Canaan Partners, a multibillion-dollar global venture capital company, has appointed Sharad Sharma as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence.

Sharma previously led Yahoo! India R&D, where he was responsible for product engineering for all emerging markets and for several global products.

“This is the first time a global EIR is appointed out of India. Sharad’s ability to bridge US operations with global markets is a great fit for Canaan. Cloud computing is a global phenomenon, and Canaan is well-positioned to be a partner for pioneering companies worldwide. Sharad will help us expand our investments in this space by identifying key trends and attracting innovative entrepreneurs across the globe,” said Alok Mittal, General Partner at Canaan.

“Sharad brings a mix of investment, leadership and product experience in both infrastructure technology and global markets to Canaan. His experience will be an asset as we continue our growth in India and other global markets. Sharad’s insight will also help us build on the momentum we’ve established in the virtualization and cloud computing markets with investments in companies like Virsto,” said Maha Ibrahim, General Partner at Canaan.

Sharma has more than 22 years of global experience in the Internet, enterprise software and infrastructure markets.

Bentley Systems, a provider of comprehensive software solutions has released its ProjectWise Dynamic Plot V8i, a software service that brings paper into the digital age.
This is done by creating an intelligent link between paper plots and digital models, shrinking the time required to sync written comments and digital data from days to seconds, and sustaining and extending the value of project information plotted to paper. With paper plots and digital models always in sync, markup and review workflows become error-free, mitigating project risk.

Using the advanced publishing capabilities of ProjectWise InterPlot, the new software adds a unique pattern of dots to a drawing as it is plotted. Because this pattern carries with it embedded provenance, it establishes an intelligent link between the paper drawing and the model. The markups are applied to the plot as usual, but with a digital pen, and simultaneously they are captured and stored in memory. Later, the markups are transferred to the ProjectWise managed environment for automatic synchronization and association with the model, thereby ensuring a single source of truth for collaborative teams.

Harry Vitelli, Bentley vice president, MicroStation and ProjectWise, said, By making paper dynamic (adding provenance and enabling change-management), ProjectWise Dynamic Plot helps users create new value from their preferred review medium. Because paper is portable, recyclable, and scalable, it is perfectly suited for everyone who reviews designs, marks up as-built drawings, inspects facilities, or simply makes notes in the field. Today, those same people can use ProjectWise Dynamic Plot to faithfully and flawlessly capture and instantly sync hand-marked revisions on small to large plots.

Vitelli said that given the current state of the global economy and today s challenging resource constraints, now is the perfect time for organizations to invest in information technology like ProjectWise Dynamic Plot that will yield both immediate and long-term returns on the innovation it affords.

The ProjectWise Dynamic Plot workflow provides the additional advantage of automatic digital backup for all reviewer markups, which can easily be lost or destroyed in the field in paper form or overlooked during manual transfers to a computer. At the same time, it establishes a markup audit trail for management accountability. As a result, owners are assured that all as-built markups are accurately recorded increasing quality and improving safety and never lost, further reducing risk throughout the project lifecycle.

The number of mobile payment users worldwide will total 73.4 million in 2009, up 70.4 % from 2008 when there were 43.1 million users, according to Gartner. The research has also predicted that m-payments will go mainstream by 2012, with nearly 3% global mobile users using m-payments.

Momentum in the mobile payment market gathered further in 2008 with a number of high-profile launches of mobile money transfer services in multiple markets, participation of major global institutions in near-field communication (NFC) payment trials, as well as new payment solutions entering the market, said Sandy Shen, research director at Gartner. However, at the same time, security concerns, an inadequate ecosystem and undefined areas in banking regulations remain challenges for mobile payment.

Gartner defines a mobile payment as paying for a product or service using mobile technology such as a SMS, WAP, unstructured supplementary service data (USSD), and NFC.

It includes transactions that use banking instruments such as cash, bank accounts, or debit and credit cards, as well as noncarrier stored value accounts, such as travel cards, gift cards, or Paypal. It does not include transactions that use mobile operators billing systems, such as purchase of mobile content or telebanking by mobile to the service center via an IVR system.

In terms of both number of users and transaction volumes, Gartner expects Asia/Pacific and Japan to maintain a larger share of the market through 2012.

The most profound impact of mobile banking and payment services is that they provide the nonbanking population with access to modern financial services, giving them tools to improve their living standards, said Shen. For mobile operators, mobile payment can help attract and retain users and generate new revenue streams. For financial institutions, mobile payment is an opportunity to reach users who may have been previously unreachable, due to a lack of retail infrastructure.

SES Technologies has joined hands with RT Outsourcing for providing Warranty on Samsung HDD. This tie-up will enhance the brand positioning and even further increase acceptance and growth for Samsung hard drive business via SES in India .

RT Outsourcing is one of India ’s leading providers of Technical Support and Reverse Logistics Services offering integrated aftermarket service solutions for warranty support to leading multi-nationals and fortune 500 companies. SES has faith in RT Outsourcing’ expertise in the service arena and with warranty provider for WD products and now Samsung reflects their aftermarket service excellence. This service pact will commence from 1st June 2009.

