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.