Sunday, February 18, 2007

Teclast T59 concept design looks vaguely familiar



Meizu apparently isn't the only Chinese manufacturer courting concept designs from its users -- and ripping off the iPhone with vigor while it's at it. Teclast's actual upcoming T59 might very well look nothing like these concept renders here, and obviously some of the stylings and specs here are a bit far fetched. But if Teclast can indeed deliver a Windows CE-based 3G device with GPS, WiFi and FM, along with a VGA screen, neato secondary display and other assorted hawterness -- all while dodging Apple legal, of course -- then we promise not to get too hung up on certain familiarities to other products on the market.

Mio's WiFi-less A501 GPS smartphone in pictures


While rumors of Mio cranking out a new duo of GPS handhelds had already been circulating, the company made good on offering up a slightly less-spec'd sibling to its A701 handset, and now we've got the pictures to prove it. Boasting a fairly chunky enclosure but lacking an notched antenna, the A501 packs a TI OMAP processor, 1GB of storage, 64MB of system RAM, a 2.7-inch QVGA touchscreen display, quad-band connectivity, and Bluetooth 2.0 (sorry, no WiFi). Additionally, you'll find the older rendition of Windows Mobile, the obligatory SiRF III GPS chipset, a 1.3-megapixel camera, SD / MMC expansion slots, and a removable Li-ion battery to boot. No word on price or future availability just yet, but if it's pictures your after, be sure to click on through for a few more teasers, and hit the read link for the full set.

Mainnav kicks out Bluetooth-enabled MW-705 GPS watch

Mainnav kicks out Bluetooth-enabled MW-705 GPS watch

G GPS watches certainly aren't new 'round these parts, but a timepiece that sticks up around 1.1-inches off your arm has to set some sort of unwanted record. Hot on the heels of the company's MG-920 Bluetooth GPS receiver, Mainnav is offering up a GPS wristwatch with built-in Bluetooth and a SiRF Star III LP chip that could probably double as a weapon in a fistfight. Aside from sporting an unnaturally large design, the Taiwanese device can track your current position, operate as a standalone GPS receiver, and also handle heart-rate monitoring, speed and distance tracking, and sense the temperature whilst frolicking in the great outdoors. Unsurprisingly, this beast can handle underwater excursions without a hitch, and the built-in Li-ion cell should keep things humming along for a good bit before needing a recharge. As of now, it doesn't look like Europe nor the US will ever see the behemoth on their shelves, which seems fairly smart considering the fashion sense most of western civilization holds dear.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Nokia 6639

This fake hit the scene about a month ago but I feel our viewers need more insight if it were real. Lets suppose it’s real and proceed. If I can get my hands on one, it will be my next phone; the Nokia 6639. I love Nokia and I can’t say enough about their phones. The phone is not viewable on Nokia’s website so the information is limited but there’s one thing I’m not concerned about when it comes to Nokia; features. The Nokia 6639 is a Swiss army knife, a Zippo lighter, a double mega pixel digital SLR camera and it has Photoshop. When I learned of this I almost did a backflip. The phone has a 1024 X 768 pixel screen and it also features a Pentium M-Dothan binuclear 2.0GHMz with dual channel 512MDDR2 memory with expandable features. Need I say more? The phone will support every video and audio format available to mankind and will display 16 million colors on the TFT screen. Obviously, this phone is made for the paparazzi because you can attach a huge SLR lens to the back-end and use the built-in email client to mail it to sources; thus a profit and you can buy another one.




The camera’s exposure can be set to a variety of modes and you can change the aperture priority, shutter priority, and more. It also features a Swiss yataghan Plug procedures remote control (with the public wireless transmission protocol), thermometer, needle guide, LED beam, and additional features for those who enjoy the outdoors. The phone will also feature wifi for connectivity to access points. This feature is a huge priority to people willing to spend hundreds of dollars. For such a phone I’m sure it will be powered by the dominant Symbian Operating System and the navigation will be the same. Who wouldn’t buy this stellar piece of God-send technology if they had the money?

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Meizu M8 / miniOne closer to production, litigation

Meizu M8 / miniOne closer to production, litigation

Last we saw Meizu's curiously familiar M8 handheld device, it was looking like it still had a long ways to go before we'd actually see one out in the wild. As these latest tantalizing shots show, however, the device seems to be rapidly winding its way into reality whether Apple likes it or not, also picking up a new name in the process: the miniOne. Although if that one sticks, Meizu could well be facing problems of originality on multiple fronts, as the admittedly-catchy name is already in use by another company and presumably trademarked. C'mon Meizu, we know you're fans of Apple, but this is taking the imitation a little too far. Unfortunately, there's no further word on specs for the device, though you can get a couple more good looks at it after the break.

