Showing posts with label Mobile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mobile. Show all posts

Saturday, September 20, 2014

iPhone Six or iPhone Sucks?

Every time a new iPhone or shiny iCrap is released, some or other Crapple fanboys will come to me saying now they are the best in the world and everyone else will copy them. When I reply that it is not so great and everything they claim new are age old features in other phones, they will say as the phone is selling well, there need not to be any argument and continue arguing anyway! At last, they will say, with the next version, I will buy an iPhone!

There may be any number of future iPhones. They may change in shape, size and features. But one thing will never change. My opposition to iPhone and other iBads unless and until they repent and make everything free as in freedom. Cost is the last problem I have with iProducts(still they are over priced and I think a phone or audio player or workstation doesn't worth your monthly or yearly income). But their lack of respect for user freedom is what bothers me the most.

Even in this version, they have copied features already available in many phones for years and are claiming that they are the first and best. But yes, what they claim is partly true. They are the first to implement these features with flaws and unacceptable restrictions. When we have Bluetooth in our phones, it is a feature. But Crapple users can't send or receive files, yet they too claim it as security "feature"! Similarly, they claim lack of USB charging as a "feature" and boast that they have bought a new genuine charger to replace the broken one for the same money I would spend on a new phone.

The problem is two fold. They lack knowledge about technologies and they don't want to accept the fact that they have lost lot of money for nothing. Most of the Crapple users, even though they are rich and elites, lack basic knowledge in technology. All the "facts" they "know" are from their rich ass counterparts or through advertisements and media hypes. Ask them a bit more about anything technical, they just resort to say, "I am an average user. Apple products just works!" and the next moment they again start boasting about technical details they got from review sites or word of mouth. It is kind of a social disease, you know, they can't stop talking about Crapple.

Next thing, people usually get excited when they buy new phones/PCs or other gadgets. That is quiet normal. But when they get maniac about each and every upgrade and couldn't control spending a huge sum of money for same thing you can get for less than half of the money, it means only one thing. They think the product is great as the cost is so high. Yes, there are some exclusive and limited products that costs so high because of their quality or rarity. But Crapple products are manufactured in Chinese sweatshops like any other cheap phone yet these people are believing that they are superior only because they cost more.

I remember an incident from my childhood. When I was around 12 years, my friend came to me showing a new electronic watch he just bought. It was a simple one with plain time display. He said it was 100 rupees. He got it from a carnival happening in nearby town. As the shops in carnivals sell over priced goods and his uncle who just returned from Dubai didn't mind the price, he got the 60 rupees worth watch for 100 rupees. I showed him mine which my dad bought me for 80 rupees from a local shop. Two things made him upset. My watch had light and it had some cartoon printed on the strap. That's it. He ran to his home and cried to his parents. They said something to pacify him. He came back that evening claiming that his watch is made in Japan and its light (which is not there) will work only during night, the battery will last for 15 years and so on. Also he had tried to draw some pictures on the strap with sketch pen as the marks said. I felt pity form him.

The above incident is the same that happens with Crapple users. They even attempt  to imitate others by jailbreaking, installing apps etc like my friend attempted to draw on his watch strap. But the difference is he was an innocent child who deserves sympathy but Crapple users are cunning selfish idiots who don't deserve sympathy.

You may think I am another guy who couldn't afford to buy an iPhone and just venting my anger on everyone who can buy one. But In reality, if I have that much money I will invest it on something worthwhile like books or music instruments and settle with a sub 10K phone. If you are a person who got infected by Crapple users and not yet able to take a decision, then just open your eyes and think twice before you act. For Crapple users, my advice is "Baahhh.... Meeehh..." Forget it... They are just a herd of sheep!

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

The MBA Problem

Scenario 1: IT Company

Our profit margins are falling... What to do?

BE: We can use this new framework, that will reduce lot of effort and rework.

BCom: There are lot of pending payments from this customer. We can put a little pressure on them.

MBA: Fire all senior developers and hire freshers for lesser salary. To ensure quality hire MBAs from top B-schools

Scenario 2: Hospital

Our patients are leaving in a very short duration, even before the treatment is completed.

MBBS:
We need to keep the hospital clean. Also we need more equipment to diagnose and treat ailments correctly.

