Xiaomi's third position is short lived.

OCT 30, 2014: While the leader of the smartphone industry, Samsung is worried about the decline in its sales for this quarter (despite having comfortable lead with 78 Million sales) and the apple seemed content with the best 39 Million sales for the quarter, Xiaomi- the fast growing company is recorded as the third largest smartphone maker with 18 Million sales in the Q3 2014. Reports from IDC and strategy analytics, has it that the two year Chinese firm surpassed Lenovo, LG and Huawei for that 5.6 percent share of the total 327 Million shipments in the third quarter, which is more than 200 percent increment from the previous Mi phone shipments. IDC further writes the success of Xiaomi lies in the launch of MI4 that was positioned as the high end alternatives to the status quo.

With the way Xiaomi is growing without expanding its business to broader range, the chance of reaching the top second or even the top spot is very probable. Xiaomi products are available mainly to its home China and later released to some countries like India, Singapore, Hongkong while the demands for other part of the world is not yet quenched. Though we cannot give Xiaomi a huge numbers (required to increase the market share), Nepal equally has high demand for its products. Last week only, we got this good news of Xiaomi arriving here, but I doubt if it is the official entrance.
Meanwhile as I was writing this post, I came to the news of the completion of acquisition of Motorola by Lenovo. With this acquisition, the third quarter shipments for Lenovo comes around 25 Million (adding that of Lenovo and Motorola phones), which takes away the third spot from Xiaomi. What a short lived celebration that was.... but no worries I am pretty sure Xiaomi will definitely hit back in the last quarter.

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Nepal Cricket Team gets promoted to Div 2.

OCT 29, 2014, 2 PM: With the rain shower favoring Nepal for not one but two times for the same match, Nepal Cricket team reached very near to Div 2 upgrade and the last win (by 36 run rain interrupted D/L) against Malaysia wins the promotion, topping the point table. The match against USA was rescheduled at a time when Nepal was in difficult situation, then the rematch of the game took place on Tuesday, when the downpour made D/L Method to come into effect, giving the favorites a 10 run victory. Just minutes earlier Uganda have clinched the second spot in DIV3 (7 wickets win against Bermuda) and even gets the promotion to DIV 2. 

Nepal will now plan in the Div 2 World cricket league 2015 in Namibia from 17 to 24 January. Being the top two, Nepal and Uganda reach there from Division 3 whereas bottom four from World cup qualifier (Kenya, Namibia, Netherlands and Canada) will see other in the Div 2 World cricket league. From the ICC DIV 2 match, bottom two teams will be relegated to DIV 3 and the top four will get to play the 2018 world cup qualifier.

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Xiaomi to arrive in Nepal soon

Xiaomi- the Chinese handset maker that is currently in the top five of the world, is known to arrive here in Nepal. It is already been more than two years that I started to follow Xiaomi, its product line and even bought some of the devices straight from China (Thanks to all those who had helped me to bring it). Now it is known that it will be completely hassle free to get those devices (phones and accessories) here in Nepal as Mobiland Electronic pvt. ltd claims to have got the authority and even looking for distributors to sell it all over Nepal. It is also known that the devices will be available in the market after 20th of Kartik. According to Subarna Maharjan of Mobiland Electronic Pvt. Ltd, they have already taken approval from NTA (Nepal Telecommunication Authority) to sell the Xiaomi smartphones in Nepal. Till the device becomes available in the market, they have even started taking pre-booking in their website. 

Pic: New Xiaomi store in the making at Hua xiang bei, Shenzhen, China

Xiaomi's current range of Smartphones are: Mi2/2S, Mi3, Mi4, Redmi Note, Redmi1s, Mipad (tablet). Compared to similar devices from other vendors, Xiaomi phones are cheaper with build quality. Its android skin (MIUI) is also very popular with several amazing features. The latest being MIUI 6 is available for Mi2, Mi3 and Mi4 in its developer version, but stable version is not yet out, which is scheduled for the end of this year.

