Google unveils first 10-inch Nexus tablet

Google unveils first 10-inch Nexus tablet

Hugo Barra, Android at Google Director of Product Management, holds up the Nexus 10 tablet at a Google announcement in San Francisco, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012. Photo: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

Google Inc unveiled a larger version of its Nexus-branded tablet computer on Monday, and updated its mobile gadget and online content offerings as competition with Apple Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Microsoft Corp heats up ahead of the holiday sales season.

The device follows a spate of new product launches by the technology leaders in recent weeks, including Apple's iPad Mini last week and software-maker Microsoft's first-ever home-built tablet, the Surface.

Google, the world's No.1 Internet search engine, has pushed deeper into the hardware business at a time when consumers are increasingly accessing the Web on mobile devices.

Google's new Nexus 10, made in partnership with consumer electronics company Samsung Electronics Co, is the first 10-inch tablet to come to market under Google's Nexus brand. The device, with prices starting at $299, will be available on November 13 in the United States and seven other countries, Google said in its official blog on Monday.

Google was scheduled to introduce the device at a media event in New York on Monday, but was forced to cancel because of Hurricane Sandy.

The Nexus 10. Photo: AFP

Google also said it was expanding its online movie and music retail businesses to several countries in Europe.

And the company introduced an improvement to its online-music storage service. The new "matching" feature scans songs in a consumer's music collection and automatically creates an online or "cloud-based" library of the same tracks which consumers can access from any device or computer.

Google said the music matching feature, which only works with tracks that are part of the Google Play store's music catalog, will be available in Europe on November 13 and in the United States soon after.

Google also updated its smaller, Nexus 7 tablet released earlier this year. It increased the storage on the $199 version of the device to 16GB from 8GB, and introduced a new $299 version of the Nexus 7 with a cellular data service option. Google also unveiled a new Nexus 4 smartphone, made in partnership with LG Electronics, that features a quad-core processor and a 4.7-inch display

Apple iPad mini's screen is inferior: Reviews

Apple iPad mini's screen is inferior: Reviews

iPad mini's 1024 x 768 resolution was a big step backwards from the iPad's much-touted Retina display, and underperformed the rival Kindle and Nexus, the two reviewers agreed.
SAN FRANCISCO: Apple's entry in the accelerating mobile tablet race squeezes about 35 per cent more viewing space onto a lighter package than rival devices from Google or Amazon.com, but it sports inferior resolution and a lofty price tag, two influential reviewers wrote on Tuesday. 

The iPad mini, which starts at $329 versus the $199 for Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire HD, is easy to hold with one hand, eliminating a drawback of the 10-inch iPad,Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg wrote in one of the first major reviews of a gadget introduced last week. 

Both Mossberg and New York Times columnist David Pogue offered kudos for cramming most of its full-sized cousin's functions onto a smaller device, as advertised. 

But the iPad mini's 1024 x 768 resolution was a big step backwards from the iPad's much-touted Retina display, and underperformed the rival Kindle and Nexus, the two reviewers agreed. 

Mossberg said Apple chose to go with a lower-quality display because the existing 250,000-plus iPad applications could only run unmodified in two resolutions - and the higher level would have sapped too much power. 

"The lack of true HD gives the Nexus and Fire HD an advantage for video fans. In my tests, video looked just fine, but not as good as on the regular iPad," Mossberg wrote. 

The original iPad was launched in 2010 and went on to upend the personal computer industry, spawning a raft of similar devices. The iPad mini marks Apple's first foray into a smaller 7-inch segment that Amazon's Kindle Fire now dominates, demonstrating demand exists for such a device. 

Apple, making its boldest consumer hardware move since Tim Cook took the helm from late co-founder Steve Jobs, hopes the smaller tablet can beat back incursions onto its home turf of consumer electronics. 

"In shrinking the iconic iPad, Apple has pulled off an impressive feat," Mossberg wrote. "It has managed to create a tablet that's notably thinner and lighter than the leading small competitors with 7-inch screens, while squeezing in a significantly roomier 7.9-inch display. 

"And it has shunned the plastic construction used in its smaller rivals to retain the iPad's sturdier aluminum and glass body." 

Mossberg, whose reviews are followed closely by consumers and tech companies alike, wrote that the iPad mini did as advertised by bringing the full-sized iPad experience onto a smaller screen. 

He noted, however, that the device was too large to fit easily into pockets. It exhibited battery life of about 10 hours and 27 minutes, an hour more than the Kindle Fire at the same settings, but about 17 minutes less than the Nexus 7. 

