Jae - The Informative

India awaits vote count

2009-05-15T18:12:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI: India, the world’s largest democracy, was set to count on Saturday millions of votes cast in Lok Sabha elections even as leading political parties continued to hunt for new allies to make up the numbers in a fractured parliament.

While both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) voiced confidence that they would be the single largest group in the 545-seat Lok Sabha, their strategists began contacting smaller and regional parties that are expected to play a key role in government formation.

Exit polls and projections at the end of staggered five-phase polling Wednesday showed that the Congress could get 145-160 seats in the hung Lok Sabha and be the single largest party, followed by the BJP’s range of 135-157. They said the UPA could bag 185-205 seats and NDA 165-208 seats.

With the Third Front tipped to score around 100 seats, a new government would become near impossible unless two formations gang up or key sections of one alliance decide to prop up another coalition.

The BJP immediately scrambled to assert that Nitish Kumar was still with the NDA while the Congress pointed out that it had given substantial funds to the eastern state.

With the NDA bagging the TRS and eyeing the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, the Congress opened secret channels with AIADMK-ally PMK and actor-politician Chiranjeevi in Andhra Pradesh besides Orissa’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which only months ago divorced the BJP after 11 long years.

Political sources said the hunt for numbers that lead to the majority mark of 272 would continue through the night. “This will accelerate once the results are known tomorrow,” a Congress leader said. “If one party or alliance crosses the 200-seat mark then that party or alliance will be in the driver’s seat.”

Officials meanwhile said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would resign on Sunday in line with constitutional provisions but remain in office until a new government is formed.

Prakash Raj to play LTTE chief Prabhakaran

2009-05-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

BANGALORE: Multilingual actor Prakash Raj says he has been offered the role of LTTE chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran in a Tamil film and that he will be doing it.

“I would like to perform the role according to the dictates of the script and requirement of the director. I will not do any homework or prepare for this role in details as I think spontaneity will provide better results than anything,” said the actor at an interactive session organised by the Karnataka Film Journalists Association.

“Acting career is like a journey to me. Acting has been a process of learning to me. You learn many things while interacting with many people. I think any actor will gain confidence and maturity with experience. Working with different directors and the best of the actors make you determined to give the best shot,” he said.

Prakash Raj also worked with Bollywood megastar Amithabh Bachchan in two Hindi films - “Khakee” and “Zamanat“ and is all praise for him.

“He is truly a legend. He is extremely patient. He used to call me ‘Kalaakar’ and I enjoyed working with him. Despite his stature, he doesn’t question the decision of a director. I saw him agreeing for the eighth take for director Raj Kumar Santhoshi while shooting for ‘Khakee‘. I was really impressed with his professionalism,” he said.

The actor also produces films in Tamil and is known for making quality films like recently released and much appreciated “Abhiyum Naanun“.

His film “Mozhi“ won many awards and was also a box office success. “I have made ten Tamil films so far. I would like to take up projects which have a good story. I want to encourage younger talents who want to prove their mettle with their stronger scripts with novelty elements. I’m happy that young directors like Priya, Guhan and Radha Mohan are established names today,” said Prakash Raj.

IPL 2009 Schedule

2009-04-17T03:04:00.000-07:00

Indian Premier League is all set to commence on April 18 at South Africa. The second season of IPL is ready to entertain us. IPL is played in a entertaining T20 format which is adored by all the cricket lovers.The teams to participate in IPL are : Chennai Super Kings, Kolkatta Knight Riders, Bangalore Royal Challengers, Hyderabad Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Dare Devils, Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab. Get Ready for the exciting tournament. IPL rocks!!!

IPL Matches Schedule 2009

Date Matches
Apr 18 Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings - Cape Town
Apr 18 Rajasthan Royals vs Bangalore Royal Challengers - Cape Town

Apr 19 Delhi Daredevils vs Kings XI Punjab - Cape Town
Apr 19 Deccan Chargers vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Cape Town

Apr 20 Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers - Port Elizabeth

Apr 21 Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Durban
Apr 21 Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians - Durban

Apr 22 Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Deccan Chargers - Cape Town

Apr 23 Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Daredevils - Durban
Apr 23 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals - Cape Town

Apr 24 Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Kings XI Punjab - Durban

Apr 25 Mumbai Indians vs Deccan Chargers - Durban
Apr 25 Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Cape Town

Apr 26 Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Delhi Daredevils - Port Elizabeth
Apr 26 Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals - Cape Town

Apr 27 Deccan Chargers vs Chennai Super Kings - Durban
Apr 27 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians - Port Elizabeth

Apr 28 Delhi Daredevils vs Rajasthan Royals - Pretoria

Apr 29 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers - Durban
Apr 29 Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians - Durban

Apr 30 Deccan Chargers vs Delhi Daredevils - Pretoria
Apr 30 Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings - Pretoria

May 1 Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders - East London
May 1 Kings XI Punjab vs Bangalore Royal Challengers - Durban

May 2 Deccan Chargers vs Rajasthan Royals - Port Elizabeth
May 2 Delhi Daredevils vs Chennai Super Kings - Johannesburg

May 3 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab - Port Elizabeth
May 3 Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Mumbai Indians - Johannesburg

May 4 Chennai Super Kings vs Deccan Chargers - East London

May 5 Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab - Durban
May 5 Delhi Daredevils vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Durban

May 6 Deccan Chargers vs Mumbai Indians - Pretoria

May 7 Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Rajasthan Royals - Pretoria
May 7 Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings - Pretoria

May 8 Delhi Daredevils vs Mumbai Indians - East London

May 9 Deccan Chargers vs Kings XI Punjab - Kimberley
May 9 Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals - Kimberley

May 10 Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers - Port Elizabeth
May 10 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Daredevils - Johannesburg

May 11 Rajasthan Royals vs Deccan Chargers - Kimberley

May 12 Royal Challengers vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Pretoria
May 12 Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab - Pretoria

May 13 Delhi Daredevils vs Deccan Chargers - Durban

May 14 Royal Challengers vs Chennai Super Kings - Durban
May 14 Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals - Durban

May 15 Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Daredevils - Bloemfontein

May 16 Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians - Port Elizabeth
May 16 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Deccan Chargers - Johannesburg

May 17 Kings XI Punjab vs Deccan Chargers - Johannesburg
May 17 Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Daredevils - Bloemfontein

May 18 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings- Pretoria

May 19 Delhi Daredevils vs Royal Challengers - Johannesburg

May 20 Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Durban
May 20 Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab - Durban

May 21 Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Daredevils - Pretoria
May 21 Deccan Chargers vs Royal Challengers - Pretoria

May 22 Semi Final 1 - Pretoria
May 23 Semi Final 2 - Johannesburg

May 24 FINAL - Johannesburg

Ayan Slideshow

2009-04-10T20:25:00.000-07:00


Ayan: Surya, Tamanna	Jae

Ayan,one of the most expected kollywood film starred by surya has hit the big screens. Touted to be a love story, the movie is also likely to escape the censor scissors largely untouched.

