India will share Samjhauta blast case info with Pak: Chidambaram

DAVOS: Home minister P Chidambaram has said "some evidence" has emerged in the 2007 Samjhauta blast case and India will share information with Pakistan once the probe is over.

"We have not said that we will not provide evidence. These are early phases of investigation...once the investigation is complete we will share the evidence with Pakistani authorities," he said.

Chidambaram said that he had conveyed India's position to his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik.

"We had no indication (earlier) as to who may have been behind the attack. Now we have some evidence. A couple of people are suspects," he told a TV channel here.

He said that right-wing Hindu group Abhinav Bharat member Swami Aseemanand has confessed his involvement in the Samjhauta case as also in the Malegoan blast case before a court.

About Asin Thottumkal

Asin was born in Kochi, Kerala, India and attended Naval Public School from L.K.G.(Pre.K) through 10th standard (grade). Then she attended St. Theresa's School in Kochi for her Plus Two education. After that she attended St. Theresa's College for Women in Kochi a college affiliated with MG University where she earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in English Literature. .[2] Her father, Joseph Thottumkal originally from a Nasrani (Syro Malabar) family in Thodupuzha,[3] managed several businesses before he decided to manage his daughter's acting career instead where he accompanies her to all her foreign shoots. Her mother, Seline Thottumkal, remains a surgeon who moved settlements from Cochin to Chennai to Mumbai to live with her daughter. Asin has quoted that her name "means pure and without blemish". She claims that "the 'A' in her name is from Sanskrit meaning "without", and 'sin' from English".[4]
[edit] Career
[edit] Early work, until 2004
Asin and Jayam Ravi in M. Kumaran S/O Mahalakshmi

Asin Thottumkal debuted in a supporting role in Sathyan Anthikkad's Malayalam film Narendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka in 2001, at the age of 15. After taking a year out to pursue her education, Asin returned with her breakthrough film as an actress, Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi opposite Ravi Teja, portraying a Tamil girl in her first Telugu language film, which subsequently fetched her the Telugu Filmfare Award for Best Actress.[5] In the same year she won the Santosham Best Actress Award for her performance alongside Akkineni Nagarjuna in her second Telugu film, Shivamani.[5] Her following two Telugu films, Lakshmi Narasimha and Gharshana, both portrayed Asin as the love interest for police officers.

Asin's first Tamil language film was M. Kumaran son of Mahalakshmi, in which she co-starred with Jayam Ravi. Asin reprised her role from her film Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi for the remake, which saw her portraying a Malayali girl instead of the Tamil girl in the original. The movie subsequently went on to become one of the biggest hits in Tamil cinema during 2004, introducing Asin to Tamil film industry.[6] After a brief return to Telugu films, to do Chakram, she appeared in Ullam Ketkumae.[7] The film, initially launched in 2002, is a college love story, directed by Jeeva, which was long-delayed but eventually became a successful venture at the box-office, creating wider opportunities for her and the rest of the lead cast.[8]
[edit] Breakthrough 2005–2007

After the release of Ullam Ketkumae, Asin was cited as a leading heroine after the Tamil industry films Ghajini, Majaa, Sivakasi and Varalaru respectively.[9] The film which provided the breakthrough for Asin was Ghajini. The film, co-starring Surya and Nayantara and directed by A. R. Murugadoss, earned her the Tamil Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Her role was that of a vivacious young model named Kalpana. Sify.com praised her portrayal as "magical", descriving her character as a "lovable chatterbox", played with "sheer ability in the romantic interludes, the poignant and heartfelt scenes when she rescues minor girls from villains and her gory end are touching".[10] The following Diwali in 2005, Asin had two releases, Sivakasi and Majaa. Despite the latter becoming an average grosser, the former went on to be a successful venture at the box office, despite Asin's poorly etched out role.[11][12]

The following year, her long-delayed venture, Varalaru opposite Ajith Kumar's hero-centric plot retreated Asin to the sidelines, but The Hindu said she "looks lustrous and sails through her role smoothly".[13] Asin appeared in Pawan Kalyan's Annavaram, another successful venture in which she had a poorly-etched out role.[14] In January 2007, Asin appeared opposite Ajith Kumar and Vijay in two different films, Aalwar and Pokkiri, with the latter becoming a success, whilst Aalwar became a failure. Whilst Asin's role in Aalwar was criticized, her performance in Pokkiri was lauded by critics.[15][16] Her final project of the year was opposite Surya, in Hari's Vel, which had a Diwali 2007 release, subsequently becoming her third successful film which released during the Diwali season in three years. Asin, who portrayed a TV anchor, was appreciated for her role in the film.[17]
[edit] Success 2008–present
Asin at the Fairever Fruit Fairness Cream launch event, 2009

