Category: Software

BANGALORE: Liquid Comics, which owns one of the world’s largest comic book libraries based on Indian characters by Indian creators, has begun releasing a number of Indian comic book titles in digital formats available for purchase and download to audiences worldwide through the Sony Playstation PSP platform.

“Digital publishing is the future and Liquid Comics’ mission is to be at the forefront of taking our comic books beyond print into numerous digital platforms,” said Liquid Comics CEO and co-founder Sharad Devarajan.

Liquid Comics claims that it will be releasing new comic books priced at $1.99 per issue through Playstation every week.
 
Liquid Comics comic book titles immediately available for purchase and download through the PSP Digital Comics store include: Ramayan 3392 AD: A futuristic re-imagining of the great Indian epic with a setting of a post-apocalyptic world where the last of humanity led by the prince brothers Rama and Lakshman struggles to fight against the evil hordes of Nark, a dark-continent lead by the monstrous Ravan.

Devi: Created by acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, (Elizabeth; Four Feathers; Golden Age). Devi is a powerhouse of a story about a young woman battling for survival in a landscape of ancient legends, duty and fate. She walks the line between tradition, destiny and free will. Between the Divine and the Diabolical there is Devi. 
 
The Sadhu: James Jenson, A British soldier whose family is brutally murdered by a corrupt superior officer, seeks refuge with the Indian mystics known as Sadhus. Years later, now trained in their supernatural arts, Jenson must decide whether to use his newfound powers for inner peace as they are intended, or for revenge against the people who murdered his family.

Snake Woman: Also created by Shekhar Kapur. Jessica Peterson is learning first-hand that the cycle of revenge cannot be broken. Without understanding why, she finds herself turning into a creature – a vicious Snakewoman. Her mission – to avenge a centuries old wrong that was conceived half a world away, deep in the jungles of India when a Naga temple was desecrated by foreigners.

Beyond: Created by bestselling author Deepak Chopra, this supernatural thriller is about a businessman, Michael Morton who arrives in India with his wife, Anna and son, Ty on a vacation. While Michael is distracted on a phone call with an overseas colleague, Anna and Ty wander through a typically teeming Indian shopping bazaar where Anna disappears without a trace.

MUMBAI: UK pubcaster The BBC has announced the launch of a new beta version of its on-demand website BBC iPlayer, with a fresh new look and functionality to make it simpler, more personal and connected.

Since its 2007 launch, the product has evolved to add radio, live TV channels, HD and functionality such as recommendations. It has been repurposed to work on a range of different devices and platforms – reaching mobile phones, games consoles and internet-connected TVs.
 
It has delivered 123 million streams of TV and radio programmes in April 2010.

It has re-launched with a raft of new features – including a simplified and intuitive user-experience that will make content even easier to find, enhanced personalisation that allows audiences to create their own BBC iPlayer experience, and social functionality that will allow audiences to share and recommend content to friends on Facebook, Twitter and within BBC iPlayer.

BBC director of Future Media and Technology Erik Huggers says, “The launch of this version of the BBC iPlayer is part of our strategy to do fewer things even better and make it more simple, personal and connected. We must no longer try to do everything online, but focus on delivering genuinely world-class products like BBC iPlayer – which audiences love and which really embodies the BBC‘s core mission in a digital age.

“Bringing the benefits of emerging technologies to the public is in the BBC‘s DNA as its sixth public purpose. BBC iPlayer gives audiences greater control over the programmes they enjoy, guarantees subscription-free access to BBC content in an on-demand world, and provides better value for the content they have already paid for.

“In two and half years BBC iPlayer has evolved to become one of our most popular websites, integral to BBC Online, and available on a wide range of internet-connected devices.”
 
Setting boundaries and driving innovation through partnership: The BBC has also announced a range of new non- exclusive partnerships which enable audiences to connect with each other around BBC programmes and make BBC content more discoverable.
Collaborations with social networking and micro-blogging websites, initially Facebook and Twitter, will enable audiences to recommend content to friends on their own networks. The BBC is working with others with a view to establishing further similar partnerships. This is the first major part of a wider initiative to introduce more social features to BBC Online.

