NABARD to fund Orissa Rural Infrastructure Development Fund project

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will provide additional Rs 200 crore to the government of Orissa under the Orissa Rural Infrastructure Development Fund project. The fund will be utilized for the rural road connectivity and infrastructure development in the state.

Earlier, NABARD had given Rs 700 crore under this project. It is reported that the state was able to spend only 48 per cent of the fund received the rural infrastructure development fund.

Considering the additional allocation by NABARD, the Development Commissioner TK Mishra has reviewed the development of various programmes started under the rural infrastructure development fund on Monday.

Himachal plan size Rs. 406 crore for NABARD-RIDF schemes

Shimla: On the second day of two-day-long high level meeting convened to finalise the draft annual plan for the next financial year to be proposed to the Planning Commission of India for its approval, Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal while addressing the MLAs representing Kangra, Kullu, Una, Hamirpur, Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti districts to discuss their developmental priorities for respective constituencies revealed to enhance the NABARD-RIDF schemes by 35 percent from Rs. 300 crore for the year 2007-08 to Rs. 406 crore for current financial year.

The NABARD-RIDF financing schemes limit had been enhanced to give renewed momentum to various developmental activities uniformally all-over the State. He said that by giving priority to developmental schemes the funding limit had also been enhanced by about 35 percent. He said that the State Government had successfully got approved schemes valued at Rs. 374.76 crore till 31st of December, 2008 and the remaining amount of about Rs. 31 crore would also be realised during remaining period of current financial year, he said.

He said that top priority would be given to preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs) so that the same could be posed for funding to NABARD and major developmental policy of the State Government was to increase employment opportunities for educated youth

Rs.1,750-cr. package for primary agricultural cooperative societies

CHENNAI: A revival package of about Rs.1,750 crore has been worked out for around 4,110 primary agricultural cooperative societies (PACS) in the State.

While the Centre will bear 75 per cent of the total assistance amount, the State and the PACS will meet the rest. The package has been finalised as a sequel to the State’s decision to implement the recommendations of the Vaidyanathan Task Force.

The Centre’s share will be released through the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). In January last year, the State government and the NABARD signed a memorandum of understanding to implement the Task Force’s recommendations.

To get the share of the Union government, the State is required to contribute its part. On Wednesday, the State government sanctioned Rs.207.51 crore.

The total assistance amount of Rs.1,748.99 crore was finalised at a State-level Implementing and Monitoring Committee meeting last month. This would cover 4,111 PACS affiliated to 22 District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs).

[Formed by the Centre in August 2004, the Vaidyanathan Task Force submitted its report on the short-term rural credit cooperative structure in February 2005. It presented its report for the revival of the long-term credit cooperative structure in August 2006.]

The committee’s decision was based on the proposals of the district-level panels, which were framed subsequent to special audit of 4,337 PACS. However, only 4,111 societies were eligible for the assistance. Of the total amount, the share of the Centre would be Rs.1,344.53 crore; State government – Rs. 207.51 and PACS – Rs. 196.95 crore. In view of the stipulation that the Centre would release 25 per cent of its share only after the State government met all its commitments including holding the elections to cooperative bodies, the State-level committee, at its meeting, approved an amount of Rs.1,008.4 crore as the share of the Union government.As part of the implementation of the recommendations, the State government had also provided a legal framework, providing functional autonomy to societies.

In respect of the polls to cooperative bodies, there is a case pending before the Supreme Court. The government action will depend upon the court verdict.

NABARD hopeful of achieving target: Karmakar

Mumbai (PTI): National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)on Thursday said that despite some slow down in recovery, it was hopeful of achieving the budgetary target of Rs 2,80,000—crore farm loan for 2008—09.

"Our target for the current fiscal is Rs 2,80,000—crore. We have achieved estimated Rs 1,96,000—crore (till December 31), and we are hopeful of meeting this target," NABARD's Managing Director, K G Karmakar, told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

He said, the slow down in the recovery is due to the debt waiver sceheme.

"We are expecting some recovery from the banks", he said.

In the previous fiscal, Nabard refinanced farm loan worth Rs 2,41,000 crore, exceeding the target of Rs 2,25,000 crore, Karmakar said.

Mughal Gardens to open for public from February 7

New Delhi, Feb 3 (ANI): The Mughal Garden of Rashtrapati Bhavan will be opened for public viewing this year from February 7 to March 10.

The gardens will be open to the general public on all days 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Mondays being maintenance days and on March 11 the day of the Holi Festival.

The entry into the gardens will close at 4 p.m. through Gate No.35, which is located near North Avenue.

During the period when the Gardens will remain open, the newly developed ‘Nature Trail’ in the President’s Estate shall remain closed for the public.

The Mughal Gardens include the Musical Garden, the Spiritual Garden, the Herbal Garden, the Biodiversity Park and the Nakshatra Garden.

The Mughal Gardens, contiguous to the main building of Rashtrapati Bhavan cover an area of 15 acres. Sir Edwin Lutyens designed the beautiful gardens.

The Rectangular Garden adjacent to the main Rashtrapati Bhavan building is divided into four quarters, each with terraced gardens on either side.

