Sibling from NJ sold their enterprise for $100 million

What were your priorities at 21 ?? Maybe enjoying your final year at college or peparing for the further "post graduation" studies. Perhaps for this sibling-duo from New Jersey, "studies" and "job oppurtunity" is holding the last proritization in their current life. Afterall not everybody make $100 million dollars at the young age of 21.

In 2005, Catherine Cook and her brother David had an idea for a startup. The high schoolers flipped through a yearbook and wanted to make a digital version.
The 15-and-16-year-olds got to work and created MyYearbook. In the 6-year span, the duo raised $17 million in financing, grew the site to 20 million users*, and generated 1.2 billion monthly pageviews.
Today, a publicly-traded Latino social network, Quepasa, announced its $100 million acquisition of MyYearbook. The majority of the deal, $82 million, is Quepasa common stock. The other $18 million is cash.

Geoff Cook, MyYearbook's CEO and sibling of Catherine and David, wrote a letter to his 100+ employees:
"I don’t consider this an exit or the end. I consider it the end of the beginning, and I believe we have a lot more innovative products to create," he says.
Welcome to retirement Catherine, Geoff and David! Although we're sure this won't be the last company they create.

Read more »

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG coupe Black Series : A glance

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the much anticipated Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series, which is making its debut today and tomorrow at the Formula 1 race on the Nurburgring. The most powerful C-Class ever produced gets the Black Series treatment with insane amounts of power, a track-focued chassis and aggressive sporty styling.
Power for the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series comes from a 6.3 liter naturally aspirated V8 engine making 517-hp at 6,800 rpm with a maximum torque of 457 lb-ft at 500 rpm. The engine gets forged pistons, conrods and crankshaft, a new engine control unit and a 50 percent bigger oil cooler. It is mated to an AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission with four ESP control settings and can go throw the cogs in 100 milliseconds in the sportiest Sport Plus and Manual modes. The run from 0 to 60 mph comes in just 4.2 seconds.
“AMG has its roots in international motorsport,” said Ola Kallenius, the CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. “The new C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series is the best proof there is for the permanent transfer of technology from the race track to the road. The numerous successes in the DTM, the customer sports range featuring the SLS AMG GT3 and our commitment to Formula 1, where we have been providing the Official F1 Safety Car and the Official F1 Medical Car for the past 15 years, continuously spur on our engineers and technicians. The C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series embodies the new AMG brand claim, Driving Performance, like no other AMG model.”
Mercedes-Benz added a limited slip differential to the rear axle to improve the traction of the C63 AMG and added a stiffer anti-roll bars while upgraded the suspension with numerous setting options. Stopping power comes from giant 390mm front discs with 6-piston calipers, and 360mm discs at the rear with 4-piston calipers.

On the inside, two seats are standard but buyers can get an optional rear-bench with individual seats. While the new Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series is aggressive looking as is with wider tracks, it will be the Black Series model to get an optional Track Package and an AMG Aerodynamic Package.
The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series will go on sale in January 2012 with prices starting at 115,430 euros ($165,716 USD). Mercedes-Benz says that the U.S. market launch will follow in early 2012 with prices to be announced closer to launch date.



Press Release:
The new Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series: The most powerful C-Class of all time
Affalterbach – Spectacular design, technology transfer from the world of motorsport and driving dynamics at the highest level; the new Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series embodies the new AMG brand claim, Driving Performance, like no other AMG model. The new high-performance vehicle is the most powerful C-Class of all time, boasting a maximum output of 380 kW (517 hp) and a maximum torque of 620 newton metres. The AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine impresses with its hefty torque, tremendous pulling power and responsiveness, and ensures high-calibre performance: the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds (all data provisional). Exclusive fun at the wheel comes courtesy of the adjustable AMG coil-over sports suspension, the AMG high-performance compound braking system and the functional standard equipment. The AMG Track Package is available as an option to enhance driving dynamics even further. It boasts sports tyres and active rear-axle transmission cooling, plus the AMG Aerodynamics package including flics, a functionally tuned front splitter and an adjustable carbon-fibre rear aerofoil.
Broad, low, brawny and ready to pounce from a standstill – the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series makes a mighty impression. It’s clear right from the first time you set eyes on it that the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series is made for ambitious laps on a closed-off race track. In visual terms the new high-performance vehicle is reminiscent of the SLS AMG GT3 customer sports car and symbolises the transfer of technology from the sphere of motorsport, which has been part of the corporate philosophy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH for 44 years now.
With its new C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series, AMG is presenting an exciting sports car for enthusiasts who are passionate about sports cars which are big on horsepower, and this marks the impressive continuation of the Black Series strategy, which began back in 2006. AMG, the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz Cars, is once again demonstrating its expertise when it comes to designing and developing emotionally appealing high-performance cars.


Key data at a glance:C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series

Displacement                                         6208 cc
Bore x stroke                                         102.2 x 94.6 mm
Compression ratio                                  11.3 : 1
Output                                                     380 kW (517 hp) at 6800 rpm at 6800/min
Max. torque                                            620 Nm at 500 rpm
Engine weight (dry)                                196 kg
Fuel consumption, NEDC combined     12.2 l/100 km*
CO2 emissions                                       286 g/km*
Acceleration 0-100 km/h                        4.2 s*


Arrow-shaped front section with large cooling air openings
It doesn’t matter from which angle you’re looking at it: the new C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series displays its ties with motorsport from every perspective. The arrow-shaped front section with the central Mercedes star in the radiator grille is the visual synonym for its unfettered forwards thrust. The air intakes in the striking front apron ensure reliable air flow through the large cooling modules. Two openings in the aluminium bonnet support the expelling of engine heat, whilst the struts positioned at an angle in the front apron emphasise the vehicle’s width. The black front splitter located at the lower end helps to balance the vehicle aerodynamically.
The expressive design continues in the side view: the newly developed front axle with a greater track width calls for new wings, which have been widened by 28 millimetres on each side. “6.3” logos give a nod to the sheer power of the large-displacement eight-cylinder high-speed naturally aspirated engine beneath the bonnet. Air outlets intimated behind the wheel cut-outs call to mind powerful racing cars. The onlooker discovers a black strip on the restyled AMG side skirts – a look which continues the idea of the front splitter. On each side the rear wings have also been widened by 42 millimetres, due to the greater track width of the rear axle. Air openings are hinted at in front of the rear wheels, forming a fitting conclusion.

