Nokia N8 “coming soon” claims T-Mobile UK

It’s close to two months since Vodafone UK told us that the Nokia N8 was “coming soon“, but there’s still no sign of an official launch date for the 12-megapixel smartphone. Now T-Mobile UK are getting into the act, with the N8 showing up on their own teaser page.

As with Vodafone, there’s no solid date as to when we can expect the N8 to actually hit shelves, but you can register for more information as and when T-Mobile have it. Last we heard there was an August 25th release tipped, though we won’t believe anything until we hear it from Nokia themselves; there’s a lot riding on this handset and we reckon they’ll want to get it just right before pushing it out the door. More information on the N8in our hands-on report.

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HP focus on webOS, eschew Windows Phone 7

Microsoft’s list of confirmed Windows Phone 7 partners saw HP conspicuously absent, and now we know the reason why. In an interview with CNBC, HP Personal Systems Group VP Todd Bradley confirmed that the company intends to push ahead solely with webOS rather than develop handsets using Microsoft’s latest mobile platform. ”Our intent” Bradley explained, “is to focus those resources and really make webOS the best OS it can be.”

Q: Can you make webOS successful with developers when you’re selling Windows Phone 7, maybe Android or Linux at the same time?

A: We continue to be Microsoft’s biggest customer, and we continue to believe we will drive innovation with Microsoft. At the same time, I think it’s clear to say, that we’re very focused on the customer, and giving the customer the experience that’s important to them. We won’t do — will not do a Linux / Android phone. We won’t do a Microsoft phone.

Q: So no Windows Phone 7?

A: We will continue to more broadly deliver the webOS-based phones that are in the market today, and Jon and his team have driven a strong roadmap for the future.

Q: So does that mean you’re going webOS only for phones?

A: For smartphones it does. Our intent is to focus those resources and really make webOS the best OS it can be.

webOS is obviously fresh to the HP stable, and it has been previously suggested that motivation for the company’s acquisition of Palm was primarily for the OS IP. They’ve since dropped multiple hints about the future of the platform, promising an “exciting” new year with an “amazing roadmap“.

As Bradley makes clear, HP’s involvement with Microsoft isn’t over: the company will continue to use their mainstream OSes, and the on-again-off-again HP Slate has recently been tipped as an enterprise model using Windows 7. For consumers, though, a webOS-based tablet – believed to be the PalmPad – and the possibility of Palm being maintained as a sub-brand is likely of more interest.

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India’s $35 Tablet Based on AllGo Systems’ Design, Specifications Revealed?

Remember that $35 tablet unveiled earlier today in India? There weren’t a lot of details actually unveiled at the event where the tablet, or maybe even a pair of tablets, were shown off. And it left quite a few people (including us) very curious. And now we’ve got something very curious that has just landed in our laps. Dig in after the break to see what this tablet bears a striking resemblance to.

According to the site ARMDevices, it looks like the $35 tablet is based off the design originally postulated by AllGo Embedded Systems. This company is actually established in Bangalore, India, and they showcased their very own $35 tablet at the Freescale Technology Forum in Orlando last month. The video you’ll see below is that tablet. So, how does that tablet break down in price? Something like this:

1. ARM9 processor: $5
2. Memory: $3
3. WiFi b/g: $4
4. Other components: $3
5. Battery: $5
6. 7-inch 800×480 resistive touchscreen: $15
7. Total: $35

As we said above, it’s a pretty interesting update, and we’re curious as to see how closely related these two tablets are in the specifications market. It will be even more interesting to see if the Indian government comes forward and says that their tablet is based on these initial designs, or if they came up with it on their own.

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CTA Assault Rifle PS3 Controller Unveiled, Costs $65

CTA and their video game accessories are no stranger to these parts. Truth be told, we generally show them off because of the over-the-top nature. There’s not many times you can say you’ve seen an inflatable race car that works with your Nintendo Wii, now is there? With the company revealing the Assault Rifle PlayStation 3 controller, they’re keeping up with their ridiculousness, but bringing it into the world of the hardcore gamer.

