Just back from the Reeds Gift fair at the much-hyped Brisbane Convention and Exhibition centre....
The Convention centre was ok, though my personal take is- Brisbane dont give it any more dough than it actually deserves- it's not quite like you! After a 38 km drive, to find parking signs 'FULL' is not fun- anyways like most City dwellers, this one's a die-hard optimist. So he drove around, scouting for an inch he might be able to squeeze into- none in sight. Whatever was available had police cars happily parked. A full 360 degree around the Centre later- found a lil burrowed parking...having parked, the elation vaporised in a jiffy when you read ' 0 - 6 Hrs- 13$' WTF!
ENTER...
Registration is quick, thankfully having done my registration online....
Now, Reeds have this reputation for hosting some of the best in the business- this time there were none! If you are a corporate buyer, dont waste your time- if you wish to pick a few things for home- please do visit by all means. You get some stunning deals and stuff that could do your home up- or probably your office. But none that you can inspire/ entice your trade-customers with.
The next 38 kms were spent humming WTF!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Kuwait- Ranked top Business City in GCC
Kuwait outpaced Manama, Doha, Abudhabi, Dubai in the race to being the best business City in the GCC in a recent poll. Kuwait's GDP now stands at a whopping 55,000 USD, WOW! Kuwaitis are a brilliant lot, not much culturally inclined unlike their GCC counterparts. Kuwait's communications and transportation system rocks......Kuwait tops the freedom for press segment in GCC as well.....
Despite so many laurels, there is no gender equality. That's a disheartening shame!
Kuwaiti Men and Women wake up....please nominate a few women to the white building by the Gulf Road for starters!
Despite so many laurels, there is no gender equality. That's a disheartening shame!
Kuwaiti Men and Women wake up....please nominate a few women to the white building by the Gulf Road for starters!
Monday, May 19, 2008
Kuwait- Land of the perennial dust
Hi Haani ! Linda, the local RJ for RK 99.7 cooed as she got her listeners the latest weather update....a novice to these parts might have assumed it was Hi Honey! Funny Americans, they cant get local names right- funnier Egyptians, can't they have better meaning names ? Imagine a tall, curly haired, bulbous nosed giant with a name Haani...Hi Haani :) I haven't seen Haani, hopefully he is better looking than that big bro Hosni, we will settle for Omar Sharif!
Haani is our local weather man, a rather friendly character with an English accent that vacillates and fluctuates between Maori at best and American University of Cairo at the worst...that, however doesn't take away the useful tidbits he gives on why the weather is....
"Haani, its dusty today", Linda mews.
"Good morning Lindeh, yes it is", Haani purrs.
"The South Easterlies are blowing at 40 kms/ hour ( Lucky he doesn't call it a Kilo like his countryman my good friend Khaled does). There is a small system that has been created 20 km North of Jahra, there was a little bit of thunderstorm at 2am. Anyone who was awake at that time might have felt it (come on Haani, who do you think will be awake at 2 am)." Haani continued.
" Starting tomorrow morning we will have the North westerly winds blowing and raising more dust..." Haani was turning prophetic now.
O' self proclaimed Messiah of dust, don't you wish for better days? Can't you take a chill pill for sometime?
Haani continued.." Next 4 days we will have more dust"...Damn!
I switched over to BBC; They were discussing the Burmese Junta and the impediments in the way of foreign aid to the Hurricane Nargis zone. If Nargis indeed had an eye, someone had gouged that out. How else could one explain the trail of destruction she left in her wake? Men, women, children, cattle, crops, houses, she blew them all away....more on that later.
I could see the fog lamps on in cars on the opposite lanes and in the rear view too..I switched on mine. A pall of gloom had enveloped the city- As I drove past the Shaab Palace; where the erstwhile Father Amir lived; I said a silent prayer for the repose of his departed soul and to get Kuwait dust free ASAP!
Below is the image of the recent dust blizzard we had.....
Images of that
Haani is our local weather man, a rather friendly character with an English accent that vacillates and fluctuates between Maori at best and American University of Cairo at the worst...that, however doesn't take away the useful tidbits he gives on why the weather is....
