Share text from computer PC to whatsapp via Android phone

There is no official desktop client for whatsapp. And this makes sharing text or links from computer to whatsapp contacts very tedious.

A usual way people do this is typing down the text using phone, or sending themselves an email via gmail which they copy to whatsapp.

But this free, open source app called QRtoWhatsapp, eliminates the need for all that hazzle.

Things you need

A QR code creator on your PC. Linux, Windows

QRtoWhatsapp app installed on your android phone

Zxing barcode scanner app installed on your android phone (asks to install the first time you run the QRtoWhatsapp app)

Whatsapp on your android phone.

To download QRtoWhatsapp go to the github repo here, and click on view RAW

Google Removes Free SMS Apps from Play Store

Early today Google has removed all the free sms apps from its Play Store.
These include Free SMS India, SMS Free, Free 2 sms, etc.

Free SMS India now returns an error "We no longer support this gateway" when you try to send an sms.

This is probably due to a Terms of Service violation and now you'll have to visit sites like way2sms or 160by2 directly through their website to send free SMS.

Blackberry messenger for Android, BBM, hands on review - features and bugs

The new BlackBerry messenger for Android has made a splashing start. In the first two days of using it, here are the main features as I see it. I will also compare these with whatsapp.

Authentication
Blackberry ID and pin is a must for BBM unlike whatsapp. This is a different philosophy regarding privacy and can't be compared. There is slight friction in adding new contacts. Scanning QR code didn't work with my 3 MP camera. But following www.pin.bbm.com/BBMPIN lets anyone add you directly, only that there's no easy way to add the URL prefix to your pin while sharing.

Private chat
The text boxes are too big, but the font is too small. There are about four icons next to messages to signify different status of the message.
There's ping option (like yahoo messenger's buzz) which is another way of saying hi.
There's also the ability to attach images, sound notes, etc. And a lot of emoticons to choose from.

Multi person chat
No image support here.
Easy to add people.

Groups
Group is the best thing about BBM. Groups are given separate space and is not like just another endless conversation. There can be discussions in different topics.
Pictures can be uploaded which can be commented upon
Checklists can be made and individuals assigned to different items.
Events can be added which appears chronologically.

Group members can be added by anyone. There can be multiple administrators.
And members who join after a long time will still be able to see previous messages, lists, pictures, etc (unlike multi person message)

In total whatsapp groups now appear child's play :-P

Bugs
Till now, I've found some small bugs.

The settings keep reverting to default.
The blackberry connected notification needs to be on for pin invites to work properly.

But considering that this is the first release, I'm sure BBM has a bright future!

What's new in whatsapp 2.11.109

Here's an unofficial change log of the latest whatsapp version released on Oct 22, 2013

The most striking new feature of this version of whatsapp is that the image upload and download are now better. The download button below a small thumbnail has been replaced by a huge low resolution thumbnail which when clicked leads to download of the image. Similarly when uploading image there is a similar large thumbnail.

While scrolling up and down in a conversation, the date of the conversation stays in a floating box on top

There are various other minor tweaks for voice messages, etc

Links posted are automatically getting image thumbnail like in Facebook and Google+

Root Android in Mysore

If you need help rooting your android phone in Mysore, without going to any mobile shop, contact me through my Google profile or email

File system structure layout of linux and Android explained

Android is built upon Linux. The way files and folders are organized in Linux/android is different from that in Windows. (I'd say it is better in Linux)

To begin with there is root. Represented by "/"
Root folder is the root of everything, the basic, the foundation, the sum total of all folders.
Rooted on the root folder is a tree of folders.
These are represented like "/system" or "/bin"
That means, the system folder is inside the root folder, so is the bin folder and so on.

When running Linux my home folder is in "/home/akshay"
My desktop files are in "/home/akshay/Desktop"

If I insert a pen drive, it gets "mounted" on to some "branch" of the "tree" eg: "/media/akshay/Transcend"

In android phone you don't get to insert pen drives. But you have sdcard! These can get mounted similarly to some branch. In my phone, sdcard's mounted at "/mnt/sdcard".
So, the external memory seamlessly merges with your internal memory. (Everything is in "/". But things inside "/mnt/sdcard" are actually stored in SD card. Things inside "/mnt/sd-ext" are stored in external storage...)

Thus, every folder on your device is under a single hierarchical order (unlike in windows where you have C:, D:, C:/Users/akshay, I:/lost/count)

PS: If you want to actually see the root folder, and its hierarchy, you'll need a good file manager on your phone. I recommend "ES File Explorer" for all its added functionalities.

