If Jackson Pollock had been a cartography nut this is what his classic works of art might have looked like.
A Boston-based coder has created a site that generates random Google Maps images that are assigned random color and zoom settings in a manner that creates a constant stream of stunning abstract art.
The Random Google Maps site, created by Shaun Utter using the Google Maps API, pulls its geographic source material from 26 predetermined cities from around the world, some of which you may recognize.
However, you'll have to look quickly, as each image only lasts four seconds, after which it's replaced by another abstract image.
And because the lines and shapes of the maps at their various sizes vary from precise and repetitive (roads and building grids) to random and organic (mountains and off-road terrain), the series of images manages to look surprisingly original and deliberate.
Generative art, that is, art created through automated means, is sometimes derided as a soft assault on human-created abstract art. But Utter's creation is more proof that code can indeed create hypnotic and beautiful visuals, even if those visuals lack the fire of direct human inspiration.
It's not Picasso, but more and more of these generative art pieces are popping up in museums next to your favorite art masters. Humans, it's time to step your game up.
New Delhi: Which type of an e-laugh user are you? The frequent ‘LOL’ one or the ‘Haha’ one, or do you like to use ‘hehe’ or prefer sending emoji over text?
Social networking giant Facebook has published its data on the not-so-universal language of laughter which reveals that the written laughter varies by age and gender.
The study analysed de-identified posts and comments with at least one string of characters matching laughter. The regular expressions for laughter were automatically identified in texts, including variants such as haha, hehe, emoji, and lol.
It was found that the most common e-laugh was ‘haha’ followed by various emojis denoting laughter and ‘hehe’.
Young people and women prefer emoji while men prefer longer ‘hehes’. Across genders, both men and women used more of ‘haha’ and ‘emoji’, followed by ‘hehe’ and ‘lol’.
I believe everyone is aware about new Internet act that will be in effect after 24th April. For more details please visit following video:
If you are in favor that TRAI should not apply this ACT for internet users the please send a email to the following email addresses with proper response and your thought what you think about this ACT.
I've already sent a response to them and now its your responsibility.
Please use email addresses which is mentioned in TO and use the same subject and then copy the message which is mentioned in the message box and send it before 24th April.
TO : advqos@trai.gov.in, netneutralityindia@gmail.com
Subject : Stop TSPs from violating the internet
Message :
The Response
To the Chairman, TRAI
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my views on the consultation paper published by TRAI on March 27, 2015 titled "Regulatory Framework For Over-the-Top (OTT) Services”. I am worried that this consultation paper makes sweeping assumptions about the Internet, and does not take a neutral and balanced view of the subject of Internet Licensing and Net Neutrality. Any public consultation must be approached in a neutral manner by the regulator, so that people can form an informed opinion.
I strongly support an open internet, for which I believe it is critical to uphold net neutrality and reject any moves towards licensing of Internet applications and Web services.
I urge TRAI to commit to outlining measures to protect and advance net neutrality for all Indians. Net neutrality requires that the Internet be maintained as an open platform, on which network providers treat all content, applications and services equally, without discrimination. The TRAI must give importance to safeguarding the interests of our country’s citizens and the national objective of Digital India and Make In India, over claims made by some corporate interests.
I request that my response be published on the TRAI website alongside other comments filed, in line with past practice regarding public consultations. I urge that TRAI issue a specific response to user submissions after examining the concerns raised by them, and hold open house discussions across India, accessible to users and startups before making any recommendations.
Question 1: Is it too early to establish a regulatory framework for Internet/OTT services, since internet penetration is still evolving, access speeds are generally low and there is limited coverage of high-speed broadband in the country? Or, should some beginning be made now with a regulatory framework that could be adapted to changes in the future? Please comment with justifications.
No new regulatory framework in the telecom sector is required for Internet services and apps - and no such regulation should come into effect in future either.
This question incorrectly presumes that regulation of the Internet is absent and there is a need to create it. Additionally, the technical language of “Over-the-Top” applications used in the consultation paper fails to convey that it is truly referring to the online services and applications which make today’s Internet which we all use; Facebook, Ola, Zomato, Paytm, WhatsApp, Zoho and Skype etc. The Internet is already subject to existing law in India - any extra regulatory or licensing regime will only be detrimental to the customer and to Indian firms developing online services and apps.
Under the current regulatory framework, users can access the internet-based services and apps either for a low fee or for free where the application owners make money by selling advertisements based on user data. With additional regulations and licenses, it will make it expensive for these services to reach out to their customers eventually leading to higher prices and undesirable levels of advertising - which is against the public interest and counterproductive.
It appears that the telecom companies are shifting goalposts. Many telecom companies have earlier argued in the consultation paper floated by TRAI on mobile value added services (MVAS) that it was not necessary to regulate these value added services. They said MVAS are already governed by general laws under the Indian legal system and comply with the security interests as they operate on the networks of legitimate telecom license holders. Internet platforms also are regulated and governed by general laws in addition to specialised laws such as the Information Technology Act, and the same treatment should be extended to them as well.
As TRAI said previously in its recommendations after consulting on MVAS regulation:
“The Authority preferred least intrusive and minimal regulatory framework and thus no separate category of licence for value added services is envisaged. After second round of consultations, the Authority is also not favoring registration of Value Added Service Providers (VASPs) or content aggregators under the “Other Service Provider (OSP)” category.”
“Content shall be subject to relevant content regulation and compliance of prevailing copyrights including digital management rights and other laws on the subject (para 3.12.2). The content is subjected to content regulation/ guidelines of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Information Technology Act, 2000, Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, Indian Copyright Act etc., as amended from time to time. The content regulation shall be as per law in force from time to time. There should be consistency in the treatment of content across all kinds of media including print, digital/multimedia to avoid any discrimination. (para 3.13.3):”
Imposing a licensing and regulation regime carry significant risks of destroying innovation. Launching new services and features will take more time and will make it difficult for new startups with low cash reserves to enter the market. It will basically ring the death knell for the country's fast-growing digital media sector.
Question 2: Should the Internet/OTT players offering communication services (voice, messaging and video call services through applications (resident either in the country or outside) be brought under the licensing regime? Please comment with justifications.
