Sunday, June 23, 2013

Nik Wallenda is set to be the first person to walk across the Grand Canyon on a tightrope

CATCH NIK’S DARING TIGHTROPE WALK ON TV



    Nik Wallenda is set to be the first person to walk across the Grand Canyon on a tightrope, and you can catch all the action live on your television. Discovery Channel will air the event on June 24 at 5.30am and again at 8pm. “The stakes don’t get much higher than this,” said Wallenda, adding, “The only thing that stands between me and the bottom of the canyon is a twoinch-thick wire. I’m looking forward to showing the audience a view of the canyon they’ve never seen before.” In 2012, Wallenda became the first person to tightrope walk directly over Niagara Falls from the US to Canada at a height of 200 feet.
    Nik is the seventh generation descendent of the legendary Wallenda family acrobatic troupe. Traversing the majestic Grand Canyon without using a harness will be one of the most daring and captivating live events in history. Nik said that this latest event will be the fulfilment of a lifelong dream to walk at such a great height as well as a chance to honour his great-grandfather, the legendary Karl Wallenda, who died after falling from a tightrope in Puerto Rico in 1978.
    Rahul Johri, senior vice-president and general manager — South Asia and head of Revenue, Pan-Regional Ad Sales and Southeast Asia, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, said, “Discovery Channel is renowned for celebrating extraordinary people and topical events through its entertaining programmes.Skywire Live With Nik Wallenda will be one of the most unique and spectacular acts in the history of world television and for the first time, we will bring the experience live for its viewers in India.”
    Discovery Channel will capture the nail-biting live event on Monday, June 24 at 5:30am with a special repeat at 8pm.

Nik Wallenda in Skywire Live With Nik Wallenda

Friday, June 21, 2013

I’m grateful to the Lord for being alive ...says cricketer Harbhajan Singh

I’m grateful to the Lord for being alive

...says cricketer Harbhajan Singh, who is stranded among thousands in Uttaranchal

    Floods and landslides in Uttaranchal have rendered thousands homeless and ruined the homes and properties of many more. Cricketer Harbhajan Singh witnessed the devastation first-hand, as he was stuck on his way to Hemkund Saheb Gurudwara. His pilgrimage was obviously cut short and he was rescued by the soldiers of Indo Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBPF), but the episode seems to have turned Bhajji into a philosophical person.
    Over our telephone conversation, one can detect a hint of sadness in his voice and of not hav
ing been able to complete his pilgrimage. He says, “It’s all Babaji’s directive... jab bulayenge, chala jaaunga,” adding, “I cannot thank God enough for the blessing called life! I really am grateful to the Lord for being alive.”
    The cricketer, who had been staying at the ITBPF mess in Joshimath, can’t stop praising the soldiers on their rescue operations. “The officers and jawans of the ITBPF are doing a selfless job along with the Army, and that too with a smile. In the face of so much suffering, it is so reassuring to be rescued by people who are sensitive to pain and have a humane touch,” he says.
    Bhajji has also been helping out those affected. He modestly notes, “I have met thousands of people in Joshimath and many have either lost their family members or their entire lifetime of savings. But, they still have faith and hope. I have just tried to reach out to them, to share their pain. I’m praying for all those who have suffered! I find solace while reaching out to the homeless and suffering!”

Harbhajan Singh

Are you suffering from Caffeine Withdrawal Syndrome?

Are you suffering from Caffeine Withdrawal Syndrome?


    Does missing your regular cup of coffee make you feel out of sorts? Maybe you’re suffering from the Caffeine Withdrawal Syndrome (CWS). According to the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders released by American Psychiatric Association, this has been listed as a serious problem. While caffeine addiction has always been recognised as a problem
by most people watching their health, trying to rid oneself of the habit proves to be a problem too now. 

WORRISOME FACT Nutritionist Sangeetha S says, “The illeffects of consuming too much caffeine-rich products like coffee have always been spoken about. But, one doesn’t realise that caffeine can be problematic because it is retained in your system. 
 
