Pamela lands in Mumbai to participate in 'Bigg Boss'

2010-11-16T05:29:00.000-08:00

Mumbai, November 16 (ANI): While the viewers are already enjoying the heated up temperature in the Bigg Boss house, courtesy Dolly Bindra, there's more in store for them. The makers have planned to further raise the mercury by roping in sexy Hollywood actor Pamela Anderson.

The "Baywatch" star, who is all set to enter the house as a guest, arrived in Mumbai yesterday night. As Pamela Anderson catches a good night sleep.

she soon will enter 'Bigg Boss' Season 4 house to surprise the housemates who have no clue what awaits them!.

Jennifer Aniston to go topless in 'Wanderlust'?

2010-11-11T21:38:00.000-08:00

Washington, Nov 11 (ANI): Malin Ackerman has hinted that her co-star Jennifer Aniston might be seen topless in upcoming Judd Apatow's comedy 'Wanderlust'.

"There's a very big maybe, yes...One of the cast members is a nudist," Ackerman teased, adding, "I am not the nudist!"

Despite staying vague on the topless talk, Ackerman couldn't stop praising her famous colleague.

"She is an incredible woman in every area of life," UsMagazine.com quoted Ackerman as saying.

"She's just so giving and wonderful with both feet on the ground. ust lovely, really exceptional," Ackerman added.

In Wanderlust, Ackerman plays a member of a "hippie" commune, which Aniston and onscreen husband Paul Rudd mistake for a bed and breakfast. (ANI)

Ashmit has handled nasty 'Bigg Boss' inmates maturely: Ameesha

2010-11-11T21:35:00.001-08:00

New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) Bollywood actress Ameesha Patel says her younger brother Ashmit who is locked up in the 'Bigg Boss' house and was recently the target of inmate Dolly Bindra's loud and nasty comments about his past has handled the situation in a very mature manner.

Ashmit, who is one of the contestants in the Colors reality show 'Bigg Boss', was involved in an MMS scandal in the past.

'I think he has done a good job, he has been very honest about everything and of course you have those nasty people who always try to create controversies; but I think my brother has handled it in a very mature way,' Ameesha, who was here to present designer Rocky S' collection, told IANS.

'I am following the 'Bigg Boss' show regularly because that is the only place where I get to see my brother, as we are not allowed to talk to him, no mobile or landline facility.'

Ameesha also very sportingly tagged her brother as the 'hot eye-candy' of the 'Bigg Boss' house, who has been romantically linked to TV actress Sara khan and Pakistani actress Veena Mallik.

'I think he has got the right combination of being a friend and a flirt to everybody inside and I think it is great. I hear it often from other's that your brother is the only hot person and eye-candy in the house.

'Girls better chase him because if he is not flirting back then there is something wrong with him - he is not my brother. And everybody knows it is a show at the end of the day; it is not that he is going to get a bride back home.'

The 35-year-old also admits she guides her brother on how to handle and deal with women.

'I have always told him to respect a woman and never hurt her feelings. There is no harm in healthy flirting till the time it makes the other one feel special. I don't like women getting insulted and have always advised him not to do that.'

'Bigg Boss 4', being shot at a house in Lonavala, started Oct 3 with 13 contestants in a house without any communication with the outside world. The contestants are under constant camera surveillance. Ten contestants now remain on the show after three weeks.

Demi Lovato is 'not in treatment' for drug or booze addiction

2010-11-11T21:34:00.000-08:00

Washington, Nov 11 (ANI): Demi Lovato's spokesperson has denied claims that the actress is seeking help for problems related to drugs and alcohol.

"Demi Lovato is not in treatment for drug or alcohol addiction," People Mag quoted her spokesperson as saying.

"As we have said since she entered treatment last week, Demi decided to seek help for emotional and physical issues she has battled throughout her life. She has taken this step in order to get her life in order."

"While we know many are interested in Demi and her life," the statement continued, "we do ask for a modicum of privacy during this difficult time."

Lovato, 18, is at a facility that specializes in treating adolescents and adult women with a variety of issues, including eating disorders, mood disorders and substance abuse problems. (ANI)

"I''m sorry," Keating apologises to wife for cheating

2010-11-11T21:27:00.000-08:00

London, Nov 12 (PTI) Boyzone star Ronan Keating has made a public apology to wife Yvonne for cheating on her with a back-up dancer. The singer, who is desperate to save his 12-year-old marriage, apologised for the "mistakes" and said he had been in a "dark place" when he had the affair with 26-year-old back-up dancer Francine Cornell, the Daily Mail reported.

Keating, who separated from Yvonne in May after the affair became public, chose the sleeve notes of his new album Duet to pay tribute to her. The 33-year-old singer wrote of his wife: "You are the most incredible, inspirational woman I have ever met.

For the mistakes I have made in my life, I am sorry. Guess you have to go there to come back.

It was a dark place and you were the light to bring me back. I love you.

" Keating had build an image of a family man but his affair which became public after his wife separated, shocked the showbiz world. Yvonne reportedly came to know about it after she found text messages from Cornell on the singer''s phone.

The singer, who has three children --Jack, 11, nine-year-old Marie and Ali, five -- has been battling since then to be reconciled with Yvonne and it seems that the former model has forgiven him.

Katy Perry given body boost by hubby

2010-11-11T21:26:00.000-08:00

London, Nov 12 (IANS) Singer Katy Perry says her comedian husband Russell Brand has given her massive self-confidence about her figure and her looks.

The 'Firework' singer, who tied the knot with the British funnyman in India last month, claims the love and support of her spouse made her feel more comfortable posing topless for a recent magazine spread, reports contactmusic.com.

'I'm confident in my skin lately. I take care of myself and I also think that when you're in a supportive relationship you don't care any more about outside. Things that maybe would have irked you before don't matter because you found someone who loves you no matter what,' she said.

