Masters Pick

New Samsung Galaxy Tabs Unveiled at CTIA 2011 in Orlando

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:34:00 +0530

Samsung has been talking of adding a couple of additional sizes to the Samsung Galaxy Tab lineup, and they were revealed to many “ooohs” and “aaahs” March 24^th at the annual Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association electronics-fest in Orlando, Fl. The new 8.9 and 10.1 inch tablets are very similar to the low-stock Apple iPad 2, and could be showing up at a great time for Samsung. In many insiders’ eyes, the Galaxy Tab is the most viable of the iPad 2 competitors.

The physical feel and construction of the tabs is solid. It feels sturdy without being heavy, and are thinner than the iPad 2, which Samsung execs had described as “very thin” when they first saw it. The interface seems a little slow, but that will no doubt be taken care of before release June 8^th. They join the already popular Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 inch tablet.

The tablets were presented for limited access to industry insiders and guests, and I had a chance to get my hands on one for a quick look. The Honeycomb 3.0 OS with full Flash support is on board now that Adobe has released their Android update, and it flew right along. The interface and control layout seemed much more natural than with the Tab 7, not that it was bad there.

These two new Galaxy Tabs will run Android Honeycomb 3.0, as tested, even though this is the beta version. Google claims to be able to have the standard version in place in time for the June release date. Visually, the Tabs are stunning. The 10.1 is aimed right square at the Apple iPad 2, which is the same size. Google Android OS access is the number one reason prospective customers said they would buy a Tab, Xoom, PlayBook or other tablet over the iPad 2, so it is good to see that the finalization by Google is happening in time for these new tablets.

The 7 inch retails for $250 with a two year data contract, and somewhere between $500 and $600 off contract. The 8.9 inch Galaxy Tab will retail for $469 for the 16GB version, with the 32GB going for $569. The iPad 2-aimed Galaxy Tab 10.1 will cost $499 for the 16GB version, with the 32GB going for $599. That is competitive pricing for the 10.1 that is hopefully, for Samsung anyway, going to take a bite out of the big Apple.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:00:00 +0530

Kizashi, the premium sedan from the country's top car-maker Maruti Suzuki, will hit the roads in the next week with around 500 bookings already made by customers, a senior company official today said.

"We will start Kizashi sales a couple of weeks from now. We have already received good bookings at around 500 units so far and are quite upbeat about its performance," Maruti Suzuki's Chief General Manager (Marketing), Shashank Srivastava, told reporters here.

WikiLeaks founder arrested

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 7 Dec 2010 17:09:00 +0530

Police say WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been arrested on a Swedish warrant. Assange was arrested at 9:30 a.m. (0930 GMT) Tuesday and was due to appear at Westminster Magistrate's Court later in the day.

Julian Assange's lawyer was arranging to deliver the WikiLeaks founder to British police for questioning in a sex-crimes investigation of the man who has angered Washington by spilling thousands of government secrets on the internet.

Lawyer Mark Stephens told reporters in London that the Metropolitan Police had called him to say they had received an arrest warrant from Sweden for Assange. Assange has been staying at an undisclosed location in Britain.

"We are in the process of making arrangements to meet with police by consent," Stephens said on Monday, declining to say when Assange's interview with police would take place.

The 39-year-old Australian is wanted on suspicion of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion in Sweden, and the case could lead to his extradition. Interpol placed Assange on its most-wanted list on Nov. 30 after Sweden issued an arrest warrant. Last week, Sweden's highest court upheld the detention order.

Assange has denied the accusations, which Stephens has said stem from a "dispute over consensual but unprotected sex." The lawyer has said the Swedish investigation has turned into a "political stunt."

The pressure on WikiLeaks mounted from other quarters Monday: Swiss authorities closed Assange's bank account, depriving him of a key fundraising tool. And WikiLeaks struggled to stay online despite more hacker attacks and resistance from world governments, receiving help from computer-savvy advocates who have set up hundreds of "mirrors" - or carbon-copy websites - around the world.

Allu Arjun-Sneha Reddy engagement held

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 1 Dec 2010 21:01:00 +0530

The engagement of Allu Arjun and Sneha Reddy was held at Hotel Novotel, Hi-tech City, Hyderabad, on Friday night, in a grand manner.

The bridegroom, sporting white suit, was guided to the venue by his uncle and Praja Rajyam chief Chianjeevi. Sneha Reddy in traditional parrot green saree was the cynosure of all.

After the exchange of rings, the would-be-couple rendered the customary namaskaram to Chiranjeevis feet. Preliminary report is that the marriage of the happening lover-pair would be in February and by then the shoot of Badrinath (Allu Arjuns latest film) would be over.

The garments of the lover pair became a hot topic at the venue; that of Allu Arjun, costing about Rs 50 K; and of Sneha Reddy, a Rs 1 lakh saree.

Sneha Reddys father, KC Sekhar Reddy, is an educationist with a chain of engineering colleges all over the state.

