Motorola has launched its first made-in-India handset - the C 115. Built on the C11x platform, the C 115 is a mass market phone based on the sub $40 handset category for emerging markets. The C115 is a compact and stylish mass market phone with an ergonomic keypad. Its traditional eddy design merges quality with comfort at a very affordable price. The C115 comes with a blue screen and Hindi messaging capability. It offers a talk-time of minimum 400 minutes and a standby time of 340 hours.
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Friday, December 23, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
You've decided to be a serious investor!
That's nice to hear.Here are five ways to get you started.
1. Be consistent
Every month, make it a point to save a fixed sum. The key is to make savings a habit. Even if you only manage to save a few hundred rupees, don't let it worry you.
Preferably, set aside a fixed percentage of your salary. Remember, we are talking here of a monthly saving, not a yearly one. It could be 10% or 15% or 20% of what you earn. If you manage to save more, great!
2. Do an asset allocation
The perennial dilemma that faces every investor is how much of his/ her money should be invested in equity (shares and mutual funds that invest in the shares of companies) and debt (fixed return investments like bonds, fixed deposits, Public Provident Fund and post office schemes).
When you are young, you can safely invest the bulk of your savings in equity.
3. Diversify, diversify, diversify!
It's the best way to stabilise your finances.
To quote an often repeated cliché: don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Put some money in safe instruments like a bank fixed deposit or a post office saving scheme or bonds from a reliable financial institution.
Consider real estate. Then, there are mutual funds and stocks. Diversify even further within these categories.
4 Do your tax planning
Section 80C was introduced in the last budget (February 2005). Under this section, you can claim deductions from your income in certain investments.
# Provident Fund
# Public Provident Fund
# Life insurance premium
# Pension plans
# Equity Linked Saving Schemes of mutual funds
# Infrastructure bonds
# National Savings Certificate
5. Get a PAN
The taxman demands you get yourself a Permanent Account Number.
This is a unique 10-digit alphanumeric number (AABPS1205E, for example) that identifies and tracks an individual in the taxman's database.
# Virtually every money transaction will demand that you need a PAN: When you get a job
# When you file an income tax return
# When you open a bank account
# When you deposit cash of Rs 50,000 or more in a bank
# When you open a bank fixed deposit of Rs 50,000 or more
# When you open a post office deposit of Rs 50,000 or more
# When you buy/ sell shares and mutual funds
# When you buy/ sell property
# When you buy a vehicle
# When you take a loan: home/ personal/ other
# When you install a telephone (even a cell phone)
# When you pay in cash to hotels and restaurants against bills for an amount exceeding Rs 25,000 at any one time
# You also need to mention it in every transaction you have with the tax officials.
1. Be consistent
Every month, make it a point to save a fixed sum. The key is to make savings a habit. Even if you only manage to save a few hundred rupees, don't let it worry you.
Preferably, set aside a fixed percentage of your salary. Remember, we are talking here of a monthly saving, not a yearly one. It could be 10% or 15% or 20% of what you earn. If you manage to save more, great!
2. Do an asset allocation
The perennial dilemma that faces every investor is how much of his/ her money should be invested in equity (shares and mutual funds that invest in the shares of companies) and debt (fixed return investments like bonds, fixed deposits, Public Provident Fund and post office schemes).
When you are young, you can safely invest the bulk of your savings in equity.
3. Diversify, diversify, diversify!
It's the best way to stabilise your finances.
To quote an often repeated cliché: don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Put some money in safe instruments like a bank fixed deposit or a post office saving scheme or bonds from a reliable financial institution.
Consider real estate. Then, there are mutual funds and stocks. Diversify even further within these categories.
4 Do your tax planning
Section 80C was introduced in the last budget (February 2005). Under this section, you can claim deductions from your income in certain investments.
# Provident Fund
# Public Provident Fund
# Life insurance premium
# Pension plans
# Equity Linked Saving Schemes of mutual funds
# Infrastructure bonds
# National Savings Certificate
5. Get a PAN
The taxman demands you get yourself a Permanent Account Number.
This is a unique 10-digit alphanumeric number (AABPS1205E, for example) that identifies and tracks an individual in the taxman's database.
