Sometimes the best thing is to fall…

In awful awkwardness tried to escape those lingering eyes
With a hope to be found, watched silently her acts in sly
Desperately entered a gossip almost passed
Hoping to make a mark and crack laughter
“Act cool,” I reprimanded myself
Like the symbol of the sun, nerd of the herd
Alas! Confounded by the presence of a soul
Lost timidly like a rabbit in a brawl

I only provoked the treason with a whimsical reason
Chased a figure an epitome of happiness
Waited a smile to shrug the dreariness
Wished to gain even it meant losing all
Existed once, a heart embellished like a whipped caramel Choco dip
That with every beat sung songs of joy
Dreaded never to dwarf the mighty; failed never to wish love
Is now left with no recoup, and all it says is ever again

Something filled the void, unveiled oceans of love
Called for valiance but brought serene
Sumptuously carved an image within
Anguish recoiled and the heart rejoiced
I wanted to stand tall but realized sometimes the best thing is to fall…

....the reckoning

“….anna, okka ruppe ivvu,” I heard a feeble voice; while juggling one of my favorite songs on a Monday morning. I turned aside and saw a small kid of hardly six years of age looking right into my eyes asking for a rupee. I’m not one of those charitable souls who would give alms to someone; but this was not usual—sultry brown eyes, puffed hair and an unusual calm face made this kid look very different. I looked at his face for a moment and then drove away with the signal going green, however, I kept thinking about the boy…”I should have given him something,” I reprimanded myself. The incident made the not so exciting Monday little grayer.

The next day at around the same time when I waited for the ‘Jublee check-post’ signal to turn green, my eyes were scanning the whole area looking for the timid soul, and momentarily I saw him at the far corner. I took out a two rupee coin—probably wanted to make up for yesterday, and waited for him to come by. In anticipation of the signal going green, I shuffled to and fro hoping to see the kid and give him some money, but he wouldn’t be seen. Anxiety grew as if a terrible mistake is going to happen but couldn’t do anything about it. “Damn! Where did he go?” I irked, and slowly drove off through the green light while still looking for the boy.

This wasn’t something very pertinent that I should be gasping all around, but kind of felt void inside. Thousands of time, I have ignored many such ‘alms seekers’ but never felt this heavy. The week passed away and I never got to see the little kid again. I had by this time got over the feeling; though not completely. One lazy weekend while lying on the bed I gazed the blades of the moving fan. I was lost deep in thoughts and they kept unfolding like an enigma without beckoning. I remembered my mom, dad, brother and other family member; friends, colleagues and the even recent acquaintances. I was entering into a sort of ‘plasmatic state’ where boundaries between emotions, logic, and practicalities become impalpable. I felt my heavy heart and wished to move away, desperate efforts were disdain. I’m neither a fundamentalist nor belong to one of the philanthropists but just an ordinary man with common feelings. The restlessness triggered anything but gratification; there was a sense, a meaning to all that passed. Time went by and after a couple of weeks, I once again saw the kid in the same signal. God knows why I felt lighter while reaching for that five rupee coin in my wallet. Vociferously, I called out, “Chhotu, here”, raising the coin pointing a gesture; the child rushed. He came, stretched his lean arms puffing a rare smile. Dropping the coin in his palm I gently asked, “What is your name?” he replied, “Bhanu” and walked away. I looked at the pale shadow crossing the road with some fulfillment and drove off. That evening I wasn’t my usual cheerful but definitely felt calm. The reckoning was emotional, awakening soulful.

Walk in the rain

Overwhelmed with emotions the dark clouds burst
Pondering showers heavy to bring down the trees
Scintillating thoughts pass like a lightening in the dark
I drool, halt and smear & feel the breeze; then walk in the rain

Powerful are the games, the mind plays
Tricking actions; fouling words
Recollects reactions, brings regrets…
Of wishful desires which lay on the edge of swords
I pause, smile and look toward heaven; then walk in the rain

Thuds grew heavy inside, gasps swell as never will die
Glimpses of memories splash and flash
With desires I longed which faded as the light…
In a day won and cheered by the clouds, I wished my heart wasn’t so dry
I walk in the rain so no one can see me cry.

It's majical

It’s magical
I always dreamt, never believed until felt
The closeness or the hollowness
The completeness or the be-wilderness
Sensing the tender; feeling the unfelt
It’s inexplicable; it’s magical

The nearness is comforting; silence healing
The swiftness or the slowness
The infiniteness or the unambiguousness
Believing a shadow; witnessing a path breaking
It’s inexplicable; it’s magical

The reasoning is futile; logic bygone
The pleasantness or the vileness
The forgetfulness or the liveliness
Walking happiness; keeping sane
It’s inexplicable; it’s magical

Separation....

It is not often you wait for time;
A time to stop by, stand still and never fume
She was all set to bid me adieu
Wave that kiss deep inside I don’t want
Amidst the entire rattle we two stood still
Holding arms, just gazing each other
I wanted her to say something, she would say none
I wanted to speak a hundred words, throat would just choke
I wished for the time to stop and never pass by
Did not talk for minutes, stood still but frenzied inside
I tried to utter; my lips wouldn’t move
With trembling cheeks, I tried to smile
And small droplets dripped from my eyes
There was this pain of separation which we struggled to fight
Eventually it came and came very hard
With an unruffled smile she took a heavy step
Waved that kiss and let loose the tears which kept floating in the eyes
And I stood gazing that wave; trying to catch a glimpse
Wishing for the time to just stop by

I'm addicted to you!

