IBLOG SPACE

"There are only three protagonists in my film played by Imran Khan, Sonam Kapoor and Sammir Dattani. The film is about their relationship with one another and how it changes in the course of the narration." That's how the far-from-nervous director Punit Malhotra describes the character-profile of his debut film I Hate LUV Storys . One hopes Punit is a better director than a speller. God and Karan Johar (in that order) know that Manish Malhotra's nephew Punit Malhotra came into Bollywood to be a leading man. He instead ended up as an apprentice in Karan Johar's production house to finally climb his way into independent direction with I Hate LUV Storys (IHLS). Apparently, Karan had assured Punit that his starry dreams would one day be realized. And everyone knows Karan always lives up to his promises. Punit at the moment prefers to dodge questions on his starry aspirations, although he does admit that he entered the movie industry to be a le

Nokia’s Anssi Vanjoki, new head of Mobile Solutions at the Finnish company, has set out his stall over at the company’s official Conversations blog, and he’s not setting himself a simple task. ”I am committed, perhaps even obsessed,” he writes “with getting Nokia back to being number one in high-end devices.” Meanwhile, Vanjoki confirms that while the N8 will be the last Nseries device to run Symbian^3, “a Symbian^4 Nseries device is a strong possibility. A very strong possibility.” He also dismisses ongoing rumors that Nokia is looking to other platforms for future handsets, saying that there are no plans for an Android Nokia device and that Symbian and MeeGo are definitely the company’s way forward. He also mentions the recent high-profile closure of Symbian-Guru, one of the biggest names in Nokia-dedicated blogs, saying that the company is “determined to win back supporters.” “There is no denying, that as a challenger now, we have a fight on our hands” Vanjoki concludes. To be

HP has quietly updated their netbook range with the Intel Atom N455 and N475 processors, just as was tipped earlier in the year. The HP Mini 110 and Mini 210 HD Edition both get the 1.66GHz N455 as standard, with the 1.86GHz N475 a $25 upgrade; alternatively, for $40 the Mini 210 can be upgraded with the N475 and Broadcom’s Crystal HD video accelerator for HD video playback. Otherwise the specifications of both machines are pretty much unchanged, with 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard-drive as standard. Thanks to the updated Atoms the Mini 210 gets faster, DDR3 memory rather than the DDR2 of its predecessor, though only up to a maximum of 2GB. The HP Mini 110 starts from $279.99 while the HP Mini 210 HD Edition starts from $329.99. Battery life is tipped at between 4.5 and 5hrs, while each has a 10.1-inch display – 1024 x 600 on the Mini 110, 1,366 x 768 on the Mini 210 – WiFi b/g/n and optional mobile broadband/GPS.

iBUYPOWER is a familiar name around here, and when they keep launching cool things like this, we’re not surprised. This time around it’s not a piece of excellent PC gaming hardware, but more on the software side of things. The company has just announced that MAGIC is available for all of their multitouch-capable gaming rigs. What is MAGIC? Well, follow after the break to find out. Multitouch Advanced Gaming Interface and Control (MAGIC). It’s iBUYPOWER’s proprietary multitouch software, which was specifically designed to work in conjunction with iBUYPOWER’s multitouch gaming notebooks. The idea is that if you install this software on your multitouch notebook, you’ll be able to play any game with the technology. Which, as you’d expect, means that the games open a lot of new doors for the experience. It works by allowing MAGIC to link a multitouch gesture to a specific command. You’ll be emulating mouse-clicks and keyboard strokes just by a simple gesture with this software, which shou

Have you ever had your power go out in the middle of the night, whether due to electrical issues or a natural disaster, and found that putting a new pair of batteries into your flashlight is a remarkably frustrating ordeal, due to the fact those batteries have to be inserted in one particular way for the flashlight to work. Not much of an issue for every-day usage, but thankfully it’s sometimes the not every-day usage that stems the coolest inventions. Microsoft InstaLoad is currently in the process of licensing a new technology that will allow people to put batteries into any device, in any direction, and get that device to start working. As the title suggests, these batteries wouldn’t depend on the polarity of positive and negative. And InstaLoad, what Microsoft is calling this new technology, is able to function in any cylindrical battery, whether they are disposable or recharcheable. That includes AA, AAA, C, and D. So, the bases have been covered. As of right now, the technology

