THE SECRET SERVICES

THE SECRET SERVICES

 

Whether its e-mails, messages, documents, photos, or even videos, there'll always be spies ­ hackers, snoopy colleagues, or even professional competitors ­ who would like nothing better than to intercept your correspondence, and get their hands on your stuff. Now, keeping all this information secure is a 24x7 activity.

Thankfully, there are resources on the Internet ­ some which are super fun to use ­ as well as a few apps that are quite effective against espionage.

Read on to find out...

MESSAGES THAT SELF DESTRUCT

How many of you remember that scene from Mission Impossible II where secret agent Ethan Hunt, played by Tom Cruise, gets a message from his spy master that self-destructs as soon as he reads it? Well, Privnote is a web message service that's not as dramatic as its movie counterpart, but follows the same principle of self destruction.

The service does not require you to register or sign up. Simply write your note, and you're provided with a link. Copy and paste that link into an e-mail (or instant message) to send it to your intended recipient. When that person clicks the link for the first time, they will see the note in their browser, after which, the note will automatically self-destruct so no one ­ not even that very same person ­ can read it again. The link won't work anymore. You can also choose to be notified when your note is read by leaving your e-mail and entering a reference code.http:www.privnote.com

HIDE MESSAGES IN IMAGES

Steganography is the science of hiding mes sages within another message in such a way that no one ­ apart from the sender and intended recipient ­ knows of its existence.

For a brilliant way to create your own steganographic messages, visit Mozaiq. Upload any image to the site (.png or .jpeg only). Type your secret message, but not more than 1024 characters. Choose a password, and then click on “Hide Your Message“.

Moziac will create a downloadable .png image file, which looks exactly like the original, but with your message encrypted within. You can rename the picture to something of your choice, but other than that, no other modifications ­ including converting into another file format ­ should be made to the picture. You can then send the file to your friends who will have to visit mozaiq.orgdecrypt and follow the instructions to read the secret message. Just make sure you message them about the password you've set.mozaiq.orgencrypt

ENCRYPT YOUR E-MAIL

Not as gimmicky as Mozaiq, but Top Secret E-Mail is an internet service that promises to get the job done just as well. To create a cryptic message, simply click on the “Encode a Message Now“ button, choose a case-sensitive password, and then type out your message. After you're done, click “Encode Now“.

The site processes your message and password using complex algorithms and spews out garbled alphanumeric text, which you can then send to your friend.

On receiving the text, your buddy will simply have to type in the password and copy paste the text you sent him into the “Decode a Message Now“ box and Voila! The good thing about this service is that there is no word limit for what you can encode, so you can send huge encrypted e-mails.

You can also consider Info Encrypt ­ a service that's similar to Top Secret E-Mail to send coded missives to your friends and colleagues.http:www.topsecretemail.com http:www.infoencrypt.com

PROTECT YOUR CHATS

ChatSecure lets you chat with friends on Google Hangouts (formerly Google Chat) and Jabber over an encrypted connection on your phone. Missives are not stored in the handset's system memory, so they cannot be accessed by third-party apps either.In order to start an “off-the-record“ conversation, your friends must also have this app installed on their handset. Once this mode is switched on, the app uses 128-bit AES encryption to protect your messages. You can also set a passcode to prevent strangers from gaining access to your chats. ChatSecure also includes a feature wherein you can set up a messaging group with friends and colleagues who are connected to the same Wi-Fi point. This is very handy when you don't want to use the internet connection or are in an office that has web restrictions in place.

Alternatively , you can also try Telegram, a free instant messaging app that encrypts messages using 256-bit symmetric AES encryption. It also lets you securely send files of any type, and you can even set a self-destruct timer to them.

CHATSECURE:

Android, iOS, Kindle Fire | Free

TELEGRAM:

web.telegram.org, Android, iOS, Windows Phone | Free

SECURE DATA...

There is always a threat that hackers might break into your cloud stor age services or gain access to your e-mail account. You can stay ahead of the snoop er's game by encrypting your confidential and personal files before storing or sharing them online.

Viivo, a security service for smartphones as well as Windows and Mac computers, uses 256bit AES encryption. Simply select the files you want to upload, after which the app encrypts, and then lets you choose the destination storage service. It lets you connect to Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, OneDrive and also add the files as an attachment in your e-mail app. The file can only be decrypted by you on a PC or handset that has the software installed.

The recipient of your Viivo encrypted file will also need the app on his handset or PC.When he tries to decrypt the file, you are sent a notification seeking approval. And the file only opens at his end after you allow it.

