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LONDON (CNNMoney.com) -- Google slightly altered its business strategy in China late Monday in an attempt to balance the company's desire to keep its Chinese website with its goal of avoiding self-censorship.
Google for the past three months has been automatically redirecting visitors to its Chinese site, google.cn, to its Hong Kong search engine, google.com.hk. Though Google does not sensor results on the Hong Kong site for users in mainland China, the Chinese government does.
Still, Chinese government officials told the search giant that it finds the auto-redirect "unacceptable" and would likely revoke Google's license to operate in country if it continues that practice, according to a company blog post.
As a result, Google said that over the next several days, it will stop automatically directing its mainland Chinese users to its Hong Kong search engine. Instead, it has begun to display a "landing page" on google.cn for some users, which requires users to click on an image that links to the Hong Kong site.
The search company also once again began hosting some search content on its Chinese servers, including maps, music, and translation services, which can be provided locally without the need for censorship. That content is hosted on google.cn and can be accessed on google.com.hk for users from within mainland China.
Google's license is up for renewal on Wednesday, and the company said it has resubmitted its renewal application based on its new approach. The company said its new strategy is consistent with local law and its commitment to not self-censor.


CNN) -- Google is working on a social service to rival Facebook, if Web rumors are to be believed.
And while Google's social-networking efforts have so far fallen flat, even satisfied Facebook users should hope that the search engine's efforts bear fruit.
First, to the rumor: A now-deleted Tweet last weekend from entrepreneur Kevin Rose claimed that Google is working on a Facebook competitor called "Google Me."
That claim gained credence as former Facebook CTO Adam D'Angelo weighed in. Posting a response on the question-and-answer service Quora, D'Angelo wrote: "This is not a rumor. This is a real project. There are a large number of people working on it. I am completely confident about this."
Google, he added, is threatened by Facebook's rise to prominence and feels the need to build a social network of its own.
The Facebook threat
The search giant has legitimate cause for concern. As I wrote in this column two months ago, Facebook is gathering masses of data through its recently launched "Likes" feature, which lets Web visitors express interest in a piece of content.
More than 50,000 websites implemented this "Like button" in the week after it launched, providing Facebook with a treasure trove of data about the preferences of Web users. This data could form the basis of a powerful search engine, ranking Web pages by "Likes" rather than the links that Google relies upon.
What's more, Facebook could serve up different search results to each user based on the preferences of his or her friends.
It gets worse for Google. Facebook's mountain of personal data could also provide the backbone of an ad network many times more targeted than Google's keyword-based advertising. If Facebook were to launch both a search engine and ad network, it could put a significant dent in Google's more than $23 billion in annual revenue.
But Google shouldn't be the only party concerned about Facebook's rapid ascent -- the lack of a Facebook alternative is a threat to consumer choice, providing no escape route when things turn sour.
No real alternative
Facebook's privacy issues over recent months have opened our eyes to a grim reality: There is no real alternative. While dissatisfied MySpace users hopped over to Facebook, there is no truly competitive social network to which disgruntled Facebook users can elope.
The demand for a legitimate alternative is so great that a project called Diaspora was able to raise more than $200,000 from Web users to develop its "privacy aware, personally controlled, do-it-all, open source social network."
Until such a rival emerges, Facebook has little incentive to maintain user trust -- the only option available to unhappy Facebookers is to delete their accounts and lose contact with their friends.
Google's social stumbles
Alas, Google has a dismal track record when it comes to social networks. Orkut, an early social-networking effort, has seen success in Brazil, but in the U.S. it's virtually unheard of. Google Friend Connect, a possible rival to the recently renamed Facebook Connect, went nowhere.
Open Social, a challenge to Facebook Apps, has been forgotten. And Google Buzz, a recent attempt to add Twitter-like status updates to Gmail, flopped -- and generated a regrettable privacy backlash for the company.
Google, the narrative goes, is exquisitely talented at solving problems with algorithms. But when it comes to the touchy-feely stuff -- like human interaction -- it falls flat.
Getting behind Google
So while it's definitely a long shot, it's time to rally behind Google. If the search giant is able to pull off a half-decent Facebook rival, the fast-growing social network will finally have a competitor to keep its power in check.
That would be a win not just for Google, but for the Web as a whole.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Pete Cashmore.