Happiness, Newbies, and INTACH walks

I'm feeling very happy right now. I want to hug the world.
The last date for tax declarations on the payroll system has just got extended. Also, my boss is out of the country.
Therefore I shall dispense some free advice to Delhi newbies:

Newbies and weekend-trippers: before you head off to Agra and Jaipur, which are actually poor cousins of this greatest of cities, go on a guided walk. INTACH (google the organisation if you want to know who they are) organises these for a small charge (50 bucks a head, entrance fees extra). The only drawback is, the guide is not a trained historian, but a volunteer who has generally picked up a smattering here and a spattering there. But it's better than going alone, or trusting yourself to a 'professional guide'.

In the pursuit of love

The day created to market flowers, heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, jewelry, and other consumer items to prove that your love is real.

The ads will be out, convincing you - if they haven't already - that it might be the perfect day to buy that Maserati, that it's absolutely imperative to send the dozen roses, or you must buy the earrings from Tiffany's.

Actually, Valentine's Day can be spent without breaking the bank. Really, the most important part of it is the thought that goes into it.

Do you remember the place where you first met? Do you remember what made him or her laugh on the first date? Did you send the kind of flowers that she likes (it's not always a dozen red roses). Be creative.

Can you write a poem? Compose a song and sing it?

If you're not poetically inclined, try borrowing a love quote - there's a plethora of these for free online - www.lovepoemsandquotes.com. Really, though, your own words are best. If you can't sing, but try anyways, you'll get points.

Some low-cost romantic suggestions for Valentine's, which falls conveniently on a Saturday this year:

» Pick up some gourmet items at Kapiolani Community College farmer's market in the morning and have a sunset picnic.

» Take a stroll through Foster Botanical Garden (admission is $3 for Hawaii residents). You also can picnic on the main lawn. Hawaii is home to several other botanical gardens (Koko Crater, Hoomaluhia and Wahiawa, for instance) that are free.

» Try spending an afternoon at one of the museums. If you're in your 20s, admission is free at the Contemporary Museum in Makiki Heights with an ID. At the Honolulu Academy of Arts, you can see the Imperial Mughal Albums now on view in the Henry Luce Gallery. General admission is $10, $5 for seniors and military, free for members and teachers.

» Weather permitting, take a moonlight stroll or hike up to a summit to gaze at the stars. The full moon falls on Feb. 9.

Restaurants are putting out their Valentine's Day menus, some for the entire weekend. There always will be favorites like Alan Wong's and Michel's at Colony Surf.

But there also are plenty of wining and dining choices for less than $150 - and no, we're not talking about Denny's.

Hiroshi and Vino at Restaurant Row offer five-course Valentine's Day meals for about $55. Brasserie Du Vin on Bethel Street will offer the chef's special menu for $40, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations recommended.

Revisit Waikiki and play tourist at some of the new restaurants, now that it's considerably less crowded. Some places, like the Shore Bird, are offering free valet parking for the month.

For another twist, celebrate Valentine's on a day other than the actual day (romance is, after all, important throughout the year, not just on one day) while making sure he or she knows you didn't forget. It might be less crowded and easier to find parking.

Many restaurants, such as Baci Bistro in Kailua, are offering 25 percent off all food and drinks Monday nights.

It's nice to have a day to remind us to celebrate love. Whatever you do, though, don't pull out any coupons in front of your date.

Mughal Gardens to open for public from February 7

New Delhi, Feb 3 (ANI): The Mughal Garden of Rashtrapati Bhavan will be opened for public viewing this year from February 7 to March 10.

The gardens will be open to the general public on all days 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Mondays being maintenance days and on March 11 the day of the Holi Festival.

The entry into the gardens will close at 4 p.m. through Gate No.35, which is located near North Avenue.

During the period when the Gardens will remain open, the newly developed Nature Trail in the Presidents Estate shall remain closed for the public.

The Mughal Gardens include the Musical Garden, the Spiritual Garden, the Herbal Garden, the Biodiversity Park and the Nakshatra Garden. The Mughal Gardens, contiguous to the main building of Rashtrapati Bhavan cover an area of 15 acres. Sir Edwin Lutyens designed the beautiful gardens.

The Rectangular Garden adjacent to the main Rashtrapati Bhavan building is divided into four quarters, each with terraced gardens on either side.

The Central Lawn is the venue of numerous receptions and ”At Homes” hosted by the President. (ANI)

Mughal Gardens Open For Public

The public will be allowed to view the exotic Mughal Garden of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The gardens will be open from February 7 to March 10 this year on all days between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, the the public viewing will be shut on Mondays due to maintenance and on Holi.

The entry will be from gate number 35 of the gardens that is situated near the North Avenue. However, the newly constructed 'Nature Trail' in the President's Estate will not be available for the public viewing.

	The historic gardens includes Musical Garden, the Spiritual Garden, the Herbal Garden

The historic gardens includes Musical Garden, the Spiritual Garden, the Herbal Garden, the Biodiversity Park and the Nakshatra Garden. Total area covered is 15 acres and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

The gardens situated adjacent to the main Rashtrapati Bhavan building is partitioned in to four prominent quarters each with terraced gardens on either side. The Central Lawn serves as the venue for numerous 'At Homes' hosted by the President. AGENCIES

Presidential gardens: A tale of roses and climate change

New Delhi (IANS): Spring has tiptoed into the capital with its riot of blossoms despite the shadow of changing climate. The gardens of the Rashtrapati Bhavan - Mughal Garden, Spiritual Garden, Herbal Garden and Bio-Diversity Park - have opened their green doors to visitors.

The parks of the presidential palace, which opened Saturday, will flaunt their colourful treasures till March 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., barring Monday.

