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Spice Telecom kicks off New Strategic Initiatives

Spice Telecom, the premier telecom service provider today announced that Mr. Prakash Nanani has taken over as the Chief Executive Officer for Punjab and Karnataka circles. Mr. Prakash Nanani unveiled the new Spice logo.

Spice Telecom kicks off New Strategic Initiatives

Mr. Prakash Nanani takes over as the Chief Executive Officer for Punjab & Karnataka circles
Spice unveils the new brand logo
Launches first of its kind Lifelong Validity Offer on Mahabuck

Chandigarh, October 28, 2005: Spice Telecom, the premier telecom service provider today announced that Mr. Prakash Nanani has taken over as the Chief Executive Officer for Punjab & Karnataka circles. Mr. Prakash Nanani unveiled the new Spice logo. The new Spice logo shall be common to Spice group companies operating in the ICE (Information, Communication & Entertainment) sector. The new brand identity is derived from the Brand Core Purpose, Brand Vision & Brand Values. Mr. Prakash Nanani also announced the launch of a first-of-its kind ‘Life time validity’ offer on Mahabuck for Spice pre-paid subscribers.

Mr. Prakash Nanani takes over as the Chief Executive Officer, Spice Telecom

Mr. Prakash Nanani, has taken over as the CEO, he confirmed the news of the exit of Distacom from the mobile service venture. The Honk Kong based Distacom, the foreign shareholder has sold its stake in the B.K.Modi promoted Spice Telecom, to Ashmore Investment Management Ltd., a financial investor and the Deutsche Bank Group.

Mr. Nanani also stated that Mr. Navin Kaul, former Chief Operating Officer, Punjab circle, has taken over as the Chief Operating Officer, Karnataka circle.

Speaking at the occasion Mr. Nanani, stated that “Spice being the oldest cellular operator in this region, has always remained focused and committed towards developing state-of-the-art telecommunication infrastructure and Spice Telecom is also in the process of consolidating and investing in various disciplines, like network and technology upgradation, increase in infrastructure and resources and also enhancement of the brand image.”

New Spice Logo

Spice is owned by Mcorp Global, the holding company for the brand. Mcorp Global is focusing on the ICE sector and in this direction has been building on the strength of its subsidiaries that have been in operation in this sector, like Spice Telecom & Spice Mobile. The group has also made recent forays into certain specific market segments of the ICE sector, like Spice Malls & Multiplexes. The group believes that it will gain from having a common brand for the ICE sector, as it would be able to gain from the economies of scale in branding & marketing. A common consumer brand shall also foster greater consumer awareness for the brand and in time lead to greater trust in the brand.

The Spice logo is depicted in Orange, Purple, Green, Blue & Yellow colours. The colors of the brand logo depicts specific values that are synonymous to Spice Telecom: Orange – Vibrancy, Purple – Innovation, Green – Freshness, Blue – Trust & Yellow – Fun.

The new Spice brand identity is derived from the Brand Core Purpose, Brand Vision & Brand Values. The strategy for the brand is captured concisely by these:

Brand Core Purpose: To always be the first to provide user-friendly and innovative solutions for young minds in the ICE space

Brand Vision: To be the most preferred choice for energetic young minds
for ICE products and services by 2011

Brand Values: Fun, Innovative, Vibrant, Empathy, Trust, Speed of Response

The new Spice identity shall be shared by a group of companies namely: Spice Telecom (GSM service provider), Spice Mobile Phone (Mobile Handset), Spice Mega Malls & Multiplexes (Commercial Property (Development & Management), Spice Films (Film Production), Spice Onshore Telecom BPO and Spice IT Peripherals (Printers & Computer Hardware). The new Spice logo will ensure that a common identity is created that is synergistic and relevant to all the companies. All these companies shall work in tandem to provide consumer delight.

First of its kind offer – Life time Validity on Maha Buck

Spice today announced the launch a first of its kind offer in India for Spice Megatalk pre-paid subscribers termed as the ‘Maha Buck’ offer. Maha Buck provides
Spice Megatalk subscribers Life time validity on a recharge of Rs. 3300.

The details of Spice Maha Buck Voucher are as follows:

MRP of Maha Recharge: Rs.3+300/-

Talktime on Maha Recharge: Rs.500/-

Validity on Maha Recharge: Life Long

Subscriber who avail this offer cannot have zero balance for consecutive 90 days, and will have to be on the Megatalk tariff plan.

