Posts Tagged ‘ world ’

Skype: A game changing “Microsoft” unit

Skype is a very popular VOIP service which also boosts the largest registered user base in the world, even bigger than Facebook. The latest data suggestes some mindblowing figures about this popular service. Skype is not just popular on desktop but is by far the largest mobile VOIP provider too. Skype has over 50 million active users on iPhones alone. It is very popular on android and its wp7 version is eagerly waited. On desktop it clocked over 200 billion minutes of calling last year. Has over 30 million users using it at any given time. These numbers are impressive and speaks a lot about the companies online power and clientage. Its also very popular among business users and is regarded as the best VOIP solution provider in the world. So Microsoft forked out over $8 billions for the company. The purchase at first seems way over proced but a closer look at the position skyoe enjoyes and microsoft suffers and you have a clear picture as to why Microsoft was so desperate for the company.
Skype gives microsoft instant access to a userbase that is far larger than google managed in 10 years. Add to that the facebook links that microsoft has and the hotmail and live service users and we have Microsoft suddenly sitting at the top of the pile. Lets look at some possible scenarios microsoft can use skype to its own advantage ( They done have anyone watching over them now):

1. Microsoft integrates Skype into its products. Windows, Xbox, Windows live, Lync, Windows Phone and even in Surface. This can be a  huge game changer for Microsoft if it can actually blend all these services together to its own advantage. Microsoft can do this and noone can stop them since google lives the same way. Windows Phone will actually be the hugest benificery and Skype can be Microsoftes online mobile network. Imagine a phone that checks if the person you are calling is on skype and calls him on skype instead of normal mobile call. Or, you can check if the person is available for call by checking his online status. Microsoft in a more aggresive way use skype as a alternate to mobile phone carrier. Use the phone sim free in a business world where most of the employees are using skype. Potentials are limitless for microsoft if it somehow manges to get into some sort of arrangement with the carriers all over the world. Tough but considering its microsoft, not impossible.

2.  Integrate it with facebook and in return get a bigger pie of facebook. Well this kills two birds with one shot. If they can convince the bad boy of the internet to give away 20% of facebook and get full skype integration into facebook, its a “kill shot” against google. Over night we have microsoft the “king of internet” with more than 1 billion users, the hugest online ad-base we have ever seen and a business unit that is powerful enough to take away google’s “bread and butter”. Microsoft can further improve the position if they can get twitter too. The company will cost another 3-4 billion but will essentially suffocate googles future cash flow, but than such a move could backfire as online community doesnot actually like the idea of “microsoft being the king with google running for cover”.

3. Create a global virtual mobile network buying Nokia or HTC and launching phones which use skype to make calls over the data network which can be wi-fi or data plans of carriers. Get into arrangements with network providers with a revenue sharing deals suiting each country. This can create a whole new “microsoft” alltogether.

Lastly, all these ideas may seem far fetched but considering microsoft is not using its position to its own advantage, I dont see any hurdle except for the fact, too many companies will suffer from such an integration and hence, enemy of my enemy is my friend can come to play helping google or network providers more than actually helping microsoft. At this moment, with mobile phones becoming more popular and powerfull, microsoft cannot alienate the network providers or get into another legal battle, I doubt they will do any such thing but one thins is sure, when BILL GATES supports and encourages something for Microsoft, it is best for the company.

Do you people think microsoft can do this? Are you excited about skype becoming more part of windows enviornment and our lives? Don’t you guys think, Microsoft deserves a chance to take some shots at google if given a fair chance? Are you too of the view that Microsoft should be allowed to do things that helps them rather than there competitor, they worked hard to reach the position of dominance so they have every tight to enjoy it (something US does so frequently)?

