www.musharraf.org still shows the message:

sorry….! we will come back soon.

Defaced page can be found here: http://zone-h.org/mirror/id/12838303

That might put a bit of a dampener on sales, but what it can’t do is dent our opinion of its latest handset: where the Wave was disappointing, the Galaxy S is a cracker of a phone.

Not that you’d know it from simply looking at it or picking it up. It’s far from the design triumph that the iPhone 4 is, and it isn’t as nice to hold as the HTC Desire either. It’s light, a little bit plasticky, and the chrome effect trim that curves around the edge of the front fascia makes it look and feel like a cheap, knock-off copy of the iPhone 3GS.

But try as it might, it still can’t quite rival the iPhone 4 all round. Whites aren’t quite as pure, and the latter still wins out on sheer resolution. Due to the pen-tile arrangement of the sub-pixels in OLED screens, which means effective resolution isn’t quite as high as the quoted resolution, it’s noticeably grainier. The larger screen size, however, ensures that small text is just as readable.

Performance:

Nearly as impressive as the screen is the sheer performance of the Galaxy S. Thanks to the 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor, it’s the quickest, slickest, smoothest Android phone yet. It hardly stuttered, no matter how much we asked it to do. Over a fast Wi-Fi connection it loaded the full BBC home page in an average of nine seconds, level with the HTC Desire and iPhone 4.

In the SunSpider benchmark it completed the tests in 15.5 seconds compared to the iPhone 4’s time of just over 10 seconds. Its score of 93 out of 100 in the Acid 3 standards is good, but again falls slightly behind the iPhone 4’s perfect 100.

With battery life it’s the same story. We recorded 50% capacity remaining (rounded to the nearest 10% for fairness) after our 24-hour test, in which we make a 30-minute phone call, force the screen on for an hour, download a 50MB podcast and then play it through headphones for an hour. And all the while, we’re polling for new email every half hour.

That suggests the Samsung Galaxy S will survive a day of heavy use and maybe two days’ light to moderate use if you’re really careful; once more, it falls slightly behind the iPhone 4.

The 5-megapixel camera lags further behind the iPhone’s, however; shots looked a lot softer with no LED to help out in low light. Responsiveness is good, and features such as image stabilisation and touch-to-focus add to its appeal, but because the auto focus doesn’t work as well it’s less reliable than the iPhone’s camera in terms of getting the shot you want. The video mode is better, however, shooting crisp, colourful footage at 720p, 30fps.

Call quality was absolutely fine and the speaker is good enough to project Google Maps’ satnav voice instructions at top volume without distorting or breaking up. It’s interesting to note, however, that just as the iPhone 4’s signal bars fall away if gripped in a certain way, the same happens with the Samsung Galaxy S.

In some locations we were able to get the signal indication bars at the top of the screen to fall from four down to nothing, simply by wrapping a hand gently around the phone’s bottom half. In general use, however, we experienced no dropped calls, and call quality remained solid, as did data connections. We don’t think it will be an issue for most users, but if you do order one and live in a weak signal area, it’s something to look out for.

Software:

In terms of its hardware, then, the Galaxy S is hard to fault. The software, however, is harder to pigeonhole. In many ways it’s brilliant.

The Swype text entry option, for instance, allows you to slide your finger over the letters of the onscreen keyboard to create words (instead of tapping) and, as we discovered at the launch of the device, it works brilliantly. See the video below for a demonstration.

Excellent word completion helps it to reliably predict what you intended to write, even if you’re not that accurate with your traces. When you come up against a word that isn’t in the dictionary, it’s just as good: simply tap it out normally, then select the word in the resulting pop-up menu to add it to the dictionary for future use, or simply hit Space to continue.

It really takes mobile phone text entry to the next level, and it’s accompanied by a good selection of pre-installed apps. We particularly liked Text and Go: a notepad app on steroids that acts as a hub for text messaging, memo writing, and even social networking status updates.