"Haani, its dusty today", Linda mews.
"Good morning Lindeh, yes it is", Haani purrs.
"The South Easterlies are blowing at 40 kms/ hour ( Lucky he doesn't call it a Kilo like his countryman my good friend Khaled does). There is a small system that has been created 20 km North of Jahra, there was a little bit of thunderstorm at 2am. Anyone who was awake at that time might have felt it (come on Haani, who do you think will be awake at 2 am)." Haani continued.
" Starting tomorrow morning we will have the North westerly winds blowing and raising more dust..." Haani was turning prophetic now.
O' self proclaimed Messiah of dust, don't you wish for better days? Can't you take a chill pill for sometime?
Haani continued.." Next 4 days we will have more dust"...Damn!
I switched over to BBC; They were discussing the Burmese Junta and the impediments in the way of foreign aid to the Hurricane Nargis zone. If Nargis indeed had an eye, someone had gouged that out. How else could one explain the trail of destruction she left in her wake? Men, women, children, cattle, crops, houses, she blew them all away....more on that later.
I could see the fog lamps on in cars on the opposite lanes and in the rear view too..I switched on mine. A pall of gloom had enveloped the city- As I drove past the Shaab Palace; where the erstwhile Father Amir lived; I said a silent prayer for the repose of his departed soul and to get Kuwait dust free ASAP!
Below is the image of the recent dust blizzard we had.....
Images of that
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Denverion Hyderabadicus- Denver turns Roman Legionnaire
Tuesday- 15th May 2008, a sad day for Kuwait,
The untimely demise of the Father Amir- Sheik Saad had Kuwait mourning for 3 days. All Government & Educational Institutions were closed on Wednesday & Thursday as a mark of respect to the departed leader. Kuwait had surely lost one of its most glorious sons. However, I must note with chagrin and an utter sense of dismay of those business owners that refused to close down shop even for a day ( Essential Services are excused)- Kuwait Government must strongly reprimand and punish these companies that have no respect for the FATHER AMIR.
Sheik Saad's demise meant postponement of all schol activities and hence Denver had to don his Roman do this morning..Here is how my lil champ looked....I am glad I designed and created everybit- including the final touches to the footwear......note the sword, the roman helmet, the armour leather straps and buttons and don't you dare miss the medusa on both the shield and the armor....the black skirt and top were courtesy Sneha, daughter of our friendly neighbour George Philip... never mind the date on the photographs.....
If you liked how Den turned out..pl do comment..
The untimely demise of the Father Amir- Sheik Saad had Kuwait mourning for 3 days. All Government & Educational Institutions were closed on Wednesday & Thursday as a mark of respect to the departed leader. Kuwait had surely lost one of its most glorious sons. However, I must note with chagrin and an utter sense of dismay of those business owners that refused to close down shop even for a day ( Essential Services are excused)- Kuwait Government must strongly reprimand and punish these companies that have no respect for the FATHER AMIR.
Sheik Saad's demise meant postponement of all schol activities and hence Denver had to don his Roman do this morning..Here is how my lil champ looked....I am glad I designed and created everybit- including the final touches to the footwear......note the sword, the roman helmet, the armour leather straps and buttons and don't you dare miss the medusa on both the shield and the armor....the black skirt and top were courtesy Sneha, daughter of our friendly neighbour George Philip... never mind the date on the photographs.....
If you liked how Den turned out..pl do comment..
School Fancy Dress- Testing parent's creativity.
"Fancy dress! Denver has his fancy dress competition next Wednesday", my wife screamed chastising me for my 'laid-back-who-cares-a-@&%@' attitude.
"Don't you worry sweetheart", I assured her. "Leave it to me", I told her."I am serious", her tone had now turned authoritative. I laughed, reeking of pretentious indifference.
Deep inside me, I knew I had to do it - for various reasons known only to me.Come Sunday, I hadn't moved an inch.
It was only when she woke me out of the cricket reverie, I realized I had to move my ass. She stood there, my frail yet beautiful wife- OPAQUE- between me and the telly. She shoved a school circular at my nose...I read on. ....
