SXSW crowd swarms for iPad 2 launch

The new iPads have landed -- and the throngs turned out to greet them.

Apple maintained an air of mystery about its South by Southwest (SXSW) pop-up shop until the very last minute, waiting until barely an hour before launch time to unveil its logo and transform an anonymous, empty corner store in downtown Austin into the epicenter of iPad 2 mania. By then, the line of waiting shoppers stretched for blocks, tipped off by an article in a local newspaper late Wednesday that revealed Apple's plans.
Shopper No. 1, Austin local Sweet John Muehlbauer, turned out at 6:30 a.m. to secure his spot at the head of the line. Right behind was a contingent that traveled much further: Four South Africans, who capped off a 35-hour plane trip to SXSW with a nine-hour wait in the iPad line. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to queue up, but the group made the most of its wait.
"I'm going to get two for myself," declared Graham Bradford, founder of Cape Town-based Web development firm Graydot. "One as a backup. Or I might give one to my future girlfriend. I don't know who that is yet, but having an iPad 2 should help, right?"

Fifteen minutes before launch time, a squad of Apple employees emerged from the shop -- still covered with opaque paper concealing the view inside -- and began writing out purchase tickets. Most of those waiting rattled off their requests like a fast-food order: "Two 32 gig white Wi-Fis, one 16 gig Verizon 3G in black ..."

But a few customers wanted to drill down into the specs. Tim Street, in from Los Angeles, spent 10 minutes grilling an Apple staffer about prices, data plan options and storage capacity before making his decision: a black 64 GB Wi-Fi iPad and an AT&T 3G 64 GB model, also in black.

The decision took longer than the purchase. At 5:08 p.m., Street emerged from the shop, victoriously waving his iPads aloft. He plans to keep one and share the other around the office at MDialog, a mobile video software developer.

Apple didn't take pre-orders for the iPad 2, forcing those who wanted to get one right away to hop on line. At the company's New York City flagship, hundreds turned out. The first half-dozen lined up 24 hours in advance, braving a drizzle and chilly temperatures.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster says his team counted 1,190 people in line at the shop at 5 p.m. That outnumbered the 730 people in line at launch time for the first iPad in April 2010.

In Austin -- where the SXSW Interactive show opened Friday morning, drawing more than 10,000 people to the city -- the weather was balmy and the line atmosphere party-like. Many of those waiting already had the first version of the iPad, released less than a year ago, but were eager to trade up to the faster and thinner new model.

But a few were crossing enemy lines. One of the earliest spots in line was held by a
shopper wearing an Android t-shirt. Aaron -- "I'm not going to give you my last name," he said -- had no interest in Apple's latest gizmo. "I run Android businesses. No way I'm using one," he said.

His plan: Resell the iPads for a $200 markup. He already had one buyer lined up.Others had no intention of letting their new prize out of their hands. Surrounded by cheering crowds, a media swarm, and a line stretching for blocks, the iPad 2 launch had the air of a historic -- or religious -- occasion.

IPad D.J. Rana Sobhany lined up to snag two iPads that she plans to press into immediate service for musical sets Friday night."Apple has really been pushing the music capabilities of the iPad a lot," she said. This time around, Apple built a lot of native functionality for musical experimentation right into the device: "That really does change everything."

"The poor guys in there are shaking," Graham Bradford reported, emerging from the shop
clutching a pair of iPads. "I'm shaking. I'm the first South African to have an iPad!"

Jessica Biel: Devastated By Justin Timberlake Split?

One of the most private, talented and beautiful celebrity couples in the world, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, are officially over. Done. Kaput.

No, for real this time. Their reps have even confirmed it.

While the stars insist, via their reps, that the breakup was amicable, an E! source says Justin did the breaking up and Jessica Biel is "devastated."

A friend of Biel's denies this report, adamantly too.

"Jessica is not devastated," said a friend. "That's just crap. She's a very independent, proud woman with her own career, she's fine." Good to hear.

In any case, the two have been battling breakup reports - and rumors of him cheating with Olivia Munn, among others - for quite a long time now.

More likely, they simply grew apart. These things do happen with love, even if there's no huge scandal or third party. We wish them both the best.

