WhatsApp-Facebook Post-Acquisition Scenario: Is Telegram the next big thing in mobile messaging app?

WhatsApp, the leading messaging app with more than 465 million active users, is trying to justify its multi billion dollars acquisition by the social-media giant Facebook and promises to add free voice-call services by the start of second quarter this year.

Telegram emerging as WhatsApp's biggest competitor

“We are going to introduce voice on WhatsApp in the second quarter of this year,” WhatsApp founder Jan Koum said on the opening day of the four-day World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

The 29-year-old billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, was the star speaker on the opening day of the industry fair, announced a stock and cash purchase of WhatsApp on Wednesday.

But very few know right now that the other competitors of the WhatsApp have been witnessing a sizeable increase of active users since the jaw-dropping $19-billion deal last week. Other competing messaging apps like Telegram, TigerText and Confide have been reported to have millions of new users during the WhatsApp downtime.

Telegram, a messaging app with a focus on speed and security, alone saw 8 million downloads after Facebook tookover WhatsApp, reported by Tech Crunch. The fact ultimately pointing towards the unsatisfactory attitude of users towards Facebook’s own mobile messaging apps, which are specifically ranked lower than Telegram, WhatsApp and even Snapchat in the App Store’s score chart.

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has claimed that app’s growth rate has increased three times since the WhatsApp acquisition. It has gone to touch one million downloads per day from average of 300,000-400,000 downloads/day before the multi-billion dollars deal.

Now question is that in the wake of tough competition ahead whether WhatsApp will prove itself a profitable deal for Facebook or this deal was just to defeat rivals like Microsoft and Google.

On Monday, the star speaker of the event Mark Zuckerberg defended the price paid for a messaging service with negligible revenue. He maintained that rival services such as South Korea's KakaoTalk and Naver's LINE are already "monetizing" at a rate of $2 to $3 in revenue per user per year, despite being in the early stages of growth.

On the other hand, WhatsApp chief executive Jan Koum revealed the plans saying that the WhatsApp voice product would "focus on simplicity" as it has with its text-based messaging service. Tech gurus are expecting WhatsApp revenue jumping 5 times in 2014 if succeeded to maintain the growth rate they saw in 2013. Media reports suggest WhatsApp's revenue at about $20 million in 2013. 

NASA TV (Video): SpaceX Dragon splashes back into Pacific after historic space mission

"Welcome home, baby," said SpaceX's elated chief, Elon Musk, on Thursday after the Dragon capsule has parachuted into the Pacific Ocean that ended up a successful mission of ferrying the first private delivery to the International Space Station (ISS) and pioneers NASA's new approach to space exploration.

NASA TV (Video): SpaceX Dragon splashes back into Pacific after historic space mission

 The unmanned capsule parachuted into the Pacific approximately 805 km off Mexico's Baja California, bringing back more than a half-ton of old station equipment. It was the first time since the space shuttles stopped flying last summer that NASA got back a big load from the orbiting lab.

Splashdown came at 8:42 a.m. (11:42 a.m. ET), about two minutes earlier than expected, SpaceX and NASA reported. Musk was on hand at the company’s mission control center near Los Angeles as operators monitored the descent, and called the mission a “grand slam” in a briefing later Thursday.

"You can see so many ways that it could fail and it works and you're like, 'Wow, OK, it didn't fail'," Musk said.

“This has been a fantastic day,” Musk said, adding, “I’m just overwhelmed with joy.” He said recovery crews have reached the capsule and report it “looks really good.”

Watch video of Dragon splash back into Pacific:

 Report Tags: SpaceX, Elon Musk, Cape Canaveral, dragon capsule, Falcon 9, Tesla Motors, PayPal, Gwynne Shotwell, International Space Station, ISS

Historical Docking (Watch LIVE): SpaceX Dragon Getting Closer to ISS

The space cargo capsule of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (popularly known as SpaceX) is likely to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday (May 25).

