Saturday, July 12, 2008

Chiru-BIography




Birth Name
Siva Sankara Vara Prasad Konidela

Nickname
Chiru
Megastar

Height
5' 9" (1.75 m)


About Megastar:
The sense of descipline and hard work which he still embraces were introduced at a very young age in his life and the tough childhood he had being the eldest in his family have helped him to handle many such events of higher proportion with great expertise in the later stages of his life.

Little did he imagine, even in the wildest of his dreams, that he would, one day, be a Megastar and rule the Telugu Film Industry. Years later, this youngster called "Chiru" in the Film Industry , with his hard work and dedication to his proffession, could make it really big in the field hitting the limelight, with an unparallel fan following emulating his every act, word, dress and dance. What makes this ordinary human being such an extraordinary one - god knows After graduation, Chiranjeevi moved to Madras to seek a career in his chosen field of acting in the Film Industry. To get himself ready for the stage, he joined in an acting school in Madras. After struggling for some time, he took to acting by appearing in small roles in films like "Pranam Kareedu" and "Punadhi Rallu". He, from that modest beginning to this date, has acted in 132 films. Throughout his career he has been through a lot of ups and downs but every time he came back with extra persevrance and won his way through people's hearts with wonderful performances in his films. Chiranjeevi got married to Surekha, the daughter of veteran actor sri "Allu Ramalingaiah". Chiru has always been a family man - being blessed with two daughters Sushmita & Srija and a son Ramcharan Tej.

And as Chiru becomes the most popular hero, he has lived a royal life, travelled widely from one country to another around the world almost every time in the delightful company of filmi celebreties who act, sing and dance with him. He acted in a lot of best movies to date and had been able to deliver splendid action-packed movies. With all these talents in him, it isn't a big surprise to know that he has been one of the highest paid movie actors in the Indian Film Industry. Be it actor, star or megastar - Chiranjeevi has been acknowledged as being one of the most successful actors in the history of the Telugu Motion Picture Industry. We, in our site, would like to highlight the remarkable work Chiranjeevi has shared with the movie-going-public for the last 20 years. ENJOY!
As Chiranjeevi completes 20 years of his entry into the films and in all the achievements and honors, there's no sign of pride but he's still going successfully with a string of hit films. Chiru tells his fan association: " Among the many skilled performers who toil in front of the camera, only a few are excellent actors. A fewer still are those with the vague and elusive traits we call star quality. At the intersection of these groups is the most selected group of all, a tiny number among whom Chiranjeevi stands out. The reality is - i am an actor. My fans perceive me as a Megastar".

Above all, on Oct 02 1998 he started Chiranjeevi Eye & Blood Bank and Charitable Trust to give back to the people whatever he could on the humanitarian ground thus demonstrating a new dimension in his personality.
The first film Chiranjeevi acted was when he was in the Film Institute itself. The role was supposed to have been done by a friend of him, "Sudhakar". But as he was under a contract with "Bharathi Raja" then, he could not act in that film. It was recommended by him to act in that film. He got the permission from principal, "Y.G. Partha Sarathi" and then acted in that film. One of the producers sri "Kranthi Kumar" saw the film and booked him for another black and white art film. It was released on 22nd Sep 1988. Sri "K. Bala Chander " and "K. Bapu" were also there to watch the preview of the movie. Afterwards, they signed him for their next films.

He acted in so many films but never thought of the sizes of roles that he was offered that he had taken all the roles as a challenge and given his best including the guest roles and villainy roles in his starring career. In 1983, Khaidi was released. It was a history in the Tollywood and on that day onwards, there was no looking back for Chiranjeevi, the "Megastar", that he was, all of a sudden, transformed into a "Supreme Hero".
So long a way from "Supreme Hero" to "Mega Star" today.

