Nokia's iPhone killer, N96

Nokia is all set to steal Apple's iPhone thunder. In a first global launch in India, the world's largest cell phone maker, Nokia has unveiled its 'killer product' N96.

Touted to be an iPhone killer, the high-end Nokia N96 has been launched two days before the official launch of Apple iPhone (August 22).

Nokia N96 is the successor of Nokia N95. The phone which was tipped to see its global launch in October will be available in the market from the first week of September.

Here's looking inside Nokia's iPhone rival.

Here's a phone sans touchscreen, however, still billed as the toughest iPhone rival. Nokia's N96 is seen as a hot competition to iPhone, though the company is also reported to be working on a touchscreen rival reportedly called Tube.

With a large 2.8-inch screen display, the phone packs 16GB of internal memory, expandable up to 24GB. According to Nokia, the phone can store up to 40 hours of video.

The phone supports talktime of up to 3 hours and 40 minutes. Nokia N96 offers support for Symbian S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 Operating System.

Nokia N96 boasts of a 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, flash and video light. The video camera captures at 30 frames per second. The images can be stored in both JPEG and EXIF format.

With the integrated A-GPS, users can geotag their pictures with location data.

The dual-slider Nokia N96 supports standard video formats including MPEG-4, Windows Media Video and Flash Video. The phone offers support for high-speed USB 2.0 connection, WLAN and HSDPA.

N96 has a 'kickstand' on the back cover that allows for hands-free viewing.

For music lovers, the phone has media keys, 3.5 mm headphone connector and built-in 3D stereo speakers. The phone offers music playback time of 14 hours and video playback time of 5 hours.

The phone supports Nokia Maps application which offers maps with urban details and satellite views and has upgrade options such as City Guides, turn-by-turn pedestrian mode and voice-guided car navigation.

The phone is expected to be priced around Rs 35,000. The handset is likely to be available in the market from the first week of September.

In comparison to Nokia N96, iPhone is likely to cost about Rs 31,000 for the 8 GB version and between Rs 35,000-37,000 for the 16 GB. But if the iPhone is bundled with a carrier's service, the price could be half this amount.

For corporate users, the iPhone packs a punch with its encrypted Push-mail with Microsoft Exchange, which the Nokia N96 lacks. Apple has also put in a 3-axis accelerometer that senses motion much better than N96's basic motion sensor.

However, there are things one would miss in the iPhone like being able to transfer data using Bluetooth, which N96 allows. iPhone also lacks regular FM and offers users streaming Internet radio.

Also, while the iPhone offers the popular Google maps, the drawback is that these maps do not offer voice directions in India. The N96 offers Nokia Maps 2.0 with voice directions for India as well.

Ashoka Chakra - The Tale Of Twenty Four Spokes

The Ashoka Chakra means the 'wheel of the law'. It is derived from the Sanskrit word Dharma Chakra, which means wheel. It has 24 spokes.

The most prominent Indian Mauryan emperor, called Ashoka the Great, built the Ashoka Chakra during the 3rd century BC. The Ashoka Chakra is inscribed widely among the Lion Capital of Sarnath and the Ashoka Pillar. The Ashoka Chakra is placed in the center of the National Flag of the Republic of India. It was adopted on 22 July, 1947. It is rendered in a navy blue colour on a white background. In order to add historical 'depth' and separate the National Flag from that of the Indian National Congress(INC) Gandhian spinning wheel is replaced with the Spokes of Ashoka Chakra in the center of the Flag.

Ashoka Chakra can also be seen on the base of Lion Capital of Ashoka which has been adopted as the National Emblem of India. The Chakra signifies that there is a life in 'Movement' and 'Death' in stagnation. The process of the wheel stands for cycle or the self repeating process with the changing of time in our life. The horse the Right hand symbolizing accuracy and speed. The Bull on the Left hand stands for hard work .

Wonderful Qualities of Twenty Four Spokes :
1. Love
2. Courage
3. Patience
4. Peacefulness
5. Magnanimity
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Selflessness
10. Self-control
11. Self sacrifice
12. Truthfulness
13. Righteousness
14. Justice
15. Mercy
16. Gracefulness
17. Humility
18. Empathy
19. Sympathy
20. Spiritual knowledge
21. Moral Values
22. Spiritual Wisdom
23. The fear of God
24. Faith or Believe or Hope

Ashoka Chakra represent the 24 hours of the nation. Thus it governs all.