Asin appeared in her first dual role in K. S. Ravikumar's Dasavathaaram opposite Kamal Haasan, who portrayed ten roles. The film, which was under production since September 2006, became Asin's largest film till date. Despite being overshadowed by Haasan's ten roles, Asin's portrayal's in the film were praised as her "best-to-date" with one of her roles being that of a Vaishnavite in the 12th century; whilst the other character was a Brahmin girl from Chidambaram.[18] Dasavathaaram subsequently went on to become one of the biggest blockbusters in South Indian film history.[19] Since establishing herself as the leading actress in South India, Asin opted to move into Bollywood, to get nationwide fame. Her first film, Ghajini opposite Aamir Khan was the remake of her breakthrough film of the same name. Upon release, the film garnered positive reactions from critics and masses alike, with Asin being singled out for her "fabulous" portray. Noted critic, Taran Adarsh describes her Hindi debut as "fabulous" and that "to share the screen space with an actor of the stature of Aamir Khan and yet remain in your memory even after the show has ended is no cakewalk. She looks fresh and photogenic and acts her part brilliantly", giving Asin's performance a positive outlook.[20] Asin later appeared in Vipul Shah's London Dreams alongside Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan, in which she played a member of a five-troupe band.[21][22]

Kaavalan was released on 15 January 2011. Behindwoods' review of the film praised her performance: "Asin, in Tamil for the first time after Dasavatharam, convinces us with her portrayal. The chemistry of the lead pair has worked out well; especially the portions where Asin tries various ways to exasperate Vijay; things that ultimately result in love".[23] She is currently working with Salman Khan on Ready, which is scheduled to be released on May 27, 2011.[24]
[edit] Other work
[edit] Philanthropy

Asin Thottumkal has decided to fund the education of Radhika, an eight-year-old orphan girl from Kerala.[25] She also was part of the camps that were meant to help the Srilankan Tamil people who were affected by the wars in Srilanka during her shoot of her film Ready with Salman Khan.[26]
[edit] Brand Ambassador

Asin is the brand ambassador for a number of products including Fairever Fairness cream, Clinic All Clear Shampoo, Parachute Hair Oil, Colgate Maxfresh Tooth paste, Mirinda (soft drink), Spinz Talcum Powder, BIG 92.7 FM Radio station, Tanishq, Goldplus Jewellery, Tata Sky and Sure (anti-perspirant)[27]. The popular soap brand Lux signed Asin as their brand ambassador in late 2010.[28] Earlier, Asin was also signed as the brand ambassador for Amrutanjan.[29] Asin was also the brand ambassador for Big Bazzar, with the Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.[30]
[edit] Filmography
Year Film Language Role Notes
2001 Narendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka Malayalam Swathi
2003 Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi Telugu Chennai Winner, Filmfare Best Telugu Actress Award
Shivamani 9848022338 Telugu Vasantha Winner, Santosham Best Actress Award
2004 Lakshmi Narasimha Telugu Rukhmini
Gharshana Telugu Maya
M. Kumaran son of Mahalakshmi Tamil Bhuvana/malabar
2005 Chakram Telugu Lakshmi
Ullam Ketkumae Tamil Priya
Ghajini Tamil Kalpana Winner, Filmfare Best Tamil Actress Award
Majaa Tamil Seetha Lakshmi
Sivakasi Tamil Hema
2006 Varalaru Tamil Divya
Annavaram Telugu Aishwarya
2007 Aalwar Tamil Priya
Pokkiri Tamil Shruthi Nominated, Vijay Award for Favourite Heroine
Vel Tamil Swathi
2008 Dasavathaaram Tamil Kothai Radha,
Andaal Winner, ITFA Best Actress Award
Ghajini Hindi Kalpana Shetty Winner, Filmfare Best Female Debut Award
Winner, IIFA Star Debut Award
Winner, Star Screen Award for Most Promising Newcomer - Female
Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
2009 London Dreams Hindi Priya
2011 Kaavalan Tamil Meera
Ready Hindi Sanjana Filming, Releasing May 27, 2011
[edit] See also

