Thursday, October 29, 2009

40th Happy Birthday Anniversary of Internet

In fall 1969, computers sending data between two California universities set the stage for the Internet, which became a household word in the 1990s.


What would the 21st century be without computers?
The machines that rule our modern lives have been around for less than a century.
Early computers helped the allied forces during the Second World War.
SOUNDUP: (Announcer) The analyzer worked for three years on important war projects, including reigns tables for our Navy's mighty guns."
By the late 1960s computers were being used by NASA and other government agencies.
Then on September 2nd 1969, in a lab at the University of California, Los Angeles, two computers passed test data through a 15-foot gray cable.
Stanford Research Institute joined the fledging ARPANET network a month later; UC Santa Barbara and the University of Utah joined by year's end, and the internet was born.
VOICEOVER (English) no name given: "In the 70s, the silicon chip became the basis of a new generation of computerized devices .
Following the silicon chip, came games and e-mail, creating a social and industrial revolution.
The Museum of Computing in Swindon, England boasts dozens of exhibits featuring computers through the decades.
One of the prize exhibits is a black cube, the model of a computer used by Tim Berners-Lee.
SOUNDBITE (English) Simon Webb, Curator, Museum of Computing: "It's a pretty rare beast, we're very lucky to have one of these, especially in such a good condition. It's a fairly significant machine, in that on one of these machines Tim Berners-Lee developed the World Wide Web."
The Internet didn't become a household word until the 90s, though, when Lee, a British physicist invented the Web and service providers like America Online connected millions of people for the first time.
The Museum has a large collection of computer games, including the first TV tennis games console.
SOUNDUP: (Announcer) There were toys for adults, too
The Founder of the Museum of Computing says that today's children have no concept of a life before computers.
SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Holt, Founder, Museum of Computing: "The interest is that a lot of the youngsters nowadays have no real idea how primitive things were a few years ago. They've been brought up with the Internet, they can't imagine an age which doesn't have the Internet in there, and the idea is to show some of the early computer games and just how basic they were."
A Vice President of Intel Europe, Middle East and Africa reminisces about one exhibit he found on display in the museum.
SOUNDBITE (English) Gordon Graylish, Vice President, Intel Europe, Middle East and Africa: "This is the first one I could say was my computer; it's an Osborne, and you actually bring it home. You would have to plug it in because there was no battery, and you would work forever to get very little out of it, but it was the first example of a mobile computer.
With the great evolvement of the World Wide Web and computers, everyone is waiting to see what the next generation of communication and gaming devices will look like.



Growing UAV industry in Islamabad and Karachi Pakistan

I was pleasantly surprised that Dawn recently did an investigative article on the UAV Industry in Pakistan and followed it up with a media gallery as well. ITT did a post on this last November. It is great to see several other media sources realizing this new technology niche and recognizing the small but fast growing industry.  To date, several sources , including Wired Magazine and P.W. Singer on his TED talk have mentioned and written about the growing UAV industry in Karachi and Islamabad. This industry currently serves military and civilian customers in Pakistan, US and others. For reference, here is more on robotic drones/unmanned flying vehicles for a quick ramp up. So I ask the politicians again, why are they going to other countries and asking to buy expensive systems while entreprenuers are working on these technology products in our own backyard?

As general software development/outsourcing becomes more of a commodity, moving up the value chain in such niche areas and domain expertise in specific verticals is the only way to go.

Links here:

Dawn’s Article:

Dawn’s Media Gallery:

posted by: ITTs

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Launch of Raseen Technologies in Pakistan


It was essential that there should be a Payment gateway in Pakistan since "PAYPAL DOES NOT KNOW WE EXIST"


Well apparently it is here – Raseen Technologies has partnered with a leading Bank to launch the first 3D Secure compliant e-Commerce Payment Gateway in Pakistan to process online financial transactions, according to Nauman Ahmed Director Sales & Business Development of Raseen.

Raseen Payment Gateway (RPG), says Nauman, is a highly secure and scalable service that complies with international financial standards including Verified by Visa, MasterCard Secure Code, J-Secure and PCI standards minimizing the risk of fraud and merchant exposure.

It is a fully managed, feature rich payment engine that acts as a gateway between the merchant and the array of agents involved in online payment processing. RPG integrates with Merchant web-portals to provide seamless buying experience through valid credit/debit cards and also covers additional delivery channels.

