LG's new phone aims to beat Apple, Samsung

LG Electronics Inc's new Optimus phone sports a display sharper than the one onApple Inc's iPhone and its chip puts it on par with Samsung Electronics Co's newest Galaxy. Gwon Soo Seok, 23, still isn't won over. "LG's image is that of a laggard," said Gwon, a student in Seoul who is leaning toward an iPhone or a Galaxy. "LG seems to have good technology, but Apple and Samsung are the cool ones," said Gwon, who stopped using devices made by Seoul-based LG, the world's No. 3 phonemaker, three years ago. The failure to woo consumers like Gwon leaves LG at a disadvantage to Apple and Samsung insmartphones, the fastest- growing segment of the $207 billion mobile-phone industry. LG had 718 billion won ($625 million) in operating losses at the handset division in the year to June, compared with a 5.7 trillion-won profit in the same period at Samsung. "LG was slow to embrace the smartphone market, and they are still having a hard time correcting the mistake," said Lim Han Eui, a telecommunications consultant at ROA Consulting in Seoul. "There has been nothing particularly special about their phones. They need to develop their own color and identity." LG, whose panel unit supplies the "Retina" displays used in the iPhone, introduced its first smartphone globally last year, more than three years after the debut of the Apple device. Apple, based in Cupertino, California, accounted for 18.5 per cent of global smartphone shipments in the second quarter, compared with 13.5 percent a year earlier, research company Strategy Analytics said in July. Nokia Oyj, based in Espoo, Finland, dropped to third place, falling behind Samsung after its market share shrank to 15.2 per cent from 38.1 per cent. 'Behind the Curve' Including basic phones, Nokia remained the world's biggest handset maker with a 24.5 per cent share, followed by Samsung at 20.5 per cent and LG at 6.9 per cent, according to the researcher. "They've been behind the curve and are constantly playing catch-up," Annalisa Di Chiara, a Hong Kong-based senior analyst at Moody's, said of LG. "The question, really, is whether they will ever catch up on the mobile side." LG shares have slumped 36 per cent this year, compared with a 3.4 per cent drop for Samsung, a 22 per cent jump for Apple and a 39 per cent tumble for Nokia. Earlier this month, Moody's cut the outlook for LG's Baa2 issuer and senior unsecured debt rating to "negative" from "stable," citing weakness in the handset market. Standard & Poor's lowered the long-term corporate credit and senior unsecured debt ratings to BBB- from BBB on October 14. Hard sell The company is aiming to stem losses and convince investors a turnaround is possible. Koo Bon Joon, the younger brother of LG Group's chairman, took over last year after his predecessor Nam Yong quit, taking responsibility for failing to come up with a model to counter the iPhone. The maker of Chocolate and Prada handsets is cutting back on less-profitable models, Park Jong Seok, head of the mobile business, said in July. More than 12 new models have been unveiled this year, under the Optimus brand. LG showcased the Optimus LTE in Seoul on October 10, touting its 329 pixels-per-inch screen compared with the iPhone 4S's 326. The chip has a 1.5 gigahertz processor, the same as Samsung's latest Galaxy model. LG has the strength in technology for next-generation mobile devices such as the long-term evolution model, said Ken Hong, a Seoul-based spokesman. The latest phone is capable of running on faster networks using the so-called LTE technology. 'Ripe time' "Time is ripe for us to put that into action," he said. "The Year 2012 is going to be a significantly different scene from now." The company is also betting on 3D technology in mobile phones, a feature Samsung and Apple don't offer. It introduced a 3D phone this year and plans are in place for more, said Jeong Ok Hyun, head of LG's research center. Full-year net loss at the mobile-phone division may narrow to 270 billion won in 2011 compared with the 654 billion won loss a year earlier, according to the average of four analysts' estimates compiled by Bloomberg News. LG is scheduled to report third-quarter earnings this week. "LG's strategy seems to be to make anything they can come up with, with the hope that something will become a hit," said Woo Chang Hee, a Seoul-based analyst at LIG Investment & Securities Co. "They may be taking the right steps, but the pace isn't fast enough."