Apart from megastars family members, prominent among those who took part in the event included, Congress leaders K. Kesava Rao, D. Srinivas, Jana Reddy, D. Ramanaidu, Raghavendra Rao, B. Gopal, Mohan Babu, Murali Mohan, Nagarjuna, Ravi Teja, Kaikala Satyanarayana, Brahmanandam, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Venu Madhav, Shriya, Vishnu, Rana and Naga Chaitanya.

Allu Arjun Engagement Stills , Photos , images, videos visit

http://southshowbiz.blogspot.com/

Harry Potter : Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 00:08:00 +0530

Harry Potter 7: Part 1, a bit dragging
Film: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 1"; Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes; Director: David Yates; Rating: **

The generation that has lived in the times of the phenomenon called Harry Potter will recall these times fondly - of times when fans slept through the night outside shops to get their copy of the book.

Sadly, as any hardcore fan will tell you, none of the movies have come close to match the trigger to imagination of the books. And the latest film, which is the first of the two parts based on the last book of the series, is no different.

That does not mean that the filmmakers will not attempt to match the money from the book that created the first billionaire author. Proof - "Deathly Hallows" is being released in two parts, with the first dragging quite a bit.

Yet "Deathly Hallows" stays truest to the book than any other film has so far.

After Dumbledore's death, Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) takes control of the ministry of magic. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermonie (Emma Watson) obviously cannot be in school.

Aided by a loyal group of supporters first, and later on their own, they try to find Voldemort's Horcruxes. Their search leads them to discover the story of the Deathly Hallows and its three sacred objects - the resurrection stone to bring anyone back to life, an unbeatable Elder Want and the infallible invisibility cloak. The fight between Voldemort and Harry now becomes a race to find these.

The most successful book franchise guarantees the success of the films. However, while the previous versions dared not do more fearing boredom, "Deathly Hallows" boldly goes there and breaks the films into two parts. But despite many commendable scenes and good special effects, without its twin, which will be released only in 2011, it does not hold much power.

That does not mean that people will not throng theatres to see the film, or will be disappointed by it. For "Deathly Hallows", despite its slow pace, is by far, the scariest film in the series with fear looming large over the film.

Yet, the 146-minute movie has many funny moments scattered across an otherwise gloomy landscape, like when many of Harry's friends drink a portion to become his duplicates, or when they literally flush themselves through a public toilet to enter the ministry of magic.

The three main protagonists have grown up now. The introduction of sexual tension between them, as also jealousy, spices up the film. The animation to explain the story of the "Deathly Hallows" is also rivetingly done.

The beginning of the end of one of the most successful franchises in cinema history, thus, may not be too engrossing in itself. It is definitely a strong build up to the grand finale, where the chosen one, Harry, will finally live up to his destiny.

That the next part will be in 3D, is merely the icing on the cake.

Rare Apple I computer sells for $210,000

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 22:34:00 +0530

Its processor works 1,000 times slower than the Apple iPad, but the first ever Apple computer has sold for 425 times the price.

The Apple I, one of only 200 such models ever made, was sold Tuesday afternoon at Christie's auction house in central London for 133,250 pounds (about $210,000.)

It came with its original packaging and a signed sales letter from Steve Jobs, one of Apple Computer's co-founders and the current CEO of Apple Inc.

When the Apple I was introduced in 1976, it was the only personal computer to come with a fully assembled motherboard, making it ready to use straight from the box - provided the user supplied a keyboard, power supply, and display, Christie's said.

It sold for $666.66 and was available until it was discontinued in 1977.

Bidding on the Apple I came quickly, with the computer eventually going to Italian businessman and private collector Marco Boglione, who made his offer over the phone.

(sify)

Sony launches world's first tilting TV

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 21:37:00 +0530

Electronics giant Sony has launched what is being billed as the world's first television with a screen which can be tilted backwards, which the company says is optimum for comfortable viewing.

Apparently, a slight backwards lean of six degrees is now the best position for a TV set as many of us mount modern flat-screens on furniture a foot or two above the ground.

The new range can be slotted into the tilting position to achieve what its makers say is the optimum picture, as we slump down on our plush, comfortable sofas.

It comes as design experts say we are increasingly choosing glossy, shiny TV screens which complement our homes' style even when they are switched off, reports the Daily Mail.

The 'Monolithic' TV screens, priced at 1,300 pounds for a 40-inch screen, are available in state-of-the art 3D models, and can either be set up vertically or slotted to a six-degree backwards lean.

'Most people don't put their televisions at waist height any more, they set them up a foot or two off the ground,' said Tim Page, Sony Europe's senior manager of technology marketing.

'With more minimalist, uncluttered styles for furniture, it suits the trend to place the television where it's in a less obtrusive position.'

Sony researchers say a six degree lean is the ideal angle - any less doesn't make much of a discernible difference, and any more could lead to the screen reflecting ceiling lights.