THE LIST OF FILMS HE WORKED:
Year Film Role Other notes
2007 Shankar Dada Zindabad Shankar Prasad [1] [2]
2006 Stalin Stalin
2006 Style Cameo
2005 Jai Chiranjeeva Satyanarayana Murthy
2005 Andarivadu Govindarajulu/Siddharth
2004 Shankar Dada MBBS Shankar Prasad Sharma Winner: Filmfare Best Actor Award (Telugu)
Winner: Santosham Best Actor Award
2004 Anji Anji
2003 Tagore Tagore Winner: Santosham Best Actor Award
2002 Indra Indra Sena Reddy Winner: Nandi Award for Best Actor
Winner:Filmfare Best Actor Award (Telugu)
Winner: CineMAA Award for Best Actor
Winner: Santharam Memorial Award for Best Actor
2001 Daddy Raj Kumar
2001 Manjunatha Manjunatha Swamy/Lord Shiva
2001 Mrigaraju Raju Also playback singer
2000 Annayya Rajaram
2000 Hands Up Cameo
1999 Iddaru Mitrulu Vijay
1999 Sneham Kosam Simhadri/Chinnayya Winner: Filmfare Best Actor Award (Telugu)
1998 Choodalani Vundi Ramakrishna
1998 Bavagaru Bagunnara Raju
1997 Master Raj Kumar Winner: Screen - Videocon Award for Best Actor
1997 Hitler Madhava Rao Winner: Screen - Videocon Award for Best Actor
1995 Rikshavodu Raju
1995 Big Boss Surendra
1995 Alluda Majaka Sitaramudu/Mr.Toyota
1994 The Gentleman Vijay Hindi
1994 S.P.Parshuram Parshuram
1994 Mugguru Monagallu Prudhvi/Vikram/Dattatreya Triple Role film
1993 Mechanic Alludu Ravi
1993 Muta Mesthri Subhash Chandra Bose Winner: Filmfare Best Actor Award (Telugu)
1992 Aapathbandhavudu Madhava Winner: Nandi Award for Best Actor
1992 Aaj Ka Goonda Raj Raja Hindi
1992 Gharana Mogudu Raju
1991 Rowdy Alludu Johnny/Kalyan
1991 Gang Leader Rajaram Megastar title is first given in this film
1991 Stuartpuram Police Station Rana Prathap
1990 Raja Vikramarka Raja Vikramarka
1990 Prathibandh Siddhanth Hindi
1990 Kodama Simham Bharath
1990 Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari Raju
1990 Kondaveeti Donga Raja
1989 Lankeshwarudu Shankar
1989 Rudranetra Nethra
1989 State Rowdy Kaali Charan/Prudhvi
1989 Athaku Yamudu Ammayiki Mogudu Kalyan
1988 Yudda Bhoomi
1988 Trinetrudu Abhimanyu Also Producer
1988 Marana Mrudangam Janrdhan/Johnny
1988 Khaidi No.786 Gopi
1988 Yamudiki Mogudu Kali/Balu
1988 Rudraveena Suryanarayana Sharma Winner: Filmfare Best Actor Award (Telugu)
1988 Manchi Donga
1987 Jebu Donga
1987 Swayamkrushi Sambaiah Winner: Nandi Award for Best Actor
1987 Pasivadi Pranam Madhu
1987 Chakravarthy Chakravarthy
1987 Aradhana KodiNagu
1987 Donga Mogudu Ravi Teja/Nagaraju
1986 Chanakya Shapadham Chanakya
1986 Dairyavanthudu
1986 Rakshasudu
1986 Chantabbai Pandu Ranga Rao
1986 Veta Raanaa Pratap Kumar Verma
1986 Magadheerudu
1986 Kondaveeti Raja Raja
1986 Kirathakudu Charan
1985 Vijetha Chinnababu
1985 Adavi Donga Kalidas
1985 Raktha Sindhuram Gandra Goddali & Inspector Gopi
1985 Puli Kranthi
1985 Jwala Raju
1985 Chiranjeevi Chiranjeevi
1985 Donga
1985 Chattam Tho Poratam Ravi Shankar
1984 Rustum Gopi
1984 Agnigundam Vijay
1984 Naagu Naagu
1984 Intiguttu Vijay Kumar Winner: Filmfare Best Actor Award (Telugu)
1984 Challenge Gandhi
1984 Mahanagaramlo Mayagadu
1984 Devanthakudu
1984 Hero Krishna
1984 Goonda Kalidas/Raja
1984 Allulu Vasthunnaru
1983 Sangarshana Dilip
1983 Manthri gari Viyyankudu Babji
1983 Khaidi Suryam
1983 Simhapoori Simham
1983 Maa Inti Premayanam
1983 Roshagadu
1983 Maga Maharaju Winner: Kala Sagar Award for Best Actor
1983 Gudachari No.1 Vijay
1983 Puli Bebbuli
1983 Shivudu Shivudu Shivudu
1983 Aalyashikaram
1983 Abhilasha Chiranjeevi
1983 Pelletoori Monagadu
1983 Prema Pichollu
1982 Bandhalu Anubandhalu
1982 Manchupallaki
1982 Mondi Ghatam Ravindra
1982 Yamakinkarudu Vijay
1982 Billa Ranga Billa
1982 Patnam Vachina Prativrathalu Gopi
1982 Tingu Rangadu
1982 Radha My Darling
1982 Sitadevi
1982 Idi Pellantara
1982 Subhalekha Narasimha Murthy Winner: Filmfare Best Actor Award (Telugu)
1982 Bandipotu Simham
1982 Intlo Ramayya Veedilo Krishnayya Rajasekharam
1981 Kirayi Rowdylu
1981 Chettaniki Kallu Levu Vijay
1981 Priya
1981 Srirasthu Subhamasthu
1981 47 Rojulu
1981 Rani Kasula Rangamma
1981 Ooriki Ichina Maata
1981 Nayam Kavali Suresh Kumar
1981 Prema Natakam Guest Appearance
1981 Tirugu Leni Manishi
1981 Todu Dongalu
1981 Paravathi Parameshwarulu
1981 Adavaalu Meeku Joharulu
1980 Rakta Sambandham
1980 Mogudu Kavali
1980 Prema Tarangalu Kumar
1980 Love in Singapore Suresh
1980 Thathayya Premaleelalu
1980 Kaali
1980 Nakili Manishi Prasad / Shyam
1980 Punnami Naagu Naagulu
1980 Mosagadu
1980 Jathara
1980 Aarani Mantalu
1980 Chandipriya
1980 Kottapeta Rowdy Guest Appearance
1980 Agni Samskaram
1979 Kothala Raayudu
1979 Sri Rambantu
1979 Idi Katha Kaadu
1979 Poonadi Rallu
1979 I Love You Ramesh
1979 Kotta Alludu
1979 Kukka Katuku Cheppu Debba
1979 Tayaramma Bangarayya
1978 Manavoori Pandavulu Parthu
1978 Pranam Kareedu Narasimha

BACKGROUND OF CHIRANJEEVI:
He was born in Mogalthur West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh to Konidela Venkata Rao and Anjana Devi. Chiranjeevi has two brothers (Nagendra Babu & Pawan Kalyan) and two sisters (Vijaya Durga and Madhavi). He is happily married to Surekha (daughter of Allu RamaLingayya) on February 20, 1980. Chiranjeevi has one Ram Charan Teja (set to debut in 2007) and two daughters Sushmita and Srija.


CHARITY AND SERVICE:


On October 2, 1998, he founded the Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust (CCT), which includes Chiranjeevi Blood and Eye Banks. It is the state's largest recipient of Blood and Eye Donations. The Blood Bank of the CCT helped over 80,000 people and the Eye Bank has helped about 1000 people in the state of Andhra Pradesh since it opened.

On June 10, 2006, The President of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam, inaugurated the Chiranjeevi Charitable Foundation (CCF) at the Jubilee Hills Check post in Hyderabad. this is suresh

Friday, July 11, 2008

Mother Terese-Angel Of Mercy


Biography

Mother TeresaMother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje*, Macedonia, on August 26**, 1910. Her family was of Albanian descent. At the age of twelve, she felt strongly the call of God. She knew she had to be a missionary to spread the love of Christ. At the age of eighteen she left her parental home in Skopje and joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. After a few months' training in Dublin she was sent to India, where on May 24, 1931, she took her initial vows as a nun. From 1931 to 1948 Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta, but the suffering and poverty she glimpsed outside the convent walls made such a deep impression on her that in 1948 she received permission from her superiors to leave the convent school and devote herself to working among the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta. Although she had no funds, she depended on Divine Providence, and started an open-air school for slum children. Soon she was joined by voluntary helpers, and financial support was also forthcoming. This made it possible for her to extend the scope of her work.

On October 7, 1950, Mother Teresa received permission from the Holy See to start her own order, "The Missionaries of Charity", whose primary task was to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after. In 1965 the Society became an International Religious Family by a decree of Pope Paul VI.

Today the order comprises Active and Contemplative branches of Sisters and Brothers in many countries. In 1963 both the Contemplative branch of the Sisters and the Active branch of the Brothers was founded. In 1979 the Contemplative branch of the Brothers was added, and in 1984 the Priest branch was established.

The Society of Missionaries has spread all over the world, including the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. They provide effective help to the poorest of the poor in a number of countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and they undertake relief work in the wake of natural catastrophes such as floods, epidemics, and famine, and for refugees. The order also has houses in North America, Europe and Australia, where they take care of the shut-ins, alcoholics, homeless, and AIDS sufferers.

The Missionaries of Charity throughout the world are aided and assisted by Co-Workers who became an official International Association on March 29, 1969. By the 1990s there were over one million Co-Workers in more than 40 countries. Along with the Co-Workers, the lay Missionaries of Charity try to follow Mother Teresa's spirit and charism in their families.

Mother Teresa's work has been recognised and acclaimed throughout the world and she has received a number of awards and distinctions, including the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize (1971) and the Nehru Prize for her promotion of international peace and understanding (1972). She also received the Balzan Prize (1979) and the Templeton and Magsaysay awards.