There is no need to bring Internet platforms offering communication services under the telecom licensing regime. The way this question is framed gives an impression that there is a clear distinction between communication services and other non-communication services on the internet. This is an incorrect presumption. Many internet services incorporate real time chat and video services to improve their customer engagement. A licensing framework will, for sure, work against customer interest and will stifle innovation. The cost of entry to the market would increase many times over which will be extremely detrimental to newer startups who might have more innovative offerings for the market.
Telecom operators need to have licenses to operate since they use a public resource: spectrum. It utilizes the spectrum to transmit data packets, voice and SMS communication and acts a dumb pipe. However, communication services such as Skype, WhatsApp, Viber and others sit atop the networks and infrastructure already controlled and owned by the telecom operators. Where Voice-over-Internet-Protocol services connect into the normal switched telecom network, TRAI’s VoIP regulations already exist. Therefore, there is no need for internet-based communication services to hold separate licenses.
Question 3: Is the growth of Internet/OTT impacting the traditional revenue stream of Telecom operators/Telecom operators? If so, is the increase in data revenues of the Telecom Operators sufficient to compensate for this impact? Please comment with reasons.
There is no evidence of data revenues cannibalizing revenues from voice or SMS. In fact, data usage is soaring and it is driving the demand for telecom networks.
The question fails to acknowledge that revenue from data services also fall under the traditional revenue streams category as per the Unified Access License Agreement
[http://www.dot.gov.in/access-services/introduction-unified-access-servicescellular-mobile-services]. So, to assume that data services are impacting the growth of “traditional revenue streams” is wrong.
Services such as Skype and WhatsApp have specific use cases. They are not, and should not be, considered as substitutes to voice calling or SMS. For instance, calls made using VoIP don’t have the same clarity that we have on voice calls. Moreover, services such as WhatsApp are used for real-time chatting as opposed to SMS. Voice and SMS have their own benefits and use cases, so do VoIP and internet messaging. Customers should be free to pick and choose among these.
There is still no concrete evidence suggesting that the decline in the revenues from messaging and voice calling is due to the growth of revenues from data services, and statements from experts and industry experts appear to in fact point to there being no cannibalization of revenues.
Gopal Vittal, CEO, Airtel
“There is still no evidence that suggests that there is cannibalization,” he said when asked about whether data is cannibalizing Airtel’s voice business. On internet messaging cannibalizing SMS revenues, he said: “At this point in time is very, very tiny. And so it is not really material as we look at it.”
“Growth in India has accelerated again (October-December), driven by data” [http://computer.financialexpress.com/columns/india-high-on-3g/9462/]
The company’s India unit grew by 15%, going past its counterparts during the quarter ending December as customers used its data services. [http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-02-06/news/58878696_1_organic-service-revenue-vittorio-colao-vodafone-india]
Question 4: Should the Internet/OTT players pay for use of the Telecom Operators network over and above data charges paid by consumers? If yes, what pricing options can be adopted? Could such options include prices based on bandwidth consumption? Can prices be used as a means of product/service differentiation? Please comment with justifications.
As I argue in my answers above, telecom companies are expected to grow steadily and so is data. Public statements made by officials of telecom companies, their earnings report and analysis of independent agencies suggest that telecom companies will continue to grow. So, there is no need for them to impose additional revenue from customers - and there is especially no justification of creating an extra revenue source supported by government intervention. The term “bandwidth consumption” is ambiguous. Currently, customers are billed for the quantum of data used and not the bandwidth.
Charging users an additional fee over and above the data charges to access specific internet services will result in higher costs which will dissuade people from using such services. Moreover, as explained earlier, many online businesses have video and chat applications within them to interact with customers. In such cases, it will be extremely difficult for users to ascertain the sum billed to them if they access the websites of such businesses. There will be no transparency in billing and it will run afoul of TRAI’s own 2006 Quality of Service Billing regulations which ensures transparency in billing and tariff plans.
Taking an additional fee also breaks the internet. Today, many websites, especially blogs, have hyperlinked content and users can switch from one website to another without having to worry about access or cost. But differential pricing will not provide such a seamless experience. Moreover, it tends to favor the larger firms with deep pockets, essentially not providing a level-playing field.
Question 5: Do you agree that imbalances exist in the regulatory environment in the operation of Internet/OTT players? If so, what should be the framework to address these issues? How can the prevailing laws and regulations be applied to Internet/OTT players (who operate in the virtual world) and compliance enforced? What could be the impact on the economy? Please comment with justifications.
There is no regulatory imbalance in the environment in which the internet services and applications operate. In fact, the word “regulatory imbalance” is incorrect here. Telecom operators holds licenses to spectrum which is a public resource. Internet services and applications don’t have to acquire licenses. Moreover, there is a clear distinction between services provided by telecom operators and internet platforms—so no additional regulation is required.
Also, internet services and applications are already well-covered under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Indian Penal Code, 1860. More importantly, internet services are intermediaries that allow a communication system for their users—and intermediaries cannot be held responsible for the acts of their users as per Section 79 of the IT Act, 2000. Our Supreme Court has recently ruled on this area in the Shreya Singhal versus Union of India case, holding that Internet content is protected by our Constitution’s right to free expression and setting out the acceptable limits for government regulation.
Question 6: How should the security concerns be addressed with regard to OTT players providing communication services? What security conditions such as maintaining data records, logs etc. need to be mandated for such OTT players? And, how can compliance with these conditions be ensured if the applications of such OTT players reside outside the country? Please comment with justifications.
The internet services and apps are well-covered under the existing laws and regulations. These include the Code of Criminal Procedure, Indian Telegraph Act, Indian Telegraph Rules, and the Information Technology Act and its different rules pertaining to intermediaries and interception. These different regulations allow the Indian government and law enforcement agencies to access the data stored by internet platforms when deemed legally necessary. Any additional regulations carry grave risk of breaching user privacy and would also require constitutional review - especially since the Government is still working on a proposed Privacy Bill.