2011
05/21
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Osama: terror against terrorist

Osama bin Laden died today. Well he previously too have died many times but America seriously hopes they have killed the right Osama this time. So who exactly was Osama. My friends over facebook and twitter were all are so happy commenting and tweeting, as if the world will be a peaceful place now, we will live in harmony and there will be no wars. Too bad, the realities are just as far away as the sun is from the moon even though they are in the same sky.

Osama bin laden was born in the same world and he had the same things to eat as we all have if we are lucky unlike 50% of the world. Yet, we notice a huge difference in his approach to life. He had everything. Money, social status, secure future, family and loads of women around him and yet he chose the path less travelled and he became the best in it, worst to the world. No doubt he was evil but he was not what most think he was. He built the most sophesticated terror network in the world, al-kaida and they were powerful enough to fight national armies and run parallel government as they are doing in Pakistan.

Osama throughout his terror life was either with America or against America. This sounds familiar. He was not alone, many have tried the same thing, you cannot stay or be a American partner in crime for long. Countries realise the mess sooner or later. Osama always targeted America, American policies and American dictatorship on the world. He may not be intresting in saving the world but he was intrested in teaching America lessons. He was against a government that wanted terroists to be used against American enemies but if these same rise against you, its time to start the mass killing all around the world in the name of “justice” killing innocent civillians, children and leaving the left overs as handicap uncapable of even raising there voices. He died the death of a coward that America created, yet he was brave enough to challenge a nation who is the modern day Rome, drunk in power and self blief..

I don’t sympathise with al-kaida or any other terror organisation. I live in Kashmir and have suffered for 23 years and I am 22 years old. I was in my mom’s womb when the first bomb exploded in my town. But, I am not ready to accept the deaths of innocent people all around the word by American forces in the name of “war on terror” as justified. I donnot accept countries demonstarting the superior military strength of American defence companies. I see innocent women and children with destroyed lives, destroyed bodies and I feel the pain and the anger. Osama too felt the same or may be he was doing it for his personal reasons and he night have used religion as a tool to exploit youth and raised an army of trouble makers, but America and western forces are too involved in the battle of supremacy, killing countries and creating there army infrastructure. USA inspite of all its economics trouble never in the past 10 years reduced its defense spendings in the name of natioanl security and the defense companies have earned a lot from its tax payers. Osama made a lot of these people a lot richer than we thought they were.

Enough talk, I seriously hope if the one who killed 3000 is served justice, may be those who killed 150000 civillians are atleast called what they are, murderers and not world savers.

I seriously hope people who read the post understand the issue I was trying to address here. Also, do you guys think, its time we start talking about the real criminals? Also, dear readers, I am not anto- american but dont you think the nations top level is totally inhuman in everything they do?

2011
05/03
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When India got UNITED

A few days back, an interesting phenomena was seen all around the world. The common man exercising its powers. For the first time in the history of “new world democracy”, masses fought for there rights. It happened in America, middle east, Central Asia, China and various other unknown or rather less important parts of the world. The common factor in all these revolts or rebel uprisings was “being against the government”. I stay in India and as an Indian, I have always felt proud of living in the free-st society. But, we also had over revolution or rather awakening. ANNA HAZARE, a noted social activist, known for his efforts to improve the Indian society and his clean up acts in the political system went on hunger strike against the government. The reason was not to dethrown them or to make changes in the democratic system. He wanted, rather we all want, the government to take action against the rising corruption. The 73 year old man sitting on hunger strike was an eye opener for most of the countrymen. The media was all over. Candle light vigil. Mass protest all around the country. Youth was up against government and all this was happening in the pure gandhian way. Non-voilent, peacefull protest against the government inefficiencies.

I was amazed by the way our nation still believes in the non-voilent ways when the world around us is crumbling in war. Americans consider bombing as the only solution. The Libiyan rebels, heavily armed are so confident that they are fighting with there own army (now CNN call them African mercenaries, before the were the Royal Guards, often protecting American Presidenst and officials), Egypt was peacefull only to see a few hundred die in the night, Yemen, Algeria and the latest being the Ivory Coast. Modern day world has one strange notion or tendency. Blood is the only solution. The world has not learned anything from the Indian example, we used non-voilence 60 years back to get our independence and we still use it and use it successfully. Governments in India understands what they should be doing and citizen realises there duty towards the nation. Voilence for an Indian, can never be, a solution to a problem.

