Glamizer

How Big is Facebook?

2009-04-09T00:12:00.000+05:30

Facebook announced this morning that it will welcome its 200 millionth user today. That's a whole lot of people. Just three months ago the company announced it was starting the year out with 150 million users. That kind of growth could make a person's brain hurt. People want to connect with each other and Facebook is clearly a very compelling way to do that these days.

Just how hot is it though? For context, we looked up some other activities and offer below a list of things that are less popular these days than being a registered user at Facebook. Bowling, for example, appears to be headed the way of MySpace - there are now twice as many Facebook users as there are people who play ten pin bowling around the world.

At 200 million users, Facebook is:

Twice as big as the largest number of people who have ever watched a Superbowl game

Twice as big as YouTube

Twice as big as Skype

Bigger than the number of people who own gaming consoles in their homes (190m)

Bigger than the population of all but 4 countries in the world. (Just passed Brazil, next in line is Indonesia and then the US.)

Twice as big as eBay.

Four times as big as the number of people in the US who run on treadmills.

It's twice as big as the number of malnourished people in India. Another way to look at that is to imagine that half of the people on Facebook were malnourished and living in one place.

Now imagine if all the brainpower spent on building stupid Facebook apps was instead spent on helping all the malnourished people in India and around the world. Imagine, though, if the 100 million people who like to bowl gave that up in favor of working for world peace.

These numbers can't be directly compared with any real meaning, but we think it's interesting for context. It's still cooler to live in France than it is to have a Facebook account, even if it is only 30% as popular.

Scammer shuffles Apple out of 9,000 iPods

2009-03-21T20:40:00.000+05:30

For whatever reason, Apple's iPod ends up in the middle of quite a few crimes. The latest story, however, is even more extreme than usual. Nicholas Arthur Woodhams, a 23 year old from Kalamazoo, Michigan, was recently slapped upside the gord with federal charges of fraud and money laundering after he managed to con Apple into shipping him around 9,000 iPod shuffles. As the story goes, he managed to somehow correctly guess thousands of valid shuffle serial numbers and have replacements shipped to him; once they arrived, he sold them for less than MSRP to excited buyers, all while giving Apple a prepaid VISA number that would reject the charges after he failed to send back the nonexistent "original" shuffle. It's rather amazing to us that he was able to pull this off for so long without being noticed, but even if it works for awhile, we've learned yet again that crime doesn't pay. In fact, the feds have already seized a half million bucks from one brokerage account, some real estate and a trio of vehicles. Tragic, yeah?

Hulk Hogan Memoir–Hulk Hogan Tell-All Book (Excerpt)

2009-03-21T02:16:00.000+05:30

Just in case you didn’t get enough of window into The Wonderful World of Hogan on their VH1 reality series, wrestling legend Terry Bollea, perhaps best known as Hulk Hogan, has inked a six-figure deal with St. Martin’s Press to pen an account of his life.

According to veteran celebrity snitch Cindy Adams, the 320 page memoir–with a 16-page color photo insert–will cover The Hulk’s humble beginnings as a boy growing up in Tampa, his two-decade marriage to Lina Bollea, and of course, his career as a 12-time World Heavyweight Champ and six-time World Wrestling Federation Champ.

Perhaps most notably, Hulk will discuss his son Nick’s near-fatal car crash that left a young Marine brain-dead. The Hogan’s conduct in the wake of the crash left the family open to public scorn.

Emily Blunt Credits Teacher For Curing Stutter

2009-03-21T02:10:00.000+05:30

British actress Emily Blunt is forever grateful to a teacher at her former school - for inspiring her to take to the stage and cure her childhood stutter.

The Devil Wears Prada star suffered a bad stammer as a schoolgirl, but finally overcame her speech impediment when a teacher urged her to take up acting.

She says, "I did have a bad stuttering problem as a child. I'd try to push the words out, but it was so frustrating. My parents took me to speech coaches and relaxation coaches.

"It didn't work. Then one of my teachers at school had a brilliant idea and said, 'Why don't you speak in an accent in our school play?' I distanced myself from me through this character, and it was so freeing that my stuttering stopped when I was onstage. It really was a miracle."

Joe Jonas Is The Latest Disney Star To Mock Asians

2009-03-21T00:39:00.002+05:30

Joe Jonas is at the center of a photo scandal in which he appears to mock Asians - just one month after fellow teen singing sensation Miley Cyrus was forced to apologize for a similar prank.

The 19-year-old Jonas Brothers star, older brother to Cyrus' ex-boyfriend Nick, appears to pull his eyes with his pinky fingers as he strikes a similar pose to the Hannah Montana star in a picture which has leaked online, reports HuffingtonPost.com.

Cyrus, 16, is facing legal action from a group of Asian Pacific Islanders over her own photo controversy after images of the singer and a group of friends pulling the same pose appeared online last month.

She apologized for the photos, but it was rejected by civil rights activists and they are now seeking damages for the offense.

A spokesperson for Jonas was not available for comment as WENN went to press.

Kendra Wilkinson Shares Her Baby Photos

2009-03-19T23:13:00.001+05:30

For everyone who doubted Kendra Wilkinson's status as a natural blonde,

she's got photographic evidence.

The reality tv star dug up childhood photos and posted them on her blog to combat claims that she's a fake blonde. "Here's proof that I AM originally a NATURAL blonde!!!" she writes.

The bride-to-be, who is looking for a minister to preside over her nuptials to football star Hank Baskett, also wanted fans to see that she hasn't changed much and "to show everyone a little bit about the young KDubs hahaha!"

What Caused Natasha Richardson's Fatal Brain Injury?

2009-03-19T23:09:00.000+05:30

Even as an autopsy gets underway in New York the day after her death, many questions remain about just what happened on a Quebec mountain that left Natasha Richardson with ultimately fatal,severe brain trauma.

Roughly 1.4 million people in the U.S. suffer from traumatic brain injuries each year, according to the California Brain Injury Association – and 50,000 die from it. A majority of these injuries result from falls just like Richardson's.

"There is no telling what the forces are that were applied to her head," says Dr. Jeff Victoroff, Associate Professor of Neurology at USC's School of Medicine. "People underestimate the enormous amount of physical force that can be generated by nothing more than a standing level fall."

Medical experts say Richardson likely suffered a subdural hemotoma – the breaking of blood vessels inside the brain. Usually, the body responds to such an injury instantly by clotting the blood around the injured area to keep it from bleeding out. So why, presumably, didn't that happen here?

"The speculation that comes first to mind is that there is something wrong with her blood so that it doesn't clot properly," says Dr. Victoroff, adding that pain killers such as Motrin or Nuprin could interfere with natural blood clotting.

Others wonder if Richardson might have suffered an aneurysm, and whether the real damage occurred even before she even fell down the slope.

"You always have to wonder if the fall was the result of something that happened in the brain rather than the cause, like a stroke or a massive brain hemorrhage," says Dr. Neil Martin, Chairman of Neurosurgery at UCLA Medical School. "But arguing against a massive problem like that is that immediately after the fall she seemed to be OK."

Still, says Martin, "It could have been a minor warning leak from an aneurysm and the deterioration an hour later might have been a second massive hemorrhage. It is scary and more than a bit puzzling."

Could She Have Been Saved?

For Richardson's loved ones, the most haunting question is whether she could have been saved had she been treated immediately. According to a spokesperson for the Mont Tremblant ski resort, Richardson was lucid after she fell on a beginner's slope, and declined medical attention until she started complaining of headaches about an hour later.

According to experts, there is no way of knowing, at least until a full CT scan shows the depth and breadth of her injuries. And that information may be revealed when the results of the autopsy are released later on Thursday.

"If the hemorrhage can occur over the surface of the brain, where it can be corrected by surgery if detected early, perhaps yes there could have been another outcome," says Dr. Martin. "At the same time, the injury could have very well occurred deep inside the brain, in which case surgery – or any other treatment for that matter – probably wouldn't have helped."

Project Runway” Kenley Collins Arrested; Attacks Boyfriend With Cat

2009-03-19T20:19:00.001+05:30

And giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “pussy whipped….”

Former Project Runway contestant Kenley Collins was arrested this week after assaulting her fiance with their cat. Animal Cruelty! Quick, somebody call PETA!

According to New York City Police officials, Kenley is accused of tossing the feline, a laptop, and three apples at live-in lover Zak Penley during an argument in the couple’s Brooklyn apartment on Tuesday.

She was charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

“It was a miscommunication,” the aspiring designer told The New York Post on Thursday. “Fights happen, And that’s that. There is no case.”

Sony HBH-IS800 Wireless Stereo Bluetooth Headset

2009-03-19T20:16:00.002+05:30

Get rid of the pesky cord that normally comes with headphones and go wireless by using Sony’s lightweight Bluetooth headset with any compatible A2DP phone. Incredibly stylish, the headphones don’t look like the normally uncomfortable and clunky Bluetooth headsets, but they are simply regular, sleek headphones connected by a short cable. The stereo sound will do your music justice and there’s no loss of audio quality just because it’s played wirelessly. With its great design, convenience, and sound, Sony’s HBH-IS800 headphones are a must-have for any music enthusiast on-the-go.

SD-P93DTW: Toshiba announces stylish portable DVD player

2009-03-19T02:39:00.003+05:30

Toshiba Japan announced a new portable DVD player today [JP], the SD-P93DTW, which is equipped with a One-Seg digital TV tuner. The device is Japan-only at this point. But Toshiba sells the SDP93S in the US, which is essentially the same player minus the TV tuner (the tuner is useless outside Japan and Brazil anyway). And Americans have to pay a lot less for their player.

Japanese buyers will be set back a whopping $520, while the SDP93S costs just $180 at Amazon. The Japanese version is also equipped with an analogue TV tuner and supports SD/SDHC/microSD/micro SDHC cards but apart from these features (the American version supports SD cards only), it seems to be the same model: a swiveling 9-inch TFT LCD screen with 800×480 resolution, DivX support, JPEG viewer, virtual surround sound and built-in speakers.

The SD-P93DTW will hit Japanese stores at the end of April.

New Facebook Group Teaches Users How To Revert Back To Old Facebook Design

2009-03-19T02:36:00.001+05:30

A new Facebook group has surged in popularity over the past few days as it claims to provide instructions on how to revert your Facebook to the old design. The group titled “I WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO GET THE OLD FACEBOOK BACK!” gives step by step instructions on how do just that. While I haven’t tried out the process, it sounds logical.