The government and courts also have the power to block access to websites on the grounds of national security and public order. It has taken similar steps in the past and has been widely reported by the media. The transparency reports periodically published by major internet companies suggests Indian government routinely requests for user data and blocking of user accounts. Between July 2014 and December 2014, Indian authorities had 5,473 requests for data, covering 7,281 user accounts from Facebook and the company had a compliance rate of 44.69%. Google had a compliance rate of 61% with respect to the requests made by different government agencies across India.
Question 7: How should the OTT players offering app services ensure security, safety and privacy of the consumer? How should they ensure protection of consumer interest? Please comment with justifications.
Although user privacy and security is of paramount importance, additional regulation carries the inherent risk of breaching user privacy which is not in the consumer’s interest. The Information Technology Act, 2000 already addresses the security concerns of the user. But more importantly, any criminal act committed using these platforms can be tried under the Indian Penal Code. So, there is no need to burden the internet platforms with additional regulations.
Also, it is worth noting that many telecom companies in India have not made information publicly available as to whether and how they comply with regulations that guarantee security, privacy and safety of the customer. TRAI’s current paper fails to articulate why the internet services and apps should be brought under similar regulations.
Question 8:
In what manner can the proposals for a regulatory framework for OTTs in India draw from those of ETNO, referred to in para 4.23 or the best practices summarised in para 4.29? And, what practices should be proscribed by regulatory fiat? Please comment with justifications.
ETNO is similar to India’s COAI which makes it an industry lobby group. Understandably, the suggestions made by ETNO heavily favor the telecom companies and will be detrimental to customers if India refers to their suggestions.
ETNO’s stand have been widely criticized in the past. Europe’s own group of government regulators [Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communication (BEREC)]
http://berec.europa.eu/files/document_register_store/2012/11/BoR_%2812%29_120_BEREC_on_ITR.pdf ETNO’s proposals could jeopardize the “continued development of the open, dynamic and global platform that the Internet provides” which will “lead to an overall loss of welfare”. Additionally, the international free expression group Article 19 says ETNO’s proposal “would seriously undermine net neutrality.
According to Access Now, ETNO’s recommendations would have meant higher data charges for customers while from an entrepreneur’s standpoint, it will limit their ability to reach out to a wider market. For a small but fast growing startup and digital media sector in India, this can potentially ring the death knell. ETNO’s suggestions on this subject so far have failed to have been accepted by any government agency - including the regulators in their own host countries. It is therefore especially troubling that TRAI is choosing to make one of their proposals a pillar of this public consultation here in India.
Question 9: What are your views on net-neutrality in the Indian context? How should the various principles discussed in para 5.47 be dealt with? Please comment with justifications.
Net Neutrality, by definition, means no discrimination of traffic flowing on the internet with respect to speed, access and price. Chile and Brazil, which are developing countries just like India, have passed laws supporting net neutrality. This is in addition to government commitments to implement net neutrality legislation in the United States and European Union.
India has 1 billion people without internet access and it is imperative for our democracy to have an open and free internet where users are free to choose the services they want to access—instead of a telecom operator deciding what information they can access.
Internet apps and services are expected to contribute 5% to India’s GDP by 2020. That will only happen of entrepreneurs, big and small, have a level playing field that encourages innovation and non-preferential treatment—something that net neutrality ensures.
Assuming there is no net neutrality, only the big players will be able to strike deals with telcos while the smaller players remain inaccessible, which will go against the principles of net neutrality as listed below:
No blocking by TSPs and ISPs on specific forms of internet traffic, services and applications.
No slowing or “throttling” internet speeds by TSPs and ISPs on specific forms of internet traffic, services and applications.
No preferential treatment of services and platforms by TSPs and ISPs.
It is also worth noting that the proposed framework will give too much power in the hands of the telecom companies, which is not healthy for the ecosystem.Shreya
Question 10: What forms of discrimination or traffic management practices are reasonable and consistent with a pragmatic approach? What should or can be permitted? Please comment with justifications.
This question assumes that traffic discrimination is necessary and is a norm. Rather, traffic discrimination should be an exception as it is against the principles of net neutrality.
In such exceptional cases, telecom companies need to have the permission of TRAI or other competent government agency through public hearing to carry out “traffic management” to ensure transparency in the entire process. Further, it should be kept in mind that such steps shouldn’t interfere with the access, affordability and quality of the services.
More importantly, https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/sites/digital-agenda/files/Traffic%20Management%20Investigation%20BEREC_2.pdf jointly by BEREC and the European Commission suggest that the propensity of the telecom operators to restrict access of internet services is high. The report noted that telecom operators were most inclined to block and throttle P2P services on mobile as well as fixed line networks. VoIP, on the other hand, was blocked mostly on telecom networks.
Keeping this in mind, TRAI needs to ensure that instances of discrimination of traffic should be few, far between and, above all, transparent.
Question 11: Should the TSPs be mandated to publish various traffic management techniques used for different OTT applications? Is this a sufficient condition to ensure transparency and a fair regulatory regime?
The question is based on the premise that publishing various traffic management techniques for Internet services will ensure a fair regulatory regime and therefore such discrimination is permissible. We have repeatedly said in the above answers that discrimination of services will not bring about a fair regime for users.
Further, a recent study [http://bit.ly/1D7QEp9] in the UK has pointed out that merely publishing data on traffic management will not translate into a fair regime. The study found that most consumers did not understand traffic management or use it as a basis for switching operators. Those who did do so comprised a group perceived to be small or insignificant enough that most network operators did not seek to factor them into their product decisions, despite some consumers’ complaints about traffic management. In India where awareness and activism on issues of net neutrality is considerably less, it is unlikely to play the critical role that the Consultation Paper suggests.
Question 12: How should a conducive and balanced environment be created such that TSPs are able to invest in network infrastructure and CAPs are able to innovate and grow? Who should bear the network upgradation costs? Please comment with justifications
The question assumes that a “balanced” environment would lead to increased investment and upgradation of networks.. However, if revenue is generated by charging CAPs to reach customers rather than only charging users for data, the incentives for a TSP can potentially change. Telecom operators now gain the incentive to maintain a level scarcity and not upgrade existing infrastructure in order to maximize gatekeeper revenue. There is no evidence to support that access fees charged to CAPs will spark network upgradation and may have the opposite effect itself.