From Nobel Lectures, Peace 1971-1980, Editor-in-Charge Tore Frängsmyr, Editor Irwin Abrams, World Scientific Publishing Co., Singapore, 1997

This autobiography/biography was first published in the book series Les Prix Nobel. It was later edited and republished in Nobel Lectures. To cite this document, always state the source as shown above.

* Former Uskup, a town in the Ottoman Empire.

** Mother Teresa's date of birth is disputed: "So unconcerned was she about accuracy in relation to the chronicling of her own life, and so disinclined actually to read anything written about her, that for many years and in a succession of books her birthdate was erroneously recorded as 27 August 1910. It even appeared in the Indian Loreto Entrance Book as her date of birth. In fact, as she confined to her friend, co-worker and American author, Eileen Egan, that was the date on which she was christened Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. The date which marked the beginning of her Christian life was undoubtedly the more important to Mother Teresa, but she was none the less actually born in Skopje, Serbia, on the previous day." (Spink, Kathryn: Mother Teresa: A Complete Authorized Biography, HarperSanFrancisco, 1997.

Surya n Jyothika Wedding Pics





Film News

am in love: Allu Arjun
"Yes. I am in love. But, I can't tell the details now," said Allu Arjun at a program held as part of political campaigning pre-launch of Chiru's party. He responded so volleying to a media query. He said he would take active part in the campaigning as "Chiru Abhimani, without expecting any position in the party or power when it comes to power." Latest, it is believed that megastar Chiranjeevi wanted his camp to launch an SMS campaign to elicit public opinion about the burning Telangana issue. Accordingly, a lakh SMSs would be sent and based the majority feedback, a fixed stand would be taken, it is maintained.

Sangamam release on 11 July
Crossover film Sangamam is releasing tomorrow (July 11th). Directed by Rasool Ellore, highlight of the film is Sindhura Gadde, making her debut as heroine. Made on Manoranjan Entertainments, an NRI Ramana Pemmaraju produced it. The film's shoot was completely done in the US cities. The subject is about the lifestyle of the overseas Telugus there. Rohit Khurana (a debutant) does the male lead. Murali Mohan does a vital role in the film. MM Keeravani scored music. Its audio was released on November 15th, 2007.

Kurkure releasing on July 11
After a big production delay, Kurkure, starring Duvvasi Mohan and Bhuvaneshwari, is releasing tomorrow (July 11th). Made on Siva Arts productions, highlights are said to be Telangana accent by Duvvasi and a score of parody songs, first time bulk on Telugu screen. Former smalltime actress Lahari plays the second female lead. Junid makes his debut as director.

I belong to no party now: Mohan Babu
Veteran artiste Mohan Babu said that at present he belonged to no political party. He told this to media at a village in Chinnagottigallu Mandal in Chittoor district, where he participated in the brahmotsavams of a local temple. Speaking to the media, he said that he couldn't say which party he would join. To note here, Mohan Babu was expelled from the TDP a decade ago.

Rajasekhar as Lokanayakudu
Hero Rajasekhar's production house named after his daughters – Sivani Sivatmika Movies – has registered a title "Lokanayakudu" with the AP Film Chamber of Commerce. The title Lokanayakudu became popular as the title for versatile actor Kamal Hassan with his latest film Dasavataram, which also has a title song. Rajasekhar is currently busy with Satyameva Jayate, directed by his spouse Jeevita.

Ramesh Varma's Sri Sri
Publicity designer Ramesh Varma, who turned director with the film Oka Oorilo, is getting ready for his next titled Sri Sri. It is a love story. Genelia is already selected as the heroine (in the character as Sri Valli). The hero (character name Srinivas) is yet to be finalized. Interestingly, Samudra's film Mallepuvvu, has the story by Ramesh Varma.

Kodi's Uncle Anjaneyaswami
Senior director Kodi Ramakrishna confirmed that his next film is Uncle Anjaneyaswami. The subject is on the lines of a family entertainer with a good number of child artistes. His latest film Ek Police, starring Nagababu, is under the last leg of its shoot, expecting screen hit next month.

Posani's film with NRI
Posani Krishna Murali is going to direct a film with an NRI producer Mohan Vadlapatla, who is currently making a joint production with Samudra for the film Mallepuvvu. The selection of the cast and crew would be known in the coming weeks.

9 July 2008

Adlabs shown APF preview
Adlabs is planning to go for movie distribution for the entire state by buying prospective good Telugu films. In the process, a preview of Hari Yelleti’s debut film Ankit Pallavi & Friends was held at Prasad Labs preview theater in Hyderabad for the executives of Adlabs. As per the insiders, the Adlabs guys are extremely impressed with the script and technical values of the film. This film is also going to be shown for other corporate distributors like Pyramid Saimira, Siri Media etc. The people who watched this film are expecting it to be another friendship/love blockbuster like Nuvve Kavali and Happy Days. This film will be released in this month.

Film song for degree students
Mayamai pothunnadamma manishannavaadu… the song penned by Andhesri for Red producer and star R. Narayana Murthy in the film Errasamudram (released on May 1) has found its place in the Telugu text book of the II year Degree students in all universities in Andhra Pradesh. Andhesri told Idlebrain that it will come into effect from the academic year 2009-2010; and the state education department passed proceedings to this extent.

Deepika Padukone for Mahesh
Mahesh Babu's film Varudu (title in vogue) will have its regular shooting from July 16th. Deepika Padukone (of OSM fame) is mostly likely to be the heroine, sources said. Trivikram Srinvias directs the film with Singanamala Ramesh as producer on Kanakaratna Movies.

Allu Arvind met Election officer
Allu Arvind, brother-in-law of Chiranjeevi, today met the state chief election officer Dr. IV Subba Rao in his chambers at the Secretariat, Hyderabad. He is said to have discussed with the official with regard to the procedures of the party registration, and election symbol. He is said to have shown much interest to know about the latest map of the assembly and LS constituencies post the territorial reorganization. Dr. IV Subba Rao later told the media that he had clarified to Allu Arvind when he expressed queries about the schedules about the enumeration of new voters in the state. When the media turned around Allu Arvind, he skipped direct answers.

Chandra Siddarth's heroine hunt
Director Chandra Siddarth said that selection of the heroine for his forthcoming film starring Sharwanad will be taken up in a couple of days. "It has become a very difficult thing to find the right heroine these days. We are also trying the option of going in for a new girl." In this context, he denied the buzz that Bhumika and Kamalinee were considered for his project. He further said there was no second hero in the film, but only solo by Sharwanand.

Four heroines for hero Prabhas’s Raju
Raju is the title under consideration for the proposed film of Gopikrishna Movies starring rebel star Krishnam Raju and his screen-heir Prabhas, jointly for the first time. Four heroines are expected to costar Prabhas. Produced by Krishnamraju, the film will be launched in August. The production house had earlier made hit films like Manavuri Pandavulu, Amaradeepam and Tandra Paparayudu.