Also thrown in is ShareAll, a media-streaming tool that lets you play music and video files from shared network locations to the phone, from the phone to compatible DLNA streamers or from shared locations to DLNA streamers. Think of it as a souped-up, networked remote control. You also get Aldiko (an eBook reader), the enhanced reality viewer Layar, driving game Asphalt 5, and ThinkFree Office, which allows you to view and edit documents. We shouldn’t forget the inclusion of Google’s free turn-by-turn satnav as well.

Samsung’s Android customisations, meanwhile, are subtle but useful. Pull down the status menu from the top of the screen and you’ll see shortcuts for turning Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on and off, plus a pair of buttons to put the phone into silent and vibrate mode.

Along the bottom of each of the Galaxy’s seven horizontally scrolling home screens are shortcuts for the phone screen, contacts, texting (which offers a threaded view) and applications. More important, however, is the fact that the Galaxy S runs Android 2.1, which means enhanced Exchange support.

The social networking tools are pretty good too. They’re not quite as all-encompassing as HTC’s Sense equivalents, offering only MySpace, Facebook and Twitter feeds, as well as contact and calendar synchronisation. There’s no push option for updates and the phone only lets you check once an hour for updates.

But the contacts view is very good, successfully marrying information (including photos) from all sources and it attempts to automatically link duplicates too. We’re particularly fond of the ability to view recent updates, phone calls, texts and even a person’s social networking media via his or her contacts entry.

There’s no Flash support, however, and we have a big beef with the desktop synchronisation application – Samsung Kies. Mimicking a desktop within a window, this facilitates everything from media transfer to firmware updates and includes a whole load of extra features from disc burning, video conversion and Outlook contact sync to basic photo editing.

It even includes its very own Samsung version of Windows Explorer, which you use to browse the contents of the phone’s 8GB integrated storage. It’s terribly clunky.Fortunately, once installed you can use Windows to chuck files back and forth instead.

Conclusion:

Combine that with the gorgeous 4in OLED screen, lightning-quick performance, and an excellent software complement (boosted by the huge repository of downloadable apps from the Android Market) and you have a high-class alternative to the iPhone 4.

We doubt it will dissuade those who have their hearts set on one of Apple’s handsets – the industrial design isn’t as good, the camera is a notch behind, and neither is the music player software as elegant – but if you don’t have the cash for an iPhone 4, or simply don’t like Apple, this is very nearly as good.

It is hoped that the customers will derive the utmost value out of this amazing new offer. Customers can call 111 for activation and details. Club indigo members may contact their Account Manager for more details. Talk across the globe and experience unprecedented accessibility, only with Mobilink indigo.

Monthly subscription charges:

• for i-1500 & i-Unlimited: Rs 50 per group.
• for i-100, i-400, i-900: Rs 100 per group.

Note:

• Both products can be opted for simultaneously.
• Charges will be prorated based on the dates of subscription.
• The product will be on auto subscription after the first month.
• Customers who do not have an ISD, cannot subscribe to this product. The applicable rules dictate that the customer should get their ISD opened.
• Terms & conditions apply.
• Additional security deposit may be required to activate International Dialing Facility.

This applies on all phone calls no matter what their duration or destination is. Be it one second or one hour, or anything in between, each call made to any network yields ten minutes free.

How to subscribe:

Free minutes Eid offer can be subscribed  by dialing *38#

Offer charges:

One time Subscription charges are Rs.3 exclusive of tax

Terms & Conditions:

• Free minutes are given on calls made on on-net, off-net and on International numbers
• This offer is valid for the first, second and third day of Eid.
• Free minutes will be given on the fifth day of Eid
• Free minutes will be given only for calls from ufone to ufone
• Free minutes are valid for one day only
• Maximum limit on free minutes is 500
• Free minutes will not be given on to the calls made on shortcodes or free numbers.
• Terms and Conditions apply.
• 19.5% FED on usage and 10% withholding tax at recharge or bill applies.

