Hephail's Jail

Email etiquette

2011-09-12T00:38:00.000-07:00

In India, we really tend to forget that Email needs a specific thought, to ensure that it is effectively used.The Spam button is just a click away.Here are a few tips to keep your mail away from the Spam box:As far as possible, try to keep the subject line very direct and to the point. When writing to a client, it helps to keep your company name in the subject line, especially if you aren't using

Your phone, your personal navigator

2011-07-12T07:57:00.000-07:00

Anyone following the news, will hear about Google Labs launching mapping downloads for Android phones. This is a big deal, because till now, anyone using Google maps, is either on an unlimited download data plan, or they’re paying a lot of money for accessing maps on their Android phone. If you have a GPS enabled phone, it means that when you switch on your mapping application, the GPS receiver

Videos on the N8

2011-07-02T23:40:00.000-07:00

The fun part about playing videos on the N8, is something called HDMI. What it basically means it that both the sound and the image, go out the same port, the HDMI port in this case. Now just attaching the N8 to the HD screen is not enough. What you should also do, is download an application from the Ovi Store called Nokia Bigscreen. Now this is where your phone truly comes alive. Not only

Techie? Nah, not me.

2011-07-02T23:38:00.000-07:00

Why being called a Techie is a bad thing! It sucks. Because being called a Techie, is just as bad as being called a black, or a Dalit. It basically creates stereotypes, where in some cases they are not warranted. Take my case for example. Engineer, yes! M.B.A. , yes! .. in a technical field like Telecom Management. I.T. Firm in Bangalore, yes! But that’s where it all ends. Because I

Gaming on the N8

2011-06-28T01:17:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite games on the N8(one of the first phones with a graphics card, the Broadcom BCM2727 GPU) has to be Galaxy on Fire. The first thing which impresses you on start, is that it actually asks you if you would like the audio on or off, which makes it much less intrusive than Angry Birds, where you’re sitting in this comparatively tranquil environment, and suddenly the soundtrack

Confederate Hellcat C3 X132 – The Koenigsegg of bikes

2011-06-28T01:03:00.000-07:00

Steve Jobs was a gaming guy starting a computer company. Maybe a stretch, but what about a lawyer launching an avant-garde motorcycle company?Confederate Motors Inc. is a 19 year old company, formed by Matthew Chambers, a man who first ran his father’s pool hall at the age of 17, to have enough money for law college, to running for Louisiana State Representative in 1982, to winning his largest

Waiting List: Purgatory on Earth

2011-04-27T05:59:00.000-07:00

When my friend told me that I was on a waiting list number of 13, for the Second A/C berth to Kerala, I was cool. I thought that was a small number, thinking that within 10 days it would clear up. Boy, how wrong was I? The second A/C carriage is just one, with hardly about 20 passengers.It's only when I stepped into the carriage, that I realised that I was as good as someone with no ticket at all

Jar Ornament

2011-02-19T03:07:00.000-08:00

I had just travelled to Mumbai after nearly four years of working in Bangalore.Mumbai was rough, comparatively, what I would call a brown skinned London, because people were equally cold, although always willing to give directions.In London, they would say you only knew if someone passed away, by the untouched milk bottle.Had also moved away from the Information Technology industry, into

The perfect Obituary

2011-01-24T00:27:00.000-08:00

You ever want someone to write your obituary, this is the way you should tell them to write it.> Subject: Please Read: WARNING, this is not K> Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2004 18:31:07 +0000> > I regret to inform all of you, that K has died.> She died two weeks ago, > from her addiction to cutting her wrist. I don't> know what had gotten into > her. But she did call and tell me a few things. She> wanted me

Travelling long distance by bus

2010-11-25T04:54:00.000-08:00

As someone with both the experience of delaying buses as well as missing them by a 24 hour interval, I feel emboldened enough to tell you what to do to travel well:Keep a warm jacket: Most Volvo buses nowadays, are either too cold, or getting there. The other issue, is that some of them offer you blankets, which might actually be a mini zoo for animals not even named yet. This also means that you