You bring me life, your bring me fun
The spirit inside just keeps growing with you
No matter what, the emotions keep swelling with you
All these days I’ve been looking for love
When the truth is I’m addicted to you

A lot of colors hidden came alive with you
The sun rose and hid, the moon shone and faded
It’s your brightness that lit my days
You give me the power the courage to keep going
With you everything just keeps flowing
All these days I’ve been looking for love
When the truth is I’m addicted to you

Your touch, warmth and kisses
Just like a child I keep embracing
You inspire me, fill the hollowness inside
With you everything feels great
You have taken my heart, I’m completed by you
You bring me life, your bring me joy
And the truth is that I’m addicted to you

It’s a whole new world

It’s a whole new world when I’m with you
Unbelievable, uncanny, unpretentiously vivid
It’s your charm that sets the world apart
Drive me crazy; pull me candidly close to you

I feel time stopping by
Smiling, asking to cherish every moment
Faces around vanish, a sudden lull prevails
Nothing moves but you, even the air dance to your tune
I just see your lips moving; hear my heart thumping
Everything gets ravishing
The way you move your head, tuck that fluttering hair
Eyes so bright, smile so vibrant, everything about you feels so new
I stare foolishly, amazed at your sheer beauty

You mesmerize me; your fragrance enchant me
I love to hear; you have so much to say
I love to gaze; you look astonishing
Happiness is when I’m with you
Perfection is when you are with me
Everything about me is about you
It’s a whole new world when I’m with you
No one makes me feel the way, you do
I feel the only thing I can do, is love you
For it’s a whole new world when I’m with you!

Look past that night....

Look past that night when you and I strolled the unlit miles
Hopping across the pot holes kicking the empty cans
Laughing madly; swinging carelessly challenging the darkness
You were so bright that the moon envied you
I remember, you making faces teasing the moon

The wind was cold and you timidly cuddled in my arms
Your hair ruffled with the air, furred my face
So lost we were in each other didn’t care the distance long

The idea of playing games; hitting the lamp-post with a running stone
Your losing and getting annoyed at the stone
My laughter and your run behind me

It was fun and we cared for none, filled the emptiness with vociferous sounds
The way I goofed with the hit song;you like a veteran tried correcting the wrong
I remember your struggle to find the exact rhyme, suggesting words like a sane
Your giving up and both singing in chorus; the same goofed song
Still smile on, the way I bolted on the road miscuing a kick
Your cracking into a blast, laugh madly
We added a color of our own to the world, I see it all
The placid moments are so fresh, I feel it all

Look past that night when you and I strolled those unlit miles....

I only love being bewitched by you!

I don’t know why…I don’t want to know why
Sleepless nights bring amorous gifts
Memoirs get rich, vivid and wide
I love to watch you work in sly

I never wanted to look into your eyes
I knew there is glee…I feared to fall in love
I was the king of my forsaken castle
The castle I often strolled under the shines
But I looked into your eyes…lost my castle…lost all

I don’t know why….I don’t want to know why
I only love….being bewitched by you!

I now smile a lot…dance alone inside wooden walls
Feel my vein run wild…gaze floating clouds
Think only about the thief of my castle
Wish for her hands…take her under the falls
Watch her play and dance like the water.
Lie on the meadows green with the sublime matter

I don’t know why…I don’t want to know why
I only love…being bewitched by you!

I have lost all….the valiant knight I made has lost
The enemy I feared the most…has struck
She smiles and giggles…peeps stealthily
I love this intrusion…the invasion of my mind

I don’t know why…I don’t want to know
I only love…being bewitched by you!

Illusion of sunshine....

I’m perplexed …..the reasons obviously lie

For I wander again under the open sky

Painting images with paints dry

It’s the magic of her voice that tinkled my ears!

A reality or an illusion of sunshine

Can’t figure for she sounds Divine!

The spell has been cast….it took no time

For the mood is in swing

The whispers soft are still felt

The warm breathe can be touched…it still lasts

A sweet poison or an illusion of sunshine

Can’t figure for she sounds Divine!

She is unusually sweet…unusually profound

A miracle from the Holy Grail

An extract of the unsung Psalm

Not a mortal, she looks Celestial

A haloed stature or an illusion of sunshine

Can’t figure for she sounds Divine!

Innocent, bright full of charm

Bathed in love, attired in simplicity

The freshness of her voice

The ever loving perpetual smile

A speechless beauty or an illusion of sunshine

Can’t figure for she sounds Divine!

I have talked…. I have felt

Her acts in jolly, the childlike folly

The cute expressions in puzzle

Unexpected kisses to dazzle

An expatiation of perfection or an illusion of sunshine

Can’t figure for she sounds Divine!

Yes I’m perplexed! For I’m with a Divine!!!

The moments we lived!

Every minute a voice tickles
Reminds me of a reckless lover; you
Truly special in all ways
You swung like the waves, giggled like the stars
An epitome of freshness, truly a rock star
Indeed I have lived a lifetime, fathomed and mused

For you brought smile with every move
And I confess; the moments we lived are eternal

Your world of fantasies, follies
Amaze me even now,
The gaudiest moves, the subtle remarks
Every bit of yours kindled a spark
The jokes you cracked, songs you sung
Are the best souvenirs; of a lifetime that I lived, fathomed and mused

For you still ruffle in my tranquility
And I confess; the moments we lived are eternal

Still vivid are the days, evenings and nights
When we walked, swirled, laughed, quarreled and cried
Waited a call, expected a hug
The kisses we exchanged still feel warm
A soul draped in chastity
Endless like the Divine; in a lifetime that I lived, fathomed and mused

For you beat and will always beat in my heart
And I confess; the moments we lived are eternal

Advertisement v/s Branding

Getting ones brand to work harder, to ensure that it makes its proper mark, isn’t just about spending money on promoting and engaging funds on campaigns or Advertisements to say. Indeed, money may be the least of one’s problems. Getting brands to work on small budgets is more than possible; it is the norm. Good branding takes a lot of good thinking. This is not to say that brands should be managed by intellectuals, or that we should allow the jargon-spouting budding brand mangers spin their hats figuring out how to play with a product to eventually promote it as a brand. Brand management certainly engages the brain but it doesn’t disengage common sense, nor does it stop us from using everyday language.

