Been an IDEA subscriber for almost a decade. True to it’s ads, IDEA has always had good connectivity, at least in Maharashtra. So hardly ever have I had issues like dropped calls or a weak signal. So if you are a basic phone+SMS kind of mobile user, IDEA is a good option. However start venturing into more advanced features and IDEA starts to struggle. Read more
Communication
Politicians and the government needs to catch up to 21st century presentation technology
What’s the difference between the prime minister’s speech on 15th Aug 1947 and 15th Aug 2007? What’s the difference between the president’s and chief minister’s TV addresses in the 80s and those in 2007? The content and the speakers sure have changed, but there have been no changes in the medium of delivery. While technology and presentation mediums have improved dramatically, government and political addresses are still consistently delivered in a dry boring format. In their current form, these speeches would be watched only if the nation is going through some crisis and people are looking for direction from the leader, a la Mussharaf in a troubled Pakistan. However at other times, I wonder how many countrymen would watch for more than a few minutes….
(Cont…Click the scanned article image on the left). Published as part of my column for the Maharashtra Herald that’s published on alternate Saturdays )
Searching For A City In CyberSpace
An article about how and why city administration should use new age mediums like the internet to communicate with citizens and manage the city.
Also a quick look at the recent PMC scheme about including citizen suggested projects in the city budget for 2007-08.
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The PMC recently invited development project proposals from the public. These projects were to be considered for inclusion in the PMC budget for the year 07-08. I checked the PMC website egovpmc.com for the necessary form, but the site was a disappointment. I later attended a meet on the topic organized by the Grahak Panchayat. The team of enthusiastic oldies volunteering work for the Panchayat provided more information and the requisite form.
Email Is Dead – Long Live The Phone Call
I have never enjoyed using the phone and I have a particular dislike for the mobile phone. I find it a very intrusive form of communication. I don’t like the fact that the calling party decides when, where and if I should be talking to them. Not taking calls and calling back later is also not my cup of tea.