* List of Indian film actresses

[edit] References

1. ^ a b Rediff Entertainment Bureau (25 October 2005). "Asin's 20th birthday plans". Rediff. http://ia.rediff.com/movies/2005/oct/25asin.htm. Retrieved 10 October 2007.
2. ^ "'I have seen enough success before to not get carried away'". Rediff. http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2009/mar/19slide2-verve-cover-girl-asin.htm. Retrieved 2011-1-5.
3. ^ "A surprise step, an award-winning debut". The Hindu (Chennai, India). 9 March 2009. http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/09/stories/2009030959600300.htm.
4. ^ Ahmed, afsana (11 May 2009). "Salman's very supportive: Asin". Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ENTERTAINMENT/Bollywood/News-Interviews/Salmans-very-supportive-Asin/articleshow/4505742.cms. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
5. ^ a b Thottumkal, Asin (24 December 2008). "Awards". AsinOnline.com. http://www.asinonline.com/awards.htm. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
6. ^ Radhakrishnan, Mathangi (15 October 2004). "'M. Kumaran...' rules the Tamil box office". MusicIndiaOnline. http://www.musicindiaonline.com/n/i/tamil/903/. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
7. ^ Narasimhan, ML (30 December 2005). "Dubbed films rule yet again". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2005/12/30/stories/2005123002160100.htm. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
8. ^ Shivram, Prasanna (13 July 2007). "Jeeva's lyrical frames". The Hindu. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2007/07/13/stories/2007071350040200.htm. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
9. ^ Kamath, Sudhish (1 November 2005). "Asin turns out to be the brightest sparkler this year". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/01/stories/2005110117190200.htm. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
10. ^ "Ghajini". Sify. 27 September 2005. http://sify.com/movies/tamil/review.php?id=13952885&ctid=5&cid=2429. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
11. ^ Rangarajan, Malathi (11 November 2005). "With the formula intact". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2005/11/11/stories/2005111100180200.htm. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
12. ^ Ashok Kumar, SR (4 November 2005). "Where is the entertainment?". The Hindu. http://www.hindujobs.com/thehindu/fr/2005/11/04/stories/2005110402340200.htm. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
13. ^ Rangarajan, Malathi (27 October 2006). "In the race, surely - Varalaaru". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/10/27/stories/2006102700060200.htm. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
14. ^ Vardhan, Adithya (2 January 2007). "Annavaram is paisa vasool". Rediff. http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/jan/02anna.htm. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
15. ^ Mohan, Piraba (14 January 2007). "Aalwar: Ajith is the saving grace". Behindwoods. http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-articles/movies-05/aalwar-review.html. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
16. ^ Bhaskar, Shweta (15 January 2007). "Pokkiri: Watch only for Vijay, Asin". Rediff. http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/jan/15sspokkiri.htm. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
17. ^ Hari, TSV (8 November 2007). "Vel is slick and neat". Rediff. http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/nov/08vel.htm. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
18. ^ Vijayasarathy, R. G. (13 June 2008). "Dasavathaaram is spectacular". Rediff. http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/jun/13dasa.htm. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
19. ^ "Kamalhassan's new blockbuster hit is setting records worldwide". The Times. 29 June 2008. http://www.thetimes.co.za/Entertainment/Article.aspx?id=792296. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
20. ^ Adarsh, Taran (23 December 2008). "Review: Ghajini has blockbuster written all over it". Sify. http://sify.com/movies/bollywood/review.php?id=14824058&ctid=5&cid=2425. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
21. ^ Jha, Subhash. K (10 December 2008). "Asin to croon for London Dreams". NDTV. http://music.ndtv.com/story.asp?id=ENTEN20080075988. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
22. ^ IndiaGlitz (17 January 2009). "Asin's encore with Kamal Hassan". IndiaGlitz. http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/44351.html. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
23. ^ Behindwoods: "Vijay (re)turns romantic! Feel good – Feel emotional"
24. ^ "Salman Khan's Ready begins shooting in Sri Lanka". DnaIndia.com. http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_salman-khan-s-ready-begins-shooting-in-sri-lanka_1400354. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
25. ^ http://www.myasin.com/2010/09/asin-thottumkal-to-fund-girls-education.html
26. ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/news-interviews/Asin-wins-hearts-in-Sri-Lanka/articleshow/6158963.cms
27. ^ http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/2010/05/31/14187/index.html
28. ^ "Asin to be brand ambassador of Lux". Bollywood Hungama. http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/2010/09/16/14619/index.html. Retrieved 2011-1-5.
29. ^ "Asin signed up as brand ambassador for Amrutanjan". Bollywood Hungama. http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/2010/09/27/14682/index.html. Retrieved 2011-1-5.
30. ^ Bollywood Mantra Staff (26 March 2009). "Asin, Dhoni in Big Bazaar ad". Bollywood Mantra. http://www.bollywoodmantra.com/news/sin-dhoni-in-big-bazaar-ad/4082/. Retrieved 2011-1-5.

