Top 5 mobile phones under Rs 10,000 for October & November

This edition of our 'Top five mobile phones under Rs 10,000' has two smartphones that were earlier priced around Rs 15,000.

Samsung Galaxy Y S5360 @ Rs 7,000

it maintained its numero uno status in our last list of 'Best smartphones under Rs 10,000' purely on the basis of its specifications and price.

Currently priced at Rs 7,000, the Samsung Galaxy Y has impressive specifications like Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system with 830 MHz ARMv6 processor, 290 MB RAM and a 2 megapixel camera. In fact, it is one of the few smartphones under Rs 10,000 to feature Android 2.3, and that too with a powerful processor.

Galaxy Y comes with a 3 inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, Samsung's TouchWiz user interface and multi touch function. It has 180 MB internal memory which can be expanded by up to 32 GB. Other features include WiFi b/g/n with hotspot, Bluetooth v3.0 A2DP, a 1200 mAh battery, 3G and A-GPS, making it an ideal choice if you're on a budget.This edition of our 'Top five mobile phones under Rs 10,000' has two smartphones that were earlier priced around Rs 15,000.

Samsung Galaxy Y S5360 @ Rs 7,000

It maintained its numero uno status in our last list of 'Best smartphones under Rs 10,000' purely on the basis of its specifications and price.

Currently priced at Rs 7,000, the Samsung Galaxy Y has impressive specifications like Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system with 830 MHz ARMv6 processor, 290 MB RAM and a 2 megapixel camera. In fact, it is one of the few smartphones under Rs 10,000 to feature Android 2.3, and that too with a powerful processor.

Galaxy Y comes with a 3 inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, Samsung's TouchWiz user interface and multi touch function. It has 180 MB internal memory which can be expanded by up to 32 GB. Other features include WiFi b/g/n with hotspot, Bluetooth v3.0 A2DP, a 1200 mAh battery, 3G and A-GPS, making it an ideal choice if you're on a budget.

Should a hybrid smartphone-tablet be your next gadget?

Tablets are de rigueur in the tech world these days - everyone wants one, but not everyone likes to carry one around. Sure, they're convenient because the larger screen makes everything seem better, but what's the use if you only manage to spend limited time with the device?

That's the argument behind the smaller crop of 7-inch tablets too - enhanced portability. Many 7-inchers also conveniently double up as GSM smartphones, urging you to carry just one device. But even a 7-inch device only fits in a jacket pocket. Enter the 5-inch form-factor.

Microsoft works magic: Microsoft Touch Mouse review

Remember how once in a while, as kids, we'd have to detach the back panel of the mouse to clean up the dirt lodged around the ball inside? Optical mice that worked on LEDs or lasers were the hippest things two years from then. And in the last couple of years, most manufacturers have come out with sleek-looking wireless mice that let you have a ‘long-distance' relationship with your PC or laptop.

The next step in the evolution of these peripherals seems to be the same way as it has been with gadgets – the introduction of touch interface.

The first of its kind to capture public imagination was the Magic Mouse by Apple. The next to follow is the Microsoft's Touch Mouse which we had over for a test. In the box is a complicatedly docked mouse (with the back cover stored separately), a set of batteries to get you started and a Bluetooth dongle or what Microsoft calls the ‘Nano Transceiver'.

Setting up the system is as easy as with any other Bluetooth-enabled peripheral. Subtle, tactile crosses on the surface of the mouse indicate the touch-enabled surface, so it's easy to know whether you are swiping across the right part or not. Microsoft said that the software drivers are automatically updated when you plug in the transceiver (provided your PC is connected to the web). This, however, didn't work with the unit we had and we had to download a 20MB driver installation file from Microsoft's website.

The touch sensitive area on the mouse was responsive, letting me scroll up and down or pan sideways across a website or document with ease.

Minimising and maximising windows requires two-finger swipes. Navigating web pages also took little effort as I could flick my thumb to the right or the left to move on to the next web page or the previous one. The multi-touch gestures supported by the mouse also includes a preview of all windows that you have open on the system with a three-finger upwards swipe, somewhat similar to the Mac's Mission Control.

The Touch Mouse comes with Microsoft's proprietary BlueTrack technology that was first incorporated in its line of peripherals almost three years ago. The technology lets you track the mouse over non-traditional surfaces say like that that of a granite countertop or the living room carpet. I tried using it on my new pair of denims and it seemed to adapt quite well.

