IBLOG SPACE

Companies and individuals around the world are looking for better modes of transportation to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels, and Bill Gates is joining that group in a fascinating way: He’s investing in a company that wants to completely rethink, reinvent and redesign the internal combustion engine as we know it. The cars we drive today hold some of the same essential components as a Model T Ford from 100 years ago; in fact, the core technology of the internal combustion engine is largely a product of the 1800s. EcoMotors, the company Gates is investing in, is a Detroit-based startup that’s trying to change how our engines operate. But instead of simply changing the kinds of fuel we use, it wants to completely change our cars’ propulsion systems. The engine the company is trying to build will have less mass, will cost less to make, will be more fuel-efficient and will generate lower emissions. Its first commercial product is the turbo-diesel version of the innovative opposed-pist

This series is supported by IGLOO, a leader in helping organizations improve business processes, increase employee productivity and enhance stakeholder engagement inside and outside the organization using social technologies. Brand management in the current era means not just keeping an ever-present eye on the social web, but also engaging in meaningful ways with brand advocates and detractors. Professionals in the field have come to accept social media as crucial to their jobs, but most know that managing a company’s brand on the web is so much more than setting up shop on social sites like Twitter and Facebook . Here we’ll give you an inside look at the strategies of avant garde industry leaders who’ve spent years figuring out how to move beyond social media hype and implement practical management practices into their daily work routines. Brad Nelson, Jeremy Thum, Joel Price, Joel Frey and Bowen Payson are all marketers behind big brand names. They’ve done the dirty work. Their lesso

Twitter has just launched its first @earlybird exclusive offer with Walt Disney Studios. The promotion is in conjunction with today’s release of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. U.S. @earlybird or @DisneyPictures followers can get a special 2-for-1 deal on tickets for a limited time. A free movie ticket ($12 value, at least at my local cineplex) is a pretty sweet deal and it’s also a great test case for Twitter’s new @earlybird program. On its blog, Twitter says that it has a great lineup of deals from partners like Groupon and Gilt Groupe, plus its own advertising partners. Twitter clearly wants to promote itself, as Facebook has, as an avenue that advertisers and brands can use to build momentum and brand recognition through coupons and promotions. This first @earlybird concept isn’t dissimilar to what some of Twitter’s Promoted Tweets partners, like Virgin America, are already doing. While brands and advertisers frequently do their own promotions via Twitter, the advantage of using @ear

The Old Spice guy just took his YouTube campaign to a whole new level by proposing to a woman on behalf of one of his Twitter followers. The fan tweeted within hours that she’d agreed to marry him. Yesterday, Old Spice started posting YouTube videos featuring the shirtless man from the popular TV commercials delivering personalized messages to fans on Twitter, Facebook and other websites. Regular fans got video responses, but the Old Spice guy also smartly targeted social media-savvy celebrities and bloggers to get the word out and achieve viral status. A fan named Johannes S. Beals tweeted, “Can U Ask my girlfriend to marry me? Her name is Angela A. Hutt-Chamberlin” to Old Spice. The following video popped up on YouTube within an hour, and Old Spice tweeted it at Beals. She Said Yes! Just a few hours later, Beals tweeted at Old Spice: “SHE SAID YES!!!!” Many users congratulated him, but a few questioned whether or not it was legit. To prove it, he uploaded this picture of his new f

Federal agents have detained yet another alleged Russian spy in the government’s investigation of a spy ring that has reached entrepreneurial and tech circles from coast to coast. The alleged 12th spy, Alexey Karetnikov, was an employee of Microsoft at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington. According to the Washington Post, he was deported to Russia on Tuesday after a judge ordered his removal on Monday. Law enforcement officials say that he was “in the early stages” of his spy work, but had yet to obtain any useful information. According to Karetnikov’s Facebook Page, he was on Microsoft’s SDET (Software Design Engineer in Test ) team, which helps test the code that runs Microsoft’s products. The Russian spy ring, also known as the Illegals Program, has been captivating American audiences and mainstream media ever since 10 alleged agents were arrested by U.S. authorities last month. They worked off fake identities, had regular jobs (many in tech) and some even had families. One alle

Nokia has been peddling the Nokia C6 mobile phone for a while now in its white form factor with a 5MP camera. A new updated version of the venerable C6 has surfaced in the Netherlands dubbed the C6-01. The new C6-01 looks very similar in design, but is slightly different and has new features. The difference between the two devices is that the C6-01 has a new updated camera. The original C6 camera was a 5MP unit and the C6-01 gets a higher resolution 8MP snapper. That 8MP camera also has a dual LED flash for better photos in dark environments. The back of the phone is changed up to support the new camera. Other than the cam, the C6-01 uses a 3.2-inch screen HSPA, and WiFi with GPS on the side. Bluetooth is also featured along with a 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD card slot and the device runs Symbian S60. The device carries a price of 279 EUR.