Asian Games hockey: India knocked out by Malaysia's golden goal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:12:00 +0530

A shocking defensive lapse in the dying minutes of regulation time resulted in a heartbreaking loss for India as Malaysia went on to snatch a golden goal here Tuesday and set up a meeting with Pakistan in the men's hockey final of the Asian Games.

Muhamad Amin Rahim was the star for Malaysia, first finding an equaliser by converting a penalty corner to level the scores 3-3 three minutes from the final hooter and then slotting the golden goal, again through a penalty corner in the fifth minute of extra time.

Malaysia's first entry to the Asian Games final was marked by their tenacity as they came from behind twice to equalise. The win sparked jubilation in the Malaysian camp while the Indians cut a sorry figure, ruing their complacency in the final minutes.

Malaysia scored the first goal, through Abdul Jalil Tengku (32nd minute).

Indian drag-flicker Sandeep Singh, who has been in terrific form in the tournament, scored his 11th goal to equalise in the 35th minute.

India then took the lead through Tushar Khandekar within two minutes into the second half (37th). Malaysian Azlan Misron, however, pulled one back (49th) through a good penalty corner variation, but captain Rajpal Singh put India ahead by sneaking in the ball after Dhananjay Mahadik's penalty corner strike was saved brilliantly by Malaysian goalkeeper Kumar Subramiam, who was outstanding under the bar.

Rahim (67th, 75th) then showed his brilliance to pull the game away from India's clutches.

Malaysia thus avenged the 3-2 defeat against India at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi last month. It was also their first victory against India in 11 matches in Asian Games.

Malaysia will now fight for the gold and an Olympic berth with Pakistan, who upset defending champion South Korea in a tense penalty shootout (3-4). The two teams were tied 1-1 in regulation time.

Pakistan's Waqas Muhammad scored the goal in the 22nd minute, before South Korea responded through Kang Moon-Kyu four minutes into the second half.

The drama intensified as the two teams were deadlocked 3-3 after first five penalty shots and the sudden death rule was applied.

Pakistan ace Sohail Abbas's and Jang Jong-hyun's shots were saved, before Haseem Khan sent the ball past Myungho Lee to put Pakistan ahead 4-3.

Jang Jong-ho took the next shot but his strike was saved by goalkeeper Salman Akbar, and celebrations broke in Pakistani camp.

Pakistan will feature in their first final since they won the last of their seven Asiad titles in Beijing in 1990. All their seven titles came at the expense of India in the final.

Guzaarish - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 23:08:00 +0530

Sanjay Leela Bhansali likes to create his own world within worlds. That we know and are prepared for.

Therefore comments like ‘how can a nurse dress up like this’ (a comment on Aishwarya’s character) don’t count for much. We are aware of Bhansali’s fascination for creating an alternate universe.

Here, we see a crumbling mansion in Goa, and a crumbling human-being inside - Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik Roshan), a one-time revered magician, now a quadriplegic due to an act gone wrong.

It’s been 14 years since the accident. His daily nurse Sofia (Aishwarya Rai) takes care of him with love and devotion; they share a complicated relationship, perhaps even a cautious friendship and a simmering love.

Ethan runs a radio show ironically called Radio Zindagi. Ironic, because he has just requested his advocate friend (Shernaz Patel) to file a petition in court requesting he be allowed euthanasia.

The film then follows this struggle even as Sofia grapples between supporting his decision and trying her best to dissuade him.

It’s a dry subject anyway, but co-producer-writer-director Bhansali makes sure it gets super-gloomy.

The indoors are monochrome, a sudden death of a loved one is announced, and Ethan is perpetually dressed in either white or black; this is also true of the film’s portrayal of other quadriplegics—they’re all in white as if it were a uniform for those handicapped.

On the other extreme end is the resplendent wardrobe of Sofia dressed in Sabyasachi finery. But even her wardrobe’s tone is never cheerful. Bhansali has kept it wilfully macabre; he intends the tone to be gloomy.

His music, though, is one of the film’s stronger points.

There are several unanswered questions: why is he holed up inside his mansion for 14 years since his handicap? Ethan is shown to be surrounded by a caring bunch. There’s no explanation why no one thought a trip to the beach or a drive would be a swell idea.

All we see of Ethan then is him on the bed complaining of his bed sores, or being fed soup, or being strapped to a contraption that allows him to be upright. Other downers include the introduction of a protégé character (Aditya Roy Kapur) who has a link to Ethan’s past, and a caricature of a villain in the form of the opposing advocate (Rajat Kapoor), and another evil-smile baddie.

The best part about the film: Bhansali doesn’t shy away from taking a stand. He also doesn’t mind his characters speaking in English pretty often. You hear English songs as the background score consistently.

Bhansali seems to be veering towards making films after his own heart, unmindful of the commercial element. This is a trend that has shown progression is his films beginning with Black and Saawariya to Guzaarish.

