Cine Blitz 20091001 Scan01 Vidya Balan

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Our lives have become so stressful. Each day has become some sort of a fight. That is the reason it was so refreshing to see Vidya Balan looking content and at ease.

Computer Active 20091101 Scan02 HDR

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Despite far superior technology, photographic film is still better than digital cameras in emulating the dynamic range our eyes can perceive. That's where High Dynamic Range steps in. Wikipedia defines HDR as a set of techniques that allow a greater dynamic range of luminances between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods. This wider dynamic range allows HDR images to represent more accurately the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes ranging from direct sunlight to faint starlight.

Computer Active 20091101 Scan01 Assembled Computers

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Despite all the craze over laptops, desktops are the real workhorses and not just because they are more powerful but also because they are more open. In fact, laptops are almost like other electronic gadgets - proprietory. Fine we might be able to swap the OS or the hard disk or the memory stick but that's just about it. On the other hand, it makes perfect sense to assemble our own desktop. And even if we entrust the procurement and assembly of components to our local computer dealer, at least we can take comfort from the fact that desktops hardly ever suffer systemic failures. Branded PCs (same components but better packaging) make sense to corporates where reliability, service and legality take precedence over cost and comfort level. The only thing we need to look out for is obsolescence. For instance if the mainboard of our PC takes DDR2 memory and nowadays PCs are coming with DDR3 RAM, we may not be able to procure DDR2 RAM easily. Either it might have gotten more expensive, or might not be available with warranty or even might not be available new. Similarly in storage, the market has already shifted from IDE to SATA. And so on. Enterprising outfits do come out with adapters to bridge these changes but major players usually stay clear of such compromises.

Filmfare 20091125 Scan13 Makeover

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An example of just how talented our makeover maestros really are.

Filmfare 20091125 Scan12 Hritik Roshan

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Hritik Roshan has always been an "Adorable Hunk". But here, thanks to that hairdo, one is compelled to drop the term "Adorable" from the epithet.

Filmfare 20091125 Scan11 Bipasha Basu

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This image is a perfect example of what might be called a kindergarten snap where each child is lost in his or her own world. Here, of course, Bipasha Basu's world is certainly looking the best of the lot.

Filmfare 20091125 Scan10 Sushmita Sen

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If you like something in any shape or form, then it indicates a soul connection. I happen to love all kinds of polo necks. For me at least, necks are crucial to how I perceive elegance.

Filmfare 20091125 Scan09 Rajeev Khandelwal

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This is a nearly perfect photo of Rajeev Khandelwal. The only two things wrong are the excessive bleaching and the twig. The whole point of bleaching (or stone washing, I know stones are no longer used) is just so the pair of jeans gets a worn out look even though it is brand new. A proper riding whip would have gone so well with those riding boots. Some horse in the background could have added to the overall impact. Still an excellent composition.

Filmfare 20091125 Scan08 Katrina Kaif

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If Katrina Kaif is looking gorgeous, as much as half the credit must go to her hair. A bit unmanaged but lovely shade and lustre, helped, of course, by the dark dress on both herself and Akshay.

Filmfare 20091125 Scan07 Citizen Ad

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The model is too sweet for my taste and the dress is too awkward and the watch shown has too deep a dial and too colourful a pearl finish, but the background has been done to perfection. No question about it.