Blog Movement!

Finally, I've moved my Blog to the Wordpress Platform. Hope, you all like it. For now i'm not de-activating this particular account, but all further posts will be now put only on wordpress Account. Let me know what you think about it.

Here's the Permalink to my Wordpress Blog:  http://relativeconstant.wordpress.com/

Apple iPad: But Does It Have Wings?

Were this anyone else, I’d say they had a snowball’s chance in hell of making it, but this is Apple, which likely has a patent on hell snowballs, so let’s chat about the Apple iPad this time.

Acer Chairman J.T. Wang among the many people in the tech world awaiting the debut of Apple's (AAPL) new tablet computer. "I'm eager to see what Apple has done," says Wang, the top executive at Acer, the world's second-largest PC vendor behind Hewlett-Packard. Trust Apple to create Hype for almost everything and have the crowd salivating weeks, even months before the actual release of their Products. So was the case with their latest kid: The iPad.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the company's highly anticipated new tablet device, called the iPad, at a media event in San Francisco. This ultra-thin tablet, a 9.7-inch capacitive, fingerprint-resistant touchscreen display, 0.5 inches thick, weighing at 1.5 lbs. is powered by a 1 GHz processor built by Apple. The device has built-in speakers and a microphone, but no camera, and can get upto 10 hours of battery life when surfing the Web on WiFi. iPad will allow users to surf the web, check email, play games and watch videos, among other things.

The iPad is scheduled to arrive as early as March 2010 and will be available in Different Flavors. The WiFi-only version of the iPad will be available , while the WiFi/3G version will be available in three months. The WiFi-only devices will be sold for $499 for a 16 GB model, $599 for 32 GB and $699 for 64 GB. The 3G models will start from $629 for the 16 GB, $729 for the 32 GB and $829 for 64 GB version. The device is fully unlocked and supports GSM micro-SIM cards.

It doesn't enable traditional wireless voice services, Which means that you'll still need your iPhone to make those Calls. Also,if you're already on a Data Plan for your Iphone there is no way of clubbing it with your iPad Data Plan. You'll have to subscribe to the Pre-Paid Data Plan separately for iPad. Apple and AT&T continue to be attached at the hip, The question here is whether AT&T can handle the additional data load? Its struggle with the data onslaught from iPhone users has been bothersome. For Indian Consumers, the only option they have is to use Home/Office Wireless network for serious surfing as most of the Network Providers are still not on 3G yet. Also the fact, that it runs all iPhone/iTouch Applications, many consider it nothing but an obese iTouch. With Networking Capabilities of course.

The problem for Apple, much like it was for the iPod, which it got done, and Apple TV, which it didn't, is getting access to the media folks who want to watch and play with on the device. there are already Kindle reader Applications available for the iPhone and iPod Touch, but then Amazon even doesn't have the perfect content for its very own Kindle. for instance, the always popular Harry Potter books are not on Kindle. Imagine That. Plus, the fact that Apple never likes the idea of anyone else owning any service critical to their device in the first place.

I wouldn’t bet on Apple to fail, though. It does that very seldom, and given this may be Steve Jobs’ swan song product, there likely will be more emphasis on getting it right than on any product that came before it. This thing could actually become an eBook, smartphone, and netbook killer, and if it did, what a swan song for Steve it would be.

Coming of Age: Nexus One. RIP iPhone

Android and the Nexus One are charging at full steam. If Apple isn’t careful, it could eventually find its cell phone in second place.

OK! Not just me but Cnet UK said it too: iPhone is the worst phone Ever! There. Period.

And now with the Google (and HTC) Nexus One out it's time the Folks at apple get a wee bit concerned. I mean, yeah, iPhone has like Zillions of Apps for almost everything, it doesn't do anyone good if you can't make decent phone calls with it. For all these features that make smart phones live up to their names, the iPhone does a bang-up job. Just don't try to actually make a phone call on one. Here's what Cnet had to say about it and in their own words I Quote:

Say what? iPhone call quality is bad

Call quality on the iPhone is pathetic, and it's mostly because of the tiny speaker. It has to be aligned with your ear canal with the accuracy of a laser-guided ninja doing cataract surgery, or else the volume cuts down to nothing as the sound waves bounce uselessly around your ear shells.