NEET UG Second Round Allotment Last Rank 2013

Here's the Last Ranks of some medical colleges in the unreserved category of NEET UG in 2013
AIR Medical College
305 Trivandrum Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram
377 Kozhikode Medical College, Calicut
905 Madras Medical College, Chennai
1218 Bangalore Medical College, Bangalore
1511 Stanley Medical College, Chennai
1879 Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai
2026 Mysore Medical College, Mysore

GPF Kerala or GPF Statement 2013 Kerala

Unfortunately the GPF authorities of Kerala didn't opt to have a domain name registered for their website, which makes us go to
http://210.212.239.70/~agckerala/dakags/login.php?&task=GPF
a rather suspicious URL to do this important task.
But can't do anything, the above URL is the site to download GPF statement and stuff. It is also linked from agker.cag.gov.in
http://210.212.239.70/~agckerala/dakags/letrdetails.php?task=home will give you a more detailed understanding of all things that can be done on that website. That is, the following:

1. File Tracking: The stake holders can track the receipt and status of any communication made to this office including Closure/NRA applications of General Provident Fund, Pay slips of Gazetted Officers and other general communications including complaints made to the Accountant General.
2. GPF Admission: This link gives the status of receipt and disposal of applications for admission to General Provident Fund, Kerala.
3. GPF Annual Account Statements: The subscribers can download the Annual Account Statements of their GPF Accounts. The subscribers are requested to change the default Personal Identification Number (PIN) already available with a PIN of their choice and keep the same confidential to themselves so as to prevent its misuse.
4. Status of Pension Applications: The status of receipt and disposal of applications for Pension, including revision of Pension of Kerala State Pensioners.
5. Complaints/Suggestions: Any communication which needs close attention can be directly made to this office. Be short and specific while writing. Please note down the number generated on submission of the form for knowing status of your mail in future.

Mysore medical college latest number of seats 2013

Mysore medical college having 200 seats for academic year 2013-14 in undergraduate category for MBBS is WRONG!

MCI gave permission for 50 extra seats leading to entry of 150 students in 2011-12 and 2012-13, but in the latter year they revoked the permission and cut the seats back to 100.

But, on government request MCI agreed to extend permission for extra 50 seats to year 2013-14.

Thus, Mysore medical college &research institute has 150 seats for MBBS.

Similarly Bangalore medical college retains 250 seats.

Tip to Install Hangouts in Phones that Does Not Support

Does Google Hangouts show Installed in the Play Store while it is actually Google Talk that is still running on your android phone?
Well, here's how to install Hangouts without waiting for Google to release the updates that make it work.

Start adb as root (adb root)
Mount system as writeable (adb remount)
(If it fails, kill adb server and start it again (adb kill-server && adb server start)
As root, go to system/app (cd system/app)
Delete Talk.apk (rm Talk.apk or mv Talk.apk /sdcard/Talk.apk)

Now, go to play store on your phone, and search for Hangouts.
You can install it now!! :D

Supreme Court Verdict on NEET-PG 2013

Supreme Court of India has declared that the NEET-PG entrance for entrance to PG medical courses is valid and that the results should be announced shortly but it's up to the states to decide whether they have to use NEET-PG results to give admission to students.

Source

Karnataka Class 12 Textbooks New Syllabus FREE DOWNLOAD pdf

Karnataka government state syllabus was raised to the standards of the central syllabus starting from 2012.
So, the textbooks that are followed in the new syllabus for 12th standard are the same as NCERT textbooks for class 12.

http://ncert.nic.in/ncerts/textbook/textbook.htm

These can be downloaded FREE of cost from NCERT's website here.

Or this other website .

Representing courses of Science, Humanities and Commerce
Textbooks available include:
English, Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics
Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, History, Sociology
Business Studies, Accountancy, Statistics

all in pdf format, free to download

Karnataka New Syllabus Standard 11 textbook NCERT

http://ncert.nic.in/ncerts/textbook/textbook.htm

Karnataka government state syllabus has been now raised to the standards of the central syllabus.
So, the textbooks that are followed in the new syllabus for 11th standard are the same as NCERT textbooks for class 11.

These can be downloaded FREE of cost from NCERT's website here.

Or you can also visit this other website where you can have direct download.

Textbooks available include 
English, Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics
Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, History, Sociology
Business Studies, Accountancy, Statistics

representing courses of Science, Humanities and Commerce

Whatsapp bot

Looking for a bot on whatsapp like the good old IRC Bots?
Here's one.

This supports searching Wikipedia by the command "Wiki term"
Also Google by "Google search term"
Try saying "hi" 

Update: The bot still works. But I'm not running it on my computer because I've switched to telegram messenger. If you'd like to run your own version of this bot, checkout my github repo.

How to make whatsapp profile pictures appear in gallery and set them as contact icon

Whatsapp stores its cache of profile pictures of your friends in the whatsapp folder of sdcard. But this is by default hidden from gallery.

To make them appear in gallery, run a file manager application like ES file explorer, and navigate to /sdcard/whatsapp/profile pictures
Here, you can see all the images (and copy if you want). Now go down and delete the file ".nomedia"

If the file is not visible, go to Settings in es file explorer, and in file Settings check show hidden files. You can find and delete the ".nomedia" file now.

And now you can set these images as contact icons by following the normal steps.

Extra tip: you can create a ".nomedia" file in any folder of your choice and the audio, video and image files of that folder will be hidden from the Android system.