RBI Permits Dailmer AG to Set Up NBFC

Dailmer AG has been allowed by the Reserve Bank of India to set up a 100% subsidiary for its finacial services business in India.

The new subsidiary, a non-banking finance company, will be known as Dailmer Financial Services India Pvt Ltd. It is expected to commence its operations in the third quarter of the current calendar year.

Blackberry Style for CDMA Launched

Research in Motion (RIM), the Canadian manufacturer of Blackberry mobile phones, has announced the launch of Balckberry Style - a dual screen smartphone - for CDMA in India.

The phone is going to be sold in the open market without being tied up with any of the cellualr nertwork operators in a marked departure from the Company's past practice here.

Blackberry Style for CDMA is a compact flip phone. The phone has a 2-inch external screen for a quick view of notifications and a 2.7 inch internal screen; both the screens are of high resolution. Blackberry style sports a 5 MP camera with flash and offers multimedia features as well.

Maruti Suzuki's Profit Falls but Dividend Goes Up

The financial results of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd report an 8.2% fall in its profit (compared to the previous year) for the financial year 2010-11; the profits amount to Rs.2288.6 Crore.

Ajay Seth, Chief Fiancial Officer of MSIL, said: "There was a significant increase in commodity prices and foreign exchange fluctuation. The impact due to foreign exchange fluctuation is one per cent of net sales. Apart from that there were lot of new model launches, which also had cost impat."

Maruti Suzuki's royalty payments to the parent company Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, increased from Rs.1063 crore in 2009-10 to Rs.1981 crore in 2010-11, an increase of 86%.

The Company's Board of Directors has recommended a dividend of Rs.7.50 per share (the face value of each share being Rs.5/-); despite the report drop in profits this year, the proposed dividend is actually more than the dividend (Rs.6/-) during the previous year.

In the year 2010-11, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd sold more than 12.7 lakh vehicles; it represents a growth of nearly 25% over the previous year. The company exported more than 1.38 lakh units worldwide; a good 47% of the exports were to Europe.

Mr.Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing Director, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, said: "It was landmark year for the company as we crossed the one-million units mark in the domestic market. The year also saw the company recording its highest-ever total sales."

Honda Cuts Car Production in India

Honda Motor Co has announced that that production in its Indian plant would be cut by 50% from May 2011 because of a shortage of components following the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Honda's Indian plant at Noida, Delhi can produce 1,00,000 units annually.

Jnaneswar Sen, Senior Vice President, Honda Siels Cars India, has said "We are experiencing gaps in our supply chain due to the situation in Japan, resulting in production cuts. We are moving to single shift operations from may, while carefully monitoring the situation. We plan to get back to normal production as soon as supplies normalise."

Similar cuts have been announced for the production at Honda's plants in Japan.

An announcement by the company states: "The situation with parts supply in Japan remains fluid, production of component parts and vehicles at Honda plants is about 50 per cent of the original production plan. Honda will carefully monitor the siutuation and manage its operations accordingly."

Nissan India Enters Kolkata and Nagpur

Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. are opening two new dealerships in Kolkata and Nagpur - in the name of "Chandrani Nissan" and "Navnit Nissan" respectively - to expand their dealership network.

Both the showrooms will offer most of the Nissan India vehicles including Nissan Micra (Global compact hatchback), Nissan Teana (luxury sedan), Nissan X-Trail (SUV model) and Nissan 370Z (iconic sports car).

Mr.Kiminobu Tokuyama, M.D. & CEO, Nissan Motor India said, "We are delighted to bring Nissan to the customers in Nagpur and Kolkata. We are aware this is a very important phase of our journey and we stand by our commitment to provide Indian customers with a full range of products and services."

This step will help Nissan India cover more than 78% of commercial space for their brands in India. Currently Nissan has dealers in 14 states with 32 dealers across the country; they plan to have more than 100 dealers by 2013.

NissanIndiaLogo.jpg Alt="Nissan India Logo" Title="Nissan India Logo"

Nissan entered India in partnership with Hover Automotive India; through careful marketing strategy and branding, Nisson Motors India has been rapidly expanding their dealership network in the country to keep pace with the growing potential in the Indian auto market.

Speaking on the occasion , Mr. Manoj Kumar, Vice President(Operations), Hover Automotive India, said, "We are extremely happy to open two more dealerships. With the valued patronage and support of our dealer partners, we hope to create a significant presence of Brand Nissan and provide total customer satisfaction with high-quality service standards."

Prince William Marries Kate Middleton on Friday

UK is gearing up for the Royal wedding of Price William and Kate Middleton on 29 April 2011 in London.

Despite the beating that the image of the British royalty has taken in recent times, the British are said to be looking forward to lap up the grand festivities of the most awaited royal marriage of this century.

William Arthur Philip Louis or Prince William, born on 21st June 1982, is the eldest son of Prince Charles,  and Princess Diana. Prince William is the second in line of succession - after Prince Charles - to the throne of United Kingdom. At present he is working at the Royal Air Force Base on Angleseyas as co-pilot where he is involved in search and rescue pilot operations.

Price William met Kate Middleton in 2001 while studying at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. After the long courtship, they are going to tie the knot this Friday in Westminster Abbey, London. Prince Harry, his younger brother, will be the ‘Best Man’.

PriceWilliam & Kate Middleton

 

Catherine Elizabeth Middleton or Kate Middleton, born on 9 January 1982, is the eldest daughter of Carole Elizabeth and Michael Francis Middleton. She completed her graduation in the History of Art with Honours. Kate is popular for her dress sense and style; she is recognized as a ‘fashion icon’ by various magazines including People magazine and Vanity Fair.