Dropped calls and data gaps

If, like Will Smith in Enemy of the State, you're trying to avoid the eagle eye of Big Brother, the iPhone could be for you. It drops calls, fails to connect and doesn't even ring sometimes -- not for everyone, but more often than any other phone we're currently using.

You can't answer if it doesn't ring

Perhaps the worst of the iPhone's problems is its ability to sit there stealthily and ignore incoming calls. With no ring or vibrate to clue you in, your friends and family are redirected to voice-mail... or just treated to silence. If you're in a two-iPhone family, it can be a case of the deaf leading the mute.

Phone battery life

Battery life is the first casualty of smart-phone development, as the power of 3G, GPS, Wi-Fi and heavy-duty processing sucks the power out of over-miniaturised cells. But the iPhone was the first to really flaunt its slim body while you watched the bars drop almost in front of your eyes. A couple of hours of Google Maps over 3G and you'll be lost in the woods without even the possibility of phoning for help.

Smart Phones: Coming of Age. Enter Nexus One

Here's the real Deal: Google and HTC in collaboration have come up with their own version of the Smart phone - The Nexus One. Call us geeks, but we can't hear the word "Nexus" without thinking of the Utopian dimension in Star Trek where all wishes were fulfilled. So How does Nexus one Stand up against our most popular Defending Champion iPhone?

Heavyweight Champions no more

3Gs weighs 135 grams while the Nexus weighs about 130 grams, no significant difference.

Hardware in your Pocket

The processor of the iPhone works at a clock speed of 600 MHz processor while Nexus One works on the speed of 1 giga Hertz. RAM inside of Apple’s device is about 256 MB in memory and the one of the Nexus is about 512 MB. In front of Nexus one Tech Specs iPhone is just craptastic. Score one for Geeks.

The Art of Networking

Both devices support HSDPA network of the cellular operators, and they support the download speed of 7.2 mega bytes per second. Upload end of the iPhone is about 384 K Bytes and the one of the Nexus is the 2 mega-bit. Score two for Geeks. Yaay!

Look At Me

The iPhone comes with 3.5 inch screen and supports 16 million colors at a resolution of 480×320 pixels. On the other hand Google’s device comes with a screen 3.7-inch with a resolution of 800X480 pixels. The Nexus screen display makes the iPhone pale in comparison.

Got Juice?

On the iPhone, unlike other devices, there is an internal battery that can not be replaced - Compared with the iPhone, Nexus comes with a replacement battery. More importantly: Nexus has a stronger battery, which provides a longer time between charging.

Shoot Me!

Here the cards are clear and open: Nexus five mega-pixels sensor against three mega pixels in the iPhone, the existence of flash compared to the total absence on the iPhone, but also performance wise- Google’s camera obtains images better, more alive and sharp. And also important: Google’s camera device can also shoot at night, where the iPhone can not do even with the third generation of the device.

Bottom line: no surprises. Nexus’s camera wins with his hand on top.

Multi-Tasking and Parallel Parking

Running parallel applications is essential for busy people . Apple has not managed to do it well, or in fact – not at all. Push messages on the screen, are really poor solution for an innovative company like Apple, and operating parallel applications on the device of the iPhone is not possible.

It’s frustrating especially when playing a game and to getting an SMS message that jumps on the screen – and throws you out. Android on the other hand can do that easily, especially with Google’s powerful processor.

Nexus wins this round in a knockout.

In fact, on Mashable the Nexus One Annihilated iPhone in the readers Vote.

