Future Group plans deals to cut debt

Future Group, India’s largest retailer which owns Pantaloon Retail, is looking to sell stakes in brands and units to raise funds and help cut the group’s $1.6 billion debt, the Economic Times reported on Monday. ‘We are working on 18 deals and expect to consummate many of the transactions early next fiscal (year). We will be a zero-debt company by March 2013,’ Future Group chairman Kishore Biyani told the newspaper. The group plans to raise 25 billion to 30 billion rupees by selling a minority stake in Future Value Retail, which owns Big Bazaar hypermarkets and Food Bazaar supermarkets, to a strategic investor, the paper said. It plans to merge its electronics retail chain eZone with a services company based near New Delhi and bring in financial and strategic partners for HomeTown, its furniture retail chain, helping cut the debt of the parent company, Pantaloon, by around 6 billion to 7 billion rupees, the paper said. Biyani could not be immediately reached for comment by Reuters. Pantaloon Retail has debt of 25 billion rupees. Separately, Future Logistics, a group firm, is looking to raise 8 billion to 10 billion rupees from private equity investors, the paper said. ‘Talks are on with three PE funds and we will be able to seal a deal within two months,’ Biyani told the paper. Another group firm Future Ventures, which has invested in three dozen brands, including BiBa, Indus League, Celio and Indigo Nation, is also likely to sell some holdings, the paper said.

Russia willing to back ultimatum-free UN statement on Syria

MOSCOW: Russia said Tuesday it could back either a UN Security Council statement or a resolution on peace envoy Kofi Annan's proposal on ending the Syria crisis as long as it contained no ultimatums. The announcement came as Western powers weighed a statement strong enough to condemn Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on the opposition, while not antagonising Russia, Syria's top ally. "We are ready to back the mission of UN and Arab League representative Kofi Annan and the proposals to the government and opposition to Syria," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters. "We are ready to support his proposals to the UN Security Council, and not only in the form of a statement but also a resolution," he said. But Lavrov also stressed that the proposals Annan made to Assad during their meetings in Damascus this month had still not been published and needed to be put up for an open debate at the Security Council. "First of all, these proposals must be published," Lavrov said after holding talks with his Lebanese counterpart Adnan Mansur. "Second of all, the Security Council should approve them not as an ultimatum but with consideration for the work that is ongoing, and approve them as the basis for Kofi Annan's continuing efforts to achieve agreement between all Syrians," he added. The UN Security Council was expected later Tuesday to discuss and possibly vote on a Western-drafted statement that diplomats said called for possible "further measures" if Assad failed to carry out Annan's proposals

Bangladesh in Asia Cup final

Dhaka : Bangladesh bore away against Sri Lanka by 5 wicket in their Asia Cup match at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium on Tuesday. Despite losing two well set batsmen in Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh were gain a credible came off with flying colour in their so called Semifinal of the Asia Cup match against Sri Lanka on Tuesday. Chasing 212 in 40 overs, the Tigers were 212-5 after (37 overs) with Nasir Hossain batting on 36 and vice-captain Mahmudullah 32 not out at the Sher-e-Bangla National; Stadium. Tamim(59) and Shakib (56)were leading the charge at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.Tamim scored his 22nd ODI fifty off 57 balls with nine boundaries. And Shakib scored his 24th ODI century off 46 balls which had 7 boundaries. The third wicket stand was worth 108 runs so far. Opener Nazimuddin (7) was trapped in front by Kulasekara in the fourth ball of the second over SL innings. Fast bowler Nazmul Hossain grabbed three early wickets as Bangladesh restricted Sri Lanka to 232 in a must-win Asia Cup match in Dhaka on Tuesday. Nazmul rocked Sri Lanka in his sharp six-over opening spell, removing skipper Mahela Jayawardene (five), Tillakaratne Dilshan (19) and Kumar Sangakkara (six) to send the tourists reeling at 32-3 in the day-night match. Chamara Kapugedera (62) and Lahiru Thirimanne (48) steadied the innings with an 88-run stand for the fourth wicket, but were not allowed to score freely by the Bangladeshi bowlers. Upul Tharanga was the other main scorer, scoring a 44-ball 48 with one six and five fours. Nazmul, playing his first match of the tournament, was superbly backed by left-arm spinners Shakib Al Hasan and Abdur Razzak who bagged two wickets apiece. Paceman Mashrafe Mortaza was the other bowler to impress, conceding just 30 runs in his tight 9.5 overs. Thirimanne hit just three fours in his 73-ball knock before he was stumped off Razzak, the ball rolling on to the wickets after hitting wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim's pad. Kapugedera struck only four boundaries in a 92-ball knock for his eighth half-century in one-dayers before falling to a low catch in the covers by Shakib off Razzak. Pakistan have already made it to the final with nine points from three matches. India have eight points from three games, followed by Bangladesh (4/2) and Sri Lanka (0/2). The hosts need a win to qualify for the final as they have beaten India in the league match.

TechPhoto Waterproof Tablet

A waterproof tablet PC from Fujitsu is seen lowered into a fish tank at the world's biggest high-tech fair, the CeBIT, on March 6 in Hanover, central Germany. Photo: AFP

BASIS members join CeBIT

BASIS (Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services) in collaboration with Export Promotion Bureau participated at the CeBIT 2012, the digital industry's biggest international event in the world, says a press release. CeBIT 2012 was held at Hannover, Germany from March 6 -10. Five Bangladeshi ICT companies participated as exhibitor of Bangladesh stand and two others as visitors. The exhibiting companies were Arfitech, Corporate IT Limited, IBCS-Primax software (Bangladesh) Ltd, Synchronous ICT and TechnoVista Ltd while the visiting companies were Albatross Technologies Limited and eMedia Bangladesh. In addition to these companies, seven other companies participated the ceBIT 2012 under CBI-ITC supported NTF-II project. They were Bangladesh Internet Press Ltd., IBACS Ltd, LeadSoft Bangladesh Ltd, UY Systems Ltd, Synesis IT Ltd, The Databiz Software Ltd, Windmill Infotech Bangladesh and Relisource Bangladesh.

Facebook's Timeline A catalogue of nothing

We have seen the past, and it doesn't work. Over the past few weeks, Facebook has been rolling out Timeline, its effort to remake its members' profile pages into scrapbooks that, like nearly everything published on the social web, is told in a reverse chronology. While redesigns always inspire grumbling, the discontent seems particularly strong this time 70 percent of users surveyed say they just don't like it, and Facebook's own blog page announcing Timeline is filled with complaints in the comments. At first glance, Timeline looks interesting a retrospective of an online life. But soon enough, there's plenty not to like. And the biggest problem isn't that Facebook scrapped the elegant sparseness of the old profile page for a cluttered interface, or that many users will yet again need to reset their privacy settings, or even that, once you switch to Timeline, you can never go back to the old page. No, the biggest problem with Timeline is that it feels like a mean prank Facebook is playing on its users. It confronts them with the unpleasant reality that the sum total of lives preserved by social media is not just mundane but inauthentic, devoid of what gives meaning to the very thing it's meant to catalog: life. The press billed Timeline as a kind of scrapbook. But it actually couldn't be further from one. A scrapbook preserves symbols of moments with deep emotional value. Facebook is an accidental diary of our procrastinations the games, political rants, lolcats and memes that distract us in the moment but lose meaning even after a few days. If a scrapbook holds the memories of our lives, Facebook preserves the background noise. Timeline makes this all too painfully clear. Facebook, however, has big plans for Timeline, which is why it's not letting anyone escape from Timeline's clutches. Timeline is the front-end user interface for Social Graph, Facebook's grand plan to create a social platform for the Web itself. Users will share and discover video, music and other content on any number of websites and mobile apps, and their Timelines will act as a central clearinghouse for all of it. Facebook knows the social web is fragmenting. And it wants to be the glue that holds it all together. So it's offering dozens of Timeline apps that will share with your friends (and automatically preserve in Timeline) even more trivial minutiae: what songs you heard, what food you ate, what news stories you clicked on, what products you bought or coveted, etc. This is great news for sites like Foodspotting, Pinterest, Payvment and even dinosaurs like MySpace and Yahoo. All have integrated a third-party app into Timeline and enjoyed a boost in traffic. It's also great news for Facebook advertisers, who can pay Facebook to prominently feature in news feeds any posts mentioning their brands or products. The genius of Timeline is that it lets Facebook monetize word of mouth. But it comes at the cost of turning our conversations into commercials. Rather than designing Timeline to better reflect the more meaningful moments of our lives, Facebook is making it a chronology of consumption. And that is why I suspect no one on their deathbed will use Timeline to remember the good times. The more social Facebook tries to be, the less intimate our interactions on it become. The moments we remember the most are the ones with the greatest intimacy in our families, our work and our friendships, or even in caring for strangers. There's no reason why social media can't allow for an online interaction that has the intimacy of, say, a dinner party with friends. But Facebook isn't moving toward that useful goal it's moving in the opposite direction, turning our lives into opportunities for product placement and our wishes and desires into ads. Timeline clearly isn't working for the majority of Facebook users, although in the end it may not matter. Many will grow inured to it in time, as they have with all of the other controversial changes the company has introduced over the years. The author writes for Reuters