Microsoft sells 2 million phones in quarter Reuters

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp said on Wednesday it sold more than 2 million units of its new Windows Phone 7 software to handset makers last quarter, as it looks to counter Apple Inc's iPhone and the rise of Google Inc's Android system.
The world's largest software maker, which launched its new phone software in October, licenses the technology to handset makers such as Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, LG Electronics Inc and HTC Corp.
Apple said last week 16.2 million iPhones were sold in the last quarter.
Microsoft is set to report quarterly earnings on Thursday.
(Reporting by Bill Rigby, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

Lenovo, NEC in Japanese joint venture to sell PCs

TOKYO/DAVOS (Reuters) - Chinese group Lenovo, the world's No. 4 PC brand, is to invest $175 million in a joint venture with Japanese company NEC to sell PCs in Japan, it said, to help it outpace global market growth.

The new company will also sell personal computers to the overseas Japanese population, and has no plans to sell NEC-branded computers on Lenovo's home turf in China, NEC chief executive Nobuhiro Endo said on Thursday.

Lenovo will own 51 percent of the joint venture with the balance belonging to NEC which will have an option to sell that stake to Lenovo after five years.

"It is probably NEC's clients and the additional scale that Lenovo is looking for," said Vincent Chen, an analyst with Yuanta Securities in Taipei. "Most of NEC's PC production is outsourced, so this could help give Lenovo more bargaining power with the contract manufacturers."

NEC is Japan's biggest PC brand with an 18 percent market share, according to research firm Gartner. Many foreign players, such as HP, have tried to break into Japan but failed to beat companies such as Toshiba on their home turf.

The deal marks a second attempt by Lenovo to expand in mature markets, after its 2005 purchase of U.S. group IBM's PC unit helped bring its name to the global stage.

PC companies mostly work on razor-thin margins that are improved only by cost savings and economies of scale. Lenovo had an operating profit margin of about 1.8 percent in the last reporting quarter, while bigger rival Acer clocked in at 2.9 percent.

The two companies may work together to develop smartphones jointly, Lenovo chief executive Yang Yuanqing told reporters. "The two companies have a lot of areas to cooperate in the future," Yang said. "This is the first step."

Others, such as HP and Dell, have also turned to higher-grossing data services and mobile devices such as tablet PCs and smartphones, which typically command double-digit gross margins, to shore up earnings.

BEATING MARKET GROWTH

Lenovo is aiming to outpace industry growth worldwide in PC shipments as it continues to grow opportunities globally, chief operating officer Rory Read said in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

"Our goal is to outpace the market," Read told Reuters.

PC sales have been hurt by the global popularity of tablet PCs such as Apple's iPad, which was in full view at the annual gathering of the world's economic and political elite.

Tablet computers will likely represent 10-15 percent of the PC market this year, Read said during an interview with Reuters Insider. Lenovo itself has previously said it will launch a tablet called LePad in China during the first half.

The iPad has spawned a new market for the once-defunct tablet PC segment, with over a dozen touchscreen tablets expected to be launched this year from brands such as Blackberry maker Research in Motion and Dell.

Worst hit by the new phenomenon have been Taiwan-based Acer and Asustek, having bet heavily on the low-cost netbook PC and seeing sales slowly drying up as consumers move toward tablets.

Global PC shipments excluding tablets rose 2.7 percent in the fourth quarter, weaker than the 5.5 percent originally expected by research firm IDC. PC shipments may also fall below IDC's forecast of 10 percent this year from 346 million units in 2010.

