Google CEO bullish on mobile Web advertising

The arrival of a truly mobile Web, offering a new generation of location-based advertising, is set to unleash a "huge revolution", Google Inc Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said on Friday.

"It's the recreation of the Internet, it's the recreation of the PC (personal computer) story and it is before us - and it is very likely it will happen in the next year," he told a panel at the World Economic Forum.

Current estimates for mobile advertising are cautious, with consultancy Forrester predicting revenues of under $1 billion by 2012.

But Schmidt said this figure was too low and failed to take into account the fact the mobile Web was reaching a tipping point.

Google aims to be a prime mover by bidding for coveted airwaves to launch an open US wireless network, pitting it against established telecommunications players.

The move will take the Silicon Valley-based company well beyond its core Web search and online advertising franchises.

Some analysts are worried at the high costs involved but Schmidt said he was confident location-based advertising - which could, for example, direct hungry travellers to nearby restaurants - would be "a very, very good business".

Content providers, already struggling in the modern world of music and film downloads, are less convinced that mobile Internet is a minefield.

"It is not going to be easy to hang on the price of content," said Howard Stringer, chief executive of Sony Corp.

newsby: ibnlive

Google to honour women IT students

New Delhi: Google, world's biggest search engine, has announced 'The Google India Women in Engineering Award' for women students who are pursuing Computer Science and related subjects.

The award is to recognise, reward and inspire women to become active participants and leaders in creating new technology.

According to Google, the criteria of selection is based on the candidates academic background and leadership qualities.

A group of female undergraduate, graduate and PhD student finalists will be chosen from the applicant pool, and award recipients will receive an award of Rs 75,000.

To be eligible for the award a candidates must be a full-time student from a recognised institute and must be specialising in Computer Engineering or related subject.

The student should from second to final year is she is doing her bachelor's programme while all students from a master's or PhD programme are eligible to apply.

She should also have a cumulative CGPA of at least 4.0 on a 5.0 scale or 8.0 on a 10.0 scale or equivalent.

The last date for applying is January 31, 2008, and Google will announce the results in February 2008.

news by: ibnlive

Oscar nominations to be announced today

Film fans finally will soon learn who’s competing for this season’s Academy Awards, now the question is whether any nominees will turn up for the big show amid a writers strike that has thrown the awards season into turmoil. The list of Oscar nominees to be announced on Tuesday is expected to include such luminaries as Cate Blanchett, George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis and Angelina Jolie.

That smattering of talent alone would ensure that a lot of people at home would tune in to the 2nd February ceremony. But without the cooperation of the striking Writers Guild of America, celebrities might honour the union’s picket lines an stay away from the Oscars, leaving the show’s planners to either scrap the telecast or come up with some new form of Oscar ceremony unlike anything audiences have seen before. The word around Hollywood is that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has back-up plan to put on the show without the blessing of writers and stars, but they declined to disclose details.

Gil Cates, producer of the Oscar telecast, as vowed the show will come off no matter what, hinting the programme could be padded with clips from 80 years of Oscar history if writers and stars do not cooperate. Officially, the academy says it is moving ahead with the red carpet and awards ceremony as usual. “We are planning to have our show on February 24 at the Kodak Theatre with an audience of 3,300 people and a television audience significantly larger than that,” said academy spokeswoman Leslie Unger.

The most powerful women in Bollywood

Gauri Khan In their latest edition, Vogue (India) announced proudly introduced Gauri Khan as the 'First Lady of Bollywood'. The sobriquet that can possibly be dismissed as just an innocent remark is more loaded than one may imagine. Because if Gauri is the first lady, what does that make the Big B? Second to Shah Rukh? Then again, Gauri's scope of influence goes much beyond Bollywood. She's known to hobnob with the Ambanis and the (Sahara) Roys alike and for all practical purposes is the producer of the films made under Red Chillies Entertainment. And if there were any doubts about her status in the Bollywood you should probably have been at the book launch of Om Shanti Om where everyone present walked up to her just to greet her. Now if that doesn't make her the first lady, we wonder what does?