Home gardening STS and Mannan Mashhur Zarif

My grandfather was a 'plant lover'. From the cactus on the table at his office, to the age-old trees that line the road in front of Sir Salimullah Hall- his abode as a student of DU- his passion for plants was wide and varied. Everyday after returning from the office, he would put on his gardening gear- lungi and a tee shirt, armed with his gardening gadgets and head to his garden. It was his respite; even in his dying days he never gave up visiting the green sanctuary that he had himself built with his own hands. But times have changed. The city is a stifling place. Where there previously used to be lawns and gardens, are now concrete apartment buildings. A large proportion of us city dwellers don't have the luxury of a sprawling garden, but that should be no impediment to having plants inside our homes. Other than their environmental benefits, plants also beautify a place and lend character to an otherwise droll setting. Gardening in tropical and humid climates such as ours is an ordeal but once you get the hang of it you will see it more as an adventure and less as a chore. Not all plants are suited for indoor cultivation, but you can easily grow outdoor plants such as Hibiscus, Miscanthus cabaret, New Zealand flax, Cardinal lobelia, Canary reed-grass (ground-cover), Kalanchoe (annual plant), Agave (for sandy well-drained soil) in a patch of land overlooking the patio, if you have one. However, many tropical plants require some extra care as they perish quite easily if they do not find the favourable conditions in your garden. The trick is to follow some simple, basic rules. The obvious thing to be careful about is the quality of soil. Tropical plants need well-soaked soil, so make sure that the soil in your garden or flowering pot is capable of retaining moisture for a long time after watering. Another consideration is the choice of fertilizers. For instance, tropical flower plants should not be supplied with too much of nitrogenous fertilizers; it hampers their normal growth. It increases the growth of the leaves, but decreases the blooming of the flowers. Also, apart from nitrogen rich chemicals, fertilizers containing phosphorus and potash are also recommended for tropical plants. You may use these in minimal quantity, so that they do not hamper the growth of the plants. As mentioned earlier, not many of us have an outdoor space in which to indulge our gardening aspirations. As a seasoned gardener says, “Plants in the outdoors get a lot of rainfall in our climate, except in the winter. But when plants are indoors, it is very important to keep them hydrated by watering the pots at least once a day. Also important is to remember that plants should be kept close to a light source, preferably by a window, because as we all know green plants cannot survive without sunlight.” The prevailing temperature is a major factor in determining whether your plants will thrive or wilt. Generally, it is useful to keep your plants outside in the summer, and inside during the winter. Although it is recommended that the plants have some sort of heating during the winter, as frost is undesirable for their normal growth, it is not relevant for plants in Bangladesh because of our mild winters. However, if you live in the northern parts and it gets quite chilly, use a heating source at your own discretion; by then you should have developed quite a green thumb. It is best not to take too much upon yourself. If you have no prior experience or knowledge of gardening, it is important that you consult and take the advice of someone who has done it before. Information on how much fertilizer to use and what to grow can only be supplied by an experienced gardener who has a firm grasp of local conditions. With so much information at our fingertips, it is quite easy to go online and hunt around for tips, but that must be complemented by sound practical knowledge. We automatically think that gardening is for someone else to do and that it's too much of a hassle. You may be surprised however, at how easily you grow into the role of gardener once you start doing it. Although it may seem unlikely now, you may even begin to share a bond with the plants that you have nurtured from little saplings; it's only natural. Tips on Home Gardening If horticulture is your passion, or you are merely in pursuit to add greenery both in and outside your home, there are certain thumb rules that you must follow. Home gardening, though far from a strenuous task, requires consistent maintenance and nurturing. You must take care of your plants but always remember that 'too much' care often causes more harm than good. “How much to water?” is an age-old question raised by home gardeners. Too much water floods the plants and cripples them from absorbing the minerals and nutrients from the soil. Whereas insufficient watering dehydrates plants, making the branches limp and lifeless. The species of your plants plays a role in determining the right amount of water that it requires. A thorough research should be conducted before implementing the necessities. If you feel too lazy to read books and magazines to learn about plant care, at least ask the vendor of the nursery you buy your plants to inform you about plant care. It is pivotal that the appropriate amounts are showered. One deep watering is much better than watering lightly several times a day. If the weather pertains to hot and humid conditions, a little more than usual water should be sprinkled. Uninvited moss, grass and mould of various genres take residence in the nearby alleys or on the flower plants in your outside garden. Instead of bending over to tug at the roots of these or scrubbing them off, sprinkle sufficient amount of regular table salt directly on the areas. Salt chokes the life out of these. Plants and stagnant water bodies are homes to dengue and malaria causing mosquitoes. Remove any water deposits in your gardens as a preliminary precaution to preventing the spread of any disease. Insecticides and pesticides should be sprayed on a regular basis. Pruning limbs and branches is necessary for a healthy growth and a less disease-prone garden. Air out plants stored within confinements at least once a week to filter out any germs, which might have been dwelling in them. Consider planting insect repelling plants such as but not limited to- Ants: mint, tansy, pennyroyal; Aphids: mints, garlic, chives, coriander, anise; Mice: onion; Squash Bug: radish, marigolds tansy and nasturtium. These plants have their own chemically designed defence systems and when placed among flowers and vegetables they keep unwanted pests at bay. By Sanjana Rahman

