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Showing posts from June 16, 2010

Dhoni: Spinners won it for us

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India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni praised opening batsman Gautam Gambhir but said it were the spinners who actually scripted the six-wicket win over Bangladesh on a low and slow Dambulla. "Spinners won it for us. It is 200 per cent difficult to bat under lights here. Gautam provided a decent start. When he gets a start he normally goes on to get a big one. It is always good to get a bonus point if we can," Dhoni said after the match. Gambhir was adjudged man of the match for his 82 that came off 101 balls, riding on which India achieved the 168-run target. However, it was a magic spell of four for six by part-time off-spinner Virender Sehwag that helped India bundle out Bangladesh for a meagre 167. Dhoni also expressed satisfaction about the overall performance of the team. "(It's) well of course, if you see most of the senior players they did well, most of them bowled really well. As the game progressed it became really difficult. Good that we batted for half an h

MotorStorm 3 Apocalypse announced for PS3 as survival racing

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Motorstorm 3: Apocalypse has been announced for the PS3! This newest game will take the franchise into the “West Coast of America” and into the city! This environment follows the original game, which was set in Monument Valley, and MotorStorm 2 which was set on “the Island”. “The city has been abandoned and somewhat damaged after a tremor. When the ‘Stormers find this out, they head straight in. Pretty soon, two things become clear: it isn’t completely empty and Mother Nature isn’t done yet! Throughout the game the city will be ripped to pieces, in real-time, as you race. Routes will be affected, as will our emergent gameplay. Buggies using collapsing walls as half-pipes. Big Rigs on the rooftops of skyscrapers as they collapse. Superbikes gunning into the basements of enormous rifts. Supercars flicking on their headlights to barrel through the subways and sewers. Multi-vehicle pile ups on giant bridges as they buckle and twist. Driving through someone’s office and smashing up their d

T-Mobile to Get LG Sentio, dLite, and GS170 mobile phones

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The stream of new mobile device that come to mobile providers is never ending. T-Mobile is set to get three new mobile devices soon including the LG Sentio, LG dLite, and the LG GS170 . The handsets mark the first time LG and T-Mobile have worked together. The Sentio is the most interesting of the trio with a 3-inch screen and a virtual QWERTY keyboard. The device has a Social Buzz app with email and picture messaging. It also uses the 3G network and has 3MP camera with GPS location services. The dLite has a hidden LED matrix on the outside that shows icons for alerts, caller ID and the time and date. The edge lit LEDs can be color customized and the handset has 3G connectivity, Social Buzz, and visual voice mail support. The handset is a flip phone with a 2.8-inch main display. The GS170 is a basic clamshell phone with a color display, Bluetooth, and a speakerphone. All three will ship this summer at undisclosed prices.a

Asphalt 5 gets Nokia N8 video demo; official N8 accessories due June 5th?

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We’ve already seen a little of the Nokia N8’s gaming potential, with demos of Sims 3 , Need For Speed and Monopoly from EA Games, but now Gameloft have thrown their hat into the ring too. They’ve released a demo video – which you can see after the cut – of Asphalt 5 running on the N8, and it looks pretty darn smart. Now we can’t spot a “simulated games footage” disclaimer anywhere in the video, so this is either real gameplay on a prototype N8 that Nokia loaned Gameloft, or they’re being a bit cheeky and rendering it all. Confirmed features include a choice of 29 cars and 12 racing locations. As for when we’re actually expecting to see the N8 on sale, that’s still up in the air. August 25th has been mentioned for the UK, but eagle-eyed Chilko of the Mobile-Review forums spotted that retailer Play.com has official accessories for the handset due on June 5th. That includes three cases: the CC-1005 silicone case, theCP-500 wallet, and the CP-503 pouch. Of course, that date might

CyberPower launches NVIDIA 3D Vision gaming machines

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One of the places that 3D tech is coming that will be the most exciting is to the PC world. Gamers have been able top play 3D games for a long time and with NVIDIA’s 3D Vision system , 3D gaming is even better. CyberPower has announced that it is now offering 3D Vision computer bundles that are ready for 3D gaming. The 3D Vision bundles are available in a wide range of prices and with all sorts of different hardware. The common feature across all of the 3D Vision game bundles is that the machines ship with a Samsung 2233RZ 22-inch 3D LCD with the NVIDIA 3D Vision Stereoscopic Glasses bundle. High-end systems with a Core i7 -975 CPU, 12GB of RAM, and Blu-ray start at $2999 with the glasses and monitor. AMD systems with the Phenom II X6 1055T 8GB of RAM, and a GTX 470 video card along with Blu-ray and the monitor/glasses combo start at $1865. The cheapest 3D bundle system is AMD powered and starts at $1289.