AMG light-alloy wheels featuring light forging technology
255/35 R 19 and 285/30 R 19 – these are the impressive wheel formats for the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series at its market launch. The wheel/tyre combination is mounted on 9 x 19 (front) and 9.5 x 19 (rear) AMG light-alloy wheels, fills out the wings to stunning effect and plays a significant part in the dynamic appearance of this new AMG sports car.
Painted titanium grey, the high-sheen light-alloy wheels are produced using particularly light forging technology – as is the case on the SLS AMG. These forged wheels weigh a total of eleven kilograms less than comparable wheels with a conventional design. The lower weight results in reduced unsprung masses, which improves both the suspension’s response and the steering precision.
Broad effect of the tail end with a diffuser insert
The tail end of the Black Series coupé is also a feast for the eyes: the new rear apron with its expressive black diffuser insert creates a broad effect. Just like on the SLS AMG GT3, it protrudes beyond the profile of the rear apron. The black grille on the upper end of the diffuser insert is an eye-catching feature, as is the AMG sports exhaust system: both of the chromed twin tailpipes integrated into the rear apron have an angular cross-section. The spoiler lip on the boot lid is painted in the vehicle colour and reduces lift at the rear axle, resulting in more driving stability at high speeds. The AMG logo with its discreet “Black Series” lettering is reserved exclusively for the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series.

Engine with high-tech components from the gull-wing model
A displacement of 6.3 litres, a maximum output of 380 kW (517 hp) and a torque of 620 newton metres from eight cylinders – one glance at the technical data and it’s clear that the engineering behind the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series is every bit the equal of its sensational appearance. The high-torque M156 naturally aspirated engine was specially refined for the new two-door model, whose forged pistons, connecting rods and the crankshaft with a lightweight design, for example, all come courtesy of the SLS AMG. These measures are flanked by a new engine control unit. As the car’s performance proves, the uprated V8 engine has an easy time of it in the coupé: the sprint from standing to 100 is over in 4.2* seconds (* preliminary data).
Plenty of pulling power, an agile response and hefty torque – the qualities of the large-displacement AMG high-speed naturally aspirated engine arouse unadulterated passion in the driver. The jewel in the crown is the emotive, hallmark AMG eight-cylinder sound from the AMG sports exhaust system.
The optimised engine oil cooling ensures more performance even when the vehicle is put through its paces in harsh race-track conditions. With the aid of components from the SLS AMG, the AMG experts have managed to give the oil cooler a cooling surface which is 50 percent larger. The tried-and-trusted, innovative AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission takes care of power transmission. Four transmission modes, the double-declutching function and RACE START promise maximum motoring pleasure and a high degree of variability. In the “Sport plus” and “Manual” transmission modes the gear changes take a mere 100 milliseconds.

AMG coil-over sports suspension with an AMG rear axle differential lock
The AMG sports suspension is a sophisticated new development. It has been designed as a coil-over suspension, as is the norm in motorsport – and it represents a hallmark feature of a Black Series model. It offers numerous setting options, and allows the driver to create their own personal set-up. The track width of the axles has been widened by 40 (at the front) and 79 millimetres (at the rear) respectively. In conjunction with the modified torsion-bar stabilisers, the C 63 AMG Black Series impresses with its pronounced driving dynamics, high grip and low roll angle. The AMG speed-sensitive sports steering facilitates superb vehicle control: the retuned map control for the power assistance ensures optimum steering precision.
The standard-specification AMG rear axle differential lock is responsible for reliable traction in particular for race-track applications. The 3-stage ESP® offers the ideal solution for all driving situations: via the ESP® button the driver can choose from the “ESP ON”, “Sport Handling Mode” and “ESP OFF” stages. In view of the increased driving dynamics, not only has the anti-lock braking system been completely retuned; the AMG high-performance braking system has also been redeveloped: a larger braking system is now used, with discs featuring compound technology proven in motorsport at the front axle (format: 390 x 36 millimetres) and integral discs at the rear axle (360 x 26 mm). Red-painted six-piston fixed callipers at the front and four-piston fixed callipers at the rear reliably decelerate the perforated, fade-resistant brake discs, which are ventilated all round.

Interior with a functional motor-racing atmosphere
The captivating high-tech components and the spectacular exterior design both find their logical continuation in the interior of the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series, which is black with red highlight elements, displaying the functional atmosphere of a true racing vehicle, whilst at the same time positively glowing with high quality and lovingly crafted details. Two AMG sports bucket seats facilitate the best levels of lateral support and thus optimum vehicle control on the race track. The black DINAMICA microfibre upholstery on the centre panels of the seats and doors is a new type of synthetic fibre which is characterised by its high lightfastness. The omission of the rear bench seat underlines the vehicle’s sporty character and reduces its weight. As an option the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series is also available as a four-seater including the AMG sports seats familiar from the C 63 AMG Coupé – and with single seats in the rear.
The AMG performance steering wheel in nappa leather/DINAMICA microfibre with a steering wheel rim featuring flattened top and bottom sections has aluminium shift paddles for manual gear changes. Red seat belts and red contrasting topstitching on the steering wheel, on the seats, door centre panels, armrests on the doors, the centre console and on the shift lever gaiter add some interesting highlights. An exclusive “Black Series” logo adorns the trim on the dashboard, which sports a high-gloss black piano-lacquer look. The dashboard with three autonomous round dials has a three-dimensional TFT colour display. On opening the vehicle door the driver is greeted by AMG lettering. Possible displays for the engine oil temperature, the ESP® mode or the gear selection are integrated into the AMG main menu. The rotary switch for the C, S, S+ and M transmission modes and RACE START is located on the centre console next to the selector lever with a DINAMICA microfibre cover.

The C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series is proof positive that high driving dynamics and excellent active and passive safety need not necessarily be mutually exclusive: five airbags, belt tensioners and belt-force limiters for all seats are part of the standard specification, as are the anti-lock braking system ABS, the 3-stage ESP®, Headlamp Assist, the tyre pressure loss warning system and cruise control with SPEEDTRONIC variable speed limiter.
The standard specification also includes (selection):

• AMG door sills in stainless steel, brushed, with AMG logo
• AMG sports pedals in brushed stainless steel, with rubber studs
• Audio 20 CD radio with double tuner, colour display, Bluetooth® interface, hands-free function, USB interface and eight loudspeakers
• THERMATIC automatic climate control

AMG Track Package and AMG Aerodynamics package

AMG has two special packages to offer for enhancing driving dynamics even further: the AMG Track Package comprises 255/35 R 19 front and 285/30 R 19 rear sports tyres from Dunlop. They have been exclusively developed for the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series, and they tangibly and measurably increase grip. Active rear-axle transmission cooling improves performance in punishing race-track conditions. The radiator is located in the rear apron and the airflow passes through it effectively.
What are known as flics are part of the AMG Aerodynamics package. They are made of genuine carbon fibre and located on the front apron. Also included in the package are a functionally tuned front splitter made of genuine carbon fibre and a fixed carbon-fibre rear aerofoil with an adjustable blade. Both components not only increase the lift at the front and rear axle; they also optimise the vehicle’s aerodynamic balance.
Other optional extras include:

• AMG Exterior Carbon-Fibre package (cross strut in front apron, exterior mirror housing, inserts on the side sill panel, diffuser insert and spoiler lip in genuine carbon fibre)
• AMG light-alloy wheels featuring forging technology, painted in matt black with a high-sheen finish on the rim flange, with 255/35 R 19 and 285/30 R 19 tyres
• AMG carbon-fibre trim
• Fire extinguisher
• Intelligent Light System ILS
• KEYLESS-GO
• Tinted side/rear windows

Four captivating Black Series models since 2006

Whilst its driving dynamics are totally suited to the race track, the new C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series offers all the properties which characterise a true Mercedes-Benz: suitability for everyday use, durability, safety and quality.