The Assault Rifle controller will cost you a cool $65, and it’s due out some time in August. As you can tell from the description above, it’s meant for the PlayStation 3, and it even has all of the buttons you’ll find on a traditional SIXAXIS controller. The R1 shoulder button, usually the trigger in most First Person Shooter titles, has been appropriately mapped to the trigger on the fake assault rifle, hopefully making it so much easier for you to shoot your enemies.

It works with titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, but let’s face it: PlayStation Move is coming out soon after the Assault Rifle ships, and when that hits, this will probably be considered antiquated. But, if you’re still interested in seeing it in action, go ahead and check out the video below. Remember: $65. Oh, and did we mention that it will still make sounds, even when you’re not playing a video game? Because it can. Just food for thought.

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Mad Catz Announces $500 Worth of Flight Simulator Goodness

We’re not sure if there’s still a huge market for flight simulators. It’s been awhile since we’ve even seen anything come on the radar about them. Sure, there are plenty of aircraft-based games, where you’ve got that fighter jet and you’re blowing things up, but that’s not a simulator. And, for the most part, you might not need these many buttons to shoot down the enemy. (At least, not in the game.) And, while $500 worth of simulating peripherals may seem like the right thing to do, it’s troubling when $500 doesn’t get you everything you need.

How does it break down? Something like this: $200 for di-cast alloy rudder pedals, $149 back-lit information screen, and a $150 throttle, pitch and mixture system. All of that sounds all well and good, right? You’ve got everything. Oh, wait, you need a yoke. And a game to play it on. Then again, if you’re thinking about picking all of these up, then you probably (hopefully) already have a game to play it on.

But, it might be kind of tough to do that without a yoke. We’re not sure why Mad Catz would have left that out, but we’re going to hope that they’ve got one coming down the pipe, and they just didn’t get around to announcing it quite yet. Yes, we can dream. The big question now, though, is if $500 is completely and totally worth it to make your flying dreams a reality.

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Sony’s Blue-Violet Laser Will Bring 20x More Capacity Than Blu-ray

You didn’t think Blu-ray would get left behind in the transition to new, upgraded things, did you? No? Good. Because Sony’s already hard at work on the next laser that’s going to make the future of Blu-ray (or maybe Violet-ray). Working in conjunction with the Tohoku University, the blue-violet laser is designed to fire ultra-fast bursts of remarkably thin light.

Getting down into the details, the wavelength measures in at only 405 nanometers, which then pulsates for only 3 picoseconds. As for the light output of the new blue-violet laser, that would be over 100x that of a normal laser. The results would be something like 20x more capacity than the standard Blu-ray disc now. That equals to be about 50 movies on one disc. Right now, the laser is just in testing, and there’s no definitive word on when this will make it out into the real world.

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EA: Nintendo’s 3DS is Magical and Incredibly Cool

Out of all the many video game companies out there, EA’s COO John Schappert is one of the most outspoken individuals you can find. Which, in cases like this, lead to some very interesting, and telling, scenarios. For example, while the Nintendo 3DS isn’t even out yet, there’s plenty of speculation about whether or not it’s going to be a success, or just disappear into the shadows of forgotten tech. If you ask EA’s COO, well, you’d get an answer.

According to Schappert, who was speaking with Industry Gamers, the 3DS is not only “incredibly cool,” but also “magical.” He believes that the 3D technology, especially with the fact you don’t need to actually wear glasses to access the tech, is just about as good as it gets, especially considering the platform you’re playing it on. He goes on to add that the whole experience is amazing, and that he is happy that EA is part of the device’s existence.

EA is bringing titles like The Sims, FIFA, and Madden to the platform, so it’s good to see some of the company’s biggest franchises making an appearance on the new mobile video game console. Of course, we can’t say whether or not the new 3DS from Nintendo is magical or even incredibly cool. Not yet, anyway. As soon as we’re able, we’ll be sure to take it through its paces, and let you know what we think of it. So, Nintendo — any day now, thanks.

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Air Force Believes Drones Can be As Adaptable as Human Pilots

Unmanned aircraft are getting quite a bit of attention lately, but that’s not a bad thing. Even if they are, essentially, a pretty basic and straight forward, they’ve still got the potential to be some of the most advanced pieces of technology running around in the world at any given moment. Flying your robot around is great if you want it to listen to everything you say, but if you want it to start thinking for yourself, well, that’s when things get tricky. But that’s not stopping the Air Force from exploring their options, and obviously free-thinking drones are high on the priority list.

