The Viral Rises - #tdkr07202012

So viral starts to promote The Dark Knight Rises!

And as expected it stirs the bat communities over the internet !! Atleast I can see huge excitement over Official 'The Dark Knight Rises' Community over facebook, where I am a member for quite a long time. Join there for more scoops!  

Aircel To Change 3G Market with 'Pocket Internet Smart' Plans

Just like they disrupted 2G data space with Pocket Internet plans, Aircel is going to change the 3G landscape by introducing Pocket Internet Smart plans.

Srijit's 3rd: Hemlock Society - Catching Storyline

Srijit Mukherji does not need any introduction. Director of Autograph and Baishe Srabon is going to be back with his 3rd venture Hemlock Society.

If you don't know anything about Hemlock Society, know this:

The Hemlock Society USA was a national right-to-die organization founded in Santa Monica, California by Derek Humphry in 1980. Its primary missions included providing information to dying persons and supporting legislation permitting physician-assisted suicide. In 1992, following the publication of his book Final Exit, Derek Humphry left the leadership of Hemlock Society USA. In 2003 the national organization renamed itself, and a year later merged with another group into a newly formed national organization called Compassion & Choices. A number of unaffiliated local organizations continue to operate under variants of the Hemlock Society name.

via Wikipedia 

This film will reunite Srijit, Sree Venkatesh Films and Musician Anupam Roy once again.

Skyfall: Bond. Back in Business

Spoiler: Reliance Infotel Chosen LTE Partner

Reliance Industries owned Infotel Broadband Services Ltd which bagged pan India 20MHz BWA spectrum on 2300MHz band in 2010 auction is in the limelight for some time.

As we know from the latest scoop Infotel is doing trials in Jamnagar and finalizing roll out plans.

From inside sources, SPOILER ALERT

ABP's Online Mess Up: e-Paper of Telegraph India

ABP group sucks bigtime when it comes to online websites. (Their friends 91.9 FM also sucks, in spite of good programmes aired but whatever signal does not work at my suburban Kolkata area.) First they messed up Anandabazar.com without unicode support. After a long battle they brought unicode supported site for Anandabazar.

This time it's about their English daily - The Telegraph India. First of all telegraphindia.com does not deliver instantaneous news like TOI, NDTV, ZeeTV. Nor they have a tweet account for instant update of Kolkata news.

Telegraph India which is largest English daily in Eastern India has a website, as usual. But often I find articles on the website do not have the photographs which are present on the hard copy/print paper.

So only hope in those cases, are Telegraph's e-paper version. But the e-paper version of Telegraph India sucks. Why?

1. It requires log in to browse and read the e-paper !
2. No option for log in via Facebook or Twitter !
3. See below:
When you are logging in (taken you had registered) there is an option called Edition.
And under this, there are two options very familiar with each other - The Telegraph and TheTelegraph. This is to confused users which one to choose. On my first time, I choose the default option, and fucked up!
Note that you have to select second option - TheTelegraph to read e-paper version of The Telegraph India.

Credit Card Shaped Pen Drives From Moserbaer

Moserbaer which is in pen drive business for a time, is unique in consumer offerings. They sell pendrives preloaded with bollywood films, in the form factor of Swivel or capped.

This time Moserbaer launched a pendrive with 4GB/8GB storage. The uniqueness of the pendrives are the form factor. It is credit card shaped. The name is ZAP!

For details : http://shop.moserbaer.in/product-subCategories.asp?subId=105

How to Track Your Shipments By One Click (Bluedart, DTDC, FirstFlight)

During my online shopping, I see that websites send me the track code of the respective courier company, so that I can inform my family at home about the estimated time of delivery.

Often the email contains only the track code, so I have to open the site of the courier, then enter the code and check the details of the shipment. I also see that the page opens with the details of the track code is no use if you bookmark it to check it for second time.

For eg, if you have shipments on Bluedart, you open bluedart.com and enter the waybill no and you will be taken to http://bluedart.com/servlet/RoutingServlet - you can not share this link to anyone who can check the details of the shipment, you need to send the track code along with.

So I find out that some websites are sending the links, which can be shared and with one click you can check your shipment details.

I am sharing the links:

Why No 4G-LTE Smartphones in India Yet?

After Airtel launched 4G services in India, many are surprised as there is no smartphone on 4G. There are some reasons behind it:

1. 4G Smartphone which are globally released are on 700/1800-2100MHz FDD-LTE (in USA), 800/2600MHz FDD-LTE (in Germany, Korea, Japan).

But Indian 4G is based on LTE-TDD on 2300MHz band. So smartphones for Indian 4G are yet to start rolling out. A strong push by operators is needed to create the 4G smartphone marketplace.