The most powerful C-Class of all time is the fourth Black Series model to be launched since 2006. The first one was the SLK 55 AMG Black Series. The AMG 5.5-litre V8 engine in the decidedly puristic two-seater enticed customers with its maximum output of 294 kW (400 hp) and a torque of 520 newton metres, and between July 2006 and April 2007 120 units were produced. The CLK 63 AMG Black Series followed directly in its footsteps. The two-seater coupé was powered by an AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine with 373 kW (507 hp) and a torque of 630 newton metres. Between April 2007 and March 2008 700 vehicles were made.

The highlight up until now was the SL 65 AMG Black Series, which was unveiled in July 2008: the high-performance coupé still captivates drivers today with its spectacular appearance, unique performance data, systematic lightweight construction and exclusivity of the highest calibre. The AMG 6.0 litre V12 biturbo engine with a maximum output of 493 kW (670 hp) and torque of 1000 newton metres made the SL 65 AMG Black Series the most powerful AMG vehicle ever to enter series production. In total there were 350 units built from September 2008 to August 2009.

The C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series is celebrating its world premiere during the Formula 1 race on the Nürburgring, the German Grand Prix (23 – 24 July 2011). The market launch will follow in January 2012, and its sales price is 115,430 euros (incl. 19% VAT).

Read more »

Super Batteries

Imagine charging your iPhone or mobile in a few seconds. Well, your imagination may someday turn into a reality, say scientists who claim to be working on "super batteries" which not only recharge in just seconds, but also have an almost indefinite lifespan.
A team, led by Dan Li of Monash University, says that a combination of two ordinary materials -- graphite and water -- could help produce such "super batteries" which perform on par with lithium ion batteries.
The scientists are, in fact, working with a material called graphene which may form the basis of the next generation of ultrafast energy storage systems, the 'Advanced Materials' journal reported.
"Once we can properly manipulate this material, your iPhone, for example, could charge in a few seconds, or possibly faster," said Li.
Graphene is the result of breaking down graphite, a cheap, readily available material commonly used in pencils, into layers one atom thick. It is strong, chemically stable, an excellent conductor of electricity and, importantly, has an extremely high surface area.
Li said these qualities make graphene highly suitable for energy storage applications.
"The reason graphene isn't being used everywhere is that these very thin sheets, when stacked into a usable macrostructure, immediately bond together, reforming graphite.
When graphene restacks, most of surface area is lost and it doesn't behave like graphene anymore," he said.The team has discovered the key to maintaining the remarkable properties of separate graphene sheets -- water.
Keeping graphene moist -- in gel form -- provides repulsive forces between the sheets and prevents re-stacking, making it ready for real-world application, say the scientists.
"The technique is very simple and can easily be scaled up. When we discovered it, we thought it was unbelievable. We're taking two basic, inexpensive materials -- water and graphite -- and making this new nanomaterial with amazing properties," said Li.
When used in energy devices, graphene gel significantly outperforms current carbon-based technology, both in terms of the amount of charge stored and how fast the charges can be delivered.
Li said the benefits of developing this nanotechnology extended beyond consumer electronics.
"High-speed, reliable and cost-effective energy storage systems are critical for the future viability of electricity from renewable resources. These systems are also the key to largescale adoption of electrical vehicles.Graphene gel is also showing promise for use in water purification membranes, biomedical devices and sensors," he said.

Read more »

Apple's Mac OSX Lion crosses million mark

Apple has announced that its latest operating system the Mac OSX Lion has been bought and downloaded by over a million users in a day.

Apple also revealed that it was the fastest adoption rate for any OS released by the company.

According to Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing Phil Schiller "Lion is off to a great start, user reviews and industry reaction have been fantastic, Lion is a huge step forward, it's not only packed with innovative features but it's incredibly easy for users to update their Macs to the best OS we've ever made."

For those who do not know Lion introduces more than 250 new features to the Mac, including Multi-Touch gestures; system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, the Mac App Store, Launchpad, and a completely redesigned Mail app.

Interestingly Apple currently only offers the OS as an online download through the Mac App store for $29.99, but the company has announced a retail copy will be available in late August for $69.99 which will be sold on USB drives.

Read more »

AMD back on track

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. has been punished so hard for unexpectedly ousting its CEO more than 6 months ago that the second-quarter profit it posted Thursday gave investors a measure of confidence about its direction.

AMD shares rose 38 cents, or 5.9 percent, to $6.88 after the No. 2 maker of computer microprocessors reported its results. The stock had fallen by 30 percent since CEO Dirk Meyer was ousted in January.

The numbers were a rare bright spot in an industry in tumult.

They showed early signs of success for a new chip that combines general-purpose and graphics capabilities. AMD sold more than 7 million of the "accelerated processing units" in the second quarter, more than half of the total since they went on sale in November.

The chips feature an innovative design that represents the kind of creative risks that allow AMD to remain a technological trendsetter despite its perpetual underdog status against Intel Corp.

AMD is counting on the chips to help it gain market share against Intel, which controls 80 percent of the world's PC microprocessor market. AMD also needs the marketing buzz to help generate some excitement as the PC market flags.

Recent signs have worried investors.

Microsoft Corp.'s Windows business is seeing declines. Microsoft reported Thursday that revenue in the division that makes the Windows operating system, which powers the bulk of traditional PCs, fell in the latest quarter. The Redmond, Wash.-based company said revenue would have grown were it not for the launch of Windows 7 a year ago, which made comparisons tougher this year.

Intel has downgraded its view of the PC market. Intel on Wednesday cut its forecast for PC unit growth in 2011 to 8 percent to 10 percent over last year. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company earlier predicted low double-digit percentage growth. The cut weighed on Intel shares despite stronger-than-expected second-quarter results.

Last week market research firms IDC and Gartner reported that PC shipments worldwide are growing slower than expected, with the U.S. and European markets even contracting.

AMD has also been hurt by the weakness. But investors saw encouraging signs in the latest results, despite some troubles.

