This week Google Inc. announced the completion of its work on a free Web archive on legendry anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. Now just a click away is an online multimedia treasure trove of photographs, manuscripts (notes he scribbled on his desk calendar, diary entries from 27 years in prison and letters he wrote to his family) video footage of his journeys around the world and the earliest-known photo of Mr. Mandela.
This project — an initiative of Google Cultural Institute and the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory — was started a year ago when Google announced a $1.25 million grant to the centre, offering to help preserve and digitise material. The free archive allows anybody to access a wealth of information about the life and legacy of this extraordinary South African leader. It also allows one to search and browse the archives to explore different facets or chronological events in depth. Similar initiatives by Google that have been announced before include the Art Project, digitising the Dead Sea Scrolls and bringing the Yad Vashem Holocaust materials online.
SAP offers iPad app on World Autism Day
As part of its ‘hAPPfy' project, on April 2 (World Autism Day), SAP Labs India unveiled ‘Bol', an iPad application built to assist individuals affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Bol integrates three key elements: auditory (record a voice over description), visual (take a picture), and instant feedback, allowing children under ASD not only to associate objects with sounds, but also gain a comprehensive understanding of the environment around them. This simple, easy-to-use application was conceptualised by the SAP Labs India volunteer group and developed by three senior software developers, who took time out from their regular work schedule, a release from SAP Labs stated. The application is user-friendly and customised to cater to the needs of autistic children in India. The aim was to make an application that parents and educators of the children could configure themselves based on their needs.
The employee volunteer group at SAP Labs India has been working in close association with the Autism Society of India under Project Prayas. It also set up an iPad lab in June 2011 to provide technology-based learning to children affected by ASD, their parents and educators.
‘Indian firms soft target for phishing attacks'
Indian companies lost Rs. 171.94 crore in 2011 due to phishing attacks that increased in volume from 115,009 attacks recorded in the first half of 2011 to 164,571 in the second half of the year, research by RSA, the security division of EMC, found. The study also ranked India in the Top 5 most targeted countries for phishing attacks.
Globally, the loss to companies due to phishing attacks was estimated at Rs. 5,760 crore. Further, according to the study in 2011, approximately one in every 300 emails circulating the Web was deemed to contain elements pointing to phishing.
Most phishing content targeted the public sector, which was followed by the SME business sector. A majority of these were targeted phishing attacks aimed at leveraging known brands in fake emails that attempt to fool email recipients, the study noted.
Awareness on IP and patents
IBM India announced its partnership with College of Engineering, Pune, (COEP) to create awareness among students and entrepreneurs on the importance of intellectual property and patents. As part of the partnership, IBM India University Relations would enable the faculty of COEP, through special lectures and a customised faculty programme, to deliver an educational module that emphasises the need to protect intellectual property and means to registering it. The module is aimed at MTech students of COEP, a release from IBM stated.
As a part of the partnership, IBM announced that it would share with students some of the best practices that have helped the organisation in being among the world's most inventive companies for nearly two decades.