“Samsung HDD business is growing rapidly in India supported by SES strong channel network in Tier II & III class markets and this tie-up with RT Outsourcing will fulfill the upcoming requirement of a specialist warranty & service provider for Samsung hard drives.” stated Mr. Jacques Roux, Director ,SES Technologies.

“We are indeed proud that we have been able to secure the contract for Samsung hard drive warranties from SES, and look forward to ensure the best possible service that customer could wish for! Based on the excellent quality of the product and the extensive service network that we offer, we are very confident of a smooth warranty service here” commented Mr. R.K Goel, VP – APAC, RT Outsourcing Services Ltd.

Samsung Electronics is leveraging off the well know strength that SES technologies holds in upcountry markets & metros last year by re-launching its hard drives range of products making the product more accessible across the country. Through this enhanced service model, the acceptance and penetration of Samsung hard drives will grow from strength to strength.

Nivio ( www.nivio.com ), the world’s first online Windows desktop , has unveiled the nivio Companion in New Delhi , India ; a tiny US$100 set-top box device with big ambitions and the power of Nivio behind it. nivioCompanion works just like a normal Windows desktop except that it is run on the internet instead of locally, on a computer. Because everything is run from and stored on the internet, Nivio is:

• familiar . Just like a traditional PC, Nivio is powered by Microsoft Windows. Users can also access programs they’re familiar with like iTunes, Skype, MSN Messenger or Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint.

• future proof . all performance updates happen online so nothing ever goes out of date.

• secure . Files are automatically backed-up daily and kept safe and private just like an online vault. There’s no need to worry about viruses either, as all virus security is managed by Nivio.

• simple to use . New programs can be added in seconds without installation, and users only pay for what they use on a monthly basis.

• accessible anywhere . A virtual Nivio computer is only as far away as the nearest internet-connected device. All files are stored online in the same way as photos are saved online with Flickr or emails are stored on Hotmail. Users simply go to the Nivio website and log in.

Nivio has initially partnered with Bharti Airtel to offer consumers low cost, high powered computing. Together, they hope to extend access to computing for those in India who don’t currently own a computer. The first stage of the launch is a limited release launch in New Delhi and the NCR region followed by a national roll-out. Over the next few months, nivioCompanions will also be available through a partnership with Next Retail in the Delhi NCR Region in selected stores ( http://www.nivio.com/NEXTStores).

nivioCompanion costs from just Rs4999 (approx US$100) for a standalone device. It is also available with a 15” LCD screen, keyboard and mouse for Rs7999 (approx US$160). Once connected to a broadband internet connection, the nivioCompanion offers a full Windows XP experience complete with a full version of Microsoft Office (and the option to rent other software from leading publishers) and 10GB of storage.

Sachin Duggal, President & CEO, Nivio “There are two ways to make computing affordable – one is to give an inferior cut-down offering and the other is to make the whole ecosystem more efficient by offloading the work to the internet. The latter is what we do at Nivio. The launch of the nivioCompanion today marks the start of a new era in smart and low cost computing – powered by an online grid computer; a bit like how homes get electricity.

“We now have over 80,000 Nivio customers and they asked us repeatedly for different ways to connect to Nivio; we listened, researched and developed the nivioCompanion, the first of many nivioEnabled devices. While this is our first piece of hardware, our specialism is software and we’ve been busy building an eco-system with hardware partners to create more devices to connect with our world-first service. As they say – watch this space, Nivio is very much “always turned on!”

Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd (SSTL), a joint venture between Russia’s Sistema and the Shyam Group, has announced a strategic agreement with Aegis BPO for outsourcing customer service operations of its mobile service brand MTS in the eastern circle. Aegis BPO will facilitate SSTL in the delivery of quality customer care solutions to customers and establishing customer loyalty for the MTS brand. SSTL, which has recently forayed into Kolkata, is looking to gradually expand its presence to the Eastern states of West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand.

MTS has already invested about $1.2 billion in India , for spectrum allocation and other infrastructure, out of the total capital expenditure plan of $5.5 billion. The mandate to Aegis BPO entails the managing of both voice and back-office processes including inbound customer service, inbound retailer help desk, outbound and inbound complaints, handset support, technical help desk and welcome call.

Mr. Vsevolod Rozanov, President and CEO, Sistema Shyam TeleServices Ltd. said, “The association with Aegis is one of the many steps that we will take, to introduce and sustain world class services for all our customers. Aegis BPO’s proven expertise will support in serving our growing customer base, and deliver best in class service standards that the brand MTS stands for globally.”

Aegis BPO will provide a 35-seat contact center, scalable to 150 over the next three months, as the volumes of subscriber-base and call transactions increase. The agreement with Aegis is aimed at ensuring consistent, high-quality services to MTS subscribers in the region.

SSTL is currently offering its service in Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Kolkata, and has acquired licenses and spectrum to provide mobile telephony services in all the 22 circles across the country under its MTS brand name, recognized as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Brands in the world.