Meizu CEO: we only kind of knocked off the iPhone

Meizu CEO: we only kind of knocked off the iPhone

Funny, we rarely, if ever see a company producing Chinese knocks of high profile devices start defending themselves, but it sounds like Meizu wants to (partly) shed the bad light cast on its M8, er, miniOne non- iPhne. According to some posts in their forums by someone who appears to be Meizu's CEO, J.Wong, the original M8 design for a massive-touchscreen cellphone debuted four days before Macworld -- however, the design was still undergoing changes, and when Apple launched their product, so Meizu reworked the aesthetic, added some metal, slimmed it down, and voila, M8 cum miniOne. We recognize that's some serious gray area for Meizu to be treading -- kind of the design equivalent of double-checking your answers with your neighbors' before turning in your test -- but let's face it, a phone like that coming out of China, it would have been pegged an iPhone knock either way. Plus, they were still ahead of the game with that insane 720 x 480 res screen they've apparently spent $1m US ordering in bulk. So take this one for what you will, but we think Meizu's among the first to keep it somewhat real while still managing to keep it real fake.

Slim dual-hinged Samsung U740 now available from Verizon

Slim dual-hinged Samsung U740 now available from Verizon


There are many phones that solicit the response as in "I want it now" -- and no handsets evoke that from many text-centric customers like a dual-hinge QWERTY email and text messaging experience. Well, if you're a fan (or subscriber) of Verizon Wireless and you paid attention to Samsung announcements at CES recently, you'll be glad to hear that the Samsung SCH-U740 is now available from that carrier (according to them). The U740 is not really a groundbreaker per se, but the dual-hinge design just took a large step further with the U740's slim body. If you run into the U740 at a Verizon store this week, drop us a comment and let us know if it's indeed inthe world. Until then, the absolute best quote from the Verizon release is this: "available in a stylish metallic champagne color with couture appeal and Ivy League brainpower." Harvard and Princeton grads -- this one's all yours.

Ogo 2.0 announced for Switzerland

Ogo 2.0 announced for Switzerland

IXI Mobile looks to be shaking up its line of Ogo mobile messaging devices in a big way, today introducing the Ogo CT-25E, which the company says is the first in its new Ogo 2.0 family of devices. In light of recent developements, Swisscom will not surprisingly be the first to offer the handheld, which IXI is boasting will "do for Web 2.0 what the original Ogo did for the first generation internet services." While we'll have to wait and see about that, the device certainly looks to be a step in the right direction, with a QVGA display, full QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth 2,0, and quad-band EDGE/GPRS connectivity, as well as some welcome PMP features, with a microSD slot providing some much-needed additional storage. If the device's integrated features are enough for 'ya, IXI looks ready to meet your expansion needs with its so-called OgoClips, which'll let you add everything from digital cameras to bottle openers (yes, bottle openers) to the device. Unfortunately, there's no word on an exact price or launch date for the new-and-improved Ogo, though you can check out plenty of pics of it and its various attachments in the gallery below.

Brando joins wacky world of fakes with "Nokir E828"

Brando joins wacky world of fakes with "Nokir E828"


Remember that sketchy Nokia N73 ripoff that happily traded any semblance of 3G data -- and legitimacy, for that matter -- for a touchscreen? It seems Brando, everyone's favorite overseas purveyor of all things gadgety, has gotten into the Keepin' It Real Fake business (a slippery slope, if we do say so ourselves) by offering up said N73 forgery as the "Nokir E828" ("Nokir" instead of "Nokia," get it?). We remain utterly underwhelmed by the E828's meager spec sheet; the QVGA screen with stylus is cool, don't get us wrong, but GPRS is the widest bit pipe you're going to squeeze out of this thing and the 2 megapixel cam cowers in the shadow of the N73's 3.2 megapixel piece. Ah well, at least it only sets buyers back $200 -- and just like the eBay-hawked version before it, that's a good chunk less than the real deal.

RIM's BlackBerry 8800 launched

RIM's BlackBerry 8800 launched


If you weren't paying attention these last few months , RIM has been working on a new full-QWERTY BlackBerry, which is finally here: the 8800. Expect the 0.55-inch thick device on Cingular, er, AT&T, this month with quad-band EDGE (blah), a QVGA display, GPS, a microSD slot, Bluetooth 2.0, scroll ball, and a relatively uncomfortable looking keyboard. Still no word on price or an exact date, but we're sure you've got a pretty decent ballpark in your head for what this thing's going to run.

P.S. -What the hell is up with the WiFi indicator on screen? The press release and BlackBerry site certainly make no mention of it.

Windows Mobile 6 Professional in pictures

Windows Mobile 6 Professional in pictures


So Smartphone Edition's successor, Windows Mobile 6 Standard, is really only half of the story behind the launch of Microsoft's tweaked mobile platform next week. Well, technically, it's a third of the story if you count Classic, which we don't -- Classic is to Pocket PC what Standard is to Smartphone, and it's not the phoneless Pocket PCs that get our hearts pounding these days (our apologies, Axim). Instead, it's Professional that's the real prize here, filling Pocket PC Phone Edition's shoes. Revolutionary it ain't, but for folks who love (or own and merely tolerate) Windows Mobile devices, this sucker's fresh look makes it the new king of the hill on the Microsoft side of the fence. Enjoy the eye candy!