"By pricing the Mini so high, Apple allows the $200 class of seven-inch Android tablets and readers to live," Pogue wrote. 

"But the iPad mini is a far classier, more attractive, thinner machine. It has two cameras instead of one. Its fit and finish are far more refined. And above all, it offers that colossal app catalog, which Android tablet owners can only dream about."

Google Celebrates Halloween With Pumpkin Carving Google Doodle

Google Celebrates Halloween With Pumpkin Carving Google Doodle

Google goes all out for this years Halloween doodle

Today is Halloween. A day full of costumed adolescents and all the candy you can eat, with out your child knowing you stole it from them of course. Sure the candy is the highlight of the holiday, but another big part is the tradition of carving a macabre face into a jack-o-lantern.

If you enjoy pumpkin carving, you’ll be sure to get a kick out of todays Google Doodle, as they team from Mountain View have really gone all out this year. Sure, Halloween is one of the Doodles that Google does every year. Usually they just do an illustration of some sort, but this year they’ve put together a stop motion logo which features six pumpkins being carved over the course of eight hours. Below you can see the Google Doodle for yourself with some details of how the thing came together.

“To celebrate Halloween this year, the doodle team wanted to capture that fascinating transformation that takes place when carving a pumpkin. Instead of picking up a few pumpkins from the grocery store, however, we decided to work on six giant pumpkins, specially delivered from nearby Half Moon Bay (some weighing well over 1,000 pounds). What you see is a timelapse video of the approximately eight hours we spent carving in the middle of our Mountain View, Calif. campus.”

If you’re interested in seeing some behind the scenes of Google’s huge Doodle undertaking, you can see a video below of how the Halloween doodle came to fruition.

Happy Halloween! Google Celebrates with an Interactive Doodle

Google users in the U.S. are still stuck with the boring old Google logo, but users in places like Australia are being treated with Google’s new Halloween Doodle – an interactive experience complete with sound.

On this Doodle, users are greeted with a bunch of closed doors, which they must open with a click. There are five doors in all, each revealing a ghostly/monster depicting of the G-O-O-G-L-E. Once you open the doors to reveal the creatures, you can click on them again to interact.

There are a couple more clickable areas on the Doodle, but I’ll let you find them on your own. Here’s the Doodle pre-interaction:

And post-interaction:

Last year, Google celebrated Halloween with a special pumpkin carving doodle. They used six giant pumpkins for the doodle, some weighing in at over 1,000 pounds.

Happy Halloween! Google spooks with an interactive doodle

Happy Halloween! Google spooks with an interactive doodle
New Delhi: October 31 is celebrated as Halloween in a number of countries around the world and Google is celebrating the event taking users on a visit to a haunted house on many of its home pages.

The Google Happy Halloween doodle features a haunted mansion (numbered 13) with many spooky inhabitants, who double up as letters of the Google logo. The characters reveal themselves when you knock (click) on the doors of the haunted house. To add to the atmosphere there is also an eerie sound playing in the background. The faint hearted though can turn it off with a click of a mouse.

A blue one-eyed octopus stands for 'G' in the Google logo, a pair of red and yellow eyes behind the second door from the left are the two 'Os', the second 'G' is a veiled ghost. A clattering skeleton is the 'L' and a smiley face that turns into a monster represents the 'E'. An apparition also appears between the skeleton and the smiley monster.

There is also a black alley cat, a crowing crow and a spider for extra effect. A number of jack-o'-lanterns rest on the steps of the mansion. It is only when you click on all the interactive elements on the Happy Halloween! Google doodle and the alley cat jumps out of the frame that the page redirects to the search results page for the keyword "Happy Halloween!".

Halloween is also called All Hallows' Eve. As it falls on the eve of All Saints' Day, it has a religious significance for some Christians otherwise it is nowadays observed largely as a secular celebration.

Google doodle celebrates Halloween

Google doodle celebrates Halloween

Ghouls and ghosts hiding behind doors are brought to life at the click of a mouse to form company logo

Google Doodle celebrates Halloween

Google is marking Halloween with an interactive doodle that animates some spooky happenings on a street where assorted ghouls and creatures are brought to life by users clicking on four front doors.

The inhabitants behind the doors, including a central one which is suitably numbered 13, double up to form the letters of the Google logo.

