Mahindra XUV 500 launched at a starting price of Rs 10.8 lakh

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), India's leading manufacturer of utility vehicles on Thursday launched its new global sport utility vehicle XUV 500 at a starting price of Rs 10.80 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). The company will begin bookings from Saturday. This is the first major utility vehicle launch from Mahindra after its Xylo launch. Mahindra will position the XUV 500 between the Scorpio and the premium SUV range which comprises of the Toyota Fortuner, Chevrolet Captiva, Mitubishi Outlander, Honda CR-V and the likes. The XUV 500 will be available in both 4x2 and 4x4 variants. The vehicle will be launched in South Africa tomorrow. "In the next six months, it will be launched in Australia, South and Central America, Western Europe and SAARC countries," M&M President (Automotive and Farm Equipment) Pawan Goenka told reporters here. In the domestic market, it will be first available in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Pune. It will be pitched against the likes of General Motors' Captiva and the Toyota Fortuner, which are priced at around Rs 19-20 lakh. M&M Chief of Operations (Automotive Sector) Rajesh Jejurikar said the price of the XUV500 could be revised after three months, depending on commodity prices and other input costs. Stating that the new vehicle is a reflection of the firm's ever-growing global aspirations, M&M Vice-Chairman Anand Mahindra said: "XUV500 is much more than a car. It will be another cult vehicle, as Scorpio was." Goenka said the XUV500, on which M&M spent Rs 650 crore to develop, is the first product from its Chennai research and development centre. It will be produced at the Chakan plant. He said the new vehicle would "redefine M&M as the Scorpio did nine years back". While the company did not specify sales targets for the new vehicle, officials said M&M has made arrangements for an initial production capacity of 2,000 units a month. The auto giant will manufacture the new SUV at its Chakan plant near Pune. Designed entirely at Mahindra's R&D centre in Chennai, the XUV promises a lot of firsts for Mahindra. The XUV 500 is the country's first indigenously developed monocoque SUV and also the first to offer a transverse engine layout. Since the XUV 500 is a global vehicle, it was conceived and designed with global standards of quality, technology, testing norms, regulations and emissions right from the very beginning. The XUV500 is powered by a 2.2-litre M-Hawk engine which is now in an east-west layout as against a north-south placement in other Mahindra vehicles. This engine develops 140bhp but more importantly has 330Nm of torque. Mated to this engine is another first for an all Indian vehicle – a six-speed manual gearbox, developed in-house by Mahindra itself as is the front wheel drive transfer case. Base models will be front wheel drive while another version will have an all wheel drive layout with a torque on demand mechanism also delivering drive to the rear wheels. The grille of the XUV 500 is different while the front end treatment with projector headlamps, LED day-time running lights, large front bumper with streaked air dam and recessed fog lamps make for a menacing look. The car has disc brakes abound on all four wheels and in addition there is ABS, EBD plus ESP to ensure safety. There are driver and front passenger air bags, start/stop is standard equipment and there is also hill descent control for the top line offering. Pricing Ex-showroom Delhi: Mahindra XUV 500 W8 four wheel drive - Rs 10.80 lakhs Mahindra XUV 500 W8 two wheel drive - Rs 11.95 lakhs Mahindra XUV 500 W8 four wheel drive - Rs 12.88 lakhs

Google offers hackers $1 million to expose Chrome bugs

Internet search giant Google has announced that it would pay up to one million dollars in prizes to hackers who can expose bugs and vulnerabilities in their Chrome browser. Calling it a "big learning opportunity," Google staffers Chris Evans and Justin Schuh unveiled three ways in which hackers can win the cash by finding flaws in their technology. A top prize of 60,000 dollars will go to each hacker who can find a "Full Chrome exploit", a flaw that exists exclusively in Chrome. The next prize of 40,000 dollars will be paid to those who can find a "Partial Chrome exploit", a bug or flaw in Chrome that may also exist in other programs. Lastly, Google will give 20,000 dollars "Consolation rewards" to hackers who expose bugs of "exploits" that are not specific to Chrome, but affect users of all Internet browsers, The New York Daily News reports. "We will issue multiple rewards per category, up to the 1 million dollar limit, on a first-come-first served basis," the Google Chrome Security Team said in a blog post. Each winner will also score a Chromebook, the report said. Earlier Facebook also offered incentives to programmers who can help expose bugs. The social networking giant began giving out "White Hat Bug Bounty Program" Visa cards last year, doling out thousands of dollars to hackers who found flaws and paying them on an exclusive debit card, which can be used just like a credit or ATM card.

