COUNTRY: Brazil
PRODUCT: Zeebo gaming console, $249
PROS: In a country where a PS3 can retail for $1,000, the new Zeebo is a budget-friendly alternative that—with a 3G set-up borrowed from cellphone technology—allows users to buy and download games wirelessly. Capcom, Namco, and EA are already on board to produce software.
CONS: Though the company plans to expand into Mexico, India, and China, its decidedly last-gen graphics are a drawback for serious gamers. Plus, PS3 and Xbox 360 are slashing prices like carmakers these days.

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COUNTRY: China
PRODUCT: Li Ning sneakers, $30-70
PROS: Founded by a gold-medal-winning gymnast, China’s largest sports retailer holds its own against Nike and adidas with aggressive marketing (see Beijing 2008) and sponsorship deals with U.S. stars like Baron Davis and Shaquille O’Neal.
CONS: Seriously, has Shaq ever worn a cool sneaker?

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COUNTRY: India
PRODUCT: Tata Nano car, $2,500
PROS: Tata Motors’ “People’s Car” has four seats, a two-cylinder engine, and gets 56 mpg—and it’s cheaper than a loaded 17” MacBook Pro (or 17 iPod Nanos). More than 200,000 people in India bought the Tata Nano in its first month of sales.
CONS: The car should do well in emerging markets but with no trunk or power steering, Tata’s plans to bring the Nano stateside seem a little far-fetched. The thing makes a Civic look like a Maybach.

Obviously, Portman landed the role because she’s dating the Venezuelan folk singer. But with the plethora of real life Bollywood beauties out there, we might have cast someone who is actually, you know, Indian. Everybody knows Aishwarya Rai, but there are a gang of younger starletts just waiting for an introduction to the West. After the jump we’ve compiled five real Bollywood stunners who would’ve put Portman’s performance to shame.

1. MALLIKA SHERAWAT

The model/actress made a name for herself in Murder, a movie that was inspired by Hollywood’s Unfaithful (starring Richard Gere). Sherawat’s first name means “empress” in Indian. Hail to the queen.

2. KATRINA KAIF

The Hong Kong-born actress got her start modeling at the age of 14 doing jewelry ads. Since then, the 24-year-old has acted in 13 films, with Singh Is Kinng and Yuvraaj slated for release this year.

3. SHILPA SHETTY

Though Shetty (we don’t want to hear any “shitty” jokes) is a staunch advocate for humanitarian causes like PETA, and HIV/AIDS, the veteran actress was at the center of controversy last year when Richard Gere violated Indian customs by kissing her repeatedly on the cheek at a safe sex press event. He couldn’t resist and neither can we.

4. SAMEERA REDDY

This hottie is a classically trained dancer that made her way to music videos. She also has her own video game for cellphones called Sameera the Street Fighter. Trained dancer = flexibility = good in the sack = we’re in love.

5. BIPASHA BASU

Bips was on track to go to medical school until she chose to flaunt her beauty instead of brains on the big screen. She was also a forgotten video girl in R&B singer Jay Sean’s “Stolen.”

Watch Natalie Portman in the “Carmensita” Video:

Always on the lookout for new shit in the ink and paper world, we were stoked to come across fantasy author Jeff VanderMeer’s collection of ’70s comics from India. The Hugo Award-winning author turns 40 next week and is revisiting his comic collection (which is something we can relate to'except we do it when we turn 24, 25, 26 and most days in between). It turns out there was (and still is) a whole genre of comics depicting Indian historical and religious figures. Peep more of Jeff’s collection after the jump.
 

    

[Ecstatic Days via Boing Boing] 

This is the second international coup for Tata, who already bought South Korea’s Daewoo truck division in 2004. But Tata is probably most famous for recently creating the Nano, which claims to be the least expensive car in the world at only $2,500. If only we could get a fresh Land Rover for that much, our fleet would be stocked. Watch the unveiling of the Nano after the jump…

[Left Lane News]