Google Going Local in India with ‘Glocal’(Info Supplied by Himadri saha)



From Translation & Transliteration to maps, Bollywood & cricket, Google is going all out to woo Indians with localized product. Dubbed ‘Glocal’, this new strategy is all about innovating for the Indian customer, adding the local masala, so to speak. Says Vinay Goel, country head (products), Google India: - “we developed some new products while others were tweaked to meet local requirements in India”.  
                             The result has been dramatic. Of the top 10 website in India, four are Google properties-Google search, Gmail, Orkut, You tube.Sanjay Tiwari, chief executive Officer of Juxtconsult notes, “Our research shows that 100% of the internet using universe in India uses one Google property or the other-no other company commands such a position in the market today. Even Yahoo!, for instance, can claim only a 52% reach.

Website                   %Use(2009)             %Use (2008)              %Use (2007)
Google*                      35.0                            28.4                           29.3
Yahoo!                       25.0                            27.6                           26.6
Gmail*                       11.0                               8.6                             3.9
Orkut*                         7.0                               8.1                             7.9
Rediff                           4.0                               8.6                           10.9
India Times                  1.0                                1.2                            0.9
You Tube                      .5                                  .2                              -


The India Advantage:



With the developed markets saturated –Internet penetration is as high as 70-90%- the bulk of new users are coming from emerging markets. With 7% Internet penetration and 50% year-on-year user growth, India makes for an attractive destination. Google’s decision to quit China make epicenter of its growth strategy. The reason is simple. India offers the dual advantage of low penetration and a very large population- a combination matched only by china. Google is, therefore, anxious to grow its India operations. In term of people, Google India already the largest outside the United States. In terms of business, the game plan is to add many more users and, thereby, attract advertisers. Google     -97percentage of its $23.65 billion revenue comes from advertising. “ Online add spends in India comprise half a percentage of GDP whereas in countries like US, the ratio is 1.5%.We don’t see any reason why this shouldn’t happen in India over the next coupes of years” notes Goel.
                    About 99% of India’s Internet users speak English; this allows Google India to use global products without localization, unlike China. However, Goel and R&D team 

in Bangalore know that 90% of India population is not conversant in English, and without them, it will not get the required numbers.
              This were the ‘Glocal’ strategy come in. it has four pillars: Increasing local content; going beyond English to offer local language products; creating awareness by taking the internet to people in smaller towns, and harnessing the mobile internet space. To educate people on what the internet is and how it transform their lives, Google hit upon a novel idea to taking customized Internet basics such as search, e-mail, social networking and online maps.

Preferring Local Language going Beyond English:

To reach out to people who do not speak English, Google has created local language products. One example is Transliteration, which allows users to type in 15 different Indic languages using phonetic English. A sender just has type a mail in his native tongue using             English alphabets. The text automatically converted into vernacular script, which is how the recipient sees it. The tool has been integrated into Gmail as well as Orkut scraps & blogger. Product manager Jagjit Chawla claims Google transliteration is very accurate, “you won’t find words mis-spelt it are very convenient and easy to use,” he notes.
            Another India innovation is Google translate, which allows users to translate a text or web page from English to Hindi and vice versa. This product is available in several foreign languages as well.Chawla’s team is working on improving the quality of the translation as well as adding other Indic languages (like Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, etc). There are millions of web pages in local languages, so instead of crating new stuff why not translate them?” explains Chawla.

Local Content:

Three years ago, accessing local information on the internet in India would yield a couple of links, at the most. Today, you can get detailed information. One can locate places on a map, get driving directions, check out third party reviews, see pictures, make payments, and so on. “A lot of these content pieces, which are missing earlier, re in place now. But our work is not over, it’s a continuum”, says Goel. New products we developed to create this eco-system.
    A Google place, which lists local business information for owners to communicate with potential customers, is one such innovating. Ace yoga instructor Aftab Alam, working from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, seven days a week, he had neither the time nor the inclination to create a websites and market his services. A chance introduction by one of his clients to Google places turned his fortunes around. “I used to get two enquires a month; now I receive two calls daily”, say an ecstatic Alam.
                Another innovation is landmark based driving directions on Google maps. Product Manager Manik Gupta explains, “Indians prefer landmarks to street names, so combined land marks, intersections and street names to come with a more useful and relevant navigational product”. For instance, in Bangalore, if you driving from MG road to the Airport, you no longer need to stop and ask for Cubbon road or Sankey road. “With your land mark based directions, you know where to turn and whether you’re on the right track”, observes Gupta.

            The reason Google could come up with landmark –based driving directions was a product called Google Map Maker, an India innovation. An open platform allows users to create maps by drawing over the satellite imagery and adding features like roads, buildings and local businesses.  Contributions by new users are moderated by experienced users to prevent vandalism and inaccuracies.
                                                                                                                    -OUTLOOK BUSINESS.

