TECHNOLOGY
SMART COMES TO THE HOME
Encyclopaedia Britannica defines technology as “ the application of scientific knowledge to the practical aims of human life or, as it is sometimes phrased, to the change and manipulation of the human environment“.
In the simplest meaning, technology is aimed at making human life comfortable. Technology can take the form of a simple screwdriver to the most complex of invention made by man. Over centuries, man has not only come up with new technologies but these have been overtaken by new ones. Always, the basic aim has remained the same.
I start with the proposition that the technology or rather the machines and devices that made our lives simpler and comfortable also made us lazy in the first place. I give the example of the first television in my home- a black and white one. It did not come up with any remote control that is so much ubiquitous today. I believe the remote control was the first ‘smart’ device to enter our lives. The trend continued with the arrival of the colour television. There was only one channel on offer and so there was no need for the remote control. But as satellite television barged into the home, the remote control became the most coveted possession. Everyone wanted to have the power to control-the content on the television.
The set top box came with a different remote control and so did the air conditioner. The music system had one to change the tracks and to raise the volume much to the chagrin of the others in the home. The DVD player had a remote in the box. In order to reduce the clutter, my brother got one universal remote control from abroad. But, the learning curve was so steep that till today, it is gathering dust in some remote corner of the home. The remote controls made everything simple but at a cost-it made people like me couch potatoes.
With walking and cycling becoming a thing of the past due to the two wheeler, my clothes became smaller and the weight became greater. Neither the missus nor the brother was happy when I found it difficult to get right sized clothes. I was asked to walk and also use the cycle. I came up with every excuse possible to not to go out to improve my physical fitness. Some days, it was the early morning cricket telecast and some days I simply was not having the mood to get out of the bed.
The years of neglect took their toll on the body. I was put on medication for the treatment of Diabetes and Hypertension. Besides the medicines and the diet, I was told to improve my physical fitness.
I use the mobile app to monitor the distance covered and the calories consumed. The statistics have to be shared with the missus. The app uses GPS to measure the progress. I am happy when the target is reached and the missus is happy too.
With the app not being very accurate, I am thinking of going for a Smart Wearable like the fitness band that would also track my heart rate and monitor my sleep. The only concern is the hole in my wallet.
I am very much interested in the smart watch that one day can not only monitor my blood glucose levels in the real time and also take necessary steps to prevent hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia. I had to stay in the hospital for a few days due to hypoglycaemia.
To reduce the monotony of the walk, I connect the bluetooth earphone to the phone and listen to tunes. I can now use my voice to change the tracks thanks to Alexa. I am also excited to bring home smart speakers that can not only play music but also do a lot of things including turn on or turn off lights. Also, the smart switches connected to the home network can turn on the air conditioner and cool the room by the time I return home from a hard day at work.
I want to gift the missus smart speakers having video calling ability to put her in touch with siblings and friends. Also, appliances like the smart microwave and the smart washing machine can take the tedium out of the household chores. Smart plugs can extend the life of appliances by turning off the power at the right time. Smart lights can also help reduce the burden of the electricity bills.
These days, security is very important and the Smart Camera can provide the necessary assurance. I can look at the home using the app on my mobile phone and I can also alert the right people in times of need, even when neither me nor my family are nearby.
Flipkart has always been at the forefront when it comes to giving the latest and the best to the customers. It is no surprise that Flipkart is again taking the lead in the move towards the making of #SmartHomeRevolution using the smart devices. On the personal front, I hope to take advantage of #GetFitWithFlipkart .The Smart Home starts with a smart device.
Things have come a full circle with gadgets and devices making us fitter and happier with their smartness. Of course, it would an affront if I do not give credit to the the likes of the missus and the brother ! It does not matter whether the smart appliance or the smart device responds to hello or Ok. But I am also fearful of the possibility that our lives can be controlled and taken over by the gadgets. I recently came across a video where a toddler asked the smart speaker for help in doing the homework.