The theme this year at the Mughal Garden - the star of the green lungs surrounding the imposing Rashtrapati Bhavan and its adjacent government power hubs - is roses.

Three new varieties, the Frantasia or the blue rose, Oaklahoma or the black rose and the red rose variety of Amalia are being billed as the jewels of the garden.

"Apart from the blue and the black roses, two other varieties, Pasadena (orange) and Queen Elizabeth (yellow and white), are also in full bloom," Christy Fernandes, secretary to President Pratibha Patil, told the media at an special preview of the garden Friday evening.

But behind the brilliance of flowers and the flood of green, lurks an apprehension. The keepers of the immaculately landscaped gardens are finding it difficult to beat the fluctuating winter temperatures - which may have been brought about global warming.

The fickle mercury has taken a toll on some of the blooms - especially the tulips and some seasonal flowers, whose growth have been stunted. Officials fear that may not be able to nurture the flowers for a long period of time because of premature withering.

"The weather has taken its toll on the tulips, they are less intense. In fact, we have just managed to grow one bed of tulips and they are smaller," Fernandes said.

According to Nigam Prakash Semwal, officer on special duty (OSD) for horticulture at the president's estate, the flowers bloom in phases when winter sets in gradually.

"The buds open up slowly and blossom over a longer period of time. But the intense and shorter spell of winter this year caused all the flowers to bloom in one go. This might lead them to wither before schedule," said Semwal.

The gardens showcase 125 varieties of roses and 50 seasonal blooms. Spread across 15 acres, the Mughal Garden was designed by Sir Edward Lutyens in the 1940s - who was inspired by the beautiful gardens of Jammu and Kashmir, the landscaped acres around the Taj Mahal and the Persian miniature paintings. The Rashtrapati Bhavan used to be the British viceroy's residence during the days of the Raj.

The garden is laid out three tiers. The large rectangular garden adjacent to the main Rashtrapati Bhavan building with its terraced flanks makes for the Long Garden at the centre.

The Long Garden is a landscaped length of rose beds with an arched passageway that opens out a multi-level circular garden or the butterfly garden with a fountain. The Long Garden or the Purdah Garden is the official rose archive while the circular garden is dedicated to the seasonal blooms.

The roses - mostly in combinations of white, red, sunset, yellow, orange and pink - boast of exotic Christian names. Consequently, Adora and Christian Dior vie with Mrinalini, Amalia and Nargis for the attention of John F. Kennedy, Mr Lincoln, Virgo and The Chinaman even as Folklore, Modern Art and the Taj Mahal give them company.

Each variety is different from the other. While Pusa Pitambar perks up as a petite yellow rose, rimmed with a delicate shade of pink, the vibrant Landora Rose is canary yellow with big petals. The Dori's Tysterman is a blend of orange, yellow and dusty vermillion.

The blue rose or Frantasia is an eclectic shade of purple and blue while the black rose or Oaklahoma is inky red shaded in swathes of black.

"Roses require more attention than the seasonal flowers - almost round-the-clock tending. The seasonal flowers are," Semwal said.

The officials are expecting more footfalls this year.

"Last year, we recorded 537,000 visitors. The highest was 78,000 on a particular day. This year, we expect more people has we have added new varieties of flowers and have introduced new utility services, including a nature trail every Saturday," the president's secretary said.

Several new features are on the cards. "We are exploring the contours of the rock formations to find out what kind of a garden will be the most suitable," Fernandes said.

The garden and its adjoining green acres are a self-contained green township. Last year, the garden management built launched the Roshni (eco-friendly power) programme and an income-generating waste management scheme managed by the self-help groups of local women.

"We are also introducing a solar lighting scheme estimated Rs.30 million under which all the lamps operated by electricity will be replaced by solar lamps. The ministry of energy has approved the project," added Fernandes.

DEV D

Tracks From The Soundtrack:


1.Aankh Micholi
2.Dev Chanda Themes 2
3.Dhol Yaara Dhol
4.Dil Mein Jaagi
5.Duniya
6.Ek Hulchul Si
7.Emosanal Attyachar
8.Attyachar - Rock Version
9.Hikknaal
10.Dev Chanda Themes 1
11.Mahi Mennu
12.Mahi Mennu - Sad Version
13.Nayan Tarse
14.Payaaliya
15.Pardesi
16.Ranjhana
17.Saali Khushi
18.Yehi Meri Zindagi

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 [2009 BETA] | PC Game

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 [2009 BETA] | PC Game | Genre: Strategy / RPG
Developer: Relic Entertainment | Publisher: THQ | Language: English

A world where war does not stop at any moment many thousands of years, giant fighting robots fry of flame dark witches, and the local kosmodesant Knives prefers chainsaws - Warhammer universe in all its glory, in the new strategic hite Welcome to the studio Relic.

Dobro 41 nd millennium, in which there is only war. But most importantly, welcome to the future strategies of real time. Warhammer ® 40 000 ™: Dawn of War ® II, developed awarded numerous awards famous studio Relic Entertainment, opens a new chapter in the well-known series of strategies for real-time. The player is back on the battlefield and lead an elite squad, a task which, no less - to save the entire galaxy.

