6 Ways Business Could Change in 2013

 Time to dust off the crystal ball and start looking to the future. These might not seem like game-changers quite yet, but how you respond (and make plans) for these trends could impact your bottom line dramatically.

1. Reverse outsourcing will pick up speed.
Everyone knows the jobless rate is too high in the U.S. We seen an interesting trend for 2013, developing that will involve "redistributing jobs." That's a fancy way of saying businesses will bring jobs back to the U.S. from overseas. Even Apple has announced it plans to start building manufacturing facilities here, despite what Steve Jobs once told President Obama.

2. Reputation management gets serious.
According to Leah Luddine from TrendSetter Communications, businesses will become even more concerned about what others are saying about their brand on social networks. She says the issue will become more important because of a greater need for accuracy in reviews of a company service or how a brand is covered online, and because tools like Reputation.com now work more effectively.

3. Flash will finally give way to HTML5.
Mobile browsers used to run slowly unless you had a fast 4G connection. That's changing all across the U.S., which means the technology behind the browser will start to change. Case in point: HTML5 can transmit rich content on your phone without the burden of compatibility. That's why Peter Friedman, the CEO of content management company LiveWorld, says HTML5 will start to replace Adobe Flash for movies, animations, and other rich content.

4. Email will decline slowly and painfully. 
We've seen this one coming for years. Anyone under 20 barely uses email anymore. But LiveWorld's Friedman says email will decline even more in 2013 as businesses switch to social networks like Yammer and start broadcasting shorter messages on Twitter and through SMS. These more instant communication methods result in faster businesses processes, and we can all appreciate that.

5. The end of email marketing is coming.
Speaking of the decline of email in business, Friedman says you can expect another trend in 2013: As online survey tools and apps for idea generation (not to mention live chat tools like Google Hangout) become more popular, he says there won't be as much of a need for mass emails and bulk newsletters. If you can reach people using something like SurveyMonkey.com, why go bulk?

6. The fax machine will finally die.
There is one obvious reason why the fax machine has not died yet: No one can figure out how to make digital signatures work in the legal and real estate professions. In 2013, businesses will finally give in to a solid alternative like DocuSign and skip the paper contracts. Faxing, RIP.

Collected from INC.

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Soon, unlock your car with your NFC-enabled

Keep misplacing your car keys? Just wave your smartphone to unlock the door!

Engineers at South Korean automobile majorHyundai have invented a new system that will allow your smartphone to double as your car keys, and the technology will be made available to buyers within two years.

Rather than using Bluetooth, the system by Hyundai uses wireless Near Field Communication ( NFC), allowing you to lock and unlock the car by waving your phone over a small tag on the car window.

Inside the car, you place the phone on a pad in the centre console that wirelessly charges it while the content is synced and streamed to the car's infotainment system and touchscreen.

The system can also store in-car preferences, including radio stations, seating positions and even mirror adjustment - with multiple profiles able to be saved for different drivers.

The system was demonstrated on a concept version of Hyundai's popular i30 in Germany.

Hyundai said developing the system was part of the carmaker's aim of producing technology for the mainstream consumer, website carsguide.com.au reported.

"The Connectivity Concept showcases Hyundai's philosophy of making tomorrow's technology accessible to a wide range of customers," Hyundai Motor Europe chief operating officer Allan Rushforth said.

"With this technology, Hyundai is able to harness the all-in-one functionality of existing smartphone technology and integrating it into everyday driving in a seamless fashion," Rushforth said.

Google is not in the search business: Sundar Pichai, Sr VP for Chrome and Apps

Google's senior vice president for Chrome and Apps,Sundar Pichai, 40, is among the three Indians in the top team of CEO Larry Page. He is also the mind behind products such as Google Drive, Chrome and Apps. Pichai, an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, stopped over in Bangalore en route his annual visit to Chennai. In a chat with ET, he spoke about how search will evolve in the future and Facebook's search bar. Excerpts:

What is the reason behind the frequent Gmail outages? Can businesses trust Gmail and Google Apps with these frequent disruptions? 
We rarely ever have problems like this. But that's not an excuse. Sometimes a major inbound cable coming to a country gets damaged and we have to route that traffic to other data centres. Secondly, we are constantly changing the Gmail code. It is like refuelling a plane in mid air. It happens on a day-to-day basis. If you compare it with Windows, one gets to see only four versions of Windows in five years. But with Gmail we're constantly updating it. It's challenging. In the coming months, you'll see a lot more changes in Gmail. We are constantly thinking about how we can make our inbox easier.