Moreover, all files are automatically compressed before they are sent, so as to keep a check on data usage.Android, iOS, PC, Mac | Free

...AND STORAGE

Alternatively, you could consider switching to Mega. This service en crypts all your files locally on your PC or smartphone before uploading it. This ensures that even Mega employees cannot view your file contents. You get 50GB of free online space and only users with the encryption key , can access and view the encoded content.mega.nz, Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Windows Phone | Free

LOCK YOUR APPS

Now that you know how to encrypt your chats and secure your data on the cloud, what about the apps on your phone? To prevent a stranger from going through your text messages or your child to have a field day on the Google Play Store, install AppLock and choose apps you want to lock down with a single passcode or pattern. You can even hide select pictures, videos or albums from the Gallery app.In fact, AppLock itself can be hidden from view to prevent anybody from trying to disable or uninstall it altogether.

It also lets you create multiple guest profiles where you can individually specify the apps and functions that other users can access. Android | Free

Source | Times of India| 6 July 2015

 

Regards

Six Mumbai bookshops that readers are learning to love

Six Mumbai bookshops that readers are learning to love

Chain bookstores may be shrinking or closing, but the indies are becoming the preferred destinations for book-lovers.

The sprawling Landmark book store, the last one remaining in Mumbai, shut down rather unceremoniously recently, leaving book-lovers rather cheated. Especially when it was a much loved isle of tranquillity in the chaos that is Lokhandwala’s shopping and entertainment hive, where one could spend hours browsing an impressive collection of graphic novels and special interest books on music, gardening and children’s fiction.

Retail book chains have been steadily losing ground to e-tailers. The recent face-off between Crossword and Rupa publishers over the exclusive deal awarded by the latter to Flipkart for Chetan Bhagat’s last novel only proves the extent of the pressure.

The brick and mortar survival strategy involves shrinking the space for books to free up shelves for games, toys and mobile accessories. At Crossword Juhu, men’s undergarments and socks from Sweden have been doggedly pushing the book shelves away from our field of vision.

The good news, though, is in the form of a few good standalone bookstores that have held their own against the e-commerce juggernaut. Yes, sometimes operating out of the unlikeliest venues and often walking the commercial tightrope to stay afloat in the age of the Kindle and incredible online discounts.

We decided to comb Mumbai city to pick the few places where you can still breathe in the air heavy with stories waiting to be discovered.  Our suggestion: reclaim them before they too disappear from the city’s cultural map.

Granth

The revamped book store in Juhu sits atop a shop that calls itself Pagli. But let not that put you off. Walk up the black and brown stairway to the first floor and you will find yourself in a chic and cheerful European style store, flooded in daylight.

The collection is contemporary, eclectic, well organised and the staff extremely helpful – they will even get you that extra strong cappuccino while you cosy up with a book of your choice. Everything here is meant to please the eye: the white interiors with black highlights, the bird cage-shaped coffee bar, the dainty tables and chairs offering unencumbered views of the swish neighbourhood, and the black boards with earnest testimonials. We only wish it supported more indie publishers as well.  And we totally dig the jazz music in the background.

Kitab Khana

Thanks to its location – in the heart of SoBo’s busy tourist and office district – and its old-school vibe, Kitab Khana is now a must-visit for first-timers to the city and commands a loyal fan following among SoBo-iites. That they are serious about their books only is evident from the fact that the display here is exactly how you’d expect in a library, with nothing else to distract you.

It is easy to lose yourself in the walls of books that rise from ground level and go up to the second. Especially when the staff members are ready to help you out with sometimes the oddest requests. Yes, they will even tell you how many print runs a title has had till date.

The little café – Food For Thought – does not encourage random walk-ins. But it serves some nice pasta and cakes to go with the mood set by the book in your hand.

Trilogy

When the country’s largest bookstore in the basement of the Palladium Mall shut down due to “seepage problems” it broke our hearts. The promoters of the mall have had no room for another bookstore in the swish shopping destination and hotel complex since then.

It thus came as a surprise when word first got around of Trilogy, which came up almost next door. This dappled little bookshop in Raghuvanshi Mills complex sits surrounded by stores that peddle carpets from Persia, chandeliers from Belgium and red velvet Ottomans to the nouveau riche. But once inside, you are transported to a world of books, where aspiring poets and scholars meet to exchange notes on their calling.

A collection that covers everything from art, poetry and philosophy to mythology and does not follow any fads is actually curated by the founders, Ahalya and Meethil Momaya, who also run a library consultancy, The Eternal Library. We like the store’s reverential approach towards the threatened species of the serious reader. Knowledgeable staff and some invigorating sessions on a variety of subjects have been getting it the much needed word of mouth and footfall required to survive.