WLL sector’s tele-density stood at 1.6 percent by end of July 2010. The Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of the subscribers’ verification process is almost the same like the one for cellular phone sector. The NADRA will charge Rs 13 per verification fees for each connection.

PTA along with all cellular operators introduced ‘Online Verification of Mobile Subscribers’ antecedents through NADRA’s Database-789 in February 2009. Sector sources told Daily Times that the process had been initiated six months ago with a couple of operators –Wateen and Worldcall, which has cleaned up its 100 and 60 percent data having verified their subscribers’ data with NADRA.

“Every operator of WLL sector will follow the same suit and establish their call centre and its related set up at the earliest,” PTA Chairman Dr Muhammad Yaseen said.

The facilitation of the genuine subscribers must be our top priority, but not at the cost of national security. Fake subscribers must be discouraged at any cost and all-out technical and other efforts must be made in this regard, he added.

It is also directed to all WLL operators to clean up their fake connections after rectifying the data of their existing subscribers with NADRA. PTA chief urged the WLL operators to spare no stone unturned while issuing the new connections strictly in accordance with the laid down procedures for new regime.

PTCL is leading in the WLL market with 1.2 million connections followed by Telecard 0.588 million users and WorldCall 0.581 million subscribers.

Mobilink, Pakistan’s market leader in cellular services and a part of Orascom Telecom Holding, is rapidly expanding the outreach of its flood relief efforts and continues to deliver healthy food and basic necessities to flood victims across the country.

The efforts are being channeled through the Mobilink Foundation using the Rs 85 million pledged Mobilink and OTH exclusively for Flood Relief efforts. In addition to this, Mobilink employees have generously contributed more than Rs. 6 million from their salaries and generated funds with the help of family and friends through collection points set up in 22 Mobilink offices across Pakistan. The procurement, packing items into family units, loading and distribution is being managed end to end by Mobilink employees who have donated their personal time to relief efforts.

Mobilink Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Mobilink, has mobilized its team of volunteers who have distributed over 44,000 bottles of clean drinking water, 1,860 packs of dry food rations 3,900 hygiene kits, 500 bags of atta, and 7,215 ready to eat food packs amongst the affectees. Through its efforts, Mobilink has touched more than 15 locations including the suroundings of Multan, Muzaffargarh, Nowshera, Tarru Jabba, Thetar Khel, Dera Ghazi Khan, Charsadda, Agha Khel, Khwazakhela & Madyan, Swat, Sukkur, D.I. Khan as well as smaller towns and villages across Pakistan.

In addition to this support, Orascom Telecom has also launched special international campaigns in Greece and Egypt to raise awareness and funds for flood-relief activities in Pakistan.

In the past Mobilink has carried out relief efforts for the 2005 earthquake victims and a large relief camp for accommodating 1,000 families of IDPs from Swat.

Since commercial power has not reached most of the areas where USF is running rural telecom projects, it proved to be a barrier to provide smooth uninterrupted telecom service. Even where commercial power infrastructure is available, the availability of power is extremely limited.

As a result, the telecom operators had to rely completely on diesel generators. Not only there was the cost of diesel, the transport and re-fueling at these sites was also a big and expensive hassle. At the same time, there was also a great need for cross-cutting operational expenses for maintenance of remote and hard-to-reach sites. Therefore, following a consultative process where all stakeholders participated, it was decided that operators will bid for all future infrastructure in un-served areas with renewable energy solutions.

This decision has played an important role in reducing the energy costs and is also a small contribution towards dealing with the energy crisis in Pakistan. Moreover, this initiative will also help in reducing carbon content in the atmosphere.

Overall, the projects being executed by Universal Service Fund are showing great progress as the number of previously un-served Mauzas where service has been provided has crossed 3,500 and number of small towns and cities with broadband connections is approaching 200. At the same time, nearly 1,000 kms of Fiber Cables have been laid to connect Tehsils so far not served with Optical Fiber. Technical Audits are in progress at all the sites where the Operators have claimed to have completed the milestones, as payments are made only after full verification of the achieved targets by technical auditors.

