Call US/Canada for free using Gmail

I woke up today morning to check my Gmail, only to be pleasantly surprised by a "Call Phone" option right at the top of my Google Talk chat window. I clicked it, accepted the Terms and Conditions and was presented with a num-pad; much like the one you'd find in VOIP services like Skype. While I was almost about to yawningly say, "You can now make international calls via your Gmail for cheaper than using regular telephones...yada yada...", this one small line at the end made me jolt off my chair! In bid to popularize this service, Google is allowing free unlimited calls to the US and Canada till the end of the year 2010.

I instantly ran to my phone-book and made an hour worth calls to the US and here are the three things I observed: 1) The phone started ringing the moment I hit the call button, 2) The call quality was absolutely clear on my end and was reported to be equally clear from the other side as well, 3) There were no disconnections during the two different half-hour long calls I made. FYI: I'm using a 512 Kbps broadband internet connection.

Calls to other countries can be made after purchasing pre-paid credits on their Google Voice website. After doing a quick comparison of the call rates, you'll realize it isn't a good bargain for people in India to use this service to make calls to the US or Canada (after the free period is over, of course). For example, India to any other country is charged at 6 cents (Rs. 2.7) per minute whereas Skype charges almost one-third the cost - 2.2 cents (roughly a rupee) to call specifically to the US/Canada.

Now the sad thing is that after making those hour long free phone-calls, that option has all of a sudden disappeared from my window after I logged back again to take some screenshots; I hope it returns again soon. After talking to my colleague, he too said that he hasn't got that option yet. So, we can assume that the roll-out will be gradual and everybody should eventually get it. So, check your Gtalk window in your Gmail to see if you've got that "Call Phone" option right underneath your status change drop-down menu. It's the end of November, so even if most of us get it before the month ends, we'll still have one whole month to make free US/Canada phone-calls! We leave you with the introductory video of the same.

So, has Google Voice started working for you? Or, like my case did it show up only to disappear? I'll report back once it starts working again. Please check on your end and let us know

Apple's first computer on sale

LONDON: One of the first computers assembled by Apple in 1976 which was sold by the company's founder has been put in an auction in Britain with an estimated price of 150,000 pounds.

Apple's founder Steve Jobs sold the first generation computer Apple-1 from his parents' garage. The Apple-I, the forerunners of the iPad, iPhone and other latest gadgets, first went on sale in July 1976 at a price of $666.66. The device will be sold at London-based auction house Christie's on November 23.

According to the Daily Mail, Apple-1s came with a tiny 8K memory - 524,000 times less than today's Apple computers' standard memory. It would not have the capacity to store one song.

The device comes with the original packaging, instruction manuals and a signed letter by Jobs, who is still head of the company.

Julian Wilson, of Christie's, was quoted as saying: "Before the Apple-1 you would have to put together your own motherboard and would need soldering skills.

"This is the forerunner of the iPod, iPad and iPhone. It worked straight out of the box, which was the original concept."

Flintoff named in CSK squad

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is one step closer to a return to top-flight cricket after being named in the Chennai Super Kings’ preliminary squad for the Airtel Champions League Twenty20.

The 32-year-old, who has not played first-class cricket since the Ashes series in England last year, has been named in a star-studded 20-player CSK squad for the second edition of the 10-team tournament which will be played in South Africa from 10-26 September.

With eight of the nine confirmed teams for the tournament having named their preliminary squads – with the exception of Wayamba – just three weeks remain before the final squads of 15 are selected on 9 August.

A number of players have been named by more than one team, making each of the final selections an important strategic and financial decision for the teams. As was the case in 2009, if a player is selected to play for an ‘away’ team rather than his ‘home’ team (the team from the country he is eligible to represent in international cricket), the ‘away’ team must pay US$200,000 compensation to the ‘home’ team.

Flintoff is among world cricket’s biggest names who have been named in the preliminary squads, including:

Sachin Tendulkar (Mumbai Indians - MI),

MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings - CSK),

Mahela Jayawardene (Wayamba Elevens),

Dale Steyn (Royal Challengers Bangalore - RCB),

Rahul Dravid (RCB), JP Duminy (MI),

Matthew Hayden (CSK),

Ross Taylor (Central Stags/Victorian Bushrangers/RCB),

Muttiah Muralidaran (CSK),

Kieron Pollard (South Australian Redbacks/MI),

Harbhajan Singh (MI) and Mike Hussey (CSK).