We’ve mentioned before that telecom operators should be acting as data pipes which can provide users access to Internet and that they stand to substantially gain from upgrading networks. Telecom operators stand to gain substantially by upgrading existing networks by proliferating the use of data by users, and it therefore stands to reason that the costs of upgradation should be borne by them. The above answers also point out that the heads of the leading telecom operators in the country have not seen evidence of cannibalization of existing services and that data usage has only been steadily increasing.
Question 13: Should TSPs be allowed to implement non-price based discrimination of services? If so, under what circumstances are such practices acceptable? What restrictions, if any, need to be placed so that such measures are not abused? What measures should be adopted to ensure transparency to consumers? Please comment with justifications.
Discrimination of services in any form is detrimental for the growth of the telecom industry itself and there should be no circumstance for a telecom operator to do so. Given the diverse nature of the Internet, telecom operators should not be allowed to determine what type of service should get more priority. For example, a consumer in India probably relies on VoIP calls to keep in touch with people abroad and if there is throttling of these services, it infringes on the user’s fundamental right of freedom of expression. An Internet service that a telecom operator thinks which could lead to traffic congestion, might be vital to consumers. Further, a telecom operator might use throttling to further a service promoted by them and induce consumers into using them, thereby eliminating choice.
Transparency alone will not bring about a fair regime for users, and it is crucial that TSPs be prohibited from discriminating between services
Question 14: Is there a justification for allowing differential pricing for data access and OTT communication services? If so, what changes need to be brought about in the present tariff and regulatory framework for telecommunication services in the country? Please comment with justifications.
The question above is simply a rephrasing Question 13. Differential pricing for data access and OTT communication services again simply amounts to discrimination of data services. Hence there is no justification for differential pricing other than furthering corporate profit. Telecom operators stand to gain substantially from the proliferation of all data services including communication services. A neutral internet allows smaller companies to innovate and compete with larger players and ensure that there is a free market. Any changes in the present tariff and regulatory framework is not needed save for ensuring that the interests of the consumer is taken care of.
Question 15: Should OTT communication service players be treated as Bulk User of Telecom Services (BuTS)? How should the framework be structured to prevent any discrimination and protect stakeholder interest? Please comment with justification.
Treating OTT communication service players as Bulk User of Telecom Services again amounts to discrimination of data services and hence it should not be allowed. The question also further assumes that the stakeholders are only the telecom operators and not the consumers. If only the interests of the telecom operators are protected by treating services which compete with their traditional services differently rather than innovating themselves, it would lead to a situation of anti-competitiveness. Telecom companies have an interest in imposing their control over information and communication networks, but the price of that would mean stifling competition, increased barriers for innovation and business and eventually infringe on the fundamental rights of Indian citizens.
Question 16: What framework should be adopted to encourage India-specific OTT apps? Please comment with justifications.
A recent Deloitte report titled Technology, Media and Telecommunications India Predictions 2015 predicted that paid apps will generate over Rs 1500 crore revenues in 2015 (Link). Increased acceptance of paid apps can only be possible if there’s Network Neutrality. In fact, Deepinder Goyal, the founder and CEO of the highly successful app Zomato recently commented "Couldn’t have built Zomato if we had a competitor on something like Airtel Zero"
The moment an app developer/company is forced to tie-up with a telecom operator to ensure that users opt for it, an artificial prohibitive barrier will be created. All app developers and the companies behind them need to be provided an even playing field.
We also need more reports on the Indian app economy, to understand, firstly, how the adoption and usage of apps is changing and, secondly, to comprehend its impact on the Indian economy.
Question 17: If the OTT communication service players are to be licensed, should they be categorised as ASP or CSP? If so, what should be the framework? Please comment with justifications.
The question of categorising doesn’t even arise, because as mentioned earlier any extra regulations or licensing is going to be detrimental to the end user. Requiring licensing of online services and mobile apps under the current telecom framework in India will have enormous negative consequences. The impossibly onerous burdens imposed by such licensing would results in many such globally developed services and apps not being launched in India - and our own startup efforts to develop local versions of such apps being killed in their early stages. The net results would be decreased consumer benefit and a massive slowdown in innovation and reduced “Make in India” efforts due to the regulatory cost of doing business becoming very high.
Question 18: Is there a need to regulate subscription charges for OTT communication services? Please comment with justifications.
Subscription charges for such apps need to be allowed to evolve as it would in a pure market economy. The subscribers (buyers) would want to pay the lowest possible price, and the app developers/companies (sellers) would want to charge as much as possible, eventually leading to a fair price.
Subscription charges for such Internet-based services have remained, more or less, quite low in India, especially because the cost of switching from one service provider to another is also quite low: This competition will ensure that charges remain fair, without the need to regulate them, going forward as well. As noted in response to earlier questions, existing Indian law also applies to online services - which would include the Consumer Protection Act and other regulations meant to prevent cheating or other illegal pricing issues.
Question 19: What steps should be taken by the Government for regulation of non-communication OTT players? Please comment with justifications.
As mentioned earlier, irrespective of what an OTT app is used for (communication, online shopping, etc) they’re all essentially Internet-based services, and hence there is no question of creating new regulatory measures.
Question 20: Are there any other issues that have a bearing on the subject discussed?
In the interim, TRAI should issue an order or regulation preventing network neutrality violations by telecom service providers. Some telecom companies have shown scant respect for the issues presently under consideration and despite its questionable legality have rolled out various services which violate network neutrality. Any delay in forming regulations or preventing them in the interim till the process is complete is only likely to consolidate their status. This is not only an affront to the Internet users in India but also to the regulatory powers of the TRAI.
If the question of regulating subscription charges arises because of the fear of OTT communication services/VoIP cannibalising Voice services by telcos, then it needs to be pointed out that more than one telecom operator in India has already come out and said that there’s no evidence to support such a fear.