Numerous users that have joined the group claim that it doesn’t work. Regardless of the tutorial’s accuracy, users are joining at a rapid pace. Just in the last hour I’ve counted over 300 new users. What has accounted for the group’s rapid growth? The primary growth is due to the group administrator’s decision to post step by step instructions for promoting the group prior to listing out the instructions for reverting back to the previous design.

Everything listed in the instructions makes sense but I don’t have any desire to go back to the old design. My guess is that Facebook will disable this functionality in the near future. Theoretically Facebook could store copies of the “old design” and “new design” at all times, in order to make it easier to roll-back in case of substantial errors or backlash from users.

While I haven’t heard substantial feedback from users about frustration with the new design, many users have expressed frustration with Facebook regularly changing the layout of the site. Some users claim that Facebook switches the design just as they get the previous iteration functioning properly. Have you found the new design easy to use? Have you tested out the steps described in this group? If so, did it work? We’d love to know!

Mamma Mia! Samsung Lucido Offers Ultra-Slim Metal Body, OLED Display

2009-03-15T00:23:00.000+05:30

The company's new Brit-only, Italian-named candybar adds to the slim form factor of previous handsets with design flair and an upgraded screen.

Those who fondly remember Samsung’s older ultra-slim candybars like the U100 and X820 will be happy to know that the company hasn’t abandoned that design ethic completely in favor of beefier iPhone lookalikes. On Friday, the company’s U.K. armshowed off its new Lucido, another thin candybar that dons aluminum accents and an OLED display.

The name translates to “sleek” in Italian, which is appropriate given its 11.8mm-thick profile and dark, brushed-metal accents on the face. Unlike previous models like the U800, the apparent predecessor to the Lucido, it will adopt OLED technology for its 2.2-inch display, which typically delivers superior brightness and contrast.

Other specs on the pocketable slimline phone include a 5-megapixel camera on the back (also trimmed by metal), 7.2Mbps HSDPA Internet, and GPS with Google maps integration.

At the moment, the Lucido is slated for an April release, but only on U.K. carriers, and a price has not yet been announced.

Freida Pinto at the Chanel Show in Paris

2009-03-15T00:14:00.002+05:30

Unlike other Bollywood stars who aim and long for Hollywood projects, but keep Mumbai as their base clinging on to Bollywood films, The 24-year-old Slumdog Millionaire actress, Freida Pinto has moved to New York to concentrate on her Hollywood career. Not that her move has been too hasty or unplanned. The gorgeous actress has already been signed by Woody Allen for his next film where she will star alongside Josh Brolin, Naomi Watts, Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas.

And also, the gal is making her presence felt on the international front dazzling at major events. Recently, she was spotted at the Chanel show in Paris Fashion Week where she outdid her fellow front row occupants supermodels Kate Moss and Claudia Schiffer. She was was the centre of attention in a white draped cocktail dress with a black layered chain detail and black stilettos.

The Mumbai native, had earlier confessed to getting star struck despite now being a celebrity in her own right, with the stupendous success of her debut film which went on to win eight Academy awards.

Facebook U.K. Help Page Gets Hijacked

2009-03-14T23:44:00.002+05:30

This afternoon Koen Peeters sent us a screenshot of a modified version of Facebook’s help page which states, “We’ve updated our homepage because we wanted to copy Twitter.com.” Initially I thought the screenshot was fake since the help center page was titled “Help Centre”. We quickly found out that the reason it was spelled that way was because it was visible for those who were using the site under the U.K. version of English.

So how did this happen? Well, we can only think of two ways. First, it could have been someone in Facebook’s U.K. office as there has been other modifications of site pages before. The alternative reason could be that users decided to modify the translated version of Facebook but we aren’t quite sure that it’s possible since the “English (U.K.)” version of Facebook has been available for quite some time.

While I doubt that we’ll ever know who changed this page, it’s definitely slightly embarrassing error. If you want to view the page yourself, you must install the the Facebook Translations application and view the help page using the “English (U.K.)” version. Our guess is that by the time you’ve done this, the error will have been fixed.

Adsense Friendly Privacy Policy Generator for your blogand website

2009-03-14T23:39:00.002+05:30

If you don't agree with the new conditions , you'll be kicked out of the Google Adsense program at the end of May.

Here is what the new policy says :

"You must have and abide by an appropriate privacy policy that complies with applicable privacy and data protection laws and that clearly discloses that third parties may be placing and reading cookies on your users’ browser, or using web beacons to collect information, in the course of ads being served on your website. Your privacy policy should also include information about user options for cookie management."

Cookies & Web beacons:
Most adsense publishers are familiar with http cookies (or web cookies). They are a small parcels of text sent by a server to a web client(browser) and then sent back unchanged by the client each time he/she accesses that server. But the term Web beacon may be new to you.
A web beacon (also known as tracking pixel or pixel tag or clear GIF) is a small transparent graphic image (usually 1 pixel height and 1 pixel width) that is placed on a website or even in an email that is used to moniter the behavior of the client/user visiting the webpage, to find out some user information like IP address,etc.

So, to abide the new terms of Adsense, you have to include an appropriate Privacy policy in your site/blog.
If you are new or not sure how you need to create a Privacy Policy, Don't worry! There are a few Adsense Privacy Policy Generators which will make your life easier.. SERPRank's Privacy Policy Generator is one of those

Jennifer Aniston 2 mn pound engagement ring

2009-03-14T21:59:00.002+05:30

jennifer Aniston's musiscian beau John Mayer has approached top US jeweller Lorraine Schwartz to custom-make a two milion pounds engagement ring for his girlfriend.

Schwartz has earlier created rings for celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Heidi Klum and Beyonce Knowles.

"Money is no object for John. He is creating a vintage-style classic ring for Jen. He's looking at 18-carat flawless diamond so he won't get much change from 2 million pounds," dailymail.co.uk quoted a source close to the couple saying.

"When he does get down on one knee, he wants to be completely sure he gets the right answer. He knows a ring like that would be hard to refuse," the source added.

Will Freida Pinto be the next Bond girl ?

2009-03-14T20:25:00.000+05:30

Slumdog Millionaire" catapulted her to Hollywood and now actress Freida Pinto is in the league of actresses vying to be the new Bond girl.

Freida was invited to a screen test for the next spy adventure, reports thesun.co.uk.

The 24-year-old actress was apparently first spotted by producers during the casting for "Quantum of Solace" - the 22nd Bond film released last year.

"Freida came to the attention of the Bond team when they were casting 'Quantum of Solace'. She was too young at the time to have a part as a love interest for a secret agent. But she has blossomed into an incredibly stunning young woman and would look perfect on Daniel Craig's arm," a source said.

The chances of the actress' participation in the film seem strong as executive producer of the film Barbara Broccoli is eager to cast her.

"Danny Boyle is favourite to take the helm of the next movie which would increase Freida's chances of a starring role," added the source.

If Freida is lucky enough to bag the role of a Bond girl, it would be her next international project after the Woody Allen movie that she has been signed up for.

Hayden Wants Milo Fired from Heroes

2009-03-11T06:42:00.001+05:30

On-set romances are great while they last, but things tend to get a little sticky when co-stars break up, which is the case with Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia.

New reports suggest Hayden is trying to run her ex off the set of their show Heroes.

According to OK! magazine, Hayden doesn’t even want to be in the same radius as Milo! The magazine reports, “She refuses to be on the set at the same time as him. She is making it difficult for everyone involved.”

Sounds a little immature, didn’t anyone ever tell her she shouldn’t bring her personal problems to the workplace?

The source also tells OK! that Milo is over her childish behavior, and is opting to stay professional. The mag says, “He’s not going to play any games or stoop to her level.”

This is probably just a case of Hayden being 19, and Milo being 31. She’s playing the breakup games that a lot of girls tend to do, and while we don’t necessarily know the details of their break-up, it seems Hayden is mad about something! We hope for Milo’s sake that the producers wouldn’t fire him over something so trite!

Rakhi Sawant Dino Morea womens suffering Cancer

2009-03-11T06:33:00.001+05:30

Kareena launches Anne French Roll On

2009-03-11T06:23:00.001+05:30

Kareena Kapoor wearing a blue gown arrived the launching event of Anne French Roll On lotion cream at the Hotel Taj Lands End. Kareena Kapoor who is known for her zero figure and fitness looks gorgeous. The bluish gown is absolutely fantastic and it shows her beauty perfectly at the event. I don’t know why this dress seems like someone has wear before, i think Deepika Padukone has wear similar kind of dress at some shampoo “Sunsilk” event, may be I am wrong as Deepika dress was upto her knees only.

Miley Cyrus Has A Heart Problem

2009-03-11T06:20:00.001+05:30

Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus is suffering from a heart condition. The pop star/actress reveals in her autobiography "Miles to Go" that she has tachycardia, meaning her heart rate exceeds the range of a normal resting heart rate.

And although the condition isn't life-threatening, Cyrus admits she struggles to deal with the issue.

She writes, "The type of tachycardia I have isn't dangerous. It won't hurt me, but it does bother me. There is never a time onstage when I'm not thinking about my heart."

Freida Pinto Signs a Deal with Estee Lauder

2009-03-11T06:18:00.001+05:30

'Slumdog Millionaire' starlet Freida Pinto's star just keeps on rising

! She's gained international recognition for her first ever role in the Oscar winning 'Slumdog,' signed onto to co-star in a W

oody Allen film, walked the ramp at Milan fashion week, hob knobbed with tons of a-list celebrities, and now she's making waves in the make-up industry. The former model has signed onto become the new face of cosmetics giant, Estee Lauder! Pretty big news, as her face will be seen in magazine adverts, television commercials and so on, giving her tons more exposure.

According to reports, the deal is worth $350,000 dollars and confirms the fact that Freida's become a hot property. Freida joins the likes of Liz Hurley and Gwyneth Paltrow, who are both spokespersons for the make-up company. Plus Freida becomes the company's first ever Indian spokesperson! How exciting! Just goes to show how this whole east meets west collaboration keeps growing. If you ask us, it's about time Desis are shown in a more international light in the entertainment industry!

Freida joins Aishwarya Rai, who is a spokesperson for L'Oreal on an international scale, as another Indian face for cosmetics. It'll be nice to have an Indian woman representing a make-up company

when many Desi girls have often complained about a lack of cosmetics made especially for South Asian skin types. Maybe this will help lead to makeup companies paying more attention to that fact.

All that aside, we want to know what you think of Freida landing the Estee Lauder contract. Is it cool that she's getting all this recognition? Or is she becoming a tad too overexposed? Drop us a comment with your thoughts on the matter!

Who's Hotter: Bipasha Basu and John Abraham or Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie?