Jeevita about Gorintaku protests
Hero Rajasekhar's spouse and director Jeevita today clarified that the scenes in Gorintaku, which amounted to belittle the physically challenged sections, were not intentional, but accidental in tune with the storyline. "Rajasekhar had even done a prime role as handicapped person in the film Villain." (He also acted as mentally deranged person in the film Seshu directed by Jeevita). Responding to MRPS agitation, she said stirs like these against dialogues and scenes would do more harm to the producers and distributors when they form vital parts in the films. "Generally, the films hit the screens after thorough censoring," she maintained. However, she said she would be careful in such matters hereafter.

Protests galore against Gorintaku
Hundreds of MRPS activists and physically challenged led by its leader Manda Krishna Madiga today stormed the Censor Board office at Masab Tank, Hyderabad. They are protesting against some scenes in Rajasekhar's recently released film Gorintaku, which allegedly disgraced the self-respect of the PH. The police had tough time controlling the surging protesters when they tried to gatecrash into the building. This led to a tense situation. Meanwhile, the MRPS today led a similar agitation with a big gathering of the physically challenged at Hanmakonda in Warangal district. The agitators squatted in front of Anand theatre. As a result the morning show was stopped. Some social organizations also held objections against the controversial scenes in the film.

Temple for Namita dropped
Wild rumors that a temple was constructed for actress Namita spread all over the Tamilnadu in the last couple of days, creating sensation in Kollywood. But, Namita Fans Association president Selvam clarified that no construction was taken place so far. "For the last several months, we have been requesting Namita to approve our plan for constructing a temple for her. But, she didn't give her consent for the reasons that such a temple construction would bring trouble as what had happened in Kushboo's case earlier. For the time being, we shelved the idea." Newspaper reports say that an ardent fan Jyothi from Nellai in South TN is conducting social service activities in the name of Namita. He has also initiated the idea of constructing the temple for the actress.

Prabhas in Editor Mohan’s son direction
Hero Prabhas is going to do a film in the direction of Raja (son of Editor Mohan and director of Hanuman Junction). The flick will be produced by Editor Mohan. Trisha is considered to be the heroine. The film is expected to be launched in a couple of months.

Kanna Lakshmi Narayana in Soldier
Politician and minister for AP transport Kanna Lakshmi Narayana is making his movie debut as a central minister for defense in a movie titled ‘Soldier’. Krishna is Vijaya Nirmala is doing important roles. Balaji and Farhana are doing main leads. Vijaya Nirmala is directing this film. M Krishna Venu produces it. Another politician M Satyanarayana is acting as chief minister in recently launched Raja Sekhar’s film Satyameva Jayathe.

8 July 2008

Vyjayanthi to launch a TV channel
The prestigious banner Vyjayanthi that completed 30 years now is going to start a TV channel very soon. Swapna Dutt – elder daughter of Aswini Dutt – is taking active interest in this project and the recruitment process is going on now. They are planning to give a very local name to this channel to make sure that it would be owned by the viewers who love watching Telugu TV channels. Let’s hope that Aswini Dutt will succeed in small screen too the way he flourished with the big screen.

Vishal’s 6-pack for Salute
6-pack is in and guess the effect of it when a mass young hero like Vishal develops a perfect 6-pack and flaunts his body. As per the sources of idlebrain.com, there is an erotic and steamy song in the film which has some serious exposing of Nayana Tara and Vishal (with 6-pack abs). All earlier Vishal’s films were released in Telugu after they were released in Tamil and became hits. Salute is Vishal’s first straight Telugu film with ample Telugu actors. Kannada hero Upendra is also doing an important role. This film sports best of the technicians like Harris Jayaraj (music), RD Rajasekhar (cinematography), Anthony (editing) etc. Music is likely to be launched this month and the film is getting ready for the Independence Day release.

Suryakiran's next is Chapter 6
Director Suryakiran, who hit the path of limelight with Satyam couldn't repeat his magic later. Afresh, the director is tied up with producer Dr. Harinath Policharla, who will star as the hero. The film is titled Chapter 6. Kalyani (director's spouse) is set to play the heroine, sources said. Haranath Policharla debuted into Tollywod with the film Premayanamaha (as NRI dad of the heroine). Later, he produced Raja's film Vennela, followed by Alex (starring as solo hero). His last was Chandrahas, costarring superstar Krishna.

Mahesh fans Yagam for rains
Fans of Mahesh Babu today performed Sudharshan Yagam in a local temple at Chikkadpalli in Hyderabad. The ritual was said to have been performed seeking the betterment of social conditions. The recent social service activities of Krishna-Mahesh Babu fans gave vent to wide talk about their political intentions. However, comedian Dharmavarapu Subramanyam, who holds a key post in the government's cultural wing, clarified that Sudharshan Yagam was done to invoke the Rain god. The same event coincided with the birthday celebrations of chief minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy today, he said. He desired that the fans should undertake more and more acts of social service.

Cheating case against Prakash Raj
The city police today filed cheating case against actor Prakash Raj over violation of film-shoot norms. The case was registered under Sections 420 and 402 of IPC based on the complaint from producer Prasad. The said producer launched a film titled Sidhhu in 2005, with Raghuvaran and Prakash Raj playing lead roles. Prakash Raj had declined to take part in the climax shoot, leading to a loss of Rs .40 lakh to the producer. With the same contention, the producer approached the local criminal court, which prompted the Punjagutta police to proceed against the actor. Earlier, the MAA and Producers Council tried more than half a dozen times to arrange a coordination meeting, but in vain. To note here, the Producers' Council recently slapped a non-cooperation stricture against Prakash Raj.

BDC releasing July 11
Brahmanandam Drama Company, which stars Brahmanandam in the lead role, is set for release on July 11th. The flick is the free remake f Bollywood hit Bhagam Bhag. Sivaji and Ravikrishna are the two male leads. Kamalinee Mukherjee and new girl Sameeksha are the female lead. A press meet was arranged today to brief about the film's highlights and for songs projection. Debut director Srikanth said that the film had come out extremely well with comedy as the king thanks to the hilarious performance of Dr. Brahmanandam. Sivaji plays the role of Govinda, while Ravi Krishna does that of Akshy Kumar. Saikarthik scored music.PK Rao and K. Kishore are the producers, who said that the film was actually set for release two months ago, but got delayed due to technical reasons.

7 July 2008

Sridhar’s Sneha Geetam
Sridhar Reddy of Marura Entertainments (music label) is going make his debut as a director with a film titled ‘Sneha Geetam’. This film will have all new faces playing three male leads and three female leads. Lagadapati Sridhar will produce this film on Larsco Entertainments banner. Sunil Kashyap composes music and PG Vinda handles camera. This film will go to floors in the month of August and is slated for the release in December 2008.