Features:
✔ massive single campaign - immediately attack the enemy or to reply to it grueling counterattack. Your tactical decisions determine the fate of billions of creatures.
✔ The four unique races - Keep your Kosmodesantnikov, orcs, Eldarov Tiranid or in network battles and expand their amazing abilities and weapons.
✔ Continuous development - Your Kosmodesantniki will continually evolve and get new levels, and with them - skills and ability to use unique weaponry and equipment from the huge set, presented in the game.
✔ The revolutionary graphics technology - Open the world of Warhammer 40 000 with an entirely new party. Graphic Engine Essence Engine 2.0 Relic Entertainment to bring you an unprecedented strategy in real time the level of special effects and graphical detail.




Language: English (Inglês)
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• CPU: Intel 3.2 GHz / AMD Athlon64 3200 + / Intel Core (or Pentium D) 2.0 GHz or faster
• Memory: 1 GB of RAM (Windows (R) XP) or 1.5 GB RAM (Vista
• Video: Video card with support for shader 3.0 (NVIDIA 6600GT 128 MB / ATI X1600 128 MB) with the latest drivers from the manufacturer
• Free space: 5.5 GB free hard disk space
• Audio: Sound card compatible with DirectX (R) 9.0c

Note: For the game you want to connect to the Internet. Online Account Steam. Local profile of Games For Windows (R) Live

Download Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 (Size: 2,35 GB)

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Nokia 5800: Over one million

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic came a bit later and a bit higher price than originally announced by the manufacturer, but it seems that this had no influence on its success. The first touchscreen Finnish musical phone is not yet available worldwide, but the first one million copies have already been sold, one month after the launch. In Germany and England sales have started only two weeks ago, but according to the first news there is a huge success expected, as it is a free phone at most network operators, or it can be taken for a couple of cents. Even in spite of the recession in England, there have been 150 customers waiting in front of the Nokia shop in London early in the morning to be the first to own the Finnish phone. Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, having a really agressive ad campaign, features a 3.2", 640 x 360 pixels large touchscreen display, a 3.2 megapixel atuofocus camera, GPS, WLAN, stereo Bluetooth, a gyroscope, distance measurement and light sensor, HSDPA support, stereo speakers, a 3.5 mm jack, TV-out and a user interface that is easy to use with a finger. The package includes an 8 GB memory card, USB and TV cable, a stereo headset with remote, a wristband, a pick, a backup stylus and a soft carrying case.

Samsung Acme i8910 runs on Symbian S60 5th Edition, records HD at 720p, dies within 40 mins

Samsung Acme i8910, the touchscreen handset that appeared yesterday in a couple of pictures, has now showed up once again on the Web, this time in high-quality shots and with more details on its specs.

It turns out that the Acme i8910 is a smartphone running on Symbian S60 5th Edition, thus being the third device to come with this OS, after Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and Nokia N97.

The Acme i8910 looks sleeker than both N97 and 5800 (in my eyes at least), so it will probably be a tough competitor for these Nokia handsets.

(Samsung Acme i8910 vs. BlackBerry Storm)

Apart from the S60 5th Edition platform, the known features of Samsung Acme include:

• A wide touchscreen display - it’s not clear yet of what resolution
• Wi-Fi and DNLA
• GPS
• 8MP camera with flash and HD video recording
• DivX support
• HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) support
• And a 3.5mm headset jack

And one more (maybe) super cool thing. Samsung Acme i8910 can record video at 720p HD resolution!! Eldar says he tried it on Acme, and the clip was recorded and played on his TV at 720p, no problem…

But his phone battery died within 40 minutes while recording, which ain’t that cool…

No official details about the i8910 yet, but let’s hope Samsung will announce it at MWC 2009.

Via Daily Mobile

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Nokia E75 – best proof yet

The Nokia E75 is a device that Nokia tells us doesn’t exist but still manages to cause a stir whenever it’s mentioned. The internet right now has more photos of the as-yet-unannounced device, courtesy of Vietnamese website Sohoa. The sleek lines and the consumer look of this smartphone pushes the Eseries in a whole new direction, making this a device we’re adding to our ‘must own’ list.

The latest images certainly look compelling and make for a great read this Friday. Other things happening in the world over Nokia in the last 24 hours include a firmware update for the Nokia 5800 and if you’ve still not bought your 5800 yet then we have possibly the best Nokia 5800 free deal yet.

Nokia E75 – real shots?
With the Mobile World Congress now just 10 days away it seems a fair bet that Nokia will be unveiling the Nokia E75 officially in Barcelona. However, it’s not stopped what appear to be the best pics yet of the device from circulating. Slashgear and BoyGeniusReport have both posted up pics, along with ‘known’ facts about the device.

To recap, the Nokia E75 is expected to be a mid-range S60 device, with full QWERTY keyboard, a 2.4-inch display that supports 240 x 320 pixels. Being an S60 device we’re expecting HSDPA as standard, as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Reports state there will be a 3.2-megapixel camera as well as A-GPS built-in.

If it is announced in Barcelona on the 16th Feb then we could well see a quick release. Apparently, this isn’t intended to be a high-end device like the Nokia N97, so we’re expecting a highly competitive entry price. Could this be the Eseries Nok of 2009?

Nokia 5800 gets firmware update
The guys over at The S60 Blog have got wind that the Nokia 5800 has been given an update to version 11.0.009, making this the second update of the year. The patch isn’t available using OTA, which as they point out would make these updates easier to handle, as you’ll need to go to Nokia Updater page to get yourself the update. No news at present of what the Nokai 5800 update offers.