Title Waves

We have something against a bookstore that puts up a website that is riddled with spelling and grammatical errors and introduces itself as a store “with a grand entrance lobby.” But Title Waves in Bandra makes up for its unscholarly sales pitch with its sheer sprawl.

While the girth may remind you of the Landmark store in Palladium Mall that shut down some time ago, the surprisingly inclusive collection and the festive ambiance here is unabashedly commercial. There are better chances of running into one of the Khan brothers from Galaxy Apartments launching a book here than of meeting a discerning booklover who wants nothing more than to disappear behind the pages of his or her favourite book.

Is this the Chetan Bhagat or Amish Tripathi of bookstores? Well, as long as it holds out to the e-commerce giants, we are not complaining.

Elsewhere in the city

The cult of Leaping Windows, which is also a library, is Versova’s worst-kept secret, but one zealously guarded by its fans. True, the juicy ribs in the chef’s special sauce is also a hit with the likes of Sunny Leone, but the little library of graphic novels, cartoons and Manga in its “dungeon” is what draws the a different breed of people. It’s also a great place to hang out with media and advertising professionals in their pyjamas sipping coffee and blowing smoke rings.

Mcubed in Bandra (Maharashtra Mitra Mandal Library) is where you could let your kids discover the joys of reading. The library has an impressive collection of book for children in all age groups, with comfortable chairs and friendly, unobtrusive but caring staff on the standby. The library is now open for adults as well, and we are told it is quickly turning out to be a great place for some parent-kids bonding over books and interactive story-telling and activity sessions. Seems unreal, right?

Source | http://scroll.in/ (6^th July 2015)

Regards

Six free eBook apps every bibliophile must try

Six free eBook apps every bibliophile must try

Business Standard brings you the most popular six eBook apps and what makes them tick

An increasing number of people are taking to eBooks for their daily dose of reading. Reading apps for smartphones and tablets have made it possible to carry entire libraries in one's pocket. For bibliophiles, this means one can snatch a glance at one’s current read wherever, whenever one feels like, without the compulsion to buy a dedicated eBook reader.

Having said that, with the rapid proliferation of reading apps supporting a plethora of digital book formats, how do you know which app is best suited for your needs?

Here are six popular free e-book readers for your smartphone/tablet, and why you should use them:

 

Aldiko

 

This app supports a variety of formats, including Adobe digital rights management (DRM)-encrypted eBooks, which is useful if you've signed up for sites which share advanced proofs of books. It connects to Dropbox, which means even when installed across devices, all your books stay in one place. Aldiko offers a clean customisable interface, and lets you sort your collection by easy tags. The multiple book stores available are a welcome bonus. 

 

Kobo

 

Integrated with services from Canada-based Kobo, this reader app has quite a few unique features. Its ‘Reading Life’ tracks your reading statistics. There are badges for completing books, reading for long stretches and consecutive late-night reads. There is also the ability to comment on books and share memorable quotes, notes and dialogues across social media platforms, as you read.

 

Kindle 

 

Available across major platforms, Amazon’s Kindle app is fast and user-friendly. If you already have an Amazon account and have ever used a Kindle reader, one needs to just sign in. The app will sync your library, last page read, bookmarks, highlights, and notes between devices and platforms. Also, the new Kindle Unlimited programme gives you access to thousands of audiobooks and e-books for a monthly fee. However, its features remain fairly standard. 

 

Nook

 

Barnes and Nobles’ offering is notable for two features: A brilliant page turn animation and a massive collection of more than 4 million paid and free eBooks, magazines, comics, and other publications. The customisable settings are pretty standard, with options for syncing your preferences across devices and platforms. The Android version has received an interface refresh recently.
 

BitLit

 

BitLit is new, but has created ripples for its unique ability to help you digitise your actual book collection. Simply scan and upload a book’s cover and BitLit helps you find a free-to-download eBook version of it. The idea is innovative and cuts down on digitisation costs. However, with the app in its early stages of development, the user can encounter a few minor glitches. 

 

Rockstand

 

Rockstand caught our attention for its impressive all-round performance. A simple interface, cross-device syncing, multi-platform availability, a strong anti-piracy policy, a social reading network which lets users invite friends, share books and reading lists, and swap notes and feedback — Rockstand attempts to capture the best of the top reading apps. Additionally, its strikes a chord with the Indian audience, with its collection of texts in regional languages as well as a variety of educational guides, question papers and preparation material for major Indian government examinations. The app suffers a few lags though. But overall it is sure to impress the Indian smartphone user.

 

All the six apps are available on Android, iOS and Windows platforms.

