MUMBAI:Catch all the action on Friday March 16 as the Champions of Cricket Madan Lal, Syed Kirmani, Mohinder Amarnath & Kirti Azaad Play with the Champions of Laughter jokes, one-liners, satires, rib tickling comedy and much more? get ready for World Cup Fever on Star One‘s Great Indian Laughter Champions .

MUMBAI: STAR PLUS?s popular comic weekend show- ?Baa Bahoo Aur Baby?, will have you in splits as you roll with laughter this weekend, as it airs a special ?Singapore series? coming Fri-Sun (March 16th- March 18th) 9:30 p.m.

BANGALORE: Analog Devices Inc. (NYSE: ADI), a global leader in high-performance semiconductors for signal-processing applications, today introduced a two-chip IF (intermediate frequency) receiver solution that dramatically improves the data bandwidth and capacity of next-generation, multi-carrier wireless base stations compatible with emerging 3G cellular transmission standards. Analog Devices? dual-channel AD8376 VGA (variable gain amplifier) and AD6655 IF diversity receiver solution replaces 48 discrete components, enabling 3G micro- and pico-cell base stations with dramatically reduced power consumption and physical volume.

Each radio channel can handle up to six carriers. The new VGA and IF diversity receiver also increase automatic gain-control loop performance by 100 times existing options, which improves base station receiver sensitivity and dynamic range and ensures both weak and strong incoming cell phone call signals are quickly and effectively received and processed.

The AD8376 and AD6655 comprise the first two-chip dual-channel IF receiver optimized to handle both the main and diversity receive paths simultaneously. The combination of best-in-class performance, power consumption, size and cost is ideally suited to meet the wider bandwidth and multi-carrier signal processing demands of today?s wireless infrastructure equipment, while supporting emerging 3G and 2.5G mobile phone communications standards such as CDMA2000, UMTS and TD-SCDMA, as well as WiMAX.

?As the industry migrates from voice-centric services and embraces feature-rich, multimedia content, wireless infrastructure designers need devices that support the higher data bandwidths within the next-generation of mobile communications platforms,? said Peter Real, product line director, RF and Networking Components, Analog Devices. ?To help address this need, ADI developed the industry?s highest linearity digital VGA and the fastest IF diversity receiver, which when combined, not only reduce component count, but bring complex multi-carrier wideband digital receivers into mainstream production.?

The AD8376 is the first digitally-controlled VGA that enables 1dB gain-step resolution at the highest IFs. The device offers the industry?s best linearity of OIP3 50 dBm at 140 MHZ. This level of performance and step resolution simplifies receiver automatic gain control (AGC), and enables wideband multi-carrier radio platforms. A fine-step AGC loop allows the designer to maximize the ADC?s dynamic range, which is critical when handling either 3G or WiMAX multi-carrier wideband input signals.

More about the AD8376 VGA

The AD8376 dual-channel VGA provides precise fine-gain-step adjustment for digital radio receivers. The device features a bandwidth of 600 MHz, supporting high IF sampling receiver architectures within cellular and broadband WiMAX receivers. An independent 5-pin digital interface allows the user to take advantage of a 24dB gain range and 1dB gain-step resolution. The AD8376 is designed to replace discrete attenuator and IF amplifiers, offering considerable board and package density savings. With 50dBm output IP3 on 130mA of quiescent current on a +5volt supply, current consumption is also significantly reduced.

More about the AD6655 IF Diversity Receiver

The AD6655 integrates many of the functions required for diversity receive path in a single device, including an ultra-low-latency peak detector and an rms signal power monitor that can be used in conjunction with the AD8376 and logic to form a flexible AGC. In addition, the AD6655 includes the industry?s fastest 14-bit ADC (analog-to-digital converter), at 150 MSPS (million samples per second), followed by a DDC (digital down converter). The DDC functionality includes a 32-bit NCO (numerically controlled oscillator), a decimating half-band filter and an output FIR (finite-impulse response) filter. Together, these provide an effective bandpass filtering function and reduce the output rate, which yields an SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) of 75 dB at 70 MHz, an improvement of 2.5 dB over the typical ADC. By integrating the DDC with the ADC, designers realize a significant reduction in board space while eliminating the high-speed interconnect problems usually found on system boards when the devices are implemented separately.