So if I hadn't just poured in my Pocket money on the Dinghy N97 I would've been buying myself The Nexus One. After All I'm an Out and Out Google Boy anyway. Well maybe, Nexus Two when it comes around.

The Hoaxes and What people will believe

Sometimes it is so irritating what people will put on the net and others believe! I've been literally spammed with emails about these two revolutionary expose that should put rest of the world to shame. Let's listen to the hoax first and then let's list down the facts.

But before I'm alleged for plagarism, let me put my credits in line. Thanks to Sufi S. who've put the information on the net and debunking these claims.

Hoax of Mr. G Vaidyaraj and his Diamonds

"Shock for the Nation !!! (Believe it or not) Do you know that India is the richest country in the world! (They don't even get their Grammer right!)

Right now, India is the richest country in the world! Wondering how? It's

really amazing.

It's due to Mr. G Vaidyaraj, who donated all his wealth, about which he

actually did not know. He is a descendent of Raja Krishnadev Raya from Mysore district.

For the last 300 years or so, three stones were worshipped in his house.But nobody tried to see what it was, except this person, who is a lawyer by profession. One day, when there was nobody in his house, he took the stone out to see what it was that they worship.

Due to the dust deposited on it, from many many years, it looked only like a simple stone. But when he touched it, some portion of the stone was cleansed. And he saw a bright ray of light.

He saw something which attracted his attention. And he was amazed when he cleaned all of them.The whole room was filled with light. He discovered they were diamonds of about 4600 carats each.

He informed the Govt. of India and the news is censored with its security (Did These Guys ever leanr English?). It's now deposited in a Swiss Bank. (Why? Indian Banks are not safe Enough?) The cost of single diamond exceeds the GDP of USA + UK. India can buy

virtually 7 developing nations. Even World Bank does not have enough money to buy it. One diamond costs thrice the debt of World Bank over India. One such diamond can buy 10 Bill Gates to you. And the World Bank has proposed the Indian Govt. that it can pay India in Installment if it wishes to do so.

1. India's GDP is 34.25 billion dollars.
2. Bill Gates property is 95 billion dollars approximate so that is the way 'nature changes' (Huh?).

Our Prime Minister has refused to sell it. He said it will be sold or mortgaged for credit when we need it. Otherwise right now we have no problems.

You can go through Times of India with a small column on it a week ago (Give me the date if you've really read it!). Star TV presented a 115 min documentary on it about 15 days ago.

The Hindu with its half page article in it. After that it was censored as classified."

Now the Facts:

someone decided to do a little bit of search in internet to find out more about this and typed in "proud to be indian". They found out that this is a mantra that is chanted again and again, as if it took some repetition before you could believe it?

Google said "proud to be indian" has been indexed 14, 300 times.

Not happy with that, they did some cybersearching on G Vaidyaraj and his diamonds. Vaidraj + diamonds yeilded only 976 results. But its amazing to take a look at what they are. Click on the previous link to see the results. While the whole email was pasted virtually everwhere, no one had either proved or disproved the claims mentioned in it.

Now Dig This:

"The cost of single diamond exceeds the GDP of USA + UK"

Well now, here's the thing. The GDP of the USA is $11.75 trilllion. The GDP of the UK is $1.174 trillion. Adding those together you get $12.984 trillion. Now if you divide that by the diamonds weight of 4,600 carats, you get a cost of $2.8 billion PER CARAT. Some time ago someone brought his wife a half carat diamond, and it did not cost him $1.4 billion for it!

Now for some simple arithmatic:

"India can buy virtually 7 developing nations."

Meaningless statement. which developing nations? Tuvalu? Viet Nam?

"Even World Bank does not have enough money to buy it."

Why would they want to? What would be the point?

"One diamond costs thrice the debt of World Bank over India."

Make your mind up! First you say that it's worth $12 trillion, now you are saying they are worth 3 X $42 billion = $126 billion. Way less than $12 trillion we think you'll agree!

"One such diamond can buy 10 Bill Gates to you."