Teen twist Maheen Khan, Fashion designer, Mayasir

Teen fashion is highly influenced by their idols. This is of course not a new notion as in the past young boys and girls have always looked out for role models. Teen actors, entertainers, and singers do and will continue to play a vital role. Although now it has become a global phenomenon where the young stars create a colossal following. Their every fashion expression is imitated. Hair, accessory, clothing, the whole look and attitude are given full attention by their fans. The teen market has become enormous. This is due to the new-fangled fame of the great number of adolescent stars in recent years. The entertainment industry is putting a lot of attention in not only creating these idols but also in marketing them commercially as individuals across the globe. They are stand-alone brands now to be taken very seriously. I shall try to decipher the teen trends. It has come to my attention that there are a number of categories and fashion divides that set their fashion doctrines. The following are a few styles, such as easy casual, sports, rock star, and a school prep look. The major teen stars are a rage so lets look at what some of them are wearing. Miley Cyrus (singer and actor) She is Hannah Montana on her television sitcom. She may be one of the biggest teen stars of our times. She loves sweet dresses that are soft on the edges, frills, and laces and most definitely short in length. Her long locks of hair in natural waves make her seem very feminine yet confident. Her dresses or skirts are always tied with numerous or a singlewide belt giving her an hourglass contour. She is loud in her choice of colours-violet, fuchsia, gold and other metallic. On formal sightings she is always caught in strapped country pieces. Her accessories include bangles or beads and she loves her cowgirl boots. JB or Jonas Brothers (singer/actor) These are the three brothers, Joe, Nick, and Kevin. They are a sensation. Witty and smart, they are also on a television sitcom JONAS. On or off screen their sense of style is just right on. They look equally preppy with their ties, jumper and sports leather jacket or in a chic cravat on short waistcoat and rolled up shirt or T-shirt. Most comfortable in their denim that may be skinny or classic, they like to mix and match different looks on each other rather than looking identical. This way they make individual statements. Even on personal excavations we will find them wearing a crew neck, a button down or v-neck shirt with jeans. Plaid and checked shirts look really cool with their leather bomber jackets. They don't go for the over the top rock star ensembles, but rather simpler combos. Their fans appreciate their signature claims to fashion. Selena Gomez (singer/actor) She is the popular actor of the television show “Wizards of Waverly Place” and also acted in a couple of Disney movies, the latest being “Princess Protection Program”. She is again a very successful, versatile actor who is able to execute her talents effortlessly. Selena off screen shows a prowess for superb styling that seems to come to her naturally. Her comfortable fashion sense is to die for. She loves her denim and tees, always layered with a jacket or a shirt. Simple classic prints in stripes or checks making her style classic, which is also appropriate for her age. With little or no make-up and very little accessories she still manages to sizzle. She is deeply rooted and self-assured. Daniel Radcliff (actor) He is the actor of Harry Potter fame. A teen sensation, he has popularised the very British prep style in teen fashion. The Hogwarts School of fashion has made an entire generation appreciate a simple conservative look that works best for early adolescence. Timelessly conservative yet never boring pieces put together simply well. Crew neck tees layered with zipped jackets, stripped polo or shirts, tie and jumpers. Argyle scarves and knitted scull caps are also an edgy addition. His round-rimmed glasses are a perfect finish to his ensemble. His achievement on screen has brought him gargantuan fame the world over. Trends that sizzle or fizzle It is important to look at trends as they appear. Casual is probably the key word. Girls rule, boy's drool: The colour this season is predominantly bright with teal, raspberry, red, turquoise, pink, and reef coral as major hues. These girls are either ultra girly or big on sports gear. It is a clean, healthy style. Floral elements are big with country garden wild flowers as prints and focal applications of Rose, Poppy and Daisy. Peasant blouses, cute frilled tops, open front shirts in solids or stripes, sundresses with spaghetti or halter finish over simple tanks. The overall look is easy. Denim super stretchy and skinny topped with tees. Drawstring trousers paired with sweat jackets are really cool for girls. These are no nonsense uncomplicated trouble free ensembles. Accessories that are a rule: Sunglasses: Yellow, lemon green, white or black, not the oversized convex kind but rather average sized squared or oval styles. Again it is not a huge fashion statement but indicates necessary utility that may serve a purpose. Bags: Fabric bags in cotton or canvas. Prints or woven, quilted or plain, small or medium slings zipped with utility pockets. Totes large are an all time favourite. Wristlet or patent clutches are also good for an evening out. Belts: Narrow or wide for waists or hips have returned as an important accessory. Footwear: Flip-flop sandals. Solid or printed in fun pattern are great, plaid, checks, polkas or floral are very popular. Espadrilles high, ankle strapped flats or high top sneakers are good for any occasion. Tropical jewellery: Pile them on for a perfect carefree vibe. Teens are looking for a sharp mix and match. They are into trendy pieces of jewellery that can be combined with multiple other pieces of accessory. Funky beaded or wooden elements are evident on bangles, cuffs, bracelets and necklaces. The neckpieces are long stringed and hang on the waistline and long pendants are also cool. Beaded anklets and wristbands are just on that can be paired with dangly beaded earrings. Boys will be boys: Teen boys are also going for a plain effortless fashion sense. Cargo or denim trousers that fit well and comfortably but may be narrow or form fitted but not oversized. Button down shirts, t-shirts, polo shirts, crew neck tees. All cotton looks and not the shrinking body stretching lycra kind that is punk rock, which is so yesterday. Scarves, jumpers, bomber, sports jackets or hooded jackets are very happening right now instead of the chain slinging metal studded heavy rock look that is way out. It is a look that generates and inspires a healthy lifestyle where the priority is good health and fitness. My last word: Teens in Bangladesh need to apply the essence of such dressing that is suitable for their age. It should be fitting for the occasions and social circumstances. Please don't try to imitate adults or idols that do not illustrate a positive role. Choose your fashion icons well and intelligently. Model: Zubaida, Eura, Rahatt, Adnan, Arress, Nishat, Raisa, Sajid Special thanks to KFC for allowing us to do the photoshoot.

Immersed in Bliss

A bath drawn just right and the mood set perfectly can be an enriching experience. The rigours of life leave even the strongest and the most stoic minds exhausted and in need of a sensuous retreat. Not all of us have the time or the resources to make visits to spas as a regular habit. If it's relaxation and rejuvenation on your mind, a well-drawn bath with accessories suiting your needs will do it every time. The Past, The Present and The Future The benefits are not limited to stress relief. There is a reason why the immersion of the body in water has been such an enduring practice over the annals of time. We all know of the Roman and the Greek bathhouses that existed solely for the purpose of bathing. It was then seen as a communal activity, where citizens could conduct business and socialize. Baths were seen as the key to maintaining good health. Fast forward to the 21st century and recent studies have echoed those beliefs. One study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that diabetics who spent just half an hour in a hot tub could reduce their blood sugar levels by around 13 per cent - as the heat dilated their blood vessels, the blood-flow improved and the body made better with the use of its insulin, the hormone that converts blood sugar into energy. Another study in Japan claims that 10 minutes in a warm bath improved cardiovascular health in elderly men and women, helping them to cope better in exercise tests and reducing pain. Starting out “The temperature of the water is very important,” opined a housewife for whom taking baths during the precious bits of free time available to her is an invaluable source of rejuvenation. “It should not be so hot that it takes an exercise of will just to get in. Remember, this is for stress relief, so you shouldn't be stressed out about getting in. The temperature should ideally be warm, just how much is up to the individual. You can also draw the curtains in order to trap the heat for the maximum possible time.” Accessorize Relaxation is a state of mind and bathing is a process. The right accessories can get you into that frame of mind. A comfortable, pampering bath robe and soft towels will do the trick. And that's not all. To create a mood of meditative serenity, add scented candles to the mix. The essentials Now that the peripherals are out of the way, it is time for the main ingredients. Whenever there is talk of baths, bath salts can't be too far behind. Universally accepted as beneficial to the skin, high quality natural bath salts can take years off your appearance by helping your body defend against climate, genetics and other elements that speed up the aging process. They cleanse the skin and soften the rougher parts of our bodies, like the knees, elbows and heels. Hold a spoonful under running water as you are drawing the bath, allowing the salts to release their fragrance and oils as they mix with the bath water. Almas Superstore carries a range of bath salts including strawberry, blueberry and orange, all containing vitamins C and E. Bath oils do a world of good to dry or damaged skin. Oil is the perfect skin therapy to use in a bath because the warmth of the water helps the oil absorb into your skin. The right oil will enable you to leave the bath with your previously dry skin feeling healthy and nourished. Bath soaps are another vital part of a refreshing soak in the tub. Natural soaps like those of The Body Shop, also found at Almas are usually handmade, created with pure and natural ingredients. They leave the skin feeling soft and supple. It must be noted that these should be acquired from reputable companies, as the wrong type could cause the skin to dry out. Last but not the least, nothing says “pamper” like a foam bath. For many, foam or bubble baths add the finishing touch to the experience of being transported away to another, more peaceful world. There are a lot of foaming creams around, each having different ingredients (Vaseline's version enriched with Chamomile is highly recommended by the lady behind the counter at Almas) to suit your needs. Atmosphere You can't create a mood without music. To get into the relaxed frame of mind, it is best to stick to soothing instrumental music, such as the western classics or our own Sitar aficionados. You can also take a novel or magazine that you have been wanting to read but just not had the time, to the bath with you. The most important thing to remember is that those 20 30 minutes are for you and you only. In the end, whether you emerge relaxed or not is up to you. You have to embrace this bit of relief from stress just as the warm water and all its ingredients embrace you when you settle in. You know best what tone to set to help you unwind. Choose the right ingredients and the right setting, and meet them halfway.

'Tigers' win no upset'

The Bangladesh cricket team infused life into the Asia Cup when they pulled off a stunning 5-wicket victory over India at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Friday, throwing the competition wide open. Among those who appreciated the

Tigers' rabble rousing performance was Pakistan opener Mohammad Hafeez.

“I watched the match, and I must give the credit to Bangladesh,” said Hafeez while talking to the media at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday. “They were very positive, and they were more aggressive in the field, that is the reason why they won the game. I congratulate them."