About Spice Telecom

Spice is Punjab’s premier mobile phone service provider and is the first cellular operator in India to be ISO 9001-2000 certified for its entire operations. Spice has an extensive network across more than 205 cities and towns in the state, covering 95% of Punjab’s urban area. In addition, it also covers more than 3250 km of roads and highways in Punjab including connectivity on the National Highway and GT Road. Spice subscribers can roam on national and international networks. In fact, Spice has the highest International roaming coverage involving tie-ups with over 414 International operators across 199 countries.

Samsung launches SGH D600 in the Indian market

Global technology
leader, Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of its 2 Mega pixel , quadband masterpiece, the SGH D 600 in the Indian market

Samsung launches SGH – D600 in the Indian market
– The perfect balance of business and multimedia
(Nov,17,2005 / SEC)
New Delhi, November 16, 2005: Global technology
leader, Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of its 2 Mega pixel , quad
band masterpiece, the SGH D 600 in the Indian market. The superior design of the
D600 slides up to reveal a digital camera quality imaging solution in a mobile
handset that sets the standard in its balance of function and design. Weighing
a mere 103 gms, the SGH – D 600 maintains a perfect balance of business
and multimedia.

Priced at Rs.23,999/-, the D600 is equipped with 2.0 Mega pixel camera with
flash and MPEG4 video recording and messaging that stand out on the 262144 colors
of the striking 2.0” QVGA LCD. Samsung’s business sense of D600
allows the user to stay connected and well informed. Embedded software, called
Picsel Viewer in the D600, allows access to business critical information in
a seamless, graphically rich environment. Supporting a variety of file types,
including all popular office formats like MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, PDF ,
HTML and Standard Image formats , the D600 displays downloads exactly as they
appear on a desktop PC to view , manipulate and send .

With a world first feature of Direct TV output link, the D600 can even display
data files, videos, images directly onto a Television screen as well as a beam
projector onto a screen for instant projection. This link can also be used to
plug and play the MP3 player on audio systems like it allows you to play games
on TV screens. All in all, this truly world class feature of direct output function
takes the concept of ‘shared entertainment’ to a different level
in mobile phones.

Piscel Viewer , Bluetooth wireless sharing and mobile printing , PictBridge
, TV Output support, Sync ML DS , Email client capabilities , USB 1.1 and TransFlash
memory combine to make the D600 a mobile office master .The world’s smallest
removable storage module , TransFlash supplements the existing mobile phone
storage while allowing for easy transfer of personal content.

A music player adds to its abilities with MP3/AAC/AAC+ as well as dual speakers
for 3D sound and Bluetooth stereo headset compatibility. States Mr. H C Ryu,
Director, Telecom, Samsung India, “The SGH D600 is targeted both at professionals
and high life seekers who are looking for a perfect blend of business and multimedia
solution from their phones .” The D600 also supports a 7 regional language
regional menu in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada and Punjabi.

About Samsung Electronics:

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication,
digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2004 parent company
sales of US$55.2 billion and net income of US$10.3 billion. Employing approximately
113,000 people in over 90 offices in 48 countries, the Company consists of five
main business units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD
Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business. Recognized
as one of the fastest growing brands, Samsung Electronics is the world’s largest
producer of color monitors, color TVs, memory chips and TFT-LCDs.

SGH D600 SPECIFICATIONS

* GPRS Class 10, QUAD – BAND (850/900/1800/1900MHz)

* 2.0 Mega at 1600 x 1200 pixels/ CMOS Built-in Camera with Flash and 3.3x
Zoom

* 262144 TFT Colour QVGA LCD (240 x 320 pixels, 2.0")

* Internal Memory – 69 MB

* External Memory Slot (Trans Flash – 64MB included with phone)

* Dual Speaker for 3D Sound

* Music Player & Ringtones (MP3, MIDI, AAC, AAC+)

* Camcorder & Video Messaging (MPEG4, H.263)

* Picsel Viewer / PictBridge / Direct TV Output

* Video Wallpaper / Video Caller ID

* Bluetooth , SyncML, E-mail Client

* Battery time (900 mAh) ; Talk Time : 7H , Standby Time : 300 H

Hutch gets 140 million dollar loan for expansion in india

Hutchison Essar Ltd, India’s fourth largest mobile-phone company, got a $140mn to expand its phone network in India

Hutchison Essar Ltd, India’s fourth largest mobile-phone company, got a $140mn to expand its phone network in India.
The deal is the first syndicated loan for Hutchison Essar, a joint venture between Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.’s Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd. and the Essar Group in Mumbai.