Historical Docking (Watch LIVE): SpaceX Dragon Getting Closer to ISS

Earlier, NASA reported that the SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo capsule eventually closed in on its destination, the International Space Station, for a series of tests Thursday to clear it for its final docking with ISS on Friday.

The team managing the task at International Space Station (ISS) finished a careful review of the progress of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and at 9:38 p.m. EDT and collectively authorized the ISS and Dragon flight control teams to advance toward docking and berthing about 11:20 a.m. Friday.

On the other hand, the team on ground controlling the mission for the SpaceX has given the green signal and reported all spacecraft systems are ready for the final and most important task.

Dragon has almost completed its fly-around of the station, crossing behind the station and beginning its final approach. NASA TV coverage will begin at 2 a.m.

SOURCE:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/living/index.html

Report Tags: Space Flight, SpaceX, Space Exploration, NASA, Space Agency, International Space Station, Dragon Cargo Capsule, Dragon Docking with ISS,

Really Futuristic: Physics student developed new space driving force using Casimir-Polder Effect

I wonder if NASA have ever think about the method of driving spacecrafts and satellites through space using something else other than ordinary rocket engines; but a 19-year-old student from Egypt has actually made it possible.

Really Futuristic: Physics student developed new space driving force using Casimir-Polder Effect

Aisha Mustafa, a university student of Physics, has patented her invention - with Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT). Her invented method is a new type of propulsion system for spacecraft that uses cutting edge quantum physics instead of rockets and thrusters.

The Mail Online has described the achievement of Aisha Mustafa as ‘the invention 'leapfrogs' NASA research, and uses a hi-tech quantum effect to drive satellites through space, rather than ordinary rocket engines.’  

Mustafa invented a way of tapping this quantum effect via what's known as the dynamic Casimir-Polder Effect. This uses a "moving mirror" cavity, where two very reflective very flat plates are held close together, and then moved slightly to interact with the quantum particle sea. 

Continue reading about the brilliant student from Egypt:

Madn3wz 

U.S. Tech Giants Enter into Space Race after Successful Launch by SpaceX

SpaceX Falcon 9 blasted off to International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday; but it has left behind a commercial space race among the top tech companies in United States. 

U.S. Tech Giants Enter into Space Race after Successful Launch by SpaceX

The reusable space cargo capsule ‘Dragon’ was lifted off atop Falcon 9 rocket is expected to reach near the space station for tests early Thursday and ultimately will dock on Friday with its load of supplies. Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (popularly known as SpaceX), run by Elon Musk (co-founder of PayPal and Tesla Motors) was hired by NASA to deliver cargo in the first hand, then eventually astronauts to the orbital outpost.

NASA didn’t content with SpaceX rather the space agency is hiring others, too.

With an aim to make money in commercial space race as much as eight U.S. companies have started their bid even more aggressively after SapceX’s successful launch of its rockets early this week. Most of the companies, planning to jump in the new market, think that they can make even more money than major U.S. airlines in operations.

Private space exploration companies have planned for years about carrying supplies and human for NASA, but this is the first time one is actually in orbit and about to make a delivery for the space agency.

Still, Dragon's launch is "the spark that will ignite a flourishing commercial spaceflight marketplace," said Michael Lopez-Alegria, the president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and a former astronaut.

Hiring Musk's SpaceX and other private companies is a key part of NASA's plan to shift focus. Instead of routine flights to the space station with the now retired space shuttles, NASA is aiming further out to places like asteroids and Mars. After this test flight, SpaceX has a contract with NASA for a dozen delivery runs.

The idea is to "let private industry do what it does best and let NASA tackle the challenging task of pushing the boundary further," NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver said last week.

NASA has given seed money and contracts to several companies to push them on their way. But eventually, space missions could launch, dock to a private space station or hotel and return to Earth and not have anything to do with NASA or any other country's space agency.

