Monday, August 27, 2012

Jersey Shore's Snooki has cutest baby boy


Reality TV show 'Jersey Shore' star Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi gave birth to her first child, early last Sunday.

The baby boy, weighed 6-pound, 5-ounce was born at just before 3 a.m. Sunday at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J., MTV said.

MTV congratulated Polizzi and her fiance and looked toward the newborn's possible appearance on Jersey Shore.

"We couldn't be happier for Nicole and Jionni on the healthy delivery of their baby boy!," MTV said in a statement. "We look forward to Lorenzo's first trip to the Jersey Shore and can't wait to see his first animal print onesie."

MTV has said it's bringing Jersey Shore back for a sixth season, with the 24-year-old Snooki as part of the action, but has declined to offer specifics on how big a part Snooki will play in the show about hard-partying Italian-American friends.

Her 'Jersey Shore' co-star Jenni 'JWoww' Farley took to twitter to congratulate the pint-sized star and fiancée Jionni LaValle following the birth or Lorenzo yesterday (26.08.12), and added she was 'proud' of her.


Fellow reality star Kendra Wilkinson also congratulated Snooki. She wrote: 'Yay congrats Snooki. So happy for you. Can't wait to see pics of Lorenzo! (sic)'

Rahul Dravid named for Padma Bhusan award - Gautham Gambhir named for Padma Shri awards

The Board Of Control For Cricket In India has decided to recommend the names of former Indian captain Rahul Dravid and his occational opener Gautam Gambhir's names for the most prestigious Padma Bhusan and Padma Shri awards respectively.


According to a BCCI official, president N Srinivasan and secretary Sanjay Jagdale were supposed to discuss the issue and forward their names to the government.

"Dravid and Gambhir's names were discussed earlier and president and secretary were to take a final call in this regard. The last date for filing nominations was August 15 and the names have been sent" a BCCI official told PTI today.


Padma Bhusan is the country's third highest civilian honour award after Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhusan.

Sachin Tendulkar is the only cricketer to receive the second highest civilian honour in Padma Vibhusan. Other cricketers who have received Padma Bhusan include Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Vinoo Mankad and Lala Amarnath.


Earlier Rahul Dravid was in line to get the most prestigious Rajiv Khel Ratna award but the only cricketer in the panel Ravi Shastri was not present during the meeting to make a strong support for the former Indian captain. Shastri said he did not get any invitation for the meeting.

Rahul Dravid has scored more than 24,000 international runs with over 13,000 runs in 134 Tests and almost 11,000 runs in 344 ODIs. He has scored 48 international centuries (36 Test and 12 ODI).

Gautham Gambhir is a deserving candidate for Padma Shri having been prolific in all three forms of the game. He has already been conferred with Arjuna award and his 97 in the last year World Cup final makes his case a strong one.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Samsung releases flagship tablet Galaxy Note 800 in India

Samsung hopes to sell around 1.5 million tablets in India by the end of this year, triple of what it sold last year. Ranjit Yadav, Samsung's India head for IT and mobile division, on Friday launched the company's flagship tablet Galaxy Note 800 in the country and said this would help the Korean company strengthen its leadership position here.

"India is one of the first 10 markets in the world where the Galaxy Note 800 is being launched," said Yadav. The device has been priced at Rs 39,990. Note 800 will primarily compete in India with iPad 3. Globally, Apple's tablet has been the bestseller and none of the tablets from the competitors like Samsung and Asus have managed to dent its market share. However, in India the situation is somewhat different. Products at different price points have helped Samsung take a lead here. According to GfK, a research firm, Samsung had a share of around 55% in Indian tablet market in Q2, 2012.

Instead of taking on iPad, which has an advantage due to the number of high quality apps available for it, head-on, Samsung hopes to lure customers to Note 800 with the help of a multi-functional stylus. The stylus, called S Pen, is key part of Note 800 experience and along with accompanied apps, allows users to create elaborate notes or illustrations. The tablet also features a unique multi-tasking mode that allows users to split the screen and use two apps simultaneously.