There is no concept as vital, as discussed, as mentioned, as of the moment in the world of marketing and advertising today as Branding. Everyone uses the word in every conversation, there are countless self-proclaimed experts on the subject, executives want it, account managers plan it, strategies are formulated, money is spent, and advertising is done. But the fact is, very few people actually know what the word Branding really means in this context.

We interchangeably use advertisement for branding. While there are many similarities in lucid terms between both the terms there is huge difference between the two. Advertisement in simple words is a tool used for branding products or services. I here strive to find out the similarities and the differences between the two terms – Advertisement and Branding.

Getting Started....

The fundamental law of Marketing is the “Law of Leadership”. It is better to be first than to be better. Microsoft launched in ’81 while Apple launched in ’84. Apple is better in hardware, software and other areas but has only 27% share while Microsoft has 73% share. In spite of this, every company focuses on being better. If first is perceived to be the best, then automatically the company will attract good people, good distributors and so on. The key is to create the perception in the mind that being first means being the best. This is what essentially branding does. It creates a perception in the consumer minds.

What is Branding?

The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers. Therefore it makes sense to understand that branding is not about getting ones target market to choose one over the competition, but it is about getting ones prospects to see one as the only one that provides a solution to their problem.

Branding is a complex process, but its goal is simple: It is the creation and development of a specific identity for a company, product, commodity, group, or person. It is carefully designed to present qualities that its creators believe will be attractive to the public, and it is meant to be developed and perpetuated for the long haul. An ad campaign launches a product. Branding, when it’s done right, creates an institution. Branding brings about so many benefits that, “You can count the number of seeds in an apple, but you can’t count the number of apples in a seed.”

Perhaps the best way to illustrate the concept of Branding is to explore the new car market. Everyone knows instinctively the difference between a Chevrolet and a BMW. And it’s not just a matter of price: Consumers who are asked about cars will describe a Chevy as reliable and comfortable, while a BMW will be described as exciting, luxurious, and brilliantly engineered.

We know the personality of a BMW or a Chevy (or for that matter, a Volkswagen, Ford, Kia, or Hyundai) without necessarily being able to articulate it.

We make presumptions about a person who gets out of a car in the parking lot based on what kind of car it may be. And even though some of these identities may have gotten a little diluted over the years, we know what the nameplate on the back of the car means when it reads Audi or Toyota or Mitsubishi. There’s a difference between Coca-Cola and Pepsi. There’s a difference between CBS and Fox. There’s a difference between Star Trek and Star Wars. All of these are successful brand names, and they each have a distinctive personality, which may defy definition, but is easily understood by the public at large. Examine the decades-long competition between Coca-Cola and Pepsi: On the surface, these two companies’ products seem interchangeable. But more effort and money have gone into creating differences between the personalities of the brands than into differences in the products themselves.

So a brand is an end result. Branding is the process by which a brand comes to be. If we broadly examine then we come across three important components of Branding:

1. Marketing
2. Communication
3. Public Relations

Marketing is the invisible component, Communication is the visible component and Public Relation is the differentiating component. An effective and well thought branding exercise can/will do wonders for the company. It can benefit the company in one or the many ways

• Delivers the message clearly
• Confirms your credibility
• Connects your target prospects emotionally
• Motivates the buyer
• Concretes User Loyalty

Elements of Brand Building:
The four steps represent a set of fundamental questions that a customer invariably asks about brands:

• Who are you? (Brand Identity)
• What are you? (Brand Meaning)
• What about you? What do I think of you? (Brand Response)
• What kind of association would I like to have with you? (Brand Relationship)

Performing the four steps to achieve the connotation is a difficult and complicated process. Now that we have had a look at Branding lets us look at Advertising to get a clear picture of it too.

What is advertising?

In today’s business climate, even the most secure brands need to advertise. As it sells its billions and billions of hamburgers, McDonald’s doesn’t cut back on its ads; it increases them. Nike is well known for spending millions on celebrity endorsements for advertising. Its ads are legendary, and its “swoosh” logo is known the world over without a word being said. How to present that identity—to introduce the public to the personality of the product—is advertising’s job, in conjunction with public relations.

The look of a television or print ad is as important as the message being delivered in print or dialogue. Quick edits, bright colors, extreme close-ups, and changing landscapes may appeal more to younger viewers, and will convey a different personality than golden sunsets, slow camera pans, and traditional storytelling. Sound, too, will change with the kind of brand being developed. But advertising isn’t just about creating TV commercials it is “The medium is the message.” The programs during which the ad can be seen will make a statement about the personality of the product, as will the choice of publications in which print ads will run.

Very rightly Stephen Leacock, humorist and educator, took a cynical view of advertising:
“Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it."

What advertisement does?

Advertising doesn’t create the identity, but it does choose how to present the identity, and it certainly helps define the identity of the product, and, by extension, its users. With a clever choice like that made for the Mentos ads, it expresses the advertiser’s message very well. But ads can’t do the job alone and they can’t determine what the image should be. That part of the process is accomplished through Branding.

The aim of advertising is not to state the facts about a product but to sell a solution or a dream. Advertising is about igniting customers’ aspirations. This is what Ferrari, Tiffany, Gucci, and Ferragamo do. A Ferrari automobile delivers on three dreams: social recognition, freedom, and heroism. Revlon founder Charles Revson once remarked: “In our factory, we make lipstick. In our advertising, we sell hope. Ads primarily create product awareness, sometimes product knowledge, less often product preference, and more rarely, product purchase. That’s why advertising cannot do the job alone.