A special campaign titled “Join Hands with Samsung” is being organized in association with SOS Children’s Village – a global organization that focuses on family-based, long-term care of children. This campaign will take place in Pakistan, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, KSA, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

During the campaign, which starts on August 5 and ends on September 12, Samsung will donate SAR-1 for every newly registered user on www.samsungramadan.com. The website, which is available in Arabic, English and French, will soon be the world’s biggest virtual human chain. The money will be donated through SOS Children’s Village which will help build a community school in Kasur, which is an impoverished area near Lahore and in acute need of development. This will give the less fortunate children a have a chance for a better tomorrow. Samsung had initiated a similar campaign in 2009, and the funds from it had been utilized in making computer labs for SOS Children’s Village Dodhial.

The General Manager, Samsung Pakistan Mr. Steve Han said; “Ramadan is a time for charity and giving and we would like to use this opportunity to try and make a difference in society. At Samsung we believe in giving back to the community and this commitment is reflected by this campaign “Join Hands with Samsung”.

Exclusive Ramadan downloads as well as interesting information and tips about fasting will be featured on the website and made available for all registered users. Registered users also stand a chance to win Samsung phones, Cameras and Hard Disk Drives for every friend they invite to this noble cause.  Mrs. Khola Mustafa, President of SOS Children’s Village Association of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan said  “We at SOS Children’s Village are thankful for Samsung’s support for this charitable initiative to spread the joyful spirit of Ramadan to as many underprivileged children as possible”.

In the picture, Mr. Roy Chang, Mr. Zeshan Quershi, Mr. Usman Tariq from Samsung Electronics and Mr. Salman Ahmed and Mr. M. Asraf Yousuf from Teletec Enterprises inaugurating the Samsung customer Service with Teletec at Murree Road Rawalpindi.

Awais Malik is a seasoned professional with over ten years of experience in the telecommunications industry in Pakistan. He possesses special expertise in products, strategy development, execution and management.

As Director Marketing Segments, Strategy, Products & International Business at ZONG he was responsible for creating and managing ZONG’s overall marketing and pricing strategy in order to increase customer acquisition / retention and revenue.

An MBA in Marketing from the University of Management & Technology, Lahore, Awais Malik joined ZONG in January 2008 as Head of Marketing Segments, VAS & International Business. Prior to joining ZONG he was Head of VAS & Product Development (Marketing) at Mobilink GSM Pakistan where he served for nearly seven years with distinction.

(Source: TelecomRecorder)

Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry of the LHC passed the order while hearing a writ petition seeking permanent ban on Facebook, a social networking website, for again holding a competition of blasphemous nature namely “Everybody Burn Quran Day”.

On the court’s notice, Mudassir Hussain, Director Telecom Wireless, appeared before the court on Wednesday. He told the court that owners of the Facebook through an e-mail had informed him on July 22 that they had removed objectionable material from the site. He said objectionable pictures had also been removed from Wikipedia, Youtube and all other websites.

Defending the Facebook, Mudassir said there were some other websites which displayed such material but no one raised voice against them. He added that prime minister had constituted Inter Ministerial Committee in 2006 to keep check on website and the committee was empowered to ban the site. He pointed out that petitioner should inform committee for removal of such objectionable material form the internet. Muhammad Azhar Siddique, petitioner counsel, rejected Mudassir’s arguments, stating that objectionable material was still accessible on Facebook and other sites. He said in previous hearings the director had undertaken before the court that they would block hatred material within twenty-four hours after its display. At this, the judge directed the director to inform the court about the steps they took to block the objectionable material from internet. On the request of the director, the judge gave time for filing reply in three weeks. On the request of the deputy attorney general, the judge ordered to connect two other petitions, pending before the court on the same matter, with this petition. The judge was holding hearing of a petition filed by Judicial Activism Panel seeking permanent ban on the website.