PEOPLE MOSTLY AFFECTED BY CWS Stock brokers Marketing professionals Media professionals Students Entertainment professionals
Too much of caffeine can be harmful as it affects one’s digestion and can even lead to dehydration. Since one’s body clock gets used to regular caffeine consumption, caffeine withdrawal is a condition to worry about too.” 

GROWING NUMBERS Deepshikha Agarwal, dietician, says that
nearly 40% of the people who visit her suffer from CWS in varied levels. “A lot of people suffer from CWS. Surprisingly, most of these are men. Another big chunk comprises of students. Both of these groups indulge in binge drinking of coffee to keep themselves mentally agile in times of stress,” says she. Some of the biggest symptoms include headache, irritability, lethargy, indigestion, lack of constipation and insomnia. Agarwal suggests that the best way to cope with a situation like CWS would be clever substitution. “The best way would be to replace the regular coffee intake with green tea or ginger tea. These act like stimulants in times of need, but ensure to keep the problem in check. While ginger aids in digestion and reduces chances of acidity, green tea is rich in antioxidants and hence aids concentration,” says she.

Sachin Tendulkar invites you to drive the Dynamic BMW 1 Series with him in Germany

ZIPPING TO GERMANY

Sachin Tendulkar invites you to drive the Dynamic BMW 1 Series with him in Germany



    Sachin Tendulkar’s fascination for motorsports and cars is no secret. And as he packs his bags for Germany to experience the all-new BMW 1 Series, 10 lucky people have the chance to join him. Just ahead of the BMW 1 Series launch in India, the brand is inviting participation from enthusiasts to become the first ones in the country to drive the Dynamic1. This also entails an all-expense-paid trip to the Maisach airstrip near Munich, Germany for the winners, where they get to experience the car
series on a racetrack with Tendulkar as well as Armaan Ebrahim, the only Indian race driver in FIA GT 1, a world championship sports car racing series.
    Says Tendulkar, “The Series meets all my driving requirements. Register now and you could be the first one to drive it with me in Germany.”Adds Ebrahim, “I can’t wait to get behind the wheel. The forthcoming driving experience on the racetrack in Maisach has got me very excited.”
    Register on www.dynamic1.in Registrations close June 30, 2013.




Thursday, June 20, 2013

E-filing of Income Tax Returns

E-filing of Income Tax Returns
 
It is time of the year, where many of you may be rushing to your Chartered Accountant's (CA's) office will all the requisite documents to file your Income-Tax (I-T) returns. However, this year your job doesn't end with mere gathering of all documents and handing them over to your CA or tax consultant. You see, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has widened the scope of e-filing of I-T returns (vide a notification), thereby making it compulsory for all individuals with a taxable income of over Rs 5 lakh during the financial year 2012-13 to file their I-T returns online. It is noteworthy prior to this, e-filing of I-T returns was mandatory for individuals having a taxable income of more than Rs 10 lakh.

So let us look what is the process of filing I-T returns online, assuming you are a salaried individual having no other income and therefore no additional taxes.

First, all you got to do is log on to the website: www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in and register yourself using your Permanent Account Number (PAN), which will serve as your user id.

Second, download the form applicable to you; which in case of salaried individuals is "ITR1" (Sahaj). But this year, for those who are eligible for tax exemption over Rs 5,000, i.e. whose allowance such as leave travel allowance, house rent allowance, conveyance allowance, amongst others, exceed collectively Rs 5,000, they will have to opt for form "ITR2".

Third, once you have downloaded the ITR form applicable to you, all one needs to do is fill on the details in the fields of excel sheet(s). Your Form 16 (which is the TDS certificate issued by your employer) can come in handy while filling the details herein.

Fourth, after having filled in the details as required, one needs to click the validate key and once you have done that, an XML will be generated which needs to be saved on your computer.

Fifth, the aforesaid XML file generated and saved onto your computer along with the respective ITR, then needs to be uploaded on the website: www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in after having selected the relevant assessment year for which you are filing the returns for. You see, a digital signature of yours will be asked for, and if you have obtained one you can select yes, or proceed ahead by clicking no. You see, it is not mandatory for salaried individuals to have a digital signature for e-filing of returns.

