Philips incorporates Pixel Plus technology in Matchline TV sets

January 15, 2003
New Delhi

Philips India Limited-- a subsidiary of the Netherlands based Royal Philips Electronics-- and India's Most Trusted Global Consumer Electronics brand-- today made history in TV technology-- with the release of the first of its-top-of-the-range Matchline TV sets incorporating the unique Pixel Plus technology. Following the introduction of the first 100 Hz sets in 1988-- Natural Motion in 1995-- Digital Natural Motion & Active Control in 1999-- Philips' latest Pixel Plus TVs will set a new industry standard for TV picture quality.

Incorporating impressive image processing improvements-- Philips' new Pixel Plus TVs bring incredible sharpness-- detail and depth to the pictures onscreen. Pixel Plus technology doubles the horizontal resolution of standard TVs and increases vertical resolution. The result: a breathtaking picture of over two million pixel resolution per frame. This means amazingly sharp pictures with clear and natural detail for any type of input - from normal TV and VCD to DVD.

Speaking on the occasion-- Mr. Suresh Sukumaran-- Senior General Manager - Marketing (Television)-- Consumer Electronics Division-- Philips India Limited said-- "Philips has always introduced world class products and technologies that fulfil the needs and desires of the ever discerning Indian consumer. Research has indicated that the consumer rates picture quality as the most important feature in a CTV and the launch of Philips Pixel Plus technology is an endeavour in that direction. A product comparison test conducted by AC Nielsen-- for the Philips Pixel Plus TV in the city of Mumbai in December 2002-- has thrown up interesting results. The respondents were called to an independent location-- and asked to rate Philips Pixel Plus and a competitor brand. Philips emerged as a clear winner-- with 93% of the respondents rating it as the best TV at the overall level. We are confident that Pixel Plus surely will become a new reference point in TV picture quality. "

The new Pixel Plus sets combine the brilliant colours of Real Flat Black Matrix picture tubes with the flicker-free performance of 100-Hz Digital Scan TV Sets-- and the smooth motion of Philips' award-winning Digital Natural Motion technology.

Best-in-market picture quality
The sets incorporate an advanced picture processing software that doubles the standard 1024-by-625 PAL resolution to a world record-breaking 2048-pixel horizontal and 833-line vertical resolution. For NTSC-- the standard 1024-by-525 resolution is doubled both vertically and horizontally. The vertical resolution alone eliminates - even from close up - the fine line structure that is noticeable on other TVs. The extra detail of Pixel Plus also improves the distinction between foreground and background-- thereby increasing the perceived picture depth as well. This gives a clear difference for both still and moving images.

For the first time in TV technology-- such ultra high resolution comes without compromising field flicker. The sets show stable and flicker-free pictures that are less straining on the eyes-- to allow for more relaxing TV viewing. This is complemented by the revolutionary glass design of the Philips Real Flat Tubes. These deliver supreme contrast-- brightness and focus all over the screen - reflections are reduced-- even in daylight viewing-- to give brilliant colors with minimum distortion.

Superb sound and easy operation with a touch of style
The new Matchline tops off its excellent picture quality with superb high-power audio performance-- bringing for example-- DVD-Video-- and Dolby ProLogic TV broadcasts to life. It delivers up to 60 W RMS into five integrated speakers and a sub-woofer for low frequency bass.

The sets are also easy to set up and use-- and there is an easy graphical user interface. Tuning is automatic for both terrestrial and cable viewers-- with all available channels being automatically installed with the correct channel name and in a logical order. There is also a split-screen demonstration mode that compares the raw-- unprocessed TV signals against the results of Pixel Plus.

Reflecting the state-of-the-art technology-- the Pixel Plus sets come with a brand new styling - a clean-- sophisticated look.

The Pixel Plus CTV range is available in premium Consumers Electronic outlets-- in select cities across the country. Philips India Limited-- a subsidiary of the Netherlands based Royal Philips Electronics N. V.-- is a leader in Lighting-- Consumer Electronics-- Components-- Semiconductors-- Domestic Appliances & Personal Care with an unmatched range of internationally current products backed by superior design and technology. It also has an excellent distribution and after-sales service network. Philips has been operating in India for over 70 years. The company's turnover in 2001 was over Rs. 15 billion and it employs around 4000 employees in its 6 factories (including it's subsidiary company) and in several sales offices around the country. Philips India Limited shares are listed on Bombay and Calcutta Stock Exchanges.

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest-- with sales of EUR 32.3 billion in 2001. It is a global leader in color television sets-- lighting-- electric shavers-- medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring-- and one-chip TV products. Its 184--000 employees in more than 60 countries are active in the areas of lighting-- consumer electronics-- domestic appliances-- components-- semiconductors-- and medical systems. Philips is quoted on the NYSE (symbol: PHG)-- London-- Frankfurt-- Amsterdam and other stock exchanges. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter

Contact:
Kulpita Maji

An excellent opportunity for IT/BPO firms to set up shop in India

New Delhi, February 23, 2004

A McKinsey-Nasscom report states that if work is contracted to India, there is a cost saving of 40-60 percent, quality improvement of 3-8 percent and productivity increase of 20-150 percent.

Haryana, adjoining Delhi- is a rich reservoir of trained and skilled manpower and has one of the best infrastructure facilities with world-class security arrangements that encourage foreign companies to set up their offices here.

