newsurviews: April 2014

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Amazing Spider-Man 2: Spider-Man releases in India

Spider-Man is swinging, somersaulting around the skyscrapers New York, trouncing bullies and fighting crime.

Summary

Spider-Man is swinging, somersaulting around the skyscrapers New York, trouncing bullies and fighting crime.

One of Hollywood’s most anticipated film’s Marc Webb’s ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2′ releases in India today (May1).

After the magnanimous success of its predecessor, the Andrew Garfield starrer film will follow the adventures of Spider-Man who saves the day as he tackles a new villain Electro essayed by Jamie Foxx.

Spider-Man is having a blast, swinging, somersaulting and wise-cracking his way around the skyscrapers and streets of New York, trouncing bullies and fighting crime.

The highlight of the film is its high end action stunts designed by Andy Armstrong and off course the new anti-hero Electro.

The film also stars Emma Stone, Dane DeHaan, Campbell Scott, Embeth Davidtz, Colm Feore, Paul Giamatti and Sally Field.

The film which released internationally in April, has got rave reviews and has already made $ 132 million at the international box office.

The popularity of ‘spidey’ films has always been high in India. However the current favourites – Alia Bhattt and Arjun Kapoor’s ’2 States’ – may challenge Spider-Man’s popularity.

Nevertheless, The ‘Amazing Spider-Man 2′ release a day ahead of the weekend is surely going to provide an edge to the BO collection. (with inputs from Reuters)

comments powered by Disqus

Amazing Spider-Man 2: Spider-Man releases in India

AAP missing in rural areas

The Aam Aadmi Party had made tall claims about manning polling booths extensively with polling agents, but on the ground, the party’s presence was largely missing in rural Punjab.

In several constituencies like Patiala, Bathinda, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Hoshiapur, AAP did not have many booths in the villages. In Sangrur, the party put up booths but the cadre was scarce as these were manned by one or two workers.

In Patiala constituency, AAP did not have booths in Dera Bassi town area. The situation was worst in the villages, where no supporters were seen around the polling stations.

“This does not mean that people did not vote for us. We got an overwhelming response,” said Prof Manjit Singh, AAP spokesperson. He said the party got so much support in rural Punjab that SAD activists in Patiala resorted to violence to intimidate their workers. “It indicates our achievement,” said Singh.

In Ludhiana, AAP booths were few in the villages. “It was not possible for us to put up 2,000 in each constituency. It is the same situation as in Delhi. But we can only say that the results will be surprising,” said a party spokesperson.

Several residents especially youth claimed they voted for AAP even though they were not contacted by any AAP representative.

“We did not need to be contacted. My entire family voted for AAP,” said Abhishek, a youth from Patiala-rural Assembly segment.

AAP missing in rural areas

Singing is best side job: Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow said singing is one of her biggest passions. (Reuters)

Summary

Gwyneth Paltrow who split from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin after 10 years of marriage, said music comes a close second to acting for her.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who performed back-up vocals alongside country singer Holly Williams earlier this week, said singing is one of her biggest passions.

The 41-year-old actress, who split from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin after 10 years of marriage, said music comes a close second to acting for her, reported Contactmusic.

“Singing back-up, my favourite side job holly williams,” she tweeted. The actress surprised fans by jumping on stage with singer-songwriter Holly, who was supporting country rocker Jason Isbell, swaying from side-to-side in time with the music.

The ‘Iron Man 3′ star – who has children Apple, nine, and Moses, eight with estranged husband Chris Martin – will no doubt have picked up some tips from him.

comments powered by Disqus

Singing is best side job: Gwyneth Paltrow

Men behind Narendra Modi’s election campaign strategy

The blueprint of Modi’s marketing and communication strategy has been drawn by Citizens for Accountable Governance.

Political strategists

Instead of relying on party machinery or deliberating with senior party leaders, Modi works closely with a handful of people borrowed from the RSS and three of his trusted ministers from Gujarat.

Backroom boys

Administration and coordination with different Modi teams is carried out by three of his secretaries operating out of Gandhinagar — chief principal secretary K Kailashnathan, additional principal secretary A K Sharma and principal secretary G C Murmu — and resident commissioner in Delhi Bharat Lal.

Campaign strategist

The blueprint of Modi’s marketing and communication strategy has been drawn by Citizens for Accountable Governance. CAG is the brainchild of Prashant Kishore, a former UN mission chief in Africa, a public health exponent and a statistics whiz, who has been working with Modi for the past three years. CAG employs 200 full-time and more than 1,000 part-time volunteers.