Mega hands-on: Virgin America's Airbus A320 with Red in-flight entertainment

Mega hands-on: Virgin America's Airbus A320 with Red in-flight entertainment


Not-yet-airborne Virgin America invited us to check out the way-decked Airbus A320 with Red prototype in-flight entertainment system that's parked at SFO right now. (Naw, we didn't get to take it up, the US Dept. of Transportation hasn't yet cleared VA for commercial flights yet, boo.) They definitely weren't kidding when they said it's got it all: movies on demand, pervasive music playlists, in-seat messaging with a QWERTY controller, touchscreen Linux consoles with games, the works. We've got a massive, massive gallery for you to check out (it's really not to be missed); we toured the aft cargo area where the each plane's servers live, the Red in-seat consoles (of course), the cockpit, even WiFi-enabled flight attendant handhelds. We've also got a full rundown of everything you need to know about Virgin America, Red, and the kitted-out Airbus, so check out the gallery below, and click on for more details about the only airline we officially sanction as being geeked enough to transport Engadget.

Mega hands-on: Virgin America's Airbus A320 with Red in-flight entertainment


Not-yet-airborne Virgin America invited us to check out the way-decked Airbus A320 with Red prototype in-flight entertainment system that's parked at SFO right now. (Naw, we didn't get to take it up, the US Dept. of Transportation hasn't yet cleared VA for commercial flights yet, boo.) They definitely weren't kidding when they said it's got it all: movies on demand, pervasive music playlists, in-seat messaging with a QWERTY controller, touchscreen Linux consoles with games, the works. We've got a massive, massive gallery for you to check out (it's really not to be missed); we toured the aft cargo area where the each plane's servers live, the Red in-seat consoles (of course), the cockpit, even WiFi-enabled flight attendant handhelds. We've also got a full rundown of everything you need to know about Virgin America, Red, and the kitted-out Airbus, so check out the gallery below, and click on for more details about the only airline we officially sanction as being geeked enough to transport Engadget.

Hackers discover HD DVD and Blu-ray "processing key" -- all HD titles now exposed

Hackers discover HD DVD and Blu-ray "processing key" -- all HD titles now exposed

Those cooky kids over at the Doom9 forums hate themselves some DRM. Not more than two months after discovering a means to extract the HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc "volume keys" to decrypt AACS DRM on individual films, we're now getting word that DRM hacker arnezami has found the "processing key" used to decrypt the DRM on all HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc films. Let's break this down for what it is: instead of needing individual keys for each and every high-definition film -- of which there are many-- the processing key can be used to unlock, decrypt, and backup every HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc film released so far. As arnezami points out, "nothing was actually hacked, cracked or even reverse engineered." All he had to do was keep an eye on his memory, watch what changed, and voila... the processing key appeared. So kick back and watch the trickle of HD titles hitting the torrents quickly turn into a flood (at ~20GB a pop, that's not an exaggeration) when the BackupHDDVD and BackupBluray utilities (or AnyDVD HD) are updated to reflect the new hack find.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Nokia's E90 communicator launched!

Nokia's E90 communicator launched!



You saw the first photos right here on Engadget. Now, Nokia brings the official specs on their S60-series E90 Communicator. Like we heard, it brings quad-band GSM, WiFi, and HSDPA radios along with a 3.2 megapixel camera with flash (and second up front for video calls). Better yet, it does indeed pack integrated GPS and Nokia Maps for all you corporate jet-setters. Expect the E90 to hit in Q2 (volume shipments in Q3) for an unsubsidized price of between "750-800" -- they don't say but we're thinking that's euros or about $1000 of the green stuff. Damn, best put this one on the corporate account where it belongs.

Motorola's SLVR L9 brings the multimedia

Motorola's SLVR L9 brings the multimedia


Motorola just busted out their new SLVR L9 handset in Barcelona. The latest SLVR ditches the laser etched keypad and brings a focus on multimedia with an integrated FM radio with RDS support, A2DP stereo Bluetooth, and support for MP3/AAC/AAC+/AAC+ enhanced/ AMR/ WAV ringtones and music. It also comes packin' a 2 megapixel camera with MPEG-4 video capture and Moto's CrystalTalk technology said to enhance conversations in noisy environments. No word on whether this is a tri-band or quad-band SLVR, only that it sports GPRS/EDGE class 10 data. It also features microSD and MegaSIM expansion and up to 400 minutes of talk time and 350 hours of standby time. Ready sometime in Q2... somewhere in the world. More images after the break.


Nokia's N77 with DVB-H mobile TV

Nokia's N77 with DVB-H mobile TV


If Nokia's high-end N-Series multimedia phones computers are just a tad too beaucoup for you and yours, then check their newly launched 3G N77 handset. This N is supposed to bung right smack in the middle of mobile TV devices. Like any good Nokia it packs DVB-H mobile broadcast technology and runs S60 3rd Edition beneath that 2.4-inch, 16 million color display. It packs a 2 megapixel camera, integrated stereo speakers and standard 3.5-mm headphone jack, visual radio, and support for MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+ and WMA media. This tri-band GSM / EDGE with UMTS 2100 MHz handset starts shipping in Q2 to "countries were DVB-H services are available" for a pre-tax, unsubsidized price of about €370 / $481. One more picture after the break.