Thanks to Flipkart and Indiblogger for providing the opportunity to win big by taking part in this blogging challenge.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )DARK SIDE AWAKENS THE FUN SIDE
(I submitted a post with the same title and accidentally or rather in a careless act, the post got deleted. I am posting it once again.)
When I watched the Star Wars many years ago, it was like being transported into a magical and occasionally a frightening world, different from the world I live in. The start and the ending of the movie and the display of the credits etc. is still fresh in my memory. Of course, the gadgets and the gizmos had a deep impact and as some of the characters. Star Wars were the movies that my parents allowed me and my siblings to watch in a theatre near my home since those were deemed safe! That bering back memories when the world was very innocent and people (me,including were more human!) George Lucas, still for me is the man who has the power to create magic on the screen even after all these years since the launch of the first Star Wars movie.
HP or Hewlett-Packard is one brand that I am very closely attached to. The first CD writer at home came from HP and so is the laptop that my 70 year old mother uses today. Of course, at the place of work, there are many printers that proudly display the HP logo. To mark the release of the latest offering from Lucas as part of the Star Wars saga titled-The Force Awakens, HP is offering Star Wars branded laptops which not only look good from the outside but also have the innards to justify the co-branding. Indiblogger has offered a chance to win a great laptop from the HP-Star Wars lineup.
I have always wanted to have a laptop that would not only be portable but also be powerful enough to truly replace the desktop. The Sixth Generation Core i5 processor and the 8GB RAM offer the muscle to tear through any task. The brains provided by the latest iteration from Microsoft in the form of Windows 10 is a perfect combination. All this in a package that carries the rich legacy of HP is something that surely would guarantee the attention of others, sometimes rather enviously.
The large hard disc drive can store all my documents, music, videos and photos. The 2GB Graphics Memory courtesy NVIDIA along with the HDMI out can take care of all my presentation chores. I have over the years accumulated a large number of DVDs that can be played using the built-in DVD writer. I intend to get DVDs of all the Star Wars movies and show them to my son who can be truly be fascinated. I also can recollect the great time I had in the company of my siblings. I can also make DVDs in a jiffy thanks to the 8X Super Multi DVD writer.
The Graphic card coupled with the B & O Audio technology and the true full HD display can make watch videos-online and offline a fun. I can occasionally play a racing game even as my wife starts to lament about my neglect of her and the home ! I can of course, make amends my making her connect with her friends and siblings using the likes of Skype.
The sound schemes for notifications can make the owner of the laptop truly different from others. I can use the pre-loaded Aurebesh fonts to great effect while making notes and presentations that can make serious stuff become fun. I am also trying to find ways of using the images from Star Wars to make my students and son learn.
As far as the Pavilion X2 is concerned, the 10.1 inch touchscreen can be separated from the keyboard and as a result a full fledged tablet and a laptop are combined into one great machine. My son recently shattered the display of my tablet and only a couple of days ago, I ordered a new tablet for my wife. The X2 can be my digital assistant . I can have class notes in the machine and that can reduce the use of papers. The machine can also help me get my daily fix from digital magazines.
The Pavilion X360, as the name suggests is a great machine that has a great display which can be rotated the full circle to suit my requirement. I can put a good movie on the 360 to soothe the hurt feelings of my wife and not worry about the viewing angles and she can rotate the screen instead of twisting her body doing some yoga move.
I have got my bases covered for all the great machines that HP has to offer to mark the release of the latest movie. HP has done it right to #AwakenYourForce. However, instead of my DarkSide, my fun side would awake !
Take a look at the great machines.
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FOR ME & MY WIFE
The mobile phones have become smarter with many features that were not even thinkable being offered now. The displays have become larger and brighter with some even offering resolutions of 2k. The cameras found in the mobile phones of today are no longer a gimmick but have to a large extent at least for the ordinary user have succeeded in making the point and shoot cameras redundant.