Boiling an Egg

2010-11-16T03:25:00.000-08:00

I looked around, but it is surprising that most people don't realise that actually boiling the egg is the easiest part.Getting it not to crack before and during boiling, is the toughest.So here are my big tips:Keep the temperature setting in your fridge on Low, meaning the warmest setting. If you keep the temperature high, there is a danger the eggs will crack, and the yolk will freeze. Then you

Why I need a Night Rod Special

2010-09-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

Rode a '97 standard 350 Bullet(from Royal Enfield) for around 5 years, and the feeling came across that I need a Night Rod because:Vehicles are much faster now, when I used to ride on highways, the faster beast was either a Skoda Octavia or an Innova, today there are much bigger monsters such as the Toyota Fortuner or a passing Cayenne. I had being passed over :pAfter my black bullet, the most

Cycling in Pune

2010-09-29T06:42:00.000-07:00

Well, finally got myself off motorised vehicles, thanks partly due to the fact that my office is just around 4 bus stops away from home.Its' nice that Pune has cycling paths, reaching right up till the office gate.Few things which need noticing:Being Pune, Jaywalkers and riding in any open path is the norm :(Garages take this as an excuse to pile in even more cars outside their shop.You get a lot

Twitter for Celebrities

2010-08-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

I notice that celebrities never realise the power of their tweets and responses, except for those who don't really follow anyone, unless they really mean it.Few tips, to ensure that celebrities don't burn their fans, and thereby, themselves.Never forward fan tweets unless you actually like them. I had my complain tweet forwarded by a celebrity CEO, whose company then refused to work with my

Tips: Mumbai Local Train

2010-03-16T06:16:00.000-07:00

In the few months, that I have travelled by train, this is what I never want to forget:Every train is not the same size: There are typically 9 coach trains, and 12 coach trains, hence if you see people running when the next train comes, it's because it's so short that you can't get on from where you are, or the first class will turn into second class. Usually the train sign has a 12 and 9 written

Goan Observer: Thinking Twitter!

2009-10-28T22:31:00.000-07:00

Twitter can never actually be a social network, rather it is a great platform for a social network. You can’t chat with people on Twitter, you can’t send them anything more than hyperlinks, which open on other websites. You can not write messages longer than 140 characters even if they include hyperlinks. You can’t send a direct message to someone, unless they actually

Goan Observer: How to blog well

2009-10-28T22:30:00.000-07:00

The word blog, has come in from the word web log, hence simply translated, is an online journal. Blogging, is a personal form of journalism. Hence, to be a good blogger, you need to be a good reader. There are a variety of blogs today, right from a great blog on wierd things www.boingboing.com, to blogs on technology, www.gigaom.com, blogs on gadgets www.gizmodo.com, blogs on technology startups

Pimping myself to the highest bidder!

2009-10-13T22:53:00.000-07:00

Ever been bored of sitting for interviews all over the place, taking up long-term projects which end up shorter than short-term? Well, I am!So here I go...I am hereby auctioning myself to the highest bidder, with the only condition being that I be based in Goa.Do I have the credentials for it? You decide :PWhat can this guy do?TrainerWriterTeacherPhotographerMobile Strategist / ExecutionerOnline

Bevinda Collaço's 6 Things to remember when going Goa

2009-09-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

A little common sense and courtesy is all we ask for. Oh yes, our tiny state is blessed with all that is fine and good hills, dales, forests, rivers, fields, beautiful beaches, lovely people, PCOs and broadband. Okay, if you insist, it’s a gift from God. Kerala claims to be God’s own abode, but everyone knows when God needs a holiday He comes to Goa. We understand that