Sixth,ifyou have complied with all the mandatory requirements then the website would flash a message indicating the success and a mail would be sent to your registered email id with the ITR verification form.

Seventh, after having received the above all one needs to do is file take a print-out of the ITR verification form, sign it and send via post (even ordinary post would do) within 120 days from the date of e-filing of returns to the following address:

Tax Department-CPC,
Post Bag No-1, Electronic City Post Office,
Bangalore - 560 100, Karnataka

Eight, after having followed the aforementioned process correctly, you can expect an acknowledgement from the I-T department, and if you don't get one follow-up and / or send your form again.

The  e-filing of returns has made filing of tax returns less cumbersome for everyone. Yes, there are technicalities involved which may be difficult for non-finance individuals to understand, but one can always take help of CAs or tax consultants to e-file returns. You see, not filing your tax returns on time has perils involved and hence you should always file your tax returns on time. Also it is noteworthy that e-filing of tax return also helps in obtaining tax refunds (if any) putting many tax payers at an advantage. So go ahead and file your tax returns smartly.

Sunday, June 9, 2013

I want to buy a tablet device. My budget is R20,000

I want to buy a tablet device. My budget is R20,000. The size could be 7” or 10”, both are okay. Please advise.

----- A number of devices are available in this budget. If you could stretch it a little, even the Apple iPad Mini, the 7” segment leader, which starts at R21,900, enters the playing field. Suggested top of the line models are the Asus Google Nexus Tablet withh a 7” display, the Samsung Galaxy

Tab 2 P3100(right), and the newlylaunched Asus FonePad that comes with a 7” display and can also be used as a phone.

Short videos are the rage on social media.

Text and photographs are passé. Short videos are the rage on social media.

There are so many sights and sounds around us that many of us would like to capture as memories, be it of your child driving his first bicycle or your best prank on a friend. A video, needless to add, is leagues ahead of a photograph — and even a photo, they say, is worth a thousand words. These could be a fewsecond clips, or loops of funny incidents that go on and on.
So how would you like to be able to make small videos and upload them online, share them with your friends and family, whether via email or on your social media networks.
There are a couple of ways of doing this. The first one is the standard --- use a camcorder, record the video, process it on your computer, and then send it out to the virtual world. Then there is the alternative: snip off small videos right off your mobile phone, and share them in real time.
Let us look at some utilities that let you do this second alternative, and for free.

CINEMAGRAM

[Free on iOS and Android]

Sign in to create your account (you can do this with your email i-d, or facebook / twitter username), and follow a 3-step process. Record a video to a length you want, add effects to the capture you have done that range from retro to a scratched film to even a sepia tone, mask out areas you don’t want on the screen, and you are ready to share.
You can capture the first steps of your child, or someone reacting to a prank call, or whatever, in as short as 4-second videos. Like Instagram, you can also browse videos that people have made, or see trending cinemas.


VIDDY

[iOS and Android]

This does not make a loop video like the other two, but if you wanted a video with a sound track and some retro colours, such as blowing out candles at a birthday party or shooting waves while relaxing on a beach, Viddy lets you do all this. You can add effects before shooting or after, and if you change your mind, you can change the effects too. Trim or change speed of the video, edit brightness, add one of the many available sound tracks, and you are ready to share.
Viddy also is usable on the Web by visiting www.viddy.com.


KLIP

[Android and iOS]

Klip starts by asking your favourite topics, and suggests users you can follow while giving you access to the application. It lets you use both front and rear cameras, but what klip does not let you do is post-production, so choose your effects and settings with care before you start shooting. This is by no means an exhaustive list of available alternatives. Trawl the Net and you may find better stuff. But when you are filming strangers (and even friends) do remember to take their permission to shoot — and share.

 

LOOPCAM

[iPhone only]
This is a different approach to creating loop videos. Tap in the frame to shoot, and once you have a couple of taps done, push the arrow and a loop is created. ‘hairline guides’ to tell
There are you if you are shooting properly, and an interesting ghost mode. You can also switch the front camera to put yourself in the frame. If things get too dark, it lets you use the LED light on the back camera.
Build the loop, share it, and get your laughs. It cannot record audio, though, but building your first loopy video is simplicity itself.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

How we can keep our mobile safe?

