The No Good Blog

A Suzuki Hayabusa...Or Is It?

2009-03-19T22:09:00.006+05:30

Through a lack of anything new to post, I've decided to post pictures of a bike that was parked in our basement parking lot; at first glance it appears to be a Hayabusa but on closer inspection, gives away it's actual pedigree.

Note the following:

The speedometer belongs to the Hunk

The fuel tank says Suzuki but it also has the logo for Ferrari

There were other less obvious indications like the shock absorbers and the handle bar which wouldn't really be noticable in the pics so there aren't any

And once again, please excuse the graininess and generally terrible picture quality, I don't have a proper camera anymore and have to make do with my phone.

Side Shot

Side Shot II

Fuel Tank

Speedometer

Length Shot

Backpack-Style Water Container For Water Gun For Holi

2009-03-10T22:35:00.004+05:30

I've said it before, I don't like Holi. But it comes back every year and it's here again. Anyway, here's something interesting I spotted at the market the other day. The pictures are terribly grainy - my phone's camera isn't the best and it was night.

Backpack for water

Backpack for water - II

Anyway, what you should be able to see is a reddish-pink container for water (to be slung on your back, like a backpack) connected to a water gun (you can't really see that too well in the snaps) hanging upside-down in a plastic cover. Pretty neat and it's something I've not seen before. Too bad we didn't have this when we were kids and when Holi was still clean and fun!

Why Is It ... Hacking On TV And In Movies

2009-03-09T22:00:00.008+05:30

Why is it that on TV shows and in movies, whenever someone manages to 'hack' into the ultra-top-secret target, all the documents on that system open up and populate the entire screen?

I mean, if it's a previous session, who leaves their workspace that way? And if that's what happens on every login, you have to ask, what good would an OS like that be? Every time you login it helpfully opens up every single file you've ever created? Talk about usability.

Hacking on the Knight Rider show
Gif was made using gifninja

Or maybe, it's a booby trap. You know, open up a whole bunch of dummy files in an infinite loop until the machine runs out of memory and the hackers get nowhere. Check this grab from the current Knight Rider series, season 1, episode 17 to see what I'm talking about.

[Update] 09 Mar 2009
Forgot that Picasa doesn't support animated gifs. Grumble.

Why I Don't Care That Slumdog Millionaire Has Swept The Oscars

2009-02-25T10:36:00.003+05:30

Everyone's raving about Slumdog Millionaire and Indian's in particular are celebrating its Oscar wins. And I think that's just dumb. I' mnot saying the movie is bad (or for that matter, good). And I don't have a problem with the fact that it's helped get some attention to the problems of the slum dwellers. Or even the fact that it's got the talent of some of our artists acknowledged on a global stage. But while the cast, the story, the background may be Indian the fact of the matter is that the movie itself is not.

So why claim that we've finally made it to the Oscars (and won) when it's not a Bollywood film? Why not double our efforts and have an actual, through and through Indian movie win (not that winning an Oscar should be given so much importance but that's a rant for another time). The Kite Runner was set in Afghanistan and had an Afghani cast but you wouldn't say it was an Afghani movie, would you? So why this desperation to be recognized in the West? Why this craze over Rahman winning an Oscar when he has been consistenly winning awards and we already say that he's one of the best composers in our film industry? And the funny part is, most people I know are saying that this isn't even his best work! They opine that it's only because the movie isn't Indian that he's got the exposure and the award (which may very well be true but not necessarily a bad thing).

So let's not go crazy about this one movie when we pump out hundreds in a year. And where we have so many indigenous titles that are worth watching. From what I hear/ read, this isn't even a great movie, just a good one.

P.S. You may remember when I posted about why I didn't vote for the Taj Mahal. Yes, I do like to rant about these things and go against popular opinion, but usually just to play devil's advocate.

Delhi-6

2009-02-21T22:21:00.002+05:30

We had a company sponsored movie screening today. We'd had the option of watching Delhi-6 or Billu Barber; an overwhelming majority voted for Delhi-6.