The ever-improving all-rounder was not prepared to call Bangladesh's win a shocking result as he felt that they have been on an upward swing for some time.

“I wouldn't call it an upset. I personally feel that Bangladesh are getting towards the positive things, because their approach is getting positive day by day and I think it's a good thing for their cricket,” Hafeez said of their opponents in the first game, in which Bangladesh lost by the narrow margin of 21 runs.

Micromax Asia Cup 2012 Not a dress rehearsal India, Pakistan face off today

When Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in their Asia Cup match on Thursday, and with India due to play Bangladesh the following day, most pundits were predicting that today's hotly anticipated Pakistan-India clash would be a dress rehearsal for the final. The presumption of an India win on Friday and the two great rivals setting up the final was upended but the home team not only put cricketing trends into a spin, the tournament received the much-needed buzz.

Today's match, then, takes on the significance it was meant to have in the first place, especially for India, who desperately need to win not just to stand a chance of making the final but to turn the tide of recent woeful results. It also has an intriguing sub-plot -- for possibly the first time, the crowd at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium will be overwhelmingly behind Pakistan (and not the usual polar support for the two teams); India's loss will put the home side in cool contention and they could seal it if they can beat Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

“We always enjoy playing in Bangladesh and the crowd has always supported us whenever we play against any other country,” said Pakistan opener Mohammad Hafeez at the pre-match press conference yesterday. “So that will be a good sign for us that the crowd will back us.”

On the field of play, it will be India who will have to do all the running, especially with a bowling attack that has been exposed as fragile and pedestrian. Their bowling was subjected to a fearful shellacking by the likes of Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan on Friday, so while India will be looking to maximise returns with the bat and controlling the damage with the ball, Hafeez

said that Pakistan will be looking to exploit that very weakness when they take on their arch-rivals.

“As far as the Indian attack is concerned we will take it as a positive,” said Hafeez. “They have a weaker side as a bowling unit, so we must have a plan on this and attack them. I personally feel that their bowling attack is not in good form at the moment, so we are going to try and exploit that weakness and demoralise their attack, so that we can control our batting too.”

Whenever India play Pakistan, the pressure the teams face is a popular topic of discussion. This time, there is the added dimension of their last encounter, India's 2011 World Cup semifinal victory.

“You cannot take revenge on anyone, but we will try to give our supporters the joy we could not give during that game,” said Hafeez, adding that in terms of pressure Pakistan are in a better position as they have already qualified for the final. “Whenever India play Pakistan there is pressure for both teams. Everyone wants their team to win. So I cannot deny that there will be pressure, there always is in these matches. But I feel that we will be more free because we have qualified for the finals.”

With the weather being foul yesterday, there is a possibility of rain interruptions in today's match. If the match cannot be completed today, it will go into a reserve day on Monday, and if then it cannot be completed, the points will be shared.

In this tournament India and Pakistan have beaten each other four times each in nine games (one being abandoned). Could that also be an incentive to the under-fire Indians?

Android Ice Cream Sandwich release date: October or November

The next big update to Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, will be released in October or November this year according to Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt.

Ice Cream Sandwich will combine elements of the current Gingerbread smartphone and Honeycomb tablet software in order to create one united OS for the Android platform.

We've known for a while that it is coming before the end of the year, but in an interview with Salesforce CEO Mike Benioff, Schmidt was a little more specific.

"We have a new operating system, internally known as Ice Cream Sandwich for some reason, which is being released in October/November, which everyone's really excited about," he said.
Fragmented

Google has been heavily criticised for how fragmented the Android operating system can be, with many devices all running different versions of the software.

The company hopes that Ice Cream Sandwich will remedy those ills creating one master operating system.

The first device to run Ice Cream Sandwich is expected to be the Samsung Nexus Prime, which continues to be at the centre of all speculation.

Ice Cream Sandwich tablet goes on sale

The world's first tablet running the new Android 4.0 operating system has gone on sale in China at a cost of around just £60.

The Ainovo NOVO7 tablet will host the Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS which is currently only available on the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone.

The product website lists the tablet as boasting a 7-inch capacitive multi-touch display with 1080p video as well as front and rear 2-megapixel cameras.

The battery life is advertised at 25 hours for music, 6 hours for games and 7 hours for browsing the web and there's 4GB of external storage and a MIPS-based 1GHz processor powering things.

There's also access to Gameloft titles and Google-endorsed apps.
Rubin-approved

The tablet is even claiming an endorsement from Android chief Andy Rubin who said in the press release: "I'm thrilled to see the entrance of MIPS-Based Android 4.0 tablets into the market.

"Low cost, high performance tablets are a big win for mobile consumers and a strong illustration of how Android's openness drives innovation and competition for the benefit of consumers around the world."

The tablet is only on sale in China, although plans are afoot to bring the tablet west. Check out the device in the video below.

Samsung Galaxy S3 launch date leaked?

We've been kept waiting and waiting, but according to a leaked image we could see the Samsung Galaxy S3 finally break cover next week.

The latest picture was sent to Phone Arena from an anonymous source and shows a render of supposed Samsung Galaxy S3 with the date March 22 on the screen, along with the text "The new Samsung Galaxy S III live at 8:00pm".

Rather conveniently Samsung has set up a press conference in Paris for the date and time mentioned in the image, however it has already come out and said it will not be launching the Galaxy S3 at the event.

Samsung Galaxy S3 - LEAK

Credit: Phone Arena
Hold your horses

So we're pretty sure that the Galaxy S3 launch date is a fake and the rest of the image does not instil us with confidence either.

Text sizes appear confused and poorly designed, icons in the app tray look to be taken from an older version of Samsung's TouchWiz interface and it seems unlikely Samsung would not tweak the notification bar, which is shown as the default Ice Cream Sandwich style in the picture.

Its still unclear when Samsung is planning to launch its highly anticipated Galaxy S3 handset and it looks like we won't be getting an answer soon.

Wondering what the Samsung Galaxy S3 might bring to the mobile party in 2012? Then check out our Samsung Galaxy S3 rumours video below.

Samsung Galaxy S2 Ice Cream Sandwich update: when will I get it?

Now Samsung has confirmed the Samsung Galaxy S2 Ice Cream Sandwich update is landing next week, here's our constantly updated hub of all information for the next level of Android on your flagship Samsung phone.

The problem with Android updates is the process is so staggered, leading to consumers getting angry at the length of time it takes them to receive the next generation of software.

Once Google throws out the source code to the manufacturers, it's up to them to divert resources to combining the latest version of Android with their hardware – this can take longer if there's a skin running atop the OS, as is the case with the Galaxy S2.

And once that's complete, the likes of Vodafone and O2 then have to make sure there are no issues with the new firmware running with their networks – it may sound trivial, but you don't want something like this happening - so check below to see how long you'll be likely to wait for the next generation software to land on your Galaxy S2.

HTC One X to hit O2 on 5 April

O2 will begin taking stock of the HTC One X smartphone on 5 April, with sales set to begin on that date or shortly after.

The 4.7-inch, quad-core, Android 4.0 device was announced at Mobile World Congress last month, but without an official launch date.

However, a tweet from the official O2 Twitter account, in reply to a customer query, seems to suggest that 5 April will be D-Day for the new flagship Ice Cream Sandwich device.
Twit slip

O2 customer Nicole Funning asked: "@O2 any idea on the tariffs and if existing customers need to pay for the @HTC one x?"

The network responded: "Hi Nicole, we're not due to get the HTC until 5th April so no decision on tariffs yet...keep an eye here: j.mp/wAzrCH"

That could either mean the company will be receiving stock on that date, or will start selling it on that date. We'd suggest the latter, but that would be a guess.

The impressively-specced HTC One X is likely to be one of the more popular Android handsets of the first half of 2012.

With a 8-megapixel camera also on board, the device is one of the pioneers of the exciting 1.5GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor.

Via: Gizmodo UK

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S review

Updated: read our Hands on: Sony Xperia S review.

The arrival of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S illustrates how incredibly fast things are moving in the world of Android hardware. The original Xperia Arc launched in April, now here's the upgrade a mere six months later.

Well, we say "upgrade"... what you're getting in the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is two new features that aren't in the older Arc - a faster 1.4GHz single-core processor, plus the latest Android 2.3.4 update of Google's operating system and Sony Ericsson's user interface skin.

