MUMBAI: Tata Communications has announced that Cricketnirvana.com, a prominent cricket portal from the house of Nimbus Communications has chosen its CDN platform to stream live, on-demand and rich media cricket content.

Tata Communications? CDN service delivers among the highest performance and reliability in the industry while providing immediate access to content, including High-Definition Video, without delay or jitter. The CDN platform leverages Tata Communications? Tier-1 Global IP network for world-class resiliency and performance. The LiveBroadcastTM service, part of the Tata Communications? suite of Content Delivery Network (CDN) services, is a Flash-based streaming service for broadcasting TV quality live content on the Internet. The LiveBroadcast service eliminates the need for expensive hardware and proprietary software and can support hundreds of thousands of concurrent streams worldwide.

Nimbus Communications has streamed the live cricket series of India ? Srilanka, India ? Srilanka- Bangladesh and more recently the India- South Africa series using Tata Communications CDN platform receiving more than eight million page views per match-day.

Tata Communications senior VP, global network services Genius Wong says, ?We are extremely happy to serve Cricketnirvana.com to deliver our flash-based live video service. This will allow millions of cricket enthusiasts across the world to watch live cricket matches on their computers. The win showcases the superiority of our CDN solution on quality, scalability and cost effectiveness?.

Nimbus Communications, new media head Jose Felix says, ?We were moving to the ad based revenue model which requires a cost effective solution without compromising on the features and quality of the live broadcast and this is where Tata Communications? CDN services proved to be a better fit. Its distributed origin architecture along with clean pricing model makes it an ideal CDN services for portal like ours which receives millions of hits per match day.?
 

MUMBAI: Akshaya Trithiya means one that never diminishes and so any new purchase made on this day is believed to bring good luck and success. The day is especially considered auspicious to buy gold, silver and diamonds. Vijay Jain, CEO, ORRA Diamonds says, ?While earlier there was a greater demand for jewellery in south India, it is no longer restricted to the south, people in the north too are buying on Akshaya Trithiya?.

Even as gold bars and coins continue to sell the most, there has been a shift towards diamond jewellery. ORRA anticipates a 40% increase in sales compared to last year. Advance booking for Akshaya Trithiya are already underway. In keeping with the rising demand for jewellery, ORRA has some fabulous offers. Get up to 25% off on making charges of diamond jewellery. For the gold jewellery lovers we are offering up to 50% off on making charges of gold jewellery.

ORRA?s gold bars and coins are also competitively priced in comparison to banks. Banks are priced about 5-7% higher than jewellery brands. The advantage of buying from ORRA v/s a bank is that banks do not buy back, but we offer an attractive buy back policy. Gold seems to have come to the forefront as the safest investment bet in the past couple of years. ORRA offers Flat 50% off on making charges of gold bars and coins.

Vijay Jain concludes, ?The most important change we have witnessed in the past year is the interest in platinum. With a correction in the prices of platinum it is the much preferred metal today. While last year recycling of old gold was a major cause of sales, this year it will be fresh sales being made?

MUMBAI: Time is running out for millions of animals across the US. In many southern states where spay-and-neuter laws aren‘t readily enforced and tough economic times are forcing many people to choose between caring for themselves or their pets, the number of stray and abandoned dogs is soaring. Shelters plagued by overcrowding and a lack of resources are unable to provide these animals with one critical thing: time.

So the race against the clock begins. Thanks to some incredible people who have dedicated themselves to beating that ticking clock, thousands of dogs every year are rescued and transported to the North, and most don‘t even know that it‘s happening.

On 19 June 2010 US broadcaster Animal Planet will change that as it shines the spotlight on two very special people on a mission and a network of volunteers as they fight to give dogs a second chance at life in Last Chance Highway.

This series follows Shelly Bookwalter and Kyle Peterson as they forge an alliance to give unwanted dogs across the South one last chance at survival. With the support of her family and friends, Shelly devotes her time and money to saving stray and unclaimed shelter dogs from a tragic fate.

She spends hours finding and placing them with foster families, posting the available pets on Petfinder.com and interviewing potential owners; she successfully places close to 650 rescued dogs with loving families every year. Kyle works with Shelly and her volunteers to pick up adopted dogs to transport them to their new homes in the Northeast.

Animal Planet GM, president Marjorie Kaplan says, "Last Chance Highway tells the story of passionate and determined individuals who come together on a mission to save and better the lives of abandoned and stray dogs. It‘s a privilege to further their work and help save these animals.

"People looking to adopt a pet are often hooked after just seeing a photo. Being there to witness that first face-to-face meeting and to see the impact that humans and dogs have on each other‘s lives is incredibly powerful and something I think will inspire and entertain our viewers."

Al Roker Productions executive producer Al Roker says, "Last Chance Highway is an incredible example of individuals and families from communities all over the country and all walks of life helping our four-legged best friends beat the odds. Animal Planet deserves our thanks for showing pet adoption at its best."

Without the help of Kyle Peterson and his team, including one of his assistants country music singer Lucas Hoge, Shelly‘s dream of seeing rescued dogs adopted in the North would not be possible. Kyle is the owner of P.E.T.S. Transport Service, which transports dogs from the South to areas all over the Northeast, from Pennsylvania to Maine. Spending four to five nights a week on the road, Kyle packs his trailer rig full of barking dogs, anxious to meet their new families.

This heroic journey is repeated almost 52 weeks a year; it‘s an exhausting ritual but one which finds homes for more than 100-150 dogs each week. Kyle‘s company has transported nearly 30,000 dogs to their new homes since he started in 2004. The relationship between Kyle and Shelly shows the power these dogs have in bringing people together to work for a common cause.