With 3G offered by most operators, it is just a matter of few clicks or swipes or touches to access the internet and the many offerings it has to offer.
Publications in the form of e-books have made reading on the go a new experience.The printed material has given way to bytes and e-readers.
Same is the case with audio and video files. Personal media players have been stowed away into some corner of the house with the newer phones possessing the best hardware and software to play audio and video files. No longer is it necessary to carry a bag load of different gadgets and their chargers and cables. One device-the ubiquitous smartphone does it all in a small form factor fitting every pocket.
Shopping on the mobile phones is also possible with only the purse allowing the payment.
The many apps have made it possible not only to view and edit documents but also to create them and in this process one is no longer tied to the laptop or the desktop.
Battery technology is something that needs to improve in order to keep up with the displays and the multitasking the phones of today being capable of.
For me or more specifically, I need a mobile phone that is capable of showing my location to my wife. There have been times when I need to stay at my work place beyond the regular hours and true to her wont, my wife is not in the habit of believing it. She terms me a liar and I am not happy with the ever growing size of this tag.
There is another feature that I want in my incredible phone-the ability to decipher the emotions of the caller. I can be in a position to know the emotion of the caller so that necessary arrangements can be made at my end to avoid any unpleasantness. Be it my boss or my wife or my seniors, this feature would truly make my life less cumbersome with no one forced to provide any false excuses.
This post is my shot at the fabulous Zenphone offered by ASUS and indiblogger.in.
More details of the Zenphone are available at http://www.asus.com/campaign/zenfone/IN/
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )GREAT GIVEAWAY
The blog named ‘bestandroidblog’ is going to giveaway a Google Nexus upon completing simple tasks.
There are many blogs devoted to the mobile operating system Android.The blogs make life simpler for ordinary Android users like me.Best Android Blog offers insights into the various aspects of Android powered devices using language and terms that can be understood by even the most technically challenged.
The link to the giveaway is http://www.bestandroidblog.com/news-updates/bestandroidblog-contest-participate-and-win-asus-google-nexus-7-tablet-16-gb/
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )FUN AND ENTERTAINMENT ON THE GO
It is 10 years that I have been using the internet and there has never been a dull day with the www and sometimes this has raised the hackles of my parents, friends,co-workers and last but not least, my wife.At times I wonder whether the internet has made me an addict because I cannot live without it even for a single day. My wife even reads out the riot act disgusted with me giving more time to the virtual world than to her.Once she threatened to throw my laptop out but I was unfazed since she also has the urge to check out the latest on the web.Moreover, I also access the internet on my mobile phones-3 of them.
I remember the first time I got on to the internet when I had to spend Rs.100 to get an email from my brother. In a matter of few days, I was hooked and most of my meagre salary was spent on surfing the net. Then the moment arrived with the PC coming home.It was really difficult in those days to get the internet connection without delay.The wait was worthwhile since the internet at home was not only economical in terms of money but also in terms of time..With the upgradation to broadband, things became even more fun and exciting with things like downloads and video chatting.
The ability to search for information was and still is the best reason to use the internet.In this context, the internet has proved to be extremely helpful.With no public library it is the internet that has always been the information giver of the last resort.The internet is also way less expensive vis-à-vis the printed material.
Then my brother introduced me to the world of blogs and the internet has never been the same for me again.Today, I spend more time reading blogs and making the occasional post on mine.It is true that most of the blog world is now very close to the organized media, but it still gives me a kick out of a personal post.It was very difficult to make yourself heard within the confines of the traditional mass media.But with blogs, you can make your point even when no one listens to it! This is something that I find is truly cathartic and liberating.
In the last couple of years, the social networks like facebook and twitter have really caused an exponential growth in the popularity of the internet.Most of us have an account on facebook.I can easily share photos and videos with near and dear ones.It is with facebook that my wife is really comfortable with the internet for she can show her latest acquisitions in terms of sarees and jewellery to her sisters.Of course, things become very painful for me in terms of my finances when she has a sight of the acquisitions made by her siblings.