'So I guess it's a mixture of 'Hey, I'm 26 and I know these are my prime years and I feel confident,' and being loved-up,' she added.

Eminem fears writer''s block again

2010-11-11T21:24:00.000-08:00

London, Nov 12 (PTI) Superstar Eminem is afraid that another bout of writer''s block may wipe away his musical genius. The American rapper could not write great music when he was at the peak of his drug abuse days that stretched for four years, something which the singer is "paranoid" about if it happens again.

"I try to stay recording, because if I don''t, I get rusty. I''m very paranoid about writer''s block - I had it for four years.

"No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn''t think. The pills had a lot to do with it.

Just wiping out brain cells," he told Rolling Stone magazine. "I don''t know if it sounds like I''m making excuses, but the absolute truth is a lot of my memory is gone," the star added.

Buoyant India eye big medal haul at Asian Games

2010-11-11T21:22:00.000-08:00

India are hoping to follow their impressive performance at the Commonwealth Games with another big medal haul at the Asian Games in Guangzhou but tougher competition awaits them in China.

India finished eighth in the medals table with 10 golds in the previous Asian Games in Doha four years ago and their second-place finish in Delhi will raise hopes of an improvement at the event which starts Friday.

"The performance in Delhi has raised our hopes for the upcoming Asian Games," Bhubaneswar Kalita, India's chef-de-mission at the Commonwealth Games, told reporters.

"These are the same athletes who would be in action in Guangzhou and we hope to perform well."

Indian athletes bagged 38 gold medals in Delhi to push England to third place in the medals tally and finish on a high after shambolic preparations threatened to turn the event into a national embarrassment.

But that creditable performance might have its flip-side with many athletes having to find peak form again less than one month later.

Shooting, boxing and wrestling are expected to bring home the bulk of the medals for India in the Nov. 12-27 Games, while kabaddi -- a form of tag which originated in South East Asia -- billiards and chess are also expected to add to the tally.

Gagan Narang, who won four gold medals in Delhi, will lead the shooting team.

The 27-year-old, a double world record holder in air rifle, should give India's medals tally an early boost.

Commonwealth Games gold medallist and women's badminton world number three Saina Nehwal is another hope but will have to overcome fierce competition from the Chinese.

The absence of Leander Paes, who is playing in the doubles at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, will make it tough for India to defend their two tennis gold medals -- from men's doubles and mixed doubles -- won in Doha.

The onus will fall on Somdev Devvarman and glamour girl Sania Mirza to win the singles events.

(Editing by Brian Homewood; to query or comment on this story, email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

G20 leaders near agreement, if not progress

2010-11-11T21:21:00.001-08:00

The G20 will agree to setting vague "indicative guidelines" for measuring global imbalances and hammer out the details next year, G20 sources said on Friday, effectively calling a timeout to let tempers cool after heated debate over currencies.

Live blog, click http://live.reuters.com/uk/Event/G20_Summit_in_Seoul

Negotiators laboured until the wee hours of the morning to try to thrash out an agreement that their leaders can all endorse, despite deep divisions that were on public display in the run-up to the Group of 20 summit concluding on Friday.

"It was very hard work," said one G20 source after a negotiating session that ended around 3 a.m. (1800 GMT)

G20 sources told Reuters deputy ministers had agreed on the wording for a final statement, but it is not expected to venture much beyond what was already agreed at a finance ministers' meeting last month.

Leaders are expected to call on the International Monetary Fund to develop a range of indicators to identify when imbalances pose a threat to economic stability. G20 finance ministers will consider the findings at a meeting in early 2011, according to a draft statement obtained by Reuters.

An earlier version of the document showed negotiators debating over whether those indicators ought to be "measurable" or "quantitative and qualitative". In the end, neither phrase was included, suggesting the G20 failed to agree on the wording.

The G20 has fragmented as a synchronised global recession gives way to a multispeed recovery. Slow-growing advanced economies have kept interest rates at record lows to try to kickstart growth, while big emerging markets have come roaring back so fast that many are worried about overheating.

G20 leaders had high hopes for the Seoul summit, billing it as a chance to move toward "Shared Growth Beyond Crisis". But tempers have flared over the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest bond-buying programme aimed at strengthening a shaky recovery, and Ireland's worsening debt troubles served as a reminder that the financial system is far from fully healed.

A German government spokesman said finance ministers from Germany, Britain and France discussed the Irish debt situation, and will probably make a statement about it later on Friday.

"EMPTY WORDS"

U.S. President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner found themselves repeatedly defending the Fed's easy-money policy, pointing out that a healthy U.S. economy was essential to global growth.

They sought to refocus G20 attention on building a more stable world economy, less vulnerable to the boom-and-bust cycles that have marred the past two decades.

Central to that effort is smoothing out imbalances between cash-rich exporters such as China, which has amassed more than $2 trillion in reserves, and debt-burdened importers.

Although the United States drew the loudest criticism, China's yuan policy remained a hot-button issue. Beijing allowed the yuan to rise this week, following a pattern of modest appreciation around big international events.

Donald Straszheim, senior managing director at China Research ISI Group in Los Angeles, said he saw "no chance" that this summit could come up with any real substantive decisions on currencies or imbalances because no sovereign nation would take domestic policy instructions from abroad.

"China I think would be willing to sign on to the empty words of a standard communique -- no to protectionism, yes to exchange rate reform, no to competitive devaluations," he said. "This is easy but does not get one very far."

Geithner was scheduled to meet Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and People's Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan on Friday morning, likely the last opportunity for face-to-face meetings before the United States releases a delayed report on whether it views China as a currency manipulator.

Despite the acrimony, G20 leaders were eager to show they remained united and capable of cooperating to build a more stable global economy.

Dimitri Soudas, chief spokesman for Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said when leaders sit down together they invariably make progress and Seoul should be no different.

"It was concerted action by the G20 that averted economic catastrophe and this obviously needs to continue, especially in this context of weakened and uncertain growth prospects," he said.

