Mobile phones getting smarter, People .... Not so...

We all live in a smart world, at least in terms of technology we do. With all these latest gadgets mobile phones, tablets, laptops our lives have become a lot simpler the world a lot smaller and people a lot closer (though in relative terms).

However speaking in much more clearer terms, the technology has got smart, but the people using it not so, a clear evidence would be in ourselves, we take a lot of time, infact sometimes we need the help of calculators to do some simple mathematical calculations, where as if we give that same question to our parents they can solve it with relative ease.

If you search the net, you would come across data which would suggest that Indian have IQ in the range of 80 to 85 Americans’ around 98 and Japan at 107, it would come as a surprise to you that even Iraq’s avg IQ is better than India’s . Although I wouldn’t count on those numbers, but when I look at my friends I sometimes feel that these numbers are right.

But who should we blame for such a low average? Which, apparently denote our smartness,Well if you ask me, I won’t sweat on it much, cause 1^st it’s just a number, and numbers can’t dictate your life, Unless those numbers are on your pay check. And 2^nd these studies are conducted by people who have no idea of what India really is, It’s place where jugad plays an important role.

Anyways getting back to the topic, the reason why I say that people are not getting smart is because we are getting lazy. I mean think of it, if you have a tiny hand held device that can do all your work for you, that is remind you of important dates, keep a track of your schedules you have a lot of time in your hand that you can spend on Facebook, Twitter, or in my case just write a blog.

If you ask me which examples would you give? I can give you examples with categories

·         Politicians: gone are the days of chacha Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi, gone are the days of Iron lady of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi they were true politicians who thought of the nation, and now, their own generation Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi ... Hmm No more explanation required.

·         Musicians: Kishore kumar, R.D burman, Michael Jackson etc, these musicians were not just talented but they commanded respect, and who are we stuck with today? Justin beiber, lyl wayne, himesh reshamya not disrespect to them, but I think you get my point.

The list can be endless, you yourself can put many names to these category, perhaps even add more.

Now what’s my point in writing this piece of article, It’s just a statement that “It’s not the people who are getting idiotic, but it’s the technology that’s getting smarter and since we don’t like people to people interactions anymore atleast not face to face, we generalise everyone as ... “woh toh yeda hai ... kuch kaam ka nahi”

With this I end my article with a statement “I am proud to be a not so smart person, atleast I am smart enough to choose humans over technology”

My First & Last Telegraph

Thanks to many messenger applications on our Smartphone’s, in today’s technological era we can send message to our friends & it is totally free of cost. Our generation fails to realize the value of a word carries in a message. But when I wrote my first & last telegraph to myself from telegraph office I literally realized the ‘value’ of each & every word. Here is my blog about my first and last telegram, which I drafted for myself.

“Just wait for another five minutes my dear. I will be there in a flash.” I hurriedly told a friend on phone, as I heard the rain beat against the window pane of my office. That flash lasted for 15 minutes and I finally rushed out from my office. As soon as I reached at CST GPO office, I could see the angry eyes of my friend searching for me. But, taking late into consideration the regular Indian Standard Time, and the fact that I was 20 minutes meant that I reached on time. After listening quietly some heavy firing we set out to check out for telegram counter. But before entering the GPO office a rude watchman stopped us on the gate inquiring what we wanted. When we told him we wanted to send a telegraph, he told us that the facility was no longer available there and that we would have to go the Kala Ghoda office.

The scene at the telegraph office was entirely different than what we had imagined it to be. There was already a queue at the counters, which we joined soon. A man behind one of the counters shouted from counter. We headed in group towards counter as there was no one after us in line. 

photo by Shriram Vernekar 

 After taking stops and asking bystanders and shopkeepers for directions and being sent in wrong directions a couple of times, the rainwater and the sweat gave us a feeling of unclean shower.  Finally we reached the premises of an old building with board that read, ‘तार घर मुंबई’ (Telegraph office Mumbai).

After many rounds of many other circles we reach at Kala Ghoda circle. After paying the fare to the Taxiwala, who gave us a ferocious look for making him drive in the rain, we moved towards our next step of landing ourselves in the post office. We sought help of local GPRS system the Panwala.  After bestowing us with the whereabouts of the post office through his stained teeth and stuttering words in between chewing his paan, we turned to walk in the pouring rain. 

 An officer named Mr. Pawar greeted us with a form to be filled with address & a message.  We grabbed 10 forms. As soon as we turned our backs he shouted from behind us saying, “One word will cost one rupee including the address!’