Communication managers

Modi’s digital strategy, including his social media campaign, is managed by his former OSD Hiren Joshi, a former RSS man. The mainstream campaign — TV, print and radio ads — is managed by Manoj Ladwa, a London-based mergers-and-acquisitions lawyer , said to have played a crucial role in getting the UK to open its doors to Modi. While the media planning is handled by marketing communications agency Madison and advertising veterans such as Piyush Pande and Prasoon Joshi are providing creative inputs for the campaign, Ladwa supervises the whole process from an office in Lodhi Road, New Delhi.

Men behind Narendra Modi’s election campaign strategy

Motorola Moto X: It’s user-friendly, and affordable too

If you can live with a mediocre camera and a not-so-good battery life, the Moto X is a nice option at Rs 23,990.

Summary

Fine build quality, curvy looks, one-handed usage and two gimmicky features make the Motorola Moto X stand out

In today’s overcrowded Android smartphone market, it is often hard to distinguish one phone from the other—I am talking about the East Asian brigade. Thankfully, some companies from the West are coming out with gadgets that do stand out. One such is the recently launched Moto X by Motorola, now a Google company.

Now, the basic layout of the Moto X isn’t really different—there is a micro-USB and charging port at the bottom, power and volume control buttons on the right, and a 3.5-mm headphone jack at the top. That is usual. What isn’t usual is a SIM tray on the left that holds the nano-sized SIM. Now, this is important because the other mainstream phones using a nano SIM are the iPhone 5S and 5C, and this points to the fact that Motorola is targeting premium users with the Moto X.

The phone comes with a premium design too. First, the bezel around the screen is very thin and this means almost the whole front fascia is practically the display screen. Second, it has got compact dimensions—the Moto X is 129.4 mm long, 65.3 mm wide and weighs just 130 gm. Third, the back curves almost exactly to the shape of your hand—in fact, so nicely it fits your hand that the Moto X is among the best one-handed use smartphones you will find in the market. And fourth, the build quality of the Moto X is simply superb—yes, it is a plastic, but a very fine quality one.

The Moto X is powered by the Motorola X8 mobile computing system that includes a software optimised Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, a natural language processor and a contextual computing processor. It comes with a 2 GB RAM and 16 GB standard memory. Because Motorola is now a Google company, there is a sweet deal thrown in—buyers get a 2-year, 50-GB free storage on Google Drive, provided the offer is redeemed within 30 days of activation of the phone.

Two features that make the Moto X stand out are Active Display and Touchless Control.

Active Display: You don’t always have to press the power button and unlock the phone to, say, check out the clock on the screen, or for that matter check out missed calls, unread messages, emails, social media updates or other notifications. Just take out the phone from your pocket or pick it up if it is lying face-down and the display screen selectively lights up small areas without affecting the device’s battery life much. It’s not a novel feature, but nevertheless useful.

Touchless Control: If you have an always-on internet connection, you only need your voice to control the Moto X. You simply need to go to continued…

Motorola Moto X: It’s user-friendly, and affordable too

Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull announce dates for fall joint tour

Pitbull: Going on tour again with Enrique is exciting. (Reuters)

Summary

The two stars, who recently teamed up for Iglesias’ ‘I’m a Freak’, will co-headline a tour that’s scheduled to take place this fall.

Latin stars Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull are set to be part of a series of concerts.

The two stars, who recently teamed up for Iglesias’ ‘I’m a Freak’, will co-headline a tour that’s scheduled to take place this fall, reported Ace Showbiz.

The tour will kick off on September 12 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey and will hit cities like
Washington, Montreal, Toronto, New York, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Dallas and Atlanta before concluding on October 25 in Hollywood, Florida.

Colombian singer J Balvin will support the tour. Tickets will go on sale on May 9.

“Going on tour again with Enrique is exciting,” Pitbull said of touring with Iglesias, in a statement. “He’s a talented music star, and also a close friend who I respect and have learned a lot from. Together we are going to give fans great music, energy and what they really deserve - to enjoy life and forget the rest for three hours, Daleee!”

In a separate statement, Iglesias stated, “There’s no better place for me than being up on stage in front of my fans. And going on tour with a close friend and someone I admire, like Pitbull, is truly an honour. We really want to give everybody a show that they will remember for the rest of their lives.”

comments powered by Disqus

Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull announce dates for fall joint tour

Elections 2014 live: Modi reacts on poll code violation, says it is first FIR against him

BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. (PTI) BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. (PTI)

8:50 am: Priyanka Gandhi to campaign for Rahul Gandhi in Amethi on Thursday.

8:35 am: BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi reacted on the FIR filed against him on Wednesday. He said “This is the first FIR against me and I will not forget this date”.