(Additional reporting by David Ljunggren, Yann Le Guernigou, Gernot Heller, David Lawder and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Alex Richardson)

Harry Potter fans brave wind and rain for premiere

2010-11-11T21:20:00.003-08:00

Thousands of fans descended on Leicester Square in central London on Thursday, braving wind and rain to catch a glimpse of the stars on the red carpet for the new Harry Potter film's world premiere.

Young British actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, who have played the central roles for the last decade, appeared with J.K. Rowling, the author behind the hugely successful boy wizard books on which the movies are based.

Watson, 20, grabbed the limelight, sporting her new short haircut and wearing a short black dress.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1", the seventh and penultimate Potter picture, hits U.S. theatres on Nov. 19 and looks set to provide another big pay day for Warner Bros.

The Hollywood studio decided to split the final book about Harry and his wand-wielding pals into two films after the first six movies amassed $5.4 billion at the global box office.

In Deathly Hallows Part 1, Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on a mission to track down and destroy the secret to evil Lord Voldemort's immortality and destruction -- the Horcruxes.

The three are forced to fend for themselves outside the comfort of Hogwarts school, and the pressure to fight the forces of evil sees best friends Harry and Ron come to blows.

The actors have spoken of mixed feelings about a franchise that has turned them into A-list stars and multi-millionaires.

Grint, 22, felt a sense of relief that a decade of filming had finally ended.

"It's just really great, it's a sense of real freedom because filming on Harry Potter...it does take over your life and it is really long shoots and it's just nice to be out and do your own thing for a change," he told Reuters.

BILLION DOLLAR TARGET

Robert Conner, a dead ringer for actor Grint who plays Ron in the series, was near the front of the queue of fans, having pitched his tent on Tuesday evening.

"I'm a big fan," he said. "I've actually got a Harry Potter tattoo, which I've shown to quite a few members of the cast. I just love Harry Potter. I love the books, I love the films, love the cast."

Paul Taylor, 46, travelled from Sheffield, England, in the early hours of the morning to book his spot.

His outfit, which he said cost 1,000 pounds ($1,600) to make, consisted of a wizard's hat, a cloak with Potter insignia, gold-coloured buttons and a teddy bear in identical kit.

He said he has been a Potter fan since being introduced to the books, which have sold more than 400 million copies, by his niece eight years ago. "It's such a great atmosphere," he said. "It makes it all worth it.

The hugely popular franchise has yet to break the billion-dollar barrier with a single title, and a 3-D release would have made that landmark a near certainty, experts said. Warner failed to have the 3-D version ready in time.

"I think the 3-D issue must be a big disappointment for Warner Bros." said Andreas Wiseman of Screen International.

"I think they've really missed a trick. Other big franchises like 'Saw', 'Shrek' and 'Toy Story' have gone from strength to strength (by turning to 3-D)."

He added that Deathly Hallows Part 1 may gross $1 billion in global ticket sales even without higher prices commanded by a third dimension, and that the franchise has another chance to cash in on 3-D with Deathly Hallows Part 2 out next July.

(Additional reporting by Adam Jourdan and Mike Collett-White)

India economy set to grow 8.5 pct in 2010/11 - PM

2010-11-11T21:20:00.001-08:00

India's economy is expected to grow 8.5 percent in the current year and 9 percent in 2010/11, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday.

"However, high unemployment in industrialised countries threatens a revival of protectionist sentiment, especially since the use of conventional monetary and fiscal tools to revive the economy has been exhausted," he said in a speech at the plenary session of the G20 summit in Seoul.

India's economy grew 9 percent in each of the four years prior to the economic crisis but slowed to 6.7 percent growth in 2008/09.

"Uncertainty about the prospects of inudstrialised countries affects the investment climate and dampens the medium-term growtn prospects of emerging market countries," Singh said.

(Reporting by Nick Macfie; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)

19 killed in Karachi suicide blast

2010-11-11T21:18:00.000-08:00

Islamabad, Nov 12 (IANS) At least 19 people were killed and more than 110 were injured Thursday night when an explosives-laden vehicle rammed into a police station in a high-security zone in downtown Karachi, Pakistan's largest metropolis, authorities said.

Inspector General of Police, Sindh, Sultan Babar Khattak said 'four-five terrorists attacked the police station from two sides and exchanged fire with security officials at the check post for five-ten minutes'.

Home Minister of Sindh, Zulfiqar Mirza, said the 'truck was carrying around 1,000 kg explosive and the nature of the blast was very much similar to the attack at Marriott Hotel in Islamabad in 2008'.

The blast site is just a few steps away from the house of Sindh province chief minister, five-star hotels, the US consulate and other important buildings. A meeting of Sindh cabinet was underway at the chief minister's house when the terrorists struck.

Police sources said that the attack targeted the Crime Investigation Department (CID) police station because 'a Taliban commander Iqbal Bajori arrested a day before along with six other suspected terrorists was kept there'.

Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Fayyaz Leghari, however, said: 'No high-profile target was present in the premises'. Chairman Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) Ahmad Chinoy said, 'Security lapse could not be ruled out in the unfortunate incident'.

A 10-12 feet crator was created at the site following the blast while thick black smoke kept emitting for quite a while. The residential quarters of the police station staff were razed to the ground along with the main building and around 10 other buildings.

Banned militant outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik has condemned the blast and sought a detailed report from the police.

A revered shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi was hit by a suicide blast last month killing more than 10 people in Karachi while two Shia processions were hit earlier this year, causing heavy casualties.

Pakistan has been hit by terrorist activities during the last few years as a backlash from the 'war on terror' that is underway in northwestern areas and neighbouring Afghanistan. Several small and high-intensity blasts have killed thousands of innocent civilians in such attacks since 2002.

CORRECTED - China says understands India U.N. desires

2010-11-10T23:07:00.000-08:00

(Corrects headline, lead)

China said on Tuesday it understood India's desire to play a greater role in the United Nations, where China is the only Asian member of the Security Council.