HTC Taiwan releasing Hero Android 2.1 update OTA today

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HTC Taiwan have announced that, starting today, the Android 2.1 update for the GSM HTC Hero will be going out via OTA distribution. Affecting only Taiwanese handsets at present, the news nonetheless suggests that HTC are ramping up for a more general release of the long-awaited software. Last we heard – all the way back in March – HTC had been aiming for an early-April release; that came and went, and of course in the meantime Google have announced Android 2.2 Froyo. Still, the updated OS – even if it isn’t the very latest – would be very welcome on the Hero, since it’s still currently running Android 1.5 (with HTC’s Sense customizations).

Mac mini HDMI refresh imminent?

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Apple’s stock of the current-generation Mac mini is apparently dwindling, leading to speculation that the long-awaited HDMI update might be almost upon us. Apple Insider has heard from multiple sources that Mac mini availability is low, with Apple themselves giving distributors no ETA on when new stock could be expected. The Mac mini last saw an update in October 2009, with faster processors and more internal storage. However the much-tipped connectivity update never materialised; rumors have been circulating for some time now that Apple plan to replace the Mac mini’s DVI port with an HDMI connector . That’s in part based on prototypes spotted using NVIDIA MCP89 chipsets – the successor to the GeForce 9400M used in the 2009 machines – passing through Apple’s verification tests. It remains to be seen when – or indeed if – the Mac mini will see its refresh, but Apple Insider reckon it’s only a matter of weeks away.

Cool-ER Connect WiFi ereader due September

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Interead has confirmed that they will indeed be offering the Netronix-made WiFi ereader outed by the FCC earlier this week, with the new model known as the Cool-ER Connect. Billed as being physically similar to the current Cool-ER – shown here – the new Connect version will add in wireless support to the 6-inch E Ink display, and will also have a touchscreen. Kobo are also tipped to be using the same Netronix hardware for an upcoming ereader of their own. Their existing model is currently on sale at Borders for $149, but only includes Bluetooth connectivity rather than WiFi. Interead told The Digital Reader that the new Cool-ER Connect would be priced at under $249 when it launches in September this year, which will potentially make it cheaper than the non-wireless model it replaces. It’ll also be accompanied by a smaller version, the Cool-ER Compact, which also has a 6-inch display but squeezed into a smaller chassis. No word on pricing for that version.

1.5GHz Android HTC Scorpion headed to Verizon not Sprint?

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It’s an Android-flavored morning today, taking a break from MIDS – leaked or shipping – to instead look at some HTC Scorpion speculation. The new smartphone news – the existence of which was firsttipped earlier this year – comes courtesy of ROM fondler conflipper, who says we should expect a Verizon (and Bell Mobility) launch for the 1.5GHz Snapdragon phone . That chip has been confirmed by Qualcomm themselves as on the timeline at least, though they’ve not given exact dates as to when we could expect to see it show up in shipping handsets. What’s interesting is that the Scorpion was originally tipped to be landing on Sprint, thanks to a mention of WiMAX in a leaked build file.

Intel expect Canoe Lake netbooks to be sub-$600

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Computex may have been overrun with tablets this year, but we spared some love for Intel’s Canoe Lake ultra-thin netbook reference design too. Packing Intel’s new N550 CPU – along with a 10.1-inch display, 2GB of RAM and HD video capabilities – it’s 14mm thick and quite the feat of engineering. NetbookNews caught up with it for a second video demo. They managed to sneak a glance at the Windows Experience Rating, and while they’re not allowed to reveal the actual figures they reckon we’ll “be pleased”. Performance is “zippy” and there doesn’t look to be much slow-down; Sascha from NetbookNews reckons it’s the fastest netbook he’s ever used. Of course, all this would be pointless if commercial devices based on the Canoe Lake platform were ridiculously expensive. Sascha tells us that Intel expect such products to come in at under $600; now, that’s on the high side for a netbook, true, but if you compare Canoe Lake with a mainstream ultraportable it looks a lot more competitive. So m

O2 Dell Streak on sale now!

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It’s Friday June 4th and it’s just gone 9am in the UK – are you heading into your nearest O2 store to pick up theDell Streak? The first mainstream Android MID has gone on sale in-store and online, priced from free with a new contract. That gets you a 5-inch Snapdragon-based tablet, complete with 3G UMTS, WiFi, GPS and Android 1.6. Dell are promising an update to Android 2.2 later in 2010, but they’ve slapped on a few UI enhancements of their own to tide you over. The Streak comes with a rather nifty desktop HDMI dock, too, which allows you to easily hook up the MID to your HDTV for video playback. Full pricing details are in the gallery below, and O2 are offering the Streak off-contract together with anything from 30-day agreements through to 24-months. Anyone planning on picking one of these up today?

Sprint EVO 4G up for sale online

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If you’re not in the UK, don’t fret; there’s a new Android super-device for you today too. Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G, the first WiMAX-toting smartphone in the US, is now available online, priced at $199.99 (after $150 instant savings and a $100 mail-in rebate) with a new, two year agreement. If the absence of Android 2.2 Froyo is holding you back, never fear; even before the EVO 4G is officially on sale, there’s a port of the updated OS you can install. The smartphone’s user guide has also been published online, just in case you want to run through its capabilities in-depth before you sign up. Still, you can’t argue too much with a 4.3-inch WVGA display, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, WiMAX and HTC Sense. We’ve reviewed the EVO 4G both here on SlashGear and over at our sibling site, Android Community, so check out all the details to make sure this is the smartphone for you.