And even then, the 2.3.4 software update is scheduled to arrive as an over-the-air upgrade for the first Xperia Arc this month, meaning that the only real new thing here is the faster processor.

Nikon V1 review A CSC like the J1, but with an EVF and higher resolution screen

Restricting the V1's effective pixel count to 10.1MP means that the sensor isn't excessively over populated, but nevertheless the smaller sensor size means that the Nikon J1 and V1 engineers had their work cut out to keep image noise down. Smaller sensors usually mean smaller photoreceptors (pixels) and smaller receptors gather less light so they create a weaker image signal, which requires greater amplicfication and the end result is usually a noisier photograph.

The most obvious difference between the Nikon V1 and the J1 is that the V1 has an electronic viewfinder (EVF), which adds a lump to the top-plate. While Nikon J1 users have to content themselves with composing images on the 3-inch, 460,000 dot screen, V1 owners can choose between using the EVF or the 3-inch, 920,000 dot screen.

Another key difference between the two cameras is that the Nikon J1 has a built-in flash, whereas the V1 doesn't. The Nikon V1 does, however, have a hotshoe that can accept Nikon's new SpeedLight SB-N5 flashgun.

Nikon v1 review

Because they lack a mirror to bounce light onto a dedicated phase detection autofocus (AF) sensor, an issue with most compact system cameras is that they use slower contrast detection autofocus systems. Nikon's solution to this problem is to use a hybrid AF system that uses phase and contrast detection. Both the V1 and J1 use 73 pixels on their imaging sensor as AF sensors. These pixels are still used to make up the image, even though they're used in focusing.

Phase detection AF is generally faster than and contrast detection AF, but contrast detection is more accurate, so using a hybrid system should bring the best of both worlds.

Unusually, the Nikon V1 has both an electronic and mechanical shutter, and the user can select which to use via the menu. We are told that using the mechanical shutter can cut down on the blooming that can occur around bright highlights when an electronic shutter is used, but after shooting a series of comparison images, we're unable to verify this.

Nikon v1 review

A key benefit of an electronic shutter is that faster continuous shooting rates are possible, and the Nikon V1 and J1 can shoot at up to 60fps, with 30fps and 10fps options also being available.

Full HD 1920 x 1080p video recording is possible at 60i, 30p (29.97fps) or 60p (59.94fps). In addition, slow motion video can also be recorded at 640 x 240 at 400fps or 320 x 120 at 1,200fps, both of which are played back at 29.97fps.

In Motion Snapshot mode, the camera shoots a snippet of full HD footage at 69.94fps for replay as at 23.976fps (making it around one second long) with accompanying music and ending with a still image. Footage is recorded to the buffer memory from the moment the shutter release button is half-pressed, so the video includes slow-motion action from the point immediately before the shutter release is pressed home.

Like the J1, Nikon is aiming the V1 at family photographers and those who want something more than a compact camera without the bulk and complication of a DSLR. These users are likely to rely on automatic exposure modes, but both cameras also have Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Manual (PASM) exposure modes.

Next Page: Build quality and handling

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HTC Wildfire S Key Features

Band
Quad
Talk time
7 hours
Standby time
360 hours
Weight
105 g
Dimensions
59 x 101 x 12 mm

Samsung Series 5 Ultra review

Samsung has plenty of experience in crafting slim, powerful laptops, but unlike its premium Samsung Series 9 ultraportable, the Samsung Series 5 Ultra appears to be more of an "everyman" device.

It won't out-power Ultrabook rivals such as the Dell XPS 13, Acer Aspire S3 or Asus Zenbook UX31, and it doesn't look A jaw-droppingly attractive. But importantly, and some would say crucially, it won't cost you the Earth, either.

The Samsung Series 5 Ultra is available in two models - a 13.3-inch model, the NP530U3BI, priced at £799.99 in the UK or $879.99 in the US, and a 14-inch model, the NP530U4BI, costing £849.99 or $899.99.

Considering most Ultrabooks retail for £899-£1,100, this makes the Samsung Series 5 an attractive proposition for anyone on a budget.

Samsung Series 5 Ultra review

Both models pack in mid-level Intel Core i5-2467M processors, but the 14-inch model comes with an optical drive and an HDD capable of being upgraded to an impressive 1TB of storage space.

Our review unit was the smaller 13.3-inch model, but at 20mm in thickness, the Samsung Series 5 Ultra 530U3B is still one of the bulkier Ultrabooks we've seen. It's comparable to the HP Envy 14 Spectre but unlike that machine, the chassis doesn't feel chunky.

It has the sloping, blade-like appearance of other Ultrabooks and weighs a miniscule 1.5kg.

The outward design is attractive without being breathtaking. The plain silver design is equally well placed at home or the office, and the brushed metal finish won't attract smudges the same way a reflective surface would.

Samsung Series 5 Ultra review

Look below the surface, though, and you'll soon notice the Samsung Series 5 Ultra 530U3B has a few tricks up its sleeve. Most notable is the option of including a 500GB HDD alongside a fast-booting 16GB SSD, giving you both space and speed.

The usability of the machine hasn't been ignored either, and the keyboard and touchpad are indicative of Samsung's usual excellence.

Standing out from the crowd of Ultrabooks isn't getting any easier, and whether this - Samsung's first attempt - is strong enough remains to be seen.

It might get noticed thanks to the friendly price, but can the rest of the machine live up to the Ultrabook moniker?

Toshiba Portégé R830-138 review

We had to pick up our jaws up from off the floor too. It's going to take a damn sight more than a sophisticated-sounding French moniker to distract you from this laptop's gargantuan price. But the Toshiba Portege R830 must be an astonishing piece of kit, right?

Designed for the busy executive who wants a laptop that doesn't interfere with the shape of a soft Italian leather briefcase, Toshiba's wafer thin Portégé R series has long been one of the standards to beat when it comes to building a thin and light laptop.

Weighing less than 1.5kg, this Toshiba still packs a high clockspeed CPU beneath its demure black casing, and promises much in the way of business enhancements for the busy traveller. Thanks to that quick Core i5, it beats all but the quad core in the Acer 8951G in productivity benchmarks, and weighs well under half of that monster's tonnage.

How does it compare to the Core i7 in the Zenbook? That chip has a lower overall power draw and an extra megabyte of memory, which shows up best in the gaming benchmarks – but for general use the Core i5 here is oddly a little bit better.
TechRadar Labs

tech labs

Battery Eater '05: 271 minutes
Cinebench: 10747
3DMark 2006: 3752

Battery life is more impressive. Running for just over four-and-a-half hours in our stock test, which includes a looping HD video, you can eke out up to eight hours of run time with a bit of care – that's a full day at the office, which you could spend at the coffee shop instead.
How much?

Toshiba r830

The problem that Toshiba faces is the arrival of the Ultrabook, in this case a role played by Asus' Zenbook UX31. Where once 'thin' and 'light' commanded a premium in the market for their cleverly engineered heatsinks, the UX31 is an even lighter and – in some respects, like instant start up – more capable machine for a third less cash.

To make matters worse, the magnesium alloy with which Toshiba coats the Portégé R580-138 may help to keep the weight down, but you'd be forgiven it's a cheap plastic rather than a metallic shell. It's soft, it flexes to the touch and it doesn't feel like it offers much protection next to the deadly corners of the Zenbook.

There are some advantages to the Portégé. It has a better screen, for example – there's a slight blue colour cast and an overly bright backlight, but these are both easy to tune out in the settings. You also have easier access to the underside for upgrades and changing the battery.

But despite its future-friendly Sandy Bridge CPU, the Toshiba leaves the distinct impression of being very 'last-gen' thin and light. Yes, you can carry it in one hand, but there's very little on offer that an Ultrabook doesn't do better.

Unless you count the incredible amount of pre-installed software, most of which simply raises the question: why? There are peculiar application choices. Like the games market, Amazon and eBay apps – they have no business on what is ostensibly a very sensible corporate machine, and give the Portege a slightly confused identity. You can remove them, of course, but they shouldn't have been there in the first place.

What we're really looking for is a reason to buy this over the cheaper, faster Zenbook. So far we have larger hard drive and a built-in DVD player, and Toshiba's support options are good if you want a business critical device and service. But it isn't enough any more; not at this colossal price.