U.S. President Barack Obama, during a visit to India this week, endorsed New Delhi's demand for a permanent seat as part of a "reformed Security Council".

"China supports appropriate and necessary reforms to the U.N. Security Council," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a regular news briefing.

"China understands and supports India's wish to play a greater role in the United Nations," Hong said. "China is willing to keep in contact and negotiate with other member countries, including India, on the reform of the United Nations and the Security Council."

Changing the makeup of the Security Council, however, could be a long and difficult process which may face resistance from other permanent members.

Members of the Security Council meet in a chamber at the United Nations in New York May 9, 2006. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/Files

China and India have touchy relations on a number of fronts, including disputed borders in the Himalayan mountains. China has recently stepped up its claims to the northeastern Indian border state of Arunachal Pradesh.

The U.S., Britain, France, Russia and China have held permanent seats on the Security Council since 1971, when the People's Republic of China took over the seat held by Taiwan.

In 2005, widespread anti-Japanese demonstrations in Chinese cities accompanied Japan's bid for a permanent seat on the Security Council.

Other states with a potential interest in a Security Council seat include Germany and Brazil. An expanded Security Council could also potentially include an African state, such as South Africa, Egypt or Nigeria.

(Reporting by Lucy Hornby; Editing by Ben Blanchard)

Apple, Android send smartphone sales soaring

2010-11-10T23:01:00.001-08:00

Global smartphone sales in the third quarter of 2010 hit record high of more than 81 million, accounting for 19.3% of the overall mobile phone sales in the quarter, Gartner has said.

This segment registered a growth of 96% in September 2010 quarter over the same quarter in the previous year. Android platform accounted for 25.5 % of worldwide smartphone sales, making it the second largest operating system (OS) for mobile phones.

"Smartphone OS providers have entered a period of accelerated platform evolution, stimulated by more regular product releases, new platform entrants and new device types," said Roberta Cozza, principal research analyst at Gartner.

Worldwide mobile phone sales to end users totaled 417 million units in the third quarter of 2010, a 35% increase from the third quarter of 2009. The top three worldwide mobile device manufacturers — Nokia, Samsung and LG — remained the same, albeit with reduced market share. The third quarter saw Apple rise into the top five manufacturers, surpassing RIM for fourth place.

"This quarter saw Apple and Android drive record smartphone sales. Apple's share of the smartphone market surpassed Research In Motion (RIM) in North America to put it second behind Android while Android volumes also grew rapidly making it the second largest operating system worldwide," said Carolina Milanesi, research vice-president, Gartner. This is the third consecutive double-digit increase in sales year-on-year, indicating that consumer demand is healthy," she added.

In the third quarter of 2010, Nokia sold 110.4 million units into the channel. Its volume sales were slightly lower than expected due to shortages of components, such as camera modules and displays, which restricted availability of lower cost devices.

Samsung had a strong third quarter, as mobile phone sales reached 71.7 million handsets in the third quarter of 2010, up 18.2 % from the third quarter of 2009. However, its market share experienced a slight decline to 17.2% in the third quarter of 2010. Samsung's smartphone market share reached 10% in the third quarter of 2010. Samsung sold close to 1 million bada (a Samsung operating system) devices in the third quarter of 2010, and 6.6 million Android phones, making Samsung the top Android seller.

LG sold 27.5 million mobile devices in the third quarter of 2010, as its global market share dropped to 6.6%.

For 2010, Gartner expects overall devices sales to show over 30% year-on-year growth.

The impact of media tablets on mobile device sales will be tested in 2011. Gartner forecasts that media tablets (such as the Apple iPad) will reach 54.8 million units in 2011.

Stop shop for digital media

2010-11-10T22:56:00.001-08:00

There are tons of hard drive-based media players available now in the market right from the high-end devices with in-built hard drives to small and sleek pocketable versions. Out of this crowd, we have been recommending the Western Digital TV Live media player as it offers the best of features which provide excellent value for money. However, with the Seagate GoFlex TV, the Western Digital faces competition and would have to share the top space with this new device.

The GoFlex TV is much sleeker than the Seagate Freeagent Theatre. It has a slot loading drive bay at the front to plug-in GoFlex hard-drives with an indication light on the top right corner. The back side houses the HDMI port, Ethernet, USB, optical out, YPbPr (Composite) and AV out ports. There are enough vents on the side and bottom to keep the device and the hard drive plugged in from overheating. The bundle comprises of a remote control, YPbPr (Composite) and AV cables along with the adapter. It would have been great if Seagate had bundled an HDMI cable in the package. The player also can be connected via Wi-Fi; the wireless adapter however is sold separately.

The player boots up in less than 5 seconds to a simple and neat interface with quick access to movies, music, drive contents as well as internet feeds. We were totally surprised on the 2 seconds playback time that the player gave us for any video - standard or high definition. We tested out a variety of formats and the GoFlex TV played them all. Moreover, the playback quality of HD content was fantastic, though we did see a few stutters here and there in highly compressed m2Ts format full HD videos. The player's upscaling capabilities were good. We played a couple of SD videos on a 42-inch LCD through the player and the video upscaling along with audio output was top notch.

One part that we did not like was that the portable drive sticks out of the bay when plugged in. The biggest con of the player would be that other than the Seagate GoFlex drives, any other drive cannot be plugged into the bay. We tried installing a standard 2.5-inch hard drive, but were unable to do so after multiple attempts. Also, the device tends to heat up a bit on continuous usage. Other than that, the Seagate GoFlex media player is a top notch product that now shares top position with the Western Digital TV Live when it comes to hard drive-based media players in India.

