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Indian made e-reader to take on Kindle

[Source: http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Indian_made_ereader_to_take_on_Kindle-nid-64961.html?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Subscriber]

 

Indian made e-reader to take on Kindle

Thursday,28 January 2010, 15:43 hrs

 

New Delhi: After two years of hard work, Vishal Mehta, an ex employee of Amazon.com, launched the Infibeam Pi, an e-reader that looks like the Amazon Kindle. It has the same e-Ink screen that the Kindle sports, reports Sruthijith KK of The Economic Times.

Mehta, who is having an engineering degree from Cornell and an MBA from MIT-Sloan, worked in Amozon.com for five years and was a Senior Manager at the company in 2007. To start his own online retail venture, Mehta quit his job, sold his house and his car.

The Infibeam Pi, which is priced at Rs.10,000, can be ordered online now and is likely to be shipped in February, is priced at Rs. 10,000. The Amazon Kindle, when shipped to India, costs about Rs.18,000. The Pi supports 13 Indian languages. Infibeam.com, an online retailer that sells everything from flowers to jewellery to books to electronic goods, has more than one lakh ebooks.

Mehta said, "It's pointless in India, there is no 3G. When we have wireless connectivity, we probably won't restrict what users can browse. Our essential philosophy is to be as open as possible."

The Pi has also a micro USB port to connect to a PC. Users will just be needed to create an account with Infibeam.com, register the device and then download the ebooks. The ebooks can be read on the PC as well as on the Pi. The ebooks typically cost 5-20 percent less than the hard copy versions, but in some cases, especially with bestsellers, digital rights are expensive and it's cheaper to buy the physical books. With the help of Pi, users will be able to read any documents documents (word or pdf, for instance). "A test prep firm can load their proprietary content on this device and give it to students, without worrying that the material will get passed around," said Mehta.

The company plans to sell about 10,000 devices in the first few months. The company has started accepting pre-orders on the website and is motivated by the initial response.

Once a billionaire, Raju declared pauper

[Source: http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/US_court_declares_Ramalinga_Raju_a_pauper-nid-64937.html?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Subscriber]

Once a billionaire, Raju declared pauper

Thursday,28 January 2010, 07:28 hrs

New York: Ramalinga Raju, Former Chairman of Satyam Computers, who had confessed about inflating his company's assets by over $1 billion, has been declared a 'pauper' by New York judge Barabara S Jones. With this declaration, Raju has been exempted from paying court costs.

The court also approved 'pauper' status for Ramalinga's brother Rama Raju, Satyam's former chief executive officer, and Srinivas Vadlamani. The defendants had filed an "in forma pauperis" and for the appointment for a pro bono counsel in October 2009, reports PTI.

According to the documents submitted in the court, the accused said that they are unable to engage an attorney in the U.S. to defend (themselves) in the class action litigation and to pay any court fees or to meet any financial obligations which might be imposed by this court. U.S. District Judge Jones said, "The court finds that defendants have adequately demonstrated that they are unable to pay costs as described in the federal law."

However, the court denied the request for a pro bono counsel as the defendants are incarcerated in a foreign country and it would be unusually difficult for the appointed counsel to meet and otherwise competently represent Defendants under the circumstances.

CASE STUDY: Marketers Can Learn From Rio's Olympic Victory [Forbes.com]

Olympics

Marketers Can Learn From Rio's Olympic Victory

Allen Adamson, 10.13.09, 07:30 PM EDT

The city won its Olympic bid based on gold-medal branding.

[Link: http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/13/olympics-branding-rio-cmo-network-adamson.html]

While the conservative and liberal media continue to go at each other regarding Chicago's loss of its bid to host the 2016 Olympics (and before they get really revved on the recent Nobel Peace Prize announcement), I suggest they give it a rest and look at the International Olympic Committee's decision from a branding perspective.

I happen to think that the folks who were in charge of the Olympics branding strategy in Rio de Janeiro did a phenomenal job of differentiating Rio's promise from the other cities in contention, and then clearly establishing its relevance to the IOC. In other words, the "Brand Rio" team followed a couple of the basic rules of smart brand management and came out the category leader as a result.

There is almost no brand category that isn't awash in choices. Whether cars or cosmetics, beverages or baby carriages, there is a lot of stuff out there and most of it is pretty similar. The competition for consumer attention is fierce and it can't be won on table stakes. The only way a decent brand can ever hope of becoming the chosen brand is to make a promise that's completely different from any its competitors' and ensure that this difference is meaningful to its target audience. In an ever-expanding global marketplace, this is getting harder and harder to do.

When the cities vying for the attention of the IOC began their brand strategizing, each had to identify a point of relevant differentiation with which to wow the judges. Taking a look at the video portion of these presentations, it was easy to see that each city had the table stakes down pat. The happy, friendly people, evocative cityscapes, the financial wherewithal and the political clout to get things done and, of course, the respect for athletics were all well expressed.

But although the branding execution was clever across the board, only one bidding city was able to promise something none of the others could promise. Rio found something simple and unique on which to base its claim and it made its point loud and clear. No amount of branding acumen, no matter how brilliant, could have offered the IOC judges what Rio gave them. Its promise was focused and distinct.

Aside from the above-mentioned table stakes, despite its sexy beaches and bathing suits, world-famous carnival and world-renowned HIV/AIDS program, the Rio brand team's differentiating factor was Brazil's growing international influence and leadership among emerging nations. It communicated skillfully that, under its current president, it had become one of the hottest countries on the world market and that its current economic boom has placed it among the world's wealthiest nations. Core to its brand promise was the fact that Brazil is the only one of these nations never to have hosted the Olympics and, if chosen, would also be the first country in South America to enjoy the privilege of having the world's athletes as its guests.