The movie was decent - I thought that the basic concept was interesting, taking the Monkey Man incidents and weaving the story around them. The cinematography was really good and all the actors are worth their billing. And this is the first Bollywood movie I've seen where computer imagery and special effects were used (pardon the pun) to good effect. Roshan's (Abhishek Bacchan) dream sequence where his vision of the West and the East amalgamate was especially well rendered.

The first half of the movie was good, nothing great but a relaxing watch about nothing in particular; a light (if somewhat clichéd at times) mix of coming back home, the big heart of Delhi, the shortcomings of India and how it all just brings the people closer together. However, the second half transitions into something darker which is followed up with melodrama that is a bit too heavy and preachy. Rakeysh Mehra may have wanted to bring a touch of reality to the tale but (and while all ends well), the magic is lost.

In conclusion, the plot starts off promising but ends up being just average, perhaps even a little disappointing. A good option if you have nothing else to do. But there's no need to rush to the halls.

Folder2Feed

2009-02-19T12:07:00.001+05:30

If you've ever wanted to monitor a folder for changes but have realized that it's too tedious to remember to check the contents or to even figure out which files or folders are new then you could give Folder2Feed a try.

It's a Java application that can be configured to monitor a folder and generate a feed (RSS or Atom) of the newest files in that location. It's still work in progress but the basic command line interface version is out. I plan to add a GUI to it soon, work permitting, of course. There are also some other features that I think should be there and I'll be working on them. If you have any suggestions for features, consider leaving me a comment here or on the bug tracker (choose feature request under Type and if possible, leave your email id so I can get back to you if needed).

If you find any bugs, do report them, I'd like to make Folder2Feed better.

For any feedback, mail me at folder2feed[AT]nogoodatcoding[DOT]com (replace [AT] and [DOT] with the appropriate symbols).

UPDATE [21 Feb 2009]:
I've activated Trac for bug tracking, so the link has been changed.

Death Is A Sanskrit Dictionary?

2009-02-14T22:19:00.004+05:30

So I was watching Dead Like Me - Life After Death the other day and the introduction sequence had this comic panel. Well, the jar doesn't actually say Contents: Death. It reads Sanskrit Dictionary! I thought that was hilarious! And kind of sad actually, that the filmmakers figured any 'alien' looking script could pass off as God's writing (that they picked the Devnagri script may just have some hidden cosmic significance though!). They might as well have used Klingon!

And a couple of days later, I was watching Scrubs and I spotted this on one of the computer monitors in the show. Do you recognize what it is on the monitor down in the right hand corner in the screenshot? It's the Windows Media Player setup screen! Looks like one of the nurses didn't have enough to do :)

1540

2008-08-26T22:36:00.001+05:30

That's my score on the GRE; I did pretty decently I think :) I'd started studying about 8 months ago, after procrastinating for about the same time! But apart from the preparation, I believe luck plays a major factor. My test was absolutely standard with no surprises and the questions were manageable too. [In case you're not interested in the GRE or my ramblings, this is where you should stop reading!]

Surprisingly, it appears that the only center in NCR is at Gurgaon. And it's a tad bit tricky to find! I reached that complex 10 minutes late for my appointment and saw an NIIT center. Foolishly, I assumed that that was the place and went in. If you know anything about these places you'll understand why there wasn't anyone there at 0845 hrs. I sat around for a while, getting more and more tense by the minute. I finally stepped out to ask the guard (who had earlier, nonchalantly told me to wait till around 0900) and he said, "Oh, GRE? That's down that-a-way". I panicked and raced down the corridor, promptly running past the entrance to the basement where the tests are conducted. [So if you're looking for this place, it's past the NIIT center, just before the Karnataka Bank Branch!]

Almost all the candidates were already there, filling out the disclaimer that prohibits you from discussing the questions with others. I put my stuff (phone, wallet and even handkerchief) in the little lockers provided and kept only my passport with me. A little later, we were called one at a time into the administrators room, made to confirm our details, match our signatures (mine didn't, at first :D What can I say? The passport is old!) and have our picture taken by a webcam. I then went to the other room to my allotted cubicle and sat down at the system, stared down at by my recently clicked picture, albeit a grainy, pixelated black and white version. There were ear muffs at every workstation and I must say, there were really effective in blocking out the incessant clicking of keys from when the other candidates were typing away during the essay section; I was glad to have them!