© CyberMedia www.LD2.in

Mail:talkLD@cybermedia.co.in

Musical sound

2010-11-10T22:54:00.002-08:00

I just love how Apple is able to enhance its products every time, even if it is with just a basic thing. The iPod touch 4th generation is the perfect example in this regard. Compared to the 3rd generation iPod touch, the device gets additional cameras (front and back) and the A4 processor. Now both of these were actually needed upgrades and the 3rd generation works as good as the 4th generation, but still as soon as I got the new iPod touch, I was ecstatic to find out the changes and additions made to the device.

The 4th generation iPod touch gives new definition to the term sleek touch-screen device. It has lost a couple of millimetres in depth even compared to the third generation iPod touch (7.2 mm vs. 8.4 mm) and even is lighter than its predecessor (101g vs. 115g). The device just screams sex appeal and anyone and everyone who looked at it was just amazed at the slimness of the device. The front is daunted by the 3.5-inch multi-touch display which has a resolution of 940 x 640 and comes with the Retina display. The Retina display is one of the major differentiators as the graphics look way better on it.

Video clarity is better, so are the game graphics, even the icons look smoother and sharper. However, compared to the Samsung Super AMOLED, the Retina display stands at second position. The microphone is placed at the back, right next to the camera. Other than that, there is the standard centre front button, power/hold button on top and volume buttons on the side. The dock connector and 3.5 mm port are placed neatly at the bottom with the loud speaker on the side.

The next major additions are the two cameras on the touch. There is a camera at the back that records HD videos in 720p resolution, but sadly clicks them only in 960 x 720 pixel resolution. The front camera takes videos and stills both in VGA resolution. In terms of quality, the snaps are just above average. Indoors and in low light, the images are full of noise which is visible even while taking images on the phone. Apple should work on a better noise compression algorithm in the next OS update for the touch. The video quality is great; both the cameras record videos in superb resolution with outstanding clarity.

In terms of performance, the upgraded Apple A4 processor comes into play. Although it doesn't become visible too much at first than the 3rd generation in navigation and general usage, the processing power becomes visible in games. We launched Angry birds on both the devices at the same time and the fourth generation touch loaded the game a clear three seconds earlier than the older touch.

One of the issues that the touch now suffers is the overheating. Due to the sleek form factor and a higher processor, the top side of the back near the camera gets heated up within half an hour of gaming.

Although, we did not face any issues with the device even when it was heated up, it is still an issue. The Gyro and accelerometer perform splendid in games catching even the lightest of movement. WiFi capabilities have also been upgraded and now the touch works with WiFi standard b/g and n.

We loved the other little additions as well. The device came with iOS 4.1 pre-installed which gave us Facetime and Game Centre preloaded. We have to say that Facetime is simply brilliant! The video clarity on a 512K WiFi connection was unbelievable on Facetime. We did face the issue of the loudspeaker being too feeble for audio as well as Facetime conversations, but with the earphones plugged in, this issue was sorted.

What we fell in love with was the battery life the iPod touch gave us. It gave 38 hours of MP3 music playback on a single charge! In terms of videos, it gave us six and a half hours of video playback on a single charge which just bowled us over. The audio quality is great, but with third party earphones.

Apple should now change the earphones that they bundle with their devices. Videos looked amazing on the Retina display and it was comfortable to watch a full movie on the display.

The fourth generation iPod touch has its share of issues, but we have to say that it still rules as the best portable multimedia device available today.

© CyberMedia www.LD2.in

Mail:talkLD@cybermedia.co.in

High speed, powerful impact

2010-11-10T22:54:00.000-08:00

This IXUS device that came to us for review is a continuation of the IXUS generation known more for its stylish and sleek design along with its performance. However, what strikes you first is the 24k price bracket that makes you mindfully want to reject the camera, thinking as to why one should pay so much for a normal digital camera instead of buying a DSLR. But on probing further, we find that it is laden with more interesting and advanced features than the previous models. The IXUS 300 HS features a 10MP CMOS sensor and has a 3.5x optical zoom. Canon with the 300IS decided to focus only the sensor for better light sensitivity with the CMOS sensor and f/2 lens this time around.

The Canon IXUS 300 HS does look quite like an IXUS device, a bit fatter but still quite portable. It has a smart black matt body that both looks and feels sturdy. It has the sensor hosted in front with the flash and auto focus assist beam above it. The back has the 3-inch TFT wide view screen and we were glad that this one has a minimalistic design, with the LED indicator, playback, d-pad/scroll pad and the menu button on the right side of the screen. The top features the shutter button, zoom rocker, on/off button and the mode shifter slider on the top. The right has the HDMI and the AV out slot covered with a plastic cover. The cover is the only glossy thing on the camera body and the rest is thankfully matt. Though the optical viewfinder is missing here.

The device starts up pretty quickly and is ready for the shot. The auto mode does not allow a lot many experimentations and one can play around with only the timer, image size and image quality. The flash and display can also be altered and the modifications stop at this.

The shoot settings allow the change in the digital zoom, AF assist beam on/of, flash settings (red eye correction and red eye lamp), review, review info, blink detection, display overlay and date stamp. The camera settings can be altered in terms of sounds, hints and tips, brightness, format, file numbering, lens retract among other things.

What is impressive is a good bunch of other features that this one has on offer and all the modifications almost justify the price of the device. It has options like the light metering mode where the brightness is adjusted according to the overall scene, centre of the scene or centre of the frame area. Then there is the ISO mode where one can set ISOs starting 125 upward to 3200. The continuous shot mode is interesting with shots at 3.7shots/second. The camera kept on clicking some 50 shots the first time I tried it and it was amazing. Then comes the program mode where the new additions are the Shutter priority, where you set the aperture and the camera decides on the shutter speed. The other is the Shutter speed priority where the aperture is set by the camera. The high speed burst mode records at 2.5 MP and is amazing for recoding moving objects. The fisheye and miniature effects are interesting too to have some fun with.