The guest list released by Buckingham Palace includes the members from British Royal family, the Middleton family, dignitaries across the globe, members of British Parliament, political leaders, Defence functionaries, social dignitaries, representatives from various churches across UK, etc.

Along with the guests of Kate and Prince William, there will be a number of famous international figures present during the royal wedding. Royal Families from Abu Dhabi, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Oman, Morocco, Netherlands, Spain,  Thailand, and Yugoslavia will also be present at Westminster Abbey on the occasion.

The wedding would be telecast ‘Live’ and is expected to be viewed by over 2 billion people worldwide.

Indian Mobile Companies to Enter African Markets

Micromax, Lava, Spice, Zen etc are all now going fishing in African waters!

The native mobile manufacturers who have tasted no mean success by grabbibg about 20% of the mobile phone market in India despite being pitted against global giants like Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung are now raring to go scouting for sustained success by extending their reach across the seas. Having tasted success back home, these handset makers smell opportunities and success in the African countries. It is estimated that the African market can lap up at least 1,00,000 mobiles a month.

The success of brands like Micromax is marked by an astute assessment of the requirements of Indian users coupled with innovative products and prices that do not burn a gaping hole in one's pocket. Strong distribution networks and widespread, easy-to-access servicing facilites have also played a significant role in the success of the native brands in the domestic market.

These manufacturers now hope to repeat the success story across Africa - and, perhaps, in future, in other continents too.

The very conditions which made the domestic success story possible are now prevailing in the African continent too.

Improving economic conditions leading to greater and greater purchasing power, falling mobile tariffs, increasing acceptance of handsets not tied up to any particular cellular network operator are all factors favouring a rapid, sustained growth of mobile phone markets in Africa. The African market further resembles the Indian mobile market in that the number of landlines is less than that of cell phones and the spread of landlines is not substantial. In Africa, cell phones account for more than 90% of all telephones and the mobile penetration is at about 50%.

Confidential but well-placed sources suggest that Micromax, which started selling its cellphones in Brazil last month, is all set to enter the Nigerian market, which has the second largest number of potential customers, in June, 2011.

The sales have not been very high for Zen Mobile which has been selling handsets in Nigeria. Zen has gone for a joint venture with a marketing and distribution company in Nigeria and has sold about 20,000 to 30,000 handsets in the price range of $25-$50.

Deepesh Gupta, Director, Zen Mobile said "When people want to upgrade, there is not much choice:¦ they want music, multimedia, better screen, better sound at a better price." Indian companies can tap the growing market for mid-range smartphones and become major players in the replacement market, according to Gupta.

Dilip Modi, MD, Spice Mobility, which has been selling value-added services to African cellular service operators for over a year now, says "There are MNCs and Chinese players (in Africa) leaving a huge gap for us to fill."

Mobile Advertising to Grow Further

According to market experts, the mobile advertising industry is expected to grow three times the current levels and reach a turnover of Rs 200 crore over the next 2-3 years. Currently there are over 70 crore mobile phone users in India and the subscriber base is going up by 1 to 1.5 crore every month.

Amit Lall, Head(Mobile Marketing), Mobile2Win, a leading mobile VAS company said "The number of mobile-users is rising significantly with 10-15-million new additions every month. Also, since the cost of interaction and cost of transaction is much lower in this medium as compared to TV, print or radio, marketers are using mobiles to promote their services and products. Therefore, we expect the industry to grow to Rs 200 crore in the next 2-3-years."

That, of course, means mobile phone users have to brace themselves against a lot more advertising messages!

Rolls Royce to Open its Third Showroom in India

Rolls Royce, encouraged by the sale of 80 cars last year in India, is expecting to sell more than 100 cars in the current year.

Mr. Torsten Muller-Otvos, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars said "Rolls Royce targets to sell more than 100 cars in India next year. In 2010, the company sold 80 cars which was a seven-fold increase over its sales in the previous year."

With increasing number of enquiries for the Rolls Royce cars, the company perceives a need to expand its distribution network in India. As a result, the company plans to appoint dealers in Chandigarh in the North and Hyderbad in the South in addition to the ones already in Mumbai and New Delhi.

Mr.Muller-Otvos said "At the moment, our dealers are doing a great job but they are forced to transport the cars over long distances. Our network needs to grow there to bring the cars closer to our customers."

The company is looking for an outlet either in Chandigarh or somewhere in Punjab," Rolls Royce representative Pankaj Sharma told The Times of India here on Friday. It has been reported that Rolls Royce has received a large number of enquiries from prospective buyers from the Chandigarh, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana - all in Punjab. Sharma said, "During the last couple of years, appetite for luxury has increased in Punjab."

Rolls Royce Ghost

To cater to this demand, Rolls Royce is planning to open its third showroom in India. The new showroom is expected to be in the city of Chandigarh.

Rolls Royce Phantom

 

The Indian demand for luxury cars has been increasing steadily in recent years. Among the top three players in the Indian market, BMW sold the most number of premium sedans in the country followed by Mercedes Benz. Rolls Royce, while manufacturing cars in the luxury segment, is in a class by itself. Rolls Royce cars have always had an air of exclusiveness about them; it is that exclusiveness that Rolls Royce is gearing up to rely upon.

Mercdes Benz to Launch Two New Cars in India

Debashish Mitra, Director (Sales & Marketing) of Mercedes Benz India Ltd  has announced that MBIL is set to launch at least two new cars in India during the latter half of this year. Citing strategic reasons, he did not disclose further details about the planned launches.