Nokia's E61i QWERTY and E65 slider announced: some style for the suits

Nokia's E61i QWERTY and E65 slider announced: some style for the suits


We knew they were coming and now, finally, Nokia went and blessed their quad-band GSM / UMTS / WiFi totin' E61i and E65 official. The E65 is the first slider to drop as an E-series business device. Although the styling is a bit flash for an E, this slider is designed with suits in mind so it'll integrate just fine with your corporate telephony system. The E61i (pictured) also integrates with your corporate email system -- as you'd expect from QWERTY-based E -- and adds a 2 megpapixel camera to the mix as well as an enhanced keyboard which includes new NAVI and "One Touch" keys. Both the E65 and E61i feature Nokia's new Intellisync Mobile Suite 8.0 platform which, according to Nokia, allows businesses to "achieve new levels of productivity and competitive advantage." We'll just have to wait and see about that. The E65 is already available in select markets while the E61i won't pop until Q2 -- both S60 devices will demand an unsubsidized price of about €400. You can peep the E65 after the break.

Body Points & Massage

Body Points & Massage

[Right click on images 'open new window' to enlarge]

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Massage
Massage is the practice of applying structured or unstructured pressure, tension, motion, or vibration — manually or with mechanical aids — to the soft tissues of the body, including muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, joints and lymphatic vessels, to achieve a beneficial response. A form of therapy, massage can be applied to parts of the body or successively to the whole body, to aid the process of injury healing, relieve psychological stress, manage pain, and improve circulation. Where massage is used for its physiological, mental, and mechanical benefits, it may be termed "therapeutic massage" or manipulative therapy.
In professional settings, massage involves the client being treated while lying on a massage table, sitting upright in a massage chair, or lying on a pad on the floor. Except for modalities such as Acupressure, Shiatsu, Tui Na, Thai Massage, or Barefoot Deep Tissue, the massage subject is generally unclothed or partially unclothed, also referred to as disrobed, and their body would be "draped" with towels or sheets. The practice of covering the parts of the body that are not being massaged is referred to as draping and its practice varies from one part of the world to another. In addition to making a professional statement and providing a boundary, draping helps keep the client warm which aids in the relaxation response. In some countries it is required that certain areas such as the genitals on both genders and the breast/nipple area on women be draped at all times. In the United States draping is a standard of the profession, while in other parts of the world, such as some parts of Europe, it is not practiced at all. In most forms of massage, the session begins with the client face up, referred to as supine, or face down, referred to as prone, for the first part of the session and then the client rolls over for the second half. Relaxation is necessary for benefits to be achieved.
Body paints[TSUBOS]
Within our bodies are thousands of electrically sensitive points called Tsubos. These represent accupressure points found experimentally thousands of years ago by trial and error. Each of these Tsubos appear to be electochemically connected to the output of neurotransmitters and other highly ionic chemicals the body uses to transmit and alter the frequency of electricity in the body. This is important since certain chemicals transmit feelings of depression and others transmit feelings of euphoria. The whole range of human body feelings and emotions are transmitted by these neurotransmitters and associated ionic chemicals. These affect the brain and bring on moods which reflect the frequency transmission from the body.
Some of these Tsubos are more effective than others, for example, the ones commonly called "chakras" are giant Tsubos functioning over a broad range of frequencies and containing large quantities of neurotransmitters. When these giant Tsubos are functioning improperly, you will have serious problems with you body and mind's emotional state. It is important therefore to control the operation of these electrochemical stations throughout the body.
Each of the Tsubos, the more than 1,000 energy points or acupressure points presently known, are like little electrical junction boxes. They are all programmable and can get out of adjustment, or be set to odd adjustments by the operator.
To readjust these, you must take control from their main operator and use your signals to realign the connections. Luckily (perhaps) these Tsubos are highly responsive and easily adjusted.
You don't even have to know exactly where these Tsubos are to be effective. But, you will do a better job and be more effective if you do know.
The reason for this is that these junction boxes are highly directional. They can be reversed, shunted, or even shut down, but, for the health of the body and mind, they each have a preferred orientation.
Look at it this way: Each Tsubo is a relay station in a telegraph line. They each receive and send messages. If they get a message they may send it right out, delay it, ignore it, or even rewrite it. Worst of all, they may send it to the wrong place.
The small stations don't get a lot of traffic and don't usually mix things up. But the big stations are swamped with in and out signals. Not only that, but they have chronic employee problems.
These signals come from the brain and tell the body what to do and how to feel. Conversely, signals can be sent back to tell the brain what to do and how to feel. Thus, if a Tsubo sends in a bad message, the brain may worry but not know why. Really it's just an ornery local operator having a bad day. Now, the brain sends out a team of experts to see what's wrong. If the Tsubo operator locks the door or lies to them, they may blunder off and file a false report so they don't get into trouble. Well, one thing leads to another and....well, the next thing you know, other Tsubos are picking up the bad message and believing it, then sending it on. Sooner or later, the whole system may be forced to adjust to a permanent bad signal and the person develops sloped shoulders, or a hunchback, or a bad attitude.
One of the most important ways of keeping these little station operators happy is through a technique called balancing.
Balancing uses body meridians discovered long ago by the same technique Tsubos were discovered. A body meridian is basically a line of Tsubos closely connected electrically. The meridian is where that electrical line shows on the surface of the body. Balancing also includes techniques for realigning the functions of the Tsubos along the meridians, and, at its most simple, uses massage and magnetic field energy flow patterns to grossly adjust the body to normal. The technique shown below is the most simple of adjustments and will get you started on the learning process. In a later book, we'll give a detailed application of all the techniques applied to adjust bodies to whatever the operator desires. Right now, simple and healthy.