Damn! The points for evaluation were creativity (hw creative can a 5 yr old get? surely this had to be for parents), confidence (this for the ward), presentation (this again a parent domain)....
"Why didnt they have the parents compete instead"? I wailed. I was confident that I would win this without any attire. :)
" To hell with your IPL and the Kolkata Knights, why don't you get cracking on Den's fancy dress instead"? She was screaming her lungs out; if she could spew fire and smoke- I would surely have been reduced to ashes at POINT BLANK range.
'' Knight did you say? Lets make Den a Roman Soldier" I told her. She gladly agreed- highly confident of my abilities- In retrospect might also have been a subtle realization of a lack of the creative gene in her.
In an apartment, a couple of blocks away- another wife was screaming at her husband- both the wives had the same gene pool. The husbands had to get to work.
Later that evening as the Kolkata Kinghts notched up their second win in the IPL, I overheard my wife speaking to a friend who offered to lend the armor she had designed for her son last academic year. As she ended the conversation rather triumphantly, I was happy too- cos I had very few things to design. I listed them down....
1. Armour- Mrs. PG
ARM BANDS, SHIELD, SWORD, HELMET, SHOES.....shit there was so much to do.
It later turned out that Mrs PG ditched us (ME) at the 11th hour lending some crappy piece of silver paper that she called an armour- quite in contrast to the picture she had mailed us. It took me 2 days to conceptualise, design and execute the Roman Soldiers costume.. This is how it turned out finally....
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Kuwait shuns Women.....yet again!
What a shame!
For a country sitting pretty on a mind-blowing $ 250 billions of assets (go ahead and figure those zeroes out) fueled literally by 10% of the world's oil reserves, an ever growing skyline, a smorgasbord of luxury in every sense of the word, for a country that boast of many top Women Business Leaders, a small aspiring democracy in an otherwise autocratic part of the world; - today's election results should come as a shocker! The women lost and how! Each single one of them!
Not one among those highly qualified women made it to the elitist list - the Kuwaiti Parliament. Those who hoped that times are finally changing have more cud to chew on than they could imagine- Kuwait ain't ready yet, Kuwaitis ain't ready either. The men rule! Not surprising, the old school might say. Those that attended schools in the West can only shrug their shoulders or hang their heads in shame!
A highly religious culture now sadly fragmented and redefined by libidos of wheeling bikes that stand erect and ejaculate smoke from their oversized muzzles, vigorously pumping away precious oil at the mere presence of the fairer ones, Kuwaitis could have fared much better.
If only those that leer and jeer at their women folk at every possible remembered at the time they exercised their right of franchise; If only the educated ones saw an iota of hope in their women candidates; If only the women folk of Kuwait got together to stand up for someone of their own gender.
However in the last scenario, the Mathematics would still not work out cos they would be grossly outnumbered by the dishdashas anyway in every constituency. The women candidates still wouldn't stand a chance!
Then pray why are the women candidates contesting? Sheer optimism! I salute you Kuwaiti women candidates for your guts to dare and bear the ignominy of a predetermined loss before the battle even began. Your day will come, I hope- SOON!
Why doesn't Kuwait adopt a reservation policy for Women in the Parliament ? At least a few qualified women can make the grade, and surely they could do as much if not better than their male counterparts could aspire to do.
Having seen most of the middle east sans KSA, I might even dare say that the Kuwaiti Woman is the most liberated of the lot! And why not? She is pretty, she is educated, she has the moolah and most of all she is beginning to realise her potential...
Today's loss is yours- purely yours- recognise it and set to correct it the next time around. At least!!!!
Come on, all you lovely talented and educated Kuwaiti women, don't you dare to dream? At least support those who dared to......
For a country sitting pretty on a mind-blowing $ 250 billions of assets (go ahead and figure those zeroes out) fueled literally by 10% of the world's oil reserves, an ever growing skyline, a smorgasbord of luxury in every sense of the word, for a country that boast of many top Women Business Leaders, a small aspiring democracy in an otherwise autocratic part of the world; - today's election results should come as a shocker! The women lost and how! Each single one of them!