Aishwarya Rai Who is more popular between Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai? Ask ten people across varying cultures and countries and chances are that the balance will tip in Ash's favour. After all how many Indian actresses have received international recognition? Abhishek for all practical purposes is just coming of age. Fact is that barring Guru there hasn't been a film that he's carried off on his lonesome shoulders. And Ash with her worldwide fame is not his arm candy. In fact it's the other way round, isn't it?





Twinkle Khanna Twinkle Khanna may have stepped out of the limelight years ago. But has she stopped calling the shots in her husband's life? Certainly not! Akshay Kumar has openly confessed that he doesn't drink or smoke. But he has only 'one vice'. His affairs with Raveena Tandon and Shilpa Shetty are legendary. And then there was his alleged relationship with Priyanka Chopra, which rocked his marriage. But through this all, Twinkle is said to have held the ropes in her hand never once losing control over her man. Let's admit it. She is still the only woman in Bollywood to not just bag this 'prize catch' but also manage to keep him with her for all these years. After Aitraaz Akshay has not worked with Priyanka Chopra. No points for guessing why.




Kiran Rao The scrawny bespectacled Kiran Rao was not the media's idea of Aamir's girlfriend. But this former AD (assistant director) stole his heart and how! Those who have known Kiran swear by her convincing prowess. Think about it (and presumptuous as it may sound) how many ADs have managed to marry the producer? She has a way with people and though she hasn't stepped into the limelight with Aamir too many times, her presence is felt in more ways than one. She may not necessarily always influence Aamir's decisions. But if insiders are to be believed, she is someone who will have her way. And that qualifies her to be on this list.




Manyata Sanjay Dutt has always been known to be a wild boy during his younger days. Rhea Pillai, Madhuri Dixit and Tina Munim were just some of his much-publicised relationships. But enter Manyata and the man just seems to have magically mellowed down. A recent newspaper reported that Manyata has been very, very big influence in his life. The actor has apparently been taking all his decisions only after consulting her. If rumours are to be believed, she has also managed to draw him away from his sisters. And to have a man such as Sanjay Dutt wrapped around her little finger certainly makes her one of the most influential ladies in Bollywood.



Suzanne Roshan As a person, Suzanne Roshan could be dismissed as a nobody. But to be married to one of India's most good-looking actors and remain married takes a lot. Well, actually all it takes is the support of the family. It is said that Hrithik got married to Suzanne only after he received an ultimatum from his family. The Roshan parivar has stood behind Suzanne like a rock and that is apparently the sole reason why Hrithik has not strayed. Incidentally he has also not worked with Kareena after Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon and chances are that he never will . Suzanne is however not just a sole case in point. Aditya Chopra's wife Payal too has immense support from the Chopra clan and apparently it's just one of the reasons why a certain actress has not been able
to marry Adi.



Jaya Bachchan Not from the generation of the ladies named above but certainly one of the most respected women in the industry today is Jaya Bachchan. Unlike any of these women however, she draws her power merely by being part of the household. Indeed Bachchan is a big name today. But when the superstar started off, Jaya was the only one who believed in him and gave him all the support he wanted. It is said that she had put in a word for him during Zanjeer. The rest is history. Jaya has stood by her husband through thick and thin… right from his Casanova days to his low phase in the 90s. And it is this rock solid support she has given and contributed to the making of this dynasty that gives her a position that possibly no one named above can ever achieve.

South Asian girls sizzle in US swimsuit calendar

New York: The Indian- American community tends to be fairly conservative in nature. So, when Sexy South Asian girl’s calendar came out in 2007, it was a first for the community. The calendar sold about 22,000 copies. Now, the 2008 version of the calendar is out but it's creators decided on a new name for the 2008 version. Ten out of 12 models featured in the Desiclub.com’s Swimsuit Calendar 2008 are Indian-Americans with one each from Pakistan ad the Caribbean.