His propensity to make the film visually arresting is at fore. A couple of scenes, notably the one where Hrithik dances to fluid choreography as a part of his magic act, are especially arresting.

And it is to Hrithik Roshan’s credit for bringing even his lifeless character alive. Roshan is every inch the enigmatic magician who also dances like a dream. And in the portions where he is a quadriplegic, he is truly impressive in bringing out the character’s angst.

Note especially a scene where a rainy night brings out his humiliating helplessness.

Aishwarya Rai is electric as the dedicated caretaker, who’s also a bag of surprises. Rai knocks you off your feet in the scene where she dances spontaneously during an evening out, and in the courtroom portions.

Bhansali’s love story doesn’t move you the way it is intended to. It’s unique, but not necessarily special. That pretty much sums up the film as well.

(Sify Review)

Vivek Oberoi marriage with Priyanka Elva today

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:10:00 +0530

Bollywood star Vivek Oberoi is all set to enter wedlock with 28 year old beautiful Priyanka Alva who is the daughter of former Karnataka minister late Jeevraj Alva today. Priyanka Alva is a management graduate from London. The wedding day reportedly began with the marriage ceremony at 8:30 am at Priyanka Alva’s home.

Sources have reported that the duos are ready to tie the knot on Friday in Bangalore at Alva’s residence. This will be followed by a grand reception at the ITC Grand Maratha Hotel in Mumbai on October 30. Bollywood celebrities are expected to attend and bless the newly-weds.

The groom along with baraatis is staying at the Chancery Pavilion where 40 rooms have been booked. However, all the pre-wedding functions and the wedding will be held at Alva’s residence.

Chief Minister, B S Yeddyurappa is expected to attend for the marriage as a special guest. Most of the Bollywood celebrities will attend for the reception on Sunday at five star hotel in Mumbai. Sushmita Sen, Dia Mirza, Tarun Tahiliani, Kumar Taurani and Sachin Gupta are expected to attend for this ceremony.

The wedding functions began on the auspicious day of Karva Chauth on Tuesday, October 27 followed by the Upanayana ceremony of Aditya Alva, younger brother of the bride on Wednesday, October 28.

Mehendi ceremony went well yesterday, where both Vivek and his to be bride Priyanka Alva sported matching shades of Crimson which took place at a sprawling farm house in Bangalore.

The couple who will both sport designer Tarun Tahilani’s creations would be blessed at the ceremony by close family friends and relatives.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport launched in India

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:10:00 +0530

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport is set to launch in the Indian Market. World’s most costly and fastest car, Bugatti Veyron will hit the Indian roads with 12 Crore price on 28th October, 2010. After Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls Royce, Bugatti will be the next super luxurious brand to enter the Indian market. The decision is motivated from the success of super luxury cars, Maybach and Rolls Royce in the country which were launched earlier. It will sale through its sole dealer Exclusive Motors, New Delhi. This is the first car to surpass the speed barrier of 430km/hr with an average top speed of 431.2 km/hr.

According to Satya Bagla, the managing director of Exclusive Motors, which is the official dealer of the legendary car brand in India, “The car is slated for launch soon but we cannot disclose its price and other specifications. There are a few customers for Bugatti, but again their identities cannot be revealed now.” Bugatti Veyron is designed and developed by the German Volkswagen Group and produced by Bugatti Automobiles SAS.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 comes with a 8.0L, 16 Cylinder, 64 Valves turbocharged engine that delivers maximum torque of 1200 Nm. Top whack is measured at 407 kmph, receiving it be one of the fastest production hyper cars to roar the roads. Its engine belts out a massive 989 hp and 1,200 Nm of peak torque. The mammoth engine is mated to a computer-controlled, seven-speed dual clutch direct-shift automatic transmission that takes a mere 150 milliseconds for gear shifts.Managing director of market research firm IHS Global Insight, Deepesh Rathore said that the high net-worth individuals in India are getting younger and they want to enjoy their money with the huge legacy associated with legendary brands. He also said that Bugatti will surely catch up in the country, particularly among the well-traveled Indian millionaires.

Bugatti Veyron specification: The car has huge power of 1001 BHP which helps it arrive at the 0 – 100 km/h in a jaw dropping 2.5 seconds with a limited top speed of 407 kmph. It features permanent Four Wheel Drive (FWD) and equipped with specially made Michelin run-flat tyres. The car engine has been joined with a computer-controlled, seven-speed dual clutch direct-shift automatic transmission that takes a mere 150 milliseconds for gear shifts. It also comes with number of stunning specifications, such as the twin clutch gearbox with seven speeds, the extraordinarily specific driving performance in bends and excellent stability when braking and accelerating. Including a number of 10 radiators, for the engine cooling system, for transmission oil, a heat exchanger for the air to liquid inter-coolers, for engine oil etc., the car has a power to weight ratio of 529 bhp/tonne.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport India Pictures,Photos,Wallpapers

Don 2 : Location Stills

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:39:00 +0530

Tata Docomo to launch 3G services on Diwali

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:27:00 +0530

Here's a festive gift from the Tata stable. Tata Docomo, the GSM arm of Tata Teleservices, is set to become to first private telecom operator to launch 3G services in the country this Diwali.