The deal was arranged by Bank of America Securities LLC, N Bayerische Hypo-UND Vereinsbank AG, Chinatrust Commercial Bank, Rabobank NA and Raiffeisen Zentralbank Oesterreich AG.

Motorola to assemble GSM Phones in India

MOTOROLA TO ASSEMBLE GSM PHONES IN INDIA – intends to upgrade the unit into a manufacturing facility in phases

Motorola is setting up a unit in collaboration with a multinational company to assemble global system for mobile communication (GSM) phones in India. It proposes to upgrade the unit into a manufacturing facility in phases and hopes to finalise the project in Dec 2005. Elcoteq Network Corporation of Finland is setting up a unit in India to manufacture 6 million mobile handsets a year for Nokia and Sony Ericsson. LG and Nokia also plan to manufacture mobile handsets in India.

Source: [tmcnet.com ]

Airtel to adopt new number series in Karnataka from Nov 13

Keeping in tune with the new directive from the Department of Telecommunications, Airtel Broadband and Telephone Services, India?s largest broadband service and private telephone service from Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd, will adopt a new number series beginning with ?4? for its fixed line services, instead of ‘5’, in Karnataka from November 13.

Keeping in tune with the new directive from the Department of Telecommunications, Airtel Broadband and Telephone Services, India’s largest broadband service and private telephone service from Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd, will adopt a new number series beginning with ‘4’ for its fixed line services, instead of ‘5’, in Karnataka from November 13.

Airtel, in a release here today, announced that it would continue to connect all calls received on the old number till February 28 next. Post this till March 31 next, an automated voice recording system would inform customers about the change in numbers. To make life simpler for its customers, Airtel would also be launching a new short code for general customer care: 121. This general customer care number would be uniform across all circles of Airtel Broadband and Telephone Services.

The change would take place in phases depending on the city of operation. In Karnataka the change would happen in Bangalore on December 11, Mysore–November 13, Mangalore, Hubli, Belgaum and Manipal-November 20, the release said.

Airtel has more than one million fixed line customers in the country and provided broadband and telephone services in Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Kolkata, Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra, Mumbai, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, UP (East) and UP (West).

Hutch getting redesigned

Hong Kong?s Hutchison has taken a strategic decision to redesign the Hutch brand, in the run-up to the Hutch-Essar IPO

Hong Kong’s Hutchison has taken a strategic decision to redesign the Hutch brand, in the run-up to the Hutch-Essar IPO.

Hutchison Essar will unveil Hutch with its new look across 13 circles by late-November. As the company’s existing Orange and Hutch brands have a common colour, “The redesigned Hutch umbrella brand will have a definite colour variation,” Hutchison officials told ET.

There’s a tight lid on the new brand design and colour specifics. But it’s understood that the world’s top brand consultancy firm, the London-based Wolff Olins, may be involved in redesigning Hutch. Wolff Olins is the original creator of Orange.

“It’s imperative that Hutchison Essar evolves a single and unique brand identity in India, instead of its twin-brand image. The entry of the world’s biggest GSM player into India is likely to expedite unveiling of the new look of Hutch and put the company’s brand unification plans on fast track,” sources said.

Significantly, Hutchison’s decision to introduce new colour and design to Hutch is in the aftermath of the recent Orange-Hutch tussle over alleged trademark and copyright violations by Hutchison. During the legal battle in Delhi High Court, the Orange Group had alleged that Hutch had created images which were based on Orange’s guidelines.

Though the Orange-Hutch legal duel is over, there’s a feeling that Hutch and Orange brands are similar, especially as both use the orange colour. “As both brands share a similar philosophy, there’s little economic sense in Hutch-Essar managing two separate brands in India,” said sources .

In fact, Hutchison Essar expects a common umbrella brand to trigger media efficiencies, in which the company won’t need separate adaptation strategies for both brands. Once DoT clears Hutch-Essar’s 100% acquisition of the BPL Mobile circles, the new- look Hutch will be unveiled in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

via [economictimes]

Vodafone buys stake in Bharti Tele-Ventures

Vodafone Group Plc, the world’s No.1 cellular service provider, has picked up a 10% stake in Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd. for Rs67bn or US$1.2bn. Vodafone Mauritius Ltd. has purchased shares in Bharti Enterprise Pvt. Ltd. (the unlisted holding company), which gives the British cellular service major a beneficial stake of 4.4% in Bharti Tele-Ventures.