The shoot took a week and the location was at the upscale resort area of the Hamptons in New York state. As for the changes that the calendar underwent, CEO, Desiclub. Com says, “It's a marketing strategy basically and it's also reputation. You have to be very careful about the wording that you use. And with the word 'sexy' in our title last year, the word 'sexy' automatically draws a certain type of attention. We want to keep it streamlined and classy. So we figured we should definitely title it something that's more mainstream.” For the 2007 calendar, about 20 girls applied to be part of the project but in 2008, the number rose fivefold.

Of the models included, some said "no" initially due to their apprehensions about appearing in swimsuits but then changed their minds. “I decided to do it ultimately because I was told it was going to be professionally done, it's not going to be racy, it's not going to be trashy in any way. I mean, after all, it is a South Asian calendar, I trusted it would be done in a professional and conservative manner and it was. I'm very proud of the product,” says Miss November, Bhumika Vyas. While they have received a lot of positive feedback, some of it has been surprising. “My parents are very supportive of everything I do but again this is a swimsuit calendar so I wasn't sure how they'd react. One day my father called me up after seeing the calendar and he said, "You look absolutely beautiful and I'm so proud of you and your mom's so proud of you. After that I was very surprised. I didn't think they'd react that way but then I knew it was the right decision,” says Miss April, Melanie Kannokada.

The calendar is also selling well in India as people order it online. One of the reasons for that is free shipping. It may have undergone a name change but this calendar has sold as many copies in the first few days of this year as it sold in 2007 and its creators, desiclub.com, hope to sell about 80,000 copies in all. So, when Sexy South Asian girl’s calendar came out in 2007, it was a first for the community. The calendar sold about 22,000 copies. Now, the 2008 version of the calendar is out but it's creators decided on a new name for the 2008 version. Ten out of 12 models featured in the Desiclub.com’s Swimsuit Calendar 2008 are Indian-Americans with one each from Pakistan ad the Caribbean. The shoot took a week and the location was at the upscale resort area of the Hamptons in New York state. As for the changes that the calendar underwent, CEO, Desiclub. Com says, “It's a marketing strategy basically and it's also reputation. You have to be very careful about the wording that you use. And with the word 'sexy' in our title last year, the word 'sexy' automatically draws a certain type of attention. We want to keep it streamlined and classy. So we figured we should definitely title it something that's more mainstream.” For the 2007 calendar, about 20 girls applied to be part of the project but in 2008, the number rose fivefold. Of the models included, some said "no" initially due to their apprehensions about appearing in swimsuits but then changed their minds. “I decided to do it ultimately because I was told it was going to be professionally done, it's not going to be racy, it's not going to be trashy in any way. I mean, after all, it is a South Asian calendar, I trusted it would be done in a professional and conservative manner and it was. I'm very proud of the product,” says Miss November, Bhumika Vyas. While they have received a lot of positive feedback, some of it has been surprising. “My parents are very supportive of everything I do but again this is a swimsuit calendar so I wasn't sure how they'd react. One day my father called me up after seeing the calendar and he said, "You look absolutely beautiful and I'm so proud of you and your mom's so proud of you.

After that I was very surprised. I didn't think they'd react that way but then I knew it was the right decision,” says Miss April, Melanie Kannokada. The calendar is also selling well in India as people order it online. One of the reasons for that is free shipping. It may have undergone a name change but this calendar has sold as many copies in the first few days of this year as it sold in 2007 and its creators, desiclub.com, hope to sell about 80,000 copies in all.

news by: ibnlive

Tata's Rs 1-lakh(2700$) car - Secret is OUT

The secret is out. As Ratan Tata unveiled what was perhaps the most-hyped four-wheeler of the year, excitement was palpable at the Auto Expo show in New Delhi. As Nano, Tata's famed Rs 1-lakh car, was unveiled, there was a thunderous applause from those present. The base model of Nano will cost Rs 1 Lakh excluding levies. The car will have a three-cylinder 800-cc petrol engine with 33 bhp of power.

