The Cult of Apple

“I want to put a ding in the Universe” – Steve Jobs

If that is what Steve Jobs originally aimed at that, he has succeeded beautifully. Apple products have a made a great mark for them – and are easily among the most talked about in their respective domains. There are a number of brands that have created waves, are well known and respected, and have great value. Yet, none have inspired that fanatical following and the cult status that has been bestowed on Apple, except maybe Harley Davidson!

Many analysts and observers have tried to explore the reasons of this epic fan following – entire books have been written around it. Some have even likened it to religion, and with good reason – a devoted, almost fanatical fan following, the messiah like personality of Steve Jobs (who came back from oblivion to raise the company to still greater heights), belief in the superiority of their product, and always an abiding enemy to oppose (IBM, Windows, Samsung etc) – all hallmarks of religious bearings. Apple fans line up for DAYS before a product launch to get their hand on the offerings – even though they will reasonably not need the devices immediately.

The rather enigmatic personality of Steve Jobs has also contributed a lot to the development of the Apple cult. Coming down from his “perch” once a year to introduce cutting edge products and then going back to his cocoon lent an air of curiosity to Jobs – which ultimately reflected in the Apple products. The fan following of Apple products transcends beyond mere brand loyalty – and many brand managers would probably give their right arms to achieve this effect!

The Apple product themselves have set new standards in product design, applications and innovation, that easily make them the best in class. And while a new product or its iteration is introduced only once a year, Apple fans occupy the remaining time by engaging in fierce anticipation of the next release. The product themselves are used by technically influential users – who constantly engage in conversation about the product. This readily attracts the casual observers, who are intrigued by the devotion of Apple fans and extend the discussion – and thus become a part of this endless cycle.

But naturally, this overt display of devotion to Apple by its fans has drawn its fair share of detractors, and they tend to go to the other extreme – simply deriding anything Apple. The recent events regarding Apple suing Samsung over a perceived design infringement, and then winning a substantial award has further provided cannon fodder to Apple critics. Many independent observers agree that Apple may have gone too far in its battle with Samsung, to the extent that its goodwill is hurting in public eyes. The events have also placed much focus on the less than optimal conditions in the OEM facilities located in China.

I recently read an article that gave a glimpse of the tremendous anticipation and desire for Apple products. The article was about how some gray market dealers in a Delhi market have procured the latest iPhone 5 devices from abroad, and are selling them at highly inflated prices – as high as 1.25 lakhs! The surprising part (or perhaps, not so surprising part) of the story was that there was a sufficient number of people that were ready to pay the price. Mind it, iPhone 5 has not been launched in India and no telecom carrier has announced its intention to launch the nano SIMs that the device will use! So, the first buyers in India will use it probably as music players – although very costly ones. Or perhaps, just a way to show off!

The World of Professional Gaming

“Find something you love to do, and you’ll never work a day in your life”.

Most of us – at least those of the present generation – have played video games in one form or another – at least for some time. While a majority of us do it as a pleasant diversion, some people do take it to the next level – and they become avid gamers. Some graduate to a still higher level – eating, breathing and living in a world of gaming. For this handful of people, gaming is the very raison d’être of life – and they forsake every other activity for the sheer joy of gaming.

Gaming Tournament in Progress

In this situation, it was only a matter of time before someone found a way to turn a mostly pleasure activity into a professional one. The trend is so very old – just look at all other sports. Any sporting activity with a semblance of following has turned into a professional activity – and so is the case with gaming.

Not only is gaming turning professional on the top levels – it is increasingly turning into a very lucrative proposition for the select few – the top gamers. Currently, there are a host of players that make their living purely from gaming – a prime example of turning a passion into profession. Still, this trend is prevalent in a handful of countries – naturally countries that have a high penetration of gaming, PC access, and of course – superb bandwidth availability.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the leading country – as far as professional gaming is concerned – is South Korea, which enjoys the highest availability of bandwidth per capita in the world. Professional gamers are actually thriving in South Korea – the top ones get six figure endorsement deals and a dedicated fan following. One the biggest reason for this status is that the Korean government actually backs gaming in a big way – even instituting awards and honors for top players! A lot of kids in South Korea actually aspire to adopt gaming as their career!

The gaming communities in other countries – primarily USA – draw big inspiration from the state of gaming in South Korea. Slowly but surely, the trend is picking up, though the big money and fame that follows Korean players is still elusive. Yet, the pure love of game and the thrill of gaming sustain these players in their quest.

As with most sports – doing it for leisure is one thing, and doing it as a profession is altogether different. So, it is the same with professional gaming too – teams of player stay together in a house – and practice for hours on end – just like everyone else goes to office to work on regular jobs. Also, for the sake of achieving professional expertise, they specialize in just one game – mostly Star Craft versions.