Revenue in its microprocessor division was flat. The division was hurt by lower revenue from server chips, suggesting losses in market share to Intel. Intel's revenue from server chips was up in the latest quarter.

And AMD's revenue in its graphics chip division fell 17 percent from last year.

AMD has long been a distant second to Intel and now is even further behind in the transition to smartphones and tablet computers. AMD's chips are primarily used in traditional desktop and laptop computers.

The lack of a permanent CEO has weighed heavily on AMD's shares. Meyer was forced out over the board's unhappiness with AMD's growth rate and its strategy for mobile. The growth of Apple Inc.'s iPad has disrupted the traditional PC business, with some analysts predicting tens of millions of people are now buying tablets instead of laptops.

Apple reported blowout results Tuesday that show the emergence of what CEO Steve Jobs calls the "post-PC era." Apple has now sold 29 million iPads since they went on sale in April 2010, and more than 128 million iPhones since they went on sale in 2007.

AMD earned $61 million, or 8 cents per share, in the three months ended July 2. That compares with a loss of $43 million, or 6 cents per share, a year ago. Adjusted net income was 9 cents per share, a penny better than the average estimate of analysts polled by FactSet.

Revenue fell slightly short at $1.57 billion. Analysts expected $1.58 billion, according to FactSet.

AMD's third-quarter forecast calls for a sequential increase in revenue of 8 percent to 12 percent. That translates to $1.70 billion to $1.76 billion, in line with analyst forecasts for $1.71 billion.

Read more »

Star Wars theme XBOX 360

The Force will be with the Xbox 360.

Star Wars themed XBox 360

Microsoft Corp. unveiled a limited edition Xbox 360 console at a Comic-Con panel on Thursday that will be modeled after the character R2-D2, with a wireless gold-colored controller resembling his droid pal C-3PO.

The console will make the character's signature beeping sounds when the white-and-blue console is turned on and the disc tray is opened. It will also feature a 320-gigabyte hard drive, the largest available for Microsoft's gaming system.

The "Star Wars"-themed console, available later this year, will cost $449.99 and come with a white Kinect sensor, headset and "Kinect Star Wars," an action-adventure game utilizing the camera-based controller system.

"Kinect Star Wars" developers also confirmed that a pod-racing mode based on "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace," would be featured in the game.

The game allows players to use gestures to drive pods across intergalactic landscapes, as well as wield light sabers and other powers of The Force.

Read more »

Apple may bid for Hulu

Apple Inc is in talks to potentially bid for video-streaming service Hulu, a person close to the situation said Friday.

The person, who said Apple is among several companies interested in Hulu, spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk about the matter. In early July, search giant Google Inc. was said to be among about a dozen companies in talks to potentially buy Hulu. Yahoo Inc is also believed to be interested. 

Hulu, which is owned by Disney, News Corp., Comcast Corp. and Providence Equity Partners , started presenting its financial information to interested bidders late last month, after an unsolicited offer prompted its board to look for other offers.

The online video service streams movies and TV shows from broadcasters ABC, Fox and NBC to computers and _ for a monthly fee _ to a number of Web-connected mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers. It expects its paid service, Hulu Plus, to have over a million subscribers by the end of the summer and its CEO, Jason Kilar, has said it is profitable.

For Apple, an acquisition of Hulu could bolster its iTunes store, which provides videos users can rent or buy, but does not currently stream content or offer a subscription streaming service. It could also help the Cupertino-based iPhone and iPad maker as it spars with competitors such as online video pioneer Netflix Inc., which offers both a DVD-by-mail and video streaming service, and Google Inc.'s popular YouTube video streaming site, which streams free, ad-supported videos and rents movies from several major studios.

Apple has plenty of available cash for making a deal. At the end of the last quarter, its horde of cash and securities totaled $76.2 billion.

And Apple CEO Steve Jobs , who is currently on medical leave, already has a connection with one of Hulu's owners: He's The Walt Disney Co.'s largest shareholder and a member of its board.

However, if Apple _ or any other company _ were to buy Hulu, there's no guarantee it would be able to continue streaming content from the company's current owners. A buyer may have to reach a new deal in order to license the content.

Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey said key to any deal involving Hulu would be an agreement for the continued streaming of its current video content. And if, as many analysts expect, Apple is developing its own TV set, the addition of Hulu would put the company in an ``amazingly powerful position,'' he said.

Hulu isn't interested in just exploring possible offers. Earlier this month Disney CEO Bob Iger told reporters that Hulu's owners are ``committed to selling.'' He spoke on the sidelines of an annual gathering of top media executives hosted by investment bank Allen & Co. in Sun Valley, Idaho. Iger's comments were reported by Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal.

BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis said it makes sense that Apple would take a meeting with Hulu, but since part of Hulu's business is ad-supported it's contrary to Apple's current model of buying or renting videos. It makes more sense for Google or Yahoo Inc. to buy Hulu, he said.

``They're not the most logical buyers,'' Gillis said of Apple. ``Maybe peeling off a couple bills to keep it out of the hands of Google makes some sense.''

Still, as with any deal, he noted that whether or not it makes sense depends on the purchase price.

Read more »

Nestlé's loss Hsu Fu Chi's gain

A fund advised by Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA) stands to make a substantial gain on its investment in Chinese confectionary company Hsu Fu Chi after Nestle tabled an offer of $1.7 billion for a 60% stake in the company. The size of the deal, which values the Chinese firm at $2.8 billion, is further proof that Nestle is committed to its goal of deriving 45% of sales from emerging markets in the next 10 years.
Hsu Fu Chi is best known for its Sachima breakfast bar and Chinese New Year candies, but also manufactures a range of candy, cereal-based snacks, cakes and traditional Chinese snacks. The company operates four factories and employs 16,000 people, but Nestle is probably most interested in its 17,000-plus sales outlets and 120-plus sales offices. This would allow the foreign company to substantially increase its China footprint.
Under the proposed deal, Nestle would buy a 43.53% stake held by a collection of shareholders, including Baring Private Equity and Arisaig Partners, at S$4.35 per share, an 8.7% premium over the July 1 closing price. It would then purchase a 16.48% interest owned by the Hsu family for the same price, leaving the family with a 40% stake. The company would be de-listed from the Singapore Stock Exchange and operate as a joint venture.
The agreement would still require approval from China’s Ministry of Commerce as well as Cayman Island courts, where Hsu Fu Chi is incorporated, and company shareholders. A Hsu Fu Chi spokeswoman said that, even if the shareholders agree to a delisting, the plan would fall through without support from Chinese regulators.
“Nestle’s transaction represents an excellent opportunity for Hsu Fu Chi’s shareholders to realize the full value of their investment,” Jean Eric Salata, Baring’s founding chairman and CEO, told AVCJ. He added that Baring, which has enjoyed a strong relationship with Hsu Fu Chi since its investment two years ago, fully supports the Nestle transaction.
Baring originally invested in the company in late 2009, taking an approximate 16.5% shareholding. Gordon Shaw, managing director of Baring’s Shanghai office, told AVCJ last year that the private equity firm “took advantage of the relatively lower price-to-earnings multiples found in Singapore.” He added that Baring would help Hsu Fu Chi to realize its full value by assisting in HR and strategic planning.
According to the joint venture proposal, the private equity firm’s financial interest in the company is unchanged. It currently holds 13.3 million shares through Winmoore Holdings and a further 117.7 million through Star Candy, putting its cumulative stake at 16.49%. Based on a purchase price of S$4.35, it can expect to receive $464.2 million from Nestle.
Arisaig Asia owns 71.1 million shares, which translates into an 8.95% stake. The private equity firm is therefore on course to  exit with $251.9 million.