Setting Vodafone Live on your Windows Mobile phone in India

2009-09-14T06:32:00.000-07:00

I had a huge fight on Thursday with the Vodafone GPRS guy who said "Sir, it is impossible to set Vodafone Live on your Windows Mobile phone, that is why people pay extra for Vodafone Connect!"Bullshit! I had got it working before I got my Xperia serviced.It's not that difficult.=====Go to Settings> Connection Setup> Here it downloads Vodafone_www settings, cool!Now, go to Settings>

The Best of - Bullet Mechanics

2009-07-29T07:56:00.001-07:00

For me, the most frustrating thing about riding a bullet, is to give my bike to the wrong mechanic.So here's my recommendations on the best Bullet Mechanics around:BangaloreMehboob Motors (Feroz)(buying, selling and pickup in case of breakdown): Landline- 08023436682 . Location: Next to the Funworld petrol pump, on the way to the Cantonment Railway Station, from R.T. Nagar.MumbaiSharma (Most of

Learnings from El Che and The Mahatma

2008-11-08T02:50:00.000-08:00

El Che (Ernesto 'Che' Guevara)[Source: The Motorcycle Diaries, Harper Perennial ]{Told by the old man in the last chapter}"The future belongs to the people and gradually, or in one strike, they will take power, here and in every country.The terrible thing is, the people need to be educated , and this they cannot do without taking power, only after. They can only learn at the cost of their own

Goafest: Thoughts!

2008-04-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

The entire focus of Goafest, was that Advertising had changed, that's it's inherent nature, has been corrupted.The advent of the internet, changed everything. Where traditional advertising created a stereotype, and propagated it, new advertising needs to understand the various fragments created, the various parts of the Long Tail.The old advertiser, was an out and out creative guy, who over the

The Horny Green Goblin

2008-01-26T23:30:00.000-08:00

Imagine having a dictat of becoming a villian... and actually overfulfilling this dictat.That is exactly what happened on Thursday, the 24th of January.Now .. tell me... what did I know... I was just told there was a party on Thursday night ... where the theme was Villians and Vamps.So, I looked for my prospective villian.Predictably, I looked at Satan :P .... so I came up wiht this idea of horns

Wifi on the P990i

2008-01-14T16:47:00.001-08:00

I finally got the wifi working at home for my phone. Looks like this is a recurring problem on the P990i, according to the forums. I was first a lil miffed when a friend could easily log on with his N 81. Also, I could easily access other hotspots, but not the one at home :( . You wanna know the problem? My cousin had set it to WPA - PSK(which is more popular now), while my phone was set to WEP(

Inhaler with a Honker

2007-12-29T11:53:00.000-08:00

Was watching a friend use his inhaler, and wondered "Why is it that the inhaler is so damn silent? ... What if you could make it real loud" ... then this whole thought of putting the same honker which they use on auto-rickshaws, or those squeaky noise makers which small kids have in their shoes....Wernering... :p

Show me....

2007-12-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

Show me people who drink too much, who have to try out fancy drinks, and I will show you people who are miserable and sorry for themselves, always causing trouble and always complaining. Their eyes are bloodshot, and they have bruises that could have been avoided.Don't let wine tempt you, even though it is rich red, and it sparkles in the cup, and it goes down smoothly. The next morning you will

Maldives: Beautifully Expensive

2007-11-23T12:21:00.001-08:00

Was in the Maldives last weekend, for ... of all things... a biz visit!Was lovely ... makes me realise that the more of the world u see... the more you realise how its all the same.I realise that we Goans share a true kinship with the Maldivians... it was real eerie.Didn't take much pics... just this much :pWas passing through Srilanka on the way there, we went by Srilankan Airlines.Bought a book

What I like about Motorola

2007-09-19T01:08:00.000-07:00

I had used the KRZR for a few months, and I must say I was impressed.For a phone with a display that baaad :p it was suprisingly good.The good things were:The text editor, had the autocomplete option, to the point where, if you write Cheers, you get the entire signature getting completed for you, which was so awesome when I was typing out mails in the Gmail java app. This auto-complete option,

How does the Social Net work?