Ecommerce portal OneBazaar launches online consumer community Jatang

Mumbai-based retail company Cosmic Retail, which operates OneBazaar.com, has launched Jatang as a social networking website that rewards its members for every single activity they do on the portal. The points collected can be redeemed on OneBazaar.com. Users can add other users as friends, exchange messages, write blogs, add videos/photos, browse through classifieds and get automatic notifications on latest updates. Jatang users must register before using the site. Additionally, users may join common-interest user groups, organized by workplace, school or college, or other characteristics.

Facebook accused of creating 'extensive profiles' of non-users

Facebook is now building profiles of non-users who haven't even signed up to the social networking site, it has emerged. The claim has been made in a complaint filed in August by Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner. It alleges that users are encouraged to hand over the personal data of other people including names, phone numbers, email addresses and more, which Facebook uses to create "extensive profiles" of non-users. " Facebook Ireland is gathering excessive amounts of information about data subjects without notice or consent by the data subject," the complaint said. It added that in many cases the information "might be embarrassing or intimidating for the data subject. The information might also constitute sensitive data such as political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation and so forth." Facebook, however, categorically denied the allegations, Fox News reports. "The allegations are false. We enable you to send emails to your friends, inviting them to join Facebook. We keep the invitee's email address and name to let you know when they join the service," said Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes. "This practice is common among almost all services that involve invitations from document sharing to event planning," he said.

Microsoft and Google consider bid for yahoo

As a host of potential bidders circle Yahoo, several of Silicon Valley's biggest companies are considering whether to jump into the fray themselves. Microsoft and Google are both weighing whether to participate in the bidding. Each has its own business reasons for wanting to see the continued existence of Yahoo, which despite its financial struggles still has a monthly audience of almost 700 million unique visitors. But there's one thing the technology giants have in common: Not one of them wants to actually buy or run Yahoo. Instead, Microsoft and Google are considering lending financial support to private equity firms or others weighing a bid, according to people briefed on the matter. Microsoft is the furthest along, having held discussions with a number of leveraged buyout firms, these people said. Under one possible combination, Microsoft would chip in billions of dollars in financing as part of a consortium led by the private equity firm Silver Lake and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board, three of these people said. That group would be backstopped by billions of dollars in bank financing as well. Google, for its part, has had conversations with two private equity firms about backing a takeover, according to another person briefed on the matter. Such discussions are in the early stages and may not lead to a bid, this person said. Representatives for Microsoft, Google, Silver Lake and Yahoo declined to comment on any potential bidding. While nearly every major private equity firm has been conducting some preliminary due diligence on Yahoo, potential suitors have been trying to sort out what bids would look like before they sign nondisclosure agreements with Yahoo to officially pore over its books, according to people briefed on the matter. These people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about confidential talks. But what has become apparent is that the private equity firms would be focused on turning around the company, while a deep-pocketed backer like Microsoft or Google would supply capital. A crucial Yahoo adviser, Allen & Company, has told potential bidders that they should focus on how to improve the company's core North American operations and not worry about the divestiture of the company's huge holdings in theAlibaba Group of China and Yahoo Japan. Players like Microsoft and Google are primarily interested in what they could reap from teaming up with Yahoo. Yahoo's news arm reported 81.2 million unique visitors in August, making it the biggest online news site. Microsoft already has in place a wide-ranging agreement with Yahoo: Its Bing search engine fetches answers to user queries, while Yahoo's sales force sells ads against those results. Microsoft may also push to integrate its newest acquisition, the Internet communications company Skype, into Yahoo. With a deal, Google could eventually wrest Yahoo away from Microsoft when their partnership expires. By doing so, the company could provide its own search technology and use its DoubleClick display advertising subsidiary to service Yahoo's advertising inventory, this person said

people who failed to then succeeded

Gujarat emerging as global automobile manufacturing hub: Narendra Modi

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the state was emerging as a global automobile manufacturing hub with companies like Ford, PSA Peugeot and Tata Motors opening up their facilities here.