Endhiran coming on September 3?

Kollywood's master film-maker S. Shankar's forthcoming science fiction film Endhiran, starring superstar Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai in the lead roles, will grace theatres on September 3, 2010 (Ramzan-Vinayaka Chaturthi weekend). There are reports that the film will release in 2000 screens worldwide, the highest ever for a Tamil film. Reportedly the director is currently busy with the post production works.

With a budget of Rs. 200 crores, Endhiran is the costliest Tamil film ever made. The music launch of Endhiran will be held in a magnificent event organised by HBO (who has also brought the overseas rights of the film) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The film will be released in over 300 screens outside India, which makes Endhiran the largest worldwide release after Spiderman.

Entertainment for Less

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of iNetVideo. All opinions are 100% mine.

Having two toddlers can be a very tough job for a Mom especially for those working Moms who need to divide their time for work and at home. Even for a stay-at-home-mom, it is quite a challenge sometimes. Thanks to some entertaining shows and movies that we can play once in a while when we are busy. It makes a good alternative for the kids to get busy while you are doing something. I do it whenever I have some online tasks and I need some quiet space.

iNetVideo sales DVD's, HD DVD's, Blu-Ray, CD's, and Video games! Currently they have a sale running through July 26th where you can get blu-ray movies for just $13.99 each! In addition to their current sales they also have a Daily Deals section of their website! Today's deals include $2 DVD's, .98c HD DVD's, and $2 Music CD's along with lots of other cheap offerings. All their daily deals are only available for 24 hours and are limited to a quantity of one per order.

I can't believe how much the difference of the prices are compared to other online retailers that I looked into. This is definitely the place to buy your favorite movie, be it DVD, HD DVD, Blu Ray, video games, and music CD's . InetVideo is a great place to shop for entertainment for less, so check it out folks. Don't forget to check out their blog for a chance to win a blu-ray player.

Big B’s Voice for Endhiran Robot

Amitabh Bachchan, widely called as the Big B in the industry, is voicing the robot in “Endhiran”. Sankar, director, sensed his voice absolutely apt for his robot in the movie. Amitabh's to dub in Endhiran Shankar paid visit at Mr. Bachchan’s abode and has been constantly in contact with him since then. Shankar aspires to fill every nook of the movie with perfection that is why he is seeking Big B’s acceptance.
“Endhiran” is a science fiction that has robot as pivot around which the whole plot is woven. The robot, played by Rajnikanth, gets transformed into human being and fused in the society. He becomes humane and falls in love with Aishwarya and here comes the twist. The invented story of the movie is set up in the backdrop of 23rd century.

Mr. Bachchan has taken Shanker’s proposal into consideration. If the robot gets the voice of Big B, it will intensify the feelings of robot. It is mega project of Rs.190 crores that was accomplished recently with the shoot of the song on Rajnikanth and Aishwarya.

The whole cast and crew painted the town red in the party thrown by producer of the movie, Kalanithi Maran. Shanker was too in high spirits and performed conventional pumpkin-breaking pooja for the first time.

ampm secret menu items

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of ampm. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you hungry and want to try something new without worrying about the fat or scrutinized food that you take regularly? You might have visited many sandwich points but you might not have tasted a burger which is as tasty as ampm sandwiches. They have all kinds of beverages, treats and fountain drinks. If you think that you have tasted all the items that are available in their brochure and then you are wrong, you can find more items, secret items from their facebook page. You can check all their latest and secret items from that page. They are unveiling them slowly, one in every week.

If you would like to learn about the secret menus, go log in to your facebook account and find different stuff from ampm’s page like secret menu tab, videos, photos, and participate to their discussion. Come August 2, you will be able to share your secret menus too. Please check out the link and leave some comments to the item that interests you. Whether you are hungry or thirsty, you can always turn up to ampm, who will never fail you.