Superstitions and cricket go together

Despite cricket being a game of talent and mind, the players often need something 'extra' to sustain their self-belief. It might not make much sense, but the cricketers do not mind it. Not just the teams, but the countless fans watching the games on television also have their own superstitions. People have their lucky seats, lucky corners. And who can blame them if their idols and teams deliver. After all, they can not be denied of an opportunity to contribute to the success of their favourite team. Many cricketers refuse to shave in the midst of a good run. It is all in their beard, they believe. And some others wear the same trouser for several matches together. Their fear being washing them may end up washing their luck as well.

During a league encounter against Zimbabwe in 1983 World Cup, India were in the spectre of a humiliating defeat before Kapil Dev began the assault that brought a ray of hope in the dressing room. And that prompted the team manager Man Singh to instruct: "Nobody would move from his seat". Srikkanth was standing outside the dressing room on a cold, windy day, with a cup of coffee in his hand. And he had to bear it for the next two hours or so!

One more such incident happened in Sydney in 1985. During the semifinal against New Zealand in the World Championship of Cricket, India were in a spot with the asking-rate getting stiffer. As Dilip Vengsarkar and Kapil Dev pulled out strokes of extraordinary brilliance to fight it out, rest of the team did not budge from their seats in the dressing room, keeping alive the lucky charm. Vengsarkar and Kapil not only won the semifinal for India, but triumphed in the final also.

It was the final of the NatWest Trophy in Lord's in 2002. India, chasing a big total of 324, were in deep trouble with collapse of the top order. But the young duo of Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif had a different agenda. They staged one of the most remarkable recoveries as skipper Sourav Ganguly instructed his team members not to budge from their seats in the dressing room. Ganguly who had kept his leg on the fence of the room, was seen in the same position for hours till India finally ended the drought of a trophy in foreign soil for long.

Indo-Pak cricket in the '80s and '90s was full of superstition. Playing a final on Friday means Pakistan's victory and Saturday suits India. The Indians were supposed to be gentle souls, firmly vegetarian though there wasn't a formal veg/non-veg head-count. They generally ended losers if they had non-veg meals on eve of the matches. Pakistan, on the other hand, were boisterous, ate everything, had factions in their team and more captains than one could count. But they always won.

Many cricketers have their own superstitions. To begin with, K. Srikkanth says he used to look into the sun as he went in, wore his left pad first, and always walked to the right of his partner, while opening the innings. It made him feel comfortable. He had been following them from the beginning of his career and was successful. It stayed that way till the end of his career with only one exception. Gavaskar, before he played his final Test innings against Pakistan, desired a slight change! India were chasing a stiff target, considering the nature of the track. Gavaskar asked Srikkanth: "Chika, can I walk to your right this time?" How could he ever say no to the great batsman. Gavaskar produced a masterly innings on a square turner. By his own admission, one of his best knocks, considering the pressure, the situation, and the pitch.

Neil McKenzie, the 32-year-old South African opener is another example. McKenzie used to believe he could not score runs unless the sporting gods had been brought on-side through various rituals including him decreeing toilet seats be closed before he left the dressing room and taping his bat to the changing room ceiling before each innings. Before the bowler runs in, he likes to look to square leg, to fine leg, and then back at the bowler. But the South African says if he doesn't do that once, he doesn't think something bad is going to happen. He says it's just like a trigger movement.

Sri Lanka's veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya hits his pads with his bat before every ball.
Sourav Ganguly has used a number of lucky charms during his long career.
Sachin Tendulkar always wears the right pad first.
Mohinder Amarnath and Steve Waugh always carried a red handkerchief in their pockets.

Kites could provide electricity for 100,000 homes

High-flying kites tethered to generators could supply as much as 100 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 100,000 homes, according to researchers from the Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands.

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The scientists have recently demonstrated that flying a single 10-square-meter kite could produce 10 kilowatts of power, which could supply electricity for about 10 homes.

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In their next experiment, the researchers plan to test a 50-kilowatt version, called Laddermill. Eventually, their goal is to build a multi-kite system that could generate a full 100 megawatts.

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Electricity produced by kites in the wind could be inexpensive, too. The researchers predict prices to be comparable with generating electricity using coal power, and half that of using wind turbines.