See this

Duration: 3:02

Sunday, February 11, 2007

ASUS gets official with its LED-backlit U1F lappy

ASUS gets official with its LED-backlit U1F lappy


All the same sexy, but this time we've got a bit more info on the upcoming U1F 11.1-incher from ASUS. Of course, that LED backlight inside the 5mm thick LCD is the highlight, but there's plenty more to love inside this 18mm thick laptop (0.7-inches, though it tapers up to 1.1-inches thick). Oddly enough, one of the neatest highlights is the optional external disc drive. This one ain't no stripped down combo drive number, but instead houses a Blu-ray / DVD super multi burner for the ultimate in optical goodness. We're not sure what you'd be doing with a Blu-ray movie on this WXGA LCD, and there don't seem to be any HD outputs for slapping video onto a big screen, but we like the chutzpah all the same. Under the hood there's a Core Duo U2400 processor with a Intel 945GM Express chipset and Intel a/b/g WiFi. Hard drive options range from 40 to 80GB, the webcam is of the VGA variety and connectivity includes gigabit Ethernet and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR and A2DP. With a 3-cell battery on board, the U1F weighs 2.2 pounds, thanks to the magnesium-aluminum / carbon fiber built case and an LCD about half the thickness and 1/3 lighter than the traditional kind. The LED backlight also boasts of better luminance, faster response time and lower power consumption than the traditional LCD, and combined with some fancy ASUS Power4 Gear eXtreme power management should have battery life up 20-25 percent over traditional laptops. Still no word on price or availability, but you'll be able to get this thing with Vista Home Premium or Vista Business when it does ship.

LG's newest Vista laptop number, the PS-S720K

LG's newest Vista laptop number, the PS-S720K


LG's having a good bit of success with their Vista models so far, namely that Z1 that had people talking at CES, and now they've sobered up a bit with the boring but solid PS-S720K. The 15.4-inch (1680 x 1050) laptop runs Vista Home Premium and a Core 2 Duo T7200 processor, along with 256MB of ATI Mobility Radeon X1700 graphics, 1GB of RAM, 160GB of SATA HDD, 5-in-1 card reader and a super-multi DVD burner. To keep things humming on the entertainment end, there's also SRS WOW 5.1 HD surround sound, but otherwise not a lot of frills. At 1.5-inches thick and weighing and 6.17 pounds, it's no ultraportable either, and that $2,730-ish equivalent Korean pricetag is a tad bit steep, but all that Aero juice might just be too good to pass up.

Vista successor "Vienna" planned for late 2009

Vista successor "Vienna" planned for late 2009

Now that Microsoft has freed Windows Vista from the shackles of a five year development process, the company is attempting to the wow starts now us by revealing that it plans to have its next major operating system ready within the next two-and-a-half years, giving Vista's successor an expected release date of late 2009. Speaking to PC World, Ben Fathi, the executive in charge of the OS's core components, made it clear that he was referring to a whole new OS -- known to have the codename "Vienna" -- and not the upcoming Vista service pack, codenamed "Fiji." Other than this tentative release date, Ben didn't have much new information on the future for Windows: in response to the question of what Vienna's killer feature will be, he said "I don't know what it is" and then proceeded to suggest that full virtualization and a radical new user interface will be the aim. Both of these suggestions lend credence to previous reports that a break in compatiblity with older applications and a new user interface would be Vienna's flagship features. Now all we've got to do is wait (and hope that the changes aren't too radical.)
Posted Feb 10th 2007 9:15PM by Conrad Quilty-Harper
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Modern Wonders of India

Modern Wonders of India


Ramoji Film City 1996 To Present Day
Various Designers Hydrabad Last year.
Ramoji Film City was officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as Eath's Biggest Movie - Studio Complex. Now 10 years old, the site have growing over the years and spans 1666 acres to house 47 sound stages. A shopping 40 Bollywood (Bombay) film can be made simultaneously at Ramoji.


Environmental Township Pune
To be completed by 2016
Chris Lee Architects/Kapil Gupta
This Approved urvan plan for a "green" township features buildings oriented to minimize sun exposure-and air conditioning bills. Half of the roofs will be equipped with sloar panels. The township's 15000 resisdents will be encouraged to walk in a pedestrian-friendly street layout, to cut down on carbon emissions and promote health.