They include a blue one-eyed octopus, which stands for 'G', a pair of red and yellow eyes which provide the two 'Os' and a veiled ghost which forms the second 'G'. A skeleton is the 'L' while a smiley face that turns into a monster represents the 'E'.

An eerie soundtrack plays in the background, although those of a nervous disposition can turn the sound off.

The Guardian has set up a Halloween Flickr group following on from the fun last year when readers posted pictures of their ghoulish gourds and creative costumes.

Happy Halloween! Google doodles a trick-or-treat surprise

Happy Halloween! Google doodles a trick-or-treat surprise

Happy Halloween! doodle is Google's Halloween surprise for visitors across the globe. Halloween is a yearly celebration observed worldwide on the last day of October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows, hence the name all-hallows-eve, which got shortened to Halloween.

The doodle shows a street with a series of houses. Visitors can trick-or-treat by clicking on the door of each house. Clicking each door reveals a surprise, just like in real-life trick-or-treating. In this case, there's an octopus behind one of the doors, a spooky pair of eyes behind another, while yet another has a skeleton. Of course, no neighbourhood, real or virtual, would be complete on Halloween without pumpkins carved into jack-o'-lanterns.

But in a year when Abraham Lincoln was depicted as a vampire hunter and zombies are everywhere, gory costumes that were once reserved for preteens and teens are now available in ever-smaller sizes.

"For the last couple of years, darker is where it's been at," says Melissa Sprich, vice president of Halloween merchandising for Party City. For babies and toddlers, Sprich says "darker" may mean dressing as a devil this year, rather than a cheerful dinosaur. But for all other ages, many parents are seeking vampires, zombies and "the Freddies, Jasons and Chuckys" even for kids too young to see those characters on screen.

David J. Skal, who has chronicled America's fascination with horror since the 1990s in numerous books, including "The Monster Show," says he's surprised at the level of "monster-ization of children" we're seeing this year.

He points out that for centuries, frightening masks and "scary stories have been used to pass on a kind of coming-of-age message to children that the world is not always a safe and welcoming place." Perhaps, he says, this year parents are especially preoccupied with just how unwelcoming the world seems.

Of course, this year Halloween comes in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy, with celebrations ranging from non-existent in the severely effected parts of the US, to muted in others. Elsewhere in the world, some Catholic bishops in Poland say that Halloween is harmful because it promotes "diabolical" behaviour and are asking believers not to observe it.

Archbishop Andrzej Dziega in Szczecinsaid in letter to his parishioners that under the vestige of fun, Halloween can be "destroying the spiritual life." The "tricks" hide "diabolical attitudes" by encouraging readiness to harm the others. He asked believers not to observe Halloween.

Happy Haloween

Happy Haloween!!!!!

Google unveils Nexus 10 tablet, Nexus 4 smartphone

San Francisco: Google unveiled a larger version of its Nexus-branded tablet computer on Monday, and updated its mobile gadget and online content offerings as competition with Apple Inc , Amazon.com Inc and Microsoft Corp  heats up ahead of the holiday sales season.

The device follows a spate of new product launches by the technology leaders in recent weeks, including Apple’s iPad Mini last week and software-maker Microsoft’s first-ever home-built tablet, the Surface.

Google, the world’s No1 Internet search engine, has pushed deeper into the hardware business at a time when consumers are increasingly accessing the Web on mobile devices.

Google’s new Nexus 10, made in partnership with consumer electronics company Samsung Electronics Co, is the first 10-inch tablet to come to market under Google’s Nexus brand. The device, with prices starting at $299, will be available on 13 November in the United States and seven other countries, Google said in its official blog on Monday.

Nexus 4 smartphone and Nexus 10 tablet. AP

Google was scheduled to introduce the device at a media event in New York on Monday, but was forced to cancel because of Hurricane Sandy.

Google also said it was expanding its online movie and music retail businesses to several countries in Europe.

And the company introduced an improvement to its online-music storage service. The new “matching” feature scans songs in a consumer’s music collection and automatically creates an online or “cloud-based” library of the same tracks which consumers can access from any device or computer.

Google said the music matching feature, which only works with tracks that are part of the Google Play store’s music catalog, will be available in Europe on November 13 and in the United States soon after.

Google also updated its smaller, Nexus 7 tablet released earlier this year. It increased the storage on the $199 version of the device to 16GB from 8GB, and introduced a new $299 version of the Nexus 7 with a cellular data service option.

Google also unveiled a new Nexus 4 smartphone, made in partnership with LG Electronics, that features a quad-core processor and a 4.7-inch display.