Not one among those highly qualified women made it to the elitist list - the Kuwaiti Parliament. Those who hoped that times are finally changing have more cud to chew on than they could imagine- Kuwait ain't ready yet, Kuwaitis ain't ready either. The men rule! Not surprising, the old school might say. Those that attended schools in the West can only shrug their shoulders or hang their heads in shame!
A highly religious culture now sadly fragmented and redefined by libidos of wheeling bikes that stand erect and ejaculate smoke from their oversized muzzles, vigorously pumping away precious oil at the mere presence of the fairer ones, Kuwaitis could have fared much better.
If only those that leer and jeer at their women folk at every possible remembered at the time they exercised their right of franchise; If only the educated ones saw an iota of hope in their women candidates; If only the women folk of Kuwait got together to stand up for someone of their own gender.
However in the last scenario, the Mathematics would still not work out cos they would be grossly outnumbered by the dishdashas anyway in every constituency. The women candidates still wouldn't stand a chance!
Then pray why are the women candidates contesting? Sheer optimism! I salute you Kuwaiti women candidates for your guts to dare and bear the ignominy of a predetermined loss before the battle even began. Your day will come, I hope- SOON!
Why doesn't Kuwait adopt a reservation policy for Women in the Parliament ? At least a few qualified women can make the grade, and surely they could do as much if not better than their male counterparts could aspire to do.
Having seen most of the middle east sans KSA, I might even dare say that the Kuwaiti Woman is the most liberated of the lot! And why not? She is pretty, she is educated, she has the moolah and most of all she is beginning to realise her potential...
Today's loss is yours- purely yours- recognise it and set to correct it the next time around. At least!!!!
Come on, all you lovely talented and educated Kuwaiti women, don't you dare to dream? At least support those who dared to......
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The Mobile Cam- For the M-Voyeur; now in Kuwait
Espionage (Clandestine HUMINT) will soon be redundant as technology continues its perennial penetration into private domains.....As if we didn't have enough, a local (now Qatari) mobile service provider is pulling a coup of sorts.
Not just on its ' Amsterdam/Bahrain/Kuwait' based competitor but on the unassuming families and contacts of its subscribers as well. The grape-vine says that the second operator will soon introduce a similar service in Kuwait as well.
Imagine this!
You are a subscriber and a proud owner of a handset that supports video-calling- a 3G handset. Walk into any of their Office / kiosk in town and ask for this service.
For about 100 KD (inclusive of hardware, activation and one year rentals), you can walk home with a new gizmo that looks like a miniature helmet. This has its own SIM card (which means it has its own identification number), but the contraption cannot talk...it believes in the maxim 'seeing is believing', hearing is a devastating add on. This is the latest version of the CAM.
How it works.....
Once you have activated this new toy, you could place it anywhere you want....I mean anywhere!
It is small, It sees and it can relay what it sees....and who controls it? The caller of course. That means anyone and everyone (of course has a 3G Handset).
This is probably the most destructive tool a pervert needs or for that matter a scheming doubter (no gender bias).
Call the number and gzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...the little monster springs to life..Sitting in the comfort of your office, car or even overseas you can call ur third eye and get to see whats happening around it..Did I say around? Yes you got me right, the caller can not only activate the camera, but can also control the camera's rotation....
The caller can be anyone, you, me, the rest of the world. The instrument is activated without a noise, maybe without a hum too.....the silent sentinel.
Now, the company has pitched a 'security device' sales story, for the safety of your kids and family....Boy! That's so endearing and thoughtful of the company.
Having eaten the share of my telecom pie working for an overseas telecom giant, I have a fair idea of how this little tool can drive revenues for the company. I am not against technology/gadgets but I would surely advocate the safe and wise usage of any such device.
Imagine if this lil 'peeping tom' was strategically placed in a highly private part of the house/ or some public place.....and getting caught in the act
Imagine getting bugged by your boss...and get caught napping
Imagine someone trying to fix you in a trap...and get framed
Imagine getting bugged by your doubting spouses or partners....to be caught red-handed
Imagine exposing yourself in the privacy of your apartment.... only to be seen by this contraption while some one else drools.
