iBall Aasaan:Obliging Initiative

Mobile phones are not barely phones these days and that make my dad disinterested using a cell phone, he is more comfortable using a BSNL landline, and so he doesn’t carry any mobile. Which is very inconvenient for all of us.

Ironically while searching a mobile for myself, I came across this phone, iBall Aasaan. I was looking for touchwiz screen, android phone with 3G, WiFi and GPS and this had only GSM telephony, SMS, Flash Light and FM. iBall Aasaan is projected as no nonsense phone for elderly people. I ordered one for my dad yesterday, which Flipcart.com promises to deliver within 4 Working days.

I am grateful to iball who took this initiative to design a phone for elderly folks. The special features it has

1. Big Number Display, in night time also it looks bright and enhance visibility
2. One button for receiving one for disconnecting, absolutely hassel-free
3. With inbuilt antenna FM radio works without earphones
4. Torchlight works even when phone is switched off
5. Last but very important: SOS button, at the back of the phone (look at the image) there is an SOS switch, if that is switched on, it will start calling upto 5 SOS numbers sequentially (with redialing) unless someone answer, and it will also send SMS to maximum of 5 numbers.

Saw one review on youtube before placing order. Click here for the video

If I be candid, even i  would want to use such a phone cos, I had tough time getting accustomed to my new touch screen phone, I struggled for almost two days but couldn’t figure out simple thing like, how to forward an SMS. Finally, I resorted to a teenager to tell me which was actually easy, simply keep ur finger touched on the SMS it will populate all the option, they call it TOUCHWIZ. I am still looking for help in undoing the bookmark a website, I no longer want.

Signing off with the hope 1. flipcart delivers it as promised & 2. Dad will use handset this time.

will update the feedback of the user.

Anna and the casue: out of sight in Facebook

In my previous post, Lets Stop Pouring Water, I questioned the impact of Facebook in social movements. We saw abundance of messages requests and status updated in SNS (social networking sites). It died out as fast it started. Now can hardly see any such activities on these sites. I must say that FB can certainly be the fastest medium to unite large number of people across geography, BUT the faith and need should come from within or from suffering. There was no FB during national movement for independence, there wasn’t even telephones, but the momentum was huge. Let’s try to analyses the reasons behind it.

Something comes easily goes easily: the momentum was not deep rooted, majority of the people who were supporting the cause actually are seldom a victim of corruption, nepotism and red-tapism. Had they been a sufferer of any of these they would have stick to it. It was euphoria which majority felt and clicked the buttons. I cannot see any follow up.

Impact of health, wealth and ego: One need not have to suffer to protest, but to do so one has to be visionary and educated enough to realize the impact, direct or indirect, on health, wealth and our ego. Another way is to read and hear more from visionary leaders, this will also educate us. i guess we lack in this also.

Herd Mentality: Last week, I had been audience to this play "12 angry men" by Reginald Rose, in that the Jury’s opinion differed when voted in open ballot and in closed ballot. Same way any SNS is like an open ballot count, where people bound to follow the herd mentality. So we all did what is expected from a sincere citizens.

Non herd mentality: Herd or not, we are alike, this has been proven by many postulates of Behavioral Economics and Game Theory that we Indians choose easy way. majority choose to support by click.

 

Face Value: We take thing on face value, how many of us truly try to analyze the lokpal bill, we believed the bulleted points circulated in mails and links. To be honest how many of us were knowing exactly why anna was on fast. Was he fasting to get the bill passed or he was on satyagragh so that right set of people can come on board the committee who are finalizing the bill.

Conclusion: SNS's are enabler and not reformer, it helps us in achieving what we desire, but for that our desire has be strong.

Let's stop pouring water..

Anna hazare is on fast and rest of the army is on social networks. Post world cup this is the next new topic Netindians has got. I am afraid if IPL will get affected. Recently we all have observed a massive support activism over twitter and facebook about anti corruption lokpal bill. This has been most talked about tweet since world cup fever is down. It’s good that we know we have acute corruption in the country, that needs to be cleaned. But how is the question?

Recently I have put up a “what’s in your mind” status in FaceBook, whcih says "how does supporting any cause in FB helps?". I got good logical responses, saying FB is fastest and very popular and assumption that it helped overthrowing autocrats in countries. My answer is in that case Mark zuckerburg should get Noble peace prize.

If the speedy awareness will solve any cancerous issue like corruption, we should first ask for free 3G connectivity. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying these things are not helpful, but what bothers me is that, people I know are corrupt have put there status like supporting Anna. What is making me nervous that what if our new generation will start believing that a click on support will solve this age old problem. Corruption is a mindset which is in all of us. One bigger chunk, who works for private sectors, who doesn’t get much opportunity for corrupt actions should not be allowed to so loudly criticize. Find me a single guy from any IT company who has not gotten a fake medical bills, rent receipts and possibly to an higher extent like fake salary slip and fake experience letter. People are corrupt to their capacity.

I reiterate that people like official and politicians do the bigger damage to the society but this does not allow the smaller corrupt guys to criticize them.

Bringing the change is easier said than done, even if the bill be passed, it can not cure the core of the concern, if the mindset is not changed. basically human beings are greedy by nature, and if there is lack of governence the greed will override the common snese. that means if lokpal bill is implemented even partially, there will be improvement and hence " I SUPPORT ANNA"  and i thank him or his effort for RTI (right to information). 