BCom: We are buying over-priced medicines from foreign companies. We can buy from domestic companies and that will reduce the cost for patients.

MBA:
Increase the shift timing of doctors; reduce spending on house-keeping. Also change the uniform of nurses to mini-skirt.

Scenario 3: Pickle Manufacturing Unit


We have a new competition. Our sales are expected to go down!

BE:
We can use the latest packaging to enhance shelf-life and aroma.

BCom: We can give discount on season specific pickles like mango to keep up the market share.

MBA: We can file a patent for "adding chili powder to pickle" and sue the competition for patent infringement.
***
Love it or hate it! MBAs are ruining our lives in all aspects. Hospitals are not run by doctors, hotels are not run by cooks, IT firms are not run by techies, even labs are not run by scientists. Every imaginable business/service/manufacturing/establishment are run by MBAs. They fix poor quality with fair skinned receptionists. They fight price competition with in patent courts. They gamble by firing highly experienced people for short-term profits.

Lifesaving drugs and vaccines are patented and priced so much so that even rich find it costly to afford. Noble professions like medicine and research are now seen as opportunities for sure cash, where people have no other choice but to pay what these profit hungry demons fix as price.

Education is refused to the poor. There is a need to differentiate the syllabus between what children of poor and children of rich study. Parents are brainwashed to an extent that they feel humiliated, if their children study the same syllabus (not even in the same classroom or school) as the children of poor people. Now parents are ready to pay hefty amount, just for a different syllabus!

Even essentials for life like water are packaged and marketed. 10 years ago, every teashop had a pot with a tumbler. You can drink as much as you want. Now every teashop has a fridge with water-packets and bottles. You have to buy according to your budget.

Seeds of food crops are patented and farmers threatened with lawsuits. Natural healthy foods are replaced by sugary, fatty junk foods and drinks on one side. On the other side, problems like obesity, malnutrition etc caused by these foods are used to advertise some other products as natural/organic/herbal etc.
Products are intentionally manufactured with poor quality and are less durable to ensure that people will be buying new items again soon. Some features are not included intentionally, so that they can be included in the next version and force the users "upgrade". In computers, later versions of software are designed to make older hardware obsolete. TV, set-top box, AC, fridge, invertor and every stupid thing around you is designed with one thing in mind. "People should buy this. But should be satisfied only for a short time, after which they should buy new."

Cars and bikes are forced on us with loans, adding to our economic burden as EMI, fuel cost and maintenance. Not only our economy is destroyed, our environment is also devastated. Just for those sales managers of banks and showrooms to reach the target, our future is made bleak. On the other hand, some corporate NGOs try to save the planet by taking your money.

Meaningless restrictions on second-sales of goods, sharing of information/artworks/software and improving an existing idea are imposed to cripple innovation and increase profits of few elites. Even the authors, musicians, software developer and scientists are cheated by these gimmicks.

Women (now-a-days men too) are used as mere sex objects for their advertisements. Existing superstitions and irrationalities are encouraged as they provide even more control and opportunities to exploit people for more money. Making people feel inferior for their skin tone or height etc may sound politically incorrect. But they are perfectly fine when it comes to marketing!

Everything is auctioned and over-priced by creating virtual demand. Earlier, over-pricing was a crime. Now it is the norms. If you ask, they tell you that they are not running a charity. But the truth is they are not even running business within the limits of business ethics. They are gambling with no rules. They are running mafias.

Due to this natural resources are exploited, our environment polluted and our livelihood destroyed in irreversible ways. All of these are done for one thing. Profit. More profit. But at what cost? Lives of millions. Hunger of innocent children. Sufferings of the diseased. Extinction of several species. Invasion of weaker nations. Exploitation of labor. Families caught up in never-ending EMIs and impossible to pay debts. Suppression of women and people considered low by caste/race/religion.

If I say, unethical quest for profit and rabid competition to take the market monopoly by people with MBA (and people without MBA but have the MBA mindset), is the reason for all of these problems, that can never be an understatement. Before MBAs, Newton didn't worry about patents. Bach had no copyrights for his music. Vaccines and anti-biotics were invented/discovered and made available to all for cheapest possible price. Doctors and teachers served people with so much dedication as they served God. Industries competed in terms of quality and price.