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kites generate power by pulling on their strings that are attached to generators on the ground. After reaching their maximum height, the kites are reeled back down to repeat the process.

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Several other scientists are investigating the use of kites to harness energy from the wind - which some researchers estimate provides more than 100 times the amount required to power the entire planet. In 2007, Google´s philanthropic arm invested about $10 million in a US kite company called Makani. An Italian company called Kitegen has a multi-kite scheme that could generate a gigawatt of power, as much as a standard coal plant.

Hyderabad: Metro Rail to wipe out city landmarks

HYDERABAD: Once operational, the metr Rail will benefit lakhs of people and facilitate easy movement of traffic in the city.

But all this will come at a huge cost and this will not be merely financial: thousands of people will get dislocated once the construction of the project takes off.

Busy market areas such as Ameerpet, Punjagutta, Sultan Bazar, Badi Chowdi, Khairatabad among others that fall in the metro rail route will not only lose their character but also get practically wiped out with stations with a minimum height of a three floor building standing tall and wide where markets bustle with hectic activity today.

The threat of huge demolitions also loom over roads such as those extending between Narayanguda crossroads to Kacheguda and the stretch leading to Gowliguda bus station. Shah Ali Banda to Falaknuma would be among many other stretches that would fall on the metro track. "Delhi's metro has been a success, but the route is mostly underground and partly overground. In Hyderabad it will be totally overground, which is why the dislocation and destruction will be higher," an analyst said.

But even as the ambitious project has been approved by the state cabinet, notices to structures on the roads that will be affected have not been served in many places. This means that many people are still not aware that they might be affected by the project.

Experts point out that the project work would start with the construction of stations, but curiously, the process of land acquisition for stations hasn’t started as yet, at least officially.

"The government does not wish to create panic among people by starting the massive acquisitions now," said an insider source. So, a hush-hush acquisition strategy has been adopted with several government properties being acquired silently in the name of road widening.

N V S Reddy, managing director, Hyderabad Metro Rail, says that of the 66 stations coming up, government property will be given (to the developer) in 34 places. He adds that an additional "one or two acre area" will be required for parking and circulation but properties for this are not being notified now.

The stations, that are estimated to be at least as tall as a three-floor building, would even touch the height of a five or seven-floor building measuring around 40 feet to 70 feet in some places. Add to this height the length of the platform and the additional essentials of a staircase, lift and escalator.

For this, land other than the road width would be needed to the tune of 100 square yards to 200 square yards, says N V S Reddy claiming that it is still too early to notify these properties since the design (of stations) would be ready only after six months.

But what activists can't fathom is how entire markets can be allowed to disappear once the project work starts. "Sultan Bazar, for instance, is a pedestrian shopping area and part of the history of the city. Such bazaars are protected in other cities," says C Ramachandraiah of Citizens for a Better Public Transport. In addition, he questions, why the designated spots of stations have not been revealed as yet. "If the station is in Ameerpet, where would it be? Where will it be located in Punjagutta," he asks, seeking better transparency of the metro rail track.

"Land acquisition is bound to hit a roadblock in the corridor stretching through the city's most congested stretch, where even land for road widening could not be acquired," the analyst said. The available right of way for the metro rail track on the three metro corridors is 90 per cent for Miyapur- LB Nagar corridor, 72 per cent for Nagole- Shilparamam corridor but only 41 per cent for JBS- Falaknuma corridor, claims N V S Reddy. He acknowledges - in what is a gross understatement - that acquiring land for corridor II (wherein many Old City areas fall) is a 'problem'.

Observers note that there are both temples and mosques falling on the metro alignment track and wonder how the authorities would steer clear of them. Besides, they pertinently note that no financial institution would extend a loan to the project developer until it provides documentation evidence that the land has actually been acquired.

Hottest new laptops!

For long, laptops have been touted as the companion of upmarket mobile execs. However, the notion seems to be fast changing, largely due to their falling prices.

The constant slide in laptop prices has made the niche laptops go mass.

The laptop market today is flooded with sleeky design, ultra-portable laptops at affordable prices. Here's looking into some of the recent hottest launches which follow the trend.

Asus Eee PC 1000H and Eee PC 904H
Taiwan-based computer manufacturer, Asus, launched its second-generation Eee PC series in India.