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Lenovo IdeaPad U300S review

The wait for the flurry of Intel ultrabooks is over, and the Lenovo IdeaPad U300S is among the latest super thin and light Windows laptops to come to the fore.

It joins the likes of the Toshiba Portege Z830, Toshiba Satellite Z830, Asus Zenbook UX31 and Acer Aspire S3 in the ultrabook range, a new kind of laptop category that is critically important for the future of the entire market.

Ultrabooks are super-thin, light, sleek and powerful laptops that aim to emulate Apple's recent gains with the Apple MacBook Air, and finally give consumers a reason to invest in PCs again.

Lenovo ideapad u300s review

The Lenovo IdeaPad U300S is the last in the current line of ultrabooks to hit the shelves, and with a host of new models rumoured to be released at CES 2012 in January, it needs to offer a potent mix of power, great looks and competitive price to stand out among the early salvos from Acer, Asus and Toshiba.

However, our first impressions are underwhelming.

Lenovo hasn't obsessed over aesthetics, and this laptop is no Apple MacBook Air clone. It seems chunky next to the wafer-thin Asus Zenbook, which features a wedge-shaped design that tapers off to a thin, blade-like point.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U300S retains its 16mm thickness across the chassis, giving it the impression of being squat.

The body is aluminium, and weighs 1.4kg, the same as the Acer Aspire S3, but much heavier than the Toshiba Portege Z830 and the Toshiba Satellite Z830-10U. If you're looking for an ultrabook that will turn heads, you will most likely look elsewhere, but can the Lenovo IdeaPad U300S impress with power?

Packard Bell EasyNote TS11 review

ThePackard Bell EasyNote range might not be as front-and-centre as Dell's Inspiron or HP's Pavilion brands, but nevertheless has established itself in our minds as a home for mid-level laptops at budget-level prices.

And we're happy to report that the EasyNote TS11-HR-695UK is a similarly reliable slice of mid-level computing goodness.

It shares the same floral pattern as other Packard Bell EasyNote laptops. There are also a range of colours to choose from, but the pattern is harder to pick out on the black model than the red or white versions. The pattern continues on the palm rest inside the laptop, although the keyboard and rest of the chassis is matte black.

The keyboard itself is a full-length affair with an additional numerical keypad and a couple of extra hotkeys thrown in. The chicklet keys are great for typing on and the overall experience is excellent. There are no issues with odd-sized buttons as common keys like Enter, Backspace and Shift are all well-proportioned and where you would expect to find them.

The touchpad has the same glossy coating as the lid and palmrest and is a little on the sensitive side, although you can adjust this in Windows. It's not the largest around but the single click button works well.
Impressive performance

Unlike the bigger TS13 models, the EasyNote TS11 sports a smaller, Intel Core i3 CPU which works to keep the cost down. However, in terms of performance, we were impressed at the 8159 score this machine posted following our benchmarking tests. Even though it's the budget choice, this dual-core chip will give you a smooth experience when multitasking.

Thanks to a capacious 6GB of RAM we had no problems quickly working around several documents, even with multiple web pages open and music streaming.
TechRadar Labs

tech labs

Battery Eater '05: 249 minutes
Cinebench: 8159
3DMark 2006: 4346

Graphics are handled by the integrated graphics chip bundled onto the Sandy Bridge CPU and provides a reliable, if basic, experience. You can safely manage older games and a spot of photo editing but beware of anything more demanding.

Connectivity is similar to other laptops at this price point. There are three USB ports for peripherals and HDMI and VGA connections for external displays. You can use the 802.11n Wi-Fi connection or the Ethernet wired port for connecting to the internet and there's a Kensington security slot for locking the EasyNote TS11 securely.

There's no doubt that the EasyNote TS11 is a friendly machine. From its decorative pattern, to the social networking hotkey, this seems like a safe choice for a mid-level laptop. Beyond that, though, there's some serious performance underneath. For this price point we reckon the Packard Bell EasyNote TS11 stands as a secure and reliable purchase.

Follow TechRadar Reviews on Twitter: http://twitter.com/techradarreview

HP Pavilion dv6-6b50sa review

Clad in HP's customary black and silver, the £600 HP Pavilion dv6-6b50sa is an affordable, feature-packed media laptop. While it obviously doesn't match up to the premium experience offered by HP's Envy range, it's got plenty to recommend it to anyone who needs to keep their budget in mind.

First, and most obviously, it's a great machine to look at. HP consistently turns out attractive computers and this is no exception.

Despite only being a 15.6-inch laptop, it's a little bit on the chunky side, but with the chassis dimensions measuring 378 x 247 x 35mm.

The entire body is brushed silver aluminium with speaker grills and air vents mixed with jet-black plastic for the keyboard, touchpad and screen bezel.

There's no flex on evidence anywhere around the chassis and the tough metal casing seems like it could take a knock or two without any problems. Of course, all that design doesn't do the weight any favours, and the HP Pavilion dv6 is noticeably heavy, at 2.9kg. This isn't exactly a laptop to be carrying around all day.

The HP Pavilion dv6-6b50sa will obviously find a lot of favour with audiophiles. Dr Dre's Beats audio technology is being incorporated into all HP laptops, and the extra functionality is welcome.

HP pavilion dv6-6b50sa

Along with the single speaker strip at the base of the screen, there are two smaller stereo speakers at the front of the palm rest. We didn't have a problem using the dv6 to fill the office with music, although the quality does disintegrate a little when you turn it right up.

The comprehensive Beats Audio Control Panel means you can adjust and tune the audio performance of the HP Pavilion dv6-6b50sa to your heart's content.

You can shift the emphasis across the speakers for listening or take advantage of features such as noise and echo cancellation for recording. If you have an external microphone, editing software and some sheet music to hand, this laptop is an excellent tool for crafting some of your own tunes.

If you're prepared to make the substantial investment in a pair of Beats headphones, then the experience is very impressive indeed and makes a big difference when watching a film, for example.

In terms of the screen, the 15.6-inch display on the HP Pavilion dv6-6b50sa is bright and clear, with suitably sharp images. Don't expect to hit Full HD 1080p though, since the pixel resolution precludes this machine playing anything above a 720p high-definition picture.

A quick mention must go to the viewing angles and the reassuringly solid hinges on which the screen sits. There's also a relatively thin bezel, which helps improves the viewing experience.

For typing, the isolation keyboard works well and gives the chassis a spacious look. The smallish keys respond firmly and accurately and the large backlit touchpad has a thick texture to it. It would have been great to see the keyboard itself backlit, though.

Although predominantly a multimedia machine for the home, HP has also included a business-like fingerprint scanner on the right palm rest. This gives you an extra level of security to protect your documents and media.
TechRadar Labs

tech labs

Battery Eater '05: 207 minutes
Cinebench: 7807
2DMark 2005: 5576

Inside the HP Pavilion dv6-6b50sa is an Intel Core i3 2330M CPU. This is the baby of the Sandy Bridge family and part of the reason the price on this laptop is so reasonable. It can't match the Core i5s and Core i7s of this world for power, but that really shouldn't prove too much of a problem for most users.

And the main reason we're not too worried about the lesser processor is that HP has compensated with loading more RAM into the Pavilion dv6-6b50sa.

While most machines would offer 4GB of RAM, the HP Pavilion dv6-6b50sa has 6GB tucked inside to keep the Windows 7 operating system running quickly. What this means in practice is that you can multi-task comfortably and work with any number of web pages without your browser freezing.

Also included in the package is an AMD Radeon HD 6490M dedicated graphics card to take some of the visual strain away from the processor.

Although not always as revered as Nvidia GPUs, AMD graphics chips are solid enough. And although you won't be doing any high-intensity gaming on the Pavilion dv6, other graphical demands - such as streaming movies from a service like Netflix - should be no problem.

We were also pleased to find that the HP remained not only quiet, but also cool to the touch during periods of intensive use.

The connectivity on the HP Pavilion dv6-6b50sa is pretty standard for this price point; there are four USB ports and both VGA and HDMI for external displays. You can use 802.11n Wi-Fi or Ethernet to connect to the web, and there's also a 2-in-1 memory card reader.