Professional gaming has developed many attributes of other professional sports. For example, major tournaments are held, which are sponsored by major companies related to gaming activity – such as Intel and Acer. There is also big money involved – in terms of individual sponsorships and prize money. Just like in other sports, some players have achieved superstar status, and featuring them assures high interest level and attendances in a particular tournament. Also, a number of players have developed alternative revenue streams by becoming casters (like commentators) and sometimes even have support staff to do the activity properly. Some of them have become very famous in the gaming circles.

Also, there have been a number of attempts at bringing the gaming activity to television – the same way as football or cricket matches are telecast to a large viewership. Not surprisingly again – South Korea has taken the lead in this matter, and apparently has a dedicated TV channel – Ongamenet – for broadcasting epic gaming matches. Germany, UK and USA are the other countries which have major channels covering gaming to some extent or other.

In India, the gaming community will have to wait for a long time till we achieve these levels of involvement in gaming. Even though we have a very active and dedicated community of gamers, the discipline of gaming is still in a very nascent stage. Unless some big sponsors take interest in the community, gaming will largely remain a fringe activity in our country. I for one will love to watch epic gaming bouts on my TV – which can sometimes be as exciting as a fast paced T20 cricket match! Till the time that happens, I will entertain myself by playing 3D games on my LG 3D TV, ad enjoying an occasional racing game with my friends using the Dual Play feature of the LG Smart TV.

Social Networking and Indian Politicians: A Love Hate Relationship

Sam Pitroda Twitter Event

Yesterday, Mr. Sam Pitroda, the advisor to PM on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations (wow, what does this mean?), held a “press conference” on Twitter. Although the said interaction did not follow the format of a press conference – it has certainly set the news wires buzzing. Only today, I have seen many news articles referring to this interaction – almost in reverential terms. On the other hand, most of the really technical hacks have dismissed the effort, and even termed it as a fail.

Shashi Tharoor: Busted by Twitter

However, this is a harbinger of the imminent change in the typical political mindset. Yesterday’s blooper apart, politicians seem to be waking up to the potential of social networking sites as tools for better connect with the constituents – the ultimate arbiters of politics. A few weeks back, the Gujarat CM, Mr. Narendra Modi had held a highly successful meet up on Google hangout, hosted by Ajay Devgn. Many other politicians, such as Sushma Swaraj, Ajay Maken, Akhilesh Yadav etc have Twitter accounts, although very few take the trouble – or rather, have the savvy enough – to update it regularly.

Perhaps they may also feel discouraged by the Shashi Tharoor episode – where just a couple of carelessly worded tweets cost him his cabinet berth, in addition to making him a laughing stock of the entire internet community in India. This just goes to show the power and potential of social networking and its importance to politicians – done correctly, it is a blessing, and done wrongly, it can have instant repercussions.

Narendra Modi and Ajay Devgn on Google Hangout

This is also an indicator of the impact of social networking and sharing on the public in general. As many events in the recent past have shown, the SNS have taken up cudgels wherever the traditional media blundered. Sometimes, the effort has been positive – as in the Aseem Trivedi case, and sometimes, it has been extremely negative –as in the post-violence phase in Assam. For the authorities, the solution lies not in suppressing or trying to control it – but rather in understanding how it works, and going with the flow.

Smart TVs as Social Centers

From its early days as a mere socializing tool, the social media itself has evolved tremendously over the years. Now, it also being hailed as an instrument of social change – for example, the Arab Spring is widely credited to having been fueled by social networking. Social networking has now become a part and parcel of our lives, to the extent that we even use our mobiles mostly for social networking – rather than just simply talking or messaging. Even the current line of Smart TVs from top TV makers has social networking features enabled on them, thus multiplying the avenues of interaction. This is possibly the face of social networking in the future – when we will perhaps interact with each other seamlessly across a host of devices – Smartphones, PCs and Smart TVs as well. 

Watching T20 World Cup on my Smart TV

As I had mentioned in my earlier posts, I had purchased my LG Smart TV just before the Olympics 2012 – mostly to enjoy the sporting action in 3D. I actually enjoyed watching all those fantastic sports performances in 3D – it is a completely different perspective altogether. However, like a majority of Indians, cricket still remains the mainstay of all sports for me – opium of the masses – if you will! The ongoing T 20 World Cup is the first major cricketing event that I have the opportunity to enjoy on my 3D TV.

ICC T20 World Cup 2012

Now, watching in 3D is not the only thing you can do on this TV, it is an excellent HD TV too – with amazing picture quality and color performance. Fortunately for me, I have a Tata Sky HD connection – which has a bouquet of various HD channels. Since the current T20 cricket world cup is being telecast on ESPN STAR Network, I have been able to enjoy it in full HD! And boy, I just love watching cricket in HD – I could never go back to watching my old TV ever again!