Directed by K.V. Anand, whose earlier directorial credit includes Kana Kandein. Ayan has Surya paired up with Tamannah. Anand recently turned to direction leaving his decade-old career as a successful cinematographer. Surya seems to have retained his six-packs in Ayan that he had earlier acquired for Vaaranam Aayiram.The music Scored by one of the leading music directors of the south, Harris Jayaraj, the album has five sound tracks, which is already topping the charts.

The entire crew has did a terrific job and it is widely expected that this film will be a sure shot hit for this year. This film by all means will be a great entertainer for the whole mass of the south India. Let’s convey our best wishes to this film “Ayan” for its successful run.

Frustrated Actor Vijay - Shouts at the Press Meet During Villu Flicks

2009-04-05T03:04:00.000-07:00

Is Vijay frustrated about the villu Flick?

Vijay had been visited many theatres around Tamilnadu’s various districts for “Villu” movie at that time a media people asked about Villu’s failure “actor himself lost all his control and shouted unknown persons in the press meet.

Video is available down

Click here for more

Now he left all behind..now started Vettaikkaran. Vijay’s intro song in Vettaikkaran is currently shooting in Rajamundry. The shooting is expected to end on March 18th, after which the crew will move to Chennai to film some talkie portions.The intro song is being shot in a magnificent set built by Milan at a cost of several lakhs of rupees.
Babu Sivan stated that all the other songs will be shot in foreign locales. He further added that Vijay will don four different getups in a song!

Anushka, the leading lady, plays the role of a software engineer. And this young lady is going to be quite an attraction in the movie, says Babu Sivan.

Fans and Mass Audiences waiting for the movie Vettaikkaran to deliver big hit..

Arundhati Anuksha's success

2009-04-02T23:01:00.000-07:00

Anushka, the dusky damsel of Tollywood has got much of fame and is flying high with this movie Arundhati’s success. She’s made a great career for herself and it looks like she’s here to stay. Her film, Billa, with Prabhas is ready for release on Thursday.

In Billa she is likely to wear two piece bikini as Nayanthara.

The movie is a remake of Billa Tamil version. Actress has agreed the offer in Telugu version of Billa but reportedly she charged Rs 1 crore as remuneration. Actress Anushka will be the second highest paid actress in following Illeana, sources said. She is now flooded with roles.

Arundhati

She’s the sexy gal is competitor to Nayan. This is because of Anushka’s act in the Telugu version of Billa playing Nayan’s role . But in Arundhati, releasing on March 20 in its Tamil dubbed version (from the original Telugu), Anushka is playing quite a different character, vastly at variance with her glam image.

Launched in Tamil by Sri Thenandal Films and Prasad Reddy, the film also stars Sonu Sood and Manorama in important roles. However it’s the heroine who is the centre of attraction despite playing a non glam role. The story is a thriller, based on a re-birth theme with black magic galore and the curse of a kula deivam thrown in.

For Anushka, the film played a vital role in boosting her image in the Telugu industry, with the film reportedly grossing over 70 crores, breaching all records.

In Tamil, the gal has Rendu to her credit and will soon be seen in a spate of Tamil films with producers eager to sign her up now. Lets see if Arundhati will prove lucky for her in the Tamil version as well.

My Convecation Day

2009-04-01T10:29:00.000-07:00

My Convocation Day…the day I dreamt about.

On morning march 2nd 2009, I went with my parents in car to college at 9.30 am…may be we are the last one to come to college as usual…The function started at 10 am… we went to the office and picked up the robe and seated on the stage…

After 10 am chief guest SHRI. E.V.K.S. ELANGOVAN, Minister of State - Commerce & Industry-Government of India, arrived.

After the prayer, the welcome speech was given and chief guest addressed the function it was very nice speech…

After that, they distributed our degree. They called us by our name one by one … it was a nice experience after four years of enjoyable days. They remembered that we are now a responsible citizen of India…

After the distribution of our degree we took our pledge …

Next is our photo session…

We all waited for the function to finish, after that we went to our class to take photo. It was a nice memory…we all were back in our class and had a fun…we had nice memories of our college days…

then we took some photos… So many photos are taken in seconds. Within 10 mins we would have taken more than 100 photos…

After few hours function was over… all tends to return back ….

It was a nice day to be remember…

Aarupadai Widget

2009-03-22T19:51:00.000-07:00


Powered by: Chakpak.com	Aarupadai

Nano set for roll-out on Monday - Tommorow

2009-03-22T02:45:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI: The Nano, touted as the world's cheapest car, will finally be launched from here Monday.The Tata group, India's largest industrial house, is all set for the commercial roll-out of the small-car that hit the global headlines last year, both after its unveiling at the Auto Show in New Delhi and then becoming the centrepiece of a political controversy over the location of its plant at Singur in West Bengal.

The $62.5 billion group finally had to shift its factory to Sanand in Gujarat after cascading politically-motivated protests over land acquisition from farmers raised questions over the company's ability to stick to its launch deadline, informally set for October 2008.

Showcasing its prototype last year, Tata Motors had announced that it will cost all of Rs.100,000 ($2,000) at factory gates - the lowest cost for any car so far. The group has said the booking process and specific details on the retail price will be announced Monday afternoon.

Tata Motors hope to start from the second week of April advance bookings for the 624-cc jellybean car, which has a snub nose, a sloping roof and just about room for five to squeeze in.

Company officials said arrangements were being made to accept bookings with the existing dealers of Tata Motors, at Westside apparel chain and Croma appliances stores promoted by the group, and select branches of the State Bank of India.

Touted as the next revolution in automobiles after the legendary Model T, The Nano will be available in three variants - standard, deluxe and luxury. The base model will have no air-conditioning.