 

Source | Business Standard (New Delhi July 7, 2015 Last Updated at 14:36 IST)

 

Regards

Learning the 'E' way

Learning the 'E' way

In just a little ten months learnsocial.com has made it to the list of India's top 5,000 e-learning sites, which is "no mean feat," tells us e-learning expert, Yuvraj K Sharma. He finds that "the website is matching up to what's available and its low bounce-off rate indicates that people are finding it useful". At present, the top e-learning portals include: khanacademy.org for school students; coursera.org and edx.org that offer a wide and eclectic range of courses for students as well as professionals; lynda.com and udacity.com that have a focused-approach for career upgradation.

What's Working

Broad Appeal: With 291 IT courses, 213 business-related, 47 academic, 22 focused on languages (ranging from English, Arabic and Russian to German, Mandarin, Japanese), 71 on arts and creativity, 47 dedicated to exams preparations (GMAT, SAT, GRE, IELTS, CMA, CFA, etc.) and about 144 courses offering diverse options ranging from neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and health to communication and disaster management, the site has a lot to offer.

Live and self-paced learning options: These allow both interaction and peer-to-peer learning with the former, and convenience with the latter. Live classes can be problematic if the numbers are great and if there are technology lapses, but learnsocial's average batch size of 15 students (max. 25) seems reasonable. Either option permits life-long access to the course videos and material.

Well laid-out course objectives and curriculum: These let you whet the course well before you decide. The curriculum also mentions tests or project reports to be done at the end of each module and/or course.

User-friendly website: The interface is not only easy to navigate, but also has a live chat for queries. In addition, there are user reviews of each course by students. These are the kind of facilities provided by some of the best sites in the business.

Refund in seven days: If you don't like the course, the instructor, or simply can't attend it, all you have to do is write an email and request for a refund, which is processed immediately. A refund policy is also found on Edx.org.

What's Not Working

Expensive courses: Like several top websites, Learnsocial offers, some free and some inexpensive courses. But there are expensive ones too. Given the Indian market, highly-priced courses can be a problem, especially considering that a large bulk of courses on other websites are free, unless one opts for a certification.

Lack of academic support: The absence of tie-ups with colleges and universities of repute may deter those looking for courses or educational brands to boast of, on their resume.

No video and inadequate instructor information: Students would want to see videos of testimonials by students, as well as of demo lessons by instructors, to get a feel for the online learning experience. User reviews are not enough; space for thriving discussion forums is crucial. The site is not consistent with regard to the type and amount of detail it gives out about each instructor.

Founder of learnsocial.org, Raju Vanapal, says, "We will soon provide learners with course ratings, the number of dropouts a particular course sees, details of instructors (not only in terms of their experience, but also how well they engage with students, whether they complete courses on time, etc.) and the kind of infrastructure available. We're also trying to bring some colleges onboard."

The allure of e-learning, which has always been the convenience factor, is increasingly becoming about being able to learn from top-notch universities worldwide, which one may be unable to attend. The question is, will these courses remain mere tutorials or will they be able to provide professional qualifications? "The knowledge you can get is of same level or better than that in traditional education systems. Online courses have much more acceptance in the west, but are gaining acceptance here too, as employers realize their value and accept the fact that given our fast-paced lives, not everyone can take a break to pursue offline ones," says Yuvraj.

Tips: Right Course, Right E-destination

Define your purpose: Are you pursuing a hobby? Is it knowledge for the sake of knowledge, or to develop an edge in your career? Is it going to play the role of tuitions, which you would otherwise take up in addition to your school or college classes? Defining your purpose will help you decide how reputable the source of knowledge must be, whether a certificate matters, etc.

Compare courses: With several websites offering the same or similar courses, as well as the availability of offline education, it become essential to evaluate the content and curriculum to see which one suits you best and ensure that you're getting the best.

Verify information: Check the reputation of the portal by reading user reviews and articles as well as various rankings. Also read up about the background of the instructor with reference to skills, popularity, education and online teaching experience—as mentioned on the course website as well as by looking up other work done by him or her, possibly research papers, authored books, educational videos, etc.

Consider duration, flexibility and cost: Before investing in a course, you must make sure that you're getting value for your money and also that you have chosen the right format (live, fixed or self-paced sessions) as well as the right duration (based on the amount of time you can spare).

Beware Pitfalls: such as taking a paid course from an unknown or less-recognised website, by first taking a free course to whet the teaching style, delivery as per promise, etc. Another pitfall to avoid is judging e-learning as medium and the web portal merely on the basis of one course experience. (Some really good content may not be packaged well and some really good packages may not have good content.)