The company, which partners Intel and Microsoft, rolled out Eee PC 1000H and Eee PC 904H.

Powered by Intel Atom processor, Eee PC 1000H features 10 inch screen display. The notebook boasts of battery life of up to five hours, Dolby Sound Room and built-in Bluetooth.

Targeted at users with basic computing needs, the laptop has a 1.3 megapixel webcam with wireless Internet connection. Asus Eee PC 904H features an 8.9 inch screen, 1024X600 resolution display and hybrid engine that supports battery life of up to 4.5 hours.

Both the notebooks come pre-installed with Windows XP, ASUS Super Hybrid Engine, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, Wi-Fi 802.11n and 80 GB SATA hard disk drive.

The ASUS Eee PC 904H and 1000H are available at a price of approximately Rs 26,990 and Rs 29,990 respectively.

Dell Studio range
Available in striking colour combinations, Dell Studio brand laptops come in 15-17 inch high-definition display models. There's also an mercury-free LED display option.

The sleek looking laptops come in six colour combinations -- plum purple, tangerine orange, flamingo pink, midnight blue, ruby red, spring green and standard jet black. A recent entry to the range is the high-gloss graphite grey colour that can be customised with contrasting black, blue, pink or red edge trim around the display back.

Other than their sleek looks, Dell Studio 15 and Studio 17 laptops feature built-in webcam, touch control buttons and slot load drives.

Other features include optional Blu-ray Disc drives, fingerprint reader and support for Dell video chat feature that enables four-way calling.

Studio 15 laptop is priced at Rs 46,800 and Studio 17 at Rs 52,800.

Intex series
Delhi-based Intex Technologies has rolled out a series of notebooks to woo audience across different segments.

The laptops models spanning across nine ranges -- Lifestyle Book, Gaming Book, Tablet Pad, Business book (three variants) and Education book (three variants) in the Indian market.

The notebooks support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled. Targeted at fashion lovers, Intex Lifestyle Book comes in several colours, including pink, black and white. Featuring a 12.1-inch TFT-LCD screen, the 1.8 Kg laptop has Intel Dual Core processor. It is priced at Rs 33,000.

For gaming enthusiasts there's Intex Gaming Book that promises high-end gaming experience. Powered by Intel Centrino, the notebook supports Nvidia Graphic power, SRS WOW speakers and in-built hybrid TV Tuner. It is priced at Rs 75,900.

For gizmo freaks, Intex Tablet Pad can be an option. With 12.1 inch TFT touch screen, it can rotate at 180 degrees. At 2.1 kg, the notebook retails at Rs 47,900.

For business users, Intex Business Book has high-end biz features. Available in screen sizes of 15.4 inch and 13.3 inch, the notebook comes with HDMI port for high-resolution output to HDTV.

Available in three variants, it also boasts of security features like finger print recognition and Kensington lock. The notebook is priced between Rs 32,900 and Rs 42,900.

Lastly to woo students, Intex has launched Education Book. Available in three variants, the notebook is priced between Rs 25,900 and Rs 29,900.

Lenovo IdeaPad Y710
Lenovo recently launched IdeaPad Y710, company's first notebook with a 17 inch monitor and a resolution of 1440 x 900. For graphic processor, Lenovo has used ATI Radeon Mobility HD 2600 with 512 MB memory.

Entertainment features include WLAN connectivity, Dolby Home Theatre system and an optional Blu-ray DVD reader.

The notebook comes with touch-sensitive controls and users can select between various multimedia options.

In addition, the notebook has a performance control switch with Turbo mode for maximum power, which includes CPU overclocking and Quiet mode for saving energy.

A few models of Lenovo IdeaPad Y710 comes with game zone functionality which includes enlarged directional buttons for game play, four user-customisable buttons and a secondary display showing system information such as CPU speed.

The notebook can support hard drive of up to 320GB with a speed of 5400rpm that also includes swap hard drive. The company for the first time has also introduced RAID function in the IdeaPad Y710.

Available in metallic finish, the notebook has a starting price of Rs 45,000.

BenQ S41 Joybook model
Taiwan-based BenQ launched S41 Joybook model in India. Featuring a 14.1 widescreen display, the laptop offers a quick response time of 16ms. Sporting Laminated Colour Metal (LCM) and POP art technologies, the laptop is equipped with Nvidia GeForce 8600M GS graphic chipset and up to 1GB of TurboCache support.