I would conclude this post with an story I read in a book titled “why we Indians are the way we are”. The story goes like this….

One year there was extreme drought, due to lack of rains in a village. The head of the village called a priest to solve the problem. The priest advised, that if villagers will provide offering for the god of rain then there will be rains. He suggested that night time all the villagers has to put one tumbler milk to the dry well inside temple. The village head has made announcement that tonight every villager will pour one tumbler milk in the well. Everyone came out that night to pour milk. But there wasn’t any sign of rains. So next mornign priest walked up to well to see what has happened, he couldn’t see a drop of milk but only water.

Why because everyone thought that if only he would pour a tumbler of water, there wont be any difference to so much of milk and with that mind no one pour milk everyone pour water only.

Only supporting anna will not help, Let’s stop pouring water….

FALTU Review

Yesterday, watched this inspirational movie FALTU, which is acronym of Fakirchand And Lakirchand Trust University. The theme of the movie is a question mark on our education system and on the future of those students who score less marks and stuggle to get admission to college. I particularly like the question protagonist pose to the education minister that "if the passing marks are 30% then why admissions cut offs are 60-70%?". Though the serious thought behind FALTU has been conveyed across audience but the presentation could have been more controlled. Humor was in perfect mix but mainly targeted to younger lot. Despite the flaws, I would recommend it as time worth spent.

We all know the answer to the question, it’s simply supply demand gap. With the current population growth rate colleges and facilities are not increasing. Think how many of us have thought of becoming the teacher. Parents will clap for the movies like tare jamin par and 3 idiots but forget the lesson themselves and brainwash the child to take the proven path only.

I have witnessed finest of artist, painter, writer and thinker doing job which doesn’t suit them. And in the rush to become rich and famous in what they don’t like they have long forgotten what they are passionate about. With few exceptions, the society at large does not encourage hobbies and extra curricular activities.

The new generation does have many formal courses which were unconventional in previous decade; they also have the choice to pick from various career options. But supply is too less in comparison of the bulk of talent we have. We need more colleges, institutions, forums and clubs to unleash unorthodox creativity.

All the students and professionals will write the hobbies in their CV’s but they don’t really mean it. Entry of realty shows like Dance India Dance, Indian Idol, 60 seconds of fame, Comedy circus etc has brought in some changes, but there are lots to be done.

I am intentionally ending this post without any solution/conclusion. Let the creativity rule.

Lesson from Team India

Yesterday was fabulous win for India over Sri Lanka, In fact for the last three games the team has played has defied the Image of Indian cricket team of past. This has reminded me of recent satsang, where Guruji, sri sri ravi shankar spoke about the power of selflessness. He told that the people who have lesser needs and desire for themselves become more powerful. He also told that this is the reason, why we seek blessing from the elderly people. Old people like grandparents usually do not need anything for themselves so they become powerful, they can heal and their blessings work.

Last few days we all have witnessed the gallant and commited team India playing world cup matches. Under the leadership of MSD entire team dedicated the victory to little master blaster. The fact which made them all powerful and unbeatable was that they were playing selflessly. No personal record chasing no grudges and as united single focused chak de India team.

Let’s all take lessons from our champion team and individually take pledge to be less greedy and discipline our desires to make the nation victorious and be proud citizens

Happy April Fool Day

Today has been very good, very relaxed, a wonderful fool’s day.

First I made fool of myself by getting convinced that the office is closed today and so I can sleep till late. And I actually did sleep till 9 AM.

Then I recorded in my own voice “Its April fool today” and set it up as the cellphone ring tone for today. So that I will be alerted when someone is trying to play prank at least over phone.

I am happy cos today is the Friday and I can wear casuals to office.

I am happy cos today is last working day of three day long weekend, Monday is holiday for Ugadi.

With the happy mind came to office and checked the plan for today, someone has revised the plan for good and all the work which I was supposed to do today has been re planned in coming week. I hope no one is playing prank here :-P

Now since I don’t have much work and relaxed mind, I read articles on 10 best April fool’s day prank/tricks came to know weirdest of idea, the top three I voted were…..

1.       Ask your friend for his phone, store your number with some celebrity’s or ex name and send SMS/ call them.

2.       Change the setting of key board, operating system in such a way that whenever someone type common work like and, the etc, it will be replaced with some word of your imagination.

3.       Put a coat of transparent nail paint on all the pens/pencil of your colleague and then call them to note down a message for yourself.

With the happiness and enthusiasm of today being the Fools day I was eager to know the reason of why April 1^st has been chosen as the day for fools. And the history revealed all….

The history of April Fool's Day or All Fool's Day is uncertain, but the current thinking is that it began around 1582 in France with the reform of the calendar under Charles IX. The Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved from March 25 - April 1 (new year's week) to January 1. Communication traveled slowly in those days and some people were only informed of the change several years later. Still others, who were more rebellious refused to acknowledge the change and continued to celebrate on the last day of the former celebration, April 1.

These people were labeled "fools" by the general populace, were subject to ridicule and sent on "fool errands," sent invitations to nonexistent parties and had other practical jokes played upon them.

This harassment evolved over time and a custom of prank-playing continue on the first day of April. This tradition eventually spread elsewhere like to Britain and Scotland in the 18th century and was introduced to the American colonies by the English and the French. Because of this spread to other countries, April Fool's Day has taken on an international flavor with each country celebrating the holiday in its own way.

Think if they had iPhone and Blackberries in those days, we wouldn’t be celebrating it these days.