Mercedes-Benz India Plant (Pune)

Mercedes Benz launched its new Maybach in India in January this year. So, the Maybach is certainly not in the proposed list. It is however well possible that a car from the C-Class is going to be one of the proposed launches this year.

Mercedes-Benz C300 Sports Cedan

The different Mercedes-Benz cars available today in India are the C-Class, CL-Class, CLS-Class, E-Class Saloon, E-Class Coupe, E-Class Cabriolet, GL-Class, M-Class, R-Class, S-Class, SL-Class, SLK-Class, and the Maybach. They have also introduced the high performance AMG cars like the G 55 AMG and the SLS AMG in India  . Mercedes-Benz India is the only luxury car maker in India to have such a wide range of cars.

Speaking to mediapersons in Kolkata on the occasion of the Mercedes-Benz Star Drive during which the key strengths and capabilities of Mercedes Benz cars are put to test by qualified experts, Mr.Mitra went on to add that they were likely to introduce the F800 in about a couple of years. "This car is the pinnacle of technology. It emits water vapour instead of noxious gases," said Mr.Mitra.

Mercedes-Benz F800 Style

Mercedes Benz India sold 5800 cars in 2010. The sales in the first quarter this year stand at 1,800 cars. Citing the first quarter sales this year, Mr.Mitra sounded very upbeat about the growth this year. According to Mitra, the growth rate of Mercedes Benz in India is higher than the overall growth rate of the luxury car segment (which was 48% during the first quarter of this year) in India. The three prominent contenders in the luxury car segment in India are Mercedes Benz, BMW, and Audi.

Results of TCS for the Last Quarter Ending 31st March 2011

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS), belonging to the Tata Group, has declared its results for the last quarter (Q4) ending March 2011. The Net profit of TCS has risen to Rs.2,402 crores ($542 million) and the company has shown a growth of 23% in the last quarter - far beyond the market expectations.

Founded by J.R.D Tata in 1968, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, founded by J.R.D.Tata in 1968, is  populalry known as TCS. TCS, with its headquarters in Mumbai, has offices in 47 countries and has over 140 branches worldwide.

TCS is the second largest provider of business process outsourcing (BPO) in IT sector in India. It is also the largest provider of software services in Asia. It provides business solutions to many corporate housesacross the globe.

N. Chandrasekaran, the CEO & MD of TCS expressed his satisfaction and told media, "Excellent execution and a constant focus on the customer has helped TCS round off a sterling performance in FY11 with strong growth in the fourth quarter while maintaining margins at historic highs."

"We continue to shape the adoption of next generation technologies by investing in new areas like mobility, analytics, social media and sustainability solutions," he added.

S. Mahalingam, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of TCS, said: "We have created a structurally robust cost base that is able to withstand a dynamic demand environment. The strength of this model can be seen from the steady improvement we have shown in operational and profitability parameters over the last four quarters."

With its services in areas like Assurance, Infrastructure Services, Products and Enterprise Solutions, TCS is growing rapidly.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

Sony Ericsson’s first PlayStation-certified smartphone Xperia Arc is a 4.2" touchscreen phone.It is based on Android OS v2.3 (Gingerbread).

This sophisticated 3G smartphone offers new features including easy internet access with social network integratrion, Google services and other web applications.

                                                                                 SonyXperia Arc.jpg 

Xperia is a GPS mobile with 2G & 3G support. The Xperia Arc has 320 MB storage and 512 MB RAM . It has an 8 megapixel, autofocus camera and supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc offers 7 hours talktime and it includes Stereo FM with RDS. It also has advance messaging features.

Features & Specifications:

Size: 125 x 63 x 8.7 mm
Weight: 117 grams
Colours: Midnight Blue, Misty Silver
Internal Memory – 512 MB, 8GB Included
Expandable Memory- 32 GB Micro/SD card slot
Type: LED-backlit LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Operating System: Android
Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email, Push email, IM
Browser: HTML
Radio: Stereo FM radio with RDS
Games: Downloadable, motion gaming
Battery: Standard battery Li Po
Battery Life – 400 hours
Talk Time: 7 hrs
Camera: 8 MP autofocus. LED Flash
Connectivity: Wi-fi, Bluetooth, GPRS

Nokia E6 Makes its Debut

E6, Nokia's first smartphone running the new Symbian Anna OS  has entered the market amidst a lot of expectations.

It supports 2G (GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900) Networks as well as 3G (HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100).

Nokia E6 is a touch screen with a QWERTY keyboard. The E6 offers faster navigation through Ovi Maps and it operates better than either a pure touch or keyboard-only system. The new Symbian Anna has lots of optimizations and seems to work seamlessly.

E6 has a higher pixel density than the much-taalked-about Retina display of  iPhone. E6 includes some interesting innovations to beef up the Nokia E-series. It has even a higher-end Nokia Messenger. Nokia E6 has an 8-megapixel fixed focus camera with dual-LED flash.

    

 

NokiaE6.jpg

It has WiFi connectivity and Bluetooth 3.0 with support for stereo headphones.

Nokia E6 comes with five home screens, an improved browser and supports 2G/3G network.

Features & Specifications:

Dimensions: 115.5 x 59 x 10.5 mm, 87 cc; 133 g
Display: Touch screen
CPU: ARM 1176 680 MHz processor, 256 MB RAM
OS:  Symbian Anna OS
Memory: 8GB internal storage, 256 MB RAM, 1 GB ROM, supports microSD up to 32GB
Camera: 8 megapixel Fixed Focus
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Misc: Accelerometer, Stereo FM
Battery: 1500 mAh Li-Ion battery

Samsung Corby II Makes a Silent Debut in Europe

Samsung released its S3850 Corby II feature phone this week in Europe without any fanfare. The phone is a sequel to Samsung Corby which has been enormously successful and incorporates some minor improvements over  it.