# Virtually every money transaction will demand that you need a PAN: When you get a job
# When you file an income tax return
# When you open a bank account
# When you deposit cash of Rs 50,000 or more in a bank
# When you open a bank fixed deposit of Rs 50,000 or more
# When you open a post office deposit of Rs 50,000 or more
# When you buy/ sell shares and mutual funds
# When you buy/ sell property
# When you buy a vehicle
# When you take a loan: home/ personal/ other
# When you install a telephone (even a cell phone)
# When you pay in cash to hotels and restaurants against bills for an amount exceeding Rs 25,000 at any one time
# You also need to mention it in every transaction you have with the tax officials.
Monday, December 19, 2005
3 steps to buying the right wine
There's something about X'mas and the New Year that's special -- perhaps it's the nip in the air, or the imitation holly wreaths and plastic Santa dolls being sold by the wayside stalls in Connaught Place in Delhi and Commercial Street in Bangalore -- there's definitely a sense of one year drawing to a close, and the expectation of another year starting afresh.
What to buy
Depends upon your budget and inclination, really. The best value wines are Indian wines from the old favourites: Ivy from Indage, most of the wines from Sula (I'd skip the Madera) and all the stuff from Grover. All priced at between Rs 300-500 per bottle.
If you're inclined towards imported wines (and don't want to spend a bomb) you could start with Michel Laroche (French, Rs 650) or Paso de Luz (Chilean, Rs 720); Hardy's Stamp series (Australian, Rs 750) and Astica (Argentinian, Rs 800) are also good buys.
Want to splurge a bit? I really like the Green Point wines from Australia (Rs 1,600-1,750), as well as the Chardonnay & Merlot from Casa Lapostolle (Chile; Rs 1,500-1,600), while the Italians from Ruffino and Antinori (all Rs 2,000+) are just sublime.
And we have yet to touch the better French wines or champagnes -- which, since they start at Rs 2,500 and rapidly go stratospheric, we'll not talk about.
Why to buy
Champagnes are for celebrating those special occasions and to romance that special girl; sparkling wines make great aperitifs. Savour white wines if you are feeling hot (and want to get cool), and red wines if you're already cool and want to 'get it on'.
How to buy
All retailers will give you a discount if you pick up a goodly quantity (anything over three bottles) -- so work out your season's requirements (and budget) and strike a good deal.
Here's wishing you all a Merry X'mas -- cheers!
What to buy
Depends upon your budget and inclination, really. The best value wines are Indian wines from the old favourites: Ivy from Indage, most of the wines from Sula (I'd skip the Madera) and all the stuff from Grover. All priced at between Rs 300-500 per bottle.
If you're inclined towards imported wines (and don't want to spend a bomb) you could start with Michel Laroche (French, Rs 650) or Paso de Luz (Chilean, Rs 720); Hardy's Stamp series (Australian, Rs 750) and Astica (Argentinian, Rs 800) are also good buys.
Want to splurge a bit? I really like the Green Point wines from Australia (Rs 1,600-1,750), as well as the Chardonnay & Merlot from Casa Lapostolle (Chile; Rs 1,500-1,600), while the Italians from Ruffino and Antinori (all Rs 2,000+) are just sublime.
And we have yet to touch the better French wines or champagnes -- which, since they start at Rs 2,500 and rapidly go stratospheric, we'll not talk about.
Why to buy
Champagnes are for celebrating those special occasions and to romance that special girl; sparkling wines make great aperitifs. Savour white wines if you are feeling hot (and want to get cool), and red wines if you're already cool and want to 'get it on'.
How to buy
All retailers will give you a discount if you pick up a goodly quantity (anything over three bottles) -- so work out your season's requirements (and budget) and strike a good deal.
Here's wishing you all a Merry X'mas -- cheers!
Thursday, December 08, 2005
10 TIPS to love the job you hate
10 TIPS to love the job you hate
1. Communicate:
Let the boss know your achievements and problems. Don't boast and don't gripe. Create a sense of teamwork. Define the problem at hand and offer ways to solve it.
2. Do Something for Yourself:
Take on a project that's dear to your heart or set aside time for what you do best. For example, if you got into medicine because you wanted to be a caregiver but find yourself buried in paperwork, find the time to be with your patients. Make an effort to connect with each patient and his or her family.