2009-03-11T06:15:00.000+05:30

There's a lot of debate out there about who's hot and who's not. Usually we just wind up talking about those sexy couples that we can't get enough of in Bollywood or Hollywood. But even we have to admit that every once in a while there's a couple that you just can't help but stare at when you see them toge

ther. The fact that two exceptionally attractive people come togeth

er seems kind of unfair, but at least we still get to judge the level of their hotness. So we were sitting around thinking, "Are Bipasha Basu and John Abraham hotter than Brad Pitt and AngelinaJolie?"

They are both undeniably successful couples who have done

well for themselves and joined forces to create an unstoppable force. There are even some similarities, starting with the fact that they're all actors. Also, both couples are unmarried, which is still somewhat culturally frowned upon for Bipasha Basu and John Abraham, more so than it is for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. And there is no denying that both of the people involved that make up these couples are sex symbols in their own right. As for Bipasha Basu and John Abraham, they both seem to be

very health focused and love to exercise. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie seem to be more baby-focused and are notorious for their willingness to continue to adopt, which set off a mini-trend as seen with Madonna.

It's a toss-up and kind of difficult to say that one is better than the o

ther,

or is it? The couples are sexy, young, and taking the Bollywood and Hollywood film industries by storm. So we want to turn over this oh-so difficult question to our readers. Do you think Bipasha Basu and John Abraham are hotter or do you think that no one can match the level of hotness that is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie? Leave us your comments on these sexy couples.

Lakme Announces the Designers to be Featured at Fashion Week

2009-03-11T06:12:00.000+05:30

Lakme Fashion Week is almost here! If you need to know what the hottest trends will be this fall, then you want to be at the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai on March 27-31st. The event will not only showcase what the hottest trends for the fall will be, but will also celebrate the last tenyears of Indian fashion! Lakme and co-sponsor, IMG Fashion, have announced the sponsors and designers to be featured.

Some familiar names will be sponsoring the big event, such as Levi's, SkodaAuto, Westside, and DHL - these companies have been sponsors for several years now. There are also some new names collaborating to sponsor Fashion Week. Carlsberg, Grey Goose, Marie Claire, and Barbie are just a few of the added sponsors.

Lakme Fashion Week should prove to be a great mix of both old and new designers. Eigh

t up-and-coming young designers will see their creations walk the runway for a segment titled GenNext. Along with the unknowns will be eight emerging designers and 48 established designers. And the star of the show is veteran designer Anamika Khanna. The legendary designer will be making her comeback in the "Lakme Grand Finale."

Some of the other big name designers to look out for at this year's Fashion week are Anand Kabra, Wendell Rodricks, Manish Malhotra, Manish Gupta, Krishna Mehta, Rahul Mishra, Preeti Chandra, Asmita Marwa, Troy Costa, and Shalini and Paras.

Aside from the 65 designers, which will be showcased on the actual ramp, 73 artists will be presented in a collection at "The Source" - a marquee area which will feature various designers from all over the world, including India, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Switzerland, and multiple South East Asian countries. Lakme will also be bringing back Menswear Day and the Group Accessory Designer show with four designers, which were both a huge hit with gue

sts and buyers last year. And since it is never too early to start filling your closets with the next hottest trends, Lakme has announced the dates for the Spring/Summer 2010 Fashion Week: September 18-22 at the Grand Hyatt once again.

So Desi Hits! readers let us know, are you interested in Lakme Fashion Week? Will any of you be attending the event?

Imran Khan to Perform in 'Vagina Monologues'

2009-03-11T06:09:00.001+05:30

Rising actor Imran Khan, who just won the coveted Best New Actor trophy at the Filmfare Awards, is finally fulfilling his desire to work in theatre. Film actors doing theatre is of course not

new concept, but the play that he will be featured in is quite controversial and will prove to be groundbreaking. You see, Imran will be seen in Eve Ensler's 'Vagina Monologues.' If you haven't already heard of the famous play, I'm pretty sure that title alone caught your attention! Now the play written by Eve Ensler is hitting Mumbai and will be directed by Mahabanoo Mody-

Kotwal.

The 'Vagina Monologues' is a series of monologues read by female actors and the reoccurring theme is using the vagina as a means of female empowerment. Now for the first time in history since the play was first written in 1996, a male actor will be rendering a monologue. Imran Khan will read the piece, 'My Short Skirt' which was also read by Mallika Sherawat a few years back. But don't worry, Imran won't be rocking a mini, since it's pretty ridiculous to have a man read a piece on about female sexual organ, Imran will read the piece while a female actor will act it out on stage.

So how did Imran Khan get involved in the project? Well turns out

his friend Sonali Sachdev who is in the play herself inspired him to be a part of it. Imran hopes with his role in the play that more men will be drawn to the female oriented play. However, the best part of it all has to be the fact that the proceeds will go towards creating awareness towards violence against women and helping those who have been victims of violence. In fact, a young lady named Haseena, a victim of an acid attack in 1999, is expected to attend the play.

While it may sound a little quirky and offbeat, I find it honorable that Imran Khan is a part of the play, but I'd like to know what you think! What are your thoughts on Imran being the first m

an to ever be a part of the 'Vagina Monologues'? Leave your comments below.

Bobby Moon to Release New Single with Akon

2009-03-11T06:07:00.001+05:30

R&B artist on the rise Bobby Moon is trying to break through into the R&B scene, and he's going to have major R&B star Akon backing him up. The Houston, Texas born Desi released his single "She Got Me High" and is ready to blow up big time. The 27 year old singer/songwriter is definitely looking to proceed forward with new music. He wants to go R&B, but he's definitely staying true to his Desi roots by singing in Hindi on the song.

This will be his first single off his forthcoming album under RCE/Kon Live Distribution. Kon Live Distribution is Akon's R&B label, so the man behind 'Lonely' and 'Don't Matter' and countless other hits will be personally working with Bobby Moon throughout the process. That's a big time figure to be helping you try to break into the R&B /pop world. This will be Bobby Moon's second album and his first one since 2004's 'The Rising.' More often than not, Akon has the Midas touch when it comes to breaking new artists. Two of his biggest finds have been T-Pain and Lady Gaga, so let's hope he has similar success with Bobby Moon so we can see R&B become just a little more Desi.

It's definitely cool to see a Desi like Bobby Moon get the star treatment so he can be a force in R&B. The track record is there so keep your fingers crossed. In the meantime we have a clip of the new song "She Got Me High." Listen to it and let us know what you think? Do you think Akon hooked Bobby Moon up or do you think Bobby Moon needs to go back into the lab to make a better single? Let us know whether you love it or hate it.

"She Got Me High"

Jennifer Aniston: “I Will Always Love Brad Pitt…”

2009-03-11T06:03:00.000+05:30

Good luck getting Jennifer Aniston to shut her piehole about ex-husband Brad Pitt

. Sheesh.

In a interview for the March 16 issue of Britain’s Hello Magazine

, the Marley & Me star says she still loves Brad, despite the fact that he left her after an alleged affair with his Mr. and Mrs. Smith co-star Angelina Jolie, who he went on to start a family with.

Jen hopes the pair can be “good friends again” sometime in the future.

“I don’t regret any of that time with Brad and I’m not here to beat myself up about it. They were seven very intense years together and it was beautiful and complicated,” says the actress. “I will love Brad for the rest of my life - you can’t take away good memories. Were there times when I had a little ‘pity party’ for myself? Of course. Who hasn’t done that?”

She adds, “I really do hope that we’ll be good friends again at some point.”

Pamela Anderson Vivienne Westwood Show Paris Fashion Week F/W 2009-2010

2009-03-07T19:35:00.000+05:30

Pamela Anderson strutted her stuff on the catwalk as part of Vivienne Westwood’s Fall/Winter 2009-2010 ready-to-wear show in Paris on Friday. The actress, who is the face of the British designer’s current campaign, showed off three different looks from the upcoming collection before taking a bow with Vivienne herself.

Amy Winehouse Driving Lessons

2009-03-07T19:34:00.000+05:30

Wait…Amy Winehouse can’t drive?

At 25, Amy Winehouse is looking forward to learning how to drive.

Such her return to the U.K., following an extended vacay on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, Amy is looking for different outlets to keep her away from the lure of alcohol and drugs, The Sun reports.

“Learning to drive is top of her list. She wants a cute vintage car to drive around her posh new neighborhood,” an insider says. “It’s great news for her friends and family - she will have to avoid drink and drugs in order to get behind the wheel.”

M.I.A. : “I Didn’t Name My Son Ickitt”

2009-03-07T19:30:00.000+05:30

In an entry on her official Myspace Blog late Friday, the British-born rapper, whose real name is Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, denied a Latina.com scoop which claimed she’d given her tot the odd moniker.

“My baby is not called Ickitt, Pickit or Lickit thank you very much to all the Hollywood press. Hes a baby, he don’t need press!” the new mom wrote in an all-caps.

(That means she’s yelling at us, in case you didn’t know.)

“I didnt release the baby name because I didnt think it was news!!!!” the “Paper Planes” star continued. “But I will be back with something news worthy soon, till then go pick on Apple, Satchel and Moon Unit.”

Miley Cyrus Kickboxing

2009-03-07T18:23:00.000+05:30

Miley Cyrus is taking up kickboxing so that she can protect herself in case she ever runs into trouble with a purse snatcher, car-jacker, or an agressive fan with a bad case of B.O. when she’s away from the watchful eye of dad Billy Ray or one of her hired handlers.

Kandi Burruss “The Real Housewives Of Atlanta”

2009-03-07T18:19:00.000+05:30

We’ve heard that many of you are fans of the insanely-popular Bravo reality series The Real Housewives of Atlanta, so we already know you’re just dying to know what Southen diva will be replacing demure Season 1 castoff Deshawn Snow.

Well a little birdie tells us that singer-songwriter Kandi Burruss, formerly of the ’90s girl group Xscape, will be the newest Atlanta housewife, joining Kim, Lisa, NeNe, and Sheree on the unscripted drama.

Well a little birdie tells us that singer-songwriter Kandi Burruss, formerly ’90s girl group Xscape, will be the newest Atlanta housewife, joining Kim, Lisa, NeNe, and Sheree on the unscripted drama.

Prince O3 Speedport Gold Tennis Racquet - $69.99

2009-03-07T18:15:00.001+05:30

There’s a moral crisis sweeping the country today.

There was a time when the popular tennis racquet industry was the gateway to a wholesome activity that the whole family could enjoy. Apparently, though, that time has passed. The release of the Prince O3 Speedport Gold Tennis Racquet has created a new, and dare we say it, dangerous, moral climate that threatens our children.