Most of all, one thing that you will surely appreciate while watching sports or action on a HD TV, especially on a latest generation Smart TV, is the amazing clarity, and the total freedom from blurry images on screen. Whether in the older CRT TVs or even the newer non-HD LCD panels, a visible blur is always present, diluting the enjoyment somewhat.

Motion Clarity Index - Blur Free Pictures

This problem is taken care of in my LG Smart TV in a very hi-tech and innovative manner. Using a combination of high refresh rate, processor power and scanning backlight, the blur is totally removed – giving you an amazing, realistic picture. The processor actually uses complex algorithms to generate extra frames – virtually – and inserts them between the actual frames being projected. The effect is further enhanced by scanning backlight, which illuminates each frame a number of times, further smoothening the motion. The end result is almost magical – a very realistic rendering of motion on TV.

This effect looks good while watching sports –especially fast paced games like football or car racing. However, everyone may not like this extreme smoothening in all conditions. For example, most movie buffs, including me, like their pictures to look grainy and gritty - just the way the director meant them to be. After all, it all a part of the overall cinematic effect – too much smoothening makes the pictures very realistic – sometimes taking the fun out of movies.

Fortunately, this effect is controllable – you can turn it on or off – as per your taste. So, whenever I watch sports action, I turn the feature on, and when watching movies, I usually turn it off.  I like the way my Smart TV gives me that flexibility – to experience pictures in any way I want! So, I am able to enjoy the T2O Cricket World Cup matches and all the fast paced action that is the hallmark of T20 – in full HD!

Death of PC: Fact or Myth?

PC: Are its Days Numbered?

Is the ubiquitous personal computer (PC) slowly becoming a relic of the past – something that will soon be delegated to the dustbins of technology? If so, it will be poetic justice indeed for this extremely useful device – which had usurped the roles of so many technologies and gadgets over the last few decades. Or is it too soon to write an obituary and the PC will be back, a la Mark Twain who once famously proclaimed “the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated”.

Yet, the technological grapevine has been recently abuzz with speculations over the continued viability of PC and its relevance in the future world. A particular school of thought strongly believes that PCs are on their way out – though this process may take some time – probably over a decade. Let us explore the signals that may have contributed to this position, and take a brief peek into the future of PC.

Tablet Sales Growth - Concern for PC Sales

One of the biggest blows to the PC has come from the introduction and very rapid rise in popularity of tablets – especially since the introduction of iPad.  Already, observers have started using words like “post –PC” devices to describe many of Apples offerings. And a few months back, while unveiling the iPad 3, Apple CEO had also revealed data that surprised everyone – that in Q4 of 2011, more iPad tablets were sold than any other PC device by a single manufacturer! Add to it the fact that while iPad sales have chalked a growth rate of 15% on a YOY basis, PCs have only grown by 2%. This means that the gap will only widen.

IPad is not the only tablet that hurt PC growth – a number of tablets that followed it have contributed their bit – albeit to different degrees. For example, the Kindle e-reader from Amazon has grown into a favorite of book lovers who like to carry a library with them. This would have been the purview of laptops – but Kindles have taken that away. A host of other sophisticated tablets – such as Samsung Galaxy with its multi touch interface, Samsung Note, Google Nexus etc have consistently nibbled away at many of the PC functions – probably even leading to lower sales.

Blue Screen of Death 

The rise of mobile OS, especially Android has been another significant blow to the PC industry. Available at an attractive price of ZERO, Android has been the driving force behind the low cost and increased popularity of tablets – especially of the affordable variety. A whole new multibillion industry of apps development has cropped up around Android and Apple’s OS – and that means quite a significant share of dedicated brainpower too.

Just by sheer happenstance, user habits are changing too – contributing to further downfall of PC. We have become more mobile, demanding more of devices that can help us to work or entertain while on the move – thus creating more demand for post –PC devices, like iPad, tablets, iPods etc. The tablets and Smartphones have usurped many of the functions that were traditionally performed on the PC – for example, social networking, video conferencing and even file sharing.

A number of infrastructure side developments will also potentially render PC useless. For example, cloud computing will take data storage and applications away from PC, reducing its need further. Also, the greater availability of cheaper bandwidth, and development of new, faster wireless technologies such as 4G will further contribute to its diminishing demand.

Not only post PC gadgets, many older, traditional devices are also challenging the role of PCs. For example, the current generation of Smart TVs has made a strong claim to take back the entertainment ground that it had previously lost to PCs. The new Smart TVs aid the user in web surfing, social networking, and streaming movies from the internet – further drawing away a number of PC users.

Probably a ray of hope for PC industry comes from the business and enterprise users – a group with different buying dynamics than the normal personal users. Perhaps a huge investment that has already been sunk in hardware acquisition and network creation will keep the enterprises tied to the PC industry – at least for the time being. However, some businesses have already started buying tablets to connect their employees – starting a possible trend. In the individual buyer segment, the preference is clearly shifting from PCs to tablets, and other “post-PC” devices. On this front, at least, the PC seems to be fighting a lonely, and a losing battle.

Smart TV – The New Hub of Home Entertainment

Just before buying my LG Smart TV, I asked friends and family for suggestions – just like a usual Indian buyer, and I certainly got a lot of advice. When I mentioned my shortlist of TVs – which comprised of two or three Smart TVs of various brands - everyone was surprised! Why would anyone need a Smart TV – was the common refrain. Some people even suggested that Smart TV features aren’t really useful, just a new fangled marketing gimmick introduced by TV makers, who have nothing better to do than to fleece money from unsuspecting buyers!

LG Smart TV

Over the time, I have learned that this is the usual reaction of people to Smart TVs – that it is just a marketing ploy at worst, a useless feature at the best. Even most of the tech sites, which should take a more holistic view, have been somewhat critical - or unenthusiastic at best, about the Smart TVs, I respectfully beg to differ.

My thinking is – the Smart TVs are just an answer to what the users’ need – in the current scenario -where the very nature of entertainment has changed. Now, entertainment does not merely mean watching a couple of soaps or a movie in the evening. We also like to play an occasional bout of video games – everybody may not want to go the PC for that. We also want surf the web, read reviews or reports, or simply read what others are thinking about some program or issue. I remember reading a recent report that most smartphone users frequently access their devices while watching the TV – which vouches my hypothesis.

That is not all – there are other compelling reasons to see that the Smart TV is really the future of TV viewing. Some people compulsively need to check something on the net that they have seen in a TV show – I know I frequently do it! Sometimes, I check for online reviews of a movie before deciding what movie I should I spend my evening on. With a Smart TV that is connected to the internet, this becomes an easy task – rather than booting up my PC for doing that.

In this age of perpetual connectivity, we also like to stay connected with friends – at all times. With Smart TVs, it becomes easy to access and update the social networking sites from the TV itself – something that I find quite convenient. Whenever I don’t get something worthwhile to watch on TV channels, I often amuse myself watching funny videos on the internet (Break and Videobash are my favorites) – right on my Smart TV.

This is only the current picture – what you can do with your Smart TV right now. I think there are a number of future developments that will further strengthen the case for Smart TVs and make them more popular. For example, the recent launch of Box TV - a video streaming service - by the Times Group might well be the harbinger of more such services. A Smart TV is best equipped to make the most of these services. Moreover, with increasing internet penetration and increase in average available bandwidth, Smart TVs will become more viable.

The Evolution of Gaming

PS3 Gaming Console

Gaming is a huge industry worldwide – with billions of dollars in annual revenues and dedicated fan following. Also, it is very technology oriented – a separate field of technology in itself – if we look at in the modern context. As such, it is constantly evolving, and changing to reflect developments in general technology and societal mores.

Most of gamers will remember playing video games from the old cassette type consoles. With the increase in computer penetration, video gaming stated shifting to PCs. Also the increase in computing power took gaming to a whole new level – introducing features and applications that gamers could only dream about earlier. More capable and faster processors, increased storage capacity at low cost and availability of more advanced accessories (mouse, monitors etc) also contributed to advances in PC gaming.

World of Warcraft - a Popular MMOG

The next level in gaming technology was achieved with the introduction and popularity of the modern consoles. Playing on gaming consoles was understood to be more convenient and simpler than playing on PC – since building or buying a credible gaming PC requires a degree of technical knowledge. This simplicity also boosted the adoption of gaming consoles, further popularizing gaming to wider swathes of population and age groups.

Farmville - a popular SNS Game

The advent and spread of internet introduced another level of complexity in the gaming environment. It started the trend of online gaming, wherein the player could simply log into an account – using their PC or console - and play games without actually owning the game titles. Understandably, most of such services were paid in nature. Also, now players from different places could connect to each other, and multiplayer games expanded to encompass players from even geographically far flung areas. Multiple players could associate over internet to complete a mission – leading to the rise of massively multiplayer online games (MMOG) – with some games having participation of millions of players (e.g., World of Warcraft has about 12 million subscribers, with cumulative revenues of over USD 2.2 billion).

Recent advances in technology and consumer preferences are changing the face of gaming yet again. For example, the preference for mobile devices and ease of connectivity has encouraged movement of gaming to portable devices. Similarly, the increasing popularity of social networking has spawned a whole new gaming genre – social gaming – where participants assume virtual identities and interact with each other – over considerably long periods of time.

The recent popularity of Smart TVs is another trend that can influence gaming – at least the level of casual players. The new generation of Smart TVs, such as LG Smart TVs, comes with an inbuilt suite of games that can be played straight out of the box. Also, with the internet connectivity of Smart TVs, it is also possible to download a number of compatible games that can entertain causal gamers for hours.

The movement to portable devices – either Smartphones or tablets – will define the changing face of gaming over the next few years. It is also an opportunity for the gaming industry itself to expand – especially in developing countries where consoles are still considered a luxury purchase, but Smartphones are significantly more popular. Affordable tablets will also contribute to this trend – with most of them based on the Android and supporting a host of popular games. In countries like India, for example, more people access internet on mobile devices than on PCs, indicating a key area of growth for game developers.

However, this is definitely not a challenge to the mainstream gaming channels – notably PC and consoles. On the contrary, it represents a new opportunity – for the developers to take their products to a bigger audience, and for more gaming lovers to access their favorite games. The mobile devices makers can also tout the gaming capabilities as an additional USP for their products. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Affordable Tablets: Do We Need More?

Akash Ubislate Tablet

Surfing the net today, one news item attracted my immediate attention – the launch of yet another tablet in the “affordable” category. For me, the launch was not notable because of a new revolutionary products or great features – but simply because it was a launch by Datawind – the same company is involved in the making and marketing of Aakash, the Government backed cheap tablet that has turned out to be a failure till now. How many new tablets the company will sell on the strength of its rather bad reputation is anyone’s guess.

In an earlier article, I had noted that affordable tablets have a special role in the Indian context. This is for two reasons, primarily. First, the increasing trend in India towards accessing internet on mobile devices – a recent study reveals that more Indian users access the web on mobile devices when compared to desktops. Second, the price sensitivity of Indian customers is also a factor, not to mention the extremely limited buying power of most of the population.

HCL MyEdu Tablet

In this light, tablets acquire a special role in ensuring easy and cheap access to internet on cheap devices. Also, the availability of cheap tablets means an immediate expansion in the target market – for example, school students. Indeed, some of the tablets are squarely targeted for young students – and with names such as EduTab – the stress is on the utility for students. Even the cheapest desktops are still expensive for most of the Indian buyers, and a cheap tablet provides an entry point to experience internet connectivity, even if the other features are very limited in scope.

Even a cursory analysis of the Indian market reveals a clear preference for affordable or cheap tablets. There must be almost dozens of models spread over a number of brands – almost every major player in electronics segment has a tablet model in the market. Apparently, they assume that the market is potentially lucrative, but I would really like to have a look at some actual sales figures to see how it is transpiring on the ground.

Micromax FunBook Tablet

Another common trend that is prevalent for affordable tablets is that almost all of them are based on the Android platform – whether they run the earlier or the more recent versions. In addition to keeping the costs of these tablets very low, it also helps in the sense that most users are quite familiar with it from using their Smartphones, and to be fair, the UI is quite user friendly too.

The concept of affordable tablets is great – and so is the associated vision to usher in universal internet connectivity on its back. However, as the experience with the Government backed Aakash tablet has shown, it will take much more than just low cost to make it happen. Internet connectivity through tablets will also be dependent on cheaper data plans – something that is still not happening beyond Tier 1 cities. What is needed is a coherent overall convergence policy – and the will to implement it to its successful completion.

Gaming – A Beginner’s Perspective

When I was buying my LG 3D TV a few months back, one of the considerations that lurked in the back of my mind was an old one – gaming. I have been an off and on gamer – nothing like some of the truly hard core gamers that I have seen. My first introduction to gaming was more than a decade back, when I bought my first PC. It was a decently equipped rig – though not geared for gaming. The dealer loaded a few games for gratis and so started my association with video games.

Video Games

Over the years, I have seen many marquee games introduced and many consoles coming into the market. I always followed the news and just waited at the fringes, waiting for the right time to step into gaming, and always holding myself due to one reason or another – mostly financial.

Even after securing my first job a few years back, I couldn't really take the final plunge – I was mostly busy keeping the job, working long hours and reaching home with barely enough energy to fall down on the bed. However, my current job is quite cool, leaving with me ample time for rest and recreation. And so, the old desire came back – to step into the wide world of gaming!

I initially considered a PC, but later dropped the idea. A cursory perusal of various techie and gaming forums revealed a complicated world of hardware mastery – which is something I was not prepared, nor equipped for. Also, as per my understanding, a decent gaming rig would mean an investment of something like 70-80 thousand rupees. I was OK with the figure, though I didn't really want to spend it all in one place! Also, spending so much on a gaming system would have meant a compromise on my other passion – I was also considering a good home theater system and a large screen TV to go with it.

Sony PS 3

Further research revealed that consoles might just be the best solution for me, and I eventually shortlisted Sony PS 3 for myself. This has eventually turned out to be a good decision – the PS 3 can handle 3D gaming which I really like, plus it can double up as a BD player – that is a substantial saving for me on the HT front. The number of PS 3 compatible titles is obviously huge – in every possible genre, be it FPS, Action, Racing or Role Playing. The biggest bonus is its price, which is very reasonable – less than 20K.