Microsoft, Google join the holiday party with their new lineups

Microsoft, Google join the holiday party with their new lineups

Microsoft launched its new Windows phone system and Google unveiled new devices under its Nexus brand. Both part of an effort to grab more of consumers' holiday-shopping dollars.Last week, Microsoft started selling its Windows 8 operating system and Surface tablet computer. Apple announced new iPads and Mac computers. Samsung launched a giant smartphone.
Barnes & Noble Inc. will start shipping new Nook devices Thursday, while Apple's new iPads, including a smaller one, will be out Friday. A larger version of Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle Fire comes out later in the month.
These are some of the gadgets to expect for the holidays:
Apple devices
Apple has done well selling its full-sized tablet computer, which has a screen that measures nearly 10 inches diagonally. But companies such as Amazon.com Inc. and Google Inc. have made inroads selling tablets with smaller, 7-inch screens and lower price tags.
To maintain its dominance, Apple will start shipping the iPad Mini on Friday, though new orders through Apple's website will take longer because initial supplies had sold out. It will have a 7.9-inch screen, making it slightly larger than those smaller rivals but about two-thirds the size of a regular iPad.
The iPad Mini starts at $329, well above the $159 starting price for Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle Fire and $199 for Google Inc.'s Nexus 7. Both have 7-inch screens. The Mini will be just $70 cheaper than the 2011 iPad 2, which is still available.
Apple will make a version of the iPad Mini that can access cellular networks from AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. That version will start at $459, compared with $629 for the full-sized cellular model.
Apple is also refreshing its full-sized iPad, giving it a faster processor and faster Wi-Fi capabilities.
Meanwhile, Apple has unveiled a 13-inch version of a MacBook Pro with sharper, "Retina" display, complementing the 15-inch version unveiled in June. Apple also updated its iMac line.
Last month, Apple began selling its iPhone 5. The new phone is bigger, but thinner than previous models and works with faster cellular networks known as 4G.
Phone rival
Apple's leading rival, Samsung Electronics Co., came out with a new version of its flagship phone, the Galaxy S III, months ago. But Samsung is known for releasing products throughout the year, each targeted at a different base of consumers.
For those who like to work with a stylus, the Galaxy Note II smartphone came out last week. T-Mobile, Sprint and U.S. Cellular are selling it now. Verizon and AT&T are taking advance orders for shipments in the coming weeks.
The Note comes on the heels of Samsung's campaign touting its Galaxy S III phone as its "next big thing." The Note is even bigger, with a 5.5 inch screen, compared with the S III's 4.8 inches and the iPhone 5's 4 inches, all measured diagonally.
The Note runs the latest version of Google's Android system, Jelly Bean.
Google, meanwhile, announced a small update to Jelly Bean and said it will be included with its Nexus 4 smartphone out next month.
Tablet rivals
Amazon's 7-inch Kindle Fire is one of the smaller tablets with decent sales. Last month, it started shipping an updated version with a faster processor, more memory and longer battery life. It also cut the price to $159, from $199, making it far cheaper than the iPad, which starts at $399.
Amazon is also releasing higher-end models under the Kindle Fire HD line. A 7-inch one goes for $199 and an 8.9-inch one for $299. There's also a $499 model that can use the 4G cellular networks that phone companies have been building. A data plan will cost an extra $50 a year. The smaller HD model is already available, while the larger ones will be available Nov. 20.
Barnes and Noble Inc. is also updating its Nook tablets. The new Nook HD will come in two sizes, one at 7 inches (starting at $199) and one at 9 inches (starting at $269). They will be out Thursday.
In addition to the new HD screen and a lighter body, Barnes & Noble is increasing the services the Nook offers. It's adding a video purchase and rental service, allowing users to maintain different profiles and making it easier to browse titles in its book and magazine stores.
Google, meanwhile, is introducing a 10-inch Nexus tablet starting at $399, $100 less than comparable versions of the latest iPads. It is doubling the storage capacity of existing 7-inch models and introducing a version capable of accessing cellular networks. The new Nexus 7 is available now, while the other devices are coming Nov. 13.
Calling on Windows
Microsoft Corp. released a new version of the Windows operating system on Friday, one that's designed to work on both traditional computers and tablet devices. Desktops, laptops and tablet computers with Windows 8 started going on sale Friday.
Microsoft also released its own tablet computer, the Surface. It's new territory for Microsoft, which typically leaves it to others to make devices using its software. Now, it will be competing against its partners.
One model will run on the same type of lower-energy chips used in the iPad. It will start at $499, also like the newest, full-sized iPads. A keyboard cover will cost another $100. Sales started Friday.
A heavier, more expensive version will run on Intel chips and be capable of running standard Windows applications. Microsoft hasn't announced the date or price for that yet.
A new version of the Windows Phone system is coming out this fall as well. Once-dominant phone maker Nokia Corp. has been struggling in the shadow of Apple and Android, and it's counting on the new Windows system for a revival. Nokia, Samsung and HTC are launching eight Windows Phone 8 smartphones combined by year's end, starting this weekend overseas and later in November in the U.S.
New BlackBerrys
A year ago, Research In Motion Ltd. disclosed that it was working on a next-generation phone system for the BlackBerry, which now looks ancient next to the iPhone and Android devices. It was supposed to be out in time for this year's holiday season. That won't happen.
In June, RIM pushed the release of BlackBerry 10 devices into early next year, saying it wasn't ready. That means RIM will not only compete with the new iPhone and Android devices out this fall, but it will also have to contend with the new Windows devices.
Playing games
Nintendo's new Wii U game machine will go on sale in the U.S. on Nov. 18. A basic, white model will cost $300. A deluxe black version for another $50 comes with an extra game and more accessories. The GamePad touch-screen controller for it will offer new ways to play.
In "New Super Mario Bros. U.," for example, players holding the old Wii controllers control Mario, Luigi and other characters. The person with the GamePad can help them along by using a stylus to create stepping stones for the characters or stun enemies.
Players can also turn off the TV entirely and play on the GamePad.
Nintendo Co. has been trying to drum up excitement for the Wii U, the first major gaming console to launch since 2006.
The company also announced new entertainment features for the console. Called Nintendo TVii, the service collects all the ways users have to watch movies, TV shows and sports. This includes pay-TV accounts along with services such as Hulu and Netflix. The GamePad works as a fancy remote controller and will let viewers comment on what they are watching.
TVii will be available Nov. 18 as well, at no extra cost.

