Fraudsters use nail cutters, screwdrivers to withdraw money from ATMs
Beware if the ATM screen goes blank after you swipe your card. It could be a mischief by fraudsters to withdraw cash from your account after you leave the ATM in a huff. A bit of adhesive and a screwdriver are all that’s needed to outwit hi-tech safety gadgets. These swindlers are part of a powerful inter-state network spread across the country. Assam Police and Kolkata Police have recently rounded up three swindlers who have mastered the tampering of ATMs.
The trick applies only to ATM machines that need a customer to insert and extract the card to start operations (as opposed to ATMs where the card pops out after the transaction is complete). Many nationalised banks, including SBI and Bank of Baroda, use this system at their ATMs, most of which are unmanned. So, what is this low-tech, highly effective modus operandi?
Fraudsters, who generally strike in pairs, enter the ATM by swiping a valid debit card at the gate, press down a key on the keyboard and stick it with adhesive so that it does not return to its original position. This switches on the machine. They then walk out and wait for a victim to step into the trap. When a customer enters the ATM and swipes the card, he does not realise that the machine is already on. A message flashes for him to key his PIN, which he does. But since the machine has been switched on in an improper way, the screen goes blank automatically as a security feature to stop fraudulent withdrawals.
The customer thinks it is a system fault and gives it a second try. He has no clue that the two ‘customers’ getting impatient outside are actually criminals waiting to steal his money. They start abusing him for taking too much time and force him to leave in a huff. Exit customer, enter fraudster. They simply use a screwdriver to ‘release’ the key. The ATM restarts automatically. What it has in store is the PIN of the last customer who swiped his card. The gang simply enters the amount and walks out with cash. The SBI has been receiving several such complaints from its unmanned ATMs. “We were at a loss to locate the fraud because the CCTVs showed the customer swiping his card. But customers complained that they couldn’t withdraw money,” an SBI official said.
Later, banks found out that the actual transaction happened long after the customer had swiped his card and left. And, the CCTV footage always showed two or more suspicious people enter the cubicle soon after the customer left. “What struck us is that the transaction was completed only after the group of people left the counter,” the bank official said. Banks then complained to the police. One such complaint was lodged at Entally police station in June this year. CCTV footage came handy for investigators from the anti-bank fraud wing of Kolkata Police. One of the kingpins, Adid Khan, was caught in the act as he tried out the same stunt at an ATM in a shopping district. Police seized adhesives, screwdrivers and nail cutters from his associates, simple tools that helped them carry out a near-perfect crime. Three ATM cards, a debit card, a car and Rs 2 lakh in cash were seized. Probe revealed the trio is part of a large gang operating from Gaya in Bihar. When they confessed, police were stunned by the simplicity of the operation.
1. The word "queue" is the only word in the English language that is still pronounced the same way when the last four letters are removed.
2. Beetles taste like apples, wasps like pine nuts, and worms like fried bacon.
3. Of all the words in the English language, the word 'set' has the most definitions!
4. What is called a "French kiss" in the English speaking world is known as an "English kiss" in France.
5. "Almost" is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.
6. "Rhythm" is the longest English word without a vowel.
7. In 1386, a pig in France was executed by public hanging for the murder of a child
8. A cockroach can live several weeks with its head cut off!
9. Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete.
10.You can't kill yourself by holding your breath
11.There is a city called Rome on every continent.
12.It's against the law to have a pet dog in Iceland!
13.Your heart beats over 100,000 times a day!
14.Horatio Nelson, one of England's most illustrious admirals was throughout his life, never able to find a cure for his sea-sickness.
15.The skeleton of Jeremy Bentham is present at all important meetings of the University of London
16.Right handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people
17.Your ribs move about 5 million times a year, everytime you breathe!
18.The elephant is the only mammal that can't jump!
19.One quarter of the bones in your body, are in your feet!
20.Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different!
21.The first known transfusion of blood was performed as early as 1667, when Jean-Baptiste, transfused two pints of blood from a sheep to a young man
22.Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails!
23.Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin!
24.The present population of 5 billion plus people of the world is predicted to become 15 billion by 2080.
25.Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
26.Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian, and had only ONE testicle.
27.Honey is the only food that does not spoil. Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs has been tasted by archaeologists and found edible.
28.Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a "Friday the 13th."
Coca-Cola would be green if colouring weren’t added to it.