"We wanted to encourage our engineering sector as a result of which a lot of automotive companies have come to the state. Gujarat is moving towards becoming a global automotive manufacturing hub and shall become backbone of Indian automotive sector," Modi said, while speaking at the MoU signing ceremony between Gujarat government and PSA Peugeot Citron.

"I am really happy to see the signing of agreement with Peugeot on this auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi today. In July, a similar agreement was signed with Ford," he said. "With this the first locally produced Peugeot car will be available in India by 2014," Modi said.

With this integrated manufacturing facility being set up at an investment of Rs 4,000 crore, Sanand will also figure as one of the largest automotive parts manufacturing hub globally, he said adding the state has become a leading investment destination too, Modi said.

The state government will also set up an international level Automotive Skill Development Institute on PPP mode with PSA Peugeot, to generate skilled manpower for the automotive sector, Modi said.

Finnair to expand its network to more Indian cities

NEW DELHI: Terming India as a "priority destination", Nordic carrier Finnair on Thursday said that in addition to Delhi, it would soon link more cities directly with Finland.

Important cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad are under consideration for starting Finnair services, Kari Stolbow, Director, Indian Sub-continent, Finnair, told reporters here.

He said, meanwhile, Finnair Cargo will launch services between Mumbai and Helsinki in co-operation with Nordic Global Airlines from September 16 this year.

Terming Delhi-Helsinki route as profitable, he said the airline's commercial income increased by around 25 per cent in the first six months of this year compared to corresponding period last year.

Finnair had launched direct flight between Delhi and Helsinki on October 30, 2007.

It is running a flight on the route six days a week except for Tuesday, Stolbow said.

The flights between Mumbai and Helsinki were suspended in March 2009 due to fall in traffic, he said.

The major share of Finnair passengers from India are from business sector.

"Corporate passengers constitute 75 per cent while leisure travellers form 25 per cent of our traffic from India," he said.

Stolbow added the airline would work closely with leading corporate houses like Wipro, Tata Consultancy and Nokia which have establishments in Finland to increase number of corporate flyers.

He further said Finnair has forged tie-up with Kingfisher airlines to mobilise more passengers to Finland from different cities within India.

Bangalore Metro to chug from mid-September

BANGALORE: The long-delayed Metro rail service in this tech hub is set to roll out after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dedicates the first phase of the multi-crore project to the nation mid-September, a top official said here Tuesday.

"The first phase (Reach-1) of the 'Namma Metro' service will commence after the prime minister flags off the inaugural trip in the second week of next month. The tentative launch dates are Sep 15 or Sep 17 depending on his (PM) convenience," state-run Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) managing director N. Sivasailam told reporters here.

The Reach-1 of the Rs.11,609-crore (revised cost) mega project from M.G. Road in city centre to Baiyappanahalli in the eastern suburb covers 6.7 km on elevated tracks with four stations in between.

"The railway safety commissioner (D.K. Singh) of South Central Railway will inspect the Metro facility, stations, signalling system and commuter facilities, including security measures, Sep 4-6 to certify them for commencing operations. We have set Sep 10 as the last date for securing Railway Board clearance to pave way for its inaugural run," Sivasailam said.

In the run-up to the D-day, Karnataka Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda reviewed the project works and commuted in the three-coach Metro Rail from M.G. Road to Baiyappanahalli with state Transport Minister R. Ashoka, Law Minister Suresh Kumar, lawmakers and senior officials.

"The prime minister has agreed to inaugurate the service soon after the operator (BMRCL) receives the mandatory clearances. We hope to launch the service from Sept 15 or 17 and offer it to the eight-million citizens as a Dasara gift," Gowda told reporters after riding on the Metro for about 15 minutes each.

Though Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the project June 24, 2006, the corporation only began civil works in 2007 and executed Reach-1 in March 2011, 24 months behind the original schedule. This led to a cost escalation of Rs.3,451 crore from the estimated cost of Rs.8,158 crore.