The subtle difference between Advertising and Branding

(Click image for an enlarged view)

Practical examples:

Branding is a holistic approach and does not limit itself to product knowledge or awareness. For example: Crest toothpaste is a brand that stands for cavity prevention. Some line extensions have breath freshening and/or whitening agents, too, but Crest is really all about cavity prevention. That's the brand image positioned effectively in the consumer’s mind.

IBM and Dell have done a reasonable job of escalating their product advertising to a brand level. IBM introduced the ThinkPad (that helps one think smarter) and Dell configures computers the way you want them, and it provides great service after the sale. Those are brand positioning.

In the past two decades, Apple Inc. has become appreciated for the artistic and free-thinking messages of its advertisements, which reflect a business plan of marketing their products to creative individuals. Their most significant ad campaigns include a 1984 Super Bowl commercial, which introduced their company as revolutionary, independent, and subversive, as well as the 1990s “Think Different” campaign, which featured major artists, and the "iPod people" of the 2000s, featuring several colorful, dancing silhouetted people. Apple's sensational portable music player, the iPod, has even been showcased as a piece of contemporary art in New York's Museum of Modern Art.

Since the original Macintosh Super Bowl commercial in 1984, which mimicked imagery from George Orwell's 1984, (it was a product launch ad (Macintosh) with no product; it was all about generating a position (and excitement) for the Apple brand. Amazingly, while the ad was shown only once as a paid spot during the Super bowl, it got hundreds of replays on the evening news this is the power of Branding and what the paid advertisement could not achieve the branding element in the ads did) Apple has maintained a style of homage to contemporary visual art in many of its more famous ad campaigns.

When Steve Jobs first returned to Apple in '97, he quickly brought in Lee Clow of Chiat/Day to create a campaign that could stop the bleeding of a hemorrhaging brand. The "Think Different" campaign wasn't about a specific Apple product--it was a campaign designed to associate Apple with great thinkers, inventors, and creative people. It was "selling" the idea that people who used Apple computers were a select few--different, but in a good way.

How could one forget the Absolut Vodka’s branding exercise? Absolut branded ‘spelling error’. One of the print ads stated “Where will they hide the famous bottle? Absolut has also branded the shape of its bottle. Each print ad featured one or the other variety of vodka, the kind of connections it could establish with the famous names of places is still remembered and cherished.. So it’s variants are Rasberri, Vanilia, Kurant and so on.Even though the Swedish are not known for wines, the branding campaign of Absolut Vodka made it the 3rd largest selling brand in America. People who did not drink alcohol also bought the vodka just to satisfy the desire that the campaign created.

As even when Louis Vuitton was renovating its store in Paris. To do that it created a façade in the shape of its luggage bags and accessories. The people remembered the façade. In fact they identified with it to the extent that when it was going to be pulled down after 2 years when the renovation was complete there was a demonstration outside the store. This is the image branding put is the consumers mind that even if things change they remember the brand.

This is what Nike has done; today Nike does not puts its name on most of its products but just the “swoosh” sign. That itself is the name, brand, guarantor of the brand and its image. In all its advertisements Nike uses sports personnel who are very rebellious in nature, they all are the best in their games but are all known for their notorious activities but it uses them in all of their shows and advertisement campaigns. The “Just do it” tag of Nike is the resemblance of the identity and image it carries, this also gets reflected in their ad.

To end...

Marketers engaged in branding seek to develop or align the expectations behind the brand experience, creating the impression that a brand associated with a product or service has certain qualities or characteristics that make it special or unique. A brand image may be developed by attributing a "personality" to or associating an "image" with a product or service, whereby the personality or image is "branded" into the consciousness of consumers. A brand is therefore one of the most valuable elements in an advertising theme. The art of creating and maintaining a brand is called brand management.

A brand which is widely known in the marketplace acquires brand recognition. When brand recognition builds up to a point where a brand enjoys a critical mass of positive sentiment in the marketplace, it is said to have achieved brand franchise. In non-commercial contexts, the marketing of entities which supply ideas or promises rather than product and services (e.g. political parties or religious organizations) may also be known as "branding". As a brand manager one needs to look at the holistic view of the image, identity, personality the brand wants to convey. This has to be effectively portrayed and shown in all communication of the product or service, all Public Relationship efforts. While for short term excitement by virtue of Advertisements is good but the brand must never be forgotten. Advertisement is a tool and it should always incorporate the brand element in it, in all form of communication print, voice, visual etc. The subtle differences should never be neglected and should always be looked as a long term strategy.

I am me because of you!

I’m me because of you,
Exaggeration it may seem;
Incongruous I may sound, but the truth is this
I’m me because of you!

Every night I dream of a wonderful tomorrow
Flip and fly with you by my side
Try the twists I practiced yesterday
Dine candidly in lavishing style
Bounty of falling prey to your eternal charm is…
Creation of a new myself with you by my side;
Incongruous I may sound, but the truth is,
I’m me because of you!

So ravishing is your beauty
It mesmerizes me all the time
I try to be myself but fail miserably every time
Glee is what I fear, glee is what you bring
In a way my acts have become cognitive
And retrospective are my deeds
Incongruous I may sound, but the truth is,
I’m me because of you!

I try to find words to match your serenity,
I wade in emotions born out of you;
I am dazzled by your simplicity, your trueness,
So profound is your grace that eternity nears me
I am pragmatic in my own true self
For you have kindled my world
Incongruous I may sound, but the truth is,
I’m me because of you!

Every time I fall, glare in qualm
You render me strength, the will to strive
A magician you are, you make my wishes come true
You made me lose to gain you
It’s a whole new world, a whole new sensation
I see you in me like a Divine
Incongruous I may sound, but the truth is,
I’m me because of you!

The Google-Android Story!

I'm not too sure whether you are aware of this or not but in the last one year the tech media had tried to get anything but Google-Android story. The speculations of a G-phone, Google entering in to the mobile market and the OHA (Open Handset Alliance) and much more were some of the hot buffs.
In this feature I’m trying to understand and present a clear picture of this mega story.