The VoIP landscape has changed over the years, with many providers evolving into more than just the desk-phone VoIP we used to know. VoIP companies continue to add ways to entice consumers and small businesses. In this article, I will be sharing my experience with several BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) VoIP providers. Most BYOD VoIP providers use SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) to allow softphones or other devices to connect; I’ve been using Acrobits SoftPhone on iPhone, SipDroid on Android phones, and a Linksys PAP2 VoIP adapter. As for my connection, I was using FIOS with 25Mbps download and 25Mbps upload when connected to WiFi or LAN; while mobile, I’m connected to AT&T 3G and T-Mobile 3G. For all my tests, I used the G.711 (uLaw) codec on WiFi /LAN connections and G.729 on 3G. Read on for my real-world test results. My quest started with ViaTalk, and after hearing so many people vouch for it across multiple discussion forums, I was excited to see what all the buzz was about. T

You don’t have to be a gadget reviewer to end up with more than a handful of devices that all require USB charging, and finding ways to rejuice them simultaneously often means laborious AC plug juggling. We’ve seen Cambrionix’s port-bristling USB charging stations before, and now the company is back with a more compact setup that promises fully power protected charging for up to 32 devices simultaneously. The Cambrionix Series B2 32 Port USB Charging Station is in fact just the first of the company’s plans; it’s intended for iPhone and iPod touch style electronics, but in the pipeline is a 400W version. That will be able to simultaneously charge 32 iPads, something the company reckons will be of interest in classrooms outfitting students with Apple’s tablet. After that, there’s a version of each that will allow for simultaneous charging and synchronizing with a connected USB PC, and that will spawn a much smaller, four-port model – the C2 Series – better suited to home users. The S

RIM are yet to officially confirm the BlackBerry 9800 slider , despite us having seen it in various leakedphotoshoots and videos, but already you can pick up replacement parts for the smartphone. CIO spotted that retailer Truesupplier is currently offering an OEM replacement keyboard for the 9800 slider. Now, that certainly suggests that the handset is due for a reasonably imminent release, falling nicely into line with talk of an August or early-September debut. The smartphone is tipped to land on AT&T’s network in the US, offering a touchscreen display and RIM’s new BlackBerry OS 6.

About this time last month when the Xbox 360 redesign went official and grabbed the unofficial title Xbox 360 Slim, many of us knew that the redesigned console would sell well in the market. Sell well the thing did according got the latest numbers from NPD Group for the month of June. The Xbox 360 slim was the biggest selling console for the month beating the Wii by about 29,200 units. If you count sales of portable consoles, the Nintendo DS came out on top. NPD also says that console hardware sales overall jumped 35% in June 2010 compared to June of 2009. Another sign that the works of the bad economy is behind us. Software sales have dropped though and despite growth in hardware sales the gaming market overall declined compared to last year. The PS3 sold 304,800 units during the month, about 206,000 less than the Xbox 360.

We mentioned last month at the BDXL specifications for 100GB and 128GB Blu-ray discs had been finalized. Sharp is the first company to offer media that supports the new specifications. The discs will land first in Japan. Akihabara News reports that Sharp had a press conference to unveil the new discs recently and the media can store 100GB when using three layers and 128GB when using four layers. The media will only work for now in the Sharp BD-HDW700 Blu-ray recorder/player. That is a lot of storage capacity for a single disc for sure. The BDXL media will be offered in BDXL-R and BDXL-RE for the 128GB capacity with the 100GB version only being offered in a rewritable disc. The things will be in Japanese stores on the 30th at 5000 yen each.

Sharukh Khan who had successful stint on Television with reality shows like Kya Aap Panchvi Paas Se Tez Hain and KBC 3 is coming back on Television. The rumour that is going around on various websites is that Mr. Khan would be hosting the top reality show Big Boss. This would be the fourth edition of the show which is produced by Endemol. Quite amazingly this show would be fighting in the TRP battle against Kaun Banega Karorpati which is going to be hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. Right now even the names of the contestants has not been disclosed for Big Boss 2010. In fact , any official press release is still awaited.

