Hot jobs for IT pros in 2010

With economy now crawling back to normalcy, companies have once again hit the hiring button. So, which are the technologies that will be in hot demand in the job market in 2010? The technologies that will help you give your career a boost. In a news report, PCQuest magazine recently listed the jobs for software pros that will be in demand in 2010.   1    Java and .Net   Topping the list is what the news article calls evergreen fields Java and .Net. There are primarily two career paths that these pros can take: one towards Web development and the other to enterprise-class applications. With application development on both fronts, Web and enterprise level, buzzing with opportunities, the IT pros with core expertise in these areas can expect to remain in demand. With a natural progression towards Web-based applications, it is essential for a developer to add skillsets for Web technologies to his core expertise. With Web 2.0 front brewing with activity, a developer can also build skills on technologies like Sliverlight, AJAX, WPF etc.

2    Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is one of the hottest buzzwords for 2010. With technology companies betting big on cloud computing, a career based around it is surely a good bet. Google AppEngine, Microsoft Azure, Amazon are some of the cloud platforms for which developers can build and deploy applications, says the news article. Several popular enterprise applications like CRM, ERP too are being hosted on Cloud platform. Also, companies setting up their private clouds would need to shift their existing applications to the new platform. The transition process would need both developers and testers.  

3    Rich internet apps

With Web 2.0 becoming the word in Internet space, there's an increased emphasis on adding interactivity and improving user experience. This has resulted in the evolution of Rich Internet Applications or RIAs. The Web standards are also said to be incorporating RIAs. Companies today look at adding more disparate functionalities to their applications, also user experience is rated as one of the top parameter on any software development project. With so much happening on the technology front, having an RIA experience can be the key resume differentiator for the coming year, says the PCQuest story.  

4    Mobile development

Today mobile phones are not just hardware! There's a lot of software that goes inside them. The software that also goes a long way in making them a huge success or a big dud. The software that packs the Apples, Nokias Blackberries have also created a new career avenue. With enterprises too going mobile, the career has got a further boost. As smartphones gain in popularity and replace laptops, companies want applications like CRM, BI to be made available to their employees on these handheld devices. Mobile platforms are based on disparate frameworks like Java, Windows or Symbian. To carve a career in the mobile development domain, a developer is required to gain core expertise in one of the frameworks.  

5    Embedded technologies

With mobile and smart devices going mainstream, the demand for embedded software developers has gone up. Today, embedded technologies are used in almost all gadgets camera, TV, mobile phone, etc. The seeping in of embedded technologies into digital devices of daily use has created demand for both software and hardware professionals. According to the news story, with devices mostly being based on ARM chips or x86, it is important for embedded software developers to have complete knowledge of the architecture and C/C+ languages for programming purposes. A developer needs to know the varied architectures of the chipset and how to deploy an application across.   6    Project management Project Management certifications are increasingly being seen as a must for employment or advancement as a Project Manager in most companies. There are several industry recognized certifications like PMP and PRINCE2. These certifications help you in making a career for yourself not only in IT industry but in other business verticals too.

Motorola DROID A855 Android Phone (Verizon Wireless)

The first Android-powered phone for Verizon Wireless, the 3G-enabled Motorola DROID smartphone offers a full package of powerful mobile connectivity--from easy access to all your social networks and viewing of full Web sites to spoken turn-by-turn directions thanks to the new Google Maps with Navigation Beta app. One of the thinnest full-QWERTY slider phones available, the Motorola DROID also features a high-resolution 3.7-inch touchscreen display and a virtual onscreen keyboard that auto-rotates depending on the phone's orientation. And you'll be able to capture high-resolution images and DVD-quality videos on the go with its 5-megapixel camera with flash.

With integrated Google technology, the Motorola DROID brings one-touch access to the popular Google mobile services millions use every day, including Google Search by Voice, YouTube and Picasa. The DROID also provides easy access to both personal and corporate email, calendars, and contacts supported by Exchange Server and Gmail.

In addition to 3G connectivity, the DROID offers Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) for accessing home and business networks as well as hotspots while on the go and Bluetooth connectivity for both hands-free devices and stereo music streaming. Other features include memory expansion via microSD memory cards (a 16 GB card is included with the device), threaded text and picture messaging for seamless on-the-go conversations, Visual Voicemail capabilities, 3.5mm headset jack, and up to 6.4 hours of talk time.

Here are just a few of the things that the Motorola DROID can do for you:

Technical Details
Android 2.0-powered smartphone with 3.7-inch touchscreen and slide-out full QWERTY keyboard
Access a wealth of Google mobile services including Google Maps with Navigation for voice prompted turn-by-turn directions, Gmail, Google Talk, Calendar and more
GPS-enabled for location services; Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g); 5-megapixel camera/camcorder; Bluetooth stereo music; microSD expansion (16 GB card included)
Up to 6.4 hours of talk time, up to 270 hours (11.25 days) of standby time
What's in the Box: handset, rechargeable battery, wall/USB charger, 16 GB microSD card, quick start guide, user manual