Read more »

Nokia lost its throne to Apple

Mobile phone maker Nokia Corp on Thursday posted a loss of 368 million ($523 million) in the second quarter and for the first time was overtaken by Apple's iPhone in smartphone shipments.

Nokia, which posted a profit of 227 million in the same period in 2010, said revenue fell 7% to 9.3 billion from 10 billion last year.

It shipped 88.5 million mobile devices in April through June, down from 111 million a year ago and 108.5 million in the previous quarter.

Its smartphone volumes fell to 16.7 million units, which means Nokia is no longer No. 1 in the smartphone sector. Apple Inc sold more than 20 million iPhones in the same quarter, lifting its net income to a stronger-than-expected $7.31 billion.

"The challenges we are facing during our strategic transformation manifested in a greater than expected way" during the quarter, CEO Stephen Elop said. "However, even within the quarter, I believe our actions to mitigate the impact of these challenges have started to have a positive impact on the underlying health of our business."

Nokia's share was up 3% at 4.21 on the Helsinki Stock Exchange immediately after the report.

Nokia said it was accelerating its cost-cutting plan to exceed the previously targeted savings of 1 billion in 2013. The reductions would be achieved through cuts in staff and outsourced professionals, facility costs "and various improvements in efficiencies", the company said.

While that could improve the company's finances, Nokia needs to take quick action to develop new products or it will continue to lose ground to its rivals, said Neil Mawston of London-based Strategy Analytics . He expects Samsung to also surpass Nokia in smartphones when it releases its second-quarter earnings next week.

Nokia's global market share dropped below 30% earlier this year for the first time in over a decade.

Read more »

China clones Apple store now

An Apple Store "doppelganger" has been reported to be found in the south-central city of Kunming, China.

China's four official Apple stores are found in Beijing and Shanghai (two in each of these major cities). These stores were authorized by Apple resellers through an extensive application process. Apparently, an estimated number of 40,000 visitors enter these stores on a daily basis. Statistic wise, that is four times as much as any Apple store in the entire United States!

However, Apple's popularity has brought into light the discovery of a fifth hoax store this week by an expat blogger. The American woman, called BirdAbroad or Jessica, according to some sources, wrote about how deceivingly similar this store is to the original.

According to the blogger, the employees were all dressed in blue t-shirts embedded with the Apple logos and had Apple name tags. Shockingly, they were convinced that they were actually working for Apple.

However, the blogger began to develop suspicion when security guards in layman clothing demanded her to stop snapping pictures of the store. These photos highlighted the realistic details such as its wooden display tables, and iPads, iPhones, MacBooks, and other Apple products that did not appear to be fake.

The blogger realized how poorly constructed the stairs were as well as weakly painted walls, increasing her doubts.

Confirmation with Apple showed that it does not have a retail outlet in Kunming, but it does have a reseller. The reseller is not located near this Kunming location.

BirdAbroad is also doubtful of two other Apple stores in the area, one of which is titled "Apple Stoer."

It seems as if many fake Apple products and Apple stores are becoming prevalent in China.

Read more »

Nokia rebrands its map service

Back in May, Nokia announced that it will start in July/August to rebrand its first Ovi services as Nokia services which basically means that each of the services under the Ovi umbrella will simply be rebranded as Nokia - with no planned disruption to the service roadmaps. Today, Nokia Germany announced that its Ovi Maps is now known as Nokia Maps. The transition from Ovi to Nokia began in July this year, with the intention of it being completed across all countries and all services by the end of 2012. It's likely that anybody buying a new Nokia smartphone or mobile phone later this year will start to see the new branding on services included within.

It's expected that Nokia made this decision after it joined Microsoft to focus on Windows Phone 7 smartphones. Ovi was very much aligned to Nokia's Symbian devices while Nokia's Windows Phone devices will use Bing services like Bing Maps. However, it's also expected that Nokia will contribute to Bing, for instance its maps coverage is far better than Bing Maps (especially here in Europe) and therefore it makes much sense to continue with a single-brand strategy under the Nokia umbrella; especially since the Nokia brand by itself is so strong and trusted while Ovi is widely unknown.

Read more »

A Wal-Mart Brand for the Ages

So, do you fancy yourself as an expert on branding? You should have no problem with the following question, then. What's the biggest fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) brand in America?

The answer isn't Coke, Gillette or J&J - it's Great Value, Wal-Mart's own-label range. Thanks to its presence in every one of Wal-Mart's 4100 US stores, and the fact that more than 5000 stock-keeping units are sold under the Great Value label, it is the biggest grocery brand in the US by both sales and volume.

And it's about to get a lot better.

Wal-Mart has announced the conclusion of a year-long project to improve the appeal of its own-label line. The world's biggest retailer doesn't do anything on a small scale, and has conducted 2700 consumer tests to guide the overhaul. The result is a range of product introductions, improved formulations and fresh packaging.

It's a massive strategic operation, but one that was long overdue. Own-label success has never been one of the items on Wal-Mart's astonishing list of achievements. Currently, only 16% of its sales come from this area. That's well behind other US food retailers such as Krogers and Safeway, which attribute about a quarter of their sales to own-label products. It's even punier when contrasted with Tesco, which earns half its sales from own-label, and Aldi, where the figure is 94%.

That's why Wal-Mart, which typically hires from within, went outside the company and country last year to recruit Jack Sinclair, a Scottish marketer with Safeway and Tesco experience, to oversee the overhaul.

Traditionally, US consumers have exhibited greater manufacturer-brand loyalty than Europeans. Own-label sales in the US have consequently been limited to a national penetration of less than 20%. However, a slew of recent data now suggests that the global credit crunch is eroding US brand relationships in favour of own-label goods. According to market research group GfK, three out of 10 US shoppers are now 'buying more store-brand products' than they did a year ago, and 75% cite 'current economic conditions' as playing a big role in this decision. Nielsen says sales of own-label goods rose by 10% in 2008, a trend likely to increase this year.