Is Google entering into the mobile or handset business?
No! certainly not, Google is a web-tech company which primarily drives its business out of paid searches and ad postings. The speculations about the so called G-phone were wrong and Google has no plans to roll out any G-phone.

What is this ANDROID?
Android is the name of an open source mobile handset operating system. It is a Java based platform with Linux in the core of the OS. This is a dream project of Google which is targeted at the USD 45 billion mobile ad business. It is a free and open platform which Google has developed inorder to seamlessly run its applications, packages and also showcase ads in all future mobile handsets.

To do so Google acquired Android a small company which was already working on the open platform model of business in 2005. In 2007 initiated the launch of Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of 35 tech companies which will co-operate on this project. The 35 companies are a mix of different expertise, like Handset manufacturers, Commercialization companies, Chip & Semi conductor manufacturers, Mobile Carriers and Software Developers. Google heads the consortium and is developing libraries and SDK for programmers to develop and use Android platform. It is running several application development contests to encourage more participation, learn and improve with the insights provided by the real developers out there in millions.

Below is an overview of the architectural map of the platform and its core applications:

The Android platform architecture (Click for an enlarged view)

What does this mean?

It means that in the coming years we are going to have handsets that will be based on the Android platform and the user will be free to develop its own applications, self tweak the phone, screen options, navigation method and do much more such things using Google’s developed libraries. It will be a free software launched under the Apache V2 license regime.

The basic idea is to make the handset a complete PC. It has to act and perform like the PC. Even though today handsets are capable of accessing internet but are full of bugs and problems. Apart from basic function like emails access, it does not do anything more. It is slow and is not capable to utilize the benefits and facilities of the development happening in the internet technology. The Android based phones will be a few steps ahead and will make internet access much easier, effective, fast and reliable.

How is this going to revolutionize the mobile market?

As it is in the industry today we have got two incompatible networks the GSM and CDMA, switching between these two is not possible. However it is possible to switch carrier in GSM by simply changing the SIM but this is a very painful task as one would have to start all over again. In CDMA a user is bound to one provider and in both the cases the content and almost everything is controlled by the network carrier. Nokia the world leader in the Symbian based handsets does not provide open features to its handsets and the user is limited to the interface and features bundled with it. One has to content with what is given but with Android this scenario would change dramatically, may not be that quickly but will eventually. Now the market is ruled and dominated by the carrier and even though a handset manufacturer would like to add innovative features it will have to abide with the carrier.

Android's developers envision a world where today's integrated wireless systems are reduced to a set of relationships between parts that are more or less interchangeable. Consumers will be free to load their phones with applications of their own choosing--free applications, applications available for sale, and custom applications developed by enterprises for their employees. These applications will be able to communicate with third-party services offered over the Internet--using any available communications pipe, be it the cellular network, a nearby wi-fi connection, or even a Bluetooth connection from another phone.

Once developed it will open a host of services free of cost to the users, i.e. functions like contact management, document creation, GPS direction services, and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services will be available free of cost. Apart from that one will be free to play with the handset, modify applications, develop applications, change interface options, add features and will decide what they want in the phone and what the don’t. It will also significantly improve the battery life; unlike the current OS which runs one or many programs in the background and drains the battery power the component based Android’s structure will run only a tiny piece of thread from a program and will save battery.

The only limitation to this would one should know a bit of Java and must have the SDK. But as it is said and proposed now it seems that won’t be a problem as a plethora of applications would be developed by millions of programmers and computer freaks.

This is the major cause of worry for the mobile operators which charge these services now. It is my presumption that only the cost of internet access will be charged as our normal broadband connections at home are charged by the ISPs rest will be galore of free content. The carriers are yet to find a solution to this issue.

If Android succeeds, it will have a major impact on wireless carriers. A phone running on Android operating system would treat wireless operators like as just another way to reach data services on the Internet. Such a phone could turn today's wireless providers into commodity data communications networks that also happen to carry voice. This would force the providers to compete in every area--network quality, handset quality, and price--without allowing good performance in one area to lock customers in and support ­mediocre performance in another.

To keep the soul (open platform) of this project a Non-fragmentation Agreement has been passed which will force the OHA members to cooperate at the code level. Members could not introduce non-compatible codes, applications or services. All modifications done by any will have to be made available to all the members.

What would be the major features of Android platform?

• The platform would be adaptable to both larger, VGA devices and more traditional smart phone layouts.
• Android would support a wide variety of connectivity technologies including Bluetooth, EDGE, 3G, and WiFi.
• Both SMS and MMS would be available forms of messaging including threaded text messaging.
• The web browser available in Android would be based on the open-source Web Kit application framework.
• Software written in Java can be compiled into Dalvik bytecodes and executed in the Dalvik virtual machine, which is a specialized VM implementation designed for mobile device use.
• Android will support advanced audio/video/still media formats such as MPEG-4, H.264, MP3, and AAC.
• Android would be fully capable of utilizing video/still cameras, touch screens, GPS, compasses, accelerometers, and accelerated 3D graphics.

How can one develop applications for Android based handsets?
The applications can be developed on any PC or handheld computer, palmtop etc in Java. One only needs to have a PC and the Android SDK, which is meant to run on any system. The free Android developer kit includes a telephone emulator, which lets any developer with a PC, Mac, or Linux desktop write and test Android applications. The emulator even makes it possible to control the speed and quality of the simulated phone's network connection, allowing developers to see how their programs will behave on phones in poor coverage areas without having to load the applications onto real phones. Till date only prototypes of Android based handsets have been made and is still a few weeks far from being commercialized. The handsets are expected to run on all mid to high end phones because of the data access capabilities of the platform; however the hardware minimum requirements for a typical Android handset would be ; 32 MB of RAM, 32 MB of FLASH (optional) and a 200 MHz online processor. HTC a member of the OHA along with LG and Samsung have announced to launch the 1st series of the Android based handsets in the late 2008. With the commitment and innovations done by the OHA members these requirements are likely to come down, so that it can be used by the masses.