The video mode has a bunch of modes on offer as well. At 30fps, the HD videos are recorded at 720p and go to as low as 320x240 pixels. The playback allows you to view the video in slow motion and one can edit the video directly on the device as well. One can select the part one wants to keep and save it as a new file. One can also self time video recording along with changing colour settings and white balance in the videos. What you can also do is to record videos at 320 MP in super slow motion as well.

In terms of performance, with all the modes, the device does not compromise on it at all. With clear images even during night shots courtesy the CMOS sensor and f/2 lens. There is minimal noise and colours are captured vividly at all times. The scroll is interesting in terms of the image transitions and moving from one option to the other. You can have some fun by scrolling the wheel faster to view a reel like effect in the images taken in the continuous shot. But, there are times while shooting you find the auto focus working slowly that gets annoying.

To sum up, though the IXUS 300HS features many options to play around with, it does price itself around some entry level DSLRs available in the market like the Canon 1000D or the Nikon D3000, it wins on counts of the portability and the performance it has to offer. However, the model that's next in line is the IXUS 1000 HS that at just 1k more gives you a 10x zoom and more features added on to it.

© CyberMedia www.LD2.in

Mail:talkLD@cybermedia.co.in

In Ayodhya, this Ram Lila goes on and on

2010-10-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

Ayodhya, Oct 23 (IANS) The curtains never come down on Ram Lila here. The drama based on the epic Ramayana that is usually enacted around Dussehra has been staged continuously for six years in Ayodhya and that too by troupes from various parts of the country.

Welcome to the Ram Lila at Tulsi Smarak Bhavan that witnesses a new chapter from the epic every day. It is an initiative of the Ayodhya Research Institute (ARI) - an organisation of the state's cultural department.

'It is continuous Ram Lila, where the curtains never come down. Unlike other Ram Lilas, which are traditionally staged during the Navratri festival, our show goes on throughout the year, all 365 days,' ARI director Y.P. Singh told IANS.

'Troupes from all across the country visit our theatre in a phased manner, which in turn help us to continue with the Ram Lila throughout the year,' he added. Ayodhya is some 130 km from Lucknow.

According to ARI officials, nearly 160 troupes from various states, including Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh have visited the Tulsi Smarak Bhavan to stage different styles of Ramlila.

'It all started in 2004, when we invited applications from troupes to stage Ram Lila at the Tulsi Smarak Bhavan. Frankly speaking, at that time we did not know it would become a continuous affair. Till now, Ram Lila in as many as 46 styles have been staged at the theatre.

'It's the distinct styles that keep the interest of spectators alive. Some popular ones are Kathputli Ram Lila of Assam and Daspalla Ram Lila of Orissa. While the Ram Lila of Assam is totally based on puppetry, the heavy costumes of the other Orissa version set it apart from other styles.

'The Delhi Shri Ram Centre's famous Ram Lila with Korean and Indian artists has also been staged at the Bhavan,' said Singh.

ARI allows a troupe to perform for 15 days a month.

'It makes two troupes in a month and 24 in a year. This helps us in retaining the interest of our spectators as they get a chance to see something different in the shows as members of troupe come from different cultural backgrounds,' said another ARI official R.P. Shyam.

An Ayodhya-based troupe is performing the Ram Lila and next in the line are the artists from Madhya Pradesh.

ARI provides a payment of Rs.75,000-Rs.100,000 to a troupe for staging Ram Lila at the Bhavan, which has a seating capacity of 500.

Spectators can watch free the three-hour-long Ram Lila show that starts at 6 p.m. daily.

'As no fee is charged for the spectators, it is the best option of the entertainment for those having financial problems,' said Mahadev Sajag, the owner of an eating joint who has been visiting the Tulsi Smarak Bhavan for the last three years.

Deepak Solanki, a student of Saket College in Ayodhya, said: 'Though I am a native of Ayodhya, I did not visit the Bhavan to watch the Ram Lila.

'I came for the first time around three years back when some of my Nagpur-based relatives asked me to accompany them for watching the show. I really liked it and now I come here at least once in a week to watch the show.'

The main activities of ARI include research on 'Ramkatha', finding the historical significance of Ayodhya in relation to various religions and promotion of art, literature and culture of the Awadh region.

(Asit Srivastava can be contacted at asit.s@ians.in)

Security up in Bihar after Maoists kill six policemen

2010-10-22T22:44:00.003-07:00

Patna, Oct 23 (IANS) Security was tightened in Bihar's Sheohar district Saturday, a day after Maoist guerrillas triggered a landmine blast killing six policemen ahead of the second phase of assembly elections in the state Sunday.

'Combing operations were intensified. Security has been tightened to give sense of confidence among people a day ahead of polls following the Maoist strike,' Additional Director General of Police P.K. Thakur told IANS.

Six policemen, including an inspector, were killed and one seriously injured Friday when they were returning to the Shyampur Bhitta police station after patrolling. The Maoists set off the mine, hidden beneath a culvert, as the police vehicle passed over it, a police official said.

The state government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each to the kin of those policemen killed.

Sheohar, about 90 km from Patna, is one of the six districts where polling will be held Sunday in the second phase of the six-phase elections to the 243-member Bihar assembly. The district is considered to be a stronghold of Maoists.

Five Bihar cops killed in landmine blast

2010-10-22T22:44:00.001-07:00

Patna, Oct 22 (IANS) Five policemen, including an inspector, were killed in Bihar's Sheohar district Friday when suspected Maoists triggered a landmine hidden beneath a culvert as the police vehicle passed over it, police said.

The dead included Praveen Kumar Singh, station house officer of Shymapur Bhitta, Additional Director General of Police P.K. Thakur told reporters.

The incident came less than 48 hours before the second phase of polling in the six-phase elections to the 243-member Bihar assembly.

Sheohar is about 90 km from Patna.

