection committee this year included actress Ratna Pathak Shah, scientist Anil Kakodkar and home secretary R K Singh, among others.