The 3G network will be rolled out across nine telecom circles where Tata Docomo has a licence, in partnership with Japan's NTT Docomo, the global leader in the 3G space. "We will bring products and services that will redefine the Indian telecom experience. Tata Docomo's commercial launch of 3G operations will ride on the back of game-changing products, applications and services," said a company official.

While 3G as the next-generation of mobility does bring with it better voice clarity, fewer call-drops and fast internet speed ; the impact it is likely to have on consumers lives is much greater than any of these improvements alone. It will enable richer commun-ication with friends and family, make the device a gateway to a world of information and entertainment purely for personal consumption, and assi- st the user with a host of location-based services, he added.

NTT Docomo is committed to bring various 3G products and services that give Indian customers a flavour of tomorrow.

source:- http://marketfind.blogspot.com/

Hiss - Movie Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 21:50:00 +0530

“Hiss”, the much talked about movie has finally hit the theatres, but the viewers claimed that the movie is not that appealing. The movie has created much curiosity, when the actress was seen at various film festival with pythons wound around her.

Directed by Jeniifer Lynch, the film will have its effect on you for a really long time, but not for the good reasons. To talk very bluntly, HISS is a nightmare. The film has no story, no screenplay, no songs, no performances and nothing else which can pull you to the theatres, not even Mallika’s bold scene, that were much hyped.

The movie is about the revenge of an ichhadhaari naagin, where the Naagin (Mallika Sherawat) kills her victims in cold blood, gouges out their body parts and leaves them for audience to watch multiple times over.

Storyline of the movie is too fictitious. It is quite indigestible to see a woman romancing the deadly reptile. It brings more of disgusting feeling watching snake woman licking snake and making love with her. It’s easy to solve the crossword puzzle in newspapers than it is to understand what exactly is going on in this film.

Mallika has also given some love making scenes in the movie but with the snake, kissing him and licking him. Mallika has also claimed that it was her best kiss ever. Even than those are not good enough to lift up the movie.

Mallika Sherawat has very less dialogues in the movie. The movie relies more on Mallika’a sexy transformations than her acting competence. So far as performances by the ace actors are concerned, Irfan Khan does not offer much of his caliber. His natural part could be seen when he share screen space with Divya Dutta as his wife.

The final word: The film is badly scripted, poorly enacted and carelessly directed. There is nothing to see in the movie apart from “Mallika Sherawat”.

Hiss - Movie Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 21:44:00 +0530

Review of Hiss by Indian Express

A lot of us who've grown up on masala cinema of 1970s and 1980s will vividly recall two films made on ichhadhaari naagins - Rajkumar Kohli's NAGIN [1976] and Harmesh Malhotra's NAGINA [1986]. Can we ever forget the revenge of the naagin? Can we ever forget the gripping plot, the spellbinding drama, the lilting music and of course, the unforgettable performances by Reena Roy and Sridevi, respectively?

When a film-maker attempts to make a film on an ichhadhaari naagin in 2010, the viewer expects to watch all of the above, besides great visual effects of course. More so because HISSS is helmed by a Hollywood director - Jennifer Lynch. But, to put it bluntly, HISSS is a nightmare. The film has absolutely nothing to offer - no story, no screenplay, no songs, no performances... even the making is so tacky.

The story is about the vengeance of an ichhadhaari naagin. George [Jeff Doucette], a ruthless American, travels to the jungles of India and captures her mate. She transforms into a woman [Mallika Sherawat] with absolutely no clue about contemporary civilization or the ways of mankind, and ventures into the city in desperate search for her lover with vengeance on her mind and venom in her fangs.

Vikram [Irrfan Khan] is entrusted the responsibility of solving the murders and tracking down the mysterious killer.

Films like HISSS make you realize what's going wrong in Bollywood today. On one hand we celebrate the new stories being told in our movies and on the other, we churn out a HISSS, which is badly scripted, poorly enacted and carelessly directed. Believe me, it's easy to solve the crossword puzzle in newspapers than it is to understand what exactly is going on in this film.

As for director Jennifer Lynch, she needs a crash course in film-making pronto. The visual effects seem straight out of a B-grade Bollywood film.

Actors often tell me that they choose films based on the script, so what exactly did Irrfan Khan see in HISSS? Mallika has no dialogue all through the film, she changes lenses, then changes into a snake outfit and also goes full monty. That's it! Divya Dutta is wasted. Raman Trikha is passable. The actress enacting the role of Divya's mother is okay.

Sony to launch internet ready TV

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 19:48:00 +0530

Sony Corp.'s lineup of sleek televisions boasting Google Inc.'s Web-surfing system will go on sale Saturday, testing how much consumers are willing to pay to combine access to the entire Internet with their regular TV programming.