Nicotine spray ‘could help kick the butt’

Nicotine spray may be the latest replacement therapy for those who want to quit smoking cigarettes, according to a new study. Researchers in Denmark found that the fast-acting spray relieves cravings without the side effects of patches or pills, the New York Daily News reported. According to Reuters Health, a fast-acting nicotine spray, applied directly into the mouth, has shown success in clinical tests in helping people kick the cigarette-smoking habit. The spray isn't available yet but researchers have noted its effectiveness in giving fast relief to nicotine cravings while avoiding some the side effects of other nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), such as patches and pills. In a study conducted in Denmark, researchers noted that 14 percent who used the spray were cigarette-free after a year, compared to 6 percent who received a placebo. That may not seem like such a success but according to lead researcher. Philip Tonnesen, of Gentofte Hospital, its better than that of other NRTs. An NRT, whether in the form of a spray or a gum is a useful tool but it's not the answer to kicking a lifelong, ingrained habit. A study of people who tried to quit over six years, using only NRT products, showed they were just as likely to relapse as those who went cold turkey, said Gregory Connolly, director of the Center for Global Tobacco Control at the Harvard School of Public Health. Support from friends and peers, removing yourself from smoking situations and other therapies can also go a long way to improve success rates.

Google's open offer: Hack Chrome browser, get $1m

Internet search giant Google has announced that it would pay up to one million dollars in prizes to hackers who can expose bugs and vulnerabilities in their Chrome browser. Calling it a "big learning opportunity," Google staffers Chris Evans and Justin Schuh unveiled three ways in which hackers can win the cash by finding flaws in their technology. A top prize of 60,000 dollars will go to each hacker who can find a "Full Chrome exploit", a flaw that exists exclusively in Chrome. The next prize of 40,000 dollars will be paid to those who can find a "Partial Chrome exploit", a bug or flaw in Chrome that may also exist in other programs. Lastly, Google will give 20,000 dollars "Consolation rewards" to hackers who expose bugs of "exploits" that are not specific to Chrome, but affect users of all Internet browsers, The New York Daily News reports. "We will issue multiple rewards per category, up to the 1 million dollar limit, on a first-come-first served basis," the Google Chrome Security Team said in a blog post. Each winner will also score a Chromebook, the report said. Earlier Facebook also offered incentives to programmers who can help expose bugs. The social networking giant began giving out "White Hat Bug Bounty Program" Visa cards last year, doling out thousands of dollars to hackers who found flaws and paying them on an exclusive debit card, which can be used just like a credit or ATM card.

Rihanna tweets topless pic after dad slams her for looking 'little fat'

Rihanna has posted a topless photo on Twitter, to show off her impressive physique and her natural hair colour, after her father Ronald Fenty, spoke about her having put on weight. Fenty, with whom the singer has had a long and rocky relationship, praised her ex Chris Brown while putting his own daughter down. In the upcoming issue of Heat magazine Fenty spoke about the 'Umbrella' hitmaker having put on weight. "I actually thought she was a little fat the last time I saw her," he told the magazine of the singer's enviable curves, adding that "she's dieting, she's working out," the New York Daily News quoted her as telling the magazine. "When I saw her this time, I thought she was back to her normal size," he said of Rihanna's slender appearance at this year's Grammys. "I used to joke with her, 'Robyn, you're getting too fat!' but I think she's fine. I think she looked excellent, as everyone saw, at the Grammys." Soon after the interview went public, the 24-year-old took to Twitter and posted a topless photo to show off her impressive physique and her natural hair colour. In the interview, Fenty also spoke out about Rihanna's famous ex, Brown. "Chris is a nice guy, and everybody's entitled to make mistakes in their life," Fenty said. "God knows how many I've made," he said. Fenty and Rihanna were not on speaking terms as recently as 2010, and have only recently begun to communicate again. Despite their turbulent past, however, Fenty didn't appear to have any qualms about the couple potentially getting back together. "She's her own woman now," he added.