The AD6655 is offered in both 12- (AD6653) and 14-bit resolutions with sample rates of 80 MSPS, 105 MSPS, 125 MSPS and 150 MSPS. For applications that require only the dual-ADC function without the DDC, the recently-announced AD9640 is pin compatible and includes signal monitor, level detection, and 1-to-8 clock divider.

Pricing and Availability

The AD8376 dual-channel digitally-controlled VGA is sampling now with full production scheduled for June 2007. The AD8376 is priced at $6.25 per unit in 1,000-piece quantities and is housed in a 32-lead LFCSP (lead-frame chip-scale package). A single-channel version, the AD8375, is sampling now with full production also scheduled for June 2007. The AD8375 is priced at $4.25 per unit in 1,000-piece quantities and is housed in a 24-lead LFCSP. For more information, visit www.analog.com/pr/AD8376.

The AD6653/5 IF diversity receivers are sampling now with full production scheduled for June 2007. The 12-bit version, the AD6653, is priced at $57.97 and the 14-bit at $97.50, both in 1,000-piece quantities. Both devices are available in a 9 mm x 9 mm 64-lead LFCSP. For more information, visit www.analog.com/pr/AD6655.

Analog Devices? RF Expertise

Analog Devices? RF ICs have the high-performance specifications?such as temperature stability and high accuracy?that reduce component count, decrease cost, and ease design challenges, thus enabling new, highly desirable architectural changes to radio designs. Using a unique combination of design skills, process technologies, and system understanding, Analog Devices has a broad portfolio of RF ICs, including complete chipsets and a full range of high-performance RF function blocks. Among its extensive offerings are direct digital synthesizers (DDS); phase-locked loop synthesizers (PLLs); detectors and logarithmic operational amplifiers; fixed and variable-gain amplifiers (VGAs); TruPwr? RF power detectors; mixers, modulators, and demodulators; integrated IF amplifiers; and the Othello? family of single-chip transceivers for cellular terminals.

About Analog Devices

Innovation, performance, and excellence are the cultural pillars on which Analog Devices has built one of the most long-standing, high-growth companies within the technology sector. Acknowledged industry-wide as the world leader in data conversion and signal conditioning technology, Analog Devices serves over 60,000 customers around the world, representing virtually all types of electronics equipment. Celebrating more than 40 years as a leading global manufacturer of high-performance integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal processing applications, Analog Devices, Inc. is headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, and employs approximately 8,900 people worldwide. It has manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts, California, North Carolina, Ireland, and the Philippines. Analog Devices‘ common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and ADI is included in the S&P 500 Index.

Mumbai: TIMES NOW, the 24 hour English news television of big stories brings the ultimate stories from the cricketing ground this World Cup 2007 in a special show - ?Kings of the Caribbean? starting March 14 at 7.30 am and 6.30 pm.

MUMBAI: As his first engagement during his visit to Mumbai, WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio met with children from Door-Step School.An NGO working towards providing a sustainable education program aimed at underprivileged children in Mumbai city. They have to their distinction introduced unique programs like the School on Wheels that literally brings the classroom to your doorstep. A mobile classroom recreated on a bus, that travels to various slums in Mumbai providing basic education to street children.

40 children from this school were invited to participate in a drawing competition, where they drew their favorite WWE star. No surprise that this turned out to be Rey Mysterio the master of the 619, a WWE superstar that these children could identify with. A man with humble beginnings who made it to the top echelons of world wrestling, through sheer determination and hard work. Not forgetting the important role education played in guiding his way through.

Rey in his interactions with the children impressed upon them the need for a proper education, a very necessary building block for an individual?s future. The children listened with rapt attention and promised to do their best to become achievers and leaders someday.

?Today?s interaction with the children from Door-Step School was an eye opener on the good work being carried out in bringing education to the underprivileged, said Rey Mysterio. This noble cause needs all the support we can provide.?

MUMBAI: Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in partnership with Commonwealth Business Council (CBC). London organized the inaugural Global Business Leaders Forum on 12 March 2007 in Mumbai. Business Leaders from developed and emerging market convened to discuss the shift in Global business dynamics and how companies must innovate to keep ahead a competition.

Dr Mohan Kaul , Director General, Commonwealth Business Council in his welcome address and initial observations said the Forum had brought together more than 300 business leaders from India and across the globe. The Forum, he said, aimed to discuss the new competitive challenges that organizations face in the current era of globalization, thereby enabling participants to review their strategies, beliefs and principles.