SD Tower
To be completed 2007
Arup and Hafeez Contractor Bombay
These 60-story twins will be India's Highest-reaching residential tower. But Mumbai (Bombay) is prone to humidity, heat, intense wind pressure, and heavy rains, Arup's Engineers Designed a facade with extra-sturdy aluminum extrusions to protect the buildings. The abundance of glass windows also provides natural light for the apartments, reducing overall energy usage.


InfosysGlobal Education Center2005
Mysore
Various Architects
This 270-acre Corporate Campus really is a campus in the traditionals, educational sense - 12000 to 15000 Infosys employees can be trained here each year, making it the world's largest IT education center. The comples is also home to India's biggest gym and a cricket pitch that some Indian Journalists argue is the best in the Nation.


Tata Consultancy Services Campus
To be completed 2010Bombay
Designed by Tod Williams and Billies Tsien.
This office complex features eco-friendly elemnts that also imcorporate traditional India design. Seen here is an abstract, angular update of the jali, a carved sunscreen that's both decorative and functional. The campus will also feature shaded, open-air walkways for ventialtion. Buildings will be built around existing Banyan Trees to preserve the landscape.


Noida Tower
Scheduled to be Completed 2008 Noida
Designed by Hafeez Contractor.
The early renderings for this 2330 ft. Skyscraper, which will vie for the title of world's tallest, feature a conical silhouetted rather than the more traditional rectangular one. While its flamboyance has drawn criticism, the Noida Tower attempts to be establish a new syle of super tall building, differentiating it from angular paradigms.


Bandra-Worli Sealink
To be completed 2007 Bombay
Dar Consultants (India)
This set of cable-suspension bridges will span a total of 850 meters. The Sealink should cut commuting time between congested bombay and its suburbs by 40 minutes. Although not on of the world's longest, the Sealinks is still noable because it paves the way for more contermporary bridges to be built, alterin india's urban landscapes.



Wipro Technologies Development Center
Gurgaon
Vidur Bhardwaj, Architect
Wipro's New Home in Gurgaon promises to be the largest platinum-rated green building in Asia. The design will be play on the traditional India Courtyard-house structure of the haveli. The countryad will be shaded to keep it cool, and the water pool in its center will also cool the air and thus reduce power usage.


Mall of India
Scheduled to be completed by 2007
Gurgaon
Developed by DLF \n
The Mall of India Will Sprawl over 3.6 million sq. ft. and house stores, cafes, movie theaters, and indoor and outdoor amusement parks. While not as large as the dubai Mall, this promises to be one of the planet's largest, and the biggest in India. Its organic, rather than linear, floor plan suggests natural, undulating landscapes.


Sirsuseri Techno Park
To Be completed by 2007
Chennai
Carlos Ott, Architect
This Corporate campus for Tata Consultancy Serices - Designed by Carlos Ott, the noted Uruguayan Architect of Paris's Bastille Opera - will house up to 20,000 workers. Its 12 glassy buildings rely on natural lights. the stip-like structure evokes traditional South India Temples, and the Tower will be the highest in Southern India.

Toll Free Numbers

Toll Free Number's

Airways
Indian Airlines - 1600 180 1407
Jet Airways - 1600 22 5522
SpiceJet - 1600 180 3333


Automobiles
Mahindra Scorpio - 1600 22 6006
Maruti - 1600 111 515
Tata Motors - 1600 22 5552
Windshield Experts - 1600 11 3636
Banks
ABN AMRO - 1600 11 2224
Canara Bank - 1600 44 6000
Citibank - 1600 44 2265
Corporatin Bank - 1600 443 555
Development Credit Bank - 1600 22 5769
HDFC Bank - 1600 227 227
ICICI Bank - 1600 333 499
ICICI Bank NRI - 1600 22 4848
IDBI Bank - 1600 11 6999
Indian Bank - 1600 425 1400
ING Vysya - 1600 44 9900
Kotak Mahindra Bank - 1600 22 6022
Lord Krishna Bank - 1600 11 2300
Punjab National Bank - 1600 122 222
State Bank of India - 1600 44 1955
Syndicate Bank - 1600 44 6655

Cell Phones
BenQ - 1600 22 08 08
Bird CellPhones - 1600 11 7700
Motorola MotoAssist - 1600 11 1211
Nokia - 3030 3838
Sony Ericsson - 3901 1111

Computers/IT
Adrenalin - 1600 444 445
AMD - 1600 425 6664
Apple Computers - 1600 444 683
Canon - 1600 333 366
Cisco Systems - 1600 221 777
Compaq - HP - 1600 444 999
Data One Broadband - 1600 424 1600
Dell - 1600 444 026
Epson - 1600 44 0011
eSys - 3970 0011
Genesis Tally Academy - 1600 444 888
HCL - 1600 180 8080
IBM - 1600 443 333
Lexmark - 1600 22 4477
Marshal's Point - 1600 33 4488
Microsoft - 1600 111 100
Microsoft Virus Update - 1901 333 334
Seagate - 1600 180 1104
Symantec - 1600 44 5533
TVS Electronics - 1600 444 566
WeP Peripherals - 1600 44 6446
Wipro - 1600 333 312
xerox - 1600 180 1225
Zenith - 1600 222 004