Rajini’s emotional gift to Kamal

Admiration is something that ‘Superstar’ Rajinikanth receives naturally because of his deeds and actions. In one such action, he has proved yet again that he’s not only a superstar but also a true friend.

The friendship about Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan is incredible and all of us know it. They have acted in many movies together and both consider director K. Balachandar as their mentor. During a function to facilitate Kamal’s fifty years in the film industry, Rajini had reportedly said that all the actors were ‘children of the Goddess of Art’, but ‘Kamal was so special that the Goddess had carried him in her own arms and let the other actors follow her’. This speech of Rajini had indeed received a lot of applause from the audience and the guests and especially Kamal who turned emotional by saying Rajini is his closest friend in the Tamil industry.

While that speech of Rajini would have been forgotten by many, sources say the ‘superstar’ apparently had called a reputed artist to his house to paint what he felt about the description of Kamal with the Goddess of Art. He had expressed his feelings and told his idea of how the painting can be portrayed. Rajini wanted the painting to include superstars from other industries as well and wanted them to be depicted as children. After a few days, the artist had come up with his version and Rajini was awestruck seeing it. He was so grateful to the artist and he immediately packed the painting and sent it to Kamal’s office. Sources say that after Kamal opened the package he was so happy to see the painting which made him feel so special. Apparently there was a telephonic conversation between the two, where Kamal was reported to have told Rajini, he was moved by this gesture.

The painting has Goddess of Art carrying Kamal in her arms, and superstars Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Mohanlal, Kannada superstar Vishnuvaradhan and Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi as kids who are playing and following them. Only photos of two stalwarts of Tamil Cinema hang on Kamal’s walls and they are Sivaji Ganesan and Nagesh. Now he has another painting and that too from a special friend. A tale of friendship that all Tamil fans would love to see it blossom.

Endhiran Audio launch announced

The audio launch of Endhiran will take place on July 18th(rumors.) This is a strong indication that the film is gearing up for a release sooner than expected. Endhiran, the upcoming Superstar starer film directed by Shankar has been in production for the last two years. Recently Shankar claimed in his blog that the shooting of the film is over and the post production works are going on.
Shankar aslo has exclaimed in his blog that the entire edited film has been given to A.R. Rahman for Background Score. Producers of Endhiran, Sun Pictures has planned to release the much awaited audio a few weeks prior to the release of the film which is to released in September(rumors.) Recent sources in the industry has revealed that Sun Pictures has planning to make the Audio Release Function a great event.They are also planning to make the function in Dubai and make it an International Event. Endhiran is also special for its choreography by Prabhu Deva. Lyrics by Vairamuthu, art direction by Sabu Cyril and cinematography by Ratnavelu comprise a regular Shankar team. The director has also roped in Oscar winner Resul Pookutty for sound effects; it is also said that a unique sound effect has been created for the film.

Source: encdhiran.co.in, behindwoods

Mercedes Benz Points to 2050

You heard it here first, folks, 2050 is the new 2010. Remember when the year 2000 was the tag people put on their projects to push them conceptually into the future? It’s not that anymore, it’s the year 2050, and that’s exactly when designer Felipe Palermo places his “Mercedes-Benz Arrow” concept. You’re gonna be driving this in 40 years. That’s a long time from now! You’ll have to buy it for… your grandchildren? Man. Future!

One of the big ideas here is that in the future, during the week, suspended rail systems will be used by the majority of the citizens of the major cities. Thus, this car must be a recreational vehicle made for use for fun on the weekends. The layout of this “Arrow” vehicle is done by TANDEM, the designer aiming to draw comparisons to other leisure vehicles such as motorcycles, jet skis, and personalized aircraft.

This car works with a system of opposing magnets, MAGLEV, which allows the vehicle to take on some amazing curves. The tires allow for rubber to be re-injected once breakdown of the first set occurs, allowing for longer life and less (maybe even NO) dumping of waste because of wheels.

Avalon Waterways River Cruises - The Panoramasm

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Avalon Waterways. All opinions are 100% mine.

To make the most of your trip to Europe, get off the highways and onto the waterways that wind through the picturesque towns and villages missed by most travelers. Therefore, I have searched the Internet for River Cruise Deals and I found www.avalonwaterways.com.