Mumaith Khan in Telugu basic instinct
Target, the celluloid murder mystery, starring Mumaith Khan in the shoes of Sharon Stone, is getting ready for release in August. Sivabalaji, who so far played the roles of either jealous or doting lover, is set to play a Michael Douglas. It is directed by debutant Ramesh Raja (disciple of Vijayabapineedu and Muppalaneni Siva). "Going by the subject, Mumaith plays the role of an arrogant and sexy novelist (of crime thrillers). Sivabalaji plays the honest cop. Both artistes have ample scope to perform in Target. A gory murder takes place, which exactly is planned and executed in the novelistic way. The police suspect the heroine (Mumaith) from all angles. The detection of the murder mystery is taken up by a dynamic cop (Sivabalaji). The busting of the mystery forms the climax. Highlights are 1 hour of Digital Intermediate work, four songs, raking background score by Koti and four-and-half-minute climax fight between Mumaith and the main villain, with full of graphics and ropes." The film was launched in January last and took 45 working days over a budget of Rs. 3.5 crores.

No disgrace to PH in Gorintaku
There are no scenes in Gorintaku (Rajasekhar-Meera Jasmine film) that would hurt the sentiments of the physically handicapped or any social segment or community, clarified director VR Pratap today. His clarification comes in the wake of MRPS leader Manda Krishna Madiga's objection to certain scenes, claimed as derogatory to the dignity of the physically challenged. "This is complete family entertainer. The dialogues and scenes are situational and not intended at any group. However, we are ready to remove any objectionable scenes or dialogues if the MRPS leader could watch the film and suggest," Pratap said. To note here, Manda Krishna pointed out some distasteful scenes seemingly hurting the PH.

Vizag as India's No. 1 city: ANR
Akkineni Nageswara Rao said that any business enterprise which moves ahead with public credibility will sure turn successful. He launched the Lucky Draw at a popular music shop in Vizag. He said it was for the first time that he attended such a small function in his life. He predicted that Vizag is going to be the most vibrant city in India in the coming years thanks to its rich, vast and natural surroundings. Some poor and needy students were extended financial support on this occasion. ANR desired that corporate firms should come forward in giving a lift to the economically backward but talented students.

Video documentary on Ghantasala
A Chennai-based cultural organization has brought out a documentary on the songs composed by famed playback singer and music director Ghantasala of the yesteryears. The documentary projecting the hit songs of Ghantasala will dwell into his experiences those days through the interviews of his contemporaries, mostly singers, music directors, directors and producers. The documentary is produced by Ghantasala's daughter-in-law Parvati Ghantasala. Janaki and PS Srinivas are associated with its publicity to benefit fans of Ghantasala worldwide. The documentary will be screened at important towns all over Andhra Pradesh.

Vijayshanti's thump for T-Students
Former actress and Talli Telangana party leader Vijayshanti saw the importance of the students' to go ahead with her separatist political philosophy. She floated a new Students body in the party. She says its time for those fighting for the Telangana cause to unite and realize the dream collectively. She considered the role of students in this mission very decisive.

Time for hilarious comedies
It's time for the small releases with no threat from big films in the coming weeks. Sivaji-Meera Jasmine combine film Maa Ayana Chanti Pilladu (remake of Tamil film En Purushan Kolandha Mari) is hitting the screens on July 19th. Raja Vannemreddy banks on Meera Jasmine's performance and says that the flick's main target is women audiences. Brahmanandam Drama Company (with tagline Heroine Jump) is set for release on July 11th. Making of the film started when Brahmanandam was busy with felicitations on his getting the coveted place in the Guinness Book of World Records. It is not only that the film's title is after the lead comedian, but he has also usurped prime space on the publicity designs. Both are touted as hilarious comedies.

6 July 2008

Venky, Ramcharan at 7K City Run
The 7 K Run thrilled the health-conscious Hyderabadis today. It took off at Secunderabad grounds and culminated at St. Francis College. It was launched by Badminton player Pullela Gopichand. Film stars Venkatesh, Ramcharan Teja, Varun Sandesh and Cricketer VVS Lakshman were among the dignitaries who took part in the Run. Venkatesh and Ramcharan reciprocated the gesture of the participants with autographs and friendly interaction. Venkatesh said this kind of mass programs would bring in awareness among the youth and old as well about health. Hundreds of students joined the Run.

Mahesh B'Day planned big way
Fans of Mahesh Babu today organized a meet at Basheerbagh Press Club, Hyderabad. The All India Mahesh-Krishna Sena is set to launch extensive social service activities from August 2nd to 9th as part of the birthday celebrations of Mahesh (on Aug 9). They are also planning a weeklong screening of Mahesh Babu's films. Freedom fighters would be felicitated. The activities include blood and eye donation camps, distribution of books to the schoolchildren and plating of saplings, according to the Association circles.

Nagababu in action film
A new movie starring Nagababu in the lead is coming up. The flick made on Lakshmi Narasimha Productions banner is an action film. LV Raju is the producer. Cinematographer Anji makes his debut as director with this film. The shoot will commence from August 6th. Suman, Archana, Rahul Dev, Dr. Sivaprasad, Ali, MS Narayana and others play key roles. Stunts are by Ram-Lakshman. Amma Rajasekhar is the choreographer.

5 July 2008

Megastar becomes grandfather
Srija, megastar Chiranjeevi's younger daughter, today gave birth to a baby girl at a private hospital in Hyderabad. She married Sireesh Bharadwaj, a city-based engineering student last year at Aarya Samaj. On the arrival of a girl-child into their family, being the firstborn, Chiru's wife Surekha and son Ramcharan visited the hospital and called on Srija. Allu Arvind also accompanied them. It comes as a happy moment for the mega family members to rejoice.

Happy Birthday to Kalyanram
Hero Nandamuri Kalyanram today celebrates his birthday amidst family members, friends and the unit of his latest film Hare Ram, which is ready for release in the coming weeks. It's audio got released recently. It is happy time for Kalyanram who is slowly consolidating himself as a potential producer on his newly floated NTR Arts banner. Idlebrain.com wishes the hero – Many Happy Returns of the Day.

Tollywood strong in overseas: Allu Arjun
Telugu film industry over years has got a very strong overseas market in the US, Europe and elsewhere, said hero Allu Arjun, who today took part in the 10th ATA conclave in New York. He performed few steps and a somersault on the dais to the music of his films much to cheer thousands of participants. "I always wondered as to how the Telugu community held this kind of great unity. This is for the first time that I could watch a big gathering of thousands of Telugu people here in US. A few years ago, the overseas market for Tamil films was 10 times more than Tollywood. Now, I find the business for our films as strong as Tamil industry. The guys here are dancing to the Telugu songs. I am extremely thrilled." Before leaving the dais, he said: "This is a word from mavayya Chiranjeevi. I told him (Chiru) that wherever I go people are asking me about your political entry and party. What answer do I have for them? He said: The right time is coming soon. He asked me to cheer you all without losing the smile on my face." Hero Raja also spoke at length. He said his passion of Bharatanatyam (after watching Sagara Sangamam) lured him to the films. "Though I didn't become a big dancer, I found my place in the industry. I am happy to be part of ATA celebrations."

