The History Of Facebook

Facebook is a popular social network  that has grown to rank with MySpace has. But what is it about Facebook that has special appeal and makes it even more popular than MySpace? What makes Facebook Facebook? And what made it a mega hit?
It all got started back in 2003, as Facemash. Mark Zuckerberg created it, along with help of his friends and roommates Chris Hughes and Dustin Moskovitz. Zuckerberg was in his sophomore year at Harvard when opened it up, as a way to get his mind off his crush.
Facemash placed photos of undergraduate two side by side, and asking the viewers which one is “hotter”. The site was originally only for Harvard, but quickly grew to other colleges, then high schools and finally for anyone over age 13.
After it was initially started, it was forwarded to Harvard’s school admins and it was quickly shut down. Zuckerberg was charged and faced expulsion for breaching privacy.
Later on, Harvard dropped their charges against Zuckerberg. After the charges were dropped, the following semester he recreated Facemash, and opened The Facebook in February 2004.
In 2005, he dropped “the” from the name and URL. Also in September 2005, he launched the High School version of Facebook. When he first started the high school version, each high school had to be invited before being allowed to join the network. Shortly after launching the high school version he started allow companies to have their own networks on Facebook as well.

Now a group of  operators, a year after they launched their high school version, they opened it up to the public for everybody over the age of 13.
Syria and Iran have blocked Facebook from being accessed in their countries. Some companies have forbidden it from their offices. It has also been said that Zuckerberg had stolen the code and intellectual property from former classmates of his.
They have been sued more than once and have been the subject of criticism.
In Aug 2007, the code that normally creates the pages for Facebook showed instead of the content, leaving many to wonder if their data on Facebook is even safe. 
In February 2009, Facebook changed their privacy policy, causing an up roar along the way. They made it so that their users once upload data onto their servers, that they own all the rights. Even after the user deletes their account. Many users got upset by this, and entered a debate that was all over the internet.
EPIC filed a claim against Facebook with the FTC, while Zuckerberg tried to defend Facebook’s policy change. To do damage control they switched back to their old policies, though they are in the middle of rewriting them again. They will allow users to vote on the new terms, before they are adopted officially.
It has been rumored that a film about Facebook being made, though the Facebook spokesperson has said that they have not agreed to cooperate with anyone about making a film.
A 1.6% stake in Facebook had been sold to Microsoft Corp.  for $240 million in October 24th 2007.
Facebook’s history is a mixture of trouble and success from very early on. They have seen more than their share of legal issues and likely will as long as they exist. Currently it is the number one social network with MySpace and Twitter both behind it.
They have over 175 million active users worldwide currently and is growing every day. Though they may have had their share of issues, they still maintain a well kept site that hasn’t gotten lost through the Web 2.0 shuffle.

Panasonic developing world's first intechangable 3D lens for Micro Four Thirds

Panasonic has announced it is developing a digital 3D interchangeable lens for the Micro Four Thirds system, to be launched by the end of the year. The lens will include two optical paths, projecting left and right image pairs onto the camera sensor. These twin images can later be combined to provide a single 3D image using the company's 3D image processing system and displayed using one of its Viera televisions. The company says it will be the first such lens for a digital system.

Editorial comment:

Panasonic's HDC-SDT750 camcorder, launched this morning, uses an accessory lens that projects two images onto its sensor, using half the sensor to capture the right-hand perspective of the image and the other half to capture the left-hand perspective. This video footage with side-by-side images can be played back as a 3D video with the advantage that both perspectives are captured at the same time. We would expect the announced lens to work in a similar manner.

The system is likely to work in a similar manner to the one introduced with the company's HDC-SDT750 camcorder, launched earlier this morning. This attachment lens also projects pairs of images onto the sensor of a modified version of one of the company's existing camcorders. Unlike this system, the development press release for the Micro Four Thirds lens focuses on still images - it is not yet clear whether existing Micro Four Thirds cameras could (or could be modified to) shoot video with the lens.