DOWNLOAD Nokia 5800 firmware update

Nokia 5800 and a free Wii?
Still looking for the best Nokia 5800 deal around? Well, if you’re a heavy data user then we think we may have found a good contender, as mobidom is promoting an amazing deal that gets you the 5800 plus a Nintendo Wii and Wii Fit. Orange Panther 55 is offering unlimited texts, 1800 cross-network minutes and 500MB of internet access a month for the sum of £53.83 a month. This is for the 18 month contract? They’ll even through the Wii and Wii Fit in for free.

BBC iPlayer now seems official
We reported last week that we’d spotted the BBC iPlayer on the Download section of our Nokia 5800 and had been testing it out. Well it seems to have been gathering quite a bit of support as it’s now being officially endorsed. Over at Dreamstrikes they’re outlining what the service has to offer and even illustrating the piece with one of the pictures from NokNok. See BBC iPlayer and my 5800 for yourself.

Review: Nokia 5800 XpressMusic

PureMobile sent us in the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic for a review, the first Symbian OS smartphone with S60 5.0 in it to date. This impressive-looking smartphone looks like a darling touchscreen phone, but is it really? Read on for more.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is a quad-GSM/EDGE smartphone, with support for HSDPA at either 900/2100 (EUR/World) or 850/1900 (US/CAN). The version we received for the review is the world version, so we couldn't test its 3G ability here in the US. The handset sports a 3.2" 16 million 360x640 touchscreen TFT LCD, a proximity sensor for auto turn-off when you hold it close to your ears, an accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate, VGA video-call camera, 81 MB internal memory, 128 MB SDRAM, an ARM-11 369 MHz CPU, microSDHC slot up to 16 GB, 802.11 b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, 3.2 MP camera with flash, GPS receiver, stereo FM with RDS, TV out, 3.5mm audio output jack, and stereo speakers.

The box it arrived with had a few nice goodies in it: a hard case with a wrist-wrap hole (case is not belt-compatible though), 3.5mm headphones with detachable remote control, a second stylus, a table stand (so you can watch videos in widescreen mode without having to hold the device), a wrist-wrap, the Li-Ion 1320 mAh battery, a microUSB cable, a charging cable, an 8 GB microSDHC card, and component video-out cables.

The device weighs just 109 gr, and it feels really nice in the palm of the hand. It is less wide than the iPhone or the HTC G1, but around the same height. On the left of the device you will find the SIM and microSDHC slots, on the top the microUSB slot, 3.5mm audio jack, power jack, and on/off button. On the right side there are the volume up/down buttons, the keys lock/unlock slider, and the camera shutter button. On the back side, you will find the stylus securely placed, and the camera. On the front side there's the speaker, the video-call camera, accept/hangup buttons along with an "open menu" button, and one touch-sensitive "button" that loads a special (and pretty redundant in my opinion) multimedia menu (loads "share online", videos, music, pictures etc).

The front screen of Symbian S60 5.0 looks a lot like like the previous S60 3.1 screens. If you are wondering where's S60 4.0, well, it doesn't exist, because the number 4 is considered bad luck in China, a major market for Nokia. You will find a very nice contacts application, VoIP support, good bluetooth usability with A2DP support, enough theme support, an updated version of their KHTML browser, the usual Nokia Maps GPS app, a powerful email client etc. I won't go into much description of the software, because it's basically S60 3.x (which it has been reviewed to death here on OSNews and elsewhere) plus touchscreen ability. I will mention some of the few new things in it though.

There are four ways to input characters in a given S60 5.0 screen: via a floating, mini virtual keyboard, a T9 alphanumeric keyboard, a full screen keyboard (in a rotated screen), or via handwriting recognition (which I found it to be accurate, but slower than just typing). Each time a button, icon, or character is pressed, the phone is slightly vibrating to provide user feedback. The mini virtual keyboard is only usable with a stylus, but the fullscreen keyboard can be used with the thumbs. Unfortunately, it's not very easy to use, because while it's supposed to be a thumb-board, it only works well if you use the tip of your fingernail -- like a stylus. And even then, it's not fool proof, it's very easy to make mistakes, and Nokia does not auto-correct as well as the Apple iPhone does. More over, while there is an extensive support for accented northern European characters, there is no support for Greek in this (Asian) model.

After having used this phone for 2 weeks now, the UI feels a lot like this: "take a non-touchscreen UI, add a touchscreen LCD, profit". While responsive, there is very little to none optimization to be used with thumbs/fingers, and flow organically from one menu to another. Instead, we get pop-up menus that open by soft-buttons, just like on the non-touchscreen phones! Trying to use that phone without a stylus was near impossible. Scrolling a long list for example, was a nightmare because my finger nail had to aim for a very thin scrollbar line! On top of that, there is no multi-touch support (one of the reasons why I still prefer the iPhone over Android too). I hope that Nokia should at least give for free a screen protector, because most of us will have to use our nails to get the job done. Making it pretty difficult removing the stylus (it requires quite some strength removing it from its slot), will only make more people wanna use the phone with their nails. Overall, the UI did not feel like a modern Palm/Apple/Android kind of organic UI. It felt like a rehashed soft-button dated UI, with lots of added MSG and salt so we don't taste its age.

The usability of the new version of the browser is a mixed bag. From one side it's obvious that they tried to make it easier to navigate around pages, but on the other hand, sites like my-symbian.com were extremely slow to scroll around. The phone also was mistaking my efforts to scroll around as clicks -- very annoying. I ended up using Opera Mini at the end.