Technologically inclined students in Indian colleges will now be able to get an affordable and globally-recognized ERP qualification at their institutions, with SAP launching the TERP 10 certification under its SAP University alliances programme.

Launched at the Symbiosis Center for Management and Human Resource Development Institute in Pune, TERP10 will subsequently be made available to all interested Indian colleges and universities that are members of the SAP University Alliances program. University Alliances program member students will receive the additional benefits of the advanced Enterprise Resource Planning certification course being delivered through specially trained professors at an especially low cost.

Adopted by over 30 prominent Indian educational institutions including XLRI Jamshedpur, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore, IIT Kanpur, Symbiosis Center for Management and Human Resource Development (SCMHRD) Pune, International Management Institute (IMI) Delhi, Symbiosis Center for Information technology (SCIT) Pune, Xavier Institute of Management (XIMB), Bhubaneswar and National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE ) Mumbai, the SAP University Alliances program is an endeavor to develop high-end SAP skilled workforce.
SAP has a long history of supporting colleges and universities in developing the business and IT talent required for today s 21st century workforce, said Robert LoBue, vice president, Global University Alliances, SAP AG.

We are indeed pleased to launch TERP10 at universities in India. This is a highly-valued professional qualification that provides students with an opportunity to strengthen their university degree or diploma with an officially-recognized SAP certification; a winning combination in today’s demanding job search environment.

We are pleased to be associated with the SAP University Alliances program. This has helped our students gain a strong foothold in the IT industry and has proved to be a platform for collaboration within the SAP ecosystem, said S. Vijayakumar Bharathi, associate professor, Symbiosis Centre for Information Technology. We at SCIT believe in creating professionals that help meet the demands of a skilled workforce, and the SAP University Alliances program is a prominent step in this direction.

IBM has opened an indigenous dynamic infrastructure lab at Pune by using the skill-base from its India workforce. The lab, located at the IBM Software Lab showcases technologies to address clients business challenges and brings more intelligence, automation, integration, and efficiencies to the digital and physical worlds.  As a result, it will enable businesses and governments better respond to and manage challenges presented by today’s globally integrated planet.

The lab aims to help organizations deliver the visibility, control and automation needed to address quality service, manage risk and compliance besides maximizing return on investments, and accelerate business growth.

Ponani Gopalakrishnan, vice president, IBM India Software Lab said, It is time to start thinking differently about infrastructure and in this smarter world, we need our assets to propel us forward, not hold us back. A dynamic infrastructure transforms physical and digital assets into higher valued services and leverages new technologies and strategies to reduce costs manage risk and deliver superior business and IT services with agility and speed.

IBM has opened an indigenous dynamic infrastructure lab at Pune by using the skill-base from its India workforce. The lab, located at the IBM Software Lab showcases technologies to address clients business challenges and brings more intelligence, automation, integration, and efficiencies to the digital and physical worlds.  As a result, it will enable businesses and governments better respond to and manage challenges presented by today’s globally integrated planet.

The lab aims to help organizations deliver the visibility, control and automation needed to address quality service, manage risk and compliance besides maximizing return on investments, and accelerate business growth.

Ponani Gopalakrishnan, vice president, IBM India Software Lab said, It is time to start thinking differently about infrastructure and in this smarter world, we need our assets to propel us forward, not hold us back. A dynamic infrastructure transforms physical and digital assets into higher valued services and leverages new technologies and strategies to reduce costs manage risk and deliver superior business and IT services with agility and speed.

IBM Software Labs in India supports a heterogeneous environment and hence is very similar to a typical growing organization s IT infrastructure. Using energy monitoring systems along with advanced Virtualization and automated management, IBM is looking to increase operational efficiency by over 20% and in turn increase its green footprint.
In today s challenging business environments, customers see the value that IBM brings to the table. The Dynamic Infrastructure Lab will help clients reuse existing capital and increase optimization of their assets by better monitoring their infrastructure and increase operational efficiency, said Rekha D. Garapati, Director of IBM India Software Labs.

Global connectivity is driving increasingly complex supply chains, ultra-empowered consumers, and making issues such as governance and compliance, managing risk, and fending off security threats increasingly difficult and complex.  And, with one-third of the world’s population on the Internet by 2011, four billion mobile web subscribers today, and the staggering amount of data and intelligence being driven by the rapid proliferation of smart sensors, RFID tags, and intelligence being built into everything from pets to power grids, the world’s infrastructure is at a breaking point.

According to a report carried by SpamFighter , the Ministry of Communication, Government of India has warned BSNL to test telecom networks supplied by Huawei for malware and trapdoors, as well as backdoors that might provide entry points to hackers.
BSNL was given permission to sign a telecom network contract with Huawei Technologies India earlier this month.

The warning from the ministry is said to have come due to concerns that hardware and network vendors from suspicious places, particularly China, might load backdoor components without revealing them when the vendors ship the products.

SpamFighter reports a high-ranking Home Ministry official, who was not named, as saying it is possible that Chinese hardware, available at fairly low costs, could be implanted with malicious programs.

The news has not been confirmed by any of the entities mentioned above.