29.On average a hedgehog's heart beats 300 times a minute.
30.More people are killed each year from bees than from snakes.
31.The average lead pencil will draw a line 35 miles long or write approximately 50,000 English words.
32.More people are allergic to cow's milk than any other food.
33.Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand.
34.The placement of a donkey's eyes in its' heads enables it to see all four feet at all times!
35.The six official languages of the United Nations are: English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish.
36.Earth is the only planet not named after a god.
37.It's against the law to burp, or sneeze in a church in Nebraska, USA.
38.You're born with 300 bones, but by the time you become an adult, you only have 206.
39.Some worms will eat themselves if they can't find any food!
40.Dolphins sleep with one eye open!
41.It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open
42.The worlds oldest piece of chewing gum is 9000 years old!
43.The longest recorded flight of a chicken is 13 seconds
44.Queen Elizabeth I regarded herself as a paragon of cleanliness. She declared that she bathed once every three months, whether she needed it or not
45.Slugs have 4 noses.
46.Owls are the only birds who can see the colour blue.
47.A man named Charles Osborne had the hiccups for 69 years!
48.A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue!
49.The average person laughs 10 times a day!
50.An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain
Thanks to a commercial SMS costing less than a paisa, every advertiser—from builders, insurance and investment companies, vaastu and fitness experts to sauna belt and geyser manufacturers—has turned to bulk text messages, taking the daily junk SMS count across the country past 100 million. In fact, the only thing that the paisa can buy today is mobile talk time. You can even get paid one paisa for an SMS you send to your friends, which can be used as referrals by the mobile advertising companies for their promotion campaigns. We call this phenomenon the ‘one paisa revolution’. The purchasing power of the paisa has eroded considerably, taking into account inflation. Once we agree that the paisa has lost the value of what it could potentially buy, with the exception of talk time, we need to understand the characteristics of a revolution to enable us to call the positive changes brought about by the telecom ‘one-paisa revolution’. The purchasing power of the paisa has eroded considerably, taking into account inflation. Once we agree that the paisa has lost the value of what it could potentially buy, with the exception of talk time, we need to understand the characteristics of a revolution to enable us to call the positive changes brought about by the telecom 'one-paisa revolution'. Revolution represents radical change. Even in its astronomical application, the word is used to describe a change in position. While all revolutions involve change, not all changes can be described as a revolution. Changes that may be called a revolution must have characteristics that a mere change lacks. That which is particular to the class of change which warrants the different name revolution is, either the great speed, the great extent of change, the great number of people affected and/or the great degree to which people and their lives are affected by change. In India, the telecom revolution has taken place since 1995, primarily due to the unleashing of policy and regulatory shackles. During this period, the mobile subscriber base grew from nothing to more than 600 million, connecting the largest number of people conceivably possible anywhere on the globe, with the exception of China. The resultant network effect has increased the demand for services, thus making it attractive for operators, equipment makers and content providers alike. There is also evidence that the phone is powerful enough to replace face-to-face interaction in several instances. With every decrement in mobile airtime rates, the usage has been increasing and is now at an all-time high of about 411 minutes per user per month, considerably higher than that witnessed in most countries. There is also reason to believe that the marginal utility of making a mobile phone call for people at the bottom of the pyramid is much more than for richer subscribers. The dual causality between economic development and mobile density is one of the reasons for the rapid increase in India's rural subscriber base. With people at all strata of the society, ranging from the fishermen of Kerala to women self- help groups in the hinterlands of Tamil Nadu, getting notable benefits from the use of mobile services, there is support to believe that the changes brought about by telecom represent a revolution. Another important concept that is making this one paisa revolution possible is the 'price point pack' (PPP), an innovative marketing and packaging concept that is designed to sell a small portion or a single-use portion of the product at an affordable price. The first PPP ever introduced was some 60 years ago! Brooke Bond and then Lipton, the leading tea companies in India, launched what was called the 'paisa pack', which was a paper envelope that contained tea worth one paisa (then 1/64th of the Indian rupee) that could make 1 or 2 cups of the beverage. Followed diligently by Pan Masala and, then later on, by the FMCG companies to sell shampoos in sachets, PPP has been successfully adopted by our telecom operators to sell the perishable often referred to as 'erlangs' of network capacity. Thus, the one paisa revolution has made growth more inclusive. However, the telecom industry in India continues to be much dogged by regulatory and policy uncertainties. At the minimum, subscribers and operators who have contributed to this revolution, expect that the regulator and policymakers rise to the occasion in formulating appropriate and predictable policies for the country's development in an inclusive manner. (Kala Seetharam Sridhar is senior research fellow, Public Affairs Centre, Bangalore . This article is coauthored with V Sridhar, research fellow, Sasken Communication Technologies. Views are personal) Source: The Financial Express i FOUND THIS ON : NEWS.MSN.COM
Domain names are your prized real estate on the web and securing and protecting your valuable domain name is essential. As the number of your owned domain name increases, managing domain names requires extra effort and advanced skills. Here are some simple tips to keep your domains fine tuned.
