American football juke moves and a challenging soccer game: iPhone apps of the week

Apple released an update today for iPhone which addresses some issues and fixes some crashes in specific situations. According to Apple, iPhone 3.1.2 resolves a sporadic issue that may cause the iPhone to not wake from sleep; an intermittent issue that may interrupt cellular network services until restart; and fixes a bug that could cause an occasional crash during video streaming. If you've experienced any of these issues (or even if you haven't), make sure to plug your iPhone into iTunes to get the latest update. Be aware that the update is over 200MB so will probably take some time to get through the process. When you're done, come back and check out my latest apps!

This week's apps are both games, with an American football skills challenge type of game, and a long-awaited soccer (football) game with unique onscreen controls to pull off advanced moves.

The spin move is extremely effective (and high scoring) if you hit it at the right moment

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Backbreaker Football (99 cents for a limited time) is not a "complete" football game like Madden 2010 or NFL 2010, but instead focuses on the challenge of running around defenders to make touchdowns. Control your runner by tilting your phone--forward to run and left and right to turn. Onscreen buttons give you a variety of moves to make defenders miss including right and left juke moves, spin moves, and a turbo button to break free for the touchdown. There's also a showboat button so you can high-step into the end zone. Each move has a certain point value and when you string moves together (or showboat for more yards before the endzone) you get more points to add to your score.

The great thing about Backbreaker Football is that it doesn't take an enormous amount of time to play a few waves (running the distance of the field), so it's easy to get some quick playing time in. You get two game modes including Challenge and Endurance. Each challenge round lasts 10 waves as you try to get past defenders to score touchdowns. As you progress, red lines will block out parts of the field forcing you to dodge defenders within a smaller space. The Endurance mode has you run through wave after wave (50 waves) with an ever increasing number of defenders and difficulty. Get high scores to unlock extra items like different uniforms and new touchdown celebrations. Overall, if you're looking for an American football game minus the need to play an entire game or sift through giant playbooks, Backbreaker Football offers enough football action to be a lot of fun.

Use the radar at the bottom of the screen to make sure you have someone to pass to before hitting the button

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

FIFA 10 ($9.99) is mostly a great soccer game, letting you play full games in exhibition and tournament modes and offers a control scheme that's fairly effective once you get the hang of it. You can play as the whole team (with the player switch occuring once a player receives the ball or with a button on defense) or you can play the "Be a Pro" mode to control and advance a single player on the team. The biggest strength of FIFA 10 certainly is that you can play any of 570 teams across 30 leagues with a total of 12,620 players, each with their own skill set. This amazing amount of team choice will appeal to hardcore soccer fans because you'll likely be able to play your favorite team, no matter how obscure.

FIFA 10 for iPhone obviously follows a long line of console soccer games (of which I've played many) and while it does a fairly good job, the control system can be difficult to master. You get buttons for passing and shooting, but to pull off more advanced moves like through passes or slide tackles, you need to hit multiple buttons in succession (A to B to A, for example). It takes some getting used to and you won't be able to pull off some moves every time simply because of the lack of physical buttons, but I found it to be effective with some practice. Overall, FIFA 10 satisfies the need to get in a game of soccer, and even without all the extras of console versions, offers enough to be worth the money for soccer fans.

What are your favorite iPhone apps? Does Backbreaker Football have enough features to be your favorite football game? Is FIFA 10 the soccer game you've been waiting for? Do you know how hard it was to decide how to differentiate between the two sports without offending fans here at home or abroad? Let me know in the comments!

Coulthard faces 14 lakh fine for speeding on Bandra Worli Sea Link

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will consider action against organisers of the exhibition event, where former British F1 racer David Coulthard [ Images ] drove a Formula One car on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link [ Images ] allegedly beyond permissible speed limits.

"I have asked my officers to submit a report on the event. Action will be considered only after it is established that the vehicle went beyond permissible speed limits on the sea link," MSRDC Managing Director Satish Gavai said.

On reports that the organiser 'Raging Bull' stands to forfeit Rs 14 lakh deposit for the event for violation of speed norms, Gavai said, "We will come to that after we receive the report."

Asked if it was true that the organisers were asked to move the event date after the Assembly elections, to avoid it being seen as a showcase for the government, Gavai said, "We had asked them to defer the event but they had received necessary permissions for that date already."

Coulthard, who started from the Bandra end, reached a top speed of around 265 kmph despite MSRDC warning him not to cross the 100 kmph limit, MSRDC sources said.