It is not the internet accessed on the PC but mobile internet that has changed the way in the interaction with the world.Today even the most basic cell phone comes with the ability to bring the power of the internet to your hands. No longer is one tied to the same spot to access the internet. Internet on the mobile devices coupled with the likes of facebook, instagram and twitter have made the internet a truly fun experience. The arrival of 3G has made the internet experience even better. I can now watch the occasional video on sites such as youtube.
The use of apps on the mobile phone has given the fun to most of the internet experience.I can in a simple touch click and share photos and videos through facebook and twitter. I remember when my brother emailed me about the loss of his phone,I called him on skype installed on my phone. The app Talking Tom has brought joy even to my parents and my infant son.I have been using the app Sportstracker to help me shed weight and achieve some kind of physical fitness.
I was never someone who liked to play games on the PC but the game Angry Birds has really given me great joy.I am really engrossed in the task of destroying the pigs.I have become really addicted to this game.The game has brought out the child in me.
No longer I have to log on to the PC to check emails since everytime I get a new email,my phone informs me.I am also able to mail on the mobile.The blog app has given me the ability to post on the go.I am in a position to read documents in the .pdf format with the help of Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on the phone.With the help of Quick Office, I am able to read and also edit different kinds of documents.
I like to listen to music and my phone allows me to go to youtube.com and watch any video of the artist/group in one simple step thanks to the internet.I have become a sort of an expert in the forecast of weather.The secret lies in the app Accuweather that I use to check the weather.Mobile internet has truly given the power of the internet in our hands.
Mobile service providers like Vodafone have been at the forefront in bringing the latest technology to our mobile phones as far as the internet is concerned.It is a shame that I live in a part of India where I cannot have access to the 3G service of Vodafone.
It is difficult to imagine my world without mobile internet.It has become a constant in my life.Someone said decades ago “music is the only friend until the end”.I apologise and say that mobile internet is the only true friend.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )GREAT PLANS
Getting on to the internet has been a liberating experience.The internet has helped us to connect to each other easily and in ways not far from fantasy.The proliferation of social networks coupled with cellular devices armed with the latest hardware and software have made it possible to remain in touch with friends,near and dear ones and the world in general.However, all the connectivity hinged on one crucial element-the costs of bandwidth.
The introduction of 3G services was expected to make connectivity faster and much less hasslefree.But the costs dampened the expectations.One had to pay more to obtain a true 3G service.Many so-called 3G services are just marginally better than EDGE/GPRS services even as the customers are charged astronomical amounts.The video calling feature seemed more like a gimmick where there was little syncronisation between the video and the audio.I was taken back to the days where Hollywood films were first dubbed into Indian languages where the dialogues and the pictures did not coincide.
The introduction of new unlimited 3G plans by Aircel has the potential to revolutionise the way we use 3G enabled cellular devices to connect.My favourite is the plan that offers 50 MB of 3G data for a meagre payment of Rs.8/- per day.
With the new plans, I can utilize the full potential of my 3G device and also connect to the virtual and the real worlds much more smoothly.I will no longer be held back by high costs of 3G and the lack of bandwidth.It will be much easier for me to share pictures and videos with others.My parents can see the face of my young son when I make a video call.I can share his exploits and mischiefs with his grandparents,uncle and aunts by easily sharing the videos.
I can now have access to news and watch videos whenever I need. Apps like Instagram can be made to truly work for me.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )CAPTURING THE LAPTOP WITH CAP ANY-MY FAVOURITE PC APP
I have been fascinated with the idea of downloading and installing apps of various kinds on the mobile phone. I do not own the iPhone nor an Android powered phone.But I own a Nokia and have downloaded and installed quite a few apps.Some of the apps are really useful.