1. Activate autorenew – I always thought this was a smart marketing gimmick, but its actually useful as it ensures your domain names never expires unless really you want to let it go. What if you forget to renew, the reminder email goes in the spam folder and your domain transfers to a domain shark. I tie up renewals with a Paypal account and never worry again.
2. Consolidate renewal dates - If you own a few hundred domain names, over time they end up with variable expiry and renewal dates. Many domain name registrars provide an option to consolidate these dates together, by charging the balance fee of the remaining months. Now it is easier to renew these domains in bulk and you never miss out.
3. Protect your privacy – Your registrant name, address, email and telephone numbers are visible to anyone on the web. The domain registrars share this information with whois services by default, displaying contact details of administrative and technical contacts too. Try a whois search on any domain. Private domain registration services (like Domains By Proxy) ensure that your personal details are hidden and your privacy is secured. There are too many examples of how your personal information can be misused on the internet. Better safe than sorry.
4. Register long term - You want to keep your site running for the next five years, don’t you? Then why do you want to register your domain name for one year and keep renewing every year. Note that a domain name registered for 5 years displays more trust as a long term site with more weightage in search engine algorithms (godd for SEO) compared to spammy one year cybersquatted domain names.
5. Keep contact details fresh – when you shift your residence, change your phone number or email - you immediately intimate credit cards companies and banks, so why not inform your domain name registrar too. It takes a minute to update your contact details on you domain management screen, but is worthwhile. How will information reach you about reminders for domain name renewal, or prospective domain name buyers. Domain tasters are everywhere.
6. Monetize parked domains - You bought multiple precious domains in the hope of selling them later at a huge premium – till that day arrives, earn money easily using a variety of parked domain monetization programs like Cashparking, Chitika for domains, Adsense for domains etc. and earn money while saving your domain for the final day.
7. Lock Up Domain Names - Locking your domain name prevents changes to the contact details and the nameservers and protects you from unauthorized third parties who might try to misdirect your name servers or transfer your domain. Always keep all domains locked. You can always unlock it in minutes when you need to transfer the domain yourself.
8. Test Domain Auctions – Why keep storing multiple domains when you can make lots of money selling it. If your domain is worth its value, you can test its market value. Set up a domain auction with a reserve price and maybe you can get much more from selling it than nurturing it over the years.
9. Solid Passwords - Your entire domain security is protected by a login password to your domain account. Chose a tough password difficult to break by simple password generators. Keep changing your password periodically. Login from trusted computers only and stay safe from keyloggers. Keep your eyes open for password phishing emails. Do not tell your password to anyone, and remember to logout.
10. Network your Domains – Have you bought multiple domain names with different TLDs like .com, .org etc to secure your brand presence. Utilize them all by setting up options like permanent 301/302 redirects, forwarding, masking, cloaking etc such that these domains finally make the visitor reach your target domain. Beware that overdoing and misusing these techniques for SEO with multiple domains can be penalized by search engines.
11. Consolidate Registrars - Its dangerous to keep all your eggs in one basket, but managing a few hundred domain names is easier if they are on one (or a few) domain management panels. If you constantly find yourself troubled with multiple domain registrars and renewal dates, consolidating your domain names will surely bring some peace of mind.
12. Look for Discounts - Never renew or buy domain names without looking for a promo code or coupon code, which will give you cool discounts. Simply search the web or coupon code sites like Retailmenotand you can get a much cheaper deal.
13. Earn affiliate income – Most domain registrars have an affiliate referral program where you can earn some extra money by referring more users to try their service and earn commissions, and if someone ends up buying hosting from them, the commissions are a good bonus. Even better is to become a domain name reseller or domainer for bigger bucks .