The four-door, five-seat car has a small 33-bhp engine at the rear and is targeted at the strong Indian middle class population that aspires to trade its two-wheelers for a much safer vehicle at an affordable cost.

With a length of 3.1 metres, a width of 1.5 metres and a height of 1.6 metres, Nano also has adequate ground clearance and can effortlessly manoeuvre on busy roads in cities as well as in rural areas.

"Let me announce today that the dealer price for the car will be Rs.100,000 only," Ratan Tata, chairman of the group, had said last year, standing in front of the automobile he had promised to deliver four years ago, taking the project as a personal challenge.

"A promise is a promise," Tata had said, seeking to drive home the point he will deliver the car at the same price as he had set four years ago, despite major escalations in input costs.

IBM, Sun deal could trigger antitrust scrutiny

2009-03-21T02:56:00.000-07:00

BOSTON/WASHINGTON: The prospect of staid IBM merging with brilliant but troubled Sun Microsystems could spark a bout of antitrust scrutiny in the United States and abroad as customers and suppliers raise concerns about competition.

The merger would give the combined company 65 percent of the $17 billion Unix server market, according to market researcher IDC. These are the big servers that major companies, the government and others rely on for their most critical operations, according to IDC. International Business Machines Corp and Sun Microsystems Inc were the top two players in 2008, with 37 percent and 28 percent of the market, respectively. Hewlett-Packard Co was third, with 27 percent.

While Sun and IBM's machines run incompatible versions of the powerful Unix operating system, IBM is likely to persuade developers to write new software for its machines, said IDC analyst Matt Eastwood. As more programs become available for IBM's Unix fleet, businesses might be persuaded to chose those servers over HP's systems, Eastwood said.

"You will have IBM so dominant that over time that it would be easier to squeeze HP, just by sheer presence," Eastwood said, adding he expected both the United States and Europe to scrutinize the transaction. IBM and Sun have declined to comment on the deal, but the Wall Street Journal said IBM was offering between $10 and $11 a share, double Sun's closing price of $4.97 on Tuesday, or over $6.5 billion. High end storage is another area where IBM and Sun dominate.

One business that may come under scrutiny is Sun's StorageTek unit, which provides tape storage for mainframe computers, said Charles King, an analyst with technology research firm Pund-IT. Sun bought StorageTek in 2005 for about $4 billion, with the result that, together, IBM and Sun control the vast majority of that market, he said.

Ed Black, head of trade group Computer and Communications Industry Association said members were concerned. "There are numerous companies in the industry that are worried about this consolidation, from storage to servers," he said. "Clearly, the withdrawal of a major competitor in those markets means they would have much less choice."

Black also argued that both IBM and Sun were critical to innovation in "cloud computing" -- where a consumer stores information on the web rather than on a desktop. "That's a growing area. That's a big area. It is not an area that you want dominated by a couple of companies," he said. Andrew Chin, who teaches antitrust law at the University of North Carolina, argued that Clinton era regulators had challenged deals on the grounds innovation would be lost.

"Another potentially problematic aspect is that innovation will come from one source rather than two," he added. "Monolithic servers are giving way in the big think of service oriented server architectures to this idea of cloud computing. IBM and Sun are both trying to innovate their way into that."

Evan Stewart, an antitrust expert with Zuckerman Spaeder LLP, forecast antitrust regulators worldwide would approve the deal. "They're (U.S. regulators) going to be thinking about how's IBM going to leverage this into new products that we can't even identify right now," he said.

"IBM is a very significant presence there (in China and Japan) and is viewed as a good corporate citizen. "In Brussels, the issue is what's the impact that this is going to have on competitors. They're going to be less receptive to it. Are they going to ultimately say no to it? I find that hard to believe," he added.

William Lefkowitz, options strategist at brokerage firm Finance Investments in New York, said some options traders are buying puts on the assumption regulators would kill IBM's pursuit of Sun. "There is some concern that IBM might have some antitrust problems in attempting to acquire Sun," he said. "If that occurs, Sun Micro could go all the way back down toward $4 a share and these investors will make a killing."

Ayan to Release on April 3

2009-03-19T01:01:00.000-07:00

Ayan, one of the most expected kollywood film starred by surya is expected to hit the big screens by the first week of april. It seems like the release date for Surya’s Ayan is drawing closer. The latest buzz is that the movie will be released on Friday, April 3rd. To enable its release on the decided date, Ayan will go through the censor scissors very soon. Touted to be a love story, the movie is also likely to escape the censor scissors largely untouched.

Sarvam looks better than Billa

2009-03-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

Director Vishnuvardhan is clearly excited. And the reason is not far to see. He is waiting for his next film 'Sarvam' to release. His eager anticipation and childlike enthusiasm seem quite obvious. No wonder then that he has advanced the date of release from April to end March. "I am nervous and excited. The film is ready and I am just waiting eagerly for the audience reaction to it," says Vishnu.

He is all praise for his lead pair Arya and Trisha. "Their chemistry is so fresh and amazing on screen. Arya is looking really handsome and toned and they make a wonderful pair. Trisha’s innocent smile is what caught my attention when casting her. She will be seen in a completely new light in the film," he avers.

The film has a total of five characters and also stars JD Chakravarthy and Indrajith, brother of Prithviraj. How did he manage this casting coup? "I felt JD was just right for the role and when I phoned him he was very excited. I went across to Hyderabad to meet him and explain it greater detail. He was wonderstruck and asked me,'Do you really want to do this film?' and he agreed immediately because the entire story and his role impressed him a lot."

"Sarvam is visually more exciting than Billa,” avers Vishnu. “Though my team is the same since I am comfortable working with them and getting the best out of them, our vision for Sarvam is different. It’s more colourful in the first half. But in the second half shot in Munnar, it gets rainy, misty and completely green and dark, adding to the beauty and also the fear factor," says Vishnu.

Citigroup profitable in first two months of 2009

2009-03-11T01:46:00.001-07:00

NEW YORK/LONDON: Citigroup Inc was profitable in the first two months of 2009 and is confident about its capital strength, Chief Executive Vikram Pandit said, easing concerns about the bank's survival prospects and sending its shares up 38.1 percent.