THE NEW TAX REGIME
The way we save for long-term financial needs may not see the sea change we expected when the union government had announced the Original Direct Taxes Codes (ODTC) bill proposals in August 2009.The new code will eventually replace the Income Tax Act, 1961.The revised proposals of the DTC, release recently by the finance ministry, paint a some-what different picture for taxpayers. Though clarity on various aspects is still some way off, let us look at the impact of the Revised DTC (RDTC).

EEE TAX STATUS
Original DTC: While the RTDC bill has not proposed any thing adventurous unlike the OTDC bill, it still has provisions for tax savings investments, with the limit staying put at RS 3 lakh per annum under section 66 of the proposed DTC. According to the ODTC, you would allow to invest only in accounts maintained by any of the four permitted intermediaries-provident funds. Superannuation funds, life insurers and the New Pension System (NPS) and claim tax exemption at the contribution stage. Any accretions were tax exempt, but withdrawals or maturity proceeds were too taxed.
Revised DTC: Under RTDC, the Public Provident Fund (PDF), Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) or any other provident fund proceeds continue to be tax-free. In addition, NPS, proceeds of pure life insurance products and annuity products, too, would be tax-free and get the EEE (exempt-exempt-exempt) status for taxation, i.e., exemption in the year of contribution, during the period of investment and at the time of maturity. This should give pension products a reason to shine brightly in one’s financial portfolio.

Cat Amputee Fitted with Bionic feet: 
If cats have nine lives, they may have just acquired a 10th -- thanks to a groundbreaking surgery that saved the life of a feline double amputee.
A British cat, Oscar, has made a full recovery after being fitted with a pair of prosthetic feet in November. The cat's hind paws were severed by a combine harvester.
The three-hour procedure, performed at an animal hospital in Surrey, England, by neuro-orthopaedic veterinary surgeon Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick, could serve as a model for human amputees.
Oscar's custom-made implants, ITAPs (Intraosseous transcutaneous amputation prosthetics), were modeled after deer antlers, which have a honeycomb structure that bones can grow through and skin can grow over.
By using computer-generated technology, a team of veterinarians and scientists designed a feline foot that mimics the way a cat walks and runs.

Oscar's implants were attached to his bones and then covered by hydroxypatite, which allows bone cells to grow onto the metal. Skin can then grow over the ITAP to form a seal against bacteria and keep infections at bay.
Custom-built paws were attached to the end of Oscar's prostheses, allowing him to run and jump like normal cats. One video of Oscar walking on his artificial feet has attracted more than 346,000 views on YouTube.
Fitting a cat with a prosthesis at the joint below the animal's ankle is a procedure that had never been performed, said Fitzpatrick, who waited seven months to announce news of Oscar's surgery because he wanted to see how the cat would recover.
The ITAPs, made from titanium aluminum, were first developed by a team of scientists at the University College of London, led by Professor Gordon Blunn.
Oscar's masters, Kate and Mike Nolan, were referred to Fitzpatrick by their local veterinarian in Jersey, England, after Oscar's accident last fall. They decided to proceed with the complicated surgery, knowing it could positively affect human medicine.
But first, Oscar's life-threatening injuries had to be treated and a course of antibiotics administered.
"We had to do a lot of soul-searching, and our main concern has always been whether this operation would be in Oscar's best interests and would give him a better quality of life," said Kate Nolan in a statement released by the animal hospital.
"Through our own background reading, we were aware that this sort of procedure is cutting-edge and also has an impact on human medicine," added Mike Nolan in a statement. "So knowledge about the way that Oscar's been treated can be carried over to human treatment going forward, so that's good for everyone."
While the surgery can benefit humans, Fitzpatrick said his decision to treat Oscar was made first and foremost to save the cat's life.
"He is the most remarkable cat. You can see that he desperately wanted to live," he said.
While many animals can live with only three limbs, it would have been impossible for Oscar to survive with only two limbs, Fitzpatrick said.
Although Oscar's life was insured for 4,000 British pounds (approximately $6,070), Fitzpatrick dedicated much of his time and hospital resources at no cost to treat Oscar.
Fitzpatrick believes the cat's prosthetic surgery could lead to similar advancements for human amputees needing artificial limbs.
"As long as it's in the interest of my patient, if everything works well, we can apply this to human victims," he said.
Oscar has adjusted well to his new legs, Fitzpatrick said, although he'll remain an indoor cat.
He may not chase mice like he used to, but he can still scratch up the furniture.
Source:-CNN