Zip through the Web: Access the Internet at 3G speeds via the nation's largest and most reliable 3G network or from any Wi-Fi hotspot. The multi-window HTML browser with a massive processor delivers the Web the way you expect.
See it all in cinema-style: View the Web, email, Google Maps, videos and more in widescreen on a brilliant 3.7-inch high-resolution screen. Boasting a width of 854 pixels to reduce the need for side-to-side panning and more than 400,000 pixels total, DROID has more than twice that of the leading competitor.
Run multiple applications at once: Customize your DROID with thousands of applications and hundreds of widgets available on Android Market. Toggle back and forth between up to six applications at a time to juggle the universe and your apps.
Perform Google Search at the speed of sound: Simply tell DROID what you're looking for using voice-activated search, and it will serve up Google search results based on your location. If you want more, simply type what you're looking for into the search bar on the home screen and DROID will also search content on your phone, such as apps and contacts, and the Web.
Capture moments: Snap digital camera-quality photos with a 5-megapixel camera loaded with the works, such as a dual-LED flash, auto-focus and image stabilization, or capture your friend's antics in 16 million colors with DVD-quality video capture and playback. Store it all on the included 16 GB memory card, so you always have it on hand.
Multi-task like a master: Keep tabs on all your messages with integrated Gmail and Exchange email pushed directly to you, but don't let them get in your way. With the handy Android notification panel, go straight to the message or simply ignore it, and get back to the task at hand. And, a smart dictionary learns as you type and

Other features include a 3.7-inch touchscreen, slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, real HTML web browsing, Bluetooth stereo music streaming, microSD memory expansion (with included 16 GB card), and access to both personal and corporate email (see larger image).

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5 Must-See Google Easter Eggs

A handy list of Google “Easter eggs” that you can uncover right now.

Sure, Google’s doodles make the famously sparse homepage a little more funky on certain days, but there are ways to jazz it up any day with some homepage tricks that will turn your search base into a pirate-, Klingon- or even Swedish Chef- themed online property.

Most of these work by entering an exact search term and then hitting the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button. There’s a ton of these, some of which have been active for a while.

Google nods to open source software with Linux- and BSD devil-themed options that can be activated by typing “google linux” and “google bsd” then hitting the IFL button.

Those partial to a bit of grog meanwhile can get their Google homepage pirated by doing the same with “xx-pirate.” Google will display in “hacker-speak” if you type in “google l33t.” The Klingon version can be found with “xx-klingon,” and if you want some bork with your Google, enter “xx-bork” to go all Muppet Show.

Even more options include pig latin (“xx-piglatin”), an Easter egg-themed page complete with bunny mini-game (“google easter egg”), and a dark gothic way to search (“google gothic”). Typing “elgoog” offers Google backwards, and there’s an Elmer Fudd tribute at “ewmew fudd.” Finally, it’s not quite a whole homepage change, but entering “ascii art” will make the Google logo display in that style.

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LG Cookie Pep at Rs. 7,799 Only

The phone will be known as the “Cookie Pep” in India – thanks to the brand value that the Cookie has in India. LG has described the GD510 as the most compact 3-inch full touchscreen handset and we agree with that. The phone, like its competitors, comes with scores of applications and social networking features – and is aimed at youngsters.

 Specifications

* Make: LG
* Model: Cookie Pep GD510
* Form Factor: Bar
* Available Colors: Silver, Black
* Display Resolution: 240 x 400 Pixels, 3.0″
* Camera: 3.0 Mega Pixels
* Dimensions: 97.8 x 49.5 x 11.2 mm
* Memory Inbuilt: 42 MB

LG Cookie Pep Features

* 7.62 cm Full Touch Screen
* One Touch Social Networking Applications
* 3 MP Camera & MP3 Player
* FM radio
* One Touch Smart Key
* 3 way homescreen & Fun UI
* Livesquare
* Motion Silent
* Bluetooth

Google Buys Picnik - Online image editing tool

http://www.picnik.com/app

Google on Monday said that it had acquired Picnik, an online photo editing service that works with Internet applications from several Google competitors.

"More than ever before, people are sharing and storing their photos online," said Google product management director Brian Axe in a blog post. "But until recently, you had to edit your photos using client software on your computer."

The price that Google paid for Picnik was not disclosed.

While the Picnik acquisition doesn't represent an immediate threat to Adobe Photoshop, the desktop photo editing standard for professionals, it's yet another indication that online applications represent the future.

Adobe, of course, already operates Photoshop.com, a pared-down version of its desktop photo editing application.

Picnik allows users to crop, resize, rotate, and alter online images in real-time, to apply a variety of filters, effects, and fonts, and to use browser extensions to make it easier to upload and edit images. It overlaps to some extent with Google's Picasa service.

No immediate charges are expected as a result of the deal.

But the extent to which Picnik interoperates with services like Facebook and Yahoo Mail remains open to question under Google's management. Google may well want to maintain Picnik's interoperability with non-Google services, but it remains to be seen whether Facebook and Yahoo find that idea appealing.

According to Axe, Google is working on integrating Picnik and on new features for the service.

It's also unclear how Google will deal with Picnik's premium features, which are available for $25 per year. Google has tended to offer consumer-oriented services for free.

During its earnings call for investors last October, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that the company was again looking for new acquisitions and that Google in the past had acquired about one company every month.

Picnik is Google's ninth acquisition in the past eight months.

http://www.picnik.com/app