Whitney's sister-in-law says 'handwriting was on the wall' about her death

Whitney Houston's sister-in-law Patricia told Oprah Winfrey in an interview that the "handwriting was kind of on the wall" that drugs would kill the singer. The 'Bodyguard' star's daughter Bobbi Kristina will speak publicly for the first time about her mother's death in the OWN Network special interview to be aired on Sunday night. The singer's brother Gary Houston will also appear. Patricia Houston, who was Whitney Houston's manager too, discussed her sister-in-law's ongoing troubles in a clip released Thursday, the New York Daily News reported. "Did you think that drugs would end up taking her? Did you think that?" Winfrey is seen asking her. "The handwriting was kind of on the wall... I would be kidding myself to say otherwise," Patricia said. Whitney Houston was found dead on February 11, one night before the Grammy Awards. The exact cause of death has yet to be determined, but the six-time Grammy winner had a long history of alcohol and drug abuse. Patricia Houston also said she was alarmed by some of her sister-in-law's other lifestyle choices. Winfrey goes on to ask her if she was "afraid of that day, February 11, showing up in her life?" "If things hadn't changed. But things had, were, changing. "Things were really changing with her. Very much so. ... I was afraid for other things," Patricia replied.

Ricky Martin says everything he does 'based on twin boys and partner'

Ricky Martin has admitted that everything he does is based on the needs of his twin boys Matteo and Valentino and now-longtime partner Carlos Gonzalez Abella. Since coming out as a proud gay man in March 2010, Martin has given up the limelight to focus on his family: twin boys Matteo and Valentino. The 40-year-old singer, who came out as a proud gay man in March 2010, knew that he would have to reprioritize after fatherhood. "Every decision I make and everything I do is based on their needs," the New York Daily News quoted him as telling The Advocate magazine. "I don't want to sound cliche, but they teach me new things every day," he said. The 'Livin' la Vida Loca' hitmaker has also found an ally in Abella, a financial analyst-stockbroker, whom he's dated since 2008. When the two first met through mutual friends, Martin said, he was not expecting anything to come of it. "It was just one of those things that just happened. I was like, 'You're not supposed to be here right now. Would you please allow me to just go on my journey?" he recalled. Now, however, the pop superstar is thrilled about living life with his press-shy partner. "I think he's so sexy. He's very smart. That is such a turn-on," he said. "He leaves the house every day in a suit and tie and that is so sexy. It's two different worlds - his and mine. I know as much about his world as he knows about my world, which makes it really cool," he said. And more than finding their balance, Martin said, Abella helps him provide his twins with plenty of love and support as they grow up. "The amount of love these kids have is crazy," he added. According to the singer the twins would continue to be surrounded by good vibes even as they learn and grow up in an oft-bigoted world.

Men become stupid when around women

A new study has revealed that men suffer mental decline when around, or even just thinking about, women. In the presence of a woman, men sometimes don't know what to say. They just can't think straight when women are around, the New York Daily News reported. But the same didn't hold true for women, according to the study from Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands, first published online last November. Researchers compared the findings to a scene in Tolstoy's novel " Anna Karenina," in which a male character, Levi, becomes so nervous trying to think of something to tell a woman, Kitty, that he doesn't recognize a friend who walks by the pond where they're standing. Such temporary lapses in memory or mindfulness are more common "if the woman is attractive and men report trying to impress her," according to the study's authors. And they happen in real life, too. The researchers used university students as participants for experiments. During one, the students were asked to complete a "lip reading task" in which they said words out loud in front of a webcam. They were told someone would see them on the other end of the webcam, and try to read their lips. Men who were told a woman would be watching them performed worse on subsequent tests of cognitive ability, even when there was no actual face-to-face contact with a woman. Women showed no change. Researchers suggest the findings could be attributed to "evolutionary pressures" that have shaped men to be more likely to sexualize otherwise neutral situations, but say further study is necessary.

