Happy Republic Day to all our readers and subscribers.

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Did you know that a Google search has a direct impact on earth’s environment? Physicists are saying so. An article published by CarbonOffsetDaily.com reveals that two Google searches performed from a desktop are equivalent to boiling a kettle of water! 

According to Alex Wissner-Gross, Harvard University Physicist, one Google search produces 7gram of Carbon dioxide and millions of people use Google without knowing the fact. But even if they come to know the fact, will they stop using Google? That’s not possible; and if they do, global economy will be in danger. 

But why environmentalists are behind Google? All web searches are likely to generate CO2 then why Google is being blamed only? Because the way it operates. 

First, Google data centers involve huge deal of power. Secondly, to provide finest search result in minimum time, Google search engine sends queries to multiple servers and returns the result from the center that processes the query in shortest time. 

However, it cannot be said, that other search engines do not have any impact on environment. The truth is when you switch on your PC, browse internet, visit web pages that contain images, animation, videos and graphics, send emails, chat and write blogs – you contribute to global warming. 

Hence, blaming Google is not the solution. Data centers, where 24×7 power supply is mandatory, must be equipped with alternative energy all over the world. 

And Google has started working on this front. Google is committed to reduce its impact on earth’s environment. Visit Going Green at Google to know more about this. 

Moreover, in response to Alex Wissner-Gross, Google had published a blog post describing the power consumption of a Google search in a realistic and authentic manner. According to this calculation, one Google search produces 0.2gram of CO2. This calculation seems so authentic that Alex had to reconsider his calculation. Learn more about the debate on Official Google Blog. 

Whatever is the correct figure, we need to be more cautious about our internet usage. Can we still use it for fun? What do you think?

W3Guru India Wishes A Very Merry Christmas To All Its Readers And Subscribers!

Image: Courtesy fickr user

Bigadda.com is an Indian Youth Networking Site. But it is different from others.

Bigadda is all set to target the internet savvy generation of India. The generation that has just entered professional sphere or still in college, university and school is very much familiar with internet, unlike their predecessors.

This generation is very much likely to access internet on mobile phone. And that’s why Bigadda is successful! They are helping people stay connected through mobile 24×7.

Three ways to connect Bigadda through Mobile:

• Access Bigadda via SMS
• MobileAdda with lots of interactivity including options to send Free SMS
• Access Bigadda via WAP
  

It is true that with internet accessibility on mobile, anybody can do these things with other social networking platforms like orkut, twitter etc. Then how Bigadda is different?

The reason is: they are forcing people to access internet via mobile – they are creating the need through attractive commercials as television is still the most popular marketing platform. Watch this one:

It went like this…

Saikat: i have an idea
Roy: oooooooo really!!!
Roy: wat?
Roy: bhule gele naki? (Eng: forgot or what?)
Saikat: lets start a contest for kolkata bloggers - we would publish the content of the winning blog in kolkata bookfair 2009
Roy: WOWWWWWWWWWWWW
Roy: Lets post it in indiblogger
Saikat: basically we would not publish, we would contact publishing houses to sponsor this…
Roy: who will publish that?
Saikat: ok…lets think on the topic more deeply, then start working for the event…
Saikat: why not?
Saikat: i think even Penguin will agree
Roy: I mean any particular publisher in mind?
Saikat: havn’t thought….
Roy: Then, we can publish a “Book” on kolkata by the bloggers from kolkata
Saikat: of course
Roy: taking interviews…. reviews…. etc
Roy: we will sell that copy
Saikat: this second idea would help us involve more people
Roy: via kolkata bookfair
Roy: exactly
Roy: and free PDF
Saikat: i love free stuffs
Saikat:
Roy: Free stufs are good as long as there is a heavy sponsor
Saikat: blogger can offer free pdf through their blogs
Roy: thats fine
Roy: but what abt the cost of publishing the book
Saikat: we have to convince the publishers…
Saikat: no other way
Saikat: we can talk to Ananda Publishers
Roy: TOI may also get in (TOI stands for Times Of India)
Saikat: yes….
Roy: do you have any connection??
Saikat: no
Roy: cool
Roy: but where to start a discussion
Roy: ??
Roy:
Saikat: do you think indiblogger is a good place to start off?
Roy: I dont know
Roy: but it can be today
Roy: we dont need more than 20 writers
Saikat: see the discussion has started already as we had a chat on this…lets publish the content of this chat somewhere and start it from there
Saikat: thats fine
Saikat: 20 good blogs
Roy: yuppppppppp
Roy: would you like to post it in your blog?
Saikat: yes
Roy: Go ahead
Roy:
Saikat: ok
Saikat:
Roy: just changes the bangla words
Roy:
Saikat: no i won’t…the book is intended for kolkata bookfair, so bangla worlds are ok
Roy: ha ha ha
Roy: but we will also have some people who do not know the language
Saikat: hmmm….ok
Roy: So the agenda is simple:
Roy: 1. Contact more bloggers from Kolkata
Roy: 2. Tell them to write an article on Kolkata
Roy: 3. Look for a publisher who would be interested
Roy: 4. Publish the book
Roy: 5. publish the PDF and distribute it via different blogs and other sources
Roy: Lets map kolkata
Roy:
Roy: and 6. Have lots of fun
Saikat: fine…i am copying the chat
Roy: coooooool
Roy: I will get so many links from your blog
Saikat: i will put nofollow
Saikat: for sure
Roy: please don’t
Roy: One in the introductory section would be fine for me
Saikat: ok
Saikat: now stop typing
Roy: wow - you are better than what I thought
Saikat: what you thought?
Roy: dont remember really
Roy: and never thought abt that
Saikat: **** ******* *** ***** *****
Saikat: censored
Roy: wow - this is even better