When we finally got down to the process of writing the message, we realized that the real task was to write something cool and at the same time to make sure it didn't cost a lot. You really need some extraordinary talent to write the exact address within the minimum word limit. So we wrote almost one liner messages to each other & to other few people to whom we want to convey our messages using some last telegrams of 163 year old Indian Telegram Service which was about shut down permanently in the next few hours.

The real fun was when we reached counter for paying money. Mr. Pawar checked all the telegraphs. He suggested some necessary corrections of signatures, pin code & all. While we were filling the details he pointed at some text and asked my friend, “Should I count this also? What is it?” Without much explanation she asked him to delete it. When we pressed her to tell us what it was she said asked it was just a heart sign from FB chat’ (<3). Both Mr. Pawar and I dropped our jaws till they reached the ground and exclaimed almost immediately, “Seriously?” She was just laughing, red in the face, gesturing us to carry on with the form filling.

Our form was listed in the previous forms with reference number written on it through some machine which spoke in a mechanical voice We paid the fees according to the word count. While chatting with Mr. Pawar he told us that since the announcement of telegram system ending, the number of telegram had suddenly increased. In the last 14 days before the final day of telegram more than 200 telegrams had been send just to make it special & preserve them in memory forever. 

“Yesterday a couple had visited here. The man was 86 year old & his wife was 80 years old they had send telegrams to each other, with same message - For you forever.” added Mr. Pawar. We were surprised to hear that 90 % of telegrams were sent just as a proof of governmental work and court cases and that to in Mumbai only.

At the end of the conversation Mr Pawar confessed, “Now after working for 37 years in Telegram office we will be given new work. Nothing will change but it’s good to see young people like you are coming to telegram in the last few days of the telegram service. This again shows that we realize the value of things only when it’s ending.”

Though our trip ended on sad note, it became a memorable day for both my friend and I. Now I have one of the last telegrams in India, which I can show to next generation. I wonder if they will really believe that this was the fastest way to communicate a couple of decades ago. 

What I realize after sending this Telegram that though sending message is easy now the emotional attachment with the message is getting less & less first we have to paid for it & it was very rare to send telegram so people have strong emotional bond with that message. Then mobile messaging came where we have to pay less & now we have free chat apps so it’s almost nothing related to emotions when we send messages through new media. What’s your take on this?

Your jeans are getting SMART thanks to your Smartphone!

I was standing in door of the train… watching rain drops dripping from the door frame… suddenly a voice brought me back from my world of imagination. The mechanical voice said ‘पुढील स्थानक दादर... अगला स्थानक दादर… Next Station Dadar.’ So I just adjust myself for what is about to happen in the next few seconds. Even before train stops people enter the train in the “THIS IS SPARTAAAA!!” momentum… before I could balance myself the boy next to me started making MJ moves all of a suddeen. While I was figuring out what got into him, I saw him pull out his smartphone from his pocket.

image courtesy - semiconductorworld (facebook.com)

This was when the random idea of smart pants hit me. In that crowd train where each & everyone were posing as any statue in museums, I began day dreaming. I could see a full scope of starting a social movement against normal pants. I could see rally and hear slogans in my head demanding for pockets that would hold these gigantic phones.  ‘Give us justice! We want justice! We want smart pants! We want smart pocket pants! Give us justice! We want justice! … 

image courtesy - MyIndiaPictures.com

After this incidence while going home I observed many people who pulled out their smartphone from their trousers or jeans. Some of them were comfortable with it but few of them kept struggling at it. I was observing this with such concentration that I thought I would soon become a self trained pickpocketer.

When I got off, I went to the tailor to ask about this pocket secret & then I came to know something which I named ‘SMART POCKET.’ The new fashion trend in clothing (basically men’s wear but it can be in ladies fashion industry) where the pockets of jeans & trousers are purposefully stitched big in size just to fit your mobile which is nearly equal to standard sized tablet. So I don’t know have you ever noticed or not but your pockets are getting bigger & bigger just to take care & give more space to your smartphone.

Photo by - Swapnil G.