Dell Streak HDMI Home Dock Gets Pictured

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The Dell Streak has seen a huge flurry of new photos, announcements, and price points unveiled about its upcoming existence, there’s only a few minor details missing. Luckily, one of those isn’t the HDMI-toting home dock. Not anymore, thanks to the folks over at Laptop Mag , who managed to get some hands-on time with the peripheral. Apple’s iPad has a VGA dock and connector, but that’s only VGA. And one of the more defining features of the upcoming Android-based tablet/MID/phone from Dell is the fact that it has that awesome HDMI output feature. And, of course, the home dock has the ability, too. Additionally, the dock has a line-out port, as well as a USB connector.

Steve Ballmer at D8: Apple, Google, and Smartphones

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Microsoft’s CEO, Steve Ballmer, can always be counted on to make a conference, no matter the setting, an interesting one. This time around, while sitting on All Thing D’s stage at the D8 conference, Ballmer managed to cover just about everything he could that relates to Microsoft. From Apple, the iPhone and iPad , to Google’smultiple Operating Systems, he painted a very colorful picture of what he thinks about all of it. When Steve Jobs spoke about the iPad and PCs, he mentioned that PCs are trucks, and that they’ll essentially be needed less and less as time passes. Ballmer, obviously, doesn’t agree with that. He believes that tablets are PCs in of themselves, just endowed with a different form factor. That tells us that he considers the two not to be mutually exclusive, and that the two need to learn to co-exist. We’d agree with that, even if we want all the great features of a PC in our tablet devices, too. As for Google, Ballmer became a bit more animated on that subject. He’s conf

Innoversal Lattice Tablet Shows Off Pixel Qi Display at Computex

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Pixel Qi seemed to be all the rage just months ago, but over the days since, it’s all but dropped off the radar. Sure, it’s still out there, showing off its amazing ability to display things in direct sunlight, but with the Notion InkAdam tablet seeing some major delays, it seems that all the fuss over the great screen implementation died with it. But, there’s other companies out there using the technology, and at Computex this year, one such company wanted to show off their new tablet. The Lattice tablet is a 10.1-inch, 1024×600 resolution Pixel Qi beast. It has a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor under the thin hood, and it also features an SSD with 64GB of storage space. You also get WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, an integrated 3G modem, and probably most interesting of all, you’ll have the ability to choose your Operating System. You can either go with Windows, Linux, or even Google Chrome once it becomes available. And while we’re wondering when Google Chrome OS will get launched (so

QuokkaPad open-source ereader/tablet almost on sale

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Open-source ereaders aren’t exactly new – the txtr promises to give access to its underlying architecture, for instance – but the Australian QuokkaPad may have taken the longest to reach the market. The 8-inch LCD 800 x 600 touchscreen tablet is based on a 400MHz MIPS processor, and usually runs Linux 2.6.24.3 with the GPE Palmtop Environment UI on top; however, there’s also room for two other kernels, such as Android or Windows CE. Meanwhile the hardware is also pretty flexible, with a removable WiFi card – useful if you want to upgrade the standard b/g to 802.11n – and a user-accessible battery. Meanwhile the USB 2.0 port is a regular Host port, so you can plug in 3G dongles, digital cameras or pretty much anything else. The Red Ferret Journal talked to project designer Mike Ottway, and it turns out the QuokkaPad has taken 10 years to reach the stage it’s at now, and it’s still not quite on the market. That’s expected to finally happen in around a month’s time, with prices at AU$

Gateway One ZX6900-01e Review

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As people grow more used to reaching out and stabbing at displays with their fingers, the all-in-one touchscreen PC market keeps expanding. Gateway could almost be considered stalwarts of the segment; their latest model is the Gateway One ZX6900-01e , a 23-inch Full HD desktop packing Intel’s latest Core i3 processor. But is it a touch of genius? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. In this latest iteration, Gateway have certainly made the ZX6900-01e reasonably living room friendly. You could almost mistake the black and silver plastic chassis for one of a regular TV, though annoyingly there’s no integrated TV tuner to actually use it as such; for that you’ll have to wait for a new model, due sometime this month, which also bumps the CPU to a Core i5 650 chip. Instead, here there’s an Intel Core i3 530 processor running at 2.93GHz (from Intel’s desktop range, rather than their notebook line-up), paired with GMA HD graphics, 4GB of DDR3 memory and a 640GB 7,200rpm HDD. In

Sony Japan tip PS3 3D update for June 10th?