14. Bulk is Better - Remember that renewing or buying multiple domain names in bulk will get you advantage of special pricing and many coupon codes usually work at higher baseline cut offs - so you might save a lot of dollars. I renew domain names in bulk, even if they are not expiring to get a better deal.
15. Value your domain – If you are sitting on multiple domains, get a professional domain name appraisal to find your domain worth. Premium domain names with a clean history can attract serious buyers and earn some huge money if done the right way. Free domain name worth estimation tools use your Google PR, backlinks, Alexa rank, Technorati to give you a quick general idea only.
16. Backorder domain names – You will be surprised how frequently people miss renewal deadlines (especially if they missed this article) and your favorite domain owner might just forget to renew and heed the reminders. If you backorder the domain, it will be snatched for you the moment it expires and you might get your prize catch.
17. Hire domain brokers – Sometimes your wanted domain is parked and with no signs of missing renewal deadlines or you cannot wait for 10 months to backorder. Hire a domain broker (most registrars would do it), who will negotiate with the domain owner and try to get your desired domain name for you. It does not come cheap, but at times is worth the value.
18. Buy Premium Services - Though most owners will not need them, its worthwhile to check if you need business registration, SSL certificates, etc to establish your brand dominance, online security and reliability. Its worth the value if you are running an online business and need that extra trust to drive sales.
Follow these tips and manage your domain like a professional domainer. Your domain names are valuable, and you need to maintain them the right way to reap the benefits. i use GoDaddy to buy our domain names and recommend them. Share your domain secrets in comments.
Is computer use shaping children's personalities in a new way? In afascinating article from a recent New Scientist, neurophysiologistBaroness Susan Greenfield set out the thesis of her new book, which I plan to read: ID: The Quest for Identity in the 21st Century.
To summarise her ideas:
1. The mammalian brain, including ours, is "plastic" - human neuronal circuits are malleable, sensitive, easily shaped by external influences and by one's activities (witness the famed research showing that memorising street navigation had enlarged the hippocampus of London's licensed black taxi cab drivers).
2. She suggests the human mind isn't a mere abstraction, but is "the personalisation of the brain, a set of neuronal connections peculiar to each individual, driven in turn by that person's particular experience and interaction with the outside world".
3.Of course, the outside world now includes technology. (She also discussed biotechnology etc but I'll skip over that here.)
4. Might living effectively in 2 dimensions via a computer screen affect neuronal connectivity? (It's been estimated that western children spend about 6 hours a day in front of a computer screen currently.)
5. More specifically, would "continued interaction with a fast-paced, sensory-laden, multimedia environment predispose a brain to shorter attention spans?" Is it just coincidence that prescriptions ofmethylphenidate (Ritalin) for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have trebled these last 10 years?
6. She also suggests that "the strongly visual, literal world of the screen" could affect our ability to develop the imagination and form the kind of abstract concepts that have hitherto come from first hearing stories, then reading oneself. "Will future generations prefer the here-and-now, opting for a strongly sensory experience over a more personalised cognitive narrative? When you play a computer game to rescue the princess, it is the experience that counts: you don't care about the feelings or thoughts of the heroine. When you read a book, the princess's welfare and fate is the whole point."
7. Following on from that, could "here-and-now, fast-paced sensory experiences" change how future generations see themselves and construct their identity? Could they choose to stay in a "more infantile world of passive reactivity to sensations", perhaps even "a world where there is no personal narrative at all, no meaning, no context, just the experience of the thrill of the moment?"
8. In her book ID: The Quest for Identity in the 21st Century, she suggests 4 scenarios for identity:
a. "Nobody" - an abrogation of the sense of self, hedonism, blowing our minds, letting ourselves go. She posits "that the newer technologies may predispose future generations to seek just this sort of condition."
b. "Someone" - the persona that prospers under liberal western consumerism.
c. "Anyone" - the persona of the collective identity in fundamentalist or communist cultures.
d. "Eureka" - "where the experience of creativity enables you to feel both fulfilled and to have a sense of individual identity (none of the first 3 scenarios seems satisfactory when taken alone). But she notes that some might object that the Eureka scenario could produce "a dysfunctional society of egocentric, eccentric individuals".