(Writing by Kelvin Soh in Hong Kong; Editing by Dan Lalor)

TIMELINE - Samsung's growth to a top global brand

REUTERS - Samsung Group, headquartered in Seoul, is South Korea's largest chaebol, and accounts for 20 percent of the country's exports. It is also the world's second-largest conglomerate by revenue.

Here's a timeline of the group's growth from its humble beginnings in Daegu, now a major metropolitan area in the southeast of the country.

1938: Lee Byung-chull, son of a wealthy landowner and rice miller, opens a company trading groceries and making noodles.

1948: He officially sets up Samsung Corp before expanding the business later into trucking, textiles and sugar refining.

1950s: Samsung expands into many other areas including department stores, the Joongang Ilbo daily newspaper, a shipbuilder, a securities company and a chemical firm.

1969: Samsung Electronics is established. It produces its first black-and-white TVs in 1972 and expands to refrigerators, washing machines and colour TVs during the 1970s.

1977: Samsung acquires a Korean semiconductor manufacturing firm, which later grows to become the world's top memory chip making business.

1983: Samsung Electronics starts manufacturing computers, enters 64k DRAM business.

1987: Lee Byung-chull dies. His third son Lee Kun-hee takes over as group chairman. He changes the focus of the group from a mass-producer of lower-end goods to one that would use innovation and superior products to build a respected brand name.

1992: Samsung becomes the largest producer of memory chips in the world.

1995: Lee Kun-hee starts Samsung Motor, builds LCD plant and first liquid crystal display screen.

1997: Samsung enters the mobile phone business

1998: South Korea tumbles into Asia financial crisis; Samsung Motor sold to Renault at significant loss; Samsung Electronics becomes world's top LCD producer.

2005: Samsung surpasses Sony as most popular consumer electronics brand.

2008: Lee Kun-hee steps down as chairman after being convicted of tax evasion and breach of trust stemming from allegations he was trying to illegally transfer group equity ownership to his children.

2009: Lee Kun-hee granted a presidential pardon.

March 2010: Lee returns to Samsung as chairman

December 2010: Jay Y. Lee, the only son of Lee Kun-hee and considered heir to the Samsung throne, is appointed one of the presidents of Samsung Electronics.

(Compiled by Miyoung Kim and Bill Tarrant)

3-prong approach to protect your OS from attacks

Washington, Jan 27 (ANI): Experts at North Carolina State University have devised a new three-pronged approach to restore an OS if it is attacked.

"Our approach has three components: attack detection; security fault isolation; and recovery," said Dr. Yan Solihin.

The idea is to take a snapshot of the OS when it is functioning normally and then, if the OS is attacked, to erase everything that was done since the last "good" snapshot was taken.

The mechanism also allows the OS to identify the source of the attack and isolate it, so that the OS will no longer be vulnerable to attacks from that application.

However, this approach was considered impractical because taking these snapshots and running such a system significantly slowed operating speeds.

"But we've developed hardware support that allows the OS to incorporate these survivability components more efficiently, so that they take up less time and energy," Solihin said.

The researchers say the survival system takes up less than 5 percent of the OS's operating overhead.

The paper will be presented Feb. 16 at the IEEE International Symposium on High-Performance Computer Architecture in San Antonio, Texas. (ANI)

Sony takes on DS and smartphones with new handheld

TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp unveiled a new handheld gaming device and announced it would make PlayStation games available on other makers' hardware, as it battles with Nintendo's DS and tries to fend off competition from Apple Inc's iPhone.

The announcement to an audience of hundreds packing the ballroom of a Tokyo hotel came the same day as Nintendo, which is readying the launch of a 3D version of its DS handheld next month, reported a 46 percent slide in quarterly profit, below analysts' estimates.

To the accompaniment of loud dance music, Sony showed off its new device, codenamed "NGP" for Next Generation Portable, featuring a 3G wireless data connection and a 5-inch organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch screen, as well as motion sensors and a rear touch panel.

"The capabilities of handsets are leaping ahead and pick-up-and-play games are becoming a big business," Kazuo Hirai, the president of Sony's games unit, told reporters after a media briefing in Tokyo. "We have to be aware of that environment."