Hare Ram releasing July 18
Hare Ram, the latest film of Nandamuri Kalyanram, is set for release on July 18th. The film stars Priyamani as heroine. Harshavardhan directs the film. Kalyanram, starring and producing, said the release date was fixed as 18th after getting the huge response to the audio (music by Mickey J Mayer) and at the business circles. He expressed confidence that Hare Ram will become a blockbuster like his previous film Athanokkade.

4 July 2008

Ram-Hansika film titled Maska
Maska is the title confirmed for the film, starring Ram and Hansika Motwani in the lead. It is already known that it is an MS Raju production in the direction of B. Gopal, considered a very crazy combination in the industry. MS Raju also provides the screenplay. The unit already finished its opening schedule that lasted for ten days. The second schedule will commence from tomorrow (July 5th).Chakri scores music. Sekhar V. Joseph handles the camera. Other than Hansika, the next female lead is to be finalized.

Offensive scenes in Kantri removed
Director (of Kantri film) Meher Ramesh today tendered his apology to Dalits and said immediate steps would be taken to remove the objectionable scenes from the film, which amounted to disgrace the community. This is in tune with the 24-hour deadline marked by MRPS leader Manda Krishna Madiga to the film unit (hero, producer and director) demanding apology from them. He alleged that some scenes in the movie showed Ambedkar statue in the backdrop of illegal activities. He termed it as a heinous attack on the dalits by upper castes. In this context, Meher Ramesh said: "We never made such scenes intentionally. I tender my apology to Dalits for the scenes had hurt their feelings."

Removes scenes by Sunday: Manda Krishna
Fresh in the wake of Kantri director Meher Ramesh's apology and statement that the objectionable scenes in the film would be immediately removed, MRPS leader Manda Krishna once again warned that if the scenes in question were not removed by Sunday, agitations would be held in front of the theatres showing the movie and the Censor board office. He spoke to reporters today in Hyderabad.

Dasavataram thrilled me: Mahesh Babu
Kamal Hassan's latest film Dasavataram thrilled hero Mahesh Babu to a great deal. After watching the film, the young star poured out his feelings: "It is extraordinary. Kamal is one and the only actor in India to perfectly chisel out ten different roles in the film. The makeup and body language attached to each of the ten characters is superb. It is a big thrill to see five characters simultaneously in some scenes. Each of them is done wonderfully. Hats-off to Kamal. I congratulate KS Ravikumar and Ravichandran for making Dasavataram with high standards." Mahesh Babu's pleasure at Dasavataram assumed much significance.

Dasavataram shares in AP
Producer Aaskar Ravichandran today thanked the audiences for making Dasavataram a big hit. He said that the collections of the film stood strong surpassing their expectations and creating a sensation. Made on Aaskar Films banner, it is directed by KS Ravikumar. Siri Media representative PD Prasad said that this Kamal's film with ten getups raked up a record share of Rs. 3.5 crore in just two weeks in Nizam area. Ceded distributor Sobharani said that the film collected a share of Rs. 1.6 Crore in two weeks in the region, and still going strong in the third week with housefuls. A communiqu̩ said: Two week share in Krishna РRs. 70 lakh; Guntur РRs. 75 lakh; East and West РRs. 95 lakh; Vizag РRs. 1 Crore. The producer said that more details pertaining to the collections in the comings weeks would be made available soon. Interestingly, Dasavataram's Hindi version would be releasing on July 11 Рas Dasavathar.

Tollywood stars for ATA meet in NY
The Tenth three-day conclave of ATA, which began on July 3rd, will see the participation of a big number of Tollywood stars. They include former heroine Roja, glam dolls Charmme and Sneha, to form the special attraction at the venue. Devi Sri Prasad is conducting a musical night. Other artistes to make it to the function are Kota Srinivasa Rao, Rallapalli, Gundu Hanumantha Rao and Venu Madhav. Apart from this segment, a good number of character artistes and TV artistes will take part in the event. While some had already reached New York, the remaining is on their way.

Bigtime comedy in Chintakayala Ravi
Venkatesh starrer, Chintakayala Ravi with its caption Software Engineer, gets ready to evoke laughter in the theatres soon. Producer Nallamalupu Bujji said the film would enthrall the audience on the lines of Venky's previous films. Two songs were shot on Venkatesh in US, one each with Anushka and Mamta Mohandas. Raju Sundaram is the choreographer. A major chunk of talkie was also shot. The next schedule would commence from the second week in Hyderabad, Vizag, Rajahmundry and surrounding areas. Yogie, the new comer, took up the project as a prestigious venture. Vishal-Shekar duo (of OSM fame) has scored excellent beats. Ravindra Babu handles the camera.

Tea…Samosa…Biscuit in pipeline
After giving a cool message oriented film Mee Sreyobhilashi, its producer CC Reddy of Visu Films gets ready for the next with its title Tea…Samosa…Biscuit. He said Babji is being introduced as the director for this film. "The film is a mirror to the prevailing social conditions. Comedy is given the giant treatment. At present, story discussion is going on. The selection of the right cast and vital crew is not yet completed. The shoot would commence in September. Going by the subject, it has nearness to the thoughts of the youth," Reddy said. Dialogues are by Ramesh Chappala. Dr. Y. Sonia Reddy is the producer. Babji also provides the story and screenplay.

TV pals Friends in movie format
The successful TV series – Friends – will soon be appearing in the movie format. The lead characters that played pals have already got into the project in principle, prompted by the success of Sex and City, another small screen entertainer with big screen treatment. There have been simmering rumors for the last four eyars that the six stars in Friends - Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc. The proposed film will be produced by the Warner Brohters and the project is expected to be completed in 18 months." What's held back a Friends movie so far is that people were worried that Jennifer had simply become too famous to play Rachel again," reports said. However, it's a sigh of relief for the production venture with an yes from Jennifer.

Gogula, Srilekha sing for Koti music
Ramana Gogula, Srilekha Music directors Ramana Gogula and MM Srilekha have turned playback singers to the title song – Kausalya Nachchave.. Andamtho Gichchave.. Anchethe Nachchave – of Srikanth-Charmi film Kausalya Supraja Rama. Koti is the music director. Ramajogayya Sastry penned the lyric. Made on Suresh Productions, it is produced by D. Ramanaidu and director is Surya Prasad. Ramanaidu said: "Talkie part is finished on July 2nd. Two songs would be canned at scenic locales of Lankavi and KL in Malaysia between July 14 and 22. On return to Hyderabad, the climax would be finished." Gauri Mumzal is another heroine.



