Amazon to come up with a 'Bookflix' or Netflix for books

Amazon-netflix-books
Few weeks back, it was Google that was doing what currently Amazon is doing to me. Tracking down everything that the company has been doing is proving to be a Herculean task with every passing day. Announcing the proposed launch of an ambitious 7" android-based tablet, followed by the complete redesign of the Amazon website (a move targeting an increase in usage of the site on second screens), planned entry into the $10-billion Indian e-commerce market, and now the rumors of Amazon coming up with something that can be called Netflix for books - I don't even understand where they are getting the time to even execute everything. All of it at the same time.

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Team Anna fanning out to states where polls are around the corner!

Team_anna
First I hear about Anna Hazare announcing to re-launch his mass agitation in support of the Jan Lokpal bill right perfore the parliament gathers around for its winter session; and now there are news informing the decision of the Team Anna core-committee to intensify their 'movement' in those states that will be going out to poll in coming months.

The core committee, with may be the largest mass following in recent times, met in Anna's native vilage for a two day session over the weekend, where it was decided that they would be intensifying their agitation for citizen's charter and other demands in the election-ready states. If everything goes according to the plan, we would soon be seeing Anna Hazare taking time out from his schedule to strengthen the already strong movement in Maharashtra as well as other states.

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To all students: Vodafone to help you socialize better!

Vodafone-blue-facebook
You are someone who is always sitting on his/her desktop at home updating your Facebook status, following updates of friends, and regret not being able to check Facebook while you are out (and can't yet afford a smartphone just yet); if that is what describes you accurately, then Vodafone has come out with the perfect solution for your woes - Vodafone BLUE.

The device initially planned to be launched bearning the name of Facebook as well, is being manufactured for Vodafone by Alcatel, and is targeting consumers in non-metros. Priced at a shade cheaper than Rs. 5,000, I see it getting an immense following among the students of small towns and cities.

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Indian e-commerce players brace themselves up for the Amazon(s)

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A $10-billion e-commerce market - thats how companies see the Indian market. So that goes out to explain why most of the startups lately have been in the e-commerce segment. But here is the kicker, now that this $10-billion cashcow is turning the heads of the senior executives at the seattle based e-commerce megagiant, Amazon, there ought to be some disturbance in the kids-camp of Indian e-commerce players. Because, thats what they are - a bunch of kids when it comes to Amazon. While the biggest e-commerce player in India, Flipkart is valued at a whooping $200-million, it is still light years away from the $95-billion valuation Amazon can mightily boast of!

Things have been pretty riled up in the Amazon camp as well - first the proposed* launch of a mighty cheap android-based tablet to give a tough fight to the market dominance of Apple Inc's iPad, followed by a complete redesign of the Amazon website (to be made live for users worldwide soon) and now the distinctive beacon signalling its intention of making an entry with splash in the much prospective Indian e-commerce market - I've got to say, the folks have been keeping themselves pretty busy.

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Anti-trust inquiry against Apple over exclusive alliances for sale of iPhones

Iphone-anti-trust-inquiry
The antitrust regulator, Competition Commission of India, or CCI, is examining Apple Inc's Indian unit for having abused its dominant position in the smartphone market via exclusive partnerships with selected mobile phone service providers. I don't see this move getting much of a traction, in light of the fact that the CCI is still a body in the very infant stage of its life, and are still practically figuring out parameters on which a breach of competition law can be judged or gauged.

This move is not so much targeted on the sale of iPads, as it is targeted on the sale of Apple iPhones, which is available in India through exclusive offers from Bharti Airtel and Aircel, besides the authorized Apple resellers - iStores and Imagine. Now, this is a sale model that has been adopted by Apple and other phone makers in most markets, including but not limited to the US - where phone makers and telcos collaborate to bundle their offerings.

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Amazon site redesign - enriching the tablet experience!

Amazon-site-redesign
The world's largest online marketplace - Amazon - is all set to launch a new android based 7" tablet, which is expected to spice up things in the tablet market extensively - much owing to its low $250 price tag (expected). And now the details of Amazon revamping its whole web-portal to improve user experience while using Amazon on your tablet lays all the more stress on how much aggressively Amazon is planning to market the new tablet.

With the new tablet expected to be released in the next few weeks, Amazon started testing a major redesign of the website late last week, an overhaul that is expected to make the Amazon site easier to use and navigate on tablets.

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The unsuspecting victim of the 2G scam - Indian Aviation industry

2g-scam
While the 2G scam took away the comfort of a good night sleep for many, nobody would have anticipated it affecting the aviation industry. But with politicians and corporate big guns - the people who are mainly responsible for taking chartered flights - cutting down on expenses, post scrutiny from various intelligence organizations; this sector has been seeing a big flashing alert of red.

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