Press Release:

Panasonic to Launch World’s First* Interchangeable 3D Lens for LUMIX G Micro System**

Panasonic is pleased to announce the development of the world's first* twin digital interchangeable lens. The revolutionary new accessory will make high quality 3D shooting possible with an interchangeable lens system camera for the very first time. As 3D content becomes increasingly popular across a variety of platforms, Panasonic plans to release this new lens for sale before the end of the year to deliver the joy and excitement of 3D shooting to interchangeable lens system camera users.
Having already taken the lead in 3D technology, Panasonic has had great success with the launch of their 3D-capable VIERA televisions and 3D Blu-rayTM Disc Players. The 3D market is predicted to steadily grow over the coming years, as explained by industry analysts, Screen Digest: “As consumers slowly replace the main TV set in their house, and as the price of 3D TVs continue to fall, Screen Digest expects that 3D TVs will be in around a quarter of households in major developed markets by the end of 2014***. “
The introduction of the 3D lens aims to respond to demands of consumers who want to enjoy 3D shooting for themselves whilst also expanding Panasonic’s range of 3D products. The lens will allow users to capture images in 3D which can then be viewed back using 3D-capable VIERA televisions in the comfort of their own home. 

“As consumers slowly replace the main TV set in their house, and as the price of 3D TVs continue to fall, Screen Digest expects that 3D TVs will be in around a quarter of households in major developed markets by the end of 2014. “
Until now, 3D shooting with an interchangeable lens system camera has only been possible by using panorama systems or a combination of two lenses and two CCDs, but these systems have drawbacks including the need for a dedicated 3D camera and the difficulties of capturing moving objects. Panasonic's new 3D lens for the LUMIX G Micro System features two optical systems installed within the diameter of the lens mount, creating stereo images from the left and right lenses, to be processed with a 3D image processing system. Thanks to Panasonic's advancements in optical technology, image processing system, and lens barrel design, the 3D lens still manages to retain an extremely compact size.
This new compact 3D-capable interchangeable lens allows easier handling and instant 3D shooting, producing 3D images without distortion or time lag between left and right images, even for moving objects.
Through expanding its range of 3D products, Panasonic will continue to lead the industry by bringing a true-to-life 3D experience to its customers.

* For a digital interchangeable lens of July 28, 2010
**Compatible models to be announced
*** Screen Digest, ‘Bringing 3D Home: the opportunities for 3D broadcast’, 2010

hey guys take ur mind off studies for sometime and have fun :)

hey guys take ur mind off studies for sometime and have fun :)
no offense to rajnikanth fans.

1. Rajinikanth killed the Dead Sea.

2. When Rajinikanth does push-ups, he isn't lifting himself up. He is pushing the earth down.

3. There is no such thing as evolution, it's just a list of creatures that Rajinikanth allowed to live.

4. Rajinikanth gave Mona Lisa that smile.

5 .Rajnikanth can divide by zero.