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Sony Japan have seemingly let the 3D cat out of the bag, by confirming that the PlayStation 3 titles Wipeout HD, Star Strike HD and Pain will get upgrade options to support 3D playback on June 10th 2010. Sony had previously said that the 3D update for the PS3 would arrive sometime in June, but this new information suggests that the new firmware is more imminent than expected. Both Wipeout HD and Star Strike HD will be getting free updates to support 3D play, while the Pain update will be priced at the equivalent of around $3. Of course, this doesn’t mean the US will see the same update at the same time, but given Sony UK have set a June release date we can keep our fingers crossed for a simultaneous global roll-out. A 3DBD update for the PS3 will follow on later in 2010.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7-inch Android tablet breaks cover

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Having heard only this morning that Samsung were planning a full three Android tablets for launch by the end of 2010, the South African Samsung team have just posted an image of what’s said to be the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Posing next to a Samsung Galaxy S , the Galaxy Tab apparently has a 7-inch display, “high-res” LCD TFT display and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Unfortunately, beyond that there’s no new information of specifications. From the image we can see there are basic buttons under the display – home, menu and back – and Samsung’s TouchWiz UI obviously makes an appearance too. There’s what looks to be a microSD card icon in the status bar, together with the sort of no-signal symbol you see on Android devices when their 3G radios aren’t connected. That certainly implies integrated WWAN connectivity, and would fit in with talk that the tablet – previously tipped as the sPad – would launch in Korea this coming August in partnership with carrier SK Telecom. The Samsung team also confi

Nokia E73 Mode hits T-Mobile

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Nokia are continuing their gradual assault on the US market, with another smartphone landing on T-Mobile USA. This time around it’s the Nokia E73 Mode, a full-QWERTY messaging phone running Series 60 with WiFi, 3G and a 5-megapixel camera. Also preloaded will be Nokia’s Ovi Store, for app downloads, and Ovi Maps Navigation with free turn-by-turn directions. There’s also support for VoIP over WiFi, Flash in the browser and a dual-mode homescreen that can be toggled between work and personal displays. The handset itself looks to be a variant of the Nokia E72. The Nokia E73 Mode will land on T-Mobile USA from June 16th 2010, priced at $69.99 with a new two-year agreement. T-Mobile will support carrier billing for purchases made through the Ovi Store, too.

iRiver offers T8 MP3 player looking like old iPod shuffle

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If you have been using an iPod for a while you probably recall that old shuffle from Apple that was white and had the USB plug hidden by a removable cap that always seemed to get lost. Apple moved away from that style for the shuffle long ago. iRiver is bringing the style back though with a new MP3 player called the T8 Candy Bar . The player is rounded and comes in white, black, and two pink shades and a few other colors for eight shades total. It sells for about $58 and has been unveiled in Taiwan to start with. The player has 4GB of storage and measures in at 83.4 x 26.8 x 12.7mm and weighs 26g. The device supports MP3, WMA, OGG, ASF, APE, and FLAC audio formats. It has a 1-inch OLED screen with a 128 x 64 resolution for track information and menus. Battery life is promised to be 17 hours and the thing apparently has a FM tuner and recording capability as well.

Iomega announces new family of eGo Portable and desktop HDDs

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Iomega has been making a full line of external HDDs for a long time and the company has offerings aimed at on the go users and those looking for more storage space for the home or office. The company has announced its latest line of products including USB 3.0 portables and a new FireWire 800 HDD for Mac systems. The Iomega SuperSpeed USB 3.0 eGo portable Hard Drive uses USB 3.0 connectivity and comes in 500GB capacity for $129.99. Iomega also has a new USB 2.0 compact Edition eGo portable HDD that uses a 2.5-inch drive inside the external housing and if offered in 320GB, 500GB, and 1TB capacity. Pricing for the line is $94.99, $114.99, and $199.99 respectively. New desktop external hard drives include the Iomega USB 3.0 eGo Desktop Hard Drive with 1TB or 2TB versions available for $149.99 and $229.99 respectively. The Iomega Mac Edition eGo Desktop Hard Drive is a 3.5-inch HDD using a pair of FireWire 800 ports, USB 2.0, and preformatted for Mac machines in 1TB and 2TB capacity. The

Toshiba adds Blockbuster On Demand to latest Blu-ray players

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Blockbuster is taking a beating at the hands of movie rental kiosks such as Redbox and others. The rental company is also finding that physical movie rentals are not what they used to be with Netflix and on demand streaming becoming more common. Blockbuster has now announced that it is getting its Blockbuster On Demand network onto a couple of the latest Blu-ray players for Toshiba. The new players getting the service are the Toshiba BDX2500 and the BDX2700. The 2500 and 2700 feature WiFi connectivity for accessing content with teh 2500 needing an adapter sold seperately. Blockbuster and Toshiba announced that the plan is for the Blockbuster service to make its way onto all new Blu-ray players being released from Toshiba this year. The tech will let uses of the players stream on demand films and offer 1080p resolution and BD-Live capability.