The biggest problem though, is the software compatibility with older applications. Regarding Java apps, the phone ships with a virtual T9 keyboard and controls, so you can use non-touchscreen-aware J2ME apps with it. Unfortunately, except Opera Mini, Google Maps, Gmail and 1-2 more apps, there are no useful J2ME apps out there to speak about (only games). So for native C++ apps, this is the 5th time Nokia does the same mistake and breaks compatibility. Twice with S60, and three times with their N-series Linux internet tablets. They seem to never learn from their mistakes, which is why after 3 years, their S60 3.x platform still has only 600 applications, while the iPhone has thousands in less than a year time, and Android is also in the hundreds (if not a thousand) within a few months too. This whole "oh, it's hard keeping compatibility" mentality their engineers and managers have, has cost Nokia respect over the years from software houses who now snob the S60 platform, EVEN if it's the best selling smartphone platform worldwide! No serious developer wants to put up with their constant breakups anymore! Nokia just doesn't get it that compatibility matters more than their stupid and useless new online song-buying shop. They have this mentality that the non-smartphone manufacturers usually have, that adding superficial features on their phone actually sells. And they go at it, without planning ahead and having a more generic idea of what's gonna happen 2 or 3 years down the road when Apple, or Google, or whoever else, creates a strong platform with a real future and application base, rather than a freaking toy after another freaking toy. The age of the cellphone being just a gadget, has long passed. People want to do real work with them now, and Nokia cuts us short with their non-existent third party application market. So far, three months after the release of this phone, there are only about 65 third party native apps that work with the 5800 model.

Ok, ok... I will breathe now.

Don't get me wrong, there are some good things in this phone. The autofocus camera is pretty good, it has enough options (coloring, night mode, exposure, white balance, contrast, sharpness, grid, self-timer, etc). The wide VGA video support quality is pretty good as well (no support for recording via the video-call's camera though). Speaking of video, the phone has the ability to playback MPEG4-SP, 3GP, h.264 and WMV. The music application is nothing great to speak about, but it works well, and if I may say so, it's superior to Google's Android music app. Compared to the iPhone's though, it doesn't even rank.

Call quality was top notch, and the TV-out ability was cool too. Audio quality via the headphones was very crisp, without buzzing or other such knuckling problems. The TFT screen was amazingly clear. The best thing about this phone though, is its battery life. The reason why it took me a while to write this review is because I was waiting for its battery to die so I can measure its lifespan. After almost two weeks of normal to low usage, I still have 15% of the battery left! It's amazing what some handsets can do these days regarding battery life!

Overall, this is a nice multimedia-focused smartphone, but it doesn't hold a handle to the iPhone. Sure it has a bit better battery life, higher resolution screen (although much smaller screen size), better camera, VoIP SIP, and more Bluetooth profile support than the iPhone, but when you compare the overall usability and user experience you get out of the two, the 5800 doesn't cut it in the least. Nokia needs to be more serious about software if they want to have a future in this rapidly ever-changing smartphone future. Being a great hardware manufacturer is one thing, but it's not the only thing that matters anymore. The market has changed, and (my) expectations have changed too.

Valentine’s Day means restaurants will be busy

Cupid’s arrow is providing a timely economic shot for some area restaurants.

Several establishments, especially those known for their romantic atmosphere, are booked or nearly booked for Valentine’s Day, still more than a week away.

The American Restaurant, for example, sold out for Valentine’s Day on Jan. 29 — more than two weeks before the big date.

The Crown Center restaurant, which boasts a heart-within-a-heart ceiling design and has been a lovers’ rendezvous since it opened on Valentine’s Day in 1974, isn’t seeing the same enthusiasm for the dreaded Friday the 13th.

But Thursday the 12th is nearly sold out.

Maybe diners are eager to splurge a bit after months of cutting back. Or maybe the primary driver is that Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday, traditionally the most popular day of the week to dine out.

No matter — Jim Beemer of Blue Springs saw this coming. He made his Feb. 14 reservations at McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant on the Country Club Plaza right after New Year’s, but even then could only make a 5:45 p.m. reservation or something much later.

“I didn’t want to be aced out. I knew from prior experience,” said Beemer, who celebrated at McCormick & Schmick’s on his wedding and his fifth anniversary.

Eating out has long been a popular Valentine’s Day choice — in fact, it is the second most popular day of the year for dining out.

“It seems like we are filling up much faster than last year,” said Andrew Sloan, co-owner of Room 39 in Leawood. “Maybe they have been saving up for a special occasion.”

Reservations for Room 39 started in earnest last weekend, he said, with 130 seats booked for the 75-seat restaurant by Tuesday and only a few openings for late night on Feb. 14.

The new Fogo de Châo as of Wednesday only had openings from 2 to 4:30 p.m. or after 9:30 p.m.

“I think they are taking advantage of the holiday to come check us out,” said Sidiclei Demartini, a manager of the Brazilian steakhouse on the Plaza.

Still, consumers aren’t so smitten that they aren’t looking for deals, according to the National Restaurant Association.

“People still want to celebrate the special day, but they might do so on a budget,” said Maureen Ryan, spokeswoman for the Washington, D.C.-based association.

The Drop at 409 E. 31st St. has been expanding its dinner menu and also is becoming more “event-driven.” So this Valentine’s Day it will serve a special four-course menu with appetizer, salad, red snapper or petite filet, dessert and champagne toast for $80.

Farther south, McCormick & Schmick’s is offering a three-course steak and lobster, salad and dessert Valentine’s special for $29.95 from Thursday through Sunday.