6. Rajinikanth can judge a book by it's cover.

7. Rajinikanth can drown a fish.

8. Rajinikanth can delete the Recycle Bin.

9. Rajinikanth once got into a fight with a VCR player. Now it plays DVDs.

10. Rajinikanth can slam a revolving door.

11. Rajinikanth once kicked a horse in the chin. Its descendants are today called giraffes.

12. Rajinikanth once ordered a plate of idli in McDonald's, and got it.

13. Rajinikanth can win at Solitaire with only 18 cards.

14. The Bermuda Triangle used to be the Bermuda Square, until Rajinikanth kicked one of the corners off.

15. Rajinikanth can build a snowman out of rain. 

16. Rajinikanth can strangle you with a cordless phone.

17. Rajinikanth can make onions cry.

18. Rajinikanth destroyed the periodic table, because he only recognizes the element of surprise.

19. Rajinikanth can watch the show 60 minutes in 20 minutes.

20. Rajinikanth has counted to infinity, twice.

21. Rajinikanth will attain separate statehood in 2013.

22. Rajinikanth did in fact, build Rome in a day.

23. Rajinikanth once got into a knife-fight. The knife lost.

24. Rajinikanth can play the violin with a piano.

25. Rajinikanth never wet his bed as a child. The bed wet itself in fear.

26. The only man who ever outsmarted Rajinikanth was Stephen Hawking, and he got what he deserved.

27. Rajinikanth can talk about Fight Club.

28. Rajinikanth doesn't breathe. Air hides in his lungs for protection.

29. There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Rajinikanth lives in Chennai.

30. Rajinikanth kills Harry Potter in the eighth book.

31. Rajinikanth does not own a stove, oven, or microwave, because revenge is a dish best served cold.

32. Rajinikanth has already been to Mars, that's why there are no signs of life there.

33. Rajinikanth doesn't move at the speed of light. Light moves at the speed of Rajinikanth.

34. Rajinikanth knows Victoria's secret.
35. Water boils faster when Rajinikanth stares at it.

36. Rajinikanth can throw the Thackerays out of Mumbai.

37. Rajinikanth kills two stones with one bird.

38. Google won't find Rajinikanth because you don't find Rajinikanth; Rajinikanth finds you.

39. Rajinikanth gave the Joker those scars.

40. Rajinikanth leaves messages before the beep.

41. Rajinikanth once warned a young girl to be good "or else". The result? Mother Teresa.

42. Rajinikant electrocuted Iron Man.

43. Rajinikanth killed Spiderman using Baygon Anti Bug Spray.

44. Rajinikanth can make PCs better than the Mac.

45. Rajinikanth puts the 'laughter' in manslaughter.

46. Rajinikanth goes to court and sentences the judge.

47. Rajinikanth can handle the truth.

48. Rajinikanth can speak Braille.

49. Rajinikanth can dodge Chuck Norris' roundhouse kicks.

50. Rajinikanth can teach an old dog new tricks.

51. Rajinikanth calls Voldemort by his name.

52. Who do you think taught Voldemort Parseltongue? Rajinikanth did.

53. Chuck Norris once met Rajinikanth. The result - He was reduced to a joke on the internet.

54. Rajinikanth got small pox when he was a kid. As a result small pox is now eradicated.

55. Rajinikanth’s calendar goes straight from March 31st to April 2nd, no one fools Rajanikanth.

56. Rajinikanth grinds his coffee with his teeth and boils the water with his own rage.

57. The last time Rajinikanth killed someone, he slapped himself to do it. The other guy just disintegrated. Resonance.

58. Rajinikanth once had a heart attack. His heart lost.

59. Rajinikant is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.

60. Rajinikanth can run at speed of light around a tree and screw himself.

61.Rajinikant can lick his elbows.

62. Rajinikant once ate an entire bottle of sleeping pills. They made him blink.

63. Rajinikant does not get frostbite. Rajnikant bites frost.

64. Rajinikant doesn’t wear a watch. He decides what time it is.

65. Rajinikant got his drivers license at the age of 16 seconds.

66. When you say “no one is perfect”, Rajinikant takes this as a personal insult.

67. In an average living room there are 1,242 objects Rajinikanth could use to kill you, including the room itself.

68. Words like awesomeness, brilliance, legendary etc. were added to the dictionary in the year 1949. That was the year Rajinikanth was born.

69. The statement "nobody can cheat death", is a personal insult to Rajnikanth. Rajni cheats and fools death everyday.

70. When Rajnikanth is asked to kill some one he doesn't know, he shoots the bullet and directs it the day he finds out.

71. Rajinikant can give pain to Painkillers and headache to Anacin.

72. Rajinikanth knows what women really want.

73. Time and tide wait for Rajinikanth.

74. Rajinikanth sneezed only once in his entire life, that's when the tsunami occurred in the Indian ocean.

75. As a child when Rajinikanth had dyslexia, he simply re-scripted the alphabet.

76. Rajinikanth collects Honey from his private Moon - HoneyMoon.

77. Rajinikanth can answer a missed call.

78. Rajinikanth doesn't need a visa to travel abroad, he just jumps from the tallest building in Chennai and holds himself in the air while the earth rotates.