The choice of a console also enabled me to splurge on TV buying, and I decided to buy a LG 3D TV – a model named LG 47LM6400. By choosing a 3D TV, I completed two things together – my HT setup and my Gaming setup. Since then, I have bought and tried many gaming titles, and have developed a particular liking to Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto – like millions of other gamers. Playing these games in 3D is a different experience altogether – you have to see it to believe it!

LG Dual Play Gaming

With my 3D TV, I have got another feature that is absolutely must for avid gamers – and it is called the Dual Play. Those who have played multiplayer games in split screens will understand it best. With split screens, one is always left wanting a bit more, not to mention the cheating that sometimes happens. Dual play is the answer to all those problems. When you enable Dual Play feature, each player gets to wear a Dual Play 3D glass, and sees only his part of the screen – over the whole screen area. Effectively, this means getting two different, complete screens on a single TV, making for more involved and immersive gaming experience.

As I mentioned earlier, I have just started in the world of gaming. However, I am enjoying the experience of gaming, particularly 3D gaming on my LG 3D Smart TV. As and when I try out more games on my 3D TV, I will come back and share the experience with you. Stay tuned!

Smart Homes – The Future is here

AIBO - the Pet Robot

This is the age of smart technologies – we already have Smart TVs, smart refrigerators and Smartphones being used on an everyday basis. In addition, there are a host of other technologies that show a lot of promise, and can be readily adapted to make our homes smarter – and thus, to make our lives easier and more comfortable. A lot of such promising technologies have developed into prototypes, and can become viable in foreseeable future.

Most of us, especially those fed on the diet of science fiction in novels and movies, are familiar with robots. A number of robots are now commercially available for home use – though they usually don’t look like humanoid robots of science fictions. Most such robots are meant for mundane works, especially house cleaning and maintenance. Some recreational robots have also become quite popular, such as the Sony made AIBO – a pet robotic dog that was later discontinued. Some social robots such as Wakamaru and Paro are useful for the elderly and less mobile people.

Samsung Navibot - Domestic Robot

Home safety is another prime area of smart technologies – and for good reason. While burglar alarms, CCTV, motion and pressure sensors etc have become quite commonplace, more innovative products are also in the market. For example, presence simulation technology will put on your lights, TV, music system etc frequently and at random intervals – in your absence – so that an onlooker will not realize that the house is unoccupied. More sophisticated technologies are also available – for providing medical alert and tele-assistance in case of emergencies.

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) is another area that has seen a lot of innovative technologies that make for smarter homes. HVAC technologies are used for automatic control of centralized heating, cooling, fresh air etc according to user preferred settings. These technologies not only provide a more comfortable house, but are also focused on optimal power utilization and energy conservation.

The concept of optimal energy utilization and conservation has also led to various innovations in lighting control. For example, using sensors that detect human presence in a room, and switch on lights when a person moves in – and switching off when the person moves out. Also, controlling brightness according to ambient light conditions, or switching on/off lights at predetermined times. Such automated lighting can also be used for mood control and alleviation.

LG Wonder Door Refrigerator

In addition, there are other areas of house where smart technologies find applications. Intelligent garden sprinklers, multi-room audio, automated pool filters, and vehicle detecting garage doors – all such innovations are widely in use today. Many recent innovations – such as refrigerators that can read the RFID tags, warn about stale food and even order food online for you – are also in the works, and may well find ways into our home in a few years. Talking of smart refrigerators, the LG Wonder Door refrigerators are a case in point, and use many innovations that make it an advanced appliance.

Using of smart technologies for home is underway; however, the development is not without its own set of challenges. For one, such technologies have remained the prerogative of the rich and the able – and still very expensive for less prosperous societies. Then, there is the challenge of the supporting network – the backbone that can support such technologies. For example, the still modest Internet penetration and expensive bandwidth in India will be a hindrance to adoption of network based smart technologies. Still, we may hope that most of the really useful technologies will develop more affordable alternatives, and spread betterment for a greater chunk of population.

Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec et Montreal: A testimony to Professional Cycling

Despite the increased coverage of various world sports on the Indian television, there are some sporting events we still tend to miss. One of them is Professional Cycling. And before everyone gets their rabbits out of the hat I would like to clarify that this is not related to Tour De France.  It is a glorious event in its own right and commands a worldwide viewership lesser than no other.

Unlike the 21 day event, I am talking about the single day cross city races help in Quebec and Montreal on September 7th and 9th respectively. If we talk in Indian terms, it is basically the T20 of professional cycling. And unlike the multi stage Tour De France, endurance and strategy play a more significant part for the cyclists to course the race route.  I have seen the tour and these events were in fact much more exciting owing to their short format. It’s like an actual cycle race filled with nail biting anticipation and the fervor of human body’s physical and mental capacity. I haven’t been able to catch the Montreal Grand Prix just yet because of the non-availability of relevant content through the VOD (Video on Demand) feature on my LG Smart TV. 