Facebook VP for Europe, Middle East and Africa Joanna Shields says, “The BBC‘s use of Facebook‘s social plug-ins transforms BBC iPlayer into a customised social experience for each of our 23 million UK users. By integrating Facebook within BBC iPlayer, the BBC is enabling people to share their favourite content and discover the content their friends are recommending and watching.”

A partnership with Microsoft allows Windows Live Messenger users to log in to their messaging service through BBC iPlayer, enabling them to invite other contacts to watch programmes at the same time and chat live. This is an experimental feature, which will be available in beta later in the Summer; if it proves successful, the BBC plans to extend it to other instant messaging services.

Later in the year, audiences will also be able to find links to programmes from ITV Player, 4oD, Clic, Demand Five and SeeSaw – as a result of partnership deals with public service broadcasters ITV, Channel 4, S4C and Five, and communications infrastructure and media services company Arqiva.

These “metadata partnerships” mean that audiences looking for long-form programmes from other TV services will be directed to their websites: BBC iPlayer will link and drive traffic to them, without any sharing of technology or syndication of content.

Huggers adds, “As we focus on what public service means in a digital age, we are working to set clear boundaries for BBC Online. We don‘t want to build a social network, microblogging or instant messaging service.

“But through a greater emphasis on strategic partnerships, we can harness the benefits of the web to enrich the audience‘s interaction with our content and support other content providers. The new BBC iPlayer reflects public service broadcasting in the digital era.”

NEW DELHI: Even as the auction for Bandwidth Access (BWA) registered a Pan-India total of Rs 79.43 billion which is a rise of more than four times the base price of Rs 17.5 billion, the bidding is getting confined to some of the main service centres with other bids remaining unchanged.

The bid for Delhi and Mumbai touched Rs 11.73 billion each on the seventh day of auction at the end of 52 rounds. Tamil Nadu closed at Rs 10.84 billion, Karnataka at Rs 9.48 billion, the rest of Maharashtra at Rs 8.46 billion, Andhra Pradesh at Rs 8.10 billion, and Gujarat at Rs 4.79 billion.
 
While Punjab closed at Rs 2.49 billion, Kerala had a bid of Rs 1.67 billion. West Uttar Pradesh had a bid of Rs 1.57 billion, east Uttar Pradesh closed with Rs 864.4 million. Haryana had a bid of Rs 630.4 million, Rajasthan closed at Rs 612 million, and West Bengal closed at Rs 606 million.

The bids for Kolkata, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, North-East, and Jammu and Kashmir remained unchanged. 
 
Karnataka, Kolkata, Kerala, East Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, and North-East will not see much change with no applications for price increment for tomorrow’s rounds.

The operators in the race are Aircel, Augere (Mauritius) Limited, Bharti Airtel, Infotel Broadband Services Private Limited, Qualcomm Incorporated, Reliance WiMax Limited, Spice Internet Service, Provider Private Limited, Tata Communications Internet Services Limited, Tikona Digital Networks Private Limited and Vodafone Essar Limited.

The successful bidders would be allowed to start commercial operations from 1 September.

MUMBAI: Reliance big TV, the direct-to-home service provider company from the Reliance ADA Group has announced a corporate alliance with LG electronics on their select models of Colour TV range.

With the partnership in place, LG has announced a special offer where the customer gets a Big TV connection with one month free Silver Pack on purchase of select models of LG colour TV and needs to pay only Rs 399 towards installation charges to avail the offer. 

The offer is planned for the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Orissa, North Eastern states, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The offer is valid till 30 June.

Big TV SVP Umesh Rao said, “This partnership brings in a dramatic scaling of reach and unprecedented value proposition for the LG customers. We will aggressively pursue cross category alliances to reach out to a broader spectrum of end users.”

NEW DELHI: Even as the auction for Bandwidth Access (BWA) registered a Pan-India total of Rs 72.22 billion against the base price of Rs 17.5 billion, the bid for Delhi and Mumbai crossed Rs 10 billion to touch Rs 10.13 billion each.

Tamil Nadu closed on the sixth day and 44 rounds at Rs 9.43 billion, Karnataka at Rs 9.11 billion, the rest of Maharashtra at Rs 7.81 billion, and Andhra Pradesh closed at Rs 7.48 billion.