Discover the luxury and the entertainment offered by AVALON PANORAMA. A cruise vacation is no longer just for the rich and famous, AVALON PANORAMA cruise ship offer an affordable and enjoyable river vacation. All those beautiful places, open air balcony, nice dining, amazing amenities, lots of entertainment will make your vacation truly unforgettable.

The Panorama is the first ship that has 1550 percent more suites than any other river cruise vessel on Europe’s waters. This vessel's Panorama Suites are, on average, 30 percent larger than the standard industry stateroom, 100 cruisers could fit in one 200 square foot Panorama Suite. Cruisers can enjoyed the the open air balcony at any time of day, in any weather condition.

They run these boats primarily on river cruises through scenic locations. So you get to see the constantly changing sites outside your room. Not just ocean to look at, but architecture and history sliding by while you enjoy the cool air and warm sun in luxury. Since 2005, Avalon Waterways has developed and christened more new ships in Europe than any other cruise company in the world.

Here are a couple of more links with more information including, Request a free cruise brochure and see the amazing River Cruise Deals that are being offered right now.

Live Checking Card

Having a hard time keeping track of your credit card spending? Not a problem with the Live Checking Card, a futuristic electronic plastic slab that shows your current balance in real time.

Do you know who the Green Monster is? It’s that skunk-of-a-bill that you get at the end of the month; it devours all your Money because you overspent! Only if you could use something like the Live Checking Card! A Credit Card won’t let you go beyond your limits. It’s a digital thang with an E-ink display that allows you to check your payment history on it. It even tracks your bank account’s transaction through RFID. A cumulative amount shows up on the screen every time you swipe the card; giving you your account balance on your finger tips.

No need to check a website, wait for statements or call up the hotline. Simply pull up your credit card, see your current balance and have a heart attack right on the spot. Just kidding. Of course, that also means your spouse, parents and friends can see how much money you owe, so be discreet. The last thing you want is your wife wanting to know where that extra Rs.1,000/- in charges was for.

Get Relevant Searches on NowRelevant.com

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NowRelevant. All opinions are 100% mine.

There is place on the Internet that is streamlining everything you need when you want it. There are times when you are overwhelmed by the abundance of irrelevant and out of date information from just a basic search. The trick is by using advanced cloud computing algorithms, the worldwide software project known as “The Internet Time Machine”, when flipped around, is also a high powered search engine that is now opened to the public.

Between several new search engines, NowRelevant.com search gives the user everything about a subject for the last 14 days only. Using advanced algorithms used in The Internet Time Machine software, NowRelevant.com eliminates all SPAM and SEO DUMMY sites from its results to give the user a clean interface.

That means if you are interested in finding out about depression, all you would do would be enter the word depression into this and every single piece of information that was posted in the last two weeks would be right in front of you. I had a lot of trouble when I was looking up information on affiliate marketing and a bunch of the sites that I visited were 404 Error.

Nextep: Wrist Computer Concept!

Just a few decades ago, the idea of traveling wherever you go with a computer in tow was a foreign one. Two decades ago, you would have gotten strange looks if you described a magazine-sized computer that’s essentially a big, reactive monitor. Perhaps, designer Hiromi Kiriki is on to something similarly prophetic with the Sony Nextep wrist computer. The name of the concept certainly indicates that he thinks so.

While tablets are convenient, who would really lug around a large, stiff brick of a computer when they could enjoy a flexible computer that attaches to the wrist? With flexible OLED technology, Kiriki envisions a super adjustable type of portable computer with a thin, pull-out keyboard and wrist-wrapping design. The design also includes a holographic projector to add a little extra space to the OLED touchscreen when needed. Seeing how OLED technology is advancing, perhaps we’ll see a device like this within the 2020 timeframe that Kiriki designates. I wish this design actually came from Sony (or any manufacturer) because I’d definitely buy one.

Win a nescafe dolce gusto machine!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Nestle Nescafe Dolce Gusto. All opinions are 100% mine.