Wal-Mart is also now better placed to offer a strong own-label line thanks to the recent successful revitalisation of its corporate brand. After years of exclusively communicating its low prices to consumers, the retailer has changed emphasis onto what those prices enable the US family to achieve. This subtle shift in positioning has enabled Wal-Mart to offer Great Value as more than simply a range of cheap, commodity products - they are equivalent-quality products which represent Wal-Mart's commitment to helping families.

Aside from brand differentiation, an improved Great Value also carries the more traditional own-label benefits. Despite lower prices, the reduced production costs and zero marketing expense of Great Value mean it will always deliver more profit per unit to Wal-Mart than the equivalent manufacturer brands. And as the penetration and market share of Great Value increase, the space and sales available to manufacturer brands are reduced, and Wal-Mart's already legendary bargaining position with suppliers is strengthened.

Too many people incorrectly call the past decade the 'age of private label'. The one that's coming will make that seem a very gentle introduction, and Wal-Mart will be in the vanguard of the 'great value decade' ahead.

Read more »

List of Top Online Brands

Each quarter, General Sentiment releases its “Top Global Brands Report,” which ranks brands based on the dollar value of their online “buzz.”

What does that mean exactly?

General Sentiment measures these brands based on two criteria: impact value and perception value.

Impact value measures all online mentions of the brands and places a value on the overall level of discussion and exposure for the brand. Perception value measures the positive, negative, and neutral mentions of the brand.

Now that we’re caught up, here are the top 20 brands from the first quarter and the overall dollar amount of their “buzz”:

1. Apple - $952, 303
2. Google - $704,327
3. Microsoft - $522,769
4. Yahoo - $259,046
5. Ford - $251,683
6. Intel - $202,262
7. Toyota - $176,861
8. eBay - $132,569
9. Hewlett-Packard - $131,525
10. Sony - $129,700
11. IBM - $121,297
12. Nokia - $117,588
13. Mercedes-Benz - $110,782
14. Oracle - $108,570
15. Samsung - $94,831
16. Disney - $93,442
17. GE - $90,621
18. Starbucks - $74,647
19. Honda - $74,391
20. Goldman Sachs - $74,042

Read more »

Top 10 bloggers

Blogging, which is no more a mere social hobby to voice your opinion on interesting topics, but over the years it has been transformed into the serious business. With major blogs having more than 100 million dollars valuation, blogging has changed the lives of these opinion makers. The blog directory websites like "technorati" itself have registered more than 150,000,000 blogs since 2002. According to the reports approximately 80% of the active internet users have read or subscribed to some or the other blog. So here is the list of few money makers who hit the bulls eye in this utterly clouded sphere called as "Blogosphere".
Here is the list of  owners of top 10 blogs.

      1.  Arianna Huffington

Blog                  Huffington Post

Type of site      News & blogging

Launched          May 9, 2005

Located             New York City, New York, U.S.

Key people        Arianna Huffington, Editor-in-Chief

                           Tim Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer

                           Roy Sekoff, editor

Parent               AOL

Slogan              "The Internet Newspaper: News, Blogs, Video, Community"

Alexa rank        95 (July 2011)

Available in       English

Current status   Active

    2.  Pete Cashmore

Blog                   Mashable
Type                  Social media,technology,mobiles
Launched           July 2005
Located             New York City, New York, U.S.
Key people        Pete Cashmore, Chief Executive Officer
                           Adam Ostrow, Editor-in-Chief
                           Ben Parr, Editor-at-Large
Parent                Mashable Inc.
Slogan               "The Social Media Guide"
Alexa rank        176 (July 2011)
Current status   Active

   3. Michael Arrington

Blog                   Tech Crunch
Type                  Technology news and analysis
Launched          June 11, 2005
Located             New York,U.S
Key People       Michael arrington
                          Dave Feldman, Product manager
                          Matt Scheinker, manager
Parent               AOL
Alexa rank        217 (July 2011)
Current status  Active

 4.  Henry Blodget

Blog                   Business Insider
Type                  Online Newsroom,Business
Launched          February 2009
Located             New York, USA
Key People       Dwight Merriman
                          Kevin Ryan
                          Henry Blodget,former top-ranked Wall Street analyst
Parent               Silicon Alley Insider, Inc.        
Alexa  rank       389(July 2011)
Current status  Active

5. Faiz Shakir

Blog                   Think Progress

Type                  News and forum of progressive ideas and policies

Launched          2005 

Located             Washington D.C., U.S

Key People       Faiz Shakir

                          Ben Armbruster

                          Amanda peterson

Parent               Center for American Progress Fund

Alexa  rank       6,448 (July 2011)

Current status  Active

6.  Peter Rojas

Blog                   Engadget

Type                  Gadgets, technology weblog

Launched           March, 2004

Located              New York city, New York, U.S

Key People        Peter Rojas, founder

                           Darren Murph, managing director

                           Vlad sanov, senior Associate

Parent                AOL

Alexa rank         316 (July 2011)

Current status    Online

7. Harvey Levin

Blog                  TMZ
Type                 Celebrity news
Launched          November 8, 2005
Located             New York city, New York, US
Key People       Harvey Levin
Parent               Time Warner
Slogan               Celebrity Gossip. Entertainment News. Celebrity News.
Alexa rank   354 (July 2011)
Current status  Active. News-in media

8.  Nick Denton

Blog                   Gawker
Type                  News, gossips Blog network
Launched          January 2003
Located             New York, U.S
Key People       Nick Denton (Publisher)
                           Remy Stern (Editor-in-Chief)
                           Brian Moylan/Richard Lawson
Parent                Gawker media
Alexa rank         903 (July 2011)
Current status   Active

9.  Pete Rojas

Blog                   Gizmodo

Type                  Gizmo, Gadgets, technology blog
Launched          2002
Located             New York, U.S
Key People       Pete Rojas, co-founder
                          Joe Brown,Editorial Director
                          Jason Chen,Editor
                          Jesus Diaz,Senior Contributing Editor
Parent              Gawker Media
Alexa rank   688 (July 2011)
Current status  Online

10.   Tina Brown

Blog                      The daily Beast
Type                     News reporting and opinion blog
Launched             2008
Located                New York, U.S  
Key People          Tina Brown (Editor in chief)
                             Christopher Buckley, Scott Turow, Mark McKinnon
Parent                  The Newsweek Daily Beast Company LLC
Alexa rank          1,377 (July 2011)
Current Status     Active

                                                                                                            COMPILED By- Irfan

Read more »

HTC status smartphone : Now in market

The HTC Status smartphone has finally arrived at the AT&T and is selling for under $400 (excluding any taxes) without a contract and for under $50 (excluding any fees) with a 2 year agreement.