Features like the illicitly named “Speedport Shaft™” lead our sons and daughters to begin wondering about questions that a decent lifestyle should never need to address, while the “rock solid Air Bridge™ yoke” sets an impossible standard of control that few, if any, can ever expect to reach, in their games or relationships. With these ideals implanted early in the minds of our children, is it any wonder that crime and violence are speeding out of control? How many people have to die in tennis related incidents before the government steps in and does something?

It doesn’t end with those two terrible examples, though. The “DuraSoft+ grip”, the “TPR throat insert”, the “70% larger sweet spot”. This Prince O3 Speedport Gold Tennis Racquet is a veritable casserole of vice and sin. Why, the Prince O3 Speedport Gold Tennis Racquet is even directly marketed to players with “shorter, slower strokes”.

In today’s society, parents are forced to accept that the more popular sports, such as Football and Basketball and Major League Soccer, are no longer a good source of childhood heroes. But shame on you, Prince O3 Speedport Gold Tennis Racquet, for turning the once pristine game of Tennis into a pool of innuendo and carnality. Couldn’t you at least have used parental advisory stickers?

Warranty: 1 Year Prince

Features:

Speedport Shaft™ features four additional Speedports which increases racquet speed
Air Bridge™ yoke helps stabilize frame twisting giving rock-solid feel and greater control
DuraSoft+ grip and the TPR throat insert provide exceptional shock damping for greater comfort
Designed with Twin Morph Taper Beam™ and lightweight construction to maximize power and maneuverability
Strung-Thru-Stringing System provides up to 70% larger sweet spot for the largest sweet spot in tennis
Speedport racquets move through the air up to 24% faster than traditional racquets. So you can hit your best shots. More often. Even faster

Specifications:

Length: 27.5”
Headsize: 115 sq in Strung-Thru
Cross Section: 25-27-23mm
Weight: 8.8oz/250g unstrung
Balance: 14.2 in/36.0 cm, Head Heavy
Grip: DuraSoft+
Rec. Strings: Lightning XX 16
Power Level: 1400
Swing Weight: 285
String Pattern: 16×19
Stringing Instructions

In the box:

Prince O3 Speedport Gold Tennis Racquet
Protective Carrying Case

On Time Headset System Concept

2009-03-06T02:33:00.000+05:30

Every once in a while, some new concept comes out that is actually a good idea. We have been seeing a lot of wrist watches that can act as mobile phones lately, but I think we are just creating those to fulfill some vintage Dick Tracy fantasy. This is one concept wrist phone device that won’t require you to talk to your wrist.

The On Time Headset System is a bracelet that comes with a pop-out wireless headset. I suppose that is a better place to put your Bluetooth headset than your pocket.

The bracelet has a secondary display, so if your headset rings, you can just look down and see who is calling. I would imagine that the bracelet display can show the time, making it a very fancy wristwatch.

By the way, did I mention that the displays are both touchscreens? Well, they are, and they would hopefully not require tiny fingertips in order to use.

My source referred to the OnTime Headset System as the “future of bling”, and I can’t help but feel that it is about time that tech and bling combined to create something like this. Well, as I mentioned before, this is only a concept, but I already want it on my wrist.

The Coleman LED Quad Lantern splits into four lights

2009-03-06T02:32:00.000+05:30

When camping with the whole family, it can present some slight lighting issues. There are of course always ways around that, but it usually means packing four different kinds of lights and plenty of flashlights as well as batteries. Well Coleman, being one of the better brand names for camping, has come up with a different solution. It offers one giant lantern that will give light in all directions for when you’re all sitting together, but an extra perk for when you go off in different directions.

The side panels, of which there are four, all snap off. They can work individually or all together once put back on the lantern. Each individual panel has a recharageable NiMH battery, those charge off of the eight D-cell batteries that are located within the base of the lantern. Those batteries can run the lantern all together for 72 hours, a full charge of the panel will give an hour of light per panel. Due to the frosted lens and wide-angle LED lights, it will give off light over a large area. You can purchase it on the Sears website for $69.99.

Golf apps for your iPhone

2009-03-06T02:30:00.000+05:30

The weather is warming up and we know that all you rich iPhoners will be busting out your sticks and hitting the fairway. Now golf is a sport aimed at those with disposable income so there are plenty of gadgets on the market for specialized purposes. Range finders, shot tracking etc. None of them will make you a better golfer but everyone tries them because they think you can buy a swing.

Skip all the gimmick gadgetry and just grab your iPhone, there are a ton of great apps for all your golfing needs. For a list check out 10 Kick Ass Golf Apps ay mygolfspy. I was honestly surprised at all the oolness offered by the various apps so I’ll be loading up my iPhone for a few of these when I hit hit the links this spring. And, to answer the obvious question, there is no app that will drain the pool to clean up the Baby Ruth bar.

Gold Derby nuggets: Oscars' telecast earned only $71 million, bosut 'Slumdog Millionaire' hits the b.o. jackpot | Emmy champ 'Breaking Bad' returns

2009-03-06T02:27:00.000+05:30

Hey, Derbyites: Do you wonder how popular your favorite blog is? Check out the latest LATimes.com traffic report. Last month Gold Derby came in fourth place among the more than 50 blogs here at the Times, clocking 898,618 page views. Thanks for clicking! Oh, yeah, and please keep clicking! And clicking. READERS' REPRESENTATIVE

• Last year Showtime was the first TV network to put sample episodes online for Emmy voters to see. This year it's upping digital innovation by making episodes of "Dexter," "Weeds" and "United States of Tara" accessible via iPhone and iPodTouch. VARIETY

• Looks like "Breaking Bad" will even be badder than ever when it returns to AMC Sunday night after pulling off a dramatic upset victory for Bryan Cranston as best drama actor at last year's Emmy Awards. "How rough can life get for Walt White, a quiet chemistry teacher with a pregnant wife and a handicapped son, who becomes a crystal meth dealer after discovering he is dying of lung cancer?" asks Reuters. "Much, much worse when 'Breaking Bad' begins its second season." TV show "Extra" covered the official premiere. REUTERS / EXTRA

• "'Slumdog Millionaire' is enjoying one of the best Oscar bounces on record," reports Variety. "'Slumdog Millionaire' has crossed the $200 million mark at the worldwide box office, joining an elite group of indie titles to do that kind of business." VARIETY

• The Oscars telecast generated only $72 million in ad sales for ABC — that's a big drop from the $81 million sold last year, according to TNS Media Intelligence. "The web sold 26 minutes of ad time during the kudocast. It filled six minutes and 20 seconds with network promos, the most since 2006," reports Variety. "The tough economy forced ABC to charge $1.4 million per 30-second spot in an effort to sell the inventory. That's comparably less than the $1.7 million it brought in last year per spot." VARIETY

• The poster and trailer to "Public Enemies" are out. Director Michael Mann's flick is due out this summer starring Christian Bale as a saintly FBI agent who hunts down John Dillinger (Johnny Depp). JOBLO

Kareena Kapoor - Blender India (March 2009)

2009-03-06T02:25:00.000+05:30

Kareena Kapoor is the cover girl for Blender Magazine’s Indian Edition for the month of March 2009. She looks very ok, not so fashionable on the cover. Now a days there are so many magazines that all went less on creativeness for the cover. Enjoy Kareena Kapoor on the cover of Blender.

Sonam Kapoor - Marie Claire India (March 2009)

2009-03-06T02:23:00.000+05:30

Sonam Kapoor is the cover girl for Marie Claire’s Indian Edition for the month of March 2009. Her Recent movie “Delhi 6” gets huge failure but just like Saawariya she got appreciation for her role, Masakali girl

The gorgeous actress Sonam Kapoor will be seen wearing a silk-wool moire-wrapped caban, net cotton long sleeve knit top, obi belt and a comic strip necklace.

Besides being on the cover, Sonam has given an exclusive interview in the magazine, where she talks about her growing up days - having chicken rolls at Jugheads, burji-pao ne

ar Cooper hospital and pani-puri at Elco.

Enjoy the cover of Marie Claire India March 2009.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Change Release Date After Album Leak

2009-03-06T02:21:00.000+05:30

Rockers the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been forced to push forward the release of their new album - after the highly-anticipated CD was leaked online.

The Maps musicians were preparing to launch their third studio record It's Blitz in April.

But the group will now make the songs available for download earlier after the new material made its way on to the internet.

Tracks will now become available via download in the U.S. as early as March 10 - a month ahead of the original schedule.

The physical record will land in stores on March 31, instead of the original April 14 launch date.

The band write on their official blog, "The cat's out of the bag after IT'S BLITZ! escaped from our clutches into the big bad world last week. Why should some have and some have-not?

"YYYs have been brimming with nervous excitement in anticipation of releasing this record to the world! Leaks are NO FUN but it's out of our hands."

When Ranbir Kapoor lost his virginity

2009-03-06T02:15:00.001+05:30

No sooner the Kapoor lad, Ranbir Kapoor stepped into Bollywood; he drew all the limelight. His on-screen chemistry with his co-stars and off-screen love with beautiful Deepika Padukone had been a juicy topic of discussion. After Saawariya, girls dreamt to have a boyfriend like Ranbir. Recently, when he posed for the world famous magazine 'GQ', it sold like a hot cake as he had made some stunning revelations.

Ranbir not only graced the magazine by posing in a cool manner but also made it hugely popular by disclosing some hidden facts about his life. He confessed about doing some mischievous things during teenage. He in his own admission says "There was marijuana, there was alcohol, I started smoking cigarettes". To one's surprise, he revealed that around 15 years old, he lost his virginity.

Apart from films, Ranbir’s shocking revelation has made the magazine quite interesting and worthy reading

Shahid Kapur goes naked

2009-03-06T02:12:00.002+05:30

Young and charming Shahid Kapur goes bare bodied while shooting for Vishal Bharadwaj’s ‘Kaminay’ and girls could not stop cheering for the actor. They whistled, screamed on looking Shahid Kapur riding a horse without shirt.

Shahid is young and so he could easily mingle with the youngsters. ''Shahid is happy about it. He feels honored to be college crowds favourite. Also his zara hatke role in ‘Kaminay’ is sure to give him a top billing among other actors. ‘Kaminay’ will change Shahid's entire image. It is going to put him being a hot contender amongst the others. Also working with Vishal Bharadwaj has been amazing,'' said the source.

A friend of Shahid said, ''He wants to be that way! Also Shahid feels that playing characters older than your real age can fall flat on screen at times and he does not want to land up doing anything stupid.''