Great news for Canadian residents. divine.ca is holding a contest where winners will get a chance to win a NESCAFE Dolce Gusto machine plus other exciting gift packages. You can enter the contest online at Divine.ca which runs from April 26 – June 20, 2010. Try your luck, see if you can win one of ten NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto machines. (There are two models available in Canada: Krups, $179 and T-Fal, $159.)

The NESCAFE Dolce Gusto will let you enjoy the same delicious drinks that you are used to from your favorite coffee house for fraction of the price.
It also offers hot as well as cold beverages in many flavors by simply popping in a specially designed capsule of 100% premium blend Arabica roast and ground coffee.
No more trips and line-ups in coffee houses. Have your delicious and piping hot beverage any time of the day.

What is a capsule system exactly? It’s a little capsule that replaces the use of filters – just replace the capsules from time to time! NESCAFE Dolce Gusto has some Key Features where it provides authentic coffeehouse quality, right at your fingertips anytime of the day that you are home. It features the technical precision of KRUPS, uses the kind of high pressure normally found in coffee house machines. So the proprietary technology of NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto’s innovative capsule system ensures a perfect cup, made-to-order every time. Simply pop in a specially designed capsule of 100% premium blend Arabica roast and ground coffee for great tasting connoisseur coffees in a matter of seconds.

You can customize your coffee experience with NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto to suit your personal taste, as it produces both hot and cold coffeehouse quality beverages (homemade fraps anyone?). It’s perfect for all year round.

Capsules are available at your favourite grocery stores, at any of the retailers where machines are sold, and online at http://bit.ly/aUVwOe. So make sure you enter to win this contest, who know you might be the lucky one to win this fantastic NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto Coffee Machine.

Chinese Supercomputer Is Ranked World’s Second-Fastest

A Chinese supercomputer has been ranked as the world’s second-fastest machine, surpassing European and Japanese systems and underscoring China’s aggressive commitment to science and technology.
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The Dawning Nebulae, based at the National Supercomputing Center in Shenzhen, China, has achieved a sustained computing speed of 1.27 petaflops — the equivalent of one thousand trillion mathematical operations a second — in the latest semiannual ranking of the world’s fastest 500 computers.

The newest ranking was made public on Monday at the International Supercomputer Conference in Hamburg, Germany. Supercomputers are used for scientific and engineering problems as diverse as climate simulation and automotive design.

The Chinese machine is actually now ranked as the world’s fastest in terms of theoretical peak performance, but that is considered a less significant measure than the actual computing speed achieved on a standardized computing test.

The world’s fastest computer remains the Cray Jaguar supercomputer, based at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. Last November it was measured at 1.75 petaflops.

In the previous year’s ranking, the Chinese had the fifth-fastest computer, a system that was based at a National Supercomputing Center in Tianjin, China. That machine has now dropped to seventh place.

The United States continues to be the dominant maker of supercomputers, and is the nation with the most machines in the top 500. The United States has 282 of the world’s fastest 500 computers on the new list, an increase from 277 when the rankings were compiled in November.

But China appears intent on challenging American dominance. There had been some expectation that China would make an effort to complete a system based on Chinese-designed components in time for the June ranking. The Nebulae is based on chips from Intel and Nvidia.

The new system, which is based on a microprocessor that has been designed and manufactured in China, is now expected later this year. A number of supercomputing industry scientists and engineers said that it was possible that the new machine would claim the title of world’s fastest.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if by the end of this year they surpass the scientific computing power of the E.U. countries combined and have a computer system with an achieved performance to reach the No. 1 position on the top 500,” said Jack Dongarra, a computer scientist at the University of Tennessee and one of the researchers who has organized the twice-yearly rankings.

Americans designed the first machines that were defined as supercomputers during the 1960s, and the United States has rarely been dislodged from its controlling position as technology leader. In 2002, however, the Japanese government’s Earth Simulator set off anxiety in Washington when that system briefly claimed the top position.

The United States then began investing heavily in the computing systems, breaking the petaflop barrier in 2008.

It is now preparing to begin a sustained push to build systems capable of computing at what is known as exascale performance — one thousand times faster than today’s fastest systems. The goal is to realize that technological achievement between 2018 and 2020.