The high-definition sets unveiled Tuesday evening in New York will have LCD screens ranging from 24 inches to 46 inches, with recommended retail prices from $600 to $1,400. Sony will begin selling the new sets in its online store Saturday, and they should be available in Best Buy Co.'s U.S. stores by early next week. Pre-orders are currently being taken at both Sony's and Best Buy's websites.

Sony's price for its Google TV sets is $200 to $400 higher than comparable TVs without the highly touted software, a differential that threatens to dampen sales at a time the still-shaky economy is causing more households to pinch their pennies.

The strong sales of Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPad have demonstrated that people are still willing to open their wallets to buy breakthrough gadgets, but persuading them usually requires a snazzy marketing campaign that shows why the products are worth the extra money.

Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey isn't convinced that Sony and Google will be able to make a compelling enough case to turn this new generation of TVs into a must-have item, even though he is impressed with the technology inside the sets.

'Price is going to be important,' he said. 'Google TV is a powerful experience, but most people aren't going to understand it unless they can see it in action. And Google isn't known for its consumer marketing experience. I think they have the right concept here, but I am not sure about the execution yet.'

Sony is planning a marketing blitz to promote its Google TV sets through the holiday shopping season, although the company isn't saying how much it will spend on the campaign.

Google traditionally has refrained from buying TV ads, relying instead on its ubiquity on the Internet and the marketing acumen of its partners.

HP unveils $799 tablet with a PC feel

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 19:38:00 +0530

Hewlett-Packard Co unveiled its first product for the fast-growing tablet market, a $799 device running Microsoft Windows that is aimed at business customers.

HP's Slate 500 attempts to replicate the PC experience in a tablet form, providing a contrast to rivals who have brought more of a smartphone feel to their devices. The Slate runs the same version of Windows 7 used by many companies on their standard PCs.

The tablet has a bigger price tag than competing products such as Apple's iPad, which kick-started the tablet craze when it debuted earlier this year.

HP's offering has an 8.9-inch, multi-touch-enabled screen, weighs 1.5 pounds and comes with 64 gigabytes (GB) of storage and a digital stylus pen. It gets five hours of battery life.

It comes equipped with Wi-Fi access but no built-in capability to connect to high-speed cellular networks, as rivals including the iPad, Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Tab and Dell's Streak have.

Carol Hess-Nickels, director of business notebook marketing at HP, emphasized the Slate's business utility. She expects retail, healthcare and insurance companies, among others, to build custom applications that take advantage of the device's portability.

"It's really like a full-function PC, it runs Windows, it will run your office applications, it just so happens to be in a slate form factor," Hess-Nickels said.

The HP Slate features the Intel Atom processor, which is commonly found in inexpensive netbook computers. Rival tablets run on low-power ARM-based chips found in smartphones.

The device is equipped with cameras in the front and back, enabling video conferencing, and a USB port. It comes with a case and a docking station.

HP's Slate is now available online, and the company will be selling it to businesses through its direct sales force.

It's $799 price tag makes it more expensive than the Wi-Fi-only version of the iPad, which starts at $499 and runs up to $699 for a 64-GB model. A 3G iPad starts at $629.

Verizon Wireless plans to sell Samsung's 7-inch tablet for $600. Dell's 5-inch Streak is priced at $550 but can be had for $300 if bought with a data plan through AT&T.

WEBOS ON THE WAY

HP, the world's largest PC maker, plans to release a tablet next year that may look much different from the Slate.

That tablet will be based on the webOS software that HP acquired when it bought smartphone maker Palm earlier this year for $1.2 billion. It will likely be a more media-rich and consumer-friendly offering.

The tablet market is expected to surge next year to more than 50 million units, research group Gartner has said. The iPad is expected to continue to be the dominant product in this market.

Apple has sold more than 7 million iPads since the device launched in April.

The market is still evolving, but Apple has targeted the iPad primarily as a consumer device made for media consumption, rather than a business device.

Earlier this month, BlackBerry maker Research in Motion unveiled a 7-inch tablet aimed at business customers.

And Dell has touted the business applications for its tablet, which include healthcare. Dell expects to launch a 7-inch model by the end of the year.

'Google, RIM are now no match for Apple'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 19:34:00 +0530

Agreeing with Apple boss Steve Jobs' claim Monday that 'we've now passed RIM (Research in Motion) and I don't see them catching up with us in the foreseeable future,'' technology and financial analysts here say the BlackBerry maker RIM and Google are now no match for Apple.

As Jobs, CEO of the world's largest technology company, unveiled Apple's new Mac OS X Lion operating system as well as two new versions ultralight MacBook Air laptops in Cupertino Wednesday, analysts said Apple is simply unbeatable now.

'We agree with his (Jobs) views,' analyst Michael Walkley of Canacord Genuity here told the National Post daily, raising his price target on Apple stock to whopping $421 per share.

