BlackBerry Phones: A disaster that is yet to be rectified.

This story(real life though) is meant to be short. No drama.

It is a fact that handset manufacturer Blackberry’s(BB) market share is on a steep decline. And it is obvious that everybody right from RIM’s (Research In Motion) management to the analyst are pouring out the hundred different reasons why it is so. The hundred different reasons quoted throughout the media can be conveyed in two simple points.

1. The hardware is not superior to Samsung/HTC and Apple
2. OS is not superior to iOS and Android

To me the reason for this decline is in fact got little to do with these two points.

I am not a Droid Fan, I am neutral to iPhone and I bought a Blackberry and now I hate it. Though I hate BBs now I still don’t like Droids and iOS in particular. Do you get the drift? Let me explain.

I worked in a large MNC (yes you have definitely heard about this firm) for some period of time and it is during those days that I evaluated all the phones available in the market and bought a BB 9300. The organizational advisory for phone buyers who wanted access to official emails configured on their phones was very simple – “If you are not a managing partner with the firm, blackberry won’t be supported. All other users are encouraged to use iphone or android phones”. In the advisory, there was a chart that showed the percentage use of different phone platforms in the firm. This leading MNC had meagre 4% BB users and were aggressively trying to reduce that already near zero single digit number closer to zero. This MNC’s largest competitor has exactly the same policy. Together these two MNCs has close to 7,00,000 employees globally. Yes seven lakhs or seven hundred thousand, you read it right. Do you think this has anything to do with the hardware or software?

So what is the point?

The point is, the only reason this has happened is that BB has completely lost out on their pricing model for BB services. When I was working in Karnataka I used to subscribe to the BB services corporate plan for Rs. 399 (Vodafone). This included unlimited browsing as well, but without corporate email since the company that I worked for at that point of time didn’t support BB anyways. They said it is too expensive. Look at it this way. The same service (of course minus the advanced security that BB offers) is given by iOS and Android at Rs. 49 or Rs. 98. That’s a cool Rs. 300 saving every month. And that a cool Rs. 3600 every year. Does it matter to customer? Yes Yes Yes. But I used to love BB services and turned a blind eye to the outrageous charges and still subscribed to it and still loved the BB. At that point in time.

That point in time was 2011 and this point in time is 2012. Environment changed. I moved to Kerala, subscribed to Airtel. Started my own firm and subscribed to the corporate plan. Airtel proudly offered me a package of Rs. 599 for Blackberry services including internet browsing (the cheapest available plan mind you). The same service on the Android or iPhone is a whopping Rs. 98. The difference is just Rs. 500 per month or Rs. 6000 per year. Does it matter? Yes Yes Yes. And now I can’t afford it and moved out of it to the Rs. 299 plan with just emails and BBM.

Now I have the so called ‘I loved it once phone’, I pay Rs. 300 every month for Blackberry Services, I can’t access maps, can’t check the internet for important things, no Facebook, no twitter.

Now I don’t compare this phone anymore with iOS and Android. And this is the whole point I am trying to convey. The consumer has stopped comparing the BB with the droid and iOS phones. As a consumer I ask myself this question. How is the BB that I am using without internet, facebook and twitter now better than the Nokia 5300 express music phone which has got all of these at less than Rs. 100. The question will still remain even if BB comes out with a superior phone than Apple or Samsung. The current pricing schemes appeals only to those users whose employers are ready to take the burden of the phone expense. For a consumer there are better things at cheaper prices to choose from. Blackberry to me is one of the most user friendly phones ever. But the pricing model is pre-historic and even after such repeated downfall in market share, fails to get corrected. Neither the BB management is aware of this nor the telecom operators like Vodafone and airtel is bothered about this. Pathetic.

“Quarter Mile” – From the heart

This write up is out of respect and that too for passion.  This is for uncomplicated, truthful journalistic opinions, an extinct culture of this age. And this is also for literary work that necessarily follows a theme, passion and focus. And not the other way round.

 It was at the beginning of a lazy Indian Railway trip to my dear friends wedding, that I strolled to a book shop on the Railway Platform at Tiruvalla. The fresh morning news paper sold like hot cakes, the political and health magazines were picked up now and then. My eyes wandered, looking for a peaceful read. And it came home to ‘Quarter mile’, a magazine dedicated to automobile performance.

