NEW DELHI: Korean consumer electronic major Samsung is gearing up for the upcoming summer with plans to corner about 22 per cent of the expected 2.25 million home air conditioners market in India.

Samsung India Electronics Pvt Ltd, the subsidiary of the Korean firm today announced its foray into the capacity segments like 0.8T and 1.6T in split ACs and 1.6T in window ACs by launching a new range comprising 10 different star rated AC models as part of its strategy.

"We expect our split AC volumes to grow from around 50 per cent contribution level witnessed last year to around 58 per cent of our total AC volumes this year," Samsung India Deputy Managing Director R Zutshi said in a statement.

The total AC market in India last year was around 1.8 million units, which is expected to cross over 2.25 million units by the end of this year.

Burglar makes off with two pairs of panties

A Fort Walton Beach burglar recently lifted unmentionables from a mobile home during a break-in. The resident of a Heritage Road mobile home told a deputy she noticed the rear door to her trailer "slightly open," according to an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office offense report. She also said someone had removed the window unit air conditioner and opened the window. Among the items missing from the home were her son’s Sony Playstation and a controller ($200), about 20 games ($15 each), about 10 DVDs ($15 each) and two pairs of girl’s panties. .

Homes blend eco-friendliness, unique design

Theres been quite a buzz around town lately about energy and water conservation practices, and for years so-called green building has been a hit.
However a few homes in Truckee were built eco-friendly, not just to save heat and money, but because theyre just plain interesting.

One with the Earth
Sue and Jeff Cauhape have been living in their Tahoe Donner, earth berm home for 12 years. The couple maintains that, despite being for-the-most-part covered in dirt, their home is very bright and inviting.
Its not dark inside at all; we were surprised by how much light there was, Sue Cauhape said. We tried to sell it for two years, but I dont think a lot of people get the concept. Its odd, but weve been very comfortable here.
Comfort inside the home can be attributed to its thermal mass the walls absorb and retain heat, so the house requires neither heater nor air conditioner.

Settings, speakers could improve DVDs' sound

Q: The sound on rented VCR tapes and DVDs is usually so poor, I can barely hear the dialogue, even with my TV sound turned up to the maximum. Sometimes it is impossible to hear across the room, even when the air conditioner is off. Sometimes the background music overpowers the dialogue.

A: Hi-fi videotapes and DVDs are recorded at sound levels meant for the home theater experience. This means they have wide dynamic range, meaning soft sounds are soft and loud sounds can get very loud.

Woman denies sex-on-air conditioner accusation

It was Sunday morning, and Arianna Scudelletti says she was simply having a drink with a male friend outside her grandmother's Naples home before walking down to the beach.