And then imagine a wrong call....and imagine the wrong caller happens to be a psycho.....
Video files dont need major conversion tools to be relayed as MMS....the effect could be deadlier than death.
Now for some Telecom jargon.
Revenue Assurance Mechanism for the company:
Hardware Sales
Activation charges
Annual Rental
Video Calling (@ 3 -5 times a voice call charge, higher in case of Roaming)
Sure shot increase of caller-traffic thereby progressive revenue earning.
Definite increase of MMS traffic
Multiple sales of Hardware from a single subscriber
Probable royalties from 3G Handset brands
Smart Questions :
How will you ensure privacy of the subject?- Impossible, unless you define a closed user group for the camera. Possible in the case of Corporate accounts.
How will you restrict the number of users/viewers- Answers same as above.
Would I advocate using this product?
Yes, if you are using it for official purposes .
A definite No no for private users....I dont need a darmed M-cam to watch over my kids.
Some one from the industry rightly observed- a perfect catalyst to an ever increasing divorce rate. Lawyers rejoice the arrival of your partner!
But there is no immediate cause for concern as Local and international agreements on video calling for the operator are still pending. For now one can only access video-calling from designated 'video-calling' areas only.
The danger is in the making....
Watch this space for more 'gyaan' (knowledge) on Telecom......
Not just on its ' Amsterdam/Bahrain/Kuwait' based competitor but on the unassuming families and contacts of its subscribers as well. The grape-vine says that the second operator will soon introduce a similar service in Kuwait as well.
Imagine this!
You are a subscriber and a proud owner of a handset that supports video-calling- a 3G handset. Walk into any of their Office / kiosk in town and ask for this service.
For about 100 KD (inclusive of hardware, activation and one year rentals), you can walk home with a new gizmo that looks like a miniature helmet. This has its own SIM card (which means it has its own identification number), but the contraption cannot talk...it believes in the maxim 'seeing is believing', hearing is a devastating add on. This is the latest version of the CAM.
How it works.....
Once you have activated this new toy, you could place it anywhere you want....I mean anywhere!
It is small, It sees and it can relay what it sees....and who controls it? The caller of course. That means anyone and everyone (of course has a 3G Handset).
This is probably the most destructive tool a pervert needs or for that matter a scheming doubter (no gender bias).
Call the number and gzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...the little monster springs to life..Sitting in the comfort of your office, car or even overseas you can call ur third eye and get to see whats happening around it..Did I say around? Yes you got me right, the caller can not only activate the camera, but can also control the camera's rotation....
The caller can be anyone, you, me, the rest of the world. The instrument is activated without a noise, maybe without a hum too.....the silent sentinel.
Now, the company has pitched a 'security device' sales story, for the safety of your kids and family....Boy! That's so endearing and thoughtful of the company.
Having eaten the share of my telecom pie working for an overseas telecom giant, I have a fair idea of how this little tool can drive revenues for the company. I am not against technology/gadgets but I would surely advocate the safe and wise usage of any such device.
Imagine if this lil 'peeping tom' was strategically placed in a highly private part of the house/ or some public place.....and getting caught in the act
Imagine getting bugged by your boss...and get caught napping
Imagine someone trying to fix you in a trap...and get framed
Imagine getting bugged by your doubting spouses or partners....to be caught red-handed
Imagine exposing yourself in the privacy of your apartment.... only to be seen by this contraption while some one else drools.
And then imagine a wrong call....and imagine the wrong caller happens to be a psycho.....
Video files dont need major conversion tools to be relayed as MMS....the effect could be deadlier than death.
Now for some Telecom jargon.
Revenue Assurance Mechanism for the company:
Hardware Sales
Activation charges
Annual Rental
Video Calling (@ 3 -5 times a voice call charge, higher in case of Roaming)
Sure shot increase of caller-traffic thereby progressive revenue earning.