But it is unclear whether the new gadget can hold off the challenge from Apple and products emerging from rivals such as Samsung Electronics.

"The key will be pricing of the device," said Nobuo Kurahashi, an analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities. "If the company prices it cheaper than Nintendo's 3DS, it would be positive."

With smartphones and tablets offering a versatile alternative to handheld game devices, Sony needs new products able to tap a ballooning market for mobile gaming, which research firm Gartner expect to more than double to nearly $12 billion within three years.

Sony said the NGP will not go on sale until around the year-end and declined to give pricing details. Nintendo's 3DS will sell for 25,000 yen ($304.2) in Japan and about $250 in the United States.

Sony's latest release will stoke market speculation the Japanese consumer electronics giant is readying a gaming smartphone.

By the end of the year, Sony plans to make PlayStation games available on other portable devices running on Google's Android operating system, through a system called PlayStation Suite that will compete with applications from Apple.

"It's an alternative to the Apple stuff," said Ricardo Torres, editor-in-chief of games website gamespot.com. "Maybe another Angry Birds could be created on the PlayStation Suite. That's what they would love to happen." he said, referring to the hugely popular smartphone game.

Hurt by falling sales of its ageing DS ahead of the launch of the 3D-capable model, rival Nintendo's October-December operating profit was 104.6 billion yen ($1.3 billion), below an analysts' consensus of 118 billion yen.

Underscoring the tough competition, Nintendo cut its sales forecast for the Wii console to 16 million units from 17.5 million units for the year to March. It also lowered its DS sales forecast by 1 million units to 22.5 million, but kept its profit outlook unchanged.

Nintendo's DS sold nearly 136 million units up to last September. Sony's PSP has sold some 61 million.

Shinichiro Matsushita, an equity analyst at Daiwa Securities, said Nintendo succeeded in widening the attraction of computer games to older people and women. He said Sony's product might appeal more to core gamers.

"I wonder if Sony wants to attract the same user categories with the new product," said Matsushita.

Investors will now focus on a planned Sony Ericsson event in Barcelona on Feb. 13, with growing expectations a PlayStation phone could be unveiled.

Next week, Sony is expected to post a fall in profits for the October-December quarter, underscoring the challenges facing Sony's Welshborn CEO Howard Stringer, who has struggled to recreate the magic of Sony's past hits, such as the Walkman cassette player and the Trinitron TV.

(Additional reporting by Ayai Tomisawa; Editing by Anshuman Daga and Nathan Layne)

Facebook denies to launch branded phones with HTC

LONDON (Reuters) - Facebook has no plans to launch Facebook-branded phones with Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC, it said on Thursday, following reports that it planned to launch an official tie-up next month.

"This is really just another example of a manufacturer who has taken our public APIs (application programming interfaces) and integrated them into their device in an interesting way," said Dan Rose, head of business development at Facebook.

London business newspaper City A.M. had reported that HTC would unveil two new Facebook-branded mobile phones at next month's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, in a story that was widely picked up in other media.

"The rumours around there being something more to this HTC device are overblown," Rose told journalists at a company event in London. Asked whether the device would be Facebook-branded, he answered: "No."

Mobile is an increasingly important driver of traffic to Facebook, which says 250 million users per month access the social network on mobile devices.

HTC was the manufacturer of the first Google-branded phone, the Nexus One.

(Reporting by Georgina Prodhan; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)