The Bluetooth dongle can be neatly stowed in the Touch Mouse when you're wrapping up.

Last word

Microsoft has designed the mouse to “enhance Windows 7 navigation”. This unfortunately means that the mouse's touch gestures will not work on any other OS or older version of Windows (strangely, this list includes Windows 7 Starter too). However, those of you who need to accessorise their Windows 7 PC or laptop can make the best out of Microsoft's very capable answer to the Magic Mouse.

Nissan PIVO 3 coming to 2011 Tokyo Motor Show

It all started in 2005. Since featuring PIVO 1 at the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan has introduced six other EV concepts, all demonstrating Nissan's dedication to creating exciting and innovative zero emission mobility solutions. And at the upcoming 42nd Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan will be revealing the PIVO 3, its eighth EV concept. Yet this is not just a show car - PIVO 3 is what Nissan envisions to be a more "realistic" EV of the near future....

PIVO 3 takes Nissan's EV portfolio another step forward. Building on the pioneering PIVO 1 and PIVO 2, the new PIVO 3 concept moves from the realm of imagination into a fully-evolved vehicle that envisions life in tomorrow's cities. Where PIVO 2 was a highly innovative vehicle that stood alone as a concept car, PIVO 3 evolves in the direction of "smart community" with greater feasibility, credibility and an extended scope of mobile performance. ...

Dhoni Surpasses Kirmani

When MS Dhoni stumped West Indies' Kraigg Brathwaite off Pragyan Ojha, it was his 199^thwicketkeeping dismissal in Tests. He thus overtook Syed Kirmani, who had held the Indian record of 198 dismissals.

Kirmani, who finished playing Tests in 1986, was the first Indian wicketkeeper to 100 Test dismissals, and he had owned the record for over three decades.

Later in the innings, Dhoni caught Marlon Samuels, making him the first Indian wicketkeeper to 200 dismissals.

Dhoni is the 13^th wicketkeeper to reach the mark. He would be expected to climb this list quickly given that most of these wicketkeepers here have retired.

No	Player	Team	Mat	Inns	Dis	Ct	St
1	MV Boucher	SAF	139	265	521	499	22
2	AC Gilchrist	Aus	96	191	416	379	37
3	IA Healy	Aus	119	224	395	366	29
4	RW Marsh	Aus	96	182	355	343	12
5	PJL Dujon	Win	79	150	270	265	5
6	APE Knott	Eng	95	174	269	250	19
7	AJ Stewart	Eng	82	141	241	227	14
8	Wasim Bari	Pak	81	146	228	201	27
9	TG Evans	Eng	91	175	219	173	46
10	RD Jacobs	Win	65	122	219	207	12
11	Kamran Akmal	Pak	53	99	206	184	22
12	AC Parore	NZl	67	121	201	194	7
13	MS Dhoni	Ind	62	114	200	174	26

Dhoni is No. 9 among wicketkeepers with most Test stumpings. The list:

No	Player	Team	Mat	Inns	Dis	Ct	St
1	WAS Oldfield	Aus	54	101	130	78	52
2	TG Evans	Eng	91	175	219	173	46
3	SMH Kirmani	Ind	88	151	198	160	38
4	AC Gilchrist	Aus	96	191	416	379	37
5	IA Healy	Aus	119	224	395	366	29
6	Wasim Bari	Pal	81	146	228	201	27
7	HAPW Jayawardene	Srl	43	73	107	81	26
8	RS Kaluwitharana	Srl	48	85	119	93	26
9	MS Dhoni	Ind	61	113	200	174	26

The opponent-wise break-up of Dhoni's 200 dismissals:

Opposition	Mat	Inns	Dis	Ct	St
Australia	10	19	35	26	9
Bangladesh	3	6	15	12	3
England	12	22	40	37	3
New Zealand	5	10	22	19	3
Pakistan	5	9	10	9	1
South Africa	10	17	25	24	1
Sri Lanka	9	16	22	21	1
West Indies	8	15	31	26	5
Total	62	114	200	174	26

The top Indian wicketkeepers:

Player	Mat	Dis	Ct	St
MS Dhoni	62	200	174	26
S Kirmani	88	198	160	38
K More	49	130	110	20
N Mongia	44	107	99	8
F Engineer	46	82	66	16
N Tamhane	21	51	35	16
D Karthik	16	50	45	5
P Patel	20	49	41	8