It is almost certain that Google has got hold of the 3 billion eyeballs to shoot its advertisements at. How cloggy and how precise it would be is Google’s job but to develop the first indigenous application, is surely ours.

Has "Microsoft's SEARCH for Yahoo" ended ?

This is in continuation with my previous post, it seems the battle has aggravated and we are surely on for a major tussel. Steve Ballmer rhetorical letter to Yahoo chief Yang officially called withdrew of his offer. Like my pervious guess the offer was raised to USD 33 per sahre making the deal woth USD 47.5 billion. This is at 70% premium but Yahoo is adamant and thus the deal is on for a toss.Does that mean its over? I guess NOT!.

Steve is adamant too, he did praise Mr. Yang for his time and concern but also reprimanded him of that this was the best deal offered and he (Mr. Yang) has taken a wrong decision. Though Steve said that Yang has done and will do anything at his disposal to outcast Microsoft so it does not make any sense busienss sense to approach the shareholders directly for a hostile bid, he has not maintained a lull . So, now it means it is over! No it is not....it seems that Microsft is lobbying hard to replace the board of directors at Yahoo, so that it could progress with its takeover. It has already identified some 10 BODs who could do the job for it and is keen on getting them appointed by shareholder's vote.

On the contrary Yahoo has faced quiet a few lawsuits from its shareholders for rejecting Microsoft's offer. Yahoo is trying to get into an agrrement with Google to handover its paid search service PANAMA and promote Google's services and in addition to that Google is trying to help Yahoo, hold and prevent the acquisition but is under cover. It has also raised its concern in front of the antitrust group over the acquisition. It's all happening there and right in the middle.

This acquisition is becoming even more exciting and i'm trying to keep a tarch of it. One must read Steve's letter to Yang, I guess that is the way CEOs communicate.

It is an ironic, pragmatic, methodical and judicious display of despair.

Sachin's Profile

Most of us think to know what Sachin is but the facts below will make you feeeeel what Sachin is!!




At a glance ( Click on the image for an enlarged view)

Here goes the tall figures of the man who can be very well called to be an " Epitome of Humility"!!

1) 2nd Most Stadium Appearances: 90 different Grounds. (1st Rahul Dravid: 92 venues)

2) Most Runs: 16,361 Runs at over 44.33 runs per innings (as of 13th March, 2008). He is the leading run scorer in the ODI format of the game and the only player ever to cross the 16,000 run mark.

3) First player to reach 10,000-11,000-12,000-13,000-14,000 and 15,000 ODI runs.

4) Holds the record for scoring 1,000 ODI runs in a calendar year. He has done it seven times - 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2007

5) Tendulkar has scored over 1000 ODI runs against all major Cricketing nations.

6) Sachin was the fastest to reach 10,000 runs taking 259 innings and has the highest batting average among batsmen with over 10,000 ODI runs

7) Most centuries: 42

8) Only player to have over 100 innings of 50+ runs (42 Centuries and 89 Fifties) (as of 13th March, 2008)

9) Fifties: 89 fifties, Tendulkar holds the record for the most ODI fifties

10) Most centuries vs. Australia(8), Pakistan(5), South Africa(3), New Zealand(4), Sri Lanka(7) and Zimbabwe(5).

11) Most Man of the Match Awards: 57 Man of the Match Awards

12) Most Man of the Series Awards: 14 Man of the Series Awards

13) Most ODI runs in a calendar year: 1,894 ODI runs in 1998

14) Most Centuries in a calendar year: 9 ODI centuries in 1998

15) Sachin Tendulkar with Sourav Ganguly holds the world record for the maximum number of runs scored by the opening partnership. They have put together 6,271 runs in 128 matches that includes 20 century partnerships and 21 fifty run partnerships

16) 20 century partnerships for opening pair is also a world record.

17) Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid hold the world record for the highest partnership in ODI matches when they scored 331 runs against New Zealand in 1999 at the LBS, Hyderabad

18) Sachin Tendulkar has been involved in six 200 run partnerships in ODI matches - a record that he shares with Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting.

19) Most runs (1,796 at an average of 59.87 as on 20th Mar 2007) in World Cup Cricket History including 4 centuries & 13 fifties with a best score of 152* against Namibia in 2003 world cup.

20) 673 runs in 2003 Cricket World Cup, highest by any player in a single Cricket World Cup

21) Tendulkar was the first batsman in history to score over 50 centuries in international cricket. He has now scored 81(39 in Tests, 42 in ODIs).

22) Has the most overall runs in cricket, (ODIs+Tests+Twenty20s), as of 13th March 2008 he had accumulated almost 28,341 runs overall

23) Tendulkar is the fastest to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket history. Brian Lara is the other one to achieve the same feat. Both of them achieved this in 195 innings.

24) On 3 January 2007 Sachin Tendulkar (5751) edged past Brian Lara's (5736) world record of runs scored in Tests away from home.

25) Career Average 55.57 - the highest average among those who have scored over 10,000 Test runs.

26) Highest number of Test centuries (39).

27) Tendulkar's record of five centuries before he turned 20 is a current world record.

28) Tendulkar has scored centuries against all test playing nations. He was the third batman to achieve the distinction after Steve Waugh and Gary Kirsten. The current list also includes Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Adam Gilchrist and Marvan Attapattu.

29) Sachin's 37th ton against Bangladesh during the 2007 series 2nd Test, help achieve a unique historic moment, it was the 1st time the top four batsman of any team had all scored centuries in asingle innings. Dinesh Karthik made 129, Wasim Jaffer 138 and Rahul Dravid 129 were the other centurions.

