New Delhi: Flagship phones are supposed to make us stand up and take notice, but not the Samsung Galaxy S4. It's not that there is not much good in it, only that the not-so-good somehow managed to put me off.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 isn't a worthy successor to the Galaxy S III. This is what I had written in my Galaxy S III review, "Human nature is that we tend to get attached with others who understand us, fulfil our needs and desires and generally take care of us. But when a human and a smartphone develop a similar bond, it should seem to be out of the ordinary. But it is not, when the gadget in question is the Samsung Galaxy S III - the smartphone right on top of the Samsung line up. While reviewing the unit I got so attached to it that even I set my photograph as the wallpaper, as if I owned it."
The S4 couldn't continue the connection that I had developed with its predecessor. The S4, to me, is somewhat like a richly dressed stale salad. I fully agree wit AP's Anick Jesdanun, when he says in his review that the "Galaxy S4 decent, but filled with gimmicks".
Quite a lot about the phone is gimmicky and as a consumer I would like to spend my money for stuff that I would actually use and not some cheap tricks that I have to scratch my head over on
03:55 PM, May 20, 2013
Music Director: Ram Sampath Singers: Amjad Bagadwa, Ram Sampath, Yash Divecha, Vrashal Chavan, Mika Singh, Tarannum Malik Rating: 3 out of 5 The music album of director Mrighdeep Singh Lamba's 'Fukrey' has six tracks. Simple and sweet, the tracks are high on fun and entertainment quotient. Ithas its setbacks, but does not disappoint. In the film's title track, 'Fuk fuk fukrey', debutant singer Amjad Bagadwa's voice sounds a little offbeat...
01:56 PM, May 19, 2013
San Francisco: Google staged four discussions expounding on the finer points of its "Glass" wearable computer during this week's developer conference. Missing from the agenda, however, was a session on etiquette when using the recording-capable gadget, which some attendees faithfully wore everywhere - including to the crowded bathrooms. Google Glass, a cross between a mobile computer and eyeglasses that can both record video and surf the Internet, is now available...
11:08 AM, May 19, 2013
Cast: Nivin Pauly, Nazriya Nizam, Simhaa, Thambi Ramaiah, Nasser Director: Alphonse Putharen Rating: 4 out of 5 'Neram' tops a list of films that come once in a while to make us believe that Tamil cinema is not dead. Surprisingly, it's the first-time filmmakers, not the veterans any longer, who are keeping this industry alive and redefining entertainment with better craftsmanship. Call it the impact of Hollywood or the arrival...
02:22 PM, May 18, 2013
New Delhi: Baz Luhrmann's film might not have pleased the critics abroad due to its pomp, but we as Indians dig for the typical Bollywood entertainer. Opulent sets, dance, over-the-top dialogues just make us stand up in the theatre and whistle and clap. And, Baz Luhrmann gives you yet another opportunity to enjoy your heart out with his latest offering 'The Great Gatsby'. The film revolves around a war veteran...
11:27 AM, May 18, 2013
New Delhi: It's a story that we have heard before. Perhaps different versions, but the milieu has been the same- of that of the plight of innocent south Asians in US post 9/11. Mira Nair's latest 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' tries to explore the plight of an educated Pakistani man working in Wall Street post the terror attack. While the subject is not new- several films, documentaries and books have been...
10:56 AM, May 18, 2013
Cast: Ruslaan Mumtaz and Chetna Pande Director: Amit Kasaria Rating: 3 out of 5 The trouble with a well-meaning film such as this is it cannot take the story and characters to their logical conclusion and somewhere ends up 'tale'-diving at crucial junctures in the plot. To begin with, we are introduced to Yuvaan and his college friends in Delhi whose only passtime is chasing dreams. The ogling, gawking, giggling,...
08:55 AM, May 18, 2013
Voices: Amanda Seyfried, Beyonce Knowles, Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Christoph Waltz, Aziz Ansari, Steven Tyler Director: Chris Wedge Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Based on the children's book 'The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs' by William Joyce, 'Epic' is a 3D animated science fiction fantasy film with ample amount of action and adventure. 'Epic' tells the story of an ongoing battle between the forces of good, who keep...
06:32 PM, May 17, 2013
New Delhi: F. Scott Fitzgerald's book has seen many cinematic renditions and after making its way to the silver screen for almost three times, Baz Luhrmann is yet again ready to weave the romantic story on screen. The film revolves around a war veteran Nick Carraway who comes to live in New York and finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbour Jay Gatsby. While the...