The race team 'Red Bull' paid Rs 35 lakh to MSRDC, of which Rs 21 lakh was to compensate for the day's toll collection on the sea link and Rs 14 lakh as deposit in case of an eventuality like an accident or damage to the structure.

Speeding beyond 100 kmph on the link's curve could result in a vehicle losing its balance due to the centrifugal force, the sources said.

The sea link is designed to allow speeds of only up to 100 kmph. Presently, motorists are not even allowed to go beyond 50 kmph, but, gradually, the permissible speed would be increased to 80 kmph, they said.

After his high-speed drive across the sea link Coulthard said, "I have been driving over 200 kmph all my life. It is difficult to keep my speed below 100 kmph."

The sea link was inaugurated by Congress president Sonia Gandhi [ Images ] on June 30 and has been highlighted as a major achievement of the Congress-NCP government, ahead of the Assembly elections

Kawasaki Ninja 250R
+ More Ninja 250R Images
+ More Bikes by Kawasaki

ON ROAD PRICE

Rs. 2,95,000
* Mumbai. May vary.

VEHICLE SUMMARY Name: Ninja 250R Type: Sport Bike Top Speed: 176kph Fuel Consumption: City 32.00 Fuel Consumption: Highway 42.00 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS Displacement: 249cc Engine: Four-stroke, Parallel Twin, DOHC Maximum Power: 32.5 Bhp @ 11000 rpm Maximum Torque: 22 Nm @ 8200 rpm Gears: 6 Manual Clutch: Wet Multi-Disc, Manual Bore: 62 Stroke: 41.2 No. of Cylinders: 2 Cylinder Configuration: Parallel Twin Valve Per Cylinder: 4 Engine Block Material: Steel Chassis Type: Semi-double cradle, high-tensile steel Cooling Type: Liquid Cooling Carburetor: No, It Is Fuel Injected DIMENSIONS Length: 2085.00 mm Width: 715.00 mm Height: 1115.00 mm

OTHER SPECIFICATIONS Weight: 172.00 kg Ground Clearance: 135.00 mm Fuel Tank: 17.00 ltrs Wheelbase: 1400.00 mm Headlamp: Halogen Wheel Type: Black Mag Alloys Wheel Size: 110/70 R17-130/70 R17 mm Tubeless: Colors: Lime Green, Ebony Black ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SAFETY Suspension(Front): 37mm hydraulic telescopic fork Suspension(Rear): Uni-Trak with aluminum linkage Brakes: 290mm Petal Disc Brakes(Rear): 220mm Petal Disc Stand Alarm: COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE Fuel Guage: Analogue Self Start: Tacho Meter: Analogue Trip Meter: Analogue-1 Alloys: Warranty: 12 months Speedometer: Analogue Passenger Footrest: Passenger Backrest: Step-up Seat: Pass-light: Low Fuel Indicator: Low Oil Indicator: Low Battery Indicator: High Oil Temp. Indicator: Choked Air Filter Indicator:

Kawasaki Ninja 250R

Closeups Shots

Design & Style

Shades Available

Overview

Kawasaki has marketed the Ninja 250R since 1986 as an entry-level sport motorcycle intended for use on paved roads. The bike is marketed in the US as the Ninja 250R, as the ZX250 in the UK, and as the GPX250 elsewhere.

Bajaj India has launched the much awaited Kawasaki Ninja 250R in Indian market and deliveries are going to start immediately. But it is not going to compete with R15 and Karizma ZMR because of its high price tag which is a mind boggling 2.69 lakhs (Ex-Showroom India) which is quite high in comparison to specultions made which were between 1.85 lakhs and 2.10 lakhs.

Bajaj is going to import the Ninja250R in CKD form and it will be sold in the Bajaj probiking showrooms. They plan to sell around 1000 units of the Ninja 250R. Bajaj is also planning to increase the number of probiking showrooms to 30. They will soon bring some products from the KTM lineup via the CBU route.

Major Announcements Made By Bajaj At The Launch Of Ninja 250R:

- All New Bajaj Pulsar by 2011
- KTM Bikes To Be Launched in the January/February 2010
- Big Bikes From Kawasaki Stable To Fight Yamaha & Suzuki
- Bajaj Pro-Biking showrooms will offer complete three S’s – Sales, Service and Spares
- Ninja 250R spares will be imported directly from Japan and Thailand

Looks & Style

Ninja 250R is the best looking 250cc sports bike in its segment. Though there is no direct competition to Ninja 250R as it is the only proper 250cc bike on sale in India. It comes with complete fairing with large plastic and steel parts. Ninja 250R features a very aggressive look when viewed head-on, as it features dual-lamp headlamp. The rear view mirrors are mounted the smart fairing which is very well integrated in line with the overall look of the bike.