The website had already faced an interim ban by the LHC in the country for holding a blasphemous caricature competition of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Azhar Siddique argued that information ministry and PTA officials had assured LHC on May 31 that blasphemous and objectionable material would be removed from all sites including Facebook but the respondent authorities had failed to do so. Failure on the part of Pakistani authorities encouraged owner of website Facebook, as they had again announced a contest named “Everybody Burn-Quran Day” and also displayed blasphemous pictures of Khana-e-Kaaba.

He said no person was allowed to interfere in religious affairs of other person, as under United Nations convention on civil & political rights every country was bound to pass legislation to stop religious hatred. Likewise, Human Rights Commission of UNO had passed resolution on “Combating Defamation of Religions” and under which no one could air religious hatred or objectionable material against any religion.

The petitioner said Facebook might be permanently blocked/banned in Pakistan for airing and placing objectionable and blasphemous caricatures of our Holy Place Khana-e-Kaaba and be permanently restrained from committing blasphemy in Pakistan.

(Source: TheNews)

They said that more than 150 exhibitors are gathering to promote their products and services from the platform of this event.

Participants from more than 10 countries including China, Germany, Hong Kong, Iran, Turkey, UAE, UK and USA are attending the 10th ITCN Asia. The three-day event is being organized by Ecommerce Gateway Pakistan.

The ITCN Asia International Exhibition aims at providing opportunities to overseas and domestic exhibitors to interact together for joint ventures, transfer of technologies and appointing agents/ distributors/partners in Pakistan.

The event will focus on the immense potential of the IT and Telecom Industry in Pakistan and display latest Technological Advancements of Equipment, Product, Services and Techniques in the related fields.

The event also incorporates International Conferences on Telecom; Information Technology and Enterprise Resource Planning.

It’s always important to know whether your SMS has been delivered to the recipient or not. Previously, SMS delivery was given by most operators free of cost but due to the traffic on the messaging system owing to these delivery reports, most of the times the operators would shut down the delivery report service. This would leave subscribers in the dark having no option of knowing whether it is a system glitch or their SMS has not been delivered. Currently operators are revisiting their SMS delivery report situation and developing a charged subscription service for this purpose.

This service will add to the list of value added services being provided to its customers. With this service, customers will get information in real time as soon as the SMS is delivered to the recipient and will be assured of the delivery of their SMS on the destination.

Subscription:

For subscription, subscriber can send “SUB” to 533 for activation of this service

Charges:

The charges for Delivery Report Service are Rs 10+t per month.

(Source: TelecomRecorder)

The copper cable, loaded with 900-pair (lines), was cut from underground a manhole, located behind Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat during the night between Tuesday and Wednesday. Another affected building was of OGDCL and residences of government officials in the vicinity.

“We rushed an inquiry team to find out what exactly had happened and where was the problem and how much time will be needed to fix it,” said a senior of NTC, when this correspondent contacted him for his comments on the matter.

An NTC team was busy in fixing the line till the filing of this report, as it was learnt that within a few more hours, telephone lines will be functional again. He confirmed the problem had occurred, but was clueless as to how safety of the underground cable could be ensured.

“The reason for so much time consumption is that the cable was cut running from a manhole. Therefore, it was impossible to fix the problem underground. Earth was dug up 8-10 feet deep to bring out the cable to join the disconnected link,” the NTC official, who wished not to be mentioned here.

It was too early, he noted, in reply to a question, to say what the motive behind this unfortunate action was. But apparently, some addicts might have had done so, for a few hundred rupees. In the wake of privatization of Pakistan Telecommunication Limited, NTC was established to manage official (government) telephone lines.

“The ‘breakdown’ of the official phone connections in the heart of the capital could be seen as a serious lapse. And, why it took NTC so many hours to make the lines functional again,” remarked a worried-looking ministry official, who has his office in Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat.

(Source: TheNews)

Dell believes in serving its customers with the best, and this exciting meal offer is a part of the effort to establish a Dell-icious relationship with Dell consumers. This offer is Dell’s way of expressing appreciation and engaging towards customers with some refreshing moments at Hardees located on the MM Alam road and Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore.