Lineup Same Now.. Let the Game Begin

Lineup same now.. well almost...

The lineup of devices is now the same between Apple and Google.. Phone, Tablet & Mini Tablet..

While Apple introduced a mini version of its popular iPad lastweek, Google announced a maxi version of its tablet called Nexus 10 this week.  Now both of them have a phone, mini and maxi tablets.  But that's where the similarities end.

Before we see the differences, Let me first disclose that I am 'Google fan' and have two of the three devices in discussion (older versions of phone and mini tablet).  That said, ironically typing this post on a Mac Book Air.. (that story for a different day..).

Now to the differences:

Price - Google devices are lot cheaper than the Apple's across all 3 devices for comprable or higher spec.  But, is that alone sufficient to wean the customers away from Apple?  While the price variance might not matter that much in mature markets, would be a factor in growth markets like India.  With a price difference of about INR 5000+ for any comprable device between Apple and Android, the later clearly rules. (Interestingly, Nexus devices are not officially available in India yet.. hope they do so soon.. ).

The business of Locking Phones - There is a perfect collusion between phone manufacturers and telco companies in most of the major markets.  (There is of course a business rationale spin for this !!!!)   In fact, it exists for Apple phones in India as well.  Google is not playing that game and anyone can buy Nexus 4 for USD 299 while an unlocked iPhone will cost USD 750 in US and the same is close to 45,000+ in India.  Is that kind of price differential worth to have Apple in my hands?  I don't think so..

Store - This is where Apple wins hands down.  They have lot more entrenched iTunes store than the new kid on the block - Google Play.  But Google is fast catching up and the difference would become negligible very soon.

So, if you are in the market to buy a phone or tablet this festive season.. what should you buy?  My take is, the real question is not about an isolated device.. but about the eco-system.  I woud n't recommend buying an Apple phone and Google tablet or vice versa.

Apple and Google are creating two different eco-systems and will continue to tightly integrate and make it difficult for customers to switch.  Both of them will keep playing catch up game through every launch.  So the real question is what eco-system you prefer..

If you are used Google mail, Google Drive, instant upload and other google accessories.. then stick with Android.. but  If you are an Apple fan and like Mac, iTunes & iCloud then go the Apple route... Regardless of your choice, I wouldn't recommend mixing up the devices.. ie,, Apple phone and Android tablet.

So what about Microsoft and Nokia in this game? Ask me this question next year... I might have a view... but for now.. both are in the catchup mode.. lagging far behind.

Before you ask about Blackberry.. they lost the plot..

ps: this comparison is mainly about mobile devices and does not include Laptops.. There is of course a big gap here for Google and they must be cooking up something.. and that might not be Chrome devices :-)
  

Too Big to Fall

These trees may be big and beautiful but are falling none the less..

The beautiful trees of CP Ramaswamy Road in Chennai are falling slowly but surely to the vagaries of weather and unbridled human callousness.



Even a few years back, the place I call as my neighborhood used to have a wonderful canopy of trees on both sides and used to be a treat to just go out for a stroll.   Both CP Ramaswamy Road and the stretch of St. Marys Road leading up to TTK Road used to be such a delight.  But the trees all around in Chennai are falling like nine pins, mainly due to human neglect.

Both roads have been dug for over 15 months in the name of storm sewer construction with no end in site.  These diggings have played a havoc on these giant trees which have been living there for over several decades.  The roots and branches have been trimmed to supposedly build the storm sewer, paying no attention to the trees, which were barely standing.. by a whisker..

 

All that was needed a gentle push like the recent rains and there you go..  One other giant tree goes down.. making way either for parking of private vehicles or for unruly Autos or for some street stalls.  Regardless of who squats next, Chennai and Chennaites are the losers..

More pictures of Namma Chennai here.. 

Strike Sroke

Strike Stroke with awareness and proper medical care

Today is World Stroke Day and chanced up on this article and couldn't help but think of my Appa who I 'lost' due to stroke.

When my father got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and collapsed, all my mother knew something was terribly wrong.  So, she bundled him in to a rental car and rushed to Tambaram, to the nearest hospital as advised by the local doctor.  

The doctors at the AG Hospital in Tambaram, advised my Amma to get an MRI done before coming to the hospital.  While my mother struggled to gather up cash to pay for MRI in the wee hours of the night, the demon called stroke had slowly but surely enveloped my Appa's brain and caused irreparable damage.

Even after admitting my Appa in the hospital, all the duty doctors did was to just 'sedate' him as the neuro specialists were not available till 9:00 AM next morning.  By then the damage was done and was crippled my Appa for life. His left side from foot to shoulder was completely paralyzed and he ended up spending the next 8 1/2 years in bed before eventually departing this world in May of this year.

Reading this article, I cannot help wonder.. would my Appa have recovered from the debilitating stroke, if he had been properly treated (instead of simply sedated) even after the elapse of 3 hours.

Unfortunately, we lost him to stroke and deplorable emergency care.. 

Do not let his happen to you or your loved ones.. Stay active, be healthy and know more stroke which would affect 1 in 6 of us during our life time..

Three Questions to Vijay TV on Airtel Super Singer Finale

Around this time yesterday (10:00 PM), I was returning back from a movie wondering if the Airtel Super Singer finale would still be showing live on Vijay TV.  Much to my surprise, the 'live' show which started at 6:00 PM was just getting warmed up with the five finalists doing their first round of singing.

Then the show went on and on for don't know how long.. but I hit the bed around midnight wondering if the crown would go to Sukanya or Pragathi only to learn this morning that it went to neither.

Three questions that I have are in the minds of several folks, including some of my friends in US. Vijay TV - If you are reading this, please respond..

1. Was it a real 'LIVE' broadcast?  The finale was promoted and shown as LIVE, wooing countless viewers and advertisers.. but was it really live?  The edits & long commercial breaks make us think otherwise.  If it was live, then we would have seen all the transitions or time slice of it.. but the transitions were immediate.  Also, you had very long commercial breaks.. what was happening on stage at that time..?  Were you showing the same commercials..?  There are several questions along the same lines.. So, please tell us if the finale was really broadcast live?
2. Was the results rigged? What was the criteria used for awarding the title?  Was it solely based on the votes or there were other 'factors'?  What is the arrangement with Airtel for finale voting?  How much did they make out of this?  Social media was abuzz with the exact results much before it was telecast.. So, tell us how the title was awarded?
3. Was the finale really that long?  When did finale actually start and how long was it?  Your 'live' telecast started at 6:00 PM and perhaps went for 8 long hours.. What was the need for such a long finale?  You were stretching the show beyond the patience of even some of the ardent followers of the program.

Vijay TV, you have a good franchise going with the super singer program and must congratulate you for raising the bar every year.  The evidence of your success can be seen by the several 'copycat' programs that have mushroomed in other channels.  But, you could do a lot more to 'raise' the integrity bar of your franchise and thereby that of the copycats.  

Vijay TV.. Are you listening?

CloudWash

Is your software cloud ready ?

Unfortunately, Dilbert may be reflecting what's going on in the industry today.  Cloud is a jargon and everyone wants to use.  Few years back, SOA was the fad and now it seems to be the turn of Cloud.. much used and abused term.

What's your definition of Cloud Computing?

Find Your Joy

One of my all time favorite movie is The Bucket List.  I first saw this movie several years ago, but saw it again recently.  Though repeat, move didn't fail to pause me to think about two key questions Morgan Freeman asking Jack.  Mr. Freeman is not asking just Jack...

Take a look at this touching scene from the movie....

1. Have you found JOY in your life ?
2. Have you brought JOY to others?

So, How do you find joy? Can you buy happiness?  Here is an interesting TED video..

What is your formula for finding Joy..? Let's chat..

Cutest Medal Ever

Over the course of my 7 years of running, I have gotten plenty of medals. From small to big, metal to ceramic to paper, for 5k to 50k..

But, I got the cutest of the medal today.  It was entirely hand made by Krishna & Shreya (Bala's kids) and was presented to me for completing 5 10x10s this year.

Bala invited to me to his office today to chat with his staff and in the end he threw this surprise on me.  Gave me this medal and plenty of 'eatables'.. as according to Bala, 'runners like to eat'...

Choir ribbon - made thoughtfully by Shanthi.. Go Green!!!

Medal consists of 5 rings for 5 10x10s and appropriate inscriptions

Thank You Bala, Shanthi, Krishna & Shreya.. This medal is cute and one of my favorite.

Running in Chennai - Run in Rain

Even a small amount of rain is enough to make Chennai a city of million ponds.  They appear from no where as the water has got no place to go.   With water having no place to go, you have no place to run unless of course one is brave enough to run right the middle of the road playing 'chicken' with the vehicles coming at you from both directions.

So, running is rain in Chennai is not advisable.  To be clear, rain the not the issue here, but what it does to the city is the issue.  The road conditions, water logging, fallen trees and crazy drivers make the running (in rain) really a hazardous job.

Less than 10% of Chennai perhaps has storm sewer and 1% of that might be working.  Given that, why million even zillion ponds can appear at the slightest inkling of rain. 

Take the case of Abhiramapuram, one of the 'desirable' localities to live in Chennai.  City has been re-building the storm sewer for close to two years and it is still far from complete.  what we now have in my neighborhood are dug up streets and miserable driving conditions.. 

Hari (can) narrated a story of how he had to literally jump for cover as two cars were 'racing' the other day in CP Ramaswamy Road and appeared 'ready' to mow down anything that stood in their way, including humans.  Given drivers like this and rain clogging the roads, there is literally no place to run in rain.

But you if you really really have the urge to run when it is pouring outside, go to a Gym and run on a treadmill assuming there no power outage. :-) 

Now, here is the rest of the story.  It rained heavily today (Oct 18, 2012) and I did venture out for a run in Chennai Roads.. here is that story from my Daily Mile log.

Three Idiots run in rain..It was pouring cats & dogs creating mini ponds everywhere.. starting from my street corner. But being the last day of my 10x10, I ventured out in to the heavy rain much against the wishes of Sita. Within minutes, I got fully drenched and looking at the water puddles everywhere, I developed cold feet and decided to head to the Gym instead of running outside. But that's when I saw the other two idiots running and decided to join them to run our usual course to Elliots Beach.

After a while, rain didn't bother us as much as the water logging and the crazy drivers driving like a maniac with their headlights at 'high beams'. But some interesting conversation abou life in Muscat kept us going and rain stopped for a while giving us some breather. Yet, we had water puddles to contend with, so we walked, talked and ran wherever possible to complete our course and my 5th 10x10 for the year.

Question of the day - If there were no constraints, which city would you want to live? My answer - Palo Alto, CA.

Rain picked us back up on our return and I decided to skip my usual Prithvi Ave loop and headed home got an earful from Sita, while the other two 'loosu' runners continued to their odyssey to their home and perhaps got an earful from Krithika..

Thanks Hari & Dhamanna for company.. you guys helped me complete my 10x10 today.

Working Auto Meter

I generally avoid Autos like plague.  My experience with them have been overwhelmingly negative as they seem to be working with a sole purpose.. that is to 'Cheat & ill-treat clients'.  They overcharge, haggle and treat you bad.. So, I try to avoid Autos as much as possible.

But it is not always possible and once in a while, I do use them albeit reluctantly.  One such 'Auto ride' happened last Monday and this driver just blew me away.  He was polite, did not haggle about destination and simply asked me to come on-board and turned on the meter.. Yes, a working Auto Meter.