Between the mirrors, there is black tinted windscreen that offers protection for the rider. Front turn indicators, however, are in the conventional style that also come out of the fairing. The mask fairing goes down at fuel tank and engine. Only the bike monogram is pasted over the petrol tank and airscoops. Ninja 250R comes factory fitted with 6 spoke black alloy wheels which looks very stunning with racing strips at rim. Under the rear seat, there are two helmet holders. The tail side is also have sporty looks. The tail protection cover is slim and sharp. Step-up seat is another attracting feature of the bike.

Instrument Cluster & Features

The instrument cluster of Ninja 250R disappoints a bit as it comes in analog format. Speedometer, odometer, trip meter and tachometer are in analouge mode. It looks a bit boring in comparison to other Indian bikes we are used to, like we have digital cum analog instrumet cluster for Apache RTR, Pulsar 220 and Karizma ZMR. The cluster features some warning lights such as low oil, low fuel, choked air filter, high oil temperature and low battery indicators.

Engine & Trasmission

Bajaj has launched the European Spec Kawasaki Ninja 250R in Indian market. It is powered by a 249cc liquid cooled, parallel twin, DOHC petrol engine which develops maximum power of 32 Bhp at 11000 rpm with maximum torque of 22 Nm at 8200 rpm. The Ninja 250R features a six-speed transmission that has been revised for smoother shifting, and is mated to a more durable clutch. It also features an entirely new radiator provides better cooling while being lighter in weight.

Though Ninja is in league of its own and a proper 250cc sports bike - it is not fair to compare it with Karizma ZMR, Pulsar 220 & Yamaha R15. But here we have some data comparison of four best bikes you can buy under 3 lakh rupees.

Data	New Karizma ZMR	Bajaj Pulsar 220	Yamaha R15	Ninja 250R
Engine	4 Stroke	4 Stroke	4 Stroke	4 Stroke
Displacement	223cc	220cc	149.8cc	249cc
Max Power	17.6 Bhp-7000 rpm	21 Bhp-8500 rpm	17 Bhp-8500 rpm	32.5 Bhp-11000 rpm
Max Torque	18.5 Nm-6000 rpm	19 Nm-7000 rpm	15 Nm-7500 rpm	22 Nm-8500 rpm
Gears	5 Speed	5 Speed	6 Speed	6 Speed
Cooling Type	Liquid Cooled	Air & Oil Cooled	Liquid Cooled	Liquid Cooled
Top Speed	126 kmph	144 kmph	135 kmph	176 kmph
0-60 kmph	3.70 secs	NA	3.20 secs	5.75 secs (0-100km)
Brakes	Discs	Discs	Discs	Discs
Price	91000.00	71000.00	97000.00	269000.00

The engine of Ninja 250R has been tuned to deliver smooth, step-free power with an emphasis on low- and mid-range power for rider-friendly response. The Pistons feature reinforced heads and strengthening in the pin boss area for increased durability and also thick piston (longitudinally) rings help minimize oil consumption. The combustion chamber has been designed and optimized to maximize combustion efficiency and reduce emissions

Performance Figures Of Kawasaki Ninja 250R:

1) 0-100km/h : 5.75 sec
2) Top speed : 176km/h
3) Fuel economy : 42.5 Kmpl - Claimed By Bajaj India

Ninja 250R features refined intake and exhaust ports contribute to good off-idle response and smooth power delivery. Also the valve timing and lift has been designed for strong low- and mid-range torque while direct valve actuation ensures reliable high-rpm operability. And valves with thin heads and stems reduce reciprocating weight with 2-into-1 exhaust system contributes to the Ninja 250R’s low- and mid-range torque and smooth, step-free power curve. It meets strict emissions with dual catalyzers; one in the collector pipe and the other in the silencer positioning the first catalyzer as close to the exhaust ports maximizes its efficiency as well

The silky smooth 6-speed Gearbox features involute splines reduce friction and backlash between gears and shafts for easier gear meshing and smooth shifting under power. Also with spring-type clutch damper reduces jerkiness at very low speeds and minimizes shocks when rolling on and off the throttle for a smoother clutch feel. The paper-base friction plates help increase clutch durability.

