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Google, RailTel Bring Free Wi-Fi Facility to 100 Railway Stations in India

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

Google on Thursday announced that its collaborative effort with RailTel to provide Railwire Wi-Fi across railway stations in India has reached a new milestone. The search giant said that the free public Wi-Fi facility is now available in the 100th railway station in India – Udhagamandalam, better known as Ooty.

To recall, Google had first launched Wi-Fi services at Mumbai Central in January this year, with the aim to bring services to 400 stations eventually. At the time, it had committed to bringing the service to 100 railway stations by the end of the year, and with Thursday’s announcement, it has succeeded. It is now on its second phase of deployment, on the next 300 stations in India. In the meanwhile, the company also announced it has introduced Google Station, which gives partners an easy set of tools to roll-out Wi-Fi hotspots in public places.

google railtel ooty railway

google railtel ooty railway

The company in a press statement said, “Over 10 million people who pass through these stations every day now have an access to fast Internet speed to stream (or offline) an HD video, research their destination or download a new book or game for the journey ahead. With over 5 million monthly users, the Google Railtel Wifi is helping millions of Indians discover the benefits of Internet with 15,000 first time users connecting to the network everyday.”

In the meanwhile, Gulzar Azad, Country Head – Connectivity, Google India, said, “We’re really excited about reaching this milestone and it is an incredible feeling to look back and see how far we’ve come since we announced that we were partnering with Indian Railways and RailTel to provide Wi-Fi at 400 railway stations throughout the country. But what has really inspired us are the stories of how people are using this high-speed access to the full and open Internet. They’re using Railwire Wi-Fi to be more productive with their time and to get things done more efficiently.”

[Source:- gadgets.ndtv]

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Internet

New Ransomware Offers Free Decryption Key to Victims if They Infect Others

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

New Ransomware Offers Free Decryption Key to Victims if They Infect Others

Ransomware threats are getting more difficult and twisted in recent times. Over the past few months, tons of malware-related attacks have been carried out around the world at an alarming scale. The most recent case allegedly involves a Syrian group that wants more than just a ransom.

A ransomware named “Popcorn Time” – with no known relation to the streaming service – encrypts your Windows files with an AES-256 encryption. To unlock the files, the victim will need to pay one Bitcoin ($780 or roughly Rs. 52,600). However, the malware offers an alternative way to unlock the files as well.

The victim is also given the choice to infect two more people via a referral link. If they get infected and pay the ransom, then the original victim will receive a free decryption key to unlock the files. It is additionally found that entering the decryption code more than a few times can permanently lock the files.

The ransomware encrypts files in Documents, Pictures, Music, and Desktop folders as well as a number of file extensions after a recent update. The ransomware is reportedly still in development and certain details may change based on the updates.
Ransomware such as “Popcorn Time” have been a common sight and traditionally victims had no way out other than paying up. However, offering a free decryption key by infecting others is something quite new, and serves the group’s purpose of widely spreading the ransomware.

The ransomware, spotted by the MalwareHunterTeam, was reportedly made by a group of computer science students from Syria, who claim the ransom will be used as food and shelter in Syria.

“We are extremely sorry that we are forcing you to pay but that’s the only way that we can keep living,” said the ransomware note.

[Source:- gadgets.ndtv]

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Internet

Bihar Government to Block Porn Sites From Free Wi-Fi in Colleges

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

Bihar Government to Block Porn Sites From Free Wi-Fi in Colleges

The Bihar government will block pornography and other “undesirable sites” while providing free Wi-Fi in colleges and universities to ensure that the facility is used purely for educational purposes.

Restrictions would be put on data usage on the premises of educational institutions.

Providing free Wi-Fi in colleges and universities forms part of the ‘Seven Resolves’ which the Nitish Kumar government has adopted as a policy of good governance.

Chief Minister Kumar, while addressing a meeting in Purnea on Friday last during his ‘Nischay Yatra’, said free Wi-Fi facility in all colleges and universities would be in place by February next.

“We have decided to block all pornography and other undesirable sites to enable the service for educational purpose only on the campuses of educational institutions,” Bihar State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (Beltron), Patna Managing Director Rahul Singh told PTI on Monday.

Beltron, which is an executive wing of the state IT department, has been entrusted with the job of providing Wi-Fi system in the educational institutions.
Beltron officials said free Wi-Fi service would be provided in over 300 colleges and nine universities of Bihar.

