Amar Chitra Katha now on Vodafone

Delhi, February 26, 2009: Vodafone Essar, one of India’s leading cellular service providers in association with ACK Media, today announced the launch of Amar Chitra Katha, a collection of illustrated classics that retell the stories about Indian Heroes, on Vodafone. Anant Pai (popularly known as Uncle Pai), Editor Emeritus - Amar Chitra Katha, Samir Patil, Founder and CEO- ACK Media and Harit Nagpal, Marketing and & New Business, Director, Vodafone Essar were present at the launch of Amar Chitra Katha on Vodafone.

This association with Amar Chitra Katha will allow Vodafone customers to enjoy a host of services. The services will be available to Vodafone customers through a voice portal and through Vodafone Live!

Through the Voice Portal, Vodafone subscribers can listen to folk stories from The Karadi Tales, audio dramas from Charkha and musical tales from Under the Banyan Tree. Vodafone customers can also choose to listen to the poetry delivered by the likes of Naseeruddin Shah, take quizzes and chuckle over jokes from Tinkle.

Vodafone LIVE! provides customers with an opportunity to read entire Amar Chitra Katha comics, listen to popular stories, and download ringtones and wallpapers of their favourite characters on their cellphones. In addition, Vodafone customers can play mobile games like Shikari Shambhu Jungle Trouble and Bheema-The Asura Temple from a selection based on various Amar Chitra Katha characters such as Arjun and Bheema as well as those based on popular Tinkle characters like Suppandi and Shikari Shambhu.

Vodafone customers need to dial 567607 from their mobile phone to enter the world of Amar Chitra Katha at a subscription charge of Rs 30/month. While Vodafone Live provides access to a lot of free content, Vodafone customers can also download various services at charges varying from Rs 5 for Videos to Rs 15 for Ringtones and Rs 50 for Games.

Harit Nagpal, Marketing and New Business, Director at Vodafone Essar said, “We have all been exposed to and influenced by Amar Chitra Katha characters at some point in our lives. Vodafone is delighted to recreate the experience on the mobile screen and take it beyond to the interactive level for our customers. ”

Speaking at the launch, Samir Patil, Founder and CEO of ACK Media said, "We are very excited to launch Amar Chitra Katha for mobile phones. With a fast growing 350 million plus subscriber’s base, cell phones today have as big a reach as broadcast TV. For content owners like us it is critical therefore to not merely repurpose print products, but to create entirely new offerings that are tailored to the interactive potential of this medium. With this launch of wide range of ACK games, wall papers, audio stories, and comics, we have taken an important first step”.

Say Good Bye to headsets as LG launches its first Intenna FM Radio phones, LG GB110 and LG GB106

New Delhi, Feb 20, 2009: LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd. (LGEIL), announced the launch of its first mobile phones with Intenna FM radio for India today. These new models, LG GB110 and LG GB106 are bundled as an entertainment package expunging the need to attach headset while listening to FM Radio. These handsets are based on a very strong consumer insight that people are unable to use their FM radio in phone in case they loose their headphone. This feature eliminates the hassle attached with using a headphone. Designed to deliver a credible radio-listening experience, the phones score high on offering complete entertainment to its customers on the move.

Equipped with Intenna FM Radio, now one can listen to unlimited songs, tune into favourite music shows, sport reports, updates and other information without adding headset to the phone. Backed up with the talktime of upto 10 hours and 600 hrs standby time for GB106 and 440 hrs standby time for GB110. By adding the most innovative feature, LG GSM has ensured that users can always have access to their favourite channel of infotainment. LG GB110 and GB 106 also sport all desirable features at an affordable price that makes them a suitable choice for any mobile user.

New Delhi, Feb 20, 2009: LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd. (LGEIL), announced the launch of its first mobile phones with Intenna FM radio for India today. These new models, LG GB110 and LG GB106 are bundled as an entertainment package expunging the need to attach headset while listening to FM Radio. These handsets are based on a very strong consumer insight that people are unable to use their FM radio in phone in case they loose their headphone. This feature eliminates the hassle attached with using a headphone. Designed to deliver a credible radio-listening experience, the phones score high on offering complete entertainment to its customers on the move.


Equipped with Intenna FM Radio, now one can listen to unlimited songs, tune into favourite music shows, sport reports, updates and other information without adding headset to the phone. Backed up with the talktime of upto 10 hours and 600 hrs standby time for GB106 and 440 hrs standby time for GB110. By adding the most innovative feature, LG GSM has ensured that users can always have access to their favourite channel of infotainment. LG GB110 and GB 106 also sport all desirable features at an affordable price that makes them a suitable choice for any mobile user.