STAR Plus unveils new identity, new tagline 'Rishte wahi, soch nayi'

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Mumbai STAR Plus has unveiled its new identity and a new tagline ‘ Rishte Wahi, Soch Nayi (Old relationship, New thinking)’, in line with a new programming line-up, on the occasion of its tenth anniversary as a Hindi GEC. The new logo is a ruby star, created to symbolise the channel's beating heart -- feminine, strong, full of energy and life. The white hot swoosh represents the inner strength and quest for fulfillment. A key component of the new Star Plus identity is the color red. A company statement explains that as "red is the color of prosperity, optimism, weddings, celebration, hope, desire, purity, passion, love and holiness, the new logo is the traditional and familiar star emblem infused with a modern, fresh and energetic expression." Talking about the revamp, Uday Shankar, CEO, Star India said, “It gives me great pleasure to announce the brand refresh for our flagship channel Star Plus. This is the first time in t

Starcom MediaVest Group India expands role of Kaushik Chakravorty

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Mumbai Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) India, has promoted Kaushik Chakravorty to the position of group chief operating officer for their Out Of Home category. Chakravorty will be responsible for managing operations of the group’s Out Of Home brands – Navia and Vector in addition to his role of executive director and country head - Enhance. Kaushik will continue to report to Ravi Kiran, CEO-South Asia for SMG and in this newly created position he will work closely with Sanjay Shah, CEO-Navia and Vector.   Commenting on Chakravorty's appointment Ravi Kiran, said, “Kaushik is one of the most mature managers in our business and leads a very dedicated and client focused team within Starcom MediaVest Group. His passion for product, people and process is well known and I am confident he will strengthen the managerial bandwidth substantially at Navia and Vector.”   Sanjay Shah CEO- Navia Asia and Vector said, “As our business continues to grow

Irrfan Khan looks at changing perceptions on cleaning in new Henko TVC

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Mumbai DDB Mudra has come up with a new campaign for Henkel India's detergent, Henko Stain Champion, after it recently enlisted actor Irrfan Khan as its brand ambassador. The first TVC of the ‘ Safayi ka Nazariya badlo ’ ( change your perception on cleaning ) campaign features Khan.  The actor will be seen in a series of ads as a part of the new campaign where he approaches shoppers in super markets across the country and convinces them to change their perception on cleaning as new Henko not only cleans but also removes germs. Commenting on the new campaign, Jayant Singh, managing director, Henkel India, said, “At Henkel, we believe in understanding our consumers better and developing innovative products to meet their needs. The threat of new diseases and infections is on the rise and hygiene is becoming a big concern. Henko Stain Champion with antibacterial neem not only ensures superior cleaning performance but also kills germs 10 times more than o

Lokmat announces senior management elevations

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Mumbai Lokmat is looking at driving synergies within the company and has made some key restructuring announcements, after the merger of the two companies within the Lokmat group, in a move aimed at building a strong corporate team.   Ajit Nair, GM - West has been promoted as AVP- west and south markets.  Anu Berry, GM – north has been promoted as AVP – north and central India.    Kshitij Chandra takes over as GM – AIM. G. Veeranna has been promoted as GM - south. Hemant Joshi has been promoted as senior GM, corporate sales, Pune.  O. P. Kela has been made senior VP. Mohan Joshi becomes VP - Finance, Vasant Aware becomes AVP, circulation. S. S. Khare and Shailesh Chandiwal both are now AVP –finance, Balaji Muley becomes GM - HR and admin. Dilip Tikhle becomes executive editor, Lokmat Nagpur and N. K. Nayak takes charge as executive editor, Lokmat Times.   Commenting on the restructuring, Jwalant Swaroop, director – advertising and business

Mudra Group wins Kalpataru Real Estate business

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Mumbai Following a multi-agency pitch, Mudra Group has been awarded the creative and media duties for Kalpataru Real Estate. Mudra MAX will handle the media mandate, while Mudra West will manage the creative duties for the brand.   Commenting on the win, Arijit Ray, president- Mudra West said, “The Kalpataru group is known for the pioneering role it has played in developing the real estate market in the west. We look forward to working closely with the brand team to strengthen and consolidate the overall brand and the imagery. The two teams at Mudra West and Mudra MAX will work closely to chart out the overall direction for the brand.”   L.S Krishnan, president- Mudra MAX Media, added, “We are looking forward to building the Kalpataru brand from a media perspective along with Mudra West. It is a matter of pride to be associated with Kalpataru and we will rise to the challenges offered by the real estate category in terms of path-breaking

LINOpinion wins William Penn account

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Mumbai LINOpinion, the public relations division of Lowe Lintas India, has bagged the PR mandate for William Penn. The account will be lead by the agency's Bengaluru team.   Commenting on handing the PR duties to LINOpinion, Nikhil Ranjan, managing director, William Penn said, “We are proud to be associated with LINOpinion, an agency of great repute. We look forward to a fruitful and long standing association with them. With their vast luxury brand experience to support us, we are sure that William Penn will evolve into an even stronger entity.”   On the account win, Kavita Lakhani, president, LINOpinion Public Relations, “A decade ago LINOpinion took the lead in providing specialized PR and communication solutions to lifestyle clients. Since then we have worked with the biggest names in the jewellery, clothing and entertainment verticals, giving us hands on experience and understanding of an ever changing market. Working with William