One last point to raise is that often we find HP machines to be loaded full of the company's own software. Most of the time these are a waste of space. Thankfully, in this case the pre-loaded software is limited to just a few programs.

We feel HP has done a good job revamping its laptop range, and the admittedly attractive HP Pavilion dv6-6b50sa offers a good all-round choice for a reasonable price.

Although the processor isn't top of the range, the added RAM should give this laptop a decent lifespan and make it a reliable purchase for most users.
Verdict

Anyone who wants a machine predominantly for media or music usage can add an extra star to the score.

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Dell Latitude E6220 Advanced review

Although the focus at the consumer end of the laptop world is currently dominated by ultra-portables and Ultrabooks, business laptops such as the Dell Latitude E6220 Advanced ignore this trend, with a focus on solid performance for serious tasks.

It isn't the thinnest or lightest on the market but its powerful Core i7 processor, solid-state drive (SSD) and respectable battery life mean this 12.5-inch laptop won't slow to a halt when running demanding tasks.

Dell has chosen a two-tone design, with the keyboard and bezel in black, and a plastic/ polycarbonate material used on the lid and edge around it.

The screen is non-reflective and looks very sleek and sensible.

The keyboard isn't the isolated style found on nearly every new laptop these days, but reverts to a traditional design with each key touching the next.

While the general aesthetics of the Dell Latitude E6220 Advanced are good, an exception is its battery, with a large section that juts out at the back. This adds a few centimetres to the overall depth, making it less portable.

Although Dell has ignored many rules of ultra-portable design, the firm has adopted one of their worse aspects: a stingy array of ports. There are only two USB 2.0 ports, with a third port that can be used for either eSata or USB. USB 3.0 is nowhere to be seen, which is unacceptable on a modern business machine.

There are also HDMI and analogue VGA video outputs and a headphone jack. Sensibly, Dell remembered a wired Gigabit Ethernet port. There's also the option of a SIM card slot for HSPA+ mobile broadband.

Despite our criticisms, we were still impressed by the Latitude, thanks to its excellent performance. The Core i7-2620M processor runs at a whopping 2.7GHz, enough to make short work of demanding tasks. No ultra-portable even comes into the same league.

Despite relying on Intel's HD 3000 integrated graphics processor, the 3D results aren't bad either.
TechRadar Labs

tech labs

Battery Eater '05: 240 minutes
Performance: 11,202
Gaming: 5,239

The rest of the specification is more conservative. Dell's inclusion of 4GB of RAM is fine, but 8GB would have sweetened the offering.

Likewise, while an SSD is a great addition, having only 128GB of storage is rather limiting. Once the drive is formatted and Windows installed, there's little space left for a media collection or large apps. Again, we'd expect slightly more from a laptop that costs this much.

Despite our disappointment at certain aspects of the Latitude's specification, its battery life made up for it. Four hours may not sound impressive, but it is considering the processing punch of this PC.
Verdict

The Dell Latitude E6220 Advanced is a solid laptop, and if its specification matched its price tag, it would easily earn a recommendation. Unfortunately its shortcomings can't be ignored, so our impression is that while it could have been a winner, it must settle for the bronze.

Telltale Flashes Caught in disappearing act

The inside of a cylindrical antineutrino detector before being filled with clear liquid scintillator, which reveals antineutrino interactions by the very faint flashes of light they emit. Sensitive photomultiplier tubes line the detector walls, ready to amplify and record the telltale flashes.

Dueling Dinos Triceratops reigns alone

Triceratops may no longer have an identity crisis. As paleontologists lock horns on whether these dinosaurs were just baby versions of the largerTorosaurus, the latest clues suggest the two were indeed separate species.

A new study reveals immature and adult examples of both Triceratopsand Torosaurus. “I don't see any clear fossil evidence that one dinosaur turned into the other,” says Nicholas Longrich. He and fellow Yale paleontologist Daniel Field make their case online February 29 in PLoS ONE.

Comparisons between the dinos, which both lived about 65 million years ago in western North America, start with their skulls. Like many horned dinosaurs, Torosaurus sported a sizable frill of bone perforated with two big holes. Triceratops, in comparison, wore an unusually short and solid crown.

Searching for adult Triceratops, Longrich and Field grouped 35 skulls based on how fused together the bones were. Several Triceratops skulls had completely fused, a sign of maturity in modern animals. SomeTorosaurus skulls showed bones still joined by sutures, which are hints of youth.

But fused bones may not be a reliable way to gauge age, says paleontologist John Horner of Montana State University in Bozeman. “We recently collected 100 new Triceratops specimens they haven't seen,” he says. “We see a lot of variety in bone fusion.”

In 2010 Horner blamed Triceratops' unusual frill on youth. Patches of thinning bone on some skulls were steps toward full-fledged holes and aTorosaurus adulthood, he and Montana State colleague John Scannella argued.

Did You Know? How did turkey fowl get its name?

Guineafowl were also known as turkey fowl (or turkey hen and turkey cock) because they were imported to Central Europe through Turkey. Turkey fowl, shortened to just the name of the country, stuck as the name of the North American bird. When Europeans first encountered turkeys in the Americas, they incorrectly identified the birds as a type of guineafowl (Numididae). In 1550, English navigator William Strickland, who had introduced the turkey into England, was granted a coat of arms including a "turkey-cock in his pride proper".

Deep-Rooted Brain modulates sound sensitivity

The hair cells of the inner ear have a previously unknown "root" extension that may allow them to communicate with nerve cells and the brain to regulate sensitivity to sound vibrations and head position, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine have discovered.

Their finding is reported online in advance of print in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The hair-like structures, called stereocilia, are fairly rigid and are interlinked at their tops by structures called tip-links.

When you move your head, or when a sound vibration enters your ear, motion of fluid in the ear causes the tip-links to get displaced and stretched, opening up ion channels and exciting the cell, which can then relay information to the brain, says Anna Lysakowski, professor of anatomy and cell biology at the UIC College of Medicine and principal investigator on the study.

The stereocilia are rooted in a gel-like cuticle on the top of the cell that is believed to act as a rigid platform, helping the hairs return to their resting position.

Lysakowski and her colleagues were interested in a part of the cell called the striated organelle, which lies underneath this cuticle plate and is believed to be responsible for its stability. Using a high-voltage electron microscope at the National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research at the University of California, San Diego, Florin Vranceanu, a recent doctoral student in Lysakowski's UIC lab and first author of the paper, was able to construct a composite picture of the entire top section of the hair cell.

"When I saw the pictures, I was amazed," said Lysakowski. Textbooks, she said, describe the roots of the stereocilia ending in the cuticular plate. But the new pictures showed that the roots continue through, make a sharp 110-degree angle, and extend all the way to the membrane at the opposite side of the cell, where they connect with the striated organelle.

They Don't Kill What are solar flares?

Do you know enough about solar flares? Is the possibility of a solar flare and the year 2012 encounter freaking you out? Then just calm down and learn the facts to uncover the truth and dispel your fear.

Cooler areas on the sun's surface, where the magnetic fields have disrupted heat passage from the core to photosphere are called sunspots. When sunspots increase they cause large explosive eruptions on the sun called solar flares.

Solar flares blast charged particles into the space and if they reach the earth, they can cause disruptions in the satellite and radio communication and also affect Geographical Positioning System (GPS).

“Near solar maximum” and “near solar minimum” are the two extremes of the sun's 11 year cycle. At maximum the sun blasts flares and erupts at the maximum level possible and sends charged particles and electrical gases in to space. At minimum days pass with almost no flares at all.

Thus, its just a mere coincidence that the next near solar maximum s predicted between 2012 and 2014; since the last in 2001.Plus, anyone above the age of 11 years have experienced a solar flare knowing or unknowingly; and are still alive with no harm done!

“Killer solar flares are a physical impossibility” as per heliophysicist Alex Young (NASA Goddard space flight centre). We live in a planet with a strong atmosphere which protects harmful radiations everyday; he says.

Recent flares such as the one in January 2012where mysterious sky noises were heard from 4th to 9th march have come and gone with the wind; without hurting us. So, lets all relax and stop fearing flares and enjoy the 2012 ,keeping in mind that nothing bad is going to happen to our mother earth.

The Big Crunch Is Cosmos fated to collapse?