In ‘Kaminay’, Shahid will be in a ‘never seen before’ role and for that he has undergone a massive makeover.

Shahid is happy that offers are coming his way slowly and steadily. In ‘Kaminay’, he pairs opposite hot Priyanka Chopra.

Freida Pinto Attends Milan Fashion Week

2009-03-06T02:06:00.000+05:30

You're the newest 'it' girl in Hollywood, paparazzi have begun to follow you around and everyone is buzzing about your future, such is the life of Freida Pinto! The 'Slumdog Millionaire' starlet has become the talk of the town, and some are even saying she's legendary director, Woody Allen's lat

est muse (which has made Scarlett Johansson very upset, reportedly). If you recall Freida has signed onto act in an upcoming film by Woody Allen.

Turns out Scarlett Johansson may have another thing to be upset over. Freida Pinto recently hit the runway for renowned fashion designer Dolce and Gabbana's fashion sh

ow in Italy! Why is this relevant to Scarlett? Well, she's currently the face of the brands main marketing ads. Some gossip sites are saying that Scarlett is jealous of Freida Pinto and afraid that Freida has become Woody Allen's new muse and also sees her as a threat when it comes to the D&G brand. Okay then!

The rumors might not have much clout as Scarlett Johansson was actually at the award show and watched on as Miss Pinto strutted her stuff on the runway in Milan!

Okay, so some might argue that she was there to check out her competition, but let's not forget Scarlett Johansson is still the face of D&G.
Scarlett was also joined by fellow American actress Kate Hudson. Hmmm.... Sounds like Freida Pinto's hanging out with more and more of Hollywood's hottest stars! There's also no denying Freida looked beautiful in a short satiny dress as she walked the ramp.

So what we want to know is, what do our readers think of some people comparing Scarlett Johansson to Freida Pinto. Is it too soon to compare Freida to an already established actress, while she's only one film old? Do you think there's a rivalry brewing between the two? Drop us a comment with your thoughts!

Eminem To Release Two Albums This Year

2009-03-06T02:03:00.000+05:30

Two albums! Yes, Eminem is coming out two albums this year! Not only is he going to come out with his long awaited album, 'Relapse,' he's going to come out with 'Relapse 2' this year too. The news comes just as Eminem announces that he'll have a new single and video for the new album on April 7. Keep a look out for that as well as for the video to 'Crack A Bottle.' 'Relapse' finally has an album release date, so circle your calendars for this one: May 19. Save your money, listen to the singles, and come May 19, the album will be here, so stay patient.

"A lot of people were expecting Relapse to drop last year," said Eminem. "I was one of them. Then Dre and I went back in the studio in September for a few days, and that turned into six months. We were on such a roll; we wound up with a ton of new music produced by Dre. Putting out Relapse 2 will let everyone get all of the best stuff."

This will be Eminem's first non-greatest hits album since 2004's 'Encore' which sold 5 million copies in the US and 11 million worldwide. The rap superstar has sold over

75 million albums worldwide, more than any other rapper in history. So far, the buzz is huge with his first single 'Crack A Bottle' with 50 Cent and Dr. Dre already going to #1 on the Billboard Charts. Ever since Eminem came back out of hiding late last year with his announcement of the album title and his freestyle called 'I'm Having A Relapse,' the countdown towards the album release has started for many fans.

This definitely proves that while Eminem has been out of the pu

bli

eye for a while, he hasn't stopped working to put out major hits for us this year. Shady Records is definitely going to be active this year, with now two albums from Eminem (I can't stop saying it, two albums!) a possible D12 album, and of course, 50 Cent's long awaited album 'Before I Self-Destruct.' Before you know it, it's going to start sounding a lot like 2003-2004 all over again.

So what do you guys think of two Eminem albums? Do you think that's more Eminem music than you can handle? Are you hyped up about all the new Eminem music that's coming soon? Let us know what you think and drop us a comment.

Leaked Police Report Reveals Details Of Chris Brown Rihanna Fight

2009-03-06T02:01:00.000+05:30

Chris Brown was charged with two felonies in connection with his Feb. 8 altercation with Rihanna. The 19-year-old singer is facing charges of felony assault and making a criminal threat, also a felony. He could face up to four years in prison.

TMZ is reporting that L.A.’s FOX 11 obtained a leaked police report which reveals detectives’ findings from a search warrant in the case. The notes reveal that Rihanna read a three-page text on Chris’ phone from another woman and that’s what started the fight.

Chris is accused of trying to push Rihanna out of the car; he was unable to because she was wearing a seat belt. He then reportedly shoved her head against the passenger side window and began punching her as he drove.

Rihanna’s mouth was filled with blood, which also splattered on her clothing and the inside of the rented Lamborghini. Chris then said, “I’m going to beat the shit out of you when we get home. You wait and see.”

Rihanna then called her assistant and left a message saying, “I am on my way home. Make sure the cops are there when I get there,” Chris replied, “You just did the stupidest thing ever. I’m going to kill you.”

Miley Cyrus Tattoo Of Justin Gaston Initials

2009-03-06T02:00:00.000+05:30

After months of persistent nagging, Miley Cyrus has finally convinced the ‘rents to let her get a tattoo.

So what’s the first image television’s Hannah Montana will have etched into her flesh? A butterfly? Sparkly Stars? How about Disney’s trademark mouse ears? Nothing quite that innocent. Tabloid tattles say Miles is planning to get a tattoo of boyfriend Justin Gaston’s initials!

The controversial Disney star, 16, managed to win over mom and dad Tish and Billy Ray after educating them on a new type of tattoo that’s easier to remove than more traditional ink.

The Bachelor” Jason Mesnick: “Melissa Already Knew We Were Over”

2009-03-06T01:56:00.000+05:30

In an interview with Momlogic, The Bachelor’s Jason Mesnick says he now realizes he shouldn’t have proposed to Melssia Rycroft in The Bachelor finale, but in the moment, he thought he was doing the right thing.

Jason has become Public Enemy No.1 for ditching winner Melssia for runner-up Molly Malaney on Monday night’s “After The Rose Special.”

“Melissa definitely knew before going on [the show],” Jason told Momlogic.com when the Web site asked him if Melissa knew their relationship was over before the post-finale reunion special. “I mean our last conversation was: ‘Are you gonna to wear the ring? Because you know we’re not together.’ And I think that she probably had some hopes still that maybe I was gonna change my mind, ’cause she was really upset. We didn’t talk a couple of days before we shot. And that’s okay. No matter what I said, she was going to be upset. We’ve talked about not being together over the phone but I had to tell her stuff in person, too. I’m not as cowardly as it might seem or as much of a jerk as I might seem for doing it on camera. But that was my only chance to do it.”

Paris at Teddy’s with a friend

2009-03-06T01:53:00.001+05:30

Atek Logio Secure Password Organizer Review

2009-03-06T01:48:00.000+05:30

Security is important to all of us and when it comes to technology our passwords are often a critical component. Everyone knows that our passwords are only as good as we make them. It is crucial that a password is not easy to guess. No names, birth dates, need to use both upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.

The problem is how do we remember them all because if you have a complex password written on a post-it hid under your keyboard, what good does that do. Personally, I have a lot of different passwords for different web applications and databases. The only reason I still use my decade old Palm V is because it has a reliable password application called Keyring. Maybe it is time for me to finally retire my Palm V.

Today I am reviewing the Atek Logio Secure Password Organizer. Let’s see how it stacks up as a password repository solution.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS:

Data protected by sophisticated AES encryption implementation
Set up your own master passcode and change it whenever you want
Store website names and/or addresses, user IDs, and passwords
Store desktop logins, ATM and debit card pin codes, credit card numbers, frequent flyer program numbers, password and driver’s license numbers, etc.
Holds over 200 records - no data loss if battery runs down
Save your three favorite user IDs for easy entry in records
Generate random passwords automatically or manually enter numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols, and punctuation marks
Quick entry of special characters for Web and email addresses
Go directly to records by pushing the number or letter at the beginning of the record you are looking for
Audible button tones for easy operation
Optional display of lost and found information
User-configurable settings for button tone volume, screen contrast, and auto-off time
Advanced navigation and editing functions for power users
Available in two colors: black and white
One year limited warranty

IN THE BOX:

White Logio Secure Password Organizer
White carrying pouch
White lanyard
Coin cell battery
Lanyard safety instructions and installation manual
User’s Manual

The device is nicely package in a compact, clear blister package. The packaging is rather difficult to get through, even though it has a perforated opening in the rear. If the device provides as much security as the blister pack, it will be a very good investment.

At first touch, the Logio Secure Password Organizer feels more like a cheap novelty item then a robust gadget. Roughly the size of a credit card and constructed of flimsy, thin plastic, it is very light but fails to pass the creak and crackle test on nearly every touch. I am not sure this unit will be able to survive much wear and tear.

The functional layout of the device is very straightforward, in that all the buttons are on the front-face of the device. Twenty-three buttons comprise all of the user options. The alpha-numeric keys are just like the ones on a standard phone. The number 2 button is also “ABC”, 3 is “DEF”……9 is “WXYZ”. This gives all the alpha-numeric options with ten buttons. The negative is it can take multiple presses for some letters. For instance, “S” and “Z” both require users to hit the button four times. To enter the “7″ or “9″ requires five times.

The alpha-numeric buttons are surrounded by miscellaneous buttons. Two of these buttons are dedicated for the routine text and symbols that you might need to track for web sites passwords, “http://, www., @” and “.com, .net, .org”. Added convenience for the user although I am not sure I would really need the “http://” as I tend to just record site information without the preface.

I inserted the CR2016 coin cell battery via the slide load mechanism located on the left side of the device and powered it up by pressing the power button in the upper right corner. Immediately I stepped back into time. Into the time of dot matrix computer screens. The screen lacks any backlight and I found that I had to adjust the contrast to the highest setting to see the display.

One of the first steps of the initial set-up is to establish a master password which is 8 to 15 characters in length and is only numbers, no letters. It is critical to remember this password because there is no method to reset and recover if you lose/forget it. I know this is for security purposes but users really need to make sure their master password is something they easily remember or the device can become worthless.

Other initial set-up steps include lost and found information (name & phone number), tone volume, auto-off time and contrast level. The set-up also provides users with the options of storing up to three commonly used user ids. So if you normally use “1CoolDude” as your username when creating an account, you can save that id and you will not have to type it in every time you create a new username/password account. That is pretty cool.