“It was booked way faster than last year,” said Carey Grider, general manager of the Plaza restaurant. “People are saying, ‘What do you mean there’s no reservations after 3:30?’ But I think people wanted to get the best slots.”

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Valentine’s Day dining
•Valentine’s Day is the second most popular day of the year to dine out, after Mother’s Day, with more than one-third of Americans visiting a restaurant.

•Of those who dine out, 80 percent spend less than $100 on their meals, with an average spending of $62, based on 2006 data.

To reach Joyce Smith, call 816-234-4692 or send e-mail to jsmith@kcstar.com. Source: National Restaurant Association

Valentine's Week is Big Week for Chocolate and Sparkling Wine

The recession isn't going to keep people away from chocolate. A study did find that consumers will be spending less on Valentine's Day this year but Valentine's week is still a very big week overall for sales of chocolate and sparking wine. Here are some Valentine chocolate facts and trends from a Nielsen Company report (PDF).

• Consumers are expected to purchase more than $345 million in chocolate candy during Valentine's week, accounting for 5.1 percent of chocolate candy's annual sales. On a total candy basis, consumers will purchase more than $448 million during Valentine's week.
• More than 58 million pounds of chocolate candy will be sold during Valentine's week. By comparison, nearly 90 million pounds of chocolate candy is sold during Halloween week.
• Lovebirds aren't necessarily early birds, with February 13 - the day before Valentine's Day - as the top total candy and chocolate candy buying day in February.
• Bargain shoppers are out the day after Valentine's Day with February 15 as the second most important chocolate candy buying day in February.
• Valentine's week is one of the top weeks for sparkling wine sales, with more than $8.6 million in sales, trailing only Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. More than 881,000 bottles of sparkling wine will be sold during the holiday week.

Retailers charge more for sparkling wine during the Valentine's Day period. Nielsen says sparkling wine also has its highest average pricing during Valentine's week at $9.75 (750 ml) which is about 5% more than other peak sales weeks.

Valentine Week - Valentine's Day, Rose Day, Chocolate Day and more

Is their something called the Valentine Week? for that matter, is there a rose day, kiss day and a chocolate day in the week of Valentine's day?

Valentine Week - Valentine's Day, Rose Day, Chocolate Day and more

Yahoo! Answers seems to have some answers on the celebrations of the Valentine Week; 7 days of celebratoins culminating in Valentine's day. Here is the list.

7 Feb Rose Day
8 Feb Propose Day
9 Feb Chocolate Day
10 Feb Teddy Day
11 Feb Promise Day
12 Feb Kiss Day
13 Feb Hug Day
14 Feb VALENTINE’S DAY

It doesn't end here. Check the following link for more details:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070207233830AAXILfz [link]

Hope this Valentine's Day shower you with lots of roses, a proposal, chocolates, teddy, promises, kisses and hugs.

Yabba Dabba Designs - Valentine Week

This is such a cute "Be My Valentine" banner! This would look cute on your mantel or even on a wall in your home. Mine is on my sliding glass door!

Here is some information on Yabba Dabba Designs:

"Hi everyone.. my name is Liz. I am a SAHM to 5 wonderful kids... the background to my inspiration. I started scrapbooking with my best friend about 8 years ago and I've just grown with my designs ever since. I love any and all paper crafting, but especially enjoying altering items. My favorite products to use are bazill papers, buttons, ribbons, and of course stickle... after all my friends don't call me the stickle queen for nothing :)I want to thank you for visiting my store, I hope you can find something here you enjoy and if not please feel free to send me a request with something you're looking for and I will always do my best to try to accommodate you."

Yabba Dabba Designs had to close her shop for a little bit. But she still wanted to be featured and offer all of you a chance to win this adorable banner!

How to enter just leave a comment! Additional entries (leave a sepreate for each) blog about this giveaway, grab my button/ be a follower / or subscribe to my blog.

Contest will end February 13, 2009 9:00 PM EST.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER GIVEAWAY

$75K Valentine's Tournament At Online Vegas Just A Week Away

Many people with significant others will spend hundreds of dollars in the next week in preparation for the most romantic of holidays, Valentine's Day. For those who are not into the mushy holiday, Online Vegas has come up with a solution for you.

The online casino is running a $75K Guaranteed Valentine's slot tournament. The tourney will run for a week long and despite the high prize pool, it can be entered for the small price of less than a dollar.

The first entry fee for a player is only $.99. The player will then start with a $100. If a player wants to re-buy, that is also possible but the cost of the re-buy jumps to $25, and will only get players an additional $50 playing balance.

Coming as no surprise, the game that will be featured for the week long tournament will be Cupid's Arrow. The Online Vegas tournament will begin next Friday, February 13th. It will run until the following Friday, February 20th.

The $75,000 prize pool will certainly be a major draw for all online slot players. First prize for the tournament will be $35,000. Second place will receive $7,500, and third $5,750. The top nine finishers will all win at least $1,000, and the top 125 players in all will win cash.

12 things to do and one don't -- Valentine's week edition

CELEBRITIES: CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE Toss that teddy bear. Wouldn't your Valentine prefer a visit from Elvis Presley? Norton's Florist can make it happen next Friday, if you have $120-$150 to spend. Harold Schultz, an Elvis impersonator from Atlanta, will deliver floral arrangements and roses by the dozen. He'll also provide husky vocals and hip-swiveling guitar moves. Reservations due by Wednesday: 313-1915.