"I am most encouraged with the strength of our business so far in 2009," Pandit wrote in a memo to staff on Monday. "We are profitable through the first two months of 2009 and are having our best quarter-to-date performance since the third quarter of 2007."

Citigroup earned $2.2 billion in the July-September period in 2007, the last quarter it made money. Analysts, on average, expect it to post losses through September. Pandit became chief executive in December 2007.

"You can't say the first two months were the best since 2007, and then blame March later," said Ralph Cole, who helps invest $2 billion at Ferguson, Wellman Capital Management in Portland, Oregon. "Pandit is putting his own credibility on the line. This absolutely raises the bar.

"Citigroup shares closed up 40 cents at $1.45, the biggest one-day percentage gain since Nov. 24. Pandit's forecast sparked a rally in U.S. stocks, with the Dow Jones industrial average rising 5.8 percent and the Standard & Poor's 500 jumping 6.4 percent.

Among other banks that face many of the same market pressures as Citigroup, Bank of America Corp and JPMorgan Chase & Co rose 28 percent and 22.6 percent, respectively. The KBW Bank Index gained 15.6 percent.

India win a tight third ODI against New Zealand

2009-03-08T18:28:00.000-07:00

NEW ZEALAND: A very hectic last few overs saw New Zealand run India close in their chase of a massive 393 to win in the third ODI of their ongoing series, at the AMI stadium in Christ Church, which India won by 58 balls.

Sachin Tendulkar was voted Man of the Match for his unbeaten 163.

Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar smashed his 43rd one-day century as India piled up a mammoth 392 for four against New Zealand in the third ODI at the AMI Stadium here Sunday.

Indian batsmen, specially Tendulkar, who scored a classy 163 before being retired hurt, and Yuvraj Singh (87) took advantage of the short boundaries and spanked the New Zealand bowlers to all parts of the ground. Tendulkar, during his 133-ball inning, hit five sixes and sixteen fours while Yuvraj changed the complexion of the game with his breezy 60-ball inning that was studded with six sixes and ten boundaries.

Tendulkar and Yuvraj shared a 138-run stand for the third wicket. The 35-year-old former captain also had a 135-run stand with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (68) to help India post their highest one day score against New Zealand.

It was also the highest one-day score by any side in New Zealand, surpassing the 350 for nine the home side scored against Australia in Hamilton in February 2007.

The batting maestro finally retired hurt after he pulled a stomach muscle.New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori missed the game to attend the birth of his first child in Auckland.

Green tea may help keep teeth healthy

2009-03-07T20:11:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON: What ancient Chinese and Japanese believed about green tea's health giving properties is being borne out by ongoing scientific studies, especially in weight loss, heart health, and cancer cancer prevention. Researchers also found that routine intake of green tea may also help promote healthy teeth and gums, after analysing the periodontal health of 940 men.

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth, and has been associated with the progression of other diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

"It has been long speculated that green tea possesses a host of health benefits," said study author Yoshihiro Shimazaki of Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan."And since many of us enjoy green tea on a regular basis, my colleagues and I were eager to investigate the impact of green tea consumption on periodontal health, especially considering the escalating emphasis on the connection between periodontal health and overall health.

"Male participants aged 49 through 59 were examined on three indicators of periodontal disease: periodontal pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL) of gum tissue, and bleeding on probing (BOP) of the gum tissue.Researchers observed that for every one cup of green tea consumed per day, there was a decrease in all three indicators, therefore signifying a lower instance of periodontal disease in those subjects who regularly drank green tea, said a Kyushu release.

Green tea's ability to help reduce symptoms of periodontal disease may be due to the presence of the antioxidant catechin.These findings were published in Periodontology, the official publication of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP).

Turner, Warner Bros to launch new TV channels in India

2009-03-05T09:08:00.000-08:00

NEW DELHI: Turner International, a unit of Time Warner Inc, will launch a new entertainment channel in India along with Warner Bros, but sees lower revenue growth in its top Asian market due to a slowing economy.

The new channel, called WB, goes live on March 15 and will show Hollywood movies and television series.

Steve Marcopoto, president of Turner's Asia-Pacific unit, said the company expected "strong single-digit" expansion in revenue from the Indian market in 2009, compared with "high teens" recorded last year, as firms cut advertising budgets.

He said Turner's performance in other regional markets could be even worse, with some flat or contracting.

"In some markets, they say flat is the new up," Marcopoto said. "We are also happy to say that India is proving to be one of the more resilient economies."India is Turner's top market in the Asia-Pacific region, where it operates Cartoon Network, Pogo kids' channel, HBO and recently launched a Hindi entertainment channel, REAL, in partnership with an Indian firm.

It also collaborates with Indian firm Global Broadcast News Ltd in the CNN-IBN news channel, and has a minority stake in Indian production firm Miditech Pvt Ltd for regional-language general entertainment channels.

Danny Boyle asked to direct next Bond film

2009-03-03T17:19:00.000-08:00

LONDON: Danny Boyle, Oscar winning director of "Slumdog Millionaire", has been asked to direct the next James Bond film.

Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has asked Boyle to direct the 23rd Bond film, reports thesun.co.uk. The other producer Callum McDougal is Boyle's friend and has served as a producer of Boyle's 2002 film "The Beach".

A source said: "Danny is the man of the moment and he is being bombarded with offers from studios. He has been offered the chance to direct the 23rd Bond film by Barbara. The team love his vision and think that it would work perfectly for the new look of Bond. Danny has always insisted he is more interested in the film than the money.

"With Daniel Craig's involvement and the way the films are now structured - with the emphasis on the characters and plot rather than gags and gadgets - it is right up Danny's street. Everyone on the team thinks Danny would be a fantastic addition to the Bond family."

Holmes is on diet to conceive

2009-03-01T19:31:00.000-08:00

LONDON: Actress Katie Holmes did not attend the recent Academy Awards as she is on a strange diet to prepare for conceiving the second child.

The 30-year-old Holmes is going through a strange and rigorous detox diet and has supposedly become a fan of the diet which consists of having herbal drinks and a purification procedure to get rid of the toxic substances.

A source said: "Katie has almost rid her body of toxins but sometimes it makes her lethargic. Tom (husband Tom Cruise) is encouraging her to stick to the diet because they are hoping to conceive baby number two.

"Holmes and Cruise surprised everyone as they did not attend the Oscar ceremony.

