2. A rocket carrying an Earth-observation satellite for civilian
and military use has launched from California's Central Coast.
The payload was the last part of a four-satellite system called
COSMO-SkyMed that uses radar to create images for defense
and scientific purposes, mainly in the Mediterranean region.
The satellite system was developed under an agreement
between the Italian Space Agency and Italy's defense ministry.
3. Microsoft launched its Xbox 360 motion-sensing controller
Kinect on Thursday with a Times Square extravaganza.
Kinect, which went on sale at more than 30,000 US stores on
Thursday, uses a 3D camera and motion recognition software
to let people play videogames using natural body movements
and voice commands instead of hand-held controllers.
The Kinect hits the market on the heels of Sony PlayStation 3
Move motion controllers which IDC estimates will sell
between 2.0 million and 2.25 million units by the end of the
year.
4. A four-gigabyte Xbox 360 console that includes the Kinect
and "Kinect Adventures" sells for 299 dollars.
Seventeen Kinect games are currently available ranging from
dance, exercise and sports titles to "Harry Potter and the
Deathly Hallows," which lets people portray the fictional
young wizard.
The Kinect is to go on sale in Europe on November 20 and in
Japan on November 20.
5. China and France have joined forces to push for reform of the
global monetary system when France takes the helm of the
G20 economic grouping next week.
They reached a "true convergence of views" on France's
reform plans in talks between President Nicolas Sarkozy and
his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao in the Mediterranean city of
Nice,
There is a true convergence of views between China and
France on the aims to be achieved and the route and means
necessary to achieve this reform
6. The Shiv Nadar-promoted HCL Group and multinational
distributor of IT products, Ingram Micro, are in talks to buy a
controlling stake in Bangalore-based software firm, Sonata
Software
Sonata is a mid-sized software provider focused on offshore
software services and domestic software products distribution
and implementation
Sonata’s domestic business competes with the likes of Wipro
in India. “With some customers, such as IBM, HCL
Infosystems does not have tier one status
7. Sonata shares have surged in recent weeks on rumours that
Wipro and Oracle Financial Services Software are interested
in buying the company.
Sonata posted a net profit of Rs 95 crore on revenues of Rs
1,381 crore in fiscal 2010.
8. Take-out pizza chain hiring.
o Aged over 18,
o no experience required.
o Uniform provided.
o Salary: $31,000 an hour.
As part of a series of events commemorating the 25th anniversary
of its arrival in Japan, Domino's Pizza Japan is set to hire one lucky
person at the rate of 2,500,000 yen ($31,030) for an hour's worth of
work in December.