Chasis, Suspension & Brakes

On the chassis front, Ninja 250R features a new diamond-type frame constructed of high tensile steel provides a steeper steering head rake angle, which results in an unchanged wheelbase when mated with a longer swingarm. The fork is larger and stiffer, with revised settings in comparison to 2008 model of Ninja 250R.

Ninja's 37mm telescopic front fork with firm settings contribute to the 250R’s smooth, stable handling and enhanced ride control. Also with uni-Trak rear suspension which compliments the rigid frame and re-tuned fork and provides great road holding ability. Rear shock features 5-way adjustable preload, enabling ride height to be maintained whether riding solo or with a passenger

The stopping power of Ninja 250R comes from large-diameter, 290mm front hydraulic disc at the front and a balanced action two-piston caliper offers excellent braking performance and a natural, direct feeling at the lever. The rear features two-piston caliper grips the rear 220mm petal disc

Booking Amount & Price Of Ninja 250R

The booking amount to book a Ninja 250R is 40,000 rupees and a consignment of 50 Ninjas have reached the Bajaj Pro-Biking showrooms. The only sore point in the deal is high price tag of 2.69 lakhs which is quite high for a 250cc bike and it is only going to help in boosting New Karizma ZMR's sales which is powered by a 223cc engine which is available for Rs. 91,000.

Ex-Showroom Price Of Ninja 250R In Other Cities:

New Delhi - 2,69,970.00
Chennai - 2,69,580.00

Though it was speculated that Ninja 250R is going to be priced around 1.85 lakhs but Ninja 250R is priced at Rs. 2.69 lakhs (Ex-Showroom India) which is very high and keep many prospective buyers away from buying this awesome bike.

Shades Available In Ninja 250R

Ninja 250R is available in 2 shades - Lime Green and Ebony Black. Though it is also available in red and blue in other global markets but Bajaj has launched it here in only two shades. It looks best in Lime Green shade for which all kawasakis are known for like we have yellow for a Lamborghini, Red for a Ferrari & Blue for a Yamaha

LG Arena KM900 Vs Nokia 5800 Xpress Music Comparison

Both LG ArenaandNokia 5800 Express Musicare flagship devices from two major manufacturers in today’s mobile phone market. After the revolutionary iPhone set the mood for the full touchscreen devices, all other manufacturers are vying to get a share of the steeply rising touchscreen mobile phone market. Nokia’s try to get the share includes their Music oriented touchscreen device, 5800 Xpress Music which also has some of the advanced features like 3G, WiFi, good 3.15 MP autofocus with LED Flash and lots of other features. LG Arena, on the other hand, packs in every feature which you can imagine. Let’s compare these phones in detail and see which one wins this battle between this two excellent touchscreen mobile phones.

1. Design

LG Arena KM900 : The design of the phone very much resembles the iPhone and feels to be nothing new in design in the first look but at a close examination, it feels to be of class whether it is the brushed steel trim or the shiny tempered glass screen. The device is 55.3mm wide, 105.9mm in length and 12mm in thickness which feels just the right of the device. The weight of 105g is also on the lighter side for a capable device like this.
Nokia 5800 Xpress Music : It is also a nice looking touchscreen phone with all of its face occupied by the touchscreen. The design is clean with rounded corners and candy bar shape. The device measures 111 X 51.7 mm in the face which is a bit narrower and lengthier than the Arena but is much more thicker than Arena at 15.5mm. The weight is also greater than Arena at 109g.
Conclusion : Though choosing a design is more subjective thing and it is more of a personal preference which one you’d like. But if you ask me I would choose Arena for its classy look-n-feel and slimness over the Nokia 5800 Xpress Music.

2. Touchscreen Display

LG Arena KM900 : The device houses a 3.0 inch TFT display showing full range 16M colors but the pixel count of the display is simply awesome at 480 X 800 pixels which is currently the best resolution available in a mobile phone. The touchscreen employed is a capacitive one and has sensitivity like the iPhone.
Nokia 5800 Xpress Music : The 3.2 inch touchscreen has quite high resolution of 360 X 640 pixels, higher than many devices currently available in the market and it also shows full range 16M colors. The resistive touchscreen has good sensitivity but not like that of Arena’s capacitive touchscreen. But the resistive touchscreen offers the facility of handwriting as an input with its stylus which the arena cannot due to its technical limitation.
Conclusion : Though there is no stylus support for Arena, still we think the touchscreen of Arena is better than 5800 for its responsiveness. Also the display resolution is the best in the market which takes 5800’s display look blurrier when compared side by side.

