Friday, September 12, 2008

China counts down to 3rd Manned space launch

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is counting down to 9.10 p.m. (9:10 a.m. EDT) on September 25 for its third manned space flight that will include a space walk, local media reported on Friday.

http://freewareindia.blogspot.com/2008/09/shweta-tiwari-false-case-of-domestic.html

In October 2003, China became the third country to put a man in space with its own rocket, after the former Soviet Union and the United States. It sent two more astronauts on a five-day flight on its Shenzhou VI craft in October 2005.

"We will check the weather conditions to decide whether to launch as planned," Huang Chunping, rocket systems consultant for the Chinese Manned Space Program, was quoted as saying by the Oriental Morning Post.

"The space walk will take place after the craft has made five orbits," he added.

Previous reports in Chinese state media had said the launch would be between September 25 and 30.

Last year, China sent into orbit its first lunar probe and its longer term goals include establishing a space station and landing on the moon.

China's space program has come a long way since late leader Mao Zedong, founder of Communist China in 1949, lamented that the country could not even launch a potato into space.

(Reporting by Yu Le; Editing by Nick Macfie)

One killed, 12 injured in Kashmir protests

One person was killed and twelve others injured on Friday afternoon when security forces fired at a mob in south Kashmir's Shopian town, the police said.

Indefinite curfew was imposed in the town, 56 km from in Srinagar.

The police in Srinagar said a group of people turned violent when they came out of the local mosque after offering Friday prayers.

"One person has died in this incident and twelve others are wounded. Seven of the injured persons have been taken to Srinagar hospitals for specialized treatment," a police officer said in Srinagar.

The joint co-ordination committee of both the separatist Hurriyat groups had asked the people to hold peaceful protests across the Valley after the Friday prayers.

Reports reaching in Srinagar from Shopian said the situation there was extremely tense and the authorities were having a tough time enforcing the curfew restrictions in the town.

The mob also ransacked and partially torched the office of the district magistrate in Shopian town.

Office Accounting Express 2008 (U.S. version)

Office Accounting Express 2008 (U.S. version)

Important notes: 1) At this time, Office Accounting Express 2008 is designed for US and UK based small businesses only and does not support local requirements outside of these two countries. The version you are about to download is the US version. If you require the UK version please visit www.msofficeaccounting.co.uk 

2) Microsoft Office Accounting 2008 requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0. If the Microsoft .NET framework is not installed on your computer, go to this page in the Microsoft Download Center to download and install the .NET Framework. Then, return to this page and install Office Accounting. 


Microsoft® Office Accounting Express is an easy to use accounting package that works with other Office applications you already know.

  • Save time on everyday tasks

    • Get started in minutes with a step by step interview wizard
    • Create invoices, track time and expenses and bank online
    • Enter data once and share it seamlessly with other Microsoft Office system programs
    • Manage payroll and accept credit cards with affordable add-on services that save you time and money
  • Get a complete view of your business

    • See customer, vendor, employee and financial data in one place
    • Get business insights with customizable reports
    • Easily share your books with your accountant through Office Live
  • Grow your business online

    • List items on eBay, manage sales and download transactions
    • Email invoices and get paid faster with PayPal
    • Process credit card payments directly in Office Accounting