Besides, the Information Technology department has decided to put restrictions on data usage in all institutions which would be provided free Wi-Fi service.

“We will put a data-limit for usage, which will depend on usage. The quantum of data-limit is being worked out,” Singh said.

While colleges would be provided with Internet speed of 10Mbps, universities and other bigger institutions like IIT would be provided with the speed of 20Mbps, Singh said.

In a ‘Chetna Sabha’ at Purnea on Friday last, the Chief Minister had asked youths to use the facility for downloading books and knowledge materials and not for watching films.

Citing a case of how free Wi-Fi was being misused, he had said, “It came to our knowledge that one gentleman has downloaded 300 movies on the 22 km area of main city street where the facility is available.”

“Downloading one-two movies is OK, but the free Wi-Fi facility in colleges and universities is conceived to help students download books and knowledge material,” Kumar had said.

[Source:- gadgets.ndtv]

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Education

The cost of cancelled free schools

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

Pupil writing

The year 2015 was the worst on record for free school failures, with five schools failing to open at a cost of £700,000 to the taxpayer.

Figures released by the Department for Education (DfE) show nearly £2m has been spent on free schools that have failed to open since the first ones were launched in England in 2011.

The free school scheme was introduced by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government in 2010, the aim being to make it easier for charities, community groups and religious organisations to set up their own schools independently of their local authority, in an attempt to drive up education standards.

Trusts intending to set up a free school are entitled to a project development grant from the DfE to cover essential costs up to the point at which the school opens.

However, should a free school project be cancelled before opening, this funding cannot be reclaimed as long as it has been spent in line with DfE funding rules.

One that failed to open was Gateway Academy. Scheduled for opening in Brent, north-west London, in September 2015, it was due to educate 700 secondary school and sixth-form pupils. It folded after the free school trust failed to find a suitable site, costing the taxpayer more than £300,000. Of the 60 free schools planned to open in 2015, five failed to open.

‘Ideological obsession’

Johnny Kyriacou, who was to be the head teacher of Gateway Academy, explained in a statement that this was due to rising land prices and competition against developers preventing a suitable site being found to accommodate the school.

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Our country needs more good school places for children. Free schools provide more options for parents so they can choose a place that really works for their child’s talents and needs.

“We have a rigorous assessment and pre-opening process to help ensure that only the best projects are approved, and that only high-quality free schools open.”

They added that 345 free schools had opened, “providing greater choice and more places in schools that are more likely than other state-funded schools to be judged outstanding”.

The spokesman also said: “To maintain these high standards, schools open only when we are confident they are in a strong position to provide an excellent education to all pupils from day one. Costs are controlled very carefully to deliver value for money to the taxpayer”.

Shadow education minister Angela Rayner told the BBC: “These new figures show that free schools have become a costly obsession of the government.

“Public money is being wasted on an ideological Tory obsession which is failing to deliver the good schools which all our children deserve. It’s time Theresa May junked free schools, like she has junked forcing every school to become an academy.”

Liberal Democrat education spokesman John Pugh said: “As the maintained sector heads for a funding crisis to squander money to little effect and waste such huge sums on schools that do not even open borders on the criminally negligent.”

A spokeswoman for the New Schools Network, which supports the opening of free schools, said: “Free schools remain the most cost effective way of meeting the demand for new school places, short of putting Portacabins in school playgrounds.”

[Source:- BBC]

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Education

Extra free childcare ‘threatens nursery schools’

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

nursery class

Hundreds of nursery schools in England could close if the government presses ahead with plans to offer 30 hours a week of free childcare, a union warns.

Pre-schools will not cope financially after a planned two-year package of taxpayer support ends, says the National Association of Head Teachers.

In 2017, free care for three-and four-year-olds is set to rise from 15 to 30 hours a week in term-time.

Ministers say the extra funding will provide stability for nursery schools.

There are 400 maintained nursery schools in England, offering an early years education to three- and four-year-olds.

Two-thirds are in the most deprived areas of England, and 99% are rated as good or outstanding.

The NAHT carried out analysis with the charity Early Education.

They found those in the local authority areas with the highest number of nurseries – including Birmingham, Lancashire and Hertfordshire – would see huge cuts in funding if the proposal to double the current 15 hours of free time was introduced.