Nano launch on March 23

2009-02-28T09:20:00.000-08:00

NEW DELHI: Tata Motors today said it will launch 'Nano', touted as the world's cheapest family car, on March 23 in Mumbai and bookings will start from April this year. The car was unveiled at the auto expo in Delhi in January 2008 and a function on March 23 would mark the car's commercial launch. "The cars will be on display at Tata Motors dealerships from the first week of April 2009.

Bookings will commence from the second week of April 2009," the company said in a statement. The company said that the booking process and other details of the Rs one lakh car would be announced on the day of launch.

"Tata Motors is making arrangements for the widest possible network to book the car, so that prospective customers can conveniently avail of booking facilities at their locations, across the length and breadth of India," the statement said. The company had also displayed the Nano at the Geneva Motor Show last year and had triggered competition, including Nissan-Renault, to announce plans for building low-cost family cars. The economic crisis has, however, forced them to put the plans on hold.

Anna University satellite launch by April 15

2009-02-27T00:36:00.000-08:00

CHENNAI: ANUSAT, the micro satellite developed by Anna University, Chennai, will be launched before April 15 this year at Sriharikota. The Rs 6.5 crore project that has been sponsored by the Indian Space Research Organisation is currently under observation at the Indian Satellite Application Centre in Bangalore.

Announcing this on Thursday, Vice- Chancellor P Mannar Jawahar said nearly after five years, the project had been completed successfully by the Madras Institute of Technology. This is the first satellite in the country developed by a university.

Dr A Joseph Stanley, dean, Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), said the team including 10 faculty members and 10 students from aerospace engineering department had worked through various changes including the retirement of project director. The idea was first mooted by the former vice-chancellor of Anna University R M Vasagam, in order to provide students a deeper insight into aerospace engineering.

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur are also in the process of developing micro satellites.

What's changing through Windows 7 beta

2009-02-25T04:02:00.000-08:00

As I noted Wednesday, Microsoft isn't making huge changes to Windows7 as a result of the beta feedback, but it is making a lot of little ones.

In a posting to its Engineering Windows 7 blog on Thursday, Microsoft outlined some of the changes that will be made for the next public version, which will be a near-final "release candidate" build.

Along with the ones mentioned in my previous article, Microsoft is making more than 30 other changes, including expanding its Aero Peek touch interface, adding broader support for older FAT32-formatted hard drives, and making it more apparent when a window in the background wants a user's attention.

In addition and as it had already committed to, Microsoft is making some changes to the User Account Control feature, following concern that efforts to make the feature less annoying had also made it less secure.

"We change a lot of things in the beta based on feedback and we try to do so in a systematic manner with the focus on the goals for the release," Windows engineering head Steven Sinofsky said in the blog posting. "The goal of having a fully functional beta was to make sure we received reliable feedback and not a lot of 'hey this doesn't work at all' sorts of reports. This has allowed us to really focus on delivering a refined (release candidate) where the changes we made are all the reflection of feedback we have received."

AR Rahmann Creates History by winning 2 Oscars

2009-02-23T18:46:00.000-08:00

Indian music maestro A.R. Rahman has won two oscars for Original music score and for Original music song. It’s not only his dream that has turned into reality at the 81st annual Academy Awards, it’s a milestone for Bollywood too.

It’s a tremendous achievement both for Rehmann and Bollywood.The whole of Bollywood celebrated as Rahman bagged the Oscars for best original score in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and its theme song ‘Jai Ho’. This amazing music director has created a history that would be remembered by all of us for ages to come.

Before this, only two Indians have won the Oscar in its 80 year history - Satyajit Ray was given the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in 1992 and Bhanu Athaiya won the best costume design Oscar along with John Mollo for the 1982 film ‘Gandhi.’

Rahman, the first Indian musician to win the annual Academy Award, was listed for three of the film’s ten Oscar nominations - one for his original score and two others for songs composed by him, ‘O Saya’ and ‘Jai Ho’.

The international recognition that Rahman has earned for himself makes every Indian proud. He deserves it more than anybody else for his wholehearted dedication to music. It’s a rare honour. It’s high time for all of us to congratulate the Music Maestro AR Rehmann for all his passion towards music that has made the whole of India proud.

Endhiran Stills leak out - THE LATEST

2009-02-21T20:55:00.000-08:00

The buzz can't stop resting with the superstar starrer 'Endhiran'. The latest being the release of his Robo look is really different than any...

Kamal confirms 'A Wednesday' remake

2009-02-20T19:33:00.000-08:00

It is official. The speculation over the remake of A Wednesday is over. Kamal Hassan himself has confirmed that he is doing the remake of A Wednesday in Tamil. He also informed that he is playing the role enacted by Naseeruddin Shah. The shooting will commence soon and that the film will be directed by a newcomer from USA, informs Kamal.

Kamal revealed all this during his address at the FCCI 2009 on 19th Feb, Thursday at South Cinema. The actor went on expressing his views on the current state of the industry.He also talked about the problems for the entry of the corporate companies into film production. "I think there is an element of fear in Tamil cinema and in allowing the entry of corporate companies. Business of cinema must welcome everyone to come in", declared the versatile star.Kamal also strongly advocated for using the new technologies. He saw no reason for the fear about the digital technology. Ulaga Nayagan also urged the industry to recognize the video industry, which, according to him, will be very much helpful for the growth of the Cinema.

The art of saying "I m Sorry"

2009-02-14T08:07:00.000-08:00

It is said, "Love means never having to say you are sorry". However, this is not entirely true. At times, you need to say sorry after a fight, just to let your partner know that you realize your mistake. Saying sorry does not lower your self-respect. Infact, it helps in bridging the barrier created between the two of you because of a fight. You should never ever hesitate to sorry if you are at fault. However, most of the people do not know how to say sorry after a fight. And, even though they are feeling apologetic, they fail to convey the same.

Here we give you some valuable tips on the art of saying sorry after a fight.

Say sorry only when you mean it. Saying sorry after a fight just to avoid further argument does not help. This is so because deep down you still feel that you were right and your partner was wrong. The issue does not get resolved and the next time even a smallest of mistake by your partner will snowball into a major issue and all the old matters will be raised again, leaving both of you frustrated.

Do not take too much time in saying sorry. Saying sorry after a week will mean nothing. However, do take some time to think about your apology. It should not look as if you are saying sorry just for the heck of it.