    www.microsoft.com/office/accounting
    Microsoft Office Accounting Express 2008
    Microsoft® Office Accounting Express 2008 is
    an essential, easy-to-use tool for managing
    your home-based business.
    With the look and feel of familiar Microsoft
    Office products, Office Accounting Express
    2008 is easy to use and helps you save time,
    get organized, and do business online.
    You only need to enter data once so you can
    save time managing everyday financial tasks.
    All of your customer and financial information
    is stored in one place so that you have a
    complete view of your business. You also
    have the tools you need to sell online through
    eBay® and get paid faster.
    Save Time and Work More Efficiently
    Office Accounting Express 2008 is easy to use and
    allows you to enter information only once. Whether
    you’re creating quotes and invoices or writing
    checks, Office Accounting Express 2008 can help
    you complete tasks in less time.
    • Easy to learn and use.
    With Office Accounting Express 2008, you can
    get up and running quickly. The simple Startup
    Wizard walks you through the process of
    getting started, and the look and feel of
    familiar Microsoft Office programs makes it
    easy to find the features you need. You can
    also quickly import your existing data from
    Microsoft Office Excel®, Microsoft Money, and
    Intuit QuickBooks, so there is no need to start
    from scratch.
    The new Resource Center contains how-to
    articles, helpful tips, tricks and demos—even
    an accountant finder.
    Access helpful information from the Resource Center.
    • Spend less time managing everyday tasks.
    Creating and tracking customer quotes and
    invoices can be a daunting task for any small
    business. You might have some information
    stored in Microsoft Office Excel or Microsoft
    Office Word, while other data is buried in a pile
    of paperwork on your desk.
    Now you can use the integrated tools of Office
    Accounting Express 2008 to create quotes,
    invoices, and receipts quickly and easily. You
    can write checks, track expenses, and reconcile
    online bank accounts. You can also track
    employee time and manage payroll and taxes
    by using the integrated payroll services.*
    • Enter data only once.
    With Office Accounting Express 2008, you no
    longer need to retype data into your computer.
    You only need to enter data once. Information
    is shared across commonly used forms and
    other Microsoft Office programs like Microsoft
    Office Word and Office Excel. This capability
    enables you to create a quote and convert it
    into an invoice in just one click. It’s a simple
    way to reduce errors and make sure you get it
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    Save time by reusing information to create new
    documents, such as invoices.
    Get Organized
    Office Accounting Express 2008 enables you to get
    organized by storing and organizing all your
    customer and financial information in one place so
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    • Store and organize all your information in
    one place.
    You can now store and organize your customer,
    contact, employee, vendor, and financial
    information in a single program. Office
    Accounting Express 2008 and Office Outlook®
    2007 with Business Contact Manager share the
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    customer information stays up-to-date.
    View a customer’s financial history and create quotes from
    Office Outlook 2007.
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    in just one click.
    Use over 20 customizable reports to see how
    your business is doing at a glance.
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    accountant.
    Meeting with your accountant no longer
    requires days of preparation. Use Office
    Accounting Express 2008 to create a copy of
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Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)

What is Service Pack 1?

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/quick-start/sp1.aspx

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is the complete set of Windows Vista updates Microsoft has issued over the past year plus additional enhancements to improve your PC experience. SP1 doesn't add new features or require you to learn anything new—it simply makes your PC more reliable, run more smoothly, and even more enjoyable to use, all at no charge.

Updating your Windows Vista–based PC
Updating your Windows Vista–based PC

The easiest way to update your Windows Vista-based PC with SP1 is by using the Windows Update control panel. Just set Windows Update to automatically download important updates and Windows Update will download SP1 when it's available for your PC. (It could take a month or more before SP1 shows up on your PC, so please be patient.) After SP1 is downloaded you'll see an alert like this:

New updates are available on alert

Click on the alert to start the installation, which will take approximately one hour. (For the first half hour, you'll be able to use your PC. Then, you'll be asked to restart, and you won't be able to use your PC for the last half hour of the installation.)

You can also manually download and install Windows Vista SP1 from the Microsoft Download Center, but we strongly recommend using Windows Update. You should be an advanced computer user and have a broadband connection to consider using the Microsoft Download Center for SP1.

How to turn on automatic updates  How to turn on automatic updates

Upgrading from Windows XP
Upgrading from Windows XP

You may be able to upgrade a PC running Windows XP to Windows Vista with SP1. Use the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisorto see if your PC can run Windows Vista. You can get Windows Vista with SP1 from a retailer or from Windows Marketplace.

Get Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor  Get Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor

Windows Vista with SP1 on new PCs
Windows Vista with SP1 on new PCs

PCs with Windows Vista with SP1 will arrive at retailers beginning in April. But you don't need to wait. You can update a new Windows Vista–based PC to SP1 over the Internet, free of charge.

Shop for new PCs  Shop for new PCs

Free help updating with SP1
Free help updating with SP1

If you have problems installing SP1, Microsoft is here to help, free of charge—by e-mail, web chat, or telephone. Microsoft provides free support covering any issue you have with installing SP1, available until March 18, 2009. And, if you upgrade a Windows XP–based PC to Windows Vista with SP1, you get 90 days of free support.