3. Improve a Bad Relationship:
Some people are born grumpy and simply won't like you. Instead of fretting about it and thinking it's something you did, simply ask the person each day, "Is there anything I can do for you?" This will ease the tension and, over time, may win over the person who has the long knives out for no apparent reason.
4. Delegate:
Never allow process to trump the result. Remember that you can't do everything all the time. Pass off some of the grunt work to a hungry young staffer who needs to learn the basics and a fundamental lesson in life: You don't start at the top, and you earn plumb assignments by working hard in the trenches.
If you create a clear path of advancement, the smart employee won't kick when asked to handle routine stuff.
5. Seek Feedback:
Ask your boss and co-workers, "How am I doing?" Make it clear that you seek feedback to improve your performance -- not because you crave praise. Show others how feedback can increase their productivity and boost their career choices.
6. Tackle Tough Assignments First
Get the difficult or unpleasant work out of the way first, because it doesn't improve with age and will look truly hideous after lunch. This also allows you to finish the day with something you find challenging and enjoy.
7. Have A Little Fun:
Work isn't play, but it doesn't have to be mind-numbingly serious all the time. A few quips will boost everyone's morale. If you're not the office wag, encourage the lighthearted goofball in the corner to share his take on why the Yankees are baseball's best team.
It beats grinding your teeth for eight hours a day and is likely to boost morale and productivity.
8. Encourage Teamwork:
Doing more with less demands increased productivity. Teamwork is a good way to achieve this goal. Working in teams is a learned skill. If you don't know the basics, learn them and share your insights with others.
9. Body and Soul:
Pay attention to your physical and mental health. Stick to the basics: Eat right, exercise and get enough sleep. If you feel crummy, your job performance will suffer. You don't have to be a corporate guru to figure that out.
10. Get a Life:
People who have interests outside work make better employees, friends, parents and spouses. Take the time to do whatever it is that you're passionate about. No one on his deathbed ever said, "I wish I'd spent more time at the offic
1. Communicate:
Let the boss know your achievements and problems. Don't boast and don't gripe. Create a sense of teamwork. Define the problem at hand and offer ways to solve it.
2. Do Something for Yourself:
Take on a project that's dear to your heart or set aside time for what you do best. For example, if you got into medicine because you wanted to be a caregiver but find yourself buried in paperwork, find the time to be with your patients. Make an effort to connect with each patient and his or her family.
3. Improve a Bad Relationship:
Some people are born grumpy and simply won't like you. Instead of fretting about it and thinking it's something you did, simply ask the person each day, "Is there anything I can do for you?" This will ease the tension and, over time, may win over the person who has the long knives out for no apparent reason.
4. Delegate:
Never allow process to trump the result. Remember that you can't do everything all the time. Pass off some of the grunt work to a hungry young staffer who needs to learn the basics and a fundamental lesson in life: You don't start at the top, and you earn plumb assignments by working hard in the trenches.
If you create a clear path of advancement, the smart employee won't kick when asked to handle routine stuff.
5. Seek Feedback:
Ask your boss and co-workers, "How am I doing?" Make it clear that you seek feedback to improve your performance -- not because you crave praise. Show others how feedback can increase their productivity and boost their career choices.
6. Tackle Tough Assignments First
Get the difficult or unpleasant work out of the way first, because it doesn't improve with age and will look truly hideous after lunch. This also allows you to finish the day with something you find challenging and enjoy.
7. Have A Little Fun:
Work isn't play, but it doesn't have to be mind-numbingly serious all the time. A few quips will boost everyone's morale. If you're not the office wag, encourage the lighthearted goofball in the corner to share his take on why the Yankees are baseball's best team.
It beats grinding your teeth for eight hours a day and is likely to boost morale and productivity.
8. Encourage Teamwork:
Doing more with less demands increased productivity. Teamwork is a good way to achieve this goal. Working in teams is a learned skill. If you don't know the basics, learn them and share your insights with others.
9. Body and Soul:
Pay attention to your physical and mental health. Stick to the basics: Eat right, exercise and get enough sleep. If you feel crummy, your job performance will suffer. You don't have to be a corporate guru to figure that out.
10. Get a Life:
People who have interests outside work make better employees, friends, parents and spouses. Take the time to do whatever it is that you're passionate about. No one on his deathbed ever said, "I wish I'd spent more time at the offic
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