"We have invested Rs.4,000 crore so far in the project, including Rs.360 crore on civil works. We will operate five trains of three coaches in both directions with 10 minutes frequency from morning till late night to ferry about 1,000 commuters on each trip," BMRCL spokesman B.L.Y. Chavan told IANS.

The first phase comprising two corridors will cover a total of 42.3 km across the city, with 18.1 km on east-west corridor and 24.2 km on north-south corridor, including 8.8 km underground in the city centre. There will be 41 stations.

Being built on public-private partnership model, with the state and central governments holding 15 per cent equity each (Rs.1,224 crore), the project has 25 per cent (Rs.2,040 crore) as subordinate debt and 45 per cent senior term debt from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Delhi Metro hikes parking fees from September 8

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is hiking its parking fees from Sep 8 onwards, according to a DMRC official.

The monthly parking fee for car goes up to Rs.625 from Rs.500; motorcycle, scooter and autorickshaw to Rs.300 from Rs.250; and cycle-rickshaw to Rs.30 from Rs.20.

"The fee at Metro stations is much less than those levied by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC)," the DMRC official said.

The increase apart, the DMRC also introduced a monthly parking pass Thursday at select stations.

"These monthly passes will be issued to any regular commuter using smart card, provided they have used their smart card for at least 20 days in August," the DMRC official said.

To avail this facility, the commuter should give a request letter with the copies of driving licence, registration certificate and smart card at the 18 stations earmarked.

The 18 stations are: Dilshad Garden, Jhilmil, Shahdara, Seelampur, Tis Hazari, Pulbangash, Pratap Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Inder Lok, Kanhaiya Nagar, Rohini West, Rithala, GTB Nagar, Patel Chowk, RK Ashram, Moti Nagar, Janakpuri East and Uttam Nagar East.

The Delhi Metro makes over 2,400 trips per day, traversing about 69,000 km and ferrying around 17 lakh passengers on working days.

2G scam: No Dayanidhi Maran role in Aircel deal, CBI tells Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday told the Supreme Court that there was no evidence to suggest that former communications minister Dayanidhi Maran used coercive methods to force C. Sivasankaran to sell his stakes in telecom company Aircel to Malaysia-based Maxis group.

Senior counsel K.K. Venugopal, appearing for the probe agency, told the apex court bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice A.K. Ganguly that the CBI "may examine" the then finance minister Jaswant Singh over alleged wrongdoings in the communications ministry in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government.

He told the court that Jaswant Singh headed the empowered group of ministers (EGOM) when Arun Shourie was the communications minister between 2003-04. The CBI told the court that it would complete its investigation into suspicious transactions linked to the 2G allocation by Sep 31.

Talking about allegations against Maran, Venugopal said there was no evidence of coercion used by DMK leader Maran in the sale of Aircel by Sivasankaran to Maxis. Maxis was in touch with Maran before Sivasankaran off-loaded his stakes in the telecom company.

DMK spokesperson Elangovan told IANS in Chennai: "The whole 2G case is without any evidence. The cases against Raja and Kanimozhi will also fail."

The CBI told the apex court that there was deliberate and undue delay on the part of the DoT (department of telecommunication) and the (then) minister in the issuance of letter of intent to Aircel under its previous owner and "undue favour was shown" the moment the company was taken over by the Maxis group.

It was alleged that Maran created a situation that forced Sivasankaran to sell his stake in Aircel to Maxis group, believed to be close to the minister's family.

Venugopal also gave to court the CBI's status report on its investigations into the 2G scam in a sealed cover. One report each was submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax department.

The CBI said the investigation into the alleged wrongdoings in the communications ministry was broadly in four parts dealing with the tenures of communications ministers Pramod Mahajan (2002-03), Arun shourie (2003-04), Dayanidhi Maran (2004-07) and A. Raja (2007-10).

Venugopal said that the CBI found little evidence of lapses during Arun Shourie's tenure, but there were variations in the policy and its implementation in Pramod Mahajan's tenure and it was being further investigated.