Kolkata had a bid of Rs 4.25 billion, Punjab at Rs 2.30 billion, Kerala at Rs 1.56 billion, West Uttar Pradesh at Rs 1.34 billion, east Uttar Pradesh at Rs 806.6 million. Madhya Pradesh had a bid of Rs 689 million, while both Haryana and Rajasthan had bids of Rs 606 each. Bihar closed at Rs 170.1 million and Orissa had a bid of Rs 156 million.

The bids for Gujarat, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, North-East and Jammu and Kashmir remained unchanged.

Gujarat, Kolkata, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, and North-East will not see much change with no applications for price increment for tomorrow’s rounds.

The operators in the race are Aircel, Augere (Mauritius) Limited, Bharti Airtel, Infotel Broadband Services Private Limited, Qualcomm Incorporated, Reliance WiMax Limited, Spice Internet Service, Provider Private Limited, Tata Communications Internet Services Limited, Tikona Digital Networks Private Limited and Vodafone Essar Limited.

The successful bidders would be allowed to start commercial operations from 1 September.

MUMBAI: B4U Music, the Bollywood music channels has launched in Africa on the DSTV platform.

B4U Music is available across all of the packages on DSTV, and will be the only Asian music channel available on the platform in Africa.

B4U head of business and international distribution Ashok Shenoy states, “We look forward to working closely with platform like DSTV. We aim to pioneer the Bollywood genre and create a wider appeal amongst the local audience, by launching B4U Music on to the basic package of the DSTV Platform.”

B4U Network CEO Sunil Rohra added, “B4U is thrilled to join forces with DSTV and launch B4U Music in Africa. Being the only Asian music channel available on the platform, we are certain that we will cater to the large Bollywood fan base in the community and that they will enjoy the variety of music entertainment and quality programming offered by B4U.”

MUMBAI: The Sameer Manchanda-promoted multi system operator (MSO) Den Networks appears to have metamorphosed into a giant – almost overnight. If one goes by its latest financials, it probably has emerged as the biggest MSO in the country. The revenues it reported have apparently taken it ahead of its main and much talked about competitor Hathway.

Revenues for the year ended 31 March 2010 went up by 28.3 per cent touching Rs 9.19 billion (Rs 7.16 billion in FY09). Its other operating income more than doubled from Rs 41.6 million in FY09 to Rs 87.5 in FY10. Company sources say that the revenue from its cable operations stood at around Rs 5 billion for the fiscal. Hathway as a comparison notched up revenues of around Rs 4 billion for the fiscal. 
 
Demonstrating a very strong growth story, the company has posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 301.1 million for the fiscal ended 31 March 2010, as compared to a net loss of Rs 151.1 million it suffered in the previous fiscal.

The consolidated results includes the financials of its distribution JV Star DEN (50:50) and approximately 70 cable subsidiaries in which DEN holds a majority stake.

Den‘s expenses for the fiscal stood at Rs 8.62 billion, up from last fiscal‘s Rs 7.25 billion. The operating and administrative costs at Rs 7.72 billion rose in proportion to the firm‘s overall growth, however, the depreciation charges incurred this fiscal at Rs 328.8 million are twice as much as last fiscal‘s Rs 160.3 million.

On an operational level, the firm made a profit of Rs 567.7 million as compared to the operational loss it made in FY09 of Rs 82.1 million.  
 
Its other income in FY10 also more than doubled at Rs 65 million as compared to Rs 30 million in FY09. However, Den‘s interest expenses at Rs 194.4 million increased by 94.6 per cent.

On a standalone basis as well, the company has turned profitable as it posted a net profit of Rs 208.2 million, as against a net loss of Rs 137.6 million in the year ago period.

Total revenue jumped to Rs 3.28 billion in the fiscal from Rs 2.69 billion in the year ago period. Expenses grew marginally to Rs 2.95 billion (FY10), from Rs 2.73 billion (FY09).

The company boasts of a subscriber base of 11 million, including 400,000 digital subscribers. It claims a majority share in states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Karnataka and parts of Maharashtra.