One of the most crowded and intrinsically complicated places in the world of flight is the airport. Always busy, and always at the mercy of logistics, timing, and the ever-present entities within the Air Traffic Control towers, that’s why unmanned aircraft have not been allowed anywhere near them. With all of the information that needs to be processed — between ATC, pilots, ground crew, and the aircraft both on the ground and in the air, at the moment it’s just impossible for any drone to process all of that information in a reliable fashion. But the Air Force wants to change that.

The branch of the United States military wants to reach out to engineers, and ultimately develop an algorithm that would allow for drones to seamlessly integrate with piloted aircraft, as well as ATC and ground crews. They want this done so that the drone can land and take off safely. The drones would be connected to a huge database of terminal procedures, which would then allow those drones to make decisions on their own, “recognize the intent of other aircraft,” as well as navigate the congestion of the airport without endangering the lives of crew and passengers.

The algorithm would be specifically designed to make drones process complex information and scenarios, just as our “true” pilots do. There’s no timeline for something like this, but considering we’ve already got unmanned aircraft that can think for themselves in some regard, then it would look to us like something of this nature will be right around the corner. Anyone want to be on the first publicly-accessible passenger jet drone?

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Apple iPad Sales Hindered by Display Shortages

Apple’s iPad is moving off the store shelves. Both on the digital front, and in the brick-and-mortar locations all over the world. It’s a hot item. Even if you don’t like Apple or the iPad, there’s no denying that the public wants it. And, up until now, the magical and revolutionary tablet device from Cupertino has been free to fly off the shelves, with not a care in the world. But a new report from the Wall Street Journal says that sales would still be going strong, if not better, if it weren’t for the fact LG can’t keep up with production demand.

Right now, the iPad’s sold 3.3 million units around the world. But, according to this new report, those numbers could have been even bigger, and the sales would still be rocketing forward if it weren’t for one big issue. LG, as it stands right now, is unable to keep up with the production of flat panel displays for Apple. As demand increases, LG Display Co. is struggling to produce enough units for everyone to enjoy the product.

As a result, iPad sales have slowed dramatically. But, what makes it interesting, is the comment from LG about when production will be able to meet demand without a hitch. “by the second quarter of next year.” That’s the second quarter of 2011, for the record, and seems like forever from now. Something worth noting, though, is the fact that LG plans on investing upwards of $512 million in a brand new production line that should be up and running by the fourth quarter 2011, which should also help with production. So, we’ve got fixes planned for the future, but nothing on the short-term. It’s better than nothing.

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Free iPhone 4 case round-up

Apple are offering a choice of difference iPhone 4 cases as part of their free program to address the so-called Antennagate issue, with a new app that’s fresh to the App Store designed to help you order your favorite. If you’re asking what’s the difference between the various options then you’ve come to the right place: check out our roundup of the seven different cases after the cut.

Apple Bumper

The Cupertino company’s own case for the iPhone 4 is more accurately a rubber band that fits around the outer edge and gives some degree of knock protection while leaving the front and rear of the smartphone open. Button and switch access is preserved, as is the headphone port and dock connector. Buying one yourself would normally cost $29.

Belkin Shield Micra

The Shield Micra is a thin, skin-like case that adds little bulk to the iPhone 4. It has cut-out holes for the controls, headphones socket and dock connector, together with the camera on the back. It would normally retail for $25.

Griffin Reveal Etch

The Griffin Reveal Etch for iPhone 4 is another skin-style case, with rubberized edges and a hard polycarbonate back panel. It too has cut-outs for the controls and ports, and adds 1.6mm to all the dimensions of the Apple smartphone. It would normally retail for $29.99.

Griffin Motif

The Motif is made from a smoked polyurethane plastic that’s stiffer than a regular silicone case but more flexible than the polycarbonate back panel on the Griffin Reveal Etch. It has a smooth finish and is scuff resistant, and includes cut-outs for the controls and ports. It would normally retail for $19.99.