The notebook comes with built-in 1.3 megapixel QEye webcam, an internal microphone with noise suppression, echo cancellation functions and dual 1.5W speakers enhanced by SRS TruSurround XT technology.

The HDMI output allows transmission of HD digital video of up to 1080p resolution. For connectivity, it comes pre-equipped with integrated wireless WAN, 802.11a/b/g/n wireless LAN and built-in Bluetooth.

The Joybook retails at Rs 47,000.

Dell Inspiron 13
Dell refreshed its Inspiron series with the launch of Inspiron 13 laptop. Sporting a glossy pacific blue colour, the laptop has a 13-inch screen with a DVD drive and 8-in-1 media card reader.

Weighing 5 pounds, it has support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and built-in webcam in higher models.

Bhagat Singh In Jallianwala Bagh

On April 13, 1919, Bhagat Singh went to his school as usual unaware of the most tragic event that would trigger his fight for freedom.

When young Bhagat Singh, just 11 at the time heard about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, he ran on his bare foot to witness the tragic event. The blood soaked maidan and the echo of cry was tight packed in his heart for years to come. Although the tragic scene was too much for the child to bear, he sat down on the ground and filled a bottle with the blood soaked mud. One of the historic reports state that the sight made him wail miserably.

Bhagat Singh, then carried the bottle to his house with misty eyes and placed it in the mid of the room. Then he sat down as if he was performing a ritualistic pooja. His younger sister watched his act with great surprise and asked, "What are you doing with that bottle filled with red mud." He answered with grief and anger, "This is the pure blood of great freedom fighters killed by the British. I am paying my last tribute to them who fought to make my India a free land".

After few years Bhagat Singh plunged into the battlefield to free his country. On 23rd March, 1931, he was hanged to death by the British, with his companions Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar for shooting a police officer in response to the killing of veteran freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai.

However, death didn't seem to scare him as history states that before giving his extraordinary life to the mere rope, he kissed it with great pride and with a curved smile he cried out for the last time Bharat Mata and breathed his last. His death made several youngsters in North India to fight for a free land with great vigor. He was not successful in winning the war but he did start one. A war of revolution.

What will 3G mean for you

The 3G guidelines rolled by government is set to revolutionise India’s mobile phone services and take it to the next technological level.

The 3G policy announcement paves the way for high-speed mobile connectivity in the country. Here's looking into what 3G will mean for you as a consumer.


What exactly is 3G
3G is short for third-generation mobile telephony services.

3G phones work in higher bandwidths of 15-20 MHz. Currently mobile phones work on 2G or 2.5G, and use 30-200 KHz bandwidth.

Bandwidth is a measure of the width of a range of frequencies used while transferring data from one point to another and is measured in hertz.


2G Vs 3G services
3G represents the next step in the evolution of mobile telephony, offering markedly greater capacity and efficiency than the current 2G systems.

While 2G is focused on voice, 3G supports high-speed data of at least 144 kbps enabling broadband internet access on the mobile, and "triple play" features like mobile TV and converged communication services.

Similarly, 3G will allow operators to enhance their capacities for voice traffic as well. Currently, key operators are facing severe 2G spectrum crunch in top 20-30 cities which is hampering their future growth. As the government has indicated that it has limited spectrum left for 2G services.

Also, while 3G is good for data services, it is also three times more efficient than current technologies in packing in subscribers.


What can you do with 3G
3G services will give mobile users high-quality voice transmission and access to high-end data applications on their mobile phones, including broadband Internet access, interactive gaming and download movies, video clips and music. The can also enjoy other multimedia features such as video conferencing, mobile TV etc.

For example, a user will be able to download a 3-minute song in approximately 15 seconds with 3G. This compares to 8 minutes usually required in existing mobile technologies.

This will help mobile players to offer high-end value-added services like movie downloads, mobileTV, etc to prop up their ARPUs (average realisation per user). Presently, Indian mobile operators generate only 7-10 per cent of their revenue from non-voice services, primarily dominated by SMSes.


How much will it cost
All impressed? But then as they say good things don't come cheap. In many countries, subscribers saw a 50 per cent jump in their monthly phone bills when they switched from the normal 2G to 3G services.