Earlier this year, Airtel India CEO Gopal Vittal had clearly said during the company’s earnings conference call that there’s no evidence of VoIP cannibalisation of voice services (http://www.airtel.in/wps/wcm/connect/6fee748a-91e1-48aa-84a4-320aef0db668/Transcript+of+Bharti+Airtel+Limited+Third+Quarter+Ended+December+31+2014+Earnings+Conference+Call.pdf?MOD=AJPERES - pdf). Last year, Idea Cellular MD Himanshu Kapania had also said that OTT apps like Viber have had some impact on their International calling business, but on regular voice calls, there was no impact (http://www.medianama.com/2014/07/223-idea-cellular-viber/).
The Internet Engineering Task Force's HTTP Working Group has finalized its work on Hypertext Transfer Protocol 2, the successor to the HTTP/1.0 and HTTP/1.1 protocols that are the core of the Web.
The working group has actually finalized two closely related specifications. The first is HTTP/2 itself. The second is called HPACK, a specification for compressing HTTP/2 headers.
Work on HTTP/2 began in 2012 in response to the development of Google's SPDY protocol. Google created SPDY to address a number of performance gripes that the company had with traditional HTTP.
Perhaps the biggest issue with HTTP/1.x was its use of multiple connections to load resources in parallel. While a single HTTP/1.x connection between a client and a server can be used to request multiple different objects (the images, CSS, and JavaScript that an HTML page may require), those objects have to be served up in order, one after the other. If one object takes a long time, perhaps because it's very large or perhaps because it requires a lot of server time to create, then all the other objects requested subsequently have to wait.
As a result, most HTTP/1.x connections are used to request just a single object. Web clients do perform parallel loading of the objects that they need, but they do so by creating multiple connections to each server. But this has a cost of its own: it uses up additional network resources, and it takes extra time, with each individual connection requiring several transfers from client to server and back again.
HTTP/2 directly addresses this issue. In HTTP/2, multiple bidirectional streams are multiplexed over a single TCP connection. Each stream can carry a request/response pair, and multiple requests to a server can be made by using multiple streams. However, the streams are all independent; if one stream is slow, the HTTP/2 connection can still be used to transfer data belonging to other streams. Similarly, a client can request a large object and then a small object, and the response to the small object can be given before, or even during, the response to the large object. The waiting and sequential processing that are a feature of HTTP/1.x aren't needed in HTTP/2. The specification recommends that clients and servers support at least 100 different streams over a single connection.
HTTP/2 also brings some other changes to improve performance and capabilities. Traditional HTTP/1.x is a text protocol, with requests and responses all using plain human-readable text. HTTP/2 is a binary protocol that splits requests and responses into sequences of non-human-readable frames that are transmitted over the TCP connection. HTTP/2 also allows servers to push streams to clients without those clients having to make the initial request.
While a binary protocol, HTTP/2 doesn't change the underlying semantics of an HTTP connection. Requests and responses are still divided between headers and (optionally) bodies, with the headers used to provide important metadata about the bodies. Rather, the protocol is a new way of expressing those same messages designed to make HTTP communication more efficient.
HTTP/2 is based in large part on Google's SPDY. SPDY did some things that HTTP/2 does not. It required the use of TLS (Transport Layer Security) to enhance privacy and security. HTTP/2 makes this optional; it can operate over TLS or over plain TCP. Some vendors, however, have said that their implementations will only support HTTP/2 over encrypted TLS connections to regain these privacy benefits.
SPDY also—initially—used gzip compression for the headers sent in both directions. In 2012, however, this use of gzip was discovered to be dangerous, exposing users to an attack that has become known as CRIME. SPDY was altered to stop using gzip in this way. HTTP/2's solution is that second specification: HPACK.
HPACK is a way of compressing the HTTP headers sent over HTTP/2 connections that avoids the CRIME flaw. Unlike gzip, which is a general purpose compression algorithm, HPACK is designed specifically for HTTP/2's needs.
With IETF signing off on HTTP/2, the next steps are for some editing to be done and for both HTTP/2 and HPACK to be officially published as RFCs.
Browsers are well on their way toward supporting the new specification. Chrome 40 will include HTTP/2 support, with Google announcing earlier this month that SPDY support would be removed from Chrome in early 2016. Mozilla has said that Firefox 36, due to be released next week, will negotiate HTTP/2 connections using drafts 14 and 15 of the specification. Firefox 37 and 38 will add draft 16. The finalized version, draft 17, should follow soon after. The Windows 10 Technical Preview also includes support for draft 14, and the Project Spartan browser that's replacing Internet Explorer will include HTTP/2 support.
A inexpensive iPhone is a contradiction, or at least Apple company had people believe that for a while. That was until New samsung went to the top of the perch and Android operating system became the de-facto OS for mobile phones across the world. The inventory exchange too has proven a deficiency of assurance in the iPhone manufacturer and the business's inventory has been moving since Sept 2012. All of this has driven a rumour that the Cupertino-based system and press massive is making a less expensive iPhone focused particularly at growing marketplaces like Chinese suppliers and Native indian.
The newest inclusion to this rumour is from iPhone case manufacturer Tactus. A writing on the business's formal weblog has an image of what they declare is the returning protect of the ‘cheap iPhone’. The white-colored thermoplastic returning, proven in the image, has rounded factors and pointed amount control buttons much like the traditional iPod. The style seems to be a rollback as the present plants of iPhones have cup or aluminum supports and have implemented streamlined, straighter collections along the edges. Tactus also considers that the cellphone will come in 5 color choices – dark, white-colored, red, red and yellow-colored. While Apple company has combined out iPods in various colors the iPhones have always been dressed in white wines, colors of dark or metal aluminum layers. The rumours that Apple company would toss in a sprint of color for the price range iPhone is credible but the choice of colors informs us of Nokia’s scheme rather than Apple’s.
Now, about the hardware; Tactus statements that the cellphone will game an A5 processor like the iPad Small and will have a 3.5-inch display instead of a 4-inch display like the newest version of the iPhone or many of the other price range mobile phones currently in the marketplace. The photographic camera is said to be a 5 MP present shooter and there is no term on the top side photographic camera or whether 1080p producing would be possible. If the cellphone does indeed have the A5 processor like the iPad Small then 1080p producing could be a probability.
