IranMap

The affray of Mio in the battlefield of personal navigational products started in 2002 and they still win to be in the forefront with their superior products. Their satellite navigation systems with Spirit software has gained a wide acceptance in the market. Moov S555 Sat Nav is one among them, which comes loaded with full European map, covering 44 countries.

Crisp and clear map view is the initial highlight of Mio Moov S555. With its TruMap view technology, the maps look clutter-free, with less graphics and colours. The natural white back ground lets the routes to stand out. The wide touch screen display of size 4.7 inches supplements this view with its high resolution of 480 X 272 pixels. Moreover, the display automatically switches between day and night mode, providing the best view under any lighting conditions. This Mio GPS System features realistic 3 dimensional view of junctions and replicates road signs, making the navigation much easier.

Mio Moov S555 Automotive GPS Navigation System is equipped with TMC that provides the user with real-time information on the traffics ahead. It employs economical routing calculation and thus, reduces the number of junctions on the routes enabling users to save fuel. Mio Moov S555 has an Explore Mode in it that allows the users to find the tourist attractions and other interesting places faster while on the move. One you arrive at a place and tap on the Explore icon, this GPS Nav will highlight all the Points-of-interest around the place. You can also set the Points-of-interest earlier so that the device automatically highlights when you reach near them. There is pre-loaded travel books as well.

The destination search could be done through photographs in this GPS system. It has an integrated NavPix photo album through which users can browse through. The bluetooth facility enables users to attend calls hands-free while on the wheel. Furthermore, local search via desktop is possible in it and this provides the users with information at fingertips.

A glance on its technical specifications reveal that it employs a 400MHz Samsung 2450 processor and comes with SiRF star III instant Fix II GPS receiver. There is a 2GB ROM memory and 128MB RAM memory available in it and this is further expandable via microSD memory card. It has a dimension of 132mm X 85mm X 13.95mm and weighs around 160 grams.

Opposition sources in Iran say that at least four protesters have been shot dead in violent clashes between anti-government crowds and police. They said security forces opened fire on protesters as some of the fiercest clashes in months erupted in the capital, Tehran.

The police have denied there had been any fatalities. Opposition parties had urged people to take to the streets as the Shia Muslim festival of Ashura reached a climax. People were chanting “Khamenei will be toppled”, opposition sources said, a reference to Iran’s Supreme Leader.

Thousands of demonstrators are reported to have taken part in the protests, in defiance of official warnings. Initial reports said the security forces fired in the air to disperse the protests, but several different reports said that at least one, and possibly as many as four demonstrators, had been shot dead.

Police sources, quoted by the Iranian Fars news agency, denied this, saying foreign media were exaggerating reports of unrest. Although there were deaths in the immediate aftermath of the disputed elections and protests in June, fatalities since then have been rare. The security forces clearly have to tread a fine line between not appearing weak but also not provoking opposition protesters, says Siavash Ardalan of BBC Persian TV.

Police helicopters were seen flying over central Tehran as clouds of black smoke billowed into the sky, reports said. On the ground, the security forces clashed with protesters trying to reach central Enghelab Square, witnesses said.
Protesters were chanting, “This is the month of blood”, and calling for the downfall of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to opposition websites.

At the same time, crowds of pro-government demonstrators marched on Enghelab Street to voice support for Ayatollah Khamenei, witnesses said. Protests were also reported in the cities of Isfahan and Najafabad.

Source: BBC
In pictures: Tehran clashes

Iranians throughout the world celebrated the longest night of the Iranian calendar year, Yalda, in a tradition welcoming the birthday of the Goddess of Love, Mitra. Yalda is the last night of autumn and the beginning of winter.
On Yalda night, which this year fell on December 21, members of the family stay together, narrate old stories told by ancestors, play traditional games and eat dried and fresh fruits symbolizing various things.

Pomegranates, placed on top of a fruit basket, are reminders of the cycle of life — the rebirth and revival of generations. The purple outer covering of a pomegranate symbolizes “birth” or “dawn” and their bright red seeds the “glow of life.”



Watermelons, apples, grapes, sweet melons and persimmon are other special fruits served on Yalda night and all are symbols of freshness, warmth, love, kindness and happiness.



Shab e Cheleh (Yalda Festival)
Yalda, a Syriac word imported into the Persian language by the Syriac Christians means birth (tavalud and melaad are from the same origin). It is a relatively recent arrival and it is refereed to the “Shab e Cheleh Festival,” a celebration of Winter Solstice on December 21st. Forty days before the next major Persian festival “Jashn e Sadeh”, this night has been celebrated in countless cultures for thousands of years. The ancient Roman festivals of Saturnalia (God of Agriculture, Saturn) and Sol Invicta (Sun God) are amongst the best known in the Western world.