Ehsan Jafri's widow breaks down as she recalls Gulberg Society carnage

2010-10-22T22:43:00.001-07:00

Ahmedabad, Oct 22 (IANS) Ehsan Jafri was dragged out of his house by a murderous mob, that stripped him, chopped off his limbs before burning him alive, a sobbing Zakia Jafri told the court here Friday while recounting how her husband, a former Congress MP, was killed during the attack on Gulberg Society in the 2002 riots.

Zakia also described before the special court of Judge B.U. Joshi the horror that she and other member of the society had to face on Feb 28, 2002, when they were under attack by an armed mob of over 3,000 people on the very next day of Godhra train burning incident.

A total of 69 people were killed in the Gulberg Society carnage.

Zakia said that on the day, many of the society members had taken shelter in their house as her husband was a former MP.

She said that an angry mob broke the gate and wall of the society and started attacking people with swords and other weapons. A number of people were killed by the mob and their bodies were scattered all over her house, she added.

Zakia told the court that after police came in the evening, she came down from the first floor of her house and saw in the veranda, the mutilated bodies of her neighbour Kasambhai's wife and her pregnant daughter-in-law. The latter had been stabbed in the abdomen with a sword and the foetus had come out of the body.

Zakia further said that she also saw five to six bodies lying in the backyard of her house. Asked by special public prosecutor R.C. Kodekar if she knew how many people had died in the entire incident, Zakia said even today she could not say how many died near her house.

When Kodekar asked how many people the police saved that day, Zakia replied that there was no question of saving anybody as most of them were killed before the police arrived around 5 p.m.

During cross examination, defence lawyer Mitesh Amin asked Zakia if she could name one of the people whose mutilated body she had seen in her compound. 'Why don't you ask about those who beheaded my husband,' Zakia asked Amin, saying that she had seen people brutally killing her husband from the window on the first floor of her house.

Amin also questioned Zakia about Teesta Setalvad who runs NGO Citizen for Justice and Peace, which has been providing legal help to some of the riot victims. Zakia, however, denied taking any legal help from Setalvad or her former associate Rais Khan.

She said all her affidavits and other documents were prepared by her son Tanveer Jaffri, with whom she has been staying since 2002.

She also said that she has heard that the then city police commissioner P.C. Pande had come to the society in the morning and spoken to her husband on that day.

Sony sells 1 mln Move units in Americas

2010-10-22T22:17:00.000-07:00

Sony Corp said on Thursday it sold 1 million units of its Move motion-based video game controller in its first month on the market in the Americas region.

Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, said demand is easily outstripping supply, and said the company does not expect to have enough supply on hand until February.

"We had to go back and increase production twice, we're absolutely maxed out right now," Tretton said.

Sony launched Move, which is used with its PlayStation 3 video game console, on Sept. 19 in the U.S. with its camera priced at $39.99 and its motion controller wand at $49.99.

Move is available at more than 30,000 retail outlets in the Americas.

Sony said previously that it has sold better than 1.5 million Move units in Europe. It just launched in Japan.

(Reporting by Gabriel Madway, editing by Dave Zimmerman)

Google plans to launch online music service in India

2010-10-22T22:16:00.003-07:00

This one is for the music aficionados. 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 outside regular U.S. business hours.

Apple will no longer pre-install Flash on Macs

2010-10-22T22:16:00.001-07:00

Apple Inc said on Friday it will no longer ship Mac computers with Adobe Systems Inc's Flash player pre-installed, as the company continues to erect barriers to the software.

Apple's decision does not ban Flash software from its computers -- as it has from the iPhone and iPad. Users will still be able to download and install a Flash player, which is widely-used to view videos on the Web.

Apple has been publicly hostile towards Flash and Steve Jobs has criticized it as a buggy battery hog. Adobe has responded by calling Apple overly restrictive.

In addition, Apple had effectively banned developers from using Flash to build applications for its mobile devices, but the company relented last month in the face of scrutiny from U.S. regulators.

Apple unveiled on Wednesday an updated version of its ultra-thin MacBook Air laptop. The computer is shipping without the Flash software installed, as will all Mac computers in the future, Apple confirmed.

Apple spokesman Bill Evans said Apple simply wanted to make sure users had the most recent version of the software, which is frequently updated.

"We're happy to continue to support Flash on the Mac and the best way for users to always have the most up to date and secure version is to download it directly from Adobe," he said.

In an emailed statement, an Adobe spokeswoman said: "As always, Adobe recommends that users download the most up to date version of Adobe Flash Player from Adobe.com."

Apple shares fell 0.7 percent to close at $307.47, while Adobe shares rose 1.8 percent to $28.21.

(Reporting by Gabriel Madway; editing by Andre Grenon, Bernard Orr)

G20 strikes deal on IMF reform - G7 source

2010-10-22T22:14:00.000-07:00

The Group of 20 leading economies has reached agreement on a set of reforms to the way the International Monetary Fund is governed, a source from one of the Group of Seven rich countries said on Saturday.

"A breakthrough on the IMF has been reached," the source, speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, said.

The G20 agreed a year ago to shift 5 percent of IMF voting rights to fast-growing emerging economies that are under-represented at the fund.

Europe offered earlier this month to give up two seats out of 24 on the IMF's Executive Board but left details of the shift of power at the multilateral lender to be hammered out.

(Reporting by Gernot Heller; Editing by Alan Wheatley and Ed Lane)

US seeks wider CIA role to fight militants in Pakistan

2010-10-22T22:10:00.001-07:00

Washington, Oct 23 (IANS) The US is pushing to expand the presence of its Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers in Pakistan in order to help Islamabad target the safe havens of Al Qaeda and other militants more aggressively, a media report said.

The push comes as the White House seeks ways to prod Islamabad into more aggressive action against groups allied with the Al Qaeda hiding in safe havens near the Afghan border, The Wall Street Journal said quoting senior government officials.

The US has asked Pakistan to allow additional CIA officers and special military trainers to enter the country as part of efforts to intensify pressure on militants. The requests have so far been rebuffed by Islamabad.