While saying sorry, do not bring up old issues or do not refer to the mistakes of your partner. You are here to accept your mistakes and not to criticize.

Do not say sorry on the phone, through sms or via e-mail. It will hurt your partner even more. If you feel you have done something wrong, have the courage to say that you are sorry.

After saying sorry, wait for the reaction of your partner. Give him/her an opportunity to vent his/her feelings, hurt as well as anger. Be patient and only after he/she is through, give your explanation.

Source: everythingvalenintesday.com

46 % PREFER TO MARRY THEIR VALENTINE ON FEB 14TH

2009-02-13T07:20:00.000-08:00

BharatMatrimony, the matrimony portal conducted an on ground dip stick survey to understand youngsters’ opinion on Valentine’s Day.

The survey was conducted with 536 respondents (122 - female, 414 - Male) in the age group of 19 - 28 years. The on ground survey was conducted in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad & Bangalore. The survey was based on the following parameters.

The concept of celebrating Valentines’ day in India
69 % of the respondents feel that Valentines Day can be celebrated in India with there beloved ones.
31% feel Valentine’s Day should not be celebrated in India, as it’s not appropriate for Indian culture.

Best way to celebrate Valentine’s day
24% respondents prefer to celebrated Valentine’s day with candle light dinner
14% respondents what to propose to there partner
24% people prefer gifting each other
8 % prefer a long drive with there valentine & party
23% prefer to celebrate in their own special way.

Association of Red colour with Valentine’ s day
56% of the respondent feel the red colour symbolized love with red roses & hearts
37% feel red colour indicated that they are already engaged
7% feel red colour indicated danger, which alerts not to fall in love

Marrying their Valentine on Valentine’s day
46 % prefer to marry their Valentine on Valentine’s day
54 % don’t prefer to marry their Valentine on Valentine’s day

Message for people celebrating Valentines day
48 % respondents wish everyone to celebrate their love on Valentines day & have fun
30% wish all to celebrate Valentines Day in their own ways with out disturbing the public
6% wants all of them celebrating Valentine’ s day to be true to their Valentine
7% feel its just waste of time

India’s $10 computer ain’t a laptop

2009-02-13T01:21:00.000-08:00

You know that $10 Sakshat laptop that Indian officials unveiled yesterday? Yeah, it’s not a laptop. I’ve been reading conflicting information about this device for the past few months. Sometimes it’s supposed to cost $10, sometimes $100. And sometimes it’s called a laptop while other times it had been referred to as a portable computer, which isn’t necessarily the same thing as a laptop.
Now that the first image of the device has popped up online, the picture is becoming a bit more clear. As I predicted last week, there’s no keyboard or CPU. The box is a portable device that’s about 10 inches by 5 inches, and which can store information. You can access that info from a full fledged computer. It sounds to me like this is a glorified USB flash drive, but it’s also supposed to be able to let users connect to the computer, so I’m guessing there’s some sort of processor in there.
The price right now is being pegged at closer to $30 than $10, but the goal is to bring the cost down so that the Sakshat doesn’t cost much more than a textbook. You know, unless you also want to plug in a monitor and keyboard.

Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu

2009-02-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

All hope is not lost in Kollywood! At a time when the theatre-going audience has dwindled and a general criticism prevails that quality has taken a beating in Tamil cinema, 'Vennila Kabbadi Kuzhu' has come a whiff of fresh air.

There is no bad mouthing villains and no crass comedy or needless romantic duets. Debutant director Susindhran has consciously avoided all clichéd commercial elements, yet managed to render an engrossing entertainer. But, the movie has abundant human emotions in it.

Every character in the film but for the kabbadi coach played by Kishore is new and hence provides a fresh feel for the audience. As an inspirational coach he reminds one of a similar role played by Shahrukh Khan in 'Chak De India'. He oozes charm and elegance in the role as a kabbadi coach. A dignified portrayal by him wins the heart of the film-buffs at the first go.

The entire story unfolds in a remote village near Madurai. What begins as a soft romance between a poor young boy Marimuthu (Vishnu) and a young girl (Saranya Mohan), who comes to the village soon takes a turn. Marimuthu along with his childhood friends Ayyappan (Vairavan), Sekar (Nithish), Murthy (Sundar), Appu Kuttu (Appu Kutty) and Pandi (Pandi) yearn and crave to win a kabbadi tournament. Their Vennila Kabbadi Kuzhu is popular for they never managed to win a tournament.

They manage to find themselves by chance in a State-level tournament where they are considered to bow out in the very first round. But the bunch of young men, who share different thoughts and ideas, with the help of Souda Muthu (Kishore), a professional kabbadi coach, emerge winner. But the story doesn't end here for there are more surprises that are thrown for the audience.

The highlight of the movie is debutant music composer V Selvaganesh's (son of Ghatam exponent Vikku Vinayakaram) melodious music and background score. Especially, the pacy re-recording during the kabbadi match sets up all the momentum.

Equally appealing is the art work by G C Anandhan. An able craftsman, he has created the rural village well before our eyes. Especially, the grand décor in 'thiruvizha' scenes is amazing. The soft lens of J Laxman and crispy dialogues by Baskar Sakthi brings before our eyes the innocence that prevails in the daily life in villages.

K Anand Chakravarthy, the young producer, can walk proudly for he has rendered a movie that is entertaining from the word go, sans any glamour or double entendre.

On the whole, 'Vennila Kabbadi Kuzhu' is a movie that is different from commercial clichés ushering hope and confidence in Tamil cinema.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS VIEWED IN A FLASH

2009-01-28T20:07:00.000-08:00

A new method of examining the inner workings of plants has shed light on how they harvest the Sun's energy.

Researchers have taken laser snapshots lasting just one ten-thousandth of a billionth of a second to examine the role of electrons in energy transfer. The approach will be key in discovering how energy trickles through other systems, such as electronic devices, and could lead to better solar cells.

Ian Mercer of University College Dublin, Ireland, collaborating with researchers at Imperial College London, UK, examined the protein LH2, a well-known photosynthetic system. The protein helps to pull electrons out of water which are then used to drive the reaction that makes sugars from carbon dioxide.

Many research has been performed to assess the role of electrons in that process with a view to increasing the performance of solar cells, most of which currently operate at an efficiency around just 10%.

