Skype, the first widely used Voice Over Internet (VOIP) application has chosen to offer some respite to the older Desktop API for third party applications.

Skype was to completely shutter its Desktop APIs that would in turn bring down third party applications. These services depended on the support of Skype to function. Instead, Skype is extending support for Call Recording and Compatibility with hardware devices.

Why is Skype pulling the plug on these critical APIs?
"The current Desktop API extensibility model wasn't built for the cloud connected world – as extensibility is only available on the Windows Desktop and Mac clients, leaving the Windows 8 store app, mobile apps, web experiences, and Xbox out of the [always] connected experience," explained Noah Edelstien of  Skype. The service needs to shutter the API because "The extensibility model of running only on one type of end point needs to evolve to benefit from this new design pattern" added Noah.

Essentially, the older Desktop API is hindering the modern services and platforms by Microsoft which includes Windows 8, Xbox Gaming System and so on.

Skype was designed when applications ran on dedicated servers that were centrally housed. However, since the advent of Cloud Based infrastructure, applications, processes and sometimes entire office productivity suites have begun to run via a remote cluster of servers, where data is always lucid & fluid, depending on the amount of traffic or stress on the servers. Additionally, the Cloud Services do not require any specific API on the end-user’s device to perform.

It is obvious Skype needs to function on modern devices. Unfortunately these APIs just aren't designed keeping Cloud Functionality in mind. The Desktop APIs were designed almost a decade ago and need to be replaced if Skype has to work on newer generation of devices.

But this certainly doesn't mean Skype should cease to function on the present generation of devices. Though, users of the service were initially given a serious jolt that Desktop API would cease to function come December, that date seems to have been postponed with no revised date offered.

While Skype will surely gain powerful and functional features when it completely shifts to the Cloud Based Architecture, it has thankfully considered the third-party vendors who depend on the older Desktop API. What do you think Skype should do?

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Social Networking portal Facebook, which allows link sharing and whose iconic Like Button has created an internet frenzy, has opted for a visual revamp of its 'Share' and 'Like' buttons.

After hinting at the visual enhancements for a couple of weeks, Facebook has finally released the tweaked Share and Like buttons. These buttons are present not only on the Social Portal, but pretty much anywhere content is generated and is meant to be shared.

The revamp is not subtle too. Facebook has decided to drop the famous 'Thumbs Up' symbol which is now universally associated with the Like button. The Share and Like button will no longer be featured in dark font on a light blue background. In a clear attempt to ensure the buttons pop-out, designers have placed the Share and Like text in a larger white font on the Facebook-blue colored background. Instead of the iconic Thumbs-up, the Like button will only sport the total number of 'Likes' the content has received.

Apart from visual changes, Facebook has changed the structural order of the buttons too. Both the Like and Share buttons will be placed side-by-side. Users will also be offered the choice of placing the revamped Share button by itself in order to make it easier for the readers to share the link of the post, blog or story via Facebook.

Why change what's not broken?
Facebook's Like and Share buttons are perhaps the most widely used functions by the online population. According to the company's own revelation, the Like and Share buttons together are viewed over 22 Billion times daily, across more than 7.5 Million websites. The referral traffic via these buttons is phenomenal and Facebook must have pretty strong reasons to justify the change.

Essentially, the Like Button allows social media users to put up the link of the page on their profile page, while Share button allows users to add a comment (personalized message, tag friends, etc.) along with the link. Hence they offer a very simplistic method to share links about useful information or leisure articles.

The revamped buttons do appear to stand-out, especially when compared to their older versions. Such a subtle change could certainly ensure the buttons are given a second-thought instead of being lost in the crowd of the Social Media Sharing Buttons that keep on growing. What do you think of the new buttons?

Image Credits: afb

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Google has announced an updated Google Maps for the desktop. Their new updated Maps has many new features like Pegman, Earth Tours and upgraded Navigation. Previously, Google had overhauled the user interface of Maps in order to give a better experience to users.

Here is a video introducing the new upgrades.

Pegman and Street View:

Street view is a very helpful new feature for users to see actual pictures of streets so they can understand the area better. The new Maps has Pegman which helps you detect if a particular area has street views that you can see. Street Views are now available in 50 countries. Pegman is a yellow character in the lower right of the screen, which when clicked gives you an indication of the areas that have street view enabled. These street view points will appear as blue when you click, thus making it easier for you to locate them.

Street view has also incorporated other user generated content like photos, photo spheres with panoramic views of the area. This content is powered by people using Photosphere on Android and uploading their content to Google+. Clicking on yellow circles that appear on the map also let you explore inner areas within restaurants,  museums and other areas, whenever available.

Earth Tours:

Earth Tours is a new feature which lets you view high quality 3D imagery of areas right in your browser. Whenever you browse a map, an Earth Tour button will pop up wherever available. Clicking on it you can access the 3D imagery in the form of a tour from higher altitude. This feature requires your browsers to have WebGl enabled. It is supported on Chrome and other WebGl enabled browsers.

Navigation Upgrades:

Google Maps now has a step-by-step preview when you are navigating directions. These snapshots give you an idea of what you will experience on your drive. This can help you plan for a trip in advance and avoid obstacles and unexpected situations.

