Ibrahim Shahid Sets O Level World Record: ProPakistani

Ibrahim Shahid Sets O Level World Record
Breaking: Sawiris Landing in Pakistan Today
Samsung Chat 322: Dual Sim, QWERTY Low-End Phone
3G in 2011: Cellular Operators Already Backing Off?
Laptop Vs Mobile Phone for School Going Girls?
Facebook, Google Rivalry in a Nutshell
PTCL Holds Certificate Awarding Ceremony

Ibrahim Shahid Sets O Level World Record

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 11:48 AM PST

Ibrahim Shahid Sets O Level World Record is a post from: ProPakistani

Ibrahim Shahid, a student of Beaconhouse School System, Boys Branch, Margallah Campus has stunned the world by scoring 23 A's in Cambridge O Level exams to set a new world record in the history, reported Express Tribune today.

Story was produced on Express 24×7 and Geo News as well.

Paper and TV said that Ibrahim Shahid sat for 24 subjects and scored 23 A's .

Ibrahim Shahid attributed his success to his parents and teachers, said Express Tribune.

Ibrahim Shahid recalled an incident where his teacher in Australia had written him off, stating that he would "never excel".

BeaconHouse School System Margalla campus Islamabad’s official facebook fan page announced Ibrahim Shahid’s success as following:

Ibrahim Shahid Ibrahim Shahid Sets O Level World Record

Earlier, Ali Moeen Nawazish, also a Pakistani student, had set a world record by securing 23 As in A level Cambridge exams.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Breaking: Sawiris Landing in Pakistan Today

Posted: 24 Jan 2011 02:18 AM PST

Breaking: Sawiris Landing in Pakistan Today is a post from: ProPakistani

We have just learned that Mr. Naguib Sawiris, the Executive Chairman of Orascom is landing in Islamabad in next couple of hours, told us well placed sources close to the situation.

Mobilink has officially confirmed Mr. Sawiris's arrival, without commenting on the agenda and his plans in Pakistan, however the primary purpose of his visit is to take Government of Pakistan into trust after VimpleCom's deal, told us Mobilink's spokesperson.

When asked about highly hyped rumors of Warid-Mobilink deal, official denied for any scheduled meetings or potential development in this regards.

When ProPakistani asked about Chairman's any such visit to any other country holding Orascom's operations, he said that Mr. Nughaib is coming directly to Pakistan and has not visited any other country so far.

When asked for comments from industry experts on this, they opined to not to rule out the finalization of Warid-Mobilink deal, especially after recent management reshuffle in Warid.

Keep an eye on this blog, we will keep you posted of any developments, as they will happen.

Samsung Chat 322: Dual Sim, QWERTY Low-End Phone

Posted: 23 Jan 2011 11:38 PM PST

Samsung Chat 322: Dual Sim, QWERTY Low-End Phone is a post from: ProPakistani

Aimed for developing countries, Samsung Chat 322 is the latest device from Samsung that supports two SIMs (Dual SIM) at a time with full QWERT keyboard for fast and enhanced typing experience for SMS chat.

Also known as Samsung Ch@t 322 was introduced in India before it recently surfaced in Pakistan. Samsung Chat 322 features a trackpad, a rather small landscape display, DUOS UX interface, Facebook and Twitter integration, "push-like email", Bluetooth, USB 2.0, and a 1.3MP camera.

Samsung Chat 322 is likely to earn huge followership in Pakistan, due to its dual-SIM capability and QWERTY keyboard, a bonus for the youth of the country who loves sending SMS.

Samsung Chat 322 Price in Pakistan:

Samsung Chat 322 is available in Pakistan for Rs. 8,900.
Samsung Chat 322 comes with TeleTech and Mobo International warranties.

Samsung Chat 322 Specifications

Brand: Samsung
Model: Chat 322
Product: Mobile
1.3 Megapixels Camera
2.4" inch TFT Display
Bluetooth v2.1
Dual Sim GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz
Expandable Memory Micro SD Card Slot
Facebook/Twitter/ Flickr apps
Fm Radio
GPRS/EDGE/WAP
Music Player
Push E-mail
SMS/MMS
Video/Movie Player

3G in 2011: Cellular Operators Already Backing Off?

Posted: 23 Jan 2011 10:26 PM PST

3G in 2011: Cellular Operators Already Backing Off? is a post from: ProPakistani

As the regulator and Government seem pumped up for 3G license auction (latter in 2011), it looks that cellular companies in Pakistan are now looking for ways to escape the expedition.

Reasons are apparent,

Cellular companies are in no mood of further investment (that too in huge size)
Industry has its reservations for high licensee fee. (Industry segments predict that 3G license fee would be over or around 105 million US dollars)
And if we talk about target audience, it seems not very potential to them. As we recently mentioned, Only 4% or so are GPRS/EDGE users; that means approximate 4 to 5 million mobile users have access to internet over their devices.