2007-09-19T00:41:00.000-07:00

As anyone who went to school or college would tell you, any social network has:The progressive (active) networker -ParisThe follower (passive) networker - BritneyParis, is one who is always tickled by finding out and trying out something new, herself.Hence, the main user of a social network, the one who is eager about exploring and using the social network to the fullest, is Paris.Now, Britney,

Synergise

2007-07-10T07:28:00.000-07:00

If you synergise the mobile, the mobile internet becomes more enjoyable. Details The mobile today, is a smorgasbord of applications. But, the functions aren't served. It is like putting 1 lemon size tamarind, 2 tblsp ginger paste, 1 tblsp malt vinegar, 2 pomfret fish, 1/2 cup coconut scraped, 6 red chillies whole, 2 tblsp oil, 2 green chillies,2 tblsp coriander seeds, 1 small tomato, 2 tsp

Mobile + Internet = Mobile Internet

2007-06-22T06:53:00.000-07:00

This is a part of the discussion which I had initiated at Barcamp3. Before we move on to the Mobile Internet, we first understand The need for the mobileThe need for the Internet …and then…The need for the Mobile Internet 1.The need for the mobile The mobile was created as an evolution of the need to communicate. This started with the telephone, where the need is To communicate, at a premium

Worms Fort: RAWKS!

2007-06-08T00:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay!I know that people playing it on the PS2, would say that playing Worms Fort on a mobile is stoopid!But..but ...BUT! ... it is just amazing on the Sony Ericsson W550I.I mean, I could never imagine spending 3 hours on a mobile game.The game actually gets tougher with each level, along with more weapons and buildings..... and to think my brother wonders why I don't have a TV.:P

MoMo Bangalore May: jB5

2007-05-31T00:13:00.000-07:00

(...Thanks to the MoMo Bangalore guys!)Finally the big day arrived!We were a little confused about how we should approach this event, whether we should look at providing a full demonstration of the mobile browser on the screen, or just a presentation of why we launched jB5 for free on Symbian and Windows Mobile.We decided to do both :PSo we made a presentation more about the idealogy, the reason

What I hate about the N-Series

2007-05-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

...That they try to do everything without focussing on any one thing.I wish they would bring the usability back up to the level of the Series 40 phones, with the 6085 being one of my favourites among the heavily featured, and very usable phones.;-)

What I hate about Sony Ericsson phones

2007-05-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

..Even though I love Sony Ericsson....It's the joystick, which every mobile mechanic throughout the world would complain, as being the Achille's heel of Sony Ericsson.Why, ...because it gets damaged so quickly.That's why the SE W550I, SE W830I, SE W850I ...are pretty decent phones!;-)

Spiderman III: Bollywood style

2007-05-09T23:05:00.000-07:00

For me, Spiderman III was a little too melodramatic, almost like our Bollywood movies in fact :PI mean, it almost seemed like Spiderman III was a joint production of Sooraj Barjatya and Karan Johar!The funniest part, was to see, Spidey high-five everyone in the crowd, just like our Hindi movies, where the hero is like this big celebrity, who collects everyone's high-fives before he goes to take

I hate Facebook

2007-05-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

This is the one site I hated the most... just because of the security feature, which never ever accepts my verification password.For some reason, they believe that everyone in the world has a US number, which I do not! :-(

Ever hated that Shortcut Bar on your Nokia phone

2007-05-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

And wondered how to remove it?I am talking about that shortcut bar which appears just below the time icon on the latest Nokia phones.Well, after finding that friends kept finding it real irritating, I decided to post it, since it's so simple, but just that Nokia gave it a name, which no one would relate to the bar....Active Standby.Go to Settings>Phone>Standby and deactivate Active Standby.;-)

Aishwarya and Hrithik

2007-05-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

How the hell, can Aishwarya and Hrithik ever be thought of representatives of us Indians...Sheesh!I mean... they look great...and behave perfectly.... which is exactly why they can never represent US!We, Indians.... thrive on our imperfections, they are what make us unique ...give us an identity!Perfection.... can never define us!:p

Why different types of contact?