While the phone further narrows the gap between featurephones and smartphones, it still remains a budget phone with no higher end features. 

The Corby II is a touchscreen barphone supporting GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 networks but it does not support 3G.

The Samsung Corby II measures 109.9 x 66.6 x 11.7 mm and weighs 102g. The screen is 3.2" capacitive TFT (making the screen larger than that of Corby) with QVGA resolution (240 x 320 pixels).

CorbyII.jpg

There is 26MB of internal storage and a microSD card slot. It has a fixed-focus 2MP camera which is not much going by the current crop of phones. Corby II supports QVGA video recording @15 fps.

It supports Push Email. It has social networking integration with live updates.

The phone supports WLAN (Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 3.0  with A2DP, standard microUSB v2.0,and 3.5mm audio jack. The Corby II has FM radio with RDS.

The brilliant colours it comes in make the Samsung S3850 Corby II more attractive to the youth - girls, in particular.

Blocking Movement Tracking by iOS

It's common knowledge by now that your iOS device maintains a detailed log of your movements. This issue is not really new; it has been around all along though not very many have been aware of it.

iOS has always offered location services - pinpointing a user's location using Cell-ID and Wi-Fi hotspots. Earlier devices relied on Google and Skyhook databases for the purpose. Starting from  iOS 3.2, Apple has been building up their own database of location data. This data is anonimized and sent over an encrypted channel.

But the real problem is not with the collection of data by Apple but in the implementation of the idea.

The problem is that an encrypted file (named consolidated.db) on the device stores a record of all the movements of a user;  that file is copied to any computer the user may have synced the device with and any backups may have been made by the user.

Anyone getting access to the encrypted data file either from the device itself ofr by hacking the device that contains a copy of the file, can easily extract a log of a user's whereabouts over the last year.

The location logging by these devices (iPhones and 3G iPads) was publicised by Alex Levinson  and some others just as early as last year though it wasn’t really a secret;  it has always been mentioned in the Terms and Conditions of sale though the relevant clauses were never conspicuously visible.

There is, however, an application called "Untrackerd"  (not authorised by Apple, of course!)  which can be used on "unlocked" Apple devices. The more sensible thing, however, would be for Apple to give an option to users in the matter of having their movements logged or at least to make it impossible for anyone to access the data collected.

Samsung Sues Apple in Turn

In sharp retaliation to Apple's lawsuit against Samsung citing patent infringements, Samsung has filed 10 patent infringement claims over the Apple products in three different countries. And it’s said to be just the beginning.

According to Samsung, Apple has infringed five of its patents in South Korea, two in Japan and three in Germany. The cases are most probably about wireless patents.

More patent claims against Apple are possibly in the pipeline. The outcome is quite unclear as legal battles most often are. But it does not look quite pragmatic on the part of Apple to have picked up a fight with one of its biggest suppliers of phone parts. The battle of the Titans is expected to be fairly protracted before the issues are settled.

Aishwarya Rai to Represent L'Oreal for the Tenth Year at Cannes 2011

Cannes Film Festival, the most prestigious film festival of the world, has attracted Indian actors and actresses for several years now. This year too we are going to find some of the  famous Indian actors walking on the red carpet at Cannes from 11th to 22nd May 2011.

L'Oreal Paris is expected to give a red carpet welcome to its three brand ambassadors Aishwarya Rai,  Sonam Kapoor and Freida Pinto from India during the Cannes Film Festivsal. They will walk down the red carpet during the festival and attend several functions. 

Vismay Sharma, Director – Consumer Products Division, L’Oreal India, said, “On the eve of the Cannes Film Festival, we are delighted and proud to have Aishwarya, Sonam and Freida representing India and L’Oreal Paris at Cannes. They represent the diversity that is India and are sure to be the epicenter of attraction at the festival.”

For the last 10 years Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been representing  L’Oreal Paris at Cannes; and she will walk on the red carpet on 11th to inaugurate the ceremony. She will attend various events including the Opening Gala Cocktail and Dinner at Cannes on May 12. Aishwarya is very excited and she said, “Being at Cannes for L’Oreal Paris has been an absolute pleasure and to experience this for the tenth consecutive year has been quite overwhelming.“

AishwaryaRaiBachhan.jpg

Freida Pinto, first timer at Cannes, will represent L’Oreal Paris at the amFAR (The American Foundation for AIDS Research) on May 19. “It is every actors dream to attend this festival but I am especially privileged as I also get to lend my support to an important cause by attending the amFAR dinner when I’m there.” Said Freida.  L’Oreal Paris aims to raise money for fight against AIDS.

                                                                                       FreidaPinto.jpg


Sonam Kapoor, another debutant at Cannes, will walk the red carpet on May 15. Sonam  said, “It has always been my dream to walk the red carpet at Cannes and it is soon going to be a reality thanks to L’Oreal Paris. I look forward to meeting actors and film makers from the world over and attending screenings of some interesting films. But what excites me the most is meeting the L’Oreal Paris international dream team of make-up artistes and seeing how they transform me for one of the most glamorous red carpets in the world.”

SonamKapoor.jpg

 Apart from this trio, the other  L’Oreal spokespersons expected to attend the Cannes Film Festival, 2011.include Cheryl Cole, Eva Longoria, Gwen Stefani, Claudia Schiffer, Patrick Dempsey, Diane Kruger, Jane Fonda, Milla Jovovich, Aimee Mullins, Laetitia Casta, Paz Vega, Fan Binging, Ximena Navarrete, Zhang Zilin, Ines de la Fressange, Gong Li, Doutzen Kroes, and Li Bing Bing.

