My 14th column in “Vijaya Next” (Kannada) was about Group Buying in India. Main points were, Read more on Column: Ecommerce – save on group buying sites…

My twelfth column in “Vijaya Next” (Kannada) was about writing in Kannada script on PCs/internet. Main points were,

• In what language do most of us speak at home? In our ‘mother tongue’. When it comes to the internet, why should we communicate in English only? Luckily you don’t have to. You can write in ‘namma Kannada’.
• There are many people who can understand Kannada but cannot read/write Kannada. But their love for Kannada doesn’t stop them for writing Kannada in English, this is known as “Roman script”. You can write “Ee Sunday ninadu yenu planu? Nanu picturege hogethini”.
• Mytoday.com has launched news alerts in Kannada. But many phones don’t support Kannada font, so they have a channel for Kannada in Roman script.
• There are two basic options for keyboards – inscript & transliteration.
• Popular Kannada fonts: Baraha, Nudi, Lohit
• To read and write in Kannada on mobile phones, your handset maker should have shipped Kannada font with the phone. Check here for a list of mobile phones with Indian fonts.

Read more on Column: Want to type in Kannada on the internet?…

My eleventh column in “Vijaya Next” (Kannada) was about mapping applications. Main points were,

• One of the most often applications used on the mobiles these days is Maps.
• Devices like mobile phones have GPS receivers help you identify your exact location. There are 5 GPS satellites in orbit which are used by civil & military in various applications.
• GPS is owned and operated by the U.S. Government as a national resource. The first GPS satellite was launched on November 26, 1990 and the most recent launch was on May 28, 2010.
• GPS has become a widely used and useful tool for commerce, scientific uses, tracking and surveillance. GPS’s accurate timing facilitates everyday activities such as banking, mobile phone operations, and even the control of power grids. Farmers, surveyors, geologists and countless others perform their work more efficiently, safely, economically, and accurately. [from Wiki]
• Qualcomm tested GPS receivers in a mobile phone successfully in Nov 2004.
• The popular map providers in India are Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps, MapMyIndia.

Read more on Column: Use Internet Maps and you will never lose your way!…