I began with the analytical writing section, followed by quantitative analysis. Math isn't my best subject and I thought I was off to a shaky start when the 4th or the 5th question had me stumped. I wasted some time then hazarded a guess and moved on. However, I did manage to complete the whole thing by solving the last 10 odd problems at lightening speed. After the optional 60 second break (which I took, trying to stop the trembling from the adrenaline rush!) I began the verbal section. I faced decent questions, not too tough but not really simple either. I was expecting a third, unmarked section (the new GRE can have up to 3 unmarked sections, in any order, one of which is for research and does not count towards your score. But since you don't know which of the three is this section, you have to do your best on all!) but luckily, I saw the optional research section screen. I suspected that there would be fourth section so I took my time and relaxed. So I was relieved when the dialog popped up indicating that I was done! I held my breath and clicked through - 790 in quantitative and 750 in verbal. Whew! I went to the administrator's room, signed out, filled the feedback form and went back - to office.

Now, though the exam is over, this isn't the end! I still have the TOEFL to take and then follow up with writing SOPs and researching colleges! But I'm relieved and glad it didn't go badly!

I've marked the location of the testing center on Google Maps and Wikimapia

Prometric Testing PVT LTD
Mercury Solutions LTD Sec-14,
SCO 21 & 22 Lower Ground
Gurgaon, 122001
91-124-4268650

The embedded map should load below

View Larger Map

Bicycle

2008-07-20T22:04:00.003+05:30

I bought a bicycle today. I figured the benefits are three-fold:

Environment friendly

Saves me the cost of petrol

I can use the exercise (especially since I'll have to stop swimming soon, once winter sets in)

I didn't really splurge, just got the cheapest, basic Hero Cycles model; cost me 2800 bucks (about $65 right now).

It was weird riding a bicycle after all these years, especially after getting used to a motorcycle; felt incredibly flimsy and unstable. And my legs weren't used to the workout I gave them riding back from the shop to home. But I'm guessing it'll get better soon.

I couldn't find any pictures; the Hero Cycles website has apparently exceeded bandwidth limit.

Sexist Ad

2008-05-25T23:02:00.007+05:30

This ad was in the Times of India, Delhi Times about a week back. Could it be any more chauvinistic? Well, it could, but you get what I mean.

It says 'sexist' ad, you perv :D

Inflation

2008-05-15T21:42:00.004+05:30

A friend of mine pointed this out to me. He'd read this in some magazine. Presented for your perusal are Maggi noodles packets - one from December 2007 and one from March 2008. Just don't ask me why I have a packet from 6 months ago lying around :D

Natatorium

2008-05-09T22:36:00.003+05:30

I'd been looking for a swimming pool where I could become a member for quite a while now. Except, I'm not really the 'go-out-and-look-for-things' kinda person; I prefer checking out stuff online. That didn't really help. So yesterday and I found out about a pool from a friend and went to see if it was a public pool or not. Turns out it was. Yay! But they needed me to fill out a form and then get it signed and stamped by a doctor to ensure that I was not carrying any contagious diseases and was fit to swim. Sigh.

I went home early and then went down to the hospital that's in the same sector where I live. The receptionist wasn't quite sure what to make of the form, he said that any government doctor would sign the form. I didn't really want to go to a government hospital; actually, I didn't really want to go anywhere else now that I was already at a hospital. Finally, he told me to get an OPD form and go see a doctor in the basement.

Long line at the OPD counter, mostly people paying bills. Healthcare is expensive! I got a sheet with my details on it and had to pay them 200 bucks for it! This was after a 20% discount because of where I work. I went in to see the doctor, not a very impressive guy - Grey's Anatomy this wasn't! Told him I needed to get checked up so he asks me, "Do you have any problems? Any troubles?". Um, if I did, I wouldn't be paying you 200 bucks to get a 'DENIED' stamped across my swimming pool membership form. Luckily for me ( and the other people who come to swim ), I'm fine and I told him that. So he checked my blood pressure, had me breathe deeply a few times and then signed the papers. As simple as that.

