Telecom equipment maker Ericsson Tuesday said mobile broadband subscriptions are likely to reach the one billion mark globally in 2011. “During the course of 2010, a significant milestone in terms of mobile broadband subscriptions was reached as their number surpassed the half-a-billion mark globally. Ericsson estimates that this number will double before 2011 ends,” the company said in a statement. The greatest number of subscriptions, around …

Skoda Auto, the Volkswagen-owned Czech carmaker, said Thursday that its sales rose 11.5 percent in 2010 year-on-year, in what amounted to the firm’s new record. The firm said in a statement that it sold 762,600 cars last year compared to 684,200 cars in 2009. “In almost all markets, we have had significant growth and increased our market shares. Again, our sales have risen at a double-digit pace,” Skoda chairman Winfried Vahland said in a statement. …

The government should raise the price of bio-diesel obtained from the jatropha plant to support the bio-diesel industry’s sustainability efforts, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) says. In a proposal submitted to the ministry of new and renewable energy, the industry lobby suggested the price could be increased from Rs.26.50 per litre to Rs.36. “A study recommends that the present procurement price of Rs.26.50 as per the bio-diesel policy …

India will add 65,000 MW of power during the 12th five year plan as various power projects will be commissioned by then, union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said Sunday. “India’s electricity needs will be solved to a large extent in two-three years after the commissioning of various thermal and hydro-electric power plants now under various stages of construction,” Shinde said here after the opening ceremony of a power project. “These projects …

Apple’s set-top box TV system Apple TV has long since passed the phase where it’s the domain of hobbyists, according to Apple head Steve Jobs. That’s because the second generation of the Apple TV system is set to surpass the million sales mark in the next weeks, if it hasn’t done so already. “Apple had seriously underestimated the possible sales of Apple TV, particularly in Europe,” said Archibald Horlitz, head of Gravis, an Apple vendor in Europe, …

Google’s foray into internet television is not going quite as planned. Google plans to rework the software for Google TV before more manufacturers bring devices to market with that programming installed, reported US media recently. That’s after critics savaged the first take of the system. Google TV is designed to operate on special televisions or set-top boxes. Japanese company Sony and Swiss computer peripherals manufacturer Logitech are already …

A benchmark index of Indian equities was Friday ruling in the green in morning trade. The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 20,412.76 points, was ruling at 20,468.77 points – up 79.7 points or 0.39 percent from its previous close at 20,389.07 points. At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was trading at 6,121.6 points, up 0.32 percent. Broader markets were also in the …

National carrier Air India, reeling under a financial crisis with little funds for fleet expansion, will now get additional equity of Rs.1,200 crore ($250 million) from the government. The federal cabinet, in a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here Thursday, approved the funding for the turnaround plan of National Aviation Co of India – the entity that runs Air India. The proposal, based on inputs from the national carrier, …

A benchmark index of Indian equities opened almost flat with a positive bias Thursday, taking cues from stability in the global markets. The 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) opened at 20,038.83 points – up 23.03 points from the previous close of 20,015.80 points. At the National Stock Exchange, the 50-share S&P CNX Nifty also opened almost flat. Of the 30 stocks that constitute Sensex, 15 were in the red while …

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Wednesday said it has signed a multi-year agreement with global hospitality company Hilton Worldwide to enhance its technology strategy as part of its ‘Hilton Worldwide Innovation Collaborative’ initiative. “The innovation collaborative will evolve Hilton Worldwide’s technology infrastructure and accelerate innovation across the company’s portfolio of 10 brands,” the company said in a regulatory filing. The company, …