Here you go changing your mind again. Bill Gates is currently worth $43 billion (ish). Which now makes your diamond worth $430 billion.

"And the World Bank has proposed the Indian Govt. that it can pay India in Installment if it wishes to do so."

But why would it want to? What would be the point?

"India's GDP is 34.25 billion dollars."

No it isn't. India's GDP is $568 Billion.

The Hoax of the Indian boy in his 12th standard who disproved Einstein's "Theory of Relativity".

The Story goes as: "Shocked? Read on... Sudarshan Reddy has theoretically proven the existence of a sub-atomic particle, which can travel at speed greater than that of light, thereby challenging one of the fundamental postulates of the 'Theory of Relativity'. In his recent research paper submitted to the Institute of Advanced Physics (IAP) at Trieste (Italy), Sudarshan has proved the existence of a class of sub-atomic particles called leptons', which can travel faster

than light. The international physics community is shocked by this discovery.

Dr.Massimo Martelli, President of the IAP has this to say about the paper submitted by Sudarshan. 'After long, careful and critical analysis, I can confidently say that Sudarshan's re search papers show tremendous leap in our understanding of physics. His investigation mounts up on 'leptons'.

His work builds substantially on the work of Einstein and others in the field of relativity.' When physicists from Princeton University tried to measure Sudarshan's IQ with an IQ-meter (at the American Embassy in Delhi), the meter broke down. Sudarshan, incidentally, is the brother of

Madhu Reddy, the Indian whiz kid who developed an operating system superior to Microsoft Windows. We should all be very proud of these boys."

1. There is no such thing as the Institute of Advanced Physics in Trieste.
2. Dr. Massimo Martelli is a Cardiologist, not a Physicist.
3. There is no such thing as an I.Q. meter.
4. Sudarshan doesn't exist. Neither does his supposed brother, Madhu.
5. Anyone who thinks making a superior OS to MS windows is a Wizz, doesn't really know what he's talking about! Hasn't he heard of MAC - OS.

Burst you Bubble? Ces't la Vie!

Blinding Love

If love had a taste what would it be?

If it had a color what would I see?

My days are dark without the spark

And painted grey in the shades of clay.

What do you feel when it rains outside

To me it's the same without my pride.

I gave it all nothing in return

Feel within the fire burn.

It's not of love, passion or desire

To such a fate how can I retire?

Being someone and no one at all

To such a state when did I fall?

With faltering steps and the empty feeling

With all this time where's the healing?

Being together yet junctions apart

Love is a scythe in my bleeding heart.

I feel not pain the wound is numb

It goes unnoticed with people some.

My smile or tears it did not matter

Vulnerable as glass it had to shatter.

For love is weak but desires strong

Hate befits in the matter long.

Farewell cynics, welcome Valentines

(Advisory Note: Again -I'm not trying to be an MCP or proving superiority, or blaming the fairer sex. Last year, I read an article from a Girl on Merinews which Pissed me off bad! So I submitted this article too which got published. I thought it all ended there - until someone (surprisingly happens to be a female again) popped up on the grid sharing similar cynical thoughts. Now I am not one of those 'Creative' writers who'll write a new article as a reactive response. So I'm just re-stating what I said the last time. And why not, It was well said then - holds true today too).

Visit the link below to read the original post on Merinews.

http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=124306&category=Lifestyle>&catID=7

IT IS THE season of love with lovers cooing lovey dovey in each other’s ears on Valentine’s Day. And as they say one can feel ‘love is in the air!’ But hey, wait, I hear someone shout... they exclaim, “love? There’s no loving in Valentine’s Day! It’s all about sex, sleaze and seduction! Its materialism incarnated.” Well, of all other words, the word I expect to hear last was - materialism. Alas! Another black spot on the pink color of Valentine! Sure, there’s a lot of sex and sleaze and one-night stands associated with this wonderful day (and to which some would say, making it all the more wonderful), but materialism?