Windows Vista SP1 installation support  Windows Vista SP1 installation support

Chinese mobiles to be banned

Government of India is contemplating to ban fraud chinese mobils which donot have a valid IMEI or Serial Number or Fraud Numbers. Government fears terrorists will use such fake mobiles and hence pose a security threat. Government is working to eliminate this by asking the regulators to ban these devices  or they may be stopped at entry into India.

This is what wiki says on IMEI

International Mobile Equipment Identity

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The International Mobile Equipment Identity or IMEI (pronounced /aɪˈmiː/) is a number unique to every GSM and UMTS and iDEN mobile phone as well as some satellite phones. It is usually found printed on the phone underneath the battery.

The IMEI number is used by the GSM network to identify valid devices and therefore can be used to stop a stolen phone from accessing the network. For example, if a mobile phone is stolen, the owner can call his or her network provider and instruct them to "ban" the phone using its IMEI number. This renders the phone useless, regardless of whether the phone's SIM is changed.

Unlike the Electronic Serial Number or MEID of CDMA and other wireless networks, the IMEI is only used to identify the device, and has no permanent or semi-permanent relation to the subscriber. Instead, the subscriber is identified by transmission of an IMSI number, which is stored on a SIM card which can (in theory) be transferred to any handset. However, many network and security features are enabled by knowing the current device being used by a subscriber.

Contents

 [hide]

[edit]Structure of the IMEI and IMEISV

The IMEI (14 digits plus check digit) or IMEISV (16 digits) includes information on the origin, model, and serial number of the device. The structure of the IMEI/SV are specified in 3GPP TS 23.003. The model and origin comprise the initial 8-digit portion of the IMEI/SV, known as the Type Allocation Code (TAC). The remainder of the IMEI is manufacturer-defined, with a Luhn check digit at the end (which is never transmitted).

As of 2004, the format of the IMEI is AA-BBBBBB-CCCCCC-D, although it may not always be displayed this way. The IMEISV drops the Luhn check digit in favour of an additional 2 digits for the Software Version Number (SVN) in the format AA-BBBBBB-CCCCCC-EE

AABBBBBBCCCCCCDEE
Reporting Body Identifier, indicating the GSMA-approved group that allocated the model TACThe remainder of the TACSerial sequence of the modelLuhn check digit of the entire number (or zero)Software Version Number (SVN).

Prior to 2002, the TAC was 6 digits long and followed by a two-digit Final Assembly Code (FAC), which was a manufacturer-specific code indicating the location of the device's construction.

For example the IMEI code 35-209900-176148-1 or IMEISV code 35-209900-176148-23 tells us the following:

TAC: 352099 so it was issued by the BABT and has the allocation number 2099
FAC: 00 so it was numbered during the transition phase from the old format to the new format (described below)
SNR: 176148 - uniquely identifying a unit of this model
CD: 1 so it is a GSM Phase 2 or higher
SVN: 23 - The 'software version number' identifying the revision of the software installed on the phone. 99 is reserved.

The format changed from April 12004 when the Final Assembly Code ceased to exist and the Type Approval Code increases to eight digits in length and became known as the Type Allocation Code. From January 12003 until this time the FAC for all phones was 00.

The Reporting Body Identifier is allocated by the Global Decimal Administrator; the first two digits must be decimal (ie less than 0xA0) for it to be an IMEI and not an MEID.

The new CDMA Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID) uses the same basic format as the IMEI.

[edit]Retrieving IMEI information from a GSM device

On many devices the IMEI number can be retrieved by entering *#06#. The IMEI number of a GSM device can be retrieved by sending the command AT+CGSN. For more information refer the 3GPP TS 27.007, Section 5.4 /2/ standards document.

Retrieving IMEI Information from an older Sony or Sony Ericsson handset can be done by entering these keys: Right * Left Left * Left * (Other service menu items will be presented with this key combination).

The IMEI information can be retrieved from most older Nokia mobile phones by pressing *#92702689# (*#WAR0ANTY#), this opens the warranty menu in which the first item is the serial number (the IMEI). The warranty menu also shows other information such as the date the phone was made and the life timer of the phone.

The IMEI can frequently be displayed through phone menus, under a section titled 'System Information', 'Device', 'Phone Info' or similar. Many phones also have the IMEI listed on a label in the battery compartment.