LOST YOUR CELLPHONE?


Cellphones have become an extension of our personality. Losing it, or having it die on us, can be traumatic. This week, let us look how we can keep our mobile safe.
  1. Ensure that the mobile has password lock. This means that every time you access your mobile, you are required to punch in the password. If it falls into wrong hands, nobody can access the contents easily.
  2. Set up security, so that in case of multiple failures on password entry, the phone wipes itself clean. Of course, this means bidding goodbye to the data.
  3. Go to Norton.com and purchase Norton Mobile Security (R579.99), a simple, straight forward software. This will not only backup your mobile phone contacts to a remote cloud server, it will also let you restore contacts when you get a new phone.
  4. 4 Keep remote location on your phone switched on. Most Android and iPhones have this builtin. If you buy Norton Mobile security, it will add this feature. In case you lose your phone, you can locate it where it is, and if need be, even remotely wipe it clean.
Ideally, follow ALL these steps. Data is precious. In the wrong hands, it can wreak havoc with your life.

Friday, June 7, 2013

PRIVATE SOCIAL NETWORKING

Ever had an embarrassing moment when something you put on Facebook, strictly for your loved one, and got 50 likes in under five minutes? And some smart-alec friend suggested that you rent out a room to get cozy, rather than ‘do it online’! Sure, there are messengers. But what if you want ‘a little more’?
  1. Go to www.couple.me. Download the app for your Android phone or iPhone. (Sorry! No browser option exists.)
  2. Follow the setup instructions. Ask your “couple partner” to download the app, and send them an invite.
  3. Once both of you are online, you can message each other — messages that are visible only to the two of you. You can also send pictures, videos, voice notes, or make a drawing together.
  4. A shortcut sends a notification to the other partner “thinking of you”. You can share locations, do a live sketch, even play tic-tac-toe.
  5. The best part is the virtual kiss. Press the phone screen with your thumb. When your partner reciprocates, and both of you are pressing your respective screens, the phones vibrate!
Go have fun, celebrate your love, enjoy a personal social network!

Streaming Music - Apps that let you listen to music of your choice off the Web, and for free

THE DIGITAL ROUTE 

Apps that let you listen to music of your choice off the Web, and for free? Sounds interesting? Read on

Are you a music lover? Is your iPod (or cellphone, or your tablet, or whatever your favourite digital device) crammed with gigabytes of music files, all classified into playlists by genre, album and artist? Or are they just randomly thrown together into sundry folders? Do you listen to music while you work, workout, relax or while trying to shut down for the night?
The evolution of cellphones and smartphones first threw out the dedicated media player (almost). Now, the proliferation of broadband Internet means that you no longer need those gigabytes of memory space on your device either. All you need is to download a smart app for your smartphone, and click the right hyperlink, and you are ready to roll.
The international favourites are Pandora Radio and Spotify, but these are not available in India directly, unless you use a VPN (virtual private network) service provider who can give you a US IP address. But over the years, Indian sites are catching up. Here we look at four leading players.

Saavn offers a collection of songs in Hindi, Tamil, Telgu, Marath, Gujrati, Bengali, Kannada, Bhojpuri, and English. You can browse through albums, search for a specific song or album, play the whole album at one go, or play song by song. You can even share what you are listening on Twitter and Facebook, and you can also mark a track as your favourite.
You can add songs to a playlist and save playlists to revisit. The App uses banner advertisments to make the thing pay. For R220 a month, you can get Saavn Pro, which lets you download and listen to tracks offline. If you visit the Radio section, it lets you play random songs of a selected genre, say ‘item number’.

Gaana
[Web, Android, iOS, Blackberry, Java]
Features are similar to Saavn: search by song, by artiste or by album. It also connects to Radio Mirchi shows such as Purani Jeans. You can share songs or albums on social media. Gaana claims to have a huge database of songs, but language options are limited to Tamil, Punjabi, Hindi, English and Bengali. (For whatever reason, Gaana classifies Psy’s Gangam Style as English, by the way). Gaana’s pro version is Gaana+, which costs R170 a month, which lets you download and store songs for offline access. Download the music you want, and carry it around, never having to buy another album.