Even if one could argue that Apple selling millions of iPads doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s a tablet market, if the intent of pretty much every tech company out there is any indicator, then there’s definitely going to be one soon. And while we’ve already seen the conceptualized User Interface of the MeeGo tablet , it was far off from being an actual confirmation that a tablet running the new Operating System is on the way. But, thanks to The Wall Street Journal , that may have actually just happened. Anssi Vanjoki is the Chief of Mobile Solutions for Nokia, and he had this to say during an interview: “Due to the spread of cloud computing and new advances in electronics and network technology, mobile devices will increasingly move beyond smartphones to include other computer-like gadgets such as tablets, and the MeeGo platform will be an important asset for Nokia.” We already know that MeeGo is one of the pillars that Nokia is leaning on at this point, so seeing them want to imp

There’s been a lot of rumors about iTunes heading into the cloud. And with that in mind, there’s just as many rumors talking about iTunes offering some kind of streaming service as well — and not just for music. And if there’s plenty of rumors circling, two things can happen: they’ll either go down the drain and disappear forever, or actually turn into something. If a tipster talking to Boy Genius Report is any indicator, then it looks like iTunes is about to go through some changes. According to the tipster, Apple is planning to unveil three different capabilities. The first of which, is the ability to stream music and movies from Apple’s servers to your computer. But, not just your iTunes-loaded computer, but also Apple’s devices. The second feature would be the ability to stream movies and music from your home computer, to other computers in your home. Basically, from your main computer you’ll be able to control the content distribution throughout your household. Using an Internet

External hard-drives are only getting larger, and manufacturers are pushing for the adoption of faster interfaces that will allow users to shuffle their data around with less delay. On the SlashGear test bench today is the Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drive , complete with 500GB capacity and a USB 3.0 port; the company also sent over their new Skin Hard Drive, which takes a USB 2.0 unit and dresses it up with a colorful finish. Check out the full review after the cut. If you’ve seen one portable hard-drive then you’ve pretty much seen them all; the eGo has the usual curved edges and chrome accents of Iomega’s latest design language. The only connection is a USB 3.0 port – backward compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1, of course, though at significantly lower speeds – and happily Iomega don’t clutter up the drive with unnecessary apps. A copy of the user guide is saved to the eGo, but if you want Iomega’s Protection Suite or the year’s license for Trend Micro Internet Security then they’re avail

E Ink has announced its next generation of ereader display, Pearl, and while the press release doesn’t spell it out in so many words, the claim that the contrast is around 50-percent greater than the previous generation leads us to suspect this is the screen technology in the new Amazon Kindle DX. According to E Ink – formerly known as PVI -Pearl is now the whitest reflective display in the industry and even more like regular printed paper. If you want a better analogy, E Ink reckon that their previous-gen Vizplex screens were similar to text on newspaper, while Pearl is more like a paperback book. It also boosts detail and reduces jagged edges on fonts and images. As for the hardware specs, E Ink are claiming a 10:1 contrast ratio, near 180-degree viewing angle, sub-1s refresh, and between 150 and 200 dpi depending on panel size. There are five sizes on offer: 5-, 6-, 7-, 8- and 9.7-inches, suggesting we may see the next-gen Kindle using an E Ink Pearl panel sometime later this ye

Of all the things you might expect Steve Jobs to say about the iPhone 4 , “It is just a phone. Not worth it” probably isn’t the first thing that would come to mind. As the Apple CEO continues to respond to increasingly irate iPhone 4 owners, frustrated by their antenna experiences, his counter-arguments are getting more and more blunt. After posting a demo of the iPhone 4 reception problem on YouTube, being subsequently contacted by Apple, and then taking things up with Jobs and an Apple engineer directly, a BGR reader was supposedly told by the outspoken exec that he should “calm down” after “getting all worked up over a few days of rumors.” Updated: Apple PR say this email exchange is a hoax; more here. Jobs suggested that the issue was being in an area of very low signal strength, and when that didn’t work somewhat cryptically explained that “You may be working from bad data. Not your fault. Stay tuned. We are working on it.” Then came the final, unexpected touch: an email saying