Now, get free pizza for undergoing vasectomy

A urologist in US is offering free pizzas to men who are willing to receive a vasectomy during March Madness - the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. The Massachusetts urology clinic said that it is the perfect time to undergo the sterilization procedure. "We wanted men to relax, and give them an excuse to watch the game," the New York Daily News quoted Evan Cohen, a practice coordinator at Urology Associates of Cape Cod as saying. The roughly 20-minute surgery usually requires anywhere from two days to a week of recuperation. News of the promotion was first reported by CBS Boston/WBZ. The practice touted the offer with a TV spot earlier this month, featuring an attractive female fiddling with a basketball while saying, "Hey guys! Want to watch the college basketball tournament guilt-free?" After dangling the free pizza offer, a male voiceover artist goes for the sale. "You know you've been thinking about a vasectomy, anyway. Now's the time to get it done." Cohen said that it's often women who make the consultation appointments, and with the pizza incentive, it's proven to be "a much more fun and light-hearted way for couples to talk about contraception." "We see about 100 consults in March, when we typically may only have 20 to 30 in other months," Cohen told ABC News. According to Cohen, summer is not a preferable time to have the procedure. The practice said that they'll drum up new food-related promotions once the "get a free pizza with your vasectomy" winds down after March Madness.

The Swiss Travel System: Trains, boats and cable cars form the world’s best transportation network (Part 1)

The Swiss Travel System: Trains, boats and cable cars form the world’s best transportation network (Part 1)

Not much to say. This is a great story, making me very proud of my country.

Holi Mubarak...

nd

A Very Happy Women's Day!

To celebrate,
An Indian Summer brings for you

Giveaway and Goodies!

First up is...

fabulloso!

fabulloso!, an online store, founded by the husband and wife team of Gaurav and Anupma Taneja, offers a curated selection of beautiful things for you and your home. The store went online in January 2012 with an array of Indian designer wear, wardrobe classics, shoes, accessories and exquisitely designed and meticulously crafted home décor items. The store also stocks a selection of investment pieces like photographic art, paintings and sketches. Along with selections from some of India's top and emerging designers, fabulloso! also has it's own in house line with beautiful designs. 

fabulloso! is offering An Indian Summer readers in India a 10% discount on their first purchase! The offer is valid till April 15th. Just sign in, use the exclusive promo code 84198 and shop away! Visit fabulloso! on facebook right here.

Aniika

I showcased Aniika in November last year. It is still one of my favorites sites to browse through a hand picked collection of original designs from young designers from India. On this Women's day, Aniika would like to offer An Indian Summer readers in the US a special 15% discount till the 15th of March. Use the code ANINDIANSUMMERANWD2012 as you shop!

Cleosara 

Cleosara is an independent brand of urban, chic, sterling silver jewelry with natural gemstones, based out of Chennai. The designs are made for the contemporary woman who loves clean, simple lines and diverse range of jewelry to match her every day living. You can find Cleosara on Etsy, UsTrendy, ASOS, Zaarga.com and their newly launched online shop.

Cleosara would love to giveaway this gorgeous pair of Hayden earrings (above) to one of You! All you need to do is head over to An Indian Summer's page on facebook, and leave a comment right here! That's right - just leave a comment on the pic of this lovely pair of earrings on facebook. Cleosara and I would pick a winner (random selection) on March 15th. The giveaway is open for my fabulous readers from all countries!

Alloy Jewelry

Alloy Jewelry, is a hobby turned passion for the Vermont based Leah Jones. A former editor, Leah makes these hand-stamped, personalized sterling silver and copper necklaces and bracelets, on a table strewn with books, tea cups and play dough, and in the midst of the laughter of two mischievous children.

Leah would love to giveaway this heavenly Sweet Dandelion necklace (above) to one of You! All you need to do is head over to An Indian Summer's page on facebook, and leave a comment right here! That's right - just leave a comment on the pic of this lovely necklace on facebook. Leah and I would pick a winner (random selection) on March 15th. The giveaway too is open for my fabulous readers from all countries!