Considering that Apple stock Wednesday traded at about $310, the target is a huge jump in Apple's future fortunes.

The Toronto analyst said Jobs' views 'are very consistent with our longer-term thesis on Apple's iOS ecosystem resulting in Apple maintaining to growing its value share of the smartphone market and achieving strong long-term share in the burgeoning tablet market.'' Analysts say that BlackBerry maker RIM, with just 10,000 applications in its BlackBerry App World, is way, way behind Apple's App Store which offers more than 300,000 applications as of now.

Even with its over 100,000 applications, the Google Android Marketplace too is no way near Apple. Applications or apps is the new name for software which doesn't come in physical boxes any more, but is simply downloaded from apps store.

Even more worrying for analysts is the the lack of a strong ecosystem supporting RIM's platform in the consumer market.

'Although RIM is attempting to make gains in this area as highlighted by the recent acquisition of California-based Cellmania, we believe the gap between RIM and the two leading competitors (Apple and Google) in the consumer market is increasing every quarter,' Sameet Kanade, a financial analyst with Northern Securities, was quoted as saying.

Kanade also agreed with Apple's assertion that 80 percent of Forbes 500 companies have now started adopting iPhone 4 for their executives at the expense of the secure BlackBerry smart phones. 'We believe the potential adoption of the iPhone by key RIM enterprise users may have a domino effect, creating further market disruption for RIM,'' he said.

The analysts also agreed with Steve Jobs' criticism of Google's Android operating system which uses multiple hardware manufacturers and multiple version of software. Jobs had said Monday that Google's 'fragmented'' operating system will harm the user experience.

'This fragmentation also leads to frustration for application developers that have to create numerous iterations of their program so that is can be optimized for each particular Android device,'' the Post quoted Maynard Um, analyst with UBS Investment Research, as saying.

Google to launch online music service in India

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 19:29:00 +0530

Google Inc plans to launch an online music service in India that would enable users to search for legal music streams and downloads, the Wall Street Journal said.

Google would soon add a music feature in its search service, which will allow users in India to search for songs. The top search results would be from Google's partners, according to the Journal.

The U.S. web search giant will partner with three digital music providers, who hold rights to hundreds of thousands of Indian tracks -- ranging from Bollywood hits to Indian classical music -- the Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Google could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters outside regular U.S. business hours.

Top 10 Social Media Tips for Small Business Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 9 Oct 2010 00:34:00 +0530

Social media, popular Web-based technologies that let people socially interact with one another online, has changed the way small businesses communicate with customers and market products and services. Social media lets many businesses -- especially small businesses that cannot afford to launch private online communities -- interact with customers in a more personal way to build better customer relationships.

One thing a small business owner should know is that using social media for marketing is a time-consuming task, and there is definitely a right and wrong way to deal with customers in online social spaces.

While your efforts may be derived from a marketing perspective, your online social interactions with customers needs to be honest, open and provide value to be successful. You need to focus on building relationships more than blasting customers with marketing messages and sales pitches.

The following top 10 social media tips for small business marketing will help you understand how to interact with customers in online social spaces and also guide you in building better, smarter relationships with customers on social networks.

1. Plan Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

As with any small business marketing campaign or business, you have to create a plan and stick to it in order to be successful. Outline the goals and the steps you will take -- in addition to the tools you will need -- to meet your marketing objectives.

Your plan should outline how your small business will integrate social media marketing into existing marketing strategies. Some social media-specific issues you will need to think about include:

Delegating the daily tasks and updates to an employee with marketing and social media experience
Deciding on whom within your organization will create profiles and accounts and which individuals will have access to the accounts
Choosing tools that will help automate the social media marketing process and finding socialanalytics tools to help you track success
Reviewing your current small business marketing strategies and deciding where an expansion into social media will be the most beneficial

2. Find Your Customers

With so many social networking platforms available to consumers, it can be difficult to choose a social network for your business to use. Before you randomly log on to Twitter or Facebook to start your small business marketing campaign, research to find out where your customers already congregate online.

Existing communities of customers will have formed the basics of the "social glue" that holds online relationships together. It takes less time and effort to join customers where they are, compared to creating multiple profiles and accounts in the hopes that customers will find you.

Once you become a social resource for customers you have to stick with it and be there on a regular and frequent basis. Using social networks is time consuming, so schedule social time for yourself and your marketing staff.

You want to have enough time each day to monitor conversations, converse with customers, and to send out new messages. Splitting the time up throughout the day will be a benefit as it shows customers you care enough to check back and respond quickly.

4. Be Authentic and Human

People are more likely to create relationships with other people more so than with businesses. You can encourage customers if you use a "human" voice -- not a corporate presence -- when connecting in social spaces. You can do a few simple things like show a picture instead of a business logo on your profile, and assign one or two people within your small business to be your social voice.