Don't leave new voters: Allu Arvind
Registration of new voters should be taken up like a mass movement. This is the appeal of Allu Arvind, producer and Megastar Chiranjeevi's brother-in-law to the fans, today. He addressed an impressive gathering of megafans and mahila activists of Chiru's proposed party at RNR auditorium, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. "Still, thirty percent of the youth has not been enrolled in voters' list. Instead of organizing camps and rallies, you have to concentrate on the voters' registration," he told them. Chiru's advisor and aide Dr. Mitra urged the fans to take up the exercise like a yagnam.

Manda Krishna accuses Kantri
The MRPS leader Manda Krishna Madiga turned his guns at Tollywood. Watching the recent film Kantri (starring NTR), he took objection to a particular scene in which a group of youth were shown in the backdrop of Ambedkar statue as wastrels prone to take up clandestine activities such as circulating the fake currency notes, besides projecting the concerned area as an adda for similar unlawful activities. "This amounts to disgrace to the Dalit community," the community leader maintained, launching a tirade against the upper castes. He demanded an unconditional apology from hero NTR and producer Ashwini Dutt.

Sharwa-Genelia film soon
Sharwanand, who romped to limelight with Gamyam, is going to do a film to be jointly produced by two doctors. Rajasekhar, a new face, who earlier worked in Sumanth Arts banner, is going to direct the film. Genelia is approached to play the heroine, pending her approval, sources told Idlebrain. The film is expected to be launched in December, after Chandra Siddarth's film.

Style producer's Hollywood project
Lagadapati Sridhar, known for his successful films Style and Evadigola Vadidhe, is contemplating to make a Hollywood film, with its shoot to take place completely in the USA. In this direction, he in touch with some technicians and production managers in LA, reliable sources told Idlebrain.

Rajni as Tiruvalluvar in Hollywood film
Superstar Rajnikanth might don the mantle of Tamilnadu's celebrated saint poet Tiruvalluvar (First or Second century AD) in a forthcoming Rs. 50 Crore Hollywood flick titled Saint Thomas. This Apostle was widely believed as the initiator Syrian Christianity in Kerala and parts of Tamilnadu. The actor who played Jesus in Hollywood film Passion of the Christ is being approached to play the Jesus role in this film. Dr. Paulraj Loudhuswami has scripted the subject. Kollywood stars Ajit, Vikram and Vijay are set to do the guest roles. Tamilnadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi is expected to inaugurate the film soon. There is a controversial belief that both Tiruvalluvar and Saint Thomas were contemporaries. This is a Rs. 50 Crore budget film.

Rajasekhar to play Mohanlal in comedy
After much-hyped pre-production hungama of Satyameva Jayate, now hero Rajashekar has signed his next for producer Maganti Gopinath in the direction of Ramprasad. Ramana Gogula is roped in for the music. It is the remake of a Malayalam hit movie titled Hello. Kajal was tried as the female lead, which didn't happen for lack of dates. Her parents had even watched Hello, expressing their satisfaction. Latest, Suhasi is under consideration. The story is about a lawyer (played by Mohanlal), an alcoholic, who leaves his practice and hits the bottle after his family disapproves of his love. In Malayalam, Parvati Melton did the heroine. We have to wait and see how the angry young man will fit into this out and out comedy genre.



Chandra Siddarth-Sharwanand film in Aug
Critically acclaimed director Chandra Siddarth is going to direct Sharwanand in a new film to be produced by the Zee TV concern, reliable sources told Idlebrain. This is said to be a family entertainer, completely away from action and vulgarity. Heroine hunt is underway for a new girl. It will be officially launched in August, it is further learnt.

Don't destroy dad's image: Lakshmi Parvati
Lakshmi Parvati, widow of NTR, today launched a counter attack against actor Balakrishna, saying "he is bringing disgrace to his father (NTR) by criticizing our relationship." Talking to reporters in Hyderabad, she said: "In fact, the local court of Narasaraopet in Guntur district granted me the divorce on April 15th, 1993. NTR announced at a public meeting (at Tirupati on September 10th, 1993) that he would marry me provided I should be willing for that. Based on my willingness, I and NTR became couple the next day as per the Hindu Marriages Act. I didn't marry him for his properties. The court recognized me as NTR's wife and included my name as member in the Basavatarakam Trust."

Teja's Kayka unit for Rajasthan
The unit of Teja's Kayka, starring debutants, will be moving to Rajasthan on a four-day schedule (Jul 6-9) for canning of a song sequence in the backdrop of desert and forts. But for this song, the entire shoot is said to be over. PC Sriram handles the camera. Music is by Chakri. Teja not only directs but also produces the film. Reports say Teja wants to release the audio of the film after its screen release.



Thursday, July 10, 2008
IPHONE Mobile







Information is so clearly laid out and features so easy to use, it’s comforting. It merges the capabilities of an iPod and a cellphone with those of a miniature computer, not just because it can surf the web or send e-mail, but because it can install and run sophisticated programs. Even with new technologies added – a 3G data connection, GPS location, and visual voicemail, the touchscreen controls along with many hidden design nuances create such a flow, it feels like one simple tool that always has a use for any situation. It’s like a good walking stick, for those who like to hike; always handy, useful and reliable.

Design

Although a little thicker than Apple’s other touch devices, the iPhone 3G still feels like a slim handset thanks to a curved backing. The casing itself is made of plastic, a change from Apple’s usual preference for metal, simply to allow for better reception of the ten wireless radios included. It needs ten, I’m told, in order to allow it to be compatible with the many different networks, both voice and data, around the world. There are few buttons, and most of the phone is made up of its screen which makes it a little less stylish than Apple’s computers or notebooks, but also provides the secret to its success.

Touchscreen Magic

Apple’s Multi-Touch screen remains the only touchscreen system I have tried that offers a real sense of purpose. Quick, responsive, it uses a range of gesture controls – flicks, swipes, and pinches – to offer meaningful ways to interact with and use programs. Other handsets with similar ambitions, the HTC Touch, LG Vu, and Samsung Instinct have touchscreens that are but mere novelties by comparison.

The Multi-Touch display is joined by a series of hidden sensors and design nuances that help deliver a sense of “magic”. A light sensor adjusts the screen’s brightness to suit your environment and reduce eyestrain, a proximity sensor knows when you are speaking into it as a phone and shuts off the touchscreen before your face comes close enough to interfere. An accelerometer detects changes when you tilt the handset sideways, switching the screen from vertical to horizontal view, which is ideal for surfing the web and watching videos.

All of these work with the new iPhone 2.0 operating system to create menus and settings that change and move with origami-like continuity. Simple flips, taps, and swipes allow you to access every feature quickly.

Battery Life

One of the few weaknesses, the iPhone 3G’s battery life is bound to disappoint. 3G data connections require a lot of power and so a lower battery life compared to most cellphones is expected. In using it to talk and surf the web I found the low battery alert appearing each day towards late afternoon. On days where I used it mainly for listening to music or watching videos, the battery lasted through day and onto the next. There are options to prolong the battery life, switching off 3G, Wi-Fi, and lowering the display brightness do help, but I find that it falls a little short of Apple’s published rate of 5 hours of 3G talk time. The one option not available, is one to replace the battery itself.