Next day, 1600 hours. I turned up at the pool to get my card. You're supposed to pick a 1 hour slot when you'll be coming there. Kinda inconvenient but I guess it's so that there isn't overcrowding. The slots in the morning were full but that didn't bother me since I wanted something in the afternoon so that I could sneak away sometime after lunch. No, it's a good thing, I'd be dozing off in any case so this is good utilization of my time :D I picked 1600-1700, paid them 1200 bucks ( monthly, 800 more if you need coaching ), got my card and went in.

The pool is pretty decent, a small thing, 7 feet at the deep end but it's a 5 minute walk from office and it's clean, so it's not bad. It felt good to get into the water after so many years. Swam around a bit, I think I overdid it though, I'm now beginning to feel aches and I'm sure I'm going to be stiff all over tomorrow! There was one guy teaching the newbies, about 7-8 of them. Not very sure about how effective he'd be. Most people there weren't really that good, more about thrashing about in the water than actually swimming. Kinda sad, that so many people don't have access to proper facilities and training.

After about 45 minutes in the water, our time was up ( actually swimming time is only 50 minutes ). We all trooped out and showered and got dressed. I came back feeling quite good. I'd also packed everything I needed, including moisturizer ( Yes, I needed it after all that chlorine ). However, I didn't anticipate feeling peckish! That required a trip down to the cafeteria for an egg sandwich and a banana shake. Not such a good idea, maybe, because my eyes were glazing over once I got back to my seat.

Well, that's it. That was the big thing of the day for me. How'd you do?

Just Like You Imagined

2008-04-21T22:01:00.001+05:30

It would be perfect. He had played it over and over in his mind, the past few weeks and it had slowly evolved from the fantasy-dream sequence to something that was going to be almost ridiculously straightforward. He had convinced himself of that.

He would tell her. How he felt. He wasn't very eloquent; the words wouldn't be poetry. But they would be from the heart. And they would be true. Her pretty eyes would widen in shock. But then there'd be a slight change, a softening of her features as she would break into a smile of acceptance and a flutter of eyelashes. She'd lean forward slightly, a shy hint, which he would take nervously. Breathing hard, he would caress her cheek, tilt her chin and move in closer. The kiss itself would be electric; as sunshine streams across land, so would her warmth flow over him. She would sigh and he would gaze into her eyes and she would know; better than any words could express

Yes, it would be perfect. He was just waiting for the right time. But days passed and he was kept from his goal, until finally, one day...

He brought it up carefully, testing the waters, gauging her reaction. And he told her. How he felt. He wasn't very eloquent; the words weren't poetry. But they were from the heart. And they were true. Her pretty eyes widened in shock. But then there was a slight change, a hardening of her features, ( "There's something wrong!" he panicked ), her sneer conveying contempt, her eyes scornful. She leaned forward slightly and spoke softly. "That's twisted! How did you even begin to think that we..." He couldn't hear her over the buzzing in his ears. His face was burning. Her face blurred as tears welled up in his eyes, he hated his body for betraying him...

He found himself running. He didn't remember leaving the house. He didn't know where he was going. He was just running. He would keep running till he had left the pain behind.

He awoke with a start. He closed his eyes and sighed. The same nightmare-dream again. Every night. It was driving him insane. He got ready slowly and as he walked out of the door, he was steeling himself for the day ahead- another day with her, without being able to say it.

Ok, semi-disturbing random post. Not meant to be taken seriously and certainly not indicative of existent people or events. :D

'Just Like You Imagined' - Creepier post by The Red Queen

Lost

2008-03-30T22:09:00.004+05:30

I've recently started watching Lost and I've got to say, that with all the weird stuff that happens on the island, I find the title screen the most unsettling!

It gives me the feeling of just drifting helplessly in an infinite black void, with absolutely nothing around. And then, out of nowhere, there swim into focus, these huge white letters that spell out, disturbingly, 'Lost'.

You have no idea what they are, what they mean, who made them, for what purpose, ( how they're managing to drift together ) and you'll never find out. Because you can't control where you float and they've swept by you. And you have no idea if those letters are the last thing you'll ever encounter in this emptiness.

Brr! Gives me the shivers!