Now, the cellular companies are lobbying through media to make sure that government/PTA's campaign for 3G gets hampered. In a story produced today in 'The News' has plenty of evidences of what I just said.

Here is how the news item starts:

Telecom operators in Pakistan may choose not to introduce 3G, the third generation mobile services, at least for now because of a limited subscribers' base, high cost of investment involved and an unfavorable investment climate in the country, cellular operators said.

Just to mention here, this is not the first time cellular operators have opposed the idea of 3G in media. But the thing is that they go unnamed or via sources in the papers. None of the cellular companies have dared so far to publicly mention their reservations, probably due to their respective corporate profile.

"For the cellular industry of Pakistan, the time is not ripe to venture into the high-cost technology," Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a cellular company said, on the condition of anonymity. "The actual active subscribers are not more than 70 million against Pakistan Telecommunication Authority's (PTA) claim of 100 million."

Here comes another problem, the claim of 100 million subscriber mark, which is used as main tactical weapon for 3G transition is not approved by the industry.

The News further writes on PTA's claim of 100 million subscriber as following:

Another top official of a cellular company rejected the PTA's claim of over 56 percent mobile penetration in a population of 177 million. He said the actual number of active customers was far less than the figures quoted by the regulator.

"The actual subscribers' base is not above 65 million. You can't gauge the number of users through connections for many Pakistanis have multiple connections which they seldom use," he added.

The official claimed that up to 40 percent users keep more than one connection, which is why the mobile penetration in Pakistan is highly inflated. People having three connections at a time are also huge in number, he said.

He further explains the ARPU levels due to multiple SIMs and how they are hindering investment coming into the country as following:

He said average revenue per user has decreased just because of many people bearing multiple connections and the same revenue is being divided amongst a larger customer base.

Current average revenue per user of the industry, he said, looks just over Rs200, however this number is actually more than Rs360. "This sends a very negative message to the investors who see a low return on their investments," he added.

According to the official, this situation directly impacts PTA's own efforts to attract further investment in 3G services.

"When investors see high mobile penetration and low average revenue per user, low return on investment pissed them off."

Laptop Vs Mobile Phone for School Going Girls?

Posted: 23 Jan 2011 09:26 PM PST

Laptop Vs Mobile Phone for School Going Girls? is a post from: ProPakistani

mobiles phone1 Laptop Vs Mobile Phone for School Going Girls? The school going girls are not mentally matured, thus they are more attracted and inclined towards the social evils and immoral activities.

They do not like taking guidance from their elders and like to undergo different experiences themselves.

In this article, we will discuss various elements in order to judge and choose between mobile phone and Laptop for school going girls.

Mobile Phone:

Mobile Phones Can Easily Get Un-noticed: They can easily take their mobile phones with them at school and tuition centers – unnoticed by their parents.

They should only own a mobile phone when they get really mature enough to use them properly. I think girls should not be allowed to have a mobile phone until they reach to 14 grade (Graduation).

School have Strictly Prohibited Mobile Phones: Almost all the schools in Pakistan have implemented policies that prohibit using mobile phones in school. They even rusticate those girls who are found with the mobile phone. Many girls bring their SIM card instead of a mobile phone and they use their SIM on a mobile phone brought by one of their classmates.

Therefore, school administration and parents should make sure that the girls do not have a SIM card with them – they should check them and their belongings (books, school bag, hair bands, water-bottle, lunch box etc.).

Now many of you might be thinking that how their daughters and sisters can contact home if they are away – simple – they can make a call with the permission of their school administration via school's landline number.

SMS/MMS: Many school students are addicted to the SMS service . Some also send their pictures via MMS to the opposite gender – especially when they have made friends in co-ed schools and tuition academies.

Wastage of Time: The students waste their valuable time in sending and reading text messages, playing mobile games, using mobile applications – instead of spending that time in their studies.

Mobile Cellular companies are also introducing 'Youth Packages' and SMS-bundles offers to promote their business and indirectly spoiling the youngsters. The students are seen messaging and calling late nights as they have subscribed to these packages. Parents should make sure that their children have a mobile phone and if they have then make them use post-pay packages so that parents can monitor on their kids.

Laptop

Use of Laptop for doing the School Homework: Laptop is a better for school girls as they can compose their assignments and search for the materials for their assignments from the internet.

Not only this, they can have a record of their assignments in their laptop. The laptop will also help them in making PowerPoint slides to aid them in their classroom presentations.

Observe School-going Children when they Use their Laptop: Laptop is better for school going girls because – if they do not have a mobile phone they would not be able to give their mobile phone numbers to boys and strangers - is it that simple? No! they can communicate via internet too.