I selected ten accounts and decided to load them in. Unfortunately, that is where my disappointment started. Manipulating the keypad to enter account information is not easy, to say the least. I had difficulty, especially when I made a typing mistake. Not easy to fix. First you have to maneuver to the incorrect letter or number, once it is flashing you press the “Edit, Del” key. Not like your expectations from a standard keyboard operation.

I should have known that the Atek Logio Secure Password Organizer was not going to be as easy to operate as I had hoped when I noticed the user manual was 55 pages in length. YIKES!

To make it worse, the device would sporadically turn itself off. I thought it might be a bad battery, so I bought a new one and installed it but the failure mode persisted throughout the review. I never could determine the failure mode that caused it shut down but it definitely made it more difficult to complete the review.

The accessories include a leather carrying pouch with soft plush lining to protect the device. As I mentioned previously, touching this device makes you believe you need a Hummer to protect it from shattering into a million tiny pieces.

The included lanyard connects to the unit via what looks like fishing line pushed through a tiny pass-through in the upper left corner. Now I know that some fishing line can be very strong but it just looks not expensive and not durable.

In conclusion, the premise behind the Atek Logio Secure Password Organizer is sound and I am sure that there is a huge consumer market for a reliable tool to help manage passwords. The compact size, ability to store your 3 favorite usernames, not losing data when the battery is removed and dedicated buttons for commonly entered text are the biggest positives from the device.

Unfortunately there are some definite negatives that outweigh the positives. The biggest is probably the impression of inexpensive manufacturing. In other words, it feel cheap. There were times when I was using the keypad that I was concerned I might press too hard and shatter the unit into pieces. That might have been a factor in why the unit I utilized for this review kept sporadically shutting down. I might have pressed hard enough to break something internally.

I found it difficult to use (remember the user manual is 55 pages long) and the old school dot matrix display without any backlighting is horrible. Considering it all, I would not recommend the Atek Logio Secure Password Organizer as a password management solution. Looks like my Palm V will survive another day.

Brad Pitt&Angelina jolie who can do better

2009-03-03T20:55:00.002+05:30

Paris promotes Honey Bunch in Tokyo01 / 03 / 2009

2009-03-02T20:24:00.002+05:30

Paris Hilton attending “Girls Graduation Night” to promote her brand “Honey Bunch” at No Name in Tokyo, Japan.

Skil 7.2-Volt 1/4" Drive Cordless Power Wrench - $17.99

2009-03-02T14:39:00.001+05:30

Security guards may not enter! This food court is liberated territory! ¡No pasaran! ¡No pasaran!

We, the patrons of the Glenwood Lakes Galleria, have occupied this food court out of solidarity with our oppressed brothyrs and systyrs at New York University. Just as the great struggles of the 19th century were waged in factories, so is the food court the crucible of 21st-century revolution. From the Sbarro to the Cold Stone Creamery, let freedom ring!

And here in my backpack, next to my anti-corporate water and my MacBook, lies the weapon of the people: the Skil Power Wrench. Liberated from power cables, it stands ready to dismantle anything from the KKKapitali$t system to your license plate frame. Instead of a wasteful excess of wrenches, ratchets, and screwdrivers strangling the life from Sister Earth, this compact, close-quarter device treads lightly upon the planet. The Skil Power Wrench puts Lithium-Ion power in the hands of the people. And does it comfortably.

In that spirit, we gather in this liberated space to use democratic process to arrive at a consensus about ways in which we’re going to use democratic process to liberate this space. Consensually, of course. I don’t know if you scumbag guards understand that, in your fascist green blazers, but we shall not be moved!

Hey! Excuse me! You may not come in here! You are on video! You are on video! Any attempt to move those recycling bins by force will be considered police brutality! Hey, gimme back that Skil Power Wrench! That belongs to the masses! Hey! Ow! Brutality! Brutality! Don’t wrench me, bro! The masses are calling Dad’s lawyer!

Warranty: 1 Year Skil

Features:

Compact design makes wrench easy to handle, fitting in tight spaces a drill can’t
Forward and reverse operations allow for assembling or disassembling projects
Lithium ion battery holds a charge for up to 18 months of non-use so it’s always ready to go
SKIL Smartcharge System is built in to the charger, providing overcurrent protection and allowing the tool to be stored on the charger indefinitely without damage to the battery
All Metal Gear Train provides a durable, long-life construction
Ergonomic soft-grip handle for increased comfort and control
Durable metal front end for extended tool life
Charger design provides added flexibility, either sitting on any flat work area, or mounted out of the way on the wall
Close quarter 1/4” square drive accepts standard sockets and driver bits
Torque outputs of 75 in.-lbs. (in Auto Mode) and 400 in.-lbs. (in Manual Mode)

Specifications:

Voltage: 7.2V
Battery: Lithium-Ion
Charger: Cradle Charger
Socket Size: 1/4”
Torque in Auto Mode: 75 in.-lbs.
Torque in Manual Mode: 400 in.-lbs.
RPM: 200
Weight: 1.8 lbs.

In the box:

Skil 2372-01 7.2V Cordless Wrench
17-Piece Accessory Bit Set
Smartcharge System 3-Hour Cradle Charger

let the world decide who can do better!

2009-03-02T14:10:00.004+05:30

Ever wonder if you can do better than the person you are dating, or married to? Think your friend can find a better match and is much better looking then the person they are dating? Well here is your chance to put up a photo of them and let the world decide who can do better!

Worst Dressed At The 2009 Oscars (Pictures)

2009-02-24T23:17:00.004+05:30

Beyonce Knowles:

While it certainly shows off her lovely curves, Beyonce's dress reminded us too much of ugly drapery

Jessica Biel:

This bland, frumpy number is not flattering on the beautiful Jessica Biel at all

Jessica Biel:

This bland, frumpy number is not flattering on the beautiful Jessica Biel at all

Jessica Biel:

This bland, frumpy number is not flattering on the beautiful Jessica Biel at all

Mickey Rourke:

We love ya Mickey, but wow, you're style never ceases to amaze.

Miley Cyrus:

We know a lot of you might disagree but we think Miley is trying to look too old for her young age of 16

Amy Adams:

Is this a Spider-Woman costume?

Philip Seymour Hoffman:

Robert Pattinson might be able to pull this off, but not you Mr. Hoffman

Sarah Jessica Parker:

There was just something off about Sarah's face, and the overly pushed up breasts are not appealing. Her dress makes her look like a Disney fairy.

Virginia Madsen:

This red dress with sharp angles looked too tight on Virginia

Amanda Seyfried:

The Christmas bow has got to go!

Kate Winslet:

A very disappointing and boring outfit from the lovely Miss Winslet. Recent outfits like this are far more flattering.

Freida Pinto Woody Allen Movie

2009-02-24T23:16:00.000+05:30

Freida Pinto has been cast in a film from a legendary Hollywood director on the heels of her breakout performance in the Oscar winning film Slumdog Millionaire.

According to Variety, the 24-year-old Indian-born beauty will join Naomi Watts, Anthony Hopkins, and Josh Brolin in an upcoming untitled project from filmmaker Woody Allen

Kathy Griffin Memoir $2 Million Publishing Deal

2009-02-24T22:57:00.000+05:30

No wonder Kathy Griffin has a big smile on her face. The comedienne has inked a $2 million deal to publish her upcoming memoir with Random House’s Ballantine imprint, The New York Observer revealed on Monday.

AR Rahman and Pussycat Dolls Remix 'Jai Ho'

2009-02-24T22:54:00.001+05:30

There's just no stopping A.R. Rahman! We got our hands on the remix of the Oscar winning song 'Jai Ho' featuring someone who is all too familiar with Desi Hits!, The Pussycat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger.

Desi Hits! CEO Anjula Acharia-Bath was one the first to uncover musical genius A.R. Rahman with Interscope records CEO Jimmy Iovine hard at work on the remix of this song from 'Slumdog Millionaire'. "I really think it’ll be a great dance anthem. It had an amazing beat and great writers; this track is the epitome of what Desi Hits! stands for, the collaboration of sounds from the East and West," said Anjula.

So does the song hold up? Well Nicole Scherzinger adds sexy vocals to the drum beats of A.R. Rahman. The song still contains the elements of the original version, which people loved enough to give an Oscar to. And Nicole Scherzinger stated in a past interview with Desi Hits! that she wanted to go Bollywood, and now she has.

She actually fits the instrumental in a refreshing and surprising way. This cultural anthem which captivates the audience during the film 'Slumdog Millionaire' is remixed to give you something new which will continue to give this film even more crossover appeal than it already has. As if 8 Oscars wasn't enough.

Stylistically, A.R. Rahman's instrumentation actually compliments the Pussycat Dolls style. The mesh of east and west comes together making it more into a love song adding lyrics that tell a story. If you close your eyes you can almost picture Latika and Jamal kissing in the train station.

With all the clarity in production I wonder if A.R. Rahman used the Dr. Dre headphones to mix the song. Wouldn't you guys love to know? Well check out our first article on this remix to find out.

Desi Hits Exclusive On A.R. Rahmans 'Jai Ho' Remix

Other than that we would love to know what you guys think about this song. We here at Desi Hits! are proud to be one of the first media outlets to deliver it. After 2 Oscars A.R. Rahman continues to make his mark in the US. Is Bollywood beginning to take over the U.S.? Drop us a comment and let us know what you think.

'Jai Ho' Remix

Slumdog Millionaire Wins 8 Oscars Including Best Picture

2009-02-24T22:18:00.002+05:30

The 81st Academy or should I say the 'Slumdog Millionaire' Awards did not stop paying homage to the film that's arguably dominated most of our headlines this past year.

With ten Oscar nominations and winning eight of them 'Slumdog Millionaire' solidifies itself as not only a cross over masterpiece, but one that transcends cultures to bring not only a great script, but music by Bollywood legend A.R. Rahman and the wonderful city of Mumbai, which was constantly praised by those who made the film, to the forefront of the world of entertainment.

Simon Beaufoy who accepted the award for Best Adapted screen play felt this film was destiny after uttering words that inspired him by those who wrote the story. "This is yours, take it to India." And musical genius A.R. Rahman made a valuable decision throughout his life which led him to this film. "All my life I had a choice of hate and love, and I chose love and I'm here, God Bless!"

Aside from blazing the stage with a performance of the songs 'Jai Ho' and 'O Saya,' A.R. Rahman took home two awards for Best Original Score, and Best Original Song for 'Jai Ho' with Gulzar.

The victory speech doesn't stop there, along with those wins, 'Slumdog Millionaire' also dominated the night by taking home 5 other awards including Best Cinematography thanks to Mumbai, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Film Editing and the most coveted awards of them all, Best Director and Best Picture.