The tablet, which has a 10.1-inch screen, is powered by a 1.4Ghz quad-core processor and has 2GB RAM. It runs on Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), an operating software developed by Google.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Watch & Enjoy 3D films without glasses


Well an all new technology has been developed that will make it possible for viewers to enjoy 3-dimensional programmes without 3D glasses. Although prototypes of these TV screens already exist, consumers will not have to wait much longer for the market introduction of these autostereoscopic displays.

Nevertheless, the content might be a bit problematic as the 3D movies currently available on Blu-ray disc are based on two views, one for each eye. However, autostereoscopic displays need 5 to 10 views of the same scene (depending on the type). In the future, the number will probably be even more.

This is because these displays have to present a 3D image in such a manner that it can be seen from different angles, there is more than one place to sit on a sofa, and you should be able to get the same three dimensional impressions from any position

Researchers at Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz Institute, HHI in Berlin recently developed a technology that converts a Blu-ray’s existing 3D content in a manner that enables them to be shown on autostereoscopic displays.

“We take the existing two images and generate a depth map – that is to say, a map that assigns a specific distance from the camera to each object,” Christian Riechert, research fellow at HHI said.

“From there we compute any of several intermediate views by applying depth image-based rendering techniques. And here’s the really neat thing: The process operates on a fully automated basis, and in real time,” he said

Previous systems were only capable of generating such depth maps at a dramatically slower pace; sometimes they even required manual adaption. Real-time conversion, by contrast, is like simultaneous interpretation: The viewer inserts a 3D Blu-ray disc, gets comfortable in front of the TV screen and enjoys the movie – without the glasses.

Meanwhile, a hardware component estimates the depth map in the background and generates the requisite views. The viewer is aware of nothing: He or she can fast forward or rewind the movie, start it, stop it – and all with the same outstanding quality.

The flickering that could appear on the edges of objects – something that happens due to imprecise estimations – is imperceptible here. The researchers have already finished the software that converts these data.

In the next step, the scientists, working in collaboration with industry partners, intend to port it onto a hardware product so that it can be integrated into televisions. Nevertheless, it will still take at least another calendar year before the technology hits department stores. The technology will be unveiled at the IFA trade show in Berlin from August 31 to September 5, 2012.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Mercedes AMG team to quit Formula 1 by 2014?


Mercedes is considering a partial withdrawal from Formula One at the end of the 2013 world championship season, according to Auto Hebdo who are basing the reports on the Stuttgart carmaker's dissatisfaction with certain developments within the sport at the highest level.

Mercedes, who are yet to agree a new Concorde Agreement deal with Bernie Ecclestone, reportedly could then field only a semi-official team from 2014.

Mercedes would however continue to supply customer engines, as it does currently to McLaren and Force India, whilst its 'semi-official' works team might become known as 'AMG F1', Auto Hebdo said.

AMG is Mercedes' high-performance arm.

The magazine speculated that Brackley based AMG F1, currently known as Mercedes AMG, would continue to be run by team boss Ross Brawn, with Michael Schumacher in the cockpit.

But Mercedes would focus more strongly on engineering than team ownership and management, Auto Hebdo said.

It is likely that F1's only engine suppliers in 2014 will be Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari, meaning they all could take on more customers for the new V6 rules.

Reasons cited for Mercedes' rumoured change of direction are the Gerhard Gribkowsky corruption scandal involving F1's chief executive Ecclestone, and the latter's push for Mercedes to make a long-term pledge to the sport.

Another reason mentioned is Mercedes' lack of success with its full works team since 2010, despite Nico Rosberg's breakthrough win from pole in Shanghai this year.