The IMEI will display on the device page of iTunes for an iPhone after syncing.

On refurbished phones the IMEI may be different for the software and the actual phone itself. You can check this by looking behind the phone where the battery is placed (phone IMEI) and by pressing *#06# on your phone (software IMEI). This is because refurbished phones are often fitted with a housing from another phone.

[edit]Usage on satellite phone networks

The BGANIridium and Thuraya satellite phone networks all use IMEI numbers on their transceiver units as well as SIM cards in much the same way as GSM phones do. The Iridium 9601 modem relies solely on its IMEI number for identification and uses no SIM card however Iridium is a proprietary network and the device is incompatible with regular GSM networks.

[edit]IMEI and the law

Many countries have acknowledged the use of the IMEI in reducing the effect of mobile phone theft. For example, in the United Kingdom under the Mobile Telephones (Re-programming) Act, changing the IMEI of a phone, or possessing equipment that can change it, is considered an offence under some circumstances.

There is a misunderstanding amongst some regulators that the existence of a formally allocated IMEI number range to a GSM terminal implies that the terminal is approved or complies with regulatory requirements. This is not the case. The linkage between regulatory approval and IMEI allocation was removed in April 2000 with the introduction of the European R&TTE Directive. Since that date, IMEIs have been allocated byBABT (acting on behalf of the GSM Association) to legitimate GSM terminal manufacturers without the need to provide evidence of approval.

Other countries use different approaches when dealing with phone theft. For example, mobile operators in Singapore are not required by the regulator to implement phone blocking or tracing systems, IMEI-based or other. The regulator has expressed its doubts on the real effectiveness of this kind of systems in the context of the mobile market in Singapore. Instead, mobile operators are encouraged to take measures such as the immediate suspension of service and the replacement of SIM cards in case of loss or theft.[1]

[edit]Blacklist of stolen devices

When mobile equipment is stolen or lost, the operator or owner will typically contact the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) which blacklists the device in all operator switches so that it will in effect become unusable, making theft of mobile equipment a useless business.

The IMEI number is not supposed to be easy to change, making the CEIR blacklisting effective. However this is not always the case: IMEI may be easy to change with special tools and some operators may even flatly ignore the CEIR blacklist.

[edit]Difficulties

  • "New IMEIs can be programmed into stolen handsets and 10% of IMEIs are not unique." According to a BT-Cellnet spokesman quoted by the BBC[2]
  • Facilities do not exist to unblock numbers listed in error on all networks. This is possible in the UK, however, where the user who initially blocked the IMEI must quote a password chosen at the time the block was applied.

[edit]Computation of the Check Digit

The last number of the IMEI is a check digit calculated using the Luhn algorithm.

According to the IMEI Allocation and Approval Guidelines,

The Check Digit is calculated according to Luhn formula (ISO/IEC 7812). See GSM 02.16 / 3GPP 22.016. The Check Digit shall not be transmitted to the network. The Check Digit is a function of all other digits in the IMEI. The Software Version Number (SVN) of a mobile is not included in the calculation. The purpose of the Check Digit is to help guard against the possibility of incorrect entries to the CEIR and EIR equipment. The presentation of Check Digit (CD) both electronically and in printed form on the label and packaging is very important. Logistics (using bar-code reader) and EIR/CEIR administration cannot use the CD unless it is printed outside of the packaging, and on the ME IMEI/Type Accreditation label. The check digit shall always be transmitted to the network as "0".

The check digit is validated in three steps:

  1. Starting from the right, double a digit every 2 digits (e.g. 7 → 14)
  2. Sum the digits (e.g. 14 → 1 + 4)
  3. Check if the sum is divisible by 10

Conversely, one can calculate the IMEI by choosing the check digit which would give a sum divisible by 10. For the example IMEI 49015420323751?,

IMEI49015420323751 ?
Double every other4180258203431452 ?
Sum digits4 + (1 + 8) + 0 + 2 + 5 + 8 + 2 + 0 + 3 + 4 + 3 + (1 + 4) + 5 + 2 + ? = 52 + ?

To make the sum divisible by 10, we set ? = 8, so the IMEI is 490154203237518.

[edit]See also

[edit]External links