Tactus has also believed on the price and the release time frame. Their expectation is that the cellphone would cost between $230 and $300 (Rs 12,000 and Rs 16,000 approx). Given that the ‘cheap iPhone’ is being made for marketplaces like Chinese suppliers and Native indian it is secure to believe that these are not US costs. This would mean that the iPhone will end up being less expensive than mobile phones like the New samsung Universe Huge and the Micromax Fabric HD. That is a questions that we find very hard to believe as Apple company Native indian is currently promoting a three creation old cellphone, the iPhone 4, at Rs 26,000. The stated release time frame for the product is said to be Oct Fifteenth, 2013. Last season Apple company released the iPad Small on Oct Twenty third, so, the think that they will come up with another ‘budget’ system around the same time this season does not seem to be far-fetched.
Apple’s exclusivity is a great marketing technique and is something that they would not give up so quickly. The company has also been effective in disposal a huge number of iPhone 4s onto the Native indian customer resulting in incredibly powerful sales. They will definitely slam up their providing as they look to develop in Native indian and Chinese suppliers but will it be the cellphone that Tactus describes? We question it.
Looks like this few days will be a rumour festival. After the price range iPhone that we exposed on we convert our attention to a number of Nokia speculation that hit the web just before the Finnish cellphone manufacturer declared its economical outcomes for the 1st one fourth of this season.
The most interesting among these speculation was the one taken by the Financial Times after a ‘well placed source’ exposed to them that the organization was preparing to take on New samsung by releasing a Lumia phablet operating on Windows Phone 8. The product is said to have a 5 or 6-inch display and will be rough against the New samsung Galaxy Note series. Many thought that the Lumia 920 itself was very heavy but if Nokia controls to make the phablet slimmer and streamlined, a Windows Phone 8 phablet would entice quite a few.
The other big launch that the Scandinavian significant is said to be preparing this season is an aluminium-bodied cellphone codenamed ‘Catwalk’. The product is recognized as a heir to the Lumia 920, currently The lenders leading system. If the released images are anything to go by, the cellphone is a quite the looker. The aluminum structure is similar to the iPhone 4 and could be used as the aerial as in the Apple company system. The nasty returning means the cellphone will come with wi-fi asking for just like the Lumia 920. What we find most appealing is that huge stick out around the photographic camera contacts at the returning. Based on this one can sketch the summary that the cellphone could have a Pureview indicator. The possibilities of a Lumia cellphone that can catch 40 mega-pixel pictures like the Nokia 808 is indeed interesting. The Lumia 920 already has the best photographic camera technological innovation among all mobile phones and if ‘Catwalk’ does have the Pureview technological innovation it will be a deserving heir to the 920.
After many areas of dropping sales and increasing failures, Nokia is making a valiant effort at switching a benefit and remaining appropriate in the smart phone competition. The Lumia series has seen some success in some areas of the world and in their economical outcomes last night Nokia declared that they had delivered 5.6 million in the 1st one fourth of this season. Although the figures light in evaluation to Apple’s 37 million iPhones marketed in the same period and Samsung’s 61 million powerful smart phone shipping it does indicate a 25% increase in Lumia deliveries as as opposed to past one fourth.
If the speculation come to be true and the Nokia Lumia phablet and the ‘Catwalk’ do end up getting released then we wish that the organization gets its costs right for marketplaces like Native indian where customers still usually affiliate manufacturers with certain price supports. Both the Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 have flopped in Native indian because both were regarded too expensive. The present Native indian smart phone industry is covered with New samsung and to a smaller level by local producers like Micromax and Karbonn. Nokia would be eager to restore some of its missing floor and the latest releases of the Lumia 520, 620 and 720 at huge discounts would absolutely help the business's case. The more latest releases at the higher end of the industry would then aid in growing the former industry leader's business.
Lenovo has declared a collection of 18 new all-in-ones (AIOs). The new version of the IdeaCentre AIOs varies from the A sequence, which concentrates on the looks, to the B Series, which concentrates on performance, and the C sequence, which concentrates on price range. As per an argument, the AIOs run on Windows 8 and their key functions include a 10-point multi-touch display. The AIOs come with Lenovo’s own software, such as an Eye Range Program that guarantees you are not too close to the display, and Lenovo Reasoning for media discussing between gadgets.
Lenovo statements that the IdeaCentre A720 is the industry’s thinnest 27-inch AIO. It activities a steel external and actions 24.5mm in size and has a comtemporary glass only looks show. The A720 AIO roles the PC at the platform of it. Its flexible depend allows the display to be drawn towards the customer at an place of -5 levels and collapsed back to an place of up to 90 levels.
The Lenovo B Series AIOs use more highly effective processer chips and elements that are developed for pc PCs. Available with up to 3rd-generation Apple Primary i5 processer chips and Nvidia GeForce GPUs, the AIOs can also be used for game playing. The VESA install interface gives customers versatility on where to place their all-in-one, while an optionally available TV receiver provides access to HDTV. OneKey TV changes the show into a High-definition TV at the mobile, and on choose designs, one can watch the TV even without energizing on the PC.
The IdeaCentre B540 concentrates more on game playing with its 23-inch full HD wide screen comtemporary glass only looks show. It facilitates the newest 3D perspective and multi-touch technology. The performance of the 3rd-generation Apple Primary processer chips together with Nvidia’s design cards turn the AIO into a functional game playing PC.
Lenovo’s new C-Series AIOs concentrate on price range while trying to offer multi-media functions. These AIOs are more suitable for family use and enjoyment.
The 18.5-inch Lenovo C240 is operated by an Apple Celeron dual-core processer. While you will not exactly be able to use this AIO to play Crysis, it seems capable enough for email and video play-back.
Lenovo statements that the C340 is optimized for enjoyment intake with an flexible show, Lenovo Powerful Lighting Program, which instantly adapts the screen's brightness based on the users’ current environment. These AIOs are modelled after the webpages of a publication or book for a simple look, and game an steel take a place that uses little table space and allows customers to port the laptop key pad under the display.
The Lenovo C440 AIO activities a 21.5-inch HD LED show. These are mostly used for watching HD video clips and films. They are operated by Intel’s Primary 3rd-generation Primary i5 processer chips and have design operated by Nvidia’s GeForce GPUs. This AIO mainly is developed to be a price range game playing PC.