Popular accessories from Xiaomi include the piston earphone/headphone, Mi power bank (Batterry bank: 5200 mAh and 10400 mAh), Mifi router and screen protector/cover. As the price of these devices are not yet fixed, it is hard to tell the business despite the popularity of device and excitement.

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Best Tihar and Deusi Bhailo songs.

Tihar (a.k.a. Dipawali) is the most joyous festival of Nepal, and there may be very few people who disagree with me. The lights, the fireworks, the flowers, the "sel roti", the singing & dancing, the puja, playing cards and "Bhai Tika" definitely put you in a good mood with your family. It is also the second biggest festival of Nepal after Dashain. Though there are also some communities who do not celebrate Tihar, they also get along with the celebration mood without doing the "pujas" and all. Famously known as "Diwali" ( Indian name to Deepawali/Tihar), it is also being celebrated in the whole world with the amazing fireworks. Newar communities also do the Mha-puja on the day of Gobardhan puja, with worship of their inner self. New Nepal Sambhat (nhu daya bhimtuna) also falls on the same day for Newar communities, that started from October 20, 879 ad. Previously Tihar used to be five days national holidays: Kaag Tihar, Kukur Tihar, Laxmi Puja, Gobardhan Puja and Bhai Tika but after the nation transformed into secularism (from Hindu nation), Government had started giving only three days. The holidays are cut short, but not the peoples desire to groove on, so the grand celebration has not abated in any way. I have collected some of the Tihar songs (with Deusi Bhailo) including the ones from movies, folk songs and even the satire one. Here are the Tihar songs.

The most popular one is the "Tiharai ayo lau Jhilimili" from the movie "Swarga" starring Gauri Malla and Shiva Shrestha.

Diyo bali from the movie "Chino".

Adhar ma aja from the movie "Anyaya".

Nidhar ma laskayera Saptarangi Tika

Hasera bola Baini Tihar ko belaima.

Dohori song "Tihar ma deusi ra bhailo" by Bishnu Majhi.

Deusire song by Sambhu Rai.

   

Last year (2013) Deusire song from the movie "Fitkiri"

Latest Tihar song 2014 (Jhilimili raatma) by Axata featuring Nima Rumba.

Another Tihar song (acoustic bhailo) by Astha tamang Maskey.

Tihar Deusi bhailini song from the blockbuster movie "Kohinoor" featuring late ShriKrishna Shrestha

And lastly the Satireful deusi Bhailo from Sishnupani Nepal.
       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC87zjc17tI

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Ten things that came to my mind after reading Half Girlfriend

Chetan Bhagat is one of the prominent writer in this "Bollywood" dominated subcontinent and his novels are best sellers of all the time (Not all of his books are best sellers as the nonfiction "What Young India wants" was hardly noticed). The novelist does it again: the love, relationship, tragedy, misunderstood formula sales like a hot cake with the recent novel "Half Girlfriend". 

Here are the things (more than 10) that came to me after reading the novel. "
Spoiler Warning: Please be warned that reading this may reveal some important plot.

1. The Engineer cum writer (who left his banking career for the full time writing) must have had some serious love relationships in his time, to pen the nitty-gritty of the affair. Either he knows the crux, or he must have done serious drill with the love sides.

2. The negative reaction of the people for the same old formula, no better characterization, no proper reasoning, questions his ability to bring different. But I don't think it will abate the sales of the book. I even felt enthralled to read it and get finished in  two sittings.

3. Another bolly flick will definitely be coming with the novel, which I won't be watching as I don't want to kill my imagination with the sharply twisted script and the long uninvited songs.

4. When you think of Bihari, two persons come to my mind, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar. Lalu Prasad Yadav is the popular Bihari politician whose English caricature made big funny jokes and makes an impression of the English in Bihar. Madhav Jha, the protagonists is self aware of his poor English as being a Bihari and feels too much afraid to do a speech in English. During learning English, his thought makes a big point: "Not knowing English or speaking funny English is not a crime". He even thinks that if the India had ruled the world, then these Goras would have needed to learn Hindi and it would be exactly strenuous to them. But nowadays even Chinese are speaking  English and they feel it necessary to interact and do business globally. So learning/speaking good English is always better for a person.