Hungama
[Web, Android, Blackberry, iOS]
Hungama’s take on music is different. It asks you your mood, and helps you locate appropriate music. You can also search for a track, album, or artiste, though we found this aspect to be slightly weaker in as compared to the others reviewed here. Hungama offers songs in Hindi, English, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu and Gujarati.
Unlike t he Gaana and Saavn apps,there is no pro version available for offline access. There is a Radio option, but you may not really need it, thanks to the ‘listen by mood’ offering. Gaana’s web and mobile app also supports videos, though for unlimited video access, you need to --- what else? Upgrade. Cost: R110.

Jango 

[Web, iOS, and Android]
The Jango model is even more different. It works as an artiste or genre radio, and does not let you select songs. So if you like, say, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a search for the artiste will bring up a channel that will play songs by Khan sahib. You get to mark ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ as songs are played, and depending on your likes, the song plays more often on your radio channel, giving you access to singers that you like, and songs by them.
There are also genre-dependent channels, from Jingle Bell rock, that throw up rock songs with the Christmas theme, or a channel called Vintage Hits for Mom. By default, songs are English, unless you select a specific singer.

VERDICT

Over all we loved the way Gaana and Saavn have made music available. The pro versions seem very interesting, though a monthly fee of R170 - 220 may be steep for accessing music. On the other hand, you would no longer be buying albums. We loved the way Hungama interacted with us, the Jango App gave us a way to find more songs, like the “When I’m Sixty Four, by the Beatles”.
Go ahead, download them all, and see what works for you.

planning to buy a tablet in a budget of R25,000

I am a student and am planning to buy a tablet in a budget of R25,000. I have short listed two — iPad mini 16 GB wi-fi, and Samsung Galaxy tab 2 P3110.
I prefer the iPad, but it lacks portable net connectivity. Please solve my dilemma. Also, is there any other and better option?
—Let us look at the bald facts. The iPad mini wi-fi costs R22,000, which leaves you with R3,000. Of course, you could always save up a bit more and postpone your purchase till you have R30,000 for an iPad mini 3G, but there are alternate options.
One: if your phone allows you to set up a personal wi-fi hotspot, you can share your phone’s 3G connection to hook up the iPad Mini to the Internet. Alternately, you can use the R3,000 left over from your budget to buy Huawei’s 355 dongle, or Lava’s W200 3G router, which will allow you to share a USB Internet dongle with your devices, giving you Internet access on the move.
Remember, too, that the Samsung P3110 is a very basic tablet. We recommend that you look at the Asus FonePad, which costs just R15,999 and even lets you make voice calls.

want to buy a smartphone with the maximum storage memory, all VoIP features, capability to play music

I want to buy a smartphone with the maximum storage memory, all VoIP features, capability to play music — but a light weight body.
Also I would like to download songs of Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney Houston, Madonna etc free of cost. Please suggest websites. 

—Most Android phones these days meet the specifications that you have outlined. They have microSD card slots that can increase storage space by 32GB or 64GB, and allow you to use applications such as Skype to make VoIP (voice over internet protocol) calls, though you would need to check their legality. For songs, websites such as
Saavan, Gaana, Hungama and Jango let you listen to music for free. However, we are not aware of sites f rom which you can legally download songs for free.


Set for a personal robot?

It is not science fiction anymore. You can assemble one at home

ROBOTS have this science fiction quality: gee-whiz, distant and meant for scientists and futuristic folks. Beyond the amazing leaps seen in a Rajnikanth movie, robots are increasingly deployed in factories as part of automation work. At home we already have floor cleaners available and soon we will have robots clean up the mess. The future is closer than you think.
The Lego Mindstorm (above) has set the yardstick for robot-toys, though there are many variants that can do similar things. Product variety available abroad is greater, though some local firms have a range of do-it-yourself kits.

And here we tell you that you can even make one.