Once there was a time when you had to literally dance or exercise to pull out your cell phones even though they were small in size. Most of the time this attempts resulted in dissection of phone at public places like bus stop, colleges where SIM goes in north… cell body in east… battery in third direction… Even though you managed to pull it out in single piece it becomes too late & you will have missed the call. But now this is all history thanks to your SMART clothing. Most of us are not aware about this change but now demand of these big pockets is rising & tailors are demanding extra money for modifying this ‘Anndar ki baat’. Most of the people are unaware about this mind blowing phenomenon. But as history says man learns from his mistake (women don’t learn from their mistake I guess) the same logic goes for this awareness.

image courtesy - foxnews.com

Are stretchable jeans a byproduct of technological revolution?
According to some shopkeepers in Thane the demand of Stretchable jeans had increased from past few months. Big size mobile phones & cheap rates are two important reasons for this they answered while giving insides of this trend. These jeans are skin fitting but they have great flexibility so you can easily keep your cell phone in it. ‘Sahab ye Kapda sasta ho ta hai par jada tikta hai’ (the garment used for this jeans is cheap but it sustains for a long period of time) is answer of Kumar Clothing center’s manager while talking about this new trend. Cheap Techno savvy & with latest fashion TAG this jeans are on high priority of must buy things for gen X.

Some of the changes in this new trend

> Pockets are stitched little lower end than traditional pants, to avoid the obstacle of belt while taking out your.

> Pockets are stitched in a little more vertical fashion.

> For the users who don’t use mobile covers the cloth used for stitching theinsides of pocket is of higher quality.

> Pockets are well finished for taking extra care of your touch screen phone.

> No there is no demand for Chor khisa (pocket stitched from inner side of pant) now people want BIG pockets.

(Information source Tailor in my local area Louiswadi Thane)

Smartphones have outgrown the average pants pocket, designer says
Read more on
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/04/25/smartphones-have-outgrown-average-pants-pocket/ this link

Some of the models who brought this unnoticed revolution are

Micromax Canvas series

Iball Andy

Sony Xperia
LG Optimums

Motorola razr

Nokia Lumia series

Samsung galaxy series
HTC
Apple iPhone 4S

& some other from brands such as

LAVA

Karbonn Titanium 

Lenovo

Videocon
other China mobiles

Let me know if you have ever knew or even thought about this techno fashion change before reading this article? Have you experienced any such incidence when you find it difficult to get out your cell phone from pants pocket? Or do feel free to share your any experience about your smartphone size.

Till then enjoy your monsoon but do take care of your smartphones & give them some SPACE.

WhatsApp : No I am happy without you!

It was first day of college. I was much excited about the new media lectures which cover internet & technology. After all, who would not want to learn the same thing in education & professional life at same time? The lecture was just as  good as I had expected. At the end of the lecture our professor talked about our assignments. Addressing the class, he asked if there was anyone without a smartphone. Without hesitating I raised my hand. I turned around to see if there were any other hands in the air. I saw just one girl, who I couldn’t see clearly who didn’t have a smartphone. I quickly put down my hand. Rest of the world was in their own life discussing the assignments. But at that moment I felt like tribal living in socialize world.

image courtesy-www.techmagnifier.com
(edited)

However, when I reasoned with myself, my mind raced to many of my friends who plan to meet up on but when they meet they spend more than half of the time phones. Mostly on WhatsApp informing their respective GF n BF about their locations, what’s cooking at home, with whom they are, etc.
when I see this happening all around me I realize that people focus more on how PRESENT they are virtually than enjoying their real time together. 

I don’t have WhatsApp but I regularly call my friends relatives when I miss them or want to talk to them. It may be so cool to have WhatsApp in your cell phone but does anyone really need to be on their Facebook account for more than 12 hrs a day?  My whole argument is that do we really need application like WhatsApp? Am I not a social guy if I don’t have this application in my phone? Am just disconnected with others? 

फेसबुकवर लिंक बघा, बॅग पॅक करा आणि ट्रेकला चला

पावसाळा सुरू झाला की पाठीवर सॅक टाकून ट्रेकर्स ट्रेकला निघतात. या ट्रेक्सचं प्लॅनिंग दोन-दोन महिने एफबी पेजेसवर आधी सुरू झालेलं असतं. पूर्वी प्रत्यक्ष भेटून, फोनवर ट्रेकचं प्लॅनिंग केलं जायचं, आता मात्र ही सगळी ठरवाठरवी चालते ती ऑनलाइन. या पेजमार्फत मेंबर्सना ट्रेकची माहिती देण्यात येते. ज्या गडावर जायचंय त्याच्या माहितीपासून ते कोणत्या तारखेला किती वाजता आणि कुठे भेटायचं, काय-काय सोबत घ्यायचं, बारीकसारीक तपशील देण्यात आलेला असतो....