Not only this, many consumers will need to upgrade their handsets to avail 3G services. The starting price for a 3G-enabled handset is about Rs 6,000, compared to an entry-level phone of Rs 700.

However, operators have reportedly said that they will make 3G affordable in a price-sensitive market like India. According to reports, a 3G start-up package could cost users around Rs 299. This may jack up for unlimited downloading which may cost between Rs 500-1000.


3G models, pricing...
According to analysts, one of the key hurdles in switching to 3G services for users can be the initial cost of upgrading to a superior handset. Presently, about 15-20 per cent of the mobile phones in India are 3G-ready.

However, now with 3G services only six months away, mobile phone makers are reportedly ready to offer handsets for as less as Rs 3500. Chinese telecom company Huawei Technologies is said to be in talks with Indian GSM operators to introduce a 3G entry-level phone between $80-100.

Other mobile manufacturers like LG and Motorola too foresee a fall in 3G handset prices.

Motorola currently has three 3G models priced between Rs 14,000-19,000.


How soon can you get 3G
While the state-run telecom companies, MTNL and BSNL have said that they will launch 3G services within six months (starting from North and East zones), private service providers may take longer.

Successful private 3G bidders are likely to launch services by mid-2009.


The Mobile WiMax threat
Though presently, there seems to be a scramble for 3G services, the service faces a big threat in another technology called WiMax. The evolving technology offers data download speeds 10-30 times faster than 3G.

Also, while WiMax can provide similar services such as 3G, the technology still has to establish itself as a global standard. Globally, only a few operator have deployed WiMax giving higher economies of scale to 3G technologies. However, WiMax enjoys strong backing from companies like Intel, Motorola and Nortel. .

So, though as a consumer, you may choose between the two, telcos would probably want to offer both. .

The telecom minster A Raja said that government will also auction Wimax services. The reserve price for these services has been set at 25 per cent of that of 3G. Initially, about three licences would be offered, which will be doubled later depending on the vacation of the spectrum by Defence.


New service providers
DoT will appoint an independent agency to carry out the global online auction with two weeks. The auction will be open to both old and new players. However, while existing operators like Vodafone and Bharti Airtel will have to pay Rs 2,020 crore (reserve price for the auction). The new entrants are required to pay an additional Rs 1,651 crore to obtain a unified licence before they are eligible. .

This means new entrants will require roughly Rs 4,600 crore inclusive of entry fee, cost of unified licence, performance and financial bank guarantees before they can even step into the bidding arena. .

DoT has also made prior 3G experience mandatory for new players to rollout 3G services. This means that some of the Indian companies like Hindujas, Jindal, Parsvanath and DLF, which have earlier applied for telecom licence will have to partner with a global player with 3G experience to participate in the auction. .

Courtesy Indiatimes News Network

The Indian Ten Commandments

1. Treat the Earth and all that dwell therein with respect
2. Remain close to the Great Spirit
3. Show great respect for your fellow beings
4. Work together for the benefit of all Mankind
5. Give assistance and kindness wherever needed
6. Do what you know to be right
7. Look after the well-being of Mind and Body
8. Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater Good
9. Be truthful and honest at all times
10. Take full responsibility for your actions

In pics: Tech @ Beijing Olympics

The Beijing Olympics are set for a grand start on August 8. The games have been in the limelight since the day they were announced, sometimes for right reasons, and many a times for wrong reasons.
The Chinese government's recent decision to censor Internet during the games has once again kicked up a row. As the days inch closer to the Big day, we bring you some interesting tech moments driving the games.

Seeking Olympian branding!
Lenovo is the only Chinese company among the International Olympic Committee's 12 top-tier sponsors. The Beijing-based company is hoping its link to the games will help its efforts to become a global brand name.
Lenovo is supplying 30,000 servers, personal computers and other pieces of equipment for the games and is sending 580 engineers to maintain it.
The company has run some 40 test events and rehearsals for the games, said Chen Xiaopeng, its senior vice president for China.
The company recently showed off a new wireless device, dubbed Beacon, which attaches to a digital camera and allows users to post pictures directly to the Web. Yang said it would be available for some news photographers to test during the games.
Lenovo is planning Olympics-related television advertising campaigns in the United States, Australia and India and will be running Internet advertisements in Europe.