Reanimation

2008-03-16T22:22:00.003+05:30

I haven't posted for almost 5 months now and the few readers that read this blog had been stopping by and enquiring after me for some time now. So, well, I'm fine. Still here :)

I've finally forced myself to sit down and type out a post ( lame and disconnected as it may be ) so that I will hopefully get back to posting semi-regularly again.

So what have I been up to? Nothing much. This and that. Been here and there. Why haven't I been posting? It started off with a little 2-3 weeks break for studying for a certification which was exacerbated because of a switch of jobs. Once I'd changed, I needed to work harder to get myself settled in and since I'd worked had, I needed to take break and give myself treats by watching movies and TV shows and by making a trip back home. Needless to say, blogging is hard work and it's very easy to come up with excuses to skip posts and end up quitting altogether!

Well, here's hoping I get back post steadily again and visiting the people listed in my blogroll.

So What If Albus Dumbledore Is Gay?

2007-10-28T22:08:00.000+05:30

Ever since J K Rowling announced that Albus Dumbledore was gay, there's been a furore. Some people hate the fact and some people love it. I say accept the fact and move on. It is a damned fine set of books and, if you'll pardon the pun, a spellbinding series of tales, read it as that if you want to, re-examine the stories in the light of this new fact if you must. Why the controversy? Did anyone have a problem with Hagrid? Being half-man and half-giant as he is? Did that cause anyone to raise moral and ethical concerns over the issue of half-breeds?

People put forth that it's a publicity stunt. Well, duh! She's got to make money off the sales of her books, that's how she makes a living. Now that the series is over, it's going to drop out of public view and she would obviously like it not to. And why shouldn't she flesh out the back stories only hinted at in the books? Why should the magic of the series end with just these books?

There was an article in the newspaper today about this and how schools were discouraging students from issuing the books and parents were forbidding their children from reading them. Why? What's wrong with a central character in a popular book being gay? It's a fact of life: some people are homosexual. Ignoring it doesn't make it go away. Your kids are going to have to learn about it sometime. And with the reach that the media has nowadays and the exposure kids have, chances are they already know. Is the aim to protect children against people who are different? What about differences in colour of someone's hair? The colour of their skin? The colour of their eyes? What about the fact that some people don't like chocolate? Should the kids be shielded from this horrible fact lest it do them irrevocable psychological harm? Are they going to stop the kids from reading The Chronicles Of Narnia next? Those stories are criticized for racism and sexism amongst other things. And what about Enid Blyton stories that have golliwogs in them? Those are thought to be politically incorrect too and by this logic, may put racial bias into the minds of young, impressionable children hence should not be given to children to peruse.

I feel that, contrary to what appears to be popular notion, these books give parents a great way to explain to kids about homosexuality and to teach them not to be prejudiced or think of it differently. Don't these people understand that children don't have biases and preconceived notions? They only pick up what they see. If you tell them that they shouldn't be reading these tales they are going to read them behind your back. And they are going to get the idea that being gay is bad and they are going to be prejudiced. Don't pass on your fears and irrationalities on to your children. But if you are biased yourself and don't have the courage to be sensible and do the right thing, then I'm sorry for your children; I think they start out in life with a handicap.

What Were They Thinking?

2007-09-16T22:42:00.000+05:30

I’m not quite sure whether this can be attributed to a simple lack of fluency with the language; seems to me it would take a fair bit of mangling of thoughts to come up with this gem. I can’t think of any thing that would be close to what ( I think ) they were trying to say that would translate into this.

Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation Now Officially Accepts Bribes

2007-09-12T22:06:00.000+05:30

Here’s something interesting, albeit in a very pathetic way: The Times Of India, Delhi Edition, dated 11 September 2007, reported that the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation now officially accepts bribes.

In case the link breaks, this is what the article said:

GHAZIABAD: If you can't check corruption, institutionalise it. This is the bizarre mantra that the Municipal Corporation of Ghaziabad (MCG) has hit upon.

Believe it or not, MCG is now officially accepting bribes paid through cheques that would otherwise have gone into the pockets of its officials.

Here's an instance of how it works. A contractor who bags a tender for a government project is now required to pay 15 per cent of the quoted amount to MCG. That's the kickback money he would ordinarily have paid to department employees. But now it’s going into the municipality's coffers.

