Government launches Hindi software

Hindi went high-tech on Wednesday with the government launching a chip version of a Hindi translation software on mobile phones and the internet.

The MANTRA (Machine assisted Translation Tool) software, which would help translate government documents from English to Hindi, as well as LILA (Learn Indian Languages through Artificial Intelligence) software for learning Hindi on the internet and mobile hand phones was launched at the annual 'Hindi Divas' ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan.

Unveiling the software, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil lauded the effort of the Department of Official Languages, Ministry of Home Affairs, who have developed the chips for easy, effective and fast translation of administrative documents and taking virtual steps to popularise Hindi among the masses.

The LILA series, already available on the web for learning Hindi via media of English, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu would now be available in Bengali, department officials said.

The software, now available in the form of multi-media card on cellular phones, promises to make Hindi learning more high-tech and easy, Patil said.

Mother's Milk

"The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of god Is the heart of a mother"


Realising the significance of a mother's milk for an infant, a Hospital in Mumbai has set up a "Breast Milk Bank". It provides the much-needed alternative to many women who are not in a position to lactate, or to secrete milk.

Due to various physical conditions or circumstances a mother may not be able to provide her child with the all-important nutrient resulting in the baby's under development and ill health. Considering such desperate situations, the neo-natology department of the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital in Mumbai started this Milk bank.

Established in 1989, the Mother's Milk Centre was deveoped with the basic idea of providing human milk to babies so as to ensure their healthy development through the early stages.Recipients at the bank usually include premature babies, abandoned babies and babies admitted at the hospitals with various ailments, including babies whose mothers are unwell and unable to feed them.

At least 25 babies receive breast milk from the bank everyday.

Microsoft,partners, step up "smart phone" war with Blackberry

Microsoft teamed up with mobile computer maker Palm and telecom giant Verizon on a new "smart phone" aiming to grab market share from the popular Blackberry device.

The world's biggest software group and the two partners will combine their marketing clout to take on established "smart phone" devices using the Blackberry platform developed by Canada's Research in Motion.

"Most people carrying a Blackberry today still have a mobile phone," Allen Bush of Palm told AFP. "That idea is just ludicrous to us; that in this day and age, you can't combine that elegantly."

A new "Windows Mobile" telephone that doubles as a hand-held computer with features including being synchronized with popular Microsoft Outlook messaging and scheduling software should be in US stores by early 2006, said Palm's chief executive officer Ed Collie.

Windows XP in nine Indian languages

The starter edition of Windows XP will soon be available in nine Indian languages. This forms part of the collaborative initiatives with Microsoft Corporation announced by Communications and Information Technology Minister Dayanidhi Maran today, which also include a “security co-operation program” to increase cyber security in the country.

“Various steps announced today address issues like IT literacy, taking high-quality and interactive IT education to schools in India, availability of local language computing solutions and e-governance,” said Maran.

Under the e-governance project, Microsoft will adopt 100 schools in six states to provide an interactive learning environment. Microsoft will also offer special package in collaboration with partners to deliver a broadband and PC at affordable EMIs to support India’s broadband strategy.

This will be in partnership with companies like Bharat Sanchar Nagar Limited, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited, HCL Corporation and State Bank of India.

*India to Produce six 'Scorpene' submarines*

India will build six Scorpene submarines under licence from France and the first one is expected to be commissioned in six years time from the date of signing the contract, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash announced here.

The Naval chief, who was in the city to inaugurate the Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine (ISAM) conference was reacting to questions after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh just signed a deal worth Rs 13,000 crore to buy six highly advanced ‘Scorpene’ submarines during his just concluded visit to France.

Admiral Prakash said these six submarines would be built under licence at the Mazagoan docks in Mumbai.

“After this series, we will design and build our own later.'' Stating that having submarines at sea increased the combat levels of the blue water navy, he said with the induction of these submarines, the force levels would be adequate to meet any threat.

*New Step In Technology*

How many times have you cursed whenever an aircraft flew passed your house with that ear-shattering boom?

Well, in a few years all that noise would be a thing of the past, thanks to an initiative involving Britain's Cambridge University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to develop a 'Silent Plane'

The Cambridge-MIT Institute's 'Silent' Aircraft Initiative was launched in November 2003 with a bold aim: to discover ways to reduce aircraft noise dramatically, to the point where it would be virtually unnoticeable to people outside the airport perimeter.

The work carried out at both institutions has included measuring and recording the noise levels produced by different parts of conventional aircraft, and comparing with models of potential aircraft designs, including the blended wing-body aircraft.

Great Deal

EBay Inc. has agreed to buy Internet phone-calling phenomenon Skype for up to $4.1 billion, tapping a hot source of growth and putting it into rising competition with rivals from Google to local phone company.

EBay said on Monday it will pay $1.3 billion in cash and $1.3 billion in stock for explosively growing Skype, which will allow eBay to add free Web telephone calls to its online auctions. It will make a further payout of up to $1.5 billion if certain financial targets are met.