As promised I am posting the entire chat for you to read. I have translated the Bengali terms and add one comment (the text written in red) for the sake of your understanding. The person Roy is none other than the owner of OddSEO.com

So, how to participate?

• Write an article about Kolkata
• Publish it in your blog
• This must be your PERSONAL blog, not a business or corporate blog
• Send us the link through email by December 31, 2008 latest

Judgment and Rewards:

• We would select top 25 articles (there will be a panel of judges, we will publish the name of the judges soon)
• The selected articles will be compiled in form of a book
• A list of participants along with their Blog URL would be published as a token to their contribution

We intend to publish the book during Kolkata Book Fair 2009. We haven’t yet approached any publisher, printer or sponsor. Do you know anyone who can help us?

We are also looking for someone and will keep you updated about the latest happenings.

And finally: suggest a name for the book as well. I have a name in my mind: “The Colors of Kolkata”. Feel free to post your comments.

Google has recently settled the lawsuit brought by Author’s Gild and the Association of American Publishers (AAP). The lawsuit was filed against Google’s plan of scanning millions of books to make them available online for readers. The books were to be collected from local libraries and various other sources. 

Authors and Publishers expressed their concern for in-copyright books and filed two lawsuits against Google Inc. After two years of negotiation, Google, Author’s Gild and AAP have come to a settlement – a ‘groundbreaking agreement’ if said in Google’s words. 

According to the agreement Google agrees to pay $125 million to set up Book Rights Registry to keep track of in-copyright books. The registry will help readers to find and buy copyrighted books. This will also help them search books which are out of print. 

In short, the agreement will help a lot of people; both copyright owners and readers will be benefited from it. Copyright owners can register their books with the Book Rights Registry and get compensation for subscriptions, sales and other revenues their work brings in. 

In this age of paper-less culture, such a move is always welcome. Log on to Google Book Search – millions of books are just a click away!

W3Guru India team and all the subscribers congratulate Aravind Adiga for being selected the Man Booker Prize winner 2008 for her novel The White Tiger.

Aravind was born in Madras, today’s Chennai, in 1974. He attended Columbia and Oxford Universities. He has contributed for TIME magazine, The Financial Times, The Independent, and The Sunday Times.

The White Tiger, the debut novel, showcases two different pictures of India. Well, no more hints. Just go ahead and read the book – that will be the best gift for the author!

Google Chrome has been released recently and the whole world is talking about it. Quite natural! A browser from the internet giant that has revolutionized internet usage MUST be discussed more than anything else. 

People involved in Search Engine Optimization and Online Marketing smell something fishy with Google Chrome as they suspect Google would try to track black hat SEO techniques with this browser. The same way people blamed Google toolbar! 

However, I do not intent to break out a debate on this topic, neither do I have any plan to discuss the features of Google Chrome – lots of discussions are going on about features and facilities of Google Chrome around. Just run a search and you would be flooded with tons of pages! 

Today, I would like to highlight a different point: the day Google released this browser; they added a link just below the search buttons on the Google Search Engine home page. This was done for all country-specific domains like google.co.in, google.co.uk, google.com etc. 

And the result is quite predictable. Millions of people came to know about this new product over the night! The buzz began to flow; and Google reached to people who did not follow their blogs or visit tech news websites and forums easily. 

That’s the power of product development. If you have one successful project, you can make hundreds more! 

With that said, W3Guru India offers a unique tip: all the web development, designing and SEO companies in India should concentrate on product development for local audience. This would help them in three ways: 

1. They need not depend on outsourced projects; economic problem of other countries won’t hit them hard.
2. They would be able to establish their identity once a product is successful.
3. Indians are getting into Internet lately. Developing a useful website for them would help you serve your country directly. Satisfaction!

 So think, innovate and create new products. You can do it. If you stuck at any point, contact us. We would be happy to work with you.

Teachers’ Day is celebrated on 5 September of each year in India. It is the birthday of the second president of India, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Google performed their slice of responsibility.

Happy Teachers Day

Shelfari, global community of book lovers, has been recently acquired by Amazon! However, neither Amazon, nor Shelfari has disclosed the purchase price.

Shelfari was launched in 2006 and soon became a popular social network of book lovers. Shelfari Chief Executive Josh Hug has revealed the fact that they intend to work hand in hand with Amazon to innovate and create new ways of interactivity.

In a newsletter sent to all Shelfari subscribers, Josh has commented that they have some big plans for the future.

W3Guru wishes all the best to all their endeavors. We hope Shelfari will come up as an even better platform for book lovers and readers.

Keep Shelfing