Robot-building kits are now available in stores, from basic to advanced levels.
The range begins with kits from Frank Toys, under the Brand Name 4M, these start at around R599. But we speak today of more advanced varieties, something that could cost you R30,000 to build, the Lego Mindstorms.
The Lego Mindstorms are only sold by high-end toy stores, and are not easy to get on account of limited supply and high demand, but worry not. Version 3 of the Mindstorms, also called the EV3 is on its way this summer and should be out anytime, with some big stores rolling it out in the major metros. Also, Flipkart sells Lego online, and you can keep a watch.
So we guide you about Mindstorms Nxt 2.0 that is available today.

BUILDING BASICS

THE first part in building a robot is to learn the mechanics, and if you are not in a mood to spend 30,000 bucks or wait till the EV3 hits the market, then you can always start with the Lego’s Technic series. These start at just R1,299 and go upwards. Some of them will be pure mechanical machines, but for some you can always buy a set of motors and controllers and get control over them.
But a real robot is supposed to do things on its own, learn from its own mistakes, and be helpful. How do you do that?
The NXT2.0 contains a number of “bricks”: a 32 bit microprocessor controller, a couple of sensors, motors and everything that you need to build the robot. You put the machine together, stick in the motors and connect everything to the controller, all without bothering about soldering.
Building this is like building any other Lego brick model. But then comes the difficult programming bit. You install the application on your computer, and hook up the USB to the controller and program it. Coding is a bit of a challenge for people to start with, but visit the robot site (http://mindstorms.lego.com) and it will help you connect with resources that you can learn from.

LEARNING CURVE

THE software also offers a drag and drop interface, where you drag a sensor, say the light sensor, and the motor, and then connect these, and programme it such that when light shines on the sensor, it needs to spin the motor, and when there is no light, it should stop the motor. Leave the robot now in a well-lit room, and it will go find a dark corner, turn on the light in the dark corner, and it will go find the next dark corner, all while bumping into things! It gropes its way to learning. Perhaps like we do in our younger years. It is interesting and it is easy.
More interesting things are on the way. There is an iPad app coming that will let you interface your robot with an iPad so you could run it from the tablet. Also on the way is a faster processor and one that can be connected to the Internet so you can command it from a distance.

HONE YOUR SKILLS

TILL such time that you can’t get your hands on the NXT 2.0, or t he EV3, and you decide to play it cheaper, the best thing you can do is to reach out to a toy store near you and pick up one of the kits from Frank Toys. Websites such as Robokits.co.in, and www.fun2learn.com also have robot kits available. And while on it, here’s what you do. 1. Learn mechanics and build your first mechanical toy so you can get the basics of how mechanics work
2. Add a Motor to it, learn soldering, connect it to a battery let the basic robot move around.
3. Use an Arduino (microcontroller plaform) board, where you can program the motor and see how it runs or use sensors. The required code is available online but do go through it systematically, step by step.
Meanwhile, do watch out for the EV3, which may the real big toy.

DESKTOP VIEW FOR YOUR SMARTPHONE

DESKTOP VIEW FOR YOUR SMARTPHONE


The phones are becoming bigger by the day, and the screens taller, but nothing compares to a big-screen desktop. Sometimes one wishes one could use the desktop display to read and reply to emails and SMSs, or while managing your phone, like installing and deleting apps, or managing your contacts and photos. There are several alternatives; let us look at the simplest one.
  1. From your Android phone, go to http://m.snappea.com
  2. Click on the big green button, download and install the snap-pea application for android. Once the application is installed, it will give you a code; make sure your phone is connected to the Internet.
  3. Now from your PC, go to http:// web.snappea.com and input the code. Voila! you have control over your Android phone via the browser. You can now manage your applications, send SMSs, read, reply... all from the comfort of your PC. No need to worry about that tiny qwerty keyboard on the phone. Need more control? Download Snap Pea for Windows on your Windows PC (if you are on Linux or Mac, tough luck!), and the application will give you further control on your Android Phone, from your PC.