79. Rajinikanth's brain works faster than Chacha Chaudhury's.

80. Rajinikanth doesn't shower. He only takes blood baths.

81. To be or not to be? That is the question. The answer? Rajinikanth.

82. The quickest way to a man's heart is with Rajinikanth's fist.

83. Where there is a will, there is a way. Where there is Rajinikanth, there is no other way.

84. Rajinikanth's every step creates a mini whirlwind. Hurricane Katrina was the result of a morning jog.

85. Rajinikant doesn’t bowl strikes, he just knocks down one pin and the other nine faint out of fear.

86. Archaeologists unearthed an old English dictionary dating back to the year 1236. It defined “victim” as “one who has encountered Rajinikant”.

87. There is no such thing as global warming. Rajinikanth was feeling cold, so brought the sun closer to heat the earth up.

88. Once a cobra bit Rajinikanth' leg. After five days of excruciating pain, the cobra died.

89. Rajinikanth is a champion in the game "Hide n' seek", as no one can hide from Rajinikanth.
90. Rajinikant proves Newton wrong all the time. Every time he performs an action, he simply eliminates anything and everything that can provide the reaction.

91. Rajinikant is a weapon created by God to use on doomsday to end the world.

92. Aliens do indeed exist. They just know better than to visit a planet that Rajinikanth is on.

93. We live in an expanding universe. All of it is trying to get away from Rajinikanth.

94. If at first you don't succeed, you're not Rajinikanth.

95. Rajinikanth's first job was as a bus conductor. There were no survivors.

96. Rajinikanth does not style his hair. It lays perfectly in place out of sheer terror.

97. When Rajinikanth plays Monopoly, it affects the actual world economy.

98. Rajinikanth is the only man to ever defeat a brick wall in a game of tennis.

99. Rajinikanth's house has no doors, only walls that he walks through.
16. Rajinikanth can strangle you with a co


source:-http://www.goiit.com/posts/list/community-shelf-99-rajnikanth-jokes-1016995.htm

The Beggars of Mumbai .....!!!

 

NAME: Massu or Malana, 60 Massu's Assets Rs 30 lakh in properties alone Day's earnings Rs 1,000 to 1,500 Begs at: Lokhandwala.. Mostly outside high-end restaurants visited by TV and film stars. Working hours: 8 pm to 3 am. Home is: A one BHK at Amboli in Andheri (west). He owns another 1 BHK nearby. Massu's 1BHK room at Amboli. Both houses are duplexes Family: Wife, two sons and a daughter-in-law share the apartment with him. Day's earnings: Rs 1000 to 1500. Assets: Rs 30 lakh in just properties. One son makes and sells brooms, while the other hawks knick-knacks near Andheri station. He has substantial savings, but would not reveal details. Cool quotient: Massu is dressed in spotless clothes when he takes an auto-rickshaw to Lokhandwala every evening. He changes into his beggar attire near Ad Labs. During his working hours, he has a complete sway over the area. You will never find another beggar in his vicinity. He takes an auto on his way home too. Stops at Yashraj Studios for a change of clothes. NAME: Krishna Kumar Gite, 42 Krishna 's Assets Rs 5 lakh in properties alone Day's earnings Rs 1500 to 2000 Begs at: CP Tank, Charni Road Working hours: Early morning to late evening Home is: I BHK apartment at Nallasopara, which he shares with his brother. Family: Brother, sister-in-law and their children. Day's earnings: Rs 1500 to 2000. His worth: The Nallasopara apartment is worth nearly Rs 5 lakh. Krishna claimed he has substantial savings but would not put a figure to it. 'My brother manages everything,' he said. Cool quotient: Claims he can't be bothered with money matters. He retires every evening to his Nallasopara home and hands over the day's earnings to his brother. 'My bhabhi and brother know best what to do with the money.' NAME: Bharat Jain, 45 Bharat's Assets Rs 70 lakh in properties alone Day's earnings Rs 2000 to 2500 Begs at: Azad Maidan and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. Working hours: Early morning to late evening. Home is: Two adjacent 1 BHK apartments in Parel, where his family stays. Bharat, however, visits home only once in a week. His family, which deals in school notebooks and other study material, has tried on many occasions to get Bharat to give up begging and join the family business. Bharat's Parel house where he stays with his family. (right) The Bhandup shop the family has rented out to a juice centre Family: Wife, two sons -- one studying in class X and the other in class XII -- father and brother. Day's earnings: Rs 2000 to 2500. His worth: The family apartments are worth close to Rs 60 lakh. The family also has rented out a shop in Bhandup to a juice centre and gets Rs 7,000-a-month in rent. The rent is collected every month by Bharat's wife. Cool quotient: Bharat speaks impeccable English. He is soft spoken and you will never find him harassing people for alms. Name: Haji, 26 Haji's Assets Rs 15 lakh Day's earnings Rs 1000 to 2000 Begs at: Deonar and Chembur. Usually begs near mosques and temples. Working hours: Flexi. Picks the best time to be at a temple or a mosque. Home is: A room at Cheetah Camp, where his mother and sister run a zari workshop, employing 15 people. Family: Mother and sister.. Day's earnings: Rs 1000 to 2000 Earnings increase mani-folds during festivals. His worth: The Cheetah Camp room worth anything between Rs 3 and 5 lakh. The zari workshop could be worth 10 lakh. The family earns a steady income from the zari business and his mother has tried every trick to get him to give up begging and join the family business. Cool quotient: He says managing the zari workshop is too much hardwork. 'I can't be bothered with all that. I like to be left alone.. Also, I make a decent amount every day. ----------------<( ULTIMATE!!! )>----------------- Name: Doesn't matter, A Engineer (Double Graduate :D) Enggr 's Assets: Some old Design Book, Operating Procedure, Cryptography Books worth 10,000 INR. Rest all Assets are based on EMI's (Easy Monthly Installment) so it's the bank that owns it and not me. Day's earning: Peanuts :) Working Hours: Day and Night Family: 1 intel Pentium 4 3.8 GHz CPU, 1 Flat monitor, 1 mouse and 1 keyboard. His worth: Depends on the Boss, If Boss in not happy then he's useless :) Cool Quotient: Whenever he opens his mouth he knows speaks only " I Don't Know". Never fires anyone, only he gets fired everywhere. The only time he stays cool is when he gulps down two large shots of JD (Jack Daniel, Obvious someone else is paying for those shots :D)... So Kya soch rahe ho . katora UthaO n ...!!! ; go )