Some highlights of the Haryana Technology Park are:

• A 130,000 square meters or 1.4 million square feet air-conditioned facility.
• Located in the vicinity of Delhi, the national capital of India - just 3 kms from Delhi.
• International quality plug and play offices with flexible interiors on large floor plates, targeted for occupation in just 24 months for 24 x 365 operation.
• The targeted rentals for space at less than seventy-five U.S.A cents per square feet per month.
• U.S.A. GBC LEED certified, "Green Building."
• Continuous & uninterrupted power supply backed by captive power plant.
• Excellent accessibility via all communication routes.
• State-of-the-art IT Infrastructure with optical fiber backbone.
• Abundant skilled manpower without regional accent bias.
• Haryana Government's support through special incentives.
• World - class facilities like recreation centers, Shopping areas, Food courts, Daycare centers, Medical Sick Bay, Gym & health club, meditation center, Overnight residential rooms, Travel agencies, car rentals, courier & postal services, Banks & ATMs, Educational / Training facilities and ample parking space for over 1,600 vehicles.
• International certifications for ISO9001 & 14001, SA 8000 and OHSAS 18001
• Language support for German, French, Japanese, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese etc

It will be an Indian Govt. recognized STP unit with all the attendant income tax and duty free import benefits and facility.

A substantial area of the Park will be a plug and play facility especially designed for USA/Europe based companies for instant start up.

Research group Forrester claims that 500,000 IT jobs would shift offshore to countries such as India by 2015. For 2003-2004 industry estimates indicate that over 280,000 IT jobs will be added to India's base of 650,000 IT professionals.

Mr. Kamal Meattle, CEO, PBCTM STIP, the promoter of the Haryana Technology Park, said "We understand the critical importance of quality, consistency and reliability of our value - for- money services and know that our growth is possible only through our customers' success. We have learnt to made customer care, our business".

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Kulpita Maji

India to supply state-of-the-art missiles to international markets news

Kulpita Maji
12 February 2003    
   

       
New Delhi: Establishing a key milestone in the history of Indian defence capabilities, MBDA, part of Europe’s largest aerospace company EADS (European Aeronautics Defence and Space Company) has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with India’s Bharat Dynamics (BDL) to jointly develop and manufacture state-of-the-art missile systems for Indian and international markets.

The MoU, which marked the conclusion of Aero India 2003, will extend cooperation in manufacturing and strengthen the development of all varieties of missile systems including anti-tank, surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles required both by the Indian Armed Forces and those abroad.

The MoU was signed in the presence of French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Indian Minister of State for Defence O Rajagopal and N S Sisodia, secretary (DP&S), Indian ministry of defence.

Reflecting at the potential India has in providing advanced defense technology to the world, EADS CEO Marwan Lahoud says: “For the first time MBDA is engaging in a strategic cooperation of this level with a company and a country outside western Europe.”

BDL CEO and managing director Major General P Mohandas VSM (Retd) adds: “Such partnerships will allow BDL to expand its activities in R&D as well as in manufacturing. This partnership will address the export market with the support of a strong European partner.”

The MoU signifies an important step towards making India a major manufacturer of state-of-the art systems and permits BDL to offer cutting-edge defense technological solutions to other countries and potential markets, besides taking the nation towards self-dependency in missile solutions.

With an annual turnover of approximately $2 billion, an order book of more than $13 billion and over 70 customers in the world, MBDA is part of Europe’s largest aerospace company, EADS. Through the merger of the missile activities of Aerospatiale Matra Missiles, Matra BAE Dynamics and Alenia Marconi Systems to create the new company MBDA (EADS and BAE Systemshave have 37.5-per cent share each, and Finmeccanica has 25 per cent), EADS heads the missile market in Europe and holds the No 2 position in the world.

Idea Cellular’s airtime tariff on post-paid reduced up to 43% news

Idea Cellular’s airtime tariff on post-paid reduced up to 43% news     
Kulpita Maji
04 February 2003    
   

New Delhi: Idea Cellular Ltd, the leading cellular services provider in India, has unveiled its new postpaid and prepaid tariff plans for their consumers of Delhi/NCR.

As a part of the revised tariffs, Idea Cellular has reduced the airtime tariff by a whopping 43 per cent on postpaid. For the prepaid customers, the proposition just got better — customers can now enjoy an outgoing airtime rate as low as Rs 2 per minute which is 16 per cent lower than any other prepaid offering in the market.

Says Idea Cellular chief operating officer Himanshu Kapania: “Our superior technology and infrastructure gave us an edge when we entered the Delhi market as the fourth cellular operator. Now, it is the same technology and infrastructure that has enabled us to offer highly innovative, competitive and customer friendly tariff plans for both postpaid and prepaid customers on Delhi’s only ‘congestion-free’ network.”

In addition to the affordable new tariffs, Idea Cellular customers continue to enjoy exclusive Idea innovative products on both prepaid and postpaid.

Idea power services

    * M-Coupon: an electronic discount coupon
    * Delhi Life: useful ‘yellow pages for Delhi’
    * Language SMS: to add that ‘desi touch’
    * M-Chat: chat on MSN, Yahoo, ICQ right on the handset without paying ISP and dial-up charges

MMS (photo messaging) Customers can send pictures, photos, audio or video clips after signing up for MMS activation. For the first time in India even a prepaid customer can enjoy this hi-tech feature. Idea’s superior infrastructure enables its post-paid consumer to enjoy GPRS that enables the customer to:

    * Surf the net on his handset
    * Connect a laptop with the mobile using infrared port and surf while travelling in a car
    * Check emails
    * Upload and download data from any site
    * Without paying any ‘connect charges’
    * A customer pays only for what s/he downloads or uploads at an unbelievably low rate of 30 paise per KB.

About Idea Cellular Idea Cellular, formerly Birla Tata AT&T, is India’s premier and fastest-growing cellular company, promoted by the country’s largest business houses, the Aditya Birla group and the Tata group, and the world’s largest telecom giant, AT&T Wireless, USA. The company has its footprints in the seven circles of Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra (excluding Mumbai) and Delhi.