Director Danny Boyle revealed the strange inspiration behind his success. "I told my kids I would receive this award in the spirit of tigger." Interesting choice of words Mr. Boyle. And Producer Christian Colson who accepted the award for Best Picture also had a confession for success. "We had passion and we had belief and if you have those two things truly anything is possible."

Other notable moments at The Academy Awards include actor Sean Penn winning the Best Actor award for his portrayal of gay activist Harvey Milk in the film so smoothly named 'Milk', and actor Mickey Rourke losing to him after reviving his acting career playing washed up wrestler Randy 'The Ram' Robinson in a film with another super slick name called 'The Wrestler'.

Other than that it's all about 'Slumdog Millionaire' in 2009. As if you haven't got enough of this film already. So what's next for India crossing over. Tell me what you guys think of 'Slumdog Millionaire' dominating the Academy Awards with eight wins.

Garrity 8 LED Touch ‘N Lite 2 Pack

2009-02-24T22:14:00.002+05:30

PsycheLEDic

You’re sitting in a darkened room when you notice a strange shift in your perceptions.

Your surroundings seem to take on a blue-white glow. Details and textures suddenly stand out in stark relief. The whole world looks brighter somehow, more intense.

You’re under the influence of LED.

Yes, as terrifying as it sounds, someone has apparently slipped you the Garrity KN300G 8 LED Touch ‘N Lite. These wall-mountable LEDs are extremely easy to operate, making everyone vulnerable to their strong doses of convenient lighting anywhere from the office to the closet to the chill-out room. Sometimes they’re at 100% brightness, sometimes only 50%. But even a small amount can heighten the perceptions of the uninitiated.

Don’t panic. Whatever you do, don’t panic. Remember that you’re safe and healthy and loved. Remind yourself that the effects are only temporary, and that the included AA batteries will run out after approximately 45 hours. Then try to make yourself as comfortable as possible and wait for the effects to recede. Put on some relaxing music. Call a friend you trust and talk to them. If you can, sleep.

Or you could turn the Garrity KN300G 8 LED Touch ‘N Lite off. It’s easy. You just touch it.

Warranty: Life Time Garrity (Except for Batteries and Bulbs)

Features:

Wall mountable LED light, with 8 LED bulbs
Great for your office, closet, garage, or tent. Wherever you need long lasting, hands-free lighting.
The LED's (light-emitting diodes) never need replacement.
Two light settings, press for 100% of light, press again for 50%, and press a third time to turn the light off
Normal and Flash modes, normal provides consistent light, flash mode provides light for as long as you hold down the power button
Operates on 3 "AA" Duracell batteries (included) and last 10 times longer than a standard incandescent bulb
Provides up to 45 hours of burn time on a set of batteries
Light includes adhesive backed hook and loop for hanging on the wall - simply push the On/Off button on the front of the light
If you prefer, use the light on your desktop or nightstand, and operate by pushing down on the light.
Dimensions: 5.5”H x 4”L x 2”W

In the box:

2 Garrity KN300G 8 LED Touch ‘N Lites
2 Wall Mounting Bases
6 "AA" Duracell Batteries
4 Mounting Screws
2 Adhesive Backs

Dolly Parton Defends Jessica Simpson

2009-02-23T21:08:00.000+05:30

Jessica Simpson is receiving words of encouragement from her idol Dolly Parton in the wake of her recent weight gain.

Dolly, who collaborated with Jessica on her 2008 country album Do You Know, is defending her fellow buxom blonde, insisting she has been victimized by the media.

“I say people always treat her bad. They always talk bad about her. I just recorded a songwith her a few months ago. And I’ve never had - I’ve never been around a person any sweeter in my life. And she’s a great singer,” the “9 To 5″ star said in an interview with CNN’s Larry King on Thursday.

“And I’ve been fat and I’ve been skinny. And I’m not about to say something about somebody else’s weight because I know how hard it is when you gain, you know, five or six pounds, and certainly 10 or 12…”

She added, “But I know that Jessica is a good girl. She’s beautiful to me. And I’m sure that she’s going to get some weight off just because people won’t leave her alone.”

Dolly also defended Jessica stage antics: “I think every entertainer’s had nights when things go wrong. I mean you can’t remember everything all the time, and especially if you’re having hard times personally.”

Beyonce Academy Awards 2009 Performance

2009-02-23T19:48:00.001+05:30

Beyonce and host Hugh Jackman took the stage for a musical number at Sunday night’s 81st Annual Academy Awards.

A Week with the Nokia N85 Smartphone

2009-02-23T19:38:00.004+05:30

The Android G1 was a cool phone, but you and I both knew that I wouldn’t stick with it very long. What can I say, I get bored easily. So, this week I’m going to be trying out the Nokia N85 smartphone. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a newer Symbian phone, so I’m excited to see if it will keep me interested enough to stick around after the week is done.

Day 0

This first post, otherwise known as Day 0, will provide a short tour of the physical features of this phone. The rest of the series will delve into more detailed usage of the these features.

Hardware Specifications

OS: Symbian 9.3 S60
Bands: Quad-band EGSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, WCDMA 850/1900/2100 MHz
Data: GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA/WiFi
Memory: 74 MB internal, 8GB microSD flash card included
Display: 2.6″ 16 million color QVGA Active Matrix OLED, 240×320 pixel resolution
Camera: 5 megapixel (2584 x 1938 pixels) with Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus and dual-LED flash
Video: 640×480 VGA, up to 30 frames per second
Bluetooth: 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP
WiFi: 802.11b, 802.11g
Audio: 3.5mm stereo headphone jack
Battery: 1200mHa, Estimated 4 hours talk time, estimated 12.5 days standby time
Size: 4.o5 x 1.97 x 0.63 inches (103 x 50 x 16 mm)
Weight: 4.5oz (128g)

Package Contents

Nokia N85 Smartphone
Battery
AC Adapter
micro USB cable
Video connectivity cable
3.5mm earphones and controller
Getting started guides

Out of the box, I was impressed by the size of the N85. It’s very close to the same dimensions as the Palm Centro as you can see from the image below.

For me, this size is pretty much perfect because it is comfortable in both your hand and your pocket.

The N85 has a shiny Black plastic face that attracts fingerprints and smudges like flowers attract bees. The non-touchscreen display takes up most of the front surface of the phone. Above the display is the speaker, light sensor and a front facing secondary camera.

Below the display is a collection of 9 buttons. The buttons that you can actually see include Call and End keys, the Navi wheel / scroll key with the center select button and to the Right of that is the small multimedia key.

The four buttons that you don’t see when the phone is in idle mode are the two buttons that map to the bottom screen menu items, as well as the Menu key and Clear key C which are located along the bottom edge. To activate these buttons, you just press the case in that area.

On the back side of the phone, you will find the easy to remove battery cover, the camera lens and LED flash.

There’s a protective slide cover for the camera lens. Sliding this cover open exposes the lens and also launches the camera application.

I really like the fact that sliding the cover open will immediately start the camera application and will allow you to capture images straight away without having to navigate various menus in order to launch the camera application.

On the Left edge of the phone, you will find the microSD card slot and lanyard attachment point.

On the opposite edge, you will find two speakers for stereo sound with 3D effects. There is also a camera shutter button, key lock switch and the volume / zoom button.

The top edge has the micro USB connector for charging and syncing. Next to it is a 3.5mm stereo earphone jack and the power button.

To access the numeric keypad, you slide the display upwards. The sliding mechanism feels like it has a spring assist, which makes it pretty easy to slide it open and closed.

The only issue I have with this design is that to slide the display up, you have to use your thumb on the screen to move it. That means smeary fingerprints all over the screen.

Sliding open the screen will ‘wake’ up the phone if it is in idle mode and will not require that you press the screen unlock buttons.

It’s important to note that the keypad does not have individual keys. Instead, it has one flat surface with the buttons under it. It has good tactile feedback and is backlit, but I personally prefer separate keys. That’s just me though…

The numeric keypad isn’t the only keypad on this phone. If you slide the screen in the opposite direction, it will expose four short side keys.

These keys have different functions depending on the application that you’re in. In the image above, you can see that the keys have play/pause, stop, next and previous track functions for the music player. When using the web browser, they can be used to zoom in and out as well as to play/pause and stop music that you may be listening to in the background. They can also be used in game mode.

So far I’m loving the size of this phone. It’s perfect for sliding in my pocket when I take walks at work. The phone is solid, has a good heft to it and feels good in my hand. It does exhibit some creaking noises when I apply my ever popular gadgeteer squeeze test on it.

My main complaint so far is the flat keyboard. I’ve never been a fan of that style and am not sure this phone will be the one that changes my mind.

That’s it for the hardware tour. I’ll be back with my Day 1 and 2 impressions, which will include:

First impressions of the user interface
Making and receiving calls
Browsing the web

Posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger

2009-02-23T19:33:00.003+05:30

Late Hollywood actor Heath Ledger was awarded a posthumous Oscar for best supporting role for his performance in "The Dark Knight".

Ledger immortalised the character of the "Clown" in the film based on the DC Comics "Batman" series.

Ledger died of a drug overdose in January 2008, a few months before the release of the movie directed by Christopher Nolan.

Ledger's father, mother and sister received the Oscar award on his behalf here Sunday.

"This award is a testimony to what he has achieved," said the actor's father Kim Ledger

Philips Micro Hi-Fi System with Bluetooth, CD, SD, USB & iPod Dock

2009-02-23T19:25:00.003+05:30

Those of you old enough to remember the early days of portable phones probably have plenty of memories.

And the memories that don’t involve watching Voltron after school probably include getting that phone call from a friend or relative that started with “Hey! You won’t believe where I’m calling you from!”

The Philips BTM630/37 Docking Entertainment System opens up this feeling for a whole new generation. With the built-in microphone and Bluetooth compatibility, it’s finally possible to make phone calls through a stereo. Welcome to the future, everybody!

When you’re not doing that, you’ll be able to enjoy all types of music, from iPods to AM/FM radio. If you’ve got the old style iPod or iPhone, you can charge it up while you listen. If you don’t, you can use the 3.5mm jack, There’s also a USB port, an SD/MMC card slot, and a CD player that can even rip CDs. No need to boot the computer just to get that one track!

Really, though, there’s only one solid reason to buy the Philips BTM630/37 Docking Entertainment System. The two seconds of amazement that will come from saying “No, man, I’ll calling you through my stereo system!” That’s even better than that time they killed Sven. You were born to die, brother.