With Shelly‘s help and through Animal Planet‘s partnership with Petfinder.com, viewers will have the opportunity to adopt rescued dogs from around the US as well as some dogs rescued by Shelly herself at AnimalPlanet.com. The web site will feature dog biographies and a "where are they now" section, which will spotlight rescued dogs with their new owners after they travel on the show.

MUMBAI: TIMES NOW, India‘s number 1 English news channel which keeps you abreast with all the news and latest happenings has arranged an action packed weekend for your viewing pleasure.

BIO:

This week BIO strikes a fashionable pose with ace photographer Dabboo Ratnani. One of India‘s premiere celebrity photographers in the film industry, Dabboo has been doing pretty much what is done on the show - reveal the unseen facets of his celeb clients in a way it shocks the audiences! From Amitabh Bachchan to Shahrukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to Kajol, John Abraham to Arjun Rampal, the biggest stars in bollywood knock at the doors of this man!
Catch Dabboo‘s love affair with the camera, only on TIMES NOW.
Saturday: 15 May 2010: 03:30pm & 10:30pm
Sunday: 16 May 2010: 06:30pm

The Foodie:

All this month, The Foodie is in the Northeast of India. This week, watch Kunal Vijayakar in the 1st episode of the North East series, as he journeys through the musical hills of Shillong in Meghalaya invading little eateries and meeting interesting people, while having an ultimate feast of their fantastic cuisine!
Saturday: 15 May 2010: 11:30pm & 05:30pm
Sunday: 16 May 2010: 11:30am & 07:30pm

Total Recall:

This week Total Recall brings to you the story of a poet who gave Hindi cinema some of its most memorable romantic songs - Hasrat Jaipuri. At a time when contemporaries like Shailendra, Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Rajinder Krishan were at the peak of their career, here was a lyricist who used simple language to reach a million hearts. A lyricist whose passion for writing continued till his last breath. Hasrat Jaipuri effortlessly combined philosophy, romance and tragedy to write songs that are evergreen even today! This week on Total Recall, tread the journey of the maverick, Iqbal Hussein whom Bollywood fondly remembers as HASRAT JAIPURI.
Saturday: 15 May 2010: Noon & 08:00pm
Sunday: 16 May 2010: Noon & 08:00pm

MUMBAI: Worldwide Media Pvt Ltd. - the Times Group-BBC Worldwide JV, launches TRENDS, one of the most widely read architecture and design magazines in the world. Currently in 10 countries, India will be the 11th edition of this magazine. Launching in India as the Home TRENDS series, the magazine is well poised to meet the demand for a world-class source of reference on Architecture and Design. With its outstanding and pertinent features TRENDS is all set to raise the bar by catering to the varied and evolving design sensibilities of today‘s India.

Enthused about the launch, Tarun Rai, Chief Executive Officer, Worldwide Media Private Limited, says, "Home TRENDS is not for the impulse buyer. This is a magazine; in fact we call it a Bookazine, for professionals. And there is a lot of value we will be providing to these professionals. This is a very practical source of ideas and inspiration with comprehensive details of each project featured. Moreover, we do believe that home owners too will not mind ‘investing‘ in this bookazine to do up their homes."

The success of TRENDS internationally has been due to its ability to communicate ageless architecture and design ideas in an uncluttered format with strong visual appeal. TRENDS goes beyond the conventional concept of a magazine in more than one sense. The lucid style of writing, factual content and superior quality of images has ensured that it stays on the stands beyond the confines of a publication date. In fact the publication is not dated at all, and readers hold on to the volumes, as each one is a collectible.

The Indian edition, Home TRENDS, will offer an exciting mix of International and Indian trends in the architecture and design space. It will also offer a global platform to Indian architects and interior designers as their work will be showcased globally through the website and other editions of the magazine.

Priced at Rs.250, Home TRENDS will have 10 issues in a year, each offering a unique subject ranging from bedrooms, kitchens, exteriors to commercial design.

The launch issue will cover homes - all aspects of residential architecture, including remodeled homes and apartments, interiors and landscaping. Moving ahead, there will also be issues dedicated to kitchens, bathrooms, commercial design, exteriors and more.

Largely popular as a trade magazine, Home TRENDS will also have a fair share of consumers beyond that. This set comprises of new home buyers and people renovating their homes. In India too, the magazine will target two groups - the design industry professionals as well as the home makers, and will be available in select outlets like Crossword, Landmark and key bookstores across 4 cities (Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore) to begin with.
Anupama Bhalla, Brand Publisher, Worldwide Media Private Limited, adds, "Subscriptions are going to form a large percentage of total sales. We are focusing our attention on appropriate databases to reach out to audiences that would be interested in design and architecture. We are also reaching out to architecture and design institutes. Besides, we have also got a lot of interest from premium bookstores keen to stock Home TRENDS."

MUMBAI: Setting the temperatures soaring with just its first interface with aficionados, the D3 Commando Force Delhi auditions witnessed an over-whelming response from over 3500 participants auditioning for the first-ever revolutionary-reality-show! Accelerating this initiative a step further, the Mumbai auditions will be witness to an amalgamation of strength & valor - Somnath, physically challenged clears the hurdles, sweeping the Training Officer?s off their feet!

Spicing up the Mumbai leg of the D3 auditions, watch contestants being subjected to some of the most grilling tasks, exhibit grit and give back tongue-in-cheek responses, over the face-to-face with the judges!

Tune-in contestants put their best feet forward on the D3 Commando Force: Dadagiri against Terrorism auditions this Saturday, May 15th at 7 p.m. only on UTV Bindass!