 

Maybe yes. But then I wonder which part of our life is not affected by it? Doesn’t the whole world seem to be running behind the American Dollar? People take up jobs more on the basis of pay rather than the content, girls marry guys because “...Oh so what he’s fat and bald? Everyone’s got flaws. But see, he’s an NRI too...”

 

Open up your eyes people - materialism is everywhere. And no festival, society or place remains unscathed by it. But isolating Valentine’s Day by marking it as a celebration of materialism isn’t the right thing to do.

 

As for sex, sleaze and seduction – they too are just around the corner. They don’t just burst out revolving on the day of Valentine’s. It’s only on that day the cynics (who probably don’t have a date) decide to notice how appallingly pathetic the world is. Some one mentioned somewhere about the Valentine cards being an invitation for date who fits our definition of attractive. Well first, we don’t date unattractive people. Accept it ladies. And second, it’s a start and you never know to whom a simple date may lead you to – perhaps, your soul mate for life?

 

Just because people spend hundreds and thousands of dollars (or rupees in our case) doesn’t make it a materialistic issue or having a causal relationship makes the whole society scandalous. The world is changing and so are our lives. Long gone are the days when there used to be just candies in the stockings on Christmas and a birthday cake (only) on your birthdays. Children of the rich now expect PS-2 or XBOX or maybe even the latest model of a cell phone on the shelf. But then again, it’s only a matter of perception that you chose.

 

Practically thinking, when did a rich kid wait for Christmas for laying his hands on their spoils, even when we look back in time? And the lesser privileged don’t dream of them even on a Christmas. And so holds true for a Valentine’s Day too. It’s about capacity and the capability to which you feel comfortable to spend for the one you love. Period. You cannot persuade Brad Pitt to celebrate Valentine’s Day with just flowers nor can you convince a mere peasant to celebrate Valentine’s Day with anything but flowers. There are still (and trust me, many) who still say it with flowers. And yes, they pay for it (rather be blamed for being materialistic than to be blamed for stealing flowers and ruining your neighbour’s garden). I know what you’re going to say... “Flowers ain’t that bad, it’s the expensive diamonds and the extravagant candle light dinner we’re talking about!” But then listen people; it’s not a choice we guys make. We know that mere flowers and a good sense of humor won’t get us a date.

It’s our lovely ladies who will have to lower their standards and look into our well, ‘un-materialistic’ charming qualities and settle down for flowers. And thanks to Valentine’s Day, our poor farmers in Pune aren’t that poor anymore.

 

As for those who cry upon our lost cause and drifting away from our culture (aping the West to be more correct) – I have news! Thanks to globalization and our fast adaptation of the West today, we’re what we are becoming a more prosperous India! And if it makes you feel better, you have a choice to look towards and East (Japan, Korea Taiwan, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia…) where they celebrate Valentine’s Day too and say “Hey, we’re successfully aping the East now (pun intended here)!” Or perhaps, you like the conservative countries where Burka is still on vogue and Valentine Day a Taboo?

 

Have a Lovely, Romantic, Happy and Extravagant Valentine’s Day!

Season of Love

So St. Valentine's Day is just around the corner - roses and chocolates selling at atrocious prices and still running out of stock, people turning cheesy and buying from a new perfume to entire new wardrobe just for this special occasion. And why not? This is the time to celebrate love. And don't tell me that you don't need a special day to celebrate love - because the likes who've told me this have spent the most for valentine's day already.

But just to be in the spirit, I've decided to act cheesy myself. Being cheesy works - trust me. I've got out of tough spots with my girlfriend by being delicate along with being a romantic idiot at the appropriate time. Key phrase here is Appropriate time. 

But enough of this banter - here's my first dedication to this Romantic Festivity:

No matter how cloudy be the night 

Or hardy storms the beasts of might, 

there is always comfort and solace 

within her arms embrace.