Couriers/Packers & Movers
ABT Courier - 1600 44 8585
AFL Wizz - 1600 22 9696
Agarwal Packers & Movers - 1600 11 4321
Associated Packers P Ltd - 1600 21 4560
DHL - 1600 111 345
FedEx - 1600 22 6161
Goel Packers & Movers - 1600 11 3456
UPS - 1600 22 7171


Education
Edu Plus - 1600 444 000
Hindustan College - 1600 33 4438
NCERT - 1600 11 1265
Vellore Institute of Technology - 1600 441 555

Healthcare
Best on Health - 1600 11 8899
Dr Batras - 1600 11 6767
GlaxoSmithKline - 1600 22 8797
Johnson & Johnson - 1600 22 8111
Kaya Skin Clinic - 1600 22 5292
LifeCell - 1600 44 5323
Manmar Technologies - 1600 33 4420
Pfizer - 1600 442 442
Roche Accu-Chek - 1600 11 45 46
Rudraksha - 1600 21 4708
Varilux Lenses - 1600 44 8383
VLCC - 1600 33 1262


Home Appliances
Aiwa/Sony - 1600 11 1188
Anchor Switches - 1600 22 7979
Blue Star - 1600 22 2200
Bose Audio - 1600 11 2673
Bru Coffee Vending Machines - 1600 44 7171
Daikin Air Conditioners - 1600 444 222
DishTV - 1600 12 3474
Faber Chimneys - 1600 21 4595
Godrej - 1600 22 5511
Grundfos Pumps - 1600 33 4555
LG - 1901 180 9999
Philips - 1600 22 4422
Samsung - 1600 113 444
Sanyo - 1600 11 0101
Voltas - 1600 33 4546
WorldSpace Satellite Radio - 1600 44 5432


Hotel Reservations
GRT Grand - 1600 44 5500
InterContinental Hotels Group - 1600 111 000
Marriott - 1600 22 0044
Sarovar Park Plaza - 1600 111 222
Taj Holidays - 1600 111 825


Insurance
AMP Sanmar - 1600 44 2200
Aviva - 1600 33 2244
Bajaj Allianz - 1600 22 5858
Chola MS General Insurance - 1600 44 5544
HDFC Standard Life - 1600 227 227
LIC - 1600 33 4433
Max New York Life - 1600 33 5577
Royal Sundaram - 1600 33 8899
SBI Life Insurance - 1600 22 9090


Mattresses
Kurl-on - 1600 44 0404
Sleepwell
- 1600 11 2266
Investments/ Finance
CAMS - 1600 44 2267
Chola Mutual Fund - 1600 22 2300
Easy IPO's - 3030 5757
Fidelity Investments - 1600 180 8000
Franklin Templeton Fund - 1600 425 4255
J M Morgan Stanley - 1600 22 0004
Kotak Mutual Fund - 1600 222 626
LIC Housing Finance - 1600 44 0005
SBI Mutual Fund - 1600 22 3040
Sharekhan - 1600 22 7500
Tata Mutual Fund - 1600 22 0101


Paints
Asian Paints Home Solutions - 1600 22 5678
Berger Paints Home Decor - 1600 33 8800


Teleshopping
Asian Sky Shop - 1600 22 1600
Jaipan Teleshoppe - 1600 11 5225
Tele Brands - 1600 11 8000
VMI Teleshopping - 1600 447 777
WWS Teleshopping - 1600 220 777
Travel
Club Mahindra Holidays - 1600 33 4539
Cox & Kings - 1600 22 1235
God TV Tours - 1600 442 777
Kerala Tourism - 1600 444 747
Kumarakom Lake Resort - 1600 44 5030
Raj Travels & Tours - 1600 22 9900
Sita Tours - 1600 111 911
SOTC Tours - 1600 22 3344


UPS
APC - 1600 44 4272
Numeric - 1600 44 3266

Others
Consumer Helpline - 1600 11 4000
L'Or?al, GARNIeR - 1600 223 000
KONE Elevator - 1600 444 666
Indane - 1600 44 51 15
Aavin - 1600 44 3300
Pedigree - 1600 11 2121
Kodak India - 1600 22 8877
Domino's Pizza - 1600 111 123
World Vision India - 1600 444 550
Telecom Monitoring Cell - 1600 110 420

Seven Dengerous Things

The 7 Dangerous











1* Don't sm0'ke- Experiment from experts proves that sm0'king a cig@rette after meal is comparable to sm0'king 10 cig@rettes (chances of c@ncer is higher).









2* Don't eat fruits immediately - Immediately eating fruits after meals will cause stomach to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1hr before meal.










3* Don't drink tea - Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid. This substance will cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest.












4* Don't loosen your belt - Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to be twisted & blocked.















5* Don't bathe - Bathing will cause the increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body thus the amount of blood around the stomach will therefore decrease. This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.


