6 New IIT's & 700 seats added!

The Government of India has announced setting up of 8 more new IITs in the 11th plan. Admissions in the following six new IITs, subjected to the approval@ of the competent authority of the Govt. of India, is likely to take place during the counselling session of JEE 2008. To begin with, each new IIT will admit students in the B Tech programmes in three branches only and the corresponding course codes for filling choice sheet is given in the table below. The academic programmes at these new IITs will commence in July/August 2008. The curriculum and syllabus as well as the fee structure and other rules for the new IITs will be broadly same as that of the respective mentor IITs.

New IIT --- Mentor IIT
Courses offered* (course code)

IIT Gandhinagar ----- IIT Bombay
Chemical Engineering (N07), Electrical Engineering (N11), Mechanical Engineering (N24)

IIT Punjab---- IIT Delhi
Computer Science and Engineering (U10), Electrical Engineering (U11), Mechanical Engineering (U24)

IIT Patna----- IIT Guwahati
Computer Science and Engineering (P10), Electrical Engineering (P11), Mechanical Engineering (P24)

IIT Rajasthan----- IIT Kanpur
Computer Science and Engineering (J10), Electrical Engineering (J11), Mechanical Engineering (J24)

IIT Bhuvaneswar----- IIT Kharagpur
Civil Engineering (E09), Electrical Engineering (E11), Mechanical Engineering (E24)

IIT Hyderabad----- IIT Madras
Computer Science and Engineering (H10), Electrical Engineering(H11), Mechanical Engineering (H24)


*40 seats [20+11+6+3;(1)] are available in each course.
@ If for any unforeseen reason the start of any new IIT is delayed, admission to that IIT will not be taken up during counseling session of JEE 2008.

The first year classes for IIT Punjab, IIT Rajasthan and IIT Bhuvaneswar will be conducted at the campuses of the respective mentor IITs. In the second year, the students from the above three IITs will be shifted to their respective locations. Classes for other new IITs will be conducted in the cities where the new IITs are located.