The investment from India’s leading GSM-based telecom operator by the British cellular major comes more than a week after the Cabinet cleared the proposed hike in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in telecom, from 49% to 74%.

In addition, Vodafone, through Vodafone International Holdings BV, has also picked up 5.65% stake from Warburg Pincus, thereby taking the total beneficial interest in Bharti Tele-Ventures to around 10%.

The above transactions do not make any change in the direct shareholding of Bharti Tele-Ventures. Bharti Enterprises maintains a controlling interest of 45.9% in Bharti Tele-Ventures through its subsidiary, Bharti Telecom Ltd. With the final sale of its stake, Warburg Pincus has now completely exited its position in Bharti Tele-Ventures. Bharti Enterprises owns 68% in Bharti Telecom, which in turn holds 45% stake in the listed Bharti Tele-Ventures.

Commenting on the occasion, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman & Group Managing Director, Bharti Enterprises, said, "We are delighted that Vodafone has made a call on the Indian telecom sector and has chosen Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd. to be the vehicle to develop its continued interest in the Asian region. Today, when Bharti stands on the threshold of being an Asian telecom powerhouse, it has tied up with Vodafone to take the company to the next level and to support Bharti in achieving its vision of making Airtel the most admired brand in India".

At 12:58 p.m., shares of Bharti Tele-Ventures were trading at Rs327, up Rs15 or 4.8%, over the previous close. Earlier, the stock had touched a high of Rs330.5 and a low of Rs311. Around 1.62mn shares of Bharti Tele-Ventures have changed hands on BSE.

Number portability issue to be resolved soon

Communication Minister Dayanidhi Maran has suggested that call forwarding facility should be considered as a viable alternative to number portability on mobile phones.

Number portability has been opposed by various service providers citing huge costs involved to make their networks compatible. The issue however is more complex that. The biggest lockin an operator has today is the customer’s number which doesn’t migrate even if he switches service providers. Once number portability is in place the operators cannot afford to concentrate only on customer acquistion but will have to spend time on customer satisfaction and retention too.

The government is planning to set up a joint working group this month comprising representatives of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and both CDMA and GSM operators. Issues to be resolved are number portability, uniform ‘’One India’’ tariff, inter-connectivity between operators and allocation of 3G spectrum. The issues are expected to be resolved by the year end.

via mobilepundit

Tata Indicom Non Stop Mobile

Tata Indicom has launched a new scheme, Non Stop Mobile, under which the validity of a pre-paid connection is extended for two years upon a single recharge, thus freeing mobile subscribers from monthly recharges.

There is no monthly commitment to recharge. Above all, the recharge coupons are available from Rs.50 with 100 percent talk time.

Some noteworthy figures from the article.

At present Tata Indicom ‘True Paid’ launched in January this year has two million subscribers. However, they are targeting around 10 million subscriber base by March 2006…

As on September 30, the company’s subscriber base stood at 5.6 million spread across 1500 towns.

PM to inaugurate Nokia plant in TN next year

Global mobile giant Nokia is on schedule to commence manufacturing at its maiden plant here in the first half of next year.

Union Communications and Information Technology Minister Dayanidhi Maran told visiting newspersons here today that the Rs 650-crore facility was expected to become operational before April 2006 considering the rapid progress since the ground-breaking ceremony in July 2005.

”When the facility goes operational, a mobile phone will be manufactured every second.” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the facility with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi also participating in the function, he added.

Nokia would have chosen Goa as its investment destination in 1994. But due to the efforts taken by him and the UPA Government at the Centre, it opted for Chennai, Mr Maran claimed.

Elaborating, he said the Finnish company’s decision to establish this plant, spanning over three lakh sq ft, one of the largest facilities in the country, fructified after the formation of the inter-Ministerial Joint Task Force under the Chairmanship of Telecom Secretary. Bangalore and Noida had also been considered by Nokia before the company decided on Chennai.

This temple town, about 40 km away from Chennai, would no longer be considered just a manufacturing hub for auto companies but a manufacturing centre for telecom also. ”I am confident that telecom giants like Motorala and Ericsson will come soon.” Mr Maran said Nokia was a big contender for ensuring that BSNL and MTNL achieve the 60 million mobile phone base, with the policy having a clause of manufacturing networks being within India.

To a question, he said the handset pricing was market driven. In a voice-driven market with India having the lowest tariff, certainly it was possible to have ”lowest-priced” handsets.