Anant’s blog: Of Lalit Modi, Shashi Tharoor and the Abbys

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Mumbai What’s happening to Lalit Modi? How is the enquiry into his ‘wrongdoings’ going? Is the BCCI now better informed on all his ‘crimes’? Is he the villain the BCCI painted him to be?   What’s happening to Shashi Tharoor? Was he really a part ‘owner’  the IPL Kochi team? Is it proven that his lady friend was allotted shares in the Kochi side in lieu of favours that Tharoor promised?   What’s happening to Sharad Pawar?   What’s happening?   News channels and newspapers ‘break’ a story and then bludgeon us with it till we’re almost senseless. As viewers, we trust the news sources and believe that, since so much time and space is devoted to it, the news must be such that it impacts us greatly.   Then, inexplicably, the particular news item drops off the radar. Why?   One possibility is that it was unimportant to begin with. We, the viewers/ readers, were made into suckers, forced to consume a news item only because there was nothing else a

Creativeland Asia promotes Anu Joseph as ECD

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Mumbai Creativeland Asia has elevated Anu Joseph to the position of executive creative director. Prior to this Joseph was a creative director since Creativeland’s inception in 2007.   Commenting on Joseph's elevation, Sajan Raj Kurup, founder and creative chairman, Creativeland Asia, said, “Vikram and I are extremely pleased and take great pride in announcing this news. Anu and I have been working together for over eight years. It is beautiful to watch him grow”.    Vikram Gaikwad, partner and ECD, Creativeland Asia, said, “I’ve known him for seven years. He’s been passionate about his clients and brands and has delivered on them consistently.”   On his appointment, Joseph said, “It’s been a great journey for me at Creativeland from day one. The culture here is something that I’ve thrived in. The approach to brands, to leadership and to people is refreshingly different. The effort has been to drive the spirit of entrepreneurship, lead

Mudra Connext bags Apollo Hospital business

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Mumbai Mudra Connext has bagged the media mandate for Apollo Hospitals. It will be handled out of their Delhi office.   Commenting on the occassion, Anil K Maini, president corporate development, Apollo Hospitals, said, “We have engaged Mudra Connext to do our new communication campaign. Through their extensive knowledge and experience in the media market, we look forward to a great working relationship with the agency as they take on the mandate.”   Apollo Hospitals was started by its founder and present chairman, Prathap C. Reddy in 1983 with the establishment of the first corporate hospital in India.   Speaking on the account win, Manas Mishra, EVP and country head, Mudra Connext, said, “We are delighted to partner with a respectable group like Apollo Hospitals. Healthcare communication in urban centers has been an emerging challenge. We hope our experience in building awareness, empathy and a positive word of mouth will help us manage

Don't let the germs attack you, says Pepsodent's new TVC

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Mumbai Pepsodent has launched the second part of its 'Pappu and Papa' campaign featuring brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan. It has been conceptualized by Lowe Worldwide's Bangkok office. Created by Bang Bang Films, the TVC has Shah Rukh Khan showing the importance of brushing to his son in a humourous way. This time round, a germ attack is shown, which ends when, SRK brushes his teeth with Pepsodent.   Commenting on the new TVC, Roopak Saluja, managing drector/ executive producer of Bang Bang Films, said, "Given the tremendously enthusiastic response Shahrukh got as a dad in the first one, we're having a lot of fun unfurling this campaign one piece at a time."   The TVC has been directed by Sebastian Alfie for Bang Bang Films.    WATCH the TVC Credits:   Title : Germ Attack Brand : Pepsodent Client : Unilever Agency : Lowe Worldwide (Bangkok) Creative directors : Ruchi Sharma and Juan Carlos Martinez Agency produce

Sandeep Bhargava quits The Indian Film Company

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Mumbai Sandeep Bhargava, the chief executive officer and the investment advisor to The Indian Film Company (TIFC), a Network18 Company, has put in his papers and resigned from his current role. Haresh Chawla, (Group CEO – Network18 & Viacom18) will take interim charge of the operations.   Commenting on Bhargava's exit, Chawla, said “Over the last two years, Sandeep has made TIFC a successful business venture and we wish him luck in his future endeavors.” He further added, “Soon will start the next phase of our growth in the films business through TIFC and Studio18 and we shall share the details of that in time to come.”   The Indian Film Company is a specialist film investment company. TIFC uses the services of STUDIO 18, India's largest vertically integrated motion picture company, to distribute, exploit and market its bouquet of in-house productions, co-productions and acquisitions. Studio 18 is part of Viacom 18, a 50/50 jo

Yashraj kapil is 4th Elimination of Indian Idol 2010

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The best thing about this Indian Idol is that overall the trend of mobile voting is neutral and there is no room of mistakes in this Indian Idol. Yashraj Kapil who was riding high in the initial days was not very impressive in his last performance. As the viewers have little patience for below par performance, Yashraj was always in danger depite of the fact that his earlier performances were extremely good. However, this is a competition where you end up paying for each and every mistake. It was once again quite sad separtion for Indian Idol participants and judges from Yashraj. Yashraj’s eliminaiton has made one thing ver certian and that is participants can’t compromise with their performance any mediocarity and they would be eliminated.