2007-04-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

Besides the fact, that it’s good to have a wide portfolio of messaging products, why do we need: EmailMMS/SMS(For this argument, I am excluding the issue about the type of content)Instant MessagingVoice My opinion?It’s the level of privacy.

Coffee at 1AM

2007-03-22T00:55:00.000-07:00

Was at a coffee shop with a friend around 1AM. Heard a group of Europeans nearby, discussing with the waiter about investing in land in Bangalore.They were asking him if it would be possible to double an investment in 2 years.This is where my ears pricked up... the talk of business :pI hollered "You should be able to double your investment in one year!"Then they turned in my direction, and we got

Blue Buzzing

2006-12-28T05:44:00.000-08:00

This is downright wierd!But... BUT... if my mum is near me, and I need to call her, why do I need to call on roaming, when a bluetooth call should suffice?Wernering,;-)

Work, Play and Communicate

2006-11-26T23:27:00.001-08:00

Following up on the discussion at WUDBE, on Mobile Usability, let me just say...it was FUN! :pVarious points which were raised were:Why can't mobiles be served like empty plates, where the user chooses the phone only based on the form factor, for a nominal price of about Rs. 7000, and then choose the software they like, and pay for it. Most people find that there are way too many applications on

Wudbe, would be not?

2006-11-10T02:07:00.000-08:00

Usability, affects us all!So it's great to know that there are folks around, actually celebrating it.For those in Bangalore, I will a part of the celebrations for ...what else?... Mobile devices!For the rest who aint gonna be there, why don't you take a red balloon for a walk!:p

Bengalooru? : What's in a name?

2006-11-01T23:14:00.000-08:00

A name is an identity.Changing it, changes your identity.The bigger you are, the more stable your identity needs to be!So when a big popular city like Bangalore decides to change her name, I'm worried about the instability in her identity.;-)Update 11/12/06: A friend in UK, wanted to know what this all actually means. Well it means that all documentation and signs referring to Bangalore, would

Phones I hate!

2006-11-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

O2 XDAII(HTC Himalya/iMate Pocket PC/Qtek 2020/Orange SPV M1000/MDA II):A phone this powerful, was supposed to be smarter, not dumber, than the rest.I loved this phone, till I realised that if the backup battery dries up, the whole phone gets wiped out... everything... I mean the phone actually started reinstalling when I switched it on.All my data(recipe book, Expense sheet,), address book,

Dance: The ultimate litmus test

2006-10-29T22:32:00.000-08:00

Consider this scene:It's a first holy communion party.There is music playing, and among all the dancing couples, there was a lil kid who kept on shaking his leg as if he was in an epileptic fit, all the time in this illusion that he was dancing.That kid was me, in 1991.So yeah, my dancing is crazy, and I'm crazy about dance.I realise that now, the only way I will ever know if the girl I'm crazy

Mobile Metro ?

2006-08-11T10:08:00.000-07:00

I've been travelling everyday by the train to work, here in Berkshire.The one thing I read religiously, has been the Metro paper.This paper was always lying around the train when I got in, and I thought it must be real popular for everyone to be reading it... till I realised...it was FREE!Then I started reading up the free newspaper model which Rupert Murdoch is now going to emulate with

The kewlest thing about the iPod

2006-08-10T02:59:00.000-07:00

is that there is no mention of the Apple brand anywhere on the device.The only place where the apple icon appears, with the iPod name, is on the silver back cover.All the other consumer devices out there, remind of all those t-shirts with the brand in front, where the focus is more on the brand, rather than the cut and quality of the t-shirt.Product, before brand?hmm..;-)Werner

Branding:The Kewlest thing about the iPod

2006-07-31T03:45:00.000-07:00

...is that there is no brand on the front!;)Werner

Mobile Boom Box

2006-07-21T05:51:00.000-07:00

It is mostly the hip hop/ R&B enthusiasts(for want of a better word :p) who we could always associate with the loud, in-ur face kind of music.You could always know when there was a hip hop party, from across the street.The music used to come from the large boom boxes which were more speaker than anything else :p . Pity the guys carrying them around though ;) their shoulders must be made of metal.