Samsung to launch ultra high definition TV in India next year

Samsung to launch ultra high definition TV in India next year

New Delhi: Korean electronics major Samsung said it will introduce ultra high definition television sets in India by the end of next year after it rolls out the technology globally in 2013. Samsung has already developed the technology for ultra high-definition television (UHDTV), which has a minimum resolution of 3840x2160 pixels or 8.3 megapixels.

"We have developed the technology and are ready with it. We are planning to introduce it globally sometime next year and the India-launch will happen by the end of next year," Samsung India Electronics General Manager (AV Division) Taeho Park told reporters here. The company is not launching UHDTV immediately as the content is not yet available for it, he added.

"Many of our competitors are also working on this technology, which uses four times more pixels than the high definition TVs. Samsung has developed it in Korea and we will sell UHDTVs in India by importing them from Korea," Park said. He, however, declined to share details such as possible price range or the size of the panels.

Meanwhile, to tap the ongoing festive season, Samsung India Electronics today introduced a new LED TV - 75ES9000, priced at Rs 7.5 lakh. The company also announced a host of schemes and offers along with its range of home appliances products to attract more consumers during the festive season.

"Initially we are targeting to sell 1,000 units of the 75ES9000 in the next 6-12 months... We are expecting to sell 4.5 lakh units of flat panel TVs during the festive season this year," Samsung India Electronics Vice President (Home Appliances) K Mahesh said. The company is looking to sell 15 lakh units of flat panels this year, of which LED TVs will contribute 80 per cent, he added.

According to Samsung India's estimates, the country's overall TV market is expected to be around one crore units this year, out of which flat panels are likely to contribute 42 lakh units. Talking about the festive seasons, Samsung India Electronics Product Head (Flat Panel TV) Piyush Kunnapallil said the company will "invest Rs 150 crore in marketing and promotional activities" during this period.

"We are expecting about Rs 3,000 crore sales revenue from our entire consumer electronics business in the festive season this year," he added. In 2011, Samsung India clocked a revenue of around Rs 20,000 crore, of which the consumer electronics segment contributed Rs 10,000 crore, Mahesh said. "We are expecting about 40-45 per cent jump this year in our consumer electronics business," he added.

Solar eclipse of August 11, 1999

A total solar eclipse occurred on 11th August 1999 with an eclipse magnitude of 1.029. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partially obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across the surface of the Earth, while a partial solar eclipse will be visible over a region thousands of kilometers wide.