We just launched Gmail for the iPhone in the US market. We will also be focussed on integrating our internal products with Gmail. India is a big market for Gmail. Our user base for Gmail has grown to 50 million users here. During Hurricane Sandy, organisations that were working on ground and rescuing people were running Google Apps. It was heartening when they came and told us that nothing happened to Google Apps all those days.

How does Google Apps plan to compete with Microsoft? 
Earlier, businesses were used to having this old system of end-to-end computing on a single platform. They are very worried now. They want to move to something different. There are two reasons. Employees don't necessarily use the same platform. 'Bring Your own Device' is a new norm in most companies, and most employees work on platforms ranging from iOS to Andorid. That gives us a big opportunity. Secondly, Microsoft's Windows 8 breaks the backward compatibility of its own end-toend ecosystem. The apps anyways will now have to be rewritten for the Metro look and feel. That will give Google a huge window to break into apps for businesses in the new year.

Does Google fear that Facebook can change the dynamics of online search in the future? 
Anytime a company like Facebook does something, it'll have an impact. We believe innovation is important for all of us to advance. We'll see what they do. We are sending tremendous social signals via Google Plus, which we'll constantly be integrating into our services. Search, as we define it today, will evolve. One of the things why people underestimate search is because it looks so simple. But when others try to do, the complexity of it comes out. About 20% of the queries we get everyday are new. At superficial level, others can match what we're doing, but to keep up with information on a day to day is hard.

So, will Google be in the search business five years from now? 
Five years hence, if we are doing search the way we are now, we will certainly be doing something wrong. The current search definition won't make any sense then. We, as Google, are not in the search business. We are in the business of knowledge. For instance, Wikipedia is one of the most important sources of knowledge now. In future, there will be completely new ways of getting knowledge. Take the classic analogy of how railroads went out of business in the US when national highways were built. What they didn't realise was that they were in the transportation business and not in the Railways business. That's how we think.
How is Google's cloud strategy different from Apple's or Microsoft's? 
Today, most of the competing services require you to use their ecosystem to fully avail their services. For example, IE 10 makes available cloud experience but they ( Microsoft) expect you to use Windows. For the Mac, they ( Apple) expect you to use iPhones andiPads. Google's cloud strategy spans across devices and platforms. Our goal in the new year is to help users live in the cloud, independent of the device they are using one should have a continuous experience.Chrome is an essential part of that strategy where users just sign in, and get the same experience everywhere replete with autocomplete forms, web-links and bookmarks. Mobile is a big focus for us. We have this year launched Chrome and Gmail for iOS as well.Google drive also has a multiplatform strategy with good editors for both iPhones and Androids.

When is the Chromebook going to be available in India? 
We just launched the Chromebook this year with our partners Samsung and Acer, priced at $249 (about Rs 13,700 now) and $199 respectively, in the US. Now we have reached the stable stage. We will be launching the Chromebook in at least two countries in the Asia Pacific region by March 2013. Unfortunately, India is not part of that. Launches are dependent on our partners. They have to be committed to make it happen in any country. Hopefully it will happen soon. Affordable devices such as the Chromebook will bridge the digital divide. The challenge in India is the diversity. For a market such as Vietnam, a service launched in one language may be sufficient. But in India, with over 22 languages from Kerala to Assam, it's a huge challenge for us to customise our cloud experience to all local languages.

Facebook creates private posts that disappear after being read

Social networking site Facebook has launched a new app which erases pictures and messages within 10 seconds of being sent.

It is an advanced version of one of the the social networking site's original apps, the 'poke'.