2. Operators cannot push 4G smartphones as right now 4G coverage is not upto the mark. Secondly Airtel does not have 3G spectrum in Kolkata, Punjab and Maharastra.

Samaresh's Arjun on His Way to Big Screens

I am very much exciting when I saw the article on T2 that Samaresh Majumdar's young sleuth Arjun is to be into films! After Feluda, Bomkesh Bakshi and Kakababu this is most probably 4th apperance of Bengali seuth in the big screen!

Samaresh Majumder started these tales for the young readers on the request of Nirendranath Chakravarti. If you don't know Arjun is a young guy, in his 20s and lives with his widow mother in North Bengal (Jaipaiguri ?). My first encounter with Arjun was via Pujabarshiki Anandamela. But this characater is unique one by Samaresh Majumdar. Many readers also find the science fiction treatment with the character as well as with the stories. Adventure and Jungles are always present in this storyline as plots are mostly on the North Bengal.

The first film on Arjun will be based upon early stories of Arjun - an adaptation of two Samaresh Majumdar stories — Khunkharapi and Kalimpongey Sitaharan.

Director: Prem Modi

My Expectation from Telecom Policy 2012

The new telecom policy for India which is in discuss from 2011, is yet to deliver. Hopefully it may turn into a reality in 2012.

What I like to see from Telecom policy 2012:

1. Reduction in call termination charge to 10p/min or less, and ultimately zero call termination charge.
2. Permission of VoIP - to promote telephony over LTE data services.
3. Official policy for MVNO - to clear the road for foriegn players.
4. Proper spectrum policy
5. Importance to CDMA spectrum vacation
6. To make EVDO legal
7. To promote BYOD (bring your own device) policy among operators.
8. One Country, One Circle - abolishment of roaming. If not possible, break the 22 circles into zonal circles like North, East, West, South & North East.

4G/LTE in India: Tikona Digital Networks

Tikona Digital Network (TDN) is a wireless internet service provider (WISP) in India, operating on the free spectrum of 5.8GHz band.

The company is mostly owned by private equity companies like Goldman Sachs Investment Partners (22.8 %), Indivision India Partners (13.46% ), Oak India Investments (23.55% ) and Green Lotus Investments (10.09% ), while the man behind the company Tikona Founder, MD & CEO, Prakash Bajpai owns 2.67 percent, while Tikona Trust owns 26 percent. [source: Medianama] Note that Tikona was founded in 2008 by ex-Reliance Communications employee Rajesh Tiwari and Prakash Bajpai, and bagged class A pan India ISP licence and launched wireless broadband under the brand name of WiBro in 2010 (stands for Wi-reless Bro-adband) to offer fixed broadband experience wirelessly. There is a Korean wireless broadband technology called WiBro but there is no connection between Tikona and this Korean WiBro.

Reasons Behind Airtel's Choice of Kolkata as 4G Launchpad

Yesterday Airtel rolled out country's first 4G services in Kolkata. And many are wondered why Airtel chose Kolkata as 4G launch pad! The Telegraph India frontpage of 11th April said: Mystery of Calcutta turning 4G launchpad - All you wanted to know about the faster telecom service plus the debut theories. 

Airtel created a landmark in the history of wireless broadband in India, as Airtel 4G LTE, country's 1st 4G services launched in Kolkata on April 10, 2012. Details of Airtel 4G plans, devices and VAS are available here. (BSNL WiMAX was launched earlier, but no 2Mbps+ plans means you never see true potential of 4G.)

Before you say OMAAGAAD ! let me explain. I will also mention Telegraph India's points.
I asked our sources close to Telecomtalk that despite of the fact Kolkata is the lowest ARPU generating metro circle why Airtel chose it as country' first 4G city. They explained like these:

1. Broadband penetration is low in Kolkata, so they can capture untapped data market with 4G (broadband revolution). That leads me to think that pricing could be affordable and user-friendly. But ultimately Airtel brought plans targetting mid-user or enterprise customers, while device cost will keep most people at bay!

Airtel 4G Launch - Sneak Peak

airtel 4G Launch


1st LTE based wireless broadband in India

Technology: LTE-TDD
Spectrum band: 2300MHz
Spectrum Airtel has: 20MHz
Equipment Partner: ZTE
First Roll out in: Kolkata
Launch date: April 10, 2012
End User Devices: Huawei made USB Modem and WiFi Router
Pricing: Rs 155/GB at the lowest, Rs 166/GB highest. Tariff is strict Ok-Ok, targeted to high end users.
Compete with: Any data card based services, will compete against EVDO players.