Colour full

What has remained unclear, though, is the degree to which electrons interact with each other or with other molecules of the machinery. A number of laser-based methods have been developed to examine that electron coupling, but they require that the delicate proteins are subject to thousands or millions of laser pulses, which can change their structure or destroy them altogether.

The new method works by splitting powerful laser pulses into three beams and crossing them in the protein samples in a specific geometry.The light that comes out gives for the first time an unambiguous picture of how the different colours - and thus energies - interact inside the protein.

"We're looking at the shape of something before the laser was even there - it's a whole new world of what you can look at."

Prabu is back with a Bang

2009-01-26T10:00:00.000-08:00

‘Ilaya Thilgam’ Prabu’s second innings is gaining momentum by the day. He made his presence felt in the film Billa, as an honest police officer with elan. After this film, offers started pouring in and Prabu has taken those assignments on his stride and proved his mettle.
His performance in the recently released film, ‘Aa Aa E Ee’, as a doting father has contributed to the success of that movi followed by a credible performance in ‘Silambattam’. At present he is acting in half a dozen movies in various character roles.
He will be very much visible in the coming months, as many of the forthcoming and much awaited movies like Kandasamy, Ayan, Malai Malai, have the former chubby hero playing important roles.
Since our beloved ‘Chinnathambi’ is busy in arranging his daughter’s marriage, he has put off signing new films for the time being.

Nayantara - Banned from Kollywood

2009-01-25T08:50:00.000-08:00

The verdict is out. Nayanthara, the top heroine of south India, has been banned by Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) and Nadigar Sangam from acting in any further Tamil movies.

The verdict was given on hearing the complaint made by the producer of 'Paiyaa' against Nayantara following the latter failing to pay back the advance amount even after backing out from the project. Sources from TFPC say that both the organizations were forced to put a ban on her for refusing to pay back producer and director Lingusamy the advance money.

Sizzling Nayantara - Gallery

The TFPC and Nadigar Sangam have said in no uncertain terms to its members, the producers, not to sign her for any future films. In their statement they have requested the producers association in other languages also to cooperate with them in not signing the actress for any further films.

Nayantara however, remained unperturbed. She has reportedly said to a journalist that it was true that she got the money and that she refused to pay it back. She says she has her own reasons for doing so and that she was not given a chance to put forth her argument before the organizations.

Apple's first Macintosh turns 25

2009-01-24T02:55:00.000-08:00

The Macintosh - the first Apple computer to bear the name - turns 25 on 24 January.

The machine debuted in 1984 and kicked off a product line that were Apple's flagship computers for many years.The Macintosh helped popularise the combination of graphical interface and mouse that is ubiquitous today.The machine was unveiled using a hugely expensive TV advert, directed by film maker Ridley Scott and shown during the US Superbowl on 22 January 1984

For more details regarding this Click here

VILLU THE MASS

2009-01-20T23:30:00.000-08:00

Villu is a mere remake of Abbas Mustan's super hit Hindi movie Soldier. So, there is no novelty in the theme and it is goes like this: 'A son seek revenge for his father's murder by a group of villains!' But what makes one watch the film almost for 3 hours is the ingredients and its right mixture by director Prabhu Deva. Pugal (Vijay) is a happy-go-lucky man. He is on a mission and works hand-in-glove with a cop, Joseph (Manoj K Jayan), who is on the lookout for an international gang led by the dreaded JD (Prakash Raj) who deals in drugs and ammunition (like in Pokkiri!).

Pugal goes to a village and meets Jhanvi (Nayantara), daughter of JD, and falls in love with her. He uses her as a tool to reach JD and his gang (Devaraj, Anand Raj, Sriman, Aditya) in Munich. He eliminates them one by one using tactics and cunningness. The rest of the film shows how he brings JD back to India and takes revenge for the murder of his father, a patriotic army
man.

The first half of the film moves fast, thanks to Vadivelu's comedy (but some times it gets boring) and Devi Sri Prasad's beautiful numbers. Especially Vadivelu's chimpanzee joke have stolen the show. Though Vijay action sequences are unbelievable, the way Prabhu Deva deliver the scenes makes them watchable. Vijay has essayed the dual role very successfully. He looks good and it is a delight to watch him, particularly in the role of the young and energetic Pugal. Prakash Raj is apt as the villain.

There is nothing special to mention about Nayanthara's role. She appears in her usual and convenient role as a glamorous heroine!. There are a few scenes, where her make up and costumes are irritate the viewers and have raised much sarcastic comments.

Prabhu Deva and his team of choreographers have provided extraordinary steps to make the songs peppy. The picturization of the songs also good. Fefsi Vijayan's action scenes are superbly choreographed as well. Once again Devi Sri Prasad proves himself as a music director for a mass masala like Villu. His numbers Nee Kobapattal Naanum, Jalsa Jalsa, and Daddy Mummy... are rocking.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE NETBOOK

2009-01-19T19:51:00.000-08:00

It's getting harder to tell the difference between a Netbook and a notebook.Except when you look at the bottom line of the companies making them. Though initially thought of as a way to sell cheaper, less powerful companion devices to notebooks, Netbooks are beginning to lose their distinction, as evidenced by the new Netbooks unveiled at CES 2009. While it's good for consumers, the blurring of lines between the two could potentially be destroying the business models of PC manufacturers.

That lack of distinction between a Netbook and a notebook will become more clear as soon as Windows 7 arrives on the scene, likely in the next nine to 12 months. Microsoft's new operating system is Designed To Work On Netbooks and actually may provide a good experience for users on relatively low-powered devices, unlike Vista. That calls into question the value proposition of the Netbook category if the same OS is available on what are supposed to be two different kinds of machines.

For the past year, when a laptop had a screen smaller than 10 inches, an Atom processor, and cost below $400, we'd call it a Netbook. Starting from essentially zero market penetration in late 2007, by the end of last year, roughly 10 million Netbooks have shipped, according to IDC. They now account for 7 percent of all portable PCs, an extraordinary growth rate in a short time. But exactly how the category is growing is the big question mark.

"The market is multi-faceted," said Loren Loverde, PC analyst for research firm IDC. "You don't get growth along a straight trajectory, more like growth in an amoeba. It stretches out in different directions and grows and absorbs different things."