Another big part of being human on a social network that businesses often find challenging is to "own up" to customers in public when they make a mistake or someone posts criticism. If a customer complains about your shipping, don't ignore it or follow-up outside the social network. Keep the conversation public; drop the corporate tone and converse with the customer on a personal level.

5. Be an Expert

One of the best ways for a small business to interact with customers is to be an expert in social spaces. By joining existing communities where your customers are, you can easily insert yourself into the community by being a voice of expert advice.

For example if your small business is plumbing hardware, find those online social communities onFacebook, Twitter, discussion forums and blogs and start answering questions and offering advice. Remember to let people know you are a business owner -- never pretend to be "just another consumer" when you participate in social discussions.

Lesser chances for more rains: IMD‎

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 9 Oct 2010 00:09:00 +0530

The IMD officials on Thursday said the chances of the city getting more showers have reduced but cannot rule out a possibility.

"As the moisture content has reduced, the city and areas around might not see more rainfall," said Medha Khole, director, India Meteorological Department (IMD).

According to IMD's daily weather report for the city, rain or thundershowers are likely in the next 48 hours.

The city has been witnessing a drop in rainfall after Monday's heavy downpour that recorded 181.4 mm rainfall. Tuesday recorded 18.6 mm. However, on Wednesday, no rainfall was recorded despite the cloudy conditions and Thursday's sky was clear.

The situation prevailed in catchment areas too. None of the four major dams -- Khadakwasla, Temghar, Varasgaon and Panshet -- received any rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday.

Presently, the total water availability for the city is around 26 TMC (91 per cent compared to the total capacity of city)
.

Crook - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 8 Oct 2010 23:14:00 +0530

Crook: As Bad as it Gets

After a string of movies together (three of which did well), cousins Mohit Suri and Emraan Hashmi return with Crook: It's Good to Be Bad.

Crook is a story of Jai Dixit aka Suraj Bhardwaj (Emraan), who leaves India because of his father's criminal record, and hopes to start a good life in Melbourne, Australia. Ironically, he uses a fake passport and a fake identity to do so.Though director Mohit Suri has picked a noble topic, the treatment leaves a lot to be desired. He clearly hasn't done much research on the topic and the result is a very childlish film.

At the airport, he meets Suhani (Neha Sharma) and instantly falls in love with her. To earn a living, he works as a taxi driver for her brother Samarth's (Arjan Bajwa) cab rental agency.

Samarth hates Australians as he blames them for the death of his younger sister (Smilie Suri). Suhani, on the other hand, tries to bring Indians and Australians together through her radio show.

Soon after Emraan reaches Australia, racial conflicts break out resulting on fatal casualties on both sides. Samarth gets involved in the conflict, which makes him take up arms openly against the Australians.

Emraan, who last impressed us in Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai, fails terribly here. But you can't really blame him. It's the script that's weak.

Newcomer Neha Sharma should have chosen anything but this film to make her Bollywood debut as the role and the heavy topic calls for a more experienced actor. She looks good, though.

Arjan's character is full of flaws so you can neither like him nor hate him. He tries to do an Arbaaz Khan(Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya) as the no-nonsense over-protective brother. But unlike Arbaaz, he fails.

Gulshan Grover, playing Emraan's uncle and police officer, has nothing much to do. Ditto for Kavin Dave and Mashoor Amrohi.

The film's music is okay especially the songs Mere Bina and Challa Babbu Mann.

Overall, Crook fails because of weak script and story line

Mitsubishi Motors - Innovation in wheels...!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Shahab Sainul) — Thu, 7 Oct 2010 22:22:00 +0530

Mitsubishi Motors -
Innovation in wheels...!!!

World Space Week - (Oct 4th to 10th) Is there "sound" in space?

noreply@blogger.com (Shahab Sainul) — Thu, 7 Oct 2010 22:15:00 +0530

Is there sound in space?

Sound travels in waves like light or heat does, but unlike them, sound travels by making molecules vibrate. So, in order for sound to travel, there has to be something with molecules for it to travel through. On Earth, sound travels to your ears by vibrating air molecules. In deep space, the large empty areas between stars and planets, there are no molecules to vibrate. There is no sound there.

Science Tips from the NET

How to Live Large in a 500 sq ft (46 sq m) Apartment

noreply@blogger.com (Shahab Sainul) — Thu, 7 Oct 2010 22:12:00 +0530

While the Sifter typically posts dream houses and luxury apartments, it’s important to come back to reality and celebrate architects that tackle real design challenges, like making a 500 square-foot studio apartment feel like a living space you can call home.
Darrick Borowski and Danny Orenstein of Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture (JDPA) have done just that with this cozy East Village studio apartment in New York city. Confined to a mere 500 square-feet (46 sq m), Darrick and Danny use every inch available to create a functional living/working space for the owner. Completed in 2009, this apartment oasis was selected as the winner of the AIA’s (American Institute of Architects) 2010 Small Projects Award!

Stairs with drawers. Greatest. Space saving idea. Ever.