The path of the Moon's shadow began in the Atlantic Ocean and, before noon, was traversing Cornwall, Devon, northern France, Belgium, Luxembourg, southern Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, and northern FR Yugoslavia (Vojvodina). Its maximum was at 11:03 UTC at 45.1°N 24.3°E in Romania (next to a town called Ocnele Mari near Râmnicu Vâlcea); and it continued across Bulgaria, the Black Sea, Turkey, Iran, southern Pakistan and Srikakulam in India and ended in the Bay of Bengal.

It was the first total eclipse visible from Europe since 22nd July 1990, and the first visible in the United Kingdom since 29th June 1927.

India’s F1 debut was certainly a success: Schumacher

New Delhi: Seven times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher says it will be interesting to see if the enthusiasm among the Indian fans has survived as it was during the inaugural Indian Grand Prix.

Around 95,000 people turned up at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) to watch the race last year.

Schumacher will retire at the end of the season. Reuters

“The Formula 1 debut of India last year was certainly a success. There were a surprising amount of fans during the weekend, and the track itself really is cool. We drivers were given a very enthusiastic reception, and it will be interesting to see if this enthusiasm has remained as strong,” Schumacher, who drives for the Mercedes GP team, told the official Formula 1 website ahead of the Oct 26-28 event. The German will retire with the end of the 2012 season.

His teammate Nico Rosberg expressed that he was impressed by the passion for the sport of the Indian fans.

“Last year I was really impressed by the passion and friendliness of the Indian people so I`m looking forward to visiting again and having some more interesting experiences. ,” said Rosberg, who had a crazy time in 2011 while visiting the busy streets of Old Delhi.

“The BIC is very challenging with an interesting combination of slow speed corners and long fast straights. The track also has one of the highest average speeds in Formula 1 and is good for overtaking,” added Rosberg.

India has one of the most challenging F1 circuits: Vettel

Current Formula 1 driver’s champion Sebastian Vettel believes that the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) is one of the most challenging circuits in the world.

“The BIC really has emerged as one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar for the drivers. I loved the track layout last year, but not just because I won the race. With an average speed of 235 km/h, the course is the second quickest of the year after Monza,” said Vettel, who hails from Germany, on the official F1 website.

Vettel won the last race in Yeongam, Korea. Reuters

“There is a lot of elevation change around the lap which adds to the fun, from as much as eight percent downhill and up to 10 percent uphill; it’s like a roller coaster.”

Vettel currently leads the driver’s World Championship with 215 points, six ahead of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso. He won the last race in Yeongam, Korea.

Teammate Mark Webber also said that the track is challenging on which he loves to drive.

“It’s a challenging venue and I really enjoy the track, it’s a nice circuit to drive. The track is similar to Korea with mainly long straights in Sector 1 followed by a very busy Sector 2 and 3, so we need to get the balance right between downforce and top speed.

“It should be reasonably straightforward weather-wise and I’m looking forward to getting out there. There was a massive crowd there last year and it was a good atmosphere,” said the Australian, who earned the pole position and finished second in the Korean Grand Prix Oct 14.

Driving for Force India would be huge stepping stone for Narain: Hamilton

New Delhi: Former World Champion Lewis Hamilton yesterday said if Indian F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan could race for Sahara Force India it would be a huge “stepping stone” for him.

Karthikeyan drives for Spanish outfit Hispania Racing Team and Hamilton said a driver can not do much in a slow car.

“It is unfortunate that Narain is driving a slow car. Other drivers would also struggle in slow car and it does not mean you are a bad driver. It would be wonderful if he were in Force India which is a pretty good team. It would be a huge stepping stone for him,” Hamilton said here.

“It is unfortunate that Narain is driving a slow car. Other drivers would also struggle in slow car and it does not mean you are a bad driver. It would be wonderful if he were in Force India which is a pretty good team,” said Hamilton. Reuters

Hamilton said it helps when one drives for a country’s team. “I am a Brit, driving for a British team in a British car. To me it’s very positive and it has done wonders for us so I hope it would be the same for him and India,” he said.

A 15th place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix is Karthikeyan’s best result this season.

One seat will be left in Force India for the 2013 season as Nico Hulkenberg is expected to leave the side for Sauber.

However, Karthikeyan has indicated that he would stay at the HRT for the next season.