It is the duty of the parents that they observe their activities on the internet and disallow them to make accounts on the social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, MSN Live Spaces, Hi5, Friendster and Orkut etc.

School going girls (boys too) should not be allowed use on the Instant Messengers and visit websites with Chat feature and web-messengers. As many school students trick their parents and even school staff by using web-messengers – as they can be used without being installed on the system.

Parents should make sure that the girls do not upload their photographs on any website or given their contact details or information, as some girls join different discussion forums too.

Parents and school Computer Lab Dept should install programs like NetNanny www.netnanny.com and Spector Pro etc. in the computers, to keep a check on the and restrict their activities by blocking some websites that are not fit for them – including Social Networking websites and YouTube etc.

Conclusion:

No doubt that both the devices come with hazards, however, laptop comes with possible benefits as well. If controlled and monitored better, laptops can be of great advantages for the school going girls, which will not only enhance their education experience but will help them in their careers as well.

Facebook, Google Rivalry in a Nutshell

Posted: 23 Jan 2011 08:20 PM PST

Facebook, Google Rivalry in a Nutshell is a post from: ProPakistani

Last year Google decided that it wasn't going to let other services automatically export contact information from users' email addresses, unless the service offered the same in return.

The change meant that users weren't able to import their contacts into sites like Facebook, since it doesn’t allow export of contacts' email addresses.

"We have decided to change our approach slightly to reflect the fact that users often aren’t aware that once they have imported their contacts into sites like Facebook they are effectively trapped," a Google spokesperson had said then.

It seemed like Google got angry at the fact that you can find friends on Facebook using Gmail, but there is no way that you can find contacts on Gmail using information on Facebook.

This only highlights the increasing rivalry going on between Facebook and Google.

Previously, Facebook made deals with Hotmail and Yahoo to let them access its contact information. But since Google didn’t make a similar deal, Facebook has left Google out of it.

This was Google's way of trying to pressure Facebook into making it share its contact info with it, because, the more data it has, the better Google search becomes.

Suppose that Facebook does let Google access its information, Google can then provide a more personalized search result for any query since it knows your preferences from your likes and pages you visited on Facebook. How did Facebook respond? They made a workaround, namely directing the users to the page where they can download their Gmail contacts manually and upload them to Facebook.

On this move, a Google spokesman commented

"We're disappointed that Facebook didn't invest their time in making it possible for their users to get their contacts out of Facebook. As passionate believers that people should be able to control the data they create, we will continue to allow our users to export their Google contacts."

They did however, put up a "public service" message when Facebook redirected you to import Gmail contacts:

clip image0021 Facebook, Google Rivalry in a Nutshell

Then a few days later the page stopped appearing when users attempted to import Gmail contacts into Facebook, its not entirely clear whether Google stopped using it themselves or a settlement was reached.

The page itself is still online though. Now, however, Facebook has entirely dropped Gmail. Now when you import contacts, Gmail isn't even an option. And even if you sign up with a Gmail address, Facebook won't try to import all your contacts.

In the only official comment made by Facebook, their spokesman said that Google was concerned only because Facebook is more popular and a competitive threat. Whether its true, or simply a jab at Google is up to the reader to decide. But one thing is for sure, this certainly won't be the last issue where these two giants collide as both continue in their pursuit to dominate the online world.

PTCL Holds Certificate Awarding Ceremony

Posted: 23 Jan 2011 08:15 PM PST

PTCL Holds Certificate Awarding Ceremony is a post from: ProPakistani

Pakistan Telecommunication Company LTD (PTCL) held a certificate distribution ceremony on the successful accomplishment of the three week comprehensive training program titled "Management Development Program" (MDP) at PTCL Academy Islamabad, said a press release issued by the company.

Statement said that company has achieved various commendable milestones but this Management Development Program is one of the most world beating achievements as the entire training calendar 2011 has been designed based on the theme "Ensuring Corporate and Customers Loyalty through learning".

PTCL says it has a huge training infrastructure throughout the country that is geographically wide spread.

PTCL President and CEO – Walid Irshaid while acknowledging this achievement, highlighted the pragmatic approach of PTCL and stated that PTCL is Developing Customer Centric Approach in the employees and keeping the pace with the dynamic trends of the Telecom Industry has always been a priority of the management, He expressed his satisfaction over the initiative taken by the training and development department and said that we will ensure that the training produces visible and desired results.

He further added that we are continuously striving to make a positive impact on the lives of our customers, we are focused and determined to better understand the needs of the ever evolving customer and connecting with them.

EVP Training and Development, Shakeel Ahmad, also expressed his views on this occasion and said that the Training and Development team has been making untiring efforts to turn PTCL into a true corporate entity. He expressed gratitude to his team and attributed this success to team work.