E-Readers

Comparison between Nook and Kindle. Click on the image to see the bigger version.http://gizmodo.com/5386017/barnes--noble-compares-nook-to-kindle-2-biased-but-fair

Nook looks good, has more features that the Kindle. Nook has android OS so it is more flexible. You can read pdf/word documents on it. To view these documents on the Kindle you have to email them to Amazon and pay a small fee. I am sure in 6 months someone will have hack the Nook OS and they will make interesting applications for the Nook. B&N might also open the platform to encourage people to do that. But it does not have all the books that Kindle has, and Nook is not from Amazon! :(

This is what I want, but there is no saying how long it will take.
Microsoft courier
http://gizmodo.com/5365299/courier-first-details-of-microsofts-secret-tablet

Win7 already has support for touch. So I am sure in the next few months there will be devices trying to capitalize on this capability. Amazon is already developing an application which uses these capabilities. So you will be able to buy a tablet/e-reader/netbook running on win7, that will have the Amazon touch reader application on it. Plus because its win7 you will have many more capabilities (compared to the Kindle) automatically. E.g. browsing the net, pdf/doc viewers, etc.

eDGe- looks promising. A little expensive and it is not out yet. I will be watching it closely. http://www.entourageedge.com/

A bunch of other companies are planning on coming out with e-readers. Its just getting interesting! :)

Win7

There are a lot of blogs and articles about win7. I tried reading all of them. I have also used Win7 for a few months now and still I was quite suprised that I did not know about some of the coolest features.

If you are interested, click on the link below and watch the video from 14.30 min till about 35 min. http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/windows-7-launch-event-with-steve-ballmer-watch-now

The rest of the video talks about the new hardware that is out or coming out. It can get a little technical, but the different options are mind blowing. The thinnest-powerful-beautiful laptops are no longer the Macs. It is your Dell's, Thoshiba's and HP's. A lot of companies came together to make win7 happen.

Science, Religion and Politics in India

When I read articles of the creationism debate in Texas, I get very thankful for the great teachers I had back in India. They belonged to different religions, but never did they mix religion with science. Religion is something that you did in your private life (mostly on Sunday’s; with your parents J).

Why can’t science and religion co-exist peacefully?

In India, it is probably easier to accept differences between science and religion because of economics. To have a successful career it is clear to every parent and teacher that a child needs a strong foundation in science and math (and English). No one wants to mess with these fundamentals otherwise how will the child get the medical, engineering or management degree from the well ranked college?

Does the diversity of religion and languages make Indians more tolerant of others? I think yes, but at the same time I can also think of a lot of examples of intolerance. A loud minority of religious fundamentalists do exist in India also.

Hateful speeches like that of Varun Gandhi’s scare me. It feels weird to associate ‘Gandhi’ with a person who can make such a speech. I was happy to read that he was arrested, but right after that I read that the CBI released a final report on 1984 Sikh riots in March 2009. Report seems to be politically inclined, and CBI has been asked to reinvestigate. So what’s new? Business as usual. Some things just don’t change.

No justice for Godhra riots, none for the Bhopal gas tragedy.

• Why does the investigation and judicial system take so long in India?


• I would like to see media/NGO giving out scores to politicians. These scores would be based on the work they have done as compared to the priorities of the country, their contribution and even their education. Number of criminal cases against them, and acts of hate would go against them. The system needs to be transparent. A voter can see the numerical score of each politician and read the reasoning behind it in detail and with references.


• I would like to see media drop sensationalism and go back to reporting basics, and asking hard questions. India needs a Jon Stewart :)

Like Jaspal Bhatti, I would like all fools to go vote this year! All the intelligent ones have been electing criminals, its time the fools stood up and took charge.



http://www.lead.timesofindia.com/

Change agents in action: Meera Sanyal

A lot of you might not have heard of Meera Sanyal, but she is the current Chairman of ABN AMRO Bank in India. In addition, she is contesting in the Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate from South Mumbai . She seems to have a comprehensive plan for Mumbai - with solid facts and figures, why's and next steps.You can read about her and her plans on the following website.
http://www.meerahsanyal.in/

She was a founding member of AIESEC India, and has been inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame. She is also on the National Board of Advisors for AIESEC India (along with likes of Adi Godrej and Ratan Tata). http://www.aiesec.org/cms/aiesec/AI/alumni/Awards/inductees/2006/meera.html

I was so happy to see a candidate with a clear vision, and a distinguished record of achievements run for elections. There is so much talk that the 'best' people do not enter Indian politics. Well, this year there are already 3 that I can think of: Meera Sanyal, Shashi Tharoor and Mallika Sarabhai. If you know of someone who is going to be voting in the coming elections, do encourage them to give them a real look.

Internet Explorer 8

IE 8 is out, and I am loving it! :)
More secure than its competition, comparable speeds, and with many more features.

Is it late? Why didn't they have innovation for a few years in the middle? But considering their past, this is a big positive step forward. This is a quality product that beats their competition in many areas, and competes head on in the others.

PC World

Disclaimer: I am a PC! ;)

Latest from TED

Beautiful! When will I be able to buy this stuff? (link to post)




I am starting to save for TED! :)

Wiki for Maps

Map-wikis are an excellent way of generating digital map content for countries/regions that don't have digital maps. In addition, it is a cost-effective way of keeping the map-data updated, for a fraction of the cost that companies spend.Contrast this to a fairly new addition to the long list of Google Services - the Google Map Maker. Sitting in the luxury of your house you can add/modify map content. It has a simple-clean interface. This content is almost instantly added and used by the Google Maps. This service will be very valuable to countries that lack digital maps, e.g. countries in Africa, Asia and even India.



I am interested in learning more about how they will customize Google Maps/Transit for differences in countries/cultures. E.g. Indian addresses are very different from ones in US and Europe. Having "opposite ABC Hospital" is very common. Or including "auto rickshaws" in Google Transit :)

While different groups try to make it easier to add/update map-data in different ways, I continue to work on my university project on building a wiki for routes & campus activities (RouteKi) for Columbus/OSU Campus area. Start of a new quarter. Let's get started!

Welcome to Wherever you are

Bon Jovi video on youtube

Lyrics

Welcome to wherever you are
This is your life, you made it this far
Welcome, you gotta believe
That right here right now,
you're exactly where you're supposed to be
Welcome, to wherever you are