L’Oreal Paris will also introduce its first dream team of three internationally renowned make-up artists - Karim Rahman, Billy B, and Rie Omoto - who will design exclusive make-up looks for all the spokeswomen, jury members and actresses present during the course of the festival.

LG Phoenix Being Bundled with AT&T Plans

The latest offers from mobile arena is LG Phoenix which is being bundled with AT&T talk plans.  LG Phoenix’s resembles LG Thrive in its features.

LG Phoenix is a 2G & 3G phone based on Android 2.2 operating system. LG Phoenix includes features like 3.2 MP camera, 160 MB internal memory and seven customizable home screens. Phoenix has easy access to social media like Twitter and Facebook. LG Phoenix has FM-radio and Music players too.

LGPhoenix.jpg

 It will be available shortly in the market and the approximate price would be $50.

Features & Specifications:

Android 2.2 platform

HSDPA 7.2 3G Data Speeds

600MHz Application Processor

3.2" 320 x 480 262k Color Full-Touch Display

Wi-Fi/aGPS Capable

160MB User memory w/ MicroSD Storage (Up to 32GB)

2GB MicroSD Card Installed

3.2MP Auto-Focus Camera

Stereo Bluetooth

Quad-band GSM / Tri-band 3G (World Capable)

Battery: 1500 mAh Battery

Text/Picture and Video Messaging Support

POP3/IMAP/Gmail/EAS Email Support

LG Thrive Smartphone

LG Thrive is the first prepaid smartphone of AT &T. It is a part of AT&T’s GoPhone prepaid plan.

Based on Android 2.2 LG Thrive has 3.2-inch colour, touch-screen display, unlimited Wi-Fi access, Exchange email support, and a 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus. LG Thrive has Bluetooth connectivity and 160 MB of memory expandable via SD memory cards up to 32 GB.

Although LG Thrive cannot possibly compete with top Android phones like the Motorola Atrix or Samsung Galaxy S, it is still the most powerful device in the GoPhone plan.

LGThrive.jpg

LG Phoenix, another AT&T offer being launched on the same day, is similar toThrive, except that Phoenix comes with a dark blue exterior and two-year service agreement offerings.

Customers can choose Smartphone $0.10/min Plan or Smartphone $2/day Unlimited Talk and Text Plan. The other plan options are $5 for 10 MB, $15 for 10 MB as well as $25 for 500 MB.

Features & Specifications:

Device type: Smart phone
Network technology:GSM
Colour: Gray
Memory Expansion:32 GB(microSD, microSDHC)
Operating System: Android
Processor speed: 600 MHz
Camera: 3.2 MP
Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, Headphone

Vespa LX 125 to Hit the Indian Market

Great news for Indian Scooters lovers!

Waiting for the Vespa LX 125 is almost over. Piaggio of Italy, makers of the popular 3-wheeler commercial vehicles, will soon bring back the Vespa scooters to the Indian soil.

Vespa is famous for its classic style combined with the sharp edges of modern designs. The Vespa LX 125 will have the same classic look with circular headlights and rear mirrors. The overall outline is just like classic Vespa scooters. The saddle is high enough for riders of varying heights to be able to control the motorcycle perfectly. The body of Vespa LX 125 is made of steel and the vehicle has a very stable breaking system.

Vespa LX 125

After the international launch of The Vespa LX 125 in 2005, India has somehow been somehow left behind and Indian motorcycle lovers had no access to this famous model. However, good news is round the corner. A brand new Vespa LX 125 is about to hit the Indian auto market.

India is emerging as the biggest market for two wheelers with growing sales in scooters. The trend was intact during global recession period. Indians love scooters and motorcycles as small-sized vehicles mean a comfortable ride in crowded traffic.

Toyota Speaks Out On the Post-Earthquake Scenario

For the first time after the earthquake and tsunami that have shattered littoral Japan, the management of the world’s biggest automobile manufacturer, Toyota Motor Corporation, met the media on Friday and explain the Company's position consequent upon the impact of the earthquake.

Market has been rife with speculation about when production would return to normalcy in Toyota.  In his address to the media at press conference, Toyota President Akio Toyoda said: "By telling dealers the timing of the recovery, they can have a better conversation with their customers. Dealers right now cannot talk to their customers about delivery timing. They can't talk about specifics. Sales people are having a difficult time."

Setting the speculation at rest, Mr. Toyoda was hopeful that by November the factories will collectively return to normalcy across the world and, especially, in Japan. However he confirmed that factory suspensions have bottomed out and output will start bouncing back to normal this summer.

By laying down the timeframe and removing the uncertainty looming large in the markets about the status of Toyota's factories, Toyota has made it easier for its dealers across the world to chalk out their strategies. The clarification will also help hoardes of investors across the globe to plan appropriately.

Currently the production in Toyota's Japanese facilities is half the normal and Toyota is expected to increase its production by July through its other factories outside Japan. Toyota wants to make its supply chain return to normal by the end of this summer. "The best thing we can do for those dealers is supply cars as quickly as possible," Toyoda said.

AkioToyoda.jpg

This is the first time that any major auto maker in Japan has come forward and revealed its strategy and forecast the timeline for the Japanese automobile sector to retrn to the status prior to the earthquake.

Toyoda further said, "Just last night, in the area around Tokyo, we had another aftershock. Because of such things, it can reverse the progress being made. So it is difficult to read what will happen."