The new All-In-Ones are available at all Lenovo stores, multi-brand outlets and large format retail stores:
Lenovo IdeaCentre A720: Range starts at Rs 1,15,990
Nearly two months after its official launch, BlackBerry's new Z10 smart phone lastly went for promoting in the hyper-competitive U.S. industry on Saturday, where its performance may well decide whether BlackBerry can improve itself as an innovator in the industry.
BlackBerry , which is already promoting the new touch-screen smart phone in about 25 nations, is designed to make the Z10's new os the clear No. 3 foundation in the marketplace, a genuine but still difficult task, experts say.
"I think the U.S. will be a task for BlackBerry more so than some of the nations where they have already released," said Morningstar specialist Mark Colello.
"The strength for iPhone and Android operating program is too powerful here. I still think they can win over some business customers, but the U.S. is a nation where BlackBerry's brand has been significantly reduced."
BlackBerry once decided the U.S. smart phone industry, but it has dropped poorly recently as gadgets operated by Apple's iOS and Google Android operating program operating-system control revenue both in Northern The united states and offshore.
The BlackBerry 10 os will now slug it out with Windows Windows 8 foundation to protected the No. 3 spot in the marketplace.
But by most records BlackBerry has a challenging battle forward. It not only has to win back the thoughts and hearts and thoughts of customers, but the moment is hardly ideal, with the New samsung Universe S4, predicted to go for promoting by the end of Apr, creating lot of hype.
"We believe BlackBerry's launch in the tactically important U.S. industry will run into extreme competitors as New samsung, Apple, HTC and Htc renew their line-ups," Raymond Wayne specialist Steven Li said in a observe to customers on Saturday.
Despite fashionable around other gadgets, some anticipate the Z10 to do well in the U. s. Declares.
Best Buy's head of mobile revenue, Scott Anderson, said the store has been able to evaluate need for the Z10 based on revenue at Best Buy shops in Canada and america.
"We have pretty continually improved the allowance of it to our shops as it has got more and more hype. Even though we aren't launching any figures, we do put this in the world of a serious famous launch," he said, including that BlackBerry has a time frame over the next 30 days before the new HTC and New samsung mobile phones hit shop racks in the U. s. Declares.
The Canada organization was compelled to wait the Z10's launch in the U.S. industry because examining by telecoms providers there took longer than predicted.
"We've been working very extremely for the last two several weeks with the providers and associates to ensure the retail store experience will be excellent for customers," BlackBerry Primary Promotion Official Honest Boulben said in an meeting with Reuters.
The launch, though, showed up to be low-key at AT&T shops in New You are able to, where there was no indication of images or other marketing to emphasize the discharge day. An AT&T revenue person at one of its shops said the shop had marketed several of the gadgets beginning in the day.
The program went for promoting at AT&T Inc shops across the nation beginning on Saturday, while Verizon Inc is set to begin promoting the product in its shops on Apr 28.
Carriers in the U. s. Declares permitted customers to pre-order or pre-register for the gadgets recently.
"Relative to the inhabitants, we are on the same velocity as we were in Canada and america with regard to pre-registration, and as you know we've had a very powerful performance in Canada and america during the first six weeks," Boulben said.
BlackBerry has yet to launch hard figures on initial revenue of the Z10 in major marketplaces such as England and Canada and america, where it went on revenue soon after the discharge.
The organization is predicted to provide a first studying on the Z10's reputation when it produces its every quarter results on Apr 28. BlackBerry's stocks improved last week, however, after it said one of its associates had placed the transaction for 1 thousand BlackBerry 10 mobile phones, the biggest single purchase purchase in the organization's history.
BlackBerry's unpredictable stocks were down 8 percent at $14.82 on Saturday mid-day on the Market, while its Toronto-listed stocks were trading at C$15.09.
The BlackBerry Q10 design, which has a conventional physical key pad that's likely to entice experts who are large email customers, is predicted to go for promoting next 30 days. It won't achieve U.S. shop racks until May or July. The organization also plans to launch lower-end editions of the gadgets this year.
"I really anticipate an excellent start from the Z10 in the U. s. Declares and that will be elevated by the Q10," Boulben said.
New samsung Gadgets is the globe innovator in intelligent phone revenue, besting Apple organization in many countries. Now New samsung of South South korea is getting up its task to Apple organization, bringing the fight to its rival's home pitch.
At a news meeting in New You are able to on Friday, its first United states promotional occasion for its leading intelligent phone, New samsung revealed off the Galaxy S4, which has a display that is larger than the latest iPhone.
The device has unique application functions, such as Smart Search, in which the top side photographic camera finds when someone is looking at the Phone, and scrolls the display according to the position the Phone is angled. The Phone can also be managed with side actions. Waving a side down at the front side of the Phone will scroll up on a web page, for example.
"Once you see the Galaxy S4, I'm very confident you'll find how its enhancements make your life simple and bigger," said JK Leg, chief executive of New samsung Cellular Promotion communications.
With the popular release of the Phone, New samsung is trying to end its role as understudy to its more famous opponent, especially in the essential United states industry, where Apple organization still rules. Even as New samsung has exceeded Apple organization in international company, it is often criticised in the U. s. Declares as an effective copycat, taking most of its product hints from Apple organization. But New samsung has started bending its marketing muscle more strongly here to try to modify that understanding.
"This is Samsung's time right now," said Gene Munster, an specialist at Piper Jaffray. "They are clearly getting more attention now around than they ever have."
Apple itself is displaying signs of concern. In an uncommon move on the eve of the New samsung occasion, John p W Schiller, Apple's mature v. p. for globally marketing, provided several discussions in which he mentioned faults in mobile Phone gadgets based on Android operating system, the Google os used by most of Samsung's mobile mobile phones.
But Apple organization still has many big advantages that allow it to protect its position in the mobile company. Its iPhone 5 was the best-selling intelligent phone on the globe in the vacation 1 / 4, even though Samsung's vast profile of mobile phones is larger than Apple's. By asking for a top quality for its items, Apple organization raked in 69 % of the profits in the intelligent phone company last season, compared with 34 % for New samsung, according to a report by T Eileen Walkley, an specialist with Canaccord Genuity.