DRINKS: I'LL CLINK TO THAT
Pop the cork on Argyle Brut, a sparkling wine from Oregon. Tiny bubbles and fragrant aromas make this a worthy splurge item ($27.99) at the Vintage Wine Shoppe. For elegant presentation: Serve in glass flutes and savor the flavors of apple, vanilla, honey and lemon custard.

CONCERTS: CUPID, TAKE A BOW
Snuggle with other couples when Brian McKnight performs. He's a specialist in what some call "baby-making music," smooth R&B songs that set a romantic tone. McKnight, 39, even had Grammy in his thrall, receiving nominations for radio hits such as "Love of My Life" and "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda." Hear him croon; watch listeners swoon at 8 p.m. next Friday at the BJCC Arena. Tix: $38-$50 through Ticketmaster.

FOOD: WITH COFFEE, IT'S A PERFECT MATCH
Lick the icing. Valentine's Day was made for doughy decadence -- and for pink and red sprinkles. Krispy Kreme is offering heart-shaped doughnuts at some of its stores, including the ones in Midfield and Tuscaloosa, through Feb. 14. Price: 99 cents each, $6.99 per dozen. Info: www.krispykreme.com.

BOOKS: A PASSION FOR LITERATURE
Think about rapture and jealousy, bliss and obsession. Strong emotions are the stuff of great fiction, and you'll find plenty of them in "Love Stories" ($15, Everyman). Eat your heart out, Erich Segal; the tales in this collection come from masterful writers such as Colette, Dorothy Parker, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Italo Calvino.

CDS: MYTH UNDERSTANDING
Pose on the half-shell, with tongue firmly in cheek. Ben Lee, a singer-songwriter from Australia, did exactly that for the cover of his new disc, "The Rebirth of Venus" ($16.98, New West). He pays homage to the goddess of love -- and bravely explores his feminine side -- with pop songs that range from reflective to whimsical. Highlights: "Boy With a Barbie," "Yoko Ono," "What's so Bad (About Feeling Good)."

PETS: WAG, WAG. PANT, PANT. DROOL, DROOL
Hug your pooch on Feb. 14, but not too tightly. No need for squirming on "Love Your Dog Day," as proclaimed by Birmingham Boston Terrier Rescue. Pets are welcome at a party sponsored by the group, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Altadena Valley Animal Clinic. On the agenda: Microchips ($25), Valentine treats and a four-legged fashion show. (Adoptable Boston will serve as models.) Info: www.bhambtr.org.

VISUAL ARTS: LITTLE DID WE KNOW
Remember what mom always said: Good things come in small packages. You'll need a bit of ribbon, too, after shopping at "Microlove." Miniature artworks and jewelry are on display at Naked Art Gallery in Forest Park. On our wish list: candy-heart necklaces ($15-$35), "Winter Sushi" felt pins ($16), sparkly pop-top earrings ($16) and recycled sweater cuffs with flower motifs ($16). Info: 595-3553 or www.nakedartusa.com.

MOVIES: BECAUSE OPPOSITES ATTRACT
Bring a date to "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." Girls, it's a relationship flick. Guys, it's all about the special effects. Oddly enough, David Fincher has married both approaches in his Oscar-nominated drama, about a Louisiana sailor (played by Brad Pitt) who's born with the physical characteristics of an 86-year-old. He ages backward, growing up but progressively younger, and finds happiness -- temporary, of course -- with a red-haired dancer (Cate Blanchett).

THEATER: IT TAKES TWO
Double your pleasure with "Romance/Romance." One-act musicals, "The Little Comedy" and "Summer Share," will be presented in tandem by Magic City Actors Theatre. That's exactly as the composer and lyricist intended, linking the pair with a common theme (luv, luv, luv) and a shared song, "It's Not Too Late." In the cast: Jan Hunter, Carl Dean, Kristen Sharp and Lonnie Parsons. Opens next Friday at the Virginia Samford Theatre. Tix: $35. Info: 251-1206 or www.virginiasamfordtheatre.org.

GOOD DEEDS: SWEET FETE
Say goodbye to that Hershey's bar. It'll seem utterly mundane after you attend "Wild About Chocolate," a Feb. 14 benefit for the Alabama Wildlife Foundation. Gourmet goodies -- truffles, cakes, cookies, dipping fountains -- are sure to delight chocoholics, 7-10 p.m. at WorkPlay. Also on the agenda: music, dancing and an auction. Tix: $75 advance, $100 at the door. Info: 663-7930 or www.awrc.org.

INTERNET: GETTING MOUTHY
Refine your smooching techniques. Believe it or not, YouTube (www.youtube.com) has instructional videos on this subject. We screened several for laughs -- "How to Kiss Creatively" and "How to Kiss With Passion" reminded us of skits on "Saturday Night Live" -- but doubt they'd be useful for practical purposes. Locking lips, like swimming, hitting a baseball or riding a bike, is best learned the old-fashioned way.

AND ONE DON'T -- SHOPPING: THAT'S WHY THEY CALL 'EM GAG GIFTS
Listen up, pranksters: No silly underwear as presents for Valentine's Day. You know what we're talking about: boxer shorts adorned with cartoon Cupids, polyester thongs with glitter hearts, granny panties that say "Sexy Lady." Typically, the giver regards these as a riot; the recipient wants to die of embarrassment. If you must give something tacky, we suggest Aqua Velva aftershave or a Whitman's Sampler.