But the big question is Does this phone really have any market value more-so when Facebook's market share is constantly on decline and there is a big threat from Google+. In this kind of uncertainty whether Facebook would able to survive this difficult phase or not is still a big question, this phone is certainly not the best option for the networking users.

The mobile device with the blue button for accessing Facebook has hit the shelves of select retailers.Best Buy will be offering an exclusive color for the social mobile device. With the special Facebook share button the user will have one touch access to the social site.
The Status by HTC will offer the user the convenience, ease-of-use and depth of HTC Sense user interface when using the device in addition to connectivity of Facebook. As part of an extended selection of six innovative  gadgets that were introduced at the Mobile World Congress, the HTC  Status was introduced as the HTC ChaCha. The mobile gadget features a dedicated Facebook button intended for one-touch access to the key capabilities of the Facebook service that are bundled through the HTC Sense experience.
The Facebook button on HTC Status  is context-aware, lightly pulsing with light anytime there is an opportunity to discuss subject matter or updates via Facebook. With a solitary touch of the button, you’ll be able to update your current status, upload a picture, promote a Website, post what tune you happen to be listening to, ‘check in’ to a location and much more.
The HTC Status runs on Android Gingerbread 2. 3. 3, the most recent version, and utilize the most current version of HTC Sense to combine Facebook throughout the HTC Sense encounter. While you make a phone call, the dialer display shows your friend’s most current status and pics, and also lets you know in the event his or her birthday is drawing near.

The same updates can be shown when you get a call coming from a Facebook friend. You can also use your phone’s existing contacts to help you connect with them on Facebook or personalize your handset further with a number of new, Facebook-branded widgets.

Read more »

Rachel Weisz : new ambassador of Bulgari

British movie star and fashion model Rachel Weisz is now the new face of Italian luxury brand Bulgari known for watches, jewelry, accessories and fragrances.

More than Weisz’s Italian blood from her mother’s side, it was probably her sultry looks that match the brand image of Bulgari’s new perfume Jasmin Noir that bagged the deal.

The campaign, photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot, with the Bulgari lion is being described as having “a seductive and sophisticated boudoir-style aura”.

The Mummy star, stunning at 40, is shot in an elegant boudoir, broodingly caressing the Jasmin Noir bottle, draped in breath-taking Bulgari jewels.

Weisz, wife of James Bond star Daniel Craig, now joins Julianne Moore and Kirsten Dunst, Hollywood celebrities who have posed for Bulgari.

The commercials are expected to surface next month.

Read more »

How to increase Page Rank of your Website and Blog

Here is the 10 brief ways to increase your page rank. Do follow it to get your "website" or "blog" self optimized for the search engine.

• Use lots of meta keyword tags. Use it WITH Commas. Make sure you don't repeat the same word more than 3 times in a row. Google only indexes the first 101K of the document - so don't use TOO many.

• Make sure you include at least one link to Google. They need quality traffic as well. Don't be greedy and hog it all to yourself. This can do wonders for your pages. Remember - Google may be going public soon - so the more traffic you send them the better

• Use invisible text but make it close - colors like 00FF33 & 00FF66 are both browser safe, but are so close most humans can't tell the difference. Even though Google has over 50 Phds on staff - none of them probably know this - so use it - the bottom of the page is a good place - right above what you will learn in number 4. 

• Dots, Dots, and More Dots. Put them at the bottom of your document like this:      .............

Then link each one to your pages - make sure you link one to Google and for good measure another to Yahoo. Don't link to other sites (other than your own) that aren't search engines. Don't even link to sites that used to be search engines - like AltaVista.

• This tip is probably the most powerful one on here. Make at least three pages on your site and link them as follows:

Page 1 >>>>>> Page 2
Page 2 >>>>>> Page 3
And this is the kicker
Page 3 >>>>>> Page 1

Google will give points to page 2 from page 1, then to page 3 from page 2, and then - if you link it back to page 1 - it starts all over again. I can't even count how many points this will end up giving you. Just don't abuse it too much - or the big sites will complain you are taking too much PR from them.

• Use H1 Tags for your entire page (except the title and other header information). You can use CSS Style sheets to make them look smaller and Google will give you bookoo points for having everything so big on the page (even though it doesn't look big to the user).

• Submit early and submit often. I prefer to submit on a Sunday. That way - on Monday morning - the Googleplex will be swamped with so much to do - my submits will slip by. See the Googleplex hard at work. Would you work to ban submits if you could get FREE goat cheese (especially after doing two days without). Wouldn't you rather play "chopsticks" on a grand piano while getting a massage? Or look at pages all day of Britney Spears?

• Link back too other people linking to your page using link:www.example.org.This is similar to the technique in #5, but not as powerful.

• Be careful spelling. Words like "PENS" and "ANGINA" can easily be mispelled to be words of the male and female anatomy respectively. This will cause Google to mistake your site for an ADUL† Site - and get it banned. Noticed how I used a special character to look like the letter "T" in the word before site. Use clever tricks like this throughout your documents.

• If all else fails - mail a 10 spot wrapped inside a number 10 envelope (make sure you wrap one layer of aluminum foil around it). Write your URL above the serial number on the front. If it won't fit, then that's THE problem - as Google hates long URLs.

Hope it will benefit you as well as me. If you know some more tricks than do let us know by commenting below. We'll publish it in the updated version of this post.

Read more »

DropBox : the next big thing ?

Silicon Valley has never been this optimistic at the same time careful in financially upgrading out of box ideas. Recently when Valley pundits predicted the over cash flow and irregular distribution of financial support to the ventures, it only turned out to be hoax call as valley is growing organically.

Here is one more promising web-sharing (not web hosting) company which is being seen as the potential venture and in simple words a money maker, through the eyes of PE firms and VCs. According to the company, Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily. Dropbox was founded in 2007 by Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi, two MIT students tired of emailing files to themselves to work from more than one computer.

Today, more than 25 million people across every continent use Dropbox to always have their stuff at hand, share with family and friends, and work on team projects. the company is in expansion mode and hiring technical guys at the lightning pace.

Dropbox is expected to make $100 million in revenue this year and Fortune valuated the company somewhere between $1-2 Billion.

Dropbox provides free hosting till 2GB and is having clear revenue model which makes it even more promising venture.

Thogh dropbox needs to be cautious at certain fields. First of all Dropbox's paid service would get tough competition from the free hosting services. Besudes this Dropbox emphasizes on "Sharing" but unfortunately its multimedia file could be not be shared with social media platforms as there is no sync available.