A serious incident of chlorine leak has occured in Haji Badar Port area of Mumbai. About 55 people have been rushed to JJ and BPT hospitals. 14 students are also affected in this mishap. According to the news sources the leaking happened in cyllinders parked in the port. Further reports are expected , according to the latest news the relief work by the fire fighters has started.

Meethi Choori No. 1 is the next Reality Show on NDTV Imagine. Once again this is a completely Indian show presented by the channel and it caters to the taste of Indian audiences. In this show 25 actresses from the small screen which includes well known names like Shweta Tiwari, Ragini Khanna, Rupali Ganguly, Neha Marda who have ruled the small screen for quite some time are going to entertain the audiences with their real self. The show would be hosted by Shabir Auluwalia and Jai Bhanusale. The theme of the show is going to be based on back biting and talking negatively about fellow contestants. According to the information floating around the hosts would work as instigator instead of facilitator for the contestants. No doubt, we can expect some unimagined reality on the reality show of Imagine Tv.

Tia Kar , the good looking 19 year old contestant from Mumbai is eliminated from Indian Idol 5. It was quite an extended journey in the idol for the talented singer who made an impression with her attractive personality and voice. The final Five for the Indian Idol are Sriram, Shivam Pathak, Swaroop Khan , Rakesh Maini and Bhoomi Trivedi. Right now all the contestants appear strong and the real competition of final five has begun.

In the recent world cup footbal which took place in Africa there were several players who were more than exceptional in their performances. However, the ultimate prizes were given to Diego Forlorn of Uruguay, while German Thoma Mueller won the Golden Boot. Mueller was also awarded as the best young player. The winner of Golden Gloves for best goal keeping in the world cup 2010 is Spanish captain Iker Casillas. Dutch player Wesley Sneijder, Uruguay’s Diego Forlan,Spain’s David Villa and Thomas Mueller all of them scored 5 goals in the tournament. But only Mueller and Diego Forlan were able to make into the list of award winners. The champion spain got the FIFA award for Fair

Rhea Kapoor is the next star daughter to join the industry. Unlike her elder sister Sonam Kapoor who is an established actor she is going to work behind the scene. Rhea is currently the youngest movie producer in the industry. She is the producer of hindi movie ‘Aisha’ which has her sibling Sonam as the lead character opposite Abhay Deol. Aisha is based on the English novel Emma which was written by Jane Austen in the first half of 19th Century. It is definitely going to be a tough call for a rookie producer to don the hats for a movie which is going to be measured on the basis of several yardsticks. Critics are definitely going to draw comparison of Aisha with Hollywood movies and western serials which were based on the characters of Emma. Don’t forget that Rhea has to prove her mettle at home as well which boasts of famous names like Anil Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor.

Zee Cine Awards is going to come back this year. Last year this award ceremony was not organized because of recession. However, the signs of economic revival is obvious everywhere and the booming economy of India has definitely made a positive impact on Indian Movie and Entertainment industry. This year the award ceremony is expected to take place in the first week of September. It can be real treat to watch and compare it with other award ceremonies which have grown bigger this year.

It’s been an all-new MSN experience for users in India for the past fortnight. Besides navigating through a neatened homepage, they can now sign in to Facebook and Twitter and get th eir friends’ feeds without leaving MSN. They can also check what’s on TV for seven channels from the time they log on. According to Sanjay Trehan, head of MSN India, change has been on the cards for the past two years and the US version went live six months ago. “As opposed to MSN.com users in America, who can be called 'information seekers', our research showed that our Indian market segment is largely comprised of ‘connected socialisers’. That’s why Orkut and Facebook are growing so dramatically in India,” he said.  For advertisers, while innovative online advertising solutions are on the agenda, the bestselling spots – 728x90, and 300x250 on the right - along with online video will still be available. Trehan said, “We also offer contextually relevant sponsored links o

McCann Worldgroup has created a campaign for the Alchemist chain of hospitals. The new campaign is in line with the brand's ambition to build a national footprint, and position the chain of hospitals as one targeted at the mass end of the market. The ad opens on a group of children playing in their village. They encounter the village joker who everyone associates with a certain hop and skip dance routine, whenever they see him. The man is deaf and dumb. This time too, they repeat the little dance, laughing at him as they do so. The village joker seems bewildered and resigned at the same time. Watching this little exchange is a small girl, who doesn't understand the significance of the little routine she has just witnessed. She questions her family about the joker's mannersims and why he dances the way he does. She does not get a satisfactory answer. After this incident, she keeps a close watch on the man, observing his every mannerism and actions. T