Definite increase of MMS traffic
Multiple sales of Hardware from a single subscriber
Probable royalties from 3G Handset brands
Smart Questions :
How will you ensure privacy of the subject?- Impossible, unless you define a closed user group for the camera. Possible in the case of Corporate accounts.
How will you restrict the number of users/viewers- Answers same as above.
Would I advocate using this product?
Yes, if you are using it for official purposes .
A definite No no for private users....I dont need a darmed M-cam to watch over my kids.
Some one from the industry rightly observed- a perfect catalyst to an ever increasing divorce rate. Lawyers rejoice the arrival of your partner!
But there is no immediate cause for concern as Local and international agreements on video calling for the operator are still pending. For now one can only access video-calling from designated 'video-calling' areas only.
The danger is in the making....
Watch this space for more 'gyaan' (knowledge) on Telecom......
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Memories- 27th February - This day that year
Fatherhood was round the corner! Circa 2003, 27th February.
February is rather pleasant; Spring time, when nature sports the best hue of the year, this year was no different. Mom had turned 54, so I was up rather early to call and wish her. Happy Birthday Mom, may you have many more !!! My wife was her chirpy self, singing the birthday song over the phone and wishing Mom on behalf of us 'THREE'. The third one was in his 27th week and yet to see the light of the world. Hertummy was now showing and my pretty wife looked prettier than ever. Amazing what pregnancy does as a beauty enhancer. I was a proud husband and an even proud and budding father.
Dropping her at office, I told her I would be early to pick her up. It had been quite sometime since we went out for dinner on a weekday. She blushed in romantic expectation and her rosy cheeks glowed brighter.
Both of us 'deadly' workaholics; me a Telecom-Marketing/Communications pro & she- a Banker- Between us we spent a whopping 180 hours an average every week at the work-place. Watch out for Karoshi I used to often joke.
The day virtually zipped past, I had called Mom twice again to wish her. Small gestures that I thought went a long way in cementing relationships.
A pre-paid subscriber promotion meeting was on; my CEO had announced to me 'AB, lets do a SMS free burst.'...As I did some serious number crunching, my phone vibrator buzzed. It was my next door neighbor, Mukund. He worked for Oracle.
Excusing myself, I answered the phone "Yes Mukund".
" My apologies for disturbing you, have you by any chance left your main door open?" he asked.
"No", I said.
"I think its ajar". I was worried now.
"I think G must have come home then, could you please check?".
I fished out my personal phone and began dialing her number , No response. Little wonder, she never answered her mobile. Thanks to my company, they provided free mobile connections to spouses of Managers too.
Mukund meanwhile rang my door bell, I could hear the gong like door bell.
"No response buddy", he said.
"Can you check if anyone is inside", my heart-beat was racing, as I lit up a cigarette.
" No one in the living room"....
"Oh shit", I heard Mukund exclaim.
"What happened?", I yelled. Many of my colleagues turned around to look at me.
"Your house has been burgled". Mukund observed.
"I am coming" .I thanked Mukund and hung up.
Little did I realise that it was time for me to pick up G as well for our proposed dinner. She can wait, I thought as I swerved into our street. One of the best addresses in the city, the erstwhile chief minister also lived in our street. A high security, 24x7 patrol street.
Burglary sounded an impossibility, that too in broad day light. Our apartments had security guards too.
I reached home. Mukund was waiting for me. The house was indeed burgled. I couldn't really figure out what had been stolen..
'Holy shit", I remembered. G had just cleaned up her bank lockers and had brought all her jewellery home the earlier night. Now all was gone. We, Indians love Gold, my wife was an exception. She was planning to send all this stuff (approx 450 grams) back to her Mom with a cousin who was due to fly out the day after.
My mobile rang, it was G. I told her I was stuck at work and asked her to hail a cab home.....7 months pregnant, did she deserve all this now?
As I scanned the house, I saw they had burgled both the bedrooms, stolen all the metals that looked precious, plus the kiddy bank. My prized collection of watches had gone too....
I turned around to a shriek, it was G...she had screamed and collapsed in a heap.