Incase Snap Case

The Incase Snap case for iPhone 4 is yet to get a product page on the company’s site, but judging by theexisting iPhone 3GS/3G version it’s a simple clip on transparent back cover that protects the rear and edges of the handset. That leaves the front and controls open, together with the ports. We’re expecting it to retail for around $24.95.

Speck Fitted

The Speck Fitted case for iPhone 4 is another hard case, this time with a soft-touch coating. It comes in two sections, front and rear, with the smartphone sandwiched in-between. It retails for $29.95.

Speck Pixelskin HD

The Speck Pixelskin HD is a rubberized case which stretches to fit over the iPhone 4. It has cut-outs for the ports and buttons, push-through volume controls and a repeating pixel pattern on the back with contrasting matte and gloss black plastic. It retails for $29.95.

So, there are your choices: which will you go for? Let us know in the comments!

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Tweaker ports Samsung's TouchWIz UI onto non-rooted Nexus One for reasons unknown

This one's been kicking around the interwebs for a few weeks now, but it has managed to grow into something of a beast during that period. Frankly, we couldn't think of less fitting way to send the glorious Nexus One out than to completely deface it and ruin what Google has worked so hard to perfect. But regardless of what we think, that's exactly what has happened here. One rolle3k over at xda developers clearly has a masochistic gene or two planted inside of his skull, but at least his APK doesn't require your N1 to be rooted before providing you access to a TouchWiz user interface. Feel free to hit the source if you're up for seeing what you've been missing out on, but only if you literally cannot think of a single better thing to do with your time.

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How would you change HTC's EVO 4G?

It may be America's first 4G smartphone, but if we had to guess, we'd surmise that not everyone sees it as perfect. Even if we (almost) did. HTC's EVO 4G was (and still is) a showstopper of epic proportions, boasting one of the largest screens in the smartphone universe and offering blistering speed under the hood. But with phone innovation happening faster than anyone could've ever imagined just a few years ago, we're sure that some ideas have been planted in your head since its launch earlier in the year. For those who've been toying with this here phone, we're keenly interested in learning how you'd change things if given the chance. Would you offer a 3G-only version for those uninterested in paying that extra $10 / month surcharge? Would you be a lot more satisfied with Android 2.2 loaded on? Toss it over to another carrier? Go on and get vocal in comments below, cool?

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Apple keeps antennagate alive with Droid X's 'kill switch' (video)

We had a feeling Apple wasn't done showing off the apparent reception woes of its competitors -- after all, the company already updated once this week with the Nokia N97 mini. Now it's going after Motorola's celebrity of the moment (and known iPhone 4 bully), the Droid X. You can see Cupertino's results in the video after the break, but unlike Apple's other videos, we can't seem to recreate this one as easily with our Droid Xs. But hey, it's not like anyone's gonna buy a big phone anyway, right?

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Blackbox i10 noise cancelling earbuds tap into iPod / iPhone dock connector for power, pleasure

Oh, sure -- you've got at least 893.1 options (at last count, anyway) when it comes to noise cancelling headphones for your iDevice, but do any of those plug directly into the dock connector instead of requiring a separate battery? Exactly. That's the claim to fame for Blackbox's i10, a new set of earbuds that rely on power from your iPod or iPhone in order to achieve that active noise cancelling action that the youngsters are so crazy about these days. According to the company, these will filter out 92 percent of background noise using Phitek Systems' ANR technology, and the inline remote makes it easy to adjust volume and the like. They're available today for £79.99 ($123) over in the UK, but only heaven knows when they'll mosey over to North America.

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Samsung dispatching free Galaxy S handsets to iPhone 4 whiners on Twitter?

Well this is one lucky Tiffany here, but she's not alone. Wired UK was first to report that Samsung's been quietly dishing out free Galaxy S handsets (the European flavor) to a few lucky British Twitter users. How so? Oh, four of them just made a fuss about their iPhone 4s, and the fifth guy needed help to choose between the Desire, iPhone 4 and Galaxy S. Before you all start tweeting your way to a free Android phone, though, it looks like the Korean giant's only picking certain influencers for some cheap publicity -- turns out our Tiffany here works in Digital Marketing for Condé Nast, which is coincidentally Wired's parent company. Tut tut tut. The other tweeples all appear to be similarly involved in marketing or publishing, with the exception of one student.