Ever wonder how this gigantic Universe of ours will come to an end? One possible theory, amongst many, is the Big Crunch theory. And it states that one day in the future, our Universe will not only stop expanding, but also reverse due to the immense pull of gravity and eventually will collapse into itself and eventually will turn into a super-hot, super-dense singularity. Some scientists even conjecture that this collapse into an imaginably big black hole would eventually trigger another Big Bang (BB).

The Universe is all about the struggle between the momentum of expansion caused by BB and the pull of gravity that came into being after the BB itself. The rate of expansion is measured by the Hubble Constant (a ratio expressing the rate of apparent expansion of the universe, equal to the velocity at which a typical galaxy is receding from Earth divided by its distance from Earth) whereas the strength of the gravity depends on the density (the solidity aspect of an object) and pressure of matter in the Universe. And if the pressure of matter is low which is the case with most forms of matter we know of today, then, the fate of the Universe is governed by its density. And where does the Big Crunch fit in all of these? Well, if the density of the Universe is greater than the critical density (the mass density of the universe which just stops the expansion of space, after infinite cosmic time has elapsed), then gravity will eventually win in its struggle with expansion and the Universe will collapse back onto itself--the Big Crunch. But if the density of the Universe is less than the critical density, then, chances are the Universe will expand forever and ever, where gravity might just be able slow the rate of expansion. However there won't be any reverse pull like that of Big Crunch, instead, there will a Big Chill or Big Freeze where the Universe will slowly cool down as it expands until everything within it becomes absolutely barren and lifeless.

And when will all these apocalyptic phases take place? No one is sure. But for the moment, it seems we are safe. Recent studies of the Cosmos and the extensive mapping of the Cosmic Microwave Background (the cooled remnant of the hot big bang) have led to this conclusion that out Universe is not being slowed down by gravity but rather accelerating. And this is because of the Dark Energy, a form of energy hypothesized to reside in the very structure of space itself, responsible for the accelerating expansion of the universe. So, our empty Universe is not so empty after all. But there is another theory that predicts how the Universe will come to an end. It states that with such expansion, guided by the dark energy, there is a possibility of the Big Rip, where, being unable to bear such a rate of expansion, everything in this cosmos will be violently ripped apart in such a way as if it never existed.

Higgs boson: The “god” particle

In the late 1960's, the Standard Model (SM) of physics was developed to study elementary particles and forces of nature. It is a menagerie of 17 structureless fundamental particles (6 of them quarks), which are the basic building block of the universe. Quarks exist inside particles called hadrons - composites of either three quarks or a quark-antiquark pair bound together by gluons.

Despite the success of the SM in explaining sub-nuclear physics, it cannot explain how the particles acquire masses. In order to understand the origin of masses, a hypothetical, ubiquitous quantum field was introduced into the model by the Scottish physicist Peter Higgs. Hence, it is called the Higgs field and the particle associated with the field is called the Higgs boson. It is a zero-spin electrically neutral particle. The Higgs boson is sometimes referred to as “God” particle after Nobel physicist Leon Lederman described it as a “goddamn particle.” As the last remaining particle out of 17 particles of the SM that has not been observed, Higgs has become the “most sought after particle in modern physics.”

How does the Higgs boson give mass to the particles? According to the SM, the Higgs field forms the basic underlying structure of the universe and it permeates throughout the cosmos. When a massless particle passes through the Higgs field, it gains mass by interacting with the field, i.e. the particle will cause the field to cluster around it. The more clustering there is, the more mass the particle will accumulate. It will give quarks and gluons their large masses, but little or no mass to the neutrinos and photons.

Experimental hunt to find the Higgs boson is being carried out at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, Geneva. Experiments were also performed at the Tevatron at Fermi Lab near Chicago until its closure last year. The biggest obstacle to finding the Higgs is that before the search began, no one knew exactly in what energy range to look for it. In order to detect it, theorists determined that conditions that existed in the universe nanoseconds after the Big Bang have to be simulated in the lab. This can be achieved by making high energy (greater than 1 trillion electron volt) proton beams crash into each other, hoping that the Higgs will appear “fleetingly in the wreckage.” The LHC is the first accelerator capable of reaching such high energy. But even with the LHC, the journey has not been easy and the search still continues.

If Higgs boson is detected, it would put the half-century old Standard Model and all its predictions on a secure foundation. It would also help to unify two of the fundamental forces of the universe the electromagnetic force that governs interactions between charged particles and the weak nuclear force that's responsible for radioactive decay. The unification will be a step closer towards the Grand Unified Theory of all the forces Einstein dreamed of. It will also open the door to a whole new world of super particles, “overweight twins” of the existing particles, predicted by Supersymmetry an extension of the Standard Model. This will eventually allow us to have a better understanding of cosmology and the origin of dark matter, extra dimensions of String Theory and black holes.

If the Higgs boson is not discovered, it will possibly lead to more subtle and exotic theories, like the Technicolor theory, to explain what gives particles mass. It could also mean that quarks are not fundamental particles, but made up of some more complex but smaller particles.

Whether the “god” particle is detected or not, there is no denial that we are at the threshold of a momentous event, an event that will determine the future course of direction of physics. According to the leader of one of CERN's two experiments scheduled for this year, “we're close to getting something in focus. We know we're close to the stage where we're going to see something."

Quamrul Haider, PhD, is professor and Chairman, Dept of Physics and Engineering Physics, Fordham University, New York.

e-mail: haider@fordham.edu

Apple unveils 4G iPad

Apple Inc's latest iPad sports a crisper display and an array of technology advances that, while less than revolutionary, may prove enough for now to keep rivals like Amazon.com Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd at bay.

While stopping short of vaulting ahead of Motorola and Samsung, the device -- which comes 4G-ready and boasts a quad-core graphics processor -- is capable enough to help safeguard its two-thirds market share. "The screen is a notable feature for non-techie customers, as is the faster connectivity. That's something that mainstream consumers can identify with," said Morningstar analyst Michael Holt. "There's pent-up demand because a new device was widely anticipated. I they've made enough incremental improvements to do well."

Other analysts say the faster processing may begin to draw heavy gamers, encroaching on turf now dominated by gaming-hardware makers such as Microsoft or Sony.

Chief Executive Tim Cook, presiding over his second major product launch after debuting with 2011's voice-enabled iPhone 4S, introduced the highly anticipated third iteration of the tablet, which is available for pre-orders from Wednesday and will hit store shelves March 16.

But he stumped many in the audience by breaking away from the tradition of calling the third-generation tablet the iPad 3, as some had expected, referring to it simply as the "new iPad."

The company said it will continue to sell the iPad 2 but dropped its price by $100. The older tablet now starts at $399 while the new third-generation wi-fi only iPad starts at $499.

The high-end model of Apple's latest iPad starts at $629 and will be capable of operating on a high-speed 4G "LTE," or Long-Term Evolution, network. At speeds roughly 10 times faster than current 3G technology, that may help banish the sometimes shaky video quality of older devices.

Wall Street had anticipated many of the features Cook showed off on Wednesday, including a higher-definition "retina display" screen - containing several times as many pixels within the same area - and a better camera.

Shares of Apple closed barely higher, up 43 cents at $530.69. They hovered around $530 throughout the unveiling event, which was attended by Marc Benioff, CEO of enterprise cloud computing company Salesforce.com Inc; Jeremy Stoppelman, CEO of online business review site Yelp Inc; and influential venture-capitalist John Doerr, among other industry luminaries.

Some had held out hope of a positive Apple surprise, recalling late CEO Steve Jobs and his now-iconic "one more thing" at the very end of such announcements. Others said the upgrades and tweaks to the iPad could only go so far in fending off hard-charging competition.

"While the hardware is notably enhanced, with an impressive retina display, better camera and faster processor, there are still some areas of improvement that Apple needs to work on, in order to stay ahead of its encroaching competitors," said Fred Huet, managing partner at Greenwich Consulting.

"As tablets are increasingly being used for personal media consumption, it is promising to see a better screen resolution. But will this be enough to ensure Apple's competitive lead in the marketplace? No.”

Others say Apple is betting a 4G-equipped iPad will tempt more U.S. consumers to pay for higher-quality video on the go. That, in turn, should give Verizon Wireless and AT&T Inc a revenue boost, analysts say.