A few months ago, I happened to stumble upon a contest where it was necessary to go to the Intel app store, install the software and download some apps. I do not own a netbook but the specifications of my old laptop are not found even on the most primitive netbook. But I have managed to download some- 5 to be precise-Cap Any,Quardz Chess,iCalculator,Unit Converter and Read Books. My dodgy internet connection has made it difficult to try other apps. Also, I am in no position to pay for certain apps even as they might be really useful.
I am not good at chess and it is difficult for me to play chess with the laptop for even 10 minutes.The calculator app is also good. I have tried to read some ebooks on the app Read Books but with the internet connection, it is not possible to download and read ebooks.Moreover, the display on my laptop has a mind of its own, compounding the problem. I have found the Unit Converter extremely useful.
However, my choice of app is Cap Any that helps me to capture the screen of my display.It may not be a perfect app but it does happen to do what it is supposed to do and that too at no cost.I do not have the resources to get any professional grade software for getting the screenshots.
I hope to get the new laptop for this post.
This blog is an entry to the "My Favorite PC App" contest. Check out numerous apps for PC/Netbooks available at the Intel AppUp Center. If you are looking for an opportunity to build and monetize your applications, check out the Intel® Atom™ Developer Program.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )a WELCOME STEP
It is for years that cell phone users have been asking for a common standard as far as the chargers are concerned.Every cellphone maker has a different charging device.Even within the same brand, models tend to come with different chargers over a period of time.
I started with a Nokia 6610 and now I am using Nokia XpressMusic 5800.The earlier charger has a different pin tip on the charger and so does not suit the new phone.Also, I have a Windows powered phone that has a mini-USB port for charging as well as for data transfers.My parents have a Samsung and a Nokia phone.Again, the chargers are different.So there a number of chargers at home which are not compatible with all phones.
For some time now, there has been a talk of cellphone makers thinking of adopting the mini-USB as the standard port for charging.That would definitely reduce the clutter and free us from the tyranny of the wires.There are times, when a significant part of the travel bag is occupied by the different chargers.
I came across a write-up at gottabemobile.com that talks of Apple putting its weight behind the idea of the mini-USB.This is a welcome step in the right direction.
However, I am not amused by the premise that a single type of charger would be helpful in making the world much more greener.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )MY LIFE CHANGING DEVICE
The computer and the internet changed the way I communicated with my siblings,my friends and the whole world. I felt delighted at the thought of moving around the world by just making few clicks.
The computer also stored lots of music, photos and videos.I could play them and entertain myself and anyone who was interested.
I could prepare a lot of documents which earlier required hours and hours of painstaking work easily.
But then came my new mobile phone the Nokia XpressMusic 5800 changed everything for the better.
This phone is 3G capable meaning I can connect myself to the internet without being tied to the chair placed in front of my computer. I can tweet and facebook and also blog using the phone.
The 5800 comes with a good camera and whenever the mood gets me, I can take pictures and also share them with others.
I do not have money to buy a dedicated PMP-personal media player and honestly, I cannot see myself carrying multiple devices in my pockets.In that respect also the 5800 has helped me carry my music with me.
So for me, the 5800 has been one gadget that has changed my life.
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LIFE & FILE IN THE FAST LANE
The advent of mobile phones helped to unleash a revolution in the way people communicated with each other. No longer was it required to stay at certain places in order to talk.The mobile phones made it possible to communicate without talking via SMS and MMS.
The 3G networks are hoped to have a multiplier effect on the mobile world.It is seen as something that will help faster communication in ways that were earlier possible with broadband internet-like downloads and uploads. 3G brings everything together into the small devices called the mobile phones.
Believe me, I have been using 3G for sometime now and can vouch for the mobility it offers.Other than using the phone to talk, I am able to connect to the virtual world effortlessly and in a very economic way.I use my 3G to stay connected to the internet even when I am away from home.
3G has made it possible to offer me to establish a means of communication between my real and virtual worlds without having to crossover often at a cost. I can talk to my near and dear ones and at the same time I can be in the company of my friends in the virtual world.
3G has the ability to make our fantasies real.
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