They say:

  • nursery schools in Birmingham received an average of £8.36 an hour in 2015-16, which would fall to £4.44 an hour in 2017-18 – if no additional funding were made available – a decrease of £3.92
  • nursery schools in Lancashire received an average of £7.89 an hour in 2015-16, which would fall to £4.27 an hour, if no additional funding were received – a decrease of £3.62
  • nursery schools in Hertfordshire received an average of £7.47 an hour in 2015-16, which would fall to £5.36, if not subsidised – a decrease of £2.11
  • and nursery schools in Durham received an average of £6.67 an hour in 2015-16, which would fall to £4.15 an hour – a decrease of £2.52 – if no additional funds were injected

NAHT general secretary Russell Hobby said: “The Department for Education’s [DfE] own data shows that any funding approach that does not reflect these costs on an ongoing basis will be a body blow for early years education in nursery schools.

“There is additional funding available, but only for two years.

“After that point, England’s nursery schools will cease to be financially viable.

“The 30 hours offer will be doomed before it even gets started, additional places won’t materialise and current places will be lost as nursery schools across England close their doors for good.

“The government has the data – it must rethink before thousands of families, many in the poorest areas of the country, are left high and dry.

“In contrast to grammar schools, high-quality nursery education is a proven method of helping the most disadvantaged families.

“It is inexplicable that a government serious about social mobility would focus on one at the expense of the other.”

The NAHT claims come on the final day of a government consultation on early years funding and the 30 hours of free care in term time.

A spokeswoman for the DfE said the proposals for supplementary funding would be for at least two years.

“This extra funding will provide stability for nursery schools, which make a valuable contribution to improving the lives of some of our most disadvantaged children.

“The funding is part of our record investment in early years – £6bn per year by 2020.

“We will be consulting with the maintained nursery schools’ sector on future funding in due course.”

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Provider’s concerns

Valerie Daniel, head of Washwood Heath Nursery School, in Birmingham, said: “The government seems to recognise the quality of early years education such settings provide, but has no plans to secure their future beyond the two years of transitional funding set out.

“This will lead to a massive loss for nursery schools, with larger settings potentially losing more than £200,000 from their current budgets, which have already been hit by local budget cuts.

“I fear that a significant loss to maintained nursery budgets will create a ripple effect on safeguarding the most vulnerable children in the region.”

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In April, a poll of childcare providers carried out by the Pre-school Learning Alliance found almost feared they could have to close as a result of the 30-hour offer.

The online poll also found that 48% of the providers felt they would have to reduce the number of places they offered to other age groups.

[Source:- BBC]

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Internet

Tamil Nadu to Set Up ‘Amma Free Wi-Fi Zones’ in the State

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

Tamil Nadu to Set Up 'Amma Free Wi-Fi Zones' in the State

In yet another people-friendly initiative, the ruling AIADMK government Friday issued orders to set up ‘Amma Free Wi-Fi’ zones in 50 places across the state.

Cashing in on the ‘Amma’ brand, the state government had earlier introduced several people-friendly schemes like Amma Water, Amma Cement, Amma Medicine besides launching Amma Canteen offering food at subsidised rates.

“In a move to implement the Free Wi-Fi zone scheme as announced in the party manifesto, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa issued orders to set up Amma Wi-Fi zone in 50 spots, comprising larger bus terminuses, commercial complexes and parks,” a release from Chief Minister’s office said.

Similarly, higher secondary school and college students would also be given free access to internet as per the poll promise, it said.

In the first phase, 50 schools will be covered at a cost of Rs. 10 crores. Jayalalithaa is fondly called ‘Amma’ (Mother) by her cadres.

Meanwhile, Jayalalithaa has issued orders to construct an integrated IT complex, spread across two lakh square feet at the Electronic Corporation of Tamil Nadu Special Economic Zone in Sholinganallur at a cost of Rs. 80 crores, another release said.

 The proposal to construct the complex was against the backdrop of exports from the Special Economic Zone constituting 25 percent, valued at Rs. 16,536 crores, it said.

The government said, 650 permanent e-registration centres will be set up by the Tamil Nadu e-governance Agency allowing people to access the services offered by government departments. “The Centres will be set up at a cost of Rs. 25 crores,” it said.

For customers who opt to make use of government services through mobile applications, the release said, a new scheme, Assured Multi-Modal Access, would be launched offering the services of government department in mobile phones.

“Initially, 25 government schemes will be launched through this facility at a cost of Rs. one crores,” it added.