Quarter Mile - May edition

 I stood for a moment unsure. It was Rs. 80 for a 64 page magazine. But then times have changed and I could afford it. I picked it up, knowing it’s a gamble. With my wife not around, I can throw it away if it turns out to be a boring read. Otherwise I might get an earful at the loss of a Gandhi note, the smaller one.

 ‘Quarter Mile’ had me at the editor’s note.

Vivek, the editor, finished the introduction to the May edition dedicated to Turbo and Sleepers by saying “However, we have to give it to the cash starved enthusiast who spent all his savings on the performance side and didn’t have any left to spend on cosmetic mods, who started the sleeper trend. And we dedicate this issue to one such person who did a turbo build on his own.”

A magazine dedicated in principle and action to the theme it adopted.

 The magazine has an entrepreneurial streak all over it. Amidst brilliant articles would be small irritating mistakes, but what finally mattered, was the passion with which each article brought out content. They knew their target audience well. It was not for the performance freaks they were churning out these performance contents. Quarter mile had taken on the audacious challenge and a noble task of educating the average Joe out there about Performance tuning in automobiles. Performance tuning is a different world altogether and only a few venture into that zone. And those who actually end up going the performance route, never look back.

Worthy to note is the article called Total Sleeper about a Cedia, Turbo modded to 310 BHP.

 The drivability description begins by saying -

 “When you press the throttle, there is a moment of absolute nothingness. There is a noticeable amount of turbo lag, enough to let you think about that enthusiastic throttle input. It’s a warning of some sort, giving you a silent moment to think about your action. Because a second later, you are going to be catapulted forward with violence while you struggle to keep the torque-steering car straight.”

 I could feel it inside me. The author took me with him inside the car. I felt I was driving the car. The author, I felt, was a driver first and an author next.

 The magazine covers a whole lot in the performance space and the 2011 May issue was dedicated to Turbo modifications and named “Boost Bandit”. It has a Cedia Sleeper on its covers, a white Cedia with its 0 – 100  kmph timings (6.7 seconds mind it).  The magazine displayed no ambition of covering the entire automobile space as such, it focused only on the pockets where performance was considered or made into a criterion. The editor shared performance stories and the motivations of those elite few who chose to go the performance route. Having read almost half way through, I felt for a moment,  that the editor wants to create a performance dream in every Indian driver. Maybe I am wrong. I hope not.

 I will subscribe to this magazine or should I say this piece of gem.

A date with the Bullet

I woke up to August 15th 2010 with my heart beating slightly faster than it usually does. Two and a half years after my marriage I was going for a date with someone other than my wife. It felt pretty exciting. Not that the sun and the clouds approved of this adventure and briefly protested with a deep thunder and the sun hiding behind the threatening clouds. I stood for a while, confused whether it was right after all, the slight drizzle muddling my mind. I could see her standing there alone. She was waiting there and she was beautiful. And then the clouds mattered no more, the drizzle made me feel like I was in a different world.

From the Balcony – The clouds threatening

I walked towards her, a smile on my face, a glow in my eyes. The Royal Enfield Bullet 350 UCE stood there, alone. I knew for a moment that no rain and no weather can stop what was going to happen. Two kicks and she started with a thump, waking up a few people who looked out of their windows. They dared not talk against a thumping bullet, lest she roar them away from their sleep. Such was the depth of her thump. And the missus and me both got on. The first few minutes were a revelation. From an old sluggish classic, the new bullet transformed itself into a roaring lion in my mind. It pulled from a standstill and it relied on the 350CC UCE to deliver what it is known for. Pleasure!!

The first feeling was of awe, the second of total disgust. The latter at me mind you.  How  can I have ignored this beauty for so many years? How could I have been blind and deaf  to a classic that rocked the streets of India? As the miles ate to a cruising 100Kmph,  reaching Pondicherry became unimportant. It was the thump that mattered. The looks  it got, the roads it made, the comfort it gave suddenly made me realize why the bullet is  not a bike. It’s a classic. In 90 minutes we covered about 90 Kilometres, the missus  constantly reminding that any speed less than 60kmph is a loss of joy. I sped past the  salt fields, the backwaters, cars, bikers, palm trees and the ECR leaves you speechless.  The bullet is an integrated bike. It makes you feel that the rider is a part of it. There is  romance in the air, there is a relationship growing. Both give in to each other and  respect each other. I don’t think it’s physics or chemistry, but a different kind of      relationship that has been built over decades of evolution.