While experts like Munster expect New samsung to gain company in the U. s. Declares in the coming two areas, they estimate Apple organization is likely to still control the essential vacation shopping season, when gift customers buy mobile Phone gadgets in groups. That is when revenue of the iPhone typically outshine all other gadgets. By introduction its leading Phone just before spring, New samsung is stunning at Apple organization months before a new iPhone is expected to be launched.
"Everyone remains out of the area of iPhone release times," said Horace Dediu, a blog writer and specialist with Asymco.
Apple's iPhones fly off the racks in the U. s. Declares, but New samsung is still the top supplier of mobile mobile phones globally. And in the U. s. Declares, New samsung is getting.
In it all 1 / 4 of 2012, revenue of New samsung gadgets included 30 % of the United states intelligent phone industry, up from 21 % the season before, according to NPD Team, the research firm. For one period of time, Apple's iPhone included 39 % of the industry, down from 41 % the season before.
Samsung is far going above Apple organization in its rate of growth globally. In the vacation 1 / 4 last season, New samsung delivered 63.7 million mobile mobile phones, up 76 % from the season before, according to IDC. Apple organization sold 47.8 million, up 29.2 % from the season before.
Samsung has won the international volume competition by launching several models of mobile mobile phones at different prices and sizes, while Apple organization has launched one new design every season. Along with the Galaxy S III, the Note II, a New samsung Phone with an even larger display, has been a well-known supplier.
"Samsung's strength has been remarkable if you look at where they were three decades ago to where it is today in the intelligent phone industry," said Frank Jackson, an specialist at Canalys.
Apple of Cupertino, Florida, is famous for items that create markets, as was the situation with the iPhone and iPad. Apple organization has charged New samsung of taking many of its best ideas in the mobile industry. Last season, it assured a court that New samsung had infringed Apple organization patents, successful a $1 billion dollars prize that a federal assess in the situation recently reduced to $600 million, a figure that could modify as the situation produces. Some recent goes by Apple organization have showed up to be in reaction at least in part to competition from New samsung. It launched less sized iPad and a larger iPhone after New samsung had been promoting small pills and mobile mobile phones with larger displays for a while.
"Right now Apple organization is the opposition, and generally the power characteristics have changed already," said Tero Kuittinen, an specialist at Alekstra, which helps companies reduce their Phone bills. "Suddenly, Apple organization looks a little protecting."
Before Thursday's release, Samsung's new intelligent phone produced nearly as much conversation and enjoyment in technology weblogs as a new iPhone. "This is like the buzz around the iPhone was two decades ago," Kuittinen said. "A season ago nobody thought about New samsung Galaxy S III. It's not like the technical weblogs had written five content a day about it."
The Galaxy S4 has several significant functions. One, Double Camera, allows the customer to take a picture with the top side and rear-facing cameras at the same time. At a the experience of golf ball, for example, a customer can capture a picture of the experience with the back photographic camera and the customer's reaction to it with the top side camera; the two photos appear in one picture.
Before Thursday's occasion, a New samsung worker said the Smart Search feature would depend on monitoring eye motions to determine where to scroll. When asked about the lack of eye-controlled scrolling in the new Phone, Bob Park, a administrator of Samsung's mobile department, said the organization had tried several techniques and decided to use the slanting method.
Samsung also added Team Perform, which will allow several Galaxy mobile phones to link together to relax and play a activity title together. It uses Wi-Fi to link a connection. The Phone will be available next 1 / 4 on Verizon wireless Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile USA and Dash. The older design, the Galaxy S III, was highly sought after because of its large display and application capabilities; for a while it even sold more copies than the iPhone. The organization did not expose a price for the Galaxy S4, but said it should be the same as other top quality New samsung mobile phones, which have cost $200 with a agreement.
To protect its lead in the marketplace, New samsung will have to present abilities in gadgets and set styles, said Chetan Sharma, a mobile communications advisor. But Kuittinen of Alekstra said New samsung has been setting the styles for a while. This season, Apple organization should present an iPhone with an even larger display, he said.
"They realized that if you do a Phone with a huge 5-inch display, it will have big demand because it changes out people really want to have a Phone with an tremendous display," he said. "Apple didn't know that."
We have seen a lot of iPhone prototypes over the past year, especially during the The apple company vs New samsung certain fight. However, the newest one to springtime forth from Cupertino’s records is less a cellphone, more like the phablets we are so used to seeing these days. Of course, this just shows that this phablet trend isn't all that new. We are still awaiting a fanboy to say The apple company developed the whole thing.
Ars Technica got unique images of the in-house edition of the iPhone from beginning 2005, two decades before the cellphone was formally revealed. Two decades is a while in technical market and there can be no better sign than this.
The images, sent to Ars by a former The apple company worker who proved helpful on various The apple company components tasks, show an beginning model with a number of slots that we're used to seeing more generally on computer systems than on cellular cellphone gadgets, such as USB slots, an Ethernet slot and even a sequential slot. However, the greatest distinction between iPhones of these days and this model is the massive 5 inches wide by 7 inches wide show.
Of course, The apple company never ideal for all of these varied slots to create it into the ultimate product and it was verified by the resource who said that the slots were all involved to aid in the growth of the model. Ports such as the Ethernet and sequential were involved simply to create working on the model easier. "At that beginning time frame no one realized what (the last device) would be," the resource included, showing the tightly-controlled last system styles in The apple company as well as the modifying characteristics of Apple's growth process.
The beginning model is around 2 " wide dense. "Seems large now," the site's resource said, "but at enough it was really amazing seeing generally a edition of OS X operating on it." We can completely image this design being raised again when the iPad was in the growth level. However, this model is nearer to the iPad small measurements, rather than its big sibling.
The website further reviews that the ARM processor is a version of the New samsung S3C2410, which is in turn a close relative of the processor used in the unique iPhone. The processor proven in the image was which is 200-233MHz, while the first 2007 device used a 620MHz processor underclocked to 412Mhz. "This processor is also an ARM9 processor, while the unique iPhone gradually finished up using an ARM11 processor, but obviously The apple company designed to use Samsung-manufactured ARM snacks even this far back," the review said.