It will also have a 30-litre fuel tank and four-speed manual gearshift. The car will come with air conditioning, but will have no power steering. The car will have front disk and rear drum brakes. The company claims mileage of 22 kmpl in city and 26 kmpl on highway. Ratan Tata, the 70-year-old chairman of the Tata group who personally shaped the development of what he calls the 'People's Car', will unveil the automobile that has created a global buzz among industry watchers and auto enthusiasts alike. The initiative will determine Tata's place in the global automotive arena, where the battle is increasingly being fought in emerging economies such as India, China and Russia.

Only 10 years ago, Tata Motors Ltd unveiled its first car, a hatchback, that established the truck maker's credentials as a car maker. The new model, using re-engineered plastics and modern adhesives, is a far cry from the premium Jaguar and Land Rover bands Tata is negotiating to acquire from Ford Motor Co. Tata Motors' drive to produce a cheap, no-nonsense, small car was born from close observation of a local market where millions often ferry families of four, plus baggage, on motorbikes and scooters.

news by: ibnlive

Symonds compared to Hanuman

An Australian newspaper on Tuesday published a picture of Andrew Symonds with his face superimposed on Hanuman's body, giving a comic touch to the racial slur furore in the Sydney Test. 'Symonds baney Hanuman’ ran the caption on the photograph in the Courier Mail, which was beamed by some Indian TV channels on Monday night. The photograph was published a day after off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was banned for three Tests after ICC Match referee Mike Procter upheld the Australian charge that he had racially abused all-rounder Symonds by calling him a "monkey".

Meanwhile, the Sydney-based United Indian Association (UIA) expressed deep concern at the ban. The Australian quoted UIA president Raj Natarajan as saying that since the Monkey God is one of the revered idols of Hindu mythology and worshipped by millions, it is surprising it was considered a racist term. Even more surprising is that the word monkey is considered by the match referee serious enough to slap a three-match ban on Harbhajan Singh, the Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying.

UIA members felt the Australian team behaved in an unsporting manner during their 22-run win over India in the second Test at the SCG on Sunday. The UIA represents various migrant community groups of Indian origin in Australia.

news by: ibnlive

Beauty queen kidnaps

An American law school student and former beauty queen who has posed for a racy calendar while brandishing a weapon has been accused of kidnapping, biting and threatening a former boyfriend with a handgun. Kumari Fulbright, 25, who is midway through her second year in law school, faces a long prison term if convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery, aggravated robbery and two counts of aggravated assault. Fulbright, who competed for the Miss Arizona title in 2005 and 2006, recently completed a semester-long unpaid stint clerking for a federal judge, US District Judge Raner Collins.

She also poses wearing a shiny black bikini in a 2008 calendar that features women holding guns. In the December 18 indictment, Fulbright is accused of holding and torturing her 24-year-old ex-boyfriend in early December with the help of three other men, including another man she had previously dated. Authorities think the dispute began because the ex-boyfriend was believed to have stolen jewellery given to Fulbright by the former beau suspected of helping in the attack. Fulbright invited the man to her apartment, then excused herself to shower, said police spokesman Sergeant Fabian Pacheco.

Then two men showed up and bound him with plastic ties and duct tape, accused him of taking the jewellery and threatened to shoot him with pistols, Pacheco said. When Fulbright finished her shower, she allegedly bit the man on his forearm, right hand and ear, held a butcher knife to his head and told him she was going to kill him. Authorities said the man was taken to another home, where the assault continued, then took him back to Fulbright's house, where she guarded him with a gun. The man finally managed to free a hand and grabbed the gun, which discharged but hit no one, authorities said. As their struggle spilled outside, the man screamed for help, then ran to a home down the block, while Fulbright returned to her apartment, Pacheco said. "He has some bite marks on him, evident and consistent with his account, and his hands were red and swollen, consistent with someone who had been tied up," Pacheco said.