Noting that the offices of Tamil Nadu e-governance agency and the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation were operating in rented premises, the release said new buildings at a cost of Rs five crore would be constructed to house the government offices.

[Source:- gadgets. ndtv]

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Education

Saracens Rugby Club to open one of 77 new free schools

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

Saracens play Worcester Warriors

The latest wave of free schools approved to open in England include one run by Saracens Rugby Club and a school for children with autism.

They are among a total of 77 new approved state-funded schools, run by academy trusts, community groups, parents and teachers, say ministers.

It is the biggest wave of free schools this parliament and continues progress towards the goal of 500 more by 2020.

The NUT said the news could not hide the fact “education policy is a mess”.

But Saracens chairman Nigel Wray said the approval of the club’s new free school presented “a marvellous opportunity”.

Saracens High School, a new secondary for north London, is the result of a partnership between European Cup holders Saracens and another local school, Ashmole Academy, says the Department for Education.

The aim is to combine academic achievement with sporting success and teamwork, said Mr Wray.

‘More options’

Expansion of the free school programme was a Conservative manifesto pledge in the 2015 general election.

Since 2010, 429 of the schools have been set up, 42 of which opened this month, including the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts sixth form, which has Sir Paul McCartney as its patron.

The additional free schools approved include:

  • Cumbria Academy for Autism, led by local parents of autistic children
  • 21 primary schools in the Midlands, south and east of England run by REAch2 Academy Trust
  • Three new secondaries and a primary run by Harris Federation to include a specialist science school in south London

“Our country needs more good school places for children. This next wave of free schools means more options for parents so they can choose a place that really works for their child’s talents and needs,” said Education Secretary Justine Greening.

“‎Alongside the reforms announced last week this will build on the progress that has seen 1.4 million more children in good or outstanding schools than in 2010. This will help deliver the true meritocracy the prime minister has pledged to create.”

Sir Steve Lancashire, chief executive of REAch2, said the new schools would “offer exceptional opportunities for learning to even more children”.

And Sarah Pearson, interim director of the New Schools Network, which helps set up new free schools, said it was “wonderful to be congratulating another 77 groups on their successful free school applications”.

However, NUT general secretary Kevin Courtney said: “Free schools were originally promoted as a parent-led initiative that would provide choice, but now we are seeing the dominance of the programme by just a few big academy brands.

“It is clear to everyone that Justine Greening is stuck between the failed policies of her predecessor and the prime minister’s irrational and regressive desire to expand selection.”

Selective schools?

And National Association of Head Teachers General Secretary Russell Hobby called for more strategic planning to open new schools where they are most needed.

“A quarter of open free schools are not in areas of basic need and over half are serving more advantaged communities. This is not an ideal allocation of scarce resources,” said Mr Hobby.

“The government’s new proposals for grammar schools may also allow these new schools to select by ability in the near future, actually narrowing parent choice in the long run.

“This focus on selection is a huge distraction from the basics of education, including providing enough school places.”

But a Department for Education spokesman said the new set of free schools would not be affected by plans for new selective schools in England as “the law has not yet changed”.

[Source:- BBC]

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Education

Saracens secondary among 77 free schools to be approved

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep
free schools, justine greening, gramamr schools
Rugby club partners with local outstanding secondary school

A secondary school backed by Premiership rugby club Saracens is among 77 free schools to be approved by the government today, in the biggest wave of approvals to be made by the government since it committed to opening 500 free schools by 2020.

It comes just days after education secretary Justine Greening set out plans to use the free schools programme to introduce new grammars into the system.

Among the most eye-catching of the schools is the Saracens High School, a new secondary school for Barnet in London, which will see the Premiership champions partner with Ashmole Academy, an outstanding local secondary.

Academy chains are also prominent in the list of free school providers, with Reach2 committing to open 21 new schools by 2020. The Harris Federation will open three new secondaries and a primary.

In a statement, Ms Greening said: “Our country needs more good school places for children. This next wave of free schools means more options for parents so they can choose a place that really works for their child’s talents and needs.

“‎Alongside the reforms announced last week, this will build on the progress that has seen 1.4 million more children in good or outstanding schools than in 2010. This will help deliver the true meritocracy the Prime Minister has pledged to create.”

The announcement comes as 56 free schools are due to open this month, joining the 429 free schools already open. A further 236 are in the process of being opened.

The government has a target of 500 new free schools by 2020. Sarah Pearson, interim director of New Schools Network, a charity that helps free school applicants, said the government’ aimed to provide 330,000 new places in these schools.

