Tatas to use Qualcomm tool for Push-To-Talk services
Mumbai: Qualcomm Inc and Tata Teleservices have signed a memorandum of understanding for use of Qualcomm's BREWchat solution to offer push-to-talk (PTT) services, which are amongst the latest applications available on wireless networks. PTT services allow the mobile phone to connect to a network of cell-phones by just pushing a button and functioning like a walkie-talkie. Tata Teleservices plans to launch this service in mid-2004, said a news release from the company.
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Apollo Health launches 'The Cradle'
New Delhi: Apollo Health and Lifestyle Ltd (AHLL), the wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo Hospitals, has launched boutique maternity centres. To be called `The Cradle,' these state-of-the-art specialised maternity care centres will cater to the needs of expectant mothers and newborns.

These centres are the result of an extensive study of top-notch birthing facilities in Western countries. The Cradle will have private birthing suites equipped with all the medical facilities required for a normal delivery. Other state-of-the-art medical facilities will also be available at The Cradle. The company is planning to set up these centres in 8-10 cities across the country, including Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh and abroad, through joint ventures.
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Tata Steel raises beneficiation capacity to 4 lakh tonnes
Mumbai: Tata Steel has raised its beneficiation capacity from 1.08 lakh tonnes per annum to 4 lakh tonnes as a measure of mineral conservation. It plans to further increase this capacity to 7 lakh tonnes at an additional investment of Rs 37 crore. The new facilities are expected to be commissioned by the end of the year.
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Maruti launches LPG version of Omni
New Delhi: Maruti Udyog has launched an LPG-equipped variant of the Omni Cargo at Rs 1.78 lakh. According to the company, the Omni Cargo LPG will appeal to a diverse range of businesses, but notably retail and distribution businesses. The company points out that LPG filling and dispensing stations are currently available in 14 cities.
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Gas supply restored to Samtel Color
New Delhi: GAIL (India) Ltd has restored gas supply to Samtel Color Ltd (SCL), a maker of integrated picture tubes and part of the Rs 1,250-crore Samtel group. According to a company communiqué, with the resumption of CNG supply, Samtel has reverted to using natural gas fuel in all operations at its plant in Ghaziabad. The company expects to save Rs 30 crore annually in the process.
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Cybage Software to open unit in Redmond
Pune: The Pune-based Cybage Software Pvt Ltd has chalked out plans for setting up a subsidiary in Redmond, US, this year, in order to service requirements from Microsoft Inc., and also plans to open offices in Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles in the next one year. The company is planning to induct about 300 additional software professionals and intends to have a headcount of 1,000 software professionals by 2005.
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Tata Motors launches latest version of LCV
Hyderabad: Tata Motors has launched its latest version of the LCV 407, the Tata SFX 407EX. The company has sold about 3.5 lakh Tata 407s during the last 17 years and currently commands about 55 per cent market share in this class.
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ADP solutions for Williams de Broe
Hyderabad: Williams de Broë, the London-based stockbroking subsidiary of ING Belgium, has signed a seven-year outsourcing agreement with Automatic Data Processing, Inc., a subsidiary of ADP Wilco. The agreement will make Williams de Broë the first user of the ADP Wilco's single-solution outsourcing service for both institutional and retail securities transaction processing, utilising its integrated processing platform from ADP's data centre in North America.
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Hutch and Aircel top the list
New Delhi: Hutch and Aircel jointly lead the rankings of Indian cellular service providers based on their ability to meet customer expectations, while the state-owned Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), which offers mobile services under the `Dolphin' brand, has been rated at the bottom of the list, according to the annual survey on mobile operators by TNS Celltrack (formerly known as NFO).

While Hutch and Aircel share the top honours with 78 points each, Reliance Cellular got a score of 73 while Tata's Idea and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) shared the next rank with 72 points each. Bharti and Spice were next on the list with 70 and 67 points respectively according to a TNS release. This is the fourth year when TNS has released its rankings of Indian mobile phone operators.
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IBM tech for Crest's digital animation studio
Mumbai: IBM and Crest Communications Ltd have announced that IBM will provide and implement an end-to-end open standards-based technology infrastructure for Crest's next generation digital animation studio. IBM's Digital Content Creation offering will enable Crest to simplify its operations and technical environment, making it possible for the company to lower the high cost of rendering and shortening the content creation cycle time, a press release said.
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SolidWorks: Looking for more customers in India
Chennai: The US-based SolidWorks Corporation hopes to add about 250 new users in India for its mechanical design software. The firm currently has about 1,000 users in various sectors, including automobiles, machinery, electronics and education.
According to the company, top Indian software companies like Infosys and Satyam use the company's products to design applications for their customers.

The US-based SolidWorks is a 100 per cent subsidiary of the $1-billion Dassault Systems that develops and markets 3D CAD software for mechanical design, analysis and product data management. French firm, Dassault, acquired SolidWorks in 1997.
SolidWorks has identified Asia-Pacific, especially India, as a key potential market for its products.
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FortuneInfo bags deal in Lebanon
Hyderabad: Fortune Informatics Ltd has announced that the company has bagged a project to deploy its k-click ReportSuite for the Lebanese Postal Department. This solution has been integrated with Pitney Bowes's range of document finishing hardware to provide a comprehensive solution from document design and creation, to finishing and delivery.
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Fridge market to grow 15 per cent next year
Chennai: The market for refrigerators is likely to get a boost in 2004-2005 with projected sales of 4.1 - 4.2 million units, from the expected 3.65 million units in 2003-2004, according to a forecast made by Francis Kanoi Marketing Research. The forecast uses highly evolved models to track, over the years, the relationship between customer purchases and the market dynamics and the macro-economic environment.
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Digitalshoppy.com unveiled
Hyderabad: Digital Shoppy has announced the launch of its e-commerce enabled store — digitalshoppy.com. The store offers a range of products in consumer electronics, home appliances and small appliances for the consumers to choose, including from those that were virtually non-existent in the traditional stores. The facility would, however, be limited initially to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
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LG targets sale of 4 lakh air-conditioners for '04
Kolkata: LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd hopes to sell four lakh air-conditioner units in the domestic market in 2004, whichwill translate into revenues of Rs 850 crore. Air-conditioner sales are expected to account for 25 per cent of LG Electronics India's total revenue by 2007. The company's share of the domestic market for air conditioners in the organised sector has presently been pegged at 31 per cent which is expected to go up to 40 per cent during the year ending December 31,2004.
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