The equivalent of a head nod or wink, the 'poke' in its old form is rarely used today as the site has become more advanced, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

It has now been reinvented to be called 'Facebook Poke' and allows users to send fleeting messages, pokes, photos and 10-second videos to friends.

The messages expire after a set period of time, from 1 to 10 seconds, and cannot be retrieved by either party again, making it perfect for sending salacious images without leaving a trail.

"With the Poke app, you can poke or send a message, photo, or video to Facebook friends to share what you're up to in a lightweight way," said the site in a blog post announcing the new app.

When you open the app, you can choose from a set of icons at the bottom of the screen to send a poke, type a 120-character message, open the camera to snap a picture - you cannot choose an existing photo - or shoot a 10-second video.

You then decide how long you want the recipient to see the message for.

It is said the new facility is similar to Snapchat, an app which is popular with younger age users, and which has gained a reputation as a tool for sending risque images.

Facebook is encouraging users to report inappropriate messages.

"If you ever see something you're uncomfortable with, you can click the gear menu and report it," the paper quoted the company as saying.

Mobile app to help women in distress send quick SOS alerts

Women in the country can now look forward to alerting their friends and family through the push of a button on sensing danger using a mobile application called 'Fight Back'.

Developed by mobile value added services provider CanvasM, the application tracks a user's location and sends SOS messages to selected contacts in case of an emergency.

"We feel the application can help make a woman feel safe, especially given the current law and order situation. The app allows them to press panic button whenever they feel unsafe. It tracks the location using GPS and alerts the right people," CanvasM CEO Jagdish Mitra told PTI.

The company is also in the process of integrating the solution with Delhi Police's back-end IT infrastructure. "This will enable Delhi Police to also get messages when somebody calls out for help and prompt action can be taken," he added.

There has been an outrage in the country over alleged rape of a paramedical student by six men in a moving bus. While the application is free for consumers in the Delhi-NCR region, other users will need to pay a subscription fee of Rs 100 per annum.

"Such incidents are shameful. The application is our way of contributing to make women feel safe," Mitra said. Fight Back is available for smartphones running on Android, Blackberry and Symbian operating systems, he said.

"We will soon come up with a similar SMS-based application so that the benefits can be extended to non-smartphone users as well," he added. While the application has been available for sometime now, it has seen about 3,000-4,000 downloads.

"The pick up is there but not as much as we had expected. We have been busy with building the ecosystem. We will now work on spreading awareness about the application," he said.

To spread awareness about Fight Back, the company is talking to various companies, including BPOs, and colleges. In addition, they are looking at tie-up with telecom operators and NGOs to promote the service.

"We are in talks with Delhi government as well," he said.

Intel to launch fourth-gen Core processors in 2013

 Chip maker Intel said it sees "renewed vigour" forms and designs of computing  devices like tablet PCs and convertibles in 2013 as input methods like voice and touch gain traction.

"Intel foresees a renewed vigour in computing in 2013 in the highly connected multi-device landscape. Traditional input devices like keyboards and mouse will be challenged by new input methods like voice and gesture recognition," Intel South Asia Director (Marketing) Sandye Aurora told reporters here.

Tablets, convertibles and newer devices will enter the market blurring the boundaries between PCs and tablets, he added.

Intel, which has a lion's share in the global computer chip market, will launch its fourth generation of Intel Core processor family in 2013.

This, it claims, will bring faster, thinner, lighter, cooler and more secure systems with built-in graphics.

"The new generation of processors will significantly boost performance of devices from mobiles totablets to Ultrabooks. As the world of personal computing continues to evolve, Intel will be at the forefront of advancements," he said.

In March this year, Intel had partnered with handset maker Lava to launch XOLO X900, which marked the chip maker's global foray into the smartphone segment. Also, lighter and less power consuming laptops -- Ultrabooks -- based on Intel processors hit the global market.

"Ultrabooks were launched in later part of the year and we think 2013 will be the year, we get to truly understand their potential. We will also see device makers bringing out ultrabook convertibles (which converts into a tablet)," he said.

Also, Intel will focus on the National Digital Literacy Mission in India, its initiative with industry body Nasscom and other industry players, to create a digitally literate population in the country.