Warranty: 1 Year Philips

Authorized for SquareTrade Extended Warranty

Features:

Playback mobile phone and PC music via Bluetooth® technology
Built-in microphone and speakers for hands-free mobile calls
Auto switch between telephone calls and music playback
Play and charge your iPod (see compatible list below)
USB Direct and SD/MMC card slots for MP3/WMA music playback
One-touch MP3 digital recording in 2X speed – no pc needed
Dynamic Bass Boost for deep and dramatic sound
Digital Sound Control for optimized music style settings
30W RMS total output power
Elegant design with super slim CD slot
All-in-one remote control for the system and your iPod
One-touch 2x recording speed, Simply plug in your USB mass storage device to the USB port on Philips audio system and start recording your favorite music from CDs to your USB device or MP3 player in 2X speed – with one touch operation and no computer needed
Dynamic Bass Boost maximizes your music enjoyment by emphasizing the bass content of the music throughout the range of volume settings – from low to high – at the touch of a button! Bottom-end bass frequencies usually get lost when the volume is set at a low level. To counteract this, Dynamic Bass Boost can be switched on to boost bass levels, so you can enjoy consistent sound even when you turn down the volume
Digital Sound Control offers you a choice of pre-set Jazz, Rock, Pop and Classic controls you can use to optimize the frequency ranges for different musical styles. Each mode uses graphic equalizing technology to automatically adjust the sound balance and enhance the most important sound frequencies in your chosen music style. Ultimately, Digital Sound Control makes it easy for you get the most out of your music by precisely adjusting the sound balance to match the type of music you are playing

Specifications:
Connectivity

Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, Handsfree, Headset
Bluetooth range: Line of sight, 10M or 30FT
USB: USB host
SD/MMC card slot
Aux in
Headphone: 3.5 mm

Audio Playback

Cradle playback mode: Charging iPod, Play and Pause, Next and Previous track, Fast forward and backward
Loader Type: Motorised, Slot
Playback Media: WMA-CD, MP3-CD, CD, CD-R, CD-RW
Disc Playback Modes: Fast Forward/Backward, Next/Previous Track Search, Repeat Play, Shuffle Play
Programmable Tracks: 20
USB Direct Modes: Delete, Play/Pause, Previous/Next, Program Play, Repeat, Shuffle

Audio Recording

Recording formats: MP3
Recording Media: SD/MMC card, USB device

Sound

Output power (RMS): 2×15 W
Sound System: Stereo
Loudspeaker types: Bass Reflex Speaker System
Sound Enhancement: Dynamic Bass Boost
Volume Control: Volume Control up/down

Tuner/Reception/Transmission

Tuner Bands: FM, AM
Tuner Enhancements: Auto Store
Auto digital tuning
Antenna: FM Antenna

Convenience

Display Type: LCD
Backlight
Remote Control: Multi-functional
Alarms: Radio Alarm, Repeat alarm (snooze), Sleep timer, 24 hour alarm reset
Clock/Version: Digital

Power

Mains power
Power supply: 100-240VAC, 50/60Hz

Dimensions

Product dimensions (W x H x D): 390×140.5×200.5 mm
Packaging dimensions (W x H x D): 496×238 x 180 mm
Weight incl. Packaging: 3.5 kg

iPod Compatibility:

iPhone (Use Airplane mode to eliminate interference)
iPod Touch 2nd Generation
iPod 4th Generation Nano
iPod 6th Generation
5th Generation iPod with video (30GB, 60GB, 80GB)
iPod touch 1st generation (8GB, 16GB, 32GB)
iPod nano 3rd Generation (4GB, 8GB)
iPod nano 2nd Generation (2GB, 4GB, 8GB)
iPod nano 1st Generation (2GB, 4GB)

In the box:

Philips BTM630/37 Docking Entertainment System
Set of iPod Adapters
Antenna
Remote Control
AC Power Cord
User Manual
Warranty certificate

Smile Pinki wins Oscar Award

2009-02-23T19:12:00.002+05:30

Crackers were burst and sweets distributed in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur Dabai village Monday as "Smile Pinki", a documentary about a girl from the dusty hamlet whose cleft lip made her a social outcast, won an Oscar.

As American filmmaker Megan Mylan received the award for best short documentary in Los Angeles, residents of the village in Mirzapur district turned ecstatic.

Nirmala Devi, the mother of the film's protagonist Pinki Sonkar, was proud that her daughter's shy smile had managed to woo the jury of the 81st Academy Awards.

Hundreds of villagers, carrying cutouts of Pinki and raising slogans in praise of the little girl who was once ostracised because of her cleft lip, lined up outside Nirmala Devi's small hut to congratulate her.

"It's an honour for all of us that a poor girl has put this village on the international map," village head Pradeep Vishwakarma told IANS on phone.

"We were overjoyed when we saw on news channels that the documentary on Pinki had won an important award," he added.

Legislator Anil Kumar Maurya said: "Pinki has made not only Rampur Dabai village, but the entire country proud. She has achieved a feat which most of us had not even imagined."

The 39-minute documentary traces Pinki's journey from being ostracised to being treated like a normal girl after a social worker helped her undergo surgery.

Mylan says the happy ending inspired her to show Pinki's story.

"As a filmmaker who focuses on social issue documentaries, it is rare that I get into a film knowing we're likely to have a happy ending. So, I was excited to tell the story of this beautiful hospital and a team of doctors and social workers treating their patients with such compassion and quality care and making a positive impact," said Mylan.

Kate Winslet wins Oscar for best actress

2009-02-23T16:30:00.001+05:30

British actress Kate Winslet won her first best actress Oscar for her performance in "The Reader", an adaptation of a German novel about a law student's love affair with an older woman post World War II.

"I'll be lying if I say that I have not prepared a version of this speech since the time I was eight and in the bathroom and this trophy was a bottle of shampoo. But it's not a shampoo bottle anymore. I feel very fortunate to have made it from there to here," Winslet said after receiving the award here Sunday.

Winslet also won the Golden Globe and British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) for best actress for "The Reader".

She had been earlier nominated for the Oscar six times, including that for her role in "Titanic", but it was "The Reader" that got her the coveted trophy for the first time.

HOllywood babes at oscar red carpet (part 3)

2009-02-23T16:09:00.001+05:30

HOllywood babes at oscar red carpet (part 2)

2009-02-23T16:07:00.002+05:30

Hollywood babes at oscar red carpet

2009-02-23T16:04:00.001+05:30

A R Rehman wins 2 Oscar Awards

2009-02-23T15:49:00.001+05:30

God Save Rahman. That's what Allah Rakha Rahman means. And that's what the country said Monday for the man who became the first Indian music director to win two Oscars for his score in the globally appreciated film "Slumdog Millionaire" and for the film's theme song "Jai Ho".

Rahman, a household name in India for his contribution to Bollywood, as well as regional cinema from the south, has been the cynosure of all ears since 1992 when he burst on the Indian musical scene with his refreshingly different tunes for the Tamil film "Roja".

The film was subsequently made in Hindi, giving mainstream Hindi film music a new meaning altogether: the rest as they say is history.

He has moved on from being a celebrated composer in India to a global music supernova who has entered the record books as the first Indian to get a Golden Globe, the first Indian to get the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award for music and the first Indian to bag a golden Oscar statuette.

With "Slumdog Millionaire", Danny Boyle's rags to riches drama based on a book by Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup, the 41-year-old Rahman has stuck gold - and so has India and Indian music.

The film had 10 Oscar nominations, including three for Rahman - he was nominated for Best Original Score and two for the Best Original Song for a motion picture with his songs "Jai Ho" and "O Saaya". It was another first for an Indian.

For India, the "Slumdog" awards story, which some say is as improbable as the film itself about an 18-year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai who goes on to win a staggering Rs.20 million ($410,000) on India's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" game show, is not just about the BAFTAs and the Oscars.

It is also recognition of popular Indian cinema in the West that for long has shunned Indian movies as too long and too full of song-and-dance sequences. Rahman's exuberant score has shattered all those perceptions, and shown that the West likes the sound of India.

"It's a moment of pride not just for me. India has done it," Rahman said modestly.

Composing music for British director Danny Boyle was a challenge, said the self-effacing celebrity.

Boyle simply wanted a score with energy and an edge for his film. There was also a twist. The perfectionist Rahman was given just three weeks to plan and execute the score.

"We had met and talked about it for about two months. But I had to finish it quickly as Boyle wanted to start mixing the film by August," Rahman told IANS in an interview.

"It's probably one-fifth of the time I normally take. For one thing, a normal film has about 150 cues. But in this one there were only 17-18 cues for me. Boyle uses music very little but very efficiently," he added.

Like the film's protagonist Jamal, Rahman's is also an inspiring story of the everyday struggle for survival that has ended on the glittering red carpets of showbiz.

Born A.S. Dileep Kumar to a Tamil Hindu family, his father R.K. Shekhar, a composer who directed music for Malayalam movies, died when he was just nine. The family was forced to rent out musical equipment. Two years later, the 11-year-old budding maestro joined noted composer Ilayaraja's troupe as a keyboardist and computer programmer to support his mother and three sisters.

After working with several renowned composers like Vishwanathan-Ramamurthy, Zakir Hussain and L. Shankar, he set out on his own to compose jingles and scores for popular Indian television features and has composed more than 300 jingles.

During this period, he also earned a degree in western classical music from the Trinity College of Music, London and went on to set up his own in-house studio called Panchathan record-inn at Chennai, which is said to be Asia's most sophisticated and hi-tech studio.

In 1989, Dileep Kumar converted to Islam along with his family due to personal reasons. He became A.R. Rahman.

The Bollywood debut came a couple of years later. And there was no looking back after that.

In 1997, Sony Music signed up Rahman as its first artist in South Asia to commemorate 50 years of Indian Independence. The result was "Vande Mataram", the anthem of Indian patriotism, an album that succeeded in rekindling the nationalistic spirit and was an instant hit with Indian youth.

The musical genius not only won hearts in India but also made a mark on the global music scene.

He got his first international break when Andrew Lloyd Webber invited him to compose music for the Broadway musical "Bombay Dreams", which won him immense fame.

He also composed for the stage adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord Of The Rings" that premiered in Canada in 2006 and in London in 2007.

Apart from composing music Rahman is also involved in social work. He launched the A.R. Rahman Foundation to tackle the issue of poverty by providing education to the poor and equipping them with knowledge and skills to earn a living.

An outcome of this initiative was his first single in the English language called "Pray for me brother" and all proceeds from sales went to his foundation.

As the awards pile up, Indians can only say a collective and joyous "Jai Ho".