I am writing this, not to attack any individual or group of people. But a course that teaches people just to make and maximize profit at any cost is surely NOT what the world wants now. This type of mindset has crept in to almost all branches of education. This is a dangerous infection. Once if a person finds out almost everyone around him are acting ruthless for profit, then the person assumes that it is the new trend and starts doing it. That is how Lays and Coco-Cola took over not only star hotels but also roadside shops. No wonder your house owner or auto-driver is ruthless to you. Because they see you keeping calm about overpriced potato chips. They know that you are proud about your Rs. 40,000 mobile. Don't think you are highly paid and hence safe. You are well fed to be slaughtered for their feast!

Don't think you are highly paid and hence safe. You are well fed to be slaughtered for their feast!

We need a more ethical and moral approach to address the problems we face today. We can't fix things by throwing money at them. We can't save the world with guns and bombs. We can't settle our problems with lawsuits and economic sanctions. We need co-operation. We need collaboration. All of us should work together. Not for money. For betterment of everyone.

Disclaimer: If you are an MBA by accident and don't subscribe to the MBA mindset, pardon me!

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Why You Don't Need an App for Everything - 10 Reasons

We need the so called "apps" in order to get the maximum out of the hardware of our phones. For example, without apps, how can we take photos or use the magnetic compass or flash-light? Apart from these hardware specific tasks, I think we don't need apps for things we can easily do with a good browser. I am not against necessary apps. But some people start to install every possible app out there. Is that the right way to go?

1. They eat up your memory
 
Apps usually eat up lot of memory in your mobile. Especially if you have a low end mobile, memory dedicated for apps will be lesser (< 300MB). Every app will occupy around 5 to 10MB and some even take up to 25MB (these are normal apps, not those games with fancy graphics and sound effects). Also with time, they store data as cache. This will result in low free memory in your phone which may cause it to slow down, crash often or behave in unexpected ways. Some "clever" people say they can move the apps to SD card. That too is not a good option. SD card apps are relatively slower and when you change your SD card or the SD card becomes corrupted, those apps are lost.

2. They consume your RAM

Apps are started and stopped by Android automatically. So when you reboot your phone, even without opening any app, many apps will be up and running. They occupy more RAM and when you open a message or contact book, those apps will be closed by Android to free some RAM for the app you are accessing. So, it too slows your phone down. Some people claim Android is smart enough to handle tasks. But those who use their phone with good amount of apps know what I am saying. Some "smart" people use task-killers to kill those tasks. But again, in few minutes those same apps will be started. There is no sure way to ensure that particular app is not started automatically than to uninstall it.

3. They suck your network bandwidth up

As mentioned in above point, apps automatically start and also start to consume your Internet connection. Some apps will be synchronizing, some may be downloading ads, others may be busy checking whether a latest version is available while some "great" apps are sending your private information to their servers. There are apps that upload your SMS, contacts, emails and even whatever you type etc to their servers. All these take a good amount of network bandwidth and you may run out of free data soon. Some "brainy" people try to circumvent this by going for "unlimited" data plans. Even then there will be a limit after which the connection speed will be throttled. Also when all these apps are chocking your network in background, you may wonder why that small email is taking so much time to be sent or why your browser is taking too long to show that your IRCTC ticket is not booked.

4. They drain your battery

As mentioned in points 2 and 3, these apps start and connect to Internet automatically. So they consume lot of power. They cause phones to heat up and you may not be able to call someone or listen to music as these apps had already sucked the last drop of power out of your battery. Some people come up with some "tricks" to sort this out. That is by installing an app to improve battery life. What an idea sirji! Some say they are not bothered as they always carry the charger with them. I think they also carry a generator with them or their charger is solar powered!

5. Slows down your phone

Due to insufficient internal memory, processor load, insufficient RAM, clogged network etc, your phone may slow down to unusable levels. One of my friend came to me saying that his phone's touch-screen was not working. I checked it. Actually the touch-screen was working fine, but due to overload, the response was slow. I uninstalled few bloatwares, and it started to work normally again.