As if it hasn't already rubbed enough salt into Apple's wound, Samsung UK's also running new Galaxy S ads that take an indirect shot at the iPhone 4's antenna controversy with a clever bit of typography -- you can see the dirty work after the break. Very nice, Sammy, but you better be careful playing with fire here, as we've found it pretty easy to death grip Galaxy S phones like the Captivate into losing a fair bit of signal.

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Nokia Kinetic concept revealed in prototype form

Impressed by Jeremy Innes-Hopkins' Nokia Kinetic concept the other day? Then take a good look at the image above. That's the actual prototype of the device, which unfortunately doesn't power on (or have anything to power on), but does look remarkably like the previous renders we've seen, and gives us a far better idea of the scale of the device. In case you missed it, the real hook of the concept is an electromagnet in the phone's base that allows it to stand up on cue, and be flipped down to dismiss an action (like an alarm or a video call). We also now know that Innes-Hopkins worked on the project at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London under the tutelage of former Nokia Senior Designer Silas Grant, who was responsible for many of Nokia's premium phones like the 8800 Scirocco. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look.

Update: Just to be clear. This is not an actual Nokia concept, but a project done by Innes-Hopkins for his final year at university -- so don't get your hopes up about it ever going into production.

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OnStar expands smartphone control over entire 2011 GM lineup

It's safe to say that General Motors is struggling for relevancy these days and, while the Chevy Volt could be a huge step into the modern era for the company, that still leaves every other car looking a bit -- traditional, technology-wise. OnStar is going to help, expanding its Volt-specific controls to the entire 2011 lineup of GM cars. When we saw OnStar's Volt app earlier this year we loved how it not only let you control recharging but also unlock the doors and monitor system specs from anywhere. While monitoring recharging status obviously won't be much good if you're rocking a good 'ol ICE vehicle, you will still be able to start the car remotely, unlock doors, and also monitor stats like tire pressure and oil level from your iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android handset, as demonstrated in a video after the break. Yes, you'll need to be an OnStar subscriber to use the app, with rates currently starting at a somewhat steep $18.95 per month. Now, if only there were an app that could help us to afford a new ZR1.

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Emma Steadman Exclusive Stills 28710

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Jodi Gordon Exclusive Stills Gallery 29710

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Britney Spears Exclusive stills 29710

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Ranbir Kapoor takes active interest in Anjaana Anjaani music

A rounded up view of his films - this is one expects from a superstar once he achieves a certain status in the industry. His opinion is being sought, his thoughts are being listened to, his view points considered and his suggestions acknowledged. Of course it is a different situation when an actor is just seeing a rise up the stairs. In fact most of the times, any expression of thoughts during the making of a film may well be considered as interference and dismissed pronto. However, success comes with its own perks (read: confidence and active involvement) and this is what Ranbir Kapoor truly enjoyed when the music of his next release Anjaana Anjaani was being written.

"As is a known fact, after films like Wake Up Sid, Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year and Raajneeti, the need of the hour for Ranbir is to fast work on a romantic musical outing. Yes, there has been a Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani that has kept his stocks moving in the world of romcom affairs, hence keeping his young fan base growing exponentially. However, a hat trick of relatively serious films means that Ranbir had to get something truly frothy and funny rolling for him", says a trade follower, "Anjaana Anjaani was just the right film at the right time with the right co-star (Priyanka Chopra) and with a willing producer (Sajid Nadiadwala) who was more than happy to spend mega bucks in order to get the right vibes flowing around, sky was the limit for Ranbir."

Add to this the fact that he had friends for company helped his cause further. Adds a friend of Ranbir, "Siddharth Anand has been a close buddy of Ranbir ever since the days of Bachna Ae Haseeno, the actor's first success in Bollywood after the debacle of Saawariya. Also, he shares a great comfort with composer duo of Vishal and Shekhar, especially after the fun they had during the making of Bachna Ae Haseeno songs that went on to be huge hits, especially the title song and 'Khuda Jaane'. No wonder, once this team came together again for Anjaana Anjaani, it was imperative that an active collaboration took place."