Besides this, accident and traffic updates are also live on Desktop and Mobile. This was enabled at least a year ago but the new updates point towards more real time information. This is powered by data coming from Waze, an Israeli startup that Google acquired recently.

These new updates will be available for all those who have opted into the Google Maps preview starting today. Google plans to roll out these features to everyone in the coming weeks.

Source | Google Maps Blog

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Zomato, a leading player in offering information about restaurants and local events via multiple online avenues, has secured US$ 37 Million (Rs. 227.6 Crores) from its long time backers Sequoia Capital and majority stake holder and investor, Info Edge in a Series D round of Funding.

This round of funding will aide Zomato in its expansion. While the company had recently expanded to multiple continents including South Africa (Cape Town), United Kingdom and New Zealand, this time around the company plans to augment its service offering and spread to not just a few, but 22 countries across Europe, South-East Asia, Australia and the Americas. However, this will happen in a phased manner in 2 years' time.

Interestingly, Zomato is on a continuous expansion drive and has already spread its wings to three new countries – Brazil (Sao Paulo), Turkey (Istanbul & Ankara) and Indonesia (Jakarta). If that's not enough, Zomato has ensured a lot of regional traction by ensuring locals are able to access the site in their own languages, namely; Portuguese, Turkish, and Bahasa Indonesia.

Zomato's expansion is certainly a noteworthy one as the company has been assuredly stepping into new, but relative fields that revolves around offering relevant and local information about places to eat and visit. Additionally, the company routinely revamps its website as well as apps to offer a sense of newness and discovery for its users.

The internet based company has had multiple successful rounds of funding and though the company is making good money, it still hasn't turned into a profitable venture. However, this hasn't deterred its investors as Sequoia Capital put in US$ 27.86 Million (Rs. 169.7 Crores)! While Info Edge put in a relatively modest sum of Rs. 9.14 Million (57 Crores)!

Multiple companies are trying to capture audience for the exact same information based internet business. While some have found traction, Zomato appears to be surging ahead. Why do you think, people prefer Zomato?

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While Google+ has been primarily targeted at individual users, the company has been slowly making some allowances for businesses. Restricted communities is the latest in their effort to give businesses a place for secure conversations without anyone dropping in on the content, especially if you are a company whose employees work around the globe. Email chains can be messy with a lot of back and forth. A social network like environment for enterprise communication and collaboration is much better.

The new restricted communities in Google+ are analogous to secret or private groups in Facebook. Google+ already has a good communities feature. The restricted communities is being called an extra layer of security by the company. When you choose to make your group a restricted one, only members you invite are allowed to access it and see the the contents and follow the discussions. Normally, communities in Google+ are open for everyone to see and join.

There are good collaboration features like the ability to share files from Drive, videos, events and photos. An example would be this image below.

The image gives a feeling that social networks could be a much better way for enterprise users to collaborate and get work done. The only problem is that social networks in the popular sense are just looked at as tools to meet and communicate with friends and family. This is why Yammer has been very successful. Yammer is a social network for your company, and it seems like it would be much more productive for companies to roll out internal social networks to keep everyone in the loop and help take enterprise forward by simplifying communication.

Google is probably looking at providing solutions for enterprise communications themselves, given the fact that Microsoft now owns Yammer. Moulding Google+ for enterprise users, especially Google Apps users would be a brilliant move.

Source | Google Enterprise Blog

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Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the apex body that governs all banking related activities in the country has given its approval to Reliance Payment Solutions, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, to start and operate a Mobile Wallet.

Even when dedicated mobile companies like Idea Cellular, are awaiting license and clearance from RBI, Reliance Industries (RIL) has managed to secure Mobile Wallet license and soon the service under the name of Jio Money will be launched. Additionally, the chief bank hasn't offered an update about the status of Flipkart's Pre-paid Mobile Wallet License.

How will Jio Money work?
Like multiple Mobile Wallets in existence today, Jio Money too is a semi-closed pre-paid wallet that offers mobile based transactions. Essentially, the wallet will allow Reliance Mobile users to store money in it and purchase goods & services offered through third party merchants. However, just like other services, users won't be able to withdraw money from the wallet.

Reliance has segregated the service in two categories or account slabs. R-Express, which appears to be meant for small to medium shoppers, allows users to load up to Rs 10,000 per month. But R-Premium is clearly meant for high volume business, as it allows users to load up to Rs 50,000 on daily basis. Though the company hasn't clarified, there could be some charges for the premium account.

Interestingly, RIL isn't the only company to have scored a license. Tech Mahindra received Mobile Wallet License for MoboMoney. Incidentally, MoboMoney was previously being operated by CanvasM Technologies, a wholly owned VAS subsidiary of Tech Mahindra.

RIL is positioning itself quite well to cover all major aspects of mobile communication. By bidding and securing pan-India 4G License, the company has ensured it can provide seamless and uninterrupted 4G Services which has been allowed to offer all possible platforms of mobile communication like Data, Voice, SMS, etc. With Mobile Wallet, the company could easily deploy a holistic m-commerce platform that can be used by third-party merchants as well. The only catch is users will have to avail RIL's mobile connection via Reliance Jio Infocomm. Will customers oblige?

Image Source: sa

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