Cigarette Begging

2006-07-04T03:25:00.000-07:00

I thought India was bad, with our beggars in every corner, usually roaming in gangs, with little sympathy tricks to get people to open their purses.Here, in England, because of the ban on under-age cigarette selling, I see kids going around begging for cigarettes.Crazy!;-)

Video IM: Who needs it?

2006-06-26T03:38:00.000-07:00

I always thought that Video IM was purely for the voyeurs and just a feeling of being closer to the ones you care about.My eyes were opened on Saturday, when I popped into this cyber cafe.I saw this guy waving his arms around in front of a web-camera. First I thought it was someone who was just a first time video IM user.. when I realised the truth....He was deaf and dumb!He preferred to

From mobiles to Robots

2006-06-20T07:20:00.000-07:00

This is amazingYou always wonder what is the next big thing.I mean first it was these amazing devices called personal computers... which have become our personal companions.I mean, when im bored... I don't turn on the TV anymore... I turn on my comp.So, if you think of the mobile vis a vis the computer... it's a smaller better connected computer.But if you think of a Robot, what you get is a

Who needs GPS?

2006-06-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

Back home in Bangalore, India, GPS was just a technology, something about averaging signals from 3 satellites to find your location with an accuracy of a few metres.I mean, why would u spend Rs. 16,000 on a device supposed to show u the way, when the cops change two way roads into one way roads almost fortnightly :-pOfcourse, getting there means asking every second person("What is the address?")

Communities are Brands

2006-05-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

There was this discussion back here by these guys about whether Communities dominate Brands.Not really!It's just that communities are now being identified as brands. That finally, people are being grouped, due to the internet, based on their interests.That right now, it's so much more easier to form groups, based on what you like... and meeting people who like what you like.These kind of

Bangalore to Berkshire

2006-05-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

Been here in Britain for about 5 days, and I must say I'm loving it ;)The interesting thing overall about the British, is that neither are they as overly exhuberant as the Americans nor are they as overly social as the French.Somehow, it's all about balance!The houses here all look like they haven't changed in years, but the truth is, they have!The guest house I stay in has a light which pops on

Frequently Asked Questions!

2006-04-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

Q. Is Goa a part of India?A. Yeah, and a state to boot :P So says Wikipedia:After India gained independence from the British in 1947, Portugal refused to accede to India's request to relinquish their control of its exclave. Arbitration by the United Nations General Assembly in the 1950s ruled in favour of self determination. Finally, on 1961-12-12, the Indian army moved in, uniting the

Bombay Local Trains

2006-04-22T06:39:00.000-07:00

Somehow, there is a certain adrenaline rush in getting into a Bombay local.I guess it's a feeling of being a part of the rat race, about whether you actually get into the train... or get Pushed out :pThe one thing which bothers me, is that no one ever tells you about the different legends used, which could invariably get you a fine.Like the fact that getting into a bogie with red lines crossed

Endangered!

2006-04-05T23:40:00.000-07:00

Watching a woman drive yesterday, at her own freaking pace, without once looking in the rear window... made me think!Men Drivers and Riders may soon be an Endangered Species!:(

Web2.0 needs a new name!

2006-03-14T00:24:00.000-08:00

I find the name Web2.0 too misleading... people automatically think it is a new application... rather than a new concept.How does :Disco WebWeb cafeCafe WebWeb Hangoutssound?There have to be more names....hmmm...