Stop Press!
The Beijing Olympics plunged into another controversy after China's decision to reverse a pledge on allowing unfettered Web access to the thousands of foreign reporters covering the Games.
The International Olympic Committee and the Chinese organisers BOCOG later agreed to lift all Internet restrictions for the Beijing Games.

Someone’s watching you!
An accredited member of the media goes online at the main press centre for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on the Olympic Green in Beijing. Computer security experts have advised visitors to Beijing to protect their data from prying eyes. According to experts, travelers carrying smart cell phones, Blackberries or laptops could unwittingly be providing sensitive personal or business information to Chinese officials who monitor state-controlled telecom carriers.
Data risks
A journalist works on a laptop computer during a Beijing 2008 Olympics press conference. Without data encryption, executives may have their business plans or designs pilfered, while journalists' run the risk of exposing their contact list.

Till curtains go up!

A Chinese performer wraps up the stage in front of the television broadcast tower during rehearsal for the Beijing Olympics at the Olympic Green in Beijing, China, July 30, 2008.
Recently, a US Senator accused China of installing Internet-spying equipment in all the major hotel chains serving the Olympics.

Training Times
Staff train at the audio production room at the new China Central Television's (CCTV) Olympic Broadcast Center in Beijing. Broadcaster CCTV is dedicating 3,000 staff to the Beijing Olympic Games, with over 2,500 hours of programming going out on seven of the 17 channels it controls. CCTV will distribute Beijing Olympics broadcasts to all TV stations across China.

No politics please!
A staff member trains at the new China Central Television's (CCTV) Olympic Broadcast Center in Beijing, July 30, 2008. Although Chinese government has agreed to free Internet access for reporters for the period of the Games, it is still tightly controlled for the rest of the country.
It has also made a plea not to politicize the Games that many hoped would lead the country of 1.3 billion on a path to greater political reforms to match years of breakneck growth that has made China the world's fourth-largest economy.

Dressing up!
A giant overhead screen dominates a retail street in Beijing. Beijing is getting ready to receive a massive influx of foreign tourists during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and is determined to showcase a modern and vibrant capital.
Hu said that as early as 1908 some Chinese were saying their country should host the Olympics, adding that when the Games open on August 8 it would be the fulfillment of a 100-year dream.


Repressive regime
Foreign journalists use Internet services provided at the Main Press Center at the Olympic Green in Beijing.
Claiming that Chinese journalists faced greater repression now than in 2001 when Beijing was awarded the Olympic Games, a US-based think tank has charged that authorities there were accelerating crackdown on media before the opening ceremony for the mega sporting event on August 8.
The blocked Internet was seen as the latest broken promise on press freedom at the Beijing Olympics, which China's authoritarian government is hoping will show off an open, modern country and the rising political and economic power of the 21st century.

Lacking direction?
A passenger walks past a subway map at the new subway Line 8 which opened recently exclusively for accredited volunteers, journalists, staff and athletes in Beijing, July 29, 2008.

Super quotes from the Superstar

There is a joke about Rajnikanth that is doing the rounds in Kollywood and beyond: “When SUPERSTAR does a pushup, he does not lift himself up; he just pushes the Earth down”.

More jokes on these lines are in the making, thanks to the curtains of invincibility that have been woven around the Superstar by his fan-filmmakers. Writers too have contributed in building up the Rajni legend. It’s a habit among Rajni’s writers to jot in a few one-liners, which the star happily shoots off, on screen. No Rajni movie is complete without “the Rajnikanth Punch line”.

Each of these lines is taken in as a commandment by the zealous Rajni fan. Rajni does an MGR with these cleverly poised words. He uses it to communicate to his fans and detractors as to who he “really” is, what he likes, who he loves, who he hates and what his plans are. Here are 10 selected one-liners from the Superstar Rajnikanth encyclopedia.

Enjoy!

'Moondru Mugam' (1982): Rajni plays Alex Pandiyan, a righteous cop.

Ekambaram, the villain, dares to say this to Alex: “Ekambaramnu sonna vayithula irukura kozhandhai kooda vaaya moodum.” (“Say the name ‘Ekambaram’ and even an unborn child will shut its mouth and hush up.”)

Alex retorts: “Adhe kozhandhai kitta Alex Pandiyannu sonna, innoru kaiyale avanga amma vaayayum moodum!” ( “Well, if you say the name ‘Alex Pandian’ to that particular unborn child, it will close its mother’s mouth with the other hand!”)