Indian GP: You’ll find Mallya cheering Force India here

New Delhi: Sahara Force India team principal Vijay Mallya is expecting another spectacular Indian Grand Prix over the weekend, saying a double points finish at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) will be a fitting result for the team’s home race.

Mallya, who has been away from public glare following the suspension of his Kingfisher airlines, will attend the 26-28 October event at BIC.

“I remember how proud I felt last year to see our cars racing in India in the colours of the Indian flag. It was a moment I had dreamed about and a great sporting achievement for our country,” Mallya said in a statement today.

Sahara Force India team principal Vijay Mallya is expecting another spectacular Indian Grand Prix over the weekend.

“To score points was the icing on the cake. This year I would like to go one better and see both our cars in the points — at the very least — so that we can give our fans something to smile about. The gap to Sauber is now 27 points. It’s a big lead, but not impossible to catch them before the end of the year,” he said.

Force India are seventh in the constructors’ championship with 89 points from 16 rounds.

Mallya is hoping for a better show by the organisers, Jaypee Group, than in the inaugural edition.

“Last year’s race was a tremendous success. I’m sure we can expect an equally spectacular event this year. Buddh International Circuit always looks after us very well and I know that they have been working hard behind the scenes to fine-tune the circuit and facilities even more.

“But above all else, the most important thing is the layout of the track because last year all the drivers loved it. It’s certainly one of the best tracks in the world,” he added.

‘Force India’s target is to finish sixth’

Force India’s German driver Nico Hulkenberg opens up about the challenges he and his team face at the 2012 Indian Grand Prix.

You started off your F1 career with Williams in 2010 and they have a good pedigree. They have been champions in the past even though they are a middle rung team now. So how was the experience racing for them?

You know the first year of Formula One is very special, always, for everyone. I have a lot of great memories with them and obviously the pole position in Brazil stands out. We had some very good weekends apart from that as well, such as Monza (Italian GP). I enjoyed working with Rubens Barrichello a lot, and he was one of the most experienced people on the grid. So I got to learn a lot from him. I had a very good relationship with all the mechanics and engineers there. But it didn’t end too well for me. They told me very late in the day that I won’t be driving for them in 2011 and that wasn’t very nice.

Can you talk about that pole position lap in Brazil in 2010, your first ever pole?

I think it was the perfect lap for the sort of conditions we had then. It had stopped raining and the track was drying up very fast, so it was a bit of dry and wet both. And the car was feeling just great in those conditions, perfect set-up and new soft (dry) tyres with optimum pressure in them, which is very crucial on a partly dry-partly wet circuit. So when they put on the slicks, I was very aggressive, trying to get as much heat into the tyres as possible. And my lap times kept improving as I got more and more heat into them. It is quite tricky to get the braking point right in those conditions and also to stay on the dry line, but that was the perfect lap and it was quite sensational in the end, yeah! It was an emotional moment for me, my first ever pole position.

There is a lack of testing in Formula One. In that light how important was getting a reserve driver role at Force India in 2011 and keeping busy during Friday practice sessions?

Very important, because without that Friday running I wouldn’t be the driver I am now. If one of the two drivers were not able to race for whatever reasons, I would have been able to straight away jump into the car and drive, and perform at the top of my level. That stint at Force India kept me sharp, kept me going, and I learnt how to use DRS and KERS. Honestly if I hadn’t done those sessions, I would be totally a different driver now. And then you can lose your Formula One status very quickly, so yes I am thankful for these sessions that have kept me in the game. (He subsequently won a Force India race seat for the 2012 season, replacing Adrian Sutil.)

Nico Hulkenberg has been good for Force India this season. AP

How different is driving in Formula One than in junior Formulae? How different is your preparation and concentration?

Formula One is the pinnacle of motorsport and it is very special to be part of this racing series. Of course it is the quite a challenge and difficult to get set in here. But then you have the junior Formulae, Formula BMW, Formula Renault, you name the series. These racing series prepare you for the challenges ahead, for Formula One if you get there eventually. I had some mega seasons in Formula Three and GP2 as well which prepared me and taught me lot of stuff that ultimately brought me to F1.

There are quite a few German drivers in Formula One at the moment. Top of the ladder are Michael Schumacher, who is an all time great, and Sebastian Vettel, a double world champion. So what sort of impact are you looking to make in F1?