9. She theorises that newer technologies may predispose future generations to seek the "Nobody" scenario: "Twenty-first-century technology is giving us, for the first time and en masse, more time each day and the chance to live to an active old age, and this brings with it greater options for creating or experiencing a dystopia or a utopia than at any previous time."
10. While the dystopia is a risk, she also suggests: "Perhaps one answer would be to promote a mixed portfolio in which future generations flip from "let yourself go" (Nobody), to selfless, collective working (Anyone), to an occasional sense of personalised achievement (Someone), based not on superiority of status or possessions but on that internal glow that comes with insight and creativity (Eureka). Now that might even be fun."
I think what she says makes a lot of sense. Much of it also applies to the TV generation too, of course, not just the gaming / computer kids. I had the chance to hear her on just these issues at a session at the Dana Centre some time ago (a proper event, for a change, where they actually let the expert say what she had to say, followed by questions from the floor - instead of making attendees scull around listening to opinionated know-nothings spout off in unfacilitated free for alls or trying desperately to catch the experts in time slots that were too short because of the time-wasting involved in shunting people around different rooms in lieu of a proper panel with Q&A in one large room. /rant about Dana Centre's "interactive" approach).
Anyway, back on topic, I really identify with the "Eureka" scenario - but in a much broader sense. It made me think about how much I live for those Eureka moments, to exaggerate only slightly. I've always had an enquiring mind, always wanted to know, I love learning new things, and that high when I suddenly get something, finally understand something, is hard to match - I suspect the buzz is addictive, in a way. (And no, I'm not trying to find excuses for my eccentricity!)
I also think she has a point about kids being unconsciously "conditioned" into passive, experiential, me me me consumption. I use computers and the internet as a participatory medium more than anything - for me it's very "lean forward". I do my share of leaning back, but that's usually in front of the TV, or with a book or magazine. However, I was brought up more with print than computers (though I did watch TV), so maybe that's just a reflection of how my brain's been shaped by my own childhood experiences.
What do you think, do you feel she has a point, or do you disagree?
Everyone is familiar with the smell of stinky feet and I’d venture to say that most of us don’t like it. People who regularly suffer from bad foot odor may be embarrassed about the smell, self-conscious taking their shoes off around others and concerned about why they are having this problem. Luckily there are lots of things that you can do to try to eliminate the smelly odor from your feet and shoes so that you can once again be comfortable baring your toes to the world. Here’s a look at twenty different ways to reduce foot odor: 1. Air out your feet to keep them dry. The single most common reason that feet smell is that they get wet (usually with sweat). Air out your feet regularly by removing your shoes and socks when you don’t need them 2. Wear moisture-smart socks. There are socks out there that are designed specifically to help keep your feet dry. If you wear socks and shoes all throughout the day and can’t be airing your feet out regularly then it may be smart to invest in these moisture-control socks. 3. Wash with salt. Salt water can dry out your skin so if you wash your feet in it then you can reduce the moisture of your feet and that will reduce their tendency to get stinky fast. When you are done with your shower, soak your feet in a solution of warm salt water. Don’t rinse it off; merely wipe it off with a towel and let your feet dry fully before putting socks on. 4. Wash with vinegar. You can also soak your feet in vinegar once or twice a week to reduce the problem. Of course, vinegar stinks too so you’ll want to do this one at the end of the day when you’re not going anywhere. Wash your feet, dry them thoroughly, stick them in a pair of socks and go to bed. 5. Wash with green tea or black tea. If you can’t stand the idea of washing your feet in vinegar but you do want to try a foot soak then a good alternative is to soak your feet in tea. Black tea is best although green tea works as well. 6. Use a foot scrub. In addition to soaking your feet, you can scrub them to reduce the problem of foot odor. This is best done with natural home remedy products that have a strong smell. Ginger, radish and lemon are all good products for creating a foot scrub that will truly cleanse your feet. Do this once or twice a week. 7. Dry out your shoes as well. If you dry out your feet but then stick them inside of sweaty shoes then you’re just going to get smelly feet again right away. Air out your shoes (preferably outside so you don’t stink up the house) before wearing them again. 8. Try to find shoes that breathe. You’ll reduce a lot of the foot odor problem if you’re wearing shoes that breathe well instead of shoes that hold all of that moisture in. 9. Change out your shoes regularly. Don’t wear the same pair every day because this worsens the problem. Rotate the shoes that you wear regularly so that you can dry them out naturally between each wearing. 