Awards and Honours Conferred on Sachin

• Arjuna Award, by the Govt of India for his outstanding achievement in Cricket 1994
• Wisden Cricketer of the Year: 1997
• Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India’s highest honour given for achievement in sports, 1997-98
• Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award, 1999
• ICC World ODI XI: 2004, 2007
• Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award, 2008.

Many people opine that Sachin plays for his own records first and then for his team. I know he has got nothing to prove because his stats speak for him.

Here is the list and count of centuries that went in vain

1. 137 off 137 balls Vs SriLanka at Delhi in 1996 World Cup. India scored 271/3 in 50 overs. The only other 50 score was from Azhar. SL made 272 in 48.4 overs. Manoj Prabhakar had 4-0-47-0.He also opened in the innings with Sachin and scored 7 of 36 balls

2. 100 of 111 Balls Vs Pak in Singapore- Apr 96. India 226 all out in 47.1 overs, When Sachin was out score was 186/4. Pak had a reduced target of 187 from 33 overs.

3. 110 of 138 Balls vs Sri Lanka In Colombo - Aug 96. Again India 226 for 5 in 50 overs, Only other 50 score from Azhar (58 of 99 balls). Sachin has also bowled 6-0-29-1,the second most economical bowler and the only wicket taker (SL were 230/1 in 44.2) of the match next to Srinath.

4. 143 of 131 Balls Vs Aus at Sharjah, Apr 1998. This was chasing under lights. The qualifying match before the final. The whole world knows about this match.Still one interesting point, when Sachin was out India were 242 at 5 at 43 overs. Target was 276 in 46. Still India finished at 250/5 scoring just 8 of the next 3 overs. Great performance by Laxman and Kanithkar indeed.

5. 101 of 140 Balls against SL at Sharjah in Oct 2000. Indian score was 224/8 in 50 overs. (No other 50 score). SL got 225/5 in 43.5, Sachin also bowled 5-0-22-0, better economy rate than everyone except Srinath.

6. 146 of 153 Balls against Zimbabwe at Jodhpur - December 2000. India made 283 / 8 in 50 overs. Sachin was the last man to be dismissed, score was 235/8 at 46.3 overs when he was out. Agarkar and Zaheer Khan propelled India to 283 in the last 3.3 overs. When Sachin has scored 146 of 235 in 46.3 overs, you can guess what the other 8 great batsmen were doing against the World class Zimbabwe attack. Second Highest scorer was Zaheer Khan with 32. Zim got 284/9 in 49.5 overs. Agarkar bowled the last over. Sachin also got 6-0-35-1.

7. 101 of 129 Balls Vs SA at Johannesburg - Oct 2001. India got 279/5 in 50, Ganguly made 127 of 126 balls. When Ganguly got out, the score was 193-1 in 35.2 overs. Sachin was the last man to get out at 263. SA got 280 in 48.4 overs. Sachin bowled 9-0-51-0, second best in economy rate next only to Agarkar (10-0-45-1).

8. 141 of 135 balls Vs Pak at Rawalpindi, March 2004. India were chasing 329 and were 317 all out in 48.4 overs, 8 balls to spare. No other batsman made even a 50 (when chasing 300 ) and when Sachin was out, India were 245-4 in 38.4 overs. They needed 85 from 68 balls with 6 wickets in hand.

9. 123 of 130 Balls vs Pak at Ahmedabad, April 2005. India made 315/6 in 48 overs (48 over match), again no other 50 score. Second highest was Dhoni 47 of 64 balls, (third highest was extras - 39). Pak made 319 in 48 overs. The three quicks (Balaji, Nehra and Khan went for 188 runs from 26 overs between them taking only 2 wickets). Sachin bowled 6-0-36-1. No Harbhajan and no Kumble.

10. 100 of 113 Balls Vs Pak at Peshawar, Feb-2006. India were 328 all out in 49.4 overs. Pathan and Dhoni got 60 each. When Sachin was out when India were 305-5 in 45 overs. Managed only 23 in the last 5 overs.Pak scored 311/7 in 47 overs and won by D/L method. Could have been anybody's game. Sachin did not bowl.

11. 141* of 148 balls vs WI at Malaysia. India made 309 /5 in 50 overs. Sachin was not out. Pathan was the only other 50 scorer. WI made 141/2 in 20 overs and won by D/L method. Again could have been anybody's game.

In the other 31 instances India has won 30 times and once there was no result.

Now, please think again when you say Sachin's 100s were in the losing cause and that he is not a team player. Ask Steve Waugh about the back to back centuries in 1998 Coca Cola Cup semi final & final against the Aussies in Sharjah...either he won't speak or go on talking.

Microsoft's "SEARCH" for Yahoo!

Surely this is one of the hottest pancakes story in the tech world today, Microsoft striving to buy Yahoo!. This is Microsoft's latest quest to engage itself in a head on tussel with Mountain view based internet major Google.

Google which started its online venture in 1999 much later than Microsoft and Yahoo has outpaced them and turned the industry statistics upright with its simple but innovative applications and tweaks. Realizing the power of internet it made calculated moves and launched proprietary technologies like ad-sense, blogger, picassa,google earth and now has entered the mobile areana with an open platform called ANDROID. Microsoft focused on the traditional PC software market, and Yahoo was not so agile which gave Google the time to nurture and establish itself.
Today Google is the leader in the internet market, be it search, i-ad and is slowly inching to beat Yahoo on its very own turf i.e. the e-mail business.

If we look at the statistics Google controls the total internet search market with 77.23%, Yahoo has got a little over 12% while Microsoft with its 'msn and msn-live' totters at 5.97% while the rest is shared between AOL,ask.com,lycos,crawler and others.