Elections 2014 live: Modi reacts on poll code violation, says it is first FIR against him

HTC One M8 not available in India yet, and there is no price cut

No, the HTC One M8 is not selling on Flipkart yet

Summary

We checked the Flipkart, where the phone has apparently made an appearance, and found that the phone is marked ‘out of stock’.

The HTC One M8 is expected to start selling in India from May 8. But there are some sources which seem to have found the phone selling online, that too at a discounted price.

We checked Flipkart, where the phone has apparently made an appearance, and found that the phone is marked ‘out of stock’. There is no discount either, for the site lists the phone at a price of Rs 49,900, the very price at which the phone was launched in India last week.

Incidentally, the report that is doing the rounds links to the same page, which shows that the phone is out of stock. It is common practice for e-commerce sites to list devices even before they are actually available for sale. That is just to get people to know that the same will be available on the site, when it is launched.

The post claims the phone has been listed at Rs 48,120, but they don’t have anything to substantiate the price cut, not even a screenshot.

The HTC One M8 is expected the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the iPhone 5s a good run for its money. But let us all wait for the phone to be available in India and not jump the gun.

comments powered by Disqus

HTC One M8 not available in India yet, and there is no price cut

Young varsities: IIT Guwahati makes it to top 100

Summary

JNU, however, missed the bus by a small margin, with IIT Guwahati beating it on the strength of its citation record.

IIT Guwahati has been listed among the top 100 young universities in the world by London-based Times Higher Education Magazine.

Listing the world’s top 100 universities under 50 years old, the magazine mentions IIT Guwahati at 87th place, marking India’s debut on the rankings. It is placed alongside the New University of Lisbon and the University of Western Sydney. IIT Guwahati campus came up in 1994.

JNU, however, missed the bus by a small margin, with IIT Guwahati beating it on the strength of its citation record.

For the third year in a row, the ranking is headed by South Korea’s Pohang University of Science and Technology (Postech), while its national rival, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), holds on to the third spot . The second place stays with Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

The ranking puts together a new set of global universities that have managed to join the world elite in a matter of decades rather than centuries, and those with the potential to become the next generation’s Harvard or Oxford, says Times Higher Education.

“The list shows us which nations could challenge the US and the UK as future higher education powerhouses”, says a statement by Times Higher Education ranking.

As many as 29 countries are represented in the ranking with eight of them — South Korea, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands, the US, France and the UK — in the top 10.

Of the BRIC nations, only India and Brazil have a university each. The youngest institution in the list is Austria’s Medical University of Vienna, which was founded in 2004.

“There has been a great deal of soul searching in India over the fact that none of its universities make the World University Rankings’ top 200 — a serious concern given the country’s great intellectual history and growing social and economic influence. But this new analysis, which examines the next generation of global university stars, should be encouraging. Of the ‘BRICS’ nations, Russia, mainland China and South Africa do not make the grade, so it is cause for optimism that the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati breaks into the top 100,” Phil Baty, rankings editor, Times Higher Education, said.

It is learnt that Jawaharlal Nehru University outperformed IIT Guwahati in the heavily-weighted Teaching indicators category. However, IIT Guwahati outperformed on the equally weighted Research indicator group, and far outperformed JNU in the Citation Impact indicator, which is related to research performance and means that many academics from all over the world are quoting the research being produced by the tech institute.

The difference between the two in overall score was small, but as it is crowded at the lower end of the tables, a small difference can manifest itself in a big way.

Young varsities: IIT Guwahati makes it to top 100

Nokia XL to be launched in India today

nokia Nokia XL has a 5-inch screen

Summary

Nokia XL could be among the cheapest phablets available from a branded player

Nokia XL, the largest of the Nokia X series phones based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), will be launched in India today. This will be the first launch from Nokia after the company finished its deal with Microsoft last week.

The Nokia XL is the third in the Nokia X family and the second to be launched in India after the first Nokia X a couple of months back. The company seems to have skipped the Nokia X+ for now, maybe because of the lukewarm response to its new platform. The Nokia XL could have more takers at will offer a larger 5-inch screen, which is becoming the size of preference in the Indian smartphone market.

The Nokia X is already selling at a discounted price of Rs 7,100. We expect the Nokia XL to be priced well under Rs 15,000 which could make it a good price in the phablet segment.

specs

comments powered by Disqus

Nokia XL to be launched in India today

You’ll Have To Look Twice At These 23 Amazing Pictures. But When You Do… WOW.

Nature can be absolutely mind-blowing. Animals (and humans, even) have developed exactly what they need to survive over the years. Cheetahs can chase down their prey, seals can hold their breath underwater for long amounts of time and these animals? They can be almost perfectly hidden in plain sight.

Scroll through the pictures below. Don’t see the animals hiding there? You might have to do a double-take to see it (or triple-take). WOW.