10. Wear socks with your shoes. Wearing running shoes and heels without socks causes them to retain their sweat which increases the stink of the shoe and affects your feet. Women who wear nylons may want to wear socks underneath with some shoes to further reduce the problem. The exception here is with open-toed shoes and sandals that may be better off socks-free for maximum aeration of the foot. 11. Apply a foot deodorizer product to your feet. The problem is often taken care of when you purchase an over-the-counter foot deodorizer to apply regularly to your feet. 12. In a pinch, use deodorant. Yes, take the deodorant / anti-perspirant that you wear under your arms and apply it to your feet. The odor should diminish. This is a great quick-fix solution for times when you’re embarrassed about the smell of your feet and want to take care of the issue immediately. 13. Use a deodorizer inside of your shoes. In addition to products that are for your feet, there are deodorizers meant to go into your shoe (powders are the most common type of this product). Corn starch and baking soda are home remedy products that can be used instead. Use these products as needed. 14. Use a benzoyl peroxide gel on your feet daily. This can reduce the bacteria that is causing the problem. 15. Determine what causes you to sweat and take care of the problem. If you sweat because of stress, do relaxation techniques. If you sweat because of heat, get a personal fan. If you sweat when working out, take a clean pair of socks and shoes to the gym with you. 16. Consider your diet and the rest of your body odor. If you notice that it’s not just your feet that smell but the rest of you as well then the problem may be a dietary one. Ask yourself what you’re eating and whether it could be exacerbating the smell of your stinky feet. 17. Get enough zinc. This is one common dietary problem among people with foot odor – they aren’t getting enough zinc in their diets. Check to make sure that you are and start adding to your zinc intake if you’re not. The smell could go away. 18. Wash your feet at least once per day with anti-bacterial soap. The main thing that you need to do is to keep your feet clean. Some people need to wash their feet two or three times a day to keep the problem under control. Take just a few minutes to do this washing and the problem should clear up. 19. Make sure there isn’t a more serious problem. If you’ve done all of these things and you still have a problem with foot odor then you may have some type of foot disease. See a podiatrist to get it checked out. 20. Serious doctor-prescribed solutions. You may find that you don’t have any other foot problem but that your particular situation is bad enough to warrant medical solutions. Solutions to foot order that can be prescribed by a doctor include prescription-strength antibiotics, aluminum chloride with ethyl alcohol, Botox and even surgery. This should, of course, be a last resort.
Symptoms: Feet that do not smell good. Causes: Bacteria on the feet Eating too much meat. Not changing the socks often enough and wearing sock while feet is still damp. Wearing rubber or plastic...
Believe it or not, I have found the way to prevent foot odor by daily using a very inexpensive and common product readily available in discount stores, supermarkets, and pharmacies. By using this method, I...
Do you suffer from bad foot odor? There is nothing worse than having smelly feet. It can be embarrassing too. There are steps you can take to help get rid of bad foot odor. This hub has some great tips. 1....
Ever been to a place where you have to remove your shoes? How did it smell like? When we were at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, I had wanted to go into one of the temples there. However, when I saw the so...
Ahhh...no stinky here! There are so many home and health remedies that can be made at home with simple and healthful ingredients. One such remedy is for stinky. If your feet have a terrible odor, this can...
This is a terrible problem to most men who are having a disgusting odor in their feet, especially once the socks are removed. There are many credible solutions on this problem as suggested by many doctors...
One issue web designers face is ensuring that they keep their important content “above the fold” — you don’t want users to have to scroll down to see the hottest story or a call to action. Browser Size helps with this, by visualizing just what percentage of the Internet-browsing population can see a certain part of your page. This is related not only to screen resolution, but also how large people keep their browser windows. Using the tool is simple: type a URL in at the top of the screen, and the site will load your webpage in the background. It will then overlay a semi-transparent graphic depicting how much of the web’s population can view each section of your page without scrolling. The results aren’t particularly exciting — the further down or to the side you go, the fewer people can see it. But this will certainly be helpful for web designers. The data is generated based on the browser size of users who visit Google.com. Google says that it found that the install rate for Google Earth increased by a whopping 10% simply by moving it 100 pixels higher on the page I found this on: http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/12/16/google-browser-size/ check this page for more details and keep coming back for more stuff daily....