We reached Pondicherry and were greeted by an army of foreigners. The tourist season had definitely kicked in for this small beach town inset in Tamil Nadu and manifested as a union territory of India. I noticed these foreigners giving a respectful look at this great tourer. Is it that we Indians don’t realize the worth of this beauty? Have we Indians given the due share of respect the Royal Enfield deserves!!

Pondicherry is a lazy town. People move around lazily. The French architecture was a treat to the eyes. The planned section of the town was definitely worth exploring. The food simply extraordinary. The rendezvous, the Choco-La and the Hidesign were a treat to the taste buds. The Hi-design Leather shop, originally a leather products exports company has an amazing leather boutique which was probably created for making an upmarketish look to its brand. We left pondy after good food and pleasant crowd. From Mahabalipuram, you really don’t go to pondy to enjoy the beach. You go for the food.

The missus took over the bullet. She wanted to feel what I was talking about during lunch. And she drove.  I have never seen her so comfortable on any other bike. She pulled it to a blissful 70Kmph and kept the bullet thumping. The “do you like it” question from me was answered with a vigorous shaking of the head, positively. I sat pillion, a mere spectator on twenty horses, built to class.

Getting worried with the rising traffic on ECR I suggested for a change in driver, only to be met with a vigorous shaking of the head, this time negatively. I knew she too was in love with a beauty that has a heart and the class rarely matched by any cruiser in India. It took a heavy heart and a stern voice for a change in driver. The bullet was back to the high 90’s with me at the helm. As we crossed the backwaters, the sun reflecting its final rays on the waters were so like my heart. I knew that I only had a few more hours left before I gave back this beauty to its rightful owners. I have realized that the route doesn’t matter, the destination irrelevant and the only thing that thrills is the machine that you are with.

The Bullet will remain etched in my memory. The journey might fade, but the thump stays!!

The India of Indians …

This post is written from a  hostel room of one of India’s top b-schools. The question of whether Great Lakes Institute of Management is the best or in the top 20 is totally irrelevant. Theoretically, I am more privileged than 99% of Indians. Or am I ?As I look out of my window I see the lush green paddy fields waving in the wind. The beach nearby has lots of fishing boats bobbing up and down with the waves and is testimony to generations of fishing culture. What’s the hype and what’s so special about being a part of an elite group of Indians.

The view from my room at Great Lakes Institute of Management

In the midst of these confusing thoughts, I attended a research paper discussion and it turned out to be a real eye opener. I listened to a whole day of total greek and latin(read alpha, beta, gamma, epsilon and a whole gamut of technical parameters) which led me to wonder where the path I have chosen was going to lead me. If with more education and research you eulogize the greek literature Gods, then why.

The farmer toils under the scorching sun, the fisherman braves the sea and I am watching all of these through the glass window of my air conditioned room. Am I an Indian or are they  Indian or are we all Indians. The term diversity, the elitist classification of disparity is nothing but a veil to cover the insensitiveness of the rich people of the world. Some of us call for charity as a means to inclusive growth. But charity is not the solution, it is another form of leash. Philosophically, most charity is like a leash. These poor people are lifted to a better position, but their hearts might never enjoy that freedom. They are grateful to have come out of the despair, but look at the big picture.

India is but plain randomness. The brownian principle of atoms is probably an apt indicator of life in India.

As much as I want, I might not be able to contribute anything significant to bridge this gap, although I dream of doing so. As much as I desire I might not even be able to change anyone. I might do reseach, I might travel the whole world, I might make a lot of money, I might live happily ever after. But I wish we would acknowledge that our country is not diverse by choice. Indians can sensitively admit that majority of us are poor. The newspapers that talk about poverty are rarely read by poor people. They live in that, they dont want to read about it.

My recent experiences in the village was an eyeopener. They are more aware of the reality than we are. They dont dream about merc’s and LCD tv. They aspire for three square meals a day. The reality is that the portion given to them in the grant scheme of things are much lower than what they need to sustain. With half acre of land, an unpredictable monsoon and scorching sun how much can they rely on external factors to have a satisfactory revenue for a year. They cannot quit their jobs and go. They might not even have anywhere else to go. The next village is as bad as theirs. The towns have become distant suddenly. The town culture has become as distant to them as a civilization in some other continent. The educated and the elitist work in these towns and the basic food for these elitist comes from these villages. The Mcdonalds burger I ate cost me Rs 60. How much did the farmer get for the chicken and vegetables and grains used for the burger. A maximum of Rs 30 to be split between the grain, poultry, vegetables dealers who might give a small share to those farmers. And we talk about the benefit of diversity over a burger at McD.