"Yes, I did want Ranbir for his inputs on the music of Anjaana Anjaani", confirms Siddharth Anand, "Ranbir and I have keen music sense and with Vishal-Shekhar coming up with multiple ideas, I was happy to bounce them off to Ranbir as much as possible. Since his bungalow was pretty close to the studio where the music was being made, it wasn't difficult to handle logistics either since it was a quick walk down the road."

Vishal Dadlani too doesn't have any hesitation in acknowledging the fact that it was a collaborative effort after all. "Ranbir and Siddharth are buddies so it was imperative that they used to have discussions around the music. Ranbir was very interested in hearing what we were making", he says.

In fact for the title track of Anjaana Anjaani, Vishal and Shekhar came up with two options, each of which was altogether different from the other. "Siddharth, Ranbir, Shekhar and I sat together in the room and played both the options that had already been recorded", adds Vishal, "The idea was to go around the room, ask for opinions and pick one of them. Ranbir liked one of them. His choice is welcome because he is in tune with what the younger generation likes."

Well, come August - once the music hits the stands - and we will know!

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"I am not back to a normal life, but an extraordinary life" - Lisa Ray

Subhash K. Jha speaks with Lisa Ray about her health, career and life.

Is your illness completely gone? How far are you back to your normal life?
My disease, Multiple Myeloma, is in remission. We don't take the attitude that it is ever gone completely, but we monitor regularly and now I'm leading a particularly healthy life. However, that's why research is so important in the field of Multiple Myeloma- the next drug could be the one that saves my life. Someone told me, 'healing begins when you realise there's no cure'. I am not back to a normal life, but an extraordinary life because of the insights I've gotten and the changes I've made to my lifestyle. In a word: simplified.

'Healing begins when you realise there's no cure'

The tenor of regular life beckons you, Lisa. Have you fully surrendered to it?
I am engaging with the world, but with a different quality now. I do my best not to get stressed or over-extend myself, as was my habit before. I don't think there's such a thing as 'regular life'- there's just life with many different shades. So I'm doing a variety of things, but on my own terms. And I'm trying to invest in the things that I enjoy. I'm also still recovering from the stem cell transplant, so I have to take it slow at times.

One reads that you are going through some severe post-illness trauma. How are you coping?
I'm coping as anyone does. I have good days and bad. Also what I'm going through is not unusual- so many people go through similar experiences post- cancer. I don't want to sensationalise any of it, but perhaps just to share and raise awareness. I also think it's wrong to expect that everything will roll out in the manner we want. I'm learning a lot and mostly about how to practise compassion with myself.

You had spoken of spending time in India. When is that happening and how long will you be here?
I am in no rush and on no set schedule. I expect I will be travelling to India shortly for Rado- who have been steadfast in their support of me in this time. I will also probably be promoting 1 minute in India, with a view to donate some of the proceeds towards Multiple Myeloma research.

Have you gradually gotten back into the full swing of your career?
I don't believe in a swinging career. I believe in living my life to the fullest and career is just one small aspect of this. I think I sacrificed a lot of my life for my career to date and its time to balance this out now. Cancer is a huge wakeup call. Having said that, I'm exploring new creative opportunities. The point is to chase joy. I've also had some unexpected honours recently. I was invited to MC a luncheon for the Queen here in Toronto and I was also seated at the head table. It was a great experience. I'd also like to raise a lot more awareness for Cancer, Multiple Myeloma and stem cell technology. That will be an integral part of my career. As well as writing a book.

I don't think there's such a thing as 'regular life'- there's just life with many different shades

Your film Cooking With Stella would be releasing soon. It would be considered a memorable experience for more than one reason. How do you look back on the experience?
Cooking with Stella was memorable and enjoyable as it gave me the opportunity to work with Dilip Mehta. I loved shooting in Delhi.

Have you signed any more films?
I haven't yet signed another film. I'm in no hurry. I don't want to spread myself too thin as I'm getting offers to appear as a speaker across North America and I use this as platform from which to raise awareness for Multiple Myeloma.

Finally you are about to share your experience of going from illness to good health at a prestigious forum in California. Looking forward to that?
As for the California forum, I have already made an appearance in LA to support the screening of Cooking with Stella at the IFFLA. The proceeds from the opening night screening went towards Dr Berenson's Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research in LA.