But the Quebec Grand Prix was quite an exhilarating affair. After leading the chasing pack behind with the final 2.5 miles of the 125 miles left, Belgian Greg Van Avermaet created almost a 6 feet distance and was closely followed by Australian Simon Gerrans. It looked liked the classic “Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar” scenario and after after staying on the heels of Avermaet, Gerrans outsprinted the Belgian to secure victory in seven minutes short of 5 hours. Of the chasing pack, only Rui Costa of Portugal was able to get close enough to the front two to secure third place.

I personally feel that these races have a lot of scope for the increasingly aware population of India. And with TV manufacturer’s doing their part with the introduction of 4K and 8K TV’s, sports channels should also flex their muscles to ensure a more dedicated coverage of professional cycling events in India.

Online Buying In India: Recent Trends

Online Buying

Online buying is a huge industry the world over, generating billions of dollars in revenue and profits every year for retailers. Indeed, some exclusively online retailers like Amazon and EBay are already competing in sales with the brick and mortar variety. The online model has been so successful that even traditional stores such as Wall Mart and Target have ventured into it, with very profitable results. The reasons are not far to seek – you get more customers; even in places you cannot open stores. Plus, the warehousing and overheads costs are minimized, thus boosting margins.

In India too, our buying consumers have started taking baby steps in online buying. With increasing internet penetration, more and more buyers are becoming aware of the option of online buying – and accepting it. A recent study by industry body ASSOCHAM and consultancy Forrester revealed some interesting numbers – the overall e-commerce revenue in India is around 1.6 billion dollars (around 8800 crores INR) at present (2012), and slated to increase fivefold to 8.8 billion dollars (approximately INR 50,000 crores) by 2016. That is a very respectable growth!

There have been a number of efforts that have analyzed online buying patterns of Indian buyers. In 2010, a Nielsen report pointed out some interesting points. I say interesting, because it is a reflection of unique Indian mindset and buying habits – such as peer recommendation and value-for-money.

For example, more than 50% of online buyers look for product and service recommendation on social media sites – such as Facebook. This is quite similar to asking friends and relatives about a good product choice, or a place to shop. Another telling fact was that most of such buyers (about 80%) will trust the recommendation of a friend, rather than simply trusting an online product review (only 30% of users trusted online reviews more).

Online reservations and ticket purchasing remain the biggest items of online spending, with consumer electronics – even high ticket items like Smart TVs and refrigerators, books and software (including games) also constituting a large share. Another very significant fact was how online buyers share their post buying experience. If a customer has had a bad experience, he is much more likely to go back and share his experience or a negative review; a satisfied customer is less likely to share his experience.

Online Buying Options in India

The profile of online buyers is seriously skewed in favor of males – who constitute about 80% of overall buyers, the remaining 20% being accounted by females.

The number of online stores is also expanding, with some international players also jumping in the fray. The most notable of Indian online buying sites are Indiatimes Shopping (promoted by the Times Group), Flipkart, Naaptol etc. EBay is another online selling powerhouse, with Amazon also making an entry through its acquisition of the popular portal Junglee. Also, a number of smaller online players such as Jabong, Zovi etc have recently started operations.

Online buying faces a number of significant challenges that will bear heavily on the future of online buying in India. The availability of reliable internet connectivity and its penetration – which is still very low in India - remain the most significant hurdle in wider acceptance of online buying. Wider availability of trusted payment options – credit card penetration is also very low – will also have a significant effect. This problem is already being addressed by adopting alternatives such as net banking payments, and cash on delivery – a method rarely tried in other markets.

With a market the size of India, and an ever increasing affluent class, with a buying capability to match, are rays of hope for the online buying industry in India. A little initiative in terms of policy pushes by authorities, and new products and service improvements by online retailers will definitely help the industry to achieve the promised heights. And of course, more buying options are always good for the consumers!

Smart TVs in India: Changing Landscape

Smart TVs are a bit of novelty in India – despite the phenomenal marketing push of leading brands on that score. Our country, which has adopted mobile and computing technologies almost in sync with the entire world, is somewhat lagging in the uptake of HD TV. In such a landscape, selling a Smart TV must be a considerable challenge for the TV makers. One of the biggest hurdles in this respect is the absence of relevant content. Being an owner of an LG Smart TV myself, I have myself felt hampered by not having been able to utilize the full suite of its capabilities.