The Raseen Payment Gateway enables Merchants to:
· Increase customer satisfaction in an increasingly competitive market through value differentiation
· Improve accounts receivables & lower cost of managing cash receivables
· Deliver personalised targeted marketing & overall customer experience

Key features of Raseen Payment Gateway (RPG) include Payment Channels, Online Authorization, Security, Report and Management and Multi-Currency Support.

Raseen Technologies is part of the Dhabi Group – the UAE group that has invested in Bank Alfalah, Warid Telecom, United Bank Limited, Taavun, and Wateen Telecom.



Post By: Jehan Ara

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Bari Imam the spiritual place of Islooo


Bari Imam (1617 to 1705), whose real name is Shah Abdul Latif Kazmi, was born in 1026 Hijra (1617 AD).His father, Syed Mehmood Shah, shifted his family from Jhelum District to Baghan village, presently called Aabpara. At that time, it was a barren land. Soon after the arrival of Bari Imam’s family, his father started farming and also kept some animals. Shah Latif helped his father in grazing the animals, but left his father at 12 and came to Nurpur Shahan. From Nurpur Shahan, Bari Imam went to Ghaur Ghashti (now known as Attock) where he stayed for two years for learning fiqh, hadith, logic, mathematics, medicine and other disciplines, because at that time Ghaur Ghashti was great seat of learning.
He was the first spiritual guide of Gohar Shahi as well. As Gohar Shahi states in his book about Bari Imam that at the age of 34 Bari Imam appeared before me (Gohar Shahi) and said: "My son your time has come, your must go to the shrine of Sakhi Sultan Bahu Sahib to receive the Sacred Inner Dimensions of Spiritual Knowledge."

Attainment of Spiritual Knowledge

To get spiritual knowledge and satiate his love for Islam, Bari Imam visited many places, including Kashmir, Badakhshan, Bukhara, Mashhad, Baghdad and Damascus. He not only received spiritual knowledge in these places but also held discussions with scholars belonging to different schools of thought on various subjects. Later, he went to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.
Bari Imam received spiritual knowledge from Hayat- al-Mir (Zinda Pir). His ‘Pir’ gave him the title of Bari Imam, which proves his link to Syed family. Bari Imam converted thousands of Hindus into Muslims through the teachings of Islam at Nurpur Shahan. It is stated that once Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir himself came there to pay respects to Bari Imam.

The Shrine

Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who was devoted to spreading his empire, originally built the silver-mirrored shrine of Hazrat Bari Imam [RA]. It has been renovated and is now is maintained by the government. Inside the mausoleum, where the great saint rests, only men are permitted, a steady stream of worshippers enter and exit, most bending to kiss and strew rose petals on the green cloth covering the grave of Hazrat Bari Sarkar [RA]. The shrine is a tourist spot in the tour guide’s list. Every year as the Urs of the saint, who spread Islam in this part of the world, gains momentum, devotees in their thousands set out for the Margalla foothills and gather at Nurpur Shahan to pay their respect. Although many swarm the shrine all year round, only last year the number exceeded a head count of 1.2 million people.
Nighttime is the best time to visit the shrine, as the atmosphere is hyped by glittering lights, sounds of qawalis and dhammals of malangs. There was a time when the event attracted a number of dancing girls from Lahore. Although dancing is no more allowed, the women still come to pay their respect.
Reciting verses from the Quran, women view the grave through a glass window, which many touch and kiss while praying for the blessings of Almighty Allah.
The faithful read from one of the hundreds of the copies of the Quran, the moment when one leaves after recitation. Some simply sit in silence as mark of respect for the great saint, taking a moment to say a final prayer and to collect the inspiration and strength to make the journey back home.

Source : wikipedia

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Connecting you to the World through Wireless Broadband

There is a new Broadband Wireless Internet providing company in town which is called WI-TRIBE Pakistan, and its capturing the Internet users like a virus because of its outstanding speedy services. The company  is a focused and convenient consumer wireless broadband provider that enriches the lifestyles of its customers. It aims to create value across different segments of the society by simplifying its services and enhancing customer convenience. It strives to create a community with flexible online access thus redefining the notion of online freedom.



Backed by unrivaled experience, knowledge and vision, wi-tribe was established in April 2007, combining the strengths of Qatar Telecom (Qtel) together with a proactive partnership with the A.A. Turki Group of Companies (ATCO) and Clearwire. The vast experience these leaders bring to the table has fueled the growth of this new venture, launching wi-tribe regionally as part of Qtel's 2020 vision.