Besides providing employment to 2,000 people, at least 10,000 people would stand to get indirect employment when the facility is completed.

Nokia Corporation Operations and Logistics Senior Vice-President Raimo Puntala said the company was on course with its plan to start operations in the first half of 2006.

Expressing satisfaction over the progress being made in the construction of the plant, he attributed it to support from the Centre and the State government

source:webindia123

Maran visits Nokia site in Sriperumbudur

Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology Dayanidhi Maran Tuesday visited the site of Nokia’s first handset manufacturing unit in India, that is coming up in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu

Maran visits Nokia site in Sriperumbudur

Chennai: Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology Dayanidhi Maran Tuesday visited the site of Nokia’s first handset manufacturing unit in India, that is coming up in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu.

The state government and the mobile phone major had signed a memorandum of understanding Apr 6 for setting up its manufacturing unit in the country.

It is located at the State Industries Promotion Corporation of the industrial estate in Tiruvallur district.

Nokia is expected to invest $150 million in the first stage and an equal sum for ancillary units, providing direct and indirect employment to 8,000 people.

The day is considered auspicious on account of Ayudha puja, when all mechanical things are worshipped. Vishwakarma, the master craftsman and Saraswathi, the goddess of learning are worshipped on this day

Nokia Chennai plant to be ready by april 2006

Nokia?s Sriperumbudur plant (near Chennai) is likely to be completed by March/April next year, a little ahead of the original schedule, said Dayanidhi Maran, Union minister of communications and IT.

Nokia’s Sriperumbudur plant (near Chennai) is likely to be completed by March/April next year, a little ahead of the original schedule, said Dayanidhi Maran, Union minister of communications and IT.

Between Nokia and its component suppliers located within the Nokia Special Economic Zone (SEZ), more than 10,000 people would be employed, said Maran after a review of the construction work today.

The Sriperumbudur plant is Nokia’s 10th facility in the world. The plant and those of the component makers would be located within the 210.87 acre SEZ. Nokia’s plant would cover a floor space of 29,000 square metres.

Between Nokia and its component makers, an investment of $ 300 million (about Rs 1,315 crore) is expected to flow in over the next few years.

When Nokia announced its intention to set up the plant in Sriperumbudur in April 2005, the company’s officials said the plant would be initially used to make mobile handsets.

Maran said that there was a possibility that Nokia could also make telecom network equipment in India. It came in the context of the manufacturing obligation that has been imposed on global telecom companies that have bid for network contracts in India.

Some of the successful bidders such as Nortel are expected to use contract manufacturers to fulfil their obligations.

Flextronics, which is to set up a plant to make electronics/telecom equipment in Sriperumbudur, has a global manufacturing agreement with Nortel. Flextronics is likely to use its planned plant to make some equipment for Nortel.

A media release from Nokia said that construction work at the SEZ is being carried out by Leighton Contractors. Over 1,000 people are deployed at the site, added the release.

Source : Business Standard

Samsung planning a manufacturing unit for India

ndia is becoming one of the hottest markets to be in for mobile phone makers. World?s largest mobile makers Nokia along with LG and Elcoteq have already expressed their views to open a manufacturing unit in India. Now, South Korean tech giant Samsung is planning a similar venture to consider manufacturing mobile phones in India.

Samsung planning a manufacturing unit for India

India is becoming one of the hottest markets to be in for mobile phone makers. World’s largest mobile makers Nokia along with LG and Elcoteq have already expressed their views to open a manufacturing unit in India. Now, South Korean tech giant Samsung is planning a similar venture to consider manufacturing mobile phones in India.

The company indicated that they would start making cell phones in India along with the other electronic items already being manufactured in the local market. They are looking at Noida and Mumbai as the possible locations for such a manufacturing plant. Some rumors in the market claim that a decision has already been taken though no confirmation has been obtained from the company.

There are also possibilities of the company renting an existing factory instead of establishing their own to get the project going as soon as possible. It is expected to function as a standalone subsidiary, rather than any existing divisions of Samsung India. With the mobiles being commoditized here in the Indian market, it has become important for the manufacturers to find ways to cut costs and launch cheaper models to target the massive budget segment.

Interestingly, Philips has also committed to soon unveil a real cheap mobile phone in the Indian market to target that particular audience segment.