This is too much. These facts given below are mind boggling. We need to slap ourselves

The citizens of the Indus Valley civilisation, a permanent settlement that flourished between 2800 BC and 1800 BC, practiced agriculture, domesticated animals, used uniform weights and measures, made tools and weapons, and traded with other cities. Evidence of well planned streets, a drainage system and water supply reveals their knowledge of urban planning, which included the world’s first urban sanitation systems and the existence of a form of municipal government.

Assessment of India’s pre-colonial economy is mostly qualitative, owing to the lack of quantitative information. One estimate puts the revenue of Akbar‘s Mughal Empire in 1600 at£17.5 million, in contrast with the total revenue of Great Britain in 1800, which totalled £16 million

(Sourced from Wiki)

There are many more …

This topic cant be concluded. Its time to just question ourselves. Not anything particular. Just question the fundamental beliefs we have about a beautiful country called India where Indians live a not so beautiful life …

Two men, a Jeep and 500 Kms. Last one standing is the Jeep.

It was a journey we will remember for a long time. Three states, two forest reserves, one Ghat section, 500 Kms in a hot April sun in an old Mahindra Jeep with no AC unit. What we didn’t know was that by the end of this journey, we would have utmost respect to this machine for its simplicity and character. A timeless classic.

We began this trip with absolutely no clue about what lay ahead of us. It was for us to learn and not to know already. I worried if we would even reach our destination. The heat, the noise and sheer vibration rattled my every bone, and as with all other journeys ‘I worried’.

In all journeys, the machine means a lot. It plays a larger than life role in keeping you safe and giving you the thrills.  And here it was no different. As our jeep slowly ate up the miles, a childish fear in me paved way to a manly fascination about the old machine at hand. A Mahindra MM540, with a French heart and an American body, raw and unforgiving. To give you a perspective, my first ‘sudden break’ swerved the entire vehicle to one side, thanks to an alignment issue that just refuses to rectify. And from then on the breaking was completed with a steering correction, just to ensure that the vehicle follows a straight line while you stand on the break to stop the vehicle. And hence to live and let live.

The long journey without the AC was definitely an eye opener. It exposed me to nature, in all its grandeur. To know is one thing, to experience it is another. The elements tested my endurance.  From the hot humid Kerala heat, to the cool Ghats of Gudalur, to the deer and peacock sightings in the forest ranges of Mudumalai and the searing sun of dry Karnataka. It made me realize how we live in this world, away from the realities that nature provides us with. The searing hot sun and a blistering engine needed an air conditioning solution. Simplicity came to the rescue. Every 100 kms, we would pour a bottle of water over our bodies and resume our journey. The wind and the water would ensure that we remained cool. The heat would ensure that the water evaporates quickly. Thus we came.

The torquey jeep would do a maximum of 70 Kmph. And we chugged along. The Ghats was mostly covered in either 3^rd or 4^th gear. But I faced a strange problem. The machine meant for the hills was overheating. But thanks to my machine loving friend, I understood the ‘old machine’ veteran’s mantra. ‘Respect your machine and it will love you back’. The smoke coming out of the exhaust is a clear indication of the excessive fuel I was feeding the engine which was definitely being wasted. I had to consistently look at the side rear view mirror, ‘Read the smoke’ of the exhaust and give only enough acceleration to ensure that I leave no smoke trailing the vehicle. That’s how you drive a diesel engine, and that’s how you respect your machine, and the temperature needled dropped to a healthy 80 degree Celsius. Through the thick and thin, the Ghats and the plains, the gutters and new tarmac, the jeep chugged along. We went by the villagers who were running around with their daily chores, we waved to the peacocks, we braked for deer crossings, we overtook touring bikes and we braved the April sun. The only thing that didn’t change was the love our machine gave back to us.

The plain simple machine made each cell of our body to work hard, to toil to earn our kms. Every inch we moved forward required for us to be at our peak. From a simple village called Koothatukulam (Kerala), to the hustle and bustle of Bangalore, in 500 kms I felt and I learned. I felt what nature has to offer, I felt the rawness of an engine, and I felt the thrill of driving. It is something no modern cars with bucket seats, AC and power steering can offer. It is the plain old jeep, the nature and you.