7 Investment Myths or ideas for which You Should not Fall for






7 Investment Myths or ideas for which You Should not Fall for

Are low P/E stocks really cheap and assure great returns Will all penny stocks be multi-baggers Read on to find out


Pick this stock,its trading at 52-week low. That stock is a multi-bagger,trading at such a low PE. Penny stocks make fortunes while stocks trading below book value are a sure pick for making quick bucks. Havent we all heard such statements at some point in our lives If you are one of those who believe in such assertions,read on.For,these are among the many myths in investing.Here we list seven of them

MYTH NO 1: STOCKS TRADING BELOW BOOK VALUE ARE CHEAP


Book value (BV) is the actual worth of a stock as in a companys books/balance sheet,or the cost of an asset minus accumulated depreciation.BV depends more on historical cost and depreciation and often has little correlation to the current share price.Shares of industries that are capital intensive trade at lower price/ book ratios,as they generate lower earnings.On the other hand,those business models that have more human capital will fetch higher earnings and will trade at higher price/book ratios.Price/book (ratio) of below 1 may be cheap but one should see other aspects such as earnings forecast,guidance,management and debt on the books of the company, says Angel Brokings equity derivatives head Siddarth Bhamre.

MYTH NO 2: STOCKS TRADING AT LOW P/E ARE UNDER-VALUED


Price to earning ratio (P/E) is one of the most talked about ratios in the market.This is based on the theory that stocks with low P/Es are cheap.However,P/E alone doesnt tell much about the stock price.P/E multiples may be a quick way to value a stock but one should look at this in correlation with expected growth earnings,the risk factors involved,companys performance and growth potential.This is surely a myth.It is also an indication of uncertain future earning of the stock concerned, says Birla Sunlife Mutual Fund CEO A Balasubramanian.The idea behind dividing price with earnings is to create a levelplaying field where some kind of comparison can be made between high- and low-priced stocks.Since P/E ratios vary across sectors,with growth stocks consistently trading at higher P/E,one can only compare the P/E ratio of a stock to the average P/E ratio of stocks in that sector.

MYTH NO.3: PENNY STOCKS MAKE GOOD FORTUNES


Penny stocks by nature are lowpriced,speculative and risky because of their limited liquidity,following and disclosure.If its easy to invest in penny stocks as here you shell out much less money per share than you would require for a blue-chip firm its also easy to lose.Says Bhamre,Fortune can be made by high-denomination stocks also.Denomination has nothing to do with the rationale for picking a stock.Generally,retail investors are fond of stocks that are at sub-. 100 levels.But there may be stocks that may be trading in.1,000-plus price but may well be cheap.Clarity on earnings is more important here.Anytime,I would be more comfortable buying an ICICI Bank (currently trading at.1,038) than an IFCI at.45.One should look at earnings visibility.

MYTH NO.4: THE WORST IS OVER IN THE STOCK MARKET


Timing the market,a common strategy among investors,means forecasting and that should best be left to astrologers and tarot readers.If one has done ones valuation studies,one shouldn't worry about timing the market.No one had predicted the bull run would take the Sensex from a level of 10,000 in February 2006 to over 21,000 in January 2008 just as no one had any idea of the following crash,which saw the same index plummeting to 9,000 in March 2009.Timing the market is more of a gut feeling.Its more on the basis of perception,as there is no such thing (that the worst is over) when the future is uncertain.One can never surely time the market.The worst is over is more of a probability than a certainty.Timing the market is very difficult as market is driven not just by earnings but also by sentiments, says Balasubramanian.

MYTH NO 5: STOCKS THAT GIVE HIGH DIVIDENDS ARE THE BEST BET


This comes from the notion that regular dividends are extra income in the shareholders hand.This may not always be true.While a company may be making decent payouts every year,the share price appreciation may not be comparatively high.Before investing in companies paying high dividends,its important to analyse if the company is reinvesting enough profit to grow its earnings consistently.Says Brics Securities research VP Sonam Udasi: Its not dividend that matters but the yield.For eg,a company may pay a 100% or even a 300% dividend on a stock with face value of.10.So,the investor may receive.10 or.30 per share when the stock may be currently trading at.800 or.1000.This would translate into an yield of 1% or 3% only.Also,such companies may not necessarily be reinvesting their earnings in the business to generate future earnings and so there may be no stock movement.The dividend may be high but the EPS and growth per se may be constant.