I have just done one year of racing in Formula One so the main aim is to establish myself here over the next three to four years. I hope I can do many more years in F1 than that because I love this sport. I love the way people work here, very professional and driving these cars is a very big privilege. So I just want to stay here and in terms of what I want to achieve, of course I want to be successful. I want to win races but that is for the long term, to be realistic.

Did sitting out a year from active racing make you hungrier for success?

The motivation to do well in Formula One has always been there. Even when I was out of the car the determination to succeed was always there. So I don’t think anything has changed there. The only difference is you cannot show it when you are not in a racing car and that was a situation that needed to be changed. And now I can show it.

This being the home race for Force India, how much pressure is on you to deliver and is the pressure different from other races?

I think pressure is always an element of F1 but we cannot really approach this weekend any differently. Target is always to score points. But two out of three owners of Force India are Indians, so obviously it is a bit more special. There is going to be a lot of Indian media and lot of local fans will be monitoring us closely. But it doesn’t change anything once we are inside the car. Pressure is always there, like I said, and we always have to try as hard as we can.

Are you happy with the mid-field position that Force India has gotten consistent with?

It was very tight and close last year as well. This time we have a lot more points than we did last year at this stage. But last season teams like Sauber and Williams weren’t so strong, they hadn’t had a win or podium finish. So from that it’s a little different. This year on a good day you are inside the top ten and on a bad day, you are just outside. It is that tight. But we are happy that we have been very consistent, especially in the last five-six races. Atleast one car has finished in points which is very good news for us. But we still have a target to finish sixth in the standings this year and that is what we are focussing on.

How tough was the Pirelli challenge this season, getting used to the tyres?

Easy (laughs) I mean they are different from last season, when I didn’t get much experience on those compounds, and they are challenging, because they have a very small operating window. Maybe it has gotten a little better now towards the end of the season as we have gotten used to working with them. But every Formula One season has its own challenges and tyres are one of them. Yes we have to find their sweet spot, but this year the team always had a good understanding of the tyres and that is also why we have been quite consistent.

How do you compare the traditional European circuits and modern ones such as the Buddh International Circuit? Which ones do you prefer to race on?

I can tell you that after I have raced at the BIC. So can’t comment before that. But I think both parts of the world have good circuits really. As a mixture what Formula One has at the moment is pretty good I would say.

It is said that the first person to beat in F1 is your team-mate. And you are leading Paul di Resta by one point. How is the rivalry between you two?

I think it is okay (laughs). It is important that we work together to push the team forward but we have a very healthy relationship and strive to achieve success. We both try very hard and the result is that it is very, very close between us.

We see a lot of paid drivers on the grid nowadays. Do you think that is good for Formula One going forward?

In the history of Formula One, there have always been pay drivers in any given season. Sometimes, it also happens that drivers who have good financial backing are also good racing drivers and they learn with time, progress and move up the order. I would rather have not so many as we do today on the grid. But F1 is an expensive sport to run and teams need the money to run the course of the season. At other times it doesn’t happen. So, it is what it is really.

There are rumours that you will be leaving Force India at the end of the season and moving to Sauber F1 for 2013.

I will not comment on speculation and rumours out there at the moment. For this weekend, again the focus is on good performance and getting points.

Will try to make Indian Grand Prix special: Force India drivers

New Delhi: Sahara Force India drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta said they will try to make their home Grand Prix “special” with a big result and won’t “give up” on the sixth place in the championship for which they are fighting hard with Sauber.

With four races to go, starting with Sunday’s Indian Grand Prix, the Indian outfit is placed seventh currently, trailing the Swiss team Sauber by 27 points.

“Since this one is home Grand Prix, a big result would be very welcome. We will try to make it special,” Hulkenberg said. ”Focus never changes, as a team we want both the cars with points,” said Paul di Resta.

At this stage of the season so far, Force India have fared better on points compared to the last season but the mid-field has been very competitive with Sauber coming up very strong. Sauber can even dislodge Mercedes from the fifth position.

Hulkenberg, who is expected to move to Sauber in the next season, said Force India still have hopes of grabbing the sixth place.

Reuters

“It’s been a good year, we have been fairly consistent compared to the other teams. We have scored quite a few points on different occasions. Personally, I had good result, some strong performances, I missed on podium (in Belgium),” he said.

“On paper we have had better year than last year with more points but our main rivals like Suber have also been very strong. Our target still is to get that sixth place,” the German said.

Paul knew that it was easier said than done but was not willing to throw in the towel as yet.

“Mathematically, it will be difficult, but obviously we won’t give up with four races to go,” the Scot said.