Toyota has been suffering heavy losses due to this earthquake and as per market by April Toyota expects to lose sale of 500,000 units across the world.

Huwaei and Panasonic to Join MeeGo

MeeGo will be welcoming two new members into its Handset Working Group which currently includes Intel, Nokia, LG, ZTE and China Mobile, according to reliable sources.  Huwaei and Panasonic are expected to be nominated to join the MeeGo Handset Working Group at a scheduled Technical Steering Group (TSG) Meeting soon.

MeeGo is a Linux-based open source mobile operating system project announced in February 2010 at Mobile World Congress by Intel and Nokia in a joint press conference. MeeGo is designed to be the operating system for a variety of hardware devices like mobile phones, netbooks and televisions. All devices use the MeeGo core, with different “User Experience” (UX) layers for each type of device.

Nokia’s agreeent with Microsoft regarding Windows 7  has been considered to be a setback to MeeGo though Nokia still claim that they (Nokia) are going to release a mobile phone running on MeeGo this year.

The current development is expected to improve MeeGo’s standing since Huawei is a handset maker of substantial standing and Panasonic is very popular in some markets like Japan.

   

The news about Huawei and Panasonic joining MeeGo was first leaked on Twitter by a member of the Linux Foundation; it was reportedly confirmed later by insiders relating to the Linux  Foundation and Intel.

There’s no official confirmation of the news, however. 

Nissan LEAF: The All Electric Car

An environment friendly, all-electric car, the Nissan Leaf produces no greenhouse emissions. Nissan Leaf is also the first mass produced all electric vehicle in the world.

Nissan Leaf is a five-door mid-size hatchback electric car and the Leaf's combined fuel economy is at 99 miles per gallon.

The Leaf costs $32,780 including the price of the battery package which has warranty for eight years or 160,000 kilometres (100,000 mi). Though the price of Leaf is high, its total out-of-pocket costs include a US$595 acquisition fee and a US$395 disposition fee.

Nissan LEAF.jpg

To see the response and understand the importance of environment friendly vehicles, most governments have announced subsidies for eligible buyers thus bringing the effective purchase price below the retail prices listed by Nissan.

The Nissan Leaf has been overwhelmingly welcomed by customers globally. Over 20,000 units have been pre-booked online forceing Nissan to stop taking orders and clear the backlog. As per Nissan’s promise, they will complete delivery by 2011, and again start taking orders for the next batch of the Leaf.

The Nissan Leaf has received multiple awards including the 2011 European Car of the Year, 2011 Eco-Friendly Car of the Year and 2010 Green Car Vision Award by Green Car Journal.

Specifications:

Manufacturer: Nissan
Category: Family car
Class: Mid-size
Length: 175.0”
Width: 69.7“
Height: 61.0 “
Body style: 5-door hatchback
Layout: Front-engine, front-wheel drive
Engine: 80 kW (110 hp) synchronous motor

Jaguar XJ: International Car of the Year 2011

The 12-member nationally renowned automotive journalist’s jury of the Road & Travel Magazine have voted the Jaguar XJ the International Car of The Year 2011.

JaguarXJ.jpg

Launched in May 2010, the new Jaguar XJ has received a tumultous response form car enthusiasts.

Numerous accolades and awards have poured in for this beautiful car. This stunning beauty is now on sale at all Jaguar dealers in the U.S.

Jaguar cars are known for their excellent quality, style and aesthetic design. The Jaguar XJ was launched almost a year ago, and has been rather well received. The brand's luxury appeal is being consistently boosted, and the redesigned XK and XF are great boosters too.

The Jaguar XJ is priced above $72,000.

Ford Focus 2012 to Enter Indian Market?

Good news for car lovers in India.  The latest buzz from industry is that American automobile giant Ford may soon start marketing Ford Focus 2012 in Indian market.

The Ford Focus, a small family car manufactured by Ford in 1998, is the bestselling car in the United Kingdom for January 2011. A second generation Ford Focus was launched in 2005, and in 2010 the third generation model arrived.

Since its launch in Europe Ford focus received rave reviews and taken by storm in the sedan segment. It has been sold over 9.2 in two generations worldwide. 

Ford Focus 2012

A metallic blue, maroon, and gray Ford Focus 2012 has been made public so far from Ford to take a glance.

Ford Focus comes in 3 models: Hatchback, Saloon, Estate and based on C platform.

Ford Focus will hopefully do well in the Indian market.

Electric Cars - Are We Ready for Them?

Electric cars are mentioned quite often when issues like urban pollution crop up.

The need to find an alternative for vehicles running on internal combustion engines using fossil fuels is widely recognised. The need to reduce environmental pollution stemming from vehicles running on fuels like Gasoline and Diesel has been widely accepted. The need to reduce greenhouse emissions is well endorsed. Global warming has caught the attention of laymen too.

The development of Electric Cars - cars running on electricity - has been welcomed in principle as an altenative to the vehicles running on fossil fuels. Electric cars, it is agreed, are a sensible alternative to cars running on fossil fuels.

And, yes, there have been some Electric Cars.

Nisson LEAF

But where are the people ready to buy them? Do we have enough of them? What is holding people back?



President Obama has set a goal of a million electric vehicles on American roads by 2015. Will the goal be met?

There are quite a few issues hindering the acceptance of Electric Cars on a wider scale.

The first, perhaps, is the issue of cost.