Earlier this month, the Hawthorne, Calif.-based SpaceX signed an agreement with Bigelow Aerospace of Nevada which is designing inflatable space stations for research and maybe even tourists. SpaceX and other companies will provide the transportation -- like airlines -- and Bigelow the place to stay. There are already eight different licensed spaceports in the U.S. where companies can launch from and most of them have no connection to NASA.

Another space launch-and-tourism company, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic is working separately from NASA and the space station.

If NASA isn't involved, there is one federal agency that is. The Federal Aviation Administration has a commercial space office that licenses private space missions and works with NASA to set safety standards.

Related Stories:

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SpaceX on historical space travel -- It’s a big job: President Gwynne Shotwell

 Report Tags: Michael Lopez-Alegria, Space Flight, SpaceX, Elon Musk, Space Exploration, NASA, Space Agency, International Space Station, Space Race, Commercial Space Race, Commercial Spaceflight Federation

VIDEO: Robert Moog's Electronic Synthesizer Created Virtually by Google on 78th Birthday of American Inventor

To pay the homage and to celebrate the 78th birthday of late Robert Moog, the inventor of electronic synthesizer, Google came up with an interactive doodle on Wednesday (May 23).

VIDEO: Robert Moog's Electronic Synthesizer Created Virtually by Google on 78th Birthday of American Inventor

A real-like working Moog synthesizer on the homepage of search engine giant not only allows the users to create their own music but has use volume, mixer, oscillators, filter and envelope controls as well. 

One can use your mouse or keyboard on the Moog doodle's keys and dials to make nearly limitless sounds. On Wednesday (local time), visitors to Google’s homepage can play with Google’s latest creation using the QWERTY keys of their keyboard and the arrow keys to switch between the mixer, oscillator, filter, and oscillator to squeeze the sound exactly like the real thing. One can even adjust pitch using a dial on the left size of the doodle to further customize the sound.

Robert Arthur 'Bob' Moog, the founder of Moog Music, was born on May 23, 1934 in Queens, New York. He had a strong passion for electronics, and used to consider himself a geeky, socially awkward kid. Bob's father George Moog was an electrical engineer for Con Edison. So, Bob, from an early age, built small radios, amplifiers, three note organs and other such projects in the basement workshop with his father.

Watch Robert Moog’s electronic synthesizer, virtually created by Google, in action in the video below:

 Report Tags: Robert Arthur 'Bob' Moog, Robert Moog, Moog synthesizer, Google Doodle, Video, Youtube,

Video Collection: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket's Successful Liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Station

Pioneering a new era in private space flight, the US company SpaceX on Tuesday became the first commercial company to launch its own spacecraft toward the International Space Station (ISS).

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket's Successful Liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Station

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket liftedoff early Tuesday, at about 3:44 a.m. EDT, carrying a reusable cargo capsule ‘Dragon’ filled with a load of supplies for the International Space Station (ISS). 

"Three, two, one and launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, as NASA turns to the private sector to resupply the International Space Station," said NASA commentator George Diller, as the spacecraft blasted off at 3:44 am (0744 GMT).

Contrary to Saturday’s aborted liftoff, all of nine engines of the Falcon 9 rocket kept firing all the way through liftoff this time. A faulty valve of engine 5 was replaced on Sunday by SapceX engineers.

Read Saturday's story of Falcon 9 Failed Launch, HERE.

The test flight of the Dragon space capsule, which launched atop SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, aims to show that commercial industry can restore US access to the ISS after NASA retired its space shuttle fleet last year.

The real test comes Thursday when the Dragon reaches the surroundings of the International Space Station (ISS). It will undergo practice maneuvers from more than a mile out. If all goes well, the docking will occur on Friday (May 25).

Watch exciting videos of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 liftoff carrying Dragon Cargo Capsule:

SOURCE: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/story/2012-05-22/SpaceX-rocket-space-station/55126570/1