We’ve already seen what Element Case’s CNC machines can do when it comes to solid metal iPad stands; now they’re turning their attention to the iPhone 4. Faced with lawsuit-spawning complaints of poor antenna performance, the Element Case Vapor for iPhone 4 is a 30g husk of aluminum with a memoryfoam-style lining that not only protects the smartphone from bumps and knocks but helps avoid zero-signal issues. There are the expected cut-outs for the volume controls and ringer switch, while Element Case have also added a machined button for the power/standby key. Various finishes are available, together with an optional carbon-fiber back plate; later on, they’ll be offering custom engraving. Of course, none of this comes cheap; the basic Vapor case is $79.95, but if you want the carbon-fiber version that climbs to $99.95. Shipping is expected to kick off from July 12th. There’s some irony in swaddling your iPhone 4 in a metal case so that you can get a signal, after Apple specifically

The Age of Conan expansion pack Rise of the Godslayer will be free-to-play for all takers until July 15, developer Funcom has announced today. Current players of the MMO will be able to try out the new areas, while new players will get 10 days to explore the Age of Conan world as they see fit. “After a full-scale release in retail and online the expansion has performed well in terms of both sales and traffic, and the activity on our servers has increased significantly in the last month,” said sales and marketing VP Morten Larssen. “‘Age of Conan’ has once again proven that it is truly one of the top MMOs on the market right now, and we remain dedicated to supporting it.” Just head to the website to get going, or if you’re already a player, check your email. “Conan! What is best in life? ” “To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women. Oh, and to play an MMO for free.”

Lara Dutta features in Verve this month. The actress looks a million bucks on the cover of the fashion mag. Coming to some honest confessions, Lara says, "I have always fought against being labeled". In this issue, Lara opens up like never before. She actually unravels her mystique self and tells her fans lots of facts about her that were never known. Lara says, "There is a sense of freedom, maturity and relief at having my 20s behind me..." In the same breath, she also adds that, "It's a big compliment to have my comic timing compared with Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit". All in all, Lara is definitely the flavour of the season and of every reason.

It seems to be the season of speculations. Last week, it was Vivek Oberoi who was totally perplexed when rumors abound him being a part of 'Swayamwar 3' started making the rounds. There was no truth to the story and immediate reactions from him settled the issue. Now it's the turn of yet another actor to get upset. We are talking about Emraan Hashmi, who is caught in a mighty irritated mood, courtesy a news piece that signifies that he could well be one of the 13 participants in the upcoming season of 'Fear Factor' which would be hosted by Priyanka Chopra. "Yet another baseless story which seems to be have just come out of thin air", says a close friend of Emraan who has been sounded by the actor about his displeasure, "Kahin se kuch bhi aa jaata hai, what should one clarify in such case? Tomorrow, something else will come in. So is it expected that a celebrity just stands and starts giving out clarifications? This is not done.&quo

I recall my five hours spent at Sonam Kapoor's Juhu bungalow during her Delhi 6 days. It was the first time I had met her. It was also my first time at her place. But at the back of my head, I did know that she had made a dream debut....which went wrong at the BO. And that happens to many, I'm sure. But what took me by surprise was the fact that a one film old actress became, almost overnight, one of the most in-demand interviewees on the planet. Obviously, the Saawariya and Delhi 6 phenomenon changed things quite a lot for her. If you programmed a computer to cobble together a movie out of every cinematic cliché - I Hate Luv Storys is pretty much what you would end up with. Today, Sonam is still the same I saw her the first time. She is beautiful in an evasive, interesting way. Her eyes are not that huge but knowing, her eyebrows are winged, her lips are fuller, and her expression is sharp and aware and absorbing. But more than this, Kapoor has enormous talent