6. Threat to your privacy

Most people won't give a damn about what all the permissions the app asks before installing. And Android's innovative design makes it impossible to restrict access to SD card or Internet at app level. There are some options like Droidwall to restrict the app's access to Internet, but still, it is is bit tough if the app demands that an Internet connection is needed to proceed and our people will set that app as exception permanently to avoid "hassles". There apps like Truecaller which uploads entire contact book with photos, pet name, and other details to Internet. I know people who store their PAN number, Bank account number, ATM PIN number etc in their contact book. Imagine what will happen if these details are uploaded to someone somewhere! I have recently seen some apps that require permission to send/receive SMS but they are actually meant to be live wallpaper.

7. They distract you a lot

These apps annoy you a lot by giving unwanted notifications. You may be awaiting an SMS from your bank stating your "one time password" for a credit card transaction or you may be in a meeting. "beeeep" There is a notification saying that some has invited you to play a stupid online game. To take it to the next level, some apps give alerts/notifications/reminders to rate their app in Playstore, purchase unlocked version or to try their new app. All these things distract you and waste your time for no good.

8. They have misleading ads

Yes, ads are there in websites too. But why I am mentioning it here as a specific problem in using apps? The ads in apps are displayed like buttons or links in the app itself. This misleads the user and make them click on them. Once clicked, you are taken to malicious websites/apps. Moreover, there are some apps which are meant to be used by kids, but contain ads suitable for adults.

9. They are hard to maintain

These apps are hard to find, install, keep updated and to use. For example, if you want to book flight tickets, then you have many apps to do that. How to tell which one suits your needs? Are you going to install every app and use them to find out? In case of websites, it is easy to just hit the URL and try it and move to other. Similarly, if you have many apps installed, you need to keep them updated. That costs you lot of data and also battery power. It can be time consuming at times. Also, if your home screen and app-drawer are crowded with these apps, it is hard to spot the app  you need. Yes, we can use the built-in search to spot the app, but still, it is not that easy right?

10. Most apps are unethical

Most apps are so called proprietary software or "closed-source". So, even if you want an app, please look in the F-Droid repo for a free software alternate. Don't use apps that don't respect your privacy or freedom. Don't feel proud about yourself that you have purchased an app and that is going to support the developer of that app. No! The developer only gets a fraction of the money you paid unless you directly pay the developer and get the app in some other way other than from the Playstore or App store. So these apps also cheat developers. So which developer will allow themselves to be cheated? Those who want to cheat others in some other ways right?

Points to Note:

So, as you can see, don't buy in to the apps argument and install any "crapp" unless and until you are sure that there is no other good way to do it and sure that the app is legitimate and respects your privacy and freedom.

1. Check for website alternates and use a good mobile browser like Firefox to access the site directly instead of using apps

2. Check the apps' developer and ensure that it is from a legitimate source. For example, you can find apps with same/similar names but from different developers (some apps are just repacked malwares)

3. Don't install .apk files shared in forums/sites/bluetooth etc. Download them from F-Droid or Playstore alone

4. Check the apps permission before you install. If the app asks unwanted permissions or if you feel suspicious about the permissions, don't install it, even if it seems a must have. Security first. Rest later!

5. Read reviews about the app both in the repository as well as in tech-sites. Now-a-days paid reviews are very common and there are companies that offer services to boost your Playstore ratings/reviews. So you should be able to differentiate between genuine and bogus reviews.

6. Periodically check and uninstall apps you no longer use.

7. Disable Internet connection while using apps that have ads.

Conclusion:

Apps are waste of time for users and waste of money for companies developing them. If you are a business looking for app development, my advice is, don't go for it. Are you going to build an app for every platform out there? (Android, iOS, Windows, Symbian, Ubuntu etc) It will cost you more to develop, bug-fix and make changes in apps for multiple platforms than to develop and maintain a good mobile site. If you are a developer, please advise the same to your clients who come to you for developing an app.

Sooner or later, everyone is going to realize that apps are not the solution for everything. So you better realize it now.

Related Sites:

Monday, February 24, 2014

Tamil Keyboard for Android

<<<Read this article in Tamil >>> 
<<<இந்தக் கட்டுரையைத் தமிழில் படிக்க>>

Now a days, everybody is having one or more Android device(s). Also there are lot of content in Tamil around the Internet. But the main hurdle we have is, how to search for Tamil content if we can't search in Tamil? Google, Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo all index Tamil content. But how can we search it? Typing in English? At least in PC, we can use online Tamil transliteration sites or software for typing in Tamil. But in mobile or tablet?