There are currently about 900 US military personnel in Pakistan, 600 of which are providing flood relief and 150 of which are assigned to the training mission.

The push for more forces reflects, in part, the increased need for intelligence to support the CIA's drone programme that has killed hundreds of militants with missile strikes. The additional officers could help Pakistani forces reach targets drones can't.

Officials have even said they were going to stop asking for Pakistani help with the US's most difficult adversary in the region, the North Waziristan-based Haqqani network, because it was unproductive, the report said.

The current efforts to expand CIA presence are meant to expand intelligence collection and facilitate more aggressive Pakistani-led actions on the ground. Some US officials remain hopeful that Islamabad will allow a greater covert presence that could include CIA paramilitary forces.

Given Pakistan's objections to US ground troops, using more CIA paramilitary forces could be a 'viable option', said a government official. 'That gives them a little bit of cover,' the official added, referring to the Pakistanis.

US officials also said a stronger US-Pakistan intelligence partnership would not be a substitute for closer working relationship with the military's special operation forces.

While the Obama administration has been focused on North Waziristan, officials said there is a need for Pakistani operations in the southern city of Quetta and the surrounding province of Baluchistan.

The Pakistani government has in the past used its control over visas to express displeasure with US policy and limit the number of Americans who can work in the country.

A senior Pakistani official said if the Pakistani public became aware of US military forces conducting combat operations on Pakistani territory, it would wipe out popular support for fighting the militants in the tribal areas. Whether covert CIA forces would cross that line however, remains an open question.

Curfew imposed in parts of Kashmir Valley

2010-10-22T22:05:00.001-07:00

Srinagar, Oct 22 (PTI) Curfew was today imposed in parts of Kashmir Valley to prevent protests after Friday prayers as normal life was disrupted in Srinagar and some other areas following a separatist-sponsored strike. Curfew was imposed in north zone of Srinagar covering almost entire downtown Srinagar and Anantnag district town along with Bijbehara, a police spokesman said.

The prohibitory orders were also imposed in Shopian district town in south Kashmir and Kupwara district town as also in Trehgam, Kralpora, Chotipora, Kulangam and Handwara in north Kashmir early today. The situation was, however, under control.

"There is no report of any untoward incident from any place across the Valley," the spokesman said, adding there was no curfew in Budgam, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Pulwama, Baramulla and Bandipora districts. The restrictions were eased in curfew-bound areas of Kupwara district from 10 am, while there was no let up in the orders in Srinagar, Anantnag and Shopian districts, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, shops and business establishments in the main markets remained closed and public transport was off the roads in Srinagar and other major towns of the Valley in response to the strike call given by hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani. However, private vehicles were seen plying in the city and elsewhere.

Almost all educational institutions functioned normally with students appearing in their final examinations. Many people preferred to stay indoors also because of incessant rains coupled with icy winds which swept the Valley after the first snowfall in the high altitude areas.

Kashmir Valley has been in a grip of protests, strikes and curfew since June when a 17-year-old boy was killed by a tear smoke shell fired allegedly by police at Rajouri Kadal area of the city. More than 100 people have been killed and thousands others injured during the five-month unrest in the Valley.

PTI MIJ SCH SMI.

Shared all information on Headley with India: Robert Blake

2010-10-22T22:04:00.001-07:00

New Delhi, Oct 22 (ANI): US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Robert Blake, who is in Delhi to finalise the agenda for US President Barack Obama's November visit to India, said today 'all the information they had regarding David Headley was shared with India.'

Talking to reporters here, Blake said: "Whenever the United State has had any specific information, it has been shared with India.

"I would want to reassure all of you that whenever we had any specific information on any chance of attack wherever in the world, particularly against our friends like India, we shared that information on a real time basis right away," he added.

He further said that USA attached so much importance to its relationship with India that nothing was kept away from their "friend".

Blake was responding to a question on External Affairs Minister S M Krishna's earlier remark that India was not informed about Headley specifically prior to Mumbai terror attacks.

Replying a question on Pakistan, Blake said: "Pakistan is the most important country in the war on terror" and its help is very important for success in Afghanistan.

"Without Pakistan's help, the coalition cannot succeed in Afghanistan. India should not be worried about misuse by Pakistan of American arms," he added.

Blake also spoke about President Obama's visit to India and called it an historic tour.

"President Obama will not be battered and bruised when he comes to India. He has much to be proud of since he became President. He sees India visit as historic. He is deeply committed to India's strategic rise," said Blake.

Emphasizing that the two nations could help build new business and employment prospects, Blake said: " We are particularly excited about the economic promise of our relations. We think that a lot of cooperation that we are now undertaking will help to expand markets in both of our countries."

He also said that the United States has been contributing in modernising India's agricultural sector through cold and supply chains, markets and health opportunities.

When asked if President Obama would visit Amritsar, Blake said: "White House will announce the schedule."

On the question of support for India's bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, Blake said," US wants to build on the Bush legacy and take this partnership to the next level. (ANI)

Prajavani News Paper Prajavani Epaper | PRAJAVANI ONLINE NEWS LIVE

2009-12-16T05:19:00.000-08:00

Prajavani is a leading Kannada-language newspaper in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a sister publication of the Deccan Herald. As of 2006, it had a circulation of 364,000, making it the second-largest-circulation newspaper in Karnataka (after The Hindu), and the largest-circulation Kannada-language newspaper in the state.

Prajavani Newspaper Website : http://www.prajavani.net

Prajavani News | Paper Prajavani | Epaper | Prajavani Kannada Newspaper

2009-12-01T01:20:00.000-08:00

Prajavani is a leading Kannada-language newspaper in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a sister publication of the Deccan Herald. As of 2006, it had a circulation of 364,000, making it the second-largest-circulation newspaper in Karnataka (after The Hindu), and the largest-circulation Kannada-language newspaper in the state.

Prajavani Newspaper Website : http://www.prajavani.net

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