A police complaint said the suspects stole the victim's wallet, money clip with $US500 to $US600 ($A565 to $A680), mobile phone and briefcase. Tucson police are seeking to serve Fulbright's former boyfriend, Robert Ergonis, 44, and his brother, Michael Ergonis, 46, with arrest warrants charging them with kidnapping, armed robbery and aggravated assault, but believe they may have fled the country. Another man who was indicted with Fulbright remains jailed under $US50,000 ($A57,000) bond, but Fulbright was freed after arranging to have a similar bond posted. Calls to Fulbright's lawyer, Thomas Hartzell, and to the Miss Pima County pageant, which Fulbright won in 2005, were not returned. She also was selected Miss Desert Sun in 2006. A spokeswoman for the University of Arizona, where Fulbright attends, said it was premature to talk about what could occur in terms of discipline. She and other faculty members declined further comment, citing student privacy.

Sex: Prediction 2008

Children make some of the most candid observations. When a six-year-old asked at a party, "Why do elders get funny when someone says sex?” the adults present didn’t have an answer. Much later someone said, “Last year there was too much sex-talk in the air, don’t know what will happen this year.” Going by the many surveys last year and all thing sex-related that made the headlines, here is what we think will be utmost on our minds in 2008, sexually of course.

1. Children and sex will remain in focus.

Both in terms of child sex education and child pornography/sexual abuse. They should too given the September 2007 report released by the Ministry and Child Development announced we had 53.22 per cent children abused in India. Circa 2008: Given the rising numbers and the raging debate around sex-education for children, hopefully ‘sex education’ will be viewed differently: Less on whether 16-year-olds are mating in class and more about protecting the children from what should not happen to them, be it someone their age or older.


2. Much time will be devoted to the Search for the Big O

More column space, more lad mags and chick-lit, more blogs and yes, more sex… While 68 per cent Indians are happy with their sex lives apparently only 46 per cent have ‘regular’ orgasms (Durex Sexual Wellbeing Survey, April 2007). Circa 2008: The rest of the Indians will also strive to the join the happy-with-sex-lives lot and those who are having sex will find no reason to stop seeking that O.

3. Sex, fast and furious

Survey also shows that Indians get satisfied with little and have the quickest sex in the world. The rest of the world takes 18 minutes while we make do with 13 minutes. We are fast and even the women don’t mind given 66 per cent of Indian women were satisfied with their sex lives. Foreplay of course is a myth. Circa 2008: However, given that the lesser men were satisfied with their sex lives (58 per cent) as compared to the women, men would have sex even faster and with more women to satisfy themselves. Five years of research and studying 237 reasons on WHY people have sex, research has already shown that it’s lust that drives temptation and not love. Infidelity will definitely increase.

4. Condom sale rises, government bp rises too

Vibrating condoms, glowing condoms, condoms with rings, paan flavoured condoms, female condom… 2007 saw much happening in the latex industry. While people responded positively, some felt sexual satisfaction was against ‘Indian culture’. It’s a miracle 68 per cent Indians are happy with their sex lives. Circa 2008: Sides will be divided on whether vibrating condoms are sex toys and if sex toys should be allowed. While sex toys might just be introduced in the market this year, availability and access are question. While 57 per cent Indians want sex toys (politically correct phrase is ‘products aimed at improving sex lives’) it will be an interesting purchase for most are shy even when purchasing condoms.

5. And adult sex education someone?

Just when Indian parents were celebrating that their teenage children are really not having sex in schools – research showed that Indians lose their virginity late at 22.9 years – another research announced that late ‘losers’ could have sex related problems, like premature ejaculation. A whole lot of Indians don’t get married till 30 years. Circa 2008. With teenagers growing up confused about sex and government banning anything related to Sexual Pleasure for adults, Indians will be clearly divided. A large number of Indians will marry young. The late singles will live-in with each other… Those who cant get married or cant find a release will roam the streets, disrobing women in mobs. There will be more trouble with landlords and more government people will be unhappy. There will be more surveys.