[Source:- tes]

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Education

Parents face charges for ‘free’ childcare, nurseries warn

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

Toddlers reading

Parents in England who claim extra free childcare from September will be asked to pay charges to help tackle a funding shortfall, nurseries have warned.

A government scheme offering 30 hours of childcare a week to working parents of three and four-year-olds is to be piloted in York next month.

But the Pre-school Learning Alliance said providers may refuse to offer the care because it could cost them money.

The government said it was set to spend a record amount on childcare.

‘Underfunded’

Some families who use only free care may be unable to dictate when they want their children to attend a nursery or to secure places for more than one term at a time.

The scheme, which is also being trialled in another seven areas in September, was a key promise in the Conservative general election manifesto.

Fifteen hours of taxpayer-funded childcare for all three and four-year-olds has been available since 2010 and some two-year-olds are also eligible for free care.

But providers in York say the new policy is underfunded and they stand to lose tens of thousands of pounds.

Nurseries cannot charge for the free care promised by the government, but they can ask parents to pay towards the cost of food and special activities.

Ken McArthur, who runs a nursery in York, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’m introducing a charge, which is something that was never there beforehand.

“I’m now going to introduce a funded hours charge, which includes the meals which we’ve been providing, in a lot of cases totally for free.”

He said parents of babies and very young children were already paying higher rates to subsidise an existing scheme offering 15 hours of childcare.

Parents who pay at his nursery can secure a place for their child until he or she reaches school age, but those who seek only free care will have to apply for a place three times a year, he said, and would not be able to dictate their hours.

Vanessa Warn, who runs two nurseries in York, said she asked parents to make contributions of £5 a day.

She said: “Our parents have been overwhelmingly supportive because again it comes down to parental choice.”

Earlier this year childcare providers threatened to pull out of the York pilot scheme until they were promised more money, but nurseries say they are still set to lose out.

Ms Warn told Today that she expected the policy to cost her £70,000 to provide next year.

‘Widespread support’

The other pilot areas are Wigan, Staffordshire, Swindon, Portsmouth, Northumberland, York, Newham and Hertfordshire, but York is the only one in which the policy will be tested across the whole council.

It is scheduled to be rolled out across the rest of England in 2017.

The Pre-School Learning Alliance, a charity which specialises in early years education, warned some nurseries could opt out of the scheme.

Its chief executive, Neil Leitch, said: “As the Department for Education itself has acknowledged, if childcare providers find that they’ll be financially worse off by delivering the 30 hours, many will simply opt out of the scheme.”

But a Department for Education spokeswoman said plans to rewrite rules on how funding was distributed had received widespread support from the childcare industry.

She said: “We are doubling our free childcare offer for working parents to make it easier for them to get on and balance work with their family lives.”

The spokeswoman added that the Department for Education would be spending a record £6bn on childcare by 2020.

The Conservatives promised an extra 15 hours of free care for working parents in its general election manifesto.

Parents will be eligible for the extra 15 hours if they earn at least £115 a week.

The policy only applies in England.

In Scotland three and four-years-olds and some two-year-olds are eligible for 16 hours of care a week.

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Tech Update

DataWind PocketSurfer GZ with Linux OS, 1 year free browsing launched for Rs 1,499

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

DataWind PocketSurfer GZ with Linux OS, 1 year free browsing launched for Rs 1,499

DataWind launched the PocketSurfer GZ in India for Rs 1,499. DataWind has partnered with Reliance Communication to offer free internet on the device for a year. The device ships with the Linux Operating System. There are no details on specifications as of now.

Suneet Singh Tulli, CEO of DataWind said “We are focused on driving the cost downward to a level where access to technology becomes universally affordable and democratization of technology finds its true meaning. Therefore, this new launch of smartphone at just Rs 1499 is a step in that direction. This will certainly enhance the connectivity in the developing nations.”

Further explaining the need of low cost handsets to, he added, “Hands-free communication has become extremely important and we feel strongly that this technology should reach every corner of the world. DataWind aims to breaks the affordability barriers and bandwidth constraints of networks touching the mass of India at a whole new level.”

The handset maker is known for making low cost devices, including mobile phones and tablets. DataWind is one of the leading manufacturers in the low cost device segment. According to IDC, DataWind led the tablet market with 27.6 per cent share.

[Source:- tech.firstpost]

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