IIT Patna

IIT Patna's campus will be on the outskirts of Patna in a 600 acre campus. Classes will start in 2008 from a temporary campus in Navin Govt. Polytechnic, Patliputra Nagar, a posh area of Patna. The campus will have 45000 sq ft of space. Two hostels to house boys and girls are also available next to the academic area. Faculty from IIT Guwahati will take the classes. It is expected that all operations will shift to the main campus by July 2010.


IIT Rajasthan

The location of the new IIT in Rajasthan will be announced by the Government of India. In the meantime, IIT Kanpur would be acting as the mentor institute of IIT Rajasthan.. Till the required infrastructure comes up, the classes will be held at the IIT Kanpur campus, after which the students will be relocated to the place in Rajasthan where the new IIT gets established. The students taking admission to the new IIT Rajasthan, along with their parents, will be required to give an undertaking to this effect.


For the benefit of the aspiring applicants, further details of the academic programs and other procedures on IIT Rajasthan will be made available on the website of IIT Kanpur (www.iitk.ac.in/iitj) very soon. In the meantime, any queries can be made by sending e-mail to: iitj@iitk.ac.in or by calling at: (+91)-512-259-6244 (Tele-Fax).


IIT Gandhinagar

IIT Gandhinagar, in Gujarat, is one of the new IITs proposed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. Gujarat is known for excellent infrastructure with thriving industries, prestigious academic and research institutes and an ambience which encourages entrepreneurship. IIT Bombay has been identified as the mentoring institution for the IIT in Gujarat. Till the campus of the new IIT in Gujarat gets established, the classes will be held within the premises of Vishwakarma Government Engineering College, Chandkheda, which is within the municipal limits of Gandhinagar. Students will be provided with residential and other facilities at a temporary location. The curriculum will be similar to that of IIT Bombay with some differences until the time the academic bodies of the new IIT is in place. Fee structure will be same as that of the mentoring Institute


IIT Bhuvaneswar

IIT Bhuvaneswar is one amongst the new IITs proposed by Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India. Its location will be intimated in due course and the academic programme will start from 24 July 2008 in the IIT Kharagpur campus. After completion of first year in IIT Kharagpur, the students will be shifted to new location where IIT Bhuvaneswar will be established. The first year fee structure will be same as that of IIT Kharagpur.


IIT Punjab

IIT Punjab is one of the new IITs proposed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India. Its location will be known in due course of time and the academic session 2008-2009 will start on July 23, 2008. The curriculum, course structure and syllabus for the first year courses will be broadly as per that at IIT Delhi. The first year fee structure will also be same as that at IIT Delhi. Classes will initially start at IIT Delhi campus, and subsequently the students will be relocated to its new location as soon as IIT Punjab is established. The students will have to move to the new place and they will not be accommodated at IIT Delhi campus; an undertaking to this effect will have to be given at the time of joining.

New Earth-like planet discovered

Artist's impression of the inner four planets of the Gliese 581 system and their host star, a red dwarf only 20 light years from Earth. Image: Lynette Cook/NSF/AP

Astronomers have discovered a potentially habitable planet of similarsize to Earth in orbit around a nearby star.
A team of planet hunters spotted the alien world circling a red dwarf star called Gliese 581, 20 light years away.
The planet is in the "Goldilocks zone" of space around a star where surface temperatures are neither too hot nor too cold for liquid water to form.
"Our findings offer a very compelling case for a potentially habitable planet," said Steven Vogt, an astronomer at the University of California, Santa Cruz. "The fact that we were able to detect this planet so quickly and so nearby tells us that planets like this must be really common."
If confirmed, the planet would be the most Earth-like that has ever been discovered in another solar system and the first strong contender for a habitable one.
More than 400 exoplanets have been discovered by astronomers, but most are gas giants, like Jupiter, that would be inhospitable to life as we know it.
Astronomers used the Keck telescope in Hawaii to study the movement of Gliese 581 in exquisite detail and from their observations inferred the presence of a number of orbiting planets. The team report two new planets in the Astrophysical Journal, bringing the total number known to be circling the star to six.
One of the planets, named Gliese 581g, has a mass of three to four times that of Earth and takes 37 days to orbit the star. Astronomers believe it is a rocky planet with enough gravity to retain an atmosphere.
Unlike the previously discovered planets, Gliese 581g lies squarely in the region of space were life can thrive. "We had planets on both sides of the habitable zone — one too hot and one too cold — and now we have one in the middle that's just right," Vogt said.
One side of the planet is always facing the star, much as one side of the moon constantly faces Earth. This means that the far side of the planet is constantly in darkness. The most habitable region of the planet would be the line between the light and dark regions.
"Any emerging life forms would have a wide range of stable climates to choose from and to evolve around, depending on their longitude," Vogt said.
The average temperature on the planet is estimated to be between -31 to -12C, but the ground temperature would vary from blazing hot on the bright side and freezing on the dark side.
"The number of systems with potentially habitable planets is probably on the order of 10 or 20 percent, and when you multiply that by the hundreds of billions of stars in the Milky Way, that's a large number. There could be tens of billions of these systems in our galaxy," said Vogt.