Pongal Celebration Around the World

2009-01-13T08:56:00.000-08:00

The harvest festival of Pongal is celebrated with enthusiasm by the Indians be it in India or any other country. Tamils living abroad follow their cultural values throughout their significant festival. It is great to note that even the younger generation of Tamils living abroad come forward to contribute to the development of this harvest festival. Through various contributions in celebrating Pongal, the Tamil diaspora maintains and nurtures the cultural distinctiveness.

Pongal for Tamils Abroad
Today, Pongal has become a vibrant festival with a global presence. The dispersal of Tamils around the globe is not of recent origin and at the moment there are seventy million of them spread in over fifty countries of the world. Pongal festivities means a lot for the people residing in countries other than India. The festival gives them a chance to come out with vibrant colors to perform rituals and religious ceremonies. It gives a feel of motherland and its culture. A togetherness is tried to be rooted in the Tamil diaspora by celebrating the Pongal festival at a single place, where everyone performs the Pongal rituals and share their sweet memories of India.

Tamil Diaspora
The early settlement patterns of the Tamils could be traced to the sugar cane plantations of Mauritius, Reunion in the Indian Ocean; Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean; Guyana and Suriname in South America; plantations in South Africa; Malaysia; Ceylon (Sri Lanka); and to coal mines of New Caledonia off Australia. In Indonesia and Thailand. Britain with 300,000 or more, the USA with well over 300,000, Canada with over 300,000 and Australia with over 30,000 are some of the developed countries where the Tamil diaspora is well settled, having gone on voluntary migration from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.

A Mysterious Tree in NALGONDA -- Andra Pradesh -- India

2009-01-12T01:35:00.000-08:00

At a glance you may be confused the above tree with a massive trunk with a 'Baobab' tree (which is renowned to possess the largest tree trunks of the world) but, this is yet another unknown species which is seen in the close proximity of a hermitage deep in the dense forest in 'Andra Pradesh' in India.

Now have a close look at the bark and experience the unbelievable figures of creatures engraved in the surface of the entire tree trunk!!

Absolutely real !!!

MEERA TEAMS UP WITH A NEWCOMER

2009-01-11T01:00:00.000-08:00

Meera Jasmine, the national award winner is teaming with a newcomer named Gajan for her upcoming film 'Adhinarayana'. The film is produced by S. Balaji on behalf of Box Office Pictures and is being directed by Vetrivendhan. The other heroine in the film will be Yogitha, a Bangalore-based model.

Vetrivendhan dismisses rumours that Meera was hesitant to act with a newcomer and says that Meera immediately agreed to be part of the film after he narrated the story to her. Despite being a 'senior' actress, Meera offered amazing cooperation and even encouraged the newcomer to be casual and contributed in no small measure in dispelling whatever apprehensions the newcomer might have had.

The shooting took place on the night of the new year eve, taking advantage of the huge crowd that had gathered at Anna Salai and Marina Beach . A song 'Happy New Year..' was picturised on Gajan and Yogitha on that day.

WINDOWS 7 BETA NOW AVAILABLE

2009-01-11T00:06:00.000-08:00

Microsoft has apparently decided that it has enough server capacity and has made the code available for the Windows 7 beta.

"The Windows 7 Beta is now available for download," Microsoft. "Thanks for your interest and help with the beta."

Update: Microsoft offered up some recommended specifications for the beta, but cautioned those could change for the final release. It called for a 1GHz processor (either 32-bit or 64-bit), 1GB of system memory, 16Gb of disk space, support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory, as well as a DVD burner and Internet access.

The software maker also cautioned users should have some technical skills, such as the ability to "burn an ISO file to make an install DVD. (A good example of what we mean by 'technical')." It also said folks should know how to install Windows (uh, yeah) and set up a network.
Furthermore, the company cautioned that the beta is not the quality one should expect from a final release. "It can be glitchy--so don't use a PC you need every day."

PALM UNVEILS SMARTPHONE

2009-01-09T02:39:00.000-08:00

Handheld computing veteran Palm has unveiled its Pre smartphone at CES.
The touchscreen handset runs a web-centric operating system that aims to help people organise and manage their many online contacts and identities. The device is widely seen as a competitor to rival smartphones such as the iPhone, BlackBerry, N97 and G1. The gadget will be available on the Sprint network in the US before June 2009. Palm has not said when it will debut in other nations. Palm showed off the Pre at a lavish news conference at the Venetian hotel and casino in Las Vegas.

"The opportunity is to take all of that information wherever it is and put it all in one place - in your hands"

Despite the positive reception the Pre won, Mr Colligan acknowledged that there was much more to making it a success than just making gadgets.

ENDHIRAN

2009-01-09T02:26:00.001-08:00

Endhiran - the mother of all biggies: Director K. Shankar's Endhiran, the most awaited movie of 2009, is undoubtedly the biggest ever to be made in Tamil with a whooping budget of Rs. 150 crore. The movie has become bigger with Sun Pictures has taken over the production rights of the movie. The Rajinikanth - Aishwarya rai Bachchan starrer is gearing up for the year end release.

The name Shankar is associated with big budget films, big stars and grandeur in Tamil film industry. Shankar working with superstar Rajnikanth and Aishwarya Rai for his next film 'Enthiran: The Robot' apparently had in mind many lovely locales around the world for the shooting of his latest film as well. But his ideas and imaginations have been curbed short reportedly by the producer Aingaran Films International, which is allegedly facing a major economical issue.

Recently, Shankar shot some sequences on Chennai's ECR Road and is now said to be shooting some scenes on the vast 'Joy Alukkas' building, owner by actor Prashant and his father Thyagarajan. Shankar earlier thought of shooting this particular sequence in a foreign country and has reportedly 'cut down' his creative instincts due to budgetary constraints.

PADIKATHAVAN

2009-01-09T00:40:00.000-08:00

Padikathavan is an 'agmark' Dhanush film. It has everything a Dhanush film would have. There is an overdose of comedy and Vivek in the company of Dhanush will bring the roof down with laughter.Throwing light on the story, he says,it is the story of a youth, who is bad in his academics and the problems and insults that he face in his family. Tamanna plays a aeronautics student. The encounter between them is the story. Suman plays Tamanna's father. Atul Kulkarni and Shayaji Shinde are also in the cast'. To be presented by Sun Pictures, 'Padikathavan' would have everything for people to enjoy. Manisharma's music is a major plus.
Yesterday was the release of this film music... And the songs were really Superb...