Mr Anil Arora, Business Group Marketing Head, Mobile Communication, LG Electronics Pvt Ltd. said, “We are happy to launch LG GB110 and LG GB 106 which offer a completely new experience to its users.GB 110 comes in attractive brown colour. These powerful but affordable mobile sets offer mobile music on the move. At LG, we lay emphasis on understanding the customer needs and work towards meeting their expectations through our new offerings. This launch is in line with our philosophy of providing the best to our customers. I am positive that with the key feature of Intenna FM, these handsets will catch on everyone’s attention and be well accepted.”


Both the handsets are packed with extremely strong battery that gives upto 10 hrs talktime, 1.5” color display, extensive phonebook memory and a stylish leatherite carry pouch to save the phones from scratches. While the LG GB106 packs in an anti theft mobile tracker, the LG GB110 comes up with additional features like a VGA camera, a micro SD card slot of 1 GB which gives consumer freedom to store songs, images etc and an expandable memory of upto 2 GB and MP3 full song play back.


Available in two colors – black and grey, the LG GB110 is priced at Rs 3100/- and GB106 is priced at Rs 2100/- only.

LG’s uber cool phones for the youth

New Delhi, Feb 19, 2009: LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd. (LGEIL) is all set to strike a cord with the young at heart yet again with the launch of its three new, exciting and contemporary mobile phones – KS360, KM710 and KF300. The sleek QWERTY slider phone - KS360, the music phone - KM710 and a fashion phone with an external LCD display - KF300 will surely excite the next-gen.

Riding on their features, these uniquely stylish phones will enhance and enrich the music, imaging and slider experience of young Indian consumers. The handsets are packed with all elements that one might require to stay in constant touch with friends via phone calls or SMS, listen to the favourite numbers, games to play at leisure, capture life’s beautiful and unexpected moments or to make a style statement. Bundled with these impressive features, the aesthetically designed cell phones offer a perfect option for the youngsters today. Apart from being trendy cool gadgets, the features of the phones also assist in meeting with professional objectives with its web functions.

Expressing his views, Mr. Anil Arora, Business Group Marketing Head, Mobile Communication, LG Electronics Pvt Ltd said, “At LG, we understand that todays mobile phones have transcended from their functional use and become a style statement. We work towards to meet the growing demand of the new world with our innovative and latest world class products at affordable prices. With the launch of these three phones, we are offering perfect options for youth. These phones are packed with dynamic features to meet the needs of today’s generation. We are confident that our new offering will be well accepted and live up to the expectations of the consumers.”

Experience QWERTY with KS360

KS360 is packed with 2.4” touch screen dialling, a sliding keypad with QWERTY keypad and a plethora of entertainment options, an internal memory of 14 MB and an external memory of 2GB micro SD cards to create your favorite music list what more the phone comes bundled with a 1Gb card to build up images and store videos.

KS 360 offers great convenience to consumers to type SMS quickly and also has threaded message feature where SMS conversations appear as treaded messages.

KS360 offers group messaging of upto 100 contacts with supported languages of English and Hindi ensuring that you are never too away from your friends. The phone has embedded applications like Yahoo search, NDTV active, USB charging, document viewer and many more. And this wasn’t enough; this perfect mobile for the next generation also has an Anti-theft Mobile Tracker that eases out tracking of the lost mobile.

Build your passion for Music with KM710

KM710 is an ultimate portable music phone with music control key on visual wheel which render liveliness to the phone while playing music or using camera or other features of the phone. The handset has an interactive dual display and is also touch sensitive dynamic. With a digital zoom 4X, a 3 mega-pixel camera and video recording, the phone can capture continuous shots. LG KM710 has a vast memory package extending upto 4GB with an internal memory of 15 MB with 1 GB bundled memory. Banking on audio and animation, the phone fits well in the best buyer phone for its extensive features and added benefits.

KF300 enhances the looks with its laser cut design and large LCD

Making it more impressive in looks, LG KF300 is presented in a laser cut design with an external LCD. The phone has 2.2” QVGA display screen with a large keypad making it convenient for typing SMS or calling. It also has a variable font size, mobile tracker and an internal memory of upto 14MB. KF300 packs in 4 hot keys for putting on an alarm, schedule, and view photo album and add anything to favourite. Only 98grams in weight, the phone has a 2 mega-pixel camera, FM, MP3, Bluetooth and talktime of upto 5 hours. With variable font size it s convenient to use for all and offers easy usability for the

Complementing the personality of the users by providing a peerless experience, LG KS360, KM710 and KF300 are available at all retail outlets. LG KS360 is priced at Rs 11,500/- (MRP) and comes in stylish black and grey color, KM710 is priced at Rs 12,500/- (MRP) and is available in black color and LG KF300, priced at Rs 8500/- (MRP).

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About LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd.

LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of LG Electronics, South Korea was established in January 1997 in India. It is one of the most formidable brands in consumer electronics, home appliances, IT hardware and mobile communications space. In India for a decade, LG has earned a premium brand positioning and is the acknowledged trendsetter for the industry.