The maintenance cost of electric vehicles is lower because there are no oil changes, belt replacements, etc; the cost per mile is just about 20% to 25% the maintenance cost for a car running on petrol/diesel. Nissan estimates that the Leaf's 5 year operating cost will be US$1,800 versus US$6,000 for a gasoline car.Though the savings are substantial, the single biggest deterrent is the initial price of the electric car - thanks to the cost of the Lithium Ion battery pack used to run the car.

In the US, the Government offers several tax incentives - Federal as well as State. For example, the Federal Gvoernment offers a tax break of upto $7,500 and proposal are underway to make that a tax break at the time of purchase rahter than a break to be availed in the next year's income tax return. Similalry, there are reliefs from Sales Tax in several states.

The second is the issue of the charge on the battery running out midway.

The average American is said to drive less than 40 miles (64 km) per day; the range of most Electric Cars available today is significiantly more. All the same, people are often worried that the battery pack would run out of charge before reaching the destination and leave them stranded - a worry known as range anxiety. it is all in the mind, as one wojuld quip - but, yes, it is there all the same! And it's called "Range Anxiety". (Oh yes, they have a name for everything, don't they?!)

While hybrid cars like the Chevy Volt ( which can go 35 miles on a fully charged battery and run another 375 miles on a gasoline-powered generator that takes over when the battery runs out) should make buyers feel more confident and rid themselves of Range Anxiety, in the longer run the solution may lay elsewhere: in widely available facilites for charging a car's Lithium Ion battery pack.

Chevy Volt Electric Car

Governments as well as manufacturers of cars are sgtriving to address the problem of setting up extensive facilites for recharging car batteries.

The time taken for charging an Electric Car's Lithium battery pack can be considerable. Facilites for a "quick charge" are also there though quick charges can deteriorate the life of the battery pack.

While one might be be wondering whether we should first develop the recharging infrastructure to increase demand for electric cars or wait for the demand to grow first before pumping vast financial resources into the development of the infrastructure, one might as well go abck to the times when the first gasoline cars were introduced into the market and the network of gasoline stations developed in tandem. Yes, for a while, there could be appreciable inconvenience but if things are allowed to develop at their own natural pace, the issues can resolve themselves with little meddling from anyone!

While all this may be fine in the global context, perhaps much of it is purely academic in a country like India where we do not have adequate electric power to run our minimal household requirements (which are far less than the power requirements of a European or an American household)!!

But the need for Electric Cars is bound to catch up in India too - and we do have faith in our ingenuity to rise to the occasion.

Pulitzer Winner Dr.Siddhartha Mukherjee Working on a New Book

Dr Siddhartha Mukherjee, winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for "The Emperor of All Maladies" is busy working on another book - related to medicine once again. Dr.Siddhartha Mukherjee told the Indian Express that the book was still in the preliminary stages.

“I am a doctor and a writer, I understand medicine. So it is understandable, even expected, that I write on my subject. It’s still in the preliminary stages, so I do not know how it will turn out - even if it will be another biography,” says Mukherjee.

                                                                          SiddharthaMukherjee.jpg

Dr.Siddhartha Mukherjee describes the Pulitzer-experience as “overwhelming”. “I am humbled and excited at the same time. It is an incredible experience, very tough to describe,” he said.

Reacting humbly to the view that his work signifies the maturing of Indian non-fiction writing, Mukherjee said there were several non-fiction writers he had grown up reading. “I loved William Dalrymple, Rana Dasgupta, Suketu Mehta, and doctor-author Atul Gawande. I think these writers have written excellent non-fiction much before me.”

Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee says that clubbing books into genres restricts writing, and "I for one do not know what category my book should come under.”

A self-proclaimed literature enthusiast and a voracious reader, Dr.Siddhartha Mukherjee says the inspiration for his Pulitzer-winning book were his close encounters with cancer as an oncologist. “There were multiple experiences which came together, and all of it culminated in the comment made by one of my patients who had stomach cancer. She said she could fight cancer, if only she knew precisely what she was battling.” A chance comment it may have been. But it has created history!

Blackberry World to Unveil Blackberry Curve Touch Mobile?

The market expectations are that Research in Motion (RIM) is about to come up with new Blackberry Curve, button-free, touch-screen mobile by next month.

With 512MB RAM, 1 GB ROM, 3.25” HVGA screen, 800MHz Qualcomm processor and 5 MP, 2592х1944 pixels camera with HD video recording, LED Flash, Blackberry Curve is believed to be a GSM version capable of supporting 2G and 3G networks.

                                                               Blackberry curve-touch

This Curve touch is believed to have no keyboard and completely works on touch screen. It is rumoured to have not even a track-pad.

It is widely expected to be tied up with T-Mobile.

It is strongly rumoured that that RIM will announce the BlackBerry Curve Touch at BlackBerry World scheduled to take place between 3-5 May.

We expect to return soon with more info on the subject.

Nokia C2-06: Mystery in the Pipeline

Nokia will come up with another Touch and Type phone in the market very soon. After success of X3-02 and C3-01 - Touch and Type phones, this would be Nokia’s third addition to its vast range and will be known as C2-06.

C2-06 is a Dual SIM, low end 2G slider phone with touch screen facility. It is expected that it would be similar to Nokia X3-02 and Nokia C3-01.

                                                                                         Nokia C2-06


As per grapevine, C2-06 will be quite similar in appearance to that of a phone in leaked March, though there may be a few substantial differences in the features. Nokia C2-06 will have a 2 MP camera, 3 .5 audio jack, micro USB port and a BL-5C battery. But it will not have any dedicated GPS receiver and Wi-Fi connectivity though it will support Bluetooth.               

Nokia is aiming the C2-06 mobile at the low-end market where they are holding a slight edge over competitors.