BoxTV from TIL

However, over the last few weeks, a number of developments have taken place that promise to change this position. In this post, I will inform a few such developments. Only today, the media powerhouse Times Group, through its subsidiary – Times Internet Limited (TIL) – introduced BoxTV - a video service for Indian users. Considering the formidable muscle of Times Group, and the quantity of content that it has access to, I have high hopes for this venture. Yes, I remember the fate of BigFlix – it failed to make a mark. Yet, my understanding is that the BoxTV venture has a number of strengths that will help it succeed, where BigFlix failed – foremost being that Indian viewers are now more ready for such a service. Also, as per the news, the content library of BoxTV is much bigger.

Then next two developments  are quite varied, yet they offer to enhance the capabilities of your TV, and turn them into much smarter TVs. Yes, you can enjoy Smart TV functions on your current TV – without investing into a real Smart TV.

EvoTV Box with Remote

The first is EvoTV Smart TV Box launched by Amkette, the reputed computer peripheral maker. EvoTv is a small device, smaller than your current set top box that will convert your ordinary TV into a Smart TV. Priced at a very reasonable Rs 13K (the actual sale price is around Rs 10K only), it comes with a sleek motion sensing remote to control the box. The best thing about EvoTV is that it is based on Android Gingerbread – most smartphone users will already be familiar with the interface, and the hundreds of cool apps that come with it. It is WiFi capable, and can also connect with your home theater.

LG Smart TV

The second development is the launch of Digital Direct Broadcast (DDB), a digital entertainment platform – that is a combination of hardware and service. The hardware part will be dealt with at the level of manufactures, wherein the STB will be inbuilt into the TV itself. With this addition, the TV will become a really Smart TV. The platforms promises a lot - compatibility with both analog and digital telecast, HD telecast, internet connectivity, regular software upgrades and even 2D to 3D conversion (this feature will work only with 3D TVs). For more information, you can check their website.

Keeping these developments into perspective, I can really see that the TV landscape of India is finally changing. We can definitely expect more launches in the future – new services, hardware, and platforms – which turn our TVs into multifarious entertainment and information devices. I am also happy that I will get more choices to add to my own favorite LG SmartTV!

Best TV Quiz Shows in India – Over the Years

KBC 6 

Kaun Banega Crorepati is back with a bang – and with Amitabh Bachchan at its helm once again, expect the show to make new records in viewership and prize money. Already, we have the first crorepati – lucky man! As I lazed on my sofa, and watched the first episode of KBC 6 on my LG 3D TV, I could not help but reflect on the extreme popularity that this contest has enjoyed. Started in 2000, the show has probably garnered public attention because of Amitabh’s persona, assisted by the format of the show – which instills the thought that “anyone can win”!

The other day, I was talking to an old friend, and we fondly remembered the school days, and how we (I and him – as a team) had won a district level quiz contest. Later, we also reflected on the evolution of quiz shows in our country – and their passage along with the changing ethos and economy of India.

One quiz show that even teens today would have come across is the “Bournvita Quiz Show”. It is currently hosted by Derek O’Brien – well known quiz master, and now, an MP. What most people probably do not know that Bournvita Quiz Show is also the longest running quiz show in India – it started way back in 1972. For the first few years, it was hosted by Hamid Sayani, and after his death, by Amin Sayani – the legendary, inimitable radio personality.

Siddharth Basu

Another quiz show, which probably only quiz enthusiasts and over 30 people will remember, is one hosted by Siddharth Basu – considered as the father of Indian Quiz scene. The show was simply named – Quiz Time – and was telecast on Doordarshan (how many of us still watch this channel?). We used to watch it on our Black and White Weston TV! Yet, the enjoyment was not the least bit any less than watching an action movie on my present TV – a n LG 3D TV.  I fondly remember watching the show, and hanging on to every question that Siddharth Basu asked.  I also remember Spectrum – another quiz show hosted by him – for participants from 7 nations that constituted SAARC at that time.

More die-hard quiz enthusiasts will also remember another Siddharth Basu Show – Mastermind India. Decidedly high brow in its content and orientation, this remains one of the best ever quiz shows that I have ever watched. Hosted at different heritage sites across India – the show set new benchmarks in quizzing. The rapid fire section was my favorite!

With such a track record, it is only fitting that Siddharth Basu and his company – Synergy Media – is the creator of Kaun Banega Crorepati.

LG 3D TV

Another interesting thing to notice is how the quiz shows themselves have evolved over times – and changed with the changing face of our society and country. The original shows were very good in content and questions, though the overall program packaging was quite bland. Today’s shows are much slicker, well produced and glitzy – and of course – with prize monies that runs into crores!

I also remember how I used to shout the answers I knew at the TV – when the participants took time to answer them, or did not know the answers. My Mom always used to say – Why don’t you go take part in quiz show?  Maybe, one of these days, I will try to enter into KBC – who knows! Till I get to win crores on the show, I will be content with watching Kaun Banega Crorepati on my LG Smart TV.