Most Expensive Cars In The World: Top 10 List 2009-2010

World's Most Expensive Cars
What is the most expensive car in the world? The 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe was sold for $8,700,000 in 1987. However, that car and many alike will not be included in this list because it is not available on the market today. It is hard to imagine someone would actually spend 8 million dollars on a car instead of using it for something more productive. However, if you have the money and the opportunity, you will definitely spend a small fraction of it to place a few of these supercars in your garage. Here are the 10 most expensive production cars on the market.
1. Bugatti Veyron $1,700,000. This is by far the most expensive street legal car available on the market today. It is the fastest accelerating car reaching 0-60 in 2.6 seconds. It claims to be the fastest car with a top speed of 253 mph+. However, the title for the fastest car goes to the SSC Ultimate Aero which exceed 253 mph pushing this car to 2nd place for the fastest car.

2. Lamborghini Reventon $1,600,000. The most powerful and the most expensive Lamborghini ever built is the second on the list. It takes 3.3 seconds to reach 60 mph and it has a top speed of 211 mph. Its rarity (limited to 20) and slick design are the reasons why it is so expensive and costly to own.

3. McLaren F1 $970,000. In 1994, the McLaren F1 was the fastest and most expensive car. Even though it was built 15 years ago, it has an unbelievable  top speed of 240 mph and reaching 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Even as of today, the McLaren F1 is still top on the list and it outperformed many other supercars.

4. Ferrari Enzo $670,000. The most known supercar ever built. The Enzo has a top speed of 217 mph and reaching 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Only 400 units were produced and it is currently being sold for over $1,000,000 at auctions.

5. Pagani Zonda C12 F $667,321. Produced by a small independent company in Italy, the Pagani Zonda C12 F is the 5th fastest car in the world. It promises to delivery a top speed of 215 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.5 seconds.

6. SSC Ultimate Aero $654,400. Don't let the price tag fool you, the 6th most expensive car is actually the fastest street legal car in the world with a top speed of 257 mph+ and reaching 0-60 in 2.7 seconds. This baby cost nearly half as much as the Bugatti Veyron, yet has enough power to top the most expensive car in a speed race. It is estimated that only 25 of this exact model will ever be produced.

7. Saleen S7 Twin Turbo $555,000. The first true American production certified supercar, this cowboy is also rank 3rd for the fastest car in the world. It has a top speed of 248 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.2 seconds. If you are a true American patriot, you can be proud to show off this car.

8. Koenigsegg CCX $545,568. Swedish made, the Koenigsegg is fighting hard to become the fastest car in the world. Currently, it is the 4th fastest car in the world with a top speed of 245 mph+, the car manufacture Koenigsegg is not giving up and will continue to try and produce the fastest car. Good luck with that!

9. Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster $495,000. A GT supercar, the SLR McLaren is the fastest automatic transmission car in the world with a top speed of 206 mph+ and reaching 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. It is a luxurious convertible with a really powerful engine, which results in outstanding performances and style.

10. Porsche Carrera GT $440,000. A supercar with dynamic stability control and a top speed of 205 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.9 seconds. The Porsche Carrera GT applies the absolute calibers of a true racing car to offer an unprecedented driving feeling on the road.

