Another new feature on BING search engine

Microsoft has unveiled new Visual Search feature to its search engine Bing at the TechCrunch50 conference in San Francisco. Full-fledged Bing update is expected later this fall. Users can head to bing.com/visualsearch to see the initial 50 image 'classes' or galleries to help search through results quickly. Just like the search engine, Visual Search is currently in the Beta stage. Visual search looks pretty cool and not merely a search feature but an experience.
Bing search engine's new Visual Search feature is powered by Silverlight that helps the glossy thumbnails to fly around in the result area. We couldn't access the Visual search on Bing India page but could use it after changing the region to US-English. On landing on bing.com/visualsearch, a grid of 50 specifically categorized thumbnails is visible.

The 50 specific categories like Digital Cameras, Dog Breeds, Cell phones, HDTVs and so on. Users can click on either of the galleries and Bing will organize the search result images in a grid form. If you choose cell phones, you can further sort the search results by Brand, Contract Price or Bing Popularity in alphabetical order.

Sorting the thumbnails by specific category will show Silverlight fun with icons flying in the result area. This not only gives a rich user experience but also represents the data in structured format.

Last week, at an annual company meeting, some excited Microsoft employees updated through Twitter - "BING 2.0 terrific!! watch out guys ! bing + silverlight in maps = amazing !! goodbye google." A full-fledged update to the 'decision engine' is anticipated in the coming months, albeit not overnight of course.

Microsoft senior vice president Yusuf Mehdi said, "The whole concept is that the world of search will change. There will be more graphic way people will search." Google had also brought some changes in the Image search option that offers searching similar images. But Bing's approach is totally different though currently limited to specific categories and data.

Women and shopping enthusiast will be delighted with the new Visual Search feature from the 'decision engine' and hope that it won't be brand biased.

Watch the video for more details

Create photo effects on microsoft powerpoint

Microsoft Powerpoint tricks:
I have come accross beautiful video which had tricks to edit photos and give different effects to the photos.
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Phones with No or Fake IMEI Code to Die

"If you're still using that Chinese phone sans an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number - or worse, a fake IMEI code - expect your phone to become a brick Dec. 1 onwards.

After sufficient time given by the government to telecom service providers to get subscribers to legalize their handsets by acquiring a genuine IMEI number, it's time for headcounts and headshots.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has instructed Indian telecom operators to disconnect connections of handsets with fake or no IMEI numbers.

To check whether your phone has an IMEI number:
1. Dial *#06#A 15-digit number will be displayed on your handset.

2. To validate the IMEI, sms IMEI <15> to 53232 (Rs. 3 per SMS)For eg; IMEI 351869910223340 to 53232

Message displayed for correct IMEI - Success!!
Message displayed for incorrect IMEI - Alert!!! Invalid IMEI

3. In case of an invalid IMEI, you can either buy a handset with a genuine IMEI number or can follow the below mentioned instructions:

• Visit only authorized GII (Genuine IMEI Implant) centers, set up on Government approved process, which can implant new genuine IMEI on the handset.
• Pay a nominal charge of Rs. 199 (all inclusive) and obtain a receipt.
• Carry your handset with a valid identity proof for identification purposes while visiting these centers.

The DoT has asked operators to submit their compliance report by Dec. 15.

Keep your razor sharp with Jeans

With a pair of jeans you can extend life of your razor. Checkout video for more information

Apple Slashes iPod Prices, Adds More Storage

At the much awaited Rock and Roll event, Apple's CEO Steve Job came up with a big bang. He announced:

• iPod Nano to get Camera n in more colors
• Slashed prices of iPod
• OS 3.1 for iPhone n iTouch
• iTunes 9

Few old models were quietly dropped and new ones with more storage replaced them. In the new iPod Touch lineup, the legendary iPod Classic gets highest capacity and iPod Shuffle gets more colorful.

Also, there's a price cut as always since September is meant to be Apple's annual product life cycle for iPods. New Faster iPod Touch Two new third generation iPod Touch models in 32GB and 64GB capacities join in the iPod Touch lineup and the 16GB iPod Touch model quietly slips out. Both new iPod Touch models support OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics for accelerated 3D graphics and are boasted to be 50 percent faster. Hence, it s believed that both new iPod Touch models have the same 600MHz Samsung S5PC100 mobile application CPU based on ARM's CORTEX A8's design.If iPod Touch carries the same PowerVR SGX chip as in the iPhone 3GS, it is still capable of running 720p HD video natively. Also, the OpenGL ES 2.0 support will allow game developers for iPhone Platform to make games with better graphics.Big bully iPod Touch 64GB can store up to 14,000 songs, 90,000 photos or 80 hours of video. That's seriously a massive storage for a handheld touchscreen device. Apart from storage bump, the new third generation iPod Touch models have new Genius Mixes feature that is capable of making up to 12 playlists automatically, based on the existing tracks on the device.Third generation iPod Touch also has voice control. So, earphones from Apple or any third party earphones with remote can be used for Voice Control on Music playback. A slew of new features would be added with the iPhone OS 3.1 software update that is available for download from the official Apple site.
Apple sells the new 64GB iPod Touch for $399 (Rs. 19,200 approx.) which is the old price 32GB second generation iPod Touch model. While the new 32GB third generation iPod Touch is now priced at $299 (Rs. 14,400 approx.). Price of 8GB second generation iPod Touch model is slashed by $30 (Rs. 1,440 approx) to $199 (Rs. 9,600 approx.) from $229 (Rs. 11,000 approx.).Unfortunately, rumors that the third generation iPod Touch will get a camera did not materialize and it's like that recent reports of camera module failure might just be true. So, it's likely that the images of iPod Touch with camera that surfaced last month might be of the fourth generation iPod Touch model.