"Intel has impacted over 1 million learners through its Intel Easy Steps Digital Literacy programme in India in 2012. We remain committed to working with the ecosystem and will work towards fulfilling the government's vision of having one e-literate person per household by 2020," Aurora said.

Beware, Facebook ads, deals can be a scam

Think before you click on links appearing on mobile devices on online buying of Christmas and New Year gifts as social networks and malicious mobile apps, among others, are the most common ways of attack by cyber criminals, says security software maker McAfee.

"Scammers use channels like Facebook and Twitter just like email and websites to scamconsumers during the holidays," said the '2012 Holiday Shopping Study', conducted online among over 1,100 Indian adults.

"Be careful when clicking or liking posts, while taking advantage of contests, ads and special deals that one gets from "friends" that advertise the hottest Holiday gifts (such as the new iPad Mini), exclusive discounts at local stores and holiday-related jobs postings," it added.

The most common ways of attack by cyber criminals is through social networks, malicious mobile apps, gift scams, fake charities and bogus gift cards, it said.

Three out of four (71 per cent) of those surveyed said they planned for using mobile devices. Even while they were aware of risks, they were willing to give away their personal information if they can get something they value in return, it said.

"Using multiple devices provides the bad guys with more ways to access your valuable 'Digital Assets' such as personal information and files, especially if the devices are under-protected," McAfee Labs Director Paula Greve said.

Among those Indians planning to use smartphones and/or tablets to purchase gifts this holiday season, almost 72 per cent said they were specifically planning to use apps for shopping and/or banking during the holiday season.

"As such, mobile devices have proven irresistible to cybercriminals, and now they are targeting mobile users through malicious applications...Indians are more likely to be a victim of a cyber scam. More than 23 per cent of polled Indians have been victims and almost 25 per cent of the polled Indians know someone who has been a victim," McAfee said in the study.

Though Indian respondents said they were concerned about personal information being stolen while using a mobile app on the smart phone or tablet, the highest compared to other countries (67 per cent), 95 per cent said they are willing to provide some level of personal information in order to receive an offer that is of value to them. India also scored highest on the ranking of sharing credit card details in order to receive such offers.

How IBM plans to change the way you work

 In about five years, you may be able to feel the touch of a Banarasi or a Kanjeevaram sari through your smartphone screen before buying it online, claims IBM.

This year the technology giant's Five in Five list talks about five such innovations that "have the potential to change the way people work, live and interact during the next five years," IBMsaid.

The 2012 list focusses on one element of the new era, the ability of computers to mimic the human senses in their own way, to see, smell, touch, taste and hear, it added.

IBM said its scientists are developing applications for the retail, healthcare and other sectors using haptic, infrared and pressure sensitiveBSE 4.72 % technologies to simulate touch, such as the texture and weave of a fabric.

Using the vibration capabilities of the phone, every object will have a unique set of vibration patterns that represents the touch experience, helping differentiate silk from linen or cotton, it said.

"We envision a day when computers make sense of the world around them just like human brain relies on interacting with the world using multiple senses," IBM India/South Asia Director ( India Research Lab) and Chief Technology Officer Ramesh Gopinath said.

Another innovation is built around sound. A distributed system of clever sensors will detect elements of sound like sound pressure, vibrations and sound waves at different frequencies. These inputs can then be interpreted to predict, for example when trees will fall in a forest or when a landslide may occur.

"Such a system will 'listen' to our surroundings and measure movements, or the stress in a material, to warn us if danger lies ahead," the company statement said.

Also, by learning about emotion and being able to sense mood will help improve customer call center interactions or allow seamless interacting between different cultures.

IBM said its researchers are also developing a computing system that actually experiences flavour, to be used with chefs to create the most tasty and novel recipes, it said.

During the next five years, tiny sensors embedded in computer or cellphone will be able to detect if one is coming down with a cold or other illness.

"By analysing odours, biomarkers and thousands of molecules in someone's breath, doctors will have help diagnosing and monitoring the onset of ailments such as liver and kidney disorders and asthma by detecting which odours are normal and which are not," it said.