Lewis Hamilton closing in on McLaren deal


McLaren are close to confirming a new deal with 2008-world champion Lewis Hamilton, managing director Jonathan Neale has confirmed.
Hamilton, who has spent his entire Formula 1 career with McLaren since his debut season in 2007 - in which he came one point short of taking the title - is out of contract come the end of the current year.
Neale though says the two parties are close to an agreement.
"We are closer and of course we are in dialogue," he told Sky Sports. "For obvious reasons I can't speculate more at the moment. We are working very hard to find a common ground."
"He is a fighter, he loves a challenge. He just needs a sniff of it and to feel that the team is behind him and pushing," he added.
It's believed a three-year deal is the likely outcome, though the sticking point reportedly remains the ownership of trophies. McLaren have historically kept all original trophies at their Woking factory, with copies going to the drivers. Hamilton is keen for this to change.

Virat Kohli nominated for the ICC Cricketer of the Year Award



Young and Vibrant Indian cricketer Virat Kohli along with Maestro Sachin Tendulkar has been nominated for the ninth annual ICC Awards, which will be held on September 15 in Colombo ahead of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

While in-form Indian batsman Virat Kohli has been nominated for the Cricketer of the Year and ODI Cricketer of the Year awards, Tendulkar has once again been nominated for the ICC People's Choice award.

Indian captain MS Dhoni and opener Gautam Gambhir have also been nominated for the ODI Cricketer of the Year award. However, India failed to get a single nomination in the Test Cricketer of the Year award category.

Those nominated for the People's Choice award include Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, South Africa's Veteran Proteas all-rounder Jacques Kallis and Vernon Philander, while England's James Anderson makes up the quintet of nominees.

Six players have been nominated in three different categories - South Africa's Hashim Amla, Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal, Australia captain Michael Clarke, Sri Lanka's Kumara Sangakkara, England's Alastair Cook and West Indies' Stafanie Taylor.

This year's awards include 11 individual prizes and also features the selection of the Test and ODI Teams of the Year. Cricket followers will have the opportunity to decide the winner, this time by accessing an application on the ICC's official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/cricketicc. Voting will be open until midnight of August 31.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Usain Bolt to play in Australia's Big Bash League

Negotiations are underway for cricket-mad 'Fastest man on the Planet' Usain Bolt to play in Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League, with Shane Warne leading the campaign to bring him to Melbourne. Bolt, who defended his 100 and 200-meter titles in London is hailed by International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge as the greatest sprinter, played junior cricket before turning to the track and has long voiced a love for the game.
The Ace Leg-Spinner Shane Warne is the marquee player for the Melbourne Stars franchise and he has begun a social media campaign to win support for Usain Bolt to play for the team. According to Australian media, Bolt clean bowled the then West Indies captain & T20 Storm Chris Gayle in a charity match in 2009, having earlier hit him down the ground for six.
The eight-team Big Bash League comprising international and local cricket players, will run from 7 December to 9 January. West Indies captain Chris Gayle is the league’s leading scorer and star attraction.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Yuvraj Singh named in World Cup T20 Indian squad

India batsman Yuvraj Singh has been named in India's T20 squad for the ICC World Twenty20 next month in Sri Lanka, marking a return to cricket after battling with cancer.

Yuvraj, who last played for India during the home Tests against West Indies, was passed fit when the selection committee met in Mumbai to pick the respective squads. During his recovery from cancer, Yuvraj said last month that Twenty20 would be ideal format to mark his return to competitive cricket. However, he was picked despite lacking in match practice.

The Twenty20 squad had a few surprises, most notably the recall of the legspinner Chawla (in both squads), offspinner Harbhajan Singh and the seamer L Balaji. Chawla last played for India during the 2011 World Cup, and his previous Test goes back a further three years. Balaji, who suffered career-threatening injuries through the previous decade, last played for India in 2009. What may have boosted his selection was a successful IPL 2012, during which he played a key role in Kolkata Knight Riders' title win.

T20 Indian squad: MS Dhoni (C/WK), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, R Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, L Balaji, Piyush Chawla, Ashok Dinda

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