In 2008, wi-tribe expanded its service to Jordan, and has now ventured into Pakistan to bring new wireless opportunities.  For wi-tribe, this is a unique opportunity to showcase the advantages of wireless broadband to the internet community in Pakistan.
Wi-Tribe is designed to usher in a new era that makes broadband a lifestyle!

Smiling Angels of Islooo: APWA Gul-e-Rana School

Yesterday I visited APWA Gul-e-Rana School, which is one of the best education provider in the city. I spent a day (school time) with these little smiley angels and that was a awesome experience for me and the feelings was absolutely great. This section/branch of APWA Education system is based on Playgroup, Kindergarten and Primary. Environment was very friendly and clean where children were learning during play. I want you to see what I saw via pictures, so here are some pictures of angels.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Saidpur — 4 or 5 hundred years old — with a history and heritage

Saidpur is a very old village — 4 or 5 hundred years old — with a history and heritage and, of course, its own myths and folklore.

It is nestled in the Margallah hills overlooking Islamabad. Built along the slope of the hills, and gradually creeping upwards, the village presents a picturesque view, particularly in the soft light of morning or afternoon sun.

Saidpur is named after Said Khan, the son of Sultan Sarang Khan, the Gakhar chief of the Potohar region during Emperor Babur’s time. Emperor Jahangir’s memoir, Tuzke Jahangiri, mentions Jahangir halting at a place “beyond Rawalpindi”, on his way to Kabul. From his description it seems the place was Saidpur.

“The Persian book ‘Kaigor Namah’ beautifully describes the place [Saidpur] during the visit of the Mughal commander Raja Man Singh in about 1580. It was a garden resort with a number of natural streams supplying water for drinking and irrigation…Raja Man Singh was so enamored by the village that he turned it into a place of religious worship. He constructed raised platforms, walled enclosures and a number of kunds (ponds) called Rama kunda, Sita kunda, Lakshaman kunda and Hanuman kunda named after the characters of the Hindu epic Ramayana. Saidpur was declared a pilgrim center and Rama kunda was preserved right up to 1947.”

The first thing you notice when you enter the village (and that is a big surprise), past a green domed mosque, is a Hindu temple, prominently situated and newly restored and painted. A little removed from the temple, to the left, is a small building with two orange colored domes. A plaque on this building, written in what appears to be Gurmukhi, suggests it might have been a gurdwara or a Sikh shrine. Between the temple and the ‘gurdwara’ is a neat, 2-storey building that was an orphanage (dharamsala) at one time. The temple is mentioned in the Punjab Gazetteer of Rawalpindi district of 1893-94, which suggests it is over a hundred years old. It’s amazing that a temple and gurdwara survived in a village that had no Hindu or Sikh population since 1947.

People often describe Islamabad as a city without a soul. Actually, Islamabad’s soul is not to be found in the city itself, but on the fringes of the city. In the little hamlets and hills.

Friday, October 16, 2009

FASHION: The Designer's Debut In Islooo

Contrary to what most of us think, political wheeling-dealing isn’t the only kind of maneuvering that has been going on in Islamabad these days.

Recently, the capital city witnessed another, stylish kind of deal-making spearheaded by Asad Tareen of The Designers. He managed to strike a deal with some of the top names in fashion design, namely HSY, UmarBatul, Nomi Ansari, Unbeatable, Shaiyanne Malik and Munib Nawaz, providing them with a platform to showcase their ensembles to Islooites along with Maisoon, which is an in-house label.

The opening at the swanky Beverly Centre is an indication of the city’s rising status as the new hotspot for the fashion industry. This potential of Islamabad as an emerging lucrative fashion market was also conspicuous by the turnout at the launch event which was put together by Rezz Aly Shah of Rezz Events.

The hip and happening event had the glitterati in full attendance with the likes of Sobia Nazir, Natasha and Adil Chaudhry, Omar and Nadya Manzoor, Sobia Zoha, Sobia Mustufa, Shireen Khan, Shahnaz A., Yasser Anees Sheikh, Anila Malik, Kokab Abdal, Sameer and Sanya Baig, Asimyar Tiwana, Sam and Adil Chinoy, and Mickey & Momey who have been instrumental in putting Islamabad on the fashion photography map of the country. They were also the official photographers of the show. The strong presence of the print and the electronic media also reflected on the impressive guest list.

The opening of The Designers at the swanky Beverly Centre is an indication of Islamabad’s rising status as the new hotspot for the local fashion industry, with Vinnie, Fauzia and Gia Ali adding oomph and allure to the evening.