Deceit and tricks or the world in vain

longer may be the darkest lane,

With time i have learned to trust

warmth of love and patience just.

The off time hell of moody swings

along with the chaos it brings,

Is just a color or a shade

of this loving angelic maid

with all its glory, it has its downs

But on love - how can I frown?

she stands by you in pain and pleasure

among moments of joy you always treasure.

forsake the sins that I've done - Heaven on Earth I have one.

What's with the vampires?

I wonder if the Vampires ever considered using Sun screen lotions with SPF 30+ which blocks harmful UV rays, both UV-A and UV-B? Or is it just incorrect advertisement on the part of Cosmetic manufacturers. In fact, here's an idea for a Sun Protection product - "A lotion so effective that even Vampires use it"! And then they could have Endorsements from Vampires like, Edward Cullen, "I first started using this amazing Sun Screen lotion when I got it as a birthday present on my 40th Birthday..." 

The Lycans can also endorse the product saying that how soft and silky their fur has become in just seven days that it glows in the moon.

And then the commercial could end with an Offer like "... first 500 hundred callers will also get a free pair of anti- Radiation Sun-glasses from Ray-Ban. Beware of Imitators - It could be hazardous to your er, health"

Of course, Blade won't profit from such commercials since he's already a "Daywalker". 

Hasn't the world already has enough theories about mythological creatures like vampires and werewolves that we need authors to come up with new ones every now and then? I mean if I am to be an Avid follower of the Vampire's coven and lover of Dark literature - How do I know which theory to follow. They don't really have an “All you need to know about Vampires” Encyclopedia, and since the volturi clan is being so secretive about protecting the secret, I doubt they would list a visiting centre's address in the phone book.

Like recently I was reading the Twilight saga and here it is - A brand new theory about Vampires. According to author Stephenie Meyer: "Vampires in the Twilight series, possesses superhuman beauty, strength, speed, endurance, and agility. Their scent and voice are enormously seductive". 

So much is common with all other vampires from other books. But instead of being burnt in the Sunlight the Vampires here shine like Diamonds when exposed to it. They have Bullet proof skin and they're immune to Silver, Holy Water and don't shrink at the sight of a Cross.

So how do you kill them (Twilight series Vampires)? 

The only sure way of doing it is by tearing them into pieces and burning every part of theirs. Which essentially can be done by other fellow creatures, children of the moon a.k.a. werewolves and shape shifting wolves, since humans don't have the strength nor the tools to do it. (Yet, Edward Cullen was able to inject himself with a syringe and take out some of his venom and pump Bella with it). Interesting.

So much for Blade coming around and slicing and dicing them with his impressively sharp sword, silver stakes and ammunition made out of silver nitrate or which emits UV light upon impact. In fact, this puts the very existence of blade in question - Blade is Half human, Half Vampire. But so is Bella Swan's daughter from the book The New Moon. And they're entirely different.

And what's with the Silver nitrate? I mean of all available salts of silver why silver Nitrate always? Why can't we use Silver Oxide instead? The bullets will be virtually maintenance free.

Then the question comes about UV light. Well Sun isn't the only source of UV light - Half of the vampires would be dead the moment they step into a Night club (And they love to visit night clubs). Neon lights and fluorescent tubes are supposed to have the same luminosity as Sun light and it they aren't already cringing away from all the sign boards on the streets, is it Vitamin D then to which they're fatally allergic to?

And how does this Vampire Venom/virus work exactly especially on the physically beautifying part? Every Vampire turns out to be Attractive as hell. Imagine them coming up with another Commercial like "New Anti-ageing treatment - You just don't look young, you stay young!" 

Or maybe like "No matter who your parents were and how ugly you were in high School, with this new improved Vampire Formula you'll dazzle in the Sun - literally!!"

So if I am fat and balding, being bitten by a Vampire gives me a well toned body and good long hair? Which again raises the question - Do Vampires need a hair cut?

I still feel sorry for Blade...