MYTH NO 6: INDEX STOCKS ARE THE BEST STOCKS


If this was true,most investors would safely park their money in such stocks in anticipation of maximum profit without looking out for other value stocks.Most indices are a collection of stocks with the highest market cap.Take,for eg,the Sensex.Companies that make up the index are some of the largest,with stocks that are highly traded based on their free-float.Index stocks may not necessarily be the best stocks as they are mostly based on market-cap or free-float of the company and not earnings.This doesnt mean that all stocks of the Sensex are highearning stocks.One must take a stock-by-stock call, says Balasubramanian of Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund.The stock price of a company depends on its earnings.One can find high-earning stocks outside the key indices as well,he says.The risk is certainly less with index stocks as they are well researched and leaders in their respective sectors,but,again,the margins may not be very high.So it's better to keep your eyes open to other stocks,too.

MYTH NO 7: STOCKS TRADING AT 52-WEEK LOW ARE CHEAP


Says Udasi: There may be a time in the economic cycle when a blue-chip stock may hit a 52-week low.But the first thing that should come to ones mind is why did the stock hit the 52-week low.There must be something fundamentally wrong with the stock if it has hit a 52-week low,and chances are they may hit a new 52-week low.52-week low in itself guarantees nothing.If at all one is picking stocks at 52-week lows,they should have a long-term horizon so that when the economic cycle turns,the stock is able to recover. Needless to say,quality matters most while buying any stock.


 

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Multiple Scrip’s Result Updates

Uninstall Delta Search

1. To Remove delta search in Mozilla Firefox

  • Open Mozilla Firefox, Click on tools menu (press ALT key once to active menu bar) then go to Options, after that a  configuration page will be opened, then click on General tab and then look on the very first section named as Startup. Under Startup you will see a HOME PAGE Edit Box, under this edit box you will see  www.delta-search.com, please replace it to www.google.com, then click on apply and close.
  • Restart Firefox Browser
  • Advance Steps

  • In the Firefox type this command in the address bar “about:config” and then hit enter
  •  After then you will get a popup on the browser asking for permission to open config page that comfirm that please use it carefull so please
    click on button named as “I’ll be carefully, I promise“.
  • Now you will a configuration page with search option on the top, so please type “delta-search” into search bar, you will get the result.
  • Replace all the string from “delta-serach” to “google
    In the search result do double click on the all entries (related to delta search) one by one, and change them to “www.google.com”

2. To Remove delta search in Google Chrome

  • Start Google Chrome, click on Settings icon (Located in very top right side of the browser), Under this menu find out and click on Settings after clicking on that you will appear a configuration page.
  • In the same configuration page find a option named as “Open a specific page or set of pages” click on Set Pages, here you will appear the bunch of URL (Set pages), you have to delete all them and enter only one which you want to use as your home page.
  • In the same configuration page find out the option named as ‘Manage search engines‘ click on that, then you will get a page as Default search engine settings, here you will get some bunch of search engines, first of all change your default search engine
  • Find out the google search engine and move your mouse pointer to their right side, here you will get 2 options.
  • 1. Make Default
  • 2. Close button “x” to delete the search engine.
  • Make default your google search engine, and delete all other than, one by one
  • Advance Steps

  • Please open this Preferences file in Notepad
  • Click on Start and type run type this below following path into the run box and then hit enter
    %UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
  • In this path please find a file named as “Preferences
  • Open this file in Notepad and find and replace all the “detla-serach.com” string to “google.com
  • Restart the Brower

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Company research reports


 
   
     
 
Tata Motors: 4QFY13 performance was above expectations.
 
  30 May 2013  
     
 
BPCL: Reported EBITDA of INR65.5b for 4QFY13
 
  30 May 2013  
     
 
Crompton Greaves: Growth pangs 2.0.
 
  29 May 2013  
     
 
Rural Electrification Corporation: 4QFY13 PAT grew 26% YoY to INR9.6
 
  30 May 2013