Egypt's online movement takes to the streets

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's web activists have been brazen critics of the President Hosni Mubarak 30-year rule online. This week's unprecedented protests across Egypt showed they are becoming formidable opponents offline too.
Activists have used Facebook, Twitter and other social media to rally supporters online, coordinate protests and share tips on how to dodge arrest and deal with teargas. They blame the government for making access to the sites patchy.
"Mubarak took over Twitter and we took over the streets. Good deal," one anonymous user tweeted.
With two thirds of Egypt's 79 million people under the age of 30 and with many frustrated by largely toothless opposition parties, many of Egypt's youth have turned to the digital sphere as one of the few channels available to express their anger.
"The system has not responded to repeated calls for reform," said political analyst Nabil Abdel Fattah. "But these new generations managed though virtual space to break that silence and move to the streets."
Analysts say web activists have to prove they can sustain the momentum of protests and may find numbers shrink if the state responds with past tactics such as wage hikes and handouts for the poor instead of the political change they are demanding.
But for now, the web activists, who called for Tuesday's "Day of Wrath" that kicked off protests now in their third day, are revelling in their success in bringing demonstrators out.
"This revolution will be called the revolution of the internet youth," a member of a Facebook group calling for protests wrote. "We will take it all the way to the end."
Protesters in Egypt have been inspired by fellow Arabs in Tunisia who toppled their president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, of 23 years. They too spread the word for protests online.
Egyptians have the same complaints that drove Tunisians on to the streets: surging food prices, poverty, unemployment and authoritarian rule that smothers public protests.
DRIVING FORCES
One of the driving forces for Egypt's calls for change was a Facebook group set up by activists enraged by the death of anti-corruption activist Khaled Said, who right groups say was tortured to death in June. Two policemen now face trial.
The activists are not the traditional government critics, showing no religious or other loyalty except to their call for political change.
The Muslim Brotherhood, with it large grassroots network, has stayed largely on the sidelines of the demonstrations. Egypt's registered opposition parties are fractured and weak.
"This was a new mixture of young people mobilised primarily using internet technology," said Amr Hamzawy, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment's Middle East Centre.
But without an organised structure beyond the web, online activists may struggle to keep the momentum going.
Hamzawy said that if protests did start faltering, the government may see an opportunity to "give concessions on social and economic demands, try to ease tensions a bit, control prices, but ignore the political core of the demands."
In 2008, protests in the industrial city of Mahallah el-Kubra over price rises and shortages of subsidised bread were championed on the web. But the government response, first with tough security and then promises of wage hikes, defused it.
To help protesters stay the course this time, websites have offered a manual for would-be demonstrators on what to do when teargas is fired, how to dodge arrest and tips on a citizen's constitutional rights in case of detention.
'BETTER ORGANISED'
Those have been listed with detailed demands, including a call for Mubarak to quit and the formation of a national unity government, as well as guidance on what to chant. Mobile numbers of supportive lawyers and activists are also listed.
The web allows protest locations to be quickly communicated.
"They are becoming better organised, they are able to coordinate, at least to a degree which sustained their activities," Hamzawy said.
Buoyant activists on Facebook are now calling for the biggest protest on Friday, the Egyptian weekend. It gained 75,000 online supporters in about 24 hours.
But the groups are heavily dependent on the internet for networking and coordination, a problem that can slow mobilisation if social media networks go down.
Egyptians have already complained of patchy access to Twitter and Facebook, blaming the government, although they have found ways to access the sites via proxies.
Mobile networks and text messages also provide a back up, although users also complain of some disruption.
The government denies any role in disrupting the internet and insists it allows free expression in peaceful protests.
"Trying to cut off social media debate is like trying to cut the head off a hydra. Another one grows back very quickly," said Mark Hanson, London-based new media strategist.
According to some web activists, cyber attackers have targetted the Interior Ministry, Communications Ministry and ruling National Democratic Party websites.
The Tunisian model suggests that any government crackdown will struggle to contain the flow of information, and may simply mobilise more web users and other sympathisers into action.
"We will not be afraid any longer," many bloggers repeat on their sites. "Egypt will be liberated. You can try to block Facebook but you will still find us on the streets."
(Additional reporting by Marius Bosch in Johannesburg and Peter Apps in London; Editing by Edmund Blair and Myra MacDonald)

Shweta assaulted by ex-husband again

Bigg Boss 4 winner and television star Shweta Tiwari has been assaulted by ex-hubby Raja Chaudhary again, reported a tabloid. Shweta lodged a complaint accusing Raja of physical and verbal abuse.

Senior Inspector R Prabhu of Malad police station said, "Raja Chaudhary forcefully entered Shweta's house and assaulted her and her friend Abhinav Kohli. As per court order, Raja is not supposed to go to Shweta's residence. But he breached the order. We have booked him for assaulting, trespassing, and abusing Shweta and Kohli. He already has a number of cases against him, some at Oshiwara police station. And now we will extern him."

Shweta Tiwari has demanded police protection after continuous harassment. Raja came to Shweta's house and abused her and tried to take away their daughter with him. Earlier he had barged into the house in October when Shweta was in the Bigg Boss house.

The police tried to find Raja but he is absconding. He has fled from his Lokhandwala residence.

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