04:16 PM, May 17, 2013
New Delhi: After a satisfactory performance in 'Ishaqzaade', Arjun Kapoor is returning to silver screens with another crime saga 'Aurangzeb'. Directed by Atul Sabharwal, the film also features Sasheh Agha, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Rishi Kapoor, Jackie Shroff and Amrita Singh. 'Aurangzeb' revolves around a family which is infamous for their involvement in land scams. The next generation of the controllers of the dreaded real estate business is determined to change the...
09:58 AM, May 17, 2013
Music Directors: Sharib-Toshi Singers: Rahul Seth, Sanchita Bhattacharya, Sukhwinder Singh, Shankar Mahadevan, Mika Singh, Shreya Ghoshal, Sonu Nigam, Sunidhi Chauhan, Diljit Dosanjh, Sachinn Gupta, Dharmendra, and Suzzanne D'Mello Rating: 2.5 If the theme of director Sangeeth Sivan's forthcoming movie 'Yamla Pagla Deewana 2' has a strong Punjabi flavour, its soundtrack is high on the same too. Keeping in sync with the theme, composer duo Sharib-Toshi has embellished the five tracks...
10:00 AM, May 13, 2013
Cast: Chris Pine, Karl Urban, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zoe Saldana Director: JJ Abrams Even if, like me, you weren't a fan of the Star Trek universe, or were mostly unfamiliar with its 40-year-old legacy, you'd have to admit that JJ Abrams' 2009 reboot was a fresh and accessible stand-alone sci-fi adventure. The sequel, 'Star Trek: Into Darkness', directed again by Abrams, is cut from the same cloth. So although there are...
11:37 PM, May 10, 2013
Cast: Riya Vij, Taaha Shah Director: Sonam Nair School can be a difficult place if you're overweight, awkward, not particularly bright, or clumsy on the sports field. Gurpreet Kaur, the 14-year-old protagonist of Gippi (Riya Vij), ticks all the boxes. She's routinely taunted by the mean girl in class, ignored by all the popular kids, and can barely squeeze into her uniform. An unlikely friendship with the school jock (Taaha...
11:35 PM, May 10, 2013
Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Kunal Khemu, Vir Das, Anand Tiwari Directors: Krishna DK and Raj Nidimoru 'Go Goa Gone' has been advertised as India's first zom-com, or a comedy about zombies. The film, starring Kunal Khemu, Vir Das, and Anand Tiwari as three best friends stranded on an island infested with flesh-eating zombies, works like magic when directors Krishna DK and Raj Nidimoru focus on their three leads and the...
11:29 PM, May 10, 2013
Mumbai: The Chevrolet Enjoy is the third model from the GM SAIC partnership and will be available in both petrol and diesel variants. We drove both the models and came back with mixed reactions. The Enjoy isn't the best looking MPV out there but is a smart design. It looks best viewed from the front, the bonnet is well defined while the angular front headlamps gives it a more car...
03:20 PM, May 09, 2013
New York: Don't worry, Pinterest fans: Your sprawling virtual pegboards of wedding dresses, handmade jewellery, craft projects and food porn haven't changed dramatically. They're just easier to manage. The popular link- and photo-sharing website has rolled out an update, one offering people simpler navigation and new ways to arrange their boards to fit their needs. Although the haphazard spirit of Pinterest remains, the site is much less overwhelming. I wasn't...
08:45 AM, May 09, 2013
Washington: The California-based subsidiary of State Bank of India (SBI) has agreed to take a series of steps to improve its banking practices related to bad loans following a review by US regulators. The largest Indian bank consented March 6, 2013 to the orders of the federal and state regulators "without admitting or denying any charges of unsafe or unsound banking practices relating to the June 18, 2012, examination". The...
04:28 AM, May 09, 2013
Fatherly advice, Caribbean generosity, a debut at 41 and more in Cricketnext's review of the fifth week of the IPL's sixth season. Innings of the week David Miller's bombastic, scarcely believable 101 not out off 38 balls - the third-quickest IPL century - to take Kings XI Punjab to a successful chase of 191 against Royal Challengers Bangalore tops the list hands down. Punjab were 51 for 3 when the...
08:37 AM, May 08, 2013
Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Tuesday rejected two review petitions filed by two religious organizations seeking a relook at its January 2011 orders on demolition of illegal places of worship. The Division Bench of Justice Madanmohan Das and Indrajit Mohanti, adjudicating over the matter, did not make any further observation while rejecting the review petitions. Soon after the High Court order, the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) Central Division Arvind...
02:46 AM, May 08, 2013
Mumbai: Shuttlers will be allowed two challenges when badminton uses technology to rule on contentious decisions for the first time at next month's Indonesia Open, the governing body of the sport said. The system, featuring ultra-slow motion cameras, will allow players to review line calls and umpire overrules, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said in a statement. "Challenges must be made immediately after the shuttle has landed and the call...
02:33 PM, May 07, 2013