The cable MSO‘s ARPUs (average revenue per user) are at Rs 190 from direct subscribers and Rs 175 from secondary subscribers, sources claim.

The DEN shares closed at Rs 203.2 on Friday.

MUMBAI: Bharti Airtel has entered into an exclusive partnership with Encyclopaedia Britannica. With the deal in place, the Airtel Broadband users will get a two year free subscription, worth Rs 6,575 to Britannica online.

Bharti Airtel Telemedia Services joint president K Srinivas said, “Our partnership with Encyclopaedia Britannica is part of our larger commitment to offer an enhanced broadband experience to our customers, especially to children and the young adults. Encyclopaedia Britannica has created a huge body of content for Indian audiences in art, culture, cinema, education across various mediums and is in line with our commitment of partnering the world’s best for offering innovative content for customers.”
 
Britannica, one of the leading sources of authentic information, has over 100 million users worldwide and is trusted by over 4,750 universities. As part of its unique collaborative tools, the website also allows customers and members of the public to contribute to the encyclopedia for review, by its panel of eminent scholars including Nobel laureates.

Encyclopaedia Britannica president Jorge Cauz said, “Britannica Online contains rich information along with rich multimedia, and that makes it an excellent match for Bharti Airtel‘s broadband service. India is one of the largest English speaking markets and is an important market to EB‘s expansion plans in the Asia Pacific.” 
 
The partnership comes on the back of Bharti Airtel’s initiatives to enhance broadband experience through innovative offerings like high speed experience plans, cloud computing solutions and a host of value added services.
 

NEW DELHI: The auction for Bandwidth Access (BWA) showed slow but steady increase on the fourth day today by registering a pan-India total of Rs 52.45 billion against the base price of Rs 17.5 billion.

Five service centres – Delhi, Mumbai, rest of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka – closed their bids on the fourth day after 24 rounds today with Rs 6,129.6 million. Tamil Nadu had a bid of Rs 5,988.8 million.
 
Kolkata had a bid of Rs 2,762.8 million, while Punjab closed on Rs 2,083.4 million, and Kerala had a bid of Rs 1,330.6 million. West Uttar Pradesh had a bid of Rs 1,110.6 million, with Madhya Pradesh at Rs 662.3 million and Bihar at Rs 163.7 million.

The bids for Gujarat, east Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Orissa, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, North-East, and Jammu and Kashmir remained unchanged for the fourth day. Many of these states will not see much change with no applications for price increment for tomorrow’s rounds.  
 
The telecom operators in the race are Aircel, Augere (Mauritius) Limited, Bharti Airtel, Infotel Broadband Services Private Limited, Qualcomm Incorporated, Reliance WiMax Limited, Spice Internet Service, Provider Private Limited, Tata Communications Internet Services Limited, Tikona Digital Networks Private Limited and Vodafone Essar Limited.

The successful bidders would be allowed to start commercial operations from 1 September.
 

NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regularity Authority of India (TRAI) is well set to release a consultation paper on the roll out of 4G spectrum, even as the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) grapples with the challenge of digital exclusion and non-adoption of broadband by small businesses.

“We will ready with a consultation paper on 4G in a week and expect the regulations to be in place in the next few months,” TRAI Chairman J S Sarma announced here today. 
 
Speaking at a meeting organized by FICCI on ‘The Road to Broadband — Investment & Innovation’, Sarma said the consultation paper will address issues such as adoption of an optic fibre network, cost of bandwidth, tariffs and the relationship between telecom service providers and internet service providers.

Dr Sarma said TRAI would aim at making broadband an alternative model for the delivery of governance. “We would like to see that broadband is used for improving human development and giving a fillip to agriculture and social sector issues such as healthcare and education.” 
 
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski emphasized the economic opportunities arising out of extending broadband to unserved areas, adding that there was a clear co-relation between the adoption of broadband and increasing GDP.

He expressed concern over trends in the US indicating a widening gap between the supply of spectrum and the demand from mobile broadband 3G technology users. The US National Broadband Plan was focussing on decreasing the cost on investment through higher incentives and maximising the depth of infrastructure. It seeks to promote competition and transparency, public safety and accelerating the movement towards E-government.