This is the new system being put in place by municipal commissioner Ajay Shankar Pande to "curb corruption as well as enrich the MCG". And, as much as Rs 22 lakh of 'bribe money' has now officially gone into the corporation's account. And this in just two months that Pande has headed the corporation.

Says Pande, "Corruption has gone so deep into the working of government departments that officials cannot dream of handing out work, or payments for it, without taking bribes. So, we have adopted this method of officially taking the bribes, by cheques, into the MCG account."

Interestingly, most contractors have reacted by revealing the exact amounts, usually ranging from 5 per cent to 15 per cent, that they had agreed to pay as bribe. They are signing declarations that they are "voluntarily depositing the amount that would have gone into bribes to realise payments, into the corporation's account. And, this amount should be used by MCG for public welfare projects".

But, asserts Pande, giving this "official bribe" does not absolve any contractor from providing quality work. "Contractors who have earlier done sub-standard work are being given one more chance because it appears that everybody was earlier involved in corruption. They have to repair the shortcomings at their own cost," he adds.

I’m not quite sure if it’s a stupid move or not. After all, if it’s legal, then it can be tracked and accounted for. So, if it does work out, then it’s a good thing and would show that the guy who came up with the plan is a pretty smart fellow and that tough times call for tough measures.

On the other hand, it reflects rather poorly on us; that we’re this incapable of dealing with corruption that we have to shift focus from stopping it to making sure we can at least profit from it.

I figure it’s like telling kids that “stealing chocolates is a no-no; but if you do do it, you’ve to give up half”. So what do kids do? If you said “stop stealing and lead an honest life”, go directly to the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation ( apparently they employ similar thinking folks ), do not pass go, do not collect 200 rupees ( over or under the table ). If you answered, “steal twice the chocolate to make sure their share doesn’t drop”, congratulations. You’re an unfortunate, thinking, rational member of a society that seems to get weirder everyday!

Next they’ll be telling dacoits “…alright, so you can loot and burn trains. But make sure you buy a ticket first!”

Update [13 Sep 07]: Here's another post about this on the "Weird India" blog

Nuclear Arms

2007-09-08T23:03:00.000+05:30

You can't hug your children with nuclear arms

Alright, so this was spoken by Amy, Death's crush, from Family Guy, Season 3, Episode 6. And it's sardonic. But it still sounds cool :D

Birthdays

2007-09-03T22:53:00.000+05:30

I'm not big on birthdays. For me, it's just another day with the same old things to do. Maybe I'll use it as an excuse to pig out, but otherwise, I kinda even dislike the disruption of my routine. I know, I know, I'll age into a bitter old man. But that's just the way I am. It's not like I don't enjoy life or give thanks for what I've got; I just don't pick my birthday as a special day for it. I take joy in the smaller things...which I shall not list for fear of being labelled a geek! I just don't think birthdays are a big deal.

But my friends and family think otherwise and in spite of my reluctance, they do their best to make it special for me ( which I appreciate but only after a while; after I give up my attitude better suited to a hermit )

So here's some links to what some nice folks had to say to me on this day:

Mona's put up a post just for me!

Charles wished me, not once, but twice!

And so did krystyna, on Mona's post and on mine!

There's now more people adding to the comments! Don't you just love bloggers? The way perfect strangers can get together and share important parts of their lives, without ever even meeting. Makes you feel a little better about the world and the people in it. :)

There were others too, friends from school and college, who called and scrapped me on Orkut. Thanks guys.

And last, but not least, a big thanks and a hug to that special person for sending me a scrumptious chocolate cake ( even though I was less than gracious while accepting it; I'm sorry, I was a jerk ).

...Bienvenue 5300

2007-08-28T22:54:00.000+05:30

A few days before my Nokia 3120 gave up, I'd been looking into phones because my family had been pestering me to get a 'better' phone, considering the condition the 3120 was in. So when it did die, I wasn't completely unprepared to buy.

I didn't want to spend too much on a device I'd primarily use to make calls. But if I was going to spend and get a phone, I'd want at least some features. The principal features I was looking for were connectivity via Bluetooth and USB and a music player. Secondary were camera, radio and connectivity via IR and whatever else would come as part of the package. And I didn't need any of these to be top of the line. I was happy with a 1 megapixel camera rather than shell out for a 3 megapixel one that I wouldn't really use.