Source:TechWhack

Palm and Hutch Deliver Highly Acclaimed Treo 650 Smartphone to India

The Treo 650 smartphone provides Hutch customers with increased mobility and a way to simplify their business and personal lives with an all-in-one device,” said Paul Blinkhorn, vice president for Palm Asia Pacific. “Whether it’s reviewing email, viewing a presentation or simply making a conference call, the Treo 650 smartphone lets busy people manage the critical components of their lives while out of the office

MUMBAI, India–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oct. 11, 2005–Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM) today announced that its award-winning Palm(R) Treo(TM) 650 smartphone is now available on the Hutch network in India.

"The Treo 650 smartphone provides Hutch customers with increased mobility and a way to simplify their business and personal lives with an all-in-one device," said Paul Blinkhorn, vice president for Palm Asia Pacific. "Whether it’s reviewing email, viewing a presentation or simply making a conference call, the Treo 650 smartphone lets busy people manage the critical components of their lives while out of the office."

Naveen Chopra, corporate vice president of Group Marketing at Hutchison Essar, said, "Hutch is committed to bringing its customers value-added services that consistently enhance their service experience and help manage business with optimum efficiency, even while on the move. The Treo 650 smartphone is truly a professional mobile handset that will aid Hutch customers in optimizing our high-end services."

About the Palm Treo 650 Smartphone from Palm, Inc.

Building on the award-winning Treo 600 design, the Treo 650 smartphone from Palm makes it easier than ever for mobile professionals to stay connected. With carrier activation, the Treo 650 combines a compact, full-featured mobile phone with email, an organizer, messaging and web access,(1) allowing users to organize and simplify their business and personal lives all in one place. The Treo 650 offers integrated Bluetooth(R) technology, a higher-resolution screen, multimedia capabilities, a removable battery, non-volatile memory, an improved backlit keyboard, and support for direct corporate email access to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 using VersaMail(R) email software.(2) More information can be found at www.palm.com/Treo650.

About Hutchison Essar

Hutchison Essar, with over 9.2 million mobile users under the Hutch and Orange brands, is one of the most reputable telecom companies in India. Over the years, it has been named the "Most Respected Telecom," the "Best Mobile Service in the country" and the "Most Creative and Most Effective Advertiser of the Year."

(Figures from Cellular Operators Association of India, as of August 2005).

About Palm, Inc.

Palm, Inc., a leader in mobile computing, strives to put the power of computing in people’s hands so they can access and share their most important information. The company’s products for consumers, mobile professionals and businesses include Palm(R) handheld computers, Palm Treo(TM) smartphones, Palm LifeDrive(TM) mobile managers, as well as software, services and accessories.

Palm products are sold through select Internet, retail, reseller and wireless operator channels throughout the world, and at Palm Retail Stores and Palm online stores (http://www.palm.com/store).

More information about Palm, Inc. is available at http://www.palm.com.

(1) Within wireless service coverage area only. Email, messaging and web access requires data services from a mobile service provider at an additional cost.

(2) Requires Exchange Server 2003 and access enabled by IT administrator.

Palm, LifeDrive and Treo are among the trademarks or registered trademarks owned by or licensed to Palm, Inc. All other brand and product names are or may be trademarks of, and are used to identify products or services of, their respective owners.

Bill Gates to visit Chennai in Dec

Microsoft head honcho Bill Gates is expected to visit Chennai in December this year, said Dayanidhi Maran, union minister for communications and IT.

?I have asked Gates to come to India and also look beyond Bangalore. He will be visiting Chennai this time,? said Maran.

BANGALORE: Microsoft head honcho Bill Gates is expected to visit Chennai in December this year, said Dayanidhi Maran, union minister for communications and IT.

“I have asked Gates to come to India and also look beyond Bangalore. He will be visiting Chennai this time,” said Maran.

The minister said that he was pleased with the infrastructure improvement activities undertaken by the Dharam Singh government.” We need more visible changes. I have also requested the center to release Rs 500 crore under the Central Scheme for Critical Infrastructure to fund the construction of 50 flyovers in Bangalore.”

Maran also said that IT should grow beyond Bangalore and in other cities like Mysore and Hubli.

Gates has invested Rs 10 crore in a pilot project to take e-governance to the villages, Maran said, adding, Microsoft had taken the bold step of deciding to launch bi-lingual Microsoft Windows XP starter (in English and a local language). “Besides Hindi, the edition would be launched in eight local languages in January next year.”

On the education front, Maran said that Microsoft had agreed to sponsor a pilot project to train teachers. This involves deploying 5000 computers across a hundred schools in six states.

Source:CIOL