1.) Well, hi there, Mr. Frog.

2.) I still can’t be sure where he’s hiding…

3.) This fish didn’t flounder in camouflage class.

4.) EEEEEEK.

5.) Wait a second…

6.) It’s still pretty!

7.) Just. Don’t. Move.

8.) Okay, C’MON.

9.) Wow.

10.) Once I saw it…

11.) I was completely convinced there wasn’t an animal in this one.

12.) Woah.

13.) I see it!!! … I think.

14.) There’s a cute eye, but where’s the rest?

15.) This is NOT just a tree.

16.) My jaw is on the floor.

17.) Nope. Nope.

18.) EXTRA NOPE.

19.) I’m never walking on leaves again.

20.) Someone give this little guy an A+.

21.) This HAS to be just a tree.

22.) Wait for it…

Absolutely incredible.

Although, now the next time you go for a walk in the woods you might want to be more careful about where you step or what you pick up… there could be a little critter hiding where you can’t see him. Share these amazing creatures with others by clicking the Share button you see below.

34426

We post stuff just like this every day on Facebook. Like us. You won’t regret it.

Close: I already like ViralNova

You’ll Have To Look Twice At These 23 Amazing Pictures. But When You Do… WOW.

India raises PLA incursions with China during border talks

Summary

The working mechanism, formed in 2012 was instrumental in resolving the crisis.

Incursions by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), implementation of the boundary pact, additional confidence building measures and an alternative route for Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra pilgrims were discussed at a meeting between Indian and Chinese sides.

The 6th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs concluded on Wednesday. The Indian delegation headed by Gautam Bambawale, Joint Secretary East Asia, External Affairs Ministry, held three-day talks with the Chinese side led by Ouyang Yujing, Director General, Department of Boundary and Oceanic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China.

“The talks reviewed recent developments particularly in the Western Sector of the boundary, implementation of the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) and additional confidence building measures,” a statement by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said.

“The talks were held in a cordial, constructive and forward looking manner at a time when the season is changing in the high altitude areas along the India-China border,” it said.

Around this time last year, the two sides faced a standoff when a group of Chinese soldiers pitched tents in Depsang Valley in Ladakh on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). It was resolved after Chinese troops withdrew. The working mechanism, formed in 2012 was instrumental in resolving the crisis. Both sides agreed peace on the border was an important guarantor for furthering bilateral relations.

comments powered by Disqus

India raises PLA incursions with China during border talks

Summons to two CPM leaders in Saradha scam

Summary

The police visited Deb’s house around midnight Tuesday to issue the summons and asked him to appear before the Electronics Complex police station.

CPM leaders Gautam Deb and Sujon Chakraborty, who have been served summons, refused to appear before the West Bengal Police in connection with a case related to the Saradha chit fund scam, citing ongoing elections. Both have alleged the move as “vindictive and retaliatory” by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The summons to Deb, a former housing minister in the Left government, was issued hours after he had claimed to have documentary evidence showing how Banerjee’s relatives had acquired properties worth Rs 20 crore around the CM’s residence on Harish Chatterjee Street and elsewhere.

The police visited Deb’s house around midnight Tuesday to issue the summons and asked him to appear before the Electronics Complex police station on Wednesday.

Deb told The : “My lawyer has replied to the notice that I will appear in the police station after the elections. Now I am busy with elections.”

He visited the CPM party headquarters Wednesday and held meetings with senior party leaders, including Left Front chairman and CPM state secretary Biman Bose.

In another dramatic move, the Salt Lake police served summons on Sujon Chakraborty — the CPM’s Jadavpur Lok Sabha candidate and CPM state committee member.

As Chakraborty was not home, the police pasted the summons on the wall of his house.

Chakraborty is locked in a fierce fight with Trinamool Congress nominee Sugato Bose, the Harvard professor and a Netaji family member.

“This is simply indecent, to say the minimum, “ said Chakraborty. “The police could have come after talking to me. I am not running away. It was very humiliating to see the summons pasted on the wall of my house. I have replied to the notice, saying I would be coming to the police station only after the elections.”

comments powered by Disqus

Summons to two CPM leaders in Saradha scam

25 Smart And Creative ‘We Can Explain’ Ads. (Who Wouldn’t Want To Learn Science Facts When They Look This Entertaining!)

People usually avoid discussing Science because they have the misconception that science is boring. But people from Canada’s Science World have created a ingenious and highly entertaining way of imparting some cool scientific facts. Thanks to some fun and highly creative ads that can be seen in bus stops, billboards, buses, and even on TV, Science World was successful in humorously making the world a little bit smarter and more scientific. Here are 25 of our favorite smart and creative “We Can Explain” ads.