Mudra West has created a new campaign for The Power of Ideas, an entrepreneurial initiative by The Economic Times. The Power of Ideas is now into its second year after it was launched in 2009. The campaign is targetted towards "every individual who has an entrepreneur side to him". The Power of Ideas is a program where The Economic Times calls on individuals to present their business ideas. Commenting on the new campaign, Bobby Pawar, chief creative officer, Mudra Group, said, “This is not just a campaign; it is a rallying cry to entrepreneurs everywhere. It speaks to their restless spirit. It recognizes and celebrates their angst, audacity and bullheadedness. The idea manifests itself seamlessly across various platforms from print, TV, outdoor, guerilla, web banners, micro-site, social media, virals etc.” Neeti Chopra, brand director, The Economic Times & ET Now, added, “The Economic Times Power of Ideas Program is an initiative that provides

It isn’t enough to just shave and brush; men have to take care of their faces as well. So says Shahid Kapoor in a recent commercial for Vaseline Men, and, in case the guys aren’t convinced, the brand plans to persuade them through Facebook too. Through a new app, fans can upload their photos, clear their skins of dark spots and lighten their skin tone, and then create avatars that can be dressed up for different occasions. The wall on the profile page of the brand also has posts that offer suggestions such as “If you want your skin to stay acne free, then avoid excess sugar” and “Upgrade your shave. Even if all the threads are gold, unkempt beard can be an instant attraction killer. Achieve that perfect shave by adding a shave brush & old-fashioned double-edged razor.” Check out the app here

The Aditya Birla Group has recently unveiled a refreshed logo and brand architecture, that will be used across all its companies. Preeti Vyas, chairwoman of Vyas Giannetti Creative, said of the change, “It is in many ways a historic moment for us, as Aditya Birla Group has been our first and continuing client for over an decade. The initial branding and group architecture served the Group surpassingly, but to keep pace with its growing brand equity, it was of immense importance for VGC to be asked for an identity refresh.” Stating that the brand refreshment is more a case of evolution, rather than reinvention, the new design language is inspired from the rays of the sun drawn from the original logo symbol. According to a note on the Vyas Giannetti website, "The fundamentals of the logo design were very sound. We have added enhanced vibrancy using colors and bold typography, complimented with a robust visual language and architecture. However this small

Wynn Telecom has signed on Saif Ali Khan and Bipasha Basu as its brand ambassadors. The duo can be seen in two new TVCs, that depict activities they indulge in during the course of a day in their lives, and relates them to product benefits of the phones - such as hitting the gym (which is connected to the long-lasting battery life of the phone) and attending a function (which talks about how the stars love to stay connected to their fans and friends through social networking). The TVCs have been created by Dentsu and produced by MAD Films Productions. Wynn Telecom is a part of the Rs 2,500 crore SAR Group, which also has other companies like Luminous Power Technologies, Luminous Teleinfra, Luminous Engineering and Lectrix Motors in its stable. WATCH TVCs here "Long lasting battery"

Network18 Group and Sun Network have announced a strategic alliance to launch what is said to be one of India’s biggest distribution entities, called Sun18. This alliance marks the entry of Network18 Group into the Indian television distribution space. As part of the agreement, Sun18 will distribute a total of 33 channels provided by Network18, Viacom18, Sun Network and Disney India Network via all networks including cable, DTH, IPTV, HITS and MMDS. The option to aggregate third party channels is also one of the opportunities the venture will seek to explore. As part of the strategic alliance, the business will operate through two new companies that are being formed – Sun18 Media Services North Co. (operated by Network18) and Sun18 Media Services South Co. (operated by Sun Network). Sun18 North will be headed by Haresh Chawla (Group chief executive officer - Network18 and Viacom18) as its chief executive officer and director. Rajesh Kamat (Group chief operati

Rediffusion Y&R has conceptualised a new campaign for Tata Ace. The campaign currently consists of three TVCs, all directed by Ram Subramaniam from Nirvana Films. The three TVCs feature a foreigner taking part in a quiz in three villages - Pehelgaon, Malipet and Lalitpur. Three different questions related to Tata Ace are put across to the contestants in each TVC, with all three of them giving the wrong answer even after they receive several clues. The host is then shown saying that some people may never understand, but the people who understand their business know that Tata Ace is the best car for them. Commenting on the campaign, Neville Medhora, Rediffusion Y&R, said, "Since Tata Ace is widely recognised across the country, we decided that the only people who wouldn’t know that the Ace is best in class would have to be someone out of the Indian context. Hence foreigners were used as contestants, which also added to the humour in the fil