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Hello Darling Music Review

EXPECTATIONS

It is ironical that despite the name Pritam attached to the soundtrack of Hello Darling, you play on the album with minimum expectations. There are couple of reasons for that. First and foremost it is not a quintessential romantic tale where one can expect the composer to come up with some of his best tunes. Secondly, the film has been in the making for quite some time now and due to the rapidly changing musical scene, one is apprehensive about what Hello Darling would have in the offing. Add to that the fact that it has been a while since one heard a popular soundtrack coming from the house of Subhash Ghai. Due to this, one doesn't get overtly excited to know what is in store from Hello Darling that has Shabbir Ahmed contributing with most number of songs (three) as a lyricist with Ashish Pandit and Kumaar coming up with a song apiece.

MUSIC 


It was four decades back when 'Aa Jaane Jaan' was heard first in Inteqam. While there have been countless 'remix versions' that have been made in the last decade, it is for the first time that a new version has been created for a film. Just as has been the case in 'Aapka Kya Hoga - Dhanno' [Housefull] and 'Parda' [Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai] where new lyrics were added to the original tracks with just the 'mukhda' kept intact, the same holds good for 'Aa Jaane Jaan' too with Shabbir Ahmed adding his own words to the song. While Akriti Kakkar and Antara Mitra are fine behind the mike, the interspersing rendition by Javed Jaffery is totally 80s. Also, the sound of 'aau' a la Michael Jackson is totally passe. The song doesn't quite have in it to cover much distance here.

Thankfully, Pritam gets into his zone, well to some extent at least, with a 'dholki' driven 'Band Baaja' that hints of Imtiaz Ali school of music. Written by Ashish Pandit, this is a fun celebration number about a guy bringing himself to his bride's place with full arrangement of - as the lyrics suggest - 'Band Baaja'. Rana Mazumder, who has been working with Pritam for a while now, gets a major song to his credit as he goes full throated in a manner similar to that of Neeraj Sridhar and Mika and does a rather good job. Richa Sharma and Ritu Pathak bring in a folksy flavour to this song as well which is instantly likeable and is foot tapping. The song rightfully gets a 'remix version' for itself and one doesn't mind hearing it all over again.

It is time to hear something trademark Pritam from the very opening note of 'Dil To Saala'. Of course the song does seem 3-4 years late in the day but one doesn't mind that, courtesy the kind of spunk that Sunidhi Chauhan brings in her rendition. Foot tapping from start to finish, this number written by Kumaar has lyrics that go like 'Dil To Saala Ullu Ka Paatha Hai'. Well, all that one thinks at this moment is that after Kaminey, Lafangey Parindey and 'Ullu Ka Patha', what next could possibly be in store? Nevertheless, the number works as instant coffee and should be a fun watch on screen.

However, what follows next is barely passable as 'Attrah Baras Ki' makes one immediately feel that this could well be a song entirely designed by Subhash Ghai himself. Stuck in a time warp, right from Shabbir Ahmed's lyrics, Suzzane D'Mello's singing and of course Pritam's composition, there isn't much that makes you feel that the song has been created in the current decade. Until and unless the three leading ladies of Hello Darling sizzle on screen during this song, there isn't much life that can be expected for 'Attrah Baras Ki'.

Shabbir Ahmed also writes the last song in the album, 'Working Girls', which has Shweta Pandit, Ritu Pathak and Priyadarshini coming together as the women force. This has to be one of the weakest songs in the album as it doesn't go beyond sounding like an ad jingle. There is a Westernized treatment to the song but all it does is reminding one of the kind of title sequence songs from TV serials around women power.

OVERALL

There were never many expectations to begin with from Hello Darling so there is no disappointment as well after one is through hearing the entire soundtrack. In fact it is just fair that eventually there are at least a couple of songs that still turn out to be reasonably entertaining - 'Band Baaja' and 'Dil To Saala'. However, with the limited promotional window that Hello Darling has, it would be difficult for the album to sustain itself on the power of just these two songs, which by themselves are not exceptional to begin with.

OUR PICK(S)

Band Baaja, Dil To Saala

ALBUM RATINGS

Music  :  Lyrics  :  Vocals  :  Overall Rating  :

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