Grilling the perfect Steak

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of henderson bas. All opinions are 100% mine.

Grilling Steaks is something we combine with summer, warm temperatures, open windows and great backyard barbeques right?

I love to eat delicious, juicy, and tender steak, as I find the meat texture to be simply irresistible. Surely, if you want to know the secret to make the juiciest and most delicious home cooked steak, I believe that the answer lies within Chef Michael. Chef Michaels is there to help you discover the secrets starting with selecting the perfect cuts of meat to suit your taste buds.

I realize that my biggest problem with grilling the perfect steak is that I do not really know what I am choosing when I am in the store, so his tips are very helpful to me.

Right now clubhouse.ca is hosting an amazing contest that gives you the chance to win $300 in gear from Canadian Tire and a deluxe La Grille Barbecue Seasoning Pack! Click the link to enter the La Serious Griller Contest.

The contest begins on May 20, 2010 and ends on June 30, 2010. To join the contest, you must be a clubhouse.ca Club Member (“Club Member”) and a Canadian resident! You can only enter once, but you have the chance to win a $300 Canadian Tire Gift Card PLUS a deluxe La Grille BBQ Pack with their 6 most popular seasonings. Now, how can you beat that?

VTV heading for century

Menon's latest release Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa will complete 100 days run in theatres on Saturday. The movie brings back to theatres the genre of love stories, something we have not seen on screens for quite some time.

This bilingual, starring Simbu-Trisha in Tamil and Naga Chaitanya-Samantha in Telugu, is indeed a memorable experience for its beautiful camerawork by Manoj Paramahamsa and soul-stirring music by A.R. Rahman. A Red Giant Movies presentation, the movie is produced by Escape Artistes Motions Pictures and R.S. Infotainment.

VTV, which released on February 26, 2010, has different climaxes in Tamil and Telugu. The Telugu version, titled Yemaya Chesave, ends on a happy note while the Tamil version has a surprise ending with some twist and turns.

Year of the Mom

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of henderson bas. All opinions are 100% mine.

Canadian residents will surely get a blast with Maple Leaf Prime’s latest contest. They know how important mothers are to their families, hence they decided to celebrate Year of the Mom by holding a contest with the grand prize a year’s worth of free household services. At Maple Leaf Prime, we are inspired by you Mom, and want to recognize all that you are and all that you do.

Maple Leaf Prime has invited you to enter this incredible contest where you could win: Free Housekeeping, Free Personal Chef Service, Free Groceries and Delivery, Free Laundry Service PLUS 500 instant win prizes to be won!

Enter for a chance to win one of two prizes of $25,000, or one of 500 instant win prizes of a coupon redeemable against the purchase of a Maple Leaf product to a maximum value of $10.

To join, just enter your email address and the PIN from specially marked packages of Maple Leaf Prime fresh chicken. If you hit the jackpot, the free household services will give you more freedom and time spending it with your family. It is definitely every mother’s dream. Free from the hassles of chores and a lot of family time bonding with the kids and hubby.

You could also instantly win 1 of 500 packages of Maple Leaf Prime chicken! Such great prizes from Maple Leaf Prime await the winners and a year of chore-less life courtesy from them, free!

Artistic Streets of Belgium

Belgium street artist ROA puts animals back in the urban jungle. He draws black and white bunnies, rats, birds on walls of many European cities (Paris, Warsaw, London...).

Sahara to continue as Indian team sponsor

The Sahara logo will stay on India jerseys until 2013. The Sahara Group will continue as sponsors of the Indian team after they won the contract by bidding Rs. 3.34 crores ($719,000) per match. The current sponsorship contract ends on June 30 and the new one runs until December 31, 2013. A top Sahara official also confirmed the development. Bharti Airtel, the only other company in the fray, put in a bid for Rs 2.89 crore ($628, 260) per match.

"We take pride in sponsoring the Indian national team," Abhijit Sarkar, corporate affairs head at Sahara, said.