Pratigya, Sasural Genda Phool – Star Parivaar Awards 2010

Pratigya and Sasural Genda Phool have been gaining popularity on Indian Television. Both the serials made there presence felt in the star parivaar awards 2010. The actors were able to capture several awards which are quite popular and do testify the standing of an actor in the competetive world of television entertainment. The award for Favorite Bujurg was won by Sudhir Pandey, while Supriya Pilgaonkar who essayed the character of Badi Maa won the award of favorite Maa. Pratigya , the action packed romantic TV series registered its presence with Monica Singh’s nomination as best mother, she has essayed the character of Pratigya’s mother , while Arhaan Behel and Anupam Shyam got award for essaying the best onscreen relationship (Father and Son). Star Parivaar awards did witness some sterling performances from Pooja Gor, Arhaan Behel, Ragini Khanna and Anupam Shyam from these two serials.

Indian Idol 5 – Filmy Special – Race for Top 9

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In the coming episodes Indian Idol 5 is going to be full of movie masala, as this weeks special theme is called “Filmy Special”. Till date three eliminations have taken place in this show first it was Vishwas Rai , then Meghna and last one was Manisha Karmakar. This Monday Hussain is again going to join Abhijit Sawant as a host. We will also come to know about the next elimination. The name of the contenders who are remaining in Indian Idol 5 are Tia Kar, Arpita Khan, Shreeramchandra, Sashi Suman, Bhumi Trivedi, Rakesh Maini, Yashraj Kapil, Swaroop Khan, Naushad Ali Kawa, Shivam Pathak. Last week we saw fantastic performances by each and every contestant who performed at their best. So it would be difficult to predict. Rakesh Maini was the top performer and winner of the bike last week.

Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega 2010 Auditions, Delhi, Mumbai

If anythings works out in USA or UK it is sure and certian that it will definitely work out in India. First it was the education system and now television entertainment. All the popular reality shows that are getting highest TRP in India are based on reality shows from US or UK. Currently Indian Idol, Boogie Woogie , Nach Ke Dikha are having the highest TRP ranks. In fact , there are very few story based shows which are able to match the popularity of reality shows. Now, the arrival of Entertainment ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega is going to provide more choice for the Indian viewers. This show is based on popular reality show 30 seconds to fame. The auditions are already going on. All the persons who think that they have got something weird, eccentric or even something ordinary but presented innovatively and can win the heart of audience in one minute, they should try their luck in this show. The auditions for Delhi and Mumbai are going to take place on 13th June and 20th June 2010. Det

Get Gorgeous Audition- Channel V India 2010

Get Gorgeous has reached its sixth edition. This presentation by Channel V is well acknowledged for helping budding models and turning them into super models who rule the ramp. The audition for the sixth edition is scheduled to take place at Mumabi, Channel V Studios, Marole Cooperative Industrial Estate, Andheri Kurla Road, Andheri East. Wannabe supermodels who get selected in this series are groomed by top class trainers from the world of ramp and modelling. Even the runner ups are able to boost their career. So if you are ready to become next face for a popular brand don’t forget to try your luck on 12th and 13th June auditions.

Ronaldo: Ivory Coast were afraid of us

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Cristiano Ronaldo insisted that Portugal played well and were the side gunning for three points in the 0-0 draw with Ivory Coast. "We knew the Ivory Coast would not attack much and would stay at the back more. They were afraid of us in the first half, in the second session they got their game a bit more loose, but we played well and did not win only because we did not have any luck," Ronaldo told RTP 1 . Despite not getting off to a winning start, Ronaldo is upbeat over team's chances in qualifying for the knockout stage from the 'Group of death', which features themselves, Ivory Coast, Brazil and North Korea. "Have we lost any margin for error? No, everything is still open, we have to continue like this," he stated. Portugal take on North Korea next on 21 June before rounding off their group fixtures against the Samba Kings on 25 June.