Now, I'm partial to Nokia phones. I think they've the best, most intuitive interfaces around. And most of them are very well built and the standard features are well thought out. Plus, I've been using Nokia PC Suite for years now and I think it has all basic features I'd need or want to put stuff on my phone. It's bulky but it works. Also, I wanted to be able to access my SMSs and contacts on the phone and save them on my computer. As far as I know, most other phones don't let you into the phone memory even if you can connect them to your machine.

So I finally settled on the Nokia 5300. It's price was short of the upper limit on my budget and it had a music player, FM radio, 1.3 megapixel camera and a mini USB port, Bluetooth and IR! Everything I wanted.

It's a little flimsy, the body is plastic. It's a far cry from the solid feel of my 3120. And the screen's supposed to be problematic. And the battery doesn't last very long. And the camera's image quality is not great. But so what? I'll be careful with it. And I'll carry my charger with me. And I've got a Sony digital camera anyway, so I won't be using this much. ( Who am I trying to convince again? )

All in all, it's great for me; just what I need, in the price range I can afford, with features and looks that I like. Let's see how this one works out.

Adieu 3120...

2007-08-28T22:53:00.000+05:30

I'd got my first mobile phone in 2003; a cousin of mine was getting rid of it. When I got it, it had a cracked screen and a loose cover. But it was reason for me to get a number and those surface imperfections were easily fixed.

The phone was the Nokia 3120, apparently no longer in production. A Series 40 phone with CLDC 1.0 and MIDP 1.0 support, it was just what I needed. It had GPRS and support for MIDI files as ringtones and JPEG and GIF image support as well. I later got a DKU-5 data cable and used it a lot, putting wallpapers and ringtones on the phone and more recently, for upgrading my Java skills to include the basics of J2ME.

It was one solid piece of engineering; I must've dropped it a hundred times and it never gave. Light and durable, it gave me over five and a half years of service. But lately, it'd been acting up a bit; it wouldn't charge properly and there were problems accessing it via Nokia PC Suite. It appears the firmware was corrupted to some extent.

Last Friday, the keypad inexplicably stopped working. And it wasn't mechanical failure, because when I restarted the device, the keys would work again but stop after a while. All except for '5'. And then even that stopped. So I knew, as much as I'd been avoiding it, it was time to get a new phone.

Google Labs India

2007-08-20T22:12:00.000+05:30

On 15th August, India’s Independence Day, Google had hinted it had something up it’s sleeves. Today Google’s announced Google Labs India, developing features and tools to provide a platform to work with Indian and South Asian languages for searching for content. Pretty neat.

Also, the Hindi transliteration feature on Blogger has now gone a step further and is now a completely independent tool and iGoogle gadget.

Awesome stuff coming from Google and loads more expected!

Warning!

2007-08-17T22:45:00.000+05:30

So. Who do I have to sue for making me spill the 'extremely hot drink I was about to enjoy', all over my lap in an attempt to read the warning?

Seriously, which genius had the flash of inspiration to slap the cautionary statement sideways?

Centennial

2007-08-04T22:21:00.000+05:30

This is my hundredth post on this blog and coincidentally, it's exactly one year since my first post. And what a year it's been! I've come a long way; from one blog and no readers, to 2 blogs, a domain name, a website and no readers! How things have changed! I've learnt much ( a fair bit of it the hard way ) and I've done much and met some very interesting people through their blogs.

And the more blogs I visit, the more I realize that my posts read like a series of essays! I can't help it though. You can blame the board exams for instilling the skill of creating an introduction, body and conclusion for virtually any subject and embedding the habit so deeply that now I'm unable to turn out anything else except for dry, straight-to-the-point articles.

And from the label count, it seems that a majority of them are about me ( Hey! You say self-obsessed, I say introspective ), but isn't that one of the many purposes of a blog? To help you sort out your thoughts and get to know yourself better? That was my intention when I started out, anyway.

I'm considering posting on short, random topics from now on. Stuff that comes into my head but about which I don't necessarily have much to say. Let's see how that works out. See you at the bicentennial post