YouTube Improves Audio Editing With New Interface and More Tracks

YouTube has updated the audio editing capabilities it offers users, with several important improvements including an extended library of more than 150,000 backing tracks.

Other improvements include a new interface (pictured above), the ability to mix music into your video at different volume levels (from “soft background” to “completely replace”), and a choice of featured tracks that makes it easy to find a song that fits with your video’s mood.

To try out these new features, go to Video Manager — Edit — Enhancements — Audio.
The new features will be available worldwide over the next day, and YouTube promises more improvement to come in the future.

 Mobile social network Mig33 has partnered mobile phone manufacturers to make its app pre-loaded on low-cost mobile phones. Handset makers including G'Five, Intex Technologies, Zen Mobiles, Bharti Entreprises' Beetel Teletech, Spice Mobiles, Olive Telecom, Lemon Mobiles and Swingtel Communications that recently launched its tablet, will offer Mig33 app pre-loaded on their devices.

"There is a great synergy with most low-cost handset makers as they also focus on distribution of handsets in smaller towns," said Mahip Vyas, Country Manager, India, Mig33.

Mig 33 has been witnessing a user uptake in Tier II and Tier III cities as consumers in these cities have greater acceptance of social entertainment applications that are available on their economical handsets. “We have users from far and wide cities like Ludhiana in Punjab, Bhagalpur in Bihar, Bharuch and Vapi in Gujarat to Cochin in Kerala,” Vyas added.

India Breeds Twenty Percent of World's Spam

Twenty per cent of the spam mails that were sent out worldwide in the quarter ended March 31, 2012, originated in India, according to a study by security software firm Trend Micro.

"The quarter's top spam-sending countries included India at 20 percent, Indonesia at 13 percent, South Korea at 12 percent and Russia at 10 percent," the report said.

The report added that attacks are now more of a long-term, on-going campaign, versus the typical "smash-and-grab incidents" favoured by cybercriminals in the past.

"The number of targeted attacks has dramatically increased. Unlike largely indiscriminate attacks that focus on stealing credit card and banking information associated with cybercrime, targeted attacks noticeably differ and are better characterised as "cyber espionage"," Trend Micro Country Manager India and SAARC Amit Nath said.

The report said cybercriminals are also capitalising on the growth of Android-based smartphones and this quarter's report identified about 5,000 new malicious Android apps.

"With the increased use of smartphones for Internet access and the huge Android user base, the increase in attacks targeting the platform is thus not surprising," the report said.

The report also found that Apple, which is considered to have one of the safest operating systems, has the highest vulnerability.

"Apple surpassed Oracle, Google and Microsoft in reported vulnerabilities, with a total of 91. Oracle came in second, with 78; Google, 73; and Microsoft, 43," it said.

In recent days, Apple security saw the outbreak of Flashback Trojan (malware) which at its height infected more than 6 lakh computers.

Despite some innovative efforts by Apple to eradicate Flashback, recent tallies estimate that 1.4 lakh Macs remain infected with the malware.

Blackberry Launched Affordable Smartphones In India

Research in Motion (RIM) on Wednesday launched in India what it called its "most affordable" BlackBerry smartphone, part of an aggressive push in one of its few growing markets.

The new Curve 9220 is priced in India at 10,990 rupees, higher than the price of Curve 8520, which is RIM's best-selling phone in India, and comes with an introductory offer to download free applications worth 2,500 rupees.

RIM, which will start selling the new phone in India on Thursday, will launch it in a number of other countries in coming weeks, Carlo Chiarello, executive vice president of RIM's smartphone division, told reporters.

The BlackBerry Curve 9220 has a dedicated key for accessing BlackBerry Messenger and FM radio, along with a 2 mega pixel camera, and works on second-generation mobile networks.

RIM's BlackBerry devices have struggled to compete with Apple Inc's iPhone and iPad and a slew of devices based on Google's Android platform, and the Canadian company reported a quarterly loss last month as sales of its phones slumped.

Nokia Maps Added With Traffic Feature, starting with Delhi and Mumbai

Starting with Delhi and Mumbai Nokia has added the Traffic Update feature to the Location Services portfolio on Nokia Maps. At the moment, this is available for users in Delhi and Mumbai. The service is powered by NAVTEQ Traffic Pro, and will depend on data collected from users.

Before setting off, users can feed in the destination into Nokia Drive or Nokia Maps, and get an idea of the traffic situation along the way. The service refreshes every two minutes, and will re-route on the fly in case the situation changes.

“The launch of this traffic feature on Nokia smartphones reflects the ever-growing consumer appetite for more interactive location based services beyond the traditional turn by turn navigation. Going forward, we will continue to introduce more location-aware services that represent the future of mobility for consumers in India”, said Rajat Tandon Director Sales, Nokia, Location & Commerce.