Memories of that day haunt us still, this evening as we called Mom to wis, G turned to me meaningfully. I could see tears well up those deep eyes.
"I remember sweetheart, every single moment of that day"as I hugged her tight and held her close.
"They stole every single piece, didnt they?", she asked me sobbing.
Memories...they will never cease!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
The Mobile Web Cam- For the M-Voyeur; now in Kuwait
The Third Eye!!!!!!
Espionage (Clandestine HUMINT) will soon be redundant as technology continues its perennial penetration into private domains.....
As if we didn't have enough, a local (now Qatari) mobile service provider is pulling a coup of sorts.
Not just on its ' Amsterdam/Bahrain/Kuwait' based competitor but on the unassuming families and contacts of its subscribers as well. The grape-vine says that the second operator will soon introduce a similar service in Kuwait as well.
Imagine this!
You are a subscriber and a proud owner of a handset that supports video-calling- a 3G handset. Walk into any of their Office / kiosk in town and ask for this service.
For about 100 KD (inclusive of hardware, activation and one year rentals), you can walk home with a new gizmo that looks like a miniature helmet. This has its own SIM card (which means it has its own identification number), but the contraption cannot talk...it believes in the maxim 'seeing is believing', hearing is a devastating add on. This is the latest version of the WEBCAM.
How it works.....
Once you have activated this new toy, you could place it anywhere you want....I mean anywhere!
It is small, It sees and it can relay what it sees....and who controls it? The caller of course. That means anyone and everyone (of course has a 3G Handset).
This is probably the most destructive tool a pervert needs or for that matter a scheming doubter (no gender bias).
Call the number and gzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...the little monster springs to life..Sitting in the comfort of your office, car or even overseas you can call ur third eye and get to see whats happening around it..Did I say around? Yes you got me right, the caller can not only activate the camera, but can also control the camera's rotation....
The caller can be anyone, you, me, the rest of the world. The instrument is activated without a noise, maybe without a hum too.....the silent sentinel.
Now, the company has pitched a 'security device' sales story, for the safety of your kids and family....Boy! That's so endearing and thoughtful of the company.
Having eaten the share of my telecom pie working for an overseas telecom giant, I have a fair idea of how this little tool can drive revenues for the company. I am not against technology/gadgets but I would surely advocate the safe and wise usage of any such device.
- Imagine if this lil 'peeping tom' was strategically placed in a highly private part of the house/ or some public place.....and getting caught in the act
- Imagine getting bugged by your boss...and get caught napping
- Imagine someone trying to fix you in a trap...and get framed
- Imagine getting bugged by your doubting spouses or partners....to be caught red-handed
- Imagine exposing yourself in the privacy of your apartment.... only to be seen by this contraption while some one else drools.
- And then imagine a wrong call....and imagine the wrong caller happens to be a psycho.....
Video files dont need major conversion tools to be relayed as MMS....the effect could be deadlier than death. Now for some Telecom jargon.
Revenue Assurance Mechanism for the company:
- Hardware Sales
- Activation charges
- Annual Rental
- Video Calling (@ 3 -5 times a voice call charge, higher in case of Roaming)
- Sure shot increase of caller-traffic thereby progressive revenue earning.
- Definite increase of MMS traffic
- Multiple sales of Hardware from a single subscriber
- Probable royalties from 3G Handset brands
Smart Questions :
- How will you ensure privacy of the subject?- Impossible, unless you define a closed user group for the camera. Possible in the case of Corporate accounts.
- How will you restrict the number of users/viewers- Answers same as above.
Would I advocate using this product?
- Yes, if you are using it for official purposes .
- A definite No no for private users....I dont need a darmed M-cam to watch over my kids.
Some one from the industry rightly observed- a perfect catalyst to an ever increasing divorce rate. Lawyers rejoice the arrival of your partner!
But there is no immediate cause for concern as
- Local and international agreements on video calling for the operator are still pending
- For now one can only access video-calling from designated 'video-calling' areas only.
The danger is in the making....
Watch this space for more 'gyaan' (knowledge) on Telecom......
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