Sahara's winning bid comes as something of a surprise as chairman Subrata Roy had said the company would re-evaluate its sponsorship of the Indian team after it bagged the Pune IPL franchise. According to market sources, Sahara decided to bid again because an analysis of the numbers turned out positive. It paid Rs 407 crores ($88 million) over the last four years, so the new deal requires roughly Rs 85 crores ($18.5 million) more, which doesn't hurt the group much.

Sahara waited until the last minute before entering the bidding because it was worried about the response from its competitors. It feared the price of deal could rise over Rs 500 crores if its interest was publically known. The deal is solely to sponsor the Indian men's team, as the group was not interested in spending an extra Rs 10-15 crore on the other three squads (women's, India A and Under-19).

The BCCI had set a base price of Rs 2.5 crores ($ 541,000) per match for the three-and-a-half-year period, during which India will play between 144 and 167 matches, depending on how far the team progresses in ICC tournaments. At Rs 3.34 crores a match, the Sahara deal is worth between Rs 481 crores ($104 million) and Rs 558 crores ($121 million).

Under the terms of the previous deal, Sahara paid Rs 1.91 crores ($ 412,000) per Test, Rs 2.09 crores ($ 455,000) per ODI and Rs 1.57 crores ($ 340,000) per Twenty20. The new price is the same across all three formats, and more than doubles the price of a Twenty20 game, highlighting its appeal and popularity.

The board had originally issued a tender late last year with a base price of Rs 3 crores ($ 650,000) per match, but failed to attract a single bid. As a stop gap measure, the Sahara Group agreed to extend its sponsorship of the Indian team for a further six months.

The Indian board issued the tender on Monday inviting companies to bid for the rights and the bidding period closed on Saturday.

Source : Cricinfo

New England's Dark Day

1780: In the midst of the Revolutionary War, darkness descends on New England at midday. Many people think Judgment Day is at hand. It will be remembered as New England’s Dark Day.

Diaries of the preceding days mention smoky air and a red sun at morning and evening. Around noon this day, an early darkness fell: Birds sang their evening songs, farm animals returned to their roosts and barns, and humans were bewildered.

Some went to church, many sought the solace of the tavern, and more than a few nearer the edges of the darkened area commented on the strange beauty of the preternatural half-light. One person noted that clean silver had the color of brass.

It was darkest in northeastern Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine, but it got dusky through most of New England and as far away as New York. At Morristown, New Jersey, Gen. George Washington noted it in his diary.

In the darkest area, people had to take their midday meals by candlelight. A Massachusetts resident noted, In some places, the darkness was so great that persons could not see to read common print in the open air. In New Hampshire, wrote one person, A sheet of white paper held within a few inches of the eyes was equally invisible with the blackest velvet.

At Hartford, Col. Abraham Davenport opposed adjourning the Connecticut legislature, thus: The day of judgment is either approaching, or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause of an adjournment; if it is, I choose to be found doing my duty.

When it was time for night to fall, the full moon failed to bring light. Even areas that had seen a pale sun in the day could see no moon at all. No moon, no stars: It was the darkest night anyone had seen. Some people could not sleep and waited through the long hours to see if the sun would ever rise again. They witnessed its return the morning of May 20. Many observed the anniversary a year later as a day of fasting and prayer.

Professor Samuel Williams of Harvard gathered reports from throughout the affected areas to seek an explanation. A town farther north had reported a black scum like ashes on rainwater collected in tubs. A Boston observer noted the air smelled like a malt-house or coal-kiln. Williams noted that rain in Cambridge fell thick and dark and sooty and tasted and smelled like the black ash of burnt leaves.

As if from a forest fire to the north? Without railroad or telegraph, people would not know: No news could come sooner than delivered on horseback, assuming the wildfire was even near any European settlements in the vast wilderness.

But we know today that the darkness had moved southwest at about 25 mph. And we know that forest fires in Canada in 1881, 1950 and 2002 each cast a pall of smoke over the northeastern United States.

A definitive answer came in 2007. In the International Journal of Wildland Fire, Erin R. McMurry of the University of Missouri forestry department and co-authors combined written accounts with fire-scar evidence from Algonquin Provincial Park in eastern Ontario to document a massive wildfire in the spring of 1780 as the likely source of the infamous Dark Day of 1780.

Source : Wired.com