Ivory Coast vs Portugal Player Ratings

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Liow Yi Yang rates the players in the 0-0 stalemate between Ivory Coast and Portugal. Ivory Coast Boubacar Barry - 6 Was given a scare by Ronaldo's first half thunderbolt, but that was about all that troubled the keeper bar a Liedson header. Didier Zokora - 7 Did not play in his usual position but was adaptable at center back. Made some important challenges. Kolo Touré - 7.5 Very tidy at the back as you'd expect from the Manchester City defender. Kept Liedson very quiet. The captain also drove forward from defence to try and create for his team. Siaka Tiéné - 7.5 Tiene was solid as a rock in the left back berth, dangerous from set-pieces. This chap's got a sweet left foot. Guy Demel - 7.5 The burly Demel was impressive today, he showed his attacking instincts down the right and stood firm against the threat of Danny and Ronaldo. Yaya Touré - 8 Tenacious in the tackle, Toure offered good protection to his back four and limited Ronaldo's options. The defensive midfielder

Group G: Ivory Coast 0-0 Portugal

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Brazil's main Group G rivals Ivory Coast and Portugal played out a drab and uninspiring goalless draw in Port Elizabeth. In a game of few clear-cut chances, Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half thunderbolt that cannoned off the woodwork was the closest either side came to a breakthrough. Ivory Coast boss Sven-Goran Eriksson brought broken-arm victim Didier Drogba on with around 20 minutes to go, but the Chelsea striker couldn't inspire the Elephants to victory in a game neither side deserved to win.

Klose: Ozil is 'an absolute bonus'

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The arrival of Germany's rising star Mesut Ozil on the world stage is an "absolute bonus", according to striker Miroslav Klose . The 21-year-old Werder Bremen midfielder received all the plaudits for an accomplished performance playing in an advanced role behind Klose in the 4-0 win over Australia. Ozil, born in Germany to Turkish parents, had received little recognition outside of his homeland prior to his arrival in South Africa but announced himself by playing a key role against the Socceroos. That display has already impressed many observers and Klose thinks coach Joachim Low has unearthed a real star even though Ozil has won only 11 caps. "We have always sought an out-and-out number 10 and now we have found one," said the striker. "Mesut has made the position his own for Germany. He is an absolute bonus for us." Ozil has almost seamlessly slotted into the 4-5-1 formation and the Germany coach is delighted the transition has gone so well. "He

Gallas a doubt for France

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William Gallas is a minor doubt for their second World Cup Group A game after missing training with a muscular problem. The Arsenal player, France's best remaining specialist centre-back, sat out Monday's session and was being assessed before training on Tuesday ahead of Thursday's clash with Mexico. Gallas was partnered at the back by Barcelona's Eric Abidal, a left-back by nature who can play centrally, in the disappointing 0-0 draw with Uruguay in Cape Town on Friday. Gallas - who was reportedly angered to be overlooked for the captaincy which went to Patrice Evra - is thought to have only experienced slight muscle discomfort and was rested in training as a precaution. France coach Raymond Domenech is reportedly set to restore Florent Malouda to his starting line-up having left him on the bench against Uruguay.

Baines: I'm surprised by Capello snub

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Everton defender Leighton Baines has revealed his "massive disappointment" at being left out of England's World Cup squad. But the 23-year-old has slammed speculation that homesickness was to blame for him being overlooked by Fabio Capello. Baines lost out to Aston Villa's Stephen Warnock for the number two left-back position behind Ashley Cole despite playing the warm-up international against Mexico. Warnock did not feature in either that game or the final friendly with Japan but was preferred to Baines when Capello reduced his initial squad from 30 to 23. Baines told the Liverpool Daily Echo: "I must admit it was a massive disappointment and something of a surprise even though, like most of the lads in the squad, I knew full well that I wasn't guaranteed a place. "I was feeling low because I knew I hadn't played my best against Mexico and I spoke to a reporter I know about how the game had gone. "At the end of the conversation I was asked if

Heskey: Rooney partnership will hit off

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Emile Heskey insists his partnership with Wayne Rooney will be more effective against Algeria on Friday. Heskey was reunited with the Manchester United striker for the World Cup opener with the United States which ended in a 1-1 draw. It was the first time the pair had started an international together since the qualifying clash with the Ukraine in Dnipro eight months ago. Rooney has often looked at his most potent alongside the Aston Villa player, who set up Steven Gerrard's goal against USA. Heskey is confident the pair will hit it off again in Cape Town against the Algerians. The 32-year-old told the London Standard: "The more you play with any player, the more you get an understanding with them and that is the case with Wayne. "We work together on the training field and we are well prepared to perform better if we get the chance again. "I take the positives from that performance and try and take it into training and then the next game. "I thought we really

Rooney and Cole back in training

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England had a double dose of good news on Tuesday morning as Wayne Rooney and Ashley Cole returned to training. The pair missed Monday's session, Cole to do rehabilitation work on old injuries and Rooney with an ankle knock he picked up in the opening World Cup draw against the United States. Happily, the pair were fit enough to return on Tuesday morning as England continued their preparations for Friday's Group C outing against Algeria in Cape Town. The one absentee was Ledley King. His presence in the remainder of the competition is in doubt after the Tottenham captain was forced out at half-time at the weekend due to a groin injury. And although club manager Harry Redknapp hinted King has had a scan and could be out for three weeks, the FA have so far refused to speculate on how long the defender will be sidelined. However, it seems unlikely King will be involved until the semi-finals at the earliest, if England get that far. Meanwhile the Three Lions and their manager Fabi