5. Nitish Kumar was ruling Bihar as CM in the same era when the novel takes place but it does not mention the various developmental activities there. Is he politically biased, or is reluctant not to get some image for latter entry into politics.

6. Bihari Loktantra/Ganatantra is what our oppositions party mention of the political achievement in our country Nepal. Did Bihari mean the worse according to them... for which I did not get such feeling from the novel. Though  at times, Madhav mentions Bihar state to be backward as compared to other states. 

7. With the book, I came to know that Bihar did not have 3G in 2009, as Madhav and Riya go to cyber cafe for browsing internet whereas he was happy to have 3G for the repeated Navigation in New York city.

8. Bihar, Delhi, New York are the three cities where the novel happens. He misses the comparison between the three cities and a different analogy. Is it there or am i dumb to not get it, which could have been better. Blistering cold of New York is mentioned whereas there is no word in Bihar and Delhi (as Delhi to me is heavily hot, and so is Bihar I suppose).

9. The "I" character changes time and again in the novel between author and the protagonist, that made me confused sometime but realized later. 

10. Madhav made a mistake for making his Bihar proud when he said "Deti he to de, varna kat le" to Riya. The sentence made the novel happen otherwise that half breakup would not have occurred and  there is no reason to extend the story.

11. Guys are pushy to get what they like/love, Girls don't like pushy and don't care unless it helps to fulfill her dreams. Selfie-sh on both sides. 

12. The movie (that has the author as a character) if made, will definitely put the author in the list of actors, that's why he has already started acting with the appearance at the next Comedy Nights with Kapil  (CNWK) show. :D. Now I wonder if they can persuade the world's richest man Bill Gates to do cameo in the movie.

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NTV news channel to be aired from tomorrow

17th OCT, 2014: Nepal Television, NTV (the government run TV) is launching a new television channel from tomorrow (October 18, 2014). In the current herd of TV channels in Nepal, NTV is coming with a sole news channel. There are almost 20 television channels currently running in Nepal, among which only NTV, NTV plus and Kantipur TV are the terrestrial broadcasters. NTV reigned the television arena for almost 16 years until the big print house Kantipur Publications started Kantipur TV from 2003. It was before Kantipur that the popular cable television "Space Time Network" started Channel Nepal Television but discontinued after some time, so technically Channel Nepal is the first private television channel, also the first satellite TV here. Previously majority of the channels used to be entertainment plus the news, but these days there are separate channels for entertainment or news or just for movie (TV filmy).

The third television channel from Government after NTV, NTV plus is known to be named as NTV news and it will go on air from 5:45 am to 11: 30 am in its first phase and the duration will be gradually increased later. I presume that the new channel be a terrestrial TV that could be received with a just a dipole antenna but it is not clear. The independence and partiality of the television channel also seems questionable as the channel being a government owned, but I hope the channel is not brought to make an inflated praise of the ruling class, in this changed context when the awareness/intellect in people is very high.

Nepal Television ( established 30th January 1985 as a project and within the year it was transformed to a corporation) began its regular transmission from 29th December, 1985 with the slogan "Communication for development". NTV launched its second TV channel NTV plus (previously called NTV 2 Metro) on 27 September, 2003.

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Google releases Nexus 6 phone and Nexus 9 tab with Android L.

October 15, 2014: In the fierce race of smartphone and tablets, Google releases two new devices in Nexus series to rival the existing players like Samsung, Apple and Xiaomi. Like before Google collaborates with other vendors to make these devices. Motorola made Nexus 6 is a 6 inch aluminium Phablet with Quad HD screen (493 ppi), 2.7 GHz Snapdragon 805 processor, 13/2 MP Rear/Front camera and 3220 mAh battery. The 3 GB RAM phone is known to support DC HSDPA, LTE Cat 4 FDD and has two front facing speakers. According to most of the websites, the phone looks similar to MOTO X and has no SD card support either. 32 GB and 64 GB memory variants will be available where the first one costs $650 (without any contract).