Unbelievable.. but true.. A working Auto Meter 

First I was surprised to see a working meter, Second the driver flipped it ON without saying a word.  I travelled about a distance of 7.5 KM and it costed me around 80 bucks.  When I gave him a 100 rupee note, he even gave exact change back.. and said 'Thank You'.  I was speechless by this 'unexpected' behavior and all I could do was to reciprocate with a generous tip..

Do Auto Drivers belonging to this creed really exist ? I thought they had long become extinct.. I had to pinch myself to feel that it is really happening... 

Yes, it happened alright.. but can it happen in Chennai, where the Auto Meters have long vanished?  No, they can not happen in Chennai.. but it did happen in Bengaluru..  This rare of breed Auto driver drove me from Domlur to Dairy Circle in the most gracious manner possible... and made my day.

The mandatory display says the driver name is Nagesh.. What if all Auto Drivers are like Nagesh.. in Chennai.. Not a chance right?.. You are probably right.. :-(

Chennai Living - Amma is Coming

Amma is Coming

So what does it take for a leader to pay floral tributes to the 'Father of the nation'?  My Gandhi Vanakkam route took me via Poes Garden to Gandhi Statue and the entire stretch (about 3k?) was decked up to welcome Ms. Jayalalithaa.  She was going to visit Gandhi Statute to pay floral tributes to the father of the nation on his 144th birthday.

Tamil Nadu Governor and the Chief Minister to visit Gandhi Statue this morning to pay their tributes to Gandhiji.  I was there about couple of hours earlier and the entire area of brimming with morning walkers and cops.. More police than walkers..

Announcement you saw above was cleverly put on a plaque with references to Mr. Karunanidhi, Amma's arch rival...

Gandhi's portrait in transit for the floral tribute...

Amma has new title now.. she is now 'தேசத்தாய்'.. mother of the nation.. !!!

The above vinyl poster was right next to this stinking bridge.. which Amma has to cross to get to Gandhi's statue to pay her tributes..

Entire stretch was decked up with party flags and vinyl posters.. wonder who pays for all this and how it is accounted..!!!

This flags & poster business is done by every political party.. not restricted to just the folks in power.. 

Meanwhile, Barricades went up all around Gandhi statue to welcome leaders and keep the public at bay..

I couldn't help contrasting this every day occurrence to we experience in Chennai to what I saw about two years back during a marathon in Columbus, Ohio.  Our running route passed through Ohio State University oval and this was the only announcement I saw of the impending presidential visit to the very same site by Mr. Obama that day (Oct 17, 2010).

Happy Birth Day Mahatma Gandhiji.. !!! Bless us!!! 

Google Plus Instant Upload & YouTube

I am unable to 'upload' videos on to YouTube from Google Plus 'Instant Upload' folder.. My question is Why can't I share the 'Instant Upload' feature of Google Plus to load videos on to YouTube?

Make no mistake, I love the the instant upload feature of Android Phones.  It automagically uploads photos and videos the moment I take them (assuming data connectivity).  These instant uploads are stored in a 'private folder' in Google Plus which allows me to share them and allows me to add them to a Picasa album.

Also, Blogger allows me to insert 'Photos from Phone' on to my posts.. But I am not able to 'upload' videos from 'Instant Upload' folder on to YouTube.. Why?

Did I get this wrong or this is truly a problem?  Your thought??

Can Running Help Find a Job?

Can running help find a job?

I was asked this question yesterday after our Sunday Run....

This question came from a runner in this group..

We had several new-bees running with us yesterday and one of them walked up to me and asked this question.  He is 25 and currently doing 'roadside Isthiri / Ironing' work along with his father and is eager to switch professions running.  He is currently doing second year B.Com via  distance education while working full time during daytime.

I told him to pick up a track an track event like 1 or 5k running (or anything he feels comfortable) and work through district / state level events via SDAT such that he can get tagged as an athlete   Once he has the 'athlete' he could apply for state, central or public sector institutions which have special 'quota' for athletes.  This is a long road and he needs to start working soon as 'time' (read age) might not be on his side.

Do you know of other possibilites that can help this runner?  Pl. let me know..