P.S. Call us, Jessica. You know, if you need someone to talk to.

Hrithik’s guzaarish accepted

The star is happy with Supreme Court’s verdict on conditional euthanasia

Welcoming the Supreme Court verdict in favour of conditional passive euthanasia for terminally-ill patients, Hrithik Roshan, who played a paraplegic in director Sanjay Leela Bansali's ‘Guzaarish’, says that he can realize the pain of a patient who loses all mobility. Hrithik says it's a good beginning and with time it would become easier for the society to accept it. "Any act that ends consistent suffering in any form must be condoned. Euthanasia must be allowed in cases that merit it," he said. "This is a good beginning, in time as we evolve as a society, it will become easier to see reason in the concept of euthanasia as a boon for those who are suffering to a degree, which you and me cannot even imagine," Hrithik said.

The Supreme Court gave a sanction to passive euthanasia if the high court concerned approves it. The process involves withdrawal of life sustaining drugs and/or life support systems for patients who are brain dead or in a persistent vegetative state (PVS), after their relatives and doctors convey their approval to high court.

Aishwarya ignores Kareena at an event

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan ignores Kareena Kapoor at an award event. Kareena was sitting in the first row and Aishwarya passed Bebo without giving her a glance. Ash greeted her friends sitting left and right to Bebo but did not bother to look at her or give a smile.

The reason of their rivalry is not hidden to anyone. It all started from the days when Abhishek Bachchan broke engagement with Karishma Kapoor.

Moreover, Aishwarya Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor are strong contenders for Madhur Bhandarkar’s ‘Heroine’.

Ashthon Jones on American Idol Exit: God Will Hook Me Up...

Yes, Ashthon Jones became the first season 10 finalist to be eliminated from American Idol. But don't feel sorry for this aspiring artist.

"I feel like it was all in God's timing, and He has something better for me," she tells E! News." I'm not saying American Idol was not [good], but something great is what I feel in my spirit right now, and I can't wait to see what is going to happen."

Jones did break down upon receiving news of her ousting, but assures fans: "I left those tears on the stage," concluding:

"That strength has nothing to do with me. That strength comes from God. I know a lot of people don't believe or don't understand what I'm saying, but that strength comes from up above."

Google, local platforms respond to Japan's 8.9 earthquake crisis

An earthquake with a magnitude of 8.9 hit Japan today, resulting in tsunami warnings for 20 countries, as well as California and Hawaii. Crisis mappers wasted no time responding: In under 2.5 hours Google launched its person finder application, which was also used when New Zealand's 6.3 quake struck last month, and a local developer in Tokyo, Shu Sigashi, a member of the OpenStreetMap Foundation in Japan, quickly put up a localized Ushahidi crisis platform.

Crisis mapping's reach only goes as far as it is utilized, so the key now is getting the word out that online tools are available to help report the missing. Google's person finder app is already rapidly increasing in usage. Within a couple hours 2,000 reports had been logged.

If you type in the name, "Yoshi," in Google's app, results come up that indicate whether people with that name have been reported as alive or missing.
Hawaii's Pacific Disaster Center has updated tsunami warnings and an interactive map with information on the risks present on each island.

The UN satellite monitoring group that teamed up with Google and George Clooney in Sudan could also be activated at the request of the Japanese government at any moment.

"We're on standby basically," UNOSAT's Lars Bromley tells Fast Company. "The Japanese have a very good disaster satellite monitoring program run out of their space agency (JAXA). We'll assist if they request it."

Katrina wants marriage, Ranbir refuses

A new turn in Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif’s split-up. Earlier, it was reported that the duo split-up due to Ranbir’s proximity to his ‘Rockstar’ actress Nargis Fakiri but now the real reason of their break-up is said to be marriage issue. Katrina Kaif wants to settle down with her boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor but the actor refuses to get hitched at this period of time.

Ranbir reasoned Kat that he is still young to understand and take the responsibility of marriage. Kat who usually prefers to keep her personal life private is very serious about her relationship with Ranbir and even went public.

Katrina wants quick engagement followed by a wedding but the actor declined for such commitment at this moment.