Southern superstar and Bollywood's resident 'Idiot' from Rajkumar Hirani's blockbuster R Madhavan is playing games once again. Having dabbled in television extensively during his growing years as an actor, Maddy is all set to return to what he calls his first love. The actor who has a deep connectivity with audiences on the screen of any size believes size doesn't matter. "It's not about how big it. It's the performance," he winks naughtily. "I've never taken television for granted. I've done 1800 episodes of television serials like 'Banegi Apni Baat', 'Sea Hawks', 'Saaya' and 'Yeh Kahan Aa Gaye Hum'. It's quite a total! Television has been quite a learning curve for me. It has taught me the importance of time management, camera angles, space-management…I owe a lot to television." It was with great pleasure that Madhavan was persuaded to return to television by Siddharth Basu

Lewis Hamilton insists that he always retained belief in his talent even during trying times last season. Having lost out on the World title on the final day of his maiden F1 season in 2007, he hit back to claim the laurels in 2008. But the Briton suffered a slump in his third season, recording only two race wins as he stuttered to fifth place overall. Heading into 2010, Hamilton maintains that he had no doubt he could bounce-back to achieve bigger and better things. "To be honest, I think I get better every year," Hamilton told  The Guardian .

Pace spearhead Zaheer Khan has been ruled out of the forthcoming Test series in Sri Lanka because of a shoulder injury. Abhimanyu Mithun  has been picked as  Zaheer 's replecement for the series by the the senior selection committee. "Zaheer Khan has been ruled out of the forthcoming Sri Lanka series because of a shoulder injury. The All-India Senior Selection Committee has chosen Abhimanyu Mithun to replace him," Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement. Hon. Secretary

Umar Akmal blazed the highest Twenty20 score of his promising career as Pakistan ended their losing streak against Australia with a 23-run win at Edgbaston. Umar , still in his first year as an international player, underlined his potential as one of the game's brightest talents as he struck 64 from 31 balls to help his side post 167 for eight batting first. It was a remarkable show of belligerence from the 20-year-old after he had been thrust into a potentially nervy situation with his side 47 for four, but his fearlessness ultimately proved match-winning as Australia failed to maintain their recent hold over their sub-continental rivals.

Andy Murray recognises he must find ways to improve his game before making the transition from grand slam contender to champion. After losing in the Wimbledon semi-final for a second year in a row, this time to Rafael Nadal, Murray has started to assess how he needs to change. He told Sportsweek on BBC Radio 5Live: "I need to go away and work harder and get better. "That's all I can do. It was a good tournament and it was nice to be back playing good tennis." Belief is a key element in the make-up of a grand slam winner, and Murray knows he must never let his conviction waver.

European giants Germany and Spain battle for a place in the World Cup final when they lock horns at Durban Stadium on Wednesday. Revenge will likely be on German minds when the pair meet after Spain vanquished them as they claimed glory in Vienna at Euro 2008 - there are 19 survivors in their respective current squads from that game.

Real Madrid have targeted Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic as a reinforcement for their defence, according to Sky Sports Italia. The 28-year-old's future at Old Trafford has recently been thrown into doubt after he reportedly grew unsettled at the club, despite the player denying the reports. Interests for the Serbian are not isolated from the Bernabeu, with neighbours Manchester City, Inter and AC Milan reportedly chasing the defender's signature.

Julio Humberto Grondona, the head of the Argentine FA has affirmed that Diego Maradona will not be asked to leave his post. The aftermath of Argentina's premature exit from the World Cup has been engulfed with talks of Maradona quitting, with the controversial coach telling reporters that "my time is up" when being probed on his future. However, the AFA have assured that they have no intention to sack 'El Diego' and will only release him if the man himself decides to go.

Cesc Fabregas could be fit to play in the World Cup semi-final match against Germany. Arsenal's Spanish midfielder had a scan after picking up a knock in training but has not been ruled out of the game. The Spanish Football Federation said in a statement: "The tests have ruled out any type of bone injury so the player could be available to play against Germany. He has not been ruled out for the game."