Read more »

SPOTLIGHT ENTREPRENEUR : Harsh Bhasker

About twenty minutes into our conversation, Harsh Bhasker pauses to ask if this story will focus on his being a dalit rather than his success as an entrepreneur. "I am not very comfortable talking about that," he says. Having created one of Agra's most-recognised brands in engineering and medical entrance coaching, and a private college, Bhasker, 35, has come far enough to put caste prejudices behind him and speak about his work.

As he enters his office, parents waiting in the reception area stand up to greet him with folded hands. He is, after all, the face of Kota Tutorials, credited with shaping the careers of many youngsters in his city. He is also the rare dalit who in the knowledge business. "Harsh is among the few who have made it big in a knowledge business," says Delhi-based Dalit activist and writer Chandra Bhan Prasad. "He has done this through his own endeavour and without support from anybody else."

FINDING HIS CENTRE 
But Bhasker's isn't a rag-toriches story. Hailing from the Jatav caste, he had the option to join his family's (and caste's) traditional leather shoe-making business. But a rebellious streak led him elsewhere. "I was the stubborn one in the family. I had always set my thoughts high," he says. That focus led him to gain admission at IIT Roorkee (then University of Roorkee) in 1995. "Studying at Roorkee changed my life. I discovered my talents," he says. It was a new world of activities, both on and off the campus, including Himalayan treks, rowing, rafting and parasailing. The shy, smalltown boy transformed into a confident young man.

After completing his engineering in 1999, Bhasker joined HCL in Noida as a software developer. But he found the work too routine and mind-numbing. A year later, he got together seven colleagues to start a software firm out of Katwaria Sarai near the IIT Delhi campus. The company folded up in the wake of the global technology meltdown. Bhasker returned to Agra to start a franchise of Kota-based Career Point in engineering and medical coaching. Those days tutorials were mostly oneperson shows. "I worked hard and established the concept of an organised tutorials business in Agra," he says.

Three years later, he launched his own coaching centre and christened it Kota Tutorials (KT) because "people already knew us as the Kota institute". He started out of a 3-storey building in Agra's commercial district, Sanjay Place. Soon that was falling short as the student numbers swelled. He bought an old shoe factory nearby and restored it. "We didn't have time to raze the old building and build a fresh one," he says. Subsequently, he bought another building behind it. Today, the two structures house 11 airconditioned classrooms with a capacity to teach 2,000 students. There are two hostels nearby to accommodate 250 students, most of whom come from under-privileged backgrounds in rural Uttar Pradesh.

Read more »

Google + spoof

Google plus, is indeed the trending topic not only on twitter but on facebook too. The latest buzz coming straight  from Google is that its social venture has already registered nearly 18 million users inspite of being in "beta and invite only mode."

Here are few of the videos (coustesy-youtube, one of the closet in Google's vast wardrobe) which spoofs the Facebook founder's take on Google +.




Ever thought How would Adolf Hotler react to this online sensation. If not then have a look





Now how about the Google- (minus) project.



Even the babies are concerned about this online phenomenon. Have a look


Google minus not that bad either ;p

Read more »

Coca-Cola vs Pepsi

The fight between these two major cola brands had hardly any impact on respective cola lovers as both the brands have strong brand following and it is due to this brand sincerity only that both the "Beverage giants" are unperturbed by the market share and constantly perform better. Here is the few data and number analysis of both brands.

ABOUT  COCA-COLA

With a portfolio of more than 3,500 beverages, from diet and regular sparkling beverages to still beverages such as 100 percent fruit juices and fruit drinks, waters, sports and energy drinks, teas and coffees, and milk-and soy-based beverages, their variety spans the globe.

The coca-cola company offers a portfolio of more than 3,500 products in over 200 countries.

Market Cap: 159.03B

Brand Name: Coca-Cola

Drink Type: Soft Drink

Coca-Cola: Coca-Cola is the most popular and biggest-selling soft drink in history, as well as the best-known product in the world.

On May 8, 2011, Coca-Cola marks its 125th anniversary. Created in 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia, by Dr. John S. Pemberton, Coca-Cola was first offered as a fountain beverage at Jacob's Pharmacy by mixing Coca-Cola syrup with carbonated water.

Coca-Cola was patented in 1887, registered as a trademark in 1893 and by 1895 it was being sold in every state and territory in the United States. In 1899, The Coca-Cola Company began franchised bottling operations in the United States.

Coca-Cola might owe its origins to the United States, but its popularity has made it truly universal. Today, we can find Coca-Cola in virtually every part of the world.

Available in the following flavor: Cola.

Available in the following locations: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Greece, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau (Macao), Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mariana Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of Congo, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Korea, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarteen, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome & Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia & Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, The Gambia, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks & Caicos Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Bank-Gaza, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.


Here is the brief comparison between the two-

ABOUT  PEPSI

BEGINNING : Caleb Bradham knew that to keep people returning to his pharmacy, he would have to turn it into a gathering place. Like many pharmacists at the turn of the century, he had a soda fountain in his drugstore, where he served his customers refreshing drinks that he created himself. His most popular creation was a unique mixture of carbonated water, kola nuts, vanilla and rare oils, named “Brad’s Drink” by his customers. Caleb decided to rename it “Pepsi-Cola,” and advertised his new soft drink to enthusiastic customers. Sales of Pepsi-Cola started to grow, convincing  him to form a company and market the new beverage. In 1902, he launched the Pepsi-Cola Company in the back room of his pharmacy, and applied to the U.S. Patent Office for a trademark. An official patent was awarded on June 16, 1903. At first, he mixed the syrup himself and sold it exclusively through soda fountains. But soon Caleb recognized that a greater opportunity existed—to bottle Pepsi-Cola so that people everywhere could enjoy it.

BUILDING THE BUSINESS : 

Advertising Pepsi-Cola as “Exhilarating,

Invigorating, Aids Digestion,” the business

began to grow. Caleb sold 7,968 gallons of

syrup in 1903. Two years later, he

awarded two franchises to bottle PepsiCola 

to independent investors in Charlotte

and Durham, North Carolina. In 1906, the

number of franchises grew to 15, and

leapt to 40 by 1907. By the end of 1910,

there were Pepsi-Cola franchises in 24

states, and the company was selling more

than 100,000 gallons of syrup per year.

Building a strong franchise system was

one of Caleb’s greatest achievements.

Local Pepsi-Cola bottlers, entrepreneurial

in spirit and dedicated to the product’s

success, provided a sturdy foundation for

a growing company. They were then, and

continue to be today, the cornerstone of

the Pepsi-Cola enterprise.

Here is the graphical comparison of the two brands on (YOY) basis at NYSE. 

KO- (The Coca-Cola Company)

PEP- (Pepsico)                                                               Graph courtesy- Yahoo finance ltd.

Read more »