6* Don't walk about - People always say that after a meal walk a hundred steps and you will live till 99. In actual fact this is not true. Walking will cause the digestive system to be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake.












7* Don't sleep immediately - The food we intake will not be able to digest properly. Thus will lead to gastric & infection in our intestine.

Dubai The New Look

Dubai City

It has spectacular beaches but is not Australia; it is one of the world’s most secure destinations but is not Singapore; it has opulent city hotels and superb beachside resorts but is neither Jakarta nor Bali. It has world class shopping but is not Hong Kong.

WELCOME TO THE DESERT’S MOST EXCITING CITY

Welcome to Dubai, city of merchants, cultural crossroads, second largest of the seven United Arab Emirates. A country where the dust of the desert is clearing to reveal the potential for one of the most significant international cities of the 21st century.


Dubai (in Arabic: دبيّ, Dubayy, /dʊ'baɪ/ in English) refers to either: One of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates on the Persian Gulf, or that emirate's main city, sometimes called "Dubai City" to distinguish it from the emirate.Dubai is the most populous and second largest emirate of the United Arab Emirates after Abu Dhabi. Dubai is distinct from other members of the UAE in that revenues from oil account for only 6% of its gross domestic product. A majority of the emirate's revenues are from the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ)[2] and, increasingly, from tourism.
With enormous construction and development in various industries, Dubai has attracted world-wide attention through innovative real estate projects, sports events, conferences and
Guinness records. However, this increased attention, coinciding with its emergence as a world business hub, has also highlighted potential human rights issues concerning its largely immigrant workforce.






History
The earliest recorded mention of Dubai is in 1095 AD, in the Arabic book "Mojam Ma Ostojam men Asmae Al belaad wal Mawadhea" (معجم ما استعجم من أسماء البلاد والمواضع) by Abdullah Bin Abdu Aziz Al Bakri Al Andalasi. He refers to 'Dubai' as a vast place. Later, in 1587 AD, the
Venetian pearl merchant Gaspero Balbi mentions the name of Dubai as one of the places where Venetians worked, diving for pearls.
There are records of the town of Dubai from 1799. Earlier in the 18th century the Al Abu Falasa lineage of
Bani Yas clan established itself in Dubai which was a dependent of the settlement of Abu Dhabi until 1833.
On
8 January 1820, the sheikh of Dubai was a signatory to the British sponsored "General Treaty of Peace" (the General Maritime Treaty).
In 1833, the
Al Maktoum dynasty of the Bani Yas tribe left the settlement of Abu Dhabi and took over the town of Dubai, "without resistance". From that point on, Dubai, a newly independent emirate was constantly at odds with the emirate of Abu Dhabi. An attempt by the Qawasim to take over Dubai was thwarted. In 1835, Dubai and the rest of the Trucial States signed a maritime truce with Britain and a "Perpetual Maritime Truce" about two decades later. Dubai came under the protection of the United Kingdom (keeping out the Ottoman Turks) by the Exclusive Agreement of 1892. Like four of its neighbors, Abu Dhabi, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Qaiwain, its position on the route to India made it an important location.
In March 1892, the Trucial States (or Trucial Oman) were created.
The rulers of Dubai fostered trade and commerce, unlike the town's neighbors. The town of Dubai was an important port of call for foreign tradesmen (chiefly
Indians), who settled in the town. Until the 1930s, the town was known for its pearl exports.
After the
devaluation of the Gulf Rupee in 1966, Dubai joined the newly independent state of Qatar to set up a new monetary unit, the Qatar/Dubai riyal. Oil was discovered 120 kilometers off the coast of Dubai, after which the town granted oil concessions.
On
2 December 1971 Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi and five other emirates, formed the United Arab Emirates after former protector Britain left the Persian Gulf in 1971. In 1973, Dubai joined the other emirates to adopt a single, uniform currency: the UAE dirham.
The following is a list of rulers of Dubai, Al Abu Falasa
dynasty , going back at least to 1833.





Dubia International Airport

The International Airports Organization (IAO) statistics revealed Dubai’s iconic international airport recording a 20 per cent growth in the number of flights and passengers in the first six months of 2006 compared to the corresponding period last year, the second-highest in the world. The airport also accounted for 30 per cent of the 70 million passengers that used Middle East airports. The Dubai Government expects the airport to handle at least 30 million passengers by 2010, up from the 24.5 million passengers in 2005. Flight movements in the first half of 2006 increased by 11.4 per cent over the same period last year, from 94,795 to 106,546 take-offs and landings. The Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) authorities says Dubai International Airport would be capable of handling 70 million passengers when the current $4.1 billion expansion involving the construction of Concourse 2 and 3, along with the new underground Terminal 3 is complete. In addition, another AED30 billion is being invested in the development of Jebel Ali Airport City over an area of 140 square kilometers. Dubai airport offers connections to 165 destinations and is used by 111 airlines. This year, passenger traffic will rise to 30 million and aircraft movements will increase to 240,000 from 217000. Dubai International Airport, currently used by 113 airlines for 165 connections around the world, will overtake Heathrow Airport in passenger traffic by 2011 at the current growth rate.