Source | Daily News Analysis | 7 July 2015

 

Regards

SARAL LAUNCHED - Info on schools, teachers and students to be online soon

SARAL LAUNCHED - Info on schools, teachers and students to be online soon

Information related to students, teachers and schools will be a click away , from this academic year.The information will soon be available on a website hosted by the National Informatics Centre.

A government resolution issued by the state education department said, “There are a range of schemes and activities which are organized by the state which require schools to collect and submit a lot of information. This information is currently in hardcopy and hence teachers, principals and centre heads spend a lot of time. A lot of stationery and man-hours too are wasted.“

Hence, the state has set up Systematic Administrative Reforms for Achieving Learning by Students (SARAL), which will host information related to recognized schools, teaching and nonteaching staff, and students.Institutions, schools, staff and students can register details through independent logins.“Administrative work should reduce by using technology so that maximum time of education officials can be used to visit schools, converse with teachers and work on improving the quality of education,“ said Sunil Magar, joint director of education.

The student database will help teachers and parents concentrate on learning levels. The online database will also be used to arrest the dropout rate among students.

Source | Times of India | 7 July 2015

Regards

Previous years question papers of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan Source: http://entrance-exam.net/forum/general-discussion/previous-years-question-papers-kendriya-vidyalaya-sangathan-fa-i-subject-1264753.html#ixzz3fH2aBQv5

1. Last 10 years question papers of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan
2. Previous years question papers for PGT of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan
3. Previous years question papers of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan? -- [Most Discussed]
4. Previous years papers of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan Post graduation teachers
5. Last 10 years question papers for the post of librarian of kendriya vidyalaya sangathan
6. Previous 10 years question papers of PGT English?
7. Previous year papers I and II of TGT KV Sangathan
8. Previous years question papers of PGT Geography Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan with solutions
9. Model question papers with solutions for LDC exam in Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan?
10. Previous years question papers for PGT(English)
11. Previous Years Question Papers of PGT Chemistry?
12. Previous years question papers of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan examination
13. Previous years question papers of principal, vice principal and education officers in KV Sangathan?
14. Previous years question papers of KVS of PGT entrance test
15. Previous 5 years question papers of PGT Maths of Kendriya vidyalaya
16. Previous 5 years question papers of PGT computers of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan
17. Previous years question papers for PGT computer science in Kendriya Vidyalaya
18. Previous 10th board exam papers of Kendriya Vidyalaya -- [New]

Source: http://entrance-exam.net/forum/general-discussion/previous-years-question-papers-kendriya-vidyalaya-sangathan-fa-i-subject-1264753.html#ixzz3fH2SmsKD

School textbook caught in plagiarism row in J&K

School textbook caught in plagiarism row in J&K

In the book, meant to introduce Class X students to Economics in “a simplified manner”, most parts of the Economics section have been lifted word-by-word from the J&K Economic Survey.

At a time when the government is trying to enforce stricter rules to check plagiarism across India, Class X students in Jammu and Kashmir will study from a textbook — prescribed by the State Board of School Education — that’s in the eye of a storm for being plagiarised.

The book, ‘A Textbook on Economics & Disaster Management’, a module of Social Studies and divided into two parts —Economics and Disaster Management — has been published by the State Board of School Education and co-authored by 11 people, all from Jammu.

In the book, meant to introduce Class X students to Economics in “a simplified manner”, most parts of the Economics section have been lifted word-by-word from the J&K Economic Survey.

The section does not even offer definitions for basic terms like GDP. The book starts with a graphic and figures of “GSDP of J&K CAGR” picked up from a website.

The book is also a reflection of the politics that divides Kashmir and Jammu regions. The iconic Dal Lake is only a passing reference, and so are other tourist resorts of Kashmir. The book focuses on Jammu’s Mansar Lake and its religious importance.

In fact, the few paragraphs on the lake too have been lifted from Wikipedia.

While talking about the state’s monuments and heritage, the book only mentions Martand temple and Hari Parbat in Kashmir, Dogra Art Museum and Amar Mahal in Jammu and the gompas of Ladakh.

There is no reference to any shrines or mosques from Kashmir.

“This is criminal…You can’t start an introductory subject on Economics with technical terms like GDP and CAGR,” said Prof Javaid Khan, who teaches the subject at Kashmir University.

Secretary, State Board of School Education, Veena Pandita — who has written the foreword — said she had no idea about the book and would comment only after seeing it.

J&K’s Education Minister Nayeem Akhtar said he would look into the matter and take action accordingly.

“I agree there are serious issues with our curriculum. I have taken up measures in this regard,” Akhtar said. “We will look into this book and take necessary action,” he added.

Source | Indian Express | 3 July 2015