More details: Telecomtalk

Website: Airtel.in/4G

Pre-Launch Discussion of 4G/LTE in India

In India 4G is to be rolled out in less than 30 days. Here 4G pricing should be affordable and must come with proper customer-friendly FUPs.

Why 4G pricing will be cheaper ? [Read my article on Telecomtalk]

1. 4G spectrum is way cheaper than 3G. 4G players got more spectrum at lesser price.

2. 4G aka LTE can be an alternative of fixed broadband. 3G and 4G both are backed by fiber backbone. 3G spectrum in just 5MHz (compared to 20MHz on 4G per opertor) and no network sharing is allowed - operators are not keen to offer good tariff on 3G as it can draw huge traffic causing choked network.

Sanghai, Department Must Be in Must-Watch 2012 Film List

Recently I have come across two trailers of two upcoming Hindi films!
I must tell you that both are fucking exciting :) and should be listed on your 2012's must-watch films.

No 1 is Sanghai by Dibakar Banerjee. He is the director of Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008) and Love Sex aur Dhokha (2010). 

Letsbuy - Popularity Goes Down

After Flipkart acquired Letsbuy first thing came on my mind that there would be no more coupons available on Letsbuy. Yesterday I had an adda with my brother and we concluded that these days letsbuy is out of sight from all deal sites like freekaamaal, desidime etc. 

I was looking for a grooming kit, I find Philips QG3250 is priced at Rs 2222 on letsbuy, while on flipkart it is Rs 2189. Earlier with coupon of 10% or 5% discount you can get it at 2K, cheapest online. But as no longer coupons are available people are forgetting letsbuy. 

New iPad - 4G Mismatch: Wait before You Buy It

New iPad or iPad 3 or iPad 4G is launched in US and supports 4G network in US. New iPad 4G LTE is supported only on AT&T and Verizon networks in the U.S. and on Bell, Rogers, and Telus networks in Canada. [specs details]



Worldwide 2G voice services are generally offered over 900MHz & 1800 MHz by GSM operators, while CDMA operators use 800 & 1900 MHz spectrum. For 3G services (WCDMA, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA) GSM operators use 2100MHz, while CDMA players can offer high speed EVDO services on existing 2G spectrum. This is general standard, so global roaming is easy for GSM and CDMA operators, though GSM is widely accepted compared to CDMA. But as we see to global deployment of LTE, there is no such standardization of spectrum band like we see with GSM and CDMA. It may cause problem with global roaming of LTE with a single device.



Do not buy a new iPad 4G if you are living in India. Because in India currently no operators offers 4G services. Secondly iPad 4G supports FDD-LTE on 700 MHz and 1700/200MHz spectrum band. 

IPL Sucks, as well SRK as KKR Owner

I feel that IPL is turning to be boring stuff for me. Every year a new session means too much T20 cricket, and no great rivalry like India vs Pakistan or Australia vs England.

I am not a good fan of IPL. And I hate SRK promoting IPL as well as KKR. :(

These days I can not read the sports pages of the newspaper which are flooded over by IPL gossips! :X

But FM commercials as aired over Kolkata FM channels sounds funny, cool and catching!

Update: KKR starts their journey in IPL 5 with a loss ! :P

Power FM - Still Cool and Happening

During my school days I used to listen to radio during my late night study sessions. That time, new FM channels were beginning to tune up in Kolkata and all over India. And Power FM was my favorite because it airs less ad than other FM channels, secondly from the very first they are airing English songs along with Hindi songs - which is truly exciting to youngsters. Before the internet and youtube era, Power FM was the only source of listening English songs for me.

Just few days back I was listening to Power FM, and I find that it still keeps that old flavor. :) Thanks to the minds behind the FM channel.

But it is not good to see that they do have a not-functioning website. 

Bob Biswas Wishes April Fools' Day :P

via facebook!

List of Bengali Food Blogs

We are Bengalees, and we love to eat, feed others and cook (applicable to even some Bengali guys)

There are plenty of blogs offering you recipes of great Bengali dishes.

An excellent group on Facebook - Calcutta Restaurants

Sunday Morning Breakfast(Lunch) Club - Kolkata on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/groups/smblc/
This fb page lists a lot of such blogs/sites etc.

Finely Chopped by Kalyan Karmakar http://www.finelychopped.net/

Sutapa's Indian Cuisine sutapasindiancuisine.blogspot​.in

Chakhori Corner http://chakhoricorner.blogspot.in/

Bong Cook Book http://www.bongcookbook.com/

The Amateur Gourmet - A Funny Food Blog http://www.amateurgourmet.com/

Bengalees don't restrict themselves into a concrete food style, they used to try anything on hell and heaven.

I make this post in a hurry, I would be very happy if my readers add more sites by dropping comments.
A brief history of all sites will be added soon.