LGEIL has achieved a turnover of Rs 10,730 crore in 2008. LGEIL's manufacturing unit at Greater Noida is one of the most eco-friendly units among all LG manufacturing plants in the world. The second Greenfield facility is located at Ranjangaon; Pune has the capacity to manufacture GSM Phones, Colour Televisions, Air Conditioners, LCD TVs, washing machine, refrigerators and Optical Disc Drives. This is India's first mobile phone manufacturing unit and also Asia's largest Optical Disc Drive manufacturing plant.

Mobile phone showcase reveals trends to watch

BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) — The mobile phone industry's biggest trade show wrapped up Thursday after four days that delivered exciting news for technophiles, average phone users and even environmentalists.

Mobile World Congress brought its usual flurry of demonstrations and announcements that revealed the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead.

"The thing that made the biggest noise this year was application stores," Jeremy Green, head mobile analyst at research consultancy Ovum, told AFP. "You weren't there if you didn't have an application store."

This avalanche was triggered by US technology group Apple, which succeeded in being the most talked about company here even though, as usual, it did not attend.

Apple launched its "AppStore" last year, which enables users of the top-selling iPhone to download extra applications that personalise the handset and increase its usefulness.

"Apple wasn't here, but there was a big shadow," said Roberta Cozza, an analyst for research group Gartner. "You heard people talking about the iPhone all the time."

What many hope is that in a few years time the iPhone comes to be seen as a watershed moment when consumers realised they could use a mobile phone like a portable computer.

This will drive demand for Internet services, which will open up the mobile advertising market, but also applications for services such as maps, news, games or social networking.

With Apple out in front, the industry is playing catch up. Handset manufacturer Nokia, operators T-Mobile, Orange and Telefonica, and software group Microsoft all announced their versions of the "AppStore" this week.

"While a couple of years ago, the 'wow factor' of a device was the hardware features and the technology ... now it is the applications and the services," added Cozza. "Apple has shown the world what can be done on a smart phone."

Most of the new phones showcased by other manufacturers here mimicked the iPhones touch-screen controls and the marketing emphasised the ease-of-use.

The event was also important to test the mood of an industry that has begun to show the strains of the global financial crisis, with manufacturers Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and Alcatel-Lucent shedding staff.

"It's an industry in defiance against a recession," said analyst Nick Lane from British telecom consultancy Direct2 Mobile. "Everyone I spoke to was saying infrastructure spending won't be reduced and consumer spend won't be down too much.

A number of chief executives pleaded for government action to encourage investment in networks, saying the mobile telecom industry could help pull countries out of recession.

Elsewhere, there was good news for anyone with a surplus of old phone chargers in his or her home.

Leading manufacturers announced an initiative to produce a standard charger that would fit all phones by 2012 in a step set to reduce waste and increase convenience.

"I have a drawer full of old chargers," joked actor Kevin Spacey on Thursday, hailing the news during a presentation of mobile phone film awards Mofilm here.

"It's funny that it's taken 20 years to get there," noted Ovum analyst Green.

Solar power is also set to make a key breakthrough this year, with several phones on their way to the market.

Chinese group ZTE unveiled the world's first low-cost solar-powered mobile phone targeted at the world's poor on Wednesday, which is to go on sale in June for under 40 dollars (32 euros).

South Korean manufacturer Samsung also unveiled its solar-powered "Blue Earth" phone that is to go on sale later this year aimed at eco-conscious consumers in the developed world.

With demand for sophisticated handsets in the developed world set to soar according to analysts, the market is drawing in new entrants from the computer world.

Taiwan-based computer manufacturer Acer revealed its first range of phones here, following compatriot Asus and Japan's Toshiba into the business.

Also in the handset market, there was progress for Internet giant Google, which is seeking to establish its software Android as a standard for mobile phone operating systems.

Taiwan's HTC unveiled an Android phone called the HTC Magic and Chinese manufacturer Huawei showcased its first mobile phone based on the technology, meaning there are at least three "Google" phones now developed.

Social Networks Cozy Up to Smartphones

Move would eliminate preloading and software downloading for handset users.

Social networking player Facebook is reportedly talking with smartphone maker Nokia about integrating site access into the handset maker's mobile device operating system.

Such integration would let users interact with Facebook friends without having to log-in at Facebook and let users bypass the work of downloading software now needed for mobile device access.

According to a Wall Street Journal report Thursday, there are no details on Nokia devices under consideration or what the financial agreement might be. The Journal also said Facebook is working with Palm on integrating social network capabilities into its new WebOS platform, and talking to Motorola about device integration as well.

The news comes as popularity of social networks continues to soar and the battle big competitors Facebook and competitor MySpace rages on.