Mahindra Diablo

There have been several rumours about a new bike from Mahindra and it might be named ‘Diablo’. The name was suggested by a winning team in one of the Business Strategy Competition, sponsored by Mahindra for Business School students.

Now bike will have a liquid cooled, 4-stroke, 300cc engine which will produce around 25bhp. It rides on inverted telescopic forks and gets discs both upfront and rear.

Mahindra Cevalo SYM 125cc Bike

The commercials for the bike have been shot at the Vallelunga race track in Rome. The advertisement runs a message towards the end saying “Tested In Italy, Coming to India – Mahindra Motorcycles“.

Bollywood king Aamir Khan is said to be roped in as brand ambassador for Mahindra’s upcoming bike.

On the other side, there have been some reports that M&M Cevalo 125cc Bike is also expected to see a launch in India. Both these bike models are currently generating a lot of heat in the Indian Automobile market.

Image courtesy: Bikereview

M&M Diablo 300cc & Mahindra Cevalo 125cc Bikes Photo Gallery:

Mahindra Cevalo SYM 125cc Bike

2011 Mahindra Diablo

Verizon iPhone 4: Apple's Best Concealed Secret?

Verizon iPhone 4: Apple's Best Concealed Secret? There is obviously the element of surprise that Steve Jobs can spring up on us. But unless that happens, the Verizon iPhone 4 is not happening in this year. The exclusivity issue associated with the iPhone is also expected to be nullified.


The on-deck version of the smartphones is not quite the same market as the one in which you go to a mobile store and get yourself a new handset. The iPhone 4 becoming available in the mobile market has been featuring almost all major news and rumors for quite a bit of time now. And now the Verizon iPhone 4 has made it in the speculative news once again as it has been stacked away for the time being.

The iPod in its new avatar has been launched in the month of September and the Mac also has been addressed in the month of October as the back to the Mac made its mark in the way of the MacBook Air or other updates in software. But that should be it for the year as the company usually do not tend to release new products in the last couple of months of the year. There is obviously the element of surprise that Steve Jobs can spring up on us. But unless that happens, the Verizon iPhone 4 is not happening in this year.

That being so ruins the air of expectation among many people of getting hold of the device from Verizon Wireless come the holiday season in the winter time. The newer reports about the fourth generation of the iPhone being on the network of Verizon is not going to happen any time before the spring of the coming year.

The exclusivity issue associated with the iPhone is also expected to be nullified with the same. The iPad is already being sold by Verizon. However, people still seem to believe that Jobs may just address the press in the eleventh hour and give the Verizon iPhone 4 to the world in this year some time itself.

Highlights Hidden Threat to 4G: Spectrum Fragmentation

­Regulators pondering how to carve out spectrum to support 4G networks are missing the forest for the trees. While focusing on finding spectrum large enough to support 4G's higher speeds and innovative applications, they are failing to harmonize their choices across geographies, resulting in worldwide spectrum fragmentation. And that means tomorrow's 4G handsets may not work from country to country, stifling user adoption and curtailing roaming - and revenue, according to Yankee Group.

The report's global spectrum survey finds:

Europe gets it mostly right. Europe is taking a harmonized approach to both spectrum and technology, with key new networks rolling out in Sweden, Norway and Germany all using consistent spectrum bands.

The U.S. goes it alone. By allowing carriers to take spectrum in advance of the rest of the world and fragmenting its 700 MHz digital dividend, the U.S. is ending up out of step with not just Mexico but also Canada.

Asia is slow to decide. Across the region, regulators have moved slowly to clear existing occupants from key spectrum. Plus, Japan - like the U.S. - continues to allocate spectrum with little regard for international harmonization.

"If these trends continue, vendors will not be able to make devices that work everywhere and consumers will not easily roam across networks when traveling to different countries," said Ken Rehbehn, principal analyst at Yankee Group and author of the report. "This greatly threatens 4G's success, since roaming revenue will fall and consumers will seek alternatives, like Wi-Fi."

source :-http://www.cellular-news.com/story/46005.php