As wonderful as the other venues' bid presentations were, Rio identified a distinctive brand promise and communicated it with style and self-confidence. That the idea was as relevant as it was distinct was quickly understood. Not only would hosting the games help strengthen Brazil's emerging economy, it would build on the country's burgeoning spirit of national pride and cooperation.

Vying to be an Olympics city is very big business, but it's only going to become an increasingly more difficult challenge to convince the IOC that a given venue is worthy of the mantle. As the world grows "flatter," as country sites become commoditized in terms of being able to support Olympics infrastructure, as cultures start to meld together in terms of smiling, happy people, great nightlife--even sexy beaches and bathing suits--the task of identifying something that truly sets a country apart from the others is going to get tougher.

Like any brand challenge, it can't be won on image alone, nor can it be won by promising to be something you're not. In this transparent, YouTube world, people will out you in an instant. While any of the potential Olympics sites would have been exciting, only one met the branding challenge set forth by the IOC, the same branding challenge faced by every brand category.

Show and tell consumers what makes your brand different and provide ample evidence that this difference is something they really care about. If the media, conservative or liberal, want to argue this point, have at it. But any branding professional will tell you it's not worth the effort.

Allen Adamson is managing director of the New York office of Landor Associates.

High Prices

West Bengal Government has declared potato, pulse and edible oil as essential goods. This has been done through a notification, named West Bengal Prevention of Hoarding of Essential Good Staff Order, 2009. This will prevent the hoarding of these items of daily need by merchants. Thus the artificial increase of prices would be checked somewhat.

It seems that the West Bengal Government is making an attempt to win back some of its lost faith among the general populace or at least to stem the tide of bad press that it has been getting lately.

Whatever the reason, I am sure we all welcome the move.
Kudos.

Shocking facts

Read this:

This deals with IIPM and its management courses.

 

http://careers360.in/lead-story/iipm---best-only-in-claims.html

 

Students campaign for Green manifesto

Students campaign for Green manifesto 

Source:

THE HINDU [Mar 15, 2009]

Raktima Bose 

[epaper: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/03/15/stories/2009031560021100.htm]



KOLKATA: It is a signature campaign with a difference; it is not aimed at protesting against any issue or garnering support for narrow gains. 

It is an initiative by the future generation to raise awareness among leaders of political parties to address climate change and its consequences and make it an issue in the Lok Sabha elections. 

Signed on by school and college students from New Delhi, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Tripura, the campaign urges political leaders, cutting across party lines, to include their parties' vision on climate change and their commitment to use of renewable energy in their manifestos. 
For a liveable world 



The letter accompanying the signatures states: "To keep the world liveable, it is extremely important that we start using green energy resources… this cannot be achieved only through awareness. The new government may make it clear about its positive initiatives towards addressing climate-related issues and transition from fossil fuel energy sources to renewable energy sources."
10,000 signatures collected 


A brainchild of S.P. Gon Chaudhuri, director, West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation Limited, the campaign has already gathered 10,000 signatures. He told The Hindu on Saturday that the campaign, which was kick-started on February 20, had signatures coming in even after the closing date of February 28.

Copies of the letter along with some 1,000 'sample' signatures have already been submitted to United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Lal Krishna Advani, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.

Kolkata airport-city project being reworked

Kolkata airport-city project being reworked 

Source:

THE HINDU

Mar 15, 2009

Special Correspondent 

[epaper: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/03/15/stories/2009031555251200.htm]

1.4 billion tonnes of prime Raniganj coal will be blocked if the scheme is implemented.

Rs. 10,000 crore to be spent in four phases. CIL to press for relocating three steel projects.

KOLKATA: Following a high-level meeting between officials of the State Government and Coal India Ltd (CIL), it has now been decided to rework the proposed airport-city project at Andal near Durgapur in West Bengal.

With their stand being vindicated, the Navratna public sector unit has now decided to press for a re-look at three more industrial projects, which they claim, are proposed to be set up on areas bearing prime quality coal.

A study done by the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) had revealed that coal reserves of about 1.4 billion tonnes of prime Ranigunj coal will get blocked if the aerotropolis project, proposed by a consortium of companies for setting up an airport and a mini-township in the Andal-Fardipur block in Burdwan, is implemented.

The study revealed that about 350 million tonnes is under the licensed area of Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL), a CIL subsidiary. 

The reworked project will also have to take into account the Sharpi 'longwall mining' project of ECL which is being developed by a U.K.-based company on a contract-basis. 

"This is the best project of ECL using longwall mining technology and this should not be disrupted in the interest of increased coal output from underground mines," a CIL official said.

The commissioning of the CMPDI study came after CIL received the detailed map of the airport project which is proposed to be implemented as a private project assisted by the State's apex industry promotion agency. While the airport would come up by developing an existing airstrip at Andal near Asansol, a mini-township is proposed to be set up.

Bengal Aerotroplis Projects Ltd (BAPL), a special purpose vehicle which has been floated for this purpose, proposed to spend Rs. 10,000 crore in four phases over seven years to create this infrastructure, with the airport coming up in 30 months from getting the land. It also planned to replicate the model in other States.

At the meeting, which was chaired by the State Chief Secretary, it was decided that of the 3,500 acres required for the project, 2,300 acres were required for the airport, around 500 acres would have to be taken out of the project area, in order to protect existing coal reserves of ECL. Further modification of around six sq. km may be required to protect coal reserves outside ECL's leasehold area. 

CIL officials will now study this new plan and a meeting has been scheduled later this month.

However, CIL is keen to follow-up in a similar manner the coal reserves, which they feel will get blocked if three steel projects of Bhusan Steel, Videocon and Abhijeet group come up in the same region. 

It now proposes to press the government for relocating these units too in order to protect the coal reserves.