Last Spring Facebook overtook MySpace as the world's biggest social network. A report from online metrics firm comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR) in August revealed that social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Orkut, Bebo and Hi5 collectively saw their traffic rise by 25 percent between June 2007 and June 2008. The report revealed Facebook posted 153 percent growth in unique visitors in that period while MySpace grew just 3 percent.

It also comes as smartphone players strive to differentiate handsets and functionalities in light of intense market competition. Nokia launched a slew of high-priced smartphone handsets in 2008, many with a music-centric focus, following Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) winning strategy with its iPhone.

Last October Nokia debuted what analysts viewed as its top iPhone contender, a touchscreen-based, music-centric smartphone called 5800 XpressMusic. The vendor also launched a free music download service.

Social networks plans

According to the Journal Nokia is also considering building its own social networking site.

Nokia declined to comment on the reported Facebook talks and its social platform plans.

"Nokia doesn't comment on market rumor and speculation," Nokia spokesperson Laurie Armstrong told InternetNews.com.

Facebook and Palm did not respond to media inquiries by press time. Motorola spokesperson Jennifer Weyrauch-Erickson told InternetNews.com "it does not comment on rumor."

MySpace.com told InternetNews.com it is exploring having platform access built into smartphones but declined to elaborate on specifics. MySpace is owned by News Corp., which also owns Dow Jones, publisher of The Wall Street Journal.

"Our goal is to have MySpace be a ubiquitous experience for mobile users and we're making inroads in that goal," a spokesperson said. "We're working closely with handset makers and carriers to have that functionality in the future."

But integrating Web sites into mobile device systems brings a slew of sensitive issues into play.

Nokia reportedly doesn't want Facebook to have the capability to access user information stored on on the device such as browsing activity or online shopping data.

Currently mobile device users access social networking sites by either preloaded applications on handsets provided by carriers, or by downloading software from the networking sites or third-party developers.

The quest to make social network interaction even easier on the mobile user end can clearly pay off.

In October 2008 MySpace launched its BlackBerry application and saw 400,000 downloads in the first week. According to MySpace it represented an all-time high for both MySpace and BlackBerry maker Research in Motion in terms of first week application downloads.

Facebook also built a specific application for the BlackBerry last year but mobile user response wasn’t nearly as high as quickly, though they did ramp up.

Facebook downloads on BlackBerry devices surpassed the million mark after five months.

MySpace has also worked with Danger to design an application for the T-Mobile Sidekick and has also built applications specific for the Android open source platform and Apple's iPhone.

"We have been in the business of preloading since early 2007, when AT&T preloaded our Java application on upwards of 50 devices," a Facebook spokesperson said.

"We believe an application lends itself to a more personal experience and allows for more functionality and deeper integration."

TAGS: Facebook, iPhone, Blackberry, MySpace, Nokia

Can I use a mobile phone in hospital?

Following recent pressure from the government, some hospitals have relaxed the total ban on using mobile phones. However, different hospitals still have varied rules regarding mobile phone use, so you should always check before using your phone.

Mobile phones can sometimes cause disruption in hospitals. Their ring tones, and the resulting conversation, can disturb other patients who may be resting. Phone conversations may also interfere with important healthcare discussions between professionals and patients.

Loud ring tones and alarms could be confused with alarms on medical equipment, and as mobile phones emit electromagnetic signals, they could also interfere with medical devices.

Therefore, some restrictions are necessary to limit the risk to critical medical equipment. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recommend that it is down to the individual hospital, or Primary Care Trust (PCT), to develop rules as to where mobile phones may or may not be used.

There is also an issue surrounding the use of camera phones breaching patient confidentiality. Patients and visitors should always respect the rules of the hospital they are in, and take the needs of staff and other patients into consideration when using mobile phones.

Posters around the hospital will tell you where you may or may not use your mobile phone. If you need to make a call or send a text message, make sure that you go to an area where mobile phone use is allowed. Ask a member of staff at your hospital if you are unsure where you can use your mobile phone.

Airtel iPhone on installments too

A few days after news of Vodafone trying to sell the iPhone 3G on installments came through, Airtel is using the same strategy.

Airtel in partnership with VISA, will offer easy finance options to VISA cardholders of four major banks for purchasing the Apple iPhone 3G.

"For consumers who aspire to own the iPhone 3G, VISA will offer easy financing options for all VISA cardholders of ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, SBI Cards and Citibank," Bharti Airtel's chief marketing officer (mobile services) Sanjay Gupta said in a statement.

The handsets can be acquired on monthly installments for periods ranging from nine to 24 months, depending on the bank and the option on offer.

iPhone 3G is priced at Rs 31,000 for 8GB and Rs 36,100 for the 16GB version and is available in two colours -- black and white.

"Such initiatives will further widen the market of iPhone 3G in India", he added.