Here comes a decent Android app to your rescue. AnySoftKeyboard with Tamil layout extension.

Please follow the below steps to get this awesome app in your mobile:

1. Check any Tamil website and ensure that you have proper Tamil font support. Most popular brands come with excellent Indic fonts support. But some mobiles have broken support (render Tamil letters incorrectly) or lack Tamil fonts (display them as boxes). To make sure, open this page in your mobile/tablet browser and check the below line.

தமிழ் எங்கள் மூச்சு

If the above line is rendered properly, you can proceed to next step without any issue. [Note: If the text is NOT rendered correctly, you need Tamil font support to proceed. This may need rooting your device. So it is up to you to research and do it.]

2. Download AnySoftKeyboard from this link (Google Play Store).


3. Download and install Tamil for AnySoftKeyboard from this link (Google Play Store).


4. After AnySoftKeyboard and Tamil layout for it, have been downloaded and installed, go to your phone's settings, and select "Language & keyboard"

5. In the next screen, enable "Any Soft Keyboard".

6. A dialog box will open and will warn you about possible key-logging attacks which can be done by this keyboard application. Note: This is a generic message, and will be shown when you enable any keyboard application.

7. Long press on one of the text input field (select input method from notification area in Android 4+). A dialog will pop-up. Choose AnySoftKeyboard

8. I suggest you to turn off auto suggestion in "AnySoftKeyboard settings" in settings menu or by long-pressing "enter" button. This improves Tamil typing speed.

9. Long press characters to get similar characters as a pop-up. For example, ஆ can be typed by long pressing அ. Similarly, தீ can be typed by first typing த and then long pressing இ and choosing appropriate compound letter.



Salient features:

1. Fully free and open source software. No ads, and the source is available at Github. Click here for source.

2. Tamil layout matches English QWERTY layout. So it is easy to remeber and type.

3. One touch toggle between Tamil and English layouts. So you can type Tanglish easily.

4. Works without internet connection. As said, no ads, no payment required.

5. Small size and pretty fast.

6. Main app is used by more than million users and Tamil layout is used by more than 100,000 users. Both apps are rated with more than 4 stars.

So why are you waiting! Install the app now and chat with your buddies in your mother tongue! Update your status in Tamil! Search the internet for Tamil words/phrases! Explore the world in your own language!

Please leave comments if you have any doubts in using this app. If you like this app, please give it a good rating and review at Play Store. Thanks for reading
:-)

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Phone Review: Huawei Ideos X5 Pro (U8800)

I recently purchased a new mobile, Huawei U8800 pro. I bought it through an online store, as the brand is not sold commonly in shops. The major plus of the phone is the price and it is from the world's largest telecom manufacturer. Although all phones are made in China, there is a mindset that Chinese products are inferior.

The phone is well built. Not too large like Micromax canvas series or not too small like the Sony xperia series. It fits your pocket and if you have a large hand like me, you can easily use it single-handed. The phone lacks any physical buttons in the front. Only volume keys and power/lock buttons are the physical keys in the phone placed at left side and top, respectively.

Screen:

The phone has a 3.8 inch capacitive touchscreen. The display is good and vivid. The screen is scratch resistant. I am using without screen guard, and not yet have any scratches. Resolution is 480 x 800 px.

Sound:

The sound quality is relatively good. Ringtones are loud enough to be audible. FM radio is also there. So there is no need to carry a hefty memory card filled with songs always.

Camera:

Camera is not up to the mark. I have expected a better camera. Video 720p recording is available. But quality is 50-50. No front camera. That's ok if you are not in to making video calls.

OS:

Comes bundled with Android 2.3. I updated to Android 4 (This is an official update). It is smooth and works like a charm. For those who are not satisfied, check XDA developers site for other ROMs.

Other Hardware Specs:

1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, 1 GB for apps, 1.6 GB internal storage, microSD up to 32 GB  (I got 8 GB free). Comes with a charger and headphone. Headphones are not in-ear type. But quality is good.

Battery:

This is the best part of this phone. It lasts for 3 days with moderate usage (1 hour calls, videos, music etc) but without internet. With internet connection, it lasts for 1 to 1.5 days.

Update(December 2013):

After 1 year, this phone has lived up to the expectations. I am completely happy with this phone. :) :)