American politics recognise themselves as the oldest democracy and now a days they are the first or youngest barbarics. European nations are following the order. France, UK are leading the way now. What is different with us (INDIA) and the rest of the world. Not much, yet have always had faith in our systems and our morals. Voilence is a chain reaction. You kill them, they kill you and it keeps on going. Non-voilence is effective, peacefull and it causes the desired damage. I dont say, it works always, but atleast you don’t have to kill your own men for the sake of a bright future. A future so bright that you end up in huge debts. US, UK are in a big mess. France, Italy are soon going to follow them. Libya, Egypt are destroyed economically no matter how beautifully CNN and BBC present them to the world. An economist will always know the true cost of a war.

India, in these last few days showed the power of people and that republic is about public and nothing else. The fight against corruption has not ended or won but, it showed the world that we still are the same. The uneducated farmer is now running a multi billion dollar outsourcing business but his heart still belongs to the same Indian philosphy. We Indians belive in human god. We worship human gods and we truely cultivate humanity in our heart. Never in the history of India, we have invaded a country.

ANNA HAZARE is a common man with no political or monetary support. He lives in a temple and donates most of his time for the work of humanity, making lives of other better, fighting the wrong and doing only the right. The smile on his face speaks a lot about the peace he is in with his life. The man is true Indian believer. he has enlightened our belief. I don’t consider if his demands of a new legislation and stricker law against the corrupt can work in the irradication of wide spread corruption in our country, but i know onething for sure. Indians are non-voilent not by chance but by choice and in todays world, its something to be proud of and keeps our faith in HUMANITY.

 

 

2011
04/14
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One World-One Government/Rule

Vasudev kutumbhkum

I have studied the world economics and global business trade and how these factors influence the decision making and political landscapes around the world. A famous economist from Japan Mr. Kenichi Ohmae, stated that the national states are dead. He said that as more and more multinational corporations are mushrooming around the world, the national boundries will not matter anymore to most of the people, the consumers as well as the producers.

Looking at the world we live in at the moment, I stand in favour of this very bold statement. But, I also think that instead of boundry-less world, we may be heading to a world which is dominated by pro-cpaitalistic policies of the USA. And as the Chineese economy starts to influence the global political enviornment we will be heading towards a polarised world. And countries like India, China, Germany which always try to seek their good and don’t interfare in global decision making will find it increasingly difficult to maintain an identity for themselves. We have seen an experiment being conducted in the European continent with its share of success and a fair amount of troubles. But, it has proved to the world that we can live in a united world if we choose to do so.

Whatever side the world chooses, my wish is fairly straight forward. There are things that are good in capitalistic pro-USA policies and things which are good in social Chineese structure of governance, but the fact of the matter is, people want basic items of life. Nearly 80% of the world population needs food, shelter, clean drinking water, proper sanitation and clothing. So, we are not looking at a prosprous world as in the case of european experiment, but we have a world which is two different worlds in intself. One is a generation of Apple
Ipads and designer clothing, which live in flash lights and glitterring clubs and the other is a world which fights for survival.

This whole discussion, though very complicated to explain and to understand leads me to a famous saying in Indian historical texts and Hindu mythology. “Vasudev Kutumbhakumb” which means the whole world is one family. This may not be what Mr.Kenichi Ohmae was trying to explain. Neither is this anyway similar to the european experiment of common currency in a borderless europe nor the way Chineese and USA wants it to
be but this is definately what we the people can create.

Universal brotherood in a borderless world, living as one family which takes all its disfunctional units
together”

2011
03/15
CATEGORY
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