'अरे, ही लिंक बघ... काय म्हणतोस, जाऊया का?', 'संकेत इज गोइंगी टू हरिशच्ंद्र फोर्ट...' 'माहुली ट्रेक इन्व्हीटेशन...' 'मी म्हणतो आपण जाऊया रे टीटीएमएम बेसिसवर आहे. तसंही आपल्याला गडाचा रस्ता कुठे माहिती आहे.' 'यू आर टॅग्ड इन फोटो' 'काय मस्त ट्रेक होता यार...', 'सो गाईज् बी रेडी फॉर दिस मान्सून कॉझ....' फेसबुकवर या आणि अशाच पोस्ट, फिडबॅक सध्या पाहायला मिळत आहे. तरुणाई ट्रेकच्या प्रेमात पडली आहे. अनेकांचे कव्हर फोटो, डीपी ट्रेकच्या फोटोजनी फेसबुकवरही मान्सूनची हिरवळ पसरली आहे. यामागचं कारण म्हणजे फेसबुकवर सध्या फुल टॉप गिअरमध्ये असणारे ट्रेकिंग ग्रुप्स... अनेकांच्या फ्रेंडलिस्टमधले लोक कुठल्या ना कुठल्या ट्रेक ग्रुपचे सदस्य आहेतच. काही ग्रुप मेंबर्सची संख्या हजारोत आहे. मज्जा मस्ती मैत्री या सूत्राच्या आधारे ट्रेक आयोजित केले जातात. मैत्री नसली तरी ट्रेकला गेल्यावर ती होतेच. त्यामुळेच ट्रेकवरुन आल्यावर लगेचच फ्रेंडलिस्ट अपडेट होतात.

ऑनलाइन ट्रेकिंग प्लॅन्स

ट्रेकिंग ग्रुप्सच्या अॅडमिनचे प्लॅन्स एप्रिल-मेपासूनच सुरु होतात. मे महिना संपण्याआधी या पेजेसवर मस्त टिझर्स फोटो पोस्ट केले जातात. मेंबर्सला कुठे जाण्यात रस आहे याबद्दल पोलमार्फत जाणून घेतलं जातं. जनता का मत खरोखरच जास्त असेल तर प्लॅनमध्ये बदल करुन एखादा अॅडिशनल ट्रेक अॅड केला जातो.

प्रत्येक ट्रेकसाठी एक इव्हेंटपेज बनतं. मात्र या इव्हेंटमध्ये फेसबुकवर जॉइन केलं याचा अर्थ तुमची जागा पक्की झाली असा घेतला जात नाही. तुम्हाला इव्हेंट होस्टला फेसबुक मेसेज पाठवून जागा कन्फर्म करावी लागते. या पेजमार्फत मेंबर्सना ट्रेकची सर्व माहिती देण्यात येते. किल्ला कसा आहे, त्याचं ऐतिहासिक महत्व. चढण कशी आहे, कोणत्या तारखेला किती वाजता आणि कुठे भेटायचं, कोणत्या स्टेशनला ट्रेन किती वाजता येणार, काय काय सोबत घ्यायचं, ट्रेकमध्ये काय काय काळजी घ्यायची याची नियमावली, तसंच ट्रेकची फी कशी देता येईल असा बारीकसारीक तपशील देण्यात आलेला असतो. अनेकदा सकाळी भेटल्यावरच रेल्वे स्टेशनवर ऑर्गनायझर्स केविलवाण्या चेह-याने सगळ्यांकडून पैसे गोळा करतात. त्यामुळे 'भाई छुट्टा नही है आगे जाओ'पासून सकाळी साडेपाचला सुरू होणारी मजा-मस्ती अगदी रात्री घरी जाईपर्यंत सुरु असते.

फेसबुकवर अॅक्टिव्ह असणारी पेजेस

- मुंबई हायकर्स, ट्रेक मेट्स इंडिया, रानवाटा
- सह्याद्री मित्र, ट्रेक क्षितीज, स्वच्छंद
- ट्रॅव्हलमास्टर गोगो, दुर्गवीर, महाराष्ट्र ट्रेकर्स, ब्रेक फ्री जर्नीज, वाइल्ड व्हिजन ट्रेक
- सह्याद्री ट्रेकिंग, माऊंटन मार्क्स ट्रेकिंग