'Annamalai' (1992): Rajni plays Annamalai, who starts out as a cowherd, and becomes a millionaire by selling milk.(!) He even sings in praise of the cow divine. About his style of functioning, he has this to say: Naan solrathaiyum seiven, sollathathiyum seiven.” ( “I will do what I say, I will also do what I don’t say.”)

'Uzhaippali' (1993): Rajni is the King of Proletarians here.

“Nethu naan coolie.. enniku naan nadigan.. naalaikku... Sila per solranga naan eppadi varuven appadi varuven.. naan eppadi varuvennu andavanukkum mattum thaan theriyum.. (Yesterday, I was a coolie, today I'm an actor; people have different ideas about my future. Only god knows what I will become!!)

'Baasha' (1995): In this cult classic, Rajni plays the undercover Don, who had once roamed the streets of Mumbai, in a car sandwiched by two SUVs. “Manik Basha” always walks in slow motion, with three doting assistants following him, three paces behind.

Apparently, Basha does not want to waste his words on lowlifes and trivialities: ““Naan oru dhadavai sonna nooru dhadavai sonna madhiri.” (If I say it once, it is equal to saying it a hundred times.”)


'Muthu' (1996): Rajni plays Muthu, a village simpleton who is the real “Vaaris” to a millionaire (also played by Rajni) who had given up his castle and all the riches thereof to lead the life of an ascetic!

“Naan eppa varuven, eppadi varuvennu yarukkum theriyadhu, aana varavendiya neratthil correct-aga varuven.” (“No one knows when I will come, or how I will, but when I come I will come in the right time.”)—No pun intented!

'Arunachalam' (1997): Rajni plays Arunachalam, who is given Rs. 30 crore in cash and the golden opportunity to squander it within a month’s time:

“Andavan solran. Arunachalam seiran.” (“God commands, Arunachalam obeys.”)

Padayappa (1999): Padayappa is a Mechanical engineer, who is brave enough to take a Cobra out of its pit. Unfortunately, a scheming uncle deprives Padayappa’s dad of all the wealth. Padayappa is left only with a throw-away real estate, which has a barren hill for an investment. Rajni discovers that it is a “granite malai” (granite hill!!!). He sells all the granite, becomes a millionaire, and avenges his dad.

“En vazhi , thani vazhi.” (“My way is the original (a unique) way!)

To women, who roam the village in min-skirts and flaunt their attitude, Padayappa has this to say (before he quits the scene in slow motion): “Adikamaa aasikkira aanum adhikamaa kopikkira ponnum vazhntha sarithirame kedaythth” (The overtly ambitious man and the overtly angry woman have never succeeded on earth!!!)

Baba (2003)

Plays Baba, who is destined for “bigger things”! Rajni himself has written the screenplay, but he forgets to tell people what the “bigger things” really are!

Baba: Naan leytta vanthalum leyttestta than varuvaan…. (Even if I come late, I will be the latest one to come!). Again, no pun intended.

'Chandramukhi' (2005)

Plays Saravanan, a super psychiatrist who “tames” a schizophrenic shrew. The plot demands Saravanan to play an Andhraite King, who says “Lagalagalagalagalagalaga” every time he enters the shot. The meaning of this word (phrase, idiom) is unknown to this day.

'Sivaji, The Boss' (2007)

Sivaji is a US-returnee, who nurtures the dream of civilizing India’s educational sector. He starts a medical college, gets trapped in huge debts and is rendered penniless. He is offered a One-rupee coin by the villain, just before “Interval”. Sivaji uses this coin to become a millionaire; the screen-time taken for this manoeuvre is not more than 10 minutes.

To the king of goons, who is surprised at the fact that Sivaji had landed alone to fight his monster herd, Sivaji says this: “Panni than daa koottama varum; Singam single aa than varum” (“Only the swine comes in herds; The Lion will always come alone”)

The ‘Discovery Channel’ truth: It’s the lion who always attacks in groups!

To those who literally tremble at the mention of his name, Sivaji roars: Summa peru sonnale adhiruthille???!!! (Doesn’t my name send a shiver down your spine? Ha!)

And when they swoon to his charms, Sivaji says: “Kkkhooooool” (“Cool”)!