At the end of the journey my friend and I knew it. Journey’s are not to be travelled but to be experienced. The greatest journeys happen when the machine you are with reduces you to nothing but a mere living mortal. It makes you realize that the journey you experienced was not about the destination, but about each moment that makes you understand yourself, that makes you push yourself to something you never anticipated. Yes we were tired, but it gave us sheer thrill and complete joy and gave satisfaction a whole new meaning. Little did I know that a jeep will be brutal and unforgiving, little did I know that I would be humbled before the elements of nature. On an April morning we went for a journey and it sure did take us places.

Two men, a Jeep and 500 Kms. Last one standing is the Jeep.

P.S. My friend had bought this jeep and we were bringing it from Koothatukulam in Kerala to Bangalore where he works. He is a Software engineer by profession, a vehicle fanatic by passion.

The Art of Simplicity

At almost a quarter of a century on this earth, I have decided to embark on a journey. One that will challenge the way I think, the way I articulate, the way I make decisions and every other aspect of my life. A journey “in pursuit of simplicity”. 

Simplicity according to Webster’s means “The quality of being simple or uncompounded”, and simple from the same reference means “Exhibiting childlike simplicity and credulity”. Simplicity is a way of thinking. A simple thinking process paves way to simple living.  While simplicity is not about living in a state of voluntary poverty, or a denial of the desires of our heart, it’s about living a life of experiences that brings our heart to peace and happiness.  Period. 

Why is Simplicity important? Why should Simplicity assume any form of importance in this increasingly complex life?  Simplicity on one hand helps us to focus on human values and on the other gives us clarity of thought, a rare phenomenon in this worldly clutter. This clarity of thought can help us to focus on our dreams, our passions, our goals and our objectives. It helps us to see the road ahead. It helps us to understand our complex environment in a human way. Simplicity takes our mind to the next level of maturity.

As I start out on this journey, I leave behind a lot of baggage. Complex thought processes acquired over time, weird algorithms to calculate almost nothing of value. My motto is simple

“Treat others as you want them to treat you. This is what the Law and the Prophets are all about. – Mathew 7:12, CEV – Bible”

So If I want simplicity, I give simplicity first. Period.

Competetion – Pill or Poison?

The younger generation of Indians lives on competition. The competition mantra is implanted into their growing cells from a very tender age. Look at this typical dialogue in a simple home of an Indian village Mom to child “If you don’t eat this dosa, next door billu will eat it”. Poor billu next door is in the same trap too. Both end up eating the dosa, but not with a conviction that it is good for them.

Excellence from within – The race is against yourself

From Schools to colleges and from colleges to workplace the roots of competition have been established within an individual. The young Indian has been taught to compete, and only to compete. With a population of a billion and limited resources to draw from, it is no surprise that competition for these resources was widely used by organizations for their benefit.  When I spoke to people about this subject, the reaction was weird. At first, these moderate minded mortals voiced their support to competition as it brings out the best in an individual. On debating further they shifted their support to healthy competition, and deep into the debate fiercely opposed the concept of competition. That was a clear vindication of my stand on competition. Nobody likes competition, but consider it necessary to survive.

If not competition, then what? Isn’t there a void left behind in human nature by what can be called as a lack of competition. How can we bring about the best in individuals without making them to focus on competition? Or how do you instill in the young minds a pursuit of excellence without necessarily having to compete individually.

In Pursuit of excellence

Gone are the days where individual excellence was the buzzword. Today, a group of likeminded people might work together to achieve a common goal. In the process they succeed. Do they compete?. Yes they do. But not among themselves, they compete with other groups with similar intentions. That is healthy competition, but when this competition spills over within a group, it becomes unhealthy. The group might still continue to achieve what it was doing before. But the Joy in the achievement takes a different dimension.

The focus of every individual should be to excel in their goals. It is like a 100 meter relay in Olympics. Four athletes from every team should run faster than four athletes from any other team. Everybody is competing against each other, but the race is won by excelling in what each individual in a team is doing. Only one team wins the race, the others didn’t lose to them. They lost to their goal, because they didn’t excel enough in what they wanted to do.

Excellence is from within an individual or likeminded individuals working towards a common goal. Competition should be outside this well knit group. If it is within them, the thick fabric of excellence will soon start to fade.