As A Phone

Although talking into a screen may feel odd at first, the reception has been good and the sound quality clearer than I expected. Phone numbers sent to you via e-mail, listed in your contacts section, or even found in search results using GPS and Google Maps are automatically hotlinked so that simply touching them on the screen sets the phone dialing. Adding information to your contacts book is just as easy, tap an e-mail or home address and a new profile is automatically started, with sections waiting for you to add in more information.

The phone comes with a selection of ringtones (including yes, the classic phone), and you can make your own using selected songs from the iTunes Store (for a fee) or for Mac users, with the use of GarageBand.

Text Messaging And Visual Voicemail
Two brilliant innovations, Apple offers new takes on two very common cellphone features. Text messages from both sides of the conversation are displayed on screen, next to each other as speech balloons, similar to the ones used in comic strips. Trading text messages, especially amongst many different conversations at the same time is now easier to follow.

Voicemail is now treated like MP3 songs. The handset downloads the messages as separate audio files. Not only can you pick and choose the order of the messages you want to listen to, but you can now pause, rewind, and fast forward through them.

What’s not brilliant is a lack of any instant messaging features, but perhaps the Apps store will provide those options.

As A Camera

The iPhone 3G has but a simple, 2 Megapixel camera with only the option to shoot and display pictures. There is no zoom and no shooting or editing settings of any kind. There are two innovations, you can save photos included in e-mails to your album, and the GPS can add your current location to each photo when you take them as part of their details. Underwhelming compared to the other features.

As An iPod

The iPhone 3G is different from the iPod Touch only in that is has a set of built-in speakers. More impressive than I expected, the little speakers can crank out the volume, better than the PlayStation Portable. Beyond that change, music, podcasts, audiobooks, and videos are handled the same as Apple’s iPod family and easy synchronizes with your computer using iTunes. Unlike most phones which require proprietary headsets, the iPhone 3G uses a regular headphone jack and works with common headsets. The white earbuds included are similar to those offered with the iPod series, but include a mic for hands-free use with the phone.

International Virtual Keyboards

Although I have had no problem adapting to the on-screen keyboard myself, it may prove an issue for some, especially those with long fingernails as the screen reacts to the heat of your fingertips, not the pressure of a stylus or fingernail.

The advantage of having a virtual keyboard is its ability to change layouts to suit each application, from text messaging to web surfing to writing e-mails. New to the iPhone 3G, the keyboard can also morph into international keyboards on-the-fly, from French Canadian, to Chinese, German, French, Polish, there are 23 different choices. In the case of Japanese and Chinese keyboards, the option to use your finger to draw symbols onto the screen is included and an impressive twist.

E-Mail And Web Browsing

E-mail is one of my favorite uses for the iPhone and I found it quick and easy to set up both my work and personal accounts. Accounts are well organized and e-mails are easy to view as well as write. Both Mac and PC users can keep their e-mails, calendars, and contacts synchronized with their computers using iCal, Entourage, or Outlook With Apple’s latest operating system, the iPhone 3G now supports push e-mail through Microsoft Exchange and Apple’s own MobileMe service. You can even have the phone wirelessly sync your calendar to grab instant changes in appointments.

The Safari Web Browser is the best mobile browser I have used. Web pages are displayed fully, so they take up the entire screen and are easy to scroll through. A simple tap on a paragraph sets the screen to automatically zoom in and centre on it. Adding bookmarks, switching between multiple open pages, and using the Google search field are all a breeze to use.

GPS Location

Using Google Maps and a built-in GPS antennae, you can find your current location and use it to search the immediate area for services, track your movement, or look up directions to a selected point, both using maps as well as satellite views. There are no features for driving navigation, although such solutions are expected to be offered later through the Apps Store. Thanks to a combination of both satellite and cellular signals, it’s a feature that works both indoors and out and the accuracy in general is fair.

We can search for several services – coffee shops, restaurants, comic book shops – and the range of animated pins that dropped to display results on the map was both thorough and accurate.

Data Connections

This is Apple’s second generation iPhone and one of the main changes has been its focus on business users and options that will allow it to compete against the BlackBerry. As such, it is designed as an “always-on” device. It has three main signals it can use to access the internet and will always use at least one of them to remain connected. Its preference is always the fastest, so it will first try to connect to a Wi-Fi signal, offering you the option to join any of the hot spots it has found, and if that fails it will switch over to the 3G signal, and if that is not available, EDGE.

To conserve battery life, there are settings to turn off 3G and Wi-FI, but not EDGE and so no option to switch off the data service entirely. There is an option to switch off data roaming, for when you travel overseas, and this is the closest there is to an option to save money on data costs.

The 3G service is just as fast as advertised. Web pages are opened in seconds, attachments download quickly, the only issue is that coverage of Rogers HSPA network is limited to major city centres and I found as I left the city limits of Toronto, the 3G signal weakened and quickly disappeared.

Third-Party Software

Through Apple’s Apps Store, the iPhone 3G can download and run software created by companies and individuals around the world. These programs can make use of the same features and capabilities that all of the other Apple programs can, accessing the internet, using the handset’s built-in sensors and accelerometer, camera, even its GPS.

They range in price from free up to $40 and currently the Apps Store includes over 500 choices across 18 categories including social networking, news, photography, games, education, and more. You can access the store both through the iPhone 3G itself or through iTunes on your computer.

Free Apps include eBook readers, photo editors, music mixers, and whimsical distractions such as using the motion-sensor to simulate the iPhone as a light saber or one of those cans that moo like a cow when you tilt it. Many major brands including eBay, FaceBook, MySpace, AIM, and SalesForce offer free programs to leverage their services.

The more sophisticated Apps include Netter’s Medical Flash Cards series which offers detailed, interactive images of the human body, SignalScope which adds a spectrum analyzer and oscilloscope to the iPhone, and Major League Baseball’s At The Bat which offers real-time, streaming instant video replays and game stats including player positions on the field.

The Apps reveal the iPhone’s graphics as being far more robust than ever thought. Video games including Super Monkey Ball and Cro-Mag Rally perform using 3D graphics that are comparable to the Nintendo DS in detail, smooth animation, and complexity.

My Favorite Gadget

There are several new cellphones that mimic some of the iPhone 3G’s features; its touchscreen, 3G data speeds, and ability to play videos, but Apple’s handset is the only one that uses them with real purpose. And with new features arriving through the Apps store, there is a continued potential that no other cellphone can currently match.

What complicates my ability to recommend the iPhone 3G is its exclusivity to one wireless carrier in most international markets, and here in Canada it’s limitations to a three-year contract with high rate plans. If you can get past those issues, then I highly recommend the iPhone 3G.

In the US which saw the "exclusive" launch of the original iPhone last year, iPhone 3G models were made available in all time zones at 8am on Friday -- ahead of the big weekend. USA has the 8GB version going for $199 and the 16GB version for $299.