Designers Munib Nawaz and Shehla Rehman of Unbeatable was another high point of the event. But it was the trio of models Vinnie, Fauzia and Gia Ali who added oomph and allure to the evening as they dazzled the guests in fetching ensembles. Honey and Kassim of Annie’s Salon gave the girls that touch of glamour with their hair and make-up expertise. Annie’s Salon has also made quite an impact in the city by contributing to the development of the Islamabad fashion scene by working for print shoots with local designers and photographers.

Having recently gotten married, Munib Nawaz with his lovely wife Rabya by his side attracted a lot of attention as the only menswear couturier stocking at The Designers. The male models Sunny and Raja Ali did justice to his eye-catching creations.

The brains behind The Designers, Asad Tareen deserves a pat on the back for the bold venture, investing in a hitherto uncharted territory of Islamabad at a time when everyone seems to be shying away from new business enterprises due to the rather lopsided political and economic situation prevailing in the country.

Story by : Kaleem Ahsan

The Centaurus Identity of Pakistan

The Mega Mall at The Centaurus offers you 300,000 sq.ft of absolute excitement. Find yourself in five air-conditioned floors of shopping pleasure, world-class leisure amenities, a twin screen cinema, food court with gastronomic delights from all over the world and ample parking facilities in the basement.

The mall is ingeniously connected to the hotel, residence and corporate towers. The cantilevered profile of each floor is defined by natural light throughout the day and lit up dramatically during the night. Whether you are simply walking by or spoiling yourself with the best of international brands, enjoy the excitement of this prestigious development to the fullest.


Features

  • 5 Artistically Designed & Segmented Floors

  • Attractive Water Features

  • Flexible Floor Sizing

  • Two Grand Central Atria and Natural Skylights

  • Swift Cargo & Passenger Elevators

  • Escalators

  • Capsule Lifts

  • Central Air Conditioning

  • Food Court & Entertainment Floor

  • Cinemas

  • Four Entrances

  • Basement Car Parking

  • Prayer Room

  • Integrated State of the Art Security & Fire Fighting System

Courtesy : Zameen Pakistan Portal

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Umpires won the Semi Final Against Pakistan


Saturday October 3rd, second Semifinal: Umpires won the Semi Final against Pakistan no doubt about it, they really work very hard to give Pakistan an outstanding defeat by 5 wickets, and they proven once again that they are unbeatable even in this Scientific Era.

Simon Toufal the one I always admired; now I don't want to look his face again because he done such a criminal act giving LBW to Umar Akmal who was making runs just like Runs Machine. Not only he finished on this but also did not gave the 100% LBW decision against Grant Elliott's who finish this match for New Zealand.

They cheated Not only Pakistani players but the whole Pakistani Nation. They changed ball in 17th over when spinners were introduced and they once again changed ball later when there was reverse swing started. They gave wide for short pitched deliveries from Pakistani Bowlers but for NZ they just gave warnings. Most crucial decision was Umar Akmal's out who was definitely not out, this one decision change the whole match. Pakistan played better yesterday. New Zealand did not deserve this win because its not there win but the Umpires.

Younus Khan the Pakistan Team skipper was so desperate and with uncertain presence of mind he also dropped a catch which was so easy even a street kid can catch. He just not dropped the catch but he also dropped the match also.

ICC must once again review the match video and make sure it will not happen again because if it happens again and again just its happening right now, then I can say with my 100% guarantee Cricket will loss the momentum in the end.


This match was belong to Muhammad Aamir and Umer Akmal, A new era is emerging with these shining star's for Pakistan. One is outstanding Batsman and 2nd is brilliant Bowler. Pakistan's future with these sought of youngster is very much secure. But yes we cannot defeat Umpires that’s sure.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Universities and colleges in Islamabad


The following 21 pages are in this category, out of 21 total. This list may not reflect recent changes.

A
• Air University (Pakistan Air Force)
• Al-Huda University
• Allama Iqbal Open University

B
• Bahria University

C
• Center for Advanced Studies in Engineering
• COMSATS Institute of Information Technology

F
• Federal Urdu University
• Foundation University Institute of Management & Computer Sciences (FUIMCS)
• Foundation University, Islamabad

H
• Hunerkada College of Visual and Performing Arts

I
• International Islamic University, Islamabad
• Islamabad Model College

L
• List of educational institutes in Islamabad/Rawalpindi
• Mohammad Ali Jinnah University

N
• National University of Modern Languages

P
• Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences
• Punjab College of Commerce

Q
• Quaid-i-Azam University

R
• Riphah International University

S
• Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology
• Shifa College of Medicine