Clearly Micrsoft has struggled and is still struggling to beat Google in the internet search and i-ad arena. It wants to caputure a majority share in the USD 45 billion global i-ad market, a market which is expected to reach USD 80 billion in the next two years. So, there lies Microsft's interest. It has got the whim and muscle but needs the brains who can turn the table. Surely Yahoo has and thus Microsft made an unsolicited bid to acquire Yahoo at USD 31 per share at a 62% premium on February 1st, 2008 which effectively aggregates to USD 44.6 billion.

Yahoo rejected the offer outright quoting it does not represent the true value of the company. What is interesting in the whole story is, the way it is progressing and the CEOs are talking. It is not like the usual coporate talks but certainly more than that.

You can hear Ballmer say "I know Yahoo's value and not going to raise the offer even with a single cent". He also openly says that if not this way, he can go by the unfriendly way or may simply walk away (which surely won't happen, tats my guess).

Interestingly in the rejection letter Yahoo chief Jerry Yang wrote

" .....Your own statements have made clear the strategic importance of Yahoo!'s substantial assets and capabilities to Microsoft. We regret to say that your letter mischaracterizes the nature of our discussions with you. We have had constructive conversations together regarding a variety of topics, including integration and regulatory issues. Your comment that we have refused to enter into negotiations to conclude an agreement are particularly curious given we have already rejected your initial proposal, nominally $31 per share at the time, for substantially undervaluing Yahoo! and your suggestions in your letter and the media that you are considering lowering the value of your proposal. Moreover, Steve, you personally attended two of these meetings and could have advanced discussions in any way you saw fit."

It appears as if me and you are trying to negotiate on buying an iPod from a third friend or anywhere. Microft has maintained a silence since then and it seems Yahoo is determined to demand and get a higher value for its share. It may happen that Microsft will have to raise their bid upto anything from USD 35 to 40 per share.

What will happen is a matter of time but the CEOs are in their ROADIES gear, and that is for sure!!!

The "No Cheerers" of the Cheerleaders!

Come IPL, clash of the icons,quest for the best and with that came money, media and entertainment. Well if you ask the real cricket fan he/she will be the least interested in what is going off the field. "Cheerleaders! oh! I saw them dancing around, they are good but lemme just concenterate on the game" this is would be the usual remark. And for that matter a not so avid fan of the game would also love the entertainment that the great game is providing.

Who bothers about the six girls, dancing in fancy skinny colorful clothes, threatning the very own rigid culture of the country (are they)?

Well! some great people do, they are the great leaders elected by people like you and me and who have got all the time in the world to think and talk on something like this. You know why? because the country is doing very good, inflation ? what is this, its all under control, employement not a problem, infrastructure, food, terrorism and any damn sick little thing is under full control, so our great leaders have nothing to do but talk about CHEERLEADERS!

Lemme ask a simple question? Who are they to decide on what people want to see? Let people decide for themselves! And it wouldn't be wrong for me to say that they would be the first ones to take a sneek peak of the skin flashing, laugh, talk, pass lewed comments and then talk of morality on the face! Are they not watching TV, movies or anything that is on air these days, the film shows which they attend as VIPs, what happens there, all the dance, the twist and turns, the moves take place in full saree..... right?

Morality is not a thing to preach but to practice! They should focus on better things than skin! And for God sake, understand Cheerleaders are to Cheer the game and in a 40 game tournament or 120 minutes not going to erode the deep rooted Indian culture!

Stop making cheap political moves!

Attitude, Attitude, Attitude

I can't do this!...The people around me are just so good, I am no where near! Even if I put in my hundred percent I never get the desired results! So why should I try? I just want an easy life ahead with no hiccups watsoever. We come across such statements every now and then. For me its just beyond my little understanding how can someone think like that. What is their problem...why do they only grudge and frown.

In my understanding such people don't have any goals in their life. When I say goal..I do not mean something BIG!...I mean anything that gives you a thrust to move ahead. It is also a problem of Attitude at the same time. Let me be more specific here..and establish a connotation! Let me talk of Business graduates or undergraduates who wish to shoulder the responsibilities of the Corporate world! Corporate world is like an ocean..so attractive...so rich...so...fanciful and so deadly! It is full of challenges...constraints...surprises...crooked minds...of course lots of money! Their biggest problem is their attitude or temperament. They fear failures...they are so risk averse...so intimidated...so confused.

I'm no big genious...no great mind, yet I talk of a great virtue "Attitude". Yes because I have felt...I have learnt.I admire people who have achieved something in their fields . I observe right deeds and try to emulate their qualities and I feel the difference now. I have developed an attitude. For instance now I look at problems in a different way...I now just focus on solution. I say this sometime to my friends.." if you can solve a problem then there is no need to worry..and if you cannnot solve a problem then their is no point in worrying". A positive frame of mind is what required. We haven't yet met the pressure of deadlines, consequences of failures...and I feel we better prepare ourselves. Its not a question of degree or job..its a question of happiness! Until and unless we have the right attitude we cannot be happy! and this is the single most differentiating factor between the Good and the Best!

At last we must reckon that life is never fair to anyone...either you get more or less..you never get what you deserve! So lets stop grudging and start learnig. No knowledge is waste!

Lets develop an attitude to face....to fight...to learn!

I'm not a slave!

I'm not a slave m
-not of the flesh....

Who not taste bitterness of mortality
linger in darkness and doubt
Search bliss in rotten sand
cry mournfully for paternal land

Call me all; not a slave m
-not of the flesh.

Immortal lust away from sadness
away from grief; unloving despair
Unrecoiled desire in broken piece
Tear the pain of unwound wounds
Hung the path with tilted thorns
There will walk a fearless flesh

Call me all; not a slave m
-not of the flesh.

Tint of red on floor untread
Shake Heavens to raise head
Praise the soil...embrace grace
Strengths of rainbow will never fade
Gather again mortal fragrance
Build a stature worthy of remembrance

I'm all; not a slave m
-not of the flesh.