The two European heavyweights have had contrasting runs to the last four. Apart from a group stage blip against Serbia, Joachim Low's team have steamrollered almost every team that has crossed their path, including England and Argentina in the knockout stages. The Spaniards, one of the pre-tournament favourites, have been far more subdued, battling their way through almost every round.

Forlan has ruled out ever returning to the Premier League although he has fond memories of his time with Manchester United. The 31-year-old has scored three goals as Uruguay have made their way to the World Cup semi-finals where they face Holland. Diego Forlan was an integral part of the Atletico Madrid side that won the Europa League, scoring a vital goal against Liverpool in the semi-final before his late strike secured the trophy for the Spanish side in the final against Fulham.

Spain captain Iker Casillas declared that their semi-final showdown with Germany is Spain's biggest game ever. The Real Madrid custodian has insisted that his team must be wary of the World Cup pedigree the Germans possess if they are to fulfill their dream of returning to Madrid as champions. "We have not come here to finish fourth. We will fight against Germany to reach the final. Now we think only of Germany. That is our only goal. We have passed the barrier of the quarter-finals, and it is a landmark for Spanish football but we know that Germany is the biggest game in our history, ahead the final of Euro 2008 in Austria," he told a press conference he noted before analyzing the quality of Joachim Loew's side.

Former Spain defender Fernando Hierro believes a change in mentality is the reason behind his country's improvement. La Roja are in the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time, while they were also crowned European champions in 2008 for the first time since 1964. The Spaniards have almost always arrived at major tournaments with quality sides, but have constantly failed to deliver on the biggest stage. Hierro said: "What has changed is the mentality. After 44 years, Spain are now the European champions. This is showing now in this tournament with the team reaching the semi-final.

Manchester United are reportedly looking to sell Dimitar Berbatov and Anderson to fund the purchase of Karim Benzema. Berbatov, purchased from Tottenham for more than £30 million last summer, has been a flop at Old Trafford. He failed to nail down a permanent place of himself and was mainly used as a substitute throughout the season. Anderson's season was even more pathetic and the midfielder's future is likely to be away from United. With Benzema suffering similar blues at Real Madrid, a deal could be on the cards to bring the Frenchman over as support for Wayne Rooney.

Former Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira was puzzled by the way the team seemed to go to pieces against the Dutch. The Brazilians had gone in at half-time on a high - after Robinho's early goal had given them the lead in the quarter-finals against the Oranje. The dream turned into a nightmare in the second half as a Wesley Sneijder brace saw the Selecao crash and burn. Parreira, who was in charge of the team that crashed out at the same stage against Germany in 2006, defended coach Dunga against the criticism that has been levelled at him.

Wesley Sneijder has denied calling Diego Maradona and Dunga idiots in an interview with a Dutch magazine. In an interview published by Helden on Monday, Sneijder declared he would rather work with Bert van Marwijk than the "idiots" Diego Maradona and Dunga. Sneijder went on to say the Dutch coach gives the team "peace of mind and he does not panic". The controversial midfielder was reported to have said: "After a difficult first-half against Brazil we managed to stay calm. I'd rather have someone like Van Marwijk as coach rather than two idiots like Maradona and Dunga."

Tuesday's FIFA World Cup™ semi-final follows the unpredictable nature as Uruguay and Holland prepare to meet in Cape Town. For Oscar Tabarez's Uruguay it places a return to the globe-conquering days of 1930 and 1950 within unexpected reach, while it can also be argued that Bert van Marwijk's Holland have surpassed expectations.

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez insisted his side will not feel embarrassed when they play Holland in the semi-final. Tabarez maintains that Luis Suarez did not cheat when he handled the ball on the line to deprive Ghana a quarter-final winner in the last seconds of extra time, the Ajax striker then celebrating on the touchline when Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty. Suarez, who likened the handball to Diego Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' goal against England in 1986, is suspended from the semi-final.