HTC made Nexus 9 is a 8.9 inch tablet with QVGA screen (2048 X 1536) screen, 2.3 GHz Nvidias Tegra K1 processor, 2 GB RAM and whopping 6700 mAh Battery. Among the three colors ( black, white and sand), all except the sand color LTE variant will be available to buy this November. This tablet with soft grip and moderate weight, will compete well with iPad Air (though some new device is launching tomorrow), Samsung S Tab, and Microsoft Surface. Magnetic keyboard can be added with the tablet to do some office work. The first 64 bit device from Google also supports HTC's own boom sound speaker technology. The price of the 16 GB device is $400 whereas 32 GB variant costs $480 and the 32 GB LTE variant will cost $600. 

Both of the new devices runs the latest OS: Android 5.0 L (L for Lollipop), also being the first ones to get the new and pure OS. The colorful new OS dubbed as Material Design is known to have new lock screen, new notification bar, new multitasking menu, new ways to access Voice assistant, higher battery efficiency and 64 bit support. The interesting one among others is the kill switch feature that can kill your stolen phone and make useless, the first OS to have this and others will definitely follow suit. As the Android 5.0 Lollipop was already speculated to be the biggest Android release after long, the features says it has live up to the rumors but I could only tell when I get the OS in hand, probably with a new device. Meanwhile I have not even managed to get Android 4.4 Kitkat for my phone though my tablet: Mipad comes with it but I am still waiting the official MIUI 6 for Mipad. If you compare Xiaomi Mipad with HTC Nexus 9 by specs, both lacks the 3G network which is not a big deal if you have WiFi around for most of the time. But 7.9 inch screen of mipad (over 8.9 inch of nexus 9) is perfect for reading with lighter weight to lift for long and the best part of Xiaomi devices being the tempting price of $ 250. Oh I love my Mipad so much.

It seems Google has brought these new devices to compete well with the flagships of biggest players, but the price seems to be more as compared to other vendors as it comes without any new features/innovations. More review when the unboxing unfolds.

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Shoyambhu Temple to get peak tramp.

Shoyambhu Nath Temple is one of the most visited and oldest religious site in Kathmandu, the capital city a.k.a the City of temples. Situated in the western part of the Kathmandu, on the top of a hill, it is also the most divine temple in Buddhist religion. Shoyambhu consists of Stupa, monastery, even museum and library, along with spectacular view of the city. The two eyes in the shoyambhu Nath, facing KTM valley, are known to represent "pragya" (Knowledge and wisdom), and 'karuna' (kindness) whereas there is also a popular belief in people that these eyes shall give equal justice to all.

Till now it has two ways to go up the hill, one from eastern side with 365 steps and another one from western side with mix of road and stairs. Now it is known that there will be one more way to reach the hill without loosing much calories. According to President of Buddha Bhumi Nepal Bekha Ratna Shakya (who is also former mayor to Kathmandu Valley), they have planned to build a tramp or cable car from the eastern side towards the top, which will make the temple tour quite easy, possibly a couple minutes to reach the top. The 65 crore (65 million) NRs project has already completed the survey phase and is waiting for appropriate fund and time to start the construction work.

In a function organized to mark the NRN day at the temple itself, Mr. Bekha showed the plan to the President of Non Residence Nepali, Mr. Shesh Ghale and asked to help later in case the fund falls short. He even mentioned the tramp to resemble the one in Hongkong, where it is used to go up the Victoria peak in couple of minutes. The peak tramp is one of the tourist attractions for sightseeing in Hongkong. Mr. Bekha expressed the tramp or cable car will ease the visit for the old and disabled people at first place. Secondly it will be another tourist attraction to help bolster tourism. There are several such areas where we need to invest to make our sightseeing places easily accessible (or I would say universally accessible). I wish the project not to die due to unavailability of fund or other circumstances.

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