NEW DELHI: With the launch of the GSAT-8 satellite last year, 24 Ku-band transponders had become available for communication and broadcasting services and could take up to 1000 TV channels, said Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal.
Speaking at a function where the NDTV Good Times Gadget Guru awards were presented, Sibal said the second series of Aakash tablet, Aakash 2, will be rolled out next month and will be priced at a mere Rs 2,276.
He said the Government had been encouraged at the response to the first series and the second series was far superior. He said the aim would be to make this available to anyone and not just students and universities.
Meanwhile, he announced that a total of 419 universities all over the country were being linked by a National Knowledge Network and this would help overcome the shortage of trained teachers as a student from one university could take the help of a professor in another university.
He said the National Fibre Optic network was expected to be ready in the next 18 months to two years.
Actor-filmmakers Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, and Sajid Khan, and actors Jacqueline Fernandes and Asin gave away awards at the event conducted by NDTV CEO Vikram Chandra with Tech Guru Rajiv Makhni along with former Miss India Gul Panag.
Actor Anoushka Sharma was awarded for the best celebrity endorsement of the year for Reliance Communications.
The colourful event at the Kingdom of Dreams in Gurgaon included performances from ‘Jhumroo’, a show being prepared at the venue to pay tributes to singer-actor-composer Kishore Kumar on his 25th Death anniversary.
Awards were given away in 18 categories for the most innovative and clutter breaking gadgets and gizmos in 2011.
Enclosed below is the list of winners:
| Best Audio Product of the Year |
NAD VISO 1 iPod Dock |
| Best Audio and Video Innovation of the Year |
Control 4 Home theatre |
| Best Portable Audio Product of the Year |
Bose Sound Link Wireless Mobile Speaker |
| Best Computer Peripherals of the Year |
Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse |
| Best Computing Product of the Year |
Macbook Air 11 |
| Best Consumer Electronics of the Year |
Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile Speaker |
| Best Gadget Eye Candy of the Year |
Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse |
| Best Budget Phone of the Year |
Samsung Galaxy Y |
| Best Smartphone of the Year |
Apple iPhone 4S |
| Best Imaging Product of the Year |
Canon PowerShot S100 |
| Best TV display of the Year |
LG Electronics Cinema 3D TV 55LW6500 |
| Portable Computing Product of the Year |
Apple iPad 2 |
| Best Celebrity Endorsement of the Year |
Reliance Communications Ltd. - Anushka Sharma |
| Best App of the Year |
Sygic/ Mapmy India Aura |
| Best Gaming Product of the Year |
Sony Ericsson XperiaPlay |
| Best Technology/Innovation of the Year |
Samsung Galaxy Note |
| NDTV Gadget of the Year (Viewer’s choice) |
Samsung Galaxy Note |
| NDTV Gadget of the Year (Jury choice) |
Samsung Galaxy Note |
The jury for the awards featured award winning actor Gul Panag, India‘s best known tech expert - Atul Chitnis, Technology consultant - Kishore Bharagava, Nishanth Padiar – Editor, Stuff Magazine, Ashish Bhatia - Independent technology writer and columnist, Prasanto Kumar Roy - President and Chief Editor of Cyber Media‘s ICT Group besides Vikram Chandra & Rajiv Makhni.
A special audio jury included KJ Singh - National Award Winner for Sound Design in Omkara and Milinid Raorane - Electro-Acoustic Expert.
Gadgets launched between 1 February 2011 and 15 January 2012 were nominated for the awards; the winners were shortlisted based on the test results and an extensive jury meet process and rating system verified by Ernst & Young.
In its second edition, the event comprised a Conclave featuring master class sessions by Dolby, Sony and Canon and an Experience Zone where some of the biggest Tech brands showcased their latest products.