3. Interface

LG Arena KM900 : It features a whole new S-Class user interface which has a homescreen that rotates onscreen like a virtual cube and contains the media, contact shortcuts and shortcuts to other programs. The overall color scheme is very much attractive and alive. The rotating menu proves its usefulness to quickly navigate to your saved images and videos.
Nokia 5800 Xpress Music : The tried and tested Symbian 60 OS is in operation here. It uses the fifth version of the OS which is tweaked for inputs from the touchscreen. The OS is very stable and if you are a Nokia user, you’ll feel right home with menu options and every other thing.
Conclusion : Both the OS are excellent and it is hard to decide between them. If you prefer a stable OS, go for Nokia 5800, if you prefer a ‘good looking’ OS go for Arena.

4. Music

LG Arena KM900 : The phone is a multimedia powerhouse. All the music oriented features like 3.5mm Stereo headphone jack, capability to play all common formats of music is available in it. There is also 8GB internal memory which is expandable with another 32 GB micro SD Card. The Dolby Mobile sound enhancement is simply awesome.
Nokia 5800 Xpress Music : As the name suggests, the phone is made for music playing. There is standard 3.5mm headphone jack, all common format music playing capability and support of 16GB microSd card makes it a good choice for the music lovers. The sound quality is also top notch.
Conclusion : Both the phones have excellent music playback capability but I think 5800 Xpress Music has a fine edge is music playback over Arena.

5. Camera

LG Arena KM900 : It has a 5MP autofocus camera with Schneider-Kreuznach Optics and LED Flash. Feature like image stabilization are only found in good digital cameras. The image quality is also superb. Moreover, it can shoot videos at DVD resolution of 720 X 480 pixels.
Nokia 5800 Xpress Music : It has a 3.15 MP Camera with autofocus and LED Flash. The Carl Zeiss Optics is there to ensure distortion free pictures. It can shoot videos at VGA resolution.
Conclusion : The Arena sure has a better camera than the 5800 Xpress Music.

6. Connectivity

LG Arena KM900 : It has quad band GSM Connectivity and it also has 3G HSDPA Connectivity. Other connectivity options include WiFi, GPS, FM transmitter, Bluetooth, GPRS and EDGE connectivity.
Nokia 5800 Xpress Music : It is also a quad band GSM phone with 3G Connectivity. There are all other connectivity options like WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, GPRS and EDGE Connectivity.
Conclusion : Both phones are quite capable devices when it comes with connectivity options and there is no clear winner here.

7.Internet Browsing

LG Arena KM900 : The browser is very basic and sometimes it feels that it is not tweaked for its high resolution screen.
Nokia 5800 Xpress Music : The phone comes with a good browser supporting CSS, Javascript, dHTML, SSL, cookies and cache management. There is also Flash Lite 3.0 support to enable you view the YouTube videos in the browser.
Conclusion : The Nokia 5800 Xpress Music Browser is better than Arena.

8. Battery

LG Arena KM900 : It has a Standard Li Ion Battery of 1000 mAh capacity. The rated standby time is 300h and talktime is up to 3h 50 min.
Nokia 5800 Xpress Music : It has a standard Li Ion battery of 1320mAh capacity. The rated standby time is 406 hours and talktime is upto 8h 45 min.
Conclusion : Clearly, the Nokia 5800 Xpress Music has a better battery than the LG Arena.

9. Price

LG Arena KM900 : It is priced around $400 for unlocked version.
Nokia 5800 Xpress Music : It is priced around $300 for unlocked version.
Conclusion : Clearly there is a price advantage for Nokia 5800 Xpress Music.

10. Overall

LG Arena KM900 : Overall it is a multimedia powerhouse to compete with any top of the range phone from any manufacturer.
Nokia 5800 Xpress Music : It is a music oriented phone and is best at it but also packs in other useful features to make it a top choice for any gadget geek.
Conclusion : At the end of the day, there is no clear winner in overall aspect. If you want a multimedia powerhouse with one of the best cameras available and the best display with awesome sound, LG Arena should be your choice. But if you want to save some $100 and still want a decent full touchscreen phone with several advanced features with one of the best music quality, Nokia 5800 is waiting for you.