The Nokia C2-06 is expected to be priced between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 8,000.

Dum Maro Dum Hits Cinema Halls Across India

After creating immense hype for the last couple of months finally Rohan Sippy’s ‘Dum Maro Dum’ has released in movie theatres across the country. The Abhishek Bachhan starrer created lots of buzz for all its right & wrong reasons. It was Deepika’s item number on the title song which generates weary comments. Telugu actor Rana Daggubati makes his debut in bollywood with this movie.

Set against the backdrop of Goa, the story deals with crime, rape, smuggling and drugs. The story is theat of a tough police officer pitted against politicians and businessmen who want and encourage Goa to be the crime capital of India.

Cast of Dum Maro Dum: Bipasha Basu, Abhishek Bachhan & Deepika Padukone

ACP Vishnu Kamath, played by Abhishek Bachhan, has been given responsibility to destroy this evil cycle and restore peace in Goa. With slight hesitation, Junior B aka ACP Kamath takes charge and prepares a team with Rane and Mercy and plays the ‘game’ by his own rules. They are all out to fight the drug dealers and especially Lorsa Biscuita, the main culprit, played by Aditya Pancholi.


The story revolves around Kamath’s team, innocent Lorry (played by Prateik Babbar) who falls in a trap, Lorry’s friend Joki (Rana Daggubati) who tries hard to prove Lorry’s innocence, and Joki’s girlfriend Joe (Bipasha Basu), an unwitting drug carrier.

Deepika on title song of Dum Maro Dum

Inspired immensely by Hollywood thrillers, Rohan Sippy’s ‘Dum Maro Dum’ keep its audience on the edges of their seats till the end as they enjoy the suspense. The well written dialogues and catch lines make it possible to connect with the audience.

Abhishek Bachhan's performance is good but could have been better had he been shouting less and displayed a sene of timing. Rana Daggubati does justice to his character and the others are passable in their roles. Govind Namdeo proves his talent once again.

The music of ‘Dum maro Dum’ is catchy; the background scores by Pritam are particulalry pleasing to the ears. However the choreography is not quite up to the mark and the dance for the title song is anything but good. The action sequences are marvellous and the audience get their money's worth.

Rohan Sippy’s suspense thriller Dum Maro Dum is a good "time pass" movie.

Director: Rohan Sippy
Producer: Fox Star Studios
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Prateik Babbar, Bipasha Basu, Aditya Pancholi, Govind Namdeo , Rana Daggubati, Deepika Padukone
Music: Pritam Chakraborty.

Harley Davidson to Manufacture Bikes for Indian Market

Harley Davidson India is reportedly developing a motorcycle meant for the Indian domenstic market. The model is also expected to be exported to other ASEAN markets.

The proposed local model could cost around Rs.4 lakhs.

According to anonymous reliable sources, Harley Davidson India is working closely with the Indian suppliers on the design and development of a motorcycle that will fit the budget of Indian buyers. The parts for the model will be manufactured locally since imported bikes attract import duty of at least 90%, while Completely Knocked Down kits attract a duty of 30%; as such, the cost reduction on account of local manufacture can make a very substantial difference to the end-price.

Harley Davidson India  has declined to confirm or deny the reports. In an email response, Sanjay Tripathi, Harley-Davidson India’s director (marketing), said: "To strengthen our operations in the country, Harley-Davidson has set up a CKD unit to assemble select motorcycle models for the Indian market. We have recently launched three CKD bikes in the market and will continue to focus on our CKD operations for the moment. Having said that, we will continue to carefully evaluate any option that may benefit our customers and the business, and as a longstanding company policy, we do not comment on market speculation or rumours."

Harley Davidson bikes

The company commenced its operations in India in August 2009 and sold 200-250 motorcycles in India by December 2010.

The response having been quite encouraging, Harley Davidson began assembling some of its select models this year at its new factory in Bawal, near Haryana. Harley-Davidson currently sells 15 models of its motorcycles - most of them imported - priced above Rs.5.5 lacs through dealers in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad and the company is looking into having dealers in Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Chennai as well.

The new model is expected to have an engine displacement in the range of 500-750cc and will be ready for launch sometime between mid-2012 and early-2013, according to one of the confidential sources.

Maruti Alto - Best Selling Small Car in the World

Maruti Alto was the best-selling car of the world in the year 2010 - leaving behind ultra-famous brands and models like Fiat Uno, Volksawagen Gol (Brazil), and Volkswagen Gold (Germany). This is the first time that any Indian car has reached the top spot.

Alto sold 300,956 units as against 293, 738 of Volkswagon Gol and 251,078 of Volkswagon Gold during the year ending 31st Dec 2010.

Maruti Alto, which was launched in September 2000, has been a spectacular success right from its launch. It has sold a total of 16.68 lakh units since its launch. Alto has been the Number One car in sales in India ever since the financial year 2005-06.

 

                               Maruti Alto Front                                        Maruti Alto Inside                                            

Alto touched the 1 million mark in November 2008; that is the quickest that any Indian car has sold one million units.

Currently, Maruti Alto and Maruti Alto K10 (launched in August 2010) together sell, on an average, 32,000 units a month. In March this year, Alto sold more than 38,000 units. During the financial year 2010-11, Alto alone sold about 347,000 units - thus accounting for more than 25% of the total no of car units (12.71 lakh units) sold by Maruti Suzuki. According to Mr.Shashank Srivastava, Chief General Manager (Marketing), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, it signifies a growth of 47 per cent over Alto’s sales (2.35 lacs) in the financial year 2009-10.

India's small car has indeed made it big and come a long way.