Mr K V Kamath Member, CII National Council and MD and Chief Executive ICICI Bank Ltd. spoke on ‘Transformation and Innovation: Leading Change in Organizations‘. He said the best way to adapt to change was to transform, and the best way to transform was to innovate. He spoke of the ICICI Bank experience, ‘Transformation through innovation‘, and shared experiences on successful innovations leveraging technology.

The first session on Global Perspectives ? New Challenges had Mr. Jacques Lamarre chairman, CBC and President & CEO SNC- Lavalin chairing the same. Mr Lamarre said the Forum would focus on issues related to changing paradigms, new economic perspectives, new approaches to global trade, leading change in organizations and transformation and innovation.

The session addressed the larger economic and political picture, understanding the current dynamics and implied opportunity and threats for emerging and developed markets. The session also addressed the issue of global economic imbalances. It had Dr Anil Khandelwal CMD, Bank of Baroda share his thoughts on the issue. Mr Dominic Barton, Chairman Asia, Mckinsey and Mr Bryan Sanderson Fmr Chairman, Standard Chartered Bank also spoke on the subject.

The second session was on ‘Transformation and innovation ? leading change in organisations‘. Mr James Smith , UK Country Chairman, Shell who chaired the session spoke of exploring examples from leaders, how organisations had been transformed and re-invented continuously to become high-performance global companies, and the lessons for the future.

Mr Nigel Boardman partner, Slaughter and May in his presentation on ‘Transformation and Innovation ? Leading Change in Organisations‘, spoke on four changes which he thought were necessary in corporate environment: (i) Criminalisation, (ii) Balance of Board, (iii) Corporate Purpose and (iv) Pay.

Mr Jacques Lamarre, Chairman, SNC Lavalin made a pr?sentation on how th? company had adapted to the changing scenario ? whether it was the product mix or the countries they had business relations with.

The third session was on ‘Financial markets and financial flows ? different perspectives‘. Chaired by Mr Bryan Sanderson , Fmr Chairman, Standard Chartered, it looked at differing Perspectives of Financial Markets, Capital Markets, Investor protection, ownership. It also focused on structures in China / India / Asia / Europe, as also issues related to East-West takeovers, mergers and acquisitions and private equity.

Ms Naina Lal Kidwai , Chief Executive, HSBC, India in her presentation, ‘Priorities and concerns for global institutions‘ pointed out that Global economic growth continued, albeit in moderation. She added that interest rates rose in developed economies to contain inflation before going on to the Global scenario, and what was to be expected in 2007. "Emerging markets growth will offset slowing advanced economies," she said.

She also spoke of softer demand and tightening monetary policy in US, Japan & Germany, of ‘emerging Asia‘ being the fastest growing region led by China and India, the forecast that global economic growth would fall from 4.9 % in 2006 to 3.7% in 2007, adding that growth was likely to rebound in 2008. In the Indian economy, the share of services was expected to go up by 3% and Industry by 2% of GDP by 2010, she said.

Mr Seetharaman , Deputy CEO, Doha Bank spoke of an Asian ? Arab synergy that was leading the global economic growth scenario. " India needs to further engage GCC countries and change market preferences," he said. He spoke of the change in the banking sector, which he termed as ‘no longer location-based‘. Convergence of all products and services was the change that furled the banking sector, he added.

Mr Ajay Mahajan of Yes Bank spoke of the capital markets in India , his presentation focusing on growth with financial intermediation. While equity markets had done exceedingly well in India , he said domestic institutional investors participation needed to be enhanced. He noted that share of corporate bonds in non-food credit had dropped, and said the corporate bonds market needed to be developed. "Infrastructure finance is the key to growth," he said.

Mr Alexander v Ungern-Sternberg , Chairman, Euro IB in his presentation said India was a High-Growth Market. He discussed the structure of Investment Flows from Europe to India as also India to Europe. He spoke of deal structuring, especially the cross border element, where he said there was a higher margin requirement for all risk categories (debt or equity) as also senior debt (low risk) was generally best provided by major local banks.

Looking at ‘Investor Perceptions / The Indian Opportunity‘, he said until early 90‘s, India was seen to be a closed economy. "From 1995, it was high Indian growth and much improved corporate governance that caught attention while from 2005 onwards, there had been stronger interest in non-quoted situations. In vestment Capital is available both in Europe and in India for 2-way Investment flows," he concluded.