The problem with Academics

2006-03-11T04:47:00.000-08:00

Since academic systems do not have complete academic freedom, they provide the politically correct answers, but not the actual questions!:-p

The Myspace Virgin

2006-02-24T07:48:00.000-08:00

I always used to say that the only way to understand something, is to fully do it yourself.I mean, how would someone who is in the 30+ age group, married, with a kid, and geeky to say the least, be able to understand the 18-22 age group, especially when it involves something so basic as hanging out.His rant:Why? Because I just don’t get it. I wish I did, but I don’t. Those crazy kids today, and

Social Glue

2006-02-01T00:12:00.000-08:00

This link, made me think :-PThe juicy parts:"the rise of networked individualism - where users of modern technology are less tied to local groups and increasingly part of more geographically scattered networks."This creates a new basis for community. Rather than relying on a single community for social support, individuals often actively seek out a variety of appropriate people and resources for

MBA

2006-02-01T00:10:00.000-08:00

Managing a business ... is only about managing people .. and money.

Anoushka Shankar: Sitar Diva

2006-01-22T09:54:00.000-08:00

Went for the concert today!Rawks! I mean, Anoushka plays the sitar the way people like Slash play the Guitar, mind boggling!The concert was for her album Rise.What sucked, was the electronics used, done by this guy Gaurav! There was this amazing jugalbandi between Pedro on the piano and Anoushka on the sitar. Spoiling the masterpiece, was this irritating beat sound which felt to me, like a clown

What women want in mobiles (My Flawwed Opinion :P)

2005-12-21T05:52:00.000-08:00

Obviously, I am keeping myself open for attack here.But, my understanding of women(and I know its limited :-P ), gives me the following views:A woman is a lot more expressive than a guy. Hence, she prefers a phone which is easily customisable.A woman likes the written word better than the picture. Hence they would like a diary option on the mobile, which enables them to jot things which happened

Usability Vs. Features

2005-10-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

This is a part of a discussion I was having hereMy take on the whole issue: Functions: Features of a device which are satisfied by a single application,e.g. Browsing, Messaging, Gaming.. Processes: Ways in which these functions are executed i.e. Usability. Foreground functions[Source]: Functions which the user intiates like video, chat, playing games, and browsing the Web. Background

The Human Virus

2005-09-01T00:06:00.000-07:00

Blame it on my recent spate with the W32.Welchia.Worm (killed the damn thing thrice,whew! )and my cleaning my Dad's comp!But I really believe that the same way in which we get viruses, worms and trojans, we have the same thing in real life. I call it the virus phenomenon. Most of the people around us are pretty stable... so life is pretty normal, and run-of-the-mill.Now, imagine if there are

What's the Great thing about Sites like Ryze?

2005-04-21T05:13:00.000-07:00

Russel Beattie brought out a good point that a social networking site needs objects to tie users together.This is very similar to a real life situation where a person working in a company of 300 employees, would need object(s) to connect with all of them. These objects could be various areas of interest, or social meeting points, such as the company canteen, or the Table Tennis room.Mapping this

Low Cost Treo...Could be better!

2005-03-03T04:14:00.000-08:00

Ed Hardy says that if he were to design a low cost Treo, he would remove the keypad. Bad ...BAD move.If you ask me, Ed has been looking at way too many touchscreens:pProblems1. A low cost phone, needs to be durable. That can never happen with a touch screen.You end up shining the screen way too many times to ensure that it stays usable.One drop of the device, and jitters are gonna run up ur spine

Handsets: Usability at a glance

2005-02-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

This article mentions that most people would prefer to use a smartphone rather than 3 separate devices. I would tend to say